davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20
Starvation I'm Brazil.

\ melancholy story of restitution, famine
and wholesale death comes to us from Brazil
In three important provinces the drought has
continued so many months that the springs
brooks and rivers have drledup; crops neither
grow nor mature, and the poor inhabitants
have no means of support. The people have
died in their homes by thousands. In the city
of Aracaty, from the 10th of February to the
1sth, 664 persons died of hunger, and it was
calculated that an equal number persisted in
the Immediate surroundings. Many who fled
to the capital fell by the way side and died
from sheer weakness and starvation In that
province at least 10000 people have died since
the beginning of the calamity. The trouble is
widespread. and 81 far the general government
has taken no meant to meet it. In Rio Janelro
from 100 to $50 persons die daily from yellow
fever, although the epidemic is sucsiding.-
Panama STIR.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20
THE OLD AND THE NEW.


~. give US back the Government that Diesse'
eur earlier years
ybySth oitzens for soyercigns and q nation form
ed of peers;
+Dc cheap and simple government mat served
60 well our need,
when ievc OF country, not Of self, remained tho
patriots creed,
Some of lis, in these latter days, nave cast ou'
eyes abroad,
And learned too well, from kingly rule, the arl'
of force and fraud.
TSe great Republic. which should lead the pha
IanX of the free,
Cakes lessons from Napoleon, and sits at Bis
marck's knee.
SIS blessings an enormous debt, with bonds and
syndicates,
nm srmy Of officials, with tax, gatherers at oul
'gith ostracism for honesty, for fraud golden
crown,
and armies to be raised to keep the starving
people down.
Saw all the land must bow and kiss the Govern
mental toe.
Ttc while the rich the richer, and the poor yet
p9erer grow
aAnG IRoneyed names are writ upon our starry
banners folds
Saot Washingtons and Jefersons, but Wander
bilts and GouldS.
y. faithess politicians think We that this will
last,
az that the people can forget the simple, peace
pastg
'Tisey weary of the wretched rule of fraud and
greed and grab
Ard say il this be progress change the eagle 10
crab.-Ne,o York Sun.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20

boust towards the close of the seventeenth cen
tuay relates at second hand an Indian tradi
| dition closely resembling that current among
the EsquimauX But perhaps the most i'm
portant story is that told by the Jesuit MALI
geye. In 1913, accompanied by several Hu
rons, he advanced along the north shore OF the
gulf and penetrated into Labrador Eighty
days journey inland he came upon solitary
band of savages who spoke the Huron tongue
with difficulty From the chief and medicine
men he learned that they were the descend
ants of a party of IIurons who had fled from
an ntertribal war, not through cowardiCe but
because they had taken wives from the band
which the lIurOns had attacked. Their faith
ers had met with EsqulmauX, and the two peo
| piles had been blended into one. They had pre-
served their language to some extent, but the
| EsQuimaux tongue was more familiar to them
than the Huron. They were rich in Esqul
mauX traditions, and these they had illustrated
| by rude paintings on wood and stone. they
had interpreted many Of these hieroglyphs Tor
Father Malligeye, the principal one, which
covered nearly hundred wooden tablets, hay
ing reference, beyond doubt, to the Morse col
ony. 1t ran thus: Far back in the past, when
the Esquimaux thought they were the only
people on the earth, and that the world was
bounded by their familiar shores, a fleet OF
SlIdISclS anu lOOh l)OsScoSlpu VI 81
beautiful country where the grass was always
green. They built houses OF. wood and stones,
and had flocks and herds which their women
watched while the men were fishing. Other
fleets came after them, and the ESquimauX
thought this new race was sent to drive them
into the sea, but the strangers were kind in
manner though wild in aspect, with red flow
ing HAIR, They prospered and grew in num-
bcrs, Ond took wives from among the ESqul-
mauX. One day after moons without number
had passed, the north winds became hot and
sultry. 1t was like the breath of fire for many
days, and then II booming and laundering
shook the heavens and made the rocks trem-
bic. This continued for long time, and the
north wind began to grow cooler and cooler
until at length men died by the fire from
cold. The EXquimauX knew then that the
Ice-fields of the north had broken loose Their
traditions told them that, and they FASTENED TO
the shore with their wives and children and
sailed to an island to the northwest The
strangers Knocked them us they left Many
many years after this the EsquimauX returned
only to find that the ice had overwhelmed the
strangers and swept the meadows and even the
streams into the sea, leaving nothing behind
but naked rocks and huge mountains. From
that time forth the land was cold and dreary.
These traditions, qUdDtum raietat, account
very satisfactorily for the sudden disappear
anCe of the NOrsemcn; bit it is just possible
that Lieut. Schawtka may set them at naught
by the discovery of Il Morse monarchy or re
public beneath the pole.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20

