davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-16

A great man in bls way departed this life In Lon
don yesterday-that eminent parsonage, Culcraft.
the hangnau who for foriy-sIx years yindicaed the
majesty OF British law by executing certain of it's
yiolators We do not know that Calcrsft ever did
any other important work except that upon the
scaffold but the fact that for nearly half century
he was employed in such service attesis his ch8rac
fer as a neat and judicious operator. He exercised
his functions all over the Kingdom, aud was per-
fectly well known. though not entirely beloved
If capital punishment be necessary. as the whole
civilized world seems to think, then hangman is
necessary and any odium cast upon him on ac-
count OF his calling is merely traditional
aud considerably unjust. The business 49,
it il true. rather grim one, but no
odium ever appcrtaiped to it in tins country
where it rs usually performed by the sheriff. who is
fr-oncio gentleman. Mr.. Calcraft was no. liter
AIRY man. and it is hardly to be hoped that he has
left memoirs, but he ght have helped TO compile
a curious and interesting book. He has assisted
ut the departure of many remarkable men and
women--fOr murderers fortunately, are still re-
Inarkable In this world, and it is TO be hoped are
growing more so. This functionary. just dead,
could have told us how this culprIt behaved in his
extremity, what the other said by way Of bidding
the world farewell. Calcraft used 10 travel up and
down the country with bag containing the appa-
ratus of the ceremony and possibly there were
those who were squeamish about riding in the same
railway carriage with him; but now that lie is
gone. we suppose that 1t will be admitted that a
hangman may he a clever fellow, not altogether de-
yoid of moral graces. We have had many blum
dering executions in this country that we really
need an ARTIST in the line ourselves.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-16

The singalarly vale story of the attempt TO
poison Blair, which has occupied the atten-
ton of the Court of General Sessions FOR
several days, ended yesterday in most
satisfactory manner. The climax was a
sentence of twelve years Imprisonment
for each Of the Yolkmers, one of whom will
be sent to the State Prison. the other to the
Penitentiary. Meanwhile their intended We
tim, who must be regarded as almost equally
contemplate has probably been glad to stink
out of the public notice.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-16

Perhaps the statesman of the period will be less
1abby after he is braced up with few good holiday
lnners.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-16

The practical value of the apparatus now in use
by the Lifc-Saving Service tested last
Sunday in the rescne Of the crew of
the Arte Garwood ut Long Branch. Three
of the men were the main-mast. and
were saved by breeches buoy. line
having been sent to them by firing q NOR
tar TIE brooches buoy somewhat resembles
the Paul Boyton swimming suit. with winch
we are all familiar. 1t and the line can
only he seryceable to men IN possession OF their
minds and the of their bands The rest
of the crew in the rigging at the
other end OF the vessel, half frozen
and helpless they Rescued by n
life-boat. The liie-sayng crew, we learn from
private sources were on hand at the
first intimation of danger. and worked
in beating storm with courage and
skill worthy Of all commentator. handling the
apparatus promptly aud expertly. We have often
had occasion to con mend the management of this
branch Of the Government service; but in
time of shipwrcck it Is the ind-
vidual courage aud eOoluess Of the and keep
ers which do the work and when they net their part
rs nobIy they did Sunday nskng their
lives to save life the country ought to know
1t. The fact that these men are paid for their work
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-16

That lost Blyard boom may turn up in the Dead
Letter Office collection.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-12-16

By the way. where is the eruptive Mulletf few
minutes Of old fashioned spntteIing from him wond
furnish q welcome pepper-sluce flavor 20 the some
what fiat holiday politics.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
The Second Explosion.

They were In the back yard. One
was boy of twelve, and the other had
seen only half rs many years. The
younger one sat on barrel, and the
older one had two ounces of powder in
one hand and turning stick In the
other.
81 don't want to be blowed," whined
the boy OH the barrel trying to get
down.
"Kccp right still, bub, commanded
tho other. This thing has been figured
| right to a science. If forty-five thou.
sand pound OF explosives raised Hell
Gate twelve feet, two ounces Of powder
will raise you jnst exactly the flftietl
part OF an inch. Don't make an alarm
ist Of yourself"
"But it'll hurt" persisted the small
boy.
"It can't, sayl Haven't figured or
itp You may unbutton your coat, ant
keep your mouth shut, but that's safe
guard enough. Now, ther, keep quiet
and listen for rumbling noises.
Tho powder was we'll confined under
the barrel. Figures were at fault. The
head Of the barrel went up, the small
boy went up, the big boy went end
ways, and when the smoke cleared
away things were badly mixed up
The big boy had sore legs. The little
boy was rs black as coal and choking
with the odor, and a woman ran Out
and shouted, I'll blow-vou good-for.
nothings!, There's shilling barrel all
split to pieces, two pair of pants to be
patched. one coat-tail on the roof, and
the other just hanging, and tho poor
dog is wedgcd under the house SO
tight that he will have to be drilled ont
by maChinist,D
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
Remarkable C,ook Mo cl,anisn.

