davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08
The Grandeur of Ancestry.
Burlington HaWkeye,

Speaking of relics, just before we
reached Portsmouth man enteredEinto
conversation with me. He said:
90 You are from the west?'
II murmured something about the
vast illimitable, etc., and the man said:
"' Yours new country; a new
country; a new country
Yes, told him it was new, but it
was the only one we had, and accordingly
we wore it Sundays and week days alike,
worked and went to parties in it, and it
would soon look thousand years old.
"s We,' the man said, come down
from the venerable mists of antiquity.
1t is glorious thought
" Yes, said, but it wasn't pleasant.
I was in Boston four days and it east
winded and rained three of them. It
was misty senough, but it spoiled the
prospect.
"' Ny ancestors he said, came over
in the Mayfower. But yours-?'
And he looked at me with a rising in
Fiction.
;'l tried to STAY him with a look of
arcasm, but she missed fire.
"'Your ancestors, I take it, said the
man, did not come over in the May
flower?'
"And then I turned upon him. Sir
I remarked, this Mayfower, take it,
was a sailing ship?'
"'She was,' he said, vainly endeavor.
ing to stide his emotion, she was sail
ing ship
"'Then,' said, haughtily, mos
assuredly my ancestors did not come
over in the Mayhower. It has never
been the misfortune of my family to be
compelled to take passage on any ship of
the merchant marine, My ancestor
came over in Cunard steamer, first
cabin, no steersge passengers carried,
only ten days from Liverpool, and the
minute they landed in New York they
went straight up to Mrs. Astor's tavern,
and took front rooms on the parlor floor.
ct thought I hsd crushed that man
but may I be blessed if he didn't look as
though be pitied me.'
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08
A Modern Alchclnist.
London Daily News.

London Daily News.
Mr.. Norman Lockyer has realized the
alchemist's dream, the transmutation of
metals. In the presence of small party
of scientific men Mr., Lockyer, by the aid
of powerful voltaic current, volatilized
copper within a glass tube in hydrochlo-
rio acid, and then showed, by means of
the srectroscope, that the solution con-
tanned no longer copper, but another
metal, calcium, sthe base of ordinary
lime. The experiment was repeated
with other metals and with correspond
ing results. Nickel was thus changed
into cobalt, and calcium into stronium.
All these bodies, as is we'll known, have
ever been regarded as elementary-that
is, as incapable of being resolved into any
components, or of being changed one
into another. It is on this basis that all
modern chemistry is founded, and should
Mr.. Lockyer's discovery bear the test of
further trial. our entire system of chem
istry will require revision. The future
possibilities of the discovery it is difficult
to limit. The great object Of the old
alcbemists was, of course, to transmpte
base metals into gold, and SO far as our
knowledge goes there is no reason why
copper should not be changed into gold
as we'll az into calcium. The means at
present employed are obviously such as
to render the process far more costly than
any possible results can be worth; but
this is necessarily the case with most
scientific discoveries before they are
turned into commercial facts. Mr.. Lock-
yer is one of our best living spectros-
copiats, and no man with reputation
such as his would risk the publication of
SO startling fact as he has just an
nounced to the scientific world without
the very surest grounds. He is known
by his friends as somewhat sanguine, and
he does not pretend to be an accomplished
chemist, but he was supported yesterday
by some of our leading chemists, all of
whom admitted that the results of his
experiments were inexplicable on any
other grounds but those admitting of the
change of one element into another, I'm.
less, indeed, our whole system of spec
trum analysis is to. be upset. Since
hundred years ago Priestly discovered
oxygen and founded modern chemistry
there has been-there could be-no dis
covery made which would have such an
effect on modern science as that the 80
called elements were no longer to be con.
sidered elementary.
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08
A Onderful Stable.
Turf, Field and Farm.

