davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
Intelligence of Birds.

Birds are guided almost entirely by
sight, and when all nature is shrOuded
in snow they at once pick out and make
for the first open spot. Wherever the
ground is clear, there they know will
be something or other almost certainly
be found. If sweeping the snow away
from patch some few yards square be
impossible, then let ashes be sprinkled
freely ON the surface. Wherever the
dreary white expanse is broken, there
the birds will be gathered together.
Meantime, those who would Judge for
themselves how intelligent birds are,
and how soon they can be taught to re-
cognize those who treat them kindly,
have only to throw out each morning
in their garden, or on their window
sill, or in the balcony, the crumbs from
the breakfast-table, supplemented, if
need be, with oats, hempseed, millet,
or buckwheat. In a week the little
creatures will come to their meal as
regular as the clock strikes the hour.
In a month they will almost allow
themselves to be taken in the hand.
Let this be done through the winter,
and then in the spring let little boxes
be fixed up, out of reach of cat or
school-boy, and let small bags of hay
and wool be hung close by, and the
sparrow will build her nest and hatch
out two if not three broods in full sight
of the window. We have only to en-
courage birds, and they will come to
us.
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
Texas Bills Last Bear-Hunt.

And now will tell you about Texas
Bills last bear-hunt. One evening
last fall we were sitting out on the
piazza about nine o. clock, when
neighbor Ford rode up and wanted me
to go over to Rock creek, about three
miles, and help kill bear. He said
his wifes mother and a boy about twelve
years old had been down on the creek
that day looking for some bees, and
they saw bear run into the rocks. So
i saddled up, took my dogs. and with
Charley and Ford started for the bear.
Wheu we got nearly to the creek we
found another man by the name Of Rus
sian waiting for us. When we got to
the creek we went down about half a
mile and hitched our horses and began
to climb up the bank among the rocks
and trees, and after fifteen minutes
hard labor we got to where the woman
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
Suicide of a Mocking- Bird.

a well-known society young lady
has long been the solicitcus owner of "a
pet canary named Jim. and a very loud
voiced mocking-bird, which rejOiced in
the euphonious cognomen of Bob. Some
weeks ago the canary was moved from
another room and his cage hung up in
Bob's especial window. The latter
soon began devOting his spare hours TO
furtiyely glancing at the new bird, and
cultivating a charming canary warble.
Bobby's friendship soon became quite
marked, and Jim seemed to not tho
roughly reciprocate the affection of his
ashywinged neighbor, he would occa-
sionally sit on his perch and hold an
animated friendly discussion with him.
On such occasions, when he could mo-
nopolize the attention of the yellow
breasted warbler, Bob appeared TO be
in the seventh heaven of delight; he
would jump up and down on lis perch,
and chrip and whistle in the liveliest
manner-no human lover could more
clearly indicate a passion which was
soul-stirring. The fair owner of the
bird, with that kindly sympathy which
is the especial charm of her sex,
thought it indeed a pity that cruel bars
should separate this Damon and Py-
thias of the fearhered world; so she
opened the door one day, and Jim flew
into Bobby's specious cage, and was
suffered to remain. But mark the re-
suit. Plato has said that man was but
a featherless biped, minus his quills;
then truely is bird but the feathered
counterpart of the biped man. The
loved Jim became the master, and the
lover BODY became the slave. The for
mer reigned supreme, and the latter
week; but despite his misfortune, he
suffered it like a martyr, and appeared
only too glad to have Jim display atten-
tions-even if those attentions were of
a murderous character. They were
separated. Bobby Immediately began
to pine, and struggled hard to get over
into the canary's cage, but in vain.
The tragedy occurred, while the family
were in the sitting room awaiting the
dining-room bell. A red pepper was
suspended in the center of Bobby's
cage, by slip-noose; he was seen to
reach forward on his perch and pick
the pepper to pieces, so that it fell to
the bottom, leaving the open slip-knot.
He then set back, and after indulging
in one of his sweetest canary MARBLES,
put his head forward right into the
moose, and, jumping from his perch,
was in another second hanging by his
neck and kicking vigorously. His
movements had been watched with
some interest, but this denouement was
unexpected. and with cry BObby's
owner rushed forward, and, opening
the door of the cage, extricated the
fiuttering mocking-bird. But it was too
late; he gave one last gasp and stare and
was dead. Who will deny that Bob
committed suicide?
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
He Wanted to be a Hero.

