davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
Loving Mothers and Brutal Sons.

Touching instances OF the mothers
love for son, even in the face Of base
ingratitude, were shown recently I'm the
New York Court of Special Sessions. A
neatly-dressed young fellow, named
Charles Leonard, was arraigned on n
charge Of brutally beating his mother
Some days before he came home from
work, and without the least provoca-
ton. struck her with his clenched fist in
the face, blackening both her eyes and
badly bruisng her face. His mother.
Mrs. Agnes Leonard, who Is "a respect
able old lady, had him arrested, and
made complaint against him in the
police court. She tottcred to the witness
stand in the court with unwilling feet.
and drew her veil over her face 10 con
ccal her injuries She was weeping,
and she begged piteously Of the Justices
not H. press her to make complaint
against her boy. She knew lac would
never do the like again II released lie
had always been good n.rd industrious
boy, and must have been very angry at
something when hc struck her. He had
been punished enough already, she said
In this WAY she pleaded tendcrly for the
mercy Of the justices, and touched the
hearts of all who heard her. The mag
istratcs grew indignant at the prisoner
when they heard her story. and asked
her 10 lin her veil and show hor bruises.
Sh" hesitatcd. and said in a fatcring
tone that her skin was very easily dis
colur.d, and that the assault had not
been 30 violent as il appeared 10 have
been. The prisoner said hc would lose
his y lacc If hc WAS imprisoned, a remark
which aroused the wrath Of Justice
Morgan. Lose your place." said ne.
" you don't dcscrycto be- allowed 20 re-
main in the community. Any boy who
would beat a kind mother as YOU have
done doesn't deserve 10 live even. You
nr" sentenced To the pcnitontiaIy for
three months The prisoner was led
away, and his poor mother. unable tore
strain her emotion, staggered. weeping.
from the courtroom.
Another prisoner, little older than
the one Just sentenced, was next placed
at the bar to answer similar charge
His nam" was William u. Hayes IIc
had beaten his mother often before. but
not so badly as he had in the assault for
which hc was arraigucd Mrs. HAYES.
whose looks indicated her extreme suf-
fcring. implorrd the court 10 lct the
prisoner 60 She said. in answer to n
question, that she had twelve other
sons who were all in Heaven now"
The prisoner looked sullcnly on. and
offered no excuse for his conduct. He
was sent 10 the pcnitcniinry for six
month";
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
How Much a Menagerie Costs.

II may be- interesting 10 q large class
oi readers to know just what mcnngerjc
would cost them. There are, no doubt.
says the Detroit F'~cs Press. many do
serving people in this country who
would ike 10 add q tiger or hyena TO
their list Of hnussl Old pets. If they only
knew whore these daoiie creatures could
br obtained, and what the expense
won q be-. England does large trade
IN wild animals and they are rather
cheaper there than iB this country.
Still, the unhaudinc-- 81 getting them
here more dian makes up the difference.
Don't expect 90 - and snakes such
hing- by mail; they dislike io be
stamped by lhc ur:jyc clerk. and the
clerk generally fc,.s cmbaTTa--rd when
the package breaks open. 4 tiger or
a lion can be- had for : 700 each $50 tets
very gooa ar;ic!c 81 leonard. although
slO0 will buy an inferior Kind; black
pgnihor- cost $50; c.oudod tigers come
as nigh as 81 800. and economy would
suggest a spariug investment in animals
Of his class; a lynx in England costs
$50. but they can BE- had for nothing in
Canada. One hundred and twenty-five
dollars will get you polar bear. and $50
a brown bear; n brown boar Is Just a.
cheaper; sloths cost : 80. but YOU can get
plenty Of them in America. sitting
around groceries and talking politics (:
S2j gets a very good wolf. although many
persons can get them cheaper. in fact.
they have hard work keeping the wolf
from the door. Aard wolves cost as much
rs $500, no doubt because they are 50
Aard 10 get. Monkeys cost from - NJ
10 $500. OF course for tho latter price
n regular Darwin can be had. 4 zebra
will cost YOU $500. Be sure and get ono
Of the right stripe. Kangaroos cost from
$50 to 5000. Feed them on hops. Every
family needs an elephant. and will 10
pleased to knowfsst one three stories
high can be .1 for the trihe Of
81 500. 4 twJ-story elephant costs $3.50.
n cottage elephant $500, while any
amount Of shaniy elephants. for parlor
pets. can be bought for $500. Now we
come to luxuries. A rhinoceros should
not be indulgcd in unless the purchaser
has q good bank account. 4 very ordi-
nary rhinoccros costs $1,000. while a
pretty desirable article comes To over
5000. 4 person must have the rhino
10 indulge in rhinoceros. Now 60
ahead and make your selections. You
pays your money and takes your choice" "
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
In Search Of the North Pole.