In the late French Theological Sec
ton at the Exhibition, were two
clocks remarkable for thcir mechanism.
On the top of one of them is seated, Il
handsomely attired Greek lady, a figure
hardly span high, with a small barrel
organ, held by a boy, resting on her
knees. With the clocks last stroke
the miniature organ is set in motion
and plays tune, the boy keeping time
with his head. On the left arm of the
figure is bright Startling, which as
soon as tile piece Is played out repeats
the melody, accompanied by the move
mcnts of the lady's head. The mech
anism Of tho second clock is more Won
derful. The clock is snrmountcd with
a figure representing ajuggler in Ori-
entail costume, seated behind a golden
table. To his right stands three large
silver bells on a plate. The juggler
raises himself as the clock strikes, and
gesticulates with his hands as If in pre-
paration for his feat, takes up one of
the bells, shows it to the spectators to
convince them that it Is empty, then
seizes another bell, and puts both on
the table. He lifts them up again and
under each lies now a golden egg,
which appears and disappears repeat
edly. Sometimes both eggs disappear
sometimes ftheY increase in number,
and instead of two, three or four eggs
are seen. The little magician's perfor-
nance reaches its climax when ho
turns up the third bell and displays a
bronze ball to the astonished AL !icncc.
This bronze ball bursts Immediately af-
tor. and Lilliputian bird, about the
length Of a finger nail makes it's exit and
pipes tune. The next moment all
vanishes again, and the clover perfor-
mer, after a graceful bow, resumes his
seat.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
Trade In Children.

Ernest Morris, the young American
naturalist travelling in Brazil, tells
abouta practice prevailing along the
upper Amazon, as follows: At one Of
the houses we met trader who had
como from the river Japura. He had
on board boy and girl Of the Miranha
tribe for sale. Senior Batalbia bought
the boy, q bright-looking little follow,
for fifty milrays, or $25. The little girl
cried pitifully when separated from
hor brother. The trade in children is
spoken Of by Bates, who was at Tcffe
twenty-five years ago; 1t Is prohibited
BY the government, but openly carried
on. The Miranhas are the most power
ful tribe ON the Japura; they are a
lwarlike nation, who for knife or gall
Ion OF rum, sell captured children.
Numerous raids are made by them upon
their weaker neighbors; and men and
WOMEN are killed and the children sold
into slavery. AT lTeffo there Is not a
house In in4which;you will not find child
tren ofall ages, as you also will at Man
aos. On my return on the steamer Ru
'Branco the captain wss taking to Para
boy he had bought for $35. '"The
reason for this, /" said. Senior Batabla,
/. lis very simple--we must hayo servants
and they make good ones; besides they
are not Brazilians they are Indians,o Of
New Grenada;N This trade In children
is carried on moro extensively evory
year, and Isl Disgrace to the governs
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15

