davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19
Changes in Mount Vesuvius.

A little more than eighteen centuries
since, the form of the mountain was
totally different; its height was probably
some hundred yards less than at present;
its outline, blunt, truncated cone.
having wider center at the summit,
No eruption in the memory of man haA
disturbed the peace of the dis
trict; scarce tradition of such an
occurrence appears to have fingered.
The floor of the crater was overgrown
with brushwood and trees; its walls
walls Were festooned with ivy and the
wild vine. Once only does it become
prominent in history, when the Capuan
gladiators sheltered themselves for
awhile in this natural hill-fort, from
which, under command of Spartacus,
they escaped to begin the Servile wal.
In the year 70 of the present era there
was change; earthquakes agitated the
neighboring district, and ut last the i'm
prisoned fires broke forth. From the
crater of Vesuvius a huge dark cloud
rose into the air, spreading itself out
like green pine tree; presently hail
of red-hot scoria came rafting down
over the TANKS of the mountain, and as
night fell the cloud grew larger and
darker, and the shower of stones became
thicker aad heavier, and more widely
spread. All night long the darkness fNr
many mile was rendered blacker still by
the thickly-falling scoria, though illumi-
mated at intervals by a lurid gieam from
the mountain, and rendered yet more
awful by in:essant earthquake shocks.
Morning dawned at last, and later still
the air cleared half the ancient crater
wall had vanished, leaving the fragment
which now bears the name of Somma,
while beneath its ruins Herculaneum,
Pompeii and Stable lay buried, and the
ground, even at Miseuum, was white as
snow with the fallen ashes. From
Picturesque Europe for May.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19
st. Paul Personal Appearance

When NJ. Renan was received at the
academy it may be remembered that nj.
Mezieres asked him from what docu-
ments known to him alone he had drawn
his description of the person of st. Paul.
A bookworm remarks on this subject
that NJ. Renan, in tracing his somewhat
realistic portrait of the Apostle, had only
to reproduce that drawn by st. Clement
of Alexandria, who wrote i'll the third
century, and whose portraits of st. Paul,
St. Peter and Of Jesus Christ are to be
found in his works. st. Paul is de-
scribed as "short of stature, with IL
bald forehead and thick beard, ms Nj.
Renan said when in his discourse.
"Jesus," observes st. Clement, chad
nothing handsome about his face, nor
had he an agreeable form; he only pos
sessed the beauty of the soul, which is
the true beauty" The writer adds that
st. Irenaus, the disciple of st. Polycarp,
who had been the disciple of st. John,
declares that he often heard the beloved
Apostle say that the hair of Jesus Christ
had begun to turn white when he under
took his mission Gibbon, in his ac-
count of the Image of Odessa" main
tains that primitive Christians were
ignorant of the genuine features of the
Son of God, and his mother and his
Apostles" The portraits Of Christ,
being taken from the napkin with which
the sweat and blood of our Saviour was
supposed to have been wiped, could
hardly give just idea Of his features. -
Pail Mall Gazette.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19
Beecher's "Tahy."

The wealth of meaning sometimes con-
veyed by single word of slang spoken
at the proper time, and the:proper recog-
milton of its mightiness, we're illustrated
by an incident that occurred at Mr..
Beecher's first lecture in San Francisco.
The lecture was prefaced with a glowing
tribute to California hospitality. Mr..
Beecher said he had been astounded at
the grea, West, its people and its pro-
auctions; bu, when his train plunged into
the sunit glory Of the Sacramento valley,
and Numbered through the fairest fields
OF the continent toward the infant Co!os-
sus of cities sitting serene by the shore OF
earth's mighlest ocean, he felt then. in
deed, that California was Gods last work
and his best Before the audience could
applaud, calm reflective, still, small,
and apparently seli-communing voice in
gallery said: "Taffy" That settled it.
The crowded house roared, and with just
the faintest twinkle Of the left eyelid the
preacher cosghed and went on with the
main subject.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19
His Recommend.

