davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31

The manatee, or sea-cow, is the most
widely diffused of the sirenians and, be-
ing American, has the first claim to con-
sideration. Its various species are found
alongs the coasts and in the rivers and
inland lakes of tropical America, tho
length of the entire opposite coast OF
Africa, around the cape, and as far north
up the Mozambique coast as the Zam-
besi River, in the Upper Niger River, In
Lake Tehad, in the East African Lake
Shirwa, and in the Tana Sea, In Abys-
sinia. Agassiz has termed the animal
the modern representative of the dl-
notherium, and it Is, most probably, the
creature which Columbus mistook for
mermaid. 1t grows to be sometimes as
long as seventeen or twenty feet, but
generally not more than from eight to
twelve feet, and to weigh from one to
three or four tons, having a body the
size of an elongated barrel, slightly
fattened above and below, with two
ore-limbs, but no sign of hinder ex-
tremities, and a horizontally fattened
or spatulate tail of about one-fourth the
/, extent OF body. Its skin is much
I like that of the hippopotamus, and is
very sparsely covered with hair. Its
fore-limbs are set far forward, are more
free in their motions than those OF the
cetaceans, and may be used as claspers,
fexed over the chest, for swimming or
dragging the animal along the bottoms,
or up the banks of the rivers in which it
feeds, and to assist In the prehenslon OF
food. The finger bones may be felt
through the skin, with which they are
connected; but no evidence of digital or
gans is outwardly visible, except the
rudimentary nails ON the edges of the
fippers. The hippers, flexible and pos
sessing much of the power IN hand, have
given the animal its name, from the
Latin g7ad,l,ls, hand. The head is con-
icel, with a heshy nose, like that of
COW, and large nostrils, and appears as
if Joined Immediately on to the body,
without visible neck. Anatomy further
more shows that one of the cervlcal
yertebra. of which there are generally
seven in mammals, including the du-
gong, is wanting The mouth is small
and without front teeth, but Is provided
with two mobile, lateral, bTistle-covered
pads, with which it seiZes its food quite
dexterously. The mamm@ are on the
breast, and so resemble those OF the hu-
man being as to make it easy to believe
that the fable of the mermaid was de-
rived from this animal
The manatees feed in herds on the bot
toms of rivers and the shallow waters
along the shore, where they browse on
alge and aquatic herbs. They associate
( together in the most peaceable manner,
and show great community OF feeling.
/ They combine for defense when attacked,
taking especial care of their young, by
putting them in the center of the group,
/ and, it is said, showing SO much intelll-
gent sympathy as to try to pull out the
( weapon from one of their companions
which may have been struck with
harpoon. II. LGrrd6ee, in Popular
/ Science MOnthlU
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
The Northwest.

Throughout Illinois the climate has
altered for the better with the develop
ment of the soil. Even the roads, which
are VIGOROUSLY bad in Illinois, are grow
ing better. As to the capacity OF the
ground to produce wheat, corn, etc.,
nobody can begin to say when it Will
stop. The great State of the future for
wheat is goingto be Dakota. That Ter
ritory will become a great State. The
power of the Northwest to produce
highly-energized people is probably not
eaualed on the globe. The elements
that are filling it up are Irish, Germans
and Scandinavians. They soon COM
pound into a magnificent race, and the
peculiarly of the climate Is that it gives
them active brains and bodies. The
cold of the winters and the braclng air
of the summers bring out all human
power in a man. You see the race grow
ing in size almost under your eyes,
/ Gath
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
Closed for Renairs.

"Got a conundrum Tor you, johnnie
invented it myself" said boy to play
mate. "What's the difference of poo
die you're dragging by a chain and a
rotten tree-trunk." After due delibera-
tion Johnnie passed. cone is a led
dog and the other a dead log. Them
kind Is awful easy when You know how. :"
So thought Johnnie. andon his way home
he buiIt one on similar plan, which he
tried to explode on the maternal head.
at saw. ma. here's riddle made it my
self. What's the difference between the
wax fgger of lady and pa not letting
me 90 TO the circus last week? Cause
ones sham dame and t'other's a da-
owl OWL owill that hurts, 1 tell
ven can't you take feller o. your
size ?" The conundlum factory has
been closed for repairs.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
A Texas Justice of the Peace.

