davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


Thirteen lean people commit suicide
to one fat one. Flesh up and save your
life.
A new song is entitled "My Da r
ling's Tresses Shine Like Gold"
There's music in the hair.
Even with the extra gas supplied by
five journalists, Professor Kings bal
loon failed to float in the ambient air.
The reigning monarch of Abyssinia
cuts off the noses of those who take
snuff and the lips Of those who smoke.
DIR. Maudsley, the eminent English
neurologist, says that "the true site,
seat, or organ of the mind is the whole
body"
Detroit should be healthy city. One
of it's newspapers says: "We have only
about 100 doctors to the 100 patients
now"
An Indiana woman is the proud owner
of a washboard over one hundred years.
old. Washboards never wear out in
Indiana.
1t is Sir John Lubbock's opinion that
bees are, in rough kind of way, sensi-
tive to color, and that their favorite
color is blue.
The Edison Electric Light Company
is filing an order for eiaht hundred
electric lamps for lighting the great hall
of the opera house in Paris.
It is said that in the intestines of flies
and other insects are blood-vessels, the
smallest branches whereof are 100000
times less than hair in size.
1t sannounced officially by the health
authorities at New Orleans that there
has not been single case of yellow
fever in that city this year.
Queen Victoria converses on books
and paintings in the italian language.
on general subjects in French, criticises
music in English, and reads in German.
The Philadelphia North American says
that the number of commercial travellers
in the employ of the merchants OF that
city is at the present time not less than
5000.
Charles Deter walked five miles for
the purpose Of killing his wife, at York
town, Ind. Finding her with some
visitors, whom he was too polite to dis
turb, he committed suicide instead.
There are twenty thousand acres of
land to each man, woman and child of
the Crow Indians. The herds are large,
the grazing is good, the Indians are
friendly and are becoming rich.
The largest boat on the great lakes is
being built at Cleveland, Ohio. 1t is to
be of iron, 3O2s feet in length, 80 feet
breadth of beam, and 25 feet depth of
hold, and to have a capacity of 8, 200
tons.
Dean Stanley used to say that unto
his marriage he had never really lived.
Lady Augusta, his wife, was worry plain
old maid when he married her /; but she
was good, cultivated and pleasant
woman of the world in the very best
| sause
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01
A NeMsnaner and Book RaYine.

Mr.. Ryan, librarian of the Kilkenny
Library Society, made books his idols,
denying himself every luxury and not
few necessaries in order to add to his
collection the we'll furnished library
of which he was custodian being INSULT
cient to satisfy his literary cravings.
He lived in the upper part of the
society's premises, but admitted no one
to enter his rooms for any purpose
whatever On his sudden death, in
1866, their privacy was perforce invaded.
His bedroom, or what passed for such,
was found to contain nothing in the
way of furniture save an old sofa, which
had served him for a bed, upon which
lay pair of old blankets, his sole
nightly covering. Piles of books were
heaped up promiscuously in every
direction. So in his sitting-room, there
was scarcely space to move for dust
covered volumes, of which the owner
had apparently made very little use,
contented, like many another collector,
with merely having acquired them. A
wealthy eccentric living IN French
provincial town was not open to that
reproach. He dwelt alone in a secluded
house, admitting no one but char
woman, who prepared his meals, and a
news agent, who brought him thirty or
forty journals at time. One day even
they could not obtain admission, and
the police were called upon to inter-
vene. Upon entering the solitary bed
room in the house-a room as squalid
as it we'll could be-the recluse was
found dead on the bed, which could
only be reached by passing through a
ravine, the sides of which were COM
posed of thousands of newspapers and
novels, whose perusal had been the sole
delight and occupation of his wasted
ife.- Chambers Journal,
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01
FACTS FOR THE CURIOUS.