The greatest collection of road horses
in the world belongs to Robert Bonner.
There are nowin his stable, West Fifty.
fifth street, near Fifth avenue, ten horses,
every one of which, with a single excep-
ton, has trotted in 2:2O or better. The
nine are Edwin Forrest, Dexter, Music,
John Taylor, Startle, Mosley, Malice,
May Bird and Maud Macy. The ex-
ception is Mamie B., by Edward Everett,
dam st. Lawrence Maid, one of pair
driven several years by Commodore
Vanderbilt. She is diminutive speci>
men of horsefesh, standing but AL.
Unquestionable she is the fastest trotter
in the world of her size. She has pulled
q wagon mile on three-quarter track
in 1921, and has been timed mile in
harness in 2:214. She is fairly flying on
the road now, and Mr.. Allie Bonner does
not hesitate to brush with anything that
will accept his challenge, and we'll he
may, for she has shown a quarter in 80
seconds. She wears sixteen-ounce shoe.
In addition to the ten 2:2O horses
above named, Mr.. Bonner has at his
farm Pocahontas, who has trotted in
2:174; Grafton, who showed public
trial at Boston in 2:15A Wellesley Boy
who has trotted in 2:194; Eric, who has
trotted in 2:204; Manetta, who has been
timed in 2:22a; Astoria, the sister of
Dexter, who has gone mile in 1929;
Centennial, who has trotted in 2.23a, and
Keene Jim, with four-yearold record
of 2:243. None of these have been
brought down from the farm, for the
reason that there are but ten boxes in
the town stable. sa... .-.-. ...-.
With so many star performers to choose
from, Mr.. Bonner can make several fast
teams and, but for reasons of private
nature that are we'll understood, he
would have made some public perfor-
mances the past summer and autumn.
He tells us that he has ridden faster
behind Music and Grafton to pole than
be ever rode in his life. This is saying a
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08
WAITS AND WHHMSs

A noisy fellow annoys q fellow.
.Freshets come high, but we must
have 'em.
When Ham was sick was he cured
by smoking?
The day after washing day is one OF
sad irony.
when joke is as old as the hills.it
has little valley.
Dried apples are used for dessert at
all swell parties.
ga growing nuisance THE New
foundland pup next door.
There is more active fun in an ounce
of kitten than in ton of elephant.
He that hath no music in his sole is
fit for usher, undertaken, Underwater or
some such thing.
Anybody can catch cold now. The
trouble is to let go again, like the man
who caught the bear.
lady named Mary Magui-ah
Had troub BILE in lighting f-sh;
The wood being gIeen
She used kerosene
(Pause. Then continued solemnly.)
She has gone W here the fuel is dryah.
We trust the undermost man in the
fight will not forget that the proverb
says the anvil lasts longer than the ham,
mar
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08
THE SECOND SUMMER

golden light is on the hills,
The broat oak. boughs are drest anew,
faint. far-res ching fragrance fills
The air meath boundless skies of blue
All nature wears warmer glow
Than May or June can ever show.
Though fields of underwriting wheat
And clustered hop-vines smile no more,
We scarcely miss, in days 80 sweet,
The gifts that beautiful summer bore
Nor envy, in these tranquil hours,
The past, its sunshine, or its flowers
The forest path, the sheltered lane,
Are silent with calm profound,
Save for the robins CHEEKY strain,
And acorns patt'ring 10 the ground,
And, in the distance, clear and low,
The waters ever lnulmring flow.
The gardens cannot quite forget
Their wealth of color and perfume.
And orchard boughs are bending yet,
With fruit where late was rosy bloom;
And still from leaves snd moses deep
Sweet autumn violets slyIy peep.
Oh, can it be these pleasant days
Are yet 30 near the wintry end,
When trees shall bow with sad amaze,
When winds shall beat and storms descend
When frost shall seal the fow'rs' low graves,
Aud clothe the streamlet's laughing waves?
Oh, can it be that, while we look
Upon Its light, 1t fades away2
10 was 1t with the joy that took
Its flight from me one autumn day.
60 ended all my summers trust
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust!'
But yet, calm days, love you we'll
With chastened JOY, with lingering psin,
For mem'ry in your shades can dwell,
And live the past all Ger again;
And hope can shed her fairest ray,
Like yours, the brightest In decay.
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08
The BarrOOm Bell Punch.

