davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
THE ISLAND OF MADAGASCAR.

For two hundred years France has longed to possess Madagascar. Often foiled before, she has now gone about the work of preparing for annexation with a degree of earnestness which bodes ill for the independence of the island.
 Madagascar is very important island. It is larger than France itself, being 1000 miles long and $50 miles broad. It has 10000 inhabitants, and they are noted as being the only black people who show capacity for progress. The Hovas have gradually become the domi- nant tribe, and among them Protestant missionaries, including several Ameri- cans, have met with gratifying success. The present Queen was baptized in 1869, and gave proofof the sincereity of her con- version by ordering all the idols burned. The richness of the natural products of the island make it 8 tempting prize for the Gallic freebooters. It is in just such quarters of the world that France can most proftably carry out the policy so ardently defended by M. Washington of compensating herself in Africa and else where for loss of power and territory in Europe. The Repubhque Fonciose de- clares that France can never become a great colonizer. "Never shall we re- pair the unhappy loss of the Indies, ot Canada, and that of Louisiana, which 6 Bonaparte sold without even consulting his Corps Legislatif. But let us care fully preserve what we have got, enlarg ing our possessions if opportunity offers as in Madagascar and Tonquin." This frankness is commendable. But France
 administers conquest badly, and it is t'
 be feared that neither the people o
 Madagascar nor herself will be benefited
 by this new enlargement of her posses
 sions.
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
Loss of Life at Sea.

From the annual report of the Super vising Inspector General of Steam Yes sels, MT. Dumond, there is obtained much interesting and instructive infor- nation regarding the loss of life and property through accident to that class of carriers. During the fiscal year the total number of accidents resulting in loss of life was: From direct collisions, Is; explosions, 15; fires, 7; ''snags, wrecks, and sinking," 3, making total of Al. The number of lives lost was |: By explosions, 53; by fire, 60; by collis- ions, 34; by accidental drowing, 46; by miscellaneous casualties, 6, and by 'snags, wrecks, and sinking," 6. The total number of persons carried during the year, including officers and crew, was 354, 070, ,447, showing that the loss of life was only 1 to every 1,727, 172 persons carried. During the year 1851, the year previous to the enactment of the steam boat laws, of which those now in force are qualifications, 39,0OO,OOO passengers were carried and 700 lives lost, being 1 life in every 55, "A passengers carried. These figures are cited in proof of the excellence of the present system of in specting steam vessels. That they show @ marked improvement since 1851 is, ot course, not to be denied, but they are very far from proving that the system is as perfect or the officers engaged under
 it as efficient and faithful as they should | be.
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
The Two Sportsmen.

More fun than a man could estimate in fourteen years has been poked at women on account of their power of sit ting down in sewing circle or other place of muliebric resort and gabbling for hours over this and that item of trivial intelligence with an appearance of ever-increasing enjoyment. It is the proud boast of man, however, that when ever he and his fellow sit down together to converse they occupy themselves with topics of importance. In marked and brilliant contrast to the triviality of female clack was the talk of two men whom we noticed on Saturday. They were total strangers when they got aboard the horse-car at the depot to ride uptown, but one of them had bird dog with him, and it wasn't five minutes before the man who didn't own the dog asked the man who did Eff that setter had good nose for quail"
 This inquiry, so pleasingly couched in technical terms, at once interested the other man, who said his dog "never threw off on no kind of game;" where upon the first man began to tell about bird-dog he had, and the two sat on op- posite sides of the car and swapped lies about their respective canines and their own personal prowess in field sports and ground away at each other with gar ruity and appearance of enjoyment quite in excess even of those displayed by two old women discussing the last church TOW over their tea. And when the car got along to the street where the unaccompanied-by-a-dog man lived, he said he enjoyed the conversation so much that he reckoned he'd keep on and come back on another car by-and-by, and when last seen he was pointing hls umbrella all over the car like gun and telling how his dog had once played it. on preternaturally sly partridge which had avoided all other would-be slayers. It would have been merited rebuke to hgh--minded women ii they
 could have heard this discourse.
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
CANAAN, CONN.,, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1882.

meet your approbation ? I hope it does, for after all it is not mere fancy, but q grain of truth round which fiction is woven. For they who really try to follow the infant Jesus and try to be like him, to them he will come in some way or other, if not in visible form, then certainly in their hearts; and especially to the poor and needy, the widow and orphans, for has he not promised to be 8 husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless? If you live after his commandments, darkness will turn into
 light and every sorrowing tear into a transparent pearl.
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
DRIVING OVER TORPEDOES.

