davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
MORTALITY or BRIEFMEy.

The hraEcmcn on our railroads find il
quite difficult to get their lives insured.
IT Is estimated that there are at least ten
hrakemen killed throughout the country
every day. The reader of the daily
newspaper learns how this class of men
ar" Killed or manned while compiling ears
and making up trains. while others are
knocked from the tops of cars by bridges,
or slip or fall, or are injured and killed
III collisions. Then there must he Mt
least three times rs many brakemen in
Iur@d as are killed, Of whom the public
knows nothing about or gets no account.
Al the lowest calculation, if ten brake
men are killed every day, that would he
equivalent to $3.50 during the wear,
which, added TO tlc number injured in
various ways while on duty, would give
the sum total of deaths ami injuries
about 1900 a year. These are fright
ful figures of IA fatality, loss of life or
injury to the body, that is attributable
either 10 accidents, carclessness or neg
Hgcncc.
We therefore venture to assert that it
is fact that the public has no idea Of
tn" humber of accidents that occur on
the various railroads throughout the
country every day; and it is also true
that there is no vocation so fraught with
danger to life and limbs as that Of brake
men on our railroads, particularly on
freight trans; men on passenger trains
having great many lives intrlstcd to
their care, and, consequently, have a
greater responsibility resting upon them
than that which rests with the freight
men
Indeed, the life of freight brakeman
Is procarious one. Some insurance
agents, Ill some parts of the country, do
not take risks on employees on freight
trains; but conductors and brakemcn on
passenger trains are insured by their
paying an extra per cent. Railroad men
say that only about % per cent. Of the
brakemen of freight trains die natural
death; also, that the average life of the
brakeman, after he goes on the road. is
about ten YEARS. .-Boston Commercial
Bultctin.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
HIS1DRTT1I BREFITIES.

FLATo died at Sl-pen i'll hand.
THE needle gun WAS patented IN 1881.
THE history of iron ships dates from
l1S7.
PHoToiI,rHv was known to iconar-
do la Vinci in the fifteenth century.
CoAL gas for the purpose Of lighting,
was known ages ago to the Chinese.
The idea Of fertiizing land with salt
wa, conceived by John Napier in 1898.
ARcHlMrpEs, born in Sicily, 2S7 B. c..
WAS the arthor Of over forty mechanical
inventions.
SILK first came from China, and the
Chinese have still many important So
crcts connected with it unknown to Eu-
ropeans.
IL 1876 the planet Neptune was dis
covered, by which the solar system was
extended 1000, 600 miles beyond its for.
mcr limits.
ACCORDING to common accounts, tea
was first brought into England from
Holland i'll lG66, and pound then sold
for GO shillings
ROME was captured four times in six
teen years, and during that time IL, 600.
600 human beings persisted by sword,
ce.tilence and famine.
THE idea "f the Kaleidoscope frat oc-
CURED to David Brewster in 1914, when
he was engaged in experiments on the
polarization of light by reflection from
plates of glass.
OVER 5000 victims were executed for
witchcraft during the reign Of the long
Parliament. harrington gives the whole
gland on this charge as not less than
10000.
IN the time Of Herodi.us there was on
the Egean sea community Of "lake
dwellers," who lived upon piles driven
Into t1e tottcHl VI tIlc anu COTl-
nected only by narrow bridge with the
land.
THE history Of bells is one of the most
interesting in the record of inventions.
They were first heard of about the year
400, before which date rattles were used
In the ycar 6iO we hear Of bells in the
city of Sens, the army of Clothaire,
King Of France, having been frightened
away by the ringing Of them. In $50
the first peal of bells was hung in En-
gland at Croyland Abbey. Many years
ago it was estimated that there were at
least 2,2G2 peals of bells, great and
small, in England. 1t has been thought
that the custom Of ringing bells was pc
cniar to England, but the cathedral at
Antwerp, celebrated for its magnificent
spirc, has peal of bells ninety in num-
ber, on which is played every half hour
the most elaborate music.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
OPPOSITES IN NfTRTWOSY.

