davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1878-03-09

Ex-senator b. T. Wade died at bis residence
IN Jefferson, Ohio, on Saturday morning last.
ne was born 10 Massachusetts, ia 1900. and 10
lis early years re worked as a farmer Or abo-
rerin the SIMMER, and was employed as a
school teacher 10 tic winter. he began the
study Of law in ls2C 10 Ohio To that State
he was Prosecuting Attorney. State SENATOR
Judge. aud wss elected e s. Senator 10 1851,
1851 and 1868. After tie death Of Mr. Lin
coin be became President q tie Senate, aud
presided over that body during the impeach-
rneut trial Of President johnson. lie was 70,
a vigorous war policy 10 ls5l-on, aud as
Chairman Of the joint Committee on lie con
duct o. :Ls war urged the enactment Of law
10 cordsca.y al.llo property Of leading seces-
siouists and cuanc.Pate their slaves. Tie was
regarded as an honest man. stroag 10 BE COZ
vie,:ons. uusomprouisins when be thought
principle vss az stake. lie Lad ,lo repusa-
t.ou Of uo.a. prof4le Imam. aO1 .fbe coa-
uaueI 81. uc fear De knows mere about future
punishment dian Inscrsor las yei learned or
Affects 90 lisJclicye
Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1878-03-09

The late King Of Italy. Victor Emanuel.
died possessed Of three hundred palaces and
eighteen huodred horses, and left 40 ludrjlual
debt Of three millions dollars, notwithstanding
BE- Aad an annual income Of four million dol
lars. aud was Of frugal mind. To keep bis
palaces, which descended % him from the
Kings Of ths Italian States, ia order anl sup
ply tho wants Of bis host Of dependents. more
than any ex,rayagaut habit Of bis owo,-ez-
cepi 10 lis fancy lr h0rsedcsh-abs0rbei
al AMI more than bis Income. His son aud
successor has assumed and will pay tie debt
but be intends 70 reduce bis stud 10 O reason
able number Of fine animals
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
More Marine Monsters.

Whatever may be ultimately decided
as 81 the existence or non-existon ce Of
the sea serpent, Il seems plain that there
exist nj the bottom of the sea monsters
quite equally worthy Of the name Of le-
viaihan. The most hideous and gigantic
Of these denizens oi the deep sea Of
which tradition speaks belong to the
starfiFh or octopus species, and II was
the bodies. or rather fragments Of bodies,
of creatures OF this sort which were coll
lectei and placed in the museums at
Utrecht and Amsterdam after the storms
OF 1899 and 1870. Professor Stecnstreep,
who il an authority in these matters,
describes sea monster which was
thrown Ashore IN 1853, the head Of which
was a. fat as that Of robust child.
Eight years later, the captain of a small
French vessel claimed 20 have seen off
the coast of Teneriffe another of these
creatures, more than fifteen feet long,
without counting It's huge arms. This
last was swimming or floating at the
time on the top Of the water. and a chase
ensued. hut without any further success
than that of tearing off and securing
some mursels of the fms and skin. Last
wear, however. during the tremendous
storm Of September, il seems that a
complete specimen of a similar prodigy
wns cast ashore in Newfoundland. A
description of it is given by the Journal
Hlusfre. whereby il appears that II was
no less than nine feet long and six feet
in circumference. and had the arms or
ieelers covered with some 2,0OO suckers
of an inch each in diameter, two of the
arms being as much as twenty eight feet
long. When the brute was first found
it was still alive, and was giariug saw
agely with eyes which were literally
like those Of the fabulous dogs, as big
as saucers, measuring five or six inches
across. IL was az this time OF dark red
color, but in very few minutes after
being left high and dry il died, and the
color both of its body aud of its limbs at
once faded away to a dull white. Only
one thing is wanting to the account in
the Journal Hl,Lstre. and that is state
ment what became of the fish when
captured, and where so valuable q curl
osity is now TO be seen on exhibition.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
The Rattle Field of PIeyna

