davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
A swallow story that Won't Go Down

A religious publication Of Switzerland
prints letter from q native of Valais,
now farmer at Coritiba, Brazil, which
tells an apocryphal story about a
swallow. On August 10, 1850, Jean
Louis Caillet, the story-teller, then a
pious shepherd Of Valais. was climbing
among the rocks when swallow
alighted on her nest above his head.
He climbed mp and took the bird, which
was perfectly tame, in his hand and,
hoping to see IL again in the future,
wound bit of brass wire, taken from
his rosary, around one Of its legs rs
means of Identification. Just thirty
years afterward, Caillet was lying in his
bed at Coritiba, Brazil, when he heard n
rustling of wings, as II bird was flying
over his bed. He thought that IL was
probably q bat, and fell asleep again.
f" When got mp in the morning." he
writes, "I saw dead swallow lying
on my window-sill. / took IL up care
lessly, when suddenly / discovered that
piece of brass wire encircled its right
leg" Caillet is convinced that this was
the very same bird which he had
provided with the sign for future recog.
milton thirty years before, when he was
in Europe.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
A Terribly Strict General.

General Clinchat, the present military
governor of Paris, WAS terribly strict in
the Funco-Gcrman war. Having the
command of raw lcvics, inclined to he
insubordinatc, he resolved to show them
promptly that he was their master
Once he issued u stringent order against
robhing fruit and vegetables from the
fields and gardens of the peasants in the
Loire valley. A few days aftcrward II
couple of Xouayes stole out of camp by
night and gathered basketful of pota-
toes. These two soldiers happened TO
be veterans who had served in the Ital-
ian war, and they were brave fellows
much liked by their colonel; but this
only made their olicnsc worse in the
generals eyes; "for,' said he "if old
soldiers set the example of disobcdience,
how can We expect the young ones to
obey So the two Xouayes were shot
On another occasion three Young sol
dicrs took ii into their heads to go out
w YAM u NlAli'bl lfAf' WI tnAlhAlhF, III VI 20
der to dine with some friends who lived
in the ncighborhood. They returned
in time for tattoo, thinking, probably,
they had committed only venial offence;
they were shot the next morning.
General Clinchant had issued orders
that OH the march no soldier WAS TO
climb into the ambulance vans or store
wagons unless certified lame or i'll by
the army surgeons. The reason of this
order was that number Of lazy sol
diers used always to swarm on the
wagons in order 10 get lift instead Of
marching. One day voungstcr who
was in perfect health clambcrcd inside "a
van, and was discovered there by "A
sergeant, who ordered him to- get out.
The soldier alighted, but, determined
to have his drive, hc slit open his boot
and inflicted a slight cut on his foot,
to make believe that h" had gone lame.
\ corporal saw him, and by-and-byc the
lad was reported for the double offcnsc
Of disohcdicnce and maliugcring. When
he had been couIt.martialcd the gen.
cral gave him chance Of his life bv
calling on him to confess that the injury
to his foot was self-inhictcd; but the
foolish fellow, thinking to save himself
by lie, maintained stontly that he had
gone lame hy stepping on flint. He
was accordingly handed over to the
provost marshal and shot.--.N'. JnHc,
Gd-rffs
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
The Brooklyn Bridge and It's Builder.

