davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
HlusiVe Visions.

On the occasion of the fire which de-
stroyed part of the London Crystal Pal
ace in the winter of 1861, part of the
menagerie had been sacrificed to the
flames. The chimpanzee, however, was
believed to have escaped from his cage,
and was presently seen on the roof en-
deavOring to save himself by clutching
in wild despair one of the iron beams
which the fire had spared. The strug-
giles of the animal were watched with
an intense curiosity, mingled with hor-
ror and sympathy for the supposed fate
which awaited the unfortunate monkey.
What was the surprise of the spectators
of an imminent tragedy to find that the
object which in the guise of a terrified
ape had excited their fears resolve IL
self into a piece of canvas blind, so tat
tered, that to the eye of the imagination
and when moved by the wind, it pre-
scented the exact counterpart of strug-
Cling ANIMAL Such an example is of
especial interest, because it proves to
us that not one person alone, but large
number of spectators may be deceived
by an object imperfectly seen-and
dluCu III luO W NAhANA
tion-into fancying all the details OF a
spectacle of which the chief actor is en-
tirely a myth. A singular case has
been given on strict medical authority
of a lady who, walking from Penrhyn to
FalmOuth-her mind being occupied
with the subject of drinking fountains
was certain she saw in the road new
ly-erected fountain, bearing the inscrip-
ton: IF any man thirst, let him come
unto me and drink" As a matter of
course, she mentioned her interest in
seeing such an erection to the daughters
of the gentleman who was supposed to
have placed the fountain in its position.
They assured her that no such fountain
was in existence; but, convinced of the
reality of her senses, on the ground that
seeing is believing" she repaired to
the spot where she had seen the fount-
ain, only to find, however, few scat
tered stones in place of the expected
erection Chambers Journal.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
A BicycIist's Misadyenture.

Lured on by the Establishments of the
circular sent him from a Boston house
in which the beauties and advantages
of the "uoiseless steed' were extolled
in lofty terms, he invested 800 in a
bicycle, and proudly wheeled the I'M
manageable thing into a back lot and
afterwards into an unused hall 'to get
his bearings 1t bore down on him
pretty hard for a while, but after re-
ceiving innumerable ''headers," in
which the small wheel invariably land
ed on top, he finally essayed to appear
in public and wheeled through the
streets as gracefully as a kangaroo, to
the imminent danger of pedestrians and
baby carriages. He moved so noise
lessly that spectators remarked he bad
his rubbers on and nervous females
seemed possessed to step both ways at
once in endeavoring to avoid collisions.
1t was fun, and he felt as happy as q
big sunhower until an unforeseen calami-
ty drove the smile of contentment from
his countenance never to return again.
In the distance Che was not near
sighted) he espied fashionably attired
young lady approaching who proved to
be very particular friend. Increas-
ing his knee action, he rapidly lessened
the distance between them, until he
was ready to glide by without touching
the hem of her garment, when he at
tempted to doff his chapeau after the
most approved Broadway style. In
lucky bicyler! In his anxiety to do the
proper caper he forgot he would be
obliged to let go the handles with one
hand and the consequences were most
lamentable. The unreliable steed veered
to one side and collided violently with a
shade tree. The hapless mortal per-
formed the double somerset act and
was actually thrown so high and so
hard that his heel was driven into the
crotch of the tree, between a limb and
the trunk, where he hung suspended in
midair while the machine looked ike a
figure in the gutter. He did not hang
long in suspense, however, for as luck
would have it his boots were slightly
large for him. and the tree serving as a
boOt-iack his own avoirdupois soon
pulled the boot off and he fell to the
ground. Auburn IN. ~ Advertiser.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
A Rattlesnake Story.

