davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29
FOREIGN SUMMARY.

A DISPATCH from Constantinople says:
"After the review, Saturday, Gen. Todleben
was fred at by young Greek, without
effect, and the would-be assassin was ar
rested"
AFTER severe engagement, the Aus
trians have occupied Serajevo. The official
report of Gen. Phiilipovich shows that
the capture of Serajevo was the result of
the combined operations Of his own force
and that of Gen. Tegethofi When the
Austrian troops entered the place, says an
official account, fighting of the most hor-
rible kind ensued. The troops were fired
upon from every doorway and window.
Even women and sick ami wounded insur-
gents in the military hospitals participated
in incredible scenes Of the wildness fanatic
ism. 1T was only owing to the good dis
cipline of the troops that the town was not
more seriously damaged. As it was some
houses were plundered and burned. The
Austrian losses were not inconsiderable
The insurgents fed in all directions, es-
pecially towards Gorasda and Rogatica. at
the close of the fighting the Imperial flag
was hoisted and saluted amidst the cheers
of the Christian population.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29
KOsciuskO-An Historical Error.

Poetry frequently conveys false i'm
pressions which remain on the mind un-
corrected by facts. CampbelPs couplet.
Hope for season bade the world farewell,
And Freedom shrieked as Kosciusko fell,'
had induced many persons to believe
that the gallant Pole died in battle. He
did fall from his horse, covered with
wounds, at the engagement of Macie-
owice (1794) with the words, "This is
the end of Poland" Taken prisoner
and held as such for some time, the EN-
peror Paul (of Russia), on his accession,
gave him liberty, an estate with fifteen
hundred serfs, and sum of money, and
restored his sword. He afterward re-
turned the money and resigned the es-
tate, having declined on the spot the
sword, with the remark that he had no
need of it, as he no longer had a country
in whose service he might draw it. He
revisited the United States, was granted
track of land and pension, and went
back to France, engaging in agricultural
pursuits near Fontainbleau. Later he
went to Switzerland, making his home
in Soleure, whence he sent a deed OF
manumission to all the serfs upon his
Russian estate. The year following he
was killed by the fall of his horse ovel
precipice, the fatal accident occurring
twenty-three years after the battle o.
Macieowice. So much for fact agains
a jingling couplet, which sticks to the
memory, while the facts readily slil
! away.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29
Forty in a Duel.


The famous duel in which forty or more
gentlemen were engaged in 1928, is still
remembered in Natchez. Colonel James
Bowie, the famous fighter and inventor
of the knife which bears his name, used
to spend great deal of his time in that
city. He was challenged by a gentle
man from Alexandria, La, whose friends
to the number of forty or more accom-
panied him to Natchez to see fair play,
knowing that Bowie was desperate
man and had his friends about him.
All parties went upon the field. The
combatants took their places in the CEN
ter, separated from their friends in the
rear, or enough not to endanger them
with their balls. Behold the battle ar
ray thus: Twenty armed Louisianians
fifty yards behind their champion and
his seconds and surgeon, and opposite
them, as far behind Bowie and his Sec
onds and surgeon, twenty armed Missis-
sippians. Behold the ghts of Natchez
thronged with spectators and steamer
in the river rounded to, its deck black
with passengers watching with deep in
terest the scene. The plan of fight was
to exchange shots twice with pistols and
to close with knives, Bowie being armed
with his own terrible weapon. AT the
first fire both parties escaped. At the
second the Louisianian was too quick,
and took advantage of Bowie, who
waited the word. At this Bowie's sec.
ond cried "foul play" and shot the
Louisianian dead. The second of the
latter instantly killed the slayer of his
principal. Bowie drove his knife into
this man. The surgeons now crossed
blades, while, with loud cries came or
the two parties friends, the light OF
battle in their eyes. In a moment tht
whole number was engaged in a fearless
conflict. Dirks, pistols and knives wer'
used with fatal effect until one part!
drove the other from the field. l do no
know how many were killed and wounde,
in all, but it was a dreadful slaughter
Bowie fought like lion, but fell Gov
cred with wounds. For months he ling
cred at the Mason House before he full
recovered. .
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29
A Graphic California Death Sentence.

