davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-12-08

of them,x They are olendid things
Do you Know there at anything but
what's gotMoleculen it. And Mr..
Cook is just as sw.t as ne car be,
and Mr.. Emerson, 90. They ex-
plain everything So Iautitully."
Chow ia like ttgo there" said
the Brooklyn. girl, efiously
YOU'D enjoy it ever SO much.
They teach protoplsm, too; ). and If
there is one thing pelsctly heavenly,
it's protoplasm. | rely don't know
which 1 like best, prcoplasm or mo-
lecules."
"Tell me a0out rotoplasm. l
know l should adoret."
"Deed you would Its just too
sweet to live. You bow it's about
how things get startd, or something
of that kind. Youought to hear
Mr.. Emerson tell abdt it. 1t would
stir your very. soul The first time
he explained about ptopiasm there
wasn't dry eye III tie house. We
named our hats after i'm. This is an
Emerson hat. You SO the ribbon is
drawn over the cron andscaught
with a buckle and a bnch of flowers.
Then you turn up th side with a
spray of forget me pts, Amt it
Just too sweet? All he girls in the
school have Them an + ~
"How exquisitely lovely /! Tell me
some more science." a ht
"Oh almost forgot about differ
entiation. am really and truely
positively In love with differentiation.
It's different from MOLECULES and pro-
toplaSms, but it's evey bit as nice.
And Mr.. Cook ! you should hear him
go on about It'll treaty believe he's
perfectly bound up in j. This scarf
is the Cook scarf. All ,he girls wear
them, and we named them after him
just on account OF the interest he
takes IN differentiation lsel'9n ynt
What is it any way ?pS .rs1 ~
"Ths is null trimmed with Lam
guedoc lace" la
Il dOn't mean that-that other"
ooh! differentiation? amt it
sweet? It's got something to do
with species. It's the way you tell
one hat from another, so you will
know which hat is becoming And
we learn all about ascidians, too.
They are the divinest things! I'm
absolutely enraptured with ascidians.
If | only had an asctdian Of my
own wouldn't ask anything else in
the world.n
"What do they lock like, dear !?
Ria Saa : fEsli = = : tas
girl, dee -
"Oh! no; nobody ever saw one
except Mr.. Cook and Mr.. Emerson,
but they are something like an oyster
with reticule hung on its belt. i
think they are just heavenly"
"Do you learn anything else be-
sides all these ?"
ooh yes. We learn about com
mon philosophy and logic, and those
common things like metaphysics, DuI
the girls don't care anything about
those. We are just in ecstacies over
AUTHORIZATIONS and molecules, and
Mr.. Cook and protoplasms, and asci>
dams and Mr.. Emerson, and really
don't see why they put in those yul-
gar branches. If any body besides
Mr.. Cook and Mr.. Emerson had
done it we should have told him to
his face that he was to terribly aw-
fully mean" And the Brooklyn
girl went to bed that night in the
dumps, because fortune hao not
vouchsafed her tue advantages en-
joyed by her friend, while the Boston
girl dreamed of seeing an ascldlan
chasing a molecule over a different
ated back fence with club, for telling
a protoplasm that hisyoungest sister
had so many freckles on her nose that
hos, ,,,oN n hor cnni,f.ounh
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-12-08
Long Life.

AN"o AA@hy PSOPiS 0iO WI iHF5
about this and that as being injuri-
Gus to health, and living in dread
less they should do something to
shorten their days. But it may do
us all good to remember that long
evity is largely matter of inheri-
lance, and depends very little on
what we do or do not do, provided
we do not commit suicide. Whether
we live long or briefly on the earth
is a matter that was largely settled
before we were born. Our ances-
tors and yours, reader, had more to
do with the solution OF that problem
than we can have.
The truth is, as science teaches,
longevity is family trait. Sobriety,
and a regard for principales OF n.y.
giene, will not necessarily insure
long lite. These may maintain a
condition of health aud vigor, but
length OF lite is largely determined
by Inheritance. Longevity is a
talent. 1t may be improved like
any other talent, or it may be wasted
but no amount of cultivation will
create it. In spite of intemperance
and exposure. man who has this
The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-12-08