The truth of the following wonderful
snake story is youched for by Thomas
G. Smith, who received the statement
from his daughter, Mrs. Gardner, who
resides at Columbia Hill. Last week a
daughter of Mrs. Pickle, who resides a
few miles from Columbia Hill, in pass
ing along the ditch of the Eureka Lake
Company, near that place, came across
a tin can on the bank of the ditch, which
had been used by Mr.. Gardner, the
diUch-tender, as a drinking cup. The
girl, only thirteen years of age, picked
up the can, and, looking into it, discov-
cred large rattlesnake coiled up at the
bottom of the can. Nothing frightened,
she determined to capture his snakeship
and carry it home, and with this pur-
pose in view she went off a short dis
lance and procured hammer, and then
returned to the spot where she had
placed the can. She then, with the
hammer, battered in the sides of the
can IN such a manner as to prevent the
snake from escaping. She then picked
up the can and carried it, with its con-
tents, 20 the residence of Mrs. Gardner,
nearly mile distant, and called Mrs.
Gardner out to see her pet. Mrs. Gard
ner, upon being informed of the con-
tents, begged the girl not to open it
there, but she persisted in doing so, but
at the urgent request of Mrs. Gardner
she consented to cut off the head of the
snake with an AK on his attempting to
escape from the can. The ak was pro-
cured and with it she pried open the
can, and when the snake crept out she
deliberately cut its head off with the AK.
The snake was large one and con-
tanned ten rattles, North San Juan
(CdL. Times.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

the pleasant shock, and diffuse it to the
remotest point in the intricate network
Of veins and nerves. -
Of course loose dressing of the neck
and wrists is essential to GOODNESS. Soft
ruffies are better than stiff linen, which
often binds like bandage. Under-gar-
ments should be made in one, if posi-
bic, to eoualize the covering of the body.
Doubtless we invite those Z" Pushes of
heat which are most grievous to en-
dure. by our own heedlessness. We 90
out when by good management we
might stay IN. We walk when by con-
trivance we might ride. And we move
at the same pace that we keep at mid
winter, when the air is crisp with oxy-
gen, and motion is a delight. We do
not even cross the street to the shady
side, thinking it too much trouble if we
have not far to 90.
But if we have tropical conditions, we
must, to some extent, adopt tropical
habits, or perish in the attempt to adapt
our polar instincts to our equatorial
state. 1t is not laziness, it is wisdom,
TO tighten summer work as much as
possible, to do what must be done early
or late. but not when it can be avoided,
at midday. to saunter where we are
prone to rush, and to rest whenever we
can. With fruit, a bath-tub, aIr UNI
brella, fan and judgment, life may be
made endurable in the summer sOlstice,
even on the fortieth parallel of north
latitude, and in the temperate zone.
HnrDpy'S R1znr
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
The Pleasures Of the Andes.

The leaves cut like razorS and their
points pierce like needles. The mount
aims hereabouts are everywhere satur-
ated like sponges, through the incessant
rains, and for days we waded rather
than walked over them. The puma,
tapir and bears are common around
Saraurcu and their tracks are very nu-
merous. | saw one magnificent bear
crashing through the cane as though it
quite enjoyed it and others of my party
saw tapirs. One morning we found
puma-tracks round our tent, but we did
not see the brute.
Wild savage cattle are also numerous
around Sarau-cu and are sometimes of
great size and power. They are es-
capped cattle or the descendants of es-
capped cattle, from the farms around
Cayambe and are sometimes very fero-
cious. There were two immense bulls
that we saw several times, which trOtted
about at an amazing pace and took
leaps ike chamOis j. A. Carrel was
out one day trying to do little bit of
exploration and was attacked from the
rear by these beasts. He was looking
over a precipice, peering into the fog,
when hearing some noise behind he
turned round and saw them approach
ing from opposite directions with low
cred heads, ready to give him lift
over. He bolted up a little peak, with
both close in pursuit and they kept
him prisoner for, think, a couple of
hours. Whenever he tried to escape
they rushed at him, but at last he sue
ceeded by feint in enticing them both
to the same side and scrambled down
the other and outwitted them.-E.
Whympcr'S Letter, IN London Spectator.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
An Eagle That Rides Dogs.

