davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18
What A West Virginia Far
mer Saw.

\ telegram from ParkersJurg.
West Va, 70 the Cincinnati Cam
DtsrrtoH contains tins story An
optical illusion or mirage Wa. seen
ny three Or four farmers i few
miles from this city Il few DAYS
since, the appea ance Of which no
n i able phIlosophicallv TO &C
count Tor. The facts are these 4
gentleman. while blowing In a
field with several others about : T..
~. happened to glance toward the
SKY, which was cloudl,ss. and saw
apparently about half i mile off. Iu
a westerly direction. an Opaque
substance resembling white morse.
with head. neck. limbs. and tan
clearly defined, swimming III the
clear atmosphere. 1t appeared to
be moving it, limbs - If engaged
III swimming. moving it. head from
SIDE to side. ALWAYS ascending at an
angle OF about IL degrees. He
rubbed his ewes TO convice himself
that he was not dreaming and
looked again but there ii still was,
still apparently swimming and as
cendlng IN either. lie called to
the men. about 100 wards off. md
told them to look up and tell MIN
what they saw. They declared they
saw "a white horse swimming in the
SKY, and were badly frightened.
Our informant, neither supersti-
tlouS nor nervous, sat down and
watched the phantasm Off we may
SO call it, until 1t disappeared in
space, always going IN the same di-
rectlon and moving III the same
manner. No one can account for
the mirage or illusion except upon
the uneven state OF the atmosphere.
Illusions OF a different appearance
have been seen at different times IN
the same vicinity, frightening the
sGperstitious and laughed at by the
s%keptical."
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18
TaxatiOn-Its Inequalities.

More than c we have shown
the unequal taxation under the
Internal Revenue Laws. The
Washington Post has had access to
the items in the report for he ifs
cal wear Just ended. and from it we
gather the whole amount Of tax
collected is Internal Revenue was
Sll5.4l...4. 80. of which sum the
State of Illinois. with a property
valuation. ACCORDING to the census
Of 1870. Of S2.I2l.6S0.5.9 paid
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18

GRANGE NOTES.-The Pomona
grange meets at Mooresville on the
second Wednesday IN August. This
meeting Will be one of unusual IN
terest 10 the people generally, and
to the grange brethren and sisters
III particular.
There will be important reports
from committees to be received,
and it is confidently believed that
the insignia of ygor Will place 1t,
imprint upon all the lineaments Of
the bright countenancc Of this Ell
terprlslng order 1T that time. The
political aspect Is 50 checkcrcd,
and the rancor of partanshlp 50
strong, that 1t may well be feared
that all OF interest as Patrons will
suffer for the time being, but breth-
rem, let us act like men, and not let
Il passions run away with our
prudence, but during the interim.
till III meeting III August, amid
all the political turmoil let Us see
well to the grange projects We have
have now on foot. W. have started
III the manufacturing line and let
u put the pro ect through. Rcg-
iSfef.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18
Short Hair and Slavery.

The association between short
hair and slavery, says Herbert
Spencer, is very general. This as
sociation existed among the Greeks
ana itomans: The slaves had their
hair cut short It's Il mark of servi-
tude." We find it thus throughout
America. The privilege of wear
ING long hair was vigorously denied
TO CarlD slaves and captives," says
Edwards. The slavery that pun
ishcd criminality was similarly
marked. In Nicaragua "a thief
mad his hair cut off, and become IL
slave to the person that had been
robbed till he was satisfied" And
this badge of slavery was otherwise
inflicted as IA punishment. BY the
Central Americans a suspected
adulterer was stripped, and his hair
was cut ga great disgrace.) One
ancient Mexican penalty to have
the hair cut at some public place,
ana during the medieval times IN
Europe cutting OF hair was enacted
Us Il punishment. OF course, there
follows a con elative distinction {;
long hair becomes hon rable. Ii
among the Chlbchas 1.-The greatest
aifront that could be put on Il man
Oh woman was to have their hair
cropped," the assimilation To slaves
III appearance WAS the obvious rea-
son, the h]onorables of long halr
being an implication. The ltzaeX
Indians" says tancourt, "wore
their hair as long us it would grow;
indeed 1t is d most difficult thing
10 bring the Indians to cut their
hair Long HAIR Is Il mark Of dis
unction among the Tongans, and
none are permitted to wear 1t but
the principal people. Similarly
with the New CaledOnlans and va
rious others of the unclyIllZed ORR
entails, 1.-The Ottoman princes have
their boards shaved Oft. TO show
that they are dependent on the ia
yor of the reignlng Emperor"
BY the Greeks, I'm MANHOOD
the hair was worm longer" and "a
certain political significance was
attached to the hair" In North
ern Europe, too, "amOng the
Framks-the Serfs wore the hair
less long and less carefully dressed
than among the freemen," and the
freemen less long than the mobiles.
The long hair of the Frank kings
is sacred. 1t is for them IL mark
and honorable prerogative of the
ROYAL race" Clothair and Childe-
bert, wishing to divide their bro
theirs kingdom, consulted respect
ing their %nephews," whether to cut
of their HAIR so as to reduce them
TO the rank of subjects, or to Kill
them" | may add the extreme
cast of the japanese MIkado, ''Nei-
Their his hair, beard or nails are
ever (avowedly) cut, hat his sacred
person may not be mutilated,> such
cutting us occurs being done while
he is supposed to sleep.-Home
J0uIHal.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18
Scandal.