Theodore Parker wrote: Young peo-
pie marry their opposites in tempera-
ment and general character, and such
marriages are generally good ones.
They do it instinctively. The young
man does not say my black eyes re-
quire TO he we'd with blue, and my over
vehcmcncc requires to he little mo,li-
fed with somewhat of dullness and re-
serve. When these opposites come to-
gcther To be we'd they do not know it,
hut each thinks the other just like him
self. Old people never marry their oppo-
sites; they marry their simllars, and
from calculation. Each Of these two
arrangements is very proper. Ia their
long Journey these "ppositcs will fall ont
by the way II great man. times, and
charm the other back again, and by and
by thcv will he agreed as to tine place
they will go To-, and the road they will
60 by, and both become rcconciled. The
man will he noblcr and larger for being
associated with so much humanity I'M
like himself, and she will he noblcr
wonan for having manhood beside her
that seeks to correct her deficiencies
and supply her with what she lacks, if
the diversity he not too great, and if
there he real generosity and love in
their hearts to begin with. The old
bridegroom, having a much shorter
journey to make, must associate himself
with one like himself. A perfect and
complete marriage is, perhaps, Az rare
as perfect personal beauty. Men and
women are married fractionaIly; now a
small fraction, then larger fraction.
Very few are married totally, and they
only, l think, after some forty or fifty
years of gradual approach and expcri-
men.. Such large and sweet fruit is
complete marriage that it needs very
long summer to ripen in, and then a
long winter to mellow and season in.
But real happy marriage of love and
Judgment between q noble man and
woman is one Of the things so very
handsome that il the sun were, as the
Greek poets fahled, a god, he might
stop the world to feast his eyes with such
a spectacle.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
CLERICAL ORATORY.

Why do not our preachers study ora
tory? AS preachers, not pastors, their
business is to work certain effect, and
all helps to its production it should be a
part of education to learn. Ipresume I
shall not be misunderstood to mean the
effect of displaying self, and winning ad-
miration for personal gifts. What the
true preacher seeks to do is to inform
the intellect with Christian truth; to
stir the heart, and thereby influence the
will Of his hearers. Half the sermons
annually preached are, so far as human
insight goes. waste of labor and breath.
.ywo things partly account for this one
is that majority of the men set to preach
are out of their real vocation-good pas
tors they may be, but fit preachers they
are not another is that those with apti-
tude for preaching do not yet understand
thu. means to he employed to attain their
object.
OOluetllueS tlc picdShCiH H"c CoiCtptlou
of the needs of human nature, and knows
that the truest truths fail to move when
put before men in dull, dry way per-
haps he does his best to acquire good
style, and succeeds in making an ably
written discourse. But when he comes
into his pulpit to give it TO his people,
where is the impression it should pro-
duce? What becomes Of his choice
words. his considered sentences? The.e
they lie upon the page he holds he pro
ceeds to resd ihem. Whv do thew fail
of any result? 1t is for want OF deliver.
Of the orato,ica! art OF making mere words
"teu.' Els faithful ef' 1T goes sor litt..e
he seems TO his hearers to be reading
something 10 them. as he is-n1t % lie
speaking 10 them IRON the heart.-.4t
lantic.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
UUy DOGN RUN SfUEWBY..

Nor" than one person has doubtless
entertained this speculation. A CORE
spondcnt of the New York SIM explains:
There are several reasons of a scientific
character why a diagonal position OF
dogs body to the line Of his motion Is
the most advantageous for the dog when
going at trot.
|. He is less liable to be upset. Any
oblong body moving forward Oh the
ground has broader bearing when
turned athwart or dinoonally than when
going directly endways. A dog gains 80
per c.Lt or more of base by thus run
ming, 50 to speak, upon broad gauge
than when going upon narrow gauge,
that is Ia say, in direct line of his
length. Being liable to kicks and blows,
and to he pounced upon by other dogs.
it is Obvious that he is able to offer
greater resistance when moving dag
Onally.
2. In case dogs safety requires him
to turn suddenly and run in an opposite
direction--as he is frequently compelled
to do-his diagonal position is then
most favorable to him, because he ID
partly turned around already, and hi,
feet are in position to serve his object
most effectively.
3. The diagonal position enables him
to throw backward glance Of his eyes
more readily. SO that ne is safer from
attack in the rear.
The nature and habits of dogs are Pc
culiarly interesting to mankind, and es-
peciallv so to young people. Does not
their diagonal trct show in familiar
way the wondrous faculty of instinct?
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
a spectacle

