davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
Some Facts About Raeearat,

In certain circles in New York bac-
carat has to some extent taken the place
of our great national game, poker. Bac-
carat is the faireSt game that can be
played against bank. There is no zero
and double zero, as in roulette, nor is
there the ''splits of faro. The banker
has absolutely nothing in his favor eX-
cept the guessing" which his antagonist
has to constantly perform. There is
general belief that it is impossible to
cheat at baccarat, but this is quite mis-
take, although in clubs and gambling
places the possibility of cheating is re-
duced to a minimum by the use of cards
with monOgrams upon them. Baccarat
is played in New York clubs with four
packs of cards, and before dealing these
packs arc carefully shuffied by the deal
er. When the play begins, the banker
gives one card to the right, one to the
left, and one to himself, and then he
repeats the operation; court cards and
| tens count as zero, and if in his two cards
| he can get nine, he wins all the stakes
placed upon the cards given to the play
ers on the right and left.
The cheating bankerputs all the packs
before him, with the backs to himself
and their faces to the players Suppose
| that there is three facing the players;
| the confederate notes this as the ''bank-
err moves it to the top of the packs, and
| so soon as six appears at the bottom of
the pack the confederate makes a sign
| to the banker" who at once moves it
to the top of the packs, taking care to
| place two cards between it and the three
and two cards above it. When he deals,
his own two cards are consequently six
and three, making nine. He thus ar
ranges series of consecutive coups
which he is certain to win. The cards
are then handed to be cut, and by a
trick which consists of pushing some
cards and slipping others, which, al
though impossible to explain, is not diff
ficult in practice, he annuls the cut, leav.
ing his series at the top of the pack
where he had placed it. An adroit chea
can arrange a series without any very
lengthy shuffiing.
The player cheats the banker in thi
way: He puts nine up his sleeve; whel
he is given two cards, he takes tht
chance of one of them being a ten o
court card. Supposing that he gets 1
ten and three, he takes the cards up
LnfOWS tne tnree up HIS SieeNc' "u'
brings from it the nine, then he exhibit
ten and nine, and thus wins. An.
one with very small practice as con
jurer can do this without fear of detec
ton
Quite recently an officer of the Britisl
army was detected in cheating ut bac
carat at the Roast club. He was in tn
habit of putting q five-pound note jus
outside the line on which the stakes wer
placed. If his card lost, he withdrey
the note; if it won, he pushed the not
within the line. The club expelled him
as did another club of which he was
member, and he killed himself.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
A Double Elopement.

Whitehall, says the Albany argus, Is
Just now alive with the romance OF
double elopement, the extremely young
bride first running away from the ma
ternal arms to those of her ardent swain,
and thon, tiring quickly of him, she and
her mother have both skipped out to-
gether. James Greenough, youthful
employe of the National Express Com
pany, had become enamored of To-
year-old young lady in Pqpltney, the
daughter of the widow Boufhe, who is
herself daughter of the late Alanson
Douglass BY the connivance and aid
of s'mutual friend" the young people
met unknown to the mother, and tho
mystic knot was tied by too-willing
clergyman. They then separated, Green
ough returning to his home in White
hall, and the bride of an hour started
for Poultney to gently break the news to
her mother. Somehow the mir OF Con-
ductor Frost's car had a chilling effect
upon her matrimonial felicities, and by
the time she reached Poultney and the
home gate had closed behind her, she
was prepared to accept the mothers ad-
vice so frequently given to never again
see her liege lord. Poor GreenOugh
w
| promised arrival of his bride till his ar
dor knew no bounds. Then he did not
fly on the wings of love to Poultney, but
hied himself there as fast as steam could
carry him via Castleton. Arriving at
the Bourne from which he had awaited
in vain his loved ones return, he knock
ed only to be denied admission, and was
coolly told that she did not wish to have
more to do with him. While paralyzing
at the front door, smart-looking young
lad walked briskly out of the yard. and
the Greenough Whitehaller did not rec
ognize in the features those OF his coy
bride, who was thus masquerading in
male attire to avoid his persistence.
Deeming that his lady-love was being
held an unwilling prisoner, the amateur
husband sought the aid of a, Rutland
lawyer to break the bonds, that held her
from his arms The bride. and her
mother hearing of this, the latter made
hasty arrangements for a rapid retreat
from Poultney and vicinity, and they
lightly skipped to the train which bore
them to distant refuge, which is at
present unknown to the disconsolate
Greenough.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
A Wilde Seance.

