davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
The Silver Dollar.

The silver dollar was first authorized by the act of 1792, and composed of if teen parts. of silver to one of gold, and was an unlimited legal tender. In 1906 President Jefferson stopped the coinage of this dollar, but continued the coinage of the silver half dollar, two halves be- ing equal to $1 in value, and the quar- ters, dimes and half dimes being of the same relative value. There were there fore no silver dollars coined from 1906 to 1887. By the act of 1887 the silver dollar of 4123 grains standard weight and nine fneness was authorized, and has been an unlimited legal tender from that date to 1873 but from 1873 to March l, 1878, it has been legal ten- der for an amount not exceeding $5, though according to the Treasury regu- lations of 1874, p. 488, the old silver dollar was receivable for custom dues. The act Of March l, 1878 restored the unlimited legal tender character of the dollar authorized by the act of 1887 for all debts, public and private, except where expressly or otherwise provided for by cont, act. The act of 1873 simply dropped the dollar from the coinage list of silver coins, and it was not restored III March 1, 1878.
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
Old Mother ShiptOn.

Old Mother Shipton was born in Ship ton, near York, England, and lived at the time of Henry VIII. She was sup posed to be daughter of Satan and 8 witch. The night on which she was born there was the most dreadful storm ever known. She was a prophecies and foretold the burning of York Minister. The third time she said it would be burnt to the ground. It has been burned twice. She also foretold that carriages would fly in the air; and that the earth would be like unto gridiron, we sup pose from the network of railroads. Cardinal Wolsey, hearing that she had prophesied concerning him, was very in dignant, and sent three noblemen to hear what she had to say for herself, and to tell her that she would be burnt for witchcraft. When they arrived and knocked at the door, she called from within, "Enter, Lords so and so," at which they were very much astonished, for she had had no means of knowing their names. When they had entered the cottage they informed her of their mission, and that when Wolsey got to York she had better take care what she said. Taking off a kerchief from her neck she put it on the red coal, saying, eff this burn, I burn" She then took the kerchief off whole. She also sad that Cardinal Wolsey would see York, but never reach it. The King called 'Wolsey back to London, and he died on his journey so he never was in York, though he saw it from a tower or hill, making true what Mother Shipton had said. At Clifton, one mile out of York, there is stone called Mother Shipton's Stone. She was said to be very pious and generous old woman, and lived to a very great age and died ct Knares- borough. The following remarkable prophesey was by her, and was first pub ished in 1443, and re-published in 1641 {:
 Carriages without horses shall go,
 And accidents fill the world with woe.
 Around the world thoughts shall fly r In the twinkling of an eye.
 Water shall yet more wonders do,
 How strange, but yet they shall prove true.
 The world upside down shall be,
 And gold be found at the root of tree;
 Through hills man shall ride,
 And no horse or ass be at his side.
 Under water man shall walk
 Shall ride, shall sleep, shall talk,
 In the air men shall be seen
 In white, in black, in green.
 Iron in the water shall float
 As easy as wooden boat.
 Gold shall be found and shown
 In land that is not now known.
 Fire and water shall wonders do,
 And England shall at last admit Jew.
 The world to an end shall come
 In 1888.
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
The Learned Pig.

Bissett, an humble shoemaker who lived in Scotland, was an extraordinary teacher of animals. He selected pig to experiment. upon. The teaching of the pig almost wearied out Rissett's pa tience, and he was about giving up the task in despair when he bethought him. self of new way of tanning the young pig. After sixteen months of unwearied perseverance he at last was rewarded by instilling little reason into the pigs unreasoning cranium, thus proving that pigs can not only "see the wind" by common belief, but that they can be made useful in ':raising the wind" Du- ring the teaching of his pig Bissett used to keep the animal under his shoemaker's seat while he worked. In 1783 Bissett brought his "learned pig into Dublin, procured the leave of the Lord Mayor for his exhibition, and carried the city by storm. It was trained to be as docile and as obedient as 8 spaniel, and was taught to spell names, cast up accounts, to kneel and make its obeisance to the company, and to do various other feats. Some petty officer, half armed with au- thority, broke into Bissett's room, as- saulted the poor, unoffending exhibitor, and drew his sword to kill the wondrous pig. Poor Bissett pleaded hard for his pig which was saved, but he was threat ened that if he exhibited the pig again he would be dragged to prison. Only that it was a little too late in the era, it is probable poor Bissett would have suffered at the stake for witchcraft.
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
CANAAN, CONN.,, THURSDAY, APRIL il, 1878.
Making the Will.

