davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
The Use Of whi.kers 10 a Cat.

The which Of all others is
most deficient in the cat is that OF
smell. In this she differs most mark
edly from the dog. 1t is said that q
piece Of meat may be placed in close
proximity TO a cat, but that if it is
kept covered up she will fail to dis.
tinguish it. This want, is however,
partly compensated for By an ex-
iremely delicate of touch,
which is possessed, 10 a remarkable
extent. by the w~biskers, or vibrasse,
as well as by the general surface OF
the skin. These bristles are possess
ed to q greater or less extent by all
cats, and are simply great developed
hairs, having enormously swollen
roots, covered with a layer of muscn-
lar flores, with which delicate nerves
are connected. BY means of these
latter, the slightest touch on the ex-
tremity of the whiskers is instantly
transmitted to the brain. These or
gans are OF the greatest possible a
ne to the cat in It's nocturnal cam
paigns. When it is deprived of the
guidance afforded by light, it makes
It's way by the sense of touch, the
fne wbiskers touching against every
object which the cat passes, and thus
acting 10 precisely the same manner
as q blind mans stick. though with
infinitely greater sensibility. lmag-
inc q blind man with not one stick,
but a couple of dozen Of exquisite
nneness, aud these not held in his
baud, but imbedded 10 his skin, SC
that his nerves come ia direct con.
tact with them instead of having a
layer Of skin between, and some no
ton may be formed Of the way in
which a cat uses its whiskers.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
Dutch Musical Plates.

That the Hollanders had and have
a passionate love for music is well
known. For two centuries the pop
ular songs of Holland figured con-
spicuously in the history of the coun-
try. Every peasant boy was in the
habit of carrying about with him a
collection of songs in a shape which
be could tuck away in his pocket
easily. When a group gathered they
would fall to singing in chorus. 4
similar custom prevailed among the
higher classes of the population. At
ter dinner, when the jovial Dutch
men were in a frolicking mood, each
man would pull out his soDg-book
from his pocket, and the whole COM
pany would join in a roLsing chorus.
1t is easy to see that here was a
mine for the faience-makers to work.
A dozen dessert plates displaying
the ccuplets of various songs we're a
source of amusement which was new
er-failing in its a~fter-dinner effect.
The idea is, perhaps, n worth
adopting 10 our day and and country
as a provoker of jollity among the
people not unduly given to that sort
of thing.
Several Of these musical plates
have come down to US. Most OF
them bear inscriptions aud notices
in Dutch, bat very maryland the
most objeclionable-of them have
verses in the French language, aud
were doubtless made for sale in that
market. Certainly they were very
much in the spirit of modern opera
bouffe, aud would not be in demand
at English or American dinner ia
bles, nor ever 10 France 10 the family
circle. Others of these musical
plates, instead of giving the verses
at length and q mere suggestion Of
the tune, present the Mole score,
and give but the name of the song.
Some have the music, not Of a song,
but of a minuet or gavot. Still 9th
ers no. only give the dancing tunes,
but show US pictures of the dancers.
-Harper's Magazine.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
Rine Balls Seen in Their Flight.

The fact that human ewes with the
aid Of q field glass have e rife
bullets, during their fight from the
muzzle of the rife to the point at
which they were aimed, has been
published, we believe, several times I;
but we have never seen, to our
knowledge, the announcement that
they could be seer with the naked
eve. Yet il is a well-atlested fact
that rifle balls were seen in their
fight by several gentlemen, without
the aid of a glass or anything, at the
rife range north Of this city, one day
last week. A high wind was blow
ing and showers were frequent-in
fact, it rained almost constantly.
When the spectator stood at oBe side
Of the shooter they could only follow
the ball 20 the highest point of the
arc which it described, but when
they stood immediately behind the
shooter (he lying down and they
standing up they could follow the
bullet from a point about ten feet
from the muzzle, all the way to the
Target, or whatever object it struck
One gentleman told the shooter, i'm
medistly after be had fred, that he
had shot too much to the right, aud
the signal Of the marker a minute or
two afterward confirmed exactly
what be had said. The rifles were
Of the heavy military kind, which
carry q large bullet Those who saw
the bullets 10 their flight say that the
arc described by them is immense al
that distance, and that they also APP
pear TO curve 10 the right as well as
up and down.-Rochester Er.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
origin OF IN. Letter stamp.