Frogs continue to grow for five years.
1t is said that the Emperor Zeno was
buried alive.
The earliest known IT, were made of
copper. NJ
In the early days ofpdrinting books
the paper was only printesl on one side
and the blank sides pasted together.
London was first governed by port
reeves, changed into bailiffs by Richard
l., and into mayors by John.
Queen Elizabeth wore her prayer
Ibock hanging from her girdle by q
golden chain.
The Druids used to teach that the
fertility of the fields depended upon
the riches they thems elves possessed.
Stanzas were first introduced from
the italian into French poetry about
i158O-thence transferred into the Eng
lish.
In 1854 "cages and Stocks" for the
punishment of offenders, were ordered
to be set up in every ward of the city of
London.
Hippocrates, born at Cos, 460 B. g.,
was the first person to apply himself to
the study of physic as the sole business
of his life.
It was Emperor Charles V. who in
vented the title of "your majesty"
sovereigns having been previously ad-
dressed as "your grace"
Edward the Confessor was the first
monarch of England who used sea
in his charters. This is the origin OF
the broad seal of England.
The lake that has the highest eleva-
tion of any in the world is Green Lake
in Colorado. It's surface is 1852 feet
above the level of the sea. The water
is as clear as crystal, and large rock
masses and a petrified forest are dis.
tinctly visible at the bottom. The
branches of the trees are of dazzling
whiteness, as though cut in marble
Salmon trout swim among them. The
lake is two hundred feet deep.
Many smoker wonders what th'
letters "T. d." on a clay pipe meal
and some one has found that they stant
/ fcr Timothy Dexter. MY Lord Tim
othy," the eccentric Newburyport mai
who endowed a clay-pipe factory, wrot
book with few pages of punctuation
marks in the back, and insited on view
ing mock burial of himself, at whicl
he whipped his wife because she die
not weep enough.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01
A Beautifui Science.

Astronomy is beautiful science. We
are told that if railway was run from
the earth to the nearest fixed star, and
the fare was one penny for every hun
dred miles, and if you were to take a
mass of gold to the ticket office equ
to the national debtor $4,000, ,OOO,-
OOO-it would not be sufficient to pay
for ticket to the nearest fixed star
aforesaid. If this be the case, it matters
very little to us whether such a railroad
is ever constructed. 1t would be mighty
discouraging to go to the ticket office
with mass of gold equal to $500, ,OO0,-
900 and be informed that the fare was
$5,67S, ,032,000. If the ticket agent
wouldn't trust till we got back we'd be
compelled to forego the trip.-Norris-
to,on Herald.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01
The Power of thePreSs.

One of the old time editors of
Michigan was boasting the other day
that he had never been sued for libel,
or attacked in his sanctum, but he could
call many narrow escapes. Twenty five
years ago he was running red hot
paper on the line of the Michigan Gen.
trail railroad. A man named Carson,
who was running for some county Office,
was given bad racket, and the editor
received note that if he had anything
more to say he might expect to receive
good pounding. He had still more
bitter attack the next week, and the
paper was hardly mailed before II
walked Carson, the candidate, accom-
panied by brother and two cousins
The four were strapping big fellows,
and each was armed with horsewhip.
The two compositors and the "devil''
got out with all speed. He realized
the situation at once, and began:
"Walk in, gentlemen presume you
have come to horsewhip me ?"
"We have," they answered.
every we'll. Have you thoroughly
considered the matter ?"
"It doesn't need any consideration" F"
replied Carson. "You have lied about
me, and I'm going to lick you within an
inch of your life !"
"Just SO, my friend, but first hear
what have to say. Did you ever hear
of the press being stopped because the
editor was cowhided p
81 dunno"
"Well, you never did. Lick me all
you choose and my paper comes out
week after week just the same. The
power of the press is next to the lever
which moves the universe. 1t makes
or brakes parties, builds up or tears
down, plants or destroys. Aggravate
the editor and the press becomes a
sword to wound and kill. Wallop me
if you will, but next week I'll come out
more bitter than ever"
There is an embarrassing silence righ
here, and the face of each horse.whip
per had an anxious look.
"It will 60 out to the world-t
America, Canada, England, France
aye! clear to Jerusalem, that the Carso
family of this conntry live on roots an
iohnny-cake /; that they stole dog fror
a blind man that they murdered ped
dler for pairof two shilling suspen
ders that thewomen are club-foote'
and the men work their ears when the
sing; that the -"
"What is the regular subscription
price to the Herald?' interrupted
Carson.
"Only twelve shillingsa year.
"Put us four down."
every well-six dollars-that's cor
rect. Run in and see me--all of you
and if any of you want to see any of m,
Detroit exchanges shall be only to,
glad to serve you.-Free Press.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01
NOTES AND OPINIONS.

The train bearing the distinguished
dead President and family with the
members of the cabinet, President Ar
thur and other distinguished guests,
left Elberon at ten o'clock, Wednesday
morning, and arrived at Washington at
4:44 P. NJ. The corpse was taken di-
rectly to the rotunda of the Capitol,
where it will lie in state until removed
to Cleveland where the remains will be
buried.
On leaving the Capitol, President
Arthur was driven directly to the resi-
dence of Senator Jones, of Nevada,
whose guest he will be during his stay
in this city. Mrs. Garfield expressed
her sincere desire not again TO see the
White House, where she had passed so
many days of sorrow and anxiety; and
she. will not visit it while in the city,
but will remain at the residence of Gen
eral MacVeagh.
The total subscription to the Mrs
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01

