davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12
The White Wax Of sze-ohusn.

Describing some curiosities Of trade in
China, the Pail Mall Gazette gives a mum.
Der Of interesting facts with regard to the
production Of the white wax Of Sze.chueu
In the keen-chang district Of that prov.
ince there grows in abundance the Ligus.
tTuH tueiduBa, an evergreen tree with point
ed, ovatc leaves, on the twigs Of which
myriads Of insects spread themselves, like
brownish film, in the spring Of each year.
Presently the surface Of the twigs becomes
inerusted with white, waxy substance Sc.
creted by the insects, aud il increases in
quantity until the latter part Of August. when
the twigs are cut of and boiled in water.
During this process, the wax rising TO the
surface is skinned of, and is then melted
and allowed to cool 10 deep pans. BY one
OF those curious accidents which have done
so much to increase the knowledge Of man
kind, it was discovered that by transport.
ing the insects bred 10 Keen chang 10 the
less congenial climate of Kea ting Fu, in
the north Of the province, the amount of
wax produced was vastly increased. No
people more readily discern a commercial
advantage, or more speedily take advnn.
tage OF one when uneneumbered with poli.
tical considerations, chan the Chinese; and
this singular effect of removing the insects
from cougenial climate TO Que so uncon-
genial as TO prevent their breeding was
eagerly taken advantage of by the Sze-
ehnen traders.
Travellers by night on the hich.road be-
tween keen-chaug and Heating Flu nsy
meet in the spring Of the year hundreds Of
wax merchants; each carrying bis load of
female insects, big with young, on their way
to the wax farms of Kea.ting Flu. The
journey is rough and long, and fortnieht's
sun would preeipitate the Matching, which
should take place after the female i attach.
ed to the trees To the unscientific ewes
OF Chinamen the round, pea like female
appears 10 sst 0thins more than an egg,
and this belief is the more exeusable since
the birth Of the young Is the signal for the
death Of the parent, Of whose previous ex-
istence there remained ouly as evidence
an outer husk or shell. Six or seven of
these prolific mothers are wrapped ia a
palm and tied to branch of the LigustrpH,
hic3dam. ln few days swarrns Of intin-
itesimally small insect creep forth and elus-
ter on the twigs Of the tree, where they
fulfill their mission aud perish with lis
accomplishment in the boiling pot each
August. Baron Richthofep considers the
value Of the insect wax to be on an aver
age upwards Of 100000; during last
year there was exported from the one port
ofHaukow upwards ofs400, 600 worth oft.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12
The Bermudas.

A travelling correspondent Of The Boston
Transcript, writing from Bermuda, SAYS /:
When you walk abroad, you never hear
the babbling Of brook; there Is not run
ming brook in all the Bermudas, and at
twilight you may listen In vain to hear the
erOaking Of frogs, for there arc neither
frogs nor toads here. You may peneiratc
the thickest undergrewth Of brakes and
bushes without fear Of disturbing some
snake 10 his lair; for since creation dawn
no serpent has ever yet fouud its way into
this earthly paradise. So very quiet is it
that the report of the gcns at tho dock
yard, which announced yesterday the dc.
parture of the Bacchanic, fell pleasantly
on our ears. But while upon this subject,
candor compels the confession that thcro
is here species Of taillcss cats. forloru
looking 10 the extreme, that can discourse
quite as melodiously Of nights as any of
their Northern kindred who rejoice in the
possession of caudal uppendages; and in
the wee small hours we sometimes hear a
watch dog that must be bayiag al the
moon, since thieves and tramps arc un-
known IN theso happy isles.
There is very little poverty in Bermuda
no abject poverty, as indeed how should
there be In land where the soil is so fer
tile as TO yield easily three crops annually?
IL is hard for one reared in New England
TO imagine vegetable garden that viii
yield something for the table every day Ia
the year, but such are the gardens here.
The chief products raised Cor exportation
are onions, potatoes, tomatoes and arrow.
root. 0ar table has heea well sauplie,l
however, With other fresh aud delicious
yegetahles--aweet potatoes Of pale color,
but very nno favor, beeis sweet and ten.
der, green peas large and luscious, crisp
cabbage, cauliiowcr and lettuce. The
poor Bermndian has az inexhaustible fish
pond 10 the blue Atlantic. and his home,
wherever L may be, cannot be long walk
from the shore, since the island Is 50 mar.
row and indented that II Is scarcely posi-
bic to end locality that would Be- more
than mile from the ocean.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12
a Coffee Plantation in Mexico.