The determination Of General Sherman's
son, Thomas Ewing Sherman, to become a
priest revlves the romantic story Of the life
and love of one of General SCOTS daughters.
As the story goes, this daughter fell deeply in
love with member of one Of the foreign le.
cations The attachment was reciprocal, but
the match was SO bitterly opposed BY the old
hero of Lundy's Lane that ii was broken off.
She cared nothing TOR the world after that and
very soon was received as nun in the George
town convent Her lover returned to his ma
tive country and was soon enrolled IN the
priesthood of the Catholic Church. In subse-
auent years he was ordered TO Georgetown
College, and took his turn in hearing the CON
LESSONS of the nuns at the convent. On one
of these occasions Miss Scott knelt in the con-
fcssional 10 her former lover, and under such
circumstances a recognition took place She
tainted, went into a rapid decline and soon
after died, and he left the country again never
To return. So Washington gossip declares.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20
Dumb Hot,

Mrs, 81. John Is an old lady residing ON
North Salina street, near EllSncr's. She II q
tortuneteller by profession, and has accumu
lated some property by looking into the future
for the benefit of certain people who believe
the moon is made of green cheese. She only
charged 30 cents head for her information
OF late years she has abandoned this occupa-
ton, however, and the facts we now relate have
reference to son of hers, a boy twenty-five
years old, who was born deaf and dumb. This
son last spring was taken with typhoid fever
and recently died. Just before he dled-hav.
ing never spoken word prcviously-he was
given his speech a few moments, and in the
presence of several who were about his sick
bed he said: Il have been given my speech
to say that this summer is going to be the hot
test that Syracuse has ever known" After
saying this he expired. Our readers may draw
their own conclusions from the above, but the
tacts-sOmewhat astonishing To reflect upon
are vouched for by people living near by, and
whose vcracity is unqestioned. The predic-
ton concerning the warm weaker of the past
few days has certainly come to pass.-Syrd-
ctse Courier, Juiy4.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20

The Sutro tunnel, which is nearly four mile.
30, 40 feet long has cost nearly four million
dollars, and has absorbed eight years and eight
months of labor is at length substantially
completed. The history of the great bore /.
like Il contemporaneous record of the advance
in the science OF tunnelling. the twenty feet
per month gained by the hand drilling of It,
early stages contrasting strongly with the
twenty times twenty OF the machine boringS
in LATER years. When the final touches are
given the work will deserve something of a
celebration in the Comstock mines. IL is wor
thy Of a place among the great feats % engi
neering industry. though il must ank. OF
course, far behind the Mount Cents Railway
tunnel, which is close upon eight miles long,
cost upward Of thirteen years and fifteen mil.
lions Of dollars for it, construction, and serves
q greater variety Of uses.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20

We are permitted to relate the following
conversation between tcnyear-old girl and
her father: Daughter-"Papa, IS John Dash
Older than Henry DASH" Father-"No.
Daughter-~Is Henry the oldesiy Father.
imps,iently-~Well. now. if John Dash i not
older than Henry, of course Henry Is the old
est Daughter--Now don't DC too smart
they might be twins"-yorrisfo,ra Herald
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
Wanted a Patent for Chalk Mark.

