davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
Our 0liu.
The Spider as an Aeronaut.

Mr.. Seth Green recently narrated from
his own observation how a spider constructs
balloon. If you anchor pole in body
of water, leaving the pole above the surface,
and put spider upon it, he will exhibit
marvellous intelligence by his plans to es-
cape At first, he will spin web several
inches long and hang to one end while he
allows the other to float off in the wind, in
the hope that it will strike some object.
Of course this plan proves a flilure, but
the spider is not discouraged. He waits
until the wind changes and then sends
another silken bridge floating off in another
direction. Another failure is followed by
several other similar attempts, until all the
points of the compass have been tried.
But neither the resources nor the reasoning
powers of the spider are exhausted. He
climbs to the top of the pole and energeti-
cally goes to work to construct a silken
balloon He has no hot air with which to
initiate it, but he has the power of making
it buoyant. When he gets his balloon
finished he does not 20 off upon the mere
supposition that it will carry him as men
often do, but he fastens to it guy-rope,
the other end of which he attaches to the
island pole upon which he is a prisoner.
He then gets into his aerial vehicle, while
it is made fast, and tests it to see whether
its dimensions are capable of the work Of
bearing him away He often finds that he
has made it too small. in which case he
hauls it down. takes it all apart and con
structs it on larger and better plan. A
spider has been seen to make three differ
ent balloons before he became satisfied with
his experiment Then he viii get in snap
the guy-rope and sail away to land as grace
fully and as supremely independent of his
surroundings as could well be imagined
Mr.. Green stated that he had repeatedly
witnessed such actions by spiders, and that
he feels convinced that II Is reason, with
which the Creator Of all things endowed
the animals, that enable them to free them
selves from their prison. Rochester Dem.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
Bonedust and Wood Ashes.

An Indiana farmer sends to the fSacti-
tical Farmer the following results of ex-
periments with bonedust and wood ashes
on wheat applied 600 pounds of dry,
unleached ashes to the acre, and sowed
wheat on that, and the result was only 6
bushels to the acre. Adjoining this tract
| drilled in 200 pounds of bone, and three
acres produced 20 bushels to the acre, being
an increased yield of "A bushels over the
tract sown with wood ashes. The following
year used 200 pounds of bonedust on the
plat which | had previously sown 600
pounds Of ashes, and the result was forty
bushels of wheat to the acre, being double
what the bone produced alone. This ex-
pertinent satisfied me that ashes alone, or
bone alone, would not give me yield that
paid to my satisfaction. The acre with
ashes Welded six bushels, the acre with
bonedust twenty bushels, but when the two
were combined l harvested forty bushels
This showed what experiments and small
expenditure of money viii do for the pro-
gressiye farmer
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
Bic Bridges.

According to the .ScieRfihc 1mricapi.
the largess masonry arch in the world--an
arch which forms part of one the most i'm
portant engineering achievements of recent
years. the aqueduct by which the city
Of Washington is supplied with water.
The arch in question carries the aqueduct
over Cabin John Greek. with a span of 220
feet. The height of the arch is l0l feet,
and the width Of the structure 20 feet The
arch forms the are of a circle, having a
radius Of l34. .2S5 feet When the centre
seafolding was removed, the arch unlike
all other works of the kind did not settle,
the keystone having been set in winter
and the centre struck in summer. The
other notable masonry arches Of the world
are the Chester arch across the river Dee,
at Chester, England, with span of 200
feet the famous centre arch of the new
London bridge over the Thames, with a
span Of l52 feet Pont-y- Prydd over the
Taft, in Wales, 140 feet the bridge across
the Seine, at Neuilly, France, with five
spans, each of 12s feet; the nine spans OF
the Waterloo Bridge of London, each l2U
feet; and the celebrated marble Rialto
Bridge in Venice, with span of 984 feet
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
The Deadly Linden.


