davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
SWindling a Settler.

About the 1st of October pioneer in
one of the northern counties of Wiscon-
sin was seated on a log in front of his
cabin, waiting for his every-other-day
shake to come along, when a covered
wagon drove up. It contained a man
and his wife, and few articles of fur
niture, and they were looking for piece
of land on which to squat. 1t was nip
and tuck which was the meanest-look-
ing man. Both were ragged, down in
the mouth, and had chills and fever as
regularly as sunrise, and neither one
had made a cent in the last ten years.
1t was also pretty even thing between
the women. One was cross-eyed, and
the other had broken nose. One was
almost toothless and the other had stiff
knee. One chewed slippery-elm and took
snuff, and the other smoked plug tobac-
co in a clay pipe.
Stranger" remarked the settler af-
ter the four had looked each other over,
Il haven't any fodder for yer hosses,
nothing to get up a dinner with, and
We git our drinking water from q
creek half mile away. Yer mean
looking family and I'd adviseye to drive
on"
stranger" echoed the other, II
wouldn't have stopped nohow but to Of
fer We trade. My old woman dom t
like the woods and don't want to go
further. How'll ye trade?"
The settler got up and walked around
the wagon and whistled "OldDan Tuck
err twice over. and then replied:
Il reckon it's about an even thing"
Yes, purity even. What do you say,
old womanp''
''Wall, can't be much wuss off,
she replied as she jumped down.
The settlers wife was not over seven
minutes packing up, and as the wagon
moved off she called back:
Goodbye, old man! Reckon we don't t
owe each other nothing"
In less than a fortnight the settler ap-
peared at the county seat to consult a
lawyer, and great was his Indignation
as he explained:
"In less'n a week after that ere wag-
on druv off that ere woman went stone
blind and likewise developed consump-
ton and yesterday morning she sudden
ly drapped off her cheer and died with
out kick"
''She did?'
"And I've got to bury her and break
up and lose my squat. Now, then,
what want is to know if there is any
law in this State which allows stranger
to tote dying female around the ken
try and trade her even up for an old
woman who could chop cord and a
half of wood per day and sot up all
night to keep the bars from holdin' a
convention in the shanty?" - Detroit
Free Press.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
Three Troubles.

Three carpets hung waving in the breeze.
And three husbands; with patches of dirt on
Wbacked whacks that were heard for miles
up and down,
For men must work, and women must clean,
And the carpets be beaten, no matter how
mean,
While the neighbors do the bossing.
Three housewives leaned out of their windows
raised
OF their windows raised, where the light
streamed in;
And they scrubbed and rubbed, till their heads
grew daZed,
And their ears were filled with a horrible din,
For the pots will fail and kettles go bang,
And boilers refuse in the attic to hang,
While the husbands do the swearing.
Three husbands went out in the haymows to
hide
In the haymows to hide, where their wives
ne'er look.
Each said, as he rolled himself oer on his side,
II guess 1 will snooze, for know am book
For men may swear, but women may dust;
And before move that stove that must
I'll stay right here till morning.
Three Judges sat on their benches to judge
Three cases that came from house-clean-
ing row.
The parties asserted they never would bulge,
But wanted divorces fright here and right
now,'
So the men went off, and the women went
home,
And hereafter will do their house-cleaning
alone,
While their former partners snicker.
-YOnkcrs Statesman.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
Succession of Forest Growths,