The Washington correspondent of the
Hartford Times writes: Several days ago
an application reached the patent offse
from 7. T. Strong and Kate NJ Strong
OF Talladego, Ala, for a patent for an ant
guard The petition, which was a very
funny one, set forth, that the strongs who
are man and wife, had jointly put their
heads together and had invented the
most wonderful thing ever heard of, to
wit, an art guard which they went on
to describe at great length. They claim.
ed that it was patentabls, as it was new
and useful, two things art are necessary
to secure a patent. The.guard consisted
Of drawing chalk-marR around a table
or other placekby which itxwas claimed
the approas pts was stopped. M
Strong sWea Is true, that an ant can
not WalkpYeil8 chalk line, and all thai
is necessary to keep ants away from any
thingflssto draw chalk-line around it
II appears that chalk makes an ants legs
slip up, as soaping a track prevents a
engine from starting. The petition was
novel, and caused considerable fun. AT
last the commissioner of patents looked
over the precedents and directed his law
clerk to write decision refusing the APP
plication on the ground that there was
nothing new in the invention claimed,
that chalk had been used for such pur-
poses heretsfore, and winding up with
the general statement that such ideas are
not patenHble. This decision: was sent
to the Strong family, but it failed to SAT-
'sfy them. They had made up their
minds that there was millions in their
invention, and they Gid not intend to be
cheated out of it by any such decision
As they have money they can pay law
yers, and they have filed an appeal from
the decision of the commissioner of pa
tents. This appeal will be tried IN the
circuit court.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
A Novel F0x-Trap.

The cunning of the fox was used as an
illustration by writer's long before the
Christian era, and since the eventful per
iod Reynard has apparently lost none IF
his sly characteristics. But an event re-
Gently came to our reporters knowledge
which shows how one member OF the fox
family, in spite of his proyerable slyness,
was made to become, by an il genious
contriveance, his own execuuoner. In
West Fryerburg, Me, lives well-known
farmer named TT. Haley, whose coops
had been visited nightly by the hungry
OK, and one evening the rascal killed
eleven half-groWn chikens, ten of which
he ate or carried Oft, leaving ore dead on
the ground near the scene of slaughter
Mr.. Haley was considerably provoked, as
would naturally be expected, and resolved
to set noye1iriakn, for his foxship. So
the next da' 1ktwo stakes Into the
ground af} The coops, split
them partida la placed a loaded
gun in the lsssss carefully pointed
toward the hole Of the nearest coop where
the fox had crawled in to gethis plumber
In this hole he placed the dead chicken,
fastened by a cord one end Of piece of
wood arranged to play forward and back,
like a whiffle-tree, and to the other end
Of this stick he tied a rope, connected
with the trigger of the gun, held in posi-
ton by the two stakes, as previously
mentioned. He took pains to sight the
gun about as high as an ordinary hat
above the hole under the coop, also care
fully adjusting the rope SO that nothing
could discharge the gun unless the chick
en- in the hole was laid hold Of. The
next morning onvisiting the coop there
lay tile misguided fox, dead as door
nail, width his head in the hole. and the
fatal chicken in his s+itfened paws. The
plan worked to charm, and makes, per-
haps, the first case on record where one
OF the widest of the animal kingdom was
enticed into becoming the instrument of
his own destruction. J.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
A Prudent Swan.

