davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
The Transit Of Venus.

Venus will be the evening star until
December 6, and morning star the rest
of the month. There will be no hesita-
tion in determining which Of the plan
cts leads the list, for the movements of
Venus are more important than those
of all the other planets combined, or in
deed of any other celestial event, even
the advent of another comet exceeding
in proportions our present august visi'
tor. On, the 9th the grand epoch occurs
for then the planet, resching her infe-
rior conjunction Dakes, transit over
the suns face. No intelligent person
who realizes its Importance will fail to
do as much toward the celebration of
the rare event as to follow the planets
course, with the aid Of smoked glass
at some time during the passage. 1t is
| the simplest sight Imaginable "a tiny yblack
dot making its way over the sun, but the
solution of the great problem of the
suns distance may hinge OIL the seem
ingly unimportant occurrence. Venus
will appear on the suns limb over the
whole United States at nearly the same
moment of absolute time, at about S:55
o'clock in the morning; she will leave il
and tile transit will end about o'clock
Washington mean time. The tables OF
Venus are not quite perfect, and there
fore the predicted time may differ I
minute or two from the observed time
i Such is the Importance attached by as
tronomers to the transit that million.
of dollars will probably be appropriated
by the Governments of different coun
tries and spent by private individuals II
observing the phenomenon. Scientifi
observers will be numbered by thou
sands, while no figures can compute tn
labor and painstaking involved in th'
intricate processes that enter into th
mathematical calculations. All tina
1.-THE most sanguine astronomers expec
to accomplish is the right to add or sui
i tract less than the tenth of secon
from the suns parallex as now received
though this infinitesimal angular erro
represents something like a hal
> million miles in the solar distance. A
half the stations in the most favorabl
localities, the weather will prevent Ol
seryation. But at the other half, all ths
: human power can do in wrestling th
secrets of the sun will be accomplished
and the only opportunity that will occl
for l22 years will be improved. Aftt
1.-THE transit, we shall lose the fairest {
;, the stars from the evening sky, but onl
:. for a shert time. In few days she wi
i reappear in the east as morning sta
= at the close of the month she will be
II superb object in the morning sky, risir
1.-TWO hours and half before the sun. al
sharing with the comet, if the celesti
ivisitor hrs not left for parts anknow
4 in the chief attractions of the celesti
view. Venus sets now few minut
: before o'clock in the evening; at t
end of the month she rises about A:
i o'clock in the morning. (Providen
y Journal, Nov. 90. s.r ..e.--
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07

A TORONTO physician sent list OF
questions to large number Of brother
practitioners in Canada and the United
States relative to consumption as dis
ease, its causes and conditions, and re
ceived two hundred and fifty replies.
From these the doctor has made up an
interesting report, from which the fol-
lowing data are taken:
The average age of the patients was
twenty-seven years; forty-six per cent.
were males and llfty-four per cent. fe-
males; only twenty-eight per cent. were
married. The circumference of the
chest was in every case much below the
average of vigorous persons of the same
height, being only thirty-one and u half
inches; the average height being five
feet FIVE and half inches. About fifty.
live per cent had light blue eyes and
light hair, and the nervous tempera
ment largely prevailed. TwO-thirds OF
the patients had been engaged in indoor
sedentary occupation. and spent but lit
tie times in the open air. Much the
greater part of them had slept in small
tunventilated bedrooms, two in a bed
had not usually worn flannel next to th'
skin, nor used habitually any form o
bath, and nearly all had been small o.
very moderate eaters, and used but yer.
little fatty food except butter. The gen
eral habits of nearly all had been good
but very few had used alcoholic spirit
to excess. In only thirty-six per cenl
of the cases had ancestors, died of tn
disease. while nearly three fourths ha
resided in a locality fayoring humid
cool atmosphere.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
Gratitude.

