davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
The Eyesight of Readers.

A writer in the Library Journal calls
attention to the dangers which readers
run of injuring their eyesight by the
use of q bad light. He remarks that
engravers. watchmakers, and all others
who use the eyes constantly in their
work, take extra care to preserve them
by getting the best possible light by
day, and using the best artificial light
at night. The great army of readers
are careless, and have, sooner or later,
to pay the penalty of their carelessness
by giving up night work entirely, and
sometimes reading, except at short
intervals and under the best conditions.
All departures from common type,
making the matter more difficult for
the eye to take in, increase the danger.
The magnitude of the physical labor of
reading is not appreciated. A book of
500 pages, forty lines to the page and
fifty letters, to the line, contains I,O0O,-
600 of letters, all of which the eye has
to take in, identify and combine each
with its neighbor. Yet many readers
will 60 through such n book in day.
The task is one he would shrink from if
he should stop to measure it before
hand. The best position and best
lights, clear type, plain inks, with the
best paper of yellowish tints and abund-.
ant spaeobetween the lines, afford the
best safeguards against harm.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
A Deceptive Planet.


If we may credit the astronomers,
Jupiter is once more behaving in a
highly mysterious and reprehensible
manner. So long as he confined him.
self to exhibiting one unsightly red spot
upon his face, no one complained very
bitterly. 1t was generally hoped that.
in course of time, this much-respected
orb would see the error of his ways,
and cease to assume the appearance Of
an inebriated planet. Sad to relate,
however, he has gone from bad to
worse, and is just now showing, side
by side with the red spot complained
of, number of white ones, which give
to his 'countenance an appearance truly
sad to behold. No wonder that quiet,
staid astronomers, who, as all the world
knows, are most averse from joking,
stand aghast at such an exhibition.
For many years Jupiter has held a de-
servedly high place in their estimation,
and they had come to regard him as a
globe of such regular habits that he
might be depended upon in any emer-
gency. They had long ago declared
him to be as ''cool as cucumber" and
were half inclined to allot both atmos-
phere and inhabitants to him, when he
breaks out in this unexpected way.
All their calculations are consequently
upset. He may be in a boiling heat for
all we know, a deceptive planet who
has attempted to look calm and cold
while all the time he has been in a state
of furious contiagreation. This teaches
astronomers to be chary in future
of giving good character to any
heavenly body. If Jupiter be SO bad as
this what may be expected of stars that
have no reputation TO lose?
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
To Destroy the Rose Slug.

I American EntOmOloSlst.
Various applications have been tried
with more or less success, among which
the most certain in its effects is whale
oil soap suds, made in the proportions
of one pound of the soap to eight gal
Ions of water. The objections to this
remedy are that it has disagreeable
odor and is liable to discolor the open
ing buds. busting freely with powder
ed white hellebore has also been tried
with very good success, and it may be
used in water by dissolving tablespoon
full of the powder in two gallons of boil
ing water. The pyrethrum powders
have as yet been used only to limited
extent, but with the prospect that thor
oughly applied they would prove effect
ual. Lime has long been used with sat-
isfactory results, especially if applied
when the dew is on the plants.
Capt. E. III. Beebe, of Galena, ILL.,.
wrote TO the Gardeners Monthly that
ne had found powdered sulphur applied
when the leaves were wet, certain de-
struction, and Miss f. A. Smith corrOb-
crates his experience. Wood ashes were
strongly recommended in the Country
Gentleman. The Paris green mixture
has been used with excellent results on
bushes-where it is not desired to cut or
pluck the flowers, but in view of the
other available means of destruction is
not to be recommended. All applica-
tions should be made just at night, as
they are then more certain of coming
in contact with the insects. Something
can also be done to prevent the flies
from maturing. As the cocoon in which
the Larvae hibernates is very frail, and
as the latter does not survive the rup-
ture of the same, it follows that many
of the insects may be killed by thor
oughly stirring and pulverizing the soil
of the rose beds. Roses that are trans
planted from one locality to another
should, before setting, be immersed in
tub of water, and have every particle
of soil washed from their roots. By OBJ
serving this precaution newly-made gar
dens may be secured for long time
against this worst enemy of the fairest
flower.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
A Theatrical Mans Diamonds.