against the buck of his coat-tails
and doubt If he could keep from turn
ing back somersaults most of his time"
"You say the coroner was not i'm
pressed with these yiews?"
"No sir; he allowed that the man
may have been circus actor, and have
had hinge put OH his back on purpose.
But when pointed out that the man
had a row Of teeth in his shinbone, ant
that some Of them were rs big us wal
nut, and showed him that for man to
attempt to eat his meals with his shins,
or for Il man to have the toothache near
to his toes, was In violent antagonism
to all precedent, as we'll as to tho as
certalned facts about human physiolo-
gy, he said the mans teeth may have
been shifted by disease or something,
and maybe that was what killed him.
He said his grandmother knew man
in Illinois whose teeth slipped down
and began to grow upon his ribs, with
fatal results.'
"Had he his grandmothcr's affidavit
to that eflect?"
"He neglected to produce it If he
had. The skeletons left foot was COM
posed of the horse's brcastbone. 1t
looked as mach like "a foot as clothes
pin looks like the Goddess of Liberty,
and az the other foot was made up of
about three feet of the animals spinal
column, while the neck was formed Of
the horses upper jaw. demonstrated
strcnuously with the coroner"
"What did he sayP''
"Ile said that kind of man was the
kind, Speaking generally, that was put
together in the Garden Of Eden, and
while l might think l could get up Il
better one, he wouldn't trust me to
tack together an idol for Digger In
dian, or words to that effect. SO I re-
piled, and he hit NE with the horses
tibula. rctaliated with the tibula,
and in about two seconds he had heav-
ed all the skeleton at me that hadn't
heaved at him. Then he winked at
the Jury, and it suddenly brought in a
verdict of death from cause or causes
unknown and then l had HIM arrested
for assault and battery"
The magistrate held the coroner in
bonds to appear at court, and when
that functionary had given tho hond,
he moved off to collect his fees for the
inquest
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
HRrncssinG mn Elephant.

An elephant keeper in Philadelphia,
Pa, tried the other day to get vcncr-
able anima! named Old Chief to draw
a wagon. Old Chief didn't object mnch
while the harness was being placed on
him. 1Io merely blinked steadily and
now and then cast glance at his per-
sccutors, rs though he would say that
his time had come. Ills actions puz-
zlcd his keepers not a little, and they
began to suspect that he was brewing
some mischief. At length they got
him hitched to the wagon. The gap
ing spectators looked onwith deep inter-
est. Chief manifested no sign that he
was going to move. The trainers put
their hooks into his trunk and began to
pull on him. Chief snortcd little and
shook his head disapprovingly. They
tapped his ears like the roofs Of two
houses coming together. They gave
his trunk Il jerk. Chief lifted his ears
up with n yell and made dash for
ward, jerking the trunk free Of the
hook and projecting 1t out before him
like a bayonct, tearing through the
yard with the wagon. at his heels,
scattering the affrighted spectators In
every direction. IIe went tearing di-
agonally across tho long yard, taking
in pile of tent-polcs In his course and
making straight for the gap in tho low
er corner Of the enclosure. AS he
dragged the wagon over the pile of
timber party of half a dozen, who
had rctreated there for safety, ran for
their lives. One man tried to jump a
six foot wall and fell back to the ground
white as a sheet. When he looked up
| he saw the wagon, complete wreck,
not ten feet from him, and Old Chief,
with the broken harness clinging to
his body, standing wcdged In between
the corner Of the wall and the corner
Of the stable. He had knocked out the
whole corner of the stable, scattering
forty or fifty bricks over the ground aC
his feet. After good deal of trouble
his keepers succeeded in backing him
out of his tight position and ho was
sent back to tho stable, still snorting
and defiant. No moderate estimate
cover the amount Of punishment Chief
will have to receive before he Is reduced
| to subjectiOn.'
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15

answer by signs. He will not notice
a stranger however,"
"Whcn did he speak last before
thls?"
"a bout three years ago. cut down
tree and 1t commenced falling before
noticed it, add he halloed to me say
ing, Look out, Stephcn,' so did look
out, otherwise I would have been
killed."
"What did he do after that exclama-
tion?"
"IIe then began making signs again,
and his uttcrance last night was the
first that any of the family or anybody
that knows him has heard since."
"Do you think there Is any truth In
| the ncighborhood report that the cler-
gyman commanded him to stop speak
Ing In case he recovered from his sick
ness in 1882
mo, sir; am satisfied that part of
his history is without foundation, tor
nobody knows what passed between
tho priest and my father ut that time"
'"Then you think he lost his speech
In consequence Of that slckness2"
eyes. l think it was the work of
God; but that is about as far as | can
go.'
'"Then your father has only made
the two exclamations you speak Of
within the past fourteen years, so far
as yourself OF any of your family
know?"
"Yes, sir"
The subject of this sketch is far
mer in moderate circumstances, and is
ono of those quiet, casy-going stay-at-
home kind Of men, who seem to aspire
to nothing of higher sphere in life.
Iio has an interesting family, and at
tends to his daily labors with sound
body, mind and hearing, but either
cannot or will not talk. There are
people living in the neighLorhood who
| believe that he could If he would; and
there are others who say positively
that he cannot talk now, or he would
DO so, because previous to his sickness
In 1866 he was an inccssant talker. The
fnct, however Of his making two dis
tinct utterances, understood fully by
those who heard them, renders the case
n very remarkable one, at any rate.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
Speaking Hardly Ever.

