davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
Tho DlifilRIon or Seeds.

In very large number of cases tho DIFF
| fusion OF seeds Is effected by animals. TO
THIS class belong the fruits and berries. In
them an outer ilcsl'y portion becomes pulpy,
and generally sweet, inclosng the seeds.
| IL Is remarkable that such fruits, in order.
| doubtless TO attract animals, are, like flow
| ers, brightly colored-as, for instance, the
cherry, currant, apple, peach, plum, straw
! berry, raspberry and many others. This
| color, moreover. Is not present in the un-
ripe fruit, but is rapidly developed at
| maturity. In such cases the actual seed is
generally protected by dense, sometimes
almost stony. covering, SO that it escapes
digestion, while its germination is perhaps
fastened by the heat of the animals body.
1t may be said that the skin tf apple and
pear pips is comparatively soft; hut then
they are imbcddcd in II stringy core, which
| is seldom eaten. These cclored fruits form
considerable part Of the food of monkeys
i'll the tropical regions Of the earth, and we
can think, hardly doubt that these ami
mails are guided by The colors, just as we
are, in selecting the ripe fruit. This has u
curious bearing on an interesting question
rs to the power Of distinguishing color
possessed by our ancestors in bygone times.
Nlagnus and Gcigcr, relying on the we'll
known TACT that the ancient languages arc
poor III words for color, and that in the
oldest books-as, for instance, in the Vcdas
the Rcndavcsta, the Old Testament, and
the writings Of Homer or Hcsiod-lhougll
OF course, tho heavens arc referred to over
and over again, its blue color is never
dwelt on, have argued that the aucients
were very deficient in the power of dlstln-
gushing colors, and especially blue. In
our own country hlr. Gladstone has lent
The weight OF his great authority TO the
same conclusion. For my part l can not
| accept this vicw. There are it seems to
ne, very strong reasons against il, into
which | cAti not, Of Co.lisc, now enter;
and though 1 should rely mainly on other
considerations, the colors Of fruits are not ,
thlnk, without significance. If monkeys
and apes could distinguish them, surely
VIC may lnicr That even the most savage of
men could do so too. Zcuxls would never
nave deceived the birds If he had not had Il
lair perception Of color. In these instances
OF colorcd fruits the tlcshy edible part
more or less surrounds The true seeds; IN
others the actull seeds themselves become
edible. In the former the edible part
serves as temptation to animals IN the
latter it is stored up for tho use of the
plants itself. When, therefore. the seeds
themselves are edible. they are generally
protected by more or less hard or bitter en-
vclopcs, for instance the horse chestnut,
beech, Spanish chestnut, walnut, &c. That
these seeds arc used for food by squirrels
and other animals is, however, by no means
necessarily an evil to the plant, for the re
suit is that they are often carried some
distance and then dropped, or stored up
and forgotten, 80 that in This way they get
| carried away from the parent tree.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
A Matter OF History.

In the year 1885, the State of Franklin
was formed out OF IL portion of North Caro-
lima, embracing the present territory of the
State Of Tennessee, and the Legislature of
the aforesaid state of Franklin passed the
following fee and salary bill Ills Excel
lcncy the Governor, per anum, 900 deer
skins; His Honor the Chief Justice, 800
deer skins the Secretary to His Excclency
the Governor, 500 raccoon skins; the
Treasurer Of the State, $50 raccoon skins !;
each county clerk, 800 beaver skins; Clerk
of the House of Commons, 200 raccOon
skins; member of the Assembly, per diem,
three raccoon skins; Justices fec for sign
ing a warrant, one m,lshrat skin; to the
constable for serving warrant, one mink
skin. Enacted into a law the 28th day of
October, 1880, under the great seal OF the
State. This seems to be a matter of
historical truth, just as tobacco was once
made to answer the purpose Of currency in
Virginia.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
a Mystical Plant.

