davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12
Floors Versus Carpets.

There is Il strong protest offered in diff:
ferent ways and from different sources,
against our long established practice OF
making poor floors with the design of
keeping them covered with carpets
stretched and fitted TO every part and
tackled down. Carpets in daily use can
not be kept clean except by very frequent
shaking and beating, and they do much
impure gases, hiding the finest, most pene-
trating dust in their meshcs and under
meath them, and by giving off particles Of
fine wool into the atmosphere, with other
dust, as they are swept or walked upon.
There is demand for better floors, not
necessarily inlaid or mosaics, of different
kinds of precious wood, but made double,
of strong seasoned wood, that will not
shrink or warp Spruce. however well sea-
soned, is almost sure to warp, and then
carefully finished so us to be durable and
easily cleaned. Carpeted floors seem Il
relief TO the housekeeper when once the
carpets are procured and fitted to the
room and tackled down. because they do
not show the dirt us the bare floors do.
But oh! when they do get full of dust
And when house cleaning time comes,
and they must be taken up and shaken and
whipped as they well deserve. With
warmly made floors and large, warm
rugs. coudn't we do without these abom-
nations, even in winter? Certainly our
rooms would be cooler and sweeter in
summer But in that case we must take
more pains with our floors, and we must
have something better than the common
Imprinted ones. Oiled floors are better
liked than those painted. even for kitch-
ems. Women find that they can oil their
Iloors themselves, and many kitchen
floor has, within u few years, been made
decent and comfortable in that way. Boil
ed lnseed oil is used, and two or three
coats are put on, one after another, rs fast
as they are dry. Floors of alternate
boards Of different kinds of wood are
pretty for some rooms, and sometimes a
border made in this way, with diagonal
stripes bordered by IL straight board on
each side. or wood of two kinds laid in
checks OF diamonds, is very satisfactory
These bordered rooms are especially de.
signed for parlors or rooms where a heavy
bordered carpet or large rich rug is in
tended TO merely cover most Of the floor
leaving Il margin of about two feet arounC
the edges-a carpet which can ofen be
carried out and shaken free from dust.
Oiled floors do not need hard scrubbina
like unpainted floors, but simply u gool
washing, with warm (not hot) water, often
changed, us YOU 90 over it. Strong suds
of course, Will gradually remove the OF
with which you have filled the pores
Grease spots do not have the same etlec
as upon an unpainted Or unoied floor
which must be kept free from grease il
order to look well, for now you have i
CREASED all over; whatever grease gets OF
it now, which cannot be scraped OF wipet
up, may be thoroughly rubbed in.-.4naer
icaR AyricuituriSt.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

STEAM CARRIAGES ON THE HIGHWAY
Two years ago, the legislature at Wiscon-
sin offered purse of $4,000 for the best
road motor to be used as a substitute for
animal power upon the common roads of
this country, and for ,plowing, and other
agricultural work. A trial has recently
been held before n board of Judges, at
which steam motor, costing $1,000, and
with a daily expense for running from
two to six dollars, performed all the work
required by the act of the legislature. 1t
made II trip of over two hundred miles, ut
a rate exceeding five miles per hour, haul
ing load weighing nearly two tons, and
n portion OF the way, nearly seven tons.
The committee report that the machine
I plowed, threshed, and performed satisfac-
torily all the work put upon it, but they
deemed the cost of the motor too great TO
bring it within the requirements of the
act. They recommend a gratuity, how
ever, as an acknowledged of the success
gained. The offer has yet nearly three
years to run, and it is hoped that during
that time, improvements will be made that
will warrant the award of the full amount
of the prize. During the trial trip much
sand and mud was encountered, and steep
grades overcome, while no horses were
frightened, nor an injury caused to the
bridges passed The wheels followed in
the worn track, and tho establishment was
turned out of the ruts, when teams were
met, with no Inconvenience more than if
the power had been that of oxen or horses.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

QuININE, WHERE OBTAINED AND Irs
UsE.--The alkaline substance known rs
quinne, Notwithstanding its universal use
throughout civilization us powerful tonic
and remedy for intermittent and remittent
fevers. has been discovered less than sixty
years. Quinine has been much employed
recently as prcservative of health when
the system is exposed to certain noxious
influences Its value rs prophylactic is
SO generally recognized that in our own
and other navies qunine is regularly
administered when ships are within u
given distance of the fever infected coasts
of Africa. 1t has not been found effective
against all kinds of Intermittent fever
and the physician in medical charge OF
Livingstone's Iumbesi expedition favored
rum in preference. Procured from the
yellow bark of that variety of the cinchona
tree known us calsaya, it is to be had
only in Bolivia and the adjoining Peruvian
provinces Of Carabays, although the gen
eral impression is that it comes exclusively
from Peru. The forest in which the
calisaya tree is, are ten to twelve miles
journey from Inhabited places. They are
penetrated by companies of Cascarillos
men who make IN encampment, and roam
through the region Telling trees and gath
ering the bark which is sent to africa
and thence shipped TO Europe and thi!
country.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