About mile from Cordoba, SAYS a tray
eler in Mexico, We found at the junction
of lane an enthusiastic German botanist,
who lives In Cordoba, partly because he
owns coffee plantation there, and partly
from his fanatical love Of botanical pur.
suits We had been consigned to his
care, and the old gentleman seemed do.
lighted to see some one from the civilized
world. After rather tiring walk through
muddy lane, We turned sharp to the left
and found ourselves in the middle of
well-kept coffee plantation. The inlroduc.
tion Of coffee into this region is of com
paratiycly recent date, but already the
production is very great, and large quau.
titles aro exported. Iu Ceylon aud other
countries where the staple product is cof.
fee, the plants are grown on the hillsides
without any shade. But at Cordoba the
soil is not rich enough to produce coffee
unless 1t is grown under shade. The cof
fec plant Is an evergreen, and will, If un-
pruned, grow to the height Of thirty feat
The leaves are obloDg 10 shape, and of a
dark, shining green. They grow in pairs,
one at either side of the branch, and the
flowers grow at the junction Of the leaf
stalks. These blossoms are Of beautiful
snow white, and although the tree gener
ally blossoms twice in the year, yet there
are few times when the snowfakes are not
seen among the dark green leaves. The
plants are kept down by constant pruning
to about FIVE or six feet, aud constant at
tention has TO be given TO keeping tho soil
clear OF weeds. The berry, when ripe, is
Of purplish red, about the size of a cher.
ry. Each berry contains two seeds with
the fiat sides toward each other, and the
remainder of the berry is soft pulp, very
sweet and pleasant to the taste. Our bo-
tanieal friend had number Of small nur.
series in which he was raising the young
plant they are planted out when about a
year old, and begin to produce at three
years, but not 10 perfection until the fifth
year. In many countries il Is usual to
allow the berries to become thoroughly
ripe, aud then TO shake them off the trees
on TO cloths spread below. But in Mexico
the berries are picked by hand, aud then
spread out to dry IN heaps about three
inches deep In Mexico the great diff
Guilty in the way Of coffee growing is the
poverty OF the soil and the want of manure,
| suggested 10 our friend that he should
keep four or Eve hundred COWS, as Is done
IN ceyion, for the purpose Of procuring
manure, but he said that they would be
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12
Our @lio.
Why the Needle Points Eortherly.

A Saa Francisco gentleman lately wrote
to the Superintendent Of the ". s. Coast
Survey, Professor G. T. Patterson, asking
the reason why the magnetic needle points
to the north. 10 reply Professor Patter-
son wrote as follows, and possibly many
more than the original inquirer may be
glad to read his simple statement Of the
facts Of the case.
The reason why the needle points in the
northerly direction is that the earth IN H.
self Is magnet, attracting the magnetic
needle as the ordinary magnets do; and the
earth is a magnet as the result of certain
cosmical facts, much affected BY the action
Of the sun. These laws have periodicities,
all OF which have not as yet been deter
mined.
The Inherent and ultimate reason Of the
existence Of any fact in nature, as gravity,
light, heat, etc, is not known further than
that il Is in harmony with all facts ia ma
ture; even an earthquake is in perfect
harmony with, and the direct resultant Of,
the action Of forces acting under general
laws.
A condensed explanation in regard to
the needle pointing to the northward aud
southwark is as follows Tho magnetic
poles Of the earth do not coincide with the
geographical poles. The axis Of rotation
makes an angle Of about 23' with line
joining the former.
The northern magnetic pole is at pres
ent near the Arctic circle on the meridian
of Omaha. Hence the needle does no
everywhere point to the astronomical north
and is constantly variable within certain
limits. At San Francisco it points abou
l7' to the east Of north, and at Calais
Maine, as much to the west.
At the northern magnetic pole bal
aneed needle points with its north enr
downwards in plumb line; at San Frau
cisco it dips about $50, aud at the south
eru magnetic pole the south end point
directly down.
The action of the earth upon magneti
needle at its surface is Of about the sam
force as that Of a hard steel magnet, A
inches long, strongly magnetized at dil
tanco Of one foot.
The foregoing is the accepted explains
tion of the fact that the needle points
the northward aud southwark. OF cours
no ultimate reason can be given for th
natural fact any more than for any 9th,
observed fact in nature.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12