There is Justice of the Peace out in
Crosby County, who is certainly unfit
for the office. He has no idea of the
law, or his powers under the law. He is
also disposed to be arbitrary and unrea-
sonable in his decisions. Not long since
he tried Mexican for furious riding,
found him guilty, and placing a black
cap on his judicial head, sentenced him
to be hung by the neck until he was
dead. The members of the Crosby
County bar had great difficulty in per-
suading the Justice that he did not have
jurisdiction enough to hang a man.
Week before last he found a man
guilty OF shooting bull that did not be-
long to him, and fined him seventy-fve
dollars.
''Why, Jedge," said the doomed man,
II haven't got no seventy-five dollars;
i can't pay no such fine"
"The State of Texas puts me in this
Office to find out a way to make men pay
their fines. You will cut cedar poles
until you have cut enough to satisfy the
majesty of the law" replied the Justice.
"But, Jedge, what use has the State of
Texas got for cedar poles?"
1.-THE State of Texas hasn't got no use
for cedar poles. It's this court who
AEStAo tAfUAh CC0aA POACo W O04A0 ACAoC.
I'll take the poles, and settle with the
State of Texas for them"
And the poor devil is cutting cedar
poles for the State of Texas right now.
The latest feat of the Crosby County
Justice, was to hold an inquest on the
body o{ negro who had been shot
Instead of summoning six jurymen, as
the Law directs, he empaneled twelve,
as he said that they were his friends.
and needed che jury fee to support their
families. Their verdict read as follows:
"We, the jury, find the negro guilty
of being dead, and as we do not know
who his heirs are, we will divide his
property among us jurors, with the un-
derstaniing, however, that should the
heirs turn up, we will, mutually, help
each other in keeping them out of it.
We think Governor Roberts should
call the attention of the Legislature to
this official, whose acts are calculated to
bring discredit on the State.-Austin
.Sifti'lQs.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
THE WORKSHOP.

A GERMAN paper says thatsa roof can
be made fire-proof by covering it with a
mixture of lime, salt, and wood ashes,
adding q little lcmpblack TO give 1t
dark color. This not only guards against
FIRE, it is claimed, but also in measure
decay.
MOUSE holes in walls and closets should
be first filed with lime and afterwards
plastered over with plaster of Paris
mixed with water. It Is good plan to
keep a paper of the latter in every house,
as it Is useful in filing cracks, and In
many other ways in household economy.
a BRILLIANT black on iron and steel
may be produced by applying, with
fine hair brush, a mixture of turpentlne
and sulphur boiled together. When the
turpentine evaporates there remains on
the metal thin layer of sulphur, which
unites closely with the iron when heated
for a time over spirit or gas flame. This
varnish protects the metal perfectly and
is quite durable.
THE following method of softening
putty is useful to those having hard putty
to remove from sashes: Take soda or
potash-the latter being preferable-and
dissolve it in water and mix the solution
with fresh burnt, fresh Stacked lime.
After the mixture has stood for time,
pour off the clear fluid and bottle Tor
use. Putty moistened with this fluid
quickly softens and is easily removed.
To PREVENT the cracking of cast steel
in hardening, correspondent of the
Metal Arbeiter places the article first in
tin box, where it Is packed with clean
wrought iron drillings, and after luting
the box carefully he heats the whole
slowly to a dark red heat. After cooling
it very gradually he finds that all internal
strains which otherwise would have de-
veloped cracks in the tool during harden
ing are removed, and when steel to be
hardened is thus annealed no further
trouble is experienced.
THE following rules should be OBJ
served in the care of grindstones /,
Don't waste the stone running 1t
in water, nor allow it to stand In
water when not in use, as this VIII
cause soft place, and consequent m
even wear. 2. Wet the stone by dropping
water on it from pot suspended above
the stone, and stop off the water when
not in use 3. Do not allow the stone to
get out of round, but true up with q
piece of gas pipe or "hacker. 4. Dc
not leave the stone out of doors in the
wind and weather, as this hardens 1t and
makes it less effective. 5. Clean off al
greasy tools before grinding, as grease
or oil destroys the grit. 6. When you
get stone that suits your purposes
keep sample of the grit TO send to the
dealer to select by, as in this way yor
can always secure one that suits.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
Fishing In Japan.