The origin Of the letter stamp had
a unge Of romance in il. Ii was
tbirty-seven years ago that Rowland
Hill, while crossing a district in the
North of England, arrived at the
door OF al inn where a postmsn had
to deliver q letter. A young girl
came out 10 receive it; she turned it
over aud over in her hand and asked
the price OF postage. This was a
large sun aud evidently the girl was
poor, for the postmsn demanded a
shilling. She sighed sadly, and said
The letter was from her brother, but
that she bad no money; and SO re-
turned the letter 10 the postman.
Touched with pity. Mr.. Hill paid The
postage aud gave the letter to the
girl who seemed very much embar-
raised. Scarcely had the postman
turned his back when the young inn
keepers daughter confessed that il
was a trick bet ween her and her
brother. Some signs on the envelope
told her all she wanted TO know, but
the letter contained nc writing. ave
are both so poor" she added, ".hst
We invented this mode of correspond
ence without paying for our letters
The traveller, continuing his road,
asked himself If a system giving
place TO such frauds was not a vi
cious one. Before sunset Rowland
bad planned TO organize the postal
service on q new bssis-with what
success lie known tc the world.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
Method Of Judging n Horse.

The first thing to be looked at in q
horse is his shape. A horses head
should be fine, broad Setween the
eyes,. and tapering in toward the
nose, the jaws should be clean and
unencumbered with flesh, the eve
full, bright and lively, the nostrils
open, and of a bright red internally,
(which generally denotes breeding
and COURAGE. The space between
the jaws underneath should be roomy
and void of lamps or glandular
swellings the ears should be well
set into the head and pointing for
ward. A horses neck should be
light, airy, well curved and having
considerable sweep underneath, at its
junction with the jaws. In horses
whose wind pipe is curved where it
is set into the jaws, they have gener-
ally better wind than others, mas
much as the air in expiration has not
to encounter the obstruction caused
by the neck when it joins the head at
q sharp angle. A long necked horse
is generally weak, swasby, frequent
ly predisposed to be a roarer, and the
rest of his shape generally partakes
Of the anne type, his back being long
and his body none of the shortest.
An upright shoulder generally marks
a harness horse a sloping shoulder
is, therefore, as essential 10 the sad
die horse. Plenty Of room in the
chest is a desideratum nevertheless
many q nsrrow-ehested horse has
performed wonders. The back should
be short, rather arched over the
loins, having the tail set rather high.
The body should be deep. well ribbed
up-that is between the last rib
and the bip-bone. A low-rumped
horse generally puts bis hind legs
well under him when at work, and
this is a good quality. A horses
thighs should be well clothed with
muscle down 10 the hook; there
and thence 10 the boot, all should be
q considerable bend on the back part
of the thigh. Horses that stand
with the caps of the hooks nearly
touching, are seldom thought much
Of. The frog legs should be muscu-
lar down to the knees, and thence.
like the hind legs Hat and sinewv.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
Modern Dennitions Of Commercial
Terms.

Bankrupt-A mar who gives ev.
erything to a lawyer so that his cred
itors will not get it.
Assignee-Is the chap who has
the deal and gives himself four aces
A Bsnk-ls the place where PEG.
pie put their money SO it will be han
dy when other people want it.
A Depositor-Is a man who dom
know how to spend his money and
gets the cashier to show him.
President-Is the big man who
promises to boss the job and after
wards subjects it.
A Director-Is one of those that
accepts a trust that don't involve
either the use of his eyes or ears.
Csshier-Is often a man who I'm
dertakes to support a wife, six chill
dren and q brown stone front. OF
sfty dollars a month and be hon
est.
ColIaterals-Are certain pieces o
paper as good as gold, due and pays
bic on the LIST dsy of April.
Assets-Usually consist of FIVE
chairs and an old stove, TO these may
be added a spittoon if the bust aim
a bad one.
Liabilities - Are usually a big
blind that the assets won't see mol
raise.
A Note-A promise to do an i'm
possible thing at an impossible time
Endorser-Is a man who signs
commercial philopena with a FRIEND
and gets caught.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
An Indian Rabbit DRIVE.