In the British navy officers and men
may wear all the face-hair they can grow,
but in the :.army, except on foreign ser
vice, boards are tabOOcd. In most Of
the continental armies similar restric-
tions are in force, hut i'll Belgium they
are more liberal, and during the present
month the Minister of War has issued a
general order to the effect that, inas-
much rs he hears that in some cases
boards have been prohibited, he must
remind all commanding officers that. by
a Ministerial decision of 1870, all men
i'll the army may wear their facc-hair
just as they please. In France waters
are vigorously prohibited from wearing
a mustache, and the same rule attains in
leading restaurants in New York. A
gentleman lately got young man a
place in one Of these establishments,
but, though very anxious to go, he
loved his mustach better than lucre, and
declined the place.-NcW York .SM.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08

GEN. ROBERT PATTERSON, whose death
in Philadelphia was recently recorded,
celebrated his s9th birthday on the 10Th
of last January. He was native Of
County Tyrone, Ireland, but came to
this country with his parents when
mere child. He enlisted in the War Of
1912, and served with such credit that
he was made a Captain when it closed.
He then returned to mercantile pursuits.
Until the Mexican war began his life
was uncvcntful. When that war broke
ont he had long been Major General
of militia, and his appointment as Major
General of Division in the volunteer
army was recognized by everybody as
eminently fitting. He entered and oc-
cupied Jalapa, and at Cerro Gordo led
IN person storming party against the
Mexican iutrencliments, for which he
was honorably mentioned in the dis
patches. After the war Gems. Patterson
"i't L i''ttt Dttdfuc NdIIIl per
sonal friends, and the former was known
to hc power behind the throne during
Pierce's administration. Gen. Patterson
was conservative Democrat, and, his
friends insist, a fervent loyalist during
the var. But, owing 20 his fault or his
misfortune, he did not hold Grn. John
ston's forces in the Shenandoah valley,
and the disastrous battle ri Bull Run
which followed closed for yer his mill
tary career. Gen. Patterson held nlanv
honorable oi-ic and business positions,
but never a political Office 10 which an
e,nolu1lert was tacLad. He had made
II principle Of his life that he should
not take an Office oi profit. or allow his
sons 10 IL So He was highlv-honored
citizen Of Philadelphia.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
RAYVILLE LOUISIANA, SATURDAY, OCTOBER S. 1881.
cred ice, till he was finally eralAed to
remove his iacket.

cred ice, till he was finally erab4ed to
remove his jacket.
During the time they took this sleigh
ing party over the frozen continent y
terrific storm came up. Great cracks Of
ice yawned beneath them. The wind
whisted with such fury, and the ice be-
meath them creaked SO alarmingIy, that
they expected every moment they and
their "iSloo, or snow-house, would be
hurled into half mile Of ice-watcr.
Capt. Hall discovered an island which
he named Bishop island. The cx-
plorers used to take walks in the fresh
air for their health, with the mercury at
40 degrees. They made journeys over
broken ice foes. Sometimes they
stepped into trcacherouS crack, which
would Immediately widen, and plunge
them into deadly cold weather below.
March II, with the mercury at-12 de-
grees, they witnessed phenomenon.
Showers Of snow fell from a perfectly
clear sky. SO clear that they could look
up and See the stars shining through
the rain of snow crystals.
They frosted their heels and their
noses. Once, being very thirsty, Capt.
Hall Clipped off some bits of ice from
an iceberg and put them into his mouth.
He tells us it froze his mouth fast -
cincinnati COll1oCrrj1L
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
THE AGE OF ICE.

