davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
THE HOTTEST PLACE ON EAR RTH

One of the hottest regions on the
earth is along the Persian Gulf, where
little or no rain falls. At Bahrin the
arid shore has no fresh water, yet a
comparatively numerous population
contrive TO live there, thanks to the
copi GUS springs which break forth
from the bottom of the sea. The fresh
water is got by diving. The diver, sit
ting in bis boat, winds a great goat
skin bag around his left arm, the hand
grasping it's mouth; then takes in his
right hand a heavy stone, to which is
attached strong line, and thus equip
ped he plunges in and quickly reaches
the bottom. instantly opening the
bag over the strong jet of fresh water,
he springs up the ascending current,
at the same time closing the bag, and
is helped aboard. The stone is then
drawn up, and the diver, after taking
a breath, plunges again. The source
of the copious submarine springs is
thought to be in the green hills of Os-
man, some five or six hundred miles
distant,
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
GEN. BARLOW AND SEN ATOK
COR DON.

From the BOs9on Transcript.
You may not be aware that it was
Gen. Gordon's command that struck
the flank of the Eleventh corps on the
afternoon of tho first day at Gettys-
burg, and, after a short but desperate
conflict, broke its line and swept it
from the field. In that fight Gen. Bar
low. Of New York, commander of the
First division, fell dangerously and, it
was thought mortally, wounded. He
was shot directly through the body.
Gordon's brigade of Georgians, in its
wild charge, swept directly over him,
aud he was found by Gen. Gordon
himself, lying with up-turued face in
the hot July sun, nearly paralyzed and
apparently dying. Gen. Gordon dis
mounted from his horse, gave him a
drink of water from his canteen, and
inquired of Gen. Barlow his name and
wishes. Gen. Barlow said: "I shall
probably live but a short time. Please
take from my breast pocket the packet
of my wife's letters, and read one OF
them to me-" which was done. He
then asked that the others be torn up,
as he did not wish them to fall into
other hands. This Gen. Gordon did,
aud then asked: "Can l do anything
else for you, general7" EYES," re.
piled Gen. Barlow, earnestly. "My
wife Is behind our army. Can you
send a message through the lines p
Certainly I WILL" said Gordon, and
he did. Then directing Gen. Barlow
to be borne to the shade of tree at
the rear, he rode on with his command.
The wife received the message and
came harmlessly through both lines OF
battle and found her husband, who
eventually recovered. Since Gen.
Gordon's election to the United States
Senate, both he and Gen. Barlow were
INVITED to a dinner party in Washing
ton, and occupied opposite seats at the
table. After introductions, Gen. Cor
don said: "Gen. Barlow, are you re.
lated to the officer of your name who
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
ANOTHER WON DERFUL INVEN.
TION.

The English papers tell of new in.
vention Of a practical character, which
has just been made by E. A. Cowper,
the well-known English mechanical
engineer. 1t is real telegraphic writ
ing-machine. The writer, in London,
moves his pen, and simultaneously at
Brighton another pen is moved as
though by a phantom hand, in pre-
cisely similar curves and writing. The
writer writes in London, the ink marks
in Brighton. Those who have seen
the machine work. say it is a marvel
quite as startling as those of the tele-
phone.pen at receiving, and has all
the appearance of being guided by a
spirit-hand. The apparatus is shortly
to be made public before the Society
of Telegraph Eneineers. A fac simile
of the writing produced by this tele-
graphic writing machine shows that
the words are formed without any
lifting of the per, land perfectly legible.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
POINTS OF A GOOD COW.

She's long in the face, she's fine IN
her horn she'll quickly get fat with
out cake or corn she's clean in her jaw
and full in her chin; she's heavy in
flank and wide in loin she's broad in
her rib and long in the rump - straight
and fiat back with never hump; she's
wide in her hips and calm in her eyes |;
she's fine in her shoulders and thin in
her thighs she's light in her neck and
small in her tail; she's wide in her
breast and good at the pail she's fine
of her bone and silky of skin; she's
a grazier's without and a butchers
within.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
THE AFGHANS.

