davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
The Manatee.

There are at present in Key West, Florida, @ male and female manatee, or sea COW, the finest specimens ever cap- tured. They were taken by means of huge nets constructed specially for the purpose, which were spread in one of the small rivers emptying into the gulf upon the coast of Florida. The parties making the capture took the nnwieldly animals to Key West, and sold them to a company of local capitalists formed fol the occasion. They are now held at $1o,oO0, and will probably go to the Geological Gardens in London. The only other capture of live manatee took place a few years ago in South Florida. That animal was male, and was purchased and placed upon exhibi tion in New York.
 The manatee is of the seal species, and has face and mouth exactly like that of COW. The female has breasts like those of woman. They have q fipper under each foreshoulder, and their tail is fan-shaped, like a crawfsh.  Although living in the water, they are compelled to come up and blow ire. quently, the blow-pipe valve being Q very curiously constructed apparatus, attached to the nose and upper lip.
 The animals are very tame and harm less, but of such remarkable strength that it is very difficult to capture them, especially as their sense of hearing is very acute. When being approached in stream or shallow creek, they plunge down to the bottom and stir up the mud in their mad flight forward, in such 6 way that the pursuers cannot detect when the COW has cunningly doubled upon its track and has gone speeding down the stream again.
 The weight of the male of this cap ture is about twelve hundred pounds and that of the female about seven hun. dred and fifty. They mako noise almost akin to puppies whining wher approached by their keepers. Theil hides are very thick and so remarkably tough that walking canes are made from them
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
A Case in Court.

The trial of the damage case of Mrs. Clara Brady against the city of St. Louis was concluded recently. The lady sued for $15,O damages for bodily iniuri s received by her falling into hole in a street bridge, at night. The defense proved that the hole which occasioned the damage was very small one, being only three inches wide by twelve inches long. The plaintiff had testified that she stepped into the hole and sank up to her knee, receiving abrasions of the skin and crippling her arm. A doubt was raised in the minds of the jury as to whether lady with medium sized foot and ankle could sink so far into so small hole. Ladies of the Cinderella pattern have very small feet, but as Mrs.
 Brady's foot had not been exhibited in evidence, how could the jury tell whether she wore No. 6s or No. 16s? The plain tiff's attorney saw that he had 8 very small hole to crawl out of, but he was equal to the emergency. He procured a 12-inch rule of standard gauge and pro- ceeded to measure his clients foot in presence of the jury. He showed that the foot was just 2 inches wide at the broadest part, and not over eight inches in length with the shoe on: He went no further, but the jury was satisfied that the foot was smaller than the hole in the bridge, and they gave verdict fo1 the plaintiff in the sum of $1 ,000.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
DIDN'T LOSE ANYTHING.

Confederate Barker arose to @ ques- tion of privilege. A few days ago he was working in the eastern part of the city with @ man who was fatally injured. He saw the whole transaction and knew all the particulars, and yet when the coroner's jury was made up he was ignored because of his color. He felt slighted and indignant, and he hoped the club would not overlook the insult.
 "Brudder Barker, you didn't lose nothin'," replied the President. "It was compliment to yer intelligence to ignore. you. De average coroner's jury am composed of two loafers, three old buns an fule, an dey would have in- sisted dat you war de fule You haven't got any case, sah, an de meetin' will now be declared split up" ."-Detroit FTee Press.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
After the Beetles.

Sir John Lubbock has made dis covery which may turn out of some i'm portance to our Western farmers. In the neighborhood of the site of ancient Troy Sir John has come across beetle whose mission it seems to be to destroy locusts by consuming their eggs. Even before they arrive at the dignity of full blown beetles, while in the grub stage of their development, they begin their attack on the unhatched young of the "winged destroyer" The voracity of the Lubbock beetle is said to be -ex- traordinary, and some of them seem to be able to destroy the whole crop oi hoppers," and have actually done SC in certain parts of Asia Minor this season.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
Curi0sities of KleptOmania.
A SINGULAR MANIA THAT CONTROLS soMF
 PEOPLE.