Roebling was the greatest bridge
builder in the world. He started the
making of wire cordage in America and
built suspension bridges to carry the
aqueducts of canals across rivers, and
engineered the Pennsylvania railroad
across the mountains.
The Brooklyn bridge, between towers,
is ,595 feet long. Behind the towers
there are $40 feet each side, back to
the anchorages. The whole length OF
the bridge and approaches is 5000 feet.
1t is one of the widest bridges in the
world, eighty-five feet, with q prone
made thirteen feet wide, two railroad
tracks and four carriage and horse-car
tracks. 1t is 1876 feet in the center
above the water. The rock on which
the towers rest is about ninety feet be-
low the surface of the water on the New
York side and half that depth on the
Brooklyn side, the most stupendous
thing about the structure. Each tower
is 13i feet long by fifty-six wide, and at
the top these dimensions are reduced
to 100 feet by forty, or the size of n very
large house. Each tower il 26S feet
above high water. II is 1886 feet from
the beginning of the causeway on Chat
ham street out to the anchorage on the
New York shore The architect of the
bridge received his death wound almost
at its inception, standing on tho upper
frame work of Fulton ferry slip as a
boat came in and threw its weight
against the piles, which yielded and
crushed his foot. As if the spirit of the
old ferry, about to be supplanted, had
revenged itself on the innoyator They
buried Roebling in that summer OF
1869 at Trenton, New Jersey, near the
spot where poor John Fitch, the watch
maker, eighty-two years before, had
started the steamboat. But Rocblings
true monument is the Brooklyn bridge
towers, and between them in the nerves
and tendons, trembling like n weaver's
web, plies the shuttle of his soul. You
can hear his own words if you are rev.
erent, calling to the ships and steamers
beneath "It will be the greatest en-
gineering work OF the continent, and
the greatest bridge in existence. It's
towers will be national monuments II
will forever testify to the energy, enter
prise and wealth of the great communi-
ties it overhangs" " Upon the portal OF
the bridge they might also inscribe his
motto: ~ have no fear of honest diff.
ference of opinion, it is only cavillcrs
that | dread. d."-Ne,r York 7ribu,ic.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
LADIES' DEPARTMENT.



The following story is told by cor
respondent of the New York 7riJune /:
About year ago lady from the coun-
try, in conversation with one from
Brooklyn, was surprised to find mani
fest disposition to frown upon women
who receive salaries. The conversation
ran upon church singers, their merit and
social standing, the country lady being
interested in yoirE friend about TO
take a place in city choir. Said the
lady from Brooklyn "We never meet
our church singers in society, in our
church parlors or anywhere. / sup
pose they have society Of their own,
singers and musicians, and keep
strictly by themselves, but /
have never met or spoken TO
our soprano any more than to our sex
tons wife or daughter" Whcrcupon
the country lady answered with some
warmth: If that is the way you treat
wcll-bred, educated young ladies who,
either from choice or necessity, sing in
your churches, | Will see that no friend
OF mine goes there 10 bc snubbcd. The
probability is that you have not many
ladies in your church parlors who are
her equal in intelligence or common
sense, to say nothing of musical attain
mcnts." A few weeks after that un-
pleasant encounter came the announce
mcnt OF an engagement of marriage be
tween the son Of the Brooklyn lady and
this same little despiscd aud rejected
soprano.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
4 Remarkable Suit.

One Of the most remarkable suits ever
brought in this country, perhaps, says a
contemporary is that just instituted in the
supreme court against f. +. Street and
F. f. Smith, proprietors of the New
York Weekly, growing out Of the publ,
cation in that journal of certain scnsa-
tional story, entitled " Bantam Jim or.
the Foes and Fortunes of a Boy" The
suits are brought by James Hickman,
Timothy Daniels and Lucy Barnard,
through their counsel, Mr.. Harry
Thompson, Of Broadway. Lucy Barnard
is only sixteen years Of age, and, for the
purposes of this suit, Mr.. William
Friend, Of 81 Wall street, has
been appointed guardian. The parties
all reside at Wellheet, Barnstable county,
Mass. They are most respectable peo-
pie. vet the reckless author of " Bantam
jim" who gives his name as Roscoe
Blaine thus uniting the names of the
two great Republican chiefs, makes
them perform actions and do things in
his story before which the CORY glory Of
freebooters or the diabolieal deviltry of
band Of Moorish pirates on the Span
ish main would pale into nothingness.
As soon as Messrs. Street & Smith he
came aware Of the character Of the story
they stopped its publication, and in
serted the following notice in their
paper
We have Just learned that the au-
thor of Bantam Jim" has used the
names Of living persons In his story and
endeavored to ridicule some of them by
representing them rs guilty OF acts which
could only have originated in his imagi-
nation. A We never permit the columns
of the Now York Weekly to be used as a
vehicle for the dissemination of SANDER,
no more of the story will be published.
Mem York Monthly Union.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
/ Dog Under q Charm.