While Capt. Foster was swapping lies
with Ned Fry, out at the Cliff house,
San Francisco, last week. Oscar drove
up with Mr.. Lock, and, taking stain
ed-glass attitude on the balcony, was
for some minutes lost in a contempla-
ton of the grand old ocean breaking on
the cliffs far down below him.
'How grand the roar of the ocean,"
he said, dreamily, to the captain.
The captain was little taken back,
but agreed that it was.
''Would any price be too great for the
glory of watching hour by hour, and
day by day. through the placid waveless
days of summer and the grand turbu-
lence of the wintry gale?'
''Fifty a month"; said the captain,
who, while Oscar sighed unheeded, ask
ed Fry what kind of a canary bird it
was, anyhow.
After time they went to the bar,
where Oscar ordered ''some milk, fresh
from nature odorous laboratory" while
the others took a little lemon in theirs.
Then Fry and the captain and another
gentleman sat down to play ''dollar
ante"
s'What eeZe dollar ante?n said Oscar,
dreamily, in mezzo-soprano sigh.
They explained.
L, too, will ill in the passing day, if l
may" ,...
''Of course" and they gave him seat
and chuckled way down in their bronchi-
al tubes. #... ..... ....
A great sadness was upon him.
| Sometimes an unutterable melancholy
would fill with dark shadows his dream
ing eyes. but he said little-only sighed.
Capt. Foster did not sigh. Several
/ times he might have been heard to say
something about dynamite.
Mr. Frv was also little melancholy,
but talked in different strain, several
times saying, limpidly, the luck" !"
| By and by it was Oscars deal, and he
caressed the cards gently and distribut-
ed them mournfully, like crumbs at COM
| munion.
Everybody went in. The captain
took two cards. Fry took one and Oscar
one.
II will contribute five spot" said
the captain, locating a tive-dollar piece
in the center of the green.
s.It will cost you five more,' remark
ed Mr.. Fry disseminating a ten.
"Beshrew me, but | am oppressed
with doubt" murmured Oscar. Gould
l but penetrate the dark veil of the flu
ture-but no; nay, then will risk all, y
and he doubtfully and sadly put up his
portion.
''Ten harder" said the captain.
"Ten more than you, remarked Fry.
Oscar knitted his brow. Verify
am in the vortex, and the o'ershadow-
ing sky is murky, but must stay.
will how do you phrase it-call, call OIL
you.'
And the captain joined the merry
throng.
Three aces" said he.
Full hand,n said Fry proudly, as hi
showed his cards and reached for thu
money.
'.Too-too," the poet murmured, as hi
almost weepipgly laid down four deuces
And when the captain had flung hi
cards out of the window and Fry wa
making the air blue with interjections
Oscar winked his eye audibly, and re
marked in his natural frame of mind:
Nov that l remember it, gentlemen
we used to indulge in this little recrea
ton at Oxford Come and take a sniff
: er with me-NeW York NcWs.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15

One thing in the treatment of work.
horses in hot weather we are disposed
to deprecate, viz: The custom of water
ing them three times day, and no
more. 1t is simply cruelty on the part
of man toward his beast to compel the
team to plow or NOW from early morn
ing until noon, or from noon until night,
without allowing it the privilege Of q
refreshing draught. 1t is inconvenient,
many times, to water the team during
the forenoon or afternoon, and we are
not apt to think the time thus taken
lost, but when the farmers millennium
comes, there will probably be drinking
in every field, supplied from some ele-
waited spring, or from running stream.
In the meanwhile, time ''lost'' in doing
good, even though it may be in behalf
of the dumb animals, is well ''lost'' 1T
may be regained. Could they speak, it
might be to say that they would like to
be treated in the matters of times for
food and drink, somewhat as we-their
wise masters accustomed to treat
ourselves. s.-IndiG1sa Farmer.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
Insects in Brazil,