Human cunning and human credulity
have lowered with mystery certain plants
Which arc worthy Of being considered the
most beautiful and passive of creative Oh.
Jects. One plant, ut least, has been said
10 utter shricks i'll being torn from tho
earth, and to have avenged the violence by
causing the death of him WHO removed it.
This plant was the mandragora of the
pOets-thc mandrake Of Scripturcs-a
species of the .Sata'toe or nightshade tribe,
the belief in whose qualities as a sedativc
or charm was as old as the days of the
chiltllcss Rachel. Indigenous ID the East,
where probably its uses us Ill anodyne and
soporltic were early known TO the initiated,
ii may be that, in order to enhance the
wonder of its effects and prevent the ex-
tlrpatlon OF the root by its too common
use, miraculous powers were imputed to
1t, and superstition hcdgcG it around with
tabled tcrrors. The evil reputation OF the
plant proclI Ell it subsequently the name of
Ahol'a Mand'ugorG, by which our old
est botanlsts distinguish it--a name bor-
rowcd from the most terrible of the Fatcs,
Atropos, and since transferred TO its rcla-
tive, 1hOpu BeitudO,u.u (dwale, or
"dcadly niyhtshadc'). So potent and
valuable were the medical uses of the root,
at time when few ar0dycs were known
that the ancient Romans made it the sub.
Jcct of weird ritual, without which they
would have deemed il impious to have
taken 1t from the earth. The opcrator
stood with his hack to the wind, drew
three circles round the root with Il point
of sword, poured Il libation on the ground,
and, turning to the west, began To dig it
up. The root Of the mandrake, a plan,
witha tap root, Frequently forkcd, rs we
see that of the radish, and covered with
hDrous rootlcts, was easily convertible INTO
grotcsque likeness Of the human form.
In the time Of Henry VIII and Elizabeth.
little images made OF mandrake roots,
called ubrunes were imported IN large
number from Germany, and found ready
sale in Engiauti. The fable of the Won
drous powers Of these Vegetable idols was
easily accepted by our supGTStltious ances.
tors. and the peddlcrs who travelled about
| from place to place with cases of them
drove Il brisk trade. Sir Francis Bacon,
had them in his minds eye when we wrote,
''Somc plants there arc, but rare, that have
messy or downy root, and likewise that
have number of thrcad-likc boards, as
the mandrake, whereof witches and i'm
posters make al ugly image, giving it the
form Of Il face ut tod of the root, leaving
those Strings to make Il broad beard to the
| toot. 1t is to the credit of the old hcrba-
lists, Gerard and Turner, that they both
cssaycd, without fear of consequences, to
dig up aud examine for themselves the
dreaded mandrake, and lost no time in pub
fishing the fallacy of the weird stories told
OF IT.,
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
Travelling III Olden Times.

A careful inspection of the vehicles of
former times leads us to the conclusion
that our fOrefathers were lined with zinc
and opper-fastcned-for nothing short of
it could have withstood Tn. oltings and
Earrings, the bouncngs and LLmpings ell
tailed upon those who used any other
method Of locomotion except that which
nature provides. The chariot in which
General and Mrs. Washington went to
Philadelphia upon his election to the Presi-
idcncy was no doubt an instrument
OF torture. TO the dscomforts Of this
rambling Old carriage may br added, for
the General, the lncessant wagging of Mrs.
Washingtons tongue, for il isa well known
fact, that Martha was OF Il shrewish nature,
and made no bones of giving the General
her views in very forciDlc manner. The
method OF travelling which they pursued
gave publicity TO the fac! that the General
had curtain lecture every night for a
night cap. In the course of their Jour
ncy they arranged to spend tic nights at
the houses of the gentry scatter along
between Mount Vernon and Philadelphia
and Martha WIS often heard to nag her
lord and master until loud snore an
nounced that the General was safe in the
land of dreams from all worldly annoy.
anCcs.
The chariot was the acknowledged mark
Of aristocracy. a journey in these days
cntailed rctlnuc, Somewhat after tho fol-
lowing order:
l. blarstcr and hlissis in a carriage
3. Marstcr's obey" on horseback, with
Il led horse for NIarstcr to ride when he
wished to stretch his legs.
8. A. wagon CONTAINING two hair trunks
and hlissis's maid
The rate of progression was about four
miles al hour.
The habit of carrying servants even on
ncighborly visits, obtained in Virginia and
Maryland until the abolition of slavery. A
form OF entertaining, called depending the
day." WAS in fashion. This consisted In
gong to friends house early in the morn
ing, and staying until late in tho evening,
consuming the interval in a succession of
mcGls Besides The visitors, the coachman
and horses, there wps usually "muid.' u
who sat on the rack behind the carriage,
swinging her legs in ccstatic delight at the
prospect of "going abroad"
Chaiscs were the only two-seated vehicles
in use, and were something like modern
top buggy, except that it had but two
wheels. Consequently, going up hill, th'
occupants were being spilled out behind
and going down hill they were spilled ou
| before.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
Changing Tnoir iSns0.

