davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
QUEEN vICTORIA,s GiRLHOOD.


The Princess Victoria was born within the
homely brick walls of Kensington Palace,
on the oath of May, 1919. When she was
only few months old, her father died,
closely followed by his father, poor old King
George. Before this, it is recorded that
"the Regent was not kind to his brother"
and when the Duke of Kent died, it was
found that "the poor Duke had left his
family deprived of all means of existence"
Thus the position of the mother of the fu-
ture sovereign, a young German Princess,
so soon left alone in this strange and not al
ways very genial country, was far from con-
soling. Her brother, Prince Leopold, has
tened to her in her distress, and stood by
her in all her future difficulties. Few wo-
men have had a severer piece of work to un-
dertake. But for that wise and kind
brother, the Duchess of Kent, the mother of
the future Queen, was all but unfriended in
a home with which she had as yet but little
time to get acquainted. She was foreign
er, accustomed to different ways of living,
and had not even the easy elasticity of
youth, which accustoms itself to anything,
for she was already over thirty when she
married the Duke and while occupying SO
great position, she was comparatively
poor. Had she withdrawn with her child
to her own country, to bring the little Prin-
cess up among her own people, cheaply and
Kindly, tar away from the criticisms aud e.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
A vIKING's WAR SHIP.

An interesting discovery has Just been
made at Sandeherred, in Norway, of Scan
dinavian war vessel Buried under hill
lock, sailing vessel has been found, which
is thought to have belonged to those terri
bic highwaymen of the ocean, the Vikings,
or Norwegian pirates. It measures about
seventy-five feet in length, and is in an al
most perfect state of preservation. It is
armed and equipped as though it had been
abandoned where found when on the point
of sailing on some adventurous expedition.
All the apparatus used by nautical Morse
men are met with in this ancient craft, the
most of which is still pretty well intact.
There are fragments of sails and cordage re-
manning, as well as many specimens either
perfect or incomplete of utensils aud instru-
ments, which have been eagerly examined
by antiquaries. Among other things are
number of pieces of oakwood, peculiarly
shaped, wrought with certain elegance,
and followed out in the centre to admit of
ropes being passed through them. Spades
and shields, or bucklers, have also been
found, or rather the iron portion of the
bucklers, for the wooden part is entirely
gone. Near the rudder the skeletons of
three horses were discovered. The form of
they are suspended round the interior of
the ship is absolutely the same as one sees
represented on the beautiful tapestry Of
Bayeux, in Normandy, which dates back to
the eleventh century. The ship is not yet
completely dug out of its present prison
near the shore. When this has been &C.
compished the ship-which is thought to
be still seaworthy--win be launched and
taken to Christiania to be deposited in the
University Museum.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
BORROWED BOOKS.

The most indenpedent man : he who
would disdain to borrow pins worth of
ordinary matter-will not scruple to ask
the loan of book. You lend it to him
with well founded misgivinga. From that
time until the date of its return time enough
elapses to suffice for the refreshing of all
the defective memories that have existed in
recorded time. The means by which the
borrower will avoid returning the book, for
which he has no use, having once read it,
are innumerable. First, he thinks he will
make its return an excuse for friendly
call; then he puts of the call evening by
evening for other and more exilarating So
cial pleasures, but insists that the book must
not be put in the book case or it might be
forgotten. Some evening at bedtime he
remembers il, and enjoins his wife to remind
him of that book the very next day; the
dutiful wife does as requested, and gets
snub for her pains. Finally, some tidy
person tucks it into the family bookcase,
and it is forgotten. A quarter of GEN.
tury later, when the owner has reached that
land where the only books are volumes of
record, and the borrower has found his
home in the place where q book is useless
unless printed on mica sheets, some de-
scendent of the former will find the long
lost volume on q cheap book-stall, and
wonders how in creation it got there. Yet
the explanation is easy enough.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
HARD ON rHk " cOslPANY.o