Mr Ernest Morris, the young traveller
anu naturalist, who has lust returned
from Brazil, repeats the general obser-
yatlon OF explorers that the exuberance
OF insect life is the principal obstacle to
the enjoyment of oiourn in that part
OF the world. Cockroaches swarm in
every house, despite the inroads of an
army OF spiders which sally forth from
every chink to prey upon them; scor-
plons are intrusive and dangerous;
small red insect called the ''mecuim' is
an intOlerable annoyance; at certain
hours of the day the air is black with
flies and mosquitoes; and ants are a
universal plague. To battle these last
named foes of peace Mr. Morris was
obliged to keep his entire collections on
hanging shelves, the cords of which
We're soaked in the oil of copaiba. ''The
most destructive ant in Brazil, " says Mr..
Morris, sis the sanba. 1t will strip
trees OF their foliage in single night,
andin many places orange trees cannot
be grown for this reason. The tocan-
deira is very large ant, the bite of
which is poisonous and makes q painful
sore. L was once rendered unable to
work for week from bite received
from one of these ants. Some species
travel in large bodies, marching in a
straight line, and never turning to the
right or left. If house lies in the track
OF one OF these marching bodies, unless
they are completely exterminated, they
will pass through. Nothing will be in
jured, but every crack and Granny will
be explored, and not spider nor cock
roach will survive the visitation. They
are therefore regarded as friends, and
their advent is always welcomed. Go
where you will in Brazil, you will meet
ants. You live, sleepand eat with them
and eat them, too"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
The Commercial History of Isabella's

Lying upon the desk of Gov. Noble,
at the New York Custom House seizure
room, was 81 magnificent jewel. 1t was
ring formerly worn by Queen Isabella
of Spain, and was one of the collections
of Jewels soldin Europe for her Majesty 8
account about three years ago. 1t had
been seized for non-paymcnt OF duties,
the allegation being that it was smug-
gled into port.
Speaking of the seizure of the ring,
Capt. Bracket, said: "If man or wo-
man of great wealth and high social
position bring into this country jewels
as part of their articles of wear. they are
passed free, under the supposition that
! they are for their own individual use
If subsequently the parties who bring
! them in are reduced in circumstances,
aud are compelled to sell them. L doubt
! if the government could claim or collect
any duties. But in this case it is differ
ent. The man who brought this jewel
here, is undoubtedly wealthy, but he did
not bring it here for his own use, as Is
shown by the fact that he put it on the
market at Albany Immediately. There
being no purchaser for it there, it was
sent here"
The ruby in the center is oval III shape
magniticently cut, and is fifteen
carat stone, the largest of its kind evel
brought to this country.
The diamonds, twelve in number
cluster around the ruby, and are one
carat stones each Every kind of rusc
was rcsorted to to keep the officers from
seizing the ring, but Capt. Braeke
threatened to put the entire establish
ment in the hands of the officers unles
it was surrendered, and the threat has
the desired effect.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15

General Hints.-Care and economy
are the farmers best friends, except
hard cider and credit at the grocery
store. The small details of management
should never be neglected. Hyonr har-
row is in bad condition, send it to a
dentist and have new teeth put in. If
the boys run away with your plowshares
to ''shy" at vagrant dogs. send to Mr..
Jay Gould and get new shares. Be
careful to avoid setting hens on nests
composed entirely. of china eggs. When
you find your cucumber yines running
all over your neighbor's property. tie
them up and try to get them to stay at
homo at night by providing them with
innocent recreation. On the night be-
fore sending your chickens to market
feed them with buckshot painted yellow.
The chicken takes it for corn, and it is
both cheaper and heavier If there is
any dye left over after you have colored
your Easter eggs and your flannel un-
derclothing spill it on your wife's dah-
las and sell them to the city secdmen
for new varieties. If you keep bee
hives you will find it advisable to ex-
tract the stings of the bees. This may
easily be done by sending the hired man
out to stir up the hives with short
stick. He will bring most of the stings
back with him.-Puck.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
Angus Macdonald's Farm.

