davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-02
STEPHENS LETTER.


The letter Of Hon. Alexander Il.
Stephens, which appeared in the
Washington Star Of Friday eyen>
ing, and to which allusion was made
in our Washington special yester>
day morning, does not foreshadow
any immediate disruption of South.
ern Bourbon ism, but it is calcus
lated to disturb the feelings Of those
who run the Democratic machine.
Stephens weighs only about ninety
pounds, but he is bigger man in
his district than the Democratic
party. 1t will be remembered that
previous to his last election he re-
fused TO be bound by the de-
crees Of caucus, and the
Democratic press generally joined
in a chorus Of condemnation.
The chairman of the Demo>
cratic Committee in his district
wrote him letter, and Stephens
came back with defiant reply, in
which he gave the machine to un>
derstand that he was candidate
with or without nomination. They
knew he meant what he said, and
dared not to make a nomination
against him. He will do the same
thing again, and he and others will
form machine around which the
Independent elements in the South
will gather when the conditions are
all complete.
But these conditions will not be
complete this year. The South
will be kept solid by
the faint hope of carrying
New York and INDIANA next
year. New York will vote for Re-
publican President and the Republi-
can West will gain representation
in Congress, while the Bourbon
South will lose. Then there will be
shaking up of these dry bones.
Democracy of the shotgun kind
will fall to pieces, sectional lines
will be obliterated and sectional
issues eschewed. The Sunny South
will shine in all its natural efful>
gence, never again to be blighted
by the dark shadows of Bourbon
ism.
Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-02

NASHVILLE and Chattanooga are
both working bard. Both Of them
want to be iron centers aud on this
sccount both Of them are striving
hard for metropolitan airs. Thus, no
sooner does Nashville have its cas- of
"oody-snatching" than Chattanooga
hunts her up one. Nashville has one
advantage. for Chattanooga, notwith.
standing all the advantages of her
situation, can't assemble as many
fools as gather biennially in the Rock
City.
Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-02
WEEKLY WING AND CHRONICLE

SUBSCRIPTIONS Tor SIX months
Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-12-02

TERMS.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

farms of the largest size, where many
hnndreds OF acres are ploughed annually,
that these large double.engine sets ii
apparatus aroused, but there are COM
penies and associations of farmers in NJ
parts Of England who own one or more
sets to be let out for hire, 80 that even a
smalf farmer MY lhxv6 iiifss 1pfUtphauts
done by steam at q cost much less than
that of doing;it by horse labor. when it
is considered that he is relieved from the
cost of maintaining his horses through
out the year. The mere matter of econ
omy; however, is q secondary. considers.
ton as compared with the quality of the
work done. The greater speed of the
am-plough gives much more thorough
pulverization and aeration to the soil,
the treading of horses feet is entirely
done away with, and the condition of the
land generally is greatly improved,
especially as the subsequent operations
may, where fields are sufficiently large,
all be done by steam-harrowing rolling
and seed drilling. Indeed, the only
drawback to this system seems to be the
very large amount of capital that il
necessary to invests pair of twenty
horsepower traction engines, an eight.
furrow plough, and 800 yards of steel
rope costing no less 1882 ($11, 960).
To give an idea Of the scale of the whole
system it may be stated that six -furrow
balance-ploug III is about thirty feet long,
and weighs over two tons. -Harper's
Magazine. ~, i;.-
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
Furnishing Prisoners With Electric
itY.

Some philosophers contend that cleo.
tricity is life, the cause of all things.
Every month or two we see that it is ap-
piled in some new way as helper of
mankind. Recently it has been used as
a pnnishment in the Ohio penitentiary,
at Columbus, and the method is thus de-
scribed: The apparatus is in a box ten
inches long, three high, and three wide,
and contains an electromagnetic. The
prisoner is taken to the ducking-box
formerly used in the insane department;
is stripped and blindfolded before COM
ing in sight of the water box, then led
around corner of the interior cell
building and put in the box handcuffed,
though not shackled at the feet. He
sits down-the room is warmth three
inches of water, in which one pole of
the battery is placed, sponge being
fastened to the other pole. While a
crank attached to the apparatus is
turned, the bare flesh of the prisoner is
touched with the sponge, and being
blindfelded he has no idea when or where
he is to be touched, and consequently is
not nerved against it. The application
often makes the convict scream, though
it does not hurt him, and has proved 50
effective as to reduce, it is said, visitors
to the room As per cent. The dungeons
in. the prison have been diminished to
five, about one convict week being sent
there. Electricity has been substituted
for the ducking,tub and the report that
prisoners exposed to it suffer more than
BY ducking is authoritatively denied.
Physicians say that it's application is
often beneficial physically.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
The Wate,lr.-.spideir,;.,

