davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
Value of Hay as Fuel.

A Dakota letter has this rather enter prising statement concerning the use of hay as fuel: The problem of what to burn, no less than what to build with, is one of the first which must be solved by the settler. The Creator has kindly furnished fuel unsurpassed in virtue, abundance and cheapness. It is hay. The first tune I asked 8 settler what he burned for fuel and he told me, l said: i: "Why, how can you get enough to do you through the winter l shouldn't think stack would last week." Since then I have heard many other persons make a similar remark. The fact is, however, that it takes about the same amount of hay to run stove through the winter as it does of coal. The grass cut for fuel is not the same as that used for feeding, but is taken from the low or marshy lands where it is long and heavy. It is stacked, and as it is needed is made into twists about twelve to fif- teen inches long, weighing from one half to three quarters of a pound. About five tons is put up for consumption in a large stove during the winter. It makes 8 very hot fire, and is preferred above all other fuels for baking purposes. have friend who twists enough before breakfast every morning to last until the next day. He thinks it is the cheapest and most satisfactory fuel the world produces.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
The Wisconsin Postmaster.

Wednesday mornings daily papers contained among the Washington dis patches an item that one seldom sees in the papers, or hears of. It was an &C., count of the appointment of three post masters in Wisconsin to places made vacant by the resignation of the former office holders. Just think of it, three postmasters resigning in one season. And the post office department claims to experience difficulty in filling the offices of postmaster in some of the small towns here in the west. One postmaster in throwing up his commission writes to the department that he has got all the $l5 per month postoffice he wants in his. He said he was keeping country store and thought postoffice would be good thing to draw trade and help him out on taxes in the fall, but now he says that aside from drawing about the store large crowd of loafers who sit around and eat up the crackers and dried codfish and spit all over the stove, the postofice is not success, and asks the department to take his commission. It must be that something terrible is about to happen to this country, as such unheard of things as postmasters resigning must certainly be a fore- runner of either good or evil. This country must be in very prosperous condition when men cannot be founo to fill the positions of postmasters.- AfiEaO0uEee Sun.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
Habits of the Goldfish.

A correspondent of the New York Post says that the codfsh frequents ' the table lands of the sea-" The codfish no doubt does this to secure as nearly as possible dry, bracing atmosphere. This pure ar of the sub marine table lands gives to the codfish that breadth of chest and depth of lungs which we have always noticed.
 The glad, free smile of the codfish is largely attributed to the exhilaration of this oceanic altitoodleum.
 The correspondent further says that "the cod subsists largely on the sea cherry" Those who have not had the pleasure of seeing the codfish climb the sea cherry tree in search of food, or clubbing she fruit from the heavily laden branches with chunks of choral, have missed very fine sight.
 The codfish, when at home rambling through the submarine forests, does not wear his vest unbuttoned, as he does while loafing around the grocery stores of the United States.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
Something About Comets.

The most extraordinary news about
 the comet comes from Greece. Schmidt,
 of Athens, whose reputation as an as-
 tronomer is high, is reported to have discovered another comet and having the same motion in right ascension and declination. The discovery was made on last Sunday. It is singular that the new comet-if new comet there is-has not been seen in this country, where so many observers are studying the ap- pearance of the celestial visitor but the explanation probably is that the new comet is invisible without telescope, and it's distance from its larger com panion is sufficient to keep it out of the field of a telescope directed toward the great comet. The fact that it's motion is the same as that of the great comet suggests that it is either fragment cast off from the larger body or an inde- pendent comet pursuing parallel orbit. After Biela's comet broke in two in 1S46, the two parts, each furnished with a tail, and moving side by side, returned two or three times to the suns neigh borhood before they were finally broken up into swarm of meteors. The con. tradictory reports about the splitting up of the head of the present comet, followed by the discovery of Schmidt, tend strongly to show that the comet is destined to 8 fate similar to that oi Biela's. The apparent distance of the new comet from its companion-foul degrees correspond at the time of its discovery to an actual distance oi about nine million miles. The news from Athens, inasmuch as it has beer transmitted to the Smithsonian Institu
 tion through the Vienna Academy, anC therefore comes with authority, will un
 doubtedIy awaken extraordinary inter
 est, and we shall soon know whether the discovery has been verified, and whether there actually are two comets racing neck and neck through the solar system
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18