The power Of prediction has been mys-
teriously accorded to this warer-bird;
and swans probably do have an instinct
III regard to weather changes in common
with many other birds. This has been
noticed by observers of the Thames swans.
At times the violent rains will cause the
river to swell, and the water begins to
rise. When this happens at the season
for Matching, the birds are seen busily
employed in raising their nests, in order
to save their eggs from being washed
away by the flood. For eighteen years q
swan has built her nest by the side Of the
Thames in the same spot. One spring
she was sitting on her eggs, when it was
observed that she was getting together a
quantity Of grass and weeds, and try1n g
to raise her nest. AS soon as this was
noticed, a laborer was sent with a
load Of straw and rubbish
and told to throw it down beside her. The
bird seemed to understand what this was
for, and with the material thus provided
she began at once to raisc her nest some
two or three feet higher. There came a
heavy fall Of rain that very night, which
flooded the meadows ana did great
deal Of damage in, the neighborhood OF
the river; bat the swan and her nest was
safe. Instinct had LED her to take pre-
cautions that man, for want Of foresight.
had neglected. Much Of his property was
destroyed, but the eggs of the swan
capped; for the prudent mother had raised
them just high enough to be above the
flood,
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
sFor there hasn't been drop Of water il
it for six weeks! y The old gentleman
turned over and went to kleeb, thinking
kno more> OF evil spirits. IN
ll1k1zzLf1z4fE
He Was After Dick ems
he Was After Dickens.

!" Do you want to hire a reporter2'' in
quired red-nosed young man, as he
thrust his illuminated olfactory into this
Office yesterday.
He was informed that we had all the
help we required at present
:. Sorry ---vs..-.y sorry he said bowling
quite low; .just noticed by squib in news
paper that the immortal Dickens began
life as a reporter; first had heard Of it.
and concluded at once to begin that way
myself. Dickens made a great success
OF it, and what has been done once can
be done again.
We acknowledged that Dickens had
made quite hit.
"a decided hit" pnt in the young
man, "and all / want is to start under
the same auspices. Sure you have no
place for mes"
N Q place at present.
Mighty sorry replied the applicant;
have just been reading David Centre
held,' and am quite charmed with the
authors STYLE"
David Coppcrfeld, not 'Centrefcld,'''
i we ventured to suggest.
"Ferhaps you're right; yes, now rec
ollect, you are right; much obliged
been playing baseball lately, and have
got names confused. viii be in town a
few days, and hope you will not forget
me It vacancy should accur.''
| We promised to remember him, and
the young man withdrew.
Protruding his beacon light once more,
! he said:
gL r-s. - ~
##" Daniel Webster, Benjamin Franklin,
and Napoleon Bonaparte also began life
IN newspaper offices, but don't care for
them; Dickens is the man I'm after, y
and he closed the door softly and went
down stairs On his tiptoes.-On CITY Der
| rick ~ I-El -.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
spring Fever

X
I know where summer woods are green,
Where summer shade is dark and deep, #
Where frondnse forms 9 cooling stream, 1.
Il Where wiae-leayed lilies lie asleep, Al.
Ard where the early blossoms blow: ,Bgg}
know, l know, bat cannot SO. 0 81 4ss
II L know where laughing waters fall, II,
Where sapphire summer lakes are spread,
Where merry springs are musical, g
5Aj And brooks with fountains at the head, EIf
And where the lordlv rivers 10 y,
know, ! know, but cannot 60
I know where birds delightto sing,
q Where squirrels chatter attheir play,
Where bees sweep by on busy wing,
Whore fragrance ILLS the dying day,
And fire flies sparkle to and fro,
know, know, but cannot go.
know Waere ocean airs are Free
Where salt waves dash upon the beach,
Where bright sails glisten DER the sea,
Where rock and sand strange lessons teach :
Rock dark as death, sand white as snow,
know, / know, but cannot 60
This wilderness of stone and brick
Enfolds me still from day to day:
NV soul is sad my heart is sick, fag.
And yet cannot slip away 4
pleasant places that know, @
vnow, ] know, but cannot go.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
Ore thattook place VS. caused by the upset
,s stpsgot q planDsf tire pot Y ~ next
)Di11a

