davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
Sun Spots and Famines.

Professor Jevons and other scientists
have raised the question whether great
drouths, with attendant famines and
plaques, are not in some way connected
with the periodical recurrence of spots
on the sun. These sun spots have been
found to have an average period of I'LL
years, though they may return after an
interval Of two years less or two years
more than the mean. 1t seems to have
been pretty well ascertained that they
exercise very small but direct effect at
their maximum by decreasing the mean
temperature of the earth. But the data
hitherto in possession Of the learned have
been insufficient to determine how far
any of the theories are correct, and it has
been supposed that the world would
have to wait many years for their veriti-
cation or disproval. At this juncture
comes advice of a great contribution to
the facts in the case from China. That
empire rejoices in cyclopedia compris-
ing 5000 volumes, of which a copy has
recently been bought at great expense for
the British Museum. The British con-
sui at Canton took the opportunity to ex-
anime this purchase, before shipping it
to England, and found that its vast stores
would be useful in determining many
points ofhistorical and scientific interest.
Among the others was the matter ofsun
spots and famines. Mr.. Hosie found that
in it fifty-six observations were record
ed of sun spots, extending from the year
IS B. G. to A. D. 1917. While these will
add greatly to the data respecting the re-
currence of the sun spots, other parts OF
the cyclopedia contain the most minute
accounts of droughts and famines during
fifteen centuries. When this work gets
to the British Museum the scientists will
not only have the means of determining
with great accuracy the truth or falsity
of the Jevcns theory, but they will prob
ably find it storehouse of information
on many other topics, which could have
been obtained in no other way.-Clere
113,1 TenGer !...'f
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
PHYSICAL Prime.

The facts that "Blower" Brown, who
won the great six days match in Eng
land by a score of 543 miles, and that
Weston, who won it back from him by
a score of $50 miles, were both over forty
wears of age, seem to show that, fol-, some
efforts men reach their physical prime
later than has been supposed. For attn
letics of some kinds a man is at his best
under thirty, as in wrestling, swift short
distance running, boxing, etc. But long
distance matches, which are trials rather
of endurance than of strength or dex-
terity, the men of over forty have left
the young men. far behind and utterly
broken down, while they came out fresh
at they finish. Something analogous to
this is found in trotting horses. Horses
that run reach their prime at four or
five years: the tlotters often do their
best work at the age of twelve or four
teen years. The reason may. perhaps be
in this: Youth is more supple and texi-
BILE, and it's movements therefore less
regular and systematic than those Of ma
turity. The walk of young man has
not that machine-like regularity and
precision that characterizes the pace OF
walker of long practice. There is con-
sequently some loss OF power. The sup
pleness that is necessary to enable the
athlete to run at top of speed is in his
way when machine-li like precision OF pace
is the great desideratum. The same re-
mark applies to the trotting horse. The
trot is usually an acquired gait, the re-
suit Of long practice and training, The
steadiness of stride that does not Z" break
up" is of the utmost Importance. But
still the recent result of the pedestrian
matches in England, which twice gave
the victory to men over forty, when the
men of twenty-five and thirty were ut
terly prostrated by fatigue, shows that
with good care of ourselves we may keep
our physical energies up to a later period
of life than is ordinarily supposed. If a
man is in his physical prime for any pur-
pose at forty, he ought not to be far
down the hill at fifty.-Ba1inaore Euery
Suburban.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
A Hundred Years Hence.