Mr.. Robert Douglas, the great West
ern nurseryman, gives, in brief letter
to the Gardeners Montblu. some inter-
esting facts concerninaethe succession of
forest growths-the result of years of
observation. When the forests are cut
down and the fires are kept out, they in
the main reproduce the same species
But if a settlement is formed and cattle
are allowed to run in the cut-down
woods. the seedlings are destroyed as
thing is changed; all vegetation is swept
away. Even the soil is changed, and
its surface, if thin, is destroyed.
After forest fire the first tree that
makes its appearance is the aspen
(Populus tremulOides), tree which nat
urally grows on moist lands, where its
roots have the best chance to escape
from the general destruction. Accord
ing to Mr.. Douglass, this tree predomi-
mates in burned forests in Colorado,
Wyoming, Dakota, the Black Hills,
Minnesota, Manitoba, Wisconsin and
Northern Michigan. In Wisconsin and
the Black Hills it is mixed with the
white birch, and occasionally, as in
Northeastern Wisconsin, the white birch
is the chief tree Both the trees and
seeds of conifers are usually destroyed
by fire, except sometimes Pt,sus Bank
stana in Northern Wisconsin. and Pinus
contorta at high attitudes in the Rocky
Mountains. The cones of these two
pines are very hard, and that fact may
account for their preservation. Next to
the aspen and white birch those trees
and shrubs spring up over burned dis
tricts which bear seeds that are either
blown to great distances, remain long
in dormant state in the ground or are
carried by birds. Where the burned
forests consisted of oaks and pines ad-
joining, or partly intermingled, the
oaks will be found after fire crowding
upon the pine lands. This is due ia part
to the fact that oaks renew themselves
from the stumps, which pines do not,
and that acorns are often buried by
squirrels in spots favorable to their
speedy growth.
Mr.. Douglas raises warning voice
against the wanton destruction caused
by forest fires, and thinks the time has
come when some method should be
adopted to prevent their frequency and
extent. individuals like myself, he
adds, can only deplore, but are power
less to prevent such wanton reckless
ness; but the public press should arouse
the people, the State Governments, or
the national Legislature to see that
some plan is adopted to check this ter
rible waste.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
Are Your Diamonds Genuine?

A correspondent asks how doubtful
diamonds may be tested without injury.
Hydrof1uoric acid will not affect the di-
amond, while it quickly corrodes glass,
which is the material of most of the inn
itation gems. The only objection to it's
use is that it will attack certain stones
of minor but real value. like the topAz,
which are sometimes passed off as dia-
monds. Of course, being a dangerous
agent to experiment with, it must be
employed with great caution. The fol-
lowing directions from the AdnutactuT-
er and Builder may be safely followed:
Take a leaden vessel, of saucer shape
and moderate size, in which place some
powdered fiuorspar, which cover with
enough oil of vitriol to completely mois-
ten the powder Then put in the stone
to be tested, and gently warm the mix
ture over gas lamp or any other con-
yenient source of heat This should be
done in a good draft. where the vapors
will be drawn up a chimney or dissipat-
ed, as they are dangerous to breathe.
When the evolution of vapors appears
to have ceased, which will occur in
from five minutes to a quarter of an
hour, according to the quantity of ma
terial employed, the heat should be
withdrawn and the vessel allowed TO
cool. The stone may now be fished out
from the pasty mass and examined. II
it shows no signs of being attacked you
may be assured that it is genuine
stone. A paste stone will be found to
be strongly corroded by the hydrofluoric
acid that has come in contact with it;
and, if a small one, it will probably
have been entirely dissolved"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
Sixty Feet Under the Sea.

s'I was once diver-not wrecker
but a pearl diver-an3 hard business it
was" recently observed the captain of
a Spanish brig to a reporter of the Cali
fornia Times "We worked off the Mex
lean and Panama coasts, principally on
the Pacific side. Sometimes we worked
alone, but generally on shares and some
times for pay. We went to the grounds
in small sailing vessels, then we took to
the small boats and covered as much
ground as possible. Each man had a
basket, weight, and knife. For
sharks! Yes; but it is poor defense,
for it is almost impossible TO swing the
arm with any force under water. The
best weapon is short spear. When
you reach the ground you strip, put
your feet in a big sinker, take the bask-
ct that has a rope for hosting, drop
over, and soon find yourself at the bot
tom. Then your business is to knock
off as many oysters as you can, and pile
them into the basket before you lose
your wind. 1t is a terrible strain, but
could stand it in those days for six min
utes, and have known some men who
could stand down ten; but it is sure
death in the long run. If the ground is
shells, but it is all luck. When the
basket is full it is hauled up, and after
you come up for your wind, down you
60 again, the sinker being hauled up
with small cord for that purpose. Il
was on one of these ips that ran afoul
of the animal that gave me lasting
fight. You will smile when say it was
only a star fish, but that it really was.
| went down sixty feet with rush and,
landing on the edge of big branch of
coral, swung off into a kind of BASIN
The basket went ahead of me, and, as
swung off to reach the bottom, some
thing seemed to spring up all around
ME, and was in the arms of some kind
of a monster that coiled about my body,
arms and legs. l tried to scream, for
getting that was in the water, and lost
my wind. 1t was just as if the plant
had sprouted under me and then threw
its vines and tendrils about me. There
were thousands of them coiling and
writhing, and l thought had landed in
n nest of sea snakes. gave the signal
as soon. as l could, and made a break
upward, part of the creature clinging to
me, while the rest, could see, was
dropping to pieces. They hauled me
into the boat, when reached the sur
face, and pulled the main part of the
animal from me. 1t was oval, about
three feet across, and the five arms
seemed to divide into thousands Of 9TH
ers. l probably landed on top of that
one, which at that time was the largest
| had ever seen. l afterward saw the
body of one that was washed ashore on
the isthmus that must have had spread
of thirty-tive feet. Their power of
grasping is considerable, but touch them
in certain way and they throw off their
arms in a regular shower, and are soon
reduced to an oval body.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
The Craze of Cleanliness,

