davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
Never Mind the Butcher.

It was during the peninsula campaign,
Just before the battle of Williamsburg,
that General Mcclellan had issued an
order forbidding foraging under penalty
of severe punishment. A section of ar
tillery had been supported by the Fifty
sixth New York Volunteer Infantry in .
little skirmish late in the evening, and
owing to some misunderstanding the in
fantry and artillery were left on the
picket line till late hour without any
rations. Darkness had closed in and a
farm yard in the vicinity offered too great
a temptation for the hungry artillerymen
to resist. Soon the fragrant aroma Of
the vicinity of the improvised barbecue.
Among others was Colonel Van Wyck,
the senior officer in command. He was
asked by one Of the improvised camp
cooks if he would partake Of the menu.
Certainly" replied the Colonel, and
with sharpened appetite he at once took
hold of the luscious roast porcins ribs.
Suddenly staff officer rode upon the
scene. With an unmistakable French
twang he said: with de compliments
of de General commanding, wish to
know who kilt dis roast hog ?"
"Teu the General commanding"
roared Colonel Van Wyck, stretching his
tall form to its utmost altitude, that
Colonel Van Wyck never inquiries who
the butcher is when he sits down to q
Rentleman's table"
The staff officer was the Comte de
Paris of General McClellan's staff. No
further inquiry was instituted into the
mystery of the foraRinR expedition.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
Dashing It OF.

The first and most prevalent miscon-
ception of tyros is, that an article or Q
poem, to be brilliant, must be "dashed
Off" They have heard, of course, that
johnson wrote "Rasselas" in q week;
that Byron was only thirteen days over
"The Corsair;;" that Scott was scarcely
double that time in writing volume OF
ssWaverly;" and that Burns composed
"Tam O. Shanter" between dinner and
tea. But they forget that before these
tasks were accomplished johnson had
composed and published what would fill
volumes; Byron had already spent the
best of his years in the constant prac-
tice of his pen; Scott had edited the
Border ballads, the works of Swift and
Dryden, and written the greatest OF his
poems; and that Burns was an expert
and practiced in verse-making as long
experience in the art could make even
him. Apart altogether from the ques,,
ton of the super eminent genius OF all
these men, they did not attain to this
degree of literary celebrity all at once.
They did not jump into it as man may
get into suit of new clothes. 1t was IN
each case the result of the unwea<.ed
practice of their art. There must have
DeSn instances, SUCH dS tiisse VI eilO PcSss
Campbell, where the genius ripened
early, and where the first work was the
best; but this is very rare even in the
ranks of genius. The rulein these ranks
has rather been ON the side of unmitl-
gated labor in correcting and
perfecting their compositions. Many
of them, such as Gibbon, wrote and re-
wrote the first of their productions three
or four times over; and after all, when
they saw their work in print, have been
known to declare that they thought they
could still improve it We're they to write
it over yet again! 1t may be taken,
therefore, as a fundamental rule in the
attainment of literary excellence, to spare
no labor in perfecting and polishing, and
to leave no word, or sentence, or passage
unimproved that still seems to admit OF
Improvement. Attention to this would
save many young writer some OF his
bitterest disappointments. Chambers
Journal.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
HOUaR

Mr.. Carlisle's bill to authorize the Council of
Lancaster to issue bonds for improving and ex-
tending water-works was passed.
House bill by Mr.. Stubbs, leaving the rates of
toll on the canals to the discretion to the Board
Of Public Works, was passed.
Mr.. Covert introduced bill providing against
neglect of husbands and fathers.
Mr.. Reed introduced q bill to provide that
goods and removed the same to another coun-
ty within one year, the Treasurer shall not COL
lect tax on the same goods . second time in the
same year.
Mr.. Milliken introduced bill to amend Sec
ton 4370 of the Code, SO as to invalidate the
publication Of legal advertisements in Sunday
papers.
House substitute for Mr.. Sinks Senate bill
was passed amending Section 71O OF the Re
vised Statutes, and providing that in case of
the death of an inmate Superintendents of
Asylums shall notify one or more of the near
est relatives of the deceased patient. If known
to him, and if unknown to the Superintendent,
the Probate Judge shall, Immediately upon
notification, in the speediest manner possible,
notify such relations, if known to him, and
when patient is discharged as cured, the
Superintendent may furnish such patient with
penses of such patient to the township or the
county from which ho or she was SENT not in
any case exceeding $40.
bill was introduced by Mr.. Bishop to
amend sections 1856, 1866, 1867, and 1868 Of
the code, and supplementary to section 1869 of
the code. This BILL seeks to reduce the price of
legal advertising about one-half.
bill was passed for the relief Of Joseph W.
Blain, late Treasurer Of Bloom Township,
Bcioto County, who had 1887 township funds
stolen while he was Township Treasurer
Mr.. Kelly's Senate bill was passed authoriz-
to purchase real estate for railroad purposes,
| to construct machine-shops, and to issue bonds
therefor, and to authorize additional taxation
to meet the principal and interest Of said bonds
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
A Gfrnnfic Acheme.