Some time ago Detroit merchant
was in want of a clerk, and he adver-
tiled the fact Among the numerous
applicants who sent in recommendations
was a young man who had shortly be-
fore received letter from the old man
Blank, to the effect that any further
visits to his house on The part of the
young man, could not be permitted, and
that "Mary's" future husband was Sc
lected. In his haste and excitement he
forwarded this note in place of a recon-
mendation from mercantile house, and
on discovering his mistake, he called
upon the merchant to secure the missive.
"Ah |" said the merchant, as the young
man entered, "you can begin here to-
morrow. / was about to write n letter
to you"
"That-that letter" began the
Young man, bat the merchant inter
rupted:
BEST recommend in the world: Old
Blank and | have been enemies for
forty six years. Any one he is down on
| always employ, in order to aggravate
him. Come right along I'll give you
Il sposition in the front of the store,
where the old curmudgeon must see you
every time he passes, and if you want to
make up faces at him, III pay all costs |"
Thus we are able to furnish another
illustration, that sunshine may come out
of the depths of despair.-Detroit Free
Press.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19
What's One Bullet to a Basket
Full.

An incident occurred at the battle of
Franklin which / have never seen in
print. The sanguinary battle was at it's
height, and now and then there was a
soldier who would not face the music,
and holding to the idea that distance
lends enchantment," ON all such occa-
sions would exhibit his faith in the idea
by taking "leg bail" for the rear. These
cases were getting too numerous to-
ward the close of the battle, and Col
B, A. A. G. of our brigade, was
sent back to the rear to intercept those
seeking for safety and return them to
their respective posts.
Colonel b said he hailed one fell
low who was making tracks for some
place of safety with all the energy of
despair.
Halt, l say, and return to your COM
mand.'
The flying son of Mars took no notice
Of the command.
HALT, I say, and 20 back TO your
post.
Still the soldier paid no attention to
him.
The Colonel now became exasperated,
and yelled out:
"If'you don't turn and 60 back to your
command l will shoot you, sir y
Without pausing in his fight the sell
der yelled back:
"Shoot and be hanged What's one
bullet to basketful~
Colonel B let him 60, and after
the battle told the incident AS a good
Joke.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19
Spiders as Engineers.

On going round the garden this morn
ing, l perceived what seemed small
piece of cheese, apparently floating in
the air straight before me. On coming
I'D to it found that it was suspended
from spiders web, which was spun
right across the path. Ones first hasty
thought was that this spider had found
a piece of cheese below, and taking
fancy to it, was then drawing it up into
its web to eat it. Further examination
however, showed that the substance was
not cheese but q small pebble much re-
sembling that edible, evidently taken
from the gravel walk beneath. There
was nothing for the spider to attach his
web to on the walk, so he had selected a
suitable stone TO balance his web. which
indeed it did admirably, the web being
attached to trees on either side of the
walk, and weighted below by the stone,
so as to be nearly in a perpendicular
position. The stone was connected with
the web by three-fold cord, the strands
of which we've attached to different parts
of the stone. I visited the web two or
three hours after the spider had finished
it and found that his ingenuity had been
rewarded. as the web contained, besides
large fly, on which he was dining, more
small flies than | have ever before seen
in web Neither myself nor those of
my friends to whom | showed the web,
have ever seen anything of the kind be-
fore. Readers will be interested III an eX-
ample of high instinct in a spider, and
those who are more versed in natural
history than myself may be able to re-
member other examples OF the same
kind. That the stability of the web de-
pended upon the weight of the stone was
shown when I put my hand under the
latter The result was that as | raised
my hand the lower part of the web grad
ually collapsed, but when the stone was
suffered again to fall gently the web re-
sumed it's proper shape. The web was
about five feet from the ground.
Spider engineering is a most interest
ing subject, and one that | have spent
hours in studying. have worked out
most of the problems in connection with
it, but the weight dodge l have not as
yet been able to explain. Some spiders
will use ties but others of exactly the
same species will use weight, al
though the circumstances under which
both build are apparently similar. But
how does the spider raise the weight !
This | could never explain to my salts
faction, as one of the weights are so
large that it is scarcely possible they
could lift them by a "dead lift. Be
sides, they will put on one, two or more
weights in a few hours before a wind, to
fix their structures The industry and
ingenuity of the spider passes belief to
all those who have seen them at work,
but no more profitable day can be spent
by young engineer than a day after a
storm in path through the gorse watch
ing spider constructing its web. This
is the legitimate way of seeing the work
done, but there are other lodges, such as
breaking down the webs and watching
the poor devils reconstruct them. Land
and Water.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19