MIR. j. Nj. Hill, the manager of Den
man Thompson, says the Pittsburg
Leader, purchased on Saturday splen-
did collection of diamonds at an ex-
pense of over $40, 600. These diamonds
are to be worn by the ladies of his COM
pany i'm the ballroom scene in ''Joshua
Whitcomb." These diamonds, which
now belong to MIR. Hill by right of pur-
chase, We're formerly the property of
the late Duke of Brunswick, whose fame
as a connoissenr of gems and as n col
lector was unrivaled in Europe. When
the Duke died a few years ago at Gene
va, the city of his adoption, where he
preferred residing, he bequeathed his
entire collection of precious stones,
valued ut E3, ,000,0 900 sterling, or about
$4,000, 900, to the city. The authori-
ties of Geneva, some time after the
Dukes death, determined to dispose of
the gems, and authorized their sale by
auction at Paris last year. A st. Louis
merchant and his agents have invested
920,000 in purchasing some choice
stones of the ducal collection, and thus
the diamonds came to America, and on
Saturday were sold to Mr.. Hill for the
cash consideration of SIG, 12O. The
first gem is Il lady's lace pin, composed
of five solitaire diamonds, the aggregate
weight being fourteen karats. The
centre stone is a perfect gem, weighing
five and half karats-a diamond of
the first water without flaw or blemish.
The side central stones weigh four kar-
ats, and the two end stones four and
five-eighths karats. They are equally
perfect, and guaranteed to be without
any flaw. The entire cost of the lace
pin to Mr.. Hill was $4,000. A mag
niiicent diamond cross weighing little
over twenty karats, composed of eleven
stones averaging nearly two karats, is a
splendid ornament. These diamonds
are perfectly matched. of the purest
quality, and also guaranteed. The GEN.
tire stone weighs two and one-half kar-
ats. The cross, which looks like
blaze of fire, is attached to gold neck
lace of antique Roman workmanship
The cost of the cross was "a, 1000, or
5000 per karat. Two pairs of earrings
weighing six and one-half karats each,
and one stone exactly balancing the
other. The diamonds are guaranteed
perfect. The price paid was 81 ,531 for
one pair, and 81, ,545 for the other, the
slight difference in value being occa-
stoned by the difference in the mount
ing. The gem of the collection, how
ever, is the diamond worn by the Duke
of Brunswick as his signet ring. The
stone was left with the diamond mer-
chants of New York, with instructions
to match it at any cost, but they were
unable to do so. 1t is pure white
stone, perfect in in every quality. 1t
weighs five and half karats, and cost
1,65O
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
Nothing New.

From the dawn of spring till the years grow
hoary,
Nothing is new that is done or SAM,
The leaves are telling the same old story
Budding. bursting, dying. dead"
And ever and always the wild winds chorus
Is coming. building, flying, fled"
Never the round earth roamrs or ranges
Out of her circuit. old. old,
And the smile o. the sun knows but these
changes
Bcaming, burning, tender, cold,
As spring time softens or winter estranges
The mighty heart of this orb of gold.
From the great sire's birth to the last morn's
breaking
There were tempest, sunshine, fruit and
frost,
And the sea was calm or the sea was shaking
His mighty main like the lion crossed,
And ever this cry the heart was making
Longing, loving, losing, lost.
Forever the wild wind wanders, crying,
Southerly, easterly, north and west,
And one worn song the fields are signing,
Sowing, growing harvest, rest"
And the tired thought of the world, replying
Like an echo to what is last and best,
Murmurs-"Rest."
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10

solid. We all got excited about lie, and
all of us dug more or less holes in search
of the stuff. All of sudden a widder
living about two miles from me found
lie in dozen places ON her farm She
was widder with bad nose, freckles
all over her face, eyes on the squint,
and built up like camel. But when
she struck lie that was different thing.
Old Deacon Spooner, who was a wild
over, got mashed right away. Our
preacher, who had lost his third wife,
saw the spec. l thought it over and
concluded she was an angel. 1 guess
some six or seven of us begun courtin'
that widder within sixteen hours after
the first sight of lie. l know the pro-
cession reached from the gate to the
house."
'.And you got her?''
mot much l didn't, and that's what
I'm thankful for. Somehow or other
l couldn't work up the pint. That
nose kinder stood in the way every time
was ready to pop the question. She
acted like she wanted me, but Deacon
Spooner got the best of all of US and
they made hitch.''
''And what?''
Nothing, except she had dosed that
farm with a barrel of lie, and thus got
a husband for herself and a home for
her five children. When the news came
out | was SO cold along the backbone
that they had to kiver me up with a
boss blanket, and since that time I
haven't had the nerve to buy eggs at
seven cents a dozen and hold EN- for q
rise"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
Freaks Of a Dove.

