davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
DesoIation Of Palestine.

The Rev. w. J. Starcey writes to the
London Times of the deplorable condi-
ton of the Holy Land which he has re-
Gently visited. He says:
Nothing can well exceed the desc
lateness of much of it. Treeless it is for
twenty or thirty miles together, forests
which did exist thirty years ago (e. g.,
on Mount Carmel and Mount Tabor) fast
disappearing, rich plains of the finest
garden soil asking to be cultivated, at
best but scratched up few inches deep
in patches, with no hedges, or bounda-
rles, mountain terraces natural, or arti-
ticiallv formed, ready to be planted with
vines, as the German colony are doing
at the foot of Mount Carmel the vii
lagos nothing but mud huts, dust, dirt
and squalor; the inhabitants with scarce
clothing enough for deeency, their
houses-ovens; large tracts without
horse, or cow, sheep or dog; no pretense
at roads, except from Jaffa to Jeru-
salem, and this like cart road over a
plowed field, the rest, at best, like sheep
walks on the Downs of Sussex, but for
far the most part like the dry bed of the
most rocky river, where, amid blocks
OF stone, each makes his way at foot
pace as best he can, or on smooth, slop-
ing rocks or over loose stones thrown
down from the old walls on either side,
which no one offers finger to remove:
nothing upon wheels, not so much as a
barrow, to be met with in ride of over
300 miles. Everything is taxed; every
fruit tree, SO none now are planted;
every cow or horse, etc.; every vege-
table sold out of a private garden.
Every eighth egg is not taxed but taken
by the government. Nothing like
small farmhouse is to be found far or
near. Ifthere were, the owner is liable
to have soldiers or revenue offices quar-
tered upon him, to be boarded and lodged
at his expense. The towns are filthy in
the extreme. None more so than Jeru-
salem itself. where, however, taxes are
levied from every house for lighting and
cleaning the streets, while sprained
ankle or splash into hole of blackest
dirt is sure to be the eresult of moment
arY carelessness. Nothing is done for
the good OF Improvement of the land by
the government Not only so, but every
offer, and heard of several made by
private individuals, or by companies, is
at once refused, or refused unless bribe
be first given to the authorities.
This is a picture, l believe, in no way
over-drawn, of that land which was
once flowing with milk and honey"
What might it not become again, with
fair usage and good government? But
there is no hope for Palestine while it
remains in the hands of its present
rulers. Palestine is worthless to the
Turkish government. The whole reve-
nue. is stated to amount only to 5000, 900
or $1,000,000 per annum. Capitalize
this at five per cent, and it comes to but
four millions of money. If it were six,
or even ten millions. what would that
be for Europe to raise for the purchase
Of Palestine? A sum sure to be repaid |
a thousand-fold in a few years time. |
And what would not $50, 900, coo in hard |
cash be to the Turkish government at
this moment?
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
A Miners COurtshIp,

A Colorado miner, age thirty, who
wore rough clothes but had an honest
face, arrived in Chicago recently, de-
posted $4,000 in bank and took q
room in fashionable hotel where there
was a society belle, beautiful, accom-
plished and refined. He fell in love
with her atsight. He went to the propri-
etor of the hotel and asked the favor of
al introduction to the lady. Tell
he r." said he, "that I may be rough
looking and badly dressed, but I've
travelled good deal and / know what's
what. I've got the cash and my inten-
tions are honorable. Tell her to get
ready in a week if possible, and to draw
on me for any amount if she wants to.
But she must get ready in week. Tell
her that mean business. There are
not many ladies out where live, but l
rather guess | can make her happy"
The message was carried to the young
lady, who returned an unfayorable le
reply to the eccentric suitor. He was
somew hat disheartened, but far from
be ng crushed. He felt quite sure til t
his personal appearancem must have found
favor in her eyes. Perhaps she did not
believe be had the dust" Well. she
should see He offered to send up to
her his bank book, showing that he
actually had on deposit at the First
National bank the sum OF $4,000. Sh
would have nothing TO do with him or
his bank book. There was what he
looked upon as last plan, only to be
resorted to in a desperate contingency;
and that was to see her father and
obtain his aid in winning the daughter.
He did so; but instead of asking for her
hand, he simply requested the privilege
of corresponding with her for a few
months with view to matTimony- 2
The father referred the matter to his
daughter, but she laughingly refused to
grant even this boon. The victim Of
unrcquiled affection took his departure
for Colorado, with the promise of re-
turning within year, and once more
trying his fortune.
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
Prayers in Congress.

