davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01
6hat Is the GainP
What is the pain7

What is the gain7
Ii Jile should run noble race.
And at the last, with weary pace.
Win to the goal, and find his years
ID A harvest field of waste and tears,
of turmoil and of buried trust.
lhich with dead hopes and bitter dust
AND STRIFE and sneer and ceaseless pain,
.. What is the gainP
D. What is the gain?
when, having reached sunlit height,
through barren sweeps OF gloomful night,
Hoping to see beyond the crest
Fair lands of beauty and of rest,
There lies before stretched far away
Unto the confines of the day
desolate and shadeless plain,
What is the gain2
What is the gain?
To sail for months of cold and toll
Across wide seas, where winds recoil,
Only to gather strength and roar
A louder challenge than before.
And lind, when through fogs thick and dun
The rocky coast at last is won,
No haven from the storm-vexed main,
What is the gain?
What is the gain2
The race is won, we see the light,
We conquer where the storm-winds fight;
We show the way to those who wait
With faint hearts by the walls of fate;
Our banners futter in the van
OF battles fought for thought and man,
And ignorance and darkness wane,
This is the gain.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01
How TO Eat a Watermelon,

Instruction in eating watermelon is
given by the Baltimore american, which
should be good authority, as it is pub
lished in the melon region. The hotel
plan of cutting a watermelon like tu-
lip, and putting lump of ice in it, is
condemned, because ice should never
touch the pulp; but burial Of the un-
cut melon in ice for two days is wise.
Then cut lengthwise and eat between
meals. "PeOple deal unjustly with this
fruit sometimes by eating a hearty din
ner first, and then topping off with a
melon, aad then if a moral earthquake
sets up in the interior they charge it to
the melon. The watermelon was in
tended as an episode-an interludSrea
romance without words-a noctuIY . in
green and red-not to be mingled with
bacon and greens. Its indulgence leaves
a certain epigastrial expansion, but
this is painless and evanescent. The
remedy is to loosen the waistband and
take another Slice"
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01
How Easy it is to Die.

elf L had strength to hold pen, ]
would write how easy and delightful it
is to de-" were the last words of the
celebrated surgeon, William Hunter;
and Louis XIV. is recorded as saying,
with his last breath, 81 thought dying
had been more difficult"
That the painlessness of death is
owing to some benumbing influence
acting on the sensory nerves may be in
ferred from the fact that untoward ex-
ternal surroundings rarely trouble the
dying.
On the day that Lord CollinGwood
breathed his last the Mediterranean
was tumultuous; those elements which
had been the scene of his past glories
rose and fell in swelling undulations
and seemed as if rocking him to sleep.
Captain Thomas ventured to ask if he
was disturbed by the tossing of the
ship. "No, Thomas" he answered, 81
am now in state that nothing can dis
turb be more-I am dying, and am
sure it must be consolatory to you and
all that love me to see how comfortably
| am coming to my end"
:. In the Quarterly ReUie,o there is re-
ldIeu an instance Ol crllnlndl WHO eS-
capped death from hanging by the break
ing of the rope. Henry w., Of France
sent his physician to examine him, who
reported that after moments suffer-
ing the man saw an appearance like fire,
across which appeared a most beautiful
avenue of trees. When a pardon was
mentioned the prisoner coolly replied
that it was not worth asking for. Those
who have been near death from drown,
ing, and afterward restored to conscious
ness, assert that the dying suffer but
little pain.
Captain Marryatt states that his sen
sations at one time when nearly drowned
were rather pleasant than otherwise
"The first struggle for life once over, the
water closing around me assumed the
appearance of waving green fields. L
is not feeling of pain, but seems lik'
sinking down overpowered by sleep, il
the long. soft grass of the cool meadow.
Now, this is precisely the condition
presented in. death from disease. In
sensibility comes on, the mind lose
consciousness of external objects, an,
death rapidly and placidly ensues from
asphyxia.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01
MOMing.
Into the fields both young and old

