davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
American and English Schools.

The Bishop of Manchester has paid
high compliment to the American school
system in his inaugural address, deliv-
cred before the twenty third annual
Congress of the National Association for
the Promotion of Science at Manchester
on the LIST inst. Speaking on the educa-
tional question, he said: The next step
onward which I think all the more earn
est friends of education desire to see
taken, is that which struck me so forci-
bly, as the strongest point of the great
American system of public schools, and
which recommend TO the consideration
of the Schools of Inquiry Commission
in the report on the American system
which I addressed to them in 1866. I
refer to the graduation of schools. Both
ton have recently expressed themselves
warmly in favor of this feature of the
American system. Opening one of the
higher board schools which have been
established in Bradford, in Yorkshire.
Mr.. Forster said the other day: "In my
opinion we should have to grade our
schools to give an opportunity to the
poorer classes of children to pass from
the cheaper to the more expensive
schools" In my report written in 1865,
to which have referred, / said: ''The
graduation of schools is just the strength
of the American system. If 1
have succeeded in the previous pages in
making myself understood, any one with
experience in educational matters will at
once see that it is the one thing which
our elementary schools have not, and
which they most need" With us each
school is separated and disjointed unit;
in the United States, it is part of COM
,@oaf ordipofod bom0OapaOnS Svltam
With us, when boy has passed Stand
ard VIA very low measure of attain
ment, if it is to be considered the
complete intellectual outfit for life-his
education generally stops, or if it is to
be continued, it can only be with diff
Guilty, and at the cost of considerable
sacrifice to his parents. In the United
States he would pass naturally and free
of cost from the primary school to the
grammar school, and from this to the
high school, and from this again, though
not quite so naturally, because it is no
longer part of the public school system,
but yet without any insurmountable diff
Guilty. to the university. l remember
well the honest pride with which the adj
mirable master of the Latin High School
at Boston pointed to his head boy. who
was hoping to proceed to Harvard Uni
versity with the help of that munificent
liberality which it is SO characteristic of
rich men in the United States, and which
is scarcely ever withheld from real de-
sert-who he told me, was the son of an
Irish bricklayer. You can easily under
stand how the possession of advantages
of this kind reconciles even the hum
blest citizen to this lot, when he feels
which was the theme of numberless ad-
dresses that heard delivered to pupils
in the public schools-that his boy has
the chance of becoming President of the
United States, the very height of human
ambition; or, to put the idea in more
model form, that in the great Translantic
talents.
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
Some Results of Tidal Friction.

G.. H. Darwin has just contributed to
Nature the last of a series of papers Civ
ing the results of a mathematical investi-
cation into the action of tidal friction on
the confguration of a planet and satel-
lite, and especially on the earth and
moon. Among other results he finds
that the earth and moon were initially in
contact, the moon always opposite the
same face of the earth, or moving very
slowly relatively to the earth's axis, the
whole system rotating in from two to
four hours about an axis inclined to the
normal of the ecliptic at an angle of II
deg. 45 min., or somewhat less, and the
moon moving in a circular orbit, the
plane of which is nearly coincident with
the earth's equator. This initial con-
fguration, says Mr.. Darwin, suggests
that the moon was produced by the rup-
ture, in consequence of rapid rotation or
other causes, of a primeval planet whose
mass was made up of the present earth
and moon. The two bodies have been
brought into their present confguration
by the action of tidal friction.
The process by which the tidal action
brings about changes of the confguration
ofenergy Tor rather it's partial conversion
AiAoO hOeO WiohAh oiAO PAoAiSo %hsL Pni oiesi
re-distribution) and tho transferrence of
angular momentum from that of plane
tary rotation to that of orbital revolution
of the two bodies about their common
center of inertia. This change takes
place more rapidly in small bodies than
in large ones. Mars is the smallest of
the planets, with moons, and it is here
alone that satellite is found revolving
faster than the planet rotates. This will
be the ultimate fate of our moon. Be-
fore, however. this takes place, the moon
must recede to an enormous distance
from the earth, and the earth must rotate
in forty or fifty days, instead of twenty
four hours. But the satellites of Mars
are so small that they only recede short
way from the planet before the solar
tidal friction reduces the planets
rotation below the satellites revolution
"a revolution which may in sense be
considered as a memorial of the primi-
tive revolution of Mars itself around its
own axis
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
Listz and Princess Metternich.