There was a time when the world
wasn't as hot as it is now. Ages ago
all North America and all Northern En-
rope lay sleeping within a covering of
ice. This cool covering was in many
places over half mile thick. Rivers
OF ice, 5000 feet deep, levcled up the
valleys even with the hill tops, and
flowed on and on slowly over the ground
toward. the oceans. All the shallow
seas AMI ocean were frozen solid to the
bottom. Where groups of islands are
strung along the coasts now, all was
then one solid mainland. The inter
vening waters were frozen into an IRON
hard mass. The world was ice-locked.
All this geologists have found ont by
their learning.
Snow falling year after year upon the
mountain tops lay without melting.
Constant accumulation from above
pressed it together till it became ice.
The same pressure forced it on down
through the valleys. Along the shores
of the Continents gigantic ice walls were
formed, since in no part of the sea was
the water deep enough to float the
masses away. Prom time to time, huge
pieces of these walls crumbled away
andf fell into the water. Then mount
aims of ice stood about the wall. In our
day DIR. Hayes saw off the coast of
Greenland an iceberg aground in water
nearly half milo deep. His estimate
was that it weighed 1900, 600, 600
pounds. What an icc-house it would
have made a-...
just such solid, frozen wall rs reared
its front around the coasts of Europe
and North America is seen to-day, on
tho northern limit of the Antarctic con-
tinent. Sir J. G. Ross sailed along its
edge for a. distance of $50 miles, and
found it unbrolrsn by . single inlet.
Europe and America were surrounded.
well-nigh overwhelmed, by an Arctic
ocean, filed with ice-rafts and icebergs
a mile high. The same processes now
in operation among the great glaciers of
the Alps were going ON then on gigan-
tic scale. Above the snow-line IN the
Aims. the constant accumulations of
frozen ,vapors are still squeezing the
snow beneath into ice. It is pressed to-
eether into The valleys, and the great ice
rivers shtl crawl slowly, almost imper-
ceptibly, onward to the sea, melting ia
summer, and leaving great rows of
scratched stones and debris.
The whole interior Of Greenland pre-
ents to-day the same appearance the
present civilized world did during the
glacial period. 1t is wholly buried
underneath great weight of ice and
snow, which levels up valleys and sweeps
over hills in it's creeping, mysterious
progress stqwarA the ocean. Where it
reaches,tMHeh ma ftih Of the sea, great,
awful wall of ice stands, 300 feet above
the sea level How far down into the
rster it goes, nobody knows. Nobody
ever went down to see.
Human foot Has scarcely left tnack
n the snoM in this deadly cold interior
reo;on. "All Is one dead, dreary ex-
panse O. white, says Geike. In space
Of country six times as large as the
whole British empire, not live Great
rrs man, beast or bird. is to be seen.
The cold is too intense. Not sound IS
aver heard, save only when the storm
wb;stles through the snow and ice crags.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08

TIE Hotchkiss revolving gun, already
sdort-l N Tie French and other great
na~:es. has been ordered for u.s. ls,elT
,n the German navy, the ships to "ba
armed Nth .-;s -~eapon in such man
ner that every point surrounding each
vessel NAV be protected by the FIRE Of az
least two guns az 4 minimum range %
300 meters"
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
FLOWERs.
BY ROSE TERRY CooNR.


Her little prayer at night she said,
Then looked with wistful eyes,
Half tenderly and half afraid,
Up to the starry skies.
For daily bread, ne'cr sought in vain,
She asked tho heavenly powers.
"Pease, God ~ she whispered low again,
DIV me my daily Towers
Her daily flowers, her baby days,
In one bright garden few:
And like flower in all her way,
The dimpled creature grew.
~ lair and sweet . tiny maid
Ae any newborn blossom
That dawn and dew's soft stress persuade
From mother earth's broad bosom
Aud flowers like kin the darling loved;
She bore the fragrant band,
whsre'er she played, where'er she roved,
IN apron or in hand.
And while she prayed, with look askancs
A. IL she asked treasure
Too great for God to give perchance
For just her baby pleasure.
echoed In my heart her prsser,
Remembering sartf,'s sad hours,
And weary weight OF sin and care,
"Giye us our daily nowers.
Tho kindly word, the smile sarens,
Tho greeting of good-morrov,
1h" brotherhood in speech and mien
That soothes our common sorrow.
"These human blossoIns Of the heart
Give to our daily needing,
Dear Lord. are not these too part
or Thine immortal feediEg?"
And hack the sudden answer fell:
"wbate'er My hand hath given
Ny constant love and care to tell,
Is truly bread from heaven"
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08

TIE photograph has not been utilized
in any manner, and none have ever
been manufactured except for exhibition.
If Edison had kept the invention Sc
crc,, and used it only in constructing a
speaking auton1atnn Tor some Snowman,
it woulddouhtless have yielded fortune.
An efort is being made In Philadelphia
to turn IT 70 account N connection with
the telephone, but nothing has yet been
acconnrllshed.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08

The new Chicago system Of tclc-
phonic sentry boxes for the Police De-
rartmcnt has already been adopted i'll
Cincinnati. The boxes are connected
by wires with the station houses, and
the patrolmcn are required to communi-
cate with the Captain or Sergeant at
brief intervals from different boxes.
Thus the supervision usually performed
by roundsmen becomes matter of
mechanical certainty, and there is little
chance for shirking. The wires are
also of great utility in sending out
hurried orders, and in calling for as
sistance. A wagon is kept ready at
each station to convey officers quickly
in answer to a summons.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08