Into the fields both young and old
With gay hearts went;
The pleasant fields, all green and gold,
All flowers and scent.
And first among them old man Mack,
With his two grandsons, Harry and Jack
Two eager boys whose feet kept time
restless fashion to this rhyme:
Sharpen the scythe and bend the back,
Swing the arm for an even track;
Through daisy blooms and nodding grass
Straight and clean must the mower pass.
There are tasks that boys must learn, not found
In any book
Tasks on the harvest and haying ground,
BY wood and brook.
When was young but few could bring
nto the field a cleaner swing.
But you must take my place to-day,
Cut the grass and scatter the hay,
So sharpen the scythe and bend the back,
Swing the arm for an even track;
Through daisy blooms and nodding grass
Straight and clean must the mower. pass.
Straight and clean is the only way
You'll find that out
In other things than cutting hay,
make no doubt.
So be sure through the nodding grass
Straight and clean with your scythe to pass;
1t is far better than any play
To NOW the grass and toss the hay,
SO sharpen the scythe and bend the back
Swing the arm for an even track;
Through daisy blooms and nodding grass
Straight and clean must the mower pass.
-Harpers' Young Folks.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01

J. Bridgeman, of the Elmira Farmers
club, illustrates the value of the liberal
application of barnyard manure by the
following story: A story of my early
observation comes to my mind. When
was eighteen years old my father was
going away from the farm for few
days, and he gave me task to perform
in his absence. It was to draw out ma
nure to lot assigned. 1 had young
associate, Perry Stowell, to help me,
but neither of us knew how closely the
loads should be placed, so we drew
seventy-fve loads with yoke of three
year-old steers and one horse as our
team, and when we had finished it was
found that we had put all those big
loads on an acre and half. That was
more than thirty years ago, but the
ground that was dressed so heavily has
in all that time never forgotten the ap-
plication. If I plow it for grain I get
bigger crop than from any other like
area in the field, it brings more corn,
more grass; in fact, it feels that manure
to this day, although cannot suppose
any of its substance is left. The fact
is it made that acre and a half SO
much better than other land alongside
that bigger crops were matter OF
course, and the very fact of raising big
ger crops implies more refuse matter to
decay in the soil and SO maintain fertility
in the first place impaired, in this case, by
the seventy-five loads of manure. There
is always sitter sod, stronger growth
on that land, making it worth enough
more to pay for what at the time was
considered wasteful use of the manure
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01
Grating the Grape.

The past twenty years 1 have grated
and propagated many thousands of
grapevines in my greenhouse and in
the field; have tried almost every month
in the year, and find April or May the
best time, or when the buds are just
bursting or pushing; then no sap will
trouble or drown out the graft, as is the
case when the grating is done in the
fall or early spring, as heretofore recon-
mended. Such grating will most sure
ly prove q failure. / use no wax; clay
is much better; but the scions must be
kept back. Graft below ground On
young, thrifty plants. No good CRATER
would ever think of grating old snags
or old trees that ought to be cut down;
and so with old vines that have been
neglected and not renewed, they are no
better than old snags, and it is time
lost to try to improve such self-exhaust
ed and worn-out plants. Nor can graft
ing be done by every one without
experience. No CRATER is always sue
cessful in grating the apple or pear,
much less in grating the grape, as it is
quite different process, although quite
simple to one who knows how Canada
Farmer.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01
A Tied Wrist.

Boys are too often cured of bad judg-
ment by melancholy example, or by
suffering for it themselves. The Merii-
Ian wis., Leader relates sad and fatal
accident that will suggest carefulness to
all who read it.
George Ives, boy twelve years old,
started to ride one of his fathers horses
to water with the halter fastened around
his wrist. The horse ran away with
him, throwing him of, and dragging
him on the ground and among the
stumps, crushing his head and one arm
almost to a jelly. He was alive when
picked up, but died in a few minutes.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01
Recipes.