Talent Tor long lie may become
centenarian. A .saddler aged 1l3,
whose grandfather died at 112, and
his father at I12, was asked by Louis
XIV, what he had done to attain to
such length of days, and replied
"Sire, since I was fifty, have acted
upon two principles, l have shut my
heart and opened my wine cellar"
Again, Golombrewski, Pole, not
withstanding the hardship of eighty
years of service as common soldier
the tatigues of thirty-fve campaigns
under Napoleon, the sufferings Of
the terrible Russian campaign, the
effects OF FIVE wounds, and the reck.
lessness of soldiers life, survived,
and in 1916 was still living at the
age of 1O2. But, it is to be observed
his father attained the age OF 12l,
and his grandfather 1870. A we'll
known literary character, M. Quer-
sonnieres, was living at fivescore in
the full possession OF all his powers.
He said "My family descends
from Methuselan we must be killed
TO die; my grandfather was killed
by accident at 125 years OF age, and
l." he added, smiling, ''invlte you
to my burial in the next century"
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
Executed OH His wedding Day.

On the 22d of August melancholy mar
rage cerem )ny was celebrate d in the prln
cipal jail of Madrid. Some DAYS previous
ly young man named Alvarez Olivia and
his mistress, with whom lie had lived for
several years, were tried for murder by the
criminal tribunals in the Palacio dc Justiz,
and having been proved guilty, were SEN
fenced, the former to death by the garote,
the latter to ten years Imprisonment with
hard labor. Shortly after the condemna-
ton they craved permission of the authori-
ties to he united in malrimony ere tho dread
sentence of the law should bo carried into
effect, i'll order that their only child, little
girl five years old, should be legilimized.
Their petition was granted, and the Jail
chaplain pronounced the blessing of the
church upon their union on the morning of
the day appointed for Alvarez's execution.
Having duly exchanged rings and pro-
nounced VOWS OF mutual fidelity ''tlll death
should part ihem," they took an eternal
and affectionate leave OF one another, after
which the bride was removed to the scene
of her future punishment, and the BRIDE
groom was conducted to the condemned
cell, where, having confessed his sins and
received absolution, he was pinioned and
conveyed 10 the scaffold. A few minutes
later he had ceased TO live. Surely no
gIimmcr cxpiation of capital offense
has ever been suffered by the most atrocious
Of criminals than 10 he inexorably stranglcd
On hls wedding morning by the public exc
cutiOner.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
WetttIlg tho Ropes.

When the immense obclisk, which
stands in the Square of st. Peters at Rome,
was to be erected, 1t was found that its
elevation required the most powerful mach.
inery and the highest skill in engineering.
Thousands assembledto witness the achicv-
ment, and in order to prevent any IN erfcr-
s1ncc with The work. the Pope issued a
special bull, intlicting a heavy penalty
upon any one who should speak before the
engineer announced tho great work was
accomplished and all danger was over
Slowly tho massive column rose, as round
and round the windlasscs were whrlcd.
The cr'wd pressed In, gazing with silent
admiration. 1t is near to its place. fcw
feet more --now u few inches only and 1t
will stand for ages. But suddenly it stops.
The strain upon the ropes has been greater
than tho engineer cxpcctcd-thcy relax.
They refuse to carry the mass anyfarther-
nay even TO told 1t where 1t is. It sways
with threatening motion. The crowd is
paralyzed with awc--thc engineer is be-
nlde himself. 1t is fearful moment. But
bark a cry. An English sailor, watching
the sccne, and In hi excitement, forgetting
the dreadful bull, shouts aloud. "Wet
the ropes. That lawless order was instant
ly obcycd. Water was dashed upon the
cables. At once they became strong and
taut again, and soon the column, which
threatened to crush the crowd below, was
firmly fastened In It's place. It is needless
to add that the sailor was pardohed and re-
warded ins' cad OF being punished
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
That Span New Umbrella;

If all the tlustered grandpas and grand
mas knew how much they contribute to the
humor of common life and the keen enjoy-
mcnt Of childran by the fun they innocent
ly mako while hunting for their epcctacles
while they arc all the time perched on their
heads, they would often he quite reconcilcd
to such mistakes. A victim of the same
description was a good old lady who had
Just finished her shopping in one of the
Boston dry goods stores.
''Thcrel" she cried, In an excited voice,
IL should like to know what's become Of
that ambrlll sot it up agin the counter
when come IN, and aforc l could turn
round it's gone-and it was only on a Mon
day that | GIN four and six fort"
What kind of an umbrella was It,
ma'amT asked the polite clerk in his
blandest tones.
"a spick and span new gingham, young
man, was the response, "with al iv'ry
handle ont and a."
"Like the one IN your hand, ma'am, for
instance'"
''Sakcs alive2'' she exclaimed And one
might have thought she saw serpent
rather than her own ''spick and span
ginghanl," with "lv'ry handle" clutched
fast In her hand She colored up like a
druggnsts window, and went off amidst
uninLelligible EXCUSES She never felt so
hustcrcd in all her days, as she told Jemima
Ann when she got home.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
The Eel.