An eye to business Gus De Smith
went into cigar store on Austin
avenue and purchased cigar for
nickel. On lighting it he took occa-
sion to put about half box of matches
in his vest pocket. 'Look here"
said the tobacconist, "next time you
just bring your matches along and Ill
give you cigar.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01

Forty-nine firms of Philadelphia will
exhibit specimens of machinery and
manufactured goods at the Atlanta Cot
ton Exposition.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-10-01

The sceptre of Charlemagne was
seven feet long.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15

Dr A Leslie, Aug ., ',3 Martin
Holt, Johnston, June l., =, + ii
Knight. Make, Juue /, 81; IL X sa =
derin, WAKE, June 1. =. q K Harper,
JoLustou, June /. -, j NJ Turner.
wake, June /. -. j A Uuderhlll.
Johnston, June /, -, Josiah Broaiwe
Wake, Sept !, So, w Oucal, Wake,
June |, 81; j T EIuvton, Johnston.
Mar :, 50, solomon Brown. Wake,
Nov -. 81; " HI Villa ~ Jr. Duplin.
May 81, -; Jas VI williamson, DIplin,
May 10, -, ID X 4 lh ie Chatham,
Dec IS, 81, " w olmmous, Johnston,
June u, So, Sheriff ID b Hooker, Pam
leo, Dec IS, 50; Sheriff A II Paddison,
Pender, Dee 20, 81; W b Draurhan,
Cumberland, Nov -, -; A 4 Hicks,
Duplir, Oct. 80, 50; " Ii Br1gdeu,
Wayne, April 10. g.: X II Battle, Jr,
Wake, Jan II. 81; j B Smith, John
ston, Jan 81, 80; DIR W Mcleod, Moore,
Jau Q, 80; B W Young. Johnston, June
:, s.; Tho. Coats, Johnston, Sept IL,
81; w Williams, Wake, Nov Is, 81;
W u Jones, Hickory Grove, Apil !, 50;
j \ Richardson, Wake Jan -, s., X
l. Sutphen, Chatham, Dec IL, 50; 1 b
Austin, Johnston, Nov %, 81; John
Mathews, Cumberland, June Is, 50;
W A smith, Cabarrus, Dec /, -, q NJ
Wrenn S%umpterville, Ala, Dec 81; Hen
Neil 8 Stewart, Harnett, 81, } w.
Atwater, Chatham, Feb %, So; Mrs
Fuller, Durham, Dec 10, So.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15
For the Farmer and Mechanic
To Mrs. Mary 6ayard Clarke.

The pleasant autumn days are glidins
by,
And Deilevue's wooded hills" grow
bleak aud bare,
Deccmber's wintry winds are whisper
ing nigh,
And Icy messengers Of winter fill the r.
The woodlands axe ring. loud upor
the breeze,
As wariacd by thoughts Of ''Christma-
fires he rends
With sturdy strokes the topping hick-
org trees,
Then mounting high his homeward way
he wends.
Now praacing up the lane at Gilpin
pace,
Come three of Oxford's boys, with rod
and gun,
To storm the Bellevue fort, and Eli the
place
Whit noise, and captured rabbits, fish,
and fun.
Yet, Believes heart is lonely now, and
And by the hearthstone stands u vacant
chair;
For she, whose poesy made ever glad
The rural household, is no longer there.
But like the birds that seek u warmer
cline,
And quickly plume their flight if winter
come,
So this sweet bird of song and summer
time,
Has promptly fitted to her Southern
home.
But when at Bellevue, ''Christmas
cheer is spread,
And holly wreatns the festive walls
adorn,
One place shall be reserved, close to the
head,
One Christmas flower laid on her plate
each morn.
B. r. S. A..
Nov. 18th, 1881.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15
TTENs FROM REIDSvILLE WEEKLY,