The legend runs that the fine Norman
Church of Godshll, in the Isle of Wight,
was to have been built in the valley, but
the builders every morning found the pre-
vious days work. had been destroyed du-
ring tho night and tho stones carried to the
top of the hill. Considering this as Il Di-
vine indication where the holy struct,u o
was to be built, they accordingly reared it
on that prominent site, where for
miles round il still forms a graceful and
beautiful object. A similar legend ls re-
lated with reference to the Church of Ste.
Marie du Castcl, in Gucrsncy, where it is
currently reported that fairies where the
agents, while others assert it was the work of
angels. Indeed it would appear that in days
nature they were who according to tradi-
ton, so often interfcrcd in the building of
some sacred cdilicc, generally selected for
it's ste the most inconvcnicnt spot, and not
lnfrcqucntly steep hill. The Church OF
BrccdCn III Lciccstcrshirc, for instance,
stands on high hill, with the village as
when the site of Tie church was first fixed
upon, central spot IN the village was
chosen. The foundations were not only
dug, but the builders commenced the fa-
brio. 1t was to no purpose; for all they
| built in tho course of tho day was carried
away by doves during the nighttime, and
skilullly butt exactly In the same manner
! on the hill where the church stands. Both
founder and workmen, awed and terrified
by this extraordinary procedure, wert
afraid t. build the church on It's orIgina
| site, and agreed to finish the one begun by
| the doves.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
1SunlonS or EOiIs.

els it against the laws of this city to
have corns on your fcet2" inquired Theo-
dore Rembo rs he found himself before the
bar of justice, III Detroit.
"No, sir, nor on the top of your head il
you want 'cm there. The city ordinances
of Detroit and the laws of Michigan arc
very liberal Oh the subject of corns."
"Wcll, Sir, last night | was walking
along one of our streets, hobbling because
my corns hurt me so, wheI ficnd grabbed
me by the collar, called me druniard, and
dragged ne to Il dungeon"
"low awful mean in himl" sighed lhe
court.
"Whcn | have corns can't hobblc if its
more convenient than waking2"
"Ccrtalnly."
"Wel!, corns was what allied me, aud
demand that the officer apologize to me and
that be set at liberty"
'I4ct us listen to the olllccr's story first.
Go ahead MIR. Bluccoat."
"This man." began tho officer, "bumpcd
against At least Il dozen pedestrians, fell
| ngainst window and broke it, and was
lying down on the Car track when | gath
cred him in. lie smelled SO bad OF whslxcy
| when | brought HIM in that we had TO burn
coffee in the rOom."
"Wcll !" qucricd the court rs he turned
to The prisoner.
81 say il was corns."
GLOW many have you got2"
"ren."
"Show 'cm up. | haven't seen real
old fashioned corn in about eighteen years.
''Do you think Pm going to pull my
boots off before the crowd1 | guess Ivc
| rot a little modcSIy luft,''
''rhcn lll take care of il for you. !
shall exile you for thirty days"
"For what2"
"Corns and modcsty, alias drunk and
disordcrly. That's all, my man. and now
please fall back and give some Of the Other
hungry mortals chance to say they have
bllniOus or bOiIso -
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
II Royal ~ etitlinU,

The marriage OF Crown Prince Rudolph
OF Austria and Princess Stcphanie OF Bel.
GUM was most mposlngly solemnlZed at
the church of st. Augustine, In Vienna, on
May the 10th. An hour before the begin
nlng OF the ceremony the church was
dcnsclY crowded by brilliant assembly.
The streets were filled with people. At II
O'Clock the pro ccssiOn started from the
palace and proceeded to the church, the
archdukes and foreign princes In full uni
form walking in pairs, followed by Prince
Rudolph in the uniform OF u major general.
Emperor Francis Joseph came next having
on his right the King of the Belgians, both
being in generals uniforms. Then came
the bride with the Empress Of Austria and
the Queen of the Belgans On either hand.
The trains Of the three ladies were borne
by the principal ladies in waiting. Prn.
cess Stcphanlc wore magnificent robe of
cloth Of silver, with n train elaborate in
embroidery, orange blossoms arranged In
lunches looping up the dress, and veil of
Brussels lace specially made for the occa-
sion. Her mother, the queen, wore blue
velvet dress, trimmed with lace, and the
empress wore pale gray dress, trimmed
with Brussels point lace. rhc trains OF
the foreign princcsscs and archduchesses
"SlC poi Ny puSCS ld(lcS VI Cuc pui-
ace. Another group Of officers completed
the procession. A fanfare of trumpets sig
nailed the arrival Of the cortcge at the
church door, where 1t was received by Car
dinal Won Schwarzcnburg at tho head OF
his clergy. Their majcstics took seats
under canopy over the throne. The
bridal pair proceeded to their places before
the sanctuary rails, where they offered d
short prayer. After a brief address from
the cardinal the marriage ceremony was
| proceeded with. At the moment when the
rings were exchanged, peals broke forth
| from the bells OF the city, and salvos Of
| artillery were fired. AT the conclusion Of
the ceremony re Dcum was sung, after
which the Holburg choir executed an old
German march. The newly married pair
accompanied by the other imperial and
royal pcrsonages then returned to the city
palace of Hofburg. In commemoration Of
the marriage Emperor Francis Joseph has
| founded 80 scholarships at various schools
and has given 100, 600 aorns for tho free
admission of ten pupils to the establishment
for the education of daughters of officers.
lie has also granted complete or partial
amnesty to 33l persons imprisoned for va
riOus offences
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16