\ st. Louis physician says the linden
tree Is dangerous to health, being ike the
deadly upas tree Of the East. The St
Louis doctor has been making investiga-
tiohs, and be says Just in the spring
when the sap was about to rise / wounded
nv trees in several places and collected the
exuding gum carefully | found in it a
nsw and singular alkaloid to which we gave
the name Of :" lindoline and which fully
justified my fears IL Is most deadly
poison-soine akin 10 the eurare or wooreh
poison Of South America A very small
inoculatiOn upon she skin Of cat made
with a needle simply dipped in the hndo-
hne killed the animal in eighteen seconds.
Il acts as q nerve exeitant of great power,
and has a real value in the materia medica
as an antidote 10 morphine poisoning and
other cases Of that kind but it must be
greatly diluted in order 10 do anything OF
this Kind. as it is intensely virulent ] am
quite sure that pin-scrateh touched with
lindoline would kin msn in couple OF
minutes OF course like all poisons Of
this kind. il is not one-tenth as effective in
the stomach as when inOeulated, still il Is
of course deadly
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
A Trife Mixed.

A fashionable young lady visited cook
inc school the other afternoon, where her
attention was equally divided between a
new dress worn by an acquaintance and the
directions for making a cake. Upon re-
turning home she undertook to write down
the receipt for the cake for her mother,
and the old lady was paralyzed when she
read. Take two pounds of flour, ten
rows Of pleating down the front, the whites
of two eggs cut bias, pint of milk ruffled
around the neck, half pound of eurrants
with seven yards of bead trimming, grated
lemon peel with Spanish lace fchu, stir
well and add semi-6ting paletot with Wis
ite sleeves, butter the pan with Brazilian
topaz necklace, garnish with iceing and
ietted passementerie, bake in moderately
hot oven until the overskirt is tucked from
the waist down on either side and finish
with large satin bows" Her mother said
she wouldn't eat such cake and she
thought these new tangled ideas in cooking
ought to be frowned down.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
A ships Log.

The speed Of vessels Is approximately de
termined by the use of the log and log-line.
The log is a triangular or quadrangular piece
of wood about quarter Of an inch thick,
80 balanced by means of plate of lead as
To swim perpendicularly in the water, with
about two-thirds of it under the water.
The log-line is small cord, one end Of
which. divided into three 50 that the wood
hangs from the cord as a scale-pan from a
balance-beam. is fastened to the log, while
the other is wound round a reel in the ship.
The log, thus poised, keeps its place in the
water. while the line is unwound from the
reel as the ship moves through the water,
and the length of line unwound in given
time gives the rate of the ships sailing.
This is calculated by knots made on the
line at certain distances, while the time Is
measured by sand glass of a certain num-
Der of seconds. The length between the
knots is so proportioned to the time OF the
glass that the knots unwound while the
glass runs down show the number of miles
the ship is sailing per hour. The first knot
is placed about FIVE fathoms from the log,
to allow the latter to get clear of the ship
before the reckoning commences, TINS IS
called the stray-line.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
The Reindeer.

The reindeer. which in one way or an
other manages to be almost the entire sup
port of the Lapps who have herds, Is a
large animal, with remarkable independence
Of character. He win not accept shelter
under cover. no matter how inelement the
weather may be Neither win he eat any
food that is offered hils he prefers to seek
his own sustenanee. which consists prinei-
pally of peculiar moss, and as this grows
verv slowly, requiring about seven years in
which to reach maturity, the Lapp must
shift his home from time to time to meet
the necessities of his herd In midwinter
the moss may be covered by several feet of
snow. but the deer digs hole with his feet,
and disappears from the surface, buTowing
his way through the snow as he follows his
nose from one tuft of moss to another.
The flesh of the reindeer Is quite pala-
table and nutritious, his skin makes very
warm garments as well as durable harness,
and cheese made of reindeer milk Is very
rich, although the quantity of milk yielded
per day seems scarcely worth taking, as it
amounts to mere teaeupful.-Harpers $
I HdqdziHe.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
The Tides of the Chesapeake.