Cleanliness in Holland is mania
almost a craze. 1t is the only thing in
which they are extremists, and though
the leaning is to virtues side. it is in
convenient to a degree. There is not
speck, nor a millionth part of speck
of dirt to be found in any of their
houses, and as for vermin, it is I'M
known. A spider is a Holland woman's
especial aversion, and such thing as
bed-bug would arouse street into ac-
ton. Their beds are miracles of clean
illness, and their floors are scrubbed till
they shine again.
l should say that the life of the aver
age Amsterdam woman is divided up
something like this: Six to a. NJ,
scrubbing inside the house; g to $50,
shaking the carpets and rags on the
sidewalk. breakfast of coffee and bread,
9 to 10, scrubbing outside the house; 10
to II, scrubbing the sidewalk; IL to II,
preparations for dinner; II to l, dinner;
l to 8, scrubbing upper part of the
house; 8 to 4, shaking carpets of the
upper stories; 4 to 6, finishing up the
scrubbing of the house and getting the
soap and brushes ready for the next
Aorning. At 6 she takes her supper
and retires to dream of shaking carpets
and serubbing.-Nas6y ia Ezite,
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11

me and punished me for my Indifference
by staying away. 1t was a punish
ment, and through missing you 1 first
learned how much, very much, dearer
than either friend or brother you were
to NE"
my beautiful cousin, much to every
ones surprise.
Ethel vows she will be an old maid
that she has lost all confidence in the
truth and honor of the other sex-Hart
being excepted. But girls have vowed
that before, and eighteen is prone to
rash prophecies.
1t is good, as 1 have found it, to
have friend in need; but it is better
still, as l find it every day live, to
have a true-hearted husband within the
shelter of whose love earthly ills lose
half their sting, and joys seem all the
Sweeter for being shared
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
How to Fall Gracefully When Skating.

81 have no patience with girls who
do not fall gracefully"
She was 4 finely-developed girl in a
natty skating costume, who had gone
through her apprenticeship to the roll
ers, and could do anything from Il
backward figure eight to heel-and-
toe grapevine" and she knew it.
There is no necessity for awkward
falls, even when one is just beginning.
/ never made them, and know from
experience that if a girl will only exer-
else proper care she can always avoid
an unseemly performance"
''What is the proper caper when one
finds it necessary to drop?" he asked.
"Why, Just accept the inevitable, and
let yourself 90, fall quietly and easily,
and all is we'll"
She had hardly spoken the works,
when beginners feet shot from under
him and struck her heels. There was
some wild gyration. n chaos of arms
and legs that throbbed wildly on the
atmosphere, and then a heap of mingled
anatomy and furbelows lay on the floor.
He got up and Strengthened the kink
out of the small of his back, and as he
helped her to arise, he said:
Yours is beautiful and practical
theory"
They do not now speak.-.St. PauL
Pioneer.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
Why She Wept.