For every day whose close as now
Finds me stillsound of limb and strong /;
With eyes the whole wide world to scan,
Ears quick to catch the glad earth song /;
In fervent thanks my veice raise
And for each gift the Giver praise.
SO many suffering ones there are
Whose days are one hard strife with
pain,
Who, restless, long for mornings light,
Then sigh for evening shades again;
Or, faint with languor. long years spent.
And, wasting slowly, wait life's endl
For every day which finds me still
Scathed by shock Of sore distress, r4
Disaster. pestilence or death,
The Hand that shields me will bless.
For earthly good, for loves fond ties,
Long as they last shall thanks arise. :.
So many serrowing ones there are
Whose heavy eyes are wet with tears /;
Ger fond hopes crushed, DER loved ones
lost, .... ...E ...i II,
Ger want and woe and anxious fears,
Or, unsupported, pass us by
With hearts that beat with agony
o Christ! than all earth's good most
dear,
Whate'er befalls me, still be mine,
And make me unto sOrrowing hearts
A tender messenger of Thine
That day by day my life may be
One constant song of praise to Thee!
Providence Journal.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
New Series-Vol. %. No. 48
Gardner on Winners.

"Dar am sartin felkses l wont to keep
away from" began the old man as the
voices of the Glee Club died away on
the last strains CT Sarah James Baby"
II mean dat class of people who groan
ober de wickedness of de world, and
who have heartache an surrows to ped
die aroun' de kentry at,de reg'lar mar
ket rates. Dar am old man Turn
er. He comes ober to see me now and
den, but he can't sot still kase somebody
stole his dog, or hit him wild brickbat,
or beat him out of seventy-five cents.
He fully believes dat de world am gwine
TO smash at de rate of fifteen miles an
hour, an it would eanemost kill him to
lose his ole wallet an find man honest
huff to return IL. il.is. -e.
de Widder Plumsell comes 0ber to
borry some butter for supper, an she
drops DOWN on q char an .heaveS sigh
as big as a barn doah, and goes on 70
say dis am a cold an unfeelin' world.
'Cording TO her tell all de men am dishon
est, all de women extrayagant, an all
chillen Just ready to cum down wild de
measles. Tears run down her cheess as
she tells how she has to work an plan
while eberybody else has money to frOw
inter the Lake Erie, an she wipes her
nose on her apron as she asserts dat dis
wicked world can't stan mo- dan TO
weeks longer. sf4-[
Deacon Striper draps In to eat pop
corn wild me of a Friday eyenin' an he
hardly gifts out out from under his hat
befo' he begins to tell what his first wife
died of; how his second run away how
his third broke her leg by fallin' off
fence and cost him S2sS4 for doctors
bill, an befo' he gifts frew yeu~ couldn't
make him believe but what de hull
world was dead agin him. He predicts
late spring, a hot summer, poor crops.
high prices, bloody war. an goes hemo
feelin' dat he am stoppin' on airth only
to accommodate somebody.
Il have sorrow Of my own. I've been
robbed, but dat was kase left wind
er up. I've been swindled, I've been
sick unto death. an I've been shot in de
back wild hull brickyard. but / do not
sorrow. an do not AK for sympathy.
De world am plenty good 'nuff fur do
class of people living in it. Honest men
am not lonesome fur company, an hon.
est women am sartin to be appreciated.
De janitor will now open 70 windows
an we will purceed to bizness.
Detroit Free Press.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
Ladies' Diaries, 1852 1882.