A year or so ago little girl living.
near Rathboneville, n. Y, village on
the line of the Erie railway, was pre-
sented with pair of doves. One day
three weeks ago, they were flying across
the railroad track, when the male bird
came in collision with the smoke-stack
of the Pacific express, which passes the
spot about Z O'Clock in the morning.
The bird was killed by the shock and
instantly thrown out of sight OF his
mate. The female circled about the spot
for a few minutes, in evident amaze
ment at the sudden disappearance
of her mate. She then flew to a mile
post near by and for a long time gave
Ilttcrance to the mournful notes char
acteristic OF the dove. Suddenly she
seemed to realize what had carried the
male from her sight, and she rose in
air and flew swiftly in the direction the
train had gone. She did not return
until about noon. She alighted at her
cote, where she remained the rest of the
day uttering her plaintive cries. Next
just before O'Clock, she was
seen TO fly away and take position
near the spot where she last saw her
mate the day before. When the express
train came along she flew at the loco
motive. hovered about the smoke-stack
and around the cab as if looking for
her mate. She accompanied the loco
motive for a mile or SO and then return
ed to her cote. Every day since then
she has repeated this strange conduct.
She goes 10 her lookout for the train at
precisely the same time each morning
and waits until the train comes along,
no matter how late it may be. She
never goes further than about u mile
with the train, returning to her cote
and mourning piteously ali day.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
The Preacher Gets Left.

George Bovard is, says the Pittsburgh
Commercial, the name of a young Meth
odist minister, who attended the annual
conference of the NJ. +. church at Mer-
Ger. a couple of years ago. While there,
he and a young lady teacher of the Sol
diers' Orphan school, located in Mercer,
fell in love with each other. Her name
was Clara Shaffer. He was about to
start for India to Christianize the heath
en-. A correspondence kept up between
the two. and he wanted her to come to
him, be married, and assist him in his
labors. He had no money to pay her
expenses, and she had none. In this
emergency, few months ago, she made
confident of .'Dick" Wright, heavy
clothing merchant of Mercer, and he
being a big-hearted man with generous
impulses, offered to supply her with
what money she needed to reach her
far-off lover. She gladly accepted his
offer, and at once began her prep
arations for the long journey. '.Dick''
and Miss Shaffer were thrown much
together for awhile, and about
the time she was ready to start he was
deeply i'll love with her himself. But
he said nothing, and she started for
New York with enough of ''Dick's''
money IN her pocket to take her to In
dia.
Two or three days after her depar-
ture he grew Respondent, and chided
himself for having given away his
chances for marrying Miss Shaffer HIM
self. A thought struck him, and that
was to follow her, and, if possible, ov-
ertake her before she boarded steam
er in New York for distant India. He
acted promptly on the thought, took the
cars, reached New York, and fonnd the
vessel on which she was to sail. Miss
Shaffer was already on board; he made
known his affection, and asked her for
her hand for himself, was accepted, md
the two returned to Mercer few days
ago as man and wife.
The outcome is a little rough on the
minister, who is wrestling with super
stition and idolatry in the jungles of
India.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
Cutting a Boys Hair.
Detroit Free Press.