Toe Piutes and Shosohones Of this
vicinity, says a recent Nevada paper,
have ~inaugurated q grand rabbit
drive in Reese River Valley, which
will last five days. The valley is
teeming with rabbits, and the method
pursued by the Indians 10 killing
them insures the slaughter of thou
sands of TIE animals. Their mode OF
procedure in rabbit hunting is the
same as that pursued by the Irish
soldier, who captured a prisoner by
surrounding him. The Indians Sc
lect a piece of ground which they
know to be the resort of rabbits, aud.
each man being armed with q gun or
bow and arrow, form a circle. In
side this circle the women and :hil.
dren are placed, and the circle is
gradually contracted, the squaws and
papooses meanwhile beating the bush
with sticks to start the rabbits. The
be wildered little animals rush hither
and thiiher, finding nc escape from
the circle of hunters, and being hem
med in on every side, and gradually
concentrated in q smaller and smaller
space, ard when the supreme moment
arrives, the Indians turn loose their
and arrows on the confused and af-
frighted rabbits, staying large num-
bers Of them at each discharge, and
women and children even killing
many with their sticks.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22


In some localities it is difficult to
get chicks through the first two
weeks after they are hstched, for the
little complaints of this early period
are more numerous and critical than
at other periods of their lives. Feed
is the first consideration and pure
water a great essential to them from
first to last. Cornmeal is the u
article of chicken diet which has
been the main dependence for gener-
a%tions, but some experiments with
rice last year convinced US that for
young chicks it is equal to anything,
If not superior to anything else.
Broods fed upon rice alone all lived
and grew finely on a single handful
q: a feed for the hen and her brood.
An inferior quality known to the
trade as broken rice, ia just as good
for feed, and it takes so little for a
feed that the expense is no greater
10 the Northern States than corn
meal, while 10 the South it will be
the cheapes. feed known -Iadiana-
polls Sentinel
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
The Cambria Iron works.

The extensive works Of the Cam
bris Iron Company, at Johnstown,
says the Pittsburgh american Han
utfacIurer, exhibit even more than
their usual activity. OF the five
blast furnaces at the works four are
in blast aud besides those the other
furnaces belonging to the company,
viz: one at Conemsugh, two at Hol-
lidaysburg, one at Bennington and
one at Frankstown, are all in blast.
Several very important additions and
Improvements to the works are now
either in operation or under construc-
ton. The first of these, is the wire
rope mill, with an average capacity
of 10000 pounds Of Bessemer steel
rod No. 4 to No. 9 per day of twenty
four hours IS 1000 pounds OF No. I
have been rolled from II inch billets
ia ten hours.
A new wire mill has been built, 10
which the Cambria Iron Company
have one-half interest. the other half
being held by Gautier x Co, OF Jer-
sey City. The wire mill will be pre-
pared to make oil kinds Of wire.
A bolt aud nut factory belonging
to the c. /. Co, has just gone into
operation in one Of the old buildings
belonging to tie works. The ma.
chimes are not yet all in position. A
horseshoe mill is also being erected,
and will probably go in operation
about July |.
The new building over the bloom
ing mill is about completed. An
immense foundation is now being
laid for o new blooming train which
will be capable of rolling a much
larger ingot than that now used. A
foundation has also just been begun
for a Siemeus-M Martin plant Other
Improvements and additions TO the
works are contemplated. some of
which now exist in the drawings.
The whole Of the steel department is
running briskly on orders which will
not be filed for several months.
The wrought iron department, on toe
contrary, is running to less than half
Of its capacity.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22