they visit the cemeteries, from the belief
that the souls Of the dead return TO their
graves on that day. The tombs are inva-
riably washed with lime--veritable "whit-
ed sepulchres." The Mohammedaus are
ahead Of US Christians in the veneration
paid to holy persons. They are often can
onized during their lifetime, can marry,
aud the saintship is hereditary, aud the
descendant is often holier than the original
saint. These holy men levy heavr con
tributions upon the faithful, which are
paid with great regularity and apparent
cheerinluess. There are no arts or manu-
factures, and religion alone occupies the
minds Of the people. If they paid as
much attention TO the things Of this world
as Of the next they would become great
people indeed. Moslems are forbidden 10
wear gold or silk, or pray in embroidered
apparel, and they always remove them be.
fore going to their deyotions. As he
hears the call Of the muezzin he falls 10
the ground, touching il with seven parts
OF his body-feet, hands, knees, and his
iorehead-then rises and turns toward
Mecca, stretches his arms toward heaven,
his white flowing bournous and long beard
giving him patriarchal air.
There is no freedom of thought among
Mohammcdans, their constant expression
being :-"Biism Allah" in the name of
God. No one can understand religion
until he has belonged to it, nor criticise il
until he has emancipated himself from its
chains. A strange apparitiou this Arabic
people, the meteor Of the desert, handing
over to us chemistry and algebra, alkali,
and arithmetic, astronomy and the clock,
the keys of the material universe, and her.
self following on the steps Of Socrates and
the Emperor Of China. Their giving us
the simple Arabic figures alone, in place
Of the clumsy Roman numerals, entitle
them to the benedietions Of the race.
They saved others, themselves they could
not save" Their alphabet consists Of
twenty-nine letters, each having four diff.
ferent forms, making substantially ll6
different sounds or combinations. There
are three vowels, but they are never used
in writing. They write from the right to
the left or from the top to the bottom, aud
with either the left or the right hand,
The Arabs, in their pride, designate all
who do rot speak their language as adjel.
a-culf--an OK not broken to the yoke; and
laugh at the idea of there being any ythinp
superior to it, claiming that it is the speech
OF angels and the vehicle Of the Almighty
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12
A Day in Havana,


lie Is wise who adapis himself at once
70 the ieisurcly modes Of the natives. This
tervid climate will not be triaed with
Rise at six. The early morning Is delio.
ious. Take only a cup of coffee and bard
biscuit, aud start out for a walk 10 one of
the many churches whose discordan. chimes
ring out noisy welcome, Then visit the
markess That upon the Campo del Mario
is the most picturesque. Here oil the pro.
duets OF this ftuity isle hang in masses Of
rich confusion.
Close by the battery at the end of the
prado peculiar aud exciting scene NAV
be witnessed every morning. Here the
surf rols up with free stride against .he
shore just where little bay Is formed
" the coral rock several hundreds Of horses
are undergoing az inspiri,lug sea-bath, o.
awaiting their turn in loag lines, tied head
ana sall upon the shore, Without this
refreshing process the horses soon droop
under the climate, and even with il thew
are all sleepy and sad. Perhaps il i part
y owing 70 tho preposicrous siyle Of har
ness in uso.
AT nine o. ten O'Clock breakfast & 10 be
eaten, beginning with fruits Then ride
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12

until midday. Your guide will 90 to sleep
while he talks. Somnolence is the normal
condition feyery body in waiting. Take
the hint aud indulge 10 siesta until about
three. Then, if a man, you may smoke
the soothing cigarette until dinner, which
must be conducted in a leisurely style,
cheap red wines taking prominent place.
Business hours with merchants cease by
general custom at an early hour. After
four o'clock in the afternoon the Prado
and avenues leading toward the Cerro pre-
sent the gay effects we Northmen ascribe
to festive occasions only. Our country.
women may be distinguished in the throng
by their hats. The Cuban ladies' disdain
the use Of further ornament for the head
than that afforded by an elaborate coiifure.
Their forms are swathed Ia light mus.
lins, and many are seen wearing the
lace scarf Of CASTLE pendent from
masses Of dark hair knotted at the back Of
the head. The real social life Of Havana
is best revealed, however, after dark
Then a motley throDg surges through the
canopied streets toward the cafes, the
theatres, and the public squares, where
splendid military bands discourse stirring
and, TO US, novel Spanish music. 10 the
brilliantly lighted cafes one must wait Of
ten for vacated chair Stupendous and
strange-looking bibular compounds arc
placed before the drinkers.
The leading theatre, as all the world ha,
heard, is the "Taeon,' the auditorium be-
ing not unlike those Of many Of our Ameri
can play-hOuses. 1t is very large, having
three galleries. The play being conducted
with rapid movement upon the occasion o
our only visit, our limited stock Of Spanish
proved inadequate to the duty of criticism.
An odd custom prevails at another thea
tire OF the UaudeviiLe stripe. The write
was one Of determined quartette whicl
held its own with crowd in front Of
wicket for half an hour or more. Hayiu,
purchased the requisite tickets. we wer
compelled to breast the out flow Of human
ity coming down the one narrow stairwa
at the end Of the first act Having game,
our box, we were permitted TO enjoy
single act Of farce, 10 which the leadiu
dTdRidtis persona were a superactiye So
disr in very red aud baggy pantaloons an
an iratc natron Of muscular Tendencies
This act lasted twenty minutes. The fat
OF the heroine remains shrouded in myl
terry, for we shortly discovered that ou
term of lease had expired, and our box wa
wanted for another party. We shoul
have gone down to the ticket Office an
engaged our places anew for the ensuing &C
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12