Detroit Free Press.
There is no use in fooling around
about it. When boys hair has be-
come long, and bleached and scraggy,
and full of burrs and feathers, it is
time to cut it and the inevitable must
be faced.
The boy doesn't want it cut, of course.
No one ever had q speaking acquain-
tance with boy who thought the time
had arrived when he could part with
enough hair to stuff sofa pillow.
They must be coerced, and kind and
broad promises are thrown away. Co
ercion is the only method.
let my boy run about so long, and
then when get a spare half day play
barber. There is no appeal from my
decision. When [ come out tlat-footed
carry my point or die trying.
young man, you can get ready to
have your hair cut
s'Next week?''
''No, sir,-nowr'
''With q buzZ-saw?"
sYes, if the shears won't do it,
''Won't you draw blood?"
81 may have to-
eff you won't cut my hair I'll bring
in 'nuff wood and coal to last all winter,
and won't ask for light when go
to bed
Come out here and make ready"
never take any chances on boy. I
have an old chair bolted on the floor,
and then 1 bolt the boy to the chair. L
fix him so that he can move neither
hand nor foot, put soft gag in his
mouth to prevent neighborhood alarm,
and begin work. The first step toward
hoiy g TO in tor
minutes hard work with a curry comb.
If he hasn't been running around loose
over two or three years this tool will be
sufficient to take out the snarls, buttons,
and articles previously mentioned. A
basket is placed behind the chair for
them to drop into, and they can be dec
grated with fancy pictures and made to
serve as parlor ornaments.
When the boys head is ready for the
shears, brace your feet and shear away
Shear front, back, top and sides with
out reference to lines and angles. The
object is to remove hair. There is no
use of any conversation, not even when
the shears find piece of wire and re-
fuse to cut it. The boy wouldn't know
how it got there if you asked him. He
has had his head in closets, cellars, gar
rets, barns, fence corners, barrels, box
es, and all sorts of hooks, and such ex-
ira attachments are no surprise to him.
No one should be less than half an
hour robbing an average boy of his
capillary substance. Any attempt to
hurry the.job will result in overlook
ing lot of shingle nails, the missing
screw-driver, or something which may
damage his Sunday hat My average
is thirty five minutes, and l have only
two minutes left after being able to see
that he has scalp. 1t then takes an
additional ten minutes to look him over
and identify him as the same boy be-
gan on. His neck has grown longer,
the size of his ears increased, and the
whole shape of his head altered. When
L feel sure that it is my boy, and not the
son of some neighbor who has skulkedin
on me, L brush him off with an old broom,
crack his head three or four times, draw
the bolts and remove the gag, and then
hold the door open for him to shoot in
to the back yard. l am loving faith
er in all else, but when [ cut boys
hair | am a stern old Roman of the first
water.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
Effect of the Electric Light on Vision.

Professor Cohn, of Breslau, has been
lately making some experiments with
the electric light on the eyes of num-
Der of persons, for the purpose of test
ing its special influence, in different
cases, on visual perception and the sem
sation of color. Among the interesting
results of these investigations may be
mentioned the fact that letters, spots
and colors are perceived at much
greater distance through the medium
of electric light than by day or gaslight.
The sensation of yellow was increased
sixty fold compared to daylight, of red
six fold, and of green and blue about
two fold. Eyes that could only with
difficulty perceive and distinguish colors
by daylight OF gaslight were much
aided by the electric light. and the
visual perception was also much
strengthened. Professor Cohn con-
cludes, therefore, in view Of this fact,
S,at electric light would prove exceed
ingly useful in places where it was de-
sirable that signals should be observ-
sble ut II great distance. The engine
employed in these experiment was u
Gramme electromagnetic apparatus,
which rotates 600 times in a minute.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
Hunting Ostriches.

