davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
WHAT RELIGION D@s FOR A NAN.

A man without religion is like q man liv-
ipe in a planet uniilumined by the sun
He has trees, fruit, grass, and flowers,
streams and hills around them, but they
are only undulations of darkness; he has
mountains, but they are gaunt and gloomy
crags; ne mas streams, but they are chill
with the touch of darkness and death; ne
has fruits, but they have no sweetness for
lack of ripenirg sun he has flowers, cold,
colorless, dying; he has trials. but they are
only painful ascents to be climbed With un-
easy and unhoping patience; he has work.
but it is cheerless, empty, and really aim.
less. for the chill stream of death cuts on
all; he has prosperity. but it is hollow and
unpalatable; he has friendships, but they
are only for three-score years and ten
But religion let's light upon all these
The sun has risen upon the mountains, and
a crown of glory is on their crests the
light falls on their rivers. and they sparkle
back radiance, and murmur along their
banks with Joy the fruits turn olushlng
cheek toward the sun, and every hover IS
robed in beauty: the sun rises upon life
Every trial is lightened with the light OF
Gods love; every labor sparkles under the
beams of his command and his providence :;
all success is sweet because it is his gift !;
all friendship in him is doubly dear be-
cause clad in the vesture of immortality.
Yes, who will not say. indeed, that he who
chooses religion has chosen the thing most
needed, and the best, because he has
chosen that which gives strength, beaut y,
and true glory to all the rest? Is not la
nor identified by the thoucht-To this God
called me? Is not sorrow sanctifed by it.,
for it says, " In this God is with me ?" Is
not success elevated by it, for we say, He
has prospered our handiwork?" Is not
friendship intensified by it, for we say,
Them that sleep in Jesus will God bring
with him 3"
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
Decliue of Farm Products at Fairs.

Is it at all to be wondered at that the
exhibits Of farm products at Agricultur-
affairs should show such falling ofyear
after year, as is clearly perceptlbie,
when the premiums upon them bear no
proportion to those given for horses, tn
ais of speed, foot racine, and other things
that have nothing to do with farming,
and are of nature to draw public at
tention from the real purposes for which
these exhibitions are ostenslbly estab-
lished9 4 majority of farmers cannot
afford, or are at least travelling, to spend
money and labor in preparing for these
fairs their choicest products and samp-
les of their leading crops with no chance
from the meager premiums offered, to
reqay them even in very moderate de-
gree. To suppose the farmers merely
from q desire to show what they can
raise should carry their products many
miles, spending days and nights IN the
work, without fee or reward, while the
owners of horses carry off their hund-
reds upon hundreds of dollars for pos
sessing an animal few seconds faster
than somebody else, when these trials OF
speed havepractically nothing to do with
fa.ming-is to suppose a great deal more
than will ever be realized
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
rERocIrY cE TIE LEOPARD.

An instance Of the ferocity Of the leop"
ard occurred in the case of the Missionary
Schmidt. This worthy man had gone out
with a party of Hottenots to an other Moi-
avian station to hurt some hyenas Wn!cn
had been very destructive to their nocks,
and. in company with one If the men: en-
tered thicket in pursuit Ct beast they
had wounded. Instead of the hyena how
ever. the dogs started a leopard, which IN
stantly sprang on the Hottentot aud bore
him to the ground. Mr.. Schmidt instantly
ran forward to the aid of the man, with hls
gun cooked but before he could get an op-
portunity of firing the animal left the Lot
entot and few with fury at himself. lr
the scutfie he dropped the gun, but luckily
fell above the leopard, with his knee on Its
stomach. The animal seized him by the
arm with its jaws, and kept striking him
with its paws and tearing his clothes In tat
ters from his brest. Schmidt, however, be-
fno a powerful! ,aan, succeeded after receiv-
1ps another severe bite or two, in seizing
the leopard Dy the throat with his right
hand. and he'd it down, in spite Of its des-
perate struggles, for few minutes, and un-
til his strength was on the point OF giving
way when Hottentot on the outside OF the
Jungle, who heard his cries, came to the
rescue and shot the ferocious beast through
the heart. 50 that It's death was jnstanta.
neous. Had any life been left, its dying
struggles might have proven fatal to Nh:
Schmidt. As it was he was SO la1cerated
that for several weeks his life was In the
greatest danger. The Hottentot who was
first attacked was less severely wounded, bat
his face was 50 much torn by the enemy's
talons that his eyes were filed with blood
and he WIS unable 10 render any aid to the
missionary who had SO generously come to
his aid
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03