The Afghans are tall, of large anG
| well-knit frames, muscular and hardy
Their strong, heavy features and darl
skins give them fierce expression o.
countenance their black eyes-sstheil
lids tinged with antimony to add force
beauty aud dazzling brilliancy to them
are full of fire, so that their swift.
bold and flaming glance is very i'm
pressive. They wear their hair shay
ed from the forehead to the top of the
head, the rest falling in black thick
masses to the shoulders. The dress of
the people is of cotton, or of cloth
called barek made of csmel's hair, and
is worn in two long and very full robes,
the material used by the wealthy
classes being of silk or cashmere blue
or white turbans and clippers CON-
plete the costume.
The garments of the young chiefs
are often quite gay with gold.la or
gold-thread embroidery. This orna-
mentation is done by the women in
the harems, who are very skillful with
the needle.
Comte de Gobineau,in his'Romances
Of the East thus describes a young
Afghan chief, whose name was Mos
hen, meaning beautiful: His COM
plexion was richly tawny, like the
skin of fruit rippened by the sun. His
black locks curled in q wealth of ring.
lets round the compact folds of his
blue turban striped with red sweep
ing and rather long silken moustache
caressed the delicate outline of the
upper lip, flashed readily. He was
tall, strong, slender, broad
and straigh ght-f1anked. No one would
ever dream of asking his race; it was
evident that the purest Afghan blood
flowed in his veins
The beauty of young Afghans is fire.
quently spoken of by East, rn writer's
but it would seem from the very ma.
ture of things as though this glowing
description must be overdrawn; just
as the handsome, pensive young Un-
cas- Of our well-beloved West Indian
romancer, James Fenimore Cooper,
can hardly be recognized in the mod
ern Modoc. Still abundant testimony
claims dark and hardy beauty for
the Afghan in his prime.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13

The Norristown Herald says that
"if Alexander III. Stephens were to
step into one side of large pair of
scales, and all the medicine he swal-
lowed during the past fifteen years
were to be suddenly dumped into the
other side, the shadowy statesman
would shoot up like q balloon. He
has taken eight hundred and seventy
nine kinds of medicine, and that he
should now wheigh sixty five pounds,
instead of sleeping with his fathers, is
little short of q miracle"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
STATE TREASURER HOWELL,S
REPORT.

From the annual report of Hon. An
thony Howells, State Treasurer Of
Ohio, for the fiscal year ending No
vember 18th, 1873, we learn that the
total amount received into the Treas
ury was 1881 $3.50; total disburse.
ments during that time,. S349. .353.lS,
leaving an actual cash balance at the
close of the business, upon the date in
question, of $71S694.97. With refer
ence to the re-valuation of real estate
Mr.. Howells lndorses the view ex-
pressed by his predecessor, in 1877,
that the present decennial appraise.
ment of real estate is working great
injustice to many holders of that kind
of property, as he finds in some dis.
tricts of the State the assessed value OF
real estate is much less than what il
should be "while in a great many 9th
er districts of the State the assessed
value of certain kinds of real estate is
much above what it will sell for un.
der the most favorable circumstances.
Hence, great injustice is the result un.
der the present law" Mr.. Howells
thinks the Legislature should imme.
diately pass law for the re-yaluation
of the real estate of Ohio, and make
the time clause at least every five
years, instead of, as now, every ten
years. The Treasurer is of the opin.
ion that law should be passed, Civ
ing much wider scope to the State
Board Of Equalization in the matter O.
the taxation of banks and railroads
in justice to the taxpayers of the State
as we'll as to the corporations imme
diately affected. With reference to th.
subject he says:
The law in reference 10 the assess
ment of railroad and bank stocks re
quires very important changes. They
are now so framed as to favor very
materially the owners of railroads t.
very great irregularities and injuries
which cannot be corrected or repaired
To remedy the evils specified let a cen
trail board of assessment for the bank
to be created, as now, to have origina
and final authority with full power t.
act, to take proof if necessary, and t.
decide. Let the banks make thir re
ports direct to the Auditor of State
as they are now made to the Comp
troller of the Currency, which will b.
submitted to the Board when organ
ized, With such other statements ant
proofs as may be presented. For tn
assessment of railroads it is believe,
that central board should be appoint
ed, consisting of the Governor, Audi
tor. Treasurer and Secretary OF State
and the Railroad Commissioners; 70
the information OF this board, tn
Auditor of each county, througl
which any railroad passes, to make
report, particularly describing tn
character of the road, and giving tn
number of miles of main track az,
sidings, and such other information a
may be of use to said board.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13