Now that the Philadelphia capitalists who
are about to reclaim the immense tracts Of land
In the State of Florida known as the Ever
glades have completed their contracts with that
State, it is no longer q secret that one of the
main features Of the gigantic scheme is the
building of a ship canal across the State of
Florida. The project is almost equal in inn
portance to that of reclaiming the twelve mill
lion acres Of the richest land in the world south
Of the frost-belt. A ship canal across the State
Of Florida has been the dream Of engineers for
many years. 1t would not only shorten the
distance between the American ports on the
Atlantic Coast and all European ports to New
Orleans, Mobile and all shipping points on the
Gulf Of Mexico, but it would avoid the dangers
to navigation which are experienced on the
countless keys and coral reefs on the southern
and southwestern coast Of Florida. AL ship
captains know Of this danger, which is often
aggravated by hurricanes which are common
to the southwark Of Florida, but which are
comparatively unknown on the west coast in
the region Of Tampa Bay. It is well known
that . number Of New York capitalists have
been endeavoring for some years to get a
charter from tho State of Florida to build a
ship canal, but the Philadelphia company, With
great deal Of shrewdness, has got ahead Of
them. In connection with the Isthmus Canal,
now in the course of construction under M.
Ferdinand DeLesseps, the Florida Canal must
| at once attract the attention of the capitalists
not only Of America but Of Europe.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
White Horse Shares.

A New Yorker was seated in an office
in Gunnison City, Col, one day, when
grizzly looking old chap entered and
asked if that was the place where they
sold shares of the White Horse Silver
Mine. Being assured he was in the Of
fee of the company he observed:
I have heard the White Hore spoken
| of as being likely mine."
"It certainly is. We took $40, 600
worth of ore out in one day."
"Phew! She must be just old richnessi
How many men have ye got to work"
ooh, about three hundred"
"Have ye, though? Are the sheers 60
ing off purity ively?"
'Shares are selling like hot cakes, and
we have only q few left. Everybody
says the White Horse is a big invest
ment."
"What are sheers worth to-day?"
| 81 will sell you at ninety five, though
1 know they will be worth face value to-
morrow"
"Nol You don't really mean ninety
five?"
81 do"
"Well, that's better; there's a hundred
sheers which you sold my pard yester-
day for twenty dollars. went over to
the mine, found nothing but hole and
dead mule, and told him I'd come up
and get his money back, or do some
shooting! TIM tarnal glad to find them
sheers has riz from twenty to ninety-five.
That will give my pard his money back,
and buy me winter outfit besides.
Here's the sheers, and now let me see
the color of your money!"
"But, sir, we"
"Pass out the cash" said the old man,
MS he rested the end of his shooter on
the edge of the counter.
| The company had left his revolver in
his overcoat outside, and he didn't be-
lieve the New Yorker would shoot for
him. After look around, he began
counting out the money with bland
smile, and as he made the exchange he
said:
Certainly, sir-greatest of pleasure,
sir. Sorry you didn't hold them one
day more, and set the full lace valusl"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
Aaron Burr and Mrs. Hamilton.