ONE HALF TO THE INFORMANT,-An "Old
Doctor contributes TO the Charottesvilc.
Virginia, Chronicle, the following amusing
story I'm colonial times, when Colonel
Archibald Cary was a magistrate, living
at Williamsburg u man who was much
disliked by his neighbors on account of
his vindictiveness and general meanness
came before the old Colonel and informed
him that his neighbor, John Brown, had
violated the game law by killing deer
before the first of September. Now,
although Brown was n good, honest, poor
man, much esteemed by his acquaintances,
Esq Cary was bound to issue Il warrant
for his arrest, and when Brown appeared
before him he confessed that he had killed
the deer, knowing at the time that he was
violating the law, but that his wife had
great longing for venison, and knowing
that the deer daily frequented his corn.
field, she gave him no peace. He had
begged her TO wait, Il little while, till the
| first of September, but she vowed she
would not wait. So he killed the deer.
The old magistrate seeming full of COM
passion, said:
Brown, the law is explicit; you will
have to pay the fine, which is Co.
Lord bless your heart, Colonel Cary
said Brown, all that | have on earth would
not sell for E5.'
We'll, them said the justice, turning TO
The law and reading, without paying strict
attention to punctuation or the exact
position of the words, Whoever shall be
guilty of shootig, snaring, trapping, or in
any way killing deer within this, his
Majesty's Colony of Virginia, at any time
between the 1st of May and the 1st of
September, shall pay fine of e5, and if
he is unable to do this, the punishment
shall be awarded by 80 lashes on the bare
back, well laid on, one half to be given to
the informant and the other half to
the king Mr.. Constable said his
honor, 'as we are enjoined to do Justice
aud love mercy, and where an odd amount
which is not capable of an equal division
is to be divided between rich man and u
poor man, always give the poor man the
larger share; you will, therefore, give the
informant in this case the 20 lashes, and
whenever you catch his majesty, the king,
in this colony you will give him the 49,
So the majesty of law was maintained
much to the satisfaction of all who knew
! the odious inf?rnnt
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

A FISHERMEN S CITY ON ICE-The
business of fishing through the ice on
Saginaw bay has been prosecuted regular
y for several years, and has attained LARGE
proportions, giving employment to large
numbers of men, and forming II city as
distinct as it is novel and picturesque.
At present there are about 700 buildings
composing the city on the ice, and active
operations are progressing. The city is
irregularly laid out; in fact no attention
whatever is paid to right angles; and it is
not likely that the ordinary rules for find.
ing n given locality in IL city would avail
here. The buildings in this peculiar and
interesting town have all been erected
since cold weather set in; and, with very
few exceptions, the dwclers are all of the
sterner sex. The city commences three OIL
four miles from the light house, and ex-
tends several miles out.
The houses are nearly of uniform size,
about four by eight feet. They are cheap
ly though warmly constructed. generally
made of thin pine boards, lined or covered
with building paper The bunk is placed
in the end opposite the door. and the pan
try is shelf on one side of the hut A
small window in the side admits light, but
while engaged in fishing this is usually
covered. The little houses are warmed
with sheet-ron stoves, about 16 inches
long, round except ut the top, where is II
grddle for cooking.
In the floor of the shanty is trap door,
about " inches square. which, on being
raised, reveals hole through the ice.
The fisherman seats himself on block at
one side of the hole, and lowers into the
watera herring attached to one end of a
strlng-the opposite end being fastened to
the top of the building. The herrings are
used rs decoys, and are caught rs needed
In getting the decoy ready, u piece of lead
about four inches in length is forced down
the herring's throat (for sinker). IA slip
moose is placed over his head. and he is
let down. If falive, he swims about unai.
ded; but if dead, the fisherman resorts Ia
artificial methods by dangling the line.
The water where the shanties are located
is from 10 to 10 feet deep, and the bottom
being unusally sandy, is easily dscerna.
BILE. Attached to another string is the
spear. A nail in the handle enables it ia
be hung on the edge of the floor, whence
it is quickly taken whenever the lish CON
up to the deooy. 1t is then darted swiftly
and before an inexperienced person coul;
hardly realize it, the victim is pierced An,
pulled through the ice into the shanty.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

WHAT He WANTED.-lIe had been gone
from his paternal roof six months-ieft
home in the first bloom of summer, with q
smile upon his brow and a pickaxe in his
hand. The Black Hills his destination /;
glory and gold the goal. A summer spent
amid the auriferous rocks-industry, per-
severance and Il rare knowledge of chem
istry and mlneralogy his useful tools in
addition to the pickaxe. Results are such
that he is enabled to return sooner than
his most sanguine expectations had allow
ed him TO dream Of doing.
Almost home, he pauses outside the
town until nightfall and sends to his wait
ing, expectant parents the following sug-
gestive message:
Bring me large blanket and pain
of old pants I've got hat"
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