Angus Macdonald was q farmer from
Charlotteburg, County Glengarrv, who
arrived in Winnipeg few days ago.
Angus. in his own estimation and in the
estimation of his friends, was a shrewd
man. He WAS hardly in the place before
an old acquaintance of his ran up against
him, slapped him on the back in a friend
ly way. and said:
I'm glad you've come up. Twas
just going to send for you" After their
greetings he continued: "By the way,
Angus, you own farm out near Mimi
edosa?"
'.Yes"
GLOW much will you take for it?"
81 don't know said Angus. 81
Thought of settling on it myself
We'll, I'll tell you what. I'll give you
$4,000 for it
Angus thought before leaving Glen
garry that if he got s., ,OOOforit he would
be doing well, but he was nowin the
land OF booms, and so he asked for it
$4,000.
'sWell, here's $50 on the bargain, and
well sign the papers Tomorrow" And
the purchaser rushed off.
Before two hours had passed Angus
ran against another old acquaintance.
''Glad to see you, Angus; glad you
came up. There's splendid chance
for you. By the way, see you rogis-
tered as owning a farm near Minnedo-
sa. How much do you want for that
farm?"
'fge just sold it." said Angus.
Glow much did he give you?"
Six thousand five hundred dollars"
The dickens he did. Why, I'll give
you $4,000 for it. You go to the pur-
chaser and get him to release you, and
I'll give you the $4,000
Angus wished that he was back in St.
Raphaels or anywhere else, since he had
made such fool of himself. However,
all he could do was to try and get the
farm back, So who does he run across
within fifteen minutes but purchaser
No. l.
Says Angus: ''Fm sorry sold you
my farm. I'd like to get it back Here's
your $50, and we'll be where we We're"
''Oh, l can't do that. bought a farm,
and will have the papers ready to-mor-
row."
After further higgling, Angus offered
him $500 to break the bargain.
With great reluctance the first pur-
chaser took the $500-one hundred new
IS bills of the Bank of Montreal-and
gave back to Angus the temporary
agreement of sale.
Angus was happy again, and set out
to find buyer No. 2.
He found him not. No. l and. No. 2
were pal confidence men. Angus was
the sucker from Ontario, and $3.50 was
the net amount that they stung him for.
-Guelph Herald.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15

An Iowa minister sends us the follow
ing. vouching for it as occurring precise
ly as stated:
Being assisted by an evangelist, the
latter took up the case of Job one even
ing. AS has been the favorite practice
with the evangelists for few years past,
the patriarch of patience was set forth
as an illustriOus case of hypocrisy. After
the service asked him if he remember
ed the Lords Judgment of Jobs char
acter as given in His question to Satan:
''Hast thou considered my servant Job.
that there is none like him in the earth,
as perfect and an upright man, one that
feareth God and escheweth evil?' NV
friend was not man to be- concerned
nor to be daunted by quotation Eyes,
l remember it, but the Lord was only
getting Satan's opinionr' l thought of
the man in Proverbs and of the seven
men who could render a reason, and
was silent.
Of many men it is still true as of many
men In old Chaucer's day:
For whanne that he himself concluded had
He thot eche other names wit so bad
That impossible it were to reple
Agenst his device. This was his fantaser
On another occasion brother of the
hard-shell order had been holding q
series OF meetings in our place. He was
to close on Sabbath evening, and as the
chapel of our Baptist friends was small
and neighboring church wished to Join
with them in the closing service 1 offer
ed them my own church. Itwas thank
fully accepted, and on the evening named
was densely crowded. The worthy man
road for fha Sn,.i,atr,,a 1aScDr
OF the lame man at the pool. Pausing
and looking around he said, 81 want
you to take notice, my candid friends,
that this modern habit of finding fault
with the miracles of our Saviour is no
new thing. 1t is as old a. the time of
the Saviour Himself Before His eyes
the Jews found fault with every one of
His miracles; with every one. every onet'
He gathered confidence with the repeti-
ton, and said to the Baptist minister on
his left, only brother, do you remember
one miracle with which they did not find
fault?H Eoloring, he answered mod
estly, "Why, don't think of any just
now" This added to his confidence
and he turned in triumph to me. ''Brother
C., do you remember onea A single
one" | was in hopes the question would
be enough. and that he would pass on
in his reading. But no; like Brutus. he
paused for q reply. His eyes were fixed
ON me, and the eyes of the whole con-
gregation. 1t was getting serious for
me. for it was case of George Wash
ingbon and his little hatchet, and could
not tell a lie. An inconvenient memory
brought up Il number of cases and /
would have been Glad 10 keen still. Rut
it was of no use. "A single one. Brother
c.; do you remember a single one?'' l
ventured, diffidently. to say that | did
not just remember any objection made
at the raising the son of the widow of
Main. He paused moment. looked at
me, then at the wall, then at the people.
81 was thinking about that case! There
wasn't much said right about the spot,
but | thought l heard a little grumbling
up on the outskirts -
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
Oscar Wilde Paralyzed by Train Boy