When on an official visit to the United
States in 1858, I spent day or two at
Mr.. Stuart Brownies place on the New
Jersey shore of the Hudson River, above
Hoboken. General Taylor, of Ohio, was
another guest, and as the house was al
no great distance from the spot where
the fatal duel between Burr and Hamil-
ton took place (July IL, 1900, q conver-
sation arose on the event, and the char
acteristics, public and private, of the two
men. General Taylor told us that when
a very young man, studying at West
Point, he was one day on board river
boat, and among the passengers were
Mrs. Hamilton, widow of Alexander
Hamilton, and Aaron Burr, who had re-
turned to the States after his enforced
absence in Europe, in consequence of his
proved reasonable practices. Burr was
then an old man, but still retained much
of his former confidence and manner, es
pecially with ladies. To the astonish.
ment of those who knew him, on discov-
ering that Mrs. Hamilton was on board
the steamboat, he approached her, took
off his hat, and bowling, said: "Mrs.
Hamilton, believe? My name is Burr :"
The effect upon the lady, now well
stricken in years, was electric. Rising
from her seat, she gathered up her dress,
as if to touch Burr with it would be con-
tamination, drew herself up, and looking
at him from head to foot, swept away
with dignity and grace worthy of her
best days, and left him standing abashed,
If he were capable of feeling 30, before
the spectators. Burr replaced his hat
upon his head, and slowly moved back
to the seat he had left purposely to make
this experiment. upon the feelings
of the widow of the man he had
slain, for one can not suppose that he
had any intention to apologize or explain,
since this was impossible. and
One7.ieS
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
COMBINATIONS.

CONHIRMAT1ONB.
The Senate confirmed Henry g. Pisrson Post
master at New York.
observation-disclosures e. Douglas, Mansfield,
Ohio; John G Magaw, Coshocton, Ohio; Geo.
J. Williams, Youngstown, Ohio; Conley O.
Guilford, wauseon, Ohio; James A. Wildman,
Indianapolis; John B. Dowd, Rockville, Ind. !;
Jacob M. Wells, Marion, Ind; George Pheger,
South Bend, Ind James H. Clark, Mattoon,
ILL.,; Hiram w Hubbard, Centralia, H.; l..
Clarke Carr, Galesburg, H., George F. Deck,
bloomington, ILL.,. !; Orlando Fl. Merwin, Evans
ton, Ill; Greenville NJ. Mitchell, Charleston,
Ill; Mrs. Priscilla W. Wilson, Braidwood, Ill. (;
Almond b. Reford, Benton Harbor, Mich
James c. Sherman, Menominee, Mich. Charles
Esslinger, Manilow, Wis; James o. Rymond,
Stevens' Point Wis Justus II. Moak, Water
town, Wis; VIM. H. Hartman, Waterloo, Iowa;
VIM. @. Candy, Manchester, Iowa; Edward
Russell, Davenport, Iowa; John Kennedy,
Hastings, Mimi; Francis W. Seeley, Lake City,
Minn. Eden N. Leavius, Farlbault, Mimi. ;
Thomas Hall, Omaha Thomas J. Anderson,
Topeka; Geo b. Reichenoker, wyandotte,
Kan; Lorenzo J. warder, Lawrence, Kan.
Frank Patterson, Junction City, Kan; w. L.
Harvey, Minneapolis, Kan; CharlesW w. Ramer,
Fort Collins, Col; John A. Post, Boise City,
Idaho; Henry W. Briggs, Gilroy, California.
Collector OF Internal Revenue, r. W. Berry,
| Of Boise City. for Idaho.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31

VANITY OF HIGHwAYMEN.-A Calves
weston lady was reading newspaper ac-
count of stage robbery that recently
took place west of San Antonio and was
very indignant ON reading that besides
robbing the passengers they had opened
the mail and read the letters, among
them, possibly, letter the lady herself
had written to friend. ''You needn't
be alarmed" remarked the lady's hus-
band, II dare say they did not read a
word In any of those letters, as those fell
lows don't know B. from bulls foot. 1"
'fWhy, then, did they make out that
they read them ?" "Oh, they made out
they could read so as to make q favorable
impression on the passengers. ."-Gak
Uesto,a NeUs,
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
OHIO LEGISLATURE.


House bill making appropriations for the
benevolent, penal, and correctory institutions
of the State for the last three quarters of this
fiscal year and the first quarter of the next
fiscal year, was passed. A message from the
House Of Representatives, announcing its re-
fusal to concur in the Senate amendments to
House bill 800, Stubbs' Sunday Bill, was re-
ceivsd, and, on motion Of Mr.. Pond, the Sem
ate insisted on its amendments, and Messrs.
Pond, Horr and Parker were appointed q COM
mittee of conference on said bill.
Bulls were passed allowing sidewalks to be
constructed outside of farms that lay along the
highways outside of corporations; House
amendments to Senate bill by Mr.. Sinks, requir-
ing Superintendents of insane asylums to no
tify Probate Judges, of the death, discharge.
or escape Of any patient.
The Senate ooncurred in House amendments
to Senate bill by Mr.. Sinks, to authorize the
construction of IN avenue from Dayton to the
Soldiers Home.
Mr.. Licey's House bill providing for better
treatment Of convicts in the Penitentiary, was
passed.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
Destroyers Of Contagion.