some women." All of them gave him Gan excellent character for good nature, humanity and kindness to the fair sex in particular" and six others were brought to prove an alibi. The result of the trial beautifully illustrates the technicalities of law. The Judge in charging the jury raised the poins that as Williams had been indicted under a statute enacted with intent to protect the garments only, there must be ali intention apparent to the jury to cut the garment; they were to judge whether in cutting the person the intention was not equally clear to cut the garment, for they would observe that the instru- ment could not have been one designed merely for piercing or stabbing, but for cutting also."
 The jury found Williams guilty ill one minute, but we read that " MT. Justice Butler ordered judgment to be arrested till the opinion of the judges could be taken on the point of law" In Novem- Der the judges considered the questions "whether his having an intent to cut the person of Miss Porter and in carry ing that intention into execution cut ting the garments of that lady is an of fense within the statute, the jury having found that in cutting her person he had thereby an intention to cut her gar ments? The statute used the conjunc- tive-'That if any person shall assault another with an intent to cut the gar ment of such person, and shall cut the garment of such person. then the offend CT shall be guilty of felony and the indictment in stating tue intention not having connected it with the act by in- serting the words that he then and there did cut her garment, the question rose whether the indictment could be supported in point of form."
 Nine of the eleven judges decided that the offense was not within the statute aud that the indictment was bad in point of form, so that the offense was only misdemeanor. Thanks to these pundits "The Monster" got off for the time. But he was now known and marked. He was again arraigned in December for misdemeanor in assault ing and wounding Miss Parker, and for two similar assaults on other women, and, being convicted, was sentenced to two years imprisonment for each of. fense, being further required on the ex' piration of his term to find security fol his good behavior for seven years. Mr. Coleman, it is pleasant to know, was re warded for his share in bringing sTht Monster" to punishment with the hand of Miss Porter, whom he married Apri 28, 1791. While there was no pretens, of madness in the case of the Londol monster, the fact that, like the lunati of Fourteenth street, he attacked women only, pretty plainly indicates the existence in both instances of on, of those obscure perversities of human instinct and feeling which have onl, within recent years been brought evel measurably within the field of science
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18

IN THE PooRHoUsE.- wife of the Tichborne claimant has become an in- mate of workhouse near Southampton. She persists in calling herself "Lady Tichborne." Since her husbands con- viction she has given birth to three chil- dren, and declines to give any informa- tion as to their paternity. Her chief means of support since the conviction have been derived from 8 fund raised by the claimants sympathizers. On the birth of her third illegitimate child recently her benefactors withdrew their support, and this compelled her to seek refuge in the workhouse.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
FALLO "

I like these plants that you call weeds Sedge, hardhack, mullein, yarrow That knit their roots, and sift their seeds Where any grassy wheeltraek leads
 Through country by-ways narrow. They fringe the rugged hillside farms,
 Grown old with cultivation, With such wild wealth of rustic charms As bloomed in nature's matron arms
 The first days of creation. They show how mother earth loves best
 To deck her tired-out places; By howery lips, in hours of rest, Against hard work she will protest
 With homely airs and graces. You blow the arbutus from her hills; Hew down her mountain laurel, Their place, as best she can, she fills With humber blossoms so she wills
 To close with you her quarrel. She yielded to your ax, with pain,
 Her free, primeval glory; She brought you crops of golden grain; You say, "How dull she grows; how plain"- The old, mean, selfish story! Her wildwood soil you may subdue,
 Tortured by hoe and harrow; But leave her for year or two, And see ! she stands and laughs at you
 With hardhaek, mullein, yarrow! Dear earth, the world is hard to please!
 Yet heavens breath gently passes Into the life of flowers like these And lie down at blessed ease
 Among thy weeds and grasses.
 LUCY LARCMo.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
The Loss of the Herder.

The passengers and crew of the wrecked steamer Herder were all safely landed at St. Johns by the Neptune. The Herder has been completely demol- ished by the sea. Her cargo is now driv- ing ashore in the Jandwash. A good deal of cotton, lead and pork will be saved.
 A correspondent interviewed several passengers on board the Neptune, and they ali concur in the statement that there was no discipline on board the Herder and that some of the officers and crew were in state of intoxlcation at the time of the wreck and subsequently,. Were it not for the exceptional smooth ness of the sea not a soul of the Herders living freight would have escaped. The coast between Mistaken Point and Cape Race is the graveyard of ocean steamers. Several of the passengers trunks have been broken open and rifed by the crew of the Rerder. The American and German consuls are making an investi- gation of the matter.
 Two of the passengers United States citizens) are returning to New York to make dispositions before the authorities. Although sights were obtained at four o'clock on Sunday evening the Herdel was run ashore nine hours afterward. She was thirty miles out of her true course. The log was never thrown, and the most culpable carelessness and reck- lessness were manifested by those in charge.
 The passengers, when landed at Long Beach, were kindly treated by the few inhabitants there. There are only foul houses, and these received the first anc second class passengers. Tents were made on the strand out of the steamers sails and camp fires lighted, and here the remainder of the passengers spen some thirty hours, in tolerable comfort The authorization to the Neptune wat effected with some difficulty, but hap oily no accident occurred. Six hours later gale of wind arose, and had tho Neptune not been so promptly to th' rescue the passengers might have beer imprisoned indefinitely on this bleal strand, connected by no roadway witt any settlement, and in some cases, too probably doomed to death from starva tion and exposure.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
VISITANTS AT COUNTRY STORES.