Some three months ago, while hunt
inc in the mountains caste the Twelve
mile House, Mr.. Burlington captured
young American eagle. At the time
the bird was quite small and from ap-
pearances but few weeks old. Mr..
Burlington has his pet confined in the
yard back of his shop, and many and
curious monkey-shines INDUCED in by
the mountain bird are really amusing.
Measuring some eight feet from tip to
tip and weighing forty pounds, with
talons three inches in length, there is
but small chance for,any dogs residing
in the neighborhood. For as sure as
canine makes his appearance the eagle
spreads his heavy wings and with loud
scream he lights upon the back of the
terror-stricken dog. The scene. that
follows is one of great interest. The
dog, without further notice, darts
through the side gate and out into the
street, with the eagle attached to his
back, and that, too, in manner to stay.
Down the street he goes at break-neck
speed. At a distance of about two
blocks the eagle bids the dog an afes-
tionate adieu and quietly returns, as
though nothing had happened. The
same experiment is gone through with
whenever the dog can be procured. 1t
does not seem necessary to remark that
dogs of any description are seldom seen
in that part of town, and the same dog
never more than once. 1t would be a
blessing to our city if we had one such
bird on each block. 1t would save
our pound master much unnecessary
trouble.-Sdqg Jose (CGI.) Mercury.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
Production OF Soda.

The production of alkali, 1. e., soda,
from the ashes of sea-weeds and of the
plant Salsola soda is of high antiquity,
but the manufacture Of it from common
salt is of recent date. This process
divides itself into three branches: The
conversion of common salt Chloride OF
sodium) into sulphate of soda; the de-
composition of this sulphate into crude
soda (called black balls); and the puri-
fication of these balls into dry white or
into crystalline Soda These, processes
may appear simple enough, and to many
persons the extensive works which exist
on the banks of the Tyne, the Mersey,
and in the Vale of Clyde, must appear
extravagant mysteries When, how
ever, we learn that the raw materials
consumed have an annual value of more
than e., OO0,0 and that the value Of
the manufactured article, approaches
to nearly $4,000, 900, and that the in
dustry affords employment to upward
of 10000 workmen, the Importance OF
this trade becomes apparent, More
than 5000 tons of common salt are de-
composed weekly, and about 1000 tons
of sulphuric acid are necessary to con-
vert this into sulphate OF, soda. This is
obtained by decomposing another natu-
raj product, iron pyrites-a combina-
ton of sulphur and iron-a mineral
which is imported from Spain, Portugal
and Norway to the extent of more than
600. 900 tons yearly, and cur native
mines add about 80, 900 tons to this
uuantity.-LOnCLOJl Atben6yltn1. .....
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
The BuOyancy OF Water.

Another terrible steamboat slaughter!
Presence of mind and slight knOwl-
edge of the specific gravity of the hui
man body, would have saved much of
this frightful loss of life. There was
loose wood enough about the boat to
have floated ten times the number of
passengers on the Inflated vessel, if it
had been used with judgment. The
human body weighs about a pound in
the water and single chair will carry
two grown persons. That is, it would
keep their heads above water, which is
all that is necessary when it is ques-
ton of life or death. The burning YES
sci was close to shore, the water was
calm and warm and all of these passen-
gers might easily have jumped over
board and padded laughing ashore, if
they had only possessed and used the
simple knowledge that one finger placed
upon stool, or chair, or small box,
or piece of board, would easily keep
the head above water, while the two
feet and the other hand might be used
as paddles to propel towards the shore.
1t is not at all necessary to know how
to swim to be able to keep from drown
inc in this way. 4 little experience OF
the buoyant power of matter, and faith
in it, is all that is required. We have
seen small boy who could not swim a
,lroke propel himself back and forth
across a deep, wide pond by means of a
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
Extravaganza in Flowers.