The story is told Of a woman who
freely used her tongue to the scan
dial OF others, and made confession
to the priest Of what she had done.
tie gave her a ripe thIstle-top, and
told her to 20 out III various dlrec-
lions ana scatter the seeds one by
one Wondering 1T the penancr.
she obeyed, and then returned and
told her ~confessor. To her amu>e-
ment, he babe her 20 back and
gather the scattered seeds. and
when She objected that it would be
impossible. he replied, thatit would
be still more difficult to gather ~
and destroy all the evil report, She
had circulated about others. ANY
thoughtlesS, careless child can seat
ter Il handful of thIstle-sced before
the WIND IN Il moment (: but the
strongest and wioest man cannot
gather them again.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18
A Big Salt Mine.

The workmen engaged IN boring
an oil well at Wyoming, Wyoming
county, last Friday, ran the drill
through seventy feet of pure white
salt. The excitement IS intense,
and a stock company is forming to
utilize the find. President Evarts,
of the Rochester Vacuum Oil Com
pany, Is at the head of the new
company. The prospect is that all
the land IN the valley will be I'M
mediately leased. The salt was
struck at the depth Of l,O.2 feet.
At Il depth of $50 feet the drill
passed through a salt vein of three
feet IN thickness, the water OF
which being subjected to analysis
showed the presence Of tiuorlne,
chlorine. bromine, iodine, alumni
mum and sixty per cent. OF chloride
OF sodium. The boring Of this
we'll has knocked the bottom out Of
the old State biologists who have
made reports OF the lay OF the land,
is their predictions IN every m
stance have proved erroneous.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18

1t l. wellknown that an abundant
supply OF good food increases the
diameter OF the fiber Of wool. while
a starvation ratio greatly reduces
1t so that to produce Il fiber OF al
equal diameter throughout. ii prop
or ration must be provided during
the entire wear. The coarse Wool
growing on the large, precocious
breeds of sheep, and the flne wool
OH the small slow-growIng breeds *
I'm each case due To the conditions
Cf life which have moulded the
forms and aptltudes vi these ami
NAL, rather than to selection.
MerinO sheep have been somewhat
improved IN form by selection.
whIe on scamty upland pastures.
with no effect OH the fineness Of the
wool : but rs soon aS tley are placed
III o succulent pastures and
gwen treatment calculated to cause
early maturity and larger size. the
WoOl becomes coarser and longer.
Loug-cOntlnued selection. however.
might be sufficient to produce a
breed Of animals ) precocious d.
the Southdown or Leicester, and
having as fine wool as the smallest
Merinos and this point OF i'm
proNement, though contested by
some, is said to have been reached
by the Manchamps. The transfor-
nation Of the small, sl~ow-growing
Merlno into al animal the equal in
slzc and prccocIousueSS Of the
South-down, by IA few years april
cation o. a system of gymnastics to
the nutrltIve functions, is one of
the best illustrations that could be
given of the efficacy of this treat
ment: and this was accomplished
by farmers in France "A number Of
years ago, and importations of such
sheep have been made 10y American
breeders.-Dr. u. T.. Su{mOn.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18

Mrs. jerks. Eliza Pinkston, Mrs.
Triton and "Mollie Mccarthy, .
have simply d~isgraced their SEX
Butte. Gazetfe.
The members of the editorial
staff of the New York IribuHe
have formed an every Saturday
Club for outdoor recreation, sail
ing, fish, etc.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18
Purifying Z ater.