Not long ago distinguished pastor
found it his painful duty to accept a call
to take charge of flock in distant
and wicked city, and he broke the news
gently to his elders in an explanatory
letter. Then the sexton of the bereaved
church wrote touching reply, and the
letter began with these words: "Your
valued favor OF the inst. was duly
received.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19

A lawyer in Memphis, Tenn, was
fined $40 for contempt one day last week
because he asked of the Bench: .. What
kind Of bait did your Honor use while
fishing among the mountains in East
Tennessee
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19

He came in late the other night. and
was rolling into the bed, when his wife
woke up and said "Don't forget your
night-cap, dear" "Ne-a; hadzh two
night-caps already"
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19

The Indianapolis physicians indulge in
a black list, and keep the profession in
other cities informed of the advent into
their midst, Of medical dead-beats.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19

The average railroad map is cut bias.
The wide black lines show that there is
but one way togo to any known place.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-06-19

1t is only the force of habit that makes
a woman, when buying eggs, always ask
for the best.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22

A Washington dIspalc h to the Dos.
ton Herald says that there is a plan
on foot to unite the Pennsylvania
Railroad, the Iron Mountain, the
Texas-Pacifo, and the Southern Pa
cifc Sin one grand trans,ontineptal
route with Gen Grant at the head
In commenting Upon ibis matter
the n. Y Sun very sensibly re-
marks
But why select Grant instead Of
come competent and experience rail-
road man Tie country would be
very apt to look upon the operation
either as a political movement To-
combine the5a great corporations and
their connections aa1 dependencies
in support Of Grant for the next cam.
paigni or az iresh scheme q soc,rs
subsidies on an enormous scale Gen
Grant is not a railroad man or bp
siness man Of any kind. lie wac not
successful even when be undertook
TO seIl bic fathers hides or old NJ
Dents cordwood. HE services wop.l
be Of less value than those Of sgv ono
Of tbouss uds Of Col Ssotts rrs.e,,
subordinate"
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22
WASHINGTON LETTER.

from our regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. c., Nov. 20, 10
Within few days past there has
been revival Of the talk about Sec
Rotary Evarts retiring from the Cab
met to take the English Mission. A
le" weeks ago when this report was
originally started Mr.. Evarts made
Igbs of it and 1 thought his appoint
ment, or acceptance, 80 improbable
that / did not refer to the subject
But now the gossips are ATTACKING il
again so confidently and slyly there
nay be something to warrant their
specu'atloDs. II understood that
Mr.. Eyarjs, who is by far the sblesl
member Of the cabinet. is considers-
bly, disappointed 10 regard to the in
iinenoe and popularity Of the admin
.stration, and thst he feels most bit
tsriy the Illuminating position occp
pied by 1t with reference to tho Ie,e
canvass ln New York, a5 we'll as i,
s1@e other matters. Then. too tbs
late attack Of Mr. Sohurz 81. Ioa,s
newspaper upon the State Deps,t
ment has had, or certainly must have
lts elect upon the feelings Of NJ.
hyarts. When a Republican Joprp
al OF which a member If the Cabinet
i5 hsit owner makes The statement
that Che department OF The govern
ment presided over by COLLEAGUE ~
the only one where "rascaIitv esros
promotion and honesty DE- punished,
here must be touch of coo.uess 40
follow Mr. Schurz was violently
-alei for tbis utte,aucs by tbs
" r. hi0gion organ edited by tie late
government PRINTER, which called
upon The President Co demand M
reIRnauon. BIT no such demand
has been or ever wi'l be made. The
price OF M. SchuIz support Of Hav-
OF In 1916 was cabinet portloIio
during the .atisr's term OF office and
Do cannot be kicked out. lie die
.a'ms aII possibility for the o.,
'sns.ve paragraph and ssvs THROUGH
a published card that, havi1r ssv
cred all editorial connection with bis
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22