A good "drive was perpetrated upon Q
Connecticut Western conductor q few days
ago. A man boarded the train at a way
station and paid his fare to point few
miles distant On reaching his destination
he concluded to proceed to further station
and finally continued on until he reached
Winsted. Each time he paid his fare in cash
to the conductor, instead of buying a ticket
at the station, although by this means the
passage cost him considerably more. At
last the conductor spoke to him of this and
suggested that it would be economy for him
10 buy ticket, and asked him why he didn't.
"Wen," said the passenger, I'm tell You.
Some time last Summer got into little
trouble with this company and they used me
mighty meanly, SO I just said to myself,
That Connecticut Western Company won't
never get another cent of my money if I
live hundred years.; and they won't, and
that's why pay my fare to the conductors"
The conductor dropped the conversation ct
that point.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
AL1BERrx.poLE NOT A NUISANCE.

A LIBERrY.POLK NOT A NUISANCE.
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has
held liberty pole in public street is not
per sc nuisance. The court said: 1.-The
erection of liberty poles appears to be almost
ooeva with the birth of our nation. As
the name imports, they were erected to
symbolixe our liberties, and as q mode
of proclaiming that We had thrown
of all allegiance to the Government of
Great Britain. At first they appear to have
been used as expressive of concurrence in
the principles embodied in the Declaration
of Independence. As time passed ON they
began to be erected by each political party
of the country to express its greater devo-
ton to the rights of the people. As tho
object of their erection was patriotic, and
with view of melting q spirit calculated to
advance the public welfare, they were
placed on highways and public squares.
The people 90 desired it. The municipal
authorities assented to it. It is q custom
sanctioned by hundred years, and inter-
woven with the traditions, memories aud
conceded rights of q free people. Unless
1oshidden hy the anthorities i has .beea
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
A BR1GAND,s GRATITUDE.

Statesmen have not high opinion of tn,
gratitude of their followers. Many of then
have learned, with Sir Robert Walpole, t.
define it as "a lively sense of future favors
Even those who take men as they are, anl
do not expect all the virtues of the Deca
logue in place-expectant, have often hat
cause to say with Wadsworth:
I've heard of hearts unkind, kind deeds
With cOldness still returning;
Alas! the gratitud of men .l-zr.t-
Hath otsener left me mourning.
And yet, the still, small voice of graft
tude," as Gray calls it, has frequently in
fuenced the most obdurate of men, Ar
English official once had an experience
be swayed by gratitude.
He was travelling in a Greek province OF
Turkey, notorious for the number and fierce.
ness of its brigands. One of the bands was
commanded by Captain" on whose head
q high price had been set, and for whom q
Turkish force was then seeking.
He was honored by the peasants as regu-
lar lev0meaOs. The name, which means
soiaed, is, among the Greeks, the title of
honor for brigand, whose filthy garments
indicate that he has been long "on the
road, and SO fully employed as not to have
had time to wash them.
With strong escort, the Englishman was
journeying at night. An adventurous spirit
led him to stray away from his companions
He was following, by the light of the moon,
II. L.
seized by several stout fellows.
Grasping his revolver, the Englishman es-
sayed to use it, but was prevented by the
"Capitan" laying hold Of it. A struggle
ensued, in which the pistol was broken
At this moment, when self defence was
out of the question, the Englishman thought
of another means Of protection. Removing
the white cover of his Official cap, he pointed
out the crown on it, and announced himself
as an officer of the English Government
Instantly the g Captain +" ordered his bri-
die to be released, and with his companions
retired q short distance to consult. In few
minutes he returned to inquire if the gen.
ueman was Q son of the Consul of the neigh
boring town LitEl5asti - - rf'i -
'ie II am," was the answer
- "You are free to go where you please" I"
replied the g Captain" with much feeling.
" Your father has saved the lives and prop
erty Of many Greeks. Besides, we all love
the English. .'''. - ~ - 80
"a few miles hence" he continued, 'you
will fall in with the camp of the Pasha who,
ss=
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
CLIPPED ARROW.HEADS,