fUFlIylQG \ dUer.
Different waters. like different
diseases, require different treatment
10 purify them and Ill waters, no
matter how impure they may be.
can be made quite pure Ior dnAA-
Ing % other purposes without dis
tlllatIon proving the proper ma
teTlais be used. and sufficient time
allowed the reagents to act: but
IN many samples of water | have
found dIstl!.atIou To bc the quickest
and cheapest mode ii purifying
them. All filters In use that am
aware OF only purify the water from
SoIIt impurities m|cchanIcalIv sus-
pended IN the water. The follow
ny Il Il description Of u filter that
| have often used. which puritie,
foui water from organic impurities
held IN solution as well a from sus-
pended solids. Take any suitable
vessel with Il perforated false bot
tom, and cover 1t with d layer Of
animal charcoal: on the top OF that
sprc;d a LAYER Of IRON filings. bor-
ing. or turnlngs, the finer the bet
ter, mixed with charcoal dust: on
the top OF the filings place a layer
Of fine clean SIlIceous sand. and YOU
vii. have a perfect filter. Allow
the foul water TO filter slowly
through the above filter, and YOU
will produce a remarkably pure
drinking water. Before placing
the IRON filings IN the filter they
must be we'll washed IN a hot solu-
ton of soda or potash, TO remove
on and other impurities, then rinse
them with clean water: the filings
should be mixed with an equal
measure of fine charcoal. If the
water is very foul it must be allow
Ell 10 filter very slowly. The deep
or the bed of iron filings is, the
quicker they will act.
The above is Il simple, cheap and
very efficient filter, superior to any
other that | know Of, and it has
the advantage Of being free to every
one who chooses to make it. |
have not taken out IA patent for it,
and | am not aware of any other
person having done SO | think |
Am the only person who has ever
used it. A very good test for the
efficiency of any filter is to add some
urine to the water before passing it
through the filter and then testing
the filtered water tc see if the urine
passes through unchanged; if it
does then the filter only acts me-
financially. The addition of per
manganates to water will not des-
troy Bacteria, but the addition Of
hydrochloric acid will. If you
have to purify water containing
Bacteria, YOU must first add by
drochloric acid to the water till it
is slightly acid to test paper that
will destroy the whole Of the ami
maIcula: then add sufficient lime
water TO n]eutraliZe the acid. then
precipitate the lime with o|Xalate Of
ammonia, and filter through the
IRON filter described above. The
foulest ditch water, treated as
above, IS rendered quite pure and
fit for drinking. | may mention
that | have made it a practice
during the last twenty-seven years
to boil all my drinking water. 1t
is the safest plan for a man moving
from place to place. You cannot
always carry a filter and chemicals
about with you, but you can al
ways manage to get boiled water ;
people talk about it being vapid
and tasteless, but | am used to it.,
and like it.-EugliSh Nechanjc.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18

a.b.~ ho-.s. no. i 81 "a,
Es.n 49, ~. X4r,or Fnnapu.I
-.i. -. -. - p...-. .r3
'.a.' "".eit as F" A,"I' charger
Z H, present King. lh'Fe are ~
h' 50 IN 4 arm : sa'@'i-
."-'' '.""-"l "oi>',, Al : GOT
't'1'" 50 ''.A' s"st ." ''e
40 N'1s w. anu Ar no. All
''.',''' - '''' ''.''"''t' tho"e" ''N
''''.'. imam ti'A' ." ""#~A me- ATE
f" ,'>'''i''''
1n. Western North Carolina
T., rr.,1 y,stf -nn f~.5n. from sails.
brIy +. Henry an MONDAYS. We'd
"A LAYS aud Fridays connecting
'vN VII 'f.'h1 on ,a' N'''"
'''i.1,' i@'.'F""' rom 'o'3'1"'o
'i" i'a.eI1A q" 'a"tl"'t. "a"
~h-,l> le"'.a- i@h't'-h - % T.
".- a2ihs.l Win 'he ul4'+5n' tI"4"
on 'Ae western Norm Na'"''"a
. d. o'.'9'"' ,I
'''.'' saxon an" ''''"
%. - ',io' d" ,l'' ",oI my ma"
thu quickest time ever made 10 the
West.
lAeIe ) no once IN 'he rfahses
- Hl'i' POI .'I'Cc ''H" go
me lecturer. hN ms eNer'loh' al"
~ y, can mani the ""te"n
pro. t II interesting = ~
ht2 NJ can o." tA"'ii - t"'t 80
Imnn,raren II hi. ofrcn and -. 10
il iha, far weather ar foul-he Is
~ III. nos, and ) nre,,,r,d tn fur
ni,h sometime 10 interest the
GRANGE
We hope the day i not far DIS
tant when every good farmer ana
vile VIII be ready 10 ASSIST III man
ongbt - ha instead Of saving.
..Vhan 500 that i amounts TO
,nvtbina VIII he clad to take
boid and holm " rn,nnmherino that
10 who loo. NOT sow ! no, worthy
- rom ErcLo0oe
Mackey, the Nevada millionaire.
an nxhibition If themselves and
their wealth IN Paris. which is ex-
tremeIy jmproper to saw the least.
II !. Stranoe that SO few people
from this ccountrv can 90 abroad
ana Loh,,o themselves UosL.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18