Lewis B. Dawson, Philadelphia po- liceman, claims the honor of having taken Gen. Mcclellan safely through, or rather over, one of the greatest dangers of his life. ''It was the time the rebels evacuated Yorktown" said the police man, "before the seven days fight in the Peninsula. I was then driving McClel- lan's private ambulance, 8 sort of Ger mantown wagon, that he had had fitted up for his own use. It would carry four persons comfortably, and I had team of four splendid horses to draw it. We'll, the rebels skipped out of Yorktown one Saturday night, but before they went they filled all the roads in and around the town with torpedoes-buried 'em under a thin scum of earth, you know, so that you couldn't see the blamed things till you stepped on 'em, and then after that you never saw anything else. The Sunday after the evacuation was 8 beautiful day, but that night it rained as it just knew how to rain down on the Peninsula, and the mud-well, it knew how to make mud, too. It was about 8 foot deep, I reckon, when I started on Monday morning from McClellan's head quarters, four miles out, to drive to Yorktown.
 "There were four officers in the ambulance-Gen. Mcclellan, Col. Col burn, his chief of staff; Gen. Franklin, and Gen. Fitz John Porter It was still raining, and the ambulance curtains were closed. We got along all right till we came to the entrance to the Yorktown Notifications, and there, right in the nar- rowest part of the way, was an ammuni- tion wagon, broken down in the mud, and beside it was stick planted in the mud, with little red flag hanging from it. I knew what 1t was as soon as saw it; the rain had washed the dirt off one ot them bloody torpedoes, and the soldiers had found it and marked it; you bet they wasn't going to dig it up without positive orders.
 "Well, I stopped my team and Gen. Mcclellan stuck his head through the curtains and looked about him. There were some soldiers standing around, and among them was Lieutenant
 "'Don't let our men take up any ot these torpedoes. Make the prisoners dc it.
 ''Then he looked at the wagon, anc asked me:
 "'Do you think you can get past?'
 Yes,' said. T guess I can, if straddle that torpedo
 "'Well, said he, 'go ahead I expect we'll all be blown to thunder together. Those were the very words he used. Sc I threw my long whip down between the horses to keep them apart as far as possi ble, and drove ahead, and we got into Yorktown without touching the torpe. do."
 "And what did Mcclellan say then ?
 "He never said word. When we got into Yorktown he left the ambulance and went into house, and presently he sent an orderly out to tell me to go back to headquarters. I had no sooner reached there than I received orders to turn around, return to Yorktown, and follow the army, so I had to drive over that blamed torpedo three times. I got kinder used to it at last and was ready to bet that could do it every time."
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
Some Boston Women.

A well-dressed, fne-looking woman came into Boston mantau-maker's one day, and, notwithstanding that other people were within hearing distance, borrowed 1925. ''I'll tell you how to fix it," she said; "tuck BIO somehow on to the bill for that last dress, distribute another $1O upon the trimmings of the one you're making now, and the other $5 can be put on to some things I must have for the children. Make the whole bill look plausible, and keep it over 8 month longer. I'll make good the obli- gation at another time but must have the money, and my husband don't allow me enough any other way"
 In fruit shop another day the wife of the proprietor came in with 8 friend and asked her husband to hand the friend ten cents, with which she had supplied her to get spool of thread while out. He did so, and the wife walked off, evidently too well used to her penniless condition to see anything odd about it. Another day 8 woman of far lower social pre- tentions than the one first mentioned came into milliner's store in a town in Maine, and, selecting handsome feather, asked the price. "Seven dollars" said the shopwoman, "Will you put it by for me for five weeks?" asked the purchaser. "I have but two dollars to pay on it now, but like nice things, and you'll be sure to get the money, for my Ius band allows me 8 dollar week!'' she exclaimed looking about with pride. The shop keeper complied, and she left, smiling.
 "Glory be to God l" exclaimed an Irisl woman present, as the door closed upo1 her. "I've lived with the man that owns me these thirty years, and he's handed me his wages every Saturday night, ant never axed me afterward what did do with it, 'ceptin', now and agin to a1 me for a quarter for glass or 8 smoke Signs-by! I've never wasted his sub stance; and the same he's found out be fore this. ."-Boston Transcript.
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
FOR ROUBLEBORROWERS.