Many of the diaries kept by society
ladies one hundred years ago, and print
ed for the delectation of nineteenth CEN
turysreaders, may not be very brilliant
literary efforts, but they admirably
serve to show how simple and unassum-
ing were the lives of quality folk III
ancient times. The annexed is excerpt
ed from the recently printed diary ot
Lady Sourapple:
July 16.-John took yarn to the
weaver; and brought back fax, spices.
and sugar. The stage wagon had not
arrived when he left Ipswich, and thera
was no package from London. My lOrt
was to send bangings for the large draw
ing-room, but it matters not.
This, the reader may say, is very com
mon place. And so it is. II it had been
written by the obscure Mary Jane Bog
gins instead of the Lady SOurappie, l5
would not have been embalmed in print;
but the object in quoting it is to CON-
pare it with d couple of extracts FROM
the diary of a society" lady of 1882 =
which will not be printed for the bene-
tit of readers a century hence, albert
quite as interesting as the Lady Sour
apple literature:
December 1S.-Painted lovely stork
on mas pickle jar. Decided to have my
new heliotrope damasse made without ii
train. Read three chapters of The Mid
night Shrek; or, The Painting Bride
Purchased charming velvet collar with
a gold clasp for dear little Fido's neck.
Charles Augustus called this evening.
He's too sweet for anything.
: December 21.-Worked supremeiy
beautiful pen-wiper for Christmas
present to Charles Augustus. gave
him pair of utterly intense slippers or
nv own embroidering last year, but
they were three sizes too small A pen
wiper is hever a misft. Brother Tom
asked me to sew on suspender button.
He has no regard for the delicate stats
of my health. Was at Mrs. De Ut
krust's German last night. and danced
every set. Didn't get home until thre"
o'clock this morning l must now dress
for the Kodpbish reception, which is t'
be too utterly all but.-IJ. Fl. Williams.
in Editors Drawer, Harper's Magazine
for December.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
7------- y IT
aRespectablen Drinking.

/ sometimes thank God that l have no
son to be lost; but if / had, l would
rather take him to the yilest and dirtiest
grogshop7 that could be found, and keep
him there for half an honr, than to take
him 7iuto the, most respectable social
drinking circle in Saratoga. If l took
my boy, fresh from his pure home. fresh
from his mothers knee. fresh from Sun
day school exercises. into such den as
that it would frighten him. He hears
strange sounds; he does not like the
soder of the place he puts his hands to
his ears. Take me out of this papa.
eWhat are these men,aoing? don't like
1t: O!-take me away" But in the So
cial circle, where the neither smilingly
offers the wine to her guests. and the
minister under whose preaching the boy
had sat. gives assent to it bya smile,
there he will take his first glass. So if
we want to prevent this evil we must
assail the drinking customs OF society
that are made fashionable and respecta
ble.-GOugh.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
IL Want to be An Angel"

A child sat in the door of cottage at
the close of a summer Sabbath. The
twilight was fading, and as the shades
of evening darkened, one after of the
stars stoed in the sky, and looked down
on him in his thoughtful mood.
He was looking up at the stars and
counting them as they came, till they
we're too many to be counted, and his
eyes wandered all over the heavens,
watching the bright worlds above. They
seemed just like "holes in the floors of
heaven TO let the glory through" but he
knew better. Yet let loved to look up
there, and was so absorbed that his
mother called to him and said:
my son. what are you thinking of?
He started as if suddenly arensed from
sleep, and answered: M
81 was thinking"
YES" said his mother, 81 know you
were thinking. but what we're you
thinking about?"
"Oh," said ne, and his little eyes spark
led with the thought, 81 want to be an
angel"
And why, my son, would you be an
angel?"
Heaven is up there, is it not, mother ?
and there the angels live and love God,
and are happy. do wish L was good,
and God would take me there, and let
me wait on him forever"
The mother called him to her knee,
and he leaned on her bosom and wept.
She wept too, and smoothed the soft
hair of his head as he stood there, and
kissed his forehead, and told him that
if he would give his heart to God, now
while he was young, the Savior would
forgive all his sins and take him up to
heaven when he died, and he would then
be with God forever.
His young heart was comforted. He
kneIt at his mothers side and said:
Jesus, Savior, Son of God,
Wash me in thy precious blood;
thy little lamb would be,
Help me, Lord to look to Thee"
The mother took the young child to
his chamber. and soon he was asleep,
dreaming, perhaps. of angels and heav-
en-.
A few months afterward sickness was
on him, and the light of that cottage,
the joy of that mothers heart, went
out.
He breathed his last in her arms, and
as he took her parting kiss. he whisper
ed in her ear:
Il am going to be an angel"
-Irenaeus Prime.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
The Grandeur of Woman.