Those who have never lived on the stormy
coast, nor been to sea, can form no adequate
idea of the effect that can be produced by
the impact of a succession of waves OF Of a
single wave. What has happened at Wick,
on the extreme northern coast of Scotland,
where break-water has been building for
some years past, may give an idea of what
is meant by water-power. 1t was found
that stones of ten tons weight were as peb-
bles to the waves, which have been meas.
ured to be near forty-tsSo feet from crest
to the bottom of the trough. Tie outer
end of the break-water, where the storms
beat most violently, was built of three
courses of one hundred-ton stones laid on
the rubble foundations; next above these
were three courses of large. fiat stones, and
upon these mass of concrete built on tbs
spot of cement and rubble. The end Of
the break-water was thought to be as i'm
movable as the natural rock. yet the resi-
dent Engineers saw it yield to the force of
the waves and swing around into the less
troubled water inside the pier. 1t gave
away not in fragments, but in one mass,
as if it was monolith. The displaced
mass is estimated to weigh about 1850
IONS
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
TIE ApoTHEcARY's SQUIRREL.

An apothecary had tame squirrel, which
Ge was in the frequent habit OF resallns
with nuts, and which he used to keep IN
his own private room adjoining his shop.
The little fellow was allowed plenty Of lib
erty, for. tns door of his cage was frequent
ly left open, and he used to climb up doors
and windows, and spring thence upon his
masters hand On one occasion be jumped
,1pon the broad -brimmed hat Of Quaker
who came into the shop. He made friends
with all his masters acquaintance, but if
ANYBODY teased him he could show that he
knew how to bite. As the winter came on,
he was in the habit Of building himself a
nest OF any tow he might find about, and
used to choose the pocket Of his masters
coat. When, in the evening, the coat was
taken off and hung upon a nail, the little
squirrel would climb up the door on which
the nail stood, run down the coat, and take
up his quarters in the pocket, carrying al.
ways in his mouth good supply Of the tow,
which he had prepared and rolled together
beforehand, and with which be contrived to
make in the pocket the cosiest nights lodg-
ing in the world.
Great results followed from this habit OF
the squirrels, as you shall hear. A house
breaker, watching his opportunity, selected
an especially dark night for getting in
through the window of the apothecarys
little back room behind the shop, with, as
you may suppose, no good in view. He
knew that the apothecary kept no dog; he
could easily guess where his coat was likely
to be hanging up. He soon found the
pocket, and was just about to hg hten 1t OF
purse. pocket-book and keys, when mis-
fortune totally unexpected befell him. In
rummaging for keys and purse he had struck
the sleeping squirrel, OF whose strange
habits with regard to his bedroom he had
not been aware. Not liking to be thus sud
denly disturbed, the little animal gave the
thief so sharp bite on his thumb, that ne
could not forbear from yelling with pair;
and the master of the house, alarmed at
the unusual sound, came into the room,
armed with the poker, Just as the thief was
escaping through the window: The watch
man happening to be passing, the unwei
come guest was given into custody, and as
the geese in Rome had sared the capital BY
their cackGng, so the little squirrel had
saved his masters property by lodging IN
his coat pocket.
No creature is too small sooner or later to
be of use.-Flvm the eefn'an Of agnes
Stein.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
QUICK WORK.
Bread FROM Standing Wheat in Four Minutes
and Thirty Seconds