In city paper we recently read SIS follows ''If the English want to know the proper way to conduct the war in Egypt, let them consult the visitants of 8 country store."
 We do not know who wrote that, but we would be willing to wager he was !! city born and bred, and knows as little of country stores as he does of the Egyptian army.
 It was our good fortune to spend the first twenty years of our life in the immediate vicinity of country store, at which, after we were old enough to be out nights, many of our evenings were spent. How we'll do we rem ember it.
 On the one side were the cloths, caIicoes, pins, thread, needles, and various other commodities usually des- ignated dry goods on the other were crockery, groceries, hardware, house furnishing goods, boots and shoes i; while, in safe corner was an assort- ment of such drugs and medicines as the country doctor usually prescribed. In fact, there could be found almost every thing any townsman would be likely to ask for. Here on evenings and stormy days were to be found seated on broken chairs, nail kegs, boxes, counters, every where, the best men of the township men with brains as hard as their hands. Of what is commonly called education, they had little to boast of. Many of them never had more than three months schooling in year, and what they had was of the more rudimental kind, but they had good common sense. They could read, and, what was better, could 1 understand and remember what they read.
 Their newspapers, of which they had usually two weeklies, one secular and one religious, were thoroughly read, and they could usually give distinct and understandable account of their contents, except, perhaps, some of the theological matters that nobody could understand, not even the writers thereof.
 l The store was the place where they met to talk over what they read and did. Their meetings were lyceums, de batting societies, conference meetings and farmers clubs. Some of the best lessons we ever learned came from the lips of those old farmers, who little knew what seed they were sewing. Many of them have gone to the land O the blessed. Others can still be found but so scattered that it would require many thousand miles travel to bring us together. There is scarcely Statt in the Union that has not represents tive. They are not all farmers now il fact, if we wanted to fill any position whether it required agricultural knowl edge, financial ability, mechanical skill or merchantile qualifications, one com potent to the task could be found among the past time visitants to tha country store.
 Nor are the people found in sucl places so self-opinionated as the write of the lines quoted above seems to be lieve. They know some things, an' know that they know them, and othe things they do not pretend to know while of many others, while deficient il positive knowledge. they have pretty good ideas. Give them the facts abcu the war in Egypt, and although they might not be sufficiently we'll informed in military affairs to plan campaign they would arrive at pretty correct con clusions as to the ends..that ought to b accomplished.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
WAISTS OF SOCIETY.
How TaIe-Bearers and Scandal Mongers Cause Sorrow anO Trouble.

The Rev. Wilbur F. Watkins, DID,, of New York City, on Sunday preached upon "The Fashionable Sins of Cos sip and Slanier." The preacher took for his text Proverbs xii, 13-"A tale bearer revealeth secrets, but he that is of faithful spirit concealeth the matter" The preacher prefaced his remarks by stating that the pulpit was given too much to theological subjects, and that simple matters pertaining to the world and the routine of daily life were not sufficiently consulted. People were apt to forget on Monday what they had heard on Sunday. The Sunday sermons need not be divested of religious teachings, but should combine with them good, practical, solid advice against the temptations of our weekday duties. There are numbers of persons, he said, who live in the world by "seed gathering" They are known to us all as tale-bearers. The bird gathers seed to bring to the young, but the tale- bearer gathers seed or gossip to spread among neiehbors and friends. The tale bearer carries the devil in his tongue and the tale-hearer the devil in his ear. The former goes from house to house sowing the seed of islander, revealing secrets that should remain untold and causing deep resentments, blasted characters and oftentimes the ruination of lifetime. People should beware of them and not let them enter their dwellings,.
 Should an intruder or stranger enter house your first thought is to call a policeman to eject him or her, as the case may be. But the tale-bearer is more to be feared. A mad dogs bite is moi half so dangerous or destructive as the bite or tongue of slanderer. Some people relating the bold facts of scan, dal so construe the points as to altar the real character of the story. Who of us all experiences as much pleasure II dwelling upon the good character of oul fellow men as we do in dwelling on theil faults The preacher then went on tt describe the manner of the average tale bearer, who was most generally of tho female sex. She has discovered secre and it burns within her. She canno rest until it is scattered broadcast. Sh, calls on a friend and excuses herself fo her unavoidable delay in not calling sooner. She talks for awhile and thel attempts to go. Is in such hurry etc. "But wait, she says, "I jus thought of something. Was nearly for getting. We are all alone, ain't we No one will hear us and wouldn't fo the world let any one but you know c it." She then whispers the tale spread and the bearer of the scandal de parts contented to another household t vouchsafe the same information. Tn story will then float along from lip t lip until 1t reaches the victim in mos extravagant form. Beware, then, ( these wasps of society, said pr. Wa kins, and close your doors upon then Listen as little as possible to the tale of others and do not drink in the spir
 of the relator. Always believe that
 the other side was heard what diffe
 ence there would be. Listen to u
 word of God and He will keep yo,
 tongue from idleness and your hea
 free from all the ills of the tale. beare
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
Arctic Exploration.