During the present generation most Of
the great geographical points have been
solved. The northwest passage was
completed more than a quarter of cen
tury ago. the Australian interior has been
traverscd and rctraversed within the past
few years. the sources Of the Nile have
been traced, the northeast passage, begun
more than quarter Of million Of years
since. las been made by Prof. Nordcns-
kiold. who mas shown that with n suit
able ship at the proper season this long
sought passage is n question OF only a
few weeks, and now the only remaining
Arctic feat, the dash to the North Pole,
has been undertaken by the .Ieannette
expedition. which started from..San Fran
cisco. and which, IL is to be hoped, will
sooner or later safely reach its destina-
tion. One ofthc marked features of the
expedition Is the scientific method in
which it Is TO he carried out. All pre-
vious Arctic explorers were guided by
the best knowledge they could obtain.
When we read of what may he regarded
rs the blind attempts Of such heroes as
Cook, Clark, Mcclure an | Franklin, we
should remember that their expeditions
were prompted not by wild love Of adj
venture, but they were guided by the
best knowledge attainablc Mt the time.
Had II not been for the success and fail
ures Of Willoughby and those who fol-
lowed him, Prof. Nordenskiold would
not have met with the success he did.
and he was candid enough TO acknowl-
edge his Indebtedness 10 the English,
Dutch and Russian expeditions that pre-
ceded his. Efforts of this class should
never he treated from too narrow or
utilitarian point Of view. for even IL they
practical good 10 mankind. they may
lead to results that are Justly gratifying
to the best aspirations Of the rce.--Neso
York .Sar.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
Words OF Wisdom.

a r.al satisfaction and worth having
is Ia do ones duty.
Pleasant and good manners must be
made UP Of petty sacrifices.
One smile for the living is worth .
dozen tears for the dead.
Experience j. torch lighted in tie
ashes IF our hopes and delusions.
Work is the weapon Of honor. and lie
who lacks the weapon will never
triumph.
There is nothing that 50 rofincs the
iace and mind a. the presence Of good
thoughts.
II is easy 10 pick holes in other peoples
work but far more profitable TO DO better
work yourself.
All useless misery is certainly folly.
and hc that feels evils before they come
may be de=eryedly consured. vet surely
10 dread the future is more reasonable
than 20 lament the past.
" was once very shy " said Sydney
smith, but il was not long before |
made two very useful discoveries:
FIRST. that ali mankind were not solely
employed in observing me Ga belle
that all young people haye); the next,
that shamminF was Of no use: that
Wv WI ~ Wa NtIN fitAT-ElEItEU. and
soon estimated a man at his lust value.
This cured me. and I determined 10
be- natural and let the world find me
out -
The discomfort Of church pews is
commented upon by the Christian NJ
v 0TE, which saws: Concerning news
and Chairs. why is II that modern in
vcntion fails 10 furnish even a comforta-
BILE pew or chair The bench of the or
binary church pew is fourteen inches
wide. whereas il should be eighteen
inches; then it is placed on \ straight
level. perpendicular 10 the back; but
mankind are not constructed in this
way. and pews, to be comfortable.
should conform 10 human anatomy.
The scat should slope downward toward
the back, making a fall of full three
inches, while the back should incline
away from n vertical line fully four
inches at the top, and the distance be-
tween the pows should never be less
than three feet"
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
Conld We Live in the Polar RerIons