Man for the future can but reason
from the past. In a hundred years he
las seen or heard of many changes in
the wondrous globe he calls his home.
Great souls lave come and gone; great
souls will come again. Intellect has
quickened the means Of his locomotion,
lessened the Adamite course of toll; in
tellect will do 50 still. So he reasons,
and so his logic rests upon the past.
One hundred years ago the world
travelled in numbering coaches and sailed
to sea in slow-going ships. To-day the
iron horse goes tearing through the
land, and steamers bridge the widest
oceans. Months have changed to weeks
and hours. One hundred years ago the
traveller between New York and the
wilds of Illinois would have made up
his mind to three weeks trip in lum-
bering wagons, sleepy ferries and un-
comfortable stages. In this year of
grace 1879 two days one one night,
passed in ease and comfort. see him
safely at his journeys end. When his
maiesty's troops sailed from the shores
of England to give those colonists les
son, they were fortunate if three weeks
tossing on the broad Atlantic brought
them within sight of Newfoundland.
To-day m eight-day passage is a matter
Of course. Who knows what is to be?
Already whisperings fill the air with
wondrous motors. The busy brains of
men work. Across the ocean in fifty
hours $50 reads the latest tale-a life
boat raised by gas and sailed by steam
A hundred years hence! Who that is
born to-day will live to see it? And
what if he doesp Shall he see q daily
balloon to London, and an afternoon trip
to Florida? Will the docks, now echo
ing to the hiss of steam, be filled by
strange, unearthly shapes, with wings
and fans, and gaudy bags of gas? Will
freight trains by noiseless power pass
swiftly beneath the sea, and parcels dart
like lightning around the worldp
Stranger things than these have hap
pened within a hundred years, and some
may live to see still greater wonders
Toronto Graphic.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
Preservation Of Harness.

Though the harness is an article of
everyday use, there are few who know
how to care for it so as to insure dura-
bility, and to keep it looking clean and
neat. A harness that has been on
horses back several hours in hot or
rainy day becomes wet; if not properly
cleaned the damage to the leather is ir
reparable. II, after being taken from
the horse in this condition, it is hung up
in q careless manner, traces and reins
twisted into knots, and the saddle and
bride hung askew, the leather when
dried retains the shape given it while
wet, and when forced to its original
form, damage is done the stitching and
the leather. Those who use harness
are not altogether in fault for this; they
would take care of it if they knew the
extent of the damage that would result
from their carelessness, and that they do
not is the fault Of the manufacturer. It
is mistaken policy that leads the man.
ufacturer of any line of goods to neglect
giving needed Information to the buyer.
Every harness maker would study his
own interest by accompanying each har-
ness sold with printed rules for preserv-
ing the same.
The first point to be observed is to
keep the leather soft and pliable; this
can be done only by keeping it well
charged with oil and grease; water is
destroyer of these, but, mud and the sa-
line moisture from the animal are even
more destructive. Mud, in drying, alb
serbs the grease and opens the pores of
the leather, making it ready prey to
water, while the salty character of the
perspiration from the animal Injuries the
leather stitchiugs and mountings. It
therefore follows that, to preserve har-
ness, the straps should be washed and
oiled whenever it has been moistened by,
sweat or soiled bv mud. To do this ef-
fectually, the straps should all be un-
buckled and detached, then washed with
a little water and brown soap, then
coated with a mixture of neatsfoot oil
and be allowed to remain undisturbed
until the water is dried out. Then thor
oughly rub with q woolen rag; the rub
bing is important, as it, in addition to
removing the surplus oil and grease,
tends to close the pores and gives finish
10 the leather. In hanging a harness
care should be taken to allow all the
straps to hang their full length; brides,
pad, gig and saddles and collars should
be hung upon forms of the shape of
each. Light is essential to the care of
leather, and when the harness closet is
dark, the door should be left open at
least half the time each day. All closets
should be ventilated, and when possible
they should be well lighted. To clean
plated mountings use chamois, with a
little trip oil or rotten stone, but they
should be secured as little as possible.
Rubber covered goods are cleansed in
the same way. Leather covered need to
be well brushed and rubbed with a
woolen rag.
If a harness is thoroughly cleaned
twice a year, and when unduly exposed,
treated rs we have recommended, the
leather will retain its softness and
strength for many years.-Harness Jour-
,11l
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
Thatched Roofs.