The Mariana Index is responsible
for the following: "For those whe
meyer enjoyed the blessing, we append
the following: "A lady says the first
time she was eyer kissed she felt like
a tub of butter swimming in honey,
cologne, nutmeg and cranberries. She
felt as if something was running
through her nerves on feet of dia-
monds, escorted by several little Gu
pids in charriots drawn by angels, and
shaded with honeysuckles, and the
whole spread with melted rainbows.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13

was killed at Gettysburgh ?" "I am
the man." said Barlow. fare you re-
lated 10 the Gordon who is supposed
to have killed me 2" am the man.
said Gen. Gordon. The hearty greet
ings which followed the touching
story, as related to the interested
guests by Gen. Barlow, aud the thrill
ing effect upon the company, can bet
ter be imagined than described.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
A YOUNG man applied at q newsp

A YOUNG man applied at q newspa-
per Office the other day for situation
"Have you ever had any experience
as an editor?" inquired the newspa-
per man. "Well, no, not exactly" re-
piled the ambitious aspirant cautious
ly. "But I've been cowhided num-
ber of times, have been married quite
a while, have worn borrowed clothes,
and never had a cent of money, SO l
thought l might work in." He was
engaged
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
REMEMBER that the only way to Sc.

REMEMBER that the only way to se-
cure an honest livelihood is to work
for it.. Many young men. imagining
that there are other modes of making
and obtaining money than by honest
labor, indulge in extravagant follies
and visionary schemes and end in ruin
crime and disgrace. Speculative fol-
lies. Honest labor with economical
habits is the safe road for travel.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13

OFTEN man drives PAIR of grays,
while he himself is driven by dune,
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
M mExICO.

MEXICO.
what Ex.G0vernOr Fisk, Of Ken.
tucky Saw and Heard In tho
Country OF the N10ntezu mas.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-03-13
Business Cards.

FRANCIS L. CLARK,
Necnanieal and Architectural Draughts-
man. Patent Office Drawing . Specially.
No ~ Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa.
June6, 1871. 19S-y
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25
HOME.

never saw q garment too fine for
man or maid there never was chair
too good for q cooper or cobbler or .
king to sit in never house too fine 10
shelter the human head. These ele-
ments about us, the glorious sky, the
imperial sun, are not too good for hu-
man race. Elegance fits man. But
do we not value these tools for the
housekeeping little more than they
are worth, and sometimes mortgage
house for the mahogony we would
bring into it? l had rather eat my
dinner off the head of a barrel or dress
after the fashion of John the Baptist
in the wilderness, or sit on block all
my life, than consume all myself be.
fore 1 got home, and take so much
pains with the outside that the inside
was as hollow as an empty nut. Beau.
ty is great thing, but beauty of gar
ment, house and furniture, are tawd-
ry ornaments compared with pure
domestic love. All the elegance of
the world will not make home, and
would give more for q single spoon
full of sound hearty love than for
whole shiploads of gaudy furniture,
and all the gorgeousness that all the
upholsters in the world could gather.
-[Dr. Holmes.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25
MYSTERIES OF A LUMP OF COAL


For years no one had supposed that
a lump of coal, dug from it's mine or
bed in the earth, possessed any other
purpose than that of fuel. 1t was next
found that it would afford q gas which
was combustible. Chemical analysis
proved it to be made of hydrogen. In
process of time mechanical and chem.
ical ingenuity devised a mode of man.
ufacturing this gas and applying it to
the lighting of buildings and cities on
large scale. In doing this, other
products of distillation were deyel-
oped, until step by step the following
ingredients are extracted from it:
An excellent oil to supply light
houses, equal to the best sperm oil, at
lower cost.
Benzole-A light sort of ethereal
fluid, which evaporates easily, and
combined with vapor, or moist air, is
used for the purpose of portable gas
lamps. 80 called.
Naptha-A heavy fluid, useful to
dissolve gutta perchs and India rub
ber; xn excellent oil for lubricating
purposes.
Asphaltum-Which is black, solid
substance, used in making varnishes.
covering roofs, and covering over
vaults.
Paraffine-A white crystalline sub
stance resembling white wax, which
can be made into beautiful wax cam
dies; 1t melts at a temperature of ITO
degrees, and affords AN excellent light.
All these substances are now made
from soft coal. tt o..
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25
STOP AND TAKE BREATH.