War in the earliest day vas sim
ply brutal. In the middle ages il
was full Of romance and chivalry.
TODAY it is utilitarian. lie Beau
Sabreur is a gallant, dsshing fellow,
saws modern war: but how many
men does be kill? The German
medical staff reports that their losses
in the FraDco-G German war was 65,-
leo killed and wounded, and of these
only 2Is were killed and wounded by
the sabre and dubbed muskets. Of
the cavalry l35 were killed or wound
ed by the sabre out Of q total Q.
1926, and 2ls wounded by the bay
onet.
That is 20 say, the deaths caused
by 40 900 cavalry with the sabre in
six months campaigning over almost
half of France amounted to SIX. In
q grand aggregate Of 253, li2 cases
of wounds analysed and recorded in
the Office Of the Surgeon-General OF
the United States during the war OF
the rebellion, there were only 9O6
examples of sabre cuts and bayonet
stabs, and of these only 80 resulted in
death.
General Benet, chief of the Army
Ordnance Bureau, in an Official letter
to the Secretary of War, invites at
tention 10 tie question whether the
sabre aud bayonet should any longer
form part of the arms Of the cavalry
and infantry soldiers of the United
States. "ln my mind" says Gener-
a. Benet, there exists not a doubt
that the days Of the sabre and bayon-
ct are numbered, and that the only
question to be decided is whether the
time is not already at hand when
they should be discarded"
The General of the army, who is
utilitarisnism personifed, says in a
letter to General Sherman that he is
convinced that the bayonet and non-
commissioned officers swords are
simply useless weapons in war, and
that infantry and cavalry alike should
be armed with the best rife, q Colts
revolver and a knife which could be
used for cutting meat, fighting at
close quarters and for intrenching.
Clearly, says a Boston journal,
commenting on these significant facts,
there is nothing for it but TO sheath
the bright blade, once for all, and lay
it away to rust with the bayoneL, the
nike and the halberd.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
Trusting n Candid Boy.

One who has money that be is will
ling to lose lin case be should fail),
can afford to show confidence in q
strsnger-for the sake Of experiment.
PROFESSIONALLY in a boy unused TO
be trusted, a generous trial of trust
will often inspire honesty and give
him the self respect that will make a
man IF him.
During the session of the late Epis-
copal convention in Boston, the Bish-
op of Louisiana, in crossing the CON-
mon, met a boy whose face ne fan
cied, and calling to him, asked if be
had anything to do just then, to
which be said no.
"Are you a good boy 2"
The little fellow scratched his
head, and replied:
Il am not a very good boy, l cuss
a little sometimes"
This candid answer inspired the
bishop with confidence, and be then
said after giving his name and ad-
dress:
81 want you to go to q certain
place and get a bundle for me, and
bring il to my hotel. There will be
a charge OF eight dollars; here is the
money to pay it, and q half a dollar
which YOU can keep for doing the
GRAND"
On bis return TO the hotel the Dish.
ops friends laughed at him for bis
credulity, telling him that be would
never see the boy, or the bundle. or
the money again but in a half an
an hour the young csap returned,
bringing the bundle and a receipted
bill for eight dollars aud a half. the
bishop having made a slight mistake
as to the amount that was due on
the bundle.
"How did you manage to pay the
extra halfdollsr 2" be inquired OF
the boy.
Il took the money that you gave
me for tue job. / knew that you
would make it all right"
And call right it was made, and
| have no doubt that the confidence
that was reposed in that boy, be-
cause of his truthfulress, will do him
good as long as be lives.-Nec
yorI. Jed1er
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22


When we see q piece Of work laid
down with the remark That's neal
enough we know at once it is not
frst-clsss job. The employer may
say that's near enough" because be
has taken the work at a price that be
can not affJrd to do good work, or il
may be q temporary repair in which
time is of more consequence than
6rst-class workmanship. Ifs work
man makes use of the remark we
know be has little pride 10 the job,
and is satisfied to do inferior work
while If an apprentice says that's
near enough we conclude that be is
not likely to make any reputation as
an expert or good workman.
Suppose a professor of mathematics
were to say twice q are 4 it might
be near enough for the purpose to
which be applied it. but it would not
be near enough to maintain, much
less to stake his reputation as a math-
ematicisn upon.
The difference ia time necessary 10
convert the quality of a job from that
denoted by that near enough" into
that expressed by that's q first-class
job may be sufficiently worthy OF
consideration in many cases but
the confidence, experiences, experience
and interest 10 ones work the latter
gives and leads to, represent the best
spent time oil apprentice or workman
can possibly employ, because such
practice soon enables him TO turn out
6rst-class work in the same time for
merly required to finish the job in q
that's good enough" style, and there
fore converts him from an Inferior CT
ordinary into & superior workman.
That's near enough has led TO
hundreds of so-called accidents, which
have come down to US as mysteries.
1t makes hot bearings, throws shalt
ing out Of line, csuses nuts TO come
loose, bolts 10 fall out, shafts to break,
brings in the plumber to disturb the
peace Of cur homes, leads to scamp
ing, to botch work, and finally to
ruin.
When the hands can lay down a
piece Of work and say chats good
enough" the spirit of emulation has
gone, the very expression is a con-
fession of indifference as TO quality
without an equivalent or gain as to
quantity.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
Ashes for Cattle.