There is a burly, bull-necked bully
who has local habitation and a fear
inspiring name in West Louisville.
The other day as he lounged out of a
saloon, beautiful young man, clerk
in Fourth street dry goods store, met
him. The beautiful young man touched
his hat and stopped. "May | inquire
if this is Mr.. Buck Leathers, sir 2"
asked the beautiful young man blandly.
81 has no objections to yo' inqui-in',
sir" was Mr.. Leathers' reply. ''well,
sir, II hope have your pardon if l
trespass in asking if your name is Mr..
Buck Leathers' reply. Il hope you
has, sir" I-er-the fact Is | would
like extremely to know if l have the
honor of addressing Mr.. Buck Leath-
ers?" young man, eff you got any
thing to say to me, say it. My name is
Buck feathers and whether you have
got any honor or not is catalogue not
down Cn the bills, Well, SIR" said
the clerk, in confusion, 81 mean no Of
'ShNS, "hiec'Ci, MI. i-CdlHciS. IL
matter of business entirely"-''I am
always ready for business, sir" "Well,
sir-yes, sir, you see 1 wouldn't mind
giving you so if you'll do the job'-
"Pro-ceed, sir, if you please" "Well,
sir, yes-yOu see, sir,-I know you will
keep it wholly between us, Mr.. Leath-
ers." | am not female, sir" "Well,
sir-you see, sir-that I-er-that is,
am paying my addresses to a young
lady, and there is another fellow doing
the same, and Pm afraid he's a little
ahead. The fact is, you see, er, he
rescued her-snatched her from before a
runaway team, and there's where he's
winning on me. What I've got to do Is
to offset him in the rescuing line, you
see. Now, sir-yes, sir, you see what
propose is-er-you see, the other fell
low is going to take her to the concert
Tuesday night, and, as they go back,
when they pass by-alley, l want
you to jump out and give whoop, and
snatch the girl and trip up the fellow,
and just as you are making off with
the lady I'll appear on the scene, and
we are to have laundering tussle, and
finally I'm to knock you down and save
the young lady and-er-be a hero. |
you understand 20 And the beautiful
young man winked mildly. "Yes,
understand; and, now, young hero,
motioned as if to bid him au rerOir with |
his broban, whereupon, the beautiful
young man departed suddenly and
hurriedly, looking anon with pale and |
puzzled face over his shoulder at the |
motionless Leathers.
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
Waterproof Birds.

Perhaps the reader has never consi-
dered how all birds obtain the gloss on
their feathers which makes them proof
against water. Waterfowl are, of
course, supplied with thicker coating
of feathers than land birds, but all have
the faculty of procuring the oily mat
ter to cover their feathers and resist
water getting in between. Have you
never noticed, when a bird was
plucked, small protuberance above
the tail, furnished with pencil-like
tuft of feathers? 1t is here that the
ointment is hidden, and the bird has
the power 10 raise the thicker feathers
thai cover this spot, and, passing its
head over it, obtains enough matter at
a time TO communicate it to the rest of
its plumage. And it is truly interest
ing to watch duck pluming itself and
covering Its feathers with the oil that
is required for keeping out the water.
As this part of the body is liable to give
an unpleasant flavor to, the flesh, it
ought to be cut off before cooking"
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05