The last sensation occurred last Thursday,
when about fifty men were present by in
ritation to see Jim Lawton beat his OWL
tine of two years ago. when his wife had
bread baked in eight and q quarter minutes
after the wheat was standing in the field.
At 4 en- 1Gs o'clock the Buckeye Reaper,
drawn by Cy.. Burnett dun mules, stood at
the corner Of the growing wheat, machine in
gear ready for start Men were stationed
every few feet along the line of grain
ready 70 seize al irmful as it fell from the
reaper aid rush with it to the thresher
close by, which, under the direction of
veteran drivers. was getting underway for
business. At the mill, just sixteen rods
away, Lawton stood at the window watch
ing the moment when McCaw, on the
swiftest horse in the country. should start
from the thresher with the grain. while
Mrs Lawton and her niece. Miss Alice, had
all the preparations made to make griddle
cakes and biscuits in the shortest possible
time. At the drop of the hat the dun mules
sprang to the work, and in I'm. 15s. the
threshed wheat, about peck, was in the
sack and on the horse and the race COM
merccd for the mill. There were two
bridges to cross. and the excited spectators
could only see a column Of dust. hear a
couple of taps on the plank bridges as the
horse flew over them at lightning speed,
and the wheat was delivered to Lawton in
the mill In In. lis. the flour was de-
livered to Mrs. Lawton. and in BIN. 55s. from
the starting Of the reaper the first griddle-
cake came from the hands of Miss Alice,
was gobbled by q dozen eager hands and
that vas the last Of it. In Am 3..s. from
the starting of the reaper. according to the
best double timer stop-watch il the country,
a pan of biscuits was delivered to the ,
hungry crowd by Mrs. Lawton, and that
was the last seen of them. Then other pans
of delicious biscuits were baked more at
leisure. and boiled ham and " one minute
biscuit formed sandwich it was right !.
hard TO beat. and then. as it would be i'm
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
JoICE HETH.

Barnum says that the best investment he
has ever made was the $1,000 which he
gave 1S35) to the Philadelphia exhibitors
of Joice Eeth, the pretended negro nurse
of George Washington. He had then lost
amount from his friends, he made q journey
to Philadelphia to investigate the prospect
of turning the old colored woman to pecu.
mary account. Satisfied that there was.
money in her, he purchased her cash down :,
advertised her so cunningly that he created
great curiosity to see her, and soon took in
$1,000 week. After the city had been
yratifed by the sight of Joice, he travelled
through the country with her, IL connection
with company of mountebanks, and made
. good deal of money. This was Barnum's
first venture as Snowman. and determined
his career He cl, arei directly it is alleged,
$4,000 out of Jolce Heth, and Indirectly
an immense fortune. He had not had her
much more than q year when she very un-
gratefully died, and al autopsy proved he'
to have been but rs to 80 years old, instes,
of 161, as had been claimed. Barnum sal
be had bought her for the latter age, and
had done his hest to make the public be-
lieve her so old. 1t was her fault if she
had fallen short of what was expected Of
her by some so years. She might have
been i61, no doubt, if she had wanted to
be, and her failure to attain that degree Of
Yenerableness evinced on her part dispo.
sition to disappoint too credulous and
con6ding community. The world is studded
with Joice Heths, with a difference and
unending variety of names.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
CZRCULATIcE OF MATTER.

Notwithstanding the constant return Of
plant and animal to the parent earth, all
the mineral matter they contain does not
remain where they are deposited. Rains
and rivers day remove from the soil por.
tion of the materials which are SO essential
to the perpetuation of animal and yege-
table forms. and transport them to the sea.
Thus the natural store of mineral food be.
comes daily smaller, and the land IN conse.
quence less fitted for the growth OF plants.
But for this contingency also there Is pro-
vision. The solid rocks which form the
crust of the earth contain all these essen
tial forms of Inorganic matter in minute
proportion As these rocks crumble and
mingle with the soil, they yield constant
small supplies of each ingredient-of phos-
phoric acid, lime, n.agnasia, &C., &c.
These springs, which lrickle through the
rocks from above or from beneath, dissolve
and Giffuse wherever they go.
Thus, in many localities, moderate
supply is day by day brought to the sur
face to replace that which, by natural
causes, is constantly removed. And the
great seas help in this work OF restoration.
They hcave their lofty waves into the air,
and break In foam, that the rough wind
may take up and tear back again to the
land a portion of tie salty spoils with
which the rivers ure ever enriching them.
And then. lest these small, daily restora'
Il is shou,4 Do5 succeed in perpetuaus
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
The Odd Story of a Chateau.