At the reception given by the San
Francisco Academy + Sciences 10 the
members Of the Bennett exploring cNpc-
dition 20 the North Pole. Mr.. Charles
Woleott Brooks discussed the quo-tiona
of the existence 81 an Arctic continent.
and The probability Of It's being iuhab-
tied. II We carefully examine. said Mr.
Brooks. the almost universal feature, uf
all land known ;n IL, We find prevail
ing form wherever We turn. Each terri
turial area of maguItud" seems to have
AN app'ndage trcndiug southward. II
we apply this rule. by turning ihe Nortl
Pole OF a globe toward VI. we readily
scc ~ a glance that Greenland, which j.
known 10 Us, may bear to Al unknown
Arctic cuntineHt the same relation That
South America does 10 North America.
or Africa tn Europe. Hence Il j. per-
feCtly logical 10 infer. ly the great anal
ogy Of nature. that an Arctic continent
exists beneath the North Pole. extend
ing three and halfto four degrees south
from the northern axis nf tho earth. A.
previous Arctic expeditions have ad-
yanrcd Ia cighty-thrcn degrees twenty
six minutes north laiitudo--or within
3gi'milcs ufthe Pulc--thc distance thence
To such continent would not exceed
about lJ0to l-0 miles. This intervening
space. however. Il difficult 10 traverse.
rs it presents very rough surface. If
the sea. during the height Of gale. when
waves run mountains high, were in
stantly frozen. IL would present much
the appearance here encountered. For
cihnologists the question Is Can
an Arctic continent be inhabited, should
one exist? This may he met by the
we known fact that the latitude uf
sevcnty-cight degrees is about the point
OF lowest mean temperature. The earth
is about thirty-scven miles lcss in diam
etcr at the equator than from pole to
pole, having enlarged at on one point
and flattCncd nj another because Of its
revolving motion. Now, il Is well
known that lower temperatures are en-
Countcrcd rs we ascend high attitudes,
and the depression nj the poles may. by
lessCning the distance of the surface from
the earth's center. afford warmer tenn
pcraturc. which will enable the hardy
EsquimauX, Amos or some lIypcrb1rcan
race to exist upon an Arctic continent.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
Waking up n Stranger.

Yesterday forenoon gigantic stranger,
with fists like footballs and muscle Of
about four-horse power entered the
gentlemen's waiting-room Mt the Union
depot, flung down his hat, and falling
back on one of the benches. roared out:
I'm half-hycna and half-tiger, and /
banker Tor blood I'm going to sleep,
and the man who even moves his foot
TO wake me DIP will fool with a cycIonel'
|. There were ten or twelve men In there.
and they sat very erect and hardly dared
20 breathe for the next ten minutes.
Then one Of them got chance 10
whisper TO a policeman through an open
window. When the officer came In the
crowd rushed out, believing that he
would be eaten up in two minutes. The
officer didn seem TO have any fear, how
ever, but his face wore a smile as he
walked over 20 the sleeper. tapped him
on the shoulder with his baton and said:
Come. captain, get up"
The stranger opened one eye. but did
notmove.
Come. major" continued the officer.
That man shut that eye and opened
the other. but yet did not arise.
Come, colonel. you'll be late for the
train" said the officer.
"Did any one call meY~ asked the man
ms he sat up and looked around.
Yes. general, I was saying that you
had better wake up or some one might
steal your valuables."
Yes--an--that is--of course I'll wake
up. You are = No. | policeman, sir
the finest officer I ever met. Lets shakel
III so right out with you--of course III
GO"
And no Mary'a little lamb could have
looked more meek "A he picked up his
eaichei and took walk out on the
wharf. - Detroit fFoe Press.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07

a letter from Newport. II. l.. tells this
story: | know lady who keeps
boarding -house--a charming woman.
always solicitous Of the comfort Of her
household, hut with popularity. She
remembers faces but not names"
Now II never mattored TO me that with
every cup of coffee OF tea she gave me
was rechristened. On the contrary.
found IL very entertaining. But this did
distress her daughter. All In vain she
labored with her mother, who smilingly
went on in her own way in spite Of her.
But there came time and occasion
when her daughter set her heart upon
her mothers addressing n gentleman
stranger correctly. AL through the day
Of the evening on which he was expected
the daughter could be heard to say as she
followed her mother from room to room,
Now, remember, his name Is Mr.. Corr
d-vy' to whsch the mother In every in
stance would reply. Yes, dear, / am
sure know II. ColCdryw The stranger
took his sent at the table. That blessed
woman. with n smile like an angels and
n self possession have never seen sur
passed. looked swectly across the board
and inquired. MIR. Dry-coao, do you
take cream and sugar."
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
Man n Fighting Animal.

