davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14
Facts for the Curious,

The greyhound runs by the eyesight
only, and this we observe as fact. The
carrier-pigeon flies his 250 miles home
ward by eye-sight-namely, from point
to point Of objects which he has mark
ed but this is only our conjecture.
The fierce dragon-fiy, with IL, 900 lenses
in his eye, darts from angle to angle
with the rapidity of flashing sword,
and as rapidly darts back, not turning
in the air, but with clash reversing the
action of his wings, and instantaneously
calculating the distance of the objects,
or he would dash himself to pieces. But
in what conformation of the eye does
this consist? No one can answer.
A cloud of ten thousand gnats dance
up and down in the sun, the minutest
interval between them, yet no one
knocks another upon the grass or breaks
leg or wing, long and delicate as they
admiration of this dance, a peculiarly
high-shoulderd, vicious gnat, with long,
pendant nose. darts out of the rising
and falling cloud, and setting on your
cheek, inserts poisonous sting. What
possessed the little wretch to do this ?
Did he smell your blood in the mazy
dance NO one Knows.
A carriage comes suddenly upon
flock of geese on narrow road, and
drives straight through the middle of
them. A goose was never yet fairly run
over, nor duck. They are under the
very wheels and hoofs, and yet somehow
they contrive to flap and waddle safely
off. Habitually stupid, heavy and indo-
lent, they are nevertheless equal to the
emergency. .' -
Why does the lonely woodpecker,
when he descends his tree and goes to
drink, stop several times on his way,
listen and look round before he takes
his draught? No one knows. How is
it that the species OF ant, which is taken
in battle by other ants to be made slaves,
should be black ants? No one knows.
The power OF judging of actual dan
ger, and the free and easy boldness
which result from it, are by no
means uncommon. Many birds seem
to have q correct notion of
guns range, and while scrupu-
lously careful to keep beyond it, con.
fine their care to this caution, though
the most obvious resource would
be to fly right away out of sight and
hearing, which they do not choose to
do. And they sometimes appear to
make even an ostentatious use of their
power, fairly putting their wit and
cleverness in antagonism to that of man
for the benefit of their fellows. We
lately read an account, by naturalist
in Brazil, of an expedition he made to
one of the islands of the Amazon to
shoot spoon-bills, ibises and other of the
1 sAaafnk a ..ol L.
were most abundant there. His DESIGN
was completely bsffled, however, by a
wretched little sandpiper that preceded
him, continually uttering his tell-tale
cry, which at once aroused all the birds
within hearing. Throughout the day
did this individual bird continue his
seif-imposed duty of sentinel to others.
effectuslly preventing the approach OF
the fowler to the game, and yet manag
ing to keep out of the range Of his gun.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Relations Of Fertility to stock Breealns.
= RarnVard paanura ia hut the hav

Relations Of Fertility to stock Bresains.
Barnyard manure is but the hay,
gr ain and roots fed to animals, deprived
Of that portion of their substance used
to make flesh and bone, milk and wool,
with the wastes of the system added,
and the whole mixed with the refuse of
the yard and stable. In practice we
find that the dung Of animals contrib
utes to the growth of crops lecause
It is composed Of the substance of those
crops. And since the quality of the
manure depends on the food consumed,
the manure from grain. fed animals is
more valuable than that produced from
feeding roots and hay alone, as grain
Ohe seed Of plants) contains far larger
proportion of the more important ele-
ments offertility than the stem or roots
Of any plant. .t...-........
Investigations by Lawes and Gilbert
upon the comparative values Of manures
produced from different foods, showed
that, when reckoning the manure made
from feeding a ton of hay at $40, the
manure from a ton of
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

VOL. VIII.
Links OF Life.


boy and girl stood hand in hand
Beside the window pane,
And gazed far out on flooded land
And dreary, falling rain. ...
The madens features, form and face
We're crowned with every girlish grace.
In boyish words he told her this,
Aud begged the favor Of kiss
While Just above them, all the time,
The clock sent forth its rattling rhyme,
And murmured. with tireless tick,
Be quick be quick
youth and maid stood there once more
Beside the window pane.
A dream of beauty as before,
And watched the falling rain.
Her hand upon his shoulder lies
He looks on her with love-lt eyes,
And murmurs, " 1t we're perfect bliss
To gain the gift of hand like this"
She pauses then as il in doubt;
While still the clock again speaks out,
YAnd murmurs, with its cheerful tick.
Be quick be quick
Yet once again we find them here;
But this is in the winter time:
The forms are bent, and on their hair
Are frosts Of age like winters rime,
But still the eyes look on in love,
Beholding glories far above.
His arm again her form draws nigh,
"Ah wife" he says, " we soon must die ;
We've struggled on through world and
weather.
God grant that we may die together ~
The clock chimes in with doleful tick,
Be quick be quick
Once more the window greets the sun;
No forms now stand its panes beside,
Their smoothly gliding days are done,
And there two cofins, side by side,
Enfold the fond and faithful forms
From summers rains aud winters storms.
The pastor prsys with saddened sound,
Whilo weeping mourners gather round.
"They loved each other WELL" he said.
"Nor will we part them now though dead. ,
And on each coffined face the while
There seemed to dawn loving smile,
AS mourners trod with muf1ed sound
And bore them to the burial ground.
While overhead with mournful click,
The clock moaned out with tireiess tick,
Ee quick be quick
L Edgar Jones'
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