One of the indications of the increase of
traffic through these Straits which has of late
years taken place is that empty bottles are
now to be found about the shores of those
anchorages which are used by passing YES
sells as stopping places for the night and
bottle-glass is consequently the material
used by the Fuegians of the present day, to
the exclusion of obsidian, quartz OF flint.
The following is the process: A fragment
somewhat approaching to the shape of the
intended arrowhead is grasped firmly in the
left hand, while in the right hand is held an
old iron nail stuck into a short wooden han
die. The fingers of the closed right hand are
turned upward, and the point of the nail is
directed toward the operators breast. He
then presses with great force the blunt point
of the nail obliquely against the edge of the
piece of glass, when a thin scale flies off to-
ward him. One side of the edge having
been beveled in this way, the glass is turned
round, and the opposite edge faxed off in .
similar manner. Working the edges alter
nately in this way, the glass is readily
brought to the required shape. The fash
Joining of the point is the most difficult part
of the process, the formation of the barbs
being easily effected. have seen a native
thus make large arrowhead out of piece
of broken pickle bottle in about half an
hour. The glass is never struck, but is fash
ioned entirely by pressure. After little
practice I succeeded in making fair imita-
tions. 1 find, moreover, that the iron tool
above mentioned can be dispensed with, and
that the taking may be effected by pressing
with an angular flint or with piece of bone,
which were probably the methods used by
the Fuegians before they possessed any iron
implements.-Her Majesty's surveying ship
Alert, Swallow Bay, Straits of Magellan
Nature.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
A MARROW ESCAPE.

The water is diverted from the Merrimac
River for the use of the mills at Lowell
Massachusetts,, and at six O'Clock is turned
back again. Two little boys were fishing
from a rock in the rapids when the water
came laundering down. They climbed 70
the highest point, where they were just
above the current Efforts were made to
rescue them, but in vain, and they were
compelled to remain ON their perch all night
The danger was that they would get asleep
and fall of, and TO keep them awake, their
parents and others built bonfires on the
shore, sang camp-meeting songs, and told
stories to them until morning.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
AN ACTOR,s FIRST SUCCESS.

1t was at the second performance Of
" Measure for Measure at Drury Lane in
in 1924 that the hlstronic merits of Mr.. Ben
jamin Webster first attracted the attention
of the play-going public. The actor was
possessed of some six years professional ex-
the stage in despair of arriving at eminence,
and employed himself as bookseller. But
q serious attack of ophthalmia prevented
Harley from appearing as the Clown, and
there was great difficulty in finding a sub
stitute. Suddenly the stage manager, Mr..
Bum, bethought him of q young man who
had played many parts for him upon very
short notice during his direction of the Bir-
mingham Theatre. Benjamin Webster was
according sent for. But the summons did
not reach him until $50 of the evening of
performance. As he himself has related:
When was told of the circumstance ]
was horror struck. 1 ran to the theatre.
No officer was there. What was to do 2
Set to work, was the reply; you have
done as much before But not with Shake
peare and in London. I obtained . very
cold reception, but the audience warmed to
at the end of my first scene. At the termi-
nation of the great tale Pompey has to tell,
three distinct rounds of applause greeted
the poor unknown player, and the courage
Ihad screwed up at this point sunk into my
shoes, and could scarcely carry them of.
The success was complete; all the great &C
tors came round me. was led in sort of
triumph to the first green-room, which my
salary did not entitle me to enter; and the
press pronounced my performance the great
hit of the evening"" Some two or three
seasons passed, however, before the actor
was secure of permanent engagements At
Drury Lane, and, in summer, at the Hay
market Theatre.-AH the Year Round.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
MEANT HIM.