he and others have Withdrawn from
their legitimate duty and converted
into clerks and servants. Do the
people see no danger in this com
bined purpose to increase the Army
to Two hundred and thirty thousand
strong Do they see no connection
between this proposed armament Of
two hundred and thirty thousand
mer, and tie power which hass-bevn
retained by usurping President by
the use Of the veto to use the troops
at the polls Do they fail to see
that all this 10 in perfect accord with
the Stalwart cry for "strong gov
ernment,' for "a nation with big
N p Are the people 20 blind as
not 10 be able TO see that the tend
encies Of the country under Repub-
Iican rule, and especially during the
last decade, have been swift and
sure toward Capitalization and des-
potism ? Why is it that the same
men who want the Army increased
to two hundred and thirty thousand
and are clamorlug for "etrong
government" for "nation with a
big N, are also in favor of using
troops at the polls? Why is this
enormous increase of the Army urged
at this timer We are at peace with
all the world, wo are menaced by 10
external foe.
We see in all this a combine pur
pose on the part of the great railroad
and other corporations, the National
Banks, the Boudholders and deeign-
ing and ambitious politicians to cen
trahze the government by the virtu.
al destruction Of the States for their
mutual advantage. These great
monied corporations have long chat
ed under the rastroints of State laws,
and this is combined movement for
their overthrow and destructi on.
These are the men who favor a strong
government, nation with big N,
with an Army of two hundred and
thirty thousand and the right to use
troops at the polls.
We earnestly commend the matter
to the thoughtful and unpar .isan
consideration of the people.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22
THE NEXT PRESIDENCY.
views Of st. Louis German Ed
TORS

ltOr3.
81. Lors, November ia disr oicb
70 The Post" This evening contains inter.
views with The editors Of four German
newspapers published here, on the oues.
ton OF presidential candidates. DIR. Pres.
torius, Of the "Wcstiche Post" Repub.
lican, said that the nomination of Grant
would be no more pleasant 10 German
Republicans than 20 German Democrats
Both are firmly opposed % aristocratc
military, and mouarchical tendcpcias
should the Democrats nominate gavard
the Germans VIII rejoice. The German
voters, irrespective Of party, would pre
Ter candidate clearly identified with
conservation; that is, the liberal and
progressive interests Of the copnfrv
German Democrats would prefer d man
IKE Bayard, Palmer, OF Haacocl while
Charles Francis Adams, of Boston. mr.
Wasbburn would be favoritcs with tbo
German Republicans. Mr. PreroIiss Ala
not cav whether the "Posp wopld ep,
POI. Grant in case he IS nominated ID,
Pfeuss, of the America" Democrat
said That while some German Democrats
prefer Davis and others General Hancock
lne Iafges proportion or them favor Bav.
ara and should the latter be- nominated
'u VIII vote Tor him. TIIden is consider
ed ihe weakest candidate the Democrats
coo'l non mate Carl Daenzer, of IN
..A'I.zerl j. Independent DcmocraD said
,he German press ~ tbc country may bo
Tor B'yard, and with lbo Germa, Den
oc'a'c voters Bayard is certainly the
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22

The Southern States have been
Kept united politically by the 90
grsss've course the gross injustice.
and ihe wII'DI Representation or
The Republican manager vs...
Scheme is 70 soiit'y Ode North bv
exciting sectional prejudice. and
thusp ro.oog their possession o. power
tisa game they are playing. ana
nothing but game.
The Republican otgsbiz atom bss
been kept alive by ths u.e ,f The
public patronage and bya sectional
crusade agarst the South Ie
letde}F ar -,w strag.I.ag with 5e.-
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22

fayorite, and there is large number OF
German Republicans IN the Western
States will vote for him In preference to
Grant, who is the weakest candidate
among the Germans. Albert Currlen, Of
the "Volksstimmes," the organ of the
Socialists, said BaysId is the strongest
among the Germans. 5ome OF them viii
vote for Grant should he be nominated
but the most of them have strong ayersons
to MIN
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Wheeling. Nov. IA 1870

/, Henry M. Mathews. Governor
Of the State 0: West Virginia, do
hereby appoint Thursday, November
9th, 1879, as a day of Than ksgiv-
ing and Prayer, and request that it
be properly observed by the people
of the State.
In testimony whereof, I have
hereunto set my hand, and caused
The seal of'he State to be affixed al
Wheeling, this fourteenth day Of
November, 1879, and of the State
the seventeenth.
HENRY NJ. MATHEWS
By the Governor,
RAN. STALNAKER, JR.,
Private Secreta1v.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22
ADDITIONAL LOCAL.
Our Schools.

