davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
VOLUME 43---NUMBER 2225.

penitentiary."
"Well, so is 1, an now ketch de
p'ints ez 1 gin 'em to yer. Oar is jes
so many saddles in dis wOrP what is to
be stole, an dar's jes so many men
what is ter steal desc saddles. Dis is
predespernation. Now if yer saddle
happens ter be one oh de predispesed
saddles, an l happens ter be one Oh de
predisposed men, kin l hep it 2"
81 don't want religious discussion,
Dave. 1t isn't the saddle now that /
care so much about. 1t is that you
told me lie in saying that you didn't
steal it."
"Well, den, parson, 'spose l takes
back de lie an keeps de. saddle ?"
IA lie once told always stands. You
have lied to me, you scOundrel, and |
believe it is my duty to have you ar
rested"
"Parson, dar's ies certain amount
OBJ lies ter be tOle in dis worP, an eff
/ is one Oh de men what is predisposed
tel tell one Ob desc lies hits not my
fault, an kant help it.n
"You go on now and get that saddle
or I'll swear out a warrant for your ar
rest"
"Fll do de bes' I kin, parson, but
dar's jes certain amount OBJ stole sad
dies ter be returned in dis worP. If
rs one OBJ de predisposed men, as !
b'lieves l is, you'll fine yer saddle
hangin' on de yard fence bout sundOwn
dis eVepiD'.n
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
Asking for Information.



"DeadwOod," said the stranger, put
ting down his half eaten slice of lemon
pie, 81 went there when the first rush
was made for the hills. Rather a rough
crowd the first lot; more wholesome
now. When l got there l was dead
broke-didn't have a dollar; didn't
have a revolver, which man III often
need out there worse IN meals vittles.
| was prob'ly the only man in the hills
who didn't carry a fire-arm, an | was
some lonesome, | tell you. The only
weapon l hed-I'm a blacksmith-wa
rasp, heavy file, you know, bout
IL inches long, which l carried down
my back, the handle in easy reach just
below my coat collar. Understand
Like the Arkansaw man carries his
bowie knife. Pm not exactly a tenn
peranee man. l just don't drink an
don't meddle with ary other mans
drinkin'-that's all. One day-I hedn't
been in Deadwood more'n a week-I
was sittin' in s'loon-only place a
man kin set to see any society-when
feller come in, reg'lar hustler, with
his can full and quart over. He'd
revolver on each side of his belt an
looked vicious. Nothin' mean about
him, though. Askt me to drink.
Not any, thank you,' sez l.
Not drink with me Me Bill Feath-
ergill When l ask a tenderfoot to
drink l expect him to prance right up
an no monkeyin'! You bear me p
Well, when his hand went down for
his revolver, whipped out my ole file
quicker'n fire 'ud scorch feather, an
gave him one right acrost the face
When he fell / thought I'd killed him,
an, the s'l0on film up with bummers,
L sOrter got out, not knOwin' what
might happen. Purity soon chap in
a red shirt came up to me.
Sez he, You the man as ke-arved
Bill Feathergill? 3? Cos, eff so be as you
are, eff you don't want ev'ry man in the
hills to climb you, don't you try to hide
yourself-the boys is askin' fur you
now
1t struck me that my friend had the
idee, so | waltzed back and went up
and down before that s'leon for nigh
three hours. Purity soon l see my man
a-headin' for me. His face had been
patched up till it looked like the clos
ing out display of retail dry goods
store. There was so little countenance
exposed that | couldn't guess what he
was a-aimin' at, and SO | brought nv
hand back of my collar an grabbed my
file.
Hold on there; hold on sez he,
gimme y'r hand, Pm friendly, Pve got
nothin' agin you, not thing, but
you'll pardon my curiOsity-what sort
OF a-weapOn was that, stranger p"
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
The Great Iowa Meteorite.