Some curious cases of kleptomania are mentioned in Chanabers's Journal: "A lady was affected with this mania so strongly that, upon her trial for theft, she stated that she had such mad longing to possess herself of everything she saw that if she were at church she could not refrain from stealing from the altar. Dr. Rush, the American physician, informs us that 8 woman who was exemplary in her obedience to the moral law except the Eighth Com mandment, was so addicted to larceny that, when she could take nothing more valuable, she would often at the table of friend secretly fill her pockets with bread. Lavater also states that doc tor of medicine could not leave his patients rooms without taking some thing away unobserved; and his wife searched his pockets and returned to their owners the knives, thimbles, scis- sors, etc. which her husband abstracted. The wife of another physician had so strong 8 propensity to steal that on making purchases she endeavored to Jake something away that did not belong tG her and two German countesses ap- psar to have been guilty of the same vice. The almoner of regiment of Prussian cuirassiers, a well-educated man, frequently on parade stole the handkerchiefs of the officers and one unfortunate man was so far under the influence of kleptomania that, being nigh unto death, he actually secreted the snuffbox of his confessor.
 "As to modern instances of this spe- cies of insanity, we knew a parish cler- gyman who stole every article he could I lay his hands on. If out at dinner he pocketed scraps of bread, table napkins or anything. When lodging at hotels he carried off pieces of soap and the ends of candles from his bedroom. His lar cenies became so notorious that he was ultimately brought before the Church courts and turned dout of his living.
 "Dr. Gall mentions an instance of two citizens of Vienna who on becoming insane were we'll known in the hospital for ali extraordinary propensity to steal, although they had before lived ire proachable lives. They wandered about from morning to night and picked uI whatever they could lay their hands on, which they carefully hid in their rooms. Abnormal conformations of the head ac companied with an imbecile understand ing are often the cause of kleptomania Gall and Spurzheim saw in Bern prisor 8 boy twelve years old, who is described as ill organized and riekety, who could never avoid stealing. An commissarJ of police at Toulouse was condemned tt eight years impris onn1ent and hardlabos and to the pillory for having stole1 some plate while in office. He did no deny the crime, but persisted to the las in singular kind of defence He at tributed the crime to mental derange ment caused by wounds he had received at Marseilles ill 1915."
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
A Touching Scene.

A CONVICT, FOUND TO HAVE BEEN UNJUST LY CONDEMNED, IS RELEASED FROM PRISON. .s- .... 5s ..-.
 A gentleman, who chanced to travel over the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincin- nai and Indianapolis Railroad, from Cincinnati, relates an incident occurring on the train that created feeling of sympathy for one poor fellow. The passengers had noticed an intelligent, pale-faced man sitting near window in the forward end of the car. They also perceived that his attention was fixed on the objects appearing and reappearing along the route, and that occasionally he laughed heartily, seemingly uncon- scious of the existence of others than himself in the car. Another glance would result in seeing tears rolling down his cheeks, but this manifestation of grief would soon retire to give room for more smiles. The pas. sengers all noted these displays or emo. tion, and exchanged remarks concerning them. One thought that the man was insane, another that some terrible griei thad fallen upon him, while others de. clared that the man possessed heart too full for utterance.
 When near Cleveland the stranger be gan to be aware that he was an object o1 conjecture among the other passengers. and at last came away from his seat drew carefully folded document from his pocket, and stood in the aisle witt tears streaming down his cheeks.
 "What disturbs you, my friend ?'' in quired gentleman, in 8 kind tone.
 Gentlemen" said the stranger, his voice choking with emotion, "that i' my pardon. God knows yesterday wal 8 day of thanksgiving to me p
 It was discovered that he had been , convict in the penitentiary, and on th' previous day had received papers o freedom from Governor Foster. Nor, than that, it was shown that his i'm prisonment had been unjust that tn crime which caused his sentence hat been cleared up, thus removing dis gracing suspicion from his life.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
The Lightning-Rod SwindIer.

