davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
The HOrse-Hair Snake.

There is weH-known popular belief
which still largely survives, in spite Of
the efforts of naturalists to assure the
public of its fallacy, that the gordius, or
"horse-h hair snake" is actually live
horse hair. There are still many peo-
pie who firmly believe that if the hair
from horses name Or tail is left for
some weeks in running water, the indi-
vidual hairs will assume vitality and
become "horse-hair snakes" Many a
country lad has tried this experiment,
though, of course, with unsatisfactory
result At a recent meeting of the
Maryland Academy Of Sciences, Prof
Uhler, the President, read an interesting
paper summing up our knowledge of
the strange worm. DR.. Leidy has de-
termined the fact that in its adult state
the horse-hair snake" does not eat any
food; like many insects in their final
stage of lie, it is then solely devoted to
the reproduction of it's species. A single
female may have an enormous number
of eggs; DIR. Leidy's estimate is 1924,
800 The young gordius attaches itself
as parasite to many fishes and small
aquatic creatures, and also to such in
sects as grasshoppers and day-hies. The
length of the mature gordius is about
fourteen inches; its thickness the twenty
fifth of an inch; its tendency to coil in
knots has given the worm its scientific
name.-NeU York Tribune
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
A Female Hermit.

A wood teamster named McCausland.
who was hauling wood in the noun
tains about twenty miles east of Vir-
ginia City, Nevada, saw woman riding
astride of a goat on the side of noun
tain She seemed quite at ease on her
improvised courser, and was riding
along at a fast gait, but as soon as she
saw she was observed she jumped off
the goat and ran out Of sight on the
further side of the mountain, nanny fol-
lowing in her tracks. The teamster is
at a loss to account for the presence of
the woman IN that neighborhood, as he
is sure that there are no families resid-
ing there. 1t was probably "Old Mother
Dildino," who has kept a goat and
sheep ranch for the past twelve Or fifteen
years, on the eastern edge of Twenty
one Mile Desert, and whose peculiari-
ties are we'll known to the residents in
that part Of Carson Valley. She lives
alone IN a small cabin with her goats,
sheep and fowls as her only compan-
ions, invariably avoiding all intercourse
with white people as long as she can
When her stock of the necessaries of
life is exhausted, she visits Sutro and
Dayton to sell few dozen eggs and
chickens with the product of which she
replenishes her store She is quite So
cial to the Indians, who wander in that
direction, and treats them kindly al
ways, but especially when they are ILL.,
At such times she prepares from noun
tain plants, with whose properties she
is well acquainted, beverages that the
Piutes believe to be all potential in re-
storing them to health. Her nearest
white neighbor lives probably fifteen
miles away, but she not only does not
regret her isolation, but she rather
likes it, and the chances are that she
prefers her mode of life, in her wretch
ed hovel, to a residence on Comstock
row, or IN more civilized vicinage She
is said to be the wife of Samuel T. Dill
dino, surveyor of Lyon county, from
whom she mas lived apart for years.
VuQiaia Citu Chronicle.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
The Scenery of Bermuda.

Without making comparisons, which
are said on good authority to be odious,
it may be truthfully affirmed that the
scenery of Bermuda, without ever over
coming one with enthusiasm, is ever
pleasing, and, like choice work of
art, or quiet but thoughtful piece of
music, has the inestimable quality Of
improving on acquaintance. Its charms
are SO subtle that, before one is aware,
it has stolen an enduring place in ones
affections. [ have seen islands far
more striking and magnificent, which
have gained scarcely to strong hold
upon my memory, or seemed to lnvit e
the stranger to return with such singu-
lar magnetism. The pomegranate
grows abundantly, and brilliant-green
foliage, starred with the fiame-like SPLEEN
dor of scarlet blossoms, forms one of
the most characteristic features in a
Bermuda landscape. The same may
be said OF the fddle-tree and the ge-
J-anium; while the oleander, growing in
groves the height of an apple rec, and
festooned with wonderful masses of
crimson and white flowers, often i'm
parts regal beauty to the rural roadside
Variety is also given to the flora by the
intervening of the tamarind, the red
cedar, the century plant, the Surinam
cherry, the grapefruit, the banana, and,
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
Chinese i'm America.
Journal