/ aid in my ii rst article that i'm school
matters we were retrogradinS. This was
putting il rather strong; Mt we are not
advancing as we should, and why? !
reRard the present plan of hiring teach
ers AZ very uuiavorable change from
tho former plan. The Board of Educa-
ton in each district names day and
place to be met by applicants for the var
lous schools, in some instances without
havin- consulted any Of the patrons of
the schools as to who would be accepta-
bic. They employ tea :hers. In some in.
stances not one fourth of the patrons of
such school get the teacher they want.
In this way til , Board may appoint a
teacher who has rendered himself SO I'M.
popular or Objectionable in teaching
heretofore or otherwis that he would
not be allowed to stay i'm the neighbor
hood, much less to teach the school. and
all this may be done for want of proper
Information. know that this statement
may be met by the course that some
neighborhoods have pursued. that il
sending petition to the Board. asking
Tor certain teacher to be sent Co Thorn.
out L have been in one district where i'm
all the applications, there was but one
complied with. Another complaint is
made that these Boards have their "pet,,
or "vorites. Tako for example the fol-
lowing GLOW do you like your teach>
er?' 1--WE Gon't like him at all, neither
did we want him, but DO is a son of one
oil tie members OF our Il Board" Thus /
have known teachers appointed. who
were by no means competent, because
they were a so ! or daughter or a nepbew
Oh some one ola Board, and thereby re-
Jectlng a good teacher and one whom
me neighborhood wanted. OF course
many members of the Board are above
Such' but many are not, and while we
have such men i'm Office they will nro,,e
hlndrance To our schools.
GROWLER
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-11-22
a townsville Democrat on the
Dog Law.


A townsville Democrat on the
Dog Law.
Editor Argass
l have noticed for some time hat
the Journal man has been maxine
some remarks about the famous doc
law now in force in this county. Ia
his issue of Nov 18Th, he saws it has
caused much bitter feeling, aud that
the Democrats say the law was pasq
ed by the Republicans, which lie de-
nounces as a stupid Iie," the Legis-
Iature being Democratic. Yes, the
LegisIat0ro which passed the law
'0aS Democratic, but that Democratic
Legislature, careful as Democrats al
ways are about the rights Of the PEG
pie, expressly provided that the law
should not be in force in any Conn
ty OF the State unless the County
Court thereof would BY a vote, dulv
recorded, put the law in force. Az
lett by the Democratic Legislature
1t was powerless, had no operative
force. The Republican members Of
the County Court Of Preston county
put the obnoxious law in force. and
are responsible for it, and not even
the Journal man by his Stupid lie
can relieve them from the odinm.
In the Acts OF the Legislature OF
1873, Chapter ca, it is provided that
ire County Court may, upon The pc
luton OF 100 signers, 10y levy upon
The dog alter submitting the ones
ton to a vote of the County. Did
the County Court of Preston County
30 tbis? No: as some of the learn
ed knights o. the law expressed
themselves, III we left it to the vo
ters OF the County, we thought IL
night be defeated and we Will there
lore force this law upon them wbetb
er they went IT. or not" The blame
and odium uust rest With the Re
publican majority of the County
Court where IT. belongs. The action
OF the Legislature was A. right. as d,
Ielt The people OF each County free
10 adopt or1eject the prov,ions al
lhe law. Had the law been mt ir
force IN obedience to the EXPRESSED
VIII OF a majority Of The voters oil
lns County, as contemplated and di
Iected by The Legislature, it would
nave oeen all rig &, and it could then
nave been carried into effect as
Tesdi As any other enactment Of
ne laW-mak nR power. But 10 is
'ehdere' exceptionally odious bv the
iiOitTary ard tyranuical efforts of
me County Court to force IT. upon
he peop'e without even congpIlino
.heT will / may hereafter take oc
i77lon TO give the names of the Nom. |
'srs OF the Court who were active In |
hI9 business, that they nav bs
fno"n and remembered and prop
'IIy feWu0la when seeking elec |
ION next year. Men who by their |
mere VslalrH assume 10 eel ssi5s /
be VIII OF The people, ought TO be- |
OereJ.
Doe tbe JoHrnol man wish 10 sis |
.nss ine matter uurihsr2 II so we
We ready Yours truly,
IINrov