There's many trouble
 Would break like 8 bubble, And into the waters of Lethe depart, Did we not rehearse it,
 And tenderly nurse it, And give it a permanent place in the heart. There's many sorrow
 Would vanish tomorrow, Were we but willing to furnish the wings; So sadly intruding,
 And quietly breeding, Ithatches out all sorts of horrible things. How welcome the seeming
 Of looks that are beaming, Whether one's wealthy or whether ones poor :; Eyes bright as berry,
 Cheeks red as cherry, The groan and the curse and the heartache car cure.
 Resolved to be merry, All worry to ferry At crosshe famed waters that bid us forget, And no longer fearful,
 But happy and cheerful, We feel life has much that's worth living fol yet. -Tinsleys Margarine.
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20

EXCITED. D.-Most of the troops who fought on either side at Gettysburg were veterans, and yet out of 24,000 muskets picked up on that field 5000 had three cartridges in and 1,150 had from four to eight.
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20

SOMEBODY says of Beecl1er "After working all these years to make people think es he thinks, MT. Beecher sud- denly discovers that he doesn't think 50 himseif.,
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20

IT IS the sure badge of clown not to mind what pleases those hei with.
Connecticut western news., 1882-12-20
Connecticut Western News.
 PUBLISHED AT
 CANAAN, LlTcHFlELD c0UHTY. CT. EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING. $ J, B. HARDENBERGH, Editor and Pro pr Local News a Speciality.
TERMS

e1 50 PER YEAR, if paid strictly In advance
 If not paid at the expiration of three months ca will be charged. :,
 Suoscrlbers desiring their papers continued must give notice at the EXPIRATION of their su' sciriptions. any previous D-tice not oetng suficent and unless al arrearages are paid, D apers will not then be discontinued save as the option of the publisher.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09
A Canadian Astronomers Predictions

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The Presi-
dent has the following communication
from Prof. E. Stone Virgins, LID,
astronomer of the Canadian finance
department, under date, Ottowa, No
vember 9th:
On the 23d Of September last I an
nounced through the Canadian press
that a great storm would occur in
March next, that it would first be felt
III the northern Pacific coast and
would appear in the Gulf of Mexico
on the night of the 9th, and being re-
fected by the Rocky mountains would
cross this meridian from the west at
noon, Sunday, March IL, 1888. No
vessel, of whatever dimensions, will be
safe out of harbor, and none of small
tonnage can hope to survive the tidal
wave and fury of this tempest, as the
wind will blow from the southeast
planetary force will be sufficient to
submerge the lands along the Ameri-
can coast, especially those bodering
Oh the Gulf of Mexico and washed by
the gulf stream, while the air current
for several hundred miles along the
east side of the Rocky mountain
range, owing to the great atmospheric
pressure in those regions, will spread
universal destruction. The New Eng
land states Will also suffer severely
from wind and floods. No point out
side the harbors on the whole area of
the Atlantic, especially north of the
equator, will be place Of safety, for
this will be pre-eminently the greatest
storm that has visited this continent
since the DAYS of your illushious first
president. In view Of this event,
therefore, | take great liberty in pre-
senting to your eXcellency the advisa-
bility Of ordering all United States
ships in safe harbors no later than the
fifth of March, until this storm be
passed.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09
Reasons for ReIng Thankful.
From the Duluth Tribune.1