ITEMS From REIDsvILLE WEEKLY
We have it from we'll authenticated
sources that the failure ~ two proNi-
nent tobacco houses in Nsw Orleans,
causes some Of our friends in this place
to loose, it is said, ~ ,much - fifteen
thousand dollars.
Joe Hays, Ell. Scales and Tilda Carter.
al co!orsd, ended Saturday night at =
late hour by aiverdict Of guilty, ~hica
met the cordial approval Of all who
heard evidence. The Judge assigned
Col. Staples and MI. Forbis, Of Green's
boro, and Julian 8. Johnston, as coun-
sci for the prisoners. They discharged
their duty to their clients. Tie State
was ably represented by the talented
son Of our Solicitor and Messrs. Long
and Bradfeld. The trial lasted several
days. He refused to request Of the
prisoners for a new bearing and con-
demnsd them to be hung on Friday,
the 18th of January. We regretted the
release Of ALI. Webster, one of the
prisoners, a. a States witness; but they
could not have convinced without his
testimony. We give it in substance as
follows:
Il worked with Nash Carter last
year; know the prisoners we'll. Joe Il
and [ ran after and were too intimate
with the deceased's wife. There was
4 party at FL Scales the night Of the
18th Of Decem Der. Joe, Tilda and |
went. Nash objected to Tilda's going
but we went anyway. Late At night
Nash came and wanted Tilda to go
home. She would not go; they had .
quarrel. Joe, FL and | went out and
made . bargain to kill him. Joe and
| went home with Tilda. We told her
what We were going to do. She said
agreed We decided we would 60 to
his house and sit up late and break his
rest so tina. he would go to sleep early
Friday night, when We could kill him.
We met there Thursday night and sat
up until IL o'clock. On Friday | get
q piece Of pillow line and D2de a running
moose out Of it and met Joe and FL at
the place where Mr.. Busick waters his
horses, which is but = shsrt distance
from Nash's. We went "a Nash's;
when we got there the door was closed.
[ knocked, and Tilda said ''Cems Ia"
Nah was shoe making; he was sittiA:
On his bench. He commenced noddiEg
pretty soon, when FL then threw the
rope around his neck. Joe. Ell AID
took hold Of it and jerked him suddenly
to the l,or. Joe cut his throat with
hi. s~hQs-knife, while Tilaa snothered
him with : pillaw and bed-quilt. He
bled a good deal; we caught a portion
| of the blood In = water bucket and
threw it out of a window. We took
the old clothes IF Of the bady and put
on bis Sunday clothes. We could not
got Mr.. Busick's horse Friday night,
80 y. took The b ,dy OUT in a hollow and
covered it NJ b i.av>s where it stayed
until SATURDAY night, ~hsn We kot Mr..
l}usIck horse aid my mule, anu Joe
and FL carried it solns seven or eight
miles in the direction Of Danbury, and
laid it uudsr an old field pine ssveral
yards from tbs road, where it was Iub-
s~equently found
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15

WONDERFUL EXHIBITs.-Ths exhibit
Of the Richmond and Danville Railroad
at the Atlanta Exposition embraces
every product found on the lire fro IN
Alexandria, Va, to Atlanta, Ga, and
includes minerals building stone, tim
Der, precious stones, tobacco, cotton
cereals in endless variety. There is 4
specimen Of natural coke from the Rich
monds coal fields. the only place where
the article has been found, which was
cut from a seam 7 feet thick.
A wonderful collection of forest pro-
ducts and specimens of fancy woods
from North Carollaaand Georgia shows
the Utmost boundless timber u
Of that section.
Besides coal, irsn and copper in mex
haustibls quantity, these States are
rich in precious metals and stones. In
gold there are about $500 specimens.
One nugget Of native gold weighs $500.
There are a $1,000 gold button, and
eight gold bricks from Georgia mines,
and quartz with free gold in wire, leaf
and GRADUATED forMs. All the pre-
cisus tones except the turquoise gen
are represented. There Is a Georgia
diamond weighing p cara:s, beautiful
in color and fine in cut. There are
sapphires. oriental and ether rubies
topaz, chslcedony, garnets, agstes.
green quartz, onyx, crystals, the opal
the pearl stcne in large blocks and the
pearl spar; also in the list are . number
Of specimens of the Hiddrnits Gan
emerald) found IN Alexander county.
n. G tia command, $40 carat, and
is in zig demand amond the lapidaris'
and manufacturing jewelers..
There is 4 large exhibit o. asbesto'
from Virginia, North Carolina and
Georgia, Of corudnn from North Care.
lima and kaolin, baryts, soarstone and
ocre clay. There are the finest speci-
mems of building al trimming marble
ever gathered together, and are Of every
quality and tint.
As we said last week, the f. 4 d.
Company deserve credit for this big
advertisement of our Resources, and We
take pleasure in calling attention to it.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15

RINGWOOD, \. e., Dec. ., 1881.
Mr. Frank Dunn, of New York City,
and Miss La Norman, daughter OF
Swain Norman, of Brinkleyville, this
county, We're unitei In matrimony last
night. May peace and contentment at
tend them through life.
I. A Jones. son Of our popular
week from Bingham school.
j. &. Sledge. of Nash, and Miss Nit.
tie Deem, Of Franklin, were married one
day last week.
Our town is improving. Dir. kitch-
IN, OF Scotland Neck, will soon have a
foundry and manufacturing mill in OPP
Grafton, and several new citizens will
move in by the first of the year.
Or. f. NJ.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15
The DASvILLE Il NEW RIVER RAIL