The insects that frequent the water
require predaceous. animals to keep
them within due limits as we'll as those
that inhabit, the earth; and the water
spider is one of the most remarkable
upon whom that office is devolved. To
this end her instinct ipstructs her to fab
ricate kind Of diving-bell in the bosom
Of that element; She usually selects
still waters for this purpose. Her house
is an oval cocoon, filled with air and
lined with silk, from which the threads
issue in every direction, and are fastened
to the, surrounding plants, In this CO.
coon, which is open below, she watches
for her prey, and even appears to pass
the winter, when she closes the opening.
1t ID most. commonly, yet not always,
under water; but it's inhabitant has filled
it'for her respiration, which enables her
to live in it. She conveys the air to it
IA the following manner: she usually
swims on her back, when her, abdomen
is enveloped in q bubble; of air, and ap-
pears like 4 globe of quicksilver. With
this abe enters her. cocoon, and displac-
ing an equal mass of water, again ascends
for a second lading, till she has su11i-
GENTLY filled her house with It, 80 as to
expel all water. How these little ami
mails can envelop their abdomenswith an
air bubble, and retain it till they enter
their cells, ia still one Of natures smys,
tefies that has not 'been explained. ii Il il
a wonderful provision which enables, an
animal that breathesss the atmospheric
air to fill her house with, it under water,
and by some secret art to clothe her
body with air, % with garment, which
she can put OF when It answers her pur-
pose. This il q kind Of attraction: and
repulsion that mocks all inquiries. 49,
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
That Old Coin.


Some three weeks since the Enquirer
published an account of the Fourth
National Bank of this city receiving
$40, 900 in new silver coin of half.dollaI
denominations, which had been minted
half century or more ago. At the
time but little was known about the his
tory of the coin, though many wild
guesses were made, among which was
one that it was thieves "plant" just
dug up. This, as we'll as all other theo-
ries about it, was incorrect. It is now
we'll known that the money is part of
$4,000, all in half-dollars, which two
miser bachelor brothers in northern
Pennsylvania purchased from the minis
and secretly buried. The money was
buried with mutual agreement that
neither should disclose its hiding place
while they lived. =. One of the two died,
and the secret was kept inviolate until
the second one came to his death-bed.
In his last hour he revealed the secret of
the hidden treasure to his friends. 1t
was dug up, and the sum found intact,
though the coins were rusty and needed
Furnishing. Some of them dated back
as far as 1919, and all were rough and
unworn as when they dropped from the
mint. The inheritors bargained ard
sold the coins to the Fourth National
Bank of Cincinnati ut half q cent dis
count. This is the history of the money.
They have bought some Of it at the Gus
tom house, and paid il out in change.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

S5As' We sat chatting round the tea
table, to us entered Hamed, bearing,
with honest pride illuminating his
brown features, a great tray of richly
engraved brass, heaped up with curious
but teaptiqg-loaking cakes. Gracefully
;ss enting hsztto the senora," he in
'timated tbaet this ~as1 his humble offer
ing or Christmas token of good will to-
ward the family, and that his mother
(whom the good fellow maintains out of
his modest wages) had made them with
her own hands: The cakes were made of
A6hg, thins Aiiiilfss oft The: finest paste,
plenttully sweetened with delicious
honey, twisted into quaint shapes, and
fried in the purest of oil. I need hardly
say that the children were delig hted,
and Immediately commenced to court
indigestion BY a. vigorous onslaught on
tie now and temptinE sweets Nay,
Why should I blush 10 confess thats1 my.
self have very sweet tooth in my head,
and such a liking for all things saccha-
rine that my friends say jokingly that
must be getting into my second child
hood-an imputation which, as I am
only little on the wrong side of thirty,
Lean, bear with ,equanimity. However,
l firmly decline to inform an inquisitive
public how many of those delightful
Moorish cakes ate; truth to tell, I dc
nos remember; but enjoyed them
heartily, nor found my digestion i'm
paired thereby.-London Society.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
Dean Stanley on America.