In the District Court at San Buena-
ventura, F. A. Sprague was called up
for sentence. After the court had over
ruled molten for new trial. Judge
Fawcett said after directing the prisoner
to stand up: "F. A. Sprague, you have
been convicted of the highest crime
known to the law. You were skillfully
defended at the trial. Every device
was exhausted to save you, but a jury
of your fellow-citizens has pronounced
you guilty of the great crime with
which you are charged. In the dead
hours of night you, the leader of a
band of masked assassins, applied the
torch to the premises of your victim,
and as he rushed, startled and half
naked, into the light of the flames, you
closed up ON him and shot him near to
death. He attempted flight, you pur-
sued; he fell before you with pleading
voice that should have wrung pity from
a heart of iron, but you remorselessly
riddled him with bullets as you would a
carcass of dog. There is no language
strong enough to depict the atrocity of
such deed. Your guilt is as clear as
evidence can make it. You probably
thought you would be upheld by the
community in which you lived. Thank
God, you were mistaken. There are
but few monsters to applaud your act
The result of your trial proves that we
are yet governed by law; that we are a
community of enlightened human be
ings, and not society of savages. The
law has seized you, and the voices Of
twelve good men held you in its inexor-
able grasp to pay the dreadful penalty
of your crime. Let your fate be warn
ing that justice is sure to follow crime
sometimes travelling slowly with leader
heel, but striking with an iron hand.
will not affect for you sympathy I dc
not feel. There is no point in your case
for sympathy to grasp at so far as yor
are concerned. l deeply feel for YOU
faithful wife and children. They ars
the ones who need and deserve pity ant
sympathy of kind hearts. 1t only re
mains to formally conclude this painful
duty. The judgment of the court i
that on Friday, the 9th day of Sep
tember next, between the hours of tel
o'clock a. m. and one p. M, you are t.
be hanged by the neck until you ar
dead, and may God Almighty hav
mercy upon .your soul"
Sprague presented stolid indifference
and perfect calmness while sentence wa
being passed. His wife and daughter
were present, and were calm and III
moved.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29
He Had the Pleasure.

He had been in the habit of standing
on the curbstone, in front of the church,
after service, and waiting for his girl.
AS he prided himself greatly upon his
politeness in public places, he invariably,
even after their betrothal, stepped up
to her, and, dofing his hat, requested
permission to see her home.
The first time that they went to
church together after they were mar
ried, they were unable to secure seats
together. This, however, did not worry
him. He secured a seat for his wife,
and at once sought his old quarters by
the stove, and among some of his old
cronies.
After service was over, he absent
mindedly walked out with the boys, took
his old stand on the curbstone. With
flashing eyes and glowing cheeks out
came his wife. She would have passed
him in indignant and scornful silence
had he not stepped up to her as of yore
and raising his hat, said: "Miss l.
may have the pleasure of walking with
youf
He had the pleasure of knowing tha
he was very much married, when she
exclaimed:
"You idiotic fool, put on your ha
and come along!"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

THERE has been an interesting cores
pondence in the London Times as to the
degree Of comfort with which men can
live at great heights. Mr.. Webber, writ
ing from the Grindelwald, in Switzer-
land, to the London Times, states that in
Thibet he has lived for months together
at height of more than fifteen thousand
fee. above the level of the sea, and that
the result was as follows: His pulse, at
normal heights only sixty-three per min
ute, seldom fell below one hundred per
minute during the whole time he was
at that level. His respirations were
often twice as numerous in the minute as
they are at ordinary levels. A run of
one hundred yards would quicken both
pulse and respiration more than run of
one thousand yards at the sea level, and
the higher the level, the greater the
difficulty of walking or running fast. He
crossed the shoulder of the Gurla Mand
hata at heightof some twenty thousand
feet, and found the greatest difficulty in
getting his breath quickly enough, hac
frequent and violent headaches, anc
found that his native guides and com
panions suffered much more even thar
he did. Clearly, the physical constitu
tion Of man has not been naturally Sc
lected 30 as to admit of great variation
in the attitude of his dwelling place.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29
A Lady of Industry.