A letter from Washington to the
Cleveland Herald says: The opening of
a Congressional session Is always or
dered at noon precisely. When the
clock hand touches twelve the floor has
been cleared of all visitors, and perhaps
five or six Senators are in their seats,
and twenty-five or thirty Congressman
in their hall. The speaker comes out
exactly on the minute, steps up to his
dais, strikes asmart rap upon the sound
ing board, and the minister who follows
him walks up to the presiding officers
chair and prays, usually short, bat oc-
casionally grows somewhat long The
same ceremony at the same moment
transpires in the Senate. Both the
Speaker and Vice-P President stand below
their desks with bowed heads while the
chaplains officiate. The prayers over,
the business of the day at once begins
by the mechanical reading of the jourral.
which usually occupies from fifteen to
twenty minutes, the members mean
while steadily fling in from the COM
mittee rooms and elsewhere, so that 3
bare quorum is generally on hand when
the motion is made by the presiding
officer that the record be approved. In
the Senate those men who figure so
prominently before the country-these
men are conspicuous during the mo-
ments of prayer by their absence. The
pressure Of business in their busy Sena-
torial lives seems to be SO great that the
ten or fifteen minutes which belong to
the opening moments Of the daily ses-
sion cannot be spared for their presence
there. Those Senators who are distin-
guished by their promptness and pres
IL
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

According to DIR. Christlieb, $4,000
pagans passed over to Christianity in
1873.
The Governor of Kentucky, under the
constitution of the State, is ineligible
for reelection.
Seven Bibles or Testaments are now
turned out every minute by the Ameri-
can Bible society.
A pretty girls house is a legal institu-
ton, for the simple reason that parties
60 there to plead.
A wooden shoe factory has been
started in Illinois. 1t will use q great
many feet of lumber.
A Boston artist painted an orange peel
on the sidewalk so naturally that six fat
men slipped down on it.
The manufacture of clothing in
Chicago has doubled in four years, and
gives employment to 10000 people. The
value of the goods made is $I5, ,O00, 900.
Nashville got its name from Cen
Francis Nash, brave soldier of the
Continental army who fell mortally
wounded at the battle of Germantown.
There are in the United States $50
theaters and 100 concert halls, I40 regu-
lar travelling companies, so variety
companies, 60 companies formed to sup
port stars, and seven resident stock
companies.
The Boston assessors tabulation
shows that there are 49, ,229 buildings in
the city, of which ,432 dwellings,
valued at S., ,872, 300, are vacant. The
hotel Of the highest valuation is the
Parker house, at $500,0O0.
An observer in England has found
that the depth of the dew-fall in that
country seldom exceeds the hundredth
part of an inch during any night of the
year, while the average annual depth
of the deposit is not more than an inch
and half.
Os the 2, 126 commissioned officers in
the United State regular army, only 629
are graduates of West Point. OF the re-
mainder ia rose from the ranks, 984
were appointed from civil life, chiefly
from officers of the volunteer force
during theslate war.
1t is estimated that there are three
million unmarried men and four million
unmarried women in the country. 1t
will be seen that if all the men should
marry there would be a surplus cf
million old maids from which to draw
for second wives. This is great coun-
try for man.-Nea0 HaUea Register.
According to an official statement, the
effective strength Of the Swiss Federal
army on the first of January, 1880,
amounted to 1l9 947 men, as against
lI9, 748 in the previous year. The num-
bers required by the existing law are
los 1888 men in the regular army and
81 ,OI2 in the Landwehr, or altogether
2l2, 400. The actual total at present is
2l5 .063.
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
Mrs. Partington at the Sociable.