Speaking at Birmingham on the 10Th
ult., Dean Stanley expressed some
thoughts suggested by bis recent visit 70
America. He npticed in tAmericans, as
1 marked peculiarity, apparent almost
from the first, the singular buoyancy
and elasticity both of the national and
individual characters.
It might be the product of their bril-.
liant, exhilarating. inyigorating climate;
it might bottle accompaniment of the
vast horizon opened by their boundless
territory; it might be partly the youth
of the nation; but its existence was I'M
questionable. ] If at times there was
something almost Of levity in the reali-
cation with which misfortunes were
thrown off and life begun over again; if
at times the more sober part of the ma
ton was depressed by the sense of the
difficulties which they had to encoun-
ter; yet, on the whole, this spring of vi
tality, if turned to good account, must
be of inealculable virtue In this work
ing world, where the Imagination still
played so large part, and where so much
was given to confidence of victory, even
more than to victory itself. If per-
chauce the United States had too much
of it, we, it might be, had too little; and
this confide4ces of Americans in their
own political, seccledastica and social
system was a warning to us to rise above
those doleful lamentations with which
in<these dayswe oftenhesrd citizens. and
Ichurchmen, and Christi4nso Of England
despair of our country, our church and
our religion.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
The Frat Murderer.

"a star playing the guilty Thano in a
very small company, where each men,
Der had to sustain three or four different
characters. During the performance,
the man appointed to play the first MUIR
derer was taken i'll. = There was not
another to be spared, and the only
resource left was to send on supernu-
/ merary, supposed 70 be ,intelligent, st4
stand for the character. Keep close t6
the wing" said the prompter; "Il read
you the words, and you can rereat them
after me-" The scene was the banquet;
the super was pushed on, and Macbeth,
stridlng down the stage, seized his arm
and said in a stage whisper, "There's
blood upon thy face" "'Tis Banquo's,
them" was the prompt. Lost and
bewildered-having never spoken in his
ediAn's intense Jet natural tones, the
fellow, initiating them in the most conf
Dental manner, answered. is there, by
God?" put his hand up to his forehead,
and, finding it stained with rose pink,
added, "Then the property mans
served me a trickl"- Belq,av;a.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
A Tale of -Four Pins.

We find the following ROM 4ntic yarn
in a very readable letter from the Her.
AIDS Paris correspondent:
Apropos, there is breach in the win
dow of one of our best jewellers to which
q curious tale is attached. The breast
pin is mounted with great art and set
with gems. 1t is divided in four parts,
and shows four twisted, bent and blunt
ordinary pins under a transparent en-
amel. Where were those four found {?
Did they hold fchu, shawl or flower?
The poetry of the breach had to be
looked into, and the following has been
ascertained: A foreign count was years
ego one night hurried out of bed and
arrested for political offence. Ere his
dreams had been quite forgotten he was
dressed by those who had spied out his
abode and dragged him to prison. It
happened to be rather dark one. The
day after this occurrence he began to
think how terrible it would be to live
long in such location with nothing to
do, and as he thought he fumbled about
his coat pockets. While doing 80 he
discovered four pins which he had stuck
in the lining of one of his frock tails in
case he might require one. He held the
four for some moments, then flung them
right and left about his narrow cell. It
was quiet one, but, listen with all the
intensity he could, there was no way of
knowing where they had fallen. He
therefore went down on all fours and
carefully felt about, sprawling in every
direction until he had recovered them.
Then he got up and recommended scat
tering them for the sake of another ex-
citing hunt. Well, readers, this he did
six and seven times day and when be
was sleepless, for six long years. Napo.
leon III. died, then Victor Emanuel,
and the count was set at liberty. The
four pins were kept, and comtesse il
to wear the brooch they are enshrined in
This story seaches that all must take an
interest in life, and the most exciting
the best under the pressure of grief.
The comte has related that had he LOST
one of his four pins he could not have
endured captivity. Each time he flung
them about he fancied they were quite
lost, and the ardor with which he
crawled over his nude floor was equal tt
that of the chase. Books papers and
pens were denied him. :.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
Balzac's Dun ''