The subject of the tides has been one of
interest to mariners and landsmen for long
time A curious fact, as stated, is that it
is always ebb tide at Cape Henry at moon
rising or setting; it is always high tide at
New Point Comfort at moon rising or set
ting it is always low tide at Hooper's
Straits at moon rising or setting, and high
tide at Sandy Point at the same time, and
food tide at all points above Sandy Point
when the morn rises or sets. \ vessel en-
tering the eapes with a strong fair wind at
the beginning Of food tide may carry the
same tide to Baltimore. But vessel leav-
ing Baltimore for the capes will encounter
three food tides on her way, no matter how
fast she may sail, and it may be that she
will have to contend against several more
if she has head wind. Every food tide
that enters the Chesapeake bay goes to the
head of every tidewater stream or tributary
of the bay, while the same ebb tide does
not run more than sixty miles, and some
times great deal less, so that there are al
ways two ebb tides and two food tides in
the Chesapeake bay at the same time, and
sometimes three of one or the other The
food tide runs about six hours, the ebb
runs little longer, so that twelve hours
and forty minutes are required for a flood
tide and ebb tide to pass the same point.
1t is always food tide in the Wicomico
river on the morning of Easter, and the
same at Whitsunside.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

A practical mechanic suggests the follow
ing method of securing tires on wheels
Before putting on the tires, fill the felloes
with hot linseed oil brought to boiling
heat. The timber in spokes and felloes
should be dry, as green timber viii not alb
sorb the oil, and care should be taken that
the oil is not made hotter than boiling heat,
or the timber will be burned. The spokes
should also be well rubbed with the hot oil.
Timber filed with oil in this way is not
susceptible of injury by water, and is rem
dered much more durable by this process.
After the wood has thoroughly absorbed
the oil it should be left standing for some
days before the paint and yarnish is applied
If these directions are observed, the tires
never get loose and the spokes and felloes
remain firm until the tires wear out,
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

THg GREAT GERMAN WAsH--lt Is the
custom in Germany to wash tabIelinen and
sheets as seldom ss pseeiile Indeed, il Is
even a sign of wealth. when one washes these
things but four times a year, because IT
shows that lots og them are posssessed BY the
family. MhetheT the custom \ nice one
OF NOT. there can be no doobt about the
work !, causes. A soon n this great wash
began We gave up all bat the most import
ant hoslse aud kitchen work and you might
have secn Us standing. all eight Of rs, round
a huge tub. rubbing with soap in bot water
the sheets and napkins Certainly il was
severe labor. and many hands bled fast the
frSs evening. But while standing and
washing, even if alnost tired to death
hy work ~ unaccust0med, We tired 10 sweet
en- il by cheerful part songs- When the
washing was finished. Carl the eoachman,
had put the horses to the wagon. All the
things, hcapcd up in large white baskets,
were put ON it, We got in after. and Oh It
went down to the little river. There the things
we're unloaded, and each Of Us. kneeling ON
board. rinsed out the linen IN the clear
flowing water dare say that tins part
of the wash was the most amusing one
whether it was the kneehug at the river or
the happy thought that it would be soon at
an end, | am SURE don't know. But we
were certainly in high spirits, and Carl, who
silently watched Us, often had 10 get out OF
the way of the shoots Of water that we ex-
trayagant girls sent at him The CoF'aha'
Usgnztsse.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
Use of the Eyes.

The man who avoids excesScs Of every
description has a fair chance Of retaining
his eyesight until old age sets in \ time
comes to everyone when the physical pow
en- begin to decay. and then Unless the
brain has been kept active and recipient by
exercise, there is nothing left to live and
the man perishcs We say that be dies Of
gout. or oyer-eatiRg, or of heart disease, or
Of the failure Of the particular organ which
was the first TO exhibit symptoms Of the
approaching epd. Ia reality he has died Of
stupidity, artiheially produced By neglect Of
the talents with which he WIS endowed
Tha, which Is true af the organism as a
whole is true also Of is parts and the
eyes, among others, are bes, treated BY an
amount; of systematic uSe which preserves
the tone of their muscles and the regularity
of their blood supply. Aeuteness Of sight
is aided by the attention bestowed upon
obiecss within the range Of vision. In
people who canng, rad. the sight Is FAR from
acute I have even bad rsason 70 think
that the wives ef such men are indebted to
their household necdlework Tor the main
tenance Of higher standard It vision than
thai &C their husbands; and ] have no
lonbf that idlcngSz &c The eyes, If | may
ne such an expression, Is in every way
hnrtful to them, and that proper and va
ned employment Is eminently conductive to
their preservation in both beauty and eth
eieney
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26
Select 4oetru.
SONG OF THE SEASONS.