The flower business in this city, says
the San Francisco Chronicle, is no small
item in the commercial world. After
an interview with six leading florists and
a comparison of opinions, it would seem
that in San Francisco the sales made at
the floral depots and by the street vend-
ers, at the nurseries and in the public
markets, vegetable shops and fruit
stands, amount annually to $3.50, 900.
There are at present in San Francisco
| over three hundred persons engaged in
cultivating, arranging and selling flow
ers, and there are three firms who are
engaged in nothing else but making
wire designs for the florists. These de-
signs consist of horseshoes, marriage
bells, harps, hearts, crosses, pillows,
pillars, columns, monuments, lOcOmo-
tives, ships, horns of plenty, stars,
doves, butterflies, anchors, lettering
and almost everything else that can be
imagined.
You must make an immense profit
on your sales" said the reporter to one
florist.
" Not so much as one would imagine, !"
answered the florist, and picking up a
bouquet he pointed to it, saying: . This
is sold for $40, but the paper holder on
it is worth IS alone. Besides there is
the most, for which we pay about so a
year. Then there is the tinfoil, which
costs us 80 or S12 per annum, and oil
cloth for lining amounts to nearly $50.
Then there is the wire for wrapping,
say 80. Thread will cost $40. And
even envelopes and cards must be taken
into consideration"
" Envelopes and cards are a small
ITEM" suggested the req orter.
"NOt at all, " said the florist. ''Why,
sometimes have seen a customer spoil
dozen or more cards before one was
directed satisfactorily, and L have no.
ticed it more especially where a gentle
man is sending a Gift for the first time.
He sometimes will betray more confu-
sion than a school girl
Reporter-And how about the ladies'?
" They generally show less embar-
rassment, although lady did come in
here yesterday and wasted fourteen
cards before she got one to suit her.
She was sending it to a gentleman and
at first she put on only his initials; then
she concluded to write the full name;
next she thought it would look nicer
written in French; then she went back
to English writing, but directed it to the
wrong hotel. At last she concluded to
address it only to the number of his
room at the Palace"
Reporter-Where do you get this
beautiful moss?
well, some comes from trees at San
Rafael and Saucelito, and much from
the rocks and trees at Monterey, where
many of the Spanish people make their
living by picking it. The greater por-
ton, however, comes from Oregon and
the Russian river" .... ..f
"What is the lowest and highest price
of your bOuquets?' again queried the
reporter.
% Our hand bouquets range all along
from five cents to twenty dollars. After
that price they take the form of designs
and are all the way from one dollar for
a star such as this pointing to floral
star which was just being taken out of
the shop" up to hundred and fifty
dollars, which would be asked for that
stand there, seven feet high, if it were
decorated"
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
FIR nonng Beaders.
BIDDY RED WING S NEST

BIDDY RED WING NEST.
Twas little Bidiy RedW Wing
That wanted 4 new neSts----
And, while she was about il,
She meant 10 have the best! --sa
So sunday morning. early
The church-doOrs open wide,
Came pretty Biddy Rci-Wiug
And put her head inside; F.-
Straight up the aisle she tip-tOed,
And, far from noisy fiocks,
She softly laid nest-egg in
The coltribution-GOXl
At length the bells stopped ringing;
The preacher rose to pray;
When, up sprang Biddy Red-Wing, too,
And cackled forth her lay!
"Cut-cut! cut-cut, cut dG,-cutr'
Right ont in meeting. TOO, I'D Il
Nor would her voice be silcnCcd 49, 90.
Till she had said il through.
She had done a,l a fowl could do,
This noisy lit-lc hen.
To help the cause! and earned her right
To tell IL there and them - v-
And down the aisle, end to the door,
She proudly cackled. while
A deacon passed the box around
To cover w the smilel
And everybody something found
In POCKET. purse or vest,
To lay beside the neSt-egg there,
In BiGdy Rei-WinE's nest.
$ c. stone, IN fOUthS COmpdHiOn-
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
Wind.POWerS.