A large and handsome st. Bernard
dog was stolen from his owner in New
York by a man named McQuade. The
woman who owned the animal valued
him at $500. The police arrested Nc
Quade and he and the dog we're taken
to court. The greats st. Bernard, during
the proceedings in the court, had been
chained TO q railing. He kept con-
stantly shifting at McQuades clothing,
and seemed fairly under the influence
of charm. As the police led McQuade
away the great animal gave violent
spring forward, breaking the chain. and
bursting through the door followed the
prisoner. II required the efforts OF
several policemen TO bring him back TO
his mistress. The police say that Nc
Quade carries an ointment with him
which is so attractive to dogs, that they
will follow the person who has II upon
him wherever he goes. Dog thieves
drop some of this ointment on their
clothing, and walk by the side of the
dog they wish TO steal. The animal
once having scented IL will follow them
wherever they go. This, the police,
say, Is the reason 40 many valuable
| dogs are continually being stolen.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
New Postal Regulations.

Under the now order Of the postmas-
tergcncrul rcyoking section 232 Of the
postal regulations. all partially written
matter must be prepaid at the regular
letter rate of three cents for each half
ounce 4 number Of exceptions
were made to the operations
Of this rule. hut nothing was
said about circulars made by the hck,o-
graph. the electric pen. etc. Inquiry Mt
the New York postoiiic" clicits the in
formation that the postmaster.Rcncr
has made no rulings respecting this class
Of circulars, but that they are treated rs
third clags matter II left unscalcd and
containing nothing OF the nature OF per
sonal correspondence. Other exceptions
to the now order are:
Corrected proof sheets and manuscript
copy accompanying the same. Date and
name of the addrcssec and Of the send
or of tho circulars and the correction Of
mere Typographical errors therein. Upon
third class matter or upon the wrapper
inclo~ing the same the sender may write
his own name and address, with the
word from above and preceding the
same. and in either case may make sim
pie marks intended TO designate word or
passage 81 the text to which it is desired
to call attention. There may bc placed
upon the cover or blank leaves Of any
book or Of any printed matter of the
third class manuscript dedication or
inscription, but it must be confined to a
simple address or consignment as mark
Of respect, and it must not partake Of
the nature Of personal correspondence.
Upon fourth class matter the sender
may write his own name and address,
preceded by the word from" and also
the number and names of the articles
inclosed. He may also mark the article
for Identification.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
I.Ce-l<espIug.


just now the independence oi
women Is particularly interesting to
me, and perhaps ! can help a sister in
her need. One employment woman
can follow at home is bcc-kecping.
Begin small and learn the business
thoroughly by reading and eNpcri.
cncc, and when YOU have learned it
well then go into il rs largely as seems
best | bought q stand Of bees three
years ago, but had never worked with
bees or seen any one else do so, and
hardly knew dronc from worker,
and though the situation is not favor
able and the seasons have been very
poor, my bees have paid their rent
and boarded thcmselycs.' / have read
largely and followed the practices Of
those who have been highly successful,
until my ncighbors say: lyon can do
anything Won want to with bees, can't
you?" Having been entirely success
fnl in all the operations Of hiying
natural syarms. artificial gwarming'
uniting, introducing, transferring, etc,
| feel that with this thorough prcpara-
tion can 90 into the business largely
Of either queen rearing or raising honey
for market. II is a fascinating employ.
mcnt, and can bc learned at home with
but very little outlay Toilette BiGio.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
Population Of the Earth.

Bchm and Wagner, in the last edition
Of their book on the population Of the
earth, estimate the entire population Of
the inhabited globe at .4j6, ,OO0, cooper
sons. Europe, without counting Iceland
and Nova Zembla. Is believed to have
3l5.929, 900 inhabitants on an area Of
176,249.9 German square miles, or at The
rate of 1,79l persons to the German
square mile. Asia is put down as hav-
ing S34, 707, 600 inhabitants, on 500. AIS
square milcs-that is, l,031 persons TO
the square mile Africa as having 205.-
679,SO inhabitants. on 5i3, ,1S7 square
miles, or 37s persons to the square mile I;
America as having %, ,i95, 500 on co.,
1888 square miles, or 1877 to the square
mile; Australasia as having 1881, 900 on
162, COZ square miles, that is, "a persons
TO the square mile the Arctic regions
are assumed to have $4,000 inhabitants
on s2,091 square miles, or about one
person TO every square mile. The sum
total, AS observed, is !. .455, 923, 500 persons
on 2,470, 1904 square miles, or at the
rate of $50 persons to the German
square mile. The German empire com
prises 9,sl5.6 square miles. with a popu-
lation lin 1879 of 44,21O, ,e4s persons,
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
Pearls OF Thaught.