The eel, like the catfish, lives in the
mud on the river bottoms, and many
methods are adopted to capture the slippery
wriggling fellow. The bob Is merely q
bunch Of common ground-worms, knit
upon string with a needle. Eol-spearing
IS also favOrlte pastime with many, but
as 1t requires wading in mud and water to
hunt out his habitation, it is withal dis
agreeable and dirty. The eel Is very tona-
cious of life. and can be kept for many
days after being caught. His home Is
under the stumps, in the hollows, in mud
banks, around the bridge and wharf.
| pilings, and under punches of long river
grass. Tue usual method employed to
take the eel is with the float, or s'cork''
line. The line-of hemp-is from eight
to twelve feet long, with small hook and
sinker OF lead. The float may be either OF
wood, cork or quill. The hook should be
three inches above the slnker, the latter
lying on the bottom. The float should
be adjusted In such manner, after the
depth of water has been ascertained, 80
that 1t will SWIM IN a perpendicular posi-
tion on the surface. Worms are acknow.
lodged to be the best bait Tor tloat-lnes,
and 1t should be firmly fastened on the
hook, as the peculiar shape of the mouth
| of the eel enables it to strip the worm from
the hook by sucking. The bite of the eel
Is succession of gentle nibblcs, and it Is
difficult to tell at times that you have
hooked one.
Fine wire may lie substituted for the
hemp line, and 1t Is peculiarly adapted to
eel fishing. Every boy knows from expert
ence, the difficulties and troubles he has
encountered by having the line slimed and
or fInff inf IryttI ~A~s
cate knots by the contortions of his cap
tive. 1t requires care to keep the wire
from kinking by repeated winding and un.
winding, but it helps to release tho hook
from the mouth and obviates the annoyance
of having to stop fishing to wash the line or
unravelknots The cork may b. held in posi-
tion on tho wire by inserting small piece Of
stick between the hole in the cork and
wire, or the cork may be entirely dispensed
with, at tho option of the angler. Another
method, and one frequently practccd In
our local waters, is the 'ccl-pot,' although
it affords no real amusement beyond the
setting and taking up. An old demijohn,
after having tho particles of glass removed
from the willow casing. is tied in some
convenient spot over night. A string, with
few worms or piece of meat tied to it,
is inserted in the mouth. The eel passes
into the mouth and once in he becomes a
prisoner. When il is taken up in the
morning, you are frequently rewarded for
your pains by securing six or eight cells:
The most effective method of skinnlng an
eel is to roll 1t violently in the sand. This
looscns the skin; then, with knife, make
an incision near the head, grasping the
head in the left hand, seize the skin with
the right one, and pull hard but regularly,
and 1t will come off without difficulty.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
simpsOnDurs'y COnuIliruin.

Simpsonsburg Is not noted for his activ-
ity; quite the contrary. AT the club the
other evening he got up energy sufficient
to PROFOUND conumdrum. Said he:
"Boys, why am like torpedo2" After
having recovered from the shcck produced
by Simpsonsburg's unwonted activity the
guesses flowed in quick succession. Jones
thought it was because a torpedo Is full OF
empty noise; but that was not right, Simp.
sonburg said. Neither was Robinson's
guess, that 1t was because a torpedo doesn't
say anything when 1t speaks. Smith tried
to work out pun on torpedo, torpid oh,
but failed miserabiy. Everybody began
to look sick. Then Brown tried. He said
it was because a torpedo was not good for
anything till Its neck was twisted. Sinip.
sonburg shook his head with something
like animation. One of the boys said 1t
was because it was a relief when either
went off, and another ventured the, guess,
in an undcrlone, that 1t was blasted n,ils-
ance. Finally Simpsonburg had to- adi.t
vulge; he could contain himself no Dh-'
ger. He said it was because he was; full,
of snap. The boys yowned lang1idly;
every one Of them acknowledged to Simp-.
sonburg that he should mover have guessed
1t, which pleased Simpsonburg nightly.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
Science at Dinner.