SPIcED APPLE TARTs.-Rub stewed
tart apples through a sieve; sweeten
and flavor with mace or cinnamon; line
soup plates with crust, fill with the
apple and lay bars of crust quarter of
an inch wide over the top of the tart.
Bake till the crust is done.
PLAIN PUDDNa.-Here is recipe for
good and simple pudding: One pint
of -four, half cup of sugar, thee
quarters of a cup of sweet milk, one
tablespoonful of butter, two teaspoon
fuls of baking powder. Bake for twenty
minutes; serve with any good pudding
sauce.
TOMATO SoUP.-To one quart of water
add eight large tomatoes; cut them in
small pieces, boil for twenty minutes,
then put in half teaspoonful of soda
let it boil few minutes more, then add
about pint of sweet milk; season as
you would oysters; bread crumbs, sago
barley or rice may be added.
RICE FRUIT PUDDINa.-One large tes
cup rice, little warm water to cook !
partially; dry; line an earthen bash
with the rice; fill up with quarteret
apple or any fruit you choose. Cove
with rice; tie cloth over the top ant
steam one hour; to be eaten with swee
sauce. Do not butter the dish.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-09-01
American sheep.

1t is reproach to the farmers of
America that we are compelled to import
much of the wool with which to make
our necessary wearing apparel. We
want more and better sheep than we
have ever had before, and instead of
this being a market for foreign wool
the current should be turned the other
way. The best we can do, however, it
will be a long time before we can spare
any of our wool in foreign markets, and,
indeed, we may feel proud when our
production is sufficient to fairly NEE
the home demand, which it must be re-
membered is being very materially aug
mented by emigration to our shores,
while upon the other hand there is a
corresponding decrease in the demand
in the countries from which these emf
grants come, owing to the same cause.
One obstacle to a more general sheep
raising has been the seemingly depressed
condition of the wool market for many
years. In view of the fact, how
ever, that the losses of sheep during
the last winter were greater than of any
other kind of stock, the gradually
Strengthening demand at the present
time would seem to warrant the general
belief that fockmasters will not have to
accept mean compensation for their
labor.-DrOceTS' Journal.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11

BEING HOME SOMETHING. Nearly every
farmer goes 10 the nearest village to trade,
visit mechanic, or obtain his letters and
papers, at least once week. He often
takes load to market, but he rarely brings
one home. He can, with very little trou-
bic, haul load of material that may be
Obtained for nothing, and which will be of
great benefit to his land. Most village
people make no use of the ashes produced
in their stoves or the bones taken from the
meat they consume. Scarcely any brewer
has any use for the hops that have been
bOiled In his vats, and the blacksmith
hardly ever saves the clippings he takes
from the feet of horses. All these materi-
ais make excellent manure. A barrel of
shavings cut from the hoofs of horses con
tains more ammonia than is contained in
load of stable manure, Applied to land
without preparation, they might give no
Immediate results, but they would become
deComposed in Time, and crops OF all kinds
would derive benefit from them, They may
be so treated that they would produce i'm
mediate results. BY covering them with
fresh horse manure they will decompOse
very rapidly. They may also be leached
in barrel and the water that covered them
drawn off and applied to plants. Water
IN which pieces OF horns and hoofs have
been soaked is an excellent manure for
plants that require forcing. 1t stimulates
the growth of tomatoes, rose bushes and
house plants very rapidly, and emts no
offensive Odors. A vast amount of fertIl-
z'ng material Is wasted in towns that far
mers could obtain the benefit of with very
little trouble.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11

GYPSUM AND HOW TO APPLY IL. T.-Gypsum
sulpnate of lime, is not strictly iertil
izer, yet it acts directly upon the plant
and indirectly upon the soil as fertilizer.
When sown upon growing crops especially
clover and the grasses, it attracts and
gathers the ammonia of the atmosphere,
and fixes it upon vegetation, deliquescins
upon the leaves and spears, so that it is
taken up into the circulation. This am
monia not only serves as one of the nutri-
tive elements of crops, but is carried by
the circulation down into the roots and
acts as fertilizer in after years. 1t does
not benefit the crops upon all soils, for in.
stance, it has not been found beneficial TO
crops In the tide water district of Virginia,
as well as other localities. When clover,
grasses and other crops, are two or three
inches high, and the dews are heavy, SOW
the gypsum OH the growing plant when
heavily laden with dew before evaporation
takes place in the morning. The plaster
adheres to the green crops, forming sort
OF mucilage, attracting the ammonia, ana
fixing it in the plants. One bushe', or less
quantity will suffice for an acre, and do
just as well as large quantity It's inf1u-
ence Is felt and seen, upon the crops in
few weeks after being sown. 1t Is good
for all garden vegetables and vines, and
busted upon them frequently, will drive
away insects.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11
The way Plate Glass is Made.