UTILIZING NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
tie water Of Niagara Falls is to be
carried by pipes to Buffalo, and
there used instead of steam power
for driving various kinds OF ma
chinery. \ company has been
formed with a capital of a million
dollars, and the work has been com
menced. The plan is to divert a
sufficient amount of the water IN
such a way hat it will fall into up
right iron pipes, COMPRISING the
air In them with tremendous force.
This compressed air will be direct
ed into strong pipes running to
Buffalo, where it will be utilized as
a motive power. 1t IS said that
experiments have proved the feast
billty of this enterprise.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18

wooden leg to whom he might sell
the odd boot. and thu, save ex-
Tense.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18

large quantity Of milk is is prob
ably desirable, but there is still
much o for improvement in the
quail ty.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-18

gam, Wickt has shown by
wing the milk at morning.
L and night, hat the ACTIVITY
'e nammary glands has il con-
"oie elect onthe amount of
81 the following is all average
even analyses:
|sad . BITTER, per cent.
L at morning. 4.601
IA II noon, ALAG
q night, 5,214
best mixers ALREADY give as
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-07-06

~ CoMNENDABLE.-It was announ-
ced by the Principal of Shepherd Col
lege, on Thursday night Of Commence
ment week, that Randolph ]. Strider,
son of Mr.. Samuel Strider, near Har-
per's Ferry, and first honor man of his
class, had ridden from home every
morning to school, distance OF 9 miles,
and that in the three years, notwith-
standing the much bad weather We have
had, he had not missed single day and
lad only been tardy three times. This
is record of which any boy might be
proud, and goes to show what one cen
accomplish that has the ~M to do.
A number of other boys during parts
of the year rode from their homes, dis
tant about five miles, aud were always
punctual, but Mr.. Strider had the long
est ride and came through all kinds of
weather. Such spirit will make its
mark in the world.
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-07-06

s0 AN OLD REuC.-We have come
in possession of a Constitution and By
Laws, of Mount Nebo Lodge, A. F. &
A. NJ, OF this place, printed by Mr.. Jo-
siah Knodle, in 1S43, then editor of the
Boonsboro, Md, odd Fsiiow. This
Lodge was instituted in the year 1911,
aud is now one of the largest in mem
bership in the State. The pamphlet
contains a roll Of the membership at the
time it was printed, in ls43, as fol-
lows
Thomas T. Lemon, David Snively,
Robert Vinsonheller, William Bowen,
Thomas Ernshaw, Landon &. Heskitt,
William L. Hedges, Peter w. Kearney,
Patrick Driskell, John J. A. Lemon,
John b. Sapington, Daniel Entler,
John G. Unseld, Jacob P. A.. Enller,
Hugh. L. Gailaher, Samuel McElroy,
Joseph Randall, Levi r. Shaw, William
McGregor, Joseph Turner.
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-07-06