Fishing in the rivers and streams OF
the Main Island is not considered as
sport by the Japanese, but as means
Of livelihood, and therefore "the gentle
angler" will not receive much encour-
agement from the brotherhood in the
Land of the Rising Sun. Salmon trout,
trout an al "a small but game fish) are
educated" on some rivers, to take the
fly. The Japs work with very small
flies, fine tackle, slight bamboo rods,
with which they are very successful.
Altogether, however, the game Will be
found scarcely worth the candle on the
main land, but capital sport with the
salmon trout can be obtained In several
streams near Satsuporo, In Yezo, during
May and June, with genuine British
fiy. The most important export from
Yezo is in dried salmon, which are netted
in incredible quantities in various rivers
of the northern part Of the island and IN
the southern Kuriles but sport in these
rivers among the dense masses of fish Is
out of the question, even if the proprie-
tors of the fshings would allow their fish
to be poached. The Japanese seaboard
is everywhere picturesque, and the seas
abound with fish, giving employment to
the crews of thousands of fishing boats.
When sailing along the coasts, numeers
of large black whales and sharks, both
large and small, will be seen, the latter
being caught by the fishermen, as their
dns are counted delicacy and the skins
serve many uses. The hilts of all the
old swords are covered with white shark s
skin.-7he London Field.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
ITEMS OF INTEREST.


CHrNEsE cotton is yellow, and hence
tne peculiar color of the fabric called
nankeen.
In NEW Mexico the inhabitants sup
Plement their dinners with q plateful of
honey ants for desserts.
WIND of twenty-five miles an hour.
or what sailors would call stiff breeze.
travels 1857 feet per second.
Thz artificially -fatted ortolan becomes
sucn ball OF fat that, strung on a wick,
~ Is said to make very good lamp.
Two hundred beetles, ont of 500
species known TO inhabit Madeira. are so
lar deficient In wings that they cannot
fhe frait Of e shea a9Isss les a as mage n 6s
richer taste than any made from cows
milk.
The waste ashes of wood fires are
leached for potash, and the waste of lin
seed-oil manufacture used as food for
cattle.
RESEARCHES among the rock forma-
tions of Western America show that it
is to the New World we must look for a
perfect pedigree of the horse.
The oldest map of the heavens is in
the National Library at Paris. 1t was
made by the Chinese about the year 600
B. o., and contains i, 400 stars.
To GIVE hghtness to what would be an
insupportable weight, the cranial bones
of the enormous head of the elephant
contain numerous air-cells.
THOUGH the multiplication table was
in use by the Arabians and Italians at
an early age, no notice was taken of it
during the Middle Ages in the rest of
Europe.
THERE is on record the case of q lady,
subject TO nervous headaches, who always
finds next morning patches of her hair
white, as If powdered. In a few days it
regains its natural dark color.
SOME one explains the custom of plac-
ing plumes and cockades of hats always
on the left side, by the fact that large
plume-such as was the fashion in Charles
III. IS time, for instance-would impede
the free use of the sword.
IT rs found that the clothes fitted TO
new recruits in the English army soon
become too small across the chest and
too tight around the neck, owing to the
increased development given by gym
nastic and military exercises.
1T Is said that the name alligator arose
from the expression of Spanish sailor
on board an English ship, who, seeing
an alligator in one of the tropical rivers
of America, said, that's a La9Grto,"
that being the Spanish word for lizard.
The demand for good carpet designs
far exceeds the supply, and American
manufacturers are sending to Europe,
particularly England and France, for !
hundreds of thousands of dollars worth |
of designs yearly. If the same quality |
of designs could be made in this country |
the manufacturers would gladly patronize |
home talent. One carpet firm alone pays
800, 900 per year for it's designing de
partmeut, and of this sum several thou
sands of dollars go TO foreign markets.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
Absence of Mind.