There was no mistaking the costume.
and the fact that the venerable dame
led small boy by the hand confirmed
the impression that Mrs. Partington
was in the assemblage. There was a
momentary lull in the buzz of CONVEX
sation, and the party gathered around
the newcomer, eager TO shake her by
the hand. "Bless mep' said she, with
a beaming smile, which played over
her face like sunshine over a lake; !;
"Bless mel how salutary you all are |!
just as you ought to be at time like
this, when nothing harmonious should
be allowed to disturb your hostilities.
You are very kind, I'm shore, and / am
glad to see you trying to enjoy your
selves. We had no church sociables in
my young days, but we had huskin'
bees, and quiltin' bees, and apple bees,
and''-" Bumblebees, said Ike. break,
ing in like a boy on thin ice" and
though we had good times. and sociable
enough, goodness knows, when the red
ears were found, they were nothing to
the superf1uity of thisn There was
slight disturbance in the circle. as Ike
in his restlessness placed his heel on a
circumiacent toe, but it was stiIled as
the master of ceremonies came up to in
troduce the minister. Glad to see you.
madam" said the minister, 81 hope
you may find the hour spent with us a
happy one." +" know | shall, sir.n
replied she. "for happiness depends
very much on how we enjoy ourselves,
and enough of anything always satisfies
me. How could help enjoying N.Y.
sell in scene of such life and ami
mostly as this?" s'Very true, madam
"And then the lights, blazing like a
CONSERVATION, and the music and
flowers make it seem like Pharaoh
land" The minister was called away,
and the master of ceremonies asked
Mrs. P. if she would like san ice, (which
she family heard. GA nice-p" she
replied, looking at him and hanging on
to the long-as if it were the top bar of
a gate. "Oh, very" A rush by the
contestants in game here broke in
between them, the band gave crash,
which seemed to start the roof, the
mass of people waved to and fro, Ike
started off with new crony in quest of
some suggested peanuts, and Mrs. Part
ingtOn backed into scat. She looked
pleasantly upon the moving spectacle
through her own parabolas, her fingers
beat time to the music, and her oil
factories inhaled the breath of flowers
and the smell of coffee from an ada
cent room, till she was becoming s'lost,n
when she realized that figure was
standing before her, and cold spoon
was being thrust into her right hand.
1t was the attentive manager again with
an ice cream which he invited her to
take. You are very surprising, SIR"
said she, smiling; " was unconscious
BILE at the moment. Thank you; T.
will. am very partially fond of ice
cream, and this is manila, too, which is
my favoriten She ate with sense of
enjoyment caught from the scene and
went away soon after, when Ike had
joined her, with plethoric pockets, bid
ding the manager convey a goodnight
from her to the party saying she had
enjoyed a real sociable time.-B. P.
in the AUe7axe.
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
An Old Dutch Funeral.

Until within a few weeks past, one
man, John Van Vechten, OF CatskIll,
was living, who remembered the funeral
of Domino Schuneman. The ceremony
was in accordance with the customs
which the Dutch, hundred and sew
enty years before, had brought with
them from the mother country. A man.
especially deputed for the purpose, met
each male-oomer at the door, and offered
him a glass of rum from q flask. A
woman waited in like manner upon
each female-comer. The relatives of
the dead sat together around the corpse;
the friends and acquaintance took
their seats in another part of the room,
or in an adjoining chamber. When the
services were over-these were in
Dutch--they who chose went up to the
coffin to take their last look at the de-
ceased. The coffin was then closed, put
upon bier, and taken from the house
to the grave, the relatives following,
and after them all comers. When the
coffin had been laid in the ground, the
procession returned to the house, but
in inverse order-the relati yes and the
empty bier and its bearers coming last.
One room in the house was assigned to
the bearers, another to the assembled
people, In each room table had been
set with bottles of rum, a jar of tobacco,
and long clay pipes. All the men drank
and smoked, talking in the meanwhile
of the character and virtues of their
dead pastor, of their horses, Of the
spring planting, and of the weather.
One or two of the lower sort got tipSy,
and amused themselves by singing fu-
neral ditties out of-doors. HaTpeTS
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
Bear Sausage at Berlin.