Inc great meteorite, which fell in
Iowa the early part of last year, is thus
described by Professor Thompson, of
the Minnesota State University, in
recent astronomical essay: May 10,
1879, was bright, clear, cloudless day.
AT O'Clock in the afternoon, in full
sunshine, this meteOrite passed through
the air, exploded and fell in the town of
Erterville, Emmett County, Iowa, about
ten or twelve miles below the southern
boundary of Jackson County, Minn., in
latitude 43o 30 min. north, longitude
94o SO min. west from Greenwich.
The path it followed marked course
from northwest to southwest, and was
seen for distance of several hundred
miles. Its appearance in the heavens
was that of huge globe of fire, attend
ed by a fiery cloud. The people who
saw it were greatly alarmed not more
at the flying ball of fire which seemed
so near them, than at the terrific ex.
plosions Immediately above them
those who did not see it thought an
earthquake had occurred, and were in
great terror. The noise accompanying
its flight is described as rumbling,
cracking, crashing, similar to those
produced by a train of cars crossing a
long bridge; then came a very loud re-
port, followed Immediately by two dis
tinct reports in quick succession, though
not so explosive or loud as the first. II
struck the ground in separate masses
together with smaller fragments scat
tered over an area of three or foul
miles. There were two large pieces
which fell about two miles apart.
The largest mass, weighing 40 lbs,
now at KeOkuk, Iowa, penetrated a
hard blue clay soil, to the depth of IL
feet. Another mass, weighing 170 lbs.,
now at the State University, fell on a
dry, grassy knsll, and was buried to
the depth of five and half feet. A
few rods from the largest mass was
found fragment weighing thirty
pounds, and schOol-boy picked up a
specimen weighing three pounds. The
form of all the pieces is like that OF
rudely detached masses from a quarry,
or elected from the mouth of a volcano.
The mass in the museum of the univer-
slty has an irregular rhomboidal out
line, about fifteen by eighteen inches,
OF an average thickness of six inches,
and when first obtained was covered,
as most meteorites are with black
shining coat or crust. The largest
mass is not so regular in it's formation.
1t is more ragged and bristles with
points of nickleiferous iron. Professor
Heinrich, of the Iowa State University
pronounced it the more valuable of the
two large masses; but full analysis
will probably determine them to be one
and the same. While the nick leiferous
iron seemed more abundant in the
largest, the crystalline formations are
far more numerous in the smaller.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19

with an abundance of labcrers at hand,
will not always lie idle and unproduc-
tive.
Savannah is beautiful and thriving
southern city, with broad symmetrical
streets, abundant shade from magnif-
cent trees, many attractive looking res
licences with wide piazzas and balco-
MES and Venetian blinds, and gardens
well embellished with grasses, flowers
and fruit and shade trees. A marked
Characteristic of the city is its frequent
ana generous squares, established by
ordinance when the city was laid out,
as places for the surrounding farmers
TO camp in when savage Indians drove
Them from their homes, but still main
tanned as public parks for the health
and pleasure of the Inhabitants. "Tru-
~ an Arcadian city," says Lanier.
+ A carriage and negro driver take us
rapidly four miles over shell road to
Bonaventure cemetery. Here are long
noble avenues of arching oaks, stretch
ing out gigantic and muscular arms,
with the gray moss swinging in long
| masses, like the boards of the ancient
prophets. The stiffness, the mOurnful
bending of the giant limbs, the wierd
solemnities Of the hanging moss, the
graves with their tenants below and
weeping willows above, all tell of bro
ken hearts and the piteousness of death.
One with. us said, 81 should like to lie
right down here and die" But here,
too, are beautiful flowers in bloom, the
yellow jasmine, roses of varied hue,
japOnicas, delicate ferns, ivies, vines
and evergreens. Soon the magnolia
and oleander will fill the air with beau
ty. All the year round, budding and
blossoming flowers make green and ev-
Ell beautiful the dwellings of the dead
in Bonaventure.
A mile further on brings us to Thun-
derbolt, noted spot on bluff over.
looking the river, where fine team,
from the city are seen in numbers OIL
warm afternoons, while their owners
are resting on the liver bank under the
trees, or ale obtaining refreshments al
the pleasant looking hotels.
In the city, Forsyth Park is worthy
of visit, well kept, with grand trees
cool, shady walks, and fine monument
erected by the ladies of Savannah tt
the memory of the confederate dead
In Monterey Square is seen the Pulaski
monument. Cotton is shipped in i'm
= mense quantities from Savannah, anG
t commerce is stimulating and enliven
ing the whole city.
From Savannah, an all-night rid'
brings us to Jacksonville, of whicl
something may be said in another let
: ter. III. c. i.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
A Kansas Letter.
TOPEKA, KANSAS, March 6, 1881