There is strange reluctance to make will on the part of many healthy and robust people-a feeling, says Harpers Bazaaa', as if the mere act were fatal forerunner of dissolution as if the idea were but the unconscious response of the mind to the suggestion of failing ener- gies as If they were some occult con- nection between the undeveloped aiI- ments of the body and the promptings of the brain. There are some individuals so much influenced by this superstition that they will run the risk of allowing their filthy lucre to fall into the hands of persons for whom they have no re- gard, rather than undertake the ghastly task of devising 8 last testament, which seems to them, perhaps, like consentlng to their own demise, and putting their name and seal to their own death warrant. We usually find this indisposition among the selfish and those of great vitality people to whom, victims of their tenn peraments, the thought of the rider on the pale horse is something unnatural and offensive in the last degree {; who would not even welcome their dearest friend back from the charnel-house, with the terrors of the grave about him peo- pie who might literally be said to be afraid of their own shadows; who have repugnance against preparing for the time when they shall be dust and their goods and chattels another's, without re- fecting that making will is the only method by which the departed can yet control the living, by which, being dead, he yet speaketh. Moreover, is is the only means by which man may give away all he possesses and still keep it himself, may dispense charity with an open hand and deny himself nothing, may spend without diminishing his hoard, snub his heirs at law, and com mand the gratitude of his legatees.
 But apart from the other advantages of making a will, there must be certain pleasure Tn signifying the direction ih which our belongings should gravitate when we have no farther use of them, Tn feeling confident that they shall fail into no undeserving or indifferent grasp, that our diamonds shall not go to the cousin who owns Golconda already, nor our India shawl to the relative who is igno- rant of,the comparative merits of Indran or French cashmere. We may enjoy dictating terms to our heirs, picturing certain persons in our shoes, in posses sion of comforts that we find so comfort able; and it surely adds another sting to poverty that one has nothing to devise, no post mortem mandates to issue, and holds no possible mortgage upon the gratitude of the survivors.
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
POstOffice Vigilance,

A New York letter says: A man whose business for years has been to decipher illegible and incorrect writing finds con- stant employment in this duty in the New York Postofice. Many illiterate people fail to give as proper address through sheer ignorance, while others, who know better, make similar mistakes through carelessness. In one week ], 100 letters were received incorrectly or illegi-, bly addressed, and some of this has been done by the best business houses in the city. The Department of Correction has directories of all the chief cities in the Union, and also Europe. The number of these volumes is seventy-six, and they are in constant use. In one week l9l letters intended for Boston, but dire cted to New York, were sent to their proper destination. The latter was discovered by the name of the street as, for in stance, letter addressed to Beacon street, New York, " would go at once to Boston. By the same rule letter ad- dressed to s'Chestnut street, New York, v would be sent to Ph1ladelphla. It IS so natural for business men to write New York;" that 1t is done in rapid and thoughtless manner, and in one week PAY letters thus addressed were rectltied and sent to Philadelphia. Troy is an other instance. On one day thirteen let ters addressed to "River street, New York" were sent to that city, and thus reached their proper destination, for the expert knows that River street is a Trojan institution. The same day number of letters were received address ed to well-known streets in London, but "New York " had been carelessly writ ten instead of the latter, and the mistake was immediately 1ectifed by the expert and the letters were forwarded without delay. In consequence of this continued vigilance the number of "dead letters 7 is comparatively small, and yet it reaches 2,500 year.
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
A Moving Town.