A young woman of Auburn visited
the chief Of police the other day and in
great agitation informed him that a
gentleman of her acquaintance was
about to commit the horrid crime of
suicide. She was just as sure as any
thing that he would do it, for he had
drawn a revolver from his overcoat
pocket and hoarSely told her that he
was going away to die. The chief en-
deavored to quiet her alarm, but his
soothing assurances were of no avail
1t was not that she particularly object
ed to the young mans killing himself,
she sobbed, but he possessed a tin-type
portrait of herself and she wouldn't have
him found with her picture on his per-
son for the whole world. An investiga-
ton showed that the lover had been
playing the old game of ''bluff," hoping
that pity would win where persuasion
had failed. and had no intention what
ever to commit suicide
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
Georgian Aphorisms.

Here are some timely aphorisms.
Many valuable lesson is conveyed in
these few lines:
Black sheep hide mighty easy in de
dark.
Better keep de rockin' cheer in de cab
in lof tell Sunday.
You can't coax de mornin' glory to
elm de wrong way round the corn
stalk.
Smart rabbit go home TO de snow
done fallin'.
Dead limb on de tree show Itself when
de buds come out.
Cussin' de weather is mighty po'
farmin'.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11

An American company with a capi-
tai of s5,0OO,00O has been organized in
Colorado to engage in mining and
stock-raising in Mexico. The compa-
ny has already procured 100000 acres
of land in Mexico, and will soon have
a million acres in one tract. On this
common, Mexican COWS to the number
of fifty thousand will be placed, and
two thousand short-horn yearling bulls
from Kentucky. The managers of the
company expect to make a net profit of
333 per cent. per annum. 1t is expect
ed that the full $5.000,000 of capital
stock will be required to utthe scheme
in 0peration>
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11

The glorious old-fashioned husking
bees have been revived in Berks coun-
ty, red ears, kisses, and all; yet many
Philadelphia youth who takes his
girl to the theater. strains his eyes
looking at the stage, smokes cigarettes
between the acts, and then takes her
home again. thinks he knows what fun
iS
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11

Many an injured workman's life has
been lost through his frightened COM
rades' inability to perform a simple
operation. An Ambulance Association
in Glasgow has begun useful work by
establishing courses of plain lectures for
operatives, showing what ought to be
done at once with bleeding artery, q
burned limb, half-drowned body, etc.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
Business Cards.

NJ STUART d. l.. ROCKWELL
STUART & ROCKWELL,
ArTORSEYS AND COUNSELORS
Al LA w, Ravenna, Ohio Offices in Poe
DGilaing, nearly opposite the Etna House
and Court House,
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
big STOCK OF NOTIONS!

HOSIERY for Ladies, Gents. and
Children.
K1 ,, SILK and Isle THREAD
GLOVES.
BLACK and COLORED SILK MITS
Hamburg Edgings and InseTtjags.
Plain and Dotted SWiSSeS.
Lace Curtains, dc.
Table Linen and Red Ddm0SkS,
LINEN Napkins and TO'ceIs.
Floor and Table OIL Cloths.
oil Shades. WindoU Failures, Curtain
FringeS, dc.
Ladies and Gents Summer Under>
aCedr.
L0rge stock Of Ginghams, Prints,
Sheetings, Ticks, Denims, dc.
Ladies' and Children's Shoes, Mems
Fine Boots and Shoes.
We keep constantly on hand a choice
stock Of GROCERIES,.
Bay-We cordially invite the public
TO give us a call, as we feel confident
we can SELL GOODS AS LOW AS
ANY HOUSE IN THIS COUNTY.
SN YDER q FREEMAN i.
-:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11

NOTARY PUBLIC, Nj antaa. o. Con-
~ veyancing COLLECTIONS aud Pension Busi-
1ess promptly attended 10 on the most reason
able terms. 1888. 6l2-t1.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11
MISS T.. G. JACKSON,
A NJ EARR

iva Block, Ravenna; y. y
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-01-11

Which we can GUARANTEE G to our
s@t customers.
Also. q nice line CASHMERE FOULE
ILLUMINA ATED MIXTURE,
NUNS VEILINGS in all new shades.
ALL WOOL BUNTINGS in Plain
Mattlesee and Lace Stripe.
ALL WOOL BLACK and COLOR'D
CASHMERE, at very low prices.
Black and Celored SILK VELVETS
F. and VELVETEENS.
GUlPURE and SPANISH SILK
LACES.
BLACK AND COLORED SILK
PRINCES
PLAIN sBROCADED MORE AN
TIQUE STRIPE SATIN.
PASSAMENTRIES AND BEADED
ORN NAMENTS.
TWILLED and BROCADED SILK
PARASOLS.
LADIES' SACKING in all the New
Shades.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-03
o PEOPLE.
SiOnerS.