In 1866, an old gentleman living
about three miles east Of Nelson Fur
mace, Kentucky, named Lloyd Wlmsatt,
was taken violently Ill with a disease
that kept him in confinement for many
weeks, and at one time his family and
friends as we'll as his attending physi-
clans gave him up. Being under the
impression that the next hour would
be his last, yet at tho same time pos
sessing his faculties and with full power
of speech, Mr.. Wimsatt requested that
the priest then officiating at the church
at New Haven, KY, be sent for, and
the minister was early at the bedside.
The room was at once vacated by the
family, and for some time the patient
and the representative Of the church
were alone. What happened then and
there remains q mystery, rs tho patient
recovered, and in short time was up
and about; but ever since. then, save
upon two occasions, he has not uttered
word. Yesterday an Enquirer report
or heard that Mr.. Wimsatt had spoken
to his son, and In order to be satisfied
that he had, interrogated Stephen
Wimsatt, aged about 10, upon tho sub
ject, the result Of. which was as fol-
lows: n Ea.5 tr;s, 5I
"Tley tell mo that your father spoke
to you last night. Is 1t tso?"a
,}"'Yes, sir; he raised up In his bed and
said ooh, Stephen My mother heard
itand we all got up and tried to get
him to talk more; but he seemed to be
entirely speechless, as heretofore. -
sDo you know what caused him to
lose fiis speech =" i'f;95 3,..stiEl
3"Siokness. I think. He can hear anG
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
Childhood, Youth end DIauhood,

1t Is mans destiny still to be longing
after something, and thus the gratitica-
| ton of one set Of wishes but prepares
the unsatisiled soul tor the conception
OF another.
The child of a year old wants little
food and sleep; and no sooner Is he
supplied with a sufficient supply Of
either Of these things, than he begins
whlmpering or yelling, it may be for
the other.
At three, the young urchin becomes
enamorcd of sugar plums, apple pies
and confectionery.
At six, his imagination runs OH kites
marbles and tops, and abundance of
playtimc.
At ten, the boy wants to leave school,
and have nothing to do but go bird
nesting.
At fifteen, he wants a beard, and a
watch and a pair Of boots.
ttwcnty lie wishes to cut a figure
and ride horses; sometimes his thirst
for display breaks outIn dandyism, and
sometimes in poetry; he wants sadly to
be in love, and takes 1t tor granted
that all the ladies are dying for him.
The young man Of twenty-five wants
wife; and at thirty he longs to be sim
gle again.
From thirty to forty he wants to be
rich, and thinks more of making money
than spending it. About this time he
dabbles In politics, and wants an office.
At fifty he wants excellent dinners
and considers a nap In the afternoon
indispensable.
The respectable old gentleman Of
sixty wants to retire from business
with snug independence Of three or
four thousand, to marry Is daughters,
set up his sons, and live III the country ;
and then, for the rest Of his life, he
wants to be young again.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
A Question of Bones.

"What are the facts In this case, doc
tor2" asked the magistrate, as DR..
Busby took the stand.
"Why, you see,' said the doctor,
"Jones, the coroner, here, yesterday
discovered q lot of old bones In the eel
lar of a stable which was torn down.
Being a little hungry for fees he de-
termined to hold an inquest, and he
sent for me to getsa professional opin.
ion. They were bones Of a horse; you
know; bat when I got there, Jones
had them laid out on the ground in
something like tho torn of a man; and
when demonstrated with him, he said
they certainly were the bones of man,
and he was under q solemn obligation
to hold All inquest"
"You say" asked the justice, "that
they did not resemble the bones of q
human belng2'
"Well you know, he had ono leg
made out all right, but when 1 called
his attention to the fact that the
bone of the other leg ran clear up into
the body and stuck out eight inches be-
yond the top of the skull, he said tho
man may have been peculiar, he, may
have been deformed. He said no had
an aunt whose leg bone projected SO
far from her head that she had to put a
hole In the top OF her bonnet"
= "Did he produce tho said aunt?"
emo. And when showed him that
the right arm had three elbows, while
tho left contained no joint Of any kind,
and looked, like the breast-bone Of a
chicken, ho said there was a man in
Peru who had eight elbows, and that
his oath as coroner did not obligate him
to account for all the phenomenal freaks
of nature." ~ s.a s4 nds8S
"Had the remains apye other elbowa
about itsanywherep 2" asked the justice.
i"Not unless you count the Joint iii
the middle Of. the back. Tho coroner
had the hcrse's hind leg inserted inst
below his mans shoulders. 9 Ayreal
man, you know, built in that way,
could knock the back OF his head
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
THE OLD BARN.