The Virginia City Enterprise says :: Our town is very quietly and very slow ly moving to the eastward down the face of the mountain. This is owing to the settling of the ground over the bonanza mines. As all the town is going to- gether, it is not much noticed on the surface, where no cracks are seen. The water and gas compan1es are better &C., quainted with the movements taking place in the ground forming the site of the town than most others, as the insta- b1lity of the earth tells upon their pipes. On B and c streets, north of Union, the ground is moving both north and east. A water main, running north and south, uncovered recently at the corner of B street and Sutton avenue, was found to be telescoped to the distance of over 8 foot, and, besides, had in it great kink, which made it necessary to take out 8 piece nearly two feet in length. About the Consolidated Virginia pan mill the pipes are crowding in from both east and west; at least, owing to the settling of the ground in that neighborhood, there appears to be two movements. Although there are as yet no cracks in the central part of the town, there is large one to the westward. It begins at Cedar ra- vine, runs south to near the large water tank of the Ophir, on the hill west of town, then turns east for considerable distance, wheh it takes its course south ward west of Stewart street, and finally joins the old crevace below the Gould and Curry croppings. Toward the north this crevace is about eight inches in width, and the ground on the east side of it is about three feet lower than on the west side. Capt. Overton, of the water company, whose opportunities for observing these movements are unsur- passed, says that as the ground settles over the bonanzas that on the slope of the mountain, where it is not much un- dermined, gradually moves down. He says the International Hotel has moved east about five inches since 1t was built. If such is the case all the buildings in that part of the town, with the ground on which they stand, must have moved the same distance, as no cracks are to be seen in the earth As We are travelling, however, it will be long time before we reach the Sugar Loaf.
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
FARES AND WHEAT

Standing together side by side,
 Fares and wheat in the Masters field, Each with it's blade of shivering green,
 Each with the grain in it's silken shield. The wheat was sowed by the Master's hand, The seed was good and sowed with care, But while men slept in the summer night,
 An enemy came and scattered tares. Side by side in the cheerful sun,
 Each refreshed by the soft'ning shower, Alike they wave in the balmy breeze,
 And bend their heads in the evening hour. Waiting together till harvest time,
 Fares and wheat in the Masters field, The reaper comes with his sickle keen,
 And each to his shining blade must yield. Cast forth the tares in the fire to burn,"
 But saith the Master in accents sweet, Into my barns with thanksgiving and joy, Gather my beautiful, golden wheat" An, thus in our Masters harvest field,
 The tares and wheat grow side by side, He sendeth His sun, He sendeth His rain,
 Blessings he scattereth far and wide. O patient soul, in the harvest field,
 Wait, oh, wait, "till the Master come" He knoweth His wheat from the enemys tare His own will He bear to His harvest home.
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
AFTER THE BATTLE.