The correspondent OF the London
Daily NetOs, writing from Plevna on the
day of the surrender, SAYS All around
me the ground was covered with grim
relics Of battle. Here and there the
earth was uptorn by the explosion OF
shells. Near me lay horse groaning
and struggling in death. Close by an
OK, silently bleeding to death his great,
round, patient eyes looking mournfully
at us. Just before me was a cart with q
dead horse lying in yoke as he had fallen,
and Turkish soldier lying alongside
whose head had been carried away. An
other man was lying under the wagon,
and around were four wounded men, ly-
ing gazing up at the murky sky, or COW
cred ND with the hood of their ragged
prav overcoat drawn over their faces.
Not one of them uttered a sound. They
Law there and bore their suffering with a
calm, stolid fortitude which brought
tears to my eyes. Just behind the
wagon the ground was ripped TO pieces
by shell-fre, telling how these unfortu-
mates had met their fate. The road and
it's edges were dotted here and there
with dead and wounded Turkish sol
diers, oxen, horses, and shattered carts,
and few hundred yards north Of the
road, the ground over which Osman
Pasha's sallying column had made that
heroic charge, was literally covered with
dead and wounded. Russian doctors
we're already going about on the field
looking after the wounded and giving
them temporary dressing, while waiting
for the ambulances to come up.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
4 EnrynIIcn FeslItal.

Little more than a couple Of genera
tons ago. the 18th Of November was a
holiday IN many parts Of the Midland
agricultural districts IN England No
matter what might be the state OF the
weather, no interruption Of the fcstivi-
ties was allowed, however great might
bo the discomfort, Of those taking part in
the Catherine Procession. In the
towns, those. taking part IN the proces-
sions were principally female children
belonging Ia the wurk-housef, who dis
carit,i for tho nonce their customary
w0rkhouse attire, aud appeared neatly
dressed IN white, decorated with various
colorcd ribbons, chiefly scarlet, the tall
est girl being selected 10 represent the
queen. or rather saint. for which purpose
she was provided with n tinselcd crown
or sccptre. The procession invariably
made stop at the dwellings Of the prin-
cipal townsmen, when the children sang
a ballad beginning thus
Here comes Queen Catherine As fine ~ any
queen,
With coach aud Elk horses a-coming TO 10
sccn;
Arda-spinning We uill 60. viii 50, vin SO,
Anu A-tl'siAAiAAh W Nf++ -
While this was being sung. several of
the children would beg for money nt the
neighboring houses, the proceeds being
devoted 10 defraying the cost Of the pro
cession and providing the little ones with
the unwontci luxury of a good dinner.
Ono 81 the most famous Of thcse pro-
cessions was that at Peterborough, which
was continued until the introduction OF
the new poor law, when the Catherine
Possessions became things Of the past.
Previous TO this, spinning constituted
the principal occupation Of the female
inmates of the work houses. hence the
origin of the festival, St. Catherine being
popularly regarded as the patron saint
Of this particular industry. She was
also regarded in a similar light by the
Midland lace makers, many OF whom
signalize the arrival OF Kattern's Day
with rump steak and onion dinner an
example largely emulated by the North
amptonshire shoemakers, who evidently
think more of "Kattern Supper than
Of a "Crispin Dinner But these
festival meals furnish poor substitute
for the picturesque features which
formerly marked the celebration OF ST.
GATHERINGS Day. which already displays
indications of speedily becoming added
20 the lengthy list of forgotten festivals.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
Spine Shooiing Extraoriinary.

The greatest shooting exploit ever
performed in this country, says the
New Orleans PicaVuHe, was recently
achived by q gentleman, long a resident
Of this State, and the owner Of some Of
the largest plantations, sugar and cot
ton. For years past the exploits OF this
gentleman have been regarded with the
highest admiration and wonder in all
sporting circles. Leasing out his
splendid sugar estates on the Teche, he
has reserved the privilege Of occupying
shooting box, which he calls his
"snipery, where he spends every year
a month or 70, 10 enjoy without dis
turbance his favorite amusement OF
shooting this fine and agile bird. which
abounds on his own aud the adjoining
plantations. The results OF his sport
and skill IN past years have been FREE
quently referred TO as wonderful. To
bag three hundred snipe on the wing, OF
course, q day has been a common
hievement-common for him, but
never accomplished by any other sports
man. In his last enterprise. however,
he surpassed his previous exploits by
devoting six successive days TO this
sport. The result was bag OF nineteen
hundred and siAty snipe. Allowing six
hours per day for the hunt, this would
give snipe a minute, which is about
equal TO the hog-killiug operations of
the great slaughter houses OF Chicago.
Besides the pleasure and pride of such
an achievement, the robust appearance
OF the gentleman by whom it was per-
formed, when we met him on our streets,
attests the happe effects upon his physi-
cal condition OF the exercise and excite
ment OF his Nimrodian enterprise. He
will return to his enjoyment of the
lu1uries and pleasures OF his family
residence at Biaritz, France, with keen
and invigorated relish and capacity Of
endowment.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
Chinese Farmers.