Solemnly as funeral, the family Assem-.
bled to assist in the drawing.
Five lOayes came out markless, but one
remained.
Mrs. Hubbard's hand trembled, but she
drew it forth, She laid it on the tray
She turned it softly around. On it were
letters printed backwards, plain enough to
read this time, and arranged thus
Died April I'd,
lamented by
her large family.
'lt is me p cried Mrs. Hubbard. |
am to 60 to-morrow-this is the 1st.
do feel faint-yes do. Il is awful, aud
SO sudden y
And Mrs. Hubbard tainted away in the
arms of the most terrified of men and
husbands.
The children screamed, the cat mewed;
the dog barked. The oldest boy ran for
the doctor. People focked to the Hub
bards. The loaf was examined. Yes,
there was Mrs. Hubbard's warning-her
call to quit this world.
She lay in bed, bidding goodbye to her
family and friends, her strength going
fast ShO read her Bible, and tried not
to grieye too much. The doctor shook
his head. The clergyman prayed with
her. Nobody doubted that her end was
at hand, for people were very superstitious
10 those days.
They had been up all night with good
Mrs. Hubbard, and dawn was breaking,
aud with it she was sure that she must 20,
when, Gathering over the road and up to
the door came horse; aud on the horse
came man, who alighted. He ratified
the knoeker and rushed 10. There was
no stopping him. Up the stairs he went
to Mrs. Huhbard's room and bolted into il.
Every one stared at him as he took off
his hat.
"Parding,' said he, breathlessly; 81
heard Mrs Hubbard was dying, and
she'd warnings on her bakings. came
over to explain. You see, was sexton Of
the church here few years ago, and |
know all about ii. You needn't die OF
fear just yet, Mrs. Hubbard, for it is
neither spirits nor demons about, nor vet
warnins. What marks the loaycs is old
Mrs. Finkle's tombstone. | took it for
an oven bottom, seeing there were no sur.
yivors, and bricks were dear. The last
folks before you didn't get them printed
off on their loayos, because they used tins;
aud VIC got used to the marks ourselves
Cross bones aud skulls we put up with,
aud never thought of caring for the ro.
surgam. SO you see how it is, aud am
sorry you have been scared"
Nobody said word. The minister shut
his book. The doctor walked to the win.
dow, There was deadly silence. Mrs.
Hubbard sat up in bed.
civilian r said she to her husband,
"the first thing you do, get new bottom
to that oven.
And the tone assured the assemblage of
anxious friends that Mrs. Hubbard was
not going to die just yet.
Indeed, she came down the next day.
And when the oven had been reconstruct
ed, the FIRST thing she did was to give in.
vitations for large tea drinking-on
which occasion the loaves came out all
right
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12

CAT BuTcmERs.-C Chan,Jcr's journal
tells US Ludlow street, a very unsayory
quarter Of New York, is inhabited chiefly,
II not wholly, by Poles. They are tho cat
meat purveyors Of the city, hunting the
streets at night to capture cats for sausage
Three of them especially devote them.
selves to getting, feeding and breeding
cats for the table. The eats captured are
carefully examined. Those 10 good plisht
are at once killed. The others are fattop.
ed, When kept 10 yard, the walls are
smeared with something so obnoxious 70
the feline nature that no cat win pass il.
A recent visitor to Ludlow street ward
says at presented a most amusing
spectacle. About 100 cats of all sizes,
colors, and ages were sleeping, eating,
guarrelling, aud caierwanling, all grades
being represented, from the handsome
Angora and Maltese to the homeIy back.
yard Tom. When considered Ct for eat.
ing the cats are sold to small butchers who
make specially Of cat sausage. The
delieacy has ready sale, which Is ever
increasing. Those who indulge in il do
clare cat meat superior to any rabbit ment."
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12
What they Knew Four Thousand Y ears Ago