| When railroad passenger hears the whis-
| tie sounding an alarm it is his first impulse
to look out of the window, but the impulse
is always restrained by second thought, ex-
cept in the case Of green travellers. One
day recently an old man and his wife were
passengers on Lake Shore train, and as
the section men were making repairs on the
line in various places, the whistle was sound
ed pretty often. The old couple were fully
alive to every "toot," and each time the
old man would stick his head out of the
window.
"Does it mean, anything, Samuel !"
asked the wife every time his head came
back, but he could give her no satisfactory
explanations
A traveller behind them finally warned
the old man that he ran q risk by sticking
his head out, but at the very next toot he
was at it again. He wore q plug hat which
looked fully twenty years old, and its loss
would be nothing great Preparations were
quietly made behind him, and everything
was all ready when next the whistle sounded.
ST wonder what's on the track now ?"
queried the wife, as she moved around un-
easily.
81 dunno" he replied, "I believe we've
run over as many as dozen men since we
left Toledo"
'Do look out and see what it MEANS"
she continued. i., -.-.-...s..s ss.I
j. Out went his head, his face toward the
engine, and a smart rap with a cane from
the next window Knocked his hat off and
sent it flying into q swamp. He pulled back
with such a rush that he almost went over
his wife into the aisle.
Land q stars! did it mean anything?"
she cried, as she grasped him. ...- ..
:" should think it did :" he yelled. cit
meant that / was a burned old fool, and
have got to go bareheaded all the rest of this
summer"
The hard-hearted conductor refused to
stop the train and recover the hat, and at
the finis of q hot discussion, the bare
headed victim brought his fist down with
shivering force, and exclaimed:
"Waal, now, 1 want you to understand
that, If there is any law in this land, this
'ere railroad has got to move its fence
corners back. S'posen them rails had
given me a wipe on the jaw! "-DetrOit
Free Press
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29

travagances, the late hours and hustle of
But the Duchess had the temperate Coburg
blood in her veins, and shared the sound
sense and judgment of her race. She never
forgot that her eight month old baby was
the first. Princess of the blood, English
above all things, and imperatively requiring
an English education. And she began her
long career of self denial by steadily remain
ing in England, though far from her friends
and everything that was most dear to her.
The little family, bereaved, returned to the
old palace at Kensington, where the child
had been born, and there the early days of
the Princess were chiefly spent More hap
py than most children in her position, the
little heiress of England had the society of
an elder sister, whose superior age must, in
those innocent days, have neutralized the
immense difference of position, and given
something of the sweet natural humility of
a younger child in a well-regulated house
hold to this most important member of the
family, all unconscious of her own great
ness. This sister, Princess Feodora, after
ward Princess Hohenlohe, was the tenderest
of friends and companions to the Queen dur
ing her whole life. They were brought up
together in quiet old Kensington, in the
sweeter solitude of Claremont, the house
where Prince Leopold had spent his short
married life, which belonged to him, and in
which he often received his widowed sister
and her little girl. They we're there in tho
summer of 1924; and SO bright must that
summer have been that it's brightness still
lasts in recollection, though the little Prin-
cess was but five years old. 8 Those days
of Claremont," the Queen herself tells us,
"were the happiest days of her childhood"
-Mrs OApAant, in Ha,rer's Magazine.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
THE WILD DUCK.

This well-known species is one of the
most widely distributed of this wide-ranging
family, for it occurs not only all over the
norther portion of the Old World, extending
to China and Japan, but it is also met with
in North America, as far south as Mexico
The wild duck breeds in many parts of the
United Kingdom, and where not disturbed
do not betray any great fear Of man. The
nest is placed on the ground, often at some
distance from the water, and in one in
stance the writer remembers having come
across duck sitting on nine eggs at least
half mile from the lake where numbers of
others were breeding. 1t is strange that the
sitting bird should expose her young brood,
even if they should be safely Matched, to the
risk of capture by q fox or other Wild ami
NAL ON their way to the water. The nest in
question was placed in small wooded dell,
aud was overhung by bush, which would
have effectually concealed it had not the old
bird betrayed its presence by flying OF.
The malIard is much more handsome bird
than the duck, and both sexes closely re-
semble the common duck of the faxmyard.
In summer, however, the male bird loses its
rich piumage and dons dress like the fe-
male, only resuming its beautiful colors
again in August. A good decoy, where
many wild ducks are to be seen, is often .
pretty sight, the birds swimming about in
pairs, when the fine plumage of the male
contrasts with the more sober color of his
mate. At times they may be seen tail up
permost, searching below the surface for
their food, which consists of worms, Rraas-
seeds, and roots, mollusca, insects, small
reptiles, and little fab. On being ap-
preached they fly OF with sonorous quack,
that of the female being the louder. Dur
ing the breeding season the males consort
much together, and on taking flight mount
high in the air and circle round some dis
tance before again settling down. The f.
male evinces great attachment to the young,
and may often be seen attended by her little
brood, who, on the approach of danger,
manage to conceal themselves most adroitly,
while the mother viii feign hmeness, or
pretend to be wounded, in order to draw
away the intruder from the whereabouts Of
her brood--CasselPs Natural History.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
DONlESTICATED SRALs.