San Francisco is by no means the
only city on the Pacific side of this con-
tinent which is troubled with the Chi
nese problem. industrious, frugal, and
quietly persistent, John is to be found
wherever there is work of any kind to
be done, and is always willing to do it
cheaper than Americans or European
emigrants. His wants are fewer, his
ambition less, than theirs, and he is
oftentimes content with quarters and
fare at which well-bred and respecta-
bic dog would turn up his hose.
In San Francisco the manufacture OF
cigars may be said to have passed en-
tirely into their hands, several thousand
being employed in this branch Of indus
try alone Originally knowing nothing
about boot and shoe making, they have
made such rapid strides in this trade
that no other class of workmen are able
compete with them. AS carpenters,
manufacturers of furniture, and workers
in all kinds of wood, they have crowded
out an army Of white laborers. With
all the uses of the sewing-machine they
have become familiar, willingly and
untiringly working at one twelve and
often fourteen hours without cessation.
Many hundreds of Cinnamon are
employed in laundry-work, generally
under a system whereby the item of
shop rent is reduced to the most eco
nomical figure Two wash firms occupy
the same premises and use the same
tubs and materials, one firm work
ing during daylight, and at dark surren-
dering the shop to the other, who occupy
and use it until morning, By this sys-
tenn there is also saving in water and
fuel. AS general thing, Chinese laun-
drymen are better ironers than washers.
They have novel method of sprinkling
clothing when getting it ready for
the ironing table. Filling the mouth
with water, it is elected upon the gar
ment in the form of spray, being dis
tributed more evenly by this process
than by usual hand sprinkling.
There are quite number of China
men in San Francisco who are reputed
to be worth from 100000 to 100000,
made by patient and parsimonious saw
ing. They are not fond Of display, nor
do they possess the ambition for i'm
provement which distinguishes Ameri-
cans When Chinaman is able to pur-
chase a house in the quarter" he will
honev-comb" the interior as much as
possible, making four or more rooms
out of one, and fitting them up in such
way as only Mongolian would en-
dure-Ha7pers Weekly.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
Splitting the Weather.

About the 1st of December George
Bradley, of Hastings street, traded a
COW and revolver for a cutter, and at
the same time he began to increase his
horses daily allowance of oats Mr..
Bradley had consulted the goose-bone,
the newspapers, the almanacs, and the
old women, and all of them had pre-
dicted an early winter and heaps of
snow. He imagined what dash he
would cut on the avenues with that
nobby cutter, and he went to bed at
night to dream that an Indian was pei
ting him with snoW-balls. The days
went by, the horse grew fat, and-snow
didn't come. Mr.. Bradley got mad
then got madden, and when this last
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
Dancing a Stimulant Of the Passions.

One ,unhygienic result Of dancing is
the premature development Of the pas
sioIs. These are latent up to certain
age, and are designed to take their
proper place in the regular order of de-
Velopnent. In this nature is often frus-
Ftratedoby the, Intervention of artificial
means to, hasten the process, when ire
parable damage is done. Dancing is
not one Of the least Of the means that
are employed to accomplish this end.
There are enough things that tend in
this direction without any assistance
from passion-provoking practice like
dancing. In a ballroom there is pro-
miscuous crowd The "setsn are form
ed, the music strikes up and the dance
begins. The pantomime that now COM
mences is of such nature as to express
the emotional language ri the passions.
ALI may not be ableto interpret its true
meaning, but the effect is all the same
Again, in the waltz liberties are taken
that would be regarded as highly i'm
proper under any other circumstances.
1t allows the gentleman to clasp his
partner about the waist, when he holds
her In close embrace through long
series of rapid evolutions, uutil she is
glad to rest upon his shoulder from
sheer exhaustion. The effect of dane
ing in this respect may be altogether
different when practiced in the home
circle between members of the family,
but even here there may be taste
formed il the young that amounts to
an absorbing fatuation, which soon
seeks qualification in a more public
place. No greater misfortune can be-
tall boy or girl than to be subjected to
such a forcing process. It causes them
to become developed in advance of their
age, and being naturally impulsive, they
are easily led beyond the bounds Of pro-
priety and into sin-Dr. Mdnk.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
With a Grizzly.