We doubt If happier race exists than
the Chinese farmers and peasaatry' Inc
farms are small, and so the owners are
not wealthy, but they are very reSpecta-
BILE. Each farmhouse is "a little colony,
consisting of some three generatlons-
namely, the grandfather, his children
and his children's children. There they
live in peace and harmony together all
who are able to. work on the farm, and
il more labor is required, the stranger 10
hired 10 assist them. They I'VE WELL
dress plainly, and are industrious, with
out being in any way oppressed. The
female members Of farmers household
have much more liberty than those OF
higher rank. They have small feet as
usual. but they are not 80 confined TO the
house. or prevented from looking ON and
speaking TO strangers, as are the higher
Glasses. II stranger enters the court
of the house unexpectedly, he will see
number OF ladies', both old and young,
sitting in the verandah, nll industriously
employed on some work - spinning,
some sewing or embroidering, and one
probably engaged in culinary operations;
and II the stranger be an unknown for
eigner the whole will rite hurriedly,
and disappear like covey OF partldiges,
.oyerturning wheels, stools, and anything
else that may be in their way. This,
saws n writer on Chinese customs, was
n freuuent seems in my earlier visits,
but it gradually wore oil when 1t was
found I was n civilized being like them.
selves These same ladies afterward
would often ask me TO sit down, and even
set a chair for me, and bring me a cup
of tea with their own fair hands aud
while drank my tea, they would GO on
with their work, laughing and chatting
as freely as if ] had been thousand
miles away"
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24

J.E. Stevens, in letter from Hack
berry. Arizona, says: came over
here and found the camp in fever of
excitement over terrible tragedy that
had recently beea enacted Bob White,
whom Won remember, had some words
with a stranger named Frank McNiei,
about y trivial matter, which resulted IN
Whites resuning the controversy next
dav. white attempted 10 shoot McNiel,
who knocked him down, disarmed him,
and, upon his begging for his life, led
ham 10 the saloon and told him 70 60
about his business. Charlie Rice,
whom Won also remember shortly after
ward came into camp. and approaching
NeNiel. TO whom he was unknown, he
emptied his six-shooter MT him, five shots
taking effect death ensued i'm few
hours. The citizens turned out en
slasse to arrest the murderer fight
ensned, Rice was badly wounded, but
lcfusing 10 submit, was hanged by the
neck from the ridge-pole OF the black
smith shop, where he remained till next
morning. In the meantime White at
tempted 10 escape, but soon fell dead,
pierced with bullets. McNiel told
White when he led him into the saloon
that he left him among his friends and
desired him to stay there, as he sought
no trouble with any one. "
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
AMan consumed In a Blast Furnaee.

A frighttul accident occurred at the
works OF Messrs. William Whitwell a.
CO., pig iron manufacturers, South
Stockton, England About eight o'clock
the hopper of No. 3 furnace was charged
with ironstone, etc, by man hamed
James Higgins and other workmen, and
in order TO allow the material TO fall into
the furnace an attempt was made TO
lower the bella large conical-shaped
apparatus. which fits into the ring or
bottom Of the hopper-about two feet
into broader space. In consequence
of having been raised too rapidly On the
previous occasion the bell had become
tightly jammed in the upper part OF
the ring, and could not be moved. Two
or three expedients were tried without
effect, and ultimately Higgins procured
a large hammer. Ileaped on 20 the bell,
and struck il blow. The apparatus
Immediately sank into the broader space,
and Higgins unfortunately went with IL.
A groan was heard, but nothing could
be seen of the poor fellow, he having
passed with the material beneath the
bell into the furnace. The blast was at
once thrown of, and powerful current
Of air forced in, but the horrible smell
which rose proved that the poor fellows
body was being rapidly consumed, and
not the slightest portion, Of course, was
recovered. The burial service of the
Roman Catholic Church, TO which the
deceased belonged, was read by the
Rev. Mr.. Shanahan ON the top OF the
furnace shortly after the accident The
deceased was married man, and leaves
a widow and several children.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
Wafer for the EYES.