Listz is one of the most independent
of men, and never acknowledges any
control but that of friendship and re-
spect. II have seen him at Imperial re-
ceptions," says friend of mine, "where
he walked through the salons with the
fine, grand air of perfect gentleman,
gracious to all, treated with reverential
respect by all, but never deigning to
touch the piano, and royalty even not
daring to ask him." Listz has always
been remarkable for this social inde-
pendence. When he was young man,
in the very brilliant period of his early
popularity, some thirty or forty years
ago, he visited Vienna. The celebrated
Princess Metternich, wife of the great
diplomatist Metternich, was the chief of
society; her salon was the great one of
the day. She was brilliant, captivating
woman, clever, full of fine society wis
dom; one of the last of the race of
grande DANES. The bluest of blood ran
in her veins, and she was as naughty as
Lucifer at times. At one of her recep-
tions her husband, who had invited
Listz, took the young artist, about whose
musical and private life all the gay peo-
people of Europe were talking, up to the
Princess, and introduced him. She was
happened:
"Your first visit to Vienna" she said,
looking full in the handsome, stately
young mans face, 81 hope you are doing
well in your business"
"Ah, Madame la Princesse," replied
Listz, s'I have no business. That vexa-
ton belongs to diplomats and bankers"
For one instant the whole social high
world of Vienna looked on breathless at
this passage of arms between the Queen
of Society and the celebrated artist whose
social successes equalled his public ones
the Princess and Listz gazed steadily at
each other; neither finched; then she
yielded graciously, and taking his arm,
walked through the salons with him, and
was as charming to him as if he had
been Prince of the Imperial blood;
from that time forward Listz had no
truer and better friend than the spoiled
child Of society, the Princess Metternich.
This anecdote shows Listz's character.
No man can be kinder, however, than he
is to his friends. He denies them moth
ing. He is simple, tender, sympathetic,
full of feeling and most easy of approach
even anticipates demands on his kind
ness. This is one side, and most
charming one, of his character. But
there is another side, not so genial,
which belongs to the world at large. To
general society he is an elegant, polished
man of the world; cold, naughty, unap-
proachable, entirely independent of
everything and everybody. He does not
need luxury nor the society of any one.
Miss Bre,cster IN Philadelphia Iele-
graph.
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
Etiquette In Boston.

Very marked were the tokens of class
and rank and social distinctions in the
Puritan town and it's neighborhood. The
clergy and the high magistrates were the
chief in consideration and dignity. Off
cial position secured Difference, but eli
gibility to Office in the main depended
upon previous social or personal advan-
tage So natural and reasonable seemed
the assumption that "the Government
should be of the better sort, !" and SO well
rooted was the custom consequently es-
tablished, that even after the war of the
revolution and the recognition of an
avowed democracy among us, 1t was
taken for granted, till quite down to the
last half century, that, though the peo-
pie were free to assign places of honor
and trust to whom they would, they
were bound to assign them to the class OF
men who would have held them under an
aristocracy through birth, privilege, or
station. The title of Mr.. or Master was
carefully restricted to those who by
birthr1ght or good service were called
gentlemen; while Worsh1pful or Klght
Worshipful was reserved for the high
magistrate, and Esquire was an affix to
be granted, not assumed. The term
Goodman was a kindly, neighborly
epithet, used for the recognition OF
worthy men in humble life or callings:
There is an entry in Sewalls journal
which is curiously suggestive on this
point. The meeting was for the choice OF
a minister. October 3, 10Y, had
Meeting of the (South) Church & Con-
gregation; but very thin. Several came
not. because Mr.. Pemberton, the pastor
in previously calling the meeting) said,
Gentlemen of the Church and Congre-
CATION They affirmed they were not
Gentlemen, and therefore they were not
warned to come" Not Gentlemen! They
were honest, well-to-do men-mechanics
tradesmen, artisans; among them was the
father of DIR. Franklin, tallow-chandler
and soap-boiler; and they hoped and be-
lieved that they were Christians. But
they did not claim nor answer to the title
of gentlemen Some years hence, per-
haps, student of words may think it
worth his while to inquire when the
terms lady and gentleman came to be
used inclusively of all of either sex, in
stead of, as once, distinctively of a por-
ton of EACH Doubtless these States
will be credited with the extension of
the terms, and Sewall may help as to the
dates. Again, under date ''March 6,
ILL.," we read, cat the meeting for the
free School at Mr.. Pemberton's, Mr..
Bridgham declined to sign Ia petition)
saying it was not fit for him to sign with
persons SO much above him; I said pleas
antly, I'VE are at Football now;' and
then he presently signed. Atlantic for
February.
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
A Novel Duel.

