davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-02-09
Periheiiou and PestiIence.

If there is anything in " astrological criol-
ogy,'' We are approaching one OF the most
pestilential periods in the earth's history
Since the commencement of the Christian era
the p~erihelia of the four great planets of the
solar system-Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn and
Neptune-have not been coincident. But this
is about to occur, and, in the language of DR..
Knapp, who has traced the history of the great
est epidemics that ever afflicted the human race
to the perihelia of these planets, there will
soon be IS lively times for the Doctors" The
theory is that when one or more of the largest
planets is nearest to the sun, the temperature
and condition of our atmosphere are so disturbed
as to cause injurious vicissitudes, terrible rains,
prolonged droughts, etc., resulting in the des-
truction of crops, and pestilences among human
beings and domestic animals.
DR.. Knapp has collected a mass Of statistical
data, all going to show that perihelion periods
have always been marked by unusual mortality,
and that sickness and death have invariably
corresponded with the number Of planets in
perihelion at the same time. The revolution
of Jupiter around the sun is accomplished in
a little less than twelve years, of Saturn in a
little less than thirty, of Uranus in about eighty
four years, and of Neptune in about one hum
dred and sixty-four years. If it be true, there
fore, that the %perihelia of these planets occasion
atmospheric conditions untavorable to life, pes
tllentIal periods should occur once in a dozen
years, and aggravated and still more widespread
H1NShiN oL lObSCI HIc III tracing the
history of epidemics for moro than two thousand
years, DIR. Knapp finds the facts in all cases to
validate the theory. Thus, in the sixth and
again in the sixteenth centuries, three of these
planets were coincident in perihelion, and those
were the most pestileptial times of the Christian
era.
But soon we are to have, for the first time
in two thousand years, all four of these planets
against us. They will be ut their nearest APP
proach to the sun in or soon after 1880, SO
that for a few years, say from 1880 to 1885,
the vitality of every living thing will be put
to a severe and trying ordeal. Some persons
think they see, in the signs of the times, evil
dences Of great disasters in the immediate
future. The excessive heat, the unexampled
cold, the prevalence of foods and disasters at
sea, the general failure of the potato crop, the
widespread chill fever among human beings,
and the equal prevalence of tue epizootic are
among the premonitions of the rapidly approach
ing period of the perihelion.
Well, " to be forewarned is to be forearmed.' -
Accidents excepted, we know very we'll that
the persons of moro vigorous constitutions and
more hygienic will have the better chance to
survive whatever adverse influence the extraordi-
nary p~erihelia will occasion. 1t is we'll known
to physicions that. in all pestilences, plague,
typhus, smallpox, cholera, murrain, ETC., the
Incorporate, the dissipated, and those whose
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-02-09

sanitary conditions were bad, furnished the
victims.
We do not write to alarm any one, nor to
make 4 sensation. We state the facts which
all history attests.
Readers can Judge for themselves what impor-
lance to attach to the subject. That the con-
joint perihelion of all the large planets of the
solar system, one of which, Jupiter, lie a thousand
times as large as the earth, must disturb our
atmosphere and temperature very considerably,
is probable that this disturbance must be
injurious to health and life is certain and that
these periods have heretofore been pestilential,
is a matter of record. How much We shall
suffer during the next dozen or fifteen years,
depends very much upon how nearly we live a
life in accordance with the laws Of life Science
of Health.
The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-02-09

EXTRAORDINARY TALE OF THE SEA-A ScHooNEB
SEIZED AND SUBMERGED BY \ GIGANTIC CUTIE.
FISH.
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
order not to serve it!" Then she tainted
---AscsSager Franco Anericain.
A SNAKE ATTACKS A MAN I'm A
BUGGY.

Mr.. Walters and his wife were returning
to the city, says the Dallas (Ga) CONNER
cial, in two-horse buggy, from trip into
the country. About seven miles from
town, on the Mansfield road, they passed
q snake that was lying on the side Of the
road, the great size of which attracted
their attention. After passing the reptile,
Mr.. Walters concluded he would turn back
and kill it. He turned the team around,
drove back to point opposite the snake,
drew his pistol and fred at it, but without
effect The horses not being used to the
report of firearms, became restless and
hard to control, which caused the attention
of Mr.. Walters to be diverted from the
snake, which ran rapidly to the buggy, up
the Wheels and on the dashboard before
the occupants were aware of ID The snake,
when it was within foot of the occupants
of the carriage, coi1ed the lower part of its
body, threw its neck into graceful curve,
drew back it head. and was just in the act
of launching It's deadly fangs into Mr..
Walters, when he fired the second shot.
This, though missing, had the effect to
cause the snake to lower itself on the
tongue of the carriage. Mr.. Walters then
fired two more shots, one of which took
effect, and caused the reptile to fall from
the carriage to the ground, and Walters dis
patched it with stone The reptile was
measured, and found to be over six feet
long, and was thicker than man
wrist.
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28