A grizzly bear seldom or never attacks
men unless he is first molested Or pro-
voked Hunters who have no particu-
lar business with that kind Of game
generally " forgive him" and let him 60
as ARENAS Ward did For it needs a
smart man and smart gun to get the
better of Ursus Ho71biHs when he is
reused. The Virginia New Chronicle
gives a recent example. ,,....f
A short time ago, Mr.. Buchanan, re-
siding at McKinneys station, Lake Ia
hoe, was out hunting with two compan-
ions, when they suddenly came on a
grizzly bear. Mr.. Buchanan had during
the summer trapped three grizzlies, and
had come to the conclusion that he was
born grizzly fighter, and accordingly,
when his companions slid up their re
spective trees, he made after the bear.
He hunted the bear for few minutes,
and then the bear turned and began to
hunt him. Buchanan rushed back at a
pretty lively pace to where his COM
panions were freed, but they were so
high up that they could not hear him
cry for assistance, or couldn't help him
if they did hear him. He had shot
gun loaded with buckshot, and as the
monster neared him he attempted to
shoot, but in his hurry and excitement
had only halfcocked the weapon.
Finding, as he supposed, that his gun
was useless, he began running around a
clump of brush, with the grizzly at his
heels. He finally cooked his gun, and,
when the bear was but twenty feet away,
let him have charge of buckshot in
the side of his head, which seemed to
temporarily embarrass the animal
Bruin soon recovered, however, and
went right after his man, when he got
the contents Of the second barrel in the
same place.
Abashed, but not defeated, he went
again directly for Buchanan, who by
this time had rushed to climb the tree
where one Of his cowardly companions
was indifferently looking down upon
his peril. At the foot of the tree lay a
loaded rifle, which the other had drop
ped, and, picking up this, he shot the
bear as he advanced, under the fore
shoulder, killing him, at which the 9TH
er men came down and congratulated
him on his escape. When the carcass
was cut up, two balls were found near
the heart, imbedded in callous flesh,
showing that the bear had met with
rough usage before.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
OF, slOp came, he made l1D. his tninc

bsPell OF slop came, he made up,his mind
ITO have revenge on the weather, and
the Weather-btlreau, and all Interest OF
Detroit. lie got out his house and cut
ter, and rode up and down the street,
mud six inches deep. It was tough
Fpulling for the horse, and bad goin g for
the cutter, but Mr.. Bradley feltthat he
was giving December the biggest kind
of spat between the eyes, and he en-
joyed himself. A crowd likewise en-
IJoyed the spectacle, and it wasn't long
before the. sleigh-rider found himself
cooped up On a charge Of disorderly
conduct. s5a lH 5oa - 5i .tafa
Mr.. Bradley" began the court as
the prisoner was brought.out ~ shall
have to fine you S.. but I want this
audience and people Of the State OF
Michigan to distinctly understand that
you have my heartfelt sympathy. |
have to wade around in the mud, I fall
kersplat ! in the dope as I turn q
corner, and l no sooner put down my
umbrella than some ghoul goes off with
lit. [ hope you hurt the weather till it
will be crippled for life, but you must
pay a fine" v..L....
Mr.. Bradley paid, and then went out
doors and went for the weather in a
way that made the mud fly ten feet
high.-Detroi Free Press.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02

DIR. SAMUEL COOKE, of st. Bartnolom-
ew's church, New York, cleared an in
debtedness of S145, 900 from his parish
in way which differs widely from Mr.
Kimball's Mr. Cooke has been pas
tor of his congregation for twenty-five
years, knew all its members thoroughly
and came to the conclusion that they
could pay off the obligations Of the
church by an earnest effort. The debt
was such a source of anxiety to him
that he determined to test the willing
ness of his flock to meet it at once. On
returning to the city in the fall he went
about quietly among his friends asking
their aid. He made no parade of his
designs, consulted neither trustees nor
vestrymen, and used no arts to excite
his Pensioners to emulation in contrib
uting. After canvass of few weeks
he found that money enough was put
at his disposal to clear the church, with
the exception of small sum which was
subscribed Ill open meeting, in order
that all the congregation might have a
hand in forwarding the good cause VIM
HI. Vanderbilt gave $50, 1000, and his, son
Cornelius $4,000. The persons who
contributed knew nothing of each 9th
er's work, and the public knew nothing
Of it. Indeed, the whole story probably
would have been kept within the limits
of the congregation but for the present
excitement on the subject Of paying of
church debts
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
Sorts.