Topeka, KANSAS, March 6, 1880.
When | wrote for the Caledonian last
summer, did not think so long an in
terval would elapse before l resumed
the pen but various influences con-
spred to prevent.
There is an old saying, that to know
person you must summer and winter
with him, and the same is true of
places. l have almost completed the
cycle in this place, and find it no less
enjoyable in winter than in summer.
The last two weeks in December were
cold-the thermometer ranging for a
few mornings as low as I6o to zoe be-
low zero, and ice Of six or eight inches
in thickness was formed in the streams.
On the last day of the year, we had a
sleet storm which whitened the ground,
but which began to disappear with the
incoming of the New Year, and a Janu-
ary than, which cleared the streams of
ice, took the frost out of the ground,
and gave us sample of Kansas mud
which for few days rendered the roads
almost impossible. By the 10th or 18th
of the month the roads were well set
tied, the skies clear and bright, and the
air soft and mild. The last half of
January and the whole of February
excepting two cold days near the last
of each mOnth) was as lovely weather
as one could wish for-bright, sunny
and balmy, like the warmest of October
days in New England. Indeed, some
days were almost too warm, and much
of the time steam was entirely shut off
from our heating apparatus, and our
windows were wide open for the greater
part of the day, the thermometer run
ming as high as 66o to 72e. This
pleasant weather was enlivened by
two or three heavy thunder showers,
not uncommon winter phenomena
here. There was some apprehension
that the fruit buds would swell so much
as to render them liable to be injured
by later cold but we have escaped this
disaster thus far, although in the south
Elm part of the state the peaches were
injured by the cold of Feb. % and 20.
In favorable years Kansas raises i'm
mense crops of the finest apples and
peaches, but the danger from warm
weather in January and February rem
ders the crop less certain than in cold
er climate.
In forming an estimate of our winters
from SO limited an experience, it should
be stated that meteorological records
kept at the State University at Law
renee, show the past January to be the
warmest for twelve years. 1t is usual
to have colder weather in January than
in December. At the time of the Jan
uary thaw there were three or four fog
gy days which is said to be very un-
common.
There are occasionally sudden
changes in the temperature of this lat
itude, dependent largely upon the di-
rection OF the wind. Last Friday at
noon the temperature was 60 and a
soft southern wind, which suddenly
veering to the northwest became on
Saturday morning pretty stiff breeze
directly from the snow regions, bringing
the thermometer almost down to zero,
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
A Celebrated Cause.
burlington Free Press ]

The suit of Andrew j. Bean VS.. Dan
iel N. Beckwitb and Gilman Henry,
which, after a trial in the United States
circuit court lasting over a week, came
to an unsatisfactory close Thursday
morning by the failure of the jury to
agree upon a verdict, is one of the most
notable cases that has recently come
before our courts. The facts, briefly
summarized, are as follows:
Gilman Henry of Woodstock, one of
the defendants in the present action,
was, during the wal, United States
provost marshal, and Beckwith was one
of his assistants. The plaintiff, Bean,
was substitute broker. In 1864 he
and some Canadians associated with
him brought to Woodstock and enlisted
two men, one of whom had previ-
Ously deserted from the army. The
very next day the two men deserted,
Bean and his associates taking, it is
claimed, large part of their bounty
money. Bean was suspected of melting
the substitutes to this act, and on the
11th of November, 1864, he was arrest
ed on the cars, near Wells River, by the
defendent Beckwith, acting under Hen
ry's instructions, and taken to the state
prison at Windsor, where he was de-
tanned some six months. In April, 1865,
he was released on bail by a Justice OF
the peace, the grand jury having refus-
ed to find bill against him. Bean
then instituted a suit against Beckwith
and Henry for false imprisonment,
claiming S50,000 damages. Suit was
first brought in the Windsor county
court, but was soon removed to the
United States circuit court, whence il
went, on demurrer to pleadings, to the
United States supreme court. 1t was
subsequently sent back to the circuit
court Judge Shipman presiding), where
the jury awarded Bean S15,0O(
damages. The defence then took tht
case to the supreme court again, claim
ing that evidence had been improperly
excluded, and obtained new trial
which has come to the indecisive ent
already announced. The jury is under
stood to have stood ten to two in favo
of the plaintiff. Had either side bee
defeated it would have carried the cas-
up to the supreme court, and the pres
ent disagreement simply adds anothe
twelvemOnth to a litigation already !
years old. and as it takes about thre
years to get hearing before the ST
preme court, plaintiffs chances fC
speedily obtaining large damages ma
easily be estimated. Messrs. E.
Phelps, George N. Dale, and N.
Sheafe (who by plaintiffs assignment
the legal owner of the suit,) conducte
the case for Bean, and Messrs. B. F. F
field and Charles N. Davenport fl
the defendant.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
How a Busy Man Reads.