To cast, roll, polish and burnish plate
glass requires machinery of peculiar con-
struction, and ''plant" that is costly by
reason of its complex nature, The pouring
of liquid glass from the furnace upon the
cast iron plates, and the subsequent rolling.
are processes comparatively simple. ANY
housekeeper who has used a rolling-pin on q
batch OF pie-crust dough, performs an opera
tion very similar to this stage of plate glass
making. II is the succeeding process of
grinding and polishing and final furnishing
that require time and costly mechanism.
After leaving the rolls and bed plate glass
is rippled and rough, and only fit for graf
1ngs or sky-lights. Each plate must be
transferred to machines that resemble the
tables of railway. On the revolving plat
form the glass is cemented into bed of
plaster of Paris, and the machine started.
Bearing heavily on the surface of the gloss
are blocks of metal, and while in motion the
surfaces are kept supplied with sharp sand
and constant stream of water. The next
stage of the glass grinding process is the
same as to machinery, but instead of sand
coarse emery is used. The finer emery Is
used In another revolving table, and so ON
for half dozen times. The final polishing
is done by heavy reclprocating devices, fed
with rouge, and maintaining a constant
back and forward motion, and also lateral
movement over the surface of the crystal
All this requires the assistance of a large
force of men, many of them skilled labor
ers. After going through these different
grindings and polishing, the plate that mea-
sured an inch in thickness is only three
quarters of an inch thick, bas lost all its
roughness, and is ready for the show win
dow of the purchaser.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11

The Uses Of Micd.-The mica chiefly
met with in commerce is of that variety
which is proof against acids and intense
heat. Its toughness, elasticity, and close
approach to transparency naturally led, at
first, TO its use for windows, and especially
to its employment IN lanterns. 1t is found
in large quantities in North Carolina, where
there are unmistakable evidences that some
of the beds were worked a great many
years ago. The finer sheets of mica are
now used for such purposes as the dials OF
compasses, the lettering of fancy signs,
covering photographs, constructing lamp
shades, reliectors, etc. OF late mica has
been used in the soles of boots and shoes,
as protector against dampness. The in
vention consists of sheet of mica embed
ded in thin coatings of cement and placed
in the boot and shoe between the outer and
inner sole, the upper leather tapping over
its edges, and covering the upper space
from the toe to the instep. There are many
other uses to which mica 10 put, and il Is be-
coming more and more valuable as the arts
and trades progress.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11
AGRICULTURAL.

EFFECT CT HEAT ON Hoes Hogs gener-
ally gain very little during the summer on
account Of the neglect on the part of their
owners to provide for their comfort. In
some cases their skin cracks open by the
Influence of the direct rays of the sun, and
sores are formed which are infested by
insects The large amount of fat contained
In the body of the hog renders it impatient
of heat, and means should be provided for
rendering the animal as cool as possible.
The pastures In which hogs are kept should
be we'll supplied with water, not only for
drinking but for cooling purposes. Ii
there ale no natural streams or ponds,
there should be pools made In which they
can wallow when they desire. They should
have plenty of grass and other green food,
as well as sour milk and slops. Corn and
other heating articles of food should be fed
sparingly. Cooling shade is essential to
the comfort and well being of nogs during
the hot days of summer. Farmers who
have the advantage Of groves and forests
located on the banks of streams and rivers,
or on :he shores of lakes, generally have
little trouble with hogs during the summer.
AAo StOunu pIotcCteu Dy Tue trees dnu
bushes remains cool and moist even when
that exposed to the rays Of the sun is
parched and hot. The streams and ponds
afford water for drinking and bathing.
The hog Is cleanly animal when 1t is
allowed fair chance. If hog pasture
contains no natural shade and water, they
should be provided. Water can be con-
. Quoted through pipes from springs and
wells at a small expense, and made to
supply poels and watering troughs. Shade
can be afforded by planting trees or erect
ing sheds covered by straw or running
vines.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11