Anovel kind of duel was fought lately
in the Indian Teraitory, near Atoka,
between two Mexicans, cattle drivers,
returning home from drive to Colorado.
One was Don Juan de 10 Cruz, the other
Pedro Garcia, and both were in love
with the same woman-a circumstance
not confined to Mexico. While discuss
ing their claims to her possession
they quarreled--of course-and declared
in the hottest of hot blood that the
world was not big enough for both Of
them. They determined. therefore, that
one of them must be extinguished, and
were on the point of personal encoun-
ter with revolvers. when common
friends interfered, and persuaded them
to adopt the native peapon-the lariat or
lasso. Having taken position on the
open prairie, at a certain distance apart,
finely mounted-and dashed toward one
another, lariats snugly in hand,
crouching on saddle to avoid the flying
moose. The lassoes were simultaneously
cast. Cruze missed his aim, but
Garcia's lariat fell with un"rring pre-
cision over the head of his adversary,
who was jerked to the ground with the
intent to break his neck. Cruz, fortu-
nately, was thrown on his side, and
would certainly have been dragged to
death-for the horses were at full speed
had not the lasso snapped with sud
den strain. And it was, he was so seri
ously hurt as to be unconscious, and he
may not recover. The lasso generally
used in South America for capturing
wild horses and cattle is dissimilar to
the lasso employed mainly in Mexico.
The former, long, stout thong of skin
with a leaden ball at each end, is SO
thrown when it strikes neck or leg it
coils round and restrains the flying
beast. The Mexican lagso, or lariat, has
a slip moose, and requires more skill in
management. The lasso was frequently
directed against the Spanish soldiers
during the struggle of the South America
republic for independence, and also by
some of the Russian tribes, during the
the Crimerian war, against the French
sentinels but with poor success. Oc-
casional attempts were made with the
lariat upon our troops in the Mexican
war, though they were speedingly
abandoned, as the Americans proved
much less tractable than the native wild
cattle.
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
Charles O'Conor's Ways.

Mr.. O'Conor still keeps his office in
Wall street, but his use for it is very lit
tie. He has been out of active practice
several years, but force of habit still
brings him down to the Office quite often.
His mail is generally delivered there and
he has old papers of one sort or another
to look over, which takes up good deal
of his time. He occasionally takes a re-
tainer as counsel in cases involving intri-
cate law points, but his service goes no
further than preparing an opinion or sug-
gesting to other lawyers what course is
best to take with the case. The letter
that is just now talked SO much about
shows that his mind is as clear and keen
where he is often seen, furnishes evil
dence of his full recovery from the i'll
ness of four years ago, when the doctors
gave him up and he took his case into
his own hands. His hair does not seem
any whittier than it was ten years ago, his
back is just as straight as ever, he never
wears glasses out of doors, as many
much younger men do, and though his
step is not quite so active as it used to
be, he can still do very creditable walk
ing on the down town sidewalks. His
makeup, so to speak, has not changed
within the memory of a generation. His
hat sometimes rather shabby looking) is
worn well back on his head, tightly
buttoned frock coat wraps his body, and
his trowsers and boots are about half
way between shabby and genteel. A
palmer looking man could not be found
in any respectable company, nor one
seeming to think so little about himself.
He is not what may be called a talker,
but among those whose society is agreea-
Il L. L ,&os, ell c11
of the conversation, and he is always lis
tened to with the most respectful atten-
tion. He speaks freely of his early days,
especially Of his boyhood, and the hard
fight he had to make his way in the
world, and he seems to take special
pleasure in telling these things to men
who, began the same way themselves.
Mr.. O'Conor is Deno~,.at of Democrats,
and hates all kinds of sham and preten-
sion almost as much as trickery and dis
honesty. of the Buffalo Courier.
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
The Ways Of London Beggars.