+ I've miles from UIdrsAEa al kafleaH. lives
q prosperous farmer named Robert Low,
who is engaged raising sheep. His SHOWS
are all girls, = and one of his daughters,
Mary Belle barely fourteen years Of
age, is the shepherd less, whose rosy
checks, sun burnt face and graceful form
as she mounts her pony would excite the
envy Of dnany city bellies, and charm the
eye Of It connoisseur iii search Of a sensi-
tive rose to complete the latest work of
One day inGuly, while hooking after
her woody wards, she discovered full
grown wolf Of the coyote species, and an
uncommonly Large one, stealthily APP
preaching the mck, when she nut her
horse to speed, and the wolf feeling that
his sanitary condition in that locality was
very unsatisfactory, the race and chase
commenced over hills and prairie, neither
showing any Indication Of fatigue, until
finally he was compelled to consider him.
! self'srun down."
Now came the "tug of war; and any
one Who has ever seen coyote at bay
swapping and snarling, holding his posi-.
ton against DOZEN dogs, can realize
hsr situation as a aggressor. Nothing
nMed however, she unbuckled hel
gridle-rein, and with the ring at the end,
ind this only, made good her position as
Il mistress Of the situation, and, without
| alighting from her saddle, she had soor
disabled her foe, saved her Lambs and de-
4rpriy9dhim Of at least one toothsolne
+ Thon she started out for the nearest
neigshbor to the battle-ground, nearly two
miles distant, for assistance, but found ne
one at home who could assist her save
another girl, who mounted another pony
and armed only with a dull knife, these
two Young girls were soon galIoping over
| the prairie to save the scalp, for which
the county pays a royalty" when pre-.
sented TO the proper officer.
! When they returned, the principal of
this Red Riding Hood escapade hal par
| tally recovered from the effects OF the
''late unpleasant tness," and was moving off
At this juncture he was again invited te
remain, while one girl threw him down
| and the other proceeded to ad
minister Western Justice by searching fol
| his jugular vein with the knife. Sucf
instances Of feminine bravery as this ar,
rarely met with even on the frontier.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-10-02
A Young Husbands Troubles With
Lfmburger.
Faribsult Miss. } Telegraph.

Faribsult (Miss. Telegraph.
A young gentleman of Fairbault-a
boy among the boys-who occasionally
visited saloons and sampled lambs
tongue, pigs feet, tripe. and actually edu-
Gated himself TO like limburger cheese,
after while married, as such men Will.
His wife is a cultivated and sensitive lit
tie creature, as lovable as she is sensitive.
for short--shook the boys after MARI
age, fer two or three weeks, every even
ing; but there were times when he had
an awful hankering for his old relishes,
such as hereinbefore, especially the
cheese, and enc evening being down on
an errand, he thought he would take
Limburger home and have an old-fash-
toned lunch before retiring. He got the
cheese and started for home, but as he
neared the house it struck him that it
| was the rankest cheeee, even for Limburg
er, in all his experience. People held
their noses as they met him. and every
dog in the front yard went around behind
the house as he went by. Before he
reached home his courage give out, and
ne slipped his bundle into hole in the.
gate-post, thinking he would SO in and
interview his wife-sort Of prepare her
for the meeting, as it were.
! But he was scarcely in the house before
his vie gave q warning sniff, and look
ing at him sharp inquired if he was sure
| he hadn't stepped in something. Bob
| mistrusted what was the matter, but in
| nocently looked at one foot and then at
the other. and said "No, my feet are all
right Mrs. Bob gave sniff or two
| more, got up, opened the doc closed it
suddenly and then went into the rooms
leading toward the rear of the, house.
| She was gone abont Eve minutes, and in
| the meantime Bob became satisfied what
the trouble was, bnt for the life of him
did not dare to tell her. What would she
say to learn that he had eaten such stuff
| She would never forgive him, and would
| probably apply for divorce. She speed
lily returned. and said, in a business sort
of a way, Robert, we must have the sewer
cleaned and the scavenger here. I can't
stand it any longer. 1t is getting to be
perfectly awful Bob said he would at
tend to it IN the morning, and at the first
opportunity slipped out, got a spade,
rock the cheese INTO the garden, and bur.
led it. But he had to have the sewer. etc /.
cleaned all the same, and the job cost
him five dollars. 4 few months latter
Bob told his wife about it, but declared
the cheese was given him TO try, he had.
never eaten any of it himself.