A writer in Frazer's Magazine thinks
that. whatever hesitation there may be
Justly called for in recommending one
or another of the various lotions now so
popular, there need be no such doubt in
respect to cold water or pure water.
de saws in cases Of much Inflammation
or difficulty in opening the eyelids in
the morning, experienced by so many,
the water should be warm, and it may
be mixed with warm milk, but in nearly
all other cases il should be cold. All
those who have been engaged in reading
or writing during several hours at r
stretch, and especially at night, should
carefully bathe the eyes with cold water
before going to bed and the first thing
in the mornings ablutions. All artisans
too, who work at a blazing fire ought
often TO wash their eyes with cold pure
water, and so should all those who work
in wool, particularly carders and spin
uers, and those likewise who are en-
ployed in wooden and cotton manufac-
lures, the fine dust which such works
dispense often producing cataracts, OBJ
stinate inAammations, swelled eyelids,
etc
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
The POcOck Brothers.

The Chatham and Rochester eng. }
Ne,ps says: A beautiful memorial
tablet has been erected at Upnor
School Church by friend in renem-
branee of the brothers Edward and
Francis John Pocock, who died in
Africa. The tablet bears the following
inscription "ln memory of Edward
Pocock, buried at Chinya, January IL,
1875, aged twenty-five years and of
Francis John Pocock, his brother, aged
twenty-seven years, drowned in the
Congo ON june 8, 1877 (sons of Henry
and Ann Pocock), who was born in this
village OF Upnor and educated at the
National Schools, Frindsbury, faithful
ly shared the perils Of their leader,
Henry NJ. Stanley, in the Anglo
American expedition, and perished IN
Africa, aiding to complete great dis
coveries and 10 bring light TO the people
that sit in darkness; also, of Francis Rich
ard Pocock, uncle to the above, born
July 80, 1919, at Upnor, lost in the
Arctic Expedition, under Sir John
Franklin, which left England May 10,
1845." The tablet has been executed
by Mr.. Dawes, of Strood.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
Novelties In FlOriculture.

A very old but good story has just
been rehearsed in the columns OF the
London Land and Water, by Mr.. w.
H. Webb. In substance it is as follows :
DR.. Fothergill, an English botanist and
physician Of note in the eighteenth cen
tury, successfully treated a ship captain
who arrived at London i'll Of yellow
fever. The doctor would take no money
for his services, but requested the cap
tain TO bring him two barrels of earth
from Borneo. At length the earth was
brought, and the doctor, having burnel
the surface OF piece Of ground very
thoroughly. sprinkled the Borneo earth
upon it. The result was that one hun
dred different sorts OF new and curious
plants sprung up These novelties in
Horticulture. including geraniums. have
since been diffused throughout the gar
dens of England. In those days, when
the introduction of new plants is 30 sed-
ulously pursued, it is surprising that
the method of DR.. Fothergill has not
been more extensively tried, as commu-
nication with tropical regions of germ
charged soil is infinitely more frequent
now,than then.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
The Singing Tree.

Though the tropical scrubs of Queens
land are very luxuriant and beautiful,
they are not without their dangerous
drawbacks, for there is one plant grow
ing in them that is really deadly IN It's
efrects-that is 10 say, deadly IN the
same wav that one would apply the
term 10 fire, as. IL a certain proportion
Of any ones body is burnt by the sting
inc tree. death will be the result IL
world be as safe 10 pass through fires as
to fall into one of these trees. They are
found growing from two 10 three inches
high 10 ten and fifteen feet. in the old
ones the stem is Shitish, and red berries
usually grow ON the top. It emits a
peculiar and diSagreeable smell, but Is
best known by it's leaf, which is nearly
round, and having n point at the top, is
Jagged all round. the edge like the nettie.
An the leaves are large-some larger
than a saucer
Sometimes, SAYS a traveller, while
shooting turkeys in the scrubs l have
entirely forgotten the stinging tree, till
warne,i of its close proximity by Its
smell. and have then found myself IN
little forest Of them. | was only once
stung. and that very lightly. Its effects
are curious: il leaves no mark, but the
pain is maddening, and for months alter
ward the part, when touched is tender,
in rainy weather, or when it gets wet IN
washing. etc. have seen man, who
treats ordinary pain lightly, roll on the
ground in agony, after being stung, and
/ have known horse 30 conpletely
mad. after getting into a grove OF the
trees, that he rushed open-mouthed at
every one who approached him, and bad
10 be shot in the scrub. Dogs, when
stung. will rush about, whining piteous-
ly, biting pieces from the affe ted part.
The small stinging trees, few inches
high, are as dangerous rs any, being 50
hard TO see and seriously imperiling ones
ankles. This scrub is usually found
growing among palm trees.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
HOrse-ShOelng.