New York Herald Richmond Telegram.
The returns of the Moffet system of
liquor taxation, embracing the whole
State, and covering the first fiscal year,
have just been made public. They show
that the registers and licenses combined
only produce $SS,669 more than the old
system, great disappointment. 1t was
claimed for the registers that they would
yield at least 100000 per annum. In
many localities public opinion has been
against the law, and in consequence
little real earnest effort has been made
to enforce it. Dealers have in many
instances neglected to ring the bell upon
the sale of drinks, and have not been
reported because their customers re.
garded the law a!.oppressive, inquisitorial
and unjust. In Richmond, where the
courts was certainly active enough in
prosecutions, it is conceded that only
about half of the drinks are now regis
tered for taxation that used to be when
the register was first introduced. This
is more especially the case with small
groggeries. Now, as some offset to these
discouraging symptome,it should be said
that the law is susceptible of amendment
that will increase its efficiency, and that
Moffet has a much better register than
the one now in use, but as the liquor
dealers are clamorous tor repeal of the
law, and will undertake to prepare "a
bill that will raise more money by the
simple license system. it is doubtful if
the Mofet plan will be much longer
continued. DR.. Mofet is a leader of the
readadjusters. He is just now in an
awkward position. He would like to see
his system success, but it is the policy
of his party not to put money into the
State treasury. Between these conflict
ing interests he is thought to waver;
and, in the meantime, the enemies of
the bell>punch, relying upon the years
results to prove it failure, are urgently
demanding its repeal
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08

TO preserve good joke--Ptft it in
an almanac, or rent it out by the year to
circus clowns and negro minstrels. In
this way specimens have been Kept for
fifteen or Ftweuty years.--Neao ORLEANS
Picayssse.
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08

Better it is to sit on barrel at the
corner grocery with contentment than to
repose in the most luxurious easy chair
adorned with tidy in the house of the
order-loving woman.
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08

In the land of the Kaffirs eight COWS
will purchase man wife and what is
still better in some instances, she may be
disposed of at the same price.
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08

Mr.. EDISON is not able to prevent the
noise of the elevated railway. He has
got contrivance to stop the noise, and
he has discovered where the noise comes
from, and he kn@&s where it goes to, but
doesn't appear to be able to find any
place in between to put the machine.
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08

"A young lady, gazing at her portrait
just finished by rising young artist,
remarked: "I look like a canvas-backed
duck"
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08

"A friend of ours says she enjoyed her
trip to Europe immensely. The sunsets
were 80 stylish--such fashionable colors'
St. Landry democrat., 1879-02-08

with the Jndge, and, after few seconds
beckoned an officer and whispered him q
few words. Mr.. Steele, the blacksmith
was recalled to the witness stand by Mr.
O'Brien, who said
"Mr. Steele, you are an old and OK.
perienced blacksmith, are you nots"
"Yes, sir" Steele answered, with q
perceptible tremorsin his voice.
"Did you work at yourgtrade in Hold
erness?" *
eyes, sir, when ] was young man,
Anything peculiar in the manufac-
ture of horseshoe nails in that district,
Mr.. Steele?"
81 think there is, sir"
spray tell me what that popularity is,
Mr.. Steele"
1.-THE head is divided like in the mid
de-"
Anything like the head of that nail
used as wedge in the handle of that
hammer, Mr. Steele7" the counsel asked,
handing the witness the weapon found
near the body of the murdered peddler.
EThe witness hand shook like leaf as
he reached it out for the hammer; his
cheeks grew deadly pale, his lips became
and, though he held the ham,
mer in his hand, his staring eyes were
were fixed on the questioner.
Anything like that nail?" Mr..
OBrien repeated, clamly looking st the
witness.
"Yes, sir" Steele replied at length,
with difficulty.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-07
Brain Work and Skull Growth.

The London Medical Record sums
up as follows the results of some very
interesting measurements Of heads by
two French physicians, Messrs. Lacas-
sagne and Cliquet:
Having the patients, doctors, attend
ants and officers of the Val de Grace at
their disposal, they measured the heads
of 100 doctors of medicine, 1873 soldiers
who had received an elementary in
struction, 80 soldiers who could neither
read nor write, and 81 soldiers who were
prisoners. The instrument used was
the same which matters employ in meas
uring the heads of their customers; it
is called the conformation, and gives q
very correct idea of theproportions and
dimensions of the heads in question.
The results were in favor of the doctors
the frontal diameter was also muchmore
considerable than that of the soldiers,
etc. Nor are both halves of the head
symmetrically developed; in students,
the left frontal region is more devel-
oped than the right; in illiterate indi-
viduals, the right occipital region is
larger than the left. The authors have
derived the following conclusions from
their experiments: l. The heads of stu
dents who have worked much with their
brains are much more developed than
those of illiterate Individuals, or such
as have allowed their brains to remain
inactive. 2. In students the frontal re-
gion is more developed than the occip-
ifo1 ro0iop or if fhara ehou1d ha opv
difference in favor of the latter, it is
very small; while in illiterate people
the latter region is the largest.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-07
Intellect in American Dogs.