Liver sausage is regarded as an ex-
quisite delicacy throughout Germany,
and it would appear from a quaint
achievement recently effected in Berlin
that its maximum of toothsomeness can
only be obtained when the material
composing it is extracted from the car
cass of deer. A few days ago an ex-
hibition of culinary art was opened at
Hamburg; and the Berlin committee of
restaurateurs, desiring to contribute
thereto an edible worth of their CASTRO
nomic renown, applied to DIR. Bordinus,
the managing director of the geological
gardens, for leave to purchase and slay
one of the society's bears, in order TO
convert the ursine liver into a sausage
of paramount excellence. Having q
bear to spare, the learned doctor parted
with one for the moderate consideration
of ten guineas, and the committee,
twelve in number, proceeded to the
doomed ones den, where Herr Wiese,
the proprietor of Sommer's salon, shot
bruin through the head, and afterward
narrowly escaped mutilation by ven
turing to stroke the luckless beasts
furry coat before it had quite given up
the ghost. The beasts liver was duly
chopped up, spiced and manufactured
into gigantic sausage weighing twenty
five pounds, and his remains having
been artistically set up by noted taxi
dermist, he now occupies an honorable
and rampant position at the chief en-
trance to the Hamburg exhibition, sup
porting upon his fore paws q silvern
platter containing the dainty comesti-
BILE prepared from bis own body - .Lon-
don Telegraph
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
Meteoric Iron in Snow.

Observations of snow collected on
mountain tops, and within the Arctic
circle, far beyond the influence of fac
tories and smoke, confirm the sup
position that minute particles of iron
float in the atmosphere, and in time
falls to the earth. By some men of sci
ence, these floating particles of iron are
believed to bear some relation to the
phenomena of the aurora. Gronemann,
of Gottingen. for instance. holds that
streams of the particles revolve around
the sun, and that, when passing the
earth, they are attracted to the poles,
thence stretching forth as long fila.
ments into space; but, as they travel
with planetary velocity, they become
ignited in the earth's atmosphere, and
in this way produce the well-known
lumi, GUS appearance characterizing
auroral phenomena.
Professor Nordenskjold, who exam
ined snow in the far north, beyond
Spitzbereen, says that he found In it
exceedingly minute particles Of metallic
iron, phosphorus and cobalt.
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
The Eyesight in Adults.

In adult age the eyesight NAV be.
and often is, injured by causes which
can be avoided by the exercise of a
moderate amount of thought and care.
Common among these causes are detec-
tive or excessive illumination, exces-
siVe application, unclean or impure air,
exposure to cold, and want of misuse
of spectacles. OF course, the best light
is the natural or white light, which
comes from the sun, and which is as
cOngenial and necessary to the eye as
food to the digestive organs. But by
thoughtlessness and carelessness the
light Of day may become the means of
destroying or seriously impairing the
eyesight. Thus, the power of vision is
often enfeebled and sometimes ruined
by sudden exposure of the eyes to a
much stronger light than that to which
they have been accustomed. A person
may suffer irreparable injury, even to
blindness, by going abruptly from dark
ness to light, by looking at the sun or
other dazzling light, by reflection of the
solar rays into the eye from mirror or
other polished OF white surface. Harm
may come from opening the eyes in a
bright sunlight on awakening in the
morning, and hence, as DR.. Carter, an
English physician who has made the
eyes study, points out, it is not well to
sleep in a bed facing the morning sun,
when the windows of the room are in
sufficiently covered by curtains, or
when the strong light is suddenly ad-
mitted by a servant in the morning.
The habit Of sleeping with a night
light burning in the room is objection
able, since darkness is conducive to
sound and refreshing sleep. But if per-
sons will do it, the light should be so
screened as to prevent the rays from
falling directly on the eyes In dwell
ings, as in schoolrooms, architecture
and furniture have an important in
fuence on the proper use and preserva-
tion of the eyesight. Not only the
amount of lightin the room, but the di-
rection from which it is admitted, are
matters of Importance. The eyes are
naturally much protected against light
coming from above, but they are COM
paratively defenseless against that
which comes from below. son this
account" says DIR. Carter, every low
windows are rather to be avoided, or, if
used, they should be fitted with blinds
made to draw up rather than down !;
and the floors should not be covered
with very bright-eolored materials, or
with any which possess rejecting sur
faces. The blinds, too, by which the
admitted light is tempered, should be
of q suitable color, neither white nor
white striped with red, but of blue or
gray tint, and of sufficient thickness to
be really effectual for the purpose for
which they are designed"
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13