The heat of the garnet or of the top
story Of a fiat-roofed house in summer is
not only very oppressive but decidedly
unhealthy. So long as slate, shingle or
metallic roofs are used this heat is al
summer are the coolest in winter. The
thatched roof of the old world is COM
plcte remedy for both of these extremes.
The suns rays cannot send their heat
through it in summer and no frost can
penetrate it in winter. In America,
where straw is so abundant and cheap,
it is somewhat surprising that this kind
ofroof is so rare. 1t may be associated
in many minds with poverty and rude
ness, but in India the bungalows of the
highest classes are thatchcd. This style
of building is expressly suited to n hot
climate, being SOM what similar to that
of the huts of many savages. The
bungalow is only one story high, with
roof sloping down from an elevated CEN
ter to ten ortwelve feet beyond the walls
all round. This prevents the suns rays
from ever reaching the windows except
for an hour or two before sunrise and IN
hour or two before sunset. No heat cln
penetrate the thatched roof, and the
broad veranda all round the house is
airy and cool as well rs the rooms with
in. Such Il house could not be SO easily
warmed in winter as 4 two or three
sto:y house, but for the whole of our
Southern tier of States it would, we pre-
sumo, be found very convenient and
comfortable. A house ofany shape with
Il sloping roof might be tllatched, us
also the out. houses for live stock.
The thatched roof, however, has some
disadvantages. 1t is the most danger
Gus of all roofs for fire, and it is liable
to harbor sparrows, and perhaps vermin.
Nevertheless, where shingles and tin or
iron plates are dear and straw is abund-
ant and cheap, rs on the pra;ries, it
might be used very advantageously.
Skilled thatchers are probably scarce in
America, and unless the work is well
done the roof will leak in wet weather,
but well thatched roof will last a Ions;
time, perhaps forty. or fifty years.-New
York Witness.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
Imitation with q Difference.

AT about half-past eleven the father
took down his hat, brushed his coat
and settling himself into steady Boston
merchant shape, said to the bookkecpcr:
MIR. Doublentry, l am going to the
Custom House. from there l shall 60 to
the Medieval Bank, then to the Dryas,
dust Insurance Company, from there to
the Merchants Exchange, and after that
you may find me in any insurance office
on State street."
The young man listened to this in 81.
lence, but as the paternal footsteps died
away on the stairs he dropped off his
stool and in his turn addressed the book
keeper:
"Doublentry, old boy, I am going 70
Barton's to get IL drink and some lunch,
from there l shall go up to the club and
play q game Of billiards, then I shall
come down to the fremont and get an
other drink, from there l shall 60 to
Parker's for something TO take and q
smoke, after that you can find me in any
hotel or restaurant about town."
And he severed his connection with
business for that day.-Bosto,a CONNER.
ciGl Bulletin.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
NJ ~ y. : -IEs-'H y .IITG !
Rare Confederate Coins.

In the Coin Collectors Journal, pub
lished in New York, is given q lac
simile of a Confederate silver half-dollar,
q singularly valuable treasure which has
come into their possession. The diverse
of the coin is from the same die as our
1861 half-dollar, the die used being the
identical one prepared tor the New ".
leans mint. but q new die was prepared
for the reverse, tile American shield with
seven stars only, surmounted by a liberty
cap, and inclosed by branches of sugar
cane and cotton in bloom, with the legend,
Confederate States of America-HaH-
DOL" In April, 1851, Mr.. Memminger,
the Confederate Secretary of the Treas
ury, selected this design and directed Mr..
A. II. M. Paterson, who is still living IN
New Orleans, to prepare the dies. Aided
by Mr.. Conrad Schmidt. the foreman OF
the coining-room, he did so, and struck
off four coins, one of which was sent to
the government, one to Professor Riddel,
of the University of Louisiana, and a
third to DR.. E. Ames, of New Orleans,
the fourth being retained by DR.. B. F.
TAYLOR, chief coiner of the G. S. A.
There was some difficulty, however, in
ODCalnlnS DulllOH, anu 30 on Iiie ootl VI
April the mint at New Orleans was
closed. Mr.. Taylor preserved thedie as
memento. Messrs. Scott & Co.. pub
fishers of the Coin Collectors Journal,
have one of the half-dollars: another
was taken from Mr.: Jefferson Davis, who
carried it as a pocket-piece, ut his cap
ture. and has not since been heard Of
and nothing is known of the fate of the
other two. ....-... ..........-
This bit of numismatic history recalls
that OF the rare pieces of the French col
lections. When Napoleon III. was
about to issue his first gold coins speci-
men was sent to him, which lay for two
or three days on his desk. One lock of
hair in his effigy did not please him and
the Emperor sent Instructions to the
mint to have it altered. The alterations
were made and the amended coins is
sued, but few proofs with the unbe-
coming curl had already been struck off,
and these pieces with the lock have now
become extremely fashionable and costly
curiosities.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
Origin Of Lawn Tennis.