THINGS IN COMMON There are usually
twelve ribs in the human body, though
sometimes eleven or thirteen. The skull
consists of eight bones, four at the top and
four in pairs at the sides. There are three
kinds of teeth, the incisors, the tearing and
the grinders, and in many the three kinds
are opposite TO each other, above and be-
low. The number of teeth ut maturity is
thirty-two, or sixteen on each jaw. The
perspiraton of man in health is about
twenty eight ounces in twenty-four hours.
This fact alone shows the necessity OF
bathing and washing the skin. The guam
tity diminisles while eating, but increases
during digestion and sleep. The blood is
about one fifth of the weight Of the body.
The heart, by its muscular contraction,
distributes two ounces Of blood from seven
ty TO eighty times in "a minute. The lungs
owing to the continued reception Of fresh
cold air, are the coolest part of the body.
In sleep the respiration is less frequent
than ut other times. A respiration may
be held for minute and half or even
longer if it be taken deep and long.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12
HELP

My hands have often been weary hands
Too tired to do their daily task:
And Just 30 fold them for eyermore
Has seemed the boon that was best 20 ASK
Ny feet have often been weary feet,
Too tired TO walk another dag:
And I've thought, To sit and calmly wait
Is better far than the onward way"
Ny eyes with tears have been so dim
That Lave said, " I can not mark
The work do or the way l take.
For everywhere it is dark So DARK
But, Oh Thank God! There never has come
That hour that makes tine brayest quail;
No matter how weary the feet and hands.
God never has suffered my heart to fail.
So the folded hands take up their work,
And the weary feet pursue their way;
And all Is clear when the good heart cries.
BE brave to .morrow's another day"
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

BREATHING GYMNASTICS. The import
ance of breathingplentifuly of fresh air
as IN essential of health is generally ad.
mitted. Well ventilated rooms, open-air
exercise and excursions into the country
are appreciated TO some extent by all
classes. But the art of breathing is very
much overlooked. Being process not de-
pending on the will for its exercise, it is
too much left to the mere call of nature.
1t is. however an act which can be in
fiuenced very materially by the will.
Properly trained singers are taught to
attend very carefully to their breathing.
When brisk muscular exercise is taken,
breathing is naturally active without any
special effort. But when the body is at
rest or engaged in occupation requiring n
confined posture and especially when the
mind is absorbed In thought the breathing
naturally becomes diminished and the ac-
tion of the lungs slow and feeble. AS a
remedy for this, it has been suggested that
there is room for what might be fifty
termed breath gymnastics-to draw in
long and full breaths, filling the lungs full
at every inspiration, and emptyng them
as completely MS possible at every inspira-
tion,a to acquire theihabit of full breath
ing ut times. This mode of breathing has
direct effect in supplying the largest
possible amount Of oxygen to the blood
and more thoroughly consuming the car
bon and so producing animal heat. 1t
has also the very important effect OF ex-
panding the chest and so contributing to
the vigor of the system. The breath
should be inhaled by the nostris us we'll
as by the mouth, more especially while
out of doors and in cold weather. This
has partly the effect of II respirator in so
far as warming the air in its passage to the
delicate mir cells and in also rendering
one less liable to catch cold. This full
respiration is of so much importance that
no proper substitute is TO be found for it
in short though more rapid breathing.
In short breathing large portion of the
air cells remain nearly stationary, the
upper portion of the lungs only being en-
gagged in receiving and discharging II
small portion of air,-ChamberS' JvarnGl
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

How TO SEE THE WIND.-Take II polishs
ed metallic surface of two feet or more,
with u straight edge-a handsaw will an
swer the purpose-take II windy day
whether hot or cold, clear or cloudy, only
let it not rain or be murky lin other word,
le, the air be dry and clear, but this is
not essential. Hold your metallic surface
at right angles to the direction of the wind
i. g., if the wind is north, hold your sur
face east and west, but instead of holding
the surface vertical, incline it about forty
five degrees to the horizon, SO that the
wind, striking, glances and flows over the
edge (keeping it straighD as water over Il
dam. Now sight carefully over the edge
of SOME minute any sharply defined object
and you will see the air flow over rs water
flows over dam. Make your observa-
tion carefully, and you will hardly fail to
see the mir, no matter how cold; the re-
suit is even better when the sun is OBJ
scured.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