The Popular Science Monthly for June
publishes abstracts from the address of
Chief Justice DAILY before the Geographi.
cal Society, in which he says
From one Of these books, compiled after
the manner Of our modern encyclopaedia,
and the compilation Of which is shown to
have been made more than 2,090 years B .
e., it has been ascertained, what has long
been supposed, that Chaldea was the par.
ent land Of astronomy; for 1t is found, from
this compilation aud from other bricks,
that the Babylonians catalogued the stars
and distinguished and named the constel.
lations; that they arranged the twelve con.
stellations that form our present zodiac to
show the course Of the suns path 10 the
heavens; divided time into weeks, months,
and years; that they divided the week, as
We now have it, into seven days, six being
days Of labor and the seventh day ofrest,
to which they gave name from which we
have derived our word sabbath" and
which day, as day of rest from all labor
of every kind, they observed as vigorously
as the jew or the Puritan. The motion
Of the heavenly bodies and the phenomena
Of the weather were noted down, and a con.
nection, as have before stated, detected,
as NJ. dc Perville claims to have discover.
ed, between the weather and the changes
Of the moon. They invented the sun dial
to mark the movements Of the heavenly
bodies, the water clock to measure time,
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12
sun-spOts and What They Indicate.

The sun.spot cycle is in full action. The
huge, blazing surface of the sun Is dotted
with spots in all directions. They lhronr
the solar domain, sometimes appearing
singly, then in groups and then in rows.
A large spot surrounded by smaller ones
seems TO be the fayorite form of nantes.
tatlon. Some Of them are large enough to
be seen With spy-glass, aud some 50 small
as to require telescope Of high power to
bring them into view We can form little
idea Of their immense size. The whole
territory Of the United States il smaller
in dimentions than many Of the sun-spots
now visible, and some Of them are larger
than our whole globe. No astronomer
has ever discovered the mysterious law that
controls their appearance, OF the part they
really play in the affairs Of the solar sys-
tem. Il is we'll established, however. that
they occur 10 maximum force in about
eleven years, that they are connected with
the meteorological condition Of the earth,
that when they begin TO appear in great
numbers, as ut present, seasons of exces.
slye heat fdllnw 10 their train, aud that
they are usually attended with grand dis
plays Of northern lights Professor piaxzi
Smyth announces the rcnppearance Of The
aurora in Scottish skies after an absence
OF several years, and predicts season of
excessive heat. The cyclones and tofna-
does in the West seem to give proof Of m.
usual elemental Disturbance. Under these
circumstances sAeSo Is nothing to do but
to watch and walt Ages of observation
may enable tho astronomer Of the future
to unraycl the mystery that surrounds the
solar spotcycle, but there is little proba.
bility that the problem will be solved for
many generations to como. Intelligent
observers can take notes as well as trained
astronomers. There are three phenomena
to be especially ANTICIPATED, the occurrence
Of severe storms, The approach Of great
heat wave, and flaming Of arroral ban,
aeFs In the northern skies
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-06-12
Selert 4oetrg.
GOLD AND GRAY.

Morning mists from the sun are rolled
And all the face Of the earth is gold,
Flowers unfold to the glowing ray.
And wak'ning blrd-song are glad aud gay.
Hour creep on, and the day wcars round
The shadows lengthon along the ground:
Dull yapon drift Ger the face Of day.
And mornings gold Is the evenings gray.
Life is beauty when life Is young,
With itS laughing lips and It's silver tongue,
Young roses blooming on young cheeks fair
And clustered locks Of youths golden hair.
Years stride on with their footsteps feet.
Bringing bitter for ev'ry sweet;
Twilight falls DER llfes short day.
And the locks Of gold are the locks Of gray.
Time Is a robber both swim aud sure.
Stealing alike from the rich and poor,
Gathering Into his gnn'rics old
Both ages silver and youths gay gold
Bribc or force cannot stay his way,
swim alike through the gold and gray.
TIL the last dark hour Of day is told,
And earth's gray changes TO heavens gold