This game, which is played at season
when the world appears at its best, COM
bines a most perfect exercise for all the
muscles, with singular charm for girls
as well rs boys, for men and for women.
Tennis is very old game, for Galen-an
old Greek medical gentleman-has writ
ten Of it to the effect that it was in his
time a healthy exercise and quite nice.
All of us who enjoy playi. ball games
would like to know who had it enough
to invent them. Herodotus thinks they
were first played by the Lydians, in the
reign of King Atyx, many years before
Christ was born, in order to make the
people get their hunger at a time
when they were suffering from dreadful
famine. The game does not seem to
have that effect now.
Tennis, as it is now played in the
tennis courts of England, France and
Italy, was perfected and played substan-
TALLY as now two or three hundred years
ago.
1t has been called both the liking of
Games" and the "Game of Kings" This
last name was given it because it was q
favorite amusement with princes and
mobiles, and both in England and France
edicts were published forbidding the
common people to play it. Henri II. is
considered to have been the best tennis
player of ell the French kings. Henri
of Navarro rose at daylight, after the
cruel massacre of St. Bartholomew, to
continue game of tennis. Henry VIII,
of England, was passionately fond of it
until he became too stout. and you may
think it would have been better for him
if lie had kept up his interest in it and
given less attention to matrimony.
Tennis was originally, and still is,
played in halls, or courts, buil 1t for the
purpose at great cost. but the more
modern game of lawn-tennis, which is
now rapidly becoming popular in this
country, can be arranged for a COMPARE
lively small cost. Dealers will supply a
very good set for fifteen dollars, which
will furnish amusement for club of ten
or fifteen persons during several seasons.
More expensive and much better sets
can of course be had, and it may be said
of this, as of most other out-of-door
sports, that the enjoyment is somewhat
in proportion to the excellence of the
materials. The only materials abso-
lutely necessary, however, to enable four
persons to play an enjoyable game are
four racquets, an 1ndia-rubber ball and
a cord suspended between two posts.
These can be had, of very good quality,
for but little more than half the cost of a
"set .n-St, Nicholas.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
Buddhist Priests In China.

The ranks of the Buddhist priesthood
in China are generally recruited by
children, purchased either from their
parents or from kidnappers. 1t is only
in times of great distress that the poorer
Chinese will sell even their daughters,
still less the valued son on whom may
possibly devolve the paramount duty OF
conducting the ancestral worship; kid
mapping, however, is by no means an
uncommon crime, albeit the punishment
on detection is a speedy and ignominious
death. Occasionally, parents dedicate a
child to Buddha perhaps in fulfillmenss
of a vow, and the victim is there and
then formally made over to the church
by deeds signed. sealed and delivered.
From this step there is no withdrawal.
The child's head is completely shaved;
he is made to live on Il vegetable diet
and to forego the use of wines. lie Is
taught to chant the Buddhist litur-les,
without understanding II word OF LIEN,
and, after required novitiatc. proves
his constancy to the faith BY standing
unmoved while several pastilcs burn
down into the scalp, leaving the inarad-
icable scars which testify to the fact
that he has put away forever, the things
of this world and has been. regularly
ordained as a priest. He has now left
his home lin good earnest. and a!l that
remains TO him in this world is life OF
celibacy and dull routine. Criminals
fleeing from justice not infrequentiy
seek refuge in q religious life, submitting
to the branding of their heads and the
subsequent discomforts of cloister cXis-
tence rather than fall into the mcrciIess
meshes of the Chinese law. Sometimes,
too, unsuccessful mandarins throw
themselves into a monastery and take the
VOWS, driven to such = step by dread OF
the imperial frown. 1t is said that thc.
foolish officer who, during the war OF
ls4l-l2, laid at the foo. of the throne his
discovery of the secret Of foreign
steamers, and forthwith produced yes.
sci with two huge paddle wheels turned
by coolies inside, is even now languisll-
ing in one of the numerous monasteries
on the celebrated Lofou Hill, in the nrov..
ince of Kuangtung, whittier H. ::tird
after the failure Of his scheme. ".rered
with ignominy and shame. o.; 7nhtH
MI0Gzi3le
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
BY HUGH WILSON AND W. G. BENET.