Being engaged in excepting store,
time for reading; yet l have surprised
myself by using spare moments a
home. A few moments in the morning
at noon, at supper time, and in the eve
ming before bed time will do wonders
when made subservient to a will and {
passion for literature.
l have used with much profit Prof
POrter's "Book and Reading" Putnam,
''Best reading" with Fred Perkins ex,
cellent hints), and EmersOn's essay or
''Books." Porter's book should be il
the hands of every true lover of books
| find the "American Bookseller" pub
lished semi-mothly by the American
News Co., very valuable guide to cur
rent literature. A good feature of the
bookseller" is that it permits its sub
scribers to advertise free for books
wanted thus enabling one to find
books "out of print" and often works
at very low prices.
l use Putnam's "World's Progress, y
Hadyn's Dictionary of Dates" Web
ster's Unabridged, Chambers Encyclo-
pedia, Hale and Wheeler's ''Brief Bi-
ographies," geography, and Bartlett's
Familiar Quotations" l am indebt-
ed to Fred Perkins for my discovery of
a number of these valuable reference
books.
In the book | am reading / keep note
paper, where / jot down everything | do
not understand-even words about
whose pronunciation | am uncertain.
This seems tedious and painstaking,
but know it pays. 1 refer these words,
terms, names, or phrases to reference
books or to some history where | may
be likely to find them. For instance,
| did not know all about the Ohio Com
pany spoken of in Bancroft's "United
States," whereupon turned to Dillon's
Indiana" and found the desired infor-
nation.
| find it splendid practice to illumi-
nate any historical period l have been
passing over with a good historical
novel. Thus, Scett's "Woodstockn for
CrOmwell's time; "Kenilworth" for
the days of Elizabeth, Raleigh, Shakes
peare, and for alchemy and astrology.
What historical novel can match
Thackeray's "Virginiansn for a fine
picture of the days just previous to our
Independence, or for the vices of court,
state and church in England prior to
Wesleyq
l index my books with a pencil on
the fiy-leaves. Whatever strikes me as
noteworthy index. I find l have in
dexed Scott's and Thackery's novels
almost as fully as 1 have Bancroft, OF
Rawlinson, or Wilkinson.
From books that l cannot afford to
buy l copy what need-that is, if the
books are Obtainable from our excel
lent public library.
| put away ten cents day for books
This allowance is beggarly when com
pared to expenditures by vast maiori-
ty OF young men for worthless and
transient pleasure. AS l am in posi-
ton to buy books at wholesale l find
this allowance increases my library
rapidly.
Keeping a commonplace book fol
opinions of your books is a profitable
practice; or it is a good idea, l find, tc
write ones opinion of volume in the
ty-leaves at end of volume.-Ed. Mf
in Christian Union.
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
Squibs.