MT. Frank Reynolds, late chief en- gineer of the steam whaler North Star, which was crushed by the ice on her maiden voyage near Point Barrow, lati- tude 72 degrees north, July 8, 1882. The North Star, which was strongly built and we'll equipped vessel, was caught between the shore ice and an ice foe and ground to the smallest splinters. The crew consisted of forty men all told, and they made the land of Cape Smith on the 12th of July, having saved three boats, 8 change of clothing and forty pounds of bread for each man. The party was hospitably received by Lieutenant Ray, who had established an observatory at this point toward the end of September, 1881, in connection with the Geodetic and Coast Survey of the United States. Lieutenant Ray has nine men to assist him in various capaci- ties, and has made himself as comfort able as circumstances permit. MT. Reynolds, who recently arrived in San Francisco by the whaler John Pope, to- gether with Captain Owen and other officers of the ill-fated North Star, gave the following facts to Herald corre- spondent
 The observatory is located at Cape Smith, about twelve miles west-south- I west from Point Barrow. They have built house to live in and two houses for observation. Lieutenant Ray sank | shaft in the solid ice thirteen feet deep and then excavated chamber, in which game and fish shot or captured are stored.
 Last summer the temperature of this chamber was twelve degrees below freezing point, and therefore fresh meat of every kind is preserved. "You might establish fresh meat depot there," re. marked MT. Reynolds, 'of any extent and the meat would remain fresh fo1 centuries. When the shipwrecked par. | ty landed" he continued, |" Lieutenant Ray had not completed hls preparations for scientific work. My assistant, MT. Sands, and myself helped to survey the ground and build permanent columns for observation, of which there are four. We also assisted to adjust the instru ments. The observations made by Lieutenant Ray will be found invalua ble to science. The party keep watch night and day and write up their obser vations every hour. In addition fol twenty-four hours twice each month ob servations are written up every fvt minutes. They have discovered forty six degrees of variation of the compass at that point within three hours. Thi shows how little dependence can bt placed on the compass in high northern attitudes.
 In reply to questions MT. Reynold stated that there is abundance of fish birds and reindeer available for food, O which the survey party have ampl' store. The land from Point Barrow t. Cape Lisburne 25O miles along the coas and for hundreds of miles inland is leve and covered with moss and coarse gras upon which the reindeer wholly subsist There are about $50 natives in the sur rounding settlements, but beyond being great thieves they are otherwise harm | losa
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
Miss Curtis was pointing straight be-

Miss Curtis was pointing straight be- fore her.
 "Don't you gee her ?' she said. ''Don't you see her? She says, i've come for you, Theresa-I always told you what goose you were-Tve-yes, I'm coming, dear. I'm coming"
 She paused. An utter silence fol lowed, and the nurse stepped forward softly and laid handkerchief across her face.-Ledger
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18

DAMAGE DONE. - Estimates of the damage done at Alexandria during and after the bombardment vary widely. Claims made by the owners foot up to nearly $17, 100000, but it is said that an eminent authority has expressed 8 willingness to rebuild and refurnish the entire property destroyed for $6, 25O, GOO.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18
Their Sister Wives.

The Atlantic (Ga.) Consultation says pr. R. w. Lovett lives in Screven County, and Judge Thomas M. Merri- wether lives in Newton. They were schoolmates. They first married twin sisters, daughters of Bishop Andrew Their wives died, and they then married two other sisters, also daughters of { bishop, Bishop Price. These wives died, and they then married th1rd pair of sisters, not daughters of { bishop, but two sisters-being the daughters of MT. Smith, of Greene County. With these last sisters they are living happily.
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18

GA NOVICE is one who is just begin ming, isn't it, pa ?" "Yes, my dear. Why do you ask ?" ''Oh, I thought the baby was little the smartest novice in cry ing I ever saw" 'sOh, well, babies are born adopts at that, confound 'em. "
Connecticut western news., 1882-10-18

'sGvE us 8 rest" was invented by Archimedes when he offered to move the world with his lever. .-NeaO Fork