Gaunt winter finging fakes of snow,
Deep burdening field and wood and hlli;
Dim days, dark nights, slow trailing fogs,
And bleakened air severe and chill.
And swift the seasons circling run
And stin they change till all is done.
Young spring with promise in her eyes,
And fragrant breath from dewy mouth,
And magic touches for the hooks
Ofbudding flowers when wind is south.
And swift the seasons circling run
And so they change tin all is done
Then summer stands erect and tall,
With early sunrise for the lawn,
Thick foliaged woods and glittering seas,
And loud bird chirpings in the dawn.
And swim the seasons circling run
And so they change tin all is done.
Brown autumn, quiet with ripe fruits.
And hay-yards stacked with harvest gold,
!. And Gery hushes for the leaves,
And silent cleud-skies soft outrolled.
And 50 the seasons circling run
And still they change till all is done.
swim speeds our life from less to more,
The child, the man, the work, the rest,
The SOLDERING mind, the ripening sSui,
TIL yonder all is bright and blest.
For so the seasons eircling r%l--
And swift they change tin airs done.
Yes. yonder-if indeed the orb
Oflife revolves round central light.
For ever true to central force
And steadfast, comes the balm Of blight
And so indeed the seasons run
And last is best when all is done.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

BUTTERMILK AS A VERMIN DESTROY
ER.-The Chambersburg, Pa, TaHey Sp'r-
e saws .-''1Tr Jacob 0yler, of Falling
Spring, practical farmer, says, after trying
various remedies TO destroy vermin on hive
stock the use of buttermilk was suggested
to him. He has tried it many times and
it has Eever failed. He simply gives the
animal afflicted by the vermin a thorough
rubbing from head to foot with buttermilk
and one application usually produces the re-
suit desired Mr. 0yler believes that many
animals have been permanently injured by
the use of many of the remedies compound
ed and sold for this purpose Buttermilk
is perfectly harmless. 1t sleeks the hair
and aids the growth, and, altogether, seems
to be the simplest and best application that
is now used for the purpose we have
named"
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

THE UsEs or FALLEN LEAVES
Leaves have to be gathered up. They are
excellent to mix with hot bed material, and
were it practicable, should be saved for this
purpose They do not heat 50 rapidly as
Stable manure, and in this have an advant-
age as tempering the violence makes the
manure last longer and maintain more
regular heat. They are excellent material
to put round cold frames to protect half
hardy plants. A board is put up to the
height of the frame boards, and about a
foot or more from them, and the leaves in
between. If the plants are somewhat ten
der, the bottom of the frames may be filed
for few feet with the leaves These
leaves after having been two or three years
decaying make an admirable stuff for plants
and flowers generally.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

A Western constable held an execution
against farmer, and when he called for a
settlement, the agriculturist took him out
into the pasture and pointed out wild
steer as the particular piece ofproperty that
should be levied upon. The constable
chased the steer around for while, and
than sat down, and taking out his book be-
gan to write.
"What are you doing there p asked the
granger.
Charging mileage, replied the consta-
BILE, without looking up.
..Do have it all to pay?' gasped the
rancher.
''YOu bet.
"Then take this tame heifer here.
cant stand any such game as that
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