Youth looks at the possible; age at
the probable.
Charms strike the sight, but merit
wins the soul.
Nothing can constitute good breed
ing that has not good nature for its
foundation.
It is more honorable TO acknowledge
our faults than 10 boast of our merits
II Is easier to suppress the first desire
than 10 satisfy all that follow IL.
Never does . man protrsy his own
character so vividly IS In his manner Of
portraying another's.
Much charity which begins At hcme
is too feeble to get out Of doors. and
much that begins outdoors never gcts
into the home circle.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
Musical Culture.

Theodore Thomas, in a paper in
lSCTiJuc7, after describing some of the
bad methods OF musical culture in this
country, says / was once asked by =
gentleman what be ought TO do to make
his children musical. He perhaps ex-
pected me to advise him to send the
girls TO Italy to study vocalization, and
to set the boys TO practicing the violin
so many hours day, and studying hAr-
mony. / told him to form for them 3
singing-class under the care OF good
teacher, that they might learn to use
their vocal organs. to form good tone,
and to read music; after they became
old enough TO let them Join a choral
society, where, for two hours once 3
week, they could assist in singing goo d
music; and, above all, 10 afford the T,
every opportunity of hearing good
music of every kind. This gentleman
knew nothing of music, but thought
the advice sounded like common
snse."
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07
Horace Greeley and the Ticket Agent.

hViact NTtcttl anu thO iNnVs NH'"''
A reformed ticket agent, man now
engaged in mercantile pursuit, and
who looks back with profound melan-
cholv and remorse to his wicked career,
us he sailed in as u ticket agent, told me
that once, in his sinful days, he was en-
ploved at Chicago on a through iile
from that Incorporated Boroas on the
lake to New York city, which, made up
of new combination, was bucklng
against Vanderbilt. To extend its Gus
tom the combination had at Chicago n
corps of able-bodied runners, to seize
wavfarers by the throat and fetch them
up to the ticket agent, where the inno-
cent traveller was to he talked into u
ticket over the combination.
One day an able-bodied ruflian came
leading up roughlooking customer,
who wished to purchases a ticket for New
York by the way of Cleveland. But
evidently the old white-hatted, loose
trousercd, coarse-booted countryman,
with his white head and goggling look,
did not know what he wanted. 1t was
for the ticket agent TO care for him, and
so he ratified on with ticket in hand
until the venerable, goggle-eyed old
shufile-toes had extracted from a fat
wallet the price and shamblcd awkwardly
away.
" Say. old fellow asked q friend, who
happened to be in the office, "do you
knQY who you sold ticket to them
"Somc old fool of a corn-cracker.'
Not hit Of it-that was Horace
Greeley"
Ger whillcans and he wanted to
20 to Cleveland ?'
Yes, he is billed to lecture there,
and the Ii-ibUse will give your combina-
tion the deuce for the swindle."
That's so. Here, you put your
cheek to this hole till l find him"
Away ran the ticket agent. 1t WAS not
difficult to find the hotel at which the
venerable philosopher lodged. The
ticket agent found him in the reading
room poring over n late issue of the
Tribune. He tapped Horace on the
shoulder and the philosopher looked up
with the childlike expression of his that
seemed to come out from open eyes and
mouth.
81 beg your pardon said the agent,
" but sold YOU a ticket to New York
awhile since, and / made a mistake"
" In the money, | SUPPOSE replied
Horace, dryly.
No, sir; in the route. | remember
after you left you said Cleveland. Now
the ticket gave YOU Will not take YOU
to Cleveland
The deuce it won't, cried Greeley,
starting mp. Well, young man, can
tell you that would be q great disap-
pointment to Cleveland
don't know anything about that;
hut did not want any man to miss his
way through any fault of mine. So I've
been in every hotel in Chicago after
you."
The deuce you haye?"
have. There is the right ticket
It's over a rival line. But my honor,
sir. rises above trick. I bought the right
ticket for yon, and if you give me the
old one We will be- even"
Young man. said Horace, fishing
from his capacious pocket the ticket OF
the combination, you are very good
too good; come to think of it, too good
for ticket agent Leave that, good
Young man, before your innocent nature
is corrupted, or your patent screw and
podauger line is bursted up Go West,
Young man, 80 West. - Washington
TdyifW
4 Remarkable Suit.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07