~ PERsoNALs.-Our young friend,
Master Davis Shepherd, grandson Of
Hon. a. Il. Boteler, and who has been
filing the position as Page, in the House
of Representatives, during tie whole of
the last session of Congress, returned
home last week. He is looking quite
well, and il is astonishing too, after
passing through such an ordeal as the
last Congress.
We had pleasant visit from Mr.. B.
Z. Washington, our present genial and
afable Circuit Court Clerk, of Charles
town, on ednesday last. Mr.. W. has
filled the office very aceeptably TO all
our people. We learn that he is a CALI
didaie for election this Fall, and we
have no doubt that he will be returned
by an overwhelming vote. Weventure
the assertion that 10 more competent
gentleman can be selected in the Coun-
ty, and when we have an officer of that
kind our people should return him.
At the commencement exercises of
Washington and Lee University, Lex
ington, Va, last week, the degree of
bachelor of law was conferred upon w.
A. level, and Master of arts upon +.
X. level, both of this county, and d.
d. upon Right Rev. Geo. W. Peterkin,
bishop of West Va, Mr.. F. X. level
delivered the varedictory address. The
University prize Grafton was delivered
by Geo. j. Denis, B. A., of Louisiana.
Mr.. r. d. Shepherd, son of Henry
Shepherd, Esq, student at the Wash
ington aud Lee University, Lexington,
Va, and Walter and Clifton Staley,
sons of Mr.. Geo. R. Staley, students at
the Virginia Military Institute, LexIng-
ton, Va, have returned home for the
vacation,
Rev. Mr.. Grammar, of Leetown,
preached a very able sermon in the
Episcopal Church on Sunday night last.
We had a pleasant visit from Mr.. }.
D. Turner, typo in the Statesman office,
in Martinsburg, on Saturday last.
John Satterlee & Co., contractor of
the S. S. V. r. r., is offering $l.OO for
hands on pick and shovel; $l.2O if you
handle iron, and $l.3O for spike drivers.
Messrs. Needler and Myers have pur-
chased bran new steam engine to run
their threshing machine. 1t is said to
be No. / steamer, and is called the
ECLIPSE" They will run two machines
this season, and expect to knock the
siufin' out of the wheat.
Rev. J. L. Shipley and Mr.. Charles
A. Licklider will represent the. Nj. 4.
Church, South, Sabbath School, of this
place, at the convention at Stanton, Oh
the 9Th instant.
We had pleasant visits by Messrs.
John II. Strider and Geo. w. Eichel-
berger, OF this county, last week. They
are sound on the next Legislature ques-
ton, and we suggest that they be our
next representatives. They are two OF
the very best men of our county.
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-07-06

p9- PEABODY INsTITUrE.-The State
Superintendent has appointed Prof
Joseph McMurrap, of Shepherd College,
to conduct and teach two Of these !nstl'
tutes this Summer; one at Berkeley
Springs, Morgan County, beginning
July 20 and ending August 8, and one
at Philippi, Barbour County, beginning
August S and ending August 10.
The objects of these Institutes are to
instruct County Superintendent how to
organize and conduct County Institutes,
and to instruct teachers how TO organize,
classify and grade their schools, and
exenplify the most improved methods
of teaching the branches usually requir-
ed in our Schools.
They are usually located where the
teachers aud officers have the least op.
portunities for acquiring the knowledge
impaired by these Institutes. Hence,
they are never located near educational
centres, where there are good education
al facilities.
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-07-06

tdy- The ToURNAMENT.-Ihe Tour
nament which was announced to come
off on Saturday last, was not by any
means success, the cause of which
may be attributed to the busy time and
hot weather. There was only four
Knights present, who entered the con-
test for a fine riding bride. Their
names and titles are as follows-Knight
of the Calling Gun, John Harrison, of
Martinsburg; Knight of Vancleayesvillc,
VIM. Fulk, of Berkeley; Xnigut of JEFF
ferson, George Link; Knight ofWilow
Well, Charles Riuehart. The Knight
of Willow Well was declared the sue
cessful Knight, and the bride was
awarded TO him. Quite a number of
ladies were on the ground. Before the
riding was concluded heavy rain came
up causing the crowd to dispense and
start for town. A number of young
ladies and gentlemen from Martinsburg,
came down in the afternoon for the pur-
pose Of attending the pic mic, which was
TO be held in connection with the Tour
nament, and were very much d:sap-
pointed at the result of affairs.
Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-07-06

p9- MARROW EscArE.-We learn
that little Stella Osborn, daughter OF
Mr.. Blackford Osborn, and grand
daughter of our esteemed county man,
Jacob J. Miller, Esq, came near losing
her life one day last week, IN the follow
ing manner: On the rear side OF Mr..
Mller's mansion is a double porch, and
on the second floor of this porch the
little girl was amusing herself in squirt
ing water from a tin vessel over the
railing into the yard below. Being am-
bilious of sending it still further, she
placed chair beside the railing, and
climbing thereon fell over into the yard
below. distance of over Is feet, and
was taken up in an inseDsible condition.
Dr. D. w. Border, the family physi-
clan, was Immediately summoned, who
after a close examination found that she
had sustained no serious injury, and We
are happy to state that under his skill-
full management she has entirely recov-
cred from the effects of the fall.