1t is we'll for the country to pause
long enough from lis strife and wreck
less whirl and greed for gain, to be
thankful for prosperity that has come
to it during the year now soon to
close. The Nation is an actual gamer
in riches for the year of more than a
billion of dollars, reducing all its &C
cumulations to the basis of money. 1t
has lived in peace with all the world
and with itself, no alarm Of invasion
from without or war within having
startled its people from their habits of
peace and pursuit Of business and
pleasure. Disease and death have
been sparing; hunger, famine and star
walton have not stalked their gaunt
forms through any quarter; disasters
have been few, and dire calamity an
unfrequent visitor Death from nat
ural decay, and from insiduous cause
alone has given US cause for mourning,
but that has been from the beginning
of time and must be until the end.
Nature brought abundant harvests
and the fields were blest; the vine
gave US richly of its life and fruition,
and the tree bowed its arms with the
burden of its fruits. Truly Mother
Earth has brought forth lavish stores
with which to feed her children, and
the elements have been kind. Storms
and floods have come, it is true, but
the storm purified the air we breathe
and the food washed baneful impuri-
ties to the sea. Plenty and prosperity
have been vouchsafed to all, and
above our whole country Peace has
stretched her white wings and been 9
guardian angel of happiness. Our
beloved country is stronger, and bet
ter, and grander for the year that ha:
flown, and for that alone the people
should today bow the head and speal
from greatful hearts their offerings o
/ thanks.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09
Mr.. Halverson, the clothing mer

Mr.. Halverson, the clothing mer-
chant showed us a needle few days
ago which Mrs. Halverson had ex-
tracted from her side last Friday.
The piece was about an inch and a
half long, reaching from the point to
the eye. The strange part of the sto-
ry is that she had carried the needle
about forty-eight years. When a girl
of fifteen she fell and the needle was
pushed in under the cap of the left
knee. All efforts to extract it were
vain and soon ceased to give any an
noyance Mrs. Halverson has at
times been troubled with pain in the
region of the diaphragm, and is in
clined to think that the cause has now
been removed The needle is as
smooth and highly polished as when
it started on its strange journey nearly
half century ago, but it has acquired
an indelible bright black color.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09
Another Fire.

A cry of fire was again echoed
through our streets and by-ways last
Thursday about one o'clock PM, and
the bell at the Catholic church tried
to take up the refrain, but made such
a failure Of it that people were inquir-
ing, whose funeral is it now"-giv e
the old bell more life and the clapper
more motion; something like an old
maids tongue at q tea party, you
know. But the cry of fire and the
shrill whistle of locomotive soon re-
moved all doubt, and short run from
our Office brought us to the scene
of action, which proved to be on Sec
ond street, and the base of operations
upstairs in Nick Welter's building,
where the fire when first discovered
had gained such Roadway as to be past
subjugation, and all that could be
done was to save the personal effects.
This building was two story double
house, the buildings standing one be-
hind the other, the lower front part
was used by Mr. Welter as a saloon,
and he occupied all the rest as a
dwelling. In the rear of this again
was a log building used as a barn with
an ice house attached, making in fact
three buildings which belonged to Mr..
Welter, all Of which was destroyed.
Next to this on the east was a two
story building owned by Mr.. James
Ready, of Moorhcad, and occupied by
Mr. Richard Collins as a sal loon, the
upper part was occupied only by Mr.,
Cramwell, We believe, as a sleeping
apartment; this was the second build
ing to go. On the east of this still
was a small one story building, be-
longing to the Bright estate and occu-
pied by Mrs. Fitzpatrick as restaur-
ant, which also fell a victim to the
flames, and this being on the corner
was the last to suffer.
The hour was favorable and all the
contents of all the buildings were re-
moved without much damage, even
most of the blinds, doors and windows
being saved from the two last build
ings. Mr.. Welter carried $500 in
surance on his building, s400 on
household effects and $500 on a pool
table His total loss was about $4,000.
The Ready building was valued at
81 800, without insurance, and the
third building was a cheap shell of u
thing, worth perhaps 5000, without
insurance. The site of these build
ings is one of the best in the town and
we hope to see them replaced by good
substantial brick buildings next
spring.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