and the boy saw the bear go in. 1t was
a'wild looking place in a small ravine,
with rocks on both sides piled up one
above the other, and big bolders seat
tered all about. The place where the
bear went in was large enough for d
man to get in easy, and about thity feet
back of where he went in was a large
hole that went down, and not one that
went straight in. All the time while
we were building a fire we could hear
a noise in the hole like hoarse sissing
or grunting, and thought perhaps Mr..
Bear did not his company. After We
got fire we coul not look into the hole
but little way and F. went about a
mile and got lamp about as good as a
liGhtning-bug. Russian proposed to
stay all night and have daylight to
work in, but did not want to stay till
| found out what | was staying for.
While we were talking f. took the lamp
and went to the upper hole and got
down to look in.
La say > Ht, Cll see nlil.
"Well," said |, "what is it?''
''It is bear! Come and take the
lamp and see for YOURSELF
L took the lamp and got down and
peeped in, and there he was. But
could not see very plain, so crawled
in little further. Charley wanted me
to came back for fear he would make a
dive at me, but ventured carefully in
Il little more and then could see his
head and shoulders little palmer, but
could not make out what the deuce it
was. Its head seemed to be white and
snout black, and what | could see of
his shoulders were black. Finally F.
says:
what do you make it?''
"Well, think it is a--hog, and if
you will hand Inc gun l will Try to
put his eyes out"
They got my gun, and ventured in a
little more TO get a good chance to
shoot, but got little to near, and it
moved and Missed and grunted fearful
ly; but when it moved | could see it
plain and tell what it was, and what
do you think | saw? \ couple of young
buzzards. They stood side by side.
their necks and wings white, their
backs, tails, heads and bills black, and
in the dim light and the position thev
were in, looked like the head of some
large animal.
X, says, ''Why don't you shoot? ?'
| said nothing but crawled out, and
F. says, "What are you going TO do
now:"
"Well, think the best thing we can
do is to go home"
X. says, "why the deuce don't you
tell us what it is down there in the
rocks 2"
| bothered them for few minutes
and then told them it was buzzards.
and | don't believe you ever heard
such shout from a few mouths as
went up through the trees from around
that ''bear" hole. We blew out our
lamp, got into the saddles, and went
home, certainly wiser if not as happy
as when we went ont; and that is the
last hunt that | have had after bears.
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
Quiet Secured.

a witty clergyman was once annoyed
during divine service by several young
people who talked and giggled. Paus-
ing, he looked straight at the disturbers
and said:
81 am always afraid to reproye those
who misbehave, for this reason: Some
years since, as 1 was preaching, Il
young man before me was constantly
talking and making uncouth
grimaces. l paused and administered
a severe rebuke. After the close of the
service, a gentleman said to me, Sir,
you have made a great mistake; that
young man was an IDIOT Since then
| have always been afraid to reprove
those who misbehave themselves in
Church, lesG | should repeat that mis-
take and reprove another idiet."
During the rest of the service there
was good order.
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05

dispatch, he had plunged through the
snrf aid was swimming out into the
ocean.
"Now," she reasoned with herself,
"he doesn't expect to swim across the
Atlantic, and he can't stay i'm the water
all day, hoping TO be picked up by a
coaster. What he thinks of is maybe
I'll see him, and try TO pick him up
with the surf-skiff; and so | will"
Calling her younger brother, the
brave girl ran down to the shore, and
with the child's help dragged the surf
skiff across the beach.
a jersey surf-skiff is very light
boat, made of cedar, thin as a shell and
easily handled. To launch the little
craft through the breakers and Jump
into it without upsetting, requires
a gNod deal of skill and good deal of
pluck beside. Katie was not novice
IN such things, and in few minutes
she was pulling strong, steady stroke
up the beach, heading a point or two
off shore.
She could not see her brother in the
water. but after rOwir g, as it seemed to
her, very long time, she saw the SOL
diers on the sand, and judged that Ned
must be somewhere in line with them
Pulling on until she came abreast of
them, she stood up and looked about
her. She found she was at least a mile
off shore, and two miles up the beach
from home.
Ned was nowhere to be seen, and af-
ter scanning the sea in every direction
she sunk back with a sickening fear
that he had gone down.
AT that moment she heard a faint
call, and rising again, could plainly
distinguish distant hail. She could
not see anything at first, but pulled
rapidly in the direction of the sound,
she was presently gladdened by a
glimpse of something yet long way
off.
Rowing for dear life, sic soon made
out her brothers arm occasionally ap-
pearing on a rising wave. He was
floating almost under water. and was
nearly exhausted.
Katie had to give him the oars to rest
on, and to help support him as best she
could for some time before he was able
TO scramble into the skiff.
The girl had done her best, but with
all her speed he had been an hour in
the water when she reached him. The
loss of a few moments might have lost
his life.
With Ned lying in the bottom of the
skiff limp and faint, Katie pulled away
for home with glad heart. and if she
cried little, it was Tor joy as much as
anything.
They found Hendrickson waiting for
hatie's return, thinking she might
possibly have the despatch, though he
little expected to see Ned with her.
The HeSsians had watched their es-
Gaping prisoner until most out of sight,
then they saw him throw up his hands
and disappear. When Katie came
along in her boat, they supposed her
search would be useless, and had
turned into lane leading inland.
On reaching their rendezvous at San
dy Hook, they reported that the boy
had been drowned and his body car
ried out to sea.
Sanborne hastened to spread the same
report through the neishborhood, and
his friends thought they had lost Mas
ter Ned, and great was the rejoicing
when he reappeared the next day sound
and well, and everybody said: Isn't
that Just like Kate Kovenhoven
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05