The Boston Journal of Chemistry
says Modern science has let in food
of light upon the causes of many ILL
nesses, and the nature of the contagia
upon which their propagation depends.
Not only has the cause of disease been
traced to agents external to the body,
but the exact forms of these disturbing
organisms has been pointed out. They
consist of minute particles, probably in
most or all cases Of a vegetable nature !;
they are therefore non-gaseous and in NO
respect comport themselves like gaseous
bodies.
The best method to disinfect clothing
is by the use of heat. Experiment. has
shown that no form Of contagia anwith-
stand o temperature of 220 degrees
Fahrenheit therefore, clothing placed
in box two hours, with dry heat above
that Of boiling water, is thoroughly dis
infected; or it may be soaked In boiling
water with the same result.
Chlorine is gaseous body, and is in
ordinary cases an effective disinfeotant.
It is, however, inferior to sulphurous
acid this is the most valuable agent we
have, but unfortunately it is not safe in
inexperienced hands. A room in which
a case of infectious disease has been
placed can be thoroughly cleansed by
burning little sulphur in the absence
of the inmates. The sulphurous acid is
q gas exceedingly disagreeable and ire
spirable, and great caution is necessary
in its use.
Permanganate Of potash is true dis
infectant having oxidizing powers Of
high capability, but it must be used in
much larger quantities than are usually
employed. It's high cost is bar to its
free use, and it is not clearly seen how
it can ever become much cheaper.
Chloride of lime, freely used, is good
disinfectant; but when it is placed in
vessels in small quantities in sick-rooms
or sparingly sprinkled in drains, it has
but slight influence as q destroyer oi
contagion. Carbolate of lime is cheap
and good disinfectant, but it must be
used in large amounts to be useful.
Several of the metallic salts have power.
full antiseptic properties; for example,
the protosulphate of iron. This salt, in
strong solution, is valuable agent, an6
is worthy of notice. At this point il
should be stated that carbolic acid anC
the metallic salts, used in small quaint
| ties, are preservative agents, and may
actually prolong the life Of contagiun
by preventing its destruction through
natural processes.
There are numerous patented "anti
septics" and disinfectants" which art
perfectly worthless so far as any infu
ence upon septic germs is concerned
1t is very important that heads Of fam
lilies, and especially physicians, SHOULD
clearly understand what is required
when selecting an agent for practica
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
Forpaush's Troubles.

Adam Forpaugh advertised that he would
pay $4,000 for the most beautiful woman in
the United States. The past months the mails
have brought him thousands of letters from
applicants, containing their photographs and a
description Of person. Forpaugh has finally
settled on four, one of Kentucky, one OF
Chicago, one Of Pennsylvania and one of New
York, whom he has summoned to Philadelphia
that he might see them in person and make his
selection.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
Saving the Soul, Of M-rderers.

In his sermon a week ago, Rev. Henry Ward
Beccher expressed himself as follows respect
ing sickly sentimentality over murderers who
are about to pay the penalty Of their crime:
'If there is one thing consider thoroughly
indecent, it is the way in which criminals are
cossetted and carried out of life. When a MUIR
derer is to be hanged, women send flowers to
him, and would kiss an ulcer for his sake.
Priests run to him and philanthropists hurry
after them. Heis going to die. Are not 10, 600
persons dying all around, and there is nobody
TO run to them. There is no sympathy for them.
But il the monster is to die for foul murder,
the food-gates of sympathy are opened, and
the newspapers tell how he died trusting in
Jesus. Faugh! What mischief that thief on
the cross did! Can a man who has crept up to
the gallows through common sewers at the last
moment, just before the last effort to obtain
pardon, suddenly blossom out into fervent re-
ligious life2 don't believe it."
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31

Tho New York Times says: "Chief Special
Treasury Agent Adams says the quantity Of
goods smuggled into this country by persons
claiming 10 be respectable is enormous. Women
and mon dress themselves for the first time In
new garments and carry in their hands new
umbrellas, canes and psrasols, and slung over
their backs new opera or field glasses and other
articles whom about to leave the steamer, and
Custom officers are helpless.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31

This is the way lady writes to the
papers concerning social ostracism: $50
long as an unmarried woman has q mod.
erately comfortable home, and works
merely to increase her stock of white
satin slippers, her social position remains
unimpaired; but let that home be broken
up, and let that same young woman from
dire necessity continue that same occu-
patton or trade in order to earn her daily
bread. and she is immediatsly beyond
the pale"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
Entail Roller Explosiou.