The judges who precide at the Courts
of Correctional Police, in Paris, would
be almost justified in claiming an in
crease of pay this year, so large are the
additions made to their duties by the
influx of visitors, fashionable and un-
fashionable, and by the consequent in
crease of petty offenses. Pocket picking
and all sorts of stealing and cheating
have become unusually prevalent within
the past few months, and the ingenuity
of the knights of industry has developed
itself to an extent which could hardly
have been expected by the bitterest
cynic.
Another most elaborate device for alb
stracting articles from the shop counter
has Just been divulged in the police
court, and deserves to be ranked among
the brightest inventions of the Exhibi-
ton era. The actress in the perfor-
mance-for this time it was not a
" "knight," but &c lady" :" of industry
made use of small child as sort of
stalking horse to cover her maneuvers,
and by this means contrived to carry off
a considerable booty before she was de-
tected. On coming into shop, the
child was set down upon the counter, in
a sitting posture, close to some pieces of
lace or other coveted articles, while the
supposed mother asked to be shown
something else. Very soon afterward
she managed to administer to the ILL
fated infant severe pinch, which nat
urally caused it to howl aloud, and
upon this the lady would hurriedly
snatch up her pretended offspring, and
with many apologies for its misbehavior,
carry it off, together with the object
which it was desired to appropriate.
This trick, simple as it was, seems to
have had great success, owing no doubt
to that feeling of sympathy with mater.
nal love with which the French nation
is so amply gifted. As long as the OBJ.
jects stolen were only of moderate di.
mensions, everything went we'll. The
affectionate mother was easily able to
hurry away into a cab before the search
| after her began. But from one species
of theft she unluckily proceeded tc
another, and at length conceived the
mistaken idea of carrying off a huge
piece Of pork. The usual proceeding
had been adopted and safely carried ou1
up to the time of exit into the street
But the booty had hardly been taker
out of the shop when some voraciou
dog wandering in the vicinity was lucky
enough to catch scent of it, and made
an attack upon the party, in which
several other ours soon joined. There
upon astonishment of the bystanders, in
quiries, explanations, and at last appear
ance on the scene of the porkbutcher
who succeeded this time in recovering
his property, and bringing the too au
dacious thief to justice.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

THINGS not so generally known as
they ought 10 be-That the evening
song of the nightingale is nice, but that
the morning lay of the barn-door fowl
is nicer. That the end of the longest
wall is blubber. That ships are fire.
quently put into stays, but they only
wear barnacles when they go to sea.
That some lovers's quarrels begin, and
that many end, with smack. That,
although one swallow may not maxi a
summer, yet an inverted tack on a chair
will make one spring. That the real
and only correct system of bookkeeping
is-not to lend them. That it is very
difficult to keep your own peace of mind
| if the wife of your bosom will insist on
frequently giving you piece of hers.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

"SToP that car |" cried old Mr.. Nosen-
gale chasing flying car up Division
street, the car fresh as daisy and Mr..
Nosengale badly blown, and the distance
pole not minute away. "Stop that
RI" he shouted to distant but fleet
limbed boy. Certainly" shrieked
back the obliging boy, what shall l
stop it with 7'' " Tell it to hold on"
shouted the abandoned passenger. "Hold
on to what?" yelled the boy. "Make
it wait for mel" pufed M. Nusengale.
You've got too much weightnow," said
the boy that's the trouble with you !"
4" Call tie driverw gasped the perspiring
citizen, and as the car rounded the cor
ner and passed out of sight, the mock
ing echoes of the obliging answer came
floating cheerily back, "All right; what
shall call him?"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