A few months ago I made the ac-
quaintance of dog which, I think, is
worthy of a place among the dogs and
cats and rats and mules that are helping
the pages of Nature to determine the
degree and kind of animal intelligence.
PRIESTS" is a hotel on the way from
the Calaveras grove of big trees to the
Yosemite. In former years, on the ar
rival of the stage, the landlady would
send the dog to the p~oultry-yard to
catch chickens for the tourists dinner.
Now, the dog "takes time by the fore
lock-" The stage is due at 6 o'clock.
About 5 o'clock the dog saunters leis-
urely down the road till he meets the
stage. He then bounds back to the
poultry-yard, catches chickens, bites
their heads of, and takes them to- the
cook! The number of chickens he
kills bears a relation to the number OF
passengers he saw in the stage. A gen
tleman who was stopping at the hotel
for a few days went into tine woods one
afternoon with a gun. When he re-
turned, the dog came to him in much
excitement to see what game he had
taken. Finding his hands and his bag
empty, the dog ran into the forest and
returned in less than IN hour with q
bird, which he gave with an air of COM
passion to the unskillful hunter
NnEorro
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-07
OutWittiDg a Lion,

A Bushman, while a long way from
his home, was met by a lion. Theion,
assured that he had his victim com-
pletely in his power, began to sport and
daily with him with a feline jocosity
which the poor little Bushman failed to
appreciate. The lion would appear at
a point in the road and leap back again
into the jungle, to reappear a little
further on. But the Bushman did not
lose his presence of mind, and present.
ly hit upon a device by which he might
possibly outwit his foe. This plan was
suggested by the lions own conduct.
Aware that the brute was ahead of him,
he lodged to the right, and, feeling
pretty sure of the lions whereabouts,
resorted to the course of quietly watch
ing his movements. When the lion
discovered that the man had suddenly
disappeared from the path he was a
good deal perplexed. He roared with
modification, when he espied the Bush
man peeping at him owe the grass.
The Bushman at once changed his posi-
ton, while the lion stood irresolute in
his path. following with his eye the
shifting black man. In another mo-
ment the little man rustled the weeds,
vanished, and showed again at another
point. The great brute was first con-
fused and then alarmed. 1t evidently
began to dawn upon him that he had
mistaken the position of matters, and
that he was the hunted party. The
Bushman, who clearly recognized what
was passing in his enemy's mind, did
not pause to let the lion his
startled wits. He began to steal gradu-
ally toward the foe, who, now in a COM
plete state of doubt and fear, fairly
turned tail and decamped, leaving the
plucky and ingenious little Bushman
master of the situation.-Chambers
Journal.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-07
A WOman's Invention,

All lovers of good toast will be inter
ested in the following useful bread toast
er, the invention of Mrs. A. @. Harris,
of Grenvi1le county, N. g. 1t is not
patented, and can be made by all who
wish to use it. It Is made by taking q
piece of sheetiron OF tin, about eighteen
inches square, and turning up the edges
SO as to form a shallow tray, to give
sufficient stiffness to the sheet. Anum-
Der of V-shaped openings are now made
in regular order across the bottom; and
the tongues of the VS. are turned up at
right angles to the sheet. These sharp
points are to hold slices of bread pressed
upon them. A short piece of stout wire
hinged to the back serves as a prop to
hold it in any angle to the fire. After
placing the pieces of bread in position
by pressing them on the points, the
toaster is set on the hearth before an
open fire, where the bread soon assumes
a rich brown color, and then the slices
should be reversed. If the lower part
should brown before the upper, the
toaster can Returned upside down, and
30 bring the underdone bread nearest
the fire,
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-07
Children ElOping.