Lady Florence Dixy thus describes
an ostrich hunt in Patagonia:
''Choo! choo! Platar' L cry to the dog
who followed at my horses heels, as a
| fine male ostrich scudded away toward
the hills we had just left with the speed
of lightning. But the ostrich suddenly
doubles to the left, and commences a
hurried descent. The cause is soon ex-
| planned, for in the direction toward
which he has been making a great
cloud of smoke rises menacingly in his
path, and, baked of the refuge he had
hoped to find amid the hills, the great
bird is forced to alter his course, and
make swiftly for the plains below. But
swiftly as he flies along, SO does Plata,
who finds down-hill race much more
suited to his splendid shoulders and
rare stride
Foot by foot he lessons the distance
that separates him from his prey, and
nearer and nearer to the fast-sinking,
fast-tiring bird. Away we go helter-
skelter down the hill. Plata is along
side the ostrich, and gathers himself
for a spring at the birds throat He
has him, he has him!'' 1 shout to Gre
gorio, who does not reply, but urges his
horse on with whip and spur. ..Has he
got him, though?'' Yes-no-the
ostrich with a rapid twist has shot some
thirty yards ahead of his enemy, and,
whirlipg round, makes for the hills
once more. And now begins the strug-
gle for victory. The ostrich has de-
cidedly the best of it, for Plata. though
he struggles gamely, does not like the
uphill work, and at every stride loses
ground.
s'Can he stayP'' I cry to Gregorio,
who smiles and mods his head. He is
right, the dog can stay; for hardly have
the words left my lips when, with a tre-
mendous effort, he puts on squirt, and
races up alongside the ostrich. Once
more the bird points for the plain; he
is beginning to falter, but he is great
and strong, and he is not betrayed yet.
Unconscious of anything
but the exciting chase before me, am
there is such thing as caution, and the
necessity to look where you are going
to, for, putting his foot in an unusually
deep tuca-tuca hole, my little horse
comes with crash upon his head, and
turns completely over on his back,
burying me beneath him in a hopeless
muddle.
Fortunately, beyond a shaking, am
unhurt, and remounting, endeavor to
rejoin the now somewhat distant chase
The ostrich, Gregorio, and the dog
have reached the plain, and as 1 gallop
quickly down the hill can see that the
bird has begun doubling. This is a
sure sign of fatigue, and shows that the
ostrich's strength is beginning to fail
him. Away across the plain the two
animals fly, while Gregorio and press
eagerly in their wake. Suddenly the
stride of the bird grows slower, his
doubles become more frequent, showers
of feathers fly in every direction as
Plata seizes him by the tail, which comes
away in his mouth. In another mo-
ment the dog has him by the throat,
and for few minutes nothing can be
distinguished but gray struggling
heap.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
Anecdotes of Sumner.

Hon. E. L. Pierce, in his reminis-
cences of Sumner, given before the
Massachusetts Club, the other evening,
said that the great Senator chad no
real enmities toward men. In 1872
Mast made a cartoon in which Sumner
was represented at the grave of Bully
Brooks, trying to spell out the inscrip-
ton. Summers attention was called to
it, but all he said was: What have /
to do with Brooks? 1t was not Brooks
it was slavery George William Cur
tbs was walking with Sumner one day
in the Congressional Cemetery, when
he happened to see the name of Brooks,
and drew the Senator's eye to it. Sum-
with the simple remark: Poor fellowl
Poor fellowr"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
His Solemn Warning.
wall Street Daily News. I


''Yaas, there's money made in stocks,
no Doubt said the old man, as he
removed his hat and ran his fingers
through his gray hair locks, ''but it's a
reesky bizness; it's suthin' like betting
on whar hghtning's going to strike,
with the odds in favor of hitting the
tree YOU stand under"
''Then you never speculateg'
..Never. 1 dig along the old farm,
takin' one crop with another, and pull
ing out stumps when Eve nothing else
to do; and if l don't make any great
shakes. L haven't anything to worry
over. 1 he'd purity solemn warning
during the coal lie excitement, and it
cured me O. speculatin."
'.How was thatp'
'sWaal, was widower then; wife
fell down the well and was drawed out
as stiff as poker. 1 had big farm.
lots of stock. md Vas called purity
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1881-03-10
Nearly Pure Iron Deposits.

One of the most important mines in
the Leadville district is the Breeze iron
mine, on Breeze Hill. This consists of
an enormous vein of almost pure hema-
tite, which has been taken out in large
quantities during the past year and
sold to the smelters to be used rs Il tluN.
Careful analyses of this ore prove that
it contains only from ] to = per cent,
of foreign matter, and it has been pro-
nounced by competent experts to be
equal in quality to the best African
iron, which, says Il. L. W.. in the New
York Tribune, l believe, has been con-
sidered the best in the world. The
vein seems to be almost ineXhaustible.
Dipping into the hill toward the north
east at an angle of about 20 degrees,
the ore is 20 feet thick from top to
bottom, and has been explored for a
distance of 80 to GO feet at right angles
to its length without exhibiting any
signs of giving out. The iron ore is
now purchased by the smelters at 81 Il
ton, and it is expected that large guam
titles of it will be used Cor the manufact-
ure of steel rails in the extensive works
now erecting at Pueblo.