Do what we will with him. man il
naturally fighting animal. There l. a
cuI iOus autobiography to hc found In
Southern book-shops. written by an
old hunter who was born about a cen
tury ago.
The most amusing example Is whore
the old man tells how he and his sons
once trained some young dogs to hunt
bears
II put on the skin of an old bear" hc
says. "and CTawlcd about on nli-iours.
while Elisha and job drove thepups on.
They were scared at first. but presently
the whole six attacked me furiously. bit
my calves, tore my hair, hung on my
ears.
Il begun to shout Enough bu,
,Lisha cried. Don't, dad. don't! It's the
life Of the pups"
He adds, "Of course stayed. had
consideration for the dogs" y.
Ii takes good deal of training to root
out this instinct from men who inherit
IT, Everybody knows The history Of the
fighting Quakcrs during the rcyolu-
tionary war. Many Of the staid sons Of
staid sircs Of the same faith. slipped out
Of meeting during the last war, to
shoulder n musket.
One venerable old Friend in German
town. Pa. found that three Of his sons
had gone to this conflict against which
his creed arrayed him. The youngest
felt that he too must 20. but feared to
tell his family.
IIo took his gun one DAY. and began
TO clean it, placing himself In his fathers
way. The old gentleman saw him, and
paced slowly up and down, hut said
nothing. Presently he approached the
young man.
Charles" he said. deliberately. "if
the devil has made thee feel that thee
needs ono Of those worldly instruments.
spare not thy money. but get the best"
Alexander Campbell, most combative
Of Scotch reformcrs and theologians.
once submitted his head to the fingers of
a phrcnologist. who had no knowledge
Of Mr.. Campbcll's calling. The man
finished the examination with the
words, From your executive ability
and love Of fighting, sir. you are or
ought TO he great soldier"
The aged clergyman heaved sigh.
"No. sir. no. Circumstances were
against me. But according To- my OPP
portunity. I've done what could've
done what / could"
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
Old Hickory.

The Americans are familiar with this
sobTfqnet of General Andrew jackson !;
yet very few know how IL was earned by
the old hero. The following explana-
tion may be regarded as authentic, as IL
was derived originally from General
Jackson himself, by one of his messmates
during the Creek war.
During the campaign, which included
the battle of Emuckfau creek. the army
was moving rapidly To surprise the In
dians. and there were no tents. In the
month of March cold cquinoctial rain
began to fall, mingled with slect, which
lasted several days. The general was
exposed to the weather, and was suffer-
ing severely with bad cold and sore
throat. At night he and his staff
bivouackcd in a muddy bottom, while
the rain poured down, and froZc as ii
fell. Some of his escort, finding that he
was very unwcll. became uneasy about
him, although lac did not complain. and
laid down upon his blanket by the camp
iirc.with his soldiers. Seeing him wet
To- the skin, stretched in the mud and
water in his suffering condition, they de-
termincd to try ara make him more &C !.
Portable.
They cut down stout hickory g.
in which the sap was rising, and icd
the bark from IL in large flakes; cut two
forks and "A pole, laid down floor of bark
and dead leaves, and rooted il. and closed
one side. or rather one end Of the strur-
turc against the wind with bark. and
left the other end open. They then dried
their blankets, and made him pallet
in the tent they had constructed They
woke up the old general, and with some
difficulty persuaded him 10 crawl In.
AtIt, l. ....l.F1. G., 1
up in the dry BLANKETS. and his feet to
the fire, he slept snugly and soundly all
night, well Cascd in hickory bark.
The next morning an old man from the
ncighLorhood came into camp with n
Jug of whisky, with which. after imbib-
ing quite freely himself. he gave the
military party "a treat" as far rs the
liquor would 60. lie seemed to be
kind-hcartcd, jovial and patriotic old fcl-
Iowa sort of privileged char,lstor "
in his county. While staggering about
among the campiircs. full of fun and
whisky, hc hlundcrcd upon the little
hickory bark tent. which Immediately
arrested his attention. After cycling il
n moment, he exclaimed. what sort Of
an outlandish Indian fNin' j. this2n and
gave il kick which tumblcd down the
queer looking structure. and completely
buried the old hero in the bark. As he
struggled out of the ruins and looked
iicrccly around for the author of the mis-
chici. the old topper recognized him and
exclaimed: Hello Old Hickory
come out of your bark and join Us In a
drink
There was something 50 ludiCrous in
the whole scene that respect for his
presence and rank could not restrain the
mcrrimont Of the spectators. Hc yry
good-humorcdly joined in laughing the
mishaps. As hc rose up and shook the
bark from him, hc looked 50 tough and
stern hat they all gave him a hearty
" Hurrah for Old Hickory" This was
the first time he ever heard these words.
which were afcrwnrd shouted by the
millions of his countrymcn whcn"ycrhc
appeared among them.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07
Jokes from Harper's 0Urawer.o