formed strong friendship for the SPAR
row, which was evidently reciprocated.
When the parrot felt lonely and wanted
company, he initiated the sparrow's chirp
to invite his friend to pay him a visit, and,
unless he was beyond hearing distance, the
sparrow always came On his part the
sparrow, in rainy or winter weather, al
lowed himself to be shut up in the parrots
cage, utterly disregarding the bolts shut
upon him, which he knew would be drawn
back in the morning.
But one ine-or rather, one fatal--day,
cat belonging to the neighborhood
pounced upon and devoured the sparrow,
who, from his familiarity with the house,
had not learned to be upon his guard. The
parrot, not seeing him return, passed day
and night thenceforth in calling upon him
whom she was never more to see again, and
week afterward she was found lying dead
under the tree, whittier, by supreme
effort, she had contrived to drag her
self.
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28

WATERING WNDow-PLANTs. There Is
nothing that the cultiyator Of window
plants asks more about than how and when
to water the plants. There is nothing he
or she asks that is more unsatisfactory
answered. The florist tells him to water
when the plant needs it. But how is it
known when the plant needs? This is
just the point of ignorance. Yet it is very
difficult to give this knowledge to anyone.
1t must come of experience, and yet there
are few hints that one may profit by
in trying to find out when plant needs
water.
With experience one can soon tell by
the weight of the pot. One knows about
how an empty pot ought to feel, and how
the same pot seems to weigh with dry
earth. When very wet the weight is
nearly double. A plant never wants water
when the pot with the earth is heavier than
q pot of dry soil would be.
Then the color of the earth will tell with
a very little experience when it needs
water, and one soon learns to distinguish
by this. 1t is almost always much lighter
in color when dry than when wet; and if
earth is as dark as it is when fresh
watered, it wants no more till it gets
lighter.
And then experience will soon teach
one to tell when plant needs water by
the feel Of the earth. When dry the earth
will crumble little when it is touched,
and on the other hand it seems to press
together and to be smeary when wet
With very little experience it is SO easy
to tell when plant needs water, by the
feel alone, that a blindman might make a
good florist in this respect.
Those who wish to know how many
times week to water their window plants
can never get an answer, plahs' will need
more water In warm room than in a
cool one, in dry atmosphere than In one
that is moist, when a plant is growing
vigorously than when it is at rest, when
it is in good health than when it is some
what sick, and in light sandy earth rather
than in stiff or heavy ground. Nothing
at all but little experience will help one,
but If there is true love for the helpless
little thing it is astonishing how soon the
knowledge comes to one. There is no
such one but soon becomes good "plants-
man."
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
HOW THE RUSSIAN PEASANT
LIVES.

The houses of the Russian psasantry are
built of logs, and are thoroughly filthy, SO
that no civilized person could eat or sleep
in them if he wished A fresh egg was
the only thing that seemed to be uncon-
taminated. The peasant dwells with his
horses and cattle under the same roof, he
above and they below, SO that the odor of
the stable and every other imaginable vile
smell pernleates the whole interior.
One not accustomed to that way of living
cannot stay within doors, much less eat
their food. Their household furniture is
of the most primitive kind, SO also their
farming implements. Indeed, everything
makes you feel that you are carried back to
the dark ages. The people live in villages
altogether, each family having land ap-
portioned to them, according to their num-
bers, by the village commune or assembly,
which also decides as to the rotation of
crops and the times of gathering them.
Some of the country through which we
passed seemed quite fertile, but the greater
part has barren appearance. Often whole
stations would be- continued wilderness,
with sandy or corduroy road, forests of
pine, spruce and birch stretching away on
either hand.
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
rAAksfSIAGEG iEhsOak EN- OFF,