One night last week, at party in
Toronto, young man was frightening
some of the young ladies by daring
exhibition of revolver, when the wea-
pom was accidentally discharged, the
bullet entering the young mans side,
indicting a serious wound. We have
said a great many harsh things about
these young men whose revolvers con.
tain more than their heads, but we re-
tract everything now. At last revolver
has been found that knows which man
to shoot. May his tribe increase. =
Burlington Ha,Ukeye.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

The garments belonging to the Moors
who die from cholera in Morocco, instead
OF being burnt, are sold by auction in
the public market.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

While the funeral cortege of respected
Milwaukee citizen, DIR. Meinrod Risch,
was on its way. to the cemetery, a bull
rushed at it and incontinently broke up
the procession, butting and overturning
the mourners' carriage and injuring the
hearse so much that the coffin had to be
removed to an omnibus.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

Last year bankrupt liabilities in Eng.
land were over 1926, 600, 900; assets
about $50, ,000,0 900. tl''' 't
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14
TIMELY TOPICS.

The recent inundations of the Nile
destroyed $50 human beings and 81, $780,
600 in property. .
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

Surprise is one of the principal sle-
ments of wit. This is why it always make,
a man laugh when he sits down on pin.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

The Toronto Mail of a recent date re-
lates an incident which befell Mr.. John
o. Howard while duck-shooting on the
st. Clair flats, a marsh preserve OF some
$4,000 acres. A large black duck went
soaring over him some forty or fifty
yards in the air, and he fired at it with
such true aim that it fell directly upon
him. He tried to dodge it. but his boat
was too small to admit of his moving far,
and he was struck fair in the back by the
falling duck. The blow knocked him
senseless in the boat. He instlnctively
seized his prey and saved it, but was
confined to his bed for two days from the
effects of his injury.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

The miners and the farmers in Cali
fornia have begun controversy of great
consequence. The mining operations
in several counties have ruined great
areas of farming land by choking the
rivers with debris, which causes them to
overflow and cover the alluvial valleys
with mud. Test law suits have been in
stituted.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

Hundreds of thousands of peasants in
Italy are without work, and those who
are employed are glad to labor twelve
hours day for nineteen cents and food,
which invariably consists of dry black
bread at ten A. M, and aqua-sale soup
at the close of the day--the said soup
being bowl of hot water salted and fla
vored with few drops of olive oil.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

James Hill entered the Frisco SWIM
ming tournament for "the longest swim
under water" Spectators watched his
mud-colored, sprawling body as it tug.
ged from stone to stone under the trans
parent, green water of the bay. After a
long while the swimmer dropped to the
bottom and laid prone, back up. Every
body thought it was an antic of some sort
and stood still until some sensible person
dived down and pulled ont the apparent
ly-drowned professional. Much rubbing
and pumping gave life back.
The wonderfully joined twin babies
from st. Benoit, Canada, who were ex-
hibited in New York, lave peen critical
ly examined in Philadelphia by Profess
sor Pancoast. They are separate to the
hips, but have only two legs in the ag-
gregate. The Siamese twins were dis
tinct pair, so are the colored twins called
Millie and Christine, but the professor
says of the Canadian babies: "They
have separate lungs and hearts, the union
beginning at the edge of the ribs, and
forming common digestive and genera
tive organs"
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-11-14

Great droughts like that which has ragged
over India and China this year, produce
sort of disease among the inland fishes,
and they die by millions. Nor will any
but the most intelligent and enterprising
of the Hindoos gather the carcasses with
which to fertilize their fields, and thus
the vast and valuable deposits of phos-
phate manure along hundreds of miles
of river banks is wasted. .-
The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-28
Where the Sun Jumps A day.