A citizen who was flurried AMI angry
entered a grocery store ON Antoine street
and called out to the owner:
"Why in the - do you keep dog
around here to eat folks up?'
"Didt my dog eat you oop?" was the
innocent query In reply.
"Not quite, but he tore my coat half
off my back, and you've got to pay for
it l''
"How much ?"
"Weu, it will cost as much as 50 to
get it repaired. You'll either pay it or
III have the dog shot.
"Oh, I'll pay dot" said the grocer,
and he did; but the man was hardly ont
of sight before he jumped foot high
and called out:
"Dunder und bitten, but vhas der
greatest shackass in America Why j
sells dot dog to my fader-in-law more as
six weeks ago Detroit Free Press.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31

Her music lessons she kept profound
secret from her family. In the summer
they went, as usual, to Saratoga and
took possession of one of the pretty cot
tages, at the United States Hotel.
The morning after their arrival the
local newspaper contained a notice that
the leading soprano of the Episcopal
Church was i'll with throat affection,
and the congregation was asked to make
due allowance for the disabled choir.
The next morning Sunday Mr.. r.,
with two of the children, wended his
way TO the church of his belief, Mrs. r.
having excused herself on the plea of
headache.
After the opening service, the minis
ter announced that "a lady from New
York had kindly volunteered to sing in
place of the sick soprano, and In conse-
quence the musical service would be the
same as usual" A few moments later a
clear, sweet voice rang through the
church and touched the hearts of the
people, perhaps, even more through the
exquisite expression and feeling with
which the music was rendered than the
qualities of the voice itself. Mr.. r. was
fascinated, delighted and inwardly made
comparisons between it and the witchiag
widow, not hattering to the latter.
After the services were over he eagerly
sought the minister TO ascertain the
name of the charming soprano, whose
face he had not been able to see from
his seat.
"Come with me and 1 will introduce
you" said the minister, who knew Mr..
r. by reputation. They entered the
choir together, and the good man began:
Miss Brown, permit me to intro
duce-" when he was interrupted by
r. circulating: Great heavens, it is
my wife p And, place and company
notwithstanding, he gave her hearty
embrace in his delight and surprise.
To cut the story short, he fell IN love
with her all over again, the singing siren
was forgotten, and don't believe you
conld find a happier couple in New
| York.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
II Wa His Wife.

A noted music teacher in New York
city relates the following incident, which
contains moral worth recognition by
wives
ga year ago last fall q card was
brought into my music-room bearing
the name of a well-known and fashion,
able married lady. When she was ush-
cred In I was surprised to see so young
a looking woman, though, to be sure,
she is not yet 40, and fair complexion
and clear blue eyes make her look
younger. She seemed little embar-
rassed, but asked me to try her voice.
did so, and found it unculivated, but
was singularly fresh and sweet; IN
quality a light soprano. told her so,
and her face flushed eagerly as she
asked 50 Professor, could you teach me
to sing ?" "Yes," 1 replied, "if you
choose to apply yourself earnestly"
" L will and if you can manage it
so that l need not be seen, and that no
one knows of it, 1 will take a lesson
every day. We made the best arrange
ments we could, and the lady never
failed to appear promptly at the hour.
She was so anxious and so persevering
that she made the most extraordinary
progress, and when spring came her
voice had so strengthened and developed
as to be almost beyond recognition.
During the summer l heard nothing of
her beyond mention in the society pa
pers of her being at Saratoga, but about
month ago she called upon me, and.
taking both my hands in hers, shook
them earnestly, as she said &" Professor,
/ have come to thank you for making
me the happiest woman alive" She
then told me that her husband, to whom
she was deeply attached, was passion
ately fond of vocal music, and had al
ways regretted that she could not sing
to him.
She had never cultivated her voice be-
fore marriage, and afterward the COM
ing of children and the claims of society
had prevented her attempting it; but
the unlucky day came when Mr.. r.
made the acquaintance of charming
widow with charming voice, who was
always ready and willing to sing sweet
songs to him, and he gradually fell into
the way OF spending many of his even
ings with her.
At heart devoted to his wife, ne was
unconscious of his gradual neglect of
her, and would have been astouished
had she resented his enjoyment of these
musical tete-a-tetes. About the widow i
am not prepared TO speak. Mrs. X.
like nice woman, did not resent it, but
| undermined the enemy, as you will see.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
A Beer Joke.