LORD HOUGHTON is going to India again,
where ne Will he The VicerOy's guest all winter.
THE word "NihIlist" is said to be of American
origin, having been first used in a book OF trav-
els ny President Dwight over eighty years ago.
TIE will of Junius Brutus Booth has been
filed in the Probate Court al Salem, Mass. 1t is
understood that the entire estate is left to the
widow, Mrs. Agnes Booth.
MRS. WEST, the English beauty
who is coming to this country, is IA widow. 1t is
more than likely that Mrs. CORVALLIS will soon
surrender to some handsome American.
IT is rot generally known that the Duke of
Connaught, Queen Victoria's third son, was re-
fused by Princess Thyra, of Denmark who mar
ried the son ofa German Dobleman instead.
xSENAToR DAVID DAVIS now expects TO re-
main in North Carolina until about the middle
of November and then to return to his home in
Bloomington, H., for n stay extending through
the grearer portion of the winter.
The Duke Of DevOnshire's sale of short-horns
was most successful in point of attendance and
in the prices realized. The Duke of Manchester,
Lord skelmersdale, Sir Wilfred Lawson, Lord
Lathom, Lord Middleton, the Earl of Beehive
and many other distinguished breeders were
there. Amongst the animals which brought big
prices we're the Countess Darlington, 1,0O5
gnineas; Grand Duchess oil oxford FOrty-ninth,
500 guinaas, and Kentucky, 500 guineas.
PRINCE BISMARCK, as he gets old, delights in
assuming the foibles and eccentricites of Fred
erick the Great. Now, Frederick the Great
never thoroughly enjoyed a friendly act unless
he could make it the means of hurting the re-
cipient. Frederick once presented Voltaire's
friend, D'Argens, with a house. When D'Argens
went to take pc ssession he found the walls
adorned with pictures of all the most indece LIT
and humiliating episodes OF his own life.
THE ages Of the five Oldest members of the
the Newton family. OF Woodbridge, Conn.,, sggre-
gate 1877 years, the oldest being eighty-fOur and
the youngest seventy five. Another living MEM
Der Of the famlly is sixty.four years Of age.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-03

reaches the enormous aggregate of $702, $780,
600, and of these nearly or quite half are
sold in the markets OF free-trade England,
The Democratic party, hungry for political
ascendency and the spoils of Office, has laid
down a PLANK in its platform which it hopes
will catch the votes of all classes. In doing
so it has been guilty of hypocrisy and deceit.
Its plausible pretenses are the veriest nom
sense. 1t could not possibly carry out its
professions were it given absolute control,
and in its efforts to do something as a show of
accomplishing an imaginary reform it would
be sure to do harm that might be irreparable.
Under Republican management every indus
try has been wisely protected, and the reve-
nue. realized in the year 1882 was 1920, no.
1925, a sum greater than ever before, and
so great that the universal demand was to
have it reduced. What folly, then, to talk of
a tariff for revenuel We have enough OF it
now. And as for incidental protection"
the protection now afforded is vastly better
than any other that the bungling Democratic
party could possibly devise. Vita these
facts at hand and easily accessible to all who
would learn for themselves, the cry of tariff
for revenue with incidental protection, as it
is uttered by the Democratic party, is too
shallow and absurd to deceive anybody not
willing to be deceived.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-03

GRIFFIN, Ga, is one of the places where
law is enforced without regard to race or pre-
vious condition of servitude. On Saturday
the people of that town were treated to the
years Of age dragged through the streets at
the rear end of a cart to which she was
chained by the waist, her hands and feet
being shackled. The old woman had been
drunk and disorderly, but had a remnant of
pride left which led to a refusal to work out
her fine on the streets as ordered-hence she
was carted off TO Jail. We should have an
other boob on the chivalry of the South.