ground carefully weeded, another crop is
ready III about forty days. a plant con-
tlnncs to yield for about forty years, and
DIR. Pocppig gives the profit of a coca plan
tation as about 45 per cent. Each picker
carries piece Of cloth, in which the leaves,
Dluckcd one by one, are placed. These
leaves al then taken to the driving yard,
formed OF slate flags. Here the leaves are
spread out in thin layers, ard carefully dried
in tho sun. Too much exposure to tho sun
spoils the flavor Of the leaf, and if hcapcd
too much together, the leaves fcrmcnt and
become fctid. As soon as dried, the leaves
arc packed in bags made of banana leaves,
with an outside covering of cloth, or packed
tightly i'll large parcels Of about 30 ID
each.
In the Sandia district of Caravaya two
varieties Of coca are recognized, the Ypara
and uatun Yunca, the latter having lar
ger leaf than the former.
Ill BOLIVIA, coca Is treated as a
government monopoly, and the right is
generally farmed out. In 1850, coca
brought into that country's cxchcquer u
sum OF 5000, 900. The whole yield of coca
IN South America is estimated at thirty
millions of pounds. Coca soon deterioratcs
in keeping, Indians treat it as valucless if
kept longer than seven months
such is the faith in coca, that it is be-
lievcd If dying man Can but taste coca
leaf when placed on his tongue, his future
bliss is assured. No Indian is without his
cusl'0 or coca bag made Of llama cloth,
and three times day, sitting down, he
takes leaf by leaf and rolls them up in his
mouth till he forms ball. Then APPLYING
small quantity of powder consisting of
| carbonate of potash, made by burning the
stalks of the quinoa plant, mixed with
lime and water he goes on his way rcjoic-
ing. The use of coca is widely spread. The
shepherd on the cold slopes of the Andes
has but tins and little maize as his sole
nDErshmcnt, and the runner messenger
looks to it as his solace and support. AS To
the properties of coca, IL seems very evil
dent that it allows OF Il greater amount of
fatigue, with lesser amount OF noursh-
mcnt, and prevents difficulty of respiration
IN ascending steep mountain slopes. IL
has an agreeable and aromatic taste, accom-
panied by slight irritation, which eXcitcs
the flow of saliva. When made INTO a tea
III taste IL Is like that Of green tea, and ef-
fcctually prevents drowsincss. Applied cx-
tcrnally as a poultice, H. modcrates rheu-
matte pains, brought on by exposure to
cold and wet, and also cures headache.
MIR. Markham chcwcd coca leaf very
frequently, and states that he found 1t TO
produce an agreeable soothing feeling, that
he could endure longer abstinence from
ftod with less Inconvenience, and that
when using it, he could ascend prccipitous
mountain sides with a feeling of lightness
and elasticity, and without losing breath
Lie also considers it the lcas. injurious of
all other like substances, even when taken
III excess, and at the same time, the mo st
soothing and invigorating.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
Coca.