In recent number of the Temple Bar
there is asstory about" Balzac, which is
probably new to many readers. He was,
like Dumas, always in debt, and dread
fully worried by duns. Once, when he
had gone to bed, one OF these unpleasant
personages presented himself, and insist
ed on seeing his debtor. In vain was he
told that NJ. de Balzac was i'll, that he
was out, that he was in bed-he refused
to bulge. At last the servant, in des-
pair, told Balzac. who was down stairs,
and to his great amazement received
orders to show the importunate visitor
up. The brakeman, already q little
Modified, is ushered into the sleeping
apartment. NJ. de Balzac sits up cour-
teous1y in bed, makes his creditor a
charming bow, and inquiries to what
circumstance he may attribute the
pleasure of his early visit. Flattered
by the warmth of his reception, the
journsssewr murmurs something in which
the word ~".money", alone audible.
:" Money, my dear fellow?" cries the
man of letters, with his broad smile, full
of bonhonaie, ':smoney do you want?
Look in the rightchand drawer of the
dressing-table!" Becoming instantly
supple as a glove, the other runs to the
drawer, opens it, examines it, puts his
hand to the back--there is nothing.
'sAh," says monsieur from the bed,
perhaps the left-hand drawer" Same
scrutiny, same result. 'Or the middle
one." Still nothing. II must trouble
you to look under the dressing table,"
IN. de Balzac is SO polite it is a pleasure
to listen to him). The creditor puts his
head down-no! In this way the whole
furniture of the room is examined, and
even the chimney. =" Now" says the
author, turning sternly upon the crest:
fallen tradesman, in all the majesty of
a tasselled night:cap, eff there no money
in the left-hand drawer, or the dressing
table, nor the right-hand drawer, nor
the middle drawer, nor under it,, nor
under the bed, nor on the wardrobe, nor
up the chimney, how the devil do you
suppose I am to give you any?" With
that he lies down fat upon his back, and
the creditor departs matchmaking the
poet. -:
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
, eEl9hiQ& for. Poreiess

80 VjJlfXs - iIls iSFffN EfiuO9 Il 4
The porgy is going to claim the atten-
ton of the Maine legislature this winter.
The law passed last winter, but which
has not yet gone into effect, prohibits the
catching of psefes Dr. 1nenhadea hi Hhe
small bays, inlets harbors or rivers of the
state. The fishery lhas almost entirely
been the growth of fifteen years. The
"Association of Menhaden Oil and Gu
ano Manufacturer" compl ises eighteen
factories, employing 48 steamers and 727
men. The capital Of the association. in
factories and gear, aggregates 81 ,O83, 612;
the association also employs between
two and three hundred vessels in freight
ing oil, guano, fish and other products.
The average catch per season is 100, 900
arrQ4 I hb yesrnbite hff6 0r&05
1tlsab beSh taken within tde.( Jresotj6o4
limits, and those interested are going to
the legislature for the repeal of the law.
It is claimed, though the manufacturers
deny it, that these fish come inland to
spawn, and that SEEMING them al this
time is destructive to their young.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

Ii KwE1, Ohinaman who visited
this country during the, centennial ex-
hibition under orders from his govern
ment, and who has been for nine years
an officer of the custom house at Ningpo,
China, has written a work in four vol
umes, giving the results of his. observa-
tons here. It is, of course, in, the
Chinese language, and has, a preface
written by the Victory of tie province
in which Ningpois.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

THE milling industry of this country
is said to rank next to thatof iron. The
number of mills is over 81, 1000, affording
employ ment to over. 80, 900 men, whose
annual wages are over 100000 and
turning out yearly about $4,000, 900 bar
rels Of -four, of which 100000 are ex.
ported to foreign countries. ,''
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

A MEMPHIS paper says: "a stranger
dropping into Memphis to-day can see
no evidence of the: fearful scourge that
for three months has been destroying
our people. The streets are thronged as
of yore with bright-eyed business men,
intent on the main chance, and also with
more than the usual number Of idlers,
with nothing to do but to hold the lamp
c0sts -
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