A man living at Montreal obtained two
young seals, and after feeding them about .
year they became very tame, and would 60
into his house and stay an hour or two by
the fire, and then go out and take a swim in
the st. lawrence, returning again to the
house and striking their flippers against it to
gain entrance. Finally he decided to send
them of, and gave them to q steamboat pilot
to carry 40 or SO miles down the river, which
was done, but the next morning the seals
made their appearance again as usual.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29
FUN IN A LAW COURT.

The Criminal Lao Magazine says: Along
winded lawyer lately defended criminal
unsuccessfully, and during the trial the judge
received the following note: The prisoner
humbly prays that the time occupied by the
plea of the counsel for the defence be count
ed in his sentence"
This reminds us of an incident in our Su-
preme Court. The late Mitchell Sanford
was arguing q cause, and the late learned
Judge Gould was presiding. The judge had
interrupted the counsel good deal, and
talked considerably, and when he reminded
the counsel that L" his hour was up, " the lat
ter said:
"Well, your Honor ought to give me
half an hour more, for you have talked half
the time since have been on my feet"
The same learned judge once fell into the
ferry-way at Albany, and, although unable
10 swim, had the presence of mind to turn
ON his back and float until he was rescued.
In narrating the circumstance to a Troy
lawyer, he said:
'.It was easy enough; all bad to do was
to keep on my back with my mouth shut for
three minutes"
The lawyer exclaimed: "Judge, how did
you manage to keep your mouth shut SO
long ?"-Al60ny Lac Journal.
Repentance without amendment is like
continual pumping in ship without stop
ming the leaks
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29

A well-dressed negro applied to the Judge
of Probate of Mobile for q marriage license.
He was asked how old his intended was,
and answered, with great animation: Just
16, Judge-sweet l6, and the handsomest
girl in town." The Judge said he could not
do it, as the law forbade him to issue a Ii
cense to any one under IS. "Well, hold
on, Judge" exclaimed the man. 81 know
dat dem girls am deceitful about deir age.
She is 10 if day." "Win you swear to
it ?" asked the Judge. "Yes, sah," he re-
Piled and did "And how old are you?"
said the Judge. The chap, looking suspi-
cious, replied cautiously, ''Thirty- five,
and added, '.if dat won't do, Judge, I've got
more back"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-29

Some years ago, a remarkably fine echo
was discovered on gentleman's estate.
He was proud of it, of course, and excited
considerable envy by its exhibition.
A retired tradesman, who owned an ad-
joining estate, felt especially chagrined, but
who went over the land with the hope of
discovering one somewhere.
He declared himself successful in discov-
ing the most wonderful scho ever heard, and
stood ready to unfold his secret for . con-
sideration-
The owner listened to the echo, and
though there was something peculiar about
it, he paid the money. An afternoon was
appointed for his friends. to come and lis
ten to the marvellous discovery.
'.Hello !" cried, in stentorian tones, the
Hbernian who had promised to find an
echo.
''Hello J" came back from the hillside.
''How are you ?" yelled one Of the COM
pany.
And echo answered, in q suspiciously-
different key:
How are you 2"
All went well until, just before retiring,
one of the company, putting his hand 70
his mouth, cried out
''Wn you have some whiskey2"
Such question would disclose the char-
scter of any reasonable echo. It was cer-
tainly too much for the one that had been
discovered ON that estate.
Judge to the surprise of the party when
the answer came back, in clear, affirmative
tones:
Thank you, sor; will, if ye please"
1t was too bad to put such q temptation
before poor Echo.