An English clergyman of the last
century i'll an eloquent sermon extols
the goodness of the Creator in always
making the largest rivers flow close by
the most populous towns.
A city broker visiting a country la
dy and wishing to increase her knOwl-
edge Of affairs, asked her if she knew
what watering stock" meant; to which
she replied, ,"Of course l do it is Civ
ing the cows drink"
There is woman in Wisconsin who
has been married SO years and who has
never missed building the kitchen fire.
Her husband is probably the Oldest fire
escape on record.
"You can never wear those boots
out" said a shoemaker. "Then don't
want them,' replied the customer "do
you suppose | want boots to wear i'm
the house g"- Boston Commercial Bull
letin.
''lt's high time church and state sep
arated in this country" remarked an
old gentleman who heard somebody
talk about different denominations of
postage stamps.
"WhO was Ezekiel 2" asked a Sunday
school teacher of an intelligent looking
little girl in one of our city churches.
The answer was: Ezekiel was one of
the minor prophets, and the son of
Daniel Webster" This answer was
accepted without controversy.
The Brattleboro Reformer saws that
a well known lawyer of one of our
prominent towns, being rather perplex-
ed over a point of law, called at the Of
flee of a brother attorney to consult
with him upon the subject. The latter
drew himself up and remarked with
great dignity that he usually received
pay for his advice. "Then," said law
yer number one extending fifty cents.
tell me all you know and give me
back the change"
WELLS RIVER HENs.-Tbe mhovs ,,
are always up to any kind of a Joke
that offers, and one of the latest was on
Miliken, the tinsmith He has gone
INTO the poultry business, and has II
hens and rooster. He has been feed
ing them corn meal and CAYENNE. and
watching for eggs. His hired men nnt
into the nests five of the largest eo0s
they could find in town. Next dsSy
they put in nine eggs. Milliken cath,
ered the eggs showed them to his wife
and began Dragging about how hens
would lay if properly cared for. The
hired men kept taking them from the
store and the house, till Adna was get.
ting II eggs day from IL pullets. Al
last they put into the nest goose ego
weighing ounces. Then Adna threw
up his hat, started for the shop, weigh.
ed and exhibited it, claiming that he
had the "boss" hens. The fact is his
pullets have never laid but three egos
altogether.-[Cobb's Bradford Opinion
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
A Practical Professionalism
From the Little Rock CArkJ Gazette


An Old-time Baptist preacher of this
city, who has retired from active gospel
dealing, but who still keeps a firm eye
on the faith, has just had little expe-
rlence with colored man that causes
him to think very seriously. Meeting
the colored man the preacher said
Dave, if you don't bring that saddle
home Ill have you put in jail.n
What saddle is yer 'furren ter ~
"The one you stole from me.n
"Parson, fore de Lord, neber stole
yer saddle"
Eyes you did. l saw you when YOU
took it off of the fence. l believe III
have you arrested anyway"
"Leok heah, parson, you'se a old
Baptis', isn't yer 2"
Eyes, and I'll have you sent to the
St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-03-19
Cruelties in Persia.

The capture of Turkoman women by
the Persian governors is one of the
great crimes of Persian rule in the dis
tricts east of the Caspian sea. "An OIL
DER" sGys Maj. Butler Of the British
army, sis sent to one or more of the
governors of those districts to the effect
that no presents have been forwarded
to the shah by them of late, and if they
do not Immediately dispatch substan-
tial gifts another governor will be found
to replace them. The distracted gov
ernOr, who has already robbed his own
people until they have nothing left to
take, wistfully turns his eyes and
thoughts to his rich neighbors-the
TurkOmans. Forthwith he organizes
an expedition, and sends forth spies to
ascertain at what point are encamped
the greatest number of Turkoman wo-
men and horses and the smallest num-
ber of men. This being ascertained,
he starts at the dead of night, accom-
panied by his numbering robbers, and
swOops down upon his unfortunate vic
Tins. Those Turkomans who are able
to fight, or likely to give any future
trouble, are ruthlessly murdered. and
the old men, the boys, wives, daugh-
ters and sisters are bound hand and
foot and brought back into Persian ter
ritory. Then commences a scene dis
graceful alike to humanity and morali-
ty. The old women and infants are
separated from the young and beautiful
land many of the Turkoman women
are very beautifully; every point of the
latter is looked into and discussed by
the men told off for this purpose, lust
as the intended purchaser of horse
trots out the animal to examine him.
Those possessing the best points are
sent off to the shah and other great
men at Teheran. Those with some
fault or other are kept by the governor
himself, and distributed among his fa-
vOrites, high and low, his servants be-
ing always generously treated in the
distribution of the human spoil. The
horses and other stolen property are
likewise disposed Of But what be-
comes of the old women and little ones
These are locked up until some Turko.
man relation can buy their release fo,
f2O or f25 each; and if this happy ar
rangement cannot be effected. thew
probably die of starvation. I eould
mention many startling instances of tbe
above which have lately taken place
There is regular season fer these ex.
peditions, commencing about April and
ending about October Persian Letter.