One of these fellows met with an un- looked-for set back in Willimantic. A ightningrod man had persuaded. the owner to let him take down the rod that was on his house and put the new patent lightning in it's place. He would do it, he said, if he could have the old rod, without any other pay. That seemed reasonable and safe; and the house. owner, who was in hurry to catch a railroad train, told him to go ahead.
 On returning, day or two later, to his once happy home, he was astonished at the bristling aspect of things general ly. But he was more astonished, when week or two later, other parties ap. peared on the scene with bill of just 1851. .624 for these lightning-rods.
 The owner of the house waxed wroth, and said he never would pay it. He was answered that he must-that if he re- fused, they would take down all the lightning rods, and thus leave his prem. ises to the mercy of the bolts of heaven artillery. As the first man had come and gone, and carried off the old rod with him, the house. owner was in doubt what to do. .'
 He went to we'll known Willimantic lawyer for consultation. -.
 "Did anybody hear you make the agreement ?" asked the lawyer.
 "Yes, my wife, for one-and believe another member of the family"
 "Now," said the lawyer, "have yor double barreled gun?''
 "I have.' ......
 "Where are these lightning rod men ?
 "Why, they are up there, now, at my house, and I'm afraid they'll go at i and take down the rods now, before get back. ...
 "Don't you be alarmed. Just g home, load both barrels of your gun with shot, and tell these fellows tha the first one who lays a hand on you house, or touches your lightning rods shall get the contents of that gun P
 The advice was accepted. The gul was loaded, and brought out-and tn lightning caleulators, who were waitin, their victims return and decision, wer mortified at the cool, quiet, but firm an nouncement that as soon as they bega, operations, the owner of the gun woul also begin. The two muzzles alread covered the situation, and the two cal culators prudently beat nasty retreat and have not been heard of since.- Hartford 2Snaes.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15

THE CENSUS D1D IT.-Among the curiosities of the census, which has de- veloped no end of curious things, is Q native of Arkansas who was never twen- ty miles from his birthplace, and never saw locomotive, yet is still citizen of France, having been born in Arkansas three years before the cession of that territory to the United States. Another curiosity is an Alabama giant, only twelve years of age, who weighs 3S0 pounds and is six feet in height, while both his parents are of medium size, Fulton county. Georgia, furnishes, in the person of Miss Layinia Cobb, @ lady who has seen her five score years and ten. Missouri has veteran who was born in 1776.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
Did Not Enjoy Christmas.

Oh but he was tight-fsted hand at the grindstone. Scrooge A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutch ing, covetous old sinner! The cold within him froze his old features, nipped 5his pointed nose, shriyeled his cheek !; made his eyes red, his lips blue, and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. He carried his low temperature always about with him; he iced his office in dog days and didn't thaw it one degree at Christmas.
 Once upon time, old Scrooge sat busy in his counting -house. He could hear the people in the court outside go wheezing up and down, stamping their feet upon the pavement stones to warm them. The fog came pouring in at every chink and keyhole, and was so dense without that the houses opposite were mere phantoms.
 "A merry Christmas, uncle! God save you p cried cheerful voice.
 ".Bah!' said Scrooge. "Humbug! Y
 "Christmas humbug, uncle! You don't mean that, am sure P
 "Ido," said Scrooge. Merry Christ mas What right have you to be merry You're poor enough" ---..... T
 "Come, then," returned the nephew, ''what right have you to be dismal You're rich enough.''
 "What else can be when I live in such 8 world of fools as this Out upon merry Christmas If could wish my will every idiot who goes about with Merry Christmas on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with stake of holly run through his heart. Keep Christmas in your own way and let me keep it in mine. "-Dicke'as.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
RING OUT THE OLD, RING IN
 THE NEW. ...