Oscar Wilde Paralyzed by Train Boy.
A man who was on the same train
with Oscar Wilde coming from Reno to
Ogden relates an amusing experience.
Wilde was lounging back in his seat,
dreaming of the asphodel, etc. ' when
the train-boy woke him up by punching
him in the side and shouting:
'.Hoscar Wilde's poems for 10 cents"
The Poet started up to Il sitting posi-
ton, with: "Great Gurod! Is it possible
that my poems have reached such beast
ly figures as that?'
.'rhree for two bits,'' continued the
boy.
He offered the poet some copies of the
Seaside Library edition in paper covers.
'.Do you know, my dear sir, that you
are lending your countenance to hell
ish infringement on the right of an En-
g1ish author?"
'.Is that so?" replied the boy slowly.
'Do you 'spose the feller that rit the
book cares d? Why he won't know
it.''
"Of course he will. How can your
| guilty acts escape his cognizance?'
His cognuzzence amt anything to
me- 1t amt loaded, is its''
Il am the author of those poems"
"Ah, 90 way" snickered the boy
"You are wringing in for a commish
'Twon't work, Gully. Folks put up jobs
on me every day. Here, take waste
peanut and fill up. If thought such
looking chap as you rit them lines
dye suppose I'd peddle 'em? No, sir
Eve too much blarsted professions
pride, you know. They're cheap, d'yt
see? Blarst my pictures if l don't fee
like was footpad every time takes
q short bit for the rubbish"
The crowd roared, and Wilde joined
heartily in the laugh. After the boz
was assured that the man was nom
other that the poet, he went to Wilde
and offered him half dozen oranges t.
call it square.-SaH Lake Tribune.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
An Echo of Bygone Years.

A song comes back from the bygone years,
Whose melody never grows old
And 1 listen again, through my smiles and
tears,
Though the singer lay dead and cold.
Far purer than any other.
And hear 1t again, though troubled by care.
The lullaby sung by mother.
There are times, it seems, when all alone,
The singer is by my side,
And hear her voice in a monotone,
Like the rise and fall of the tide.
While the days go by till the end of Vame,
And the struggle of life is ended.
May the singer never forget her rhyme
Till her bliss and mine are blended.
Foster Coates, in the New York Mail.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15

Cotton seed oil has been found by DIR.
E. Scheibe to be very suitable for many
purposes for which salad oil is used.
This has been known for many years to
Italian exporters of olive oil, and so it
has come to pass that the oil taken from
the cotton seed of our own country
comes back to us duly doctored, put up
in orthodox olivesoil TASKS, and appro-
priately weighed with tariff and other
charges. Pure cotton seed oil is clear,
transparent, golden yellow in color, and
mild in taste. 1t has no smell. 1t car
then be easily sold for olive oil ormiNed
with it. Cotton seed oil solidities at
degree, has specific gravity of O.923
and saponifies with caustic alkalies Oh
lead oxide, and these facts may lead te
its detection.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
A Hated Man.

NJ. Paul de Cassagnac, the editor of
the Pays, is the most hated man in
Paris; but never has a Partisan been
fool hardy enough to beard the lion in
his den. 1t was this htterate,u' who
wrote, the day after the patriot Thier' s
death: 1.-The ex-President Theirs is dead;
so much the better for the rest of u.s."
Among the very few who know Cassag-
nae well he is said to have warm
heart, to be genial comrade, an ingen-
uous enthusiast, charming lover. In
tellectually he is polemist of the finest
order.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15

A pretty idea was carried out at q
fashionable wedding in London recently.
The brides dress was of white brocade,
and the bridesmaids appeared each in q
different color, or rather tint, SO pale OF
hue were their pretty dresses. One was
in pale blue, another in pale pink, a
third in pale yellow, and the fourth in
pale green, while all four wore large and
picturesque white hats, trimmed with
feathers and flowers to match their re-
spective dresses, and each carried a
bunch of flowers which also harmonized
in the color with her gown.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-06-15
The British Emnire.

The population of gthe United King
dom, embracing England, Wales, Scot
land, Ireland, Isle of Man and the Cham
mel Islands. was, in 1881, 35,246, ,633.-
The population of British India is 237.-
395, ,43S. The total population of the
British Empire is as follows: England
and Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Isle
of Man and Channel Islands, 35.246, ,633;
colonial possessions in Europe, 315, ,761;
in America. 4.137, ,397 in Africa, 2,591,-
1914; in Asia, 240, 239, 1897, and in Austria
lia, 2,200.664. The total population of
the German Empire was at the last cen-
sus 42727, $50.