The portable boiler of Tyler & Harrods saw
mill, on the Kentucky River, two miles below
Frankfort, exploded March 10, killing and
wounding all of the nine men in the mill, ex-
cept one. John Herrod was blown forty feet
and instantly killed; his brother, Lawrence
Herrod, died in an hour, and Frank Graham
died in three hours. VIM. Arnold's jawbone
was broken, and James Redding, William
Wheeler, Louis Harrod, and Hugh Tyler were
badly acaldad.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31

A correspondent, who recently went on q
visit to Cuba, writes: cat Nassau we obtained
from the Spanish Consul our passports at
cost of "a each, permitting us to visit the Is
land and good for six months. Before our ar
rival at Matanzas the purser took them up, Civ
ing as reason that he was compelled to show
them to the Spanish officials with the passen-
ger list, and informing us that the Custom
house would return them through the Ameri-
can Consul. We called for them at the Ameri-
can Consulate and were informed by him and
Lewis Drake, clerk in the Office Of Malloy's
Steamship Agency, it would cost $3.50 to have
them revised, which amount we paid. They
then informed us it would cost $3.50 to have
them revised again before we could leave the
island. The captain Of our vessel and the
American Consul said the charges were correct,
that we would probably be Jailed if we failed to
pay. All paid again. The passengers reported
the affair to the Governor of the Province, who
ordered file Of soldiers and arrested R. w.
Roosevelt, American Consul, and Lewis Drake.
They begged for mercy, and refunded the
money to all present. Fifty witnesses can be
produced to prove the facts"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31

In valiant suffering for others, not
In slothful making others suffer for us,
did nohleness everlie. The chief of men
is he who stands in the van of men,
fronting the peril which frightens back
all others; which, if it be not vanquished,
will devour the others. Every noble
crown is, and on earth will forever be. a
crown of thorns.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31

Calculated in years and hundredths,
the expectation Of the duration of life at
tho following ages is /: At birth-males,
500 females, 41.86. At 10 years
males, 47.05; females, 47.67. At 20
years-males, 80. 43 /; females, 1929. At
30 years-males, 32.76; females, 1881.
At 40 years-males, 26.06; females,
27.34. At 80 years males, 1854; fe-
males, 20. rs. At 60 years-males, Is. 53 ;
females, 1434. At 70 years males,
845; females, 900. At 80 years-males,
4.99 females, SAG. At go years-males,
2.S4; females. sol. At 100 years
males, 1.68 females, 1.76.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
npafn-

A correspondent tslegraphs: Considerable
sensation was caused In Madrid by the fact that
Q few hours bsfors King Alfonso received tho
news OF tho assassination of the Emperor of
Russia, no had met party Of workmsn, n he
was returning from hunting in FL Prada, who
cried out - he passed "Long live the Federal
Republic down with the King" Only after
nine days Of investigation were the polics able
" discover the offenders.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31
Mig Nose George.

At Rawlins, Wyoming, the notorious Big
Nose George was taken from Jail by
party Of masked men and hanged. The rope
was adjusted to q cross piece on . telegraph
pole and Big Nose George was made to climb
the ladder set against the pole for the purpose
of placing the rope about his neck. He
climbed high on the ladder saying, II will
jump on, boys, and break my neck" and be
did.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31

IT costs but little to make child glad /;
II costs but little to secure the grateful
remembrance Of child; but If it cost q
hundred fold more than it does, it would
be profitable investment. 1t pays well
to have q monument erected to ourselves
in child's memory and affections. And
this we may have by little thoughtful
ness and attention.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-03-31

An excursion party from Canada, gotten up
by tho Grand Trunk Railway, and consisting Of
$50 persons in twenty coaches and with sixty
five cars Of baggage, stock and freight, bound
for Manitobs, were blockaded by snow at the
Stockyards, at Bloomington, Illinois, four days.
The incident was merely foretaste of what is
In store for them in future.