 Ring out wild bells to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light; The year is dying in the night Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, Ring in the new Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Rlng out the false, ring in the true. Ring out the grief that saps the mind, For those that here we see no more, Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in reoress to all mankind. Ring out slowly dying cause, And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws. Ring out the want, the care, the sin, The faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes, But ring the fuller minstrel in. Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic islander and the spite Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in the common love of good. Ring out old shapes of foul disease, - Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand wars of peace Ring in the valiant man and free, The larger heart the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land Ring in the Christ that is to.
 ALFRED TENNYsoN.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
A Cold Bite.

During the recent cold snap at Wilkesbarrc, Pa, 8 fifteen-year-old girl named Fuller was attracted by the white frost on 8 lamp-post, and began wiping it off with her gloves. Then she breathed on it, and tiny bits of frost were formed. After 8 good deal of breathing and wiping, she undertook to lick 8 portion of the frost from the iron. But no sooner did her tongue touch the post than it stuck fast-so fast that she could not withdraw it, and she could neither call for assistance nor extricate herself. At length two men came to her assistance and endeavored to free her from her imprisonment by pouring hot water on the post near where the tongue was fast. Instead of loosening it the water made it stick still faster. Two small chips were then wedged between tongue and post on either side until the tongue was freed. ! The girl has been under medical treat ment ever since, and is said to be slow ly improving.
 Our IN the mines they shoot man who refuses to drink his soup straight
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15

Tow1Na.- are used in France on canal towpaths. They weigh less than five tons, are easily managed by one man, and draw loaded boats at 8 more rapid speed than the pace of 8 horse. Empty boats are drawn at tine rate of six miles an hour. A greater speed would damage the canal banks. and is prohibited.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15

NAMEs.-The idea which Mrs. Cad Stanton promulgated in a recent card that married women should retain the fathers name, affixing the husbands to it, would be more readily accepted if parents made custom of giving Q daughter but a single name, so that she need not carry around whole alphabet of initials in retaining her own family name
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
BRO. GARDNER's LIME-KILN CLUB,
A Grocery Discussion-A Mule Cues.
 70. tion, Etc.

"Will Notification Jones and Tele- graph Smith please fur to step dis way P asked Brother Gardner, as the meeting opened. .. .... ........ -,..... I The parties named shuffled forward, tbeir countenances betraying great sur prise, and as they stood before him the l old man said: -.....s
 "Las' nite you two members war in a grocery on Antoine street. You went in dar' de bes' of friends, an you felt all right till white man in dar happened to menshun about de Children of Israel marchin' frew de Red Sea. Dat started discusshun, an in ten minits de grocer had to frow you boaf out. Am erect about all dis ?''
 Both scratched their heads and re- mained silent. -. a
 "I shall not ax if he have any de- fense,'' replied the President. "It was none O yer bizness, in de fust place, to discuss de Bible; you war fules, in de mex place, fur gittin' mad ober de dis cushun. What do either one of ye know bout de chill'en of Israel? When did either one of you behold the Red Sea p 1 Neither answered.
 "Here ye am, poo an ignorant, not able to read or write, an ye stan an dis pute bout sunthin' dat de very wisest men am not able to decide on. Jist fink of de ideah of men not able to read or write criticizin' de work of inspired writers If dat isn't cheek den it's lu- macy. Now you two pussons take yer seats, an if eber I know of yer dis putin de Bible, de dickshunary, de hymn book or de school reader I'll see dat you am bounced outer dis club We will now assimilate to de usual order O bizness."
 | NOT VERY BRoTHERLY.
 Hosannah Garter, an honorary mem Der living in Oxford, Ind, forwarded a complaint to the effect that he lately traded mules with brother member ot the club, and, relying upon the natural bond between them, he had been care less about looking the other animal over. When too late he discovered that his new mule was deaf, blind and spavined, and the brother refused to make amends. He wanted to know what Brother Gard her would do in a case like that.
 "I admit dat sich conduct am noi werry brotherly," saId the old man, as he rose up, but my 'sperience in dis life has taught me dat de man who swaps mules with his eyes shet am sar. tin to git de wust of it. BrudderlJ feelin' goes a good ways in case of sick. ness or want or death, but it seldom reaches down to ahoss-trade. If war buyin' a mule of a man had knowed al my life should begin at de hoofs an look dat animile ober cla'r up to de pin of his nose. I shouldn't spect him te tell me dat he had filed down any tee or puttied ober any hoof-cracks. My edvice to de Hoosier brudder am not tt lie or deceive in tradin' mules, but tt answer as few queshuns as he kin an seem sort O keerIess whedder his offe, am 'cepted or not"
 1 THE GLEE CLUB.
 . The leader of the Glee Club the1 gracefully removed the red woolen ras from his throat and gave the signal tt smash the following little poem com | L. T..
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15