anybody residing in France is sure to
know people who, by keeping their
heads cool when lear other persons lose
theirs, were enabled to make splendid
purchases Of houses, lands, or other
raluabIes at very small outlay Here
is an instance Of what may be done IN
that way. Just before the revolution
OF 1S4S high official owned beautiful
chateau and park near Paris. The re-
volution deprived him Of his pay, ruined
the speculations in which he had IN
vested his money, and left him almost
destitute. Moreover, the doctrines
about property which were being ad-
vocated in the democratic clubs and
newspapers made him think that the
abolition of all land owners was at hand.
An offer Of e5, 900 was made him for
bis park, chateau, and all his furniture;
and he took it gladly. But the revolu-
ton was oyerthrown; Louis Napoleon
struck his coup d etat, and in 1853 the
new owner Of the chatcau fouad a ten
ant at three years for'e 'e2oO year. In
1856, renewing the lease, he raised the
tenants rent to $500; and in 1860, when
Baron Haussman's demoitions III Paris
caused land to rise to fancy prices, he
sold his chateau and park for 94o.OOO.
Ten years passed; then came the col
lapse of the empire, the siege OF Pa1s'
and the commune; and the late owner
of the estate, who had sold it for 94S,
900, bought it back through a notary
for SO, 900 down. He holds 1t stn'
and, if he we're to sell it now, might
probably get $50, 600 for it.
Examples of this kind are not rare:
and they Justify the saying that France
is a good country in which to get a
furnished house cheap If YOU only select
the right time for buying. The present
is not the right time. People who. ten
years ago, while in Paris and Versailles
were exchanging shells in the name OF
fraternity, would have sold houses and
furniture worth thousands for hundreds,
have recovered their confidence, and are
helping to force up the value OF all
dwellings, and goods to high prices.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
A DIAL PLATE.

absence is what the poets call death to
love-" but we are told of some OF the
consultations of lovers which are very e1-
traordinary.
In certain romance couple OF honor
able lovers agreed at their parting to set
aside one half hour in the day to think OF
each other during tedious absence. Both
of them punctually observed the time
apreed upon, and whatever company OF
business they were engaged in, they lett 1t
abruptly as soon as the clock warned them
to retire. 1t was an inexpressible satlsfac:
ton to these divided lovers to be assured
that each was at the same time making
equal returns of tenderness and affection.
There is another account Of chlmerlcal
correspondence between two friends by the
besp Of a certain lodestone. Each friend
was possessed of q needle and a dial-plate,
and if one needle began to move, the other,
though at ever so great distance, moved
in the same manner.
If this invention should be put in general
practice, I would propose that upon the
dial there should be written several
entire words, which have always place IN
passionate epistles as flames. darts, die,
absence, cupid, heart, eyes, hang, drown,
and the like. This would abridge lovers
pains in the way of writing letter, as it
would enable him to express the most sig
nifcant words, with single touch OF the
needle.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
Oyster-Fsshing With the Dredse.

The oyster-ishery is carried on in
two ways, either by ''tonging or
"dredging," The first method, being
confined toa small area and to limited
number Of fishermen, and susceptible OF
use but in shoa water, need not be
considered. The second method OF
taking the oysters is as follows the I'M
plement used is called dredgs, or
scrape, and resembles large iron claw,
the nails representing the dredge.
To the back of this claw, or the dredge,
is fastened bag of iron mesh-work,
large enough to hold two or three bush
els. When the dredge is dragged along
the bottom the teeth or claws dig up
the oysters and shells, which pass be-
tween them and into the network be-
hind. The action is somewhat Like that
of harrow. The dredges vary greatly
in size, being from two to fvefeet across
the mouth, and greater or less weight,
according to the depth Of water In which
it is intended to use them. The dredg-
ing vessels vary in size from five to
thirty tons, and all use two dredges.
When on the oyster ground the dredges
are dropped one from each side, and a
sufficient amount of line paid out to in
sure the sstaking" of the teeth; the ves-
sci is then kept under easy sail and a. a
moderate speed until the dredges are
full, that being indicated by the strain
on the dredging-line and by other signs
known to the fishermen. The instru-
ment is then hauled in Iy means of a
small winch, the contents emptled on
the deck, and the dredge put over again.
This is continued until the vessel smear
the edge of the bed, when the dredges
are recovered, the vessel put about, and
the dredging resumed in an opposite
course While the dredges are in the
water, the mud, sand, sponge. grass, or
other debris brought up are separated
mn the oysters, and, together with all
oys'eie--st 70 81, for market, thrown back
into the water: --s.--il.;mits of the dredg-
ing grounds are not actuany defined,
and the vessels Frequently oret}sge f.rs-ss is-s<
numbers of shells and oysters some oS-
tance beyond the boundary of the
beds. The dredge, especially when full
acts as a scrape, and carries before 1t
much that would be collected in the
network attached to it, had that recep-
tacle been open. After "cullipg the oys-
ters, or separating them from the old
shells. those shells are thrown back
again and with them manyToung oys-
terS,
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
ONE GOOD EFFECT.