WHAT'S ONE BULLET TO A BASKET
FuL!-An incident occurred in the battle
OF Franklin which ! have never seen in
print. The sanguinary battle was at its
height, and now and then there was a
soldier who would not face the music, and
holding on 10 the idea that - distarce
lends enchantmeut," on all such occasions
would exhibit his faith in the idea bv tax
ing leg-hail" for the rear. These cases
were getting too numerous toward 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
of duty.
Col. B. said he hailed one fellow
who was making tracks for some place Of
safety with all the energy Of despair.
Halt. say, and return 10 your co.u-
mand!"
The flying son of Mars took no notice Of
the command.
1" Halt! I say, and 20 back to you,
post"
The soldier paid no attention 10 him.
The colonel now became exasperated,
and yelled out:
If you don't turn and 90 back 10 your
command, | will shoot YOU. sic!"
Without pausing in his flight tho sGllior
yelled back to him:
Shoot and be banged! What's one
bullet 10 II basketIul?
Col. b let him 20, and alter the
battle told the incident as coed joke.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

A CLEANLINESS THAT MAY BE SINFUL
NESs.-With all due respect for St. Paul
in pronouncing cleanliness next to godli-
ness, | believe that extreme cleanliness,
which requires the life service of any
.luman being, to be not merely neat to
Sinlulness, but actually it. What | do
indorse is sense of general wholsomeness
in and about IL house, clean cookery,
| clean dish cloths, u clean table-cloth and
bright china and silver essentials. That
there are mud-tracks on the floor, hy-
specks on the window panes, dust on the
top of picture frames, finger marks on
doors, or II carpet that has not had a
thorough sweeping for month,-such
things are of minor importance, and ought
TO disturb the happiness of no woman who
desires to use her time for better work.
1t is plain that housekeeper must put IL
| limit somewhere TO her labors, or else give
herself up to hopeless drudgery. What
health and absolute comfort demand
should be carefully attended to; but
beyond that the work becomes, in a large
part, improbable drudgery. 1t makes
nobody better or happier-often the
reverse-whie the best that can be said of
it is. that it gratiiies in II way the small
vanity of the woman who does it. She
likes to see things look clean. So do all Of
us. And she is spurred on by some secret
impulse TO clean and polish. and sweep
and brush, and scrub and scour, rs if by
such work eternal life were to be won.
The force Of habit finally becomes such
she can't lie down for II nap and get Il
wink of sleep, if she knows that the
mantel-piece has not been busted or that
there is a bit of thread or scrap of paper
lying on the carpet. | doubt if any
woman so hampered with Il care for small
things can rise to large and Just concop-
ton of life, and understand in its true
sense that life is more than meat and body
more than raiment. | believe in giving
some good food to the mind every day OF
ones life, though the kitchen floor has not
been scrubbed for a fortnight, Or the
parlor windows rubbed for u month
Correspondent IN RHraL NeW Yorker.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

\ meteoric stone fell in 1916, in South
Carolina, within twenty miles of Colum
bia. The event took place during terrific
thunder storm, and the erolite was seen
TO fall by an aged negro, who picked it up
and ran to the house with it saying ::
&" Goramity, missus! here's - chunk of
solid thunder.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

1 Bonheur, the zeal of Mrs. Stanton, or the
womanliness of Mrs. Browning to ema-
nate from and make bright their house
hoids. VEvIE.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

TIE BUTCHER Boy AND THE BAKER,
GLRL.--lt was down in the yeast part of
the city lie was Il burly butcher boy
she was the pie-ous daughter of German
baker next door. with eyes like currants
and her yellow hair twisted on the back of
her head like huge cruler. They leaned
toward each other over the backbone of
the separating railing. 10 was casting
sleeps eyes at her, while hers turned to
him with a provocatng roll.
/" Meet me tonight becf-fore quarter to
ten, lie said.
"Oh, dough-nut ask it, said she.
" make no bones about it, said he.
You're not well bread" said She
"Only sweet bread" said he.
Don't egg me on, said she.
:" never sausage Il girl. Don't keep
me on tender-h hooks" said he, quite chop
fallen.
Why don't you wear the dear flour
gave you?' asked she.
Pork. quoi?" asked he.
ooh, knead say?n asked she.
THAT don't suet me-" said he.
" You're crusty. only wanted to crack
cr joke" said she.
" You gave me cut-the cold shoul-
der" said he.
"Ah, you don't loaf mem sighed she.
Veal see. | cleave to you and no
missteak-if you have money" said he.
" can make a bun.dance,' said she,
Then no more authorizations" said
he. " You shall be my rib
"Well done!" said She
And their arms embrace like prctzel.
So his cake was not ali dough; she likes
man OF kidney; and being good livers,
they will no doubt live on the fat of the
land, raisin' lots of children. This world
is queer jumble, but love seems" bread
in the bone. From P0tter's N0nthlu.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12

The power to do great things arises,
generally, from tho willingness to do
small things.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-03-12
TERMS FOR ADVERTISING.

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