The drums are all muf1ed the bugles are still There's pause in the valley-a halt on theh hill And the bearers of standards swerve back witl
 thrill
 Where sheaves of the dead bar the way; For great field is reaped, heavens gamers t.
 fill,
 And stern Death holds his harvest to-day. There's voice on the wind like spirits lov 'Tis the muster roll sounding-and who shal
 reply? Not those whose wan faces glare white to th'
 sky,
 With eyes fixed so steadfast and dimly; As they wait that last trump which they may
 not defy, &D Whose hands touch the sword-hilt so grimly The brave heads, late lifted, are solem4ly
 bowed, And the riderless charges stand quivering and
 cowed, As the burial requiem is chanted aloud. The groans of the death-stricken drowning While Victory looks on like queen, pale and
 proud, Who awaits till the morrow her crowning. There is no cracking blazon, az clay sinks tc
 clay; The vain pomps of the peace-time are all swept
 away In the terrible face of the dread battle-day; Nor cofins nor shroudings are here, Only relics that lay where thickest the fray A rent casque and headless spear. Far away, tramp on tramp, peals the march oi
 the foe Like storm wave's retreating-spent, itful
 and slow, With sounds like their spirits that faint as they / By yon red-fowing liver whose waters Shall darken with sorrow the land as they flow, To the eyes of her desolate daughters. They are ded-they are gone but, oh! not as
 they came, In the pride of those numbers they staked on
 the game. Never more shall they stand in the vanguard oi
 fame,
 Never lift the stained sword which they drew; Never more shall they boast of glorious name Never march with the leal and the true. Where the wreck of our legions lay stranded
 and lorn, They stole on our ranks in the mists of the
 morn. Like the giant of Gaza, their strength it was
 shorn
 Ere those mists had rolled up to the sky; From the flash of our steel new daybreak
 seemed born
 As we sprang up-to conquer or die. The tumult is silenced; the death lot is cast The heroes of battles are slumbering their last. Dove dream of yon pale form that rode on the
 blast :?
 Would ye free it once more, o, ye brave? Yes the broad road to honor is red where ye
 passed, And of glory ye ask but-a grave!
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
Prudence Gray.

That's my name, for father said there wasn't better barge on the river than the Prudence, and if I was called the same he was sure there would never be a better girl.
 Poor father He was always very fond of me, and my earliest remembrances are of sitting on the tiller and having a ride, when he stood there of an evening steer ing the barge, with the great cinnamon red sail filled out by the wind, and the water foaming and bubbling by us as we ran on uR the river towards the big city, where the ships lay close together in dock and against the wharves, emptying their loads or waiting for others before going away across the seas.
 used to think our barge, which was a very small billy-boy, if you know what that is-n you don't, must tell you that it's barge built with rounded ends and low bulwarks, meant for carrying loads up rivers, but built also to be able to go out to sea little while, running along the coast-I used to think ou1 barge, say, very, very large ship, till grew old enough to compare 1t with those that passed us going up or down the r1ver, and then it used to seem to me that 1t would be wonderfully fine to go on board one of those great ships and go sailing away-far away-across the ocean, instead of just coasting along to Sheerness, and up the Medway, as we used to go year after year, loaded deep down in the water, with pottery, or hops, or even bricks.
 can't tell you how my child-life slipped away, living with mother and father on board that barge, in little bit of cabin with tiny stove all know is that was very happy, and that never hardly went ashore, and when ] did was frightened and wanted to gel back; and atlast I seemed to have grow1 all at once into great girl, and father and were alone.
 Yes, quite alone, for mother had lef us very suddenly, and we had beer ashore at Sheerness, father and I, ant came back from the funeral, and wer sitting on the cabin-hatch, before I coult believe it was anything but terribl dream, and that should not awake ant find that she was alive once more, a bithe and cherry as ever, ready to talk the tiller or pull at rope, the same a l did when father wanted any help.
 Father was 8 changed man after that and as 8 couple of years slipped by, tn work on the barge fell more and nor into my hands, and I used to smile t. myself as l sew how big and red am strong they had grown. For father gre, quiet and dull day by day, and used t have stone bottle filled whenever h went ashore, and then sit with it in tn cabin all alone till I called him to com and help with the sail.
 Not that I wanted much help, for ou1 was only small barge, and once started with fair wiud, could manage he we'll enough while when we had to tao backwards and forwards across the rive month, could always lock the tiller b the rope that hung on to the belayine pin. and gave it hitch on this side C
 hat side. till I had taken a pull at fh Ght ct and brought the barge round o the other tack.
 ! must have passed half my life i those days leaning back against tn, ti1ler. with its end carved to look like great acorn, and the name of the ol Prudence, cut deep in the side. The
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
Agrarian Murderers.