A TELEPHONE manager says that in- strument is stlll in it's infancy. We don't bel eve it, as it never makes any noise,
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15

TIE pit and slavery are oftentimes roads to the throne.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
Connecticut Western News.
 PuBLIsHED AT 1. CANAAN, tITCHFIELD c0uRTY, CT. EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING. J. B. HARDENBERGH, Editor and Prop,r. Local News q Speciality.

TERMS:
 Sl.oo PER YEAR, if paid strictly in advance. 1T not paid at the expiration of three months; S2. win Dc charged. - '-'>' cuoscrpers desiring their papers discontinued must give notice at the EXPIRATION of their su0scrlptions, any previous notice not being sainclent; and unless all arrearages are paid, papers will not then be discontinued save af the option of the publisher
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15

Our IN the mines they shoot 8 man who refuses U drink his soup straight from the plate.
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15
THE GLEE CLUB

The leader of the Glee Club then gracefully removed the red woolen rag from his throat and gave the signal to smash the following little poem com posed by Elder Syndicate Crocuss
Connecticut western news., 1880-12-15

The firm is Bullion & Hathaway now, the junior partner having married the seniors daughter. John Hornsey is their lawyer, man much respected in the profession. Hal Trevor is just begin ming to make stir as 8 fashionable phvsician
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-03-03
Ideal Domestic Help"

The Kitchen Garden, as it is called
is a new idea in social science which
promises to become an important factor
in domestic economy. Briefly described
1t is the systematic and thorough TRAINING
of young children in all the arts of the
kitchen and household, so as to fit them
for domestic service as a livelihood. if ne
cessity should oblige them, or to conduct
and superintend their own domestic es-
adjustments. The idea is an outprowtb
of the kindergarten system but whether
or not the credit of its invention BELONGS
to the land which gave birth to Frobeli's
method, or whether it is Yankee notion
is a question which does not appear to be
definitely settled. Be that as it NAV. If
loves its origin to the difficulty which al
most every housewife in New York has
experienced-th difficulty in obtaining
competent help in the kitchen. This
problem it seeks to solve by the TRAINING
Of children for household work. An ex7
hibition of the practical working of the
Kitchen Garden was given last evening
in the Sunday School room of the Collie
giate church, Fifth avenue and Twenty
ninth street. The senior class of the De
witt chapel the mission attached 10 the
church, were put through their PAGES in
the new system. There were some thirty
girls, of from ten to fifteen years of age
and they were examined in every depart
ment OF household duty, from scrubbine
the floor to serving a four-course dinner,
giving practical illustrations wherever
possible. Everything was done in con
cert to the rhythemic measures of lively
music and the exhibition was very inter
esting and satisfactory.
About sixty children in the mission
school are being taught in the Kitchen
Garden class by Misses Whitfield, Perlee
and Dodd three young ladies of the
church. Last nights exhibition was Of
the senior class composed Of the older
girls. 1t was witnessed by crowded
and interested assemblage. The class
were provided with buckets, brooms.
sc?rubbing brushes, dishes and table ser
wee, and all the paraphernalia of the
kitchen, dining room, and laundry With
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-03-03

lNDl1EoIloN AND COSTIVENFS5S ENTIRELY
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