We clip the following from a Buffalo
paper of a recent date: Shortly before
noon to-day, as the Canada Southern
train was leaving the Central Depot,
passengers and others were surprised to
see Specials Wiley and Kief, of the
First Precinct, arrest two bright-look.
ing boys, who had taken passage on the
train. One Of the supposed boys was
in reality a girl in male attire. The
prisoners were marched up to the Sta
ton House, and Capt. Donahue at once
proceeded to investigate the case. The
Captain proceeded to question the sup
posed boy, who promptly admitted her
sex. The substance of her statement
was that her name was Emma Simonson,
her age Il years, and that she resided
at Flint, Mich, where her father wal
employed as foreman of a large saw
mill. She left Flint on Tuesday morn
ing last with her companion, who was
arrested with her, and whose name is
Harry Clark. She had her hair cut off,
put on the boys suit which she then
wore, obtained $50 in some way yet to
be explained, and the two then eleped,
taking a train for this city. She said,
further, that she had been attending
public school at Flint, and that the
project was arranged between herself
aud Harry by letters or notes which
they wrote to one another. The girl
seemed to realize her position, and ap-
parantly felt very sorry. Her male
companion was next called into the
Captains efice and questioned. He
stated that his name wa Harry Clark,
that his age was II, and that he resided
in Flint, Mich. He admitted running
away with the girl, and stated, in an
swer to a direct question, that he did
not intend to marry her, and could give
no very satisfactory reason for the
%elopement. Last night the adventu-
rous couple took quarters in a boarding
house ON Seneca street, and were just
about leaving the city for st. Thomas,
Ontario, where the girl has friends,
when they were taken into custody.
The girl had in her possession 81 in
money, and her companions cash
capital consisted of $3.50. Harry init
mated that he had got tired of the trip,
and intended to return home, even if he
had not been arrested. This youthful
couple will be returned to their parents
much wiser in their brief connubial ex-
| perience,
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-07
Deadly Duel Between Rrot hers.

A fearful tragedy was enacted recently nine
miles from Columbus, Ind. Luke Covert was
the father of several sons, two of whom, Henry
and Alexander, lived with him. Henry had
been married, but had separated from his wife
some months ago, when she, in January last,
filed a complaint in the Circuit Court for a
divorce. The parties were in Columbus and
compromised the suit, and agreed to go to
living together again. Leaving there his wife
went to her home, and he returned to his
fathers, and next morning at the breakfast
table the two brothers sat on opposite sides,
with the rest of the family at the table, and gott to
talking about the compromise of the case, when
Aleck denounced the wife of Henry as n prosti-
tute, when the latter at once drew a revolver, as
did his brother, and both fred at the same time
across the breakfast table. One of them died in
forty minutes, and the other late in the evening.
The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-08-07
London Street Accidents.

The news of a military engagement in
which 1000 of our troops had been
wounded would produce a feeling of
the deepest melancholy, but the intelli-
gence that during the last year no less
than 1861 persons have been injured
by accidents in the London streets will
be quietly accepted as a piece of curious
statistical information. To be run over
by a cab or to be knocked down by a
butchers cart affords no title to the
sympathy of your fellow-men. Such
casualties have become SO completely a
part of our daily life that they have lost
any picturesque element they might at
one time have possessed. When BIZ
cycles were first introduced, the novelty
of the danger did indeed serve for a
while to give a certain interest to street
accidents. The world was wearied of
being injured by ordinary vehicles; but
to be wounded by a bicycle was new
experience, of which numbers of persons
hastened to take advantage. Consider
ing the spirit with which these in
genious machines we're at first employed,
it is almost Disappointing to find how
small a bag the bicycle-riders have
made during the past twelve months.
They have only injured nine persons,
all told. Quite a beggarly account
compared to what a be shown by
the drivers of light carts. The enter
prising butcher-boy, according to the
Parliamentary paper, still defes all ri
valry in this particular accomplishment.
The cabman comes next in order of
merit; but it is the driver of the light
cart that has done the real execution,
and his MISUNDERSTANDING grounds
have been the outlying suburbs of Lon
don. The number of fatal accidents
mounts up to the respectable number
of 166. Of these the city claims only
nine, while Stepney heads the list with
twenty-one, and Camberwell, Hamp-
stead, Paddington and Highgate follow
in honorable competition. There is no
doubt that in the city the driver of the
light cart labors under considerable dis
advantages. The thoroughfares are 50
crowded hat he has not the means OF
getting up the speed necessary for sue
cessful adventure; and, apart from this
consideration, he suffers much from the
harassing interference of policemen
stationed at various points to regulate
the traffic. But in the suburbs he is
more his own master. The roads are
tolerably clear of other vehicles, and
hence the unwary foot passenger be.
comes inspired with sufficient con,
idence to make him an easy victim to
a really spirited dray.-Saturday Re
MEM