Stop q minute. Don't hurry 30.
Move slower, it may be you will move
surer. Grind, grind, grind /; one ever
lasting grind from five In the morning
till ten at night, chasing the bubble of
human riches. What is the need, pray
tell me-? You already have enough
and even more than you can use. You
are heaping up wealth for others to
waste, or perhaps quarrel over when
you are dead. And half your heirs,
instead of recollecting you gratefully,
will contemplate your departure from
this hurrying scene with infinite sat-
isfaction. Do rest q whilel You are
wearing out the vital forces faster than
there is need, and in this way sub
tracing years from the sum total of
your lite. This rush and worry, ay
after dav, this restless anxiety after
something you have not got, is like
pebblestones in machinery they CRATE
and grind the life out Of you. You
have useless burdens, throw them of.
You have a great load of needless
care; dump it. Pull in the strings.
Compact your business. Take time
for thought of better things. Go out
into the air, and let Gods sun shine
down upon your busy head. Stop
grumbling at adverse proyidences.
You will probably never see much
better times than these in this doomed
world. Your most opportune season
is now; your happiest day is to-day.
Calmly do your duty, and let God
take care of His own world. He is
shll alive and is the King. Do you
imagine that things will go to ever
lasting smash when you disappear
from the mortal stage. Don't fancy
that the curse of heaven, in the shape
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25
1T ISN'T THE FISH,

A citizen who was yesterday get
ting ready for trip to the Flats and a
struggle with bass and plckerel, was
stopped on the street by solemn
minded acquaintance, who said:
"It seems curious to me that you
will go up there and sit in the sun and
fish, when fish are so cheap in the mar.
ket."
Why, don't care a cent for the
fish," replied the other.
"Then why do you go?"
al don't mind telling you, but don't
let it 60 any further," whispered the
fisherman. "Every fisherman you
meet up there offers you a ten-cent
cigar and drink of siX-dollar whis-
key, while you may walk around town
all day, and never be asked to even
take glass of water with a piece OF
fly-paper in itl'
The solemn-minded man looked
Mortified, but he hadn't gone two
blocks before he entered store and
asked to see a fish-line-a cheap one,
-[DetrOit Free Press.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25
ISLAM DS In THE SKY.
Aerial LandscaPes that Change
like . Kaleidsseops.


The mirages Of the plains are oi
wondrous beauty. In the autumn,
when all the atmospheric conditions
are perfect, strange Transformations
take place upon the prairie ocean. II
is the morning Of such day. Along
the eastern horizon narrow bolt Of
silver light appears. As it grows
broader the silver gray Of its lower
line changes to gold. Fleecy clouds
above the belt take on yellower hue.
The grayish shadows Of the dawn lift
slowly from the earth and impercept-
IDLY float skywsrd. Just before the
red disc of the sun peers above the
horizon line weird islands arrear in
the sky-islands clothed with trees
and waving grasses, and held together
by threads Of yellow, and green and
azure.
The earth stands inverted in the sky.
The wooded bluffs and timber islands
Of the prairie turn bottom upward in
the glaucous ether above, with their
feet knee deep in water. The ground
work of this illusion is . grayish,
semi-opaque mist, but, the smallest
object on the plain is limned against
it with marvellous fidelity. Objects
far beyond the range Of vision over
the prairie are brought into plain view
by this ethereal mirror. have seen q
little village thirty miles away over
the plains standing in the sky, every
feature traced with the mlnuteness of
q line engraving.
could distinguish the dogs wan
dering through the streets, the cows
standing idly about the yards, and the
and closing of a door in the
cabins. have seen dog-sledges
whose trains were out of sight below
the horizon, trail through the heavens
in tortuous course; long lines of car
trains swaying to aud fro oyer the
sand domes of the sky. In all these
cases the ground does not appear only
the objects growing upon or passing
over it. Everything has the appear
ance of growing upon or standing in
the water. The feet of animals, the
roots of trees, the foundations of
houses, are all lost in the aqueous
mist. ~ . 10 ,1-lss
3 The ordinary features of the mirage
the simple drawing of distant OBJ
jects near the spectator-are of com.
mon, and in many places, of every
day occurrence at some seasons of the
year. A few rods away on every side
a slight line of grayish mist, exactly
resembling that rising from lake or
stream in early morning appears, and
upon its surface is limned the whole
changing constantly, like
the colors OF a kaleidoscope, as the
advances. The illusion con-
tinues but few minutes, however.
The gold fades from the feecy clouds
overhead as the yellow light descends
upon the plain, chssing the receding
shades before 1t, The sun rises, and
tho dissolving views of the mirage
fade slowly awsy.-[Prairie Letter.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25