! PcAB1oT tNass.) ret cat in cur
.sing sAop rei,t to sleep inside a large
ey-nLeel and ras caught mapping when
th5 engine vas started. Sic came cut
without : scratch after eleven hours.
aiter travelling 270 miles.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1881-10-08
DERY ERtKCHI.

i correspondent of French paper,
commenting on the number of "mys-
terious disappearance" constantly oc-
curing, not only IN France, but also in
England, starts Il curious theory. He
maintains that death occasionally is act
ual dissolution. Persons attacked by
this form Of disease suffer no previous
Illness, have no warming of their ap-
preaching end, but suddenly cease to
exist and Immediately fade from sight.
He asserts that some years ago he actu-
ally witnessed this phenomenon. He
WIS out walking with friend, with
whom he was engaged i'll an interesting
discussion on political question Of the
day, when instaEtancously his COM
panion vanished, and from that hour to
the present time has never rcappcarcd.
He has little doubt that many Of the
missing persons SO anxiously searched
for by their friends ana hy the police
have in like manner melted into thin
air." At the moment of his friends
disappearance a strong sulphurous odor
was noticed, hut beyond this nothing re-
markable was to be observed. The Ques-
tion is, he thinks, worthy of medical in
vestigation.
Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-28
Mrs Lincoln "a Long-SufIer.
ing Woman.
From the Ohio State Journal

1t is said, and no doubt with
truth, that Mrs, Lincoln, widow
of Abraham Lincoin is slowly dy-
ing. 1t Is no secret that Mrs.
Lincoln has never been herself,
mentally or physically, since her
husband was murdered in her
presence in 1865. Those persons
who regarded Mrs. Lincoln, while
she was mistress OF the White
House, as lignt-headed, heartless,
thoughtlss creature, wholly mis-
apprehended her character, as is
abundantly shown by her sixteen
years Of suffering
Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-28
Come One and All.
BIG MEETING.

There will be day m Getting held in
King st. Hall on Sunday, June 9Th
1881, the object of which is to raise
money to rebuild the Mt. Zion M. f.
church in Martinsburg. We extend a
cordial invitation to both white and
colored, and all well-wishers. Come
one and all, for behold lay in Zion
chief orncr stone, says the scripture
Several of our ablrst ministers will
be present and pre- ach on the occasion
BY order of Trustees. Perry Almon,
w Ford, James Willis, +. Corsey, j.
w. Corsey, Thos. Parks, j. Claton,
Dr. II. L. Leggett z Silver.
q. Il. WILLIAMS, Z. L.
m2S-lt S. S. GRIFFIN, z. +.
Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-28

WHITE GOODS, such as dotted
and plain Swiss, French, Mulls, In
dia Linen, Persian Lawn, Nainsook,
Jackonet, Victory Lawn, &c. Also,
Valencenes, Lanquedock, Bretonne,
Russia and Maltese Laces to trim
the same, just received at Emmert
& Fiery's one price store. Don't
fail to see them.
Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-28

Mr.. j. II. BLATTAN, Superinten-
dent of the Cumberland, Nd, Tele-
phone System, was here last week
with view of establishing the sys-
tenn in this place. 1t works admi-
rably in Cumberland; and takes well
with the citizens We understand
Mr.. B. will return here shortly, and
explain the matter to our citizens,
and see what can be done towards
Telephoning Martinsburg.
Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-28

IN ANOTHER column will be found
J. N. Thatcher's advertisement. He
has had considerable experience with
agricultural implements and machin-
cry, and will always be found with
the latest improved of every kind.
Walter A. Woods Irvine Binders
and Harvesters have taken the lead
wherever used. Farmers and others
wanting implements, &c, should
call and see him before buying else
where.
Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-28
Farmers, Attention.

If you want real good cooking
stove, to meet your demands during
harvest, get the Excelsior Cook, with
or without the water reservoir and
enamelled inside. No rust, war
rented sure bakers or no sale. Made
of the best iron and very heavy.
FISHER s. FIsKE have them.
Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-05-28
Summer Hats.

Mackinaw, Roman braids, Webste =
Braids; Canton, German braidas
French Palm, white. brown and mix
ed; all the latest styles, cheap at
GETTINGER & HOKE'E.
Queen St.. BlondelR building