The hard times have had one good effect
which should have been produced long ago
the removal of a great many people from
the towns and cities, always overcrowded,
to the broad, unoccupied lands of the IA,
West. The sales of land by the government
and the railways in that region have been
much larger during the last year than for
many years previous. In Dakota alone the
government sold, last year, over 5000
acres, seven times as much as the previous
year. In Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska,
Wyoming, and Colorado, the sales have been
remarkably heavy both by government and
the railways. 1t is estimated that 5,000,-
900 to 5000, 900 more acres have been dis.
posed of there in the past than in the pre-
ceding twelvemonth, and the demand for
land continues active. When the hosts Of
unemployed laborers who cling to the cities,
despite their enforced ideness, shall have
gone to tilling the soil, one of the serious
troubles of the day will have been natur
ally. and permanently adjusted. Necessity
teaches what argument and Illustration.
never can. Political economists and news.
paper scribes might advise the poor and un.
employed to 60 West until they had growl
grey, and all to no purpose. Four or five
years Of non-occupation and need have set
the tide Of humanity flowing in that most
wholesome and desirable direction. -Ne,7
York Times.
The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-12-03
SCIENCE AND zhnHH.

Phosphate of zinc is ra ommenoed 1or
aeura!gias. :.
Compression is being uso In france In
the treatment Of cancer. j,
Bromide Of quiinine is sa o be bette,
hypnotic than bromide of H issium-
A Russian surgeon has !e series Of
experiments showing that Ter is inocul'
able -
A communication in the 8; zeal ond Sur
Cical Reporter indorses thekydcacy of car
bolic acid lotions for carbu..
Glycerine is being used sd to prevent
the further formation & false membrane
in Group after the operation of tracheotomy
has been performed.
A London medical journal is responsible
for this atrocious witticism: "a lady who
practises medicine commits two faults she
Increases the number Of doctors and de-
c:eases the number of women"
NJ T.. A. Forsmann shows, In a recent
communication to the Swedish Academy,
that solenoids are able to produce the same
unipolar induction currents % magnets,
and that the same laws rule in both cases.
1t is not so generally known IS it should
be chat belladonna, or its active principle,
atropia, is the most efficient antidote IN
case Of opium poisoning; but it must not
be administered in too large quantities,
else it produces poisonous effects of its own.
Common baking soda-the bicarbonate-
has been found to cure burns or scalds, al
fording immediate relief when promptly
applied. For dry burn the soda should
be made into paste with water. For
scald or wet burned surface the powdered
soda Tor borax will do as well) should be
busted on.
From Japan contemporary we learn
that copper smelling works are being built
by Japanese near Kobe The ore to be
used will come from mine near 1keda,
and is said to contain considerable guam
tity of silver which is to be extracted first
Ccal and copper appear to have been recent
ly discovered in several places In this part
of japan.
An immense deposit of guano has recent.
ly been discovered in: the WershchoWsh]
grotto near Oizowo, in the Russian govern
ment Of Kjelze. Chemical analysis proved
the quality of the guano to be in no way
inferior to that Of Peru. 1t is stated that
Prussian agricuiturists have already sent
agents to Oizowo to purchase large quanu-
ties of this guano.
Strawberries contain $50 per cent OF
their weight of glucose, or grape, sugar
cherries H., white currants G.4O, and hot
house grapes 1887; pineapples, on the
other hand, contain 11.S3 per cent. of cane
sugar, apncots 6, and oranges 4. The
sugar cane, when perfectly ripe, contains
Is per cent. of sugar. The juice Of the
sugar beet contains about IA per cent. OF
sugar
A strange jubilee is proposed to be cele-
brated in Italy during 1879. Next year
1850 years will have elapsed since the two
citiesof Pompeii and Herculaueum were
destroyed by earthquakes and eruptions
from Mount Vesuvius. 1t is now intended to
celebrate. the anniversary of that year of
destruction. ard the site of the celebration
is to be at Pompeii itself, as being the bet
ter known Of the two buried cities.