Nearly all marbles are made at Ober-
stien, Germany. There are large agate
quarries and mills in that neighborhood,
and the refuse Is turned to good account in
providing the small stone balls for experts
TO "knuckle" with. The stone is broken
INTO small cubes by blows of light ham,
mer. Then small blocks of stone are
thrown by the shovelful into the hopper of
a small mill, formed of bedstone, having
It's surface grooved with concentrate fur
rJws above this is the runner" which is
of some hard wood having level face on
its lower surface. The upper blCck is made
to revOlve rapidly, water being delivered
upon the grooves of the bedstone where the
marbles are being rounded. 1t takes about
fifteen minutes TO finish half bushel of
good marbles, ready for the boys knuckles.
One mill will turn out 100, 900 marbles per
week
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11

For the purpose of determing the capaci-
ty of horse to undergo the p ivatlOns inci-
dent to a state of siege, series of expert
ments have been made in Paris, The re-
suits show that horse may hold out for
twenty-five days without any solid nourIsh-
ment, provided 1t Is supplied with sufficient
good drinking water; that horse can sub
slsts for barely five days without water !;
and, thirdly, that If horse is well fed for
ten days, but insuf1ciently supplied with
water throughout this period, it will not out
live the eleventh day. A horse which had
received no solid nourishment for twelve
days was, nevertheless, in condition to
draw load of 600 pounds on the twelfth
day ofits fast.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11
DOMESTIC.

GREEN GoosEBERRIEs FOR TARTs. Pill
very clean, dry, wide-necked bottles with
gooseberries picked the same day, in dry
weather, and just before they have attain
ed their full size. Wrap little hay round
each bottle, and set them up to their neclxs
in boiler of cold water, which should be
brought very gradually to boil; little
hay must be put in the bottom of the boil
er, and the bottles fixed firmly. Let the
fruit simmer gently until it appears
shrunken and perfectly scalded, then take
out the bottles. and ill up as many as you
can quite full with some of the cooked
gooseberries-it Is generally necessary TO
sacrifice one of the bottles in doing this,
taking Care not to break the fruit. Direct
ly the bottles are full of gooseborres, pour
boiling water into the bottles up to the
brims, else they will mildew. Tie bladder
over the tops Immediately, and keep the
bottles in dry, cool place. When
the gooseberr!es are used, pour off the
greater part of the water, and add the
same sugar as for fresh fruit, of which
they ought to have the same flavor and ap-
pearance. Prepared in this way, goose
berries are perfectly wholesome. and will
keep until the fruit comes in again.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11

FoR THE SIoK.-Frequently we find sick
people whose stomachs reject all Kinds of
nourishment, until conditions follow that
are in many cases fatal. have never
known the simple saucer of parched corn
pudding refused. The corn is roaste
brown, precisely as we roast coffee, ground
as fine as meal in cotfee-mill, and made
either into mush, Cruel, or thin cakes,
baked lightly brown and given either
warm or cold, clear, or whatever dressirg g
the stomach will retain. Parched corn and
meal boiled in milk, and fed frequently to
children suffering from summer diarrho a.
will almost always cure, as it will dysen-
terry in adults.
Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-11

DRAWN Work STITCHES. are for
use on linen or crash. For towels. table
covers, buffet scarfs and doylees they are
most admirable. The pupil may begin
with the cid hemsttch, and as she pro-
crosses, add lace stitches herring-bone but
tonhole, overcaSting, chain stitch, darning
and knot stitch. Draw the threads from
the end of piece OF linen Tor about an
inch in depth. Pass thread through the
middle Of the strands that are left, cross
ing and catching them in lunches of two
or three. This can be used as the heading
tor fringe around dsylees. Catch and secure
with your needle few threads close TO the
body Of the stuff at top and bottom of a
drawn space. This leaves the effect of
even rows of threads little separated.
Then use chain stitch TO draw these rows
together in lunches of four III the center.
The foregoing pattern may be elaborated
by thread introduced in a waving line
over and under the punches of threads.
Repeat this waved line in returning, and
where the lines cross in the center finish
with small figures in lace stitches. An in
genlous workman will make endless COM
binations and varieties for herself.