ated so brightly that it looked like spot
of fire upon the bog; the rooms in the
house were crowded; and without, dark
figures as thick as bees in swarming time.
Miles Doughty, clad rather less gaudily
than when first beheld him, moved amidst
the throng, pausing now and again to look
affectionately at Norah, who, decorated with
her bridal flowers was dancing with one OF
the straw men who had come to do honor to
her marriage feast. When the dance was
ended she came over and stood beside Inc.
"Norah," I whispered, edo you remem-
Der that night when | heard you singing
songs upon the sands?'
Her face flashed brightly upon me, then
it grew ,grave-then her eyes filled with
tears.
"My DEAR" I added, /" | never meant to
pain you. only want you to sing sequel
to those songs tonight" !"
She laughed lightly, then she spoke
rapidly in Irish, and merrily sang the we'll
known lines:
ooh, the marriage, the marriage,
With love and my bouchal for me;
The ladies that ride in a carriage
Might envy my marriage to thee"
Then she was langhingly carried off to
join in another dance.
Ijoincd in the fun till midnight; then,
though the merriment was still at its height,
l quietly left the house and hastened home.
AS / left the cabin | stumbled across a
figure which was hiding behind turf
stack. BY the light of my burning turf l
recognized the features of Owen Macgrath.
He SUNK away when he saw me, and never
since that night has he been seen in Stor-
port-Belguria.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13

numbers on the wheel. "Your money
down in time, and the wheel goes
round" If it stops with the flexible
pointer on the right number you win,
but it does not generally stop there. -,
The nutshell game" which is played
with three half walnut shells and a rub
Der ball The size ofa pea, is variation
of three-card monte. The nutshell man
tosses the ball from one shell to the
other, and wants to bet that nobody can
tell which shell the little ball is under.
The popularity of the game seems to be
that if you do not bet, you can tell just
where the little ball is, but if you do bet
you cannot.
AS the evening wanes, every table is
surrounded by players. The services of
the barkeeper are in active demand !;
walters run with liquor to players who
are unwilling to leave their seats, and a
lunch stand where can be obtained what
has been appropriately called :" photo
graph of a sandwich" is well patron
f1od
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-08-13
Napoleon's First Glimpse of Eugenie.

A few nights before the coup d'etat
which made him emperor, President
Louis Napoleon gave 4 grand ball at the
Elysee. The wealth and fashion of Paris
were represented there. Perfume OF
flowers and strains of sweet music filled
the air. Magnificent as the scene was,
the president tired of it and longed to be
out under the calmcr light of the stars ;
so taking his friend, Edgar Ney, the
Duke of Ia Moskwa, by the arm, ne
started out through the conservatory for
the cool gardens. As he stepped through
the doorway a picture met his gaze that
almost took away his breath, and for q
moment he stood rs one in a dream. 1t
was not long, however, before ne saw
that the beautiful vision was reality.
Standing before mirror in the conserva-
tory was the most exquisite creature he
had ever seen in his lite. A young lady,
whose golden hair had fallen from its
tonfining comb down over her white
shoulders, was trying to arrange the tru-
ant curls with nervous fingers. The gal
lantry of Frenchman would not permit
him to stand staring in the doorway even
ut so beautiful a sight; so, stepping
quickly to her side, the future emperor,
with courtly bow, offered his arm to
his future bride and conducted her to a
dressing-room where she could repair
The ravages of the dance. 1t was a case
of love at first sight, and the ardent Ma
poleon hastened back to the ballroom,
where he awaited with impatience the
return of the beautiful Espagnole. Nor
did his regard for Mile. de Montijo prove
transitory. His attentions became so
marked that one day Nine. de Monti)o
asked a private audience Of the prince,
and told him that his attentions to her
daughter were the subject OF comment,
and that she thought they had better
leave France. This was at St. Cloud,
where the mother and daughter were
both paying a visit. No doubt the
prince had made up his mind what to do,
but princes cannot always lay bare their
plans. The mother was told to stay un-
til the next day; that he would have
something Of importance to communi-
cate or the morrow. Did the ambitious
old lady suspect?-NeW York Herald.