In the United States, England and
France, the horse-shoer simply takes the
horses foot on his knee TO shoe it. This
depends 10 some extent on the nature of
the breed of horses, which in some coun-
tries are, on the average, more shy, and
most Of them could not we'll be treated
in this way. Thus, in the Netherlands,
and in parts OF Germany, the horse IL
placed in a narrow stall, where short
chains are attached TO the uprghts; then
one of these chains is placed around the
horses ankle and the foot lifted and tied
mp TO a convenient height for the smith
to do his work. In Turkey and Servfa
the horses head is held by one man, an
other holds the leg on his arm, while the
third operates on the foot In Russia
the horse is placed in a square cage,
made of rough wooden planks, and is
strapped around the belly with wide
leather straps attached TO cross bars OF
framework; his head is also safely tied,
the foot is fixed to q stake in the ground
and is held by an assistant, while the
smith nails on the shoe,
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24

Then Won don't want a clothes
wfinger to-day =" said The man.
mo. / don't" replied the woman.
Times are too bard 90 think about il.
Here il is the middle o. winter, and me
with my summer bat yet think ] see
myself buying a clothes-wFinger, and
goin bareheaded til next SIMMER. Not
much. "
"Buf I can sell you one ON weekly
paymentS, I" put in the man. " Give II
10 yOa At the wholesale price, and LEI
YOU pay a dollar a week on il. In that
way vou wouldn't feel il, and before yon
knew il. you'i have il al paid for, and
be getting the nse Of il all the time.
Amt that fair enough p
I'm not finding any fault with your
terms" said the woman But Go !
want 10 hide all the money where IL can Z
be seen A clothes-wFinFer wouldn't
look well propped up in a front window,
would itg Six dollars ia right smart o
money. and could get hat with IL that
would Just more'n make the plasterer
wife wish she'd stayed in the old coun-
try"
"But," urged the man persuasively,
"think Of the hard work il would save
Won. and besides it'a dirt-cheap at the
price. No twiktin' your fingers out Of
Joint II you have one O. them Shall we
call il q trade p
" No. il / know myself r retained the
woman. Why. sir, with SIX dollars !
could almost get a cloak that would
make nearly every woman on the square
catch cold peeping through the door
crack, and I have my mind on n piece OF
alpaca that could be sent home 20 me for
about that figure, thar would take the
peace ont OF every family within seven
doors each way. I don't spend much
money these hard times, but when ! do,
want 10 get little satisfaction out OF
il So you can move on with your
squeezin' machine, an sell il 70 some
woman who hain't got DO pride about
her." and she slammed the door in his
face. - Cincinnati Breakfast Table.
The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-01-24
Comparative Value Of Woods.

IL isa great convenience 20 know the
compare tive value of different kinds Of
wool for fuel. Shellbark hickory il re-
garded as the highest standard of oar
forest trees, and calling that 100, other
trees will compare with il for real value
as fuel for house purposes as follows
Shellbark hickory. 100 pignut hickory,
95 white oak, "a white ash, II dog
wood. rs; scrub oak, 70; white hazel,
II apple tree, 20; red oak, 81 white
beech, 65 black birch, 80 yellow oak,
GO hard maple, 50; white elm, So ; red
cedar, Sc wild cherry, 55 /; yellow pine,
"a; chestut. 81; yellow poplar, 81
butternut and white birch, 43 white
pine. 80. II in worth bearing in mind
that in woods Of the same species there
il n great difference, according TO the
soil on which they grow. A tree that
grows on a wet, low, rich ground will
be less solid and less durable for fuel,
and therefore of less value than tree
OF the same kind that grows on O dry
and poor soil To the ordinary pur-
chaser oak is oak and pine is pine, but
for home use, the tree grown on dry up
land and standing apart from others is
worth n great deal more.