shower OF diamonds. Nellie had never
before felt how beautiful the world was.
They arrived at home in drizzly
shower, through which, in the misty
east, glorious rainbow shone.
At the door he detained her for an
instant under the umbrella, as three
months before he had done at The gate.
Nellie, darling, you have not said
those words | love you, Charlie. y
"No," said Nellie. blushing. "No,
won't say them now; but" and she
glanced up, roguishly, II do love that
dear umbrellarn
And she rus he'd upstairs as her
mother came into the hall, inquiring if
they had gotten wet.
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
SINGLE COPY. FIVE CENTS
NO. 81.
Onward.

Like a bell OF blossom ringing,
Clear and childish, short and sweet,
Flouting to the porch's shadow,
With the taintest tall OF feet,
Comes the answer softly backward,
Bidding tender watcher wait,
While the baby queen outruns her,
"Oniy going TO the gate"
Through the moonlight, warm and scented
Love to beauty breathes sigh,
Alwaysto depart reluctant,
10th to speak the word :. good-bye;"
Then the same low echo answers,
Waiting love of older date,
And the maiden whispers softly,
"O Only going to the gate"
The gates we pass them upward
On ourjourne u by one,
To the distant, ng wicket,
Where each traveller goes alone
Where the friends who journey with US
Strangely talter, stop and wait,
Father, mother, child or lover; q
"Only going to the gate" '
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13
VOL. II.
Friends of Long Ago.

When I sit in the twilight cleaning,
And the busy streets grow still,
dream of the wide, green meadows,
And the old house on the hill.
1 can see the roses blooming
About the doorway low,
Again my heart gives greeting
To the friends of long ago
Dear long ago!
can see my mother sitting,
With life's snowfiakes in her hair,
And she smiles above her knitting,
And her face is sanity fair.
And I see my father reading
From the Bible on his knee,
And again I hear him praying
AS he used to pray tor me-
So long ago!
l see all the dear old faces
Of the boys and girls at home,
As 1 saw them in the dear old days
Before we learned to roam.
And I sing the old songs over
With the friends used to know,
And my heart forgets its sorrows
In its dream of long ago!
Dear long ago,
How widely our feet have wandered
From our old homes tender ties,
Some are beyond the ocean,
And some are beyond the skies.
My heart grows sad with thinking,
OF the friends I used to know;
Perhaps l shall meet in heaven
All the loved ones of long ago,
Dear long ago.
Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-05-13

A drunkarJ fled into the woods, near
Nashville, Tenn, while wild with de-
lirium tremens, dug grave, and was
found lying in it dead. His wife was
made frantic by the sight, and she
loudly called upon heaven to let her die
too. It happened that, on her way
home, lightning struck and killed her,
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-06-03

HOME LIFE A HUNDRED YEARS
AGo.-One hundred years ago not
pound of coal or cubic foot of illumi-
hating gas had been burned in the coun
try. No iron stoves were used aud no
contriyances for economizing heatwere
employed until DR.. franklin invented
the iron.framed fireplace which still
bears his name. All the cooking and
warming in town, as we'll as in the coun-
try, were done by the aid of fire kindled
on brick hearth or in the brick ovens.
Pine knots or tallow candles furnished
the light for the long Winter nights, and
sanded floors supplied the place of rugs
and carpets. The water used for house
hold purposes was drawn from deep wells
by the creaking sweep. No form of
pump was used in this country, 80 far as
we can learn, until after the commence.
ment of the present century. There
were no friction matches in those early
days by the aid of which fire could be
easily kindled, and if the fire went out
upon the hearth over night, and the tin
der was damp, so that the spark would
not catch, the alternative remained of
wading through snow mile or so to
borrow brand of nighbor. Only one
room in any house was warm, unless
some member of the family was i'll; in
all the rest the temperature was at zero
during many nights in Winter. The
men and women of hundred years ago
undressed and went to their beds in a
temperature colder than that of our
modern barns and woodsheds, and they
never complained.