In one of the districts of Paris, which we
will not specify, the following scandal oc-
CURED recently: Two parties, engaged to
be married, presented themselves before
the Mayor. 1t was what is commonly
called a rich marriage, or marriage de
convenance, which the relatives never fail to
call love match. At all events, in this
case, the relatives, witnesses, and friends
joined heartily in wishing the young
couple all manner of joy. But, alas, there
is many slip betw sen the cup and the
lip, as the poet says, and the young man
was destined to find it so by sad expert
ence.
The moment the Mayor, proceeding ac-
cording to the forms of law, announced the
civil record of the happy pair, 1t was dis
covered that the bridegroom, although
born at Mulhouse, came into French terri
tory without having officially declared his
choice for French nationality. By this
plan he naturally thought that it would be
easy for him to avoid military service in
France, and no longer living in Alsace,
to escape the German military law also. :
On hearing this announcement the com.
pany signihed some dissatisfaction, and
one of the witnesses, well-known politi.
clan, declared his unwillingness to serve in
the matter. The confusion may well be
imagined, together with the delay Of the
ceremony while new witness was being
hunted up. At length he was found and,
in spite Of the danper which this incident
threw upon the party, the ceremony was
recommended, and the Mayor, thinking
that his trouble was at length over, put
the following formal question: Miss -,
do you consent to take Mr.. - for your
husband?" 'No !" cried the young lady,
and turning to the astonished young man,
she murmured. II shall never be the
wife Of q man who denies his country in
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
PERSONALS ABOUT LADIES,

Modjeska is both Polish and polished.
Mile. Albani is reported to be engaged to
Capoul, the tenor
Miss Florence Ellis is singing in EVAN
geline" in New York
Miss Quinn, of Iowa, is betrothed to Mr..
May; she's to be Quinn of the May"
Mrs, Postmaster General Key is said to be
the most graceful woman in Washington.
Miss Susan B. Anthony loves the West,
and will lecture no more in the hypocrit-
ical East.
Mrs. Kicker the Washington lawyer,
makes it a rule every noon to pay for lunch
for the prisoners in the dock of the Grim
inal Court.
Olive Logan says you can tell an Ameri-
can III Paris by his boots In very much
the same manner does chrome agent tell
an American in this country.
Mrs. Flynn, of San Francisco had trip
lets, and her proud husband, as a guide to
the many visitors, chalked over his door,
"This is WHARF the triplits is"
Miss Anna Louise Cary has decided not
to go to Europe this spring, but will hold
herself in readiness to accept college en-
gagements throughout the summer.
Mrs Phebe Corstley, the Virginia widow,
who knocked down Il six-foot farmland
before he could get in lick is the sort of
woman the female su1fragists need at Wash
ington.
Alma Sanderson, of Milton, Vt, could
play any piece after hearing it once when
She was four years old, and now at eleven
is able to perform the most difficult music
at sight.
Mrs. Ann Hopkins, whose age is one hun
dred and seventeen years lives at Cedar
Creek, Tenn. Her husband died about TWEEN
ty years ago, aged one hundred and nine.
Living she has three sons George, age nine
ty-eight; Abner, age ninety-fve; Enoch
(the babyl age ninety.
Lady Waldegrave claims to have had
eighty-si real and original beauties at her
ball on Monday week, but the claim is not
allowed by strict connoisseurs who were
present. By the way, much playing of
poker" certainly interferes with the full
enjoyment of a ball.-[London World.
Madame Rachel, who calls herself CAR
now and again swindles weak-headed mem
bers of the British aristocracy, male and
female, by selling cosmetics at enormous
sums, protesting that by their application
they are to be made Beautiful forever"
has only recently got out of prison; and
there is every chance of her shortly going
back again for swindling Mario's married
daughter by selling her lotion called "Jor-
dan Water"
Mrs. Haweis lady moving in the high
est society in London, says in her book, ell
titled THE Art of Beauty" that bcauti-
fully dressed woman NAV lose more than
half the benefit of her taste in dress, or that
of her dressmaker, by the ill taste of her
husband or her upholsterer in furnishing
her rooms; and that the dressmaker and
dress wearer ought to be acquainted with
the human form and the laws which govern
its functions in order to dress with true
taste. She defends corsets, but condemns
all tight lacing; justities the use of fal>e
hair, teeth, and cosmetics urges that the
dress should conform to the natural lines Of
the body; condemns low dresses, both on
grounds of morality and beauty, and, final
ly, would dispense with shoes altogether
| and substitute sandals
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
SACRA MENT0.