THE total area of Denmark, says a
contemporary, is $500, 900 acres; 5, ,2OO,-
900 acres are under cultivation, of
which 100000 have been added during
the last ten years. The area is divided
into more than 200, 900 different proper
ties, of which 10000 are each owned
by a different proprietor; and out of
100000 families not living in the towns
only $4,000 are cottagers. 1t will thus
be seen that in Denmark, as in France,
the soil is divided among a number of
small proprietors, and not, as in Eng
land, accumulated in few hands.
During the last ten years an extraor,
dinary increase in the breeding OF
cattle and a corresponding decrease in
the production of grain have taken
place. Two-thirds of the imports and
exports fall to the share of England
and Germany, Sweden and Norway
coming next.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

DAMASCUS has been ruined by the
opening of the Suez Canal. The over
land trade, both Oriental and European,
by caravan with Bagdad and the Persian
Gulf, has been diverted to the water
way. House rent has declined thirty
and fifty per cent, and large numbers
of empty houses in every part of the
city indicates the general decline. The
streets are filed with beggars, both
Moslem and Christian, and that, too, in
city where, eighteen months ago, a
beggar was rarity. The more elevated
districts of Lebanon, which formerly
contributed the principal portion of the
mendicants during winter months, have
this year sent double the number to
swell the amount of local indulgence
The far-famed Eye Of the East is now
dull and lusterless.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

JORDAN has the reputation of being
a rugged, uninviting thoroughfare, along
which supervisors are negligent and no
poll-tax collected, but the unprejudiced
conclusion reached by the man who
stumbles through the world with no
baggage in the matter of tact is that
the aforesaid slandered highway is a
bran-new Nicholson pavement compared
to the condition of his own pathway.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

ONE of the most difficult problems
TO mind of analytical tendencies is to
comprehend the magnitude of a prompt
ing cause strong enough to induce a
colored man to commit suicide right IN
the middle of the watermelon season.
The first case of the kind ever recorded
occurred in Alabama last week.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

MRS. MCKAY, on Center-street, has a
beautiful fuchsia, which has on it at
this time over two hundred blossoms
and buds. Among the foliage of her
plants on the veranda, snugly ensconced
in a geranium leaf, is a diminutive
specimen of the little batrachian com
monty called the tree toad. The leaf,
unaccustomed to it's strange burden,
has changed its-hue from green to pale
yellow, and the little animal has
changed its color to correspond with
that Of the leaf. We never knew one
TO leave the trees or bushes before.
This one sings his monotonous song
every evening.-Suspension Bridge Jour.
nal.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

The London City Press says that Lord
Beaconsfeld's grandfather was con-
nected with, if not a partner in, the
house how Messrs. Clark, Ansted & Co.,
fruit brokers, Mincing Lane. The name
of Disraeli may still be seen on the
books Of the firm. The father of Earl
Beaconsfield bought life annuity of the
corporation, which he received until his
death. The balance due to his estate was
paid to the present Lord Beaconsfeld,
whose signature, together with that of
his father, can still be seen in the books
of the Chamberlain's office, Guildhall.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

The Petit Marseiliais relates that a
youth of about sixteen recently ventured
beyond the Portugal Rock to bathe,
when all at once he felt that something
had attached itself to one of his legs,
and was dragging him downward. He
was terribly frightened, and cried out
Justify for help. A fisherman heard
him, and came TO his rescue Just in
time to save him from sinking. After
much difficulty the lad was got into the
fisherman's boat, when it was discovered
that a cu.tle-fish, measuring eighty
centimeters from the head to the ex-
tremity of its arms, had fastened itself
to the leg so strongly that it did not let
go its hold, even when out Of the water.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

AN old man in the refreshment trade
was telling some of the boys the other
day that he once knew young lady
who missed an offer of marriage by re-
fusing to partake of ice-cream. The
unanimous verdict of his auditors was
that no opportunities of that kind go to
waste in present times.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

A BrnEF and successful temperance
crusade has bad its being in Springfield,
Ill. august Barberger was in the habit
of g'ing home drunk at all hours of the
morning and disturbing tine. neighbors
with his drunken yells. The other
morning he was surprised to find him
self seized by half dozen women, who
knocked him down, pulled his hair, and
rolled him in the dust. 1t was not
until August feiened death that his tor
mentors let him alone. He has not been
drunk since.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