Nature describes and illustrates asim-
pic experiment involving tho elementary
principle Of the centre of gravity which ls
capable Of cvoking roars Of laughter at a
dinner table If a dish of snipe has been
served up, the head with its long beak may
be fixed In a cork; and then two forks
being thrust into the sides of tho cork and a
needle having been fixed into tho lower
end of 1t, the cork can be balanced upon a
coin laid on the top Of a wine bottle, and
can be spun slowly around while the
snipe's head mods at tho various members
of the company in turn, and finally stops
opposite one Of them. BY making q slit
at the bottom of this cork, putting In a
silver quarter, and balancing this upon
the point of needle which rises out of
another cork In tho neck of the bottle the
apparently impossib 0 feat Of spinning a
a twenty ty-five cent piece on the point OF a
needle can be performed with the greatest
ease.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
Deep In tho Earth.

The Crystal Hill cave, Pa, Is situated
on the limestone ridge which separates the
valley Of the Pocono from Cherry valley,
In Stroud's township, On the south side of
the ridge, three miles west of that place
and five miles from the Water Gap. The
ridge on which it Is located begins on tho
Delaware river, and runs west for twenty
five miles, embracing such cminences as
''Shawnee Hill," 'Fox HilL" Crystal;
Hill" end others. The cave Is elevated
about eight hundred feet above the river
level, at what If known rs Moslcr's knob,
and from II most picturesque view can bc
obtained. Lately Mr.. II. Duncan Paret,
president OF the Tannite company has bl-
come interested in the cave, and has had
several men employ ed for some time in cx-
cavating 1t, and some very interesting dis
coveries have been made. Recently, DR..
Leidy, of the Academy of Natural Sciences,
of Philadelphia, and DIR. II. {. Porter Of
Lafayette college, East0n, arrived and
made researches In the cave, so far as it
has been explored. The entrance was at
first almost completely hidden by deposits
of clay and animal and vegetable matter,
but now it has been opened 80 that the
mouth is about sixteen feet square. The
bottom of the cavern was found to be coy
cred with thick deposit Of clay, on tho
/ top OF which was deposit, varying in
| depth, of dark substance, and on this Is
an incrustation of limo which has fallen
| from the roof Of the cave. 1t is the deposit
of rich, dark material that particularly in
tcrests the scientists, and to this DR.. Lcldy
and DIR. Porter gave their attention. They
found many indications of tho presence in
| the cave at one time or another of many
animals, some OF which were doubtless
brought there by nimals of prey, and
others used 1t for their dens. Among the
bones OF animals found were the jaw.bones
OF the raccoon, skunk, weasel, beaver,
squirrel, porcuplne, woodchuck, fox, wild
cat, elk, deer, and bison; the shells of two
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19

or more turtles, the bones Of wild turkey.
and the vetebrp of snakes In large quanti-
ties. Other bones will doubtless reveal the
presence of other animals. The most in
tcresting specimen found, however, were
the head and teeth Of gigantic beaver
(CUstOroides Ohi0ensis) and large pee
cary (Dicotytus con.presSus), neither of
which has ever been found before in Penn
sylvania. Besides these were found bones
which had been burned and split-evident-
ly the work Of the aborigines, who sought
the marrow In the bones. Indian relics
were also found, among them being polished
bone needles and bodkins, sea shells, and
fragments of quartz, which had been used
US ornaments. A flint spear head was
picked up far back in the cave, imbeddcd
III the clay. How it came there Is a mys.
terry, unless some Indian, entering the cave
and finding u wild beast there, attacked it,
and this spear, hurled at the animal, miss
ing It's aim, sped far back into the recesses
and there remained until found by the
scientists. No other traces of any kind
which would indicate that the portion of
the cave i'll which the spear-head was found
had been visited by man or beast were dis
covered, and hence the theory as to how it
came in the lonely spot. DR.. Leidy has
taken his specimens along with him, and
will make report Of his discovery to the
scientific world in due time. AS yet the
lower deposit has not been removed, and
1t is thought it will reveal more interesting
facts for the scientists than the middle
layer. The cave has been explored to q
depth of one hundred and fifty feet, and
one can with case walk the first one hund-
red feet. After that STOPPING is required
at times. The indications are that the part
thus explored is only a hallway, from
which entrances con be made, after tho
earth and deposits have been removed, to
larger and more remote chambers, which
already appeared at different points. The
top Of the cave is limestone arch, which
reflects many brilliant colors when the
light Of the torches flash upon 1t.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
Torpedo HalloonB.