This Is the view taken Of IL bv AN in.
iant Of st: Joseph, Missouri:
Little Freddie was undergoing the
u.shgreeable operation of having his
nalr c0nbed by his mother. and he
RruHDied at the maneuver.
:" ny, Freddie, said mamma. "you
couElt not " make such fuss. / don't
'u.S 90 v' y,'Iu ,Sry When my hair IL combed."
head. =" =" J"ui
The best lawyers always tell the he's,
stories, and with none the less zest when
ht their own expense. Not long ago
,ouncilor c was before Surrogate
lawn In IA case where the question in
vowed was ns 10 the mental condition
oi The testatrix. The witness under cY-
animation, herself an aged lady. had
G.liii"d to finding Mrs. seaman failing.
childish, and that when she told her
-o!ihcihing She looked "a though She
didn understand.
ouheiior u, crOss-c1amining.
trI'd 10 get her 10 describe this look.
nut 1h' a!dht l succeed very well in do
thg 80, Al last' getting a little iinpa-
g'hti hc asked: Wei, how did She
look? did she look AT you as | am look
hc witness, very dcmuroly. rcplicd:
- " ell, SOS kind Of vacant Iike"'
AT the close Of hot afternoon last
summer. when the Thermometer stood
about on" hundred degrees in the shade.
Judge Thompson was vaIkipg In an
evidently faded and wcariod condition.
from the court house 10 bis residence in
The village Of Mayviiie. LAWYER smith.
who dislikcd The Judge. saw linn com,
ing, and waited for him. and tho follow
!ng conversation occurred
You look weary and tired. iudge
Nha, have you been doing this hot aiicr-
uoon?'
Look weary and tired. doI2 We'll
/ think ] should. for | am: and you
would too, if you had been shut up in
Hiat hot, stuGy little courtroom from
on. 10 haf-past five, Listening 10 long
dun argument
From one 10 half-past five. That
was q long time. Who made the argu-
mDnt2'
"Oh. old Jones"
Well what was Jones trying to
provc2" ''7
q" As nearly ~ I could get At IL. that
was an lgnoramus. and didn't know
ANYTHING about the law"
Did you commit himY"
No; commit him for wh~'n
For being so long about it."
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07

A medicalpa per has these words to
say about the ventilation of houses: "A
medical officer in the navy has been in
vestigating the ventilation Of ships, and
finds that when the amount Of carbonic
acid gas reaches seven parts per thou
sand the air acdNires disagreeable
odor-not because Of the gas, however.
but because of the organic impurities
exhaled from the lungs at the same time
and proportionate with the carbonic
acid gas. Fifty cubic feet Of sill air are
defiled by one man in minute None
of our ordinary house rooms are so close
n to permit the condition of still air.
for the keyholes alone would afford
some movement and circulation. but n
considerable amount of mir circulation
Is necessary to effect n change Of fifty
cubic feet each minute. Keyholes and
door cracks are not sufficient for this.
Each room should be provided with
some efficient means Of effecting "A con-
slant change of air"
a A 4 A ~ 4.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-08-07

Mountains never shake hands. Their
roots may touch, they may keep together
some way up. but nj length they part
company, and rise into individual. iso-
lated peaks. So II Is with great men.