Sacramento has about $4,000 inhabi-
tants.
Thirty years ago the entire ground
covered by the city (2t square miles
and its vicinity did not contain LOG
souls
The price of passage from San Fran
cisco to Sacramento in 40 ranged from
$1e to $25.
The same fall, -four was worth $50 bar.
rel, mntton 81 a pound. Carpenters got
SIG day each.
Sacramento is in the midst of the princi-
pal valley of California.
John Augustus Sutter, Swiss, pitched
his tent in Sacramento Chen waste) in
1889.
In January, 1913, James W. Marshall
discovered gold in the American river,
twenty-eight miles above Sacramento.
The first California gold was exchanged
for American goods in Sacramento.
The orange, lemon, fig and almond trees
grhw and bear fruit here as well as in tropi.
cal climes.
The mean temperature Of the climate
here is about sixty degrees.
Sacramento has more pleasant days in
the year than any other city on the coast,
perhaps than any other in the world.
The streets of Sacramento are eighty
feet wide. .-,Sdcfdntento Bee.
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
A PARROr,s FnrENDsMaP.

Birds and animals often form friend
ships for ether animals not of their own
family, and show a deep and sincere at
tachment. Mr.. Adolphus SAKE, cele.
brated inventor of military musical instru.
ments had a little green parrot, sickly,
weak, and almost featherless. His
work-room was full of brass filings and un.
healthy odors. Accordingly he placed his
old fsvorite's cage in large Judas.tfee that
grew near; the parr was adtoit enough
to open her cage and would fly to the up'
per branches and enjoy her liberty, return
ing from time to time to her cage for food.
AS the cage was often open and unten-
anted, q sparrow, with usual modesty of
its kind, used 10 enter and help itself. He
got SO much at home that even when the
parrot returned he would not fly of, but
keep on eating as though he were the
owner, not an unlimited guest; the parrot
not only did not resent the intrusion. but
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
A DEFECTIVE DENTIST.

A specimen of rural simplicity was linger-
ing around the detectives Office recently
who had transformed himself into facial
contortionist. He had the toothache, and
had it bad. Chief Detective Bligh, taking
il the situation at q glance, winked at the
other members of the force who we're sit
ting around, and at the same time an
nounced to the rural friend that he had
been successful practitioner of dentistry
for many years. The man opened the
entrance to his commissary department.
and after the Captain gave the decayed
tooth thorough examination, he motioned
to Detective Tiller to hold the mans head.
when the dentist suddenly made grab for
a pair of burglars "nips" that happened to
be on the table, and the fun commenced
The terrified man tried to yell, but it was
no 60. He fought the air with his hands
and kicked nahfully, but it was no 60.
After brief space of time there was a
sound like the falling of forest tree, and
out came jaw-tooth with prongs like
the pinching department of crsw-
fish.
"What do ye charger" exclaimed the
man, after splitting out mouthful of
blood.
''we don't charge poor people anything" "
coolly replied the detective, as he took a
glance into his hat and started out to
shadow burglar. -LomsrHleNews
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.


The new system of selecting a Board of
Aldermen gives the members of that
body separate constituency from that
Of the members of Council, and should
secure better class of men than has
heretofore afflicted the city. The NOM
nations, with few exceptions, are made,
and it is worth while to take a glance at
them.
The First District is composed of the
First, Second, Third, Fourth and Seventh
Wards. Each party presents one decid-
edly Objectionable man-Republicans
in the person of A. w. Huffard, of the
Second Ward, and the Democrats in F.
d. Duffy, Of the Fourth Ward. Both
have heretofore served in Council and
have proved themselves unfaithful serv-
ants. They are of the class that should
be left in private life. Mr.. Setcbell, of
The Republican ticket, in this district has
always been an earnest advocate of the
interest of the people and should be
elected. Mr.. o. P. Tharp, of the same
district on the Democratic ticket, is also
q business man of standing and promin-
ence and would make a good Alderman.
The same can be said of Lafayette
Devenny, who is put in place of Mr..
Fechheimer, declined.
The Second District is composed of the
Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth and Tenth
Wards. In this the Democrats present
very Objectionable candidates in the per-
Sons of Julius Refs, Thomas Lee, NJ.
Corbett, and either Jack Connolly or
Alex. Cline. Not one of these men
should be elected. Mr.. Refs is the ablest
of the crowd, and therefore the one that
of all others should be beaten They
are all stale politicians, of the worst class,
who have long since passed the period of
their usefulness to the public, if they
ever enjoyed a period of usefulness,
which, in the cases of some of them, is
doubtful.
The remaining names on the Demo-
cratic ticket are new men of fair promise,
as are nearly all on the Republican side.
There is material enough to make good
Aldermanic representation in this dis
trict, Notwithstanding the fact that more
Old-time ringsters are nominated than in
any part of the city. T. J. MulviIll,
The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-03-28
The Cincinnati Star

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