Mr.. Merrill, the railroad agent al
Monroe, ILL.,, is bad man. He received
several kegs of beer one night, consigned
to a dealer in that beverage, and shortly
after missed one of the kegs. On
searching the vicinity he found where
the keg was hidden, and he recovered it,
and borrowing an empty beer keg he
filed it with water from the sewer, and
placed it where the other keg had been,
and watched it. Later some smart fel-
lows took the keg away to store, tap.
ned it and all took a drink Several
doctors got JOB with stomach pumps,
and the smart fellows will obey the in
;unction hereafter, "look not upon the
beer when it is sorrel- '-AftttOdukee Sun.
EMor1vE religion without righteous
ness is all gush. Morality without
Righteousness is only dress parade but
when our emotions and our morality are
the result of character, that, and that
alone, is righteousness.
He is wise who never acts without
reason. and never against 1t.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
Malaria a In Mode.

eyes, sir, remarked Congressman,
in the enjoyment of a 5-cent chariot
seat, emo doubt of it IN the world.
Washington is one of the most unhealthy
points on the continent. Ihardly strike
the town before malaria strikes me, and
it's my opinion that the Capitol should
be removed.
Well, maybe it should but as long
as there is any lingering hope that ne
will die here in the line of his important
duties, no man of sense would advocate
the transfer. / surveyed this sufferer
with great care. He came from the
West. He wore a long beard, red
nose, an infamed eye and girth OF
about eighty-four inches. With the aid
of an ordinary imagination you could
see the red-headed duck, pate de foie
0r0s, calves head la viniagrette, ter
rapin, and champagne, all laid away In
LAYERS under his belt. From the size of
his head and the swelling in his templar
veins it was evident that he had a bad
case of Washington malaria on hand.
That's one type of the disease.
Again, you'll find a Congressman with
nerves so unstrung that he can't sign
a check for his board. He's a great suf-
ferer. He has to go out about twelve
times day to see "the doctor" He
hates to be alone, and the thought of
anything to eat operates on him like a
red rag on bull. Then he writes home
that he has been taken down with the
Washington malaria.
Malaria is a peculiar complaint. It is
one of those portable diseases you can
carry around with you almost anywhere
if you have enough money to buy the
drinks. Several years ago, when the
virulence of this complaint in Washing
ton was first circulated all over the
country by the statesmen who made
periodic calls at the capital, we thought
it might possibly be true to some extent f;
but it did seem rather remarkable that
the people who lived here in the capa-
city of natives, and followed the pious
ana orderly customs of the place, never
suffered to such an alarming extent as
these transient travellers. At last it was
observed, however, that statesmen who
come on here without their families-not
caring to expose them to the frivolities
of the capitol-are the first to yield to
the ruinous influence of this malarious
atmosphere, while those who bring their
families, and run on regular schedule
bedtime, are seldom troubled with the
complaint. Washington Capital.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
ndmnn,s Grnnh WnrIs.

To gull, to guard the child, to refine
and elevke the man, to care for and
ministerto age, to feed and clothe the
poor. toympathize with the sorrowing,
to soothfsptering, to wipe the dying
breWSss md Aal~ays ana ever wfere TO
show low h.r life, srork and conversation
that one hand is in her Savior's, while
the otker is isuplifting humanity is
wo1nans vast work; when she does it
earth viii indeed become a worthy foot
stool for holy God, and woman the
link-alas now missing-between man
and the angels. Who would exchange
her true, grand work for the boards of
he theater. the forum. the caucus !?
tWho would not rather be divine than
manly q?
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-03-31
The G,orr of woman.

The Springfield Republican had a
story about a young lady in Chicopee
Falls, Mass, named Ada Ferry, who
was alleged to have hair which would
trail half yard on the floor, notwith-
standing she was of medium height. L
know charming lady in this city, who
honors me with her friendship, who has
blonde hair as fine as the thinnest of
spun silk. which measures over two
yards in length. But probably the fin
est head of hair in the world is that of
the wife of Mr.. Halstead, the editor of
the Cincinnati Commercial. She is a
beautiful woman to start with, and her
hair is more than marvellous. 1t is of
that peculiar tint of shade that Titan
loved to paint "a mixture of brown and
spun gold that is rare to human sight. 1t
is wonderfully thick, and when uncoiled
and combed out it covers her like the
sheet of a waterfall Its exact length L
do not know, but it is certainly longer
than the hair described in the Spring
field Republican, beside being in color
and texture miracle of beauty Wash
fNOfOn ReDubIicdn.