One OF our substantial subscribers,
10 o recent conversation, gave his
experience IN treating neat stock
affected with the habit of eating
wood, chewing bones, &c. His cat
tie yer one spring affected 10 this
way ; they became thin 10 flesh, re-
fused to eat hay, and presented q
sickly appearance. He put about
four bushels of lescbed ashes in bis
bsrnyard and threw out to them
about q sbovelful each day. They
all ate it with evident relish. After
turning them ont to pasture be put
o peck of dry ashes per week on
the ground in the pasture. They ate
it all up and gnswed of the grass
where it bad been lying. The cattle
began to improve. gaining flesh and
looking better than they bad tor sew
ersl years He now gives one quart
of ashes. mixed with the same guam
tity Of salt, 10 twelve head of cattle,
about once q week, and in1s il to
agree with them wonderfully.-Ma Name
Farmer.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
In the TwinknnY OF an Eye"

One moment, the sick room, the
scaffold, the stake the next, the par
adisiacsl glory. One moment, the
sob of parting anguish the great,
deep swell of the angels song
Never think, reader, that the dear
ones you have seen die had far to 20
to meet God after they parted from
you. Never think, parents, who
have seen your children die, that Of.
ter they left you they had to traverse
q d rk, solitary way, along which
you would. if it bad been possible,
lead them by the band, and bore
them company till they came into
the presence OF God. You did SO il
you stood by them till the last breath
was drawn. You did bear them
company into Gods very presence il
you only staid beside them till they
died. The moment they left you
they were with Him. The slight
pressure of the cold fingers fingered
with you yet, but the little child was
with his Savior.
The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-05-22
AGRICULTURAL.


As to the best plan OF ploughing,
fertiliziug and reseeding an old
WORKOUT meadow. Last fall | plough
ed . meadow Of ten acres that had
been mown and after-fed for many
years, till it did not produce halt a
ton of hay to the ere Early 10 the
spring l sowed ten bushels Of Stacked
lime TO the acre and worked it with q
cultivator. l then sowed 500 pounds
of superphosphate to the acre and
ten bushels of oats, sowing the oats
thin to give the grass seed . bette:
chance. After narrowing, / sowed
twelve quarts Of timothy and four
quarts Of clover seed and o bar
rowed. The oats came up and pro-
duced q rapid growth, standing fully
three feet high, and the q acre
which we let get ripe tbreshed forty
four bushels. The other nine acres
we cut with a mower just as a few of
the heads began TO turn yellow ;
when dry we raked them up add
put them in as hay. As q fodder
crop they are worth more than all
the hay grown in the same meadow
for three years. And as l sell no
grain but wheat, except 10 the fern
of pork, beef and butter, we have
found this the cheapest and most
profitable way of using our oat crop.
For horses and sheep 1 know of no
better fodder. Our grass seed took
beautifully, and We have now q
stand of timothy and clover thickly
set and fully six inches high, with
every prospect of q good crop of hay
the coming year. Ny soil is gravel
ly loan, inclining to clay, with little
or no sand 10 it. l have found but
little benefit in plougbing and re.
seeding old exhausted meadows with
out Using some fertilizers, not only
to get the seed to catch, but to sup
ply the wants Of the grass in its flu.
ture growth. In buying my timothy
seed / always buy that which is not
hulled in threshing. Hulled seed
will grow, ! doubt not, under favora'
BILE circumstances, but that which is
not hulled will grow under less fay
orable circumstances, and ! think il
much cheaper to buy, though costing
q little more--ElmirG Farmer.