Rickoty. old and crazy,
Shingleless, lacking some doors.
Bad in tho upper story,
Wanting boards in the floors,
Beams strung thick with cobwebs,
Ridgepolo yellow aud gray.
Hanging in helpless Innocence
Over the mows Of hay.
How tho winds turned around it
Winds OF stormy day
Scattering tho fragrant hay seed.
Whisking tho straws away;
Streaming in at the crannios,
Spreading tho clovor smell.
Changing tho dark old granary.
Into q Howery doll.
On, how loved the shadows,
That cling to tho silent roof,
Day dreams wovo with tho quiet.
Many n glittoring woof;
l climbed to tho the highest rafters,
And watched the swallows Mt play.
Admired tho knots in tho boardi ing,
And rolled in the pillows Of hay.
Palace of King couldn't match it,
Tho Vatican loses it's charm,
When placed in my memor;'s balance.
Beside the old gray barn.
Aud I'd rather scent tho clover,
Piled in tho barns roomy mows,
Than sit in the breath Of the highlands,
Poured from Appenine brows.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
Spanish hIerinos.

1t is said that the origin Of Span
civilization, and thence to Greece. Tho
Romans had a herd which they called
Tarrentine, from Tarrentine, a Greek
colony. Hence, they were. called also
Greek sheep. Their wool Is Of exceed
ing flneness. and 1t Is related Of them
that they we're protected by coverings
Of skin, carefully housed, combed and
bathed with oil and wine. From this
we may inter that at that time they
were highly bred. Columella, who
lived before the Christian era, relates
that his uncle, M. Columella, transport
cd from Cadiz to his farm lands, which
were in Boctica, some wild rams of adj
mirable Wilderness brought from Africa
and crossed them with the coveted OF
Tarrentine ewes. The offspring pro.
duced rams with fine fleece. Strabo
says In his account Of tho geography ol
Spain, that in the time Of the Emperor
Tlberius, wool of great flneness and
beauty was exported from Hudilania, 9
part Of Boetlca, anu that the rams were
sold In that province for improving the
breed, for q talent each or about $1,000,
When the Roman empire was over,
run by the barbarlans, tho Tarrentln,
stock of Italy being very tender bccann,
extinct; but the improved stock o
Boetica, living In the mountains, sur
viyed, and perpetuated3 by the Moors
who, skilled in the sextile arts, coult
appreciate Its value, : still exists as tn
Merinos Of Spain. II this view ise cor
rect, the Merino fs the most importan
surviving relic Of the material clviliza
ton OF the Greeks and Romans.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15
Glxen Up by Doctors.

sis it possible that Mr.. Godfrey is up
and at work, and CURED By so simple a
remedy2"
"Iassure you that 1t is true that hs is
entirely CURED, and with nothing but
Hop Bitters; and only ten days ago his
doctors gave him up and said he must
die ~ Il i. 4. .5,
t.Well.a.dayl That is renarkablei
Iwill 20 this day and get some for my
poor George. know hops arc good"
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15

-Zalmon1 1Sturgis, Of Weston, or, IN
'ninety-eiRht and his wife IL ninoty-four.
They are the Oldest married couple In
New kngland. & !, Il; "a 3, 4
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-15

--Silk was spun liz, China 1000 years
md more before Christ was born,
The Jewish advance. (Chicago, Ill.) 1878-1881, 1879-10-24
No. r..

place Thus have been torn away from
my dear Rcbckah have seen good
deal of service since that time. | had
the occasion to save my captain 5 life in
an engagement in Caucasia Since then
he keeps me always at his side, and con
fdes to me offices of trust. He is also
very liberal to me. and thus am enabled
to help your mother If | were not
a jew would have been advanced in
the service long AGO. Our escadron has
been stationed here for more than a
year, When we first came here | found
your mother in Badcyillc. in very poor
circumstances. But it goes much bet
ter now and hope that our present en-
counter will be the means Of restoring
US all to peace and happiness"
Speaking thus. our descrtcr with his
father. arrived at the headquarters of
Captain Milos,erdin.