of the vain task of rishting mp dis.
jointed earth, is imposed upon you.
Cease to fret and fume cease to jump
and worry, early and late. The good
time is coming, but you can never
bring it; God can, AMI will. Take
breath, sir. Sit down and rest, and
draw long breath. Then go calmly
at the tasks of life. and do your work
we'll. I'D. r.. Taylor.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25

where else mighty quick. They are
almost as tenacious of life as the snap
ping-turtle. The head Of this ono, for
some time after being severed from
the body, would snap its jaws on q
stick so tight that the head could not
be shaken off. KNICK.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25
81 -
AN AFRICAN EMPIRE.

The Paris Figaro has just published
q further installment of Count de So
melle's report on his travels in Central
Africa. He was highly delighted with
the Sultan Amrou, who resides in .
fortified city, and who can place in the
field $4,000 horsemen and 100, 900 foot
soldiers. The greater portion Of this
force, however, is only armed With
bows and arrows, the rest having only
flint muskets. The Sultan, says the
Count, exercises absolute power, and
treats travellers with the greatest hos
pitality. He found his Majesty aware
that there was another country as pow
erful and as rich as England.-France.
and adds: Besides Amrou is tired
of that English policy which tends to
restrain his power, and be is very
willing to welcome the French and to
facilitate their commercial relations
with his people. Before my departure
he gave me letter for tho President
of the Republic Qhe gseat warrior
who had almost finished the conquest
Of North Africa) and which, on my
retdrn, handed to M. GreYy.' Tho
Sultan possesses to high degree, tho
sentiment Of equity, and his Empire
is admirably administered Theft, we
are told, is almost unknown in Nupps
probably owing to the manner In
which 1t is punished. The accused are
brought before the Sultan, in presence
of the people, and the prisoner found
guilty of a first offense has his hand
cut off and is paraded through the en-
pire; a second offense is followed by
the gouging of the left eye, and
third conviction entails the pain Of
death without sepulture. The follow
ing anecdote respecting this well-ad-
ministered country makes heavy de-
mands on the readers faith. All the
Sultan's police come from place
called Haoussa, and these Haoussas
parade the Empire in small detatoh-
ments, arresting evil-doers and In
quiring after people afflicted with con.
tageous maladies. When any such
are discovered, they are seized, put to
death, roasted and devoured. Such is
the example reserved for lepers, which
are numerous enough in this part of
Africa In connection with the po-
lice the Count tells another anecdote,
more easily accepted than the last.
The market, he says, is close to the
Sultan's palace, and forms an immense
square, the center of which is occu-
pied by the police and the BARRIERS
The reason is that the BARRIERS of Bid
da are as talkative as those of Paris;
and that the Haoussas. by keeping
their ears open while shaving is going
on, acquire plenty of useful informa-
ton. There is a wonderful chapter on
the horses of the country, some Of
which reach the price of $4,000. Sui.
tan Amrou made the Count a present
of such an animal, and he rode him one
day ITO kilometres he galloped four
hours at stretch, was contented with
very sober fare, and only drank once
q day, at sunset,
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-12-25

A GREEN young man saw for the
first time school girl going through
some of her gymnastic exercises, for
the amusement of the little ones at
home. After gazing at her with looks
of interest and commiseration for a
while, he asked boy near by: "Has
that gal got fits?' NO. replied the
lad, contemptuously. 'That's gym
nastics.' 'Oh! 'Tis hey?' replied the
verdant. 'How long has she had 'em /?