n scientific gentleman warns the country
and the Government, of new and terrible
engine OF war that may possibly como INTO
use and against which Now YORK would Ia
utterly defcnceless. 1t is the torpedo bal
loon. A vessel lying out of reach # any
Of the forts, could take advantage Of favor
ing breezcs to SGT adrift, without acrcnauts,
small balloons, each carrying fifty pounds
OF nitro-glyccrine, the explosive to b..
dropped by a well known and cheap me.
chanical cOntrivancc at such time as may
be determined upon after tho distance and
tho velocity Of the wind have been esti-
mated. 1t will readily be seen that ves-
sci barely in sight of land, and after only
the rudcst calculations could not send out
any such fcndish missiles without doing
great dnmagc 10 life and property some
where within the great area covered by.
New York, Brooklyn and Jersey City. IL
ls poor comfort to think that other large
cities of the world are equally exposed 10
such terrors, and oven London and Paris
are not far enough from the seaboard to cs-
cape harm. general agreement between
civilized Powers, such as was made re-
garding explosive bullets, should promptly
nip this danger In the bud, but until this is
done the safety Of New York, Boston,
Savannah, Charleston and other seaboard
cities should be secured against such dan
gers by the strengthening Of our navy to all
extent that would allow strong force to
patrol the waters outside our important
seaports, keeping dangerous visitors at
distance Or disposing of them at sight. At
present, our naval force is 80 small and
scattered that the most Insignificant Power
that owns aosingle war ship and chose IL
be ugly, could, In a few hours, destroy
property costing as much as fifty new
naval vessels would.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-19
Fish Manhres.

AS With other manures, 30 with fish
manure, there is a choice of soils to which
1t may be best applied. The soils from
which highest results might be expected
from applying fish guano, are those def
cient In nitrogen and phosphoric acid, and
In which the stimulating effect of the de-
composition of fish may render other ma
teriais available for plant food. Soils that
have been treated repeatedly with fish
guano, phosphates aud the various forms
OF bone manure, are often overstocked with
these elements, and are deficient in potash:
while 1t ls also true that many soils are
naturally poor In potash. OF coui SO It will
al once be seen that to apply fish manures
TO such lands and neglect to apply the
other necessary clements wanting in the
fish, would be to lose not only both money
anu time but very likely the crop. But
here the rule that would obtain in the use
OF fish manures, Is that which would also
obtain with any other kiud Of fertilizer in
the hands of a careful farmer, and that il
that the DEFICIENCIES of given soil are best
ascertained by actual trial, not only with
different manurcs, but with various crors.
The best form of fish nanures is the dry
ground fish guauo, free from oil. The
water and oil left in the ''scrap' as the fish
comes from the press, add weight and bulk
without in any degree improving its value.
But experience has proved that the coarse
fsh-scrap, rs 1t comes from the oil facto-
rics, cannot be uniformly spread; ls not
easily ditfused by the moisture of the soil;
Is acted upon by few roots of growing
plants, and becomes slowly available to the
roots that do find 1t. The divided dry fish
is, however, easily spread, is diffused by
rains, and Is thus made accessible to n
lacgc number Of roots, and can he alb
sorbcd by them when they reach it. Per-
haps one Of the best methods of using the
hsh-scrap oy farmers, is to use it in COM
post with muck, good manure, ashes, lime
and vegetable refuse, fcrmenting the whole
mass by the use of urine. There is a higher
and more practical consideration connec-
tcd with this subject to which we have not
alluded, but which is of vast Importance
to the agriculture Of New England, and it
Is one which it ls the main object of this
article to enforce; and that is the greater
use OF fish manurcs by our own farmers.
AT present its principal use is by the manu-
facturers Of phosphates and other forms OF
commercial fertilizers, by whom it is used
for supplying the nitrogen and phosphoric
acid to their manures. 1t Is also sent in
bulk by the cargo to enrich the lands OF
France and Holland. Is it too much to
expect that at no distant day, some effort
may be made successful for furnishing
their f1sh-scraps in some portable, concen.
tratcd form to our own farmers2 To this
end we hope to see some earnest concerted
action put IN operation at once.