Chathom Island, lying off the coas,
of New Zealand, in the South Pacific
Ocean, is peculiarly situated, as it is one
of the habited points of the globe where
the day of the week changes. 1t is just
in the line Of denmark alton between
dates. There high IL on Sunday or
noon ceases, and instantly Monday me-
ridian begins. Sunday comes into man S
b ouse on the east side and becomes Mon.
day by the time it passes out the west
ern door. A man sits down to bis noon
day dinner on Sunday, and it is Mon
day before he finishes it.
That Saturday is Sunday and Sunday
is Monday, and Monday suddenly be.
comes transferred into Tuesday. Its a
good place for people who have lost
much time, for by taking an early star,
they can always get day ahead on
Chatham Island. 1t took philosophers
and geographers long timo to settle the
puzzle Of here Sunday noon ceased and
where Monday began, with a man trav-
cling west fifteen degrees an hour, or
with tho sun. 1t is hoped that the next
English Arctic expedition will settle the
other mooted question -" Where will
one stop who travels northwest contin-
ually ?"
The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-28

The bars of the horses foot are but
prolongation of the outer wall of the
foot. Their object is to protect the
frog and strengthen the foot itself.
Their value IN this direction, can scarce
ly be over. estimated. To cut them
away, is like removing the beams that
keep the walls of house from falling
outward or crushing inward. If o
healthy foot Is placed on a glass stand, it
will be seen that the ground surface OF
the wall bars all bear the relative pro-
portion of weight. These might be call
ed the three great pillars on which the
body of the horse, like some dome, up
held by three columns stand. To short
en- or remove two of these three COL
umns, is of course fatal. The dome is
OF such weight as to crush the sole re-
naming support. This is precisely the
condition of things under the common
viscious system of shooting. The bars
are cut away so that they cannot touch
the earth, the frog is pared down the
same way, the sole is gouged out and
the result is that nothing is left but the
the wall OF the hoof to support the vast
weight above. When you remember
that the wall is very thin, scarcely an
inch in thickness where it touches the
ground-you will share with me the
surprise, not that 80 many horses
"pound their feet up" and break down
or "give out in their feet" as the saying
is, but that any horses survive at all.
The true way is to let every thing grow
to Its fullest extent that nature designs
it to reach, and in shoeing, seek only to
protect from too rapid destruction what
nature has put together, Toast OF oil cut
away that which nature has provided so
abundantly and moro efficiently than the
art and skill of man can ever hope to
effect. The vast importance Of having
the frog come in contact with the ground
in order to keep the foot in health and
good condition, is most ably shown in
Irrational Horseshocing," small book
recently published that ought to be in
the hands of every owner and lover OF
o horse.
We have quoted the foregoing from
Murray's "Perfcct Horse" and will just
say that in our own city there is room
for improvement in borseshOeing. A
short time ago we were anxiously urged
to hasten to q blacksmith shop in the
lower part Of the city to see a horse
who was getting his hoofs pared until
the blood came. When we arrived the
horse had gone, but the ground was
covered with horny parings, and sus-
picious stains attested the truth of our
informant. +. W.
The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-28
Asparagus.

A correspondent of the Garden gives
his experience in forcing asparagus,
which we give; on the principal that
what o man says he has done is worth
whole chapter of show it is done"
"Asparagus may be obtained u month
before it is ready, out-of doors, as fol.
lows: About the middle of February
place some movable wooden frames over
q permanent bed Of it, and with few
barrow loads of warm manure and
leaves, make up q lining all around the
bed, and cover its surface with dry hay.
Then put on the lights and keep them
closed for three weeks, when the heads
will begin to appear. The hay should
then be cleared of, and little air given
on every favorable opportunity. Un-
der this treatment havo cut my first
asparagus on March Goth, and after
that date have cut several hundreds of
beautiful heads, and still they promise
to DO sufficiently abundant to keep up
a good supply until the outdoor crop is
ready. By this plan, the bed, which
docs not experience any disturbances,
will last great number Of years, pro-
viding its product is not cut too late.
Cutting should cease and the grass be
removed directly the outdoor crop is
ready.
The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-28
Grectau Power.

The army o. Greecs is about 10000
strong, and the armed national guard
1000 The evacuation of the Dan.
ubian fortresses sets at liberty abou,
30, 0eJ Turkish soldiers, who may be
sent to comfort the Greeks and suppress
instruction. 1t would seem, therefore
that Greece might have chosen a bet.
ter time for tho invasion Of ThessaIy,
though that movement is said to be
based upon the hope of its being second
ed by the population Of that Turkish
province. At the same time her mar.
itimc towns are in . detenselcss state,
and might be reduced to ashes by q few
hours cannonading by the Turkish feet.
As the Scotch man said OF the bull that
attacked locomotive. "The pluck OF
the little animal was admirable, but
not much could be said OF its discretion"
The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-28
In.Case OF Fire.