In a section of from fifteen to twenty
miles around Philadelphia wind-powers
have so greatly multiplied within the
last five or six years that they are to be
seen in almost every direction, and have
become regarded as one of the necessi-
ties of a farm, especially where much
stock is kept. 1t is true that their first
cost draws sometimes a little heavily
upon the general farmer who may not
have his place cleared of membranes;
but when once this expense has been
incurred, (Which is not more than the
cost of a good horse,) the subsequent
expense of it is not felt, while the great
convenience is found to be indispensa-
BILE and would not be given up for twice
the expense.
The labor to pump water from a well,
and especially deep one, the wives
and daughters of farmers need not be
told of: and it amounts to about the
same or more labor even when there is
spring on the premises. With the
wind-power the water can be drawn
from a well or spring and delivered
by pipes wherever it may be needed
in the kitchen, house-yard, bath-tub,
garden or stable-yard, always ready for
use and requiring no carrying. 1t is
true that where there is a spring of
sufficient volume and fall, hydraulic
ram may be introduced, which can be
done at very much less cost and in some
respects possesses other advantages
over the wind-power; but it can be APP
piled only where, as we here say, the
spring has the necessary volume and
fall. But one or the other would seem
to be of so much real Importance to a
farm of any considerable size as to war
rant its use as an Improvement OF actual
economy.-G Germantown Telegraph.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

JOHN Co.'s was buried at Rochester,
n. Y, in coffin which he hid kept in
his house eighteen years for daily con-
temptation. His family had thr, atened
to have it removed, but his threat TO
haunt them after death .detsrret them.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

When Warwick Castle was so much
damaged by fire few years ago, Lord
Warwick, accepted public cOntribu-
ton, literally subscribed to in this coun-
try, toward its restoration, because his
means would not otherwise have per-
mitted his restoring it for many years.
The fortunes of the house of Warwick
will however, now experience splen-
did revival by the marriage of its heir,
Lord Brooke, with the heiress of Wis
count Maynard, young lady having
100000 year, together with great
personal attractions and a charming
character. Lord and Lady Warwick
have been so gracious in according to
visitors at all times and seasons a view
of their famous home that this event
gives general satisfaction.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

If we would measure our happiness
by the condition of those below us, in
stead Of those above. we should find
ourselves very well of.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

Chicago is going to make compul-
sorry the use of understanding appa-
ratus on all locomotives, steamboats, and
factories. If Chicago will extend this
wise provision to cover the men who
smoke ive-cent cigars Chicago will
earn the worlds gratitude. Puck.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

z Enormous natural .caverns one six
Rundred feet long, have lare s been
found near Wells, Somerset, England.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

1t is proposed to bottle and export
ne waters of the Nile and it is COT
-.tured that there millions in it, t.ir
-. 4ter is so healthful and delicious.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12
He Bought a Ring.

A gentleman while crossing Broadway
near the City Hall at dusk yesterday
was stopped by shabbily dressed man.
"Do you want to buy a ring?" the
man asked.
81 don't mind; let's see it,
"Come down the street here, not to
that light, the police might see."
"Well, where's the ringP'
Here it is-gold-you can see the
initials, m. w. engraved on the in
side"
Thq gentleman took the ring and ex-
amined it. 1t was heavy, bore stamp
"1S k,n had the initials an. W." and
had every appearance of being genuine.
1t rang well on the flags.
"Where did you get it?"
81 found it Oh the ferryboat."
at is more likely you stole it."
The man made a sullen denial, and
then said he would take dollar and a
half for it.
Anticipating an advertisement for the
ring in the morning papers, the gentle
man offered dollar 1t was grudging-
ly accepted. While going up town on
a car the ring was shown to the con-
ductor
you've been swindled," he said;
"there's heaps of those rings all around.
hear of people cheated every day by
them"
The gentleman stepped into drug
store and asked to have the ring tested
with sulphuric acid. When the drug
gist saw the ring he said:
1T is a fraud This is about the hun
dredth ring of the same sort that has
been brought here the past week. They
are very thickly plated with gold, and
filled with a heavy composition"
Then he scraped off the plating and
applied the acid. There was a bright
green spot. The ring was worth but
few cents.-NelC York Sun.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

No man Is enyious of what he car
equal. or even initiate.
The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-08-12

In the matter of food Grip was an
epicure, and liked best to help himself,
flying into the pantry, carefully lifting
the corners of napkins with his bill
until he found what suited him, and in
his fondness for pie showing himself to
be a true American. He would stow
away food in an old barrel. and was
prone to accumulate more ginger-Snaps
than the hOusekeeper approved of.
Cunning asa crow is a time worn
saying, and a most sappr1 rate com
parisOn too Grip Ras.eunning enough,
and it was impossible to play joke