There we're in Germany in 1878 SO
paper mills which together produced
s.e0e. 900 cwt. Of paper. This number
is exceeded only by the United States,
where 56T mills were st work n Is7e.
turning out but 5000, 900 cwt.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07

The Des Moines Qa.) Mail Car
speaks right TO the point when il says:
NO mortal man can edit paper and
be popular with everybody; any man
who would even try TO would be looked
upon as a colossal lnnatic.'
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07

IL is an ackno wledged fact that
among tho modern machines none work
out fine results with moro ingenuity of
design, workmanship, or careful CORE
lation of weight, strength and material,
and precision of movement Of parts,
than the bicycle.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07

Some months ago We gave list Of
four words reported TO be the only words
In the English language ending in
"cion." To this list two more words
have been added-o~tracioa and peynicion,
The list now embraces scion, suspicion,
coercion, intemecion, pcrnicion and
distraction. Are there any more2
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07

The salt used by the packers and
butchers Of San Francisco Is obtained
by solar evaporation from the waters Of
the ocean. The process is easy,
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07

Human nature is so constituted that
all sec and iudge better in the affairs Of
others than in their own.
Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-04-07

A pretty face is tho sweetest thing
shown in spring bonnets. -Pioayane.
, 1881-02-11

KILLED AT SCabcck. Feb. ii, Mr., !
John +. Palmer, aged about % years lie
was working on the slab ear at the mill
A. lie and others were pushing Ii along,
it accidentally became unlocked aud turn
ed over. The others found it ont first and
got out of the way, and called to him TO
do so, but he did not understand them.
AS the car turned, long slab struck him
on the arm aud side and knocked him oil
the platform, among the slabs below,
distance of ten or twelve feet. He struck
on his head crushing in the side. lie
breathed only few times alter he was
raised up, but did not speaka word. lie
was full blooded Indian, and was born in
Chlmacum. When about ten years Of
age he went to live with the family Of Mr..
James Seavy, OF Port Townsend. In
1859 he went with the family to San
Francisco, where he remained a year or
two, when he shipped in sailing vessel,
and spent most of the time until 1853 or
1864 about the mouth of the Amoor riy-
er In Russian Asia. Alter this he re-
turned to Puget Sound, where he has
since liyed-at first on the reservation at
Neah Bay, in the employ Of the Gov
ernment, but for most OF the time for
the last twelve or thirteen years at the
Skokomsh Agency, where he served As
interpreter under several agents, acting
in that capacity for eight years under
the present agent. Mr.. L. Eclls. He
understood the Nisqually, Skokomish,
CIalam, Russian and English languages,
and could read aud write the last named
although he was never in school more
than three weeks in his lite. He picked
up most of this knowledge in the lam
lily of Mr.. Seavy and on the ship. He
had library worth fifty dollars and
took several papers both Eastern and
Western. He was the first Indian at the
Skokomlsh to unite with the church
there, doing so at its organization in
1874. His loss Is lamented by a large
number of friends, both Indian and
white; to many OF the latter he seemed
more of white man than an Indian,
and showed what an Indian Is capable
of becoming. He was taken to the Sko'
komish Reservation for burial.
, 1881-02-11
Notice..

The following will be the rules of the
Masquerade Carnival to be given in thi:
city on the evening Of the February p,
1881, at Good Templar Hall:
No gentleman will be admitted in La
dies Costume.
Spectators will not be allowed on the
floor until after unmasking.
Tickets can be had from the Committee
at So 80 each and are not transferable.
Spectators will be admitted for one dol
lar each.
The Dest Of music will be in attendance.
A. II. TUCKER,
s. WATERMAN,
52.t2 Managing Committee.