Paralysis is often initiated, and Sc
closely that there is no detecting the i'm
position. A fellow is directed how to
hang the elbow, twist the wrist, and
drop the fingers of one arm, and drag
the corresponding leg Imply after him,
ccunterfeiting paralytic stroke to the
life. I have seen one drilled up to the
proper business mark by marching him
round and round beggar's kitchen for
hours at a stretch, and night after night.
This is continued until the patient can
bear sharp and unexpected prick with
needle, or even the touch of hot iron,
without relapsing into his normal atti-
tude. Not many years ago one of these
mock paralytics, who was accustomed to
throw off his seeming inirmity and play
the burglar by way of change, was
caught in the very act of breaking into a
house, and committed for trial. Here
he got up such a semblance of hopeless
paralysis as deceived everybody. When
his trial came he was carried to the court
on stretcher, and laid at full length in
the dock. Everybody, including the
judge and jury. cemmiserated his case,
and he escaped with one years impr1s-
onment instead of long term of penal
servitude.
AhO uoSooA VI lAC pIISOu W WulCu tile
convict was next transferred felt sure
that the whole thing was a sham, and
tried all the ordinary methods of detec-
ton, including liberal use of the galvanic
battery, but without effect. At length
a great heap of damp straw was collected
in the Jail yard, and the scoundrel, still
stretched on his pallet, which he never
quilted, was placed thereon. The straw
was fired on all sides, throwing out a
little flame and dense column of choking
smoke. This did the business, and
quickly too. In less than minute the
paralyzed man astonished everybody but
the doctor by bounding out among them
with the agility of deer. ''The game
is up, he exclaimed with a laugh, when
he had done coughing in tone
of triumph. Anyhow, have diddled
the law out of six years." The torture
such people infict on themselves for
weeks and months at time, and volun
tarily, is simply incredible.-LondOn
Standard
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05

example of criminal precocity is afforded
by case which recently came before
the Assize Court of st. Peter, in
Martinique. "A boy named Emillen
Dema, aged II, was accused of deliber-
ately numbering Paul Sarpon, child of
81 years. The following extracts from
Dema's examination will show the hor-
rifying cold-blooodedness with which he
admitted the commission of the crime.
On being asked how he dispatched his
victim, he answered, 81 killed him in
tent1onally. I got him to come and
play with me. He followed me, and we
played together at first, and then led
him near the edge of cliff and pushed
him over. I next jumped down after
him, bit him in the neck, and finished
him off with stone."
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05
Medieval Superstitions.