TIE origin of newspapers is a subject
on which there has been large amount
Of controversy. All writers who have
given attention to the matter are agreed
that Nathaniel Buffers Weekly Neps,
which first appeared in 1922, fulflls all
the conditions of a newspaper, and that
publication has generally been accepted
as the first English newspaper.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

BEAcoNsFrELD piles on words when
he desires 10 belabor an adversary. He
calls Gladstone "a sophistical rhetor-
ician, inebriated with the exuberance
of his own verbosity." 1t sounds very
pretty, but an American orator, like
Dennis Kearney, would have abbreyi-
ated the same idea into Gladstone is a
liar and first-class gas-pipe."
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

A WOMAN may not be farsighted in
business matters, but she can see fly
speck without glasses as far again as a
man can smell fried onions.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

A FOREIGNER at once understands
how it happens that the United States
is always prepared for war when he
learns that there are upward of four
hundred colleges in this country.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

THE reason lightning never strikes a
beer-saloen, is because the members of
the Gambrinus profession discourage
high steeples and lightning-rod ped
dlers.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

THE label upon a bottle of ague
remedy, requesting the patient to shake
we'll before using, is superfiuous.- Wild
Oats.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

A PRIZE fight between women took
place at Cobridge, near Hanley, England,
a few weeks ago. They were both mar
ried and with families. They tied up
their hair and a ring was formed, each wo-
man having her partisans. Teeth as well
as fists were freely used. The mill was
ended in three rounds. English civil
izationl
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

TIE new tints in note paper are she'll
rose and primrose.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

AN old Irish soldier who prided him
self upon his bravery, said he had fought
in the battle of Bull Run. When asked
if he had retreated and made good his
escape, as others did on that famous
occasion, he replied, BE jabers, those
that didn't run are there yitw-M Y.
Mail.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-08-29

Poetry frequently conveys false i'm
pressions which remain on the mind un-
corrected by facts. CampbelPs couplet.
The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-04-04

Are planted by million in America See
Vic.s's Catalogue, 800 illustrations, only
ceutS.
Weeks illustrate. Monthly Magazine, -
pages Hna illustrations. and culOT@d plate in
each number, price Si.2j a year; five copies
for -.
Weeks Flower and Vegetable Garden, -
cents in paper covers; with elegant C oth
covers, 81.
All my public tons are pr MED in English
and frs.:an. Address,
JAMES N!CK, Rochester, y. Y.
The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-04-04

DUELIC NOTICE Is HEREBY GIVEN,
That under and by virtue of tudg-
ment rendered in the District Court Of the
sis, in an action wherein, II. W. Ide W $
Hammond, William L. Lite, Delphin-
Little, samuel +. Scott and Mary j. Scott
were defendants, and of special execution
issued ON said judgment 10 me directed and
delivered, 1 will, ON Monday, the 9Th day ui
May, ISIS, at u O'clO0 NJ, at the south front
door OF the Court House, In the City Of Leay
enworth, in said County, offer at Public Sale
and sell 10 the highest bidder for cash in
hand, the following described tracts OF land,
situate and being in the said County OF
LeayenWOrth and State of Kansas, to-wit ::
Fifty acres IN the northeast quarter Of section
two -. OF township ten lIoj, of range twenty
one I2i', bounded as follows: Beginnin.at
the northwest corner Of said quarter section
and running thence south seventy (70l rods,
thence east 1.-THE first branch thence norther-
ly with the meanderings of said branch To
the north line of said quarter section, thence
west 10 the place of beginning. Also the east
half of the east half of the southwest quarter
OF section thirty-five (,ijl, OF township nine
(9l, of range twenty-one (2il, aforesaid, Also
the southeast quarter of said section thirty
five CsJi, excepting az follows. Forty acres
sold To Robert Osborn November the 18th, A..
ID. 49,, and twenty acres sold 10 Benjamin +.
Uni, April the 10th. A. ID. SO, and one ami
ne-ha!f acres sold TO school district seven o..
PIG. LOWE,
Sheriff of Leavenworth County Kansas.
aprlw5t