When you want to get the grandest
idea of queen. you do not think OF
Catharine, of Russia, or of Anne, OF
England, or of Marie Theresa, of Ger.
many; but when you want to get your
grandest idea of a queen, You think OF
the plain woman who sat opposite your
father ut the table, or walked with him
arm-in-arm down life's pathway; some
times to she thanksgiving banquet
sometimes to the grave, but always to-
gether- soothing your petty griefs, cor
recting your childish way ywardness, join
ing in our infantile sports. listening to
your evening prayers, toiling for you
with needle, or at the spinning wheel,
and on cold nights wrapping you up
snug and warm. And then at last on
that day when she lay in the back room
dying, and you saw her take those thin
hands with which she had toiled for you
so long and put them together in dy :
ing prayer that commended you to the
God whom she had taught you to trust
oh, she was the queen! The chariots
of God came down to fetch her; and as
she went in, all heaven rose up. You
cannot think of her now without rush
of tenderness that stirs the deep founda-
tions of your soul, and yon feel as much
child again as when you cried Jon her
lap; and if you could bring her back
again to speak just once more yonr
name as tenderly as she used to speak it,
YOU would be willing to, throw yourself
on the ground and kiss the sod that cov-
ers her. crying: "Motherl Motherl", All,
she was the queen! She was the queen
Now, can you tell me low many thou
sand miles woman like that whuld
have to travel down before she got to
the ballot box? Comparing with this
work of training kings and queens for
God and. eternity, how insignificant
seems all this work of voting for alder :
men and common councilmen and sher-
ifs and constables and mayors and pres
identsI To make one such grand wo-
man as l have described, how many
thousands would you want of those
people who go in the round of fashion
and dissipation, distorting their. body
until in their monstrositlcs they seem to
outdo the dromtdary and hippopotamu
going as far toward disgracefal apparel
as they dare go-sO as not to be arrested
by the police-their behavior is sorrow
to the good and a caricature te the
vicious, and an insult to that God who
made them women and not gorgeous
and tramping on, down through a friv-
'olous and dissipated life. to temporal
and eternal damnation.-LDr. Talmage.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
Experiments In Feeling.

The Superintendent of the Model
Farm at Guelph, Canada, gives as be-
low the results of some experiments
made there in cattle breeding: n
l. A steady, frosty winter is better
than an open one in feeding cattle.
2. An average two or three-year old
steer will eat its own weight or differ
ent materials in two weeks.
8. Two or thTee-year old cattle Will
add one-third of pound more per day
to their own weight upon prepared nay
and roots than upon the same materials
unprepared.
4. 1t is 80 per cent. more profitable to
premature and dispose of fattening cat
tie at two years old than to keep them
up to three years. -l 1lsl- Va q
5. There is no loss in feeding cattle
beast well upon variety of materials
| for the sake of manure alone
9. Farm yard manure from weil-fed
cattle three years old is worth An aver
age of 81 80 per ton.
I. A three-year old cattle beast well
fed, will give at least one ton of manure
every month of winter.
s. No cattle beast whatever will pay
| for the direct increase TO It's welgnl
from consumption of any kind or guam
tity of food.
9. On an average it costs IL cents for
every additional pound of flesh added tn
the weight of a two or three-year old
! fattening steer. r.
10. In Canada the market vatue OF
store cattle can be increased SO per cent
during six months of finishing by good
feeding. ai
| IL. In order to cure 3 safe proflt. nc
store cattle beast, well done to, can be
sold at less than AZ cents per pound
dive weight.
12. In the fattening of wethers. to
finish as shearings. the COttswold and
Leicester grades can be made up to 200
pounds, the Oxford down $50 pounds,
and the Southdown (grade) 100 pounds
live weight.
13. A COW wintered upon two tons
and half of hay will produce not far
from five tons of manure, provided that
she be well Uttered and none of the ex-
crements be wasted.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
THE "BUTLER PONY"
The Late Lewis ID. CAMPBELL Of
Ohio, EX.COugresslaaan.