The DASVILLE Il NEW RIVER RAIL
RoAD.-The Danville x New River Mar
row Gauge Railroad was opened for
business on the Doth of November to
Cascade twenty-five miles from Dan
Vile. The event was celebrated by a
free excursion. This, the longest mar
row gauge road in the Eastern States,
will be completed to Henry Court House
in a few month, and thence to Junction,
On the Norfolk aud Western, near New
River. As far as completed the road
p ,sses through the fertile valley of the
Upper Dan river anu penetrates q coun-
try called the Garden of Eden by
Col. VIM. Byrd a hundred years ago,
when surveying the State line between
North Carolina and Virginia. Several
miles of it runs parallel to the line
of the North Carolina Midland, fourteen
miles of which is now graded at this
end and more of it further south, work
on which is expected to be pushed rap
idly after New ear. Near Cascade 1t
forms a junction with the Danville x
Mocksville Narrow Gauge Road, the
bed of which, as far as Leaksville, is
already laid with crossties and will be
ironed and opened for business to Leahes
vile by Christmas. There was great re-
joicn among the country people at the
opening of the road.-Greensboro Pr
trtOt.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15

Chattanooga, Tenn, Dec. IA
frishtful accident ON the Cincinnati
Southern Railway occurred tvs miles
north of here, at eight o'clock this
morning. The second section Of freight
train No. 10 ran into the first section,
killing Engineer Briee, his fireman,
and a brakeman, and tearing up the
track, dsmolishing the engine, and
damaging several CARS.
New York, Dec. l1.-Ssturdxy morn
ing at ten O'Clock the gap that has sx-
istad for so many months in the centre
Of the East River Bridge was closed,
and easy communication established be
tween the two towers. All the floor
beams on the upstream side OF the
bridge are now in position, and a
wooden door has been laid upon them.
Five floor beams yet remain to::bc hung
On the downstream side, and these WILL
probably be put in on Monday morning.
London, Dec, IA government
balloon in charge Of Captain Templer,
accompanied by Mr.. Walter Powell,
member Of Parliament for Malmesby,
and NJ. Gardner assembled from Path
yesterday, and descended at Bridge
port. The balloon struck the Ground
heavily, aud Mr.. Gardner aud Captain
Templer were thrown out and injured.
The balloon then arose with Mr.. Powell,
and was seen again to descend at sea.
| Nothing has since been heard Of the
balloon or Mr.. Powell.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15

TIE DUPLIN CANAL. - From Maj
w. l.. Young, Superintendent OF the
Duplin Canal, We learn that work is
progressing finely, the cutting being
about hundred yards per week. They
will soon be across the divide" al
commence draining the noted Gun
Swamp, for which the company is to
have ole half. The land, compris-
NJ about ten thousand acres will be
worth when drained, as estimated, in
the n~eighborhood of $25,O 600, whereas
in its present condition it is literally
worthless. 1t is believed that the com
pany already have enough money 10
feet its drainage.
No doubt seems now to be entertain
ed as to the ability of the company to
cut the fifteen miles from Bannerman's
Bridge TO Burton's Old Field for S o.
900, which was the original estimate
Major Young says the dlgg~ nave
struck what is known as the Jersey
green sand, said to be the most valuable
mari known, being composed of lime,
potash and magnesia. 1t is claimed to
be the first bed eve discovered In this
State thick enough to be worked, it be-
ing from three to four feet.
Some of the delinquent subscribers tC
the enterprise have been sued before
Justice Matthews and a verdict render
ed in favor of the Duplin Canal Compa
nv, and is is now understood that M
further trouble will be likely to occur,
as the subscribers have all expressed
their intention to pay the amounts o
their subscriptions.-Star.
The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-12-15

Senator Vance says that if he could
only recollect the decisions of the Su-
preme Court as well as he eau funny
stories. he would be AS difficult to over
come as was the lrishman who was
blown up in a tunnel. The unfortunate
Irishman's wife was lamenting In lugu-
brious tones over what was left of Pat,
when suddenly she Strengthened UP and,
with pride In her face, said: "Oh, but
Pat. when We wur alive there wasn't a
man in the mines couli stand before ye.
Sure God Almighty had to take a keg
of powder to ye."
Roxboro Herald: Miss Matt e &.
Bragg, a daughter of the late Gov.
Bragg, was married in Petersburg, Va.
on the oath ult. to Mr.. Robert w.
Prichard, a merchant Of that city.