About 5000 persons in Texas devote
themselves strictly to sheep raising, while
many farmers own focks. The stock is
being gradually improved, and now hun
dreds of thousands of excellent graded
sheep, which yield fine clips twice a year
and make good mutton, and feeding onthe
Texas prairies. Wool values in the state
have doubled FIVE times since they started,
it is said, and Texas promises soon to lead
all other States in this production.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

How THE FRENCH KILL PouLTRY.-
Open the beak of the fowl, and with a
sharp pointed, narrow -bladed knife make an
incision at the back of the roofofthe mouth,
which will divide the vertebre and cause
instant death, after which the fowls are
hung up by the legs. They will bleed per
fectly, with no Disagreement picked while
warm, and if desired sealded. In this way
!. the skin presents more natural appear
ance than when scalded
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

yes, sir said Mr. g., lit was funny
enough to make donkey laugh laughed
till cried, and then as he saw smile go
round the room. he got mad and left
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

The leaves of the common dandelon are
very acceptable to horses, They are an
excellent medicine, having very beneficial
effect upon the healthy, and making the hair
sleek and glossy.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

Pigs that have been raised on milk, grass,
clover, tubers and roots till they weigh $50
or 200 pounds are generally health. They
are then in good condition to fatten
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

There is only one thing that is more
terrible than to say mean thing, and that
is to do one.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

What was it dot Shake speare !?
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-11-26

Peoples intentions can only be decided
by their conduct.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-20
Reeds GiltEdge Tonic prevents malaria
Mexican Wake.

San Antonio Express;
There was a wake in this city last
evening at the residence Of Francisco
Ramos, a Mexican, on Loyoso street,
adjoining the San Antonio ice factory.
A child eight months Of age died yes
terday morning, and the parents did
not weep but rejoiced over the loss.
They loved their little one, yet re-
ioiced because it was taken away in
its purity of infancy to join the angel
host up ycnder. They were glad that
they had thus been instrumental in
adding another chorister to the host
staging hosannahs on high. So they
determined to demonstrate their re-
ioicing to the world by inviting friends
and relatives about them and having a
dance-a wake, as the world regards
such demonstrations. An Express
representative CHANGED around to the
place about 9 o'clock pm, found the
house brilliantly lighted, and quite a
number of persons present. A harper,
seated in front Of the entrance door,
was playing a familiar waltz, and
three or four couples within we're
dancing to the music. Under the gal
lery shed and just behind the harper,
Law the dead infant, a pretty little
girl. She was dressed in black, and
had been placed upon a box that was
covered with white cloth, trimmed
with red about the borders. The
hands Of the infant were nicelyfOlded,
within them was placed a bouquet OF
artificial flowers of crimson hue
Resting loosely about the head Of the
deceased ONE was acoronet of white
artificial flowers, and a similar wreath
encircled the lifeiess frame, while
roses and pinks, and several kinds OF
wild flowers were strewn promlscu-
ously about the remains. The little
departed one was nestled in a bed of
natural and artificial flowers and
wreaths of vines.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-06-20
Monday evening, June 20, IsaI.
An Odd Visitor In East Tennes-
zee.

cambridge watchman and Reporter, 1871
Last Saturday evening Rev. Z. n.
Experiden. claiming to be a monk of
the Greek church, and a Bulgarian by
nationality, arrived at our wharf 10 a
small skiff, where he pitched his tent.
His attire was that Of the usual Turk
ish style; his bed consisted ot o large
wolf skin and blanket, and his tent
just large enough to cover himself and
beautiful setter dog, which followed
him and obeyed readily every com
maud. His Turkish raiment and ain
gular appearance caused him consid-
cradle ridicule and insult from the
rude boys of the town. which should
not be allowed. He speaks many
languages, seems to have a good idea
of the condition of our country, is
extremely republican in politics, and
expresses himself so wherever he goes.
When not travelling he generally
makes his hone in jerusalem. where
he breaches to a Greek church. He
is fifty.four years OF age, and was born
at Varna, in Bulgaria. Turkey, a town
sixty-fve miles from COustontinople.
He lectured at the courthouse last
night TO an intelligent and attentive
audience.