Everybody in the country,at one time.
knew him. He was Little Lew and
THE Butler Pony" and bore himself
with an air that meant that he was a
game man. Though his reputation was
that of q Radical, he was favorite ia
the Southern society ut Washington.and
ON terms of intimacy with many OF
the men of the South who were famous
before the war. and who, with all their
faults, were the flower of q remarkabla
aristocracy. Mr.. Campbell's bearing to-
ward these men was that of very posi-
tive independence, but he was eompli-
mented by them as one Of kindred spi-
rit
Among the earliest OF the home an
tagonists Of Mr.. Camdbell was John B.
Weller. who repeatedly beat him in Sc
yerely contested Congressional races. and
going to California with the Boundary
Commission, became identified with that
State. and one of her representatives IN.
the Senate of the United States. After
some wears, Clement L. Vallandigham
became the Democratic leader in tho
Miami valley, and he and Campbell
fought over the doubtful ground with
varying results.
He was among those who believed in
the patriotism and good sense OF An
drew johnson. and stood with hlni
him against the impeachers. johnson
appointed him Minister to Mexico, and
he and Gen. Sherman were on u mystic
rious- mission that terminated at the
frontier. I
He became entangled in political SYM
pathy with his old associates. and Drift
| ed into the camps of those who for thir-
ty years had been his antagonists. In
1 1870, after desperate struggle. he beat
Robert q. Schenck in Congressional
race, but he was no longer leader. and
sat silent in his seat. apparently weary
and Indifferent. The old ire did not ap-
pear. His reserve was by some attribus
1 ted to the fact that his seat was contest
i ed, but it seemed he was conscious ne
had run his race. His health was shat.
u ter ed and his ambition broken He
ltried ull parties. and found all wanting
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
masonic pIrectory.

DELMONT LODGE, No. 16, F. & A. N.
ID Meets every Wednesday night, on or DC,
fore full moon.
ROBT. NJ. EATON, W. NJ.
JESSE B. MEYER, Sec'y.
CT. CLAIRSVILLE CHAPTER, Nc. IL,
y Royal Arch Masons. Stated convoca-
tions, first Friday of each month.
j. B. RYAN, H. p.
JESSE B. MEYER, Sec'y. -
DEMONT COUNCIL, No. 54, R. & s. M.
ID meets second Tuesday of each month.
Fl. r. BUMGARNER, T. l. u.
F. D. BAILEY, Sec'y. :,
HOPE COMMANDERY, No. %, Z. T..
II Stated conclaves, first Tuesday Of each
month. C. W. CARROLL, Z. c.
2 L7h. 5EDwIok. Rec. s-ei r=rF-e-
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
Education i'm Ohio.

The Census Bureau has just furnished
some instructive facts regarding educa
tion in Ohio and the grand intelligence
of her inhabitants. or her two and a
helf million people about ten years of
age, only S6,754 are returned as unable
to read, being but 81 per cent of the
population. Even boasted Massachu-
sets. who has prided herself from time
immemorial upon the intelligence of her
people, drops behind Ohio in the race,
and shows So per cent. unable to read
and 81 per cent. of her population who
cannot write. But Eve OF the forty-six
States and Territories have similar
percentage of illiterate population.
Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-12-07
The Planets in December.

December presents an exceptionally
beautiful progralnme for planetary stu
dents. Venus leads off with grand
transit and inferior conjunction. Jupiter
comes next in reaching on the 18th the
most important epoch of his course, op-
position with the sun, when the eastern
sky seems to glow as he comes above the
horizon. Saturn pursues the even tenor
of his way high up among the stars.
Mars shows throb of life as he arrives
at conjunction With the sun, and gives
promise of some time reaching opposi-
tion, when his tiny moon will come into
view. Mercury is busy enough to de-
serve the title of messenger of the gods.
The conjunction of Venus, Mercury. and
Mars with the sun and with cath other
show how near they are to the great lu-
minary and how nearly their tracks
touch upon each other. Once more our
neighbor, TIE moon, tries to prove that
she is not a member of the dead world
brotherhood to which she has been ruth
lessly consigned. Mr.. TrOuvelot adds
his weighty authority to the theory that
.there are evidences of movement on the
lunar disc. This keen-eyed reliable OBJ
server has seen lunar landscapes lose
their distinctness as if light clouds were
| floating over them and two of the great
craters illumined with a rare vapor of
an atmosphere of some kind, thus con-
fiicting with established belief. But the
astronomical mind is receptive, and
willing to accept anything new and
strange on sufficient proof (Providence
Journal, Nov. 25.