"Coca," the "bclovcd narcotic of the
Peruvian lndan,' was first named butani-
cally through the labors of Joseph dc JUS
sIcu. The history of the most noted botan-
ist is melancholy one. lie left France in
1875, in the memorable expedition Of M
La Condaminc, and after Nj. La Condaminc
left South America, III. Jussicu continued
his botanical researches. making numerous
journeys on foot, notably those to the cjl-
chona regions. The result of fifteen Years
labors were contained in certain cases of
dried plants, etc., and native servant at
Buenos Ayrcs. thinking these cases contained
money, stole them, and this loss had such
an effect on poor Jussicu that he returned
to France in It'll deprived of reason.
The Coca IS the great source of comfort
and enjoyment TO the Peruvian Indian. 1t
is to him what the kava-kava is to the
South Sea Islander, the betel TO the Ilindoo
and Malay, and tobacco to the rest of man.
kind, but with this difference 1t produces in
vigOrating elects. The Peruvian Indian
looks upon coca with vcncration. In the
palmy days of the Uncas or Yucas, coca
was sacrificed to the sun, the high priest or
llulllac Umu chewed it during the cercmo-
ny,and before the arrival of the Spuniards,
| coca was used in lieu of money. After
| the Spanish conquest, much was done to
| prescribe its Gse, because as council of
! bishops hcldin 1860, said it was a susclcss
and pcrnicious leaf, and on account of the
! belief stated to be entertained by the In
dians, that the habit Of chewing cocoa gave
tLem strength, which is an illusion of the
devil" Coca, indeed. from It's popularity,
being used by about eight millions of pco,
ple, has always had a great commercial i'm
portancc, and one vlceroy, Don Francisco
Toledo, issued no less than seventy Ordi
nances concerning coca in the space of foul
years Q570l574).
The coca plant is a scrub of four to six
feet high, with straight and alternate
branches and leaves like those of the ter
plant, and IS cultivated at elevations o.
from 5000 to, 5000 feet above the level OF
the sea IN the warm valleys of the eastern
slopes of the Andes. Here the only al
formations Of climate is from wet to dry
frost is unknown, and it rains more or les
soWn on the surface of the soil as socn a,
the rainy season commences, and begin t,
sprout in fortnight, being CAREFUL,
Watercd, and protected from tho sun by
thatchcd roof. The following year tin
sccuiinGS arc tlhnsplantcd In SOIL care
fully broken up and freed from weeds. Tn
ancient custom was to raise The plants il
terraces on the hillsides, but now planta
tions Oh the level ground are rcsortcd to, al
though Indians aver that plants raised un
the former conditions yield much supc
rlor quality Of leaf. At the end of eightee
months the first harvest Is ready, and tn
picking of the leaves, performed by womc
and children, is very carefully procecde,
with, 80 as not to injurc the young and stl
tender shoots. AS soon as one crop o
J leaves is removed, If well watered, and til
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
------------S1S 1S-~----s-------
MexicO'a Iron Mountain

One OF the great mineral wonders Of
Mexico, and perhaps of the world, Is the
iron mountain, In the immediate vic. nifty
Of Durango, in the state of Durango The
Iron mountain Is nearly two miles IN length
and one mile wide, and about 700 feet
high. Above the surface, uncovered and
in sight, it shows about 200, 900, 600 tons
Of pure ore, ready to be shovelcd or rolled,
without any cost of mining, into tho fur
naccs erected at It's base. Much OF this
ore ranges from 70 to 30 per cent, and
some Is carried directly to the FORGE 1t
works very kindly, and easily assumes the
form of steel. There is every reason to
believe ores Of such rare superiority, whom
subject to all our modern improvements In
iron making, viii produce IRON ana steel
unsurpassed anywhere In the world, either
In Swcien, or Biscay in SPAN, or England,
or the United States.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
TRI-W EEKLY EDITION
IN .PERILOUS WATERS.

Bout ship brother mariners
'Tis needful wo should foe
For pleasure spreads her Turing not
Beneath this hungry sea.
'rwere death to us did we but pass
: Yon ridge Of creamy foam
There, in a soa-cave, fathoms deep,
Inc str. II makes her homo.
Ger lucent waves Of golden green
Soft braez,s bear along
TO oars that will not be begui,ed
The wan! on's duloet song.
We scorn tho glamour OF her face.
a flame with hot desire;
No charm lies in her baloful look
or eyes that scorch like fire.
Hor kisses pail. her love is false
SO quick TO seaward sail
For kinder ID the stress Of waves,
Less oruel il tho gallo.
Tho heayon OF our hopo doth lio
Hard by u brighter shore;
There we may strike our lattered sal Ii
And rost Us evermore!
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16

The wheat ciop of 1881 will be
snort,