: '5oI 10
A New York court has decided tina
Wedding PRESENTS are the property, nd
of.ithe husband and wife, but of the wife
alone. -; ,.l2,.-,ar..f. .,,.,.~..
The little village of Antwerp, N. Y.
contains sixty-two Widows. No book.
agent Or sewing-machine man, they say
ever goes into the. place without coming
out dead or married.
"A Connecticut Jonathan, In taking a
walk with his dearest, came to toll
bridge, when he, as honest as he was
wont to be, said, after paying his. own
toll, (Which was one cent J" Come, Suke,
you must pay your own toll, for list as
like as not ashanti have you after all"7
Among novelties constructed of paper
is a chimney for factory at Breslau,
Long Island 1t is fifty feet high, and
rendered fire-proof and imperyious to
water by a chemical preparation Next
we may expect stoves and CRATES made
of paper. ..9 tara o.tia;a:ai,.lr, - 81 d
A railroad branch of the Young Mems
Christian Association has been organized
at Keyser, West Virginia. 1t is the pur-
pose of the new association to provide
a reading for the men employed
by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
and to hold religious meetings for
them.
There are indications of increasing
severity of temperature in several parts
of the world. The climate of Iceland
is growing so cold that grain scarcely
ripens there The cause is supposed to
be the steady descent Of ice from the
north upon the shores of Iceland. The
climate Of Greenland was once milder
than at present, and ice is found farther
south in the Atlantic than formerly.
Conchshell jewelry, which is much
affected by young girls, is especially at
tractive this season; it is inexpensive,
and rivals coral in effect The cameo
cOnchshell is real, and when well worked
is quite valuable. Some of the canoes
bear the closest examination. In the
plain she'll we find earrings represent
ing a leaf with a fly resting on it, or the
shell is held by bow-knot Of silver,
and a pearl rests on the shell, the pen
dent to match. ~
From 1850 to 1871 215, 100000 acres
Of public lands were granted by Congress
to States and corporations for railroad
purposes, 159,O0O,0OO of this to the Pa
cific roads, and nearly 100000 acres
have been granted for canal purposes !;
for the Pacific roads debt of 1854, 100000
was assumed, now swollen to $92, 100000,
and promising to exceed $3.50, 100000 !;
and the largest grantee proposes to re-
pay the Government by practically Dor
rowing anew from it.
One evening when Miss Cushman was
playing in Washington, President and
Mrs. Grant entered the theatre during
the second act, just when the actress
had started to "come on, land the Or
chestra at that moment began to play
Hail to the chief" Duffield, Dufield,"
she cried, "what is that noise about
The orchestra is composed of fools, [
verify believe" 1t is the President"
said Mr.. Duffield. "And suppose it
is !" said she, angrily. Mr.. Ford has
given orders that the orchestra play
Hail to the chief" Hail to the mis-
chief I would not stop performance
for the best man living. Mr.. Ford is a
goose"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02

The former residence of Edwin For
rest, near Philadelphia, now a home for
indigenta ctors is a strange place. The
house is a palace In its gorgeousness;
the furniture is beautiful and expensive;
the library, the pictures and the statuary
are such as are seldom seen in private
collections. All this is enjoyed by two
old and infirm actors and superintend-
dent, for the benefits Of the establish
ment have not been availed Of as yet,
by any except the two mentioned.
Celia Logan, who recently virited it,
says that their chief trouble is to kill
time.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
THE GREAT INSANITY BREEDER.
Oyerworking the Brain Is What Fills
the Asylums.
New York sur