NoTTHPoRT, l.. /. March 20. 1882.
To whom it may concern.-We the
undersigned being well acquainted
with Albert Vinton, formally in the
employ of Henry Sammis, watchmak-
er and jeweler, of Northport. We be-
lieve him to be one who thoroughly
understands his business, and also
have found him, in all of our dealings
with him, to be perfectly honest.
MELVILLE r. CoNKLIN,
Justice of the Peace.
n. E. MILFORD,
Postmaster.
J. F. HART,
A. ]. BREWSTER,
J. III. LEWIS,
CHARLES l.. SMITH,
EDWARD V. BALDWIN,
GEO. q. L1LLoT, !;
w. A. STRwsoN,
Matchmaker.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

The current of railroad opinion
is that the late war will grow in inten-
sity during the week and may be pro-
tracted months and possibly extend
far to the southwest. When the llli-
nois Central and Burlington 60 into
the fight the Alton and Wabasha will
follow. Every day adds new compi-
cations and wise counsel will be re-
quired to bring peace to the troubled
interests and secure anything like a
satisfactory adjustment when all par
ties have had enough of blood letting.
Pioneer Press.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

We do not blame the Democracy
for this. We are q little surprised,
however, and grieved. 1t will inter
fere with our wardrobe this winter.
With an overcoat on Wyoming, a
plug hat on Iowa, pair of pants on
Pennsylvania and boots on the gen
eral result, it looks as though we
would go through the winter wrapped
in bed quilt and profound medita-
ton. boomerang.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

The Martin County, Mimi, Sen
tinel tells this potato story: Mr..
Chapman has loaned the Sentinel a
specimen potato which he brought
back from Kanaas. 1t weighs 81 lbs,
measures over two feet in circumfer-
ence, and is an interesting exhibition
of the capabilities of Kansas soil.
Such "Murphies" as that would make
a son of the Emerald Isle turn green
with envy.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

An attempt will be made, with a
good prospect of success, during the
approaching congress to abolish tax
on tobacco. This is move in the
right direction. 1t is true that tobac-
co is not necessary article, but il
is the poor mans luxury, frequently
about the only luxury he has. Let
the tobacco tax be abolished.
Yes, and most all the poor men o.
the country will say the same of his
whisky and beer. The one IS just a;
much of a luxury as the other, anC
the tax on both ought to be doubled
Let the real necessarles of life go free
but not such articles as these.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

President Arthur is said to have
decided on three recommendation Oh
civil service reform in his message.
First-A tenure of office which is sub
stantlally a life tenure; second-A
limitation of the maximum age al
which an applicant can enter the ser.
vice.. third-A retiring allowance up
on going out of Office.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

The gentleman stepped on the
coal dealers platform scales and asked
to be weighed. The dealer said
"Why, certainly" and called to the
man inside to take the weight. And
the man thought it was coal he was
weighing, and shouted back the
weight, "Six hundred poundsn'-Bos,
ton Post.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

DIR. Jaynes, in preparing his al
manac for 1882, entirely ignored
Duluth in his table of points at which
the transit of Venus could be seen.
He had Superior City down in the
table of prominent points, and gave
the time at from SIT AN. to lao P.
NJ. Duluth may as well hang hel
harp on the willow now.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

President Arthur is filling a large
basket with heads of dishonest officials
for Christmas presents to the people.
Too late, Mr. Arthur, you ought to
have done the "beheading business
before election. The people might
have had some faith in you then, now
they have none.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

The Garfield fair at Washington
attracts great crowds. Some of the
booths are unique and handsome, Mrs.
Senator Logan, a most beautiful wom-
an, presides over the Illinois booth.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

Dayton O., has been having
some sensation over a series Of lectures
by Father O'Reilly, an ex-priest, who
has been speaking against Catholic
ism.
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

Col Lonsberry and NJ. H. Jew
ell of the Bismarck Tribune, are about
to establish the National Park Herald
1t Benson's Landing, National Park
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1882-12-09

-Moorhead is happy and wild.
Her Grand Pacific hotel is a year old,
and her Mayor Burns has son who
arrived a day or two ago in time for
sea. There was champagne for every
BODY.