fail. To this water comes game of all
kinds, in great numbers, from the great
waterless country around Las TInajas.
Antelope, mountain sheep and deer OF
several kinds come in herds. Rabbits
and hares are as plenty as anywhere,
and are prey for many coyotes and
beautiful little rock foxes. One would
think that all this game would be
thinned out by the Papago Indians who
inhabit the country. But these Indians
are superstitious and avoid Las Tinajas
with abject terror. Within two miles
of this water are certainly one hundred
and fifty graves, and probably more
each marked by rows of stones laid in
the form of cross. Scores of men,
famished for water, have expended
their last strength in reaching Las
Tinajas, only to find the lower tanks
dry; and, ignorant of the upper ones,
have lain down in despair to die. Their
remains have been buried by later
travellers and the graves marked, Mexi-
can fashion, by a cross of stones. Dur
ing the rush to the gold fields of Cali
fOrnia cholera attacked adventurers on
the road from Mexico, as it did Ameri-
can immigrants along the Platte; pesti-
lence combined with thirst to gather
corpses at Las Tinajas. Recollections
of bleaching bones and grinning skulls
protect the game from Papago arrows
and fiintlOcks. After passing through
its usual fermentation the water be-
comes clear and pure as any in the
world; il comes from the clouds only
and flowing into the tanks over insolu-
BILE granite, it carries no mineral mat
ter. Every heavy rain pOurs a. whirl-
ing torrent through the tanks, washing
them out to the very bottom; no or
ganic matter stays behind. The num-
Der and variety of birds here is marvel
Gus, many of them appearing TO be of
new and undescribed species. At
morning and evening the din of their
song, confined by sides of the noun
tain, is almost deafening. All around
Las Tinajas is the remarkable vegeta-
tiOn of the desert; near its tanks are
many and curious plants nourished by
their moisture. The place is one of
much interest.
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
A Prompt Juror.

An amusing story is told of the way
a juror in Georgia went for a convic-
ton. \ murder case was being tried,
and great difficulty was experienced in
getting j1ry. Eleven jurors had been
sworn in and in the next panel that
was brought in was a small, lank, lean,
cadaverous looking fellow who had one
shoe, his pants were nearly above his
knees, his shirt open both in front and
back, and the aforesaid pants were held
up by single suspender. The Solicitor
proceeded to ask the usual questions in
such cases, rs follows:
"Have you, from having seen the
crime committed, or heard any of the
testimony delivered under oath, formed
and expressed any opinion as to the
guilt or innocence of the prisoner at
the bar?''
The "single gallus'' fellow, in a clear
and distinct voice, answered:
Not any"
Second question-"Have you any
prejudice or bias resting on your mind
for or against the prisoner at the bar 2"
Answer-'I hain't."
Third question-''Is your mind per-
fectly impartial between the State and
the accused?'
Answer-''Hit air.
Fourth question-"Are you consci-
enciously opposed to capital punish
ment?"
Answer-''I isE' t."
The State didn't like the juror much,
but it being late and the jurors scarce,
he was put upon the jury in the usual
manner; the solicitor says: "Juror,
look upon the prisoner" and when the
command was given he bent over scam
ming him from head to foot. The juror
looked the prisoner firmly in the face,
and then turning to the judge, he said,
in a firm, solemn voice, eyes Judge,
| think he's guilty"
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
How to Load a Gun.