New York sun.
DIR. Ordronaux, state commissioner in
lunacy, in his conference with the
board of apportionment about the
Blackwell's island asylum, was asked
why there was a rapid increase of in
sanity in the city. He replied:
It is gre atty due to the aggregation of
people in metropolitan centres, where
business rivalries are very intense. In
those centres it is found that the vitality
of the system after a generation or two
is diminished, and the children OF I'M
healthy parents come into the world
predisposed to insanity. We seem to
be reproducing in this respect the state
of things which existed in Nineveh and
Babylon.
It is a dreadful picture that DR.. Or
dronaux draws Is the great mental
activity required by the rushing, driv-
ing business of the city really leading
to generation of lunatics? We have
at hand this pertinent passage from a
sermon by Prof Swing. of Chicago:
A grain dealer found, few years ago,
that his mind was being transformed in
to sense of wheat. AS the eye is a
sense of light, and the ear of sound,
and the tongue of taste, SO he had dis
placed all these by a new sense-a
sense of wheat He rose early to learn
the latest quotations east, he sat up late
at night to figure at the margins of the
last or next million bushels, and of
wheat be dreamed, and amid it he ate
and attempted TO think or talk. All
else began to disappear from the
world; literature, religion, friendship,
amusement, were all flying out of the
window, while wheat was coming In at
the door,
The grain dealer, Prof. Swing says,
saved himself from insanity by limiting
his hours of business to four day, and
occupying his mind during the rest of
his waking time with thoughts of some
thing else than grain. The remedy is
good, but difficult to be applied. 1t is
easy enough for a manual labOrer to
forget his work when he is through with
it for the day, but mercantile and pro-
fessional men find it harder. The mind
is less comfortable than the body, for it
refuses to rest when it is weariest; yet
much may be done by an effort at men
tai discipline in this direction, as any
body can prove by thorough trial
After leaving your store or office,
avoid thinking of your business until
you return to it on the morrow. Do
not take home the distracted manner
that shows you to be working hard in
the time that belongs to rest. Do not
sit in places of amusement looking va
cantly at the performance, but neither
seeing nor hearing it. 1t is better to
sleep in your pew at church than to be
seemingly listening to the sermon,
while your mind is exclusively occupied
with plans for Monday. Indeed, sleep
is about the best test of your mental
health, unless you have softening of the
brain. If you can sleep dreamlessly
eight hours every night, you are in no
immediate danger of going insane.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02

patch Of ground The food thus pro-
Educed is too much neglected by the
farming community; it Embellishments
Of nourlshmcnt necessary to a healthy
condition Of the body for which no
cheaper available Substitutes can be
found. There are in Connecticut alone
256 ponds of from to 1000 acres each,
aggregating 81 ,6O4 acres, which contain
a considerable number and variety of
food fishes-although probably not a
thousandth part Of what. they may be
made to produce with proper care.
Besides these lakes, there are greater
number of smaller ponds Of less than
five acres which are. in like manner
capable Of development.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02

waving majestically over all. the queen
ly palm, a bronzeIike Shaft lithely sway
ing in the seawind and crowned by an
undulating crest of emerald plumes.
The mangrove is abundant in the coral
coves, its snake-like branches twisted
together most inextricably over the
water, and forming green coves where
the dreamer may suppose sea-fairies
dwell if he is SO minded.-Appleton's
Journal
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02
FISH CULTURE. -There are few enter.

FISH CULTURE.-There are few enter
prises enjoying public attention at the
present time that promise more pro-
fitable results than the multiplying of
food fishes in fresh-water ponds. It is
the belief of all who have studied the
subject that fresh-water fishes of all
kinds can be multiplied indefinitely
and SO cultivated as to be improved,
not only in quantity but in quality, and
made to be the cheapest of cheap food.
The fact should be repeated over and
over again, until every one who has a
patch of water on his premises large
enough for tadpoles and sinners, can
make it yield an abundance of whole
some food, at not half the trouble and
expense with which he cultivates like
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02

ESOUND SENsE.--What are wealth and
poverty? Only relative terms. There is
none SO rich as the poor boy who has
just received his first dollar after week
of hard work. We waste a great deal
of pity on those who are born in the
humber ranks of life. It is better TO
be born poor, and work your way up to
wealth and honor, than to have wealth
and honor thrust upon you at birth,
even though retained through life
Popular Science Monthly,
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02

Miss Eagan, the Fall River mill girl
who mysteriously lost her speech few
weeks ago soon after dreaming that she
would, recovered it in way fully as singu-
lar last week She felt q sudden shock
and a choking sensation. causing an ex-
clamation, and from that moment her
voice has gained strength and distinct
ness. She felt considerable pain at first
about her chest and lungs but that is
gradually wearing away
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-01-02

New YEARS CALLs.-It is the height
of absurdity and i'll taste for young gem
tlemen to make New Years calls in
full dress. Such costume is never in
order save at evening parties.