BILLY BALLou, companion Of Mark
Twain in Nevada, and one Of the latter's
characters in roughing it, is, dead.
He was a gold adventurer in the early.
days of the Pacific coast, but usually had
bad luck, and latterly became a drunk
ard. He had a thorough education, and
was, at his best, clever writer for SAL
Francisco newspapers.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

The number of immigrants who
landed at the port of New York for the
years,ending with November 1873 was
81, 255, an increase over the number for
the preceding year of l5.l44. The i'm
migrants were principally from Ger
many, England and Ireland, although
Italy sent a very considerable number,
66l arriving in the month of November
alOne
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

NEITHER druggists nor their clerks
have any right to make a mistake and
issue laudanum for rhubarb, or any
other poison for harmless medicine.
Aud if they do, and fatal results follow
they should be deemed guilty of man
slaughter, and punished accordingly.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
"A. 6abstitate f>1s Keeosere-,


Charlie, Longly, Of Nieho laayills, X, At
tempted to light l6re With .esosl 81 lamp
when the lamp exploded, fatally burning
himself and one child, seriously sinjuring
another and completely, destroying the
DWELLING " IAE~z ~ 81 - -,
| At village called Cardsville, in Mercer
county, Kentucky, on the night. Of the 2sth
ult, Mrs. Dickerson, in attempting to light
. fire which she had kindled, seisedta key
containing splas blasting powdsE and threw
q handful onethe fire. The flash reached
the keg and tremendous expaosion follow.
ed snveloping her in q Sheet, fame. M.
was 20 badly burn1d sae hit sykesx
Three Of her . childrtai, E g { 8
In the room a. the timS 0istho Gtpal
weEe also ysit5 Az buinssa a. sst q !!
Ire not l6po6t6A 70 live, raiswss
9 = skzE xSxd1t4.a8.S----- 10 f@SEg ~ -
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

A CORRESPONDENT says that, instead
of Maine being lavish in her school ex-
penditures, she stands thirtieth from the
top in the pay of male teachers, and the
lowest of all in the pay of female teach
ers-$4:90 per month lower than any
state or territory, and 1896 per month
lower than the Choctaws pay their
teachers. Twenty-Five states and terri
tories pay more per scholar for education
than Maine, and but five less.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09
WILL AND LAW.
HBAYARD TAYLOR.

t.FT
Will. Al bis hwless mtrth,
Cried whine be the sphere of earth
Nine bGfhe hills and seas.
hight cllm sql morning breeze,
Swallowed and sdn-lit hOuHD,
Passions, delights, and powers,
Each IN ~ turn hpo0Qszrs-sxH.sssss..-s-ss.
All to reject or use
Thus myself TO fulfill, =.
For am Will"
Nature, with myriad mouth,
Answered from north and south
? :" Back to thy nest again,
Dream OF the idle brainl
Eyes shall open, and see
Power attained through me:
Mine the increasing days,
Mine the delight that stays,
Service from each to draw
For am LaWi"
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

MA1N1's once prominent industry,
ship building. gives employment to a
constantly decreasingnumber of persons,
nothalf~the work havingbeen done in the
season just closing that: was done in the
previous year. Indeed, only eleven ships
were built in the state and of the ninety
six vessals constructed, the average ton
mage was only 425, or, taking out the
ships less than 300.,c The prospect is that
less shiPbuilding will be done in 1879
than in any single year in the last thirty.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

REPoRTs. concerning the winter
wheat ont look throughout the north
west are generally of an encouraging
character. In many localities the acre
age has been reduced by reason of the
unusuaks drought which has prevailed
during the fall months, while in others
tho acreage has been largely increased,
ane prospects, are good for an abundant
crop.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-01-09

THERE is fierce war wa,ging between
the red-tape and elastic bands in the
British government stationery Office.
line comptroller declared war against
the use of the elastic bands in the gov-
eminent Offices, and this led to COM
Plete revolt in the foreign office. Lord
Salisbury, heartily taking up thu; e. cause
OF the officials, has written dispatch to
the treasury ON the subject, in Which he
declares that, if he cannot be supplied
with elastic strips, he must take on an:
other clerk to assist in tying, up official
papers. ~. -