The season is ut hand when fires
most prevail, and when the prccaution-
ary hints of the late DR.. Hall are most
important to be needed. They are as
follows. Keep doors and windows of
the structure closed until tho fireman
come; put wet cloth over the mouth,
and get down on all tours in a smoky
room; open the upper part Of thej win.
dow TO get the smok out; If in theater,
church or schoolroom, keep cool, dc.
scend ladders with q regular step to
prevent the vibration. II kerosene
Just purchased can be made to burn in
a saucer by igniting with match, throw
it away. Put wire work or glass shades
over gaslights in show windows, and in
bedrooms with curtains; sprinkle sand
instead of sawdust on floors of oil stores;
keep shavings and kindling wood away
from steam boilers, and greasy rags
from lofts, cupboards, boxes, ETC.; see
that all stovepipes enter we'll in the
chimney, and that ell lights and fires
are out before retiring or leaving the
place of business; keep matches in met
al or earthen vessels, and out of the
reach OF children; and provide piece OF
stout rope long enough to reach the
ground, in every chamber. Neither ad-
nit any one if the house DO on fire, ex.
cept police, fremen and known neigh
bors /; nor swing lighted gas brackets
against the wall, leave no small chill
dren in q room where there are matches
or an open fire; nor deposit ashes in a
wooden box or on the floor; nor use .
light in examining the gas meter. Ne
yer leave clothes near the fireplace to
dry; nor smoke or read in bed by can.
die or lamplight; nor put kindling wood
to dry on the top of the stove; nor take
a light into the closet; nor pour out Ii
quor near a light, keep burning or
other inflammable fluids in the rooms
where there is fire; nor allow smoking
about barns or warehouses.
The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-28
A BigOted Skeptic.

Editors of the Hawk. Eye THAT piece
about tho horse that was shorn 80 close
at Iowa Smiths stable that they had to
put sand under tho harness to keep the
horse from slipping of is lie.
This elegant little epistIe reached us
anonymously. but the postmaster at
Charlton officially informed US that il
was written by man in that unbeliev-
ing city. We didn't suppose there was
o man in Iowa who was foolish enough
TO cast any discrcdit on that statement
about Iowa Smiths horse. 1t was true
every line of it, and the city editor is
ready to make affidavit to il. The
horse was so slippery that the feas try.
ing to crawl up bis legs, clipped of and
broke their necks. in tho thunder storm
list Friday night lightning struck him
six times, and couldn t get enough hold
on him any time to harm him. When
you rub your finger on the horses side,
they leave scratches on il, Just like the
scratching nail across finely varnish-
ed chair back. It is nothing uncom-
mon is Burlington. II our skeptical
Charlton friend will come to Burling-
ton We will show him dozen
such horses, AID We will bet him any
money We can do il. Why, there vss .
man in our town one day last week,
from over in lllinoia, who had pair OF
horses shorn 90 smooth that IN execu-
ton tor el75 wouldn't bold him. Slid
out and got over the county line while
the constable Vas rubbing 5osin On the
execution. Fsct.-Buriiugton Hawk
eve.
The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-28
Let ~ Have F's.

An exchange remarks: Persons who
patronize papers should pay promptly,
for the pecuuiary prospects OF the press
have Q peculiar power in pushing for.
ward public prosperity. II the printer
is paid promptly and bis pocketbook
kept plethoric by prompt paying pat.
rons, be puts his pen to his paper in
peace; he paints his pictures Of passing
events 10 more colors and the perusal
OF his paper is Of moro pleasure TO his
people. Paste this piece Of verbal phil.
osophy in some place where all persons
can perceive it. Be pleased also to
ponder upon it thyself patiently and
perseverirgIy and probably and per.
sistcntiy practice its prccepts.
The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-28

The Clay Center Dispatch says that a
gentleman who recently travelled
through that county took some notes on
valuable personal property he saw
standing out exposed to tho weather, and
going to ruin as fast as possible. On
two farms within two miles of each 9th.
er, and FIVE miles of Clay Center, he in.
voiced S2,754 worth of valuable farm
machinery out in the weather, consisting
OF threshing machines, reapers, mowers,
drills, headers, tanning mills, and down
to hoes. The Dispatch says:
The same state of affairs exists all
over Kansas, and all the advises and
warnings that can be crammed into 10.
cal papers from one years end to an.
other, seem to have no effect. Is it laz.
mess, is 1t shIftlessness, or is it careless.
ness? A carpenter buys a S100 ma.
chine and keeps it,6guratively speaking,
swathed in red flannel-a farmer pays
$500 for machi0e to use one month in
the year, and allows the elements to run
riot with the other eleven months. In
many instances the machine is absolute
" ruined by exposure before the first note
given in payment for it becomes due.
We have no patience with such stupid.
ity, and no sympathy for the victim
when the constable gets after him.
And the Dispatch might have added
that the farmers who lose the most in
this way are the ones who complain the
loudest that "farming don't pay" and
who gulp down the most readily the in
dation theories, of Missionaries and dem
agogues. We have no doubt but the
farmers of Kansas lose enough BY this
sort of shi:tlessness and thoughtlessness,
each year to more than pay all their
taxes from State tax down to road tax.
Manhattan Nationalist.