Among these last was the mandragora,
which was supposed to reveal to its pos
SCISSOR hidden things and future events,
and to secure the friendship of all men.
The root of the mandragora, or man
drake, often divides into two parts, and
thus presents rude resemblance to a
human figure. It was believed that this
plant could not be found except below
the gallows where pure youth had been
hanged. When torn from the soil it was
said to sigh, shrek, and moan SO pite-
ously that it caused whoever heard it to
die. To find this plant it must be sought
before sunrise Friday morning: The per-
son seeking it should carefully fill his
with him black dog without single
white hair. The sign Of the cross was to
be made three times over the mandra-
CORA, then the soil was to be carefully re-
moved, so that it was attached only by it's
fine rootlets. It was then tied by string
to the tail of the dog, who was attracted
forward by piece of bread. The dog
pulled the plant from the earth, but fell
dead, struck by the shrek of the man
dragora. The plant was then taken
home, washed in red wine, and wrapped
in red and white silk, laid in shrine,
washed on successive Fridays, and dress
ed in white frock. If the mandragora
is bought it remains with the person who
thus secures it regardless of where it is
thrown, until sold again. If kept until
death, the person must depart to hell
with it.
In the demoniacal fauna of the middle
ages were-wolves played an important
part. They were supposed to be men
who changed themselves for time into
IL E.,
children Augustine, one of the most
prominent fathers and authors of his
time, taught that it was the devil who
wrapped VOLTS hide around witch.
Malancthon also believed in this doc
trine, and the Emperor Sigismund had
the question investigated scientifically"
in the presence of theologians, and then
came to the general agreement that the
werewolf is q positive and constant
fact;;" for, the existence of the devil be-
ing accepted, there is no reason to deny
that of the werewolf, supported as it is
by the authority OF the fathers of the
church, and by general experience.
Another CHASTITY superstition of those
times was that of belief in vampires. |
These were disembodied souls, which had, |
reclothed themselves in their buried |
bodies. In this garb they stole at night |
into houses and s1cked from the nipples
of the sleeping their blood. The per- |
sons thus bereft of this vital fluid was in /
turn changed into a vampire. The |
corpse of a person suspected of vampir-
ism, if dug up, was found we'll preserved,
and an abundance of fresh blood would |
flow from its mouth on pressing the
stomach. To this horrible belief is as
cribed kind of psyehical pestilence,
which spread terror in the Austrian
provinces even down into the eighteenth
century. !
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05

Big TREE FossILs-Two large fossil
trees are now on their way to Washington
from the western part of New Mexico, de-
signed for the new National Museum.
General Sherman, while on his tour of in.
spection to the military posts of New
Mexico. examined some of the large
petrifcations which abound in the vicin-
ity of Fort Wingate, and he was so much
impressed with the value of these speci--
mems that he decided to have them
brought to Washington and placed in
front of the National Museum. The two
specimens referred to will each weigh
several tons; they will serve as conspic-
uous representations of the ancient flora
of the region from whence they came.
The entire country surrounding the spot
where these fossil trees are SO abundant is
at the present day utterly destitute of
vegetation, save few pinions and other
stunted trees, which are of little or no
use. This was not the case in times long
past, for the two immense specimens now
en- route to Washington, according to
General Sherman's account, were not
alone. The country is literally covered
with the remains of an ancient forest,
representing a great quantity of vege
tation, and establishing the fact beyond
doubt that this entire country, which is
now only inhabited by few tribes of
Pueblo Indians and covered all over with
evidences of extinct tribes, and which is
destitute of vegetation, and so arid that
there is no inducement to the settler, was
once a tropical country, abundantly
supplied with tropical fruits and vegeta-
ton General Sherman is much interested
in the preservation of such specimens,
and encourages every one connected with
the army to make collections in all
branches of science.-[ Washington Cor.
Baltimore Sum-
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05

A new species of plant, is called the
'sbaby plant" Inside its calyx is tiny
figure that looks like baby, but there is
no further resemblance. It cannot
squall, kick and yell like baby, neither
can it Groom and crow like one of these
little pink darlings; but we should rather
have it in the house as far as good
nights sleep is concerned.
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05

A Chicagoan has announced that he
has discovered process by which
Illuminating gas can be made from
water The Chicago people are ready to
believe in it, as they have an idea that
water must have been made for some
thing or other.
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05

ttMa," said thoughtful boy, "I
don't think Solomon was SO rich as they
say he was. ''Why, my dear, what
could have put that into your head?"
"Why, the Bible says he slept with his
fathers; and I think if he had been so
rich, he would have had bed of his
own."
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05

Never give away a penny indiscrimi-
nately. If beggar tells you he is
starving, order him to come to you the
next day. If he makes his appearance
it is a proof of the falsehood of his state
ment. II it had been true he would have
died during the night
The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-05

1t is not SO much the quantity that
tells as the quality. The devil has as
much brains as an .archangel, but he
doesn't look at things in the same way,
and that's why he is where he is.