There is lesson for landlords, says the World, in the striking contrast between the story which the Earl of Rosebery's agent told of that nobleman's relation to his tenants, at banquet given by them in honor of his wedding, and the story which the Dublin papers bring us of 8 lawsuit heard at the Donegal Assizes only a few days before the murder of the Earl of Leitrim, between that nobleman as appellant and Manus Clinton as re- spondent. The Clintons had held farm of 244 acres of the noble house of Clem- ents for three generations, the rent being G11 year. In 1866 Lord Leitrim took part of the farm from the tenant and raised the rent of the remainder to G13 In 1876 Cl1nton's proffered rent-money was refused and he was served with mo- tice to quit because he and other tenants had refused, after the passage of the Land act, to pay 5s. year for taking seaweed from the beach for manure, and G1 year for it to be burned as kelp, besides the usual charge for turf tickets. Against their taking the seaweed a bill had been filed in Chancery and an in- junction granted. Clinton put in claim under the Ulster custom for 96OO, as the value of the tenant right of his farm the jury gave him 9337 los. and costs. Against this decree Lord Leitrim ap- pealed, disputing the whole claim. Just as the mails brought this item of news the telegraphic announcement of the Earl's taking off by some of these very tenants reached the city. Of course agrar1an outrages are inconsistent with civilization. But there are other things also which must be admitted to be in- consistent with civilization, lest civiliza- tion itself as it now exists should be sud- denly and unpleasantly proved inconsis
 tent with right and justice, and there fore with good order. It is not by British noblemen only nor yet in Ire l land alone that this needs to be better understood than it always seems to be even by those who are most deeply in | terested in understanding it,
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11
A College Freak.

The following story of old times in South Carolina is told of the learned Dr. Marcy: On one occasion several of the students of South Carolina College re- solved to drag the doctors carriage into the woods, and fixed upon night for the performance of the exploit. One of their number, however, was troubled with some computations yisitings, and managed to convey to the worthy Presi- dent hint that it would be well for him to secure the door of his carriage house. Instead of paying any heed to this sug- gestion, the doctor proceeded on the ap- pointed night to the carriage-house, and ensconced his portly person inside the vehicle. In less than an hour some half dozen young gentlemen came to his re- treat and cautiously withdrew the car riage into the road. When they were falrly out of the college precincts they began to joke freely with each other by name.
 One of them complained of the weight of the carriage, and another replied by swearing it was heavy enough to have the old fellow himself inside. For near ly mile they proceeded along the high way, and then struck into the woods to 8 cover which they concluded would eff fectually conceal the vehicle. Making themselves infinitely merry at the doc- tors expense, and conjecturing how and when he would find his carriage, they at length reached the spot where they had resolved to leave it. Just as they were about to depart once more agreed that "the carriage was heavy enough to have the old doctor and all his tribe in it t'-they were startled by the sudden dropping of one of the glass panels, and the well-known voice of the doctor himself thus addressing them:
 "So, so, young gentlemen, you are going to leave me in the woods, are you |? Surely, as you have brought me hither for your own qualification, you will not refuse to take me back for mine Come. MT. -, and -, and -, buckle to and let us return; it's getting late p
 There was no appeal for the window "aS AaASoO, dAu UAo OOCGOI IeSuuou LIS seat. Almost without a word the dis com6ted young gentlemen took their places at the pole and the back of the vehicle, and quite as expeditiously, if with less voice, did they retrace their course. In silence they dragged the car- riage into it's wonted place, and then re- treated precipitately to their rooms, to dream of the account they must render on the morrow. When they had gone the doctor quietly vacated the carriage and went to his house, where he related the story to his family with much g1ee. He never called the heroes of that noc- tural expedition to an account, nor was the carriage ever afterward dragged at night into the woods.
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11

-Landlady: "I'm sure I hope you're comfortable, sir do so dislike chang ing my lodgers when I get nice single gentleman could keep him forever
Connecticut western news., 1878-04-11

Iowa has no State debt. Its consti- tuition forbids the contracting of one.