The author of Shooting on the
Wing" says of loading the gun: ''Un-
der this head we have to consider not
only the best quantities and proportions
of powder and shot, but the proper
mode of inserting the charge in the
gun. If the weapon be breech-load-
er, full directions in regard to the point
will be given by the manufacturer but
where muzzle-loader is used, there is
a certain routine to be observed, both
for the sake of securing rapidity and
certainty, and of avoiding danger.
Both barrels of the gun being unloaded, i,
the following is the system that We
always follow: GraspIng the barrel
with the left hand few inches below
the muZZle, the hammers being at half
cock and the gun in such a position
directly in front that the trigger-guard
is toward the person, we measure out
the proper quantity of powder for a
load. and pour it into each barrel in
succession; and, after returning the
each barrel, draw the ramrod, and
press it gently to the bottom. For do
ing this, Frank Forester gives some
very excellent advice as follows: Re
member not TO grasp the rod, much less
cover the tip of it with the palm of your
hand in ramming down, but to hold it
only between the tips of your fingers
and thumb. In case of an explosion,
this difference in the mode of holding
il will just make the difference of lacer-
ated finger-tips, or a hand blown 10
shreds.' The rod may now be held in
the same hand that supports the barrels,
while the shot is carefully measured
and poured into them; wads are again
inserted and pressed home, and the
ramrod returned to its proper place.
All that now remains is to cap the piece,
and see that the hammers are at half
cock.
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
VOL. XXXIII.
LITTLE BROWN HANDS.

They drive home the COWS from the pasture.
Up through the long shady lane
Where the quail whistles loud in the whea
fields,
That are yellow with ripening grain,
They find in the thick waving grasses
Where the thick-lpped strawberry grows
They gather the earliest snowdrops
And the first crimson buds of the rose
They toss the new hay in the me adow;
They gather the elder-bloom white
TLey find where the dusky grapes purple.
In the soft tinted October light.
They know where the apples hang ripest,
And are sweeter than Italy's wines
They know where the fruit hangs the thickes
On the long, thorny blackberry vines
They gather the delicate sea-weeds,
And build tiny castles of sand
They pick up the beautiful sea-shells-
Fairy bsrks that have drifted to land.
They wave from the tall, rocking tree-tops,
Where the oriole' hammock-nest swings
And at night time are folded in slumber
By song that fond mother sings.
Those who toll brsvely are strongest
The humble and poor become great
And so from the brown-handed children
Shall grow mighty rulers Of State.
The pen Of the author and ststesman-
The noble and wise of the land
The sword, and the chisel, and palette
Shall be held in the little brown hand,
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05
Wonderful Las Tinaja..

A wonderful place is Las Tinajas,
about thirty miles southeast of Mission
Camp, Colorado. The mountains have
one face of hard, smooth granite. All
the water falling upon this basin has to
flow through nine tanks, one above the
other. The lower tanks are of easy ac-
cess, and are are often drained of their
contents by men and animals travelling
between Yuma and Sonora. The up
per tanks are approached only by cir
cuitous and difficult climbing over
rocks. To one standing below they af-
ford no indication of their existence,
nor does the steep mountain side seem
possible to ascend to one unaquainted
with the way to do it. In the upper
tanks water has never been known to
Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-05

California produces the laI gest
barley crop, or s,7s3 400 out of total
of 9,761, ,3O5 bushels, and also nine
tenths of our native silk cocoons.
, 1879-03-23

machine, rusting in disuse; boundless fields
uncultivated; busy streets of cities no
longer resouuding with the hum Of traffic a
dlscontended, ignorant, squalid, hopeless,
purposeless, life1ess people, with no pros
pect of anything here or hereafter, living
the life and dying the death of barbariens,-
stagnant pond filed with the lowest forms
OF life, having everything in common and
but little for any,-such would be picture
Of the world it given oyer to Communism !!
It is not possible that the active, restless,
thinking, pushing American people will ever
consent that Communism shall dominate in
this country, or put its baleful ideas into
practical operation. But, unless something
Is done to prevent its gathering headway, the
people will have to meet that issue, and,
possibly, solve it in troublesome manner.
Let the citizens answer the idiocy of Com
munism at the ballot-box, and notify its
demagogues and followers that they pro-
pose to keep their wages and earnings, and
enjoy the fruits Of their labor.