davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
The Tradition of The Wooden Nut
nIPgS.

a correspondent of the Detroit Free
Press at Mobile, Ala, writes giving
an anecdotc about wooden nutmegs
which strengthens the conviction that
the manufacture of them was, in
truth, one of the infant industries of
Connecticut He says
see you discredit the wooden nut
meg tradition In 1928 ! heard the
following from a gentleman who had
Just graduated at Bowdoin College, SO
that It dates somewhere in the four
years Just then expired. Among the
medical students was an oldlsh prac-
titioner from New Brunswick. wbo
had come TO rub up his ideas and to
get u genuine degree OF Nj. d, He
happened 20 be in a crowd, where u
story was told of some sharp tricks,
at which one of the company remark
cd THAT beats the wooden nut
megsl' The New Brunswioker
blushed. and iu some confusion eX-
claimed How did you heal OF the
wooden nutmegsl' He had given
himself away, and they made him
tell his story He kept a small stock
va vi NAaNi W. NiiAAAi lA7 tNNANi'tt Aii ASSN
ment of spices, etc, as is the wont in
country drug stores During the war
Of lS12l5, some of these got quite
scarce, and with the return of peace
the smuggling peddlers made rush
over the line and did a profitable
/ business. Our doctor took the FIRST
opportunity Of the kind to replenish
his stock, buying, among other
things, several pounds of nutmegs, as
he knew there were none in the couu-
try, and he codld dispose of them to
other country storekeepers But be
fore he had disposed Of any his wife
took occasion to sample them. and
found them made of wood. He
husned ,he thing up, hoping "a he
had bought the peddler's whole stock,
that it would never be heard Of, and
had so far supposed that il was the
only case Of the kind So Ter as tho
college catalogue shows, my inform
ant is still living (Sllas Baker, OF
IStaudish, Me-, aged II years.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
4 New Type Of Steamship.

The new national steamer, the Amer
lea, is something more than a very
fast vessel. Without doubt she rs the
fastest steamer ailoat, but her wonder
ful speed has been obtained not by
building her on the model of lead
pencil and By filing her with ma
chlnery. She has much greater pro
portionate breadth of beam than the
Oregon: her machinery Indicates 8,
500 horse pOwlr,as compared with the
10 600 horse power of the Oregon
engines, while she burns 1870 togs OF
coal daily, instead Of the 337 burned
by her rival,
Her splendid performance on her
first trip shows that the day of the
narrow beamed excessively high pow
cred steamer is over. With little
more than half the horse power and a
little more than half the daily con
sumption Of coal, the broad beamed,
steady ship will beat her narrow, high
powered rival,
The Importance Of the splendid sue
cess Of the America can hardly be
oyerraied It proves that fast steam
ers can be operated al an immense re
duction OF what has hitherto been
their necessary cost, thus enabling
them to dispense with freight and
10 make a profit by carrying passen
gers only II also proves that a mar
row beam is not "a necessary condition
Of speed hut that a vessel may possess
both stability and speed.
The America constitutes a new type
Of steamer, and is to some extent "A
solution Of the problem how to COM
bine speed with safety and economy.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
The Philosophy Of Farming.

The philosophy of good farming con
sists in strict economy in everything
connected with the farm or its busi-
ness. Nothing should be lost by
careless neglect, and everything
should be put TO gocd use. Instead
of cropping land continually without
manure or rest, it ought to have both
/ Cornstalks ought to be made into feed
or manure, and not TO be left To
waste away en the field. Straw ought
not to be burned it makes good feed
and good manure Manure ought to
be carefully applied TO the soil we in.
tend tocultjyate, and not left to dry
and be blown away by the wind
Feed ought To be preserved in good
condition. Stock should never be fed
on musty or moldy food. Fences,
buildings and utensils ought TO be
kept in good condition Whenever
rent or decay appears, give 10 timely
care.
But in another direction our phil
oSophy opens up a vast field where
most of the secrets OF sucCe ssfIl farm
ing lie. There is no use cultiyating
ten acres if we eau make five produce
as much and as good as ten. There is
less profit in clearing ten or fifteen
acres than If we clear fifteen or
twenty. If q ten acre field we'll cul-
tivgted aud manfred will produce
more than twentyacIes carelesSl y cul-
uyated, it is bcrier To work the small
er field If a $ yearold steer is
more profitable iu market than a load
of corn, it is better to put the corn
into the steer, If fallow land pro
ducts better crops than that from
which crop has just been removed
it is better 10 iallow land II good
colts, calves, lambs, and pigs, are
worth more than inferior ones, they
are the best ones To raise II stock
will keep better, healthier aud cheap.
er when well protected by shelter,
then shelter pays If one acre Of land
properly managed, will produce more
milk, butter and meat than Eve acres
without care, the proper culture Is
/ the best
True farming is a science, aud lis
philosophy is q study. The good far
mer is the best informed man living,
ON matters which lie at the bottom OF
material prosperity. and when he gets
his business boiled down to a point
where he makes tao best use of every
thing ho has; when Aecan make more
money ON ten acres of land than many
do on larger farms, it is evident thai
he has studied the philosophical farm
lug with profit
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
The Working- Day in Austria.


To-day the lower house passed al
most unanimously the most import
ant section Of the government factory
bill. whose provisions will revolU-
tionze Austrian industry. Itprovides
that workmen in factories shall not
be occupied for more than eleven
hours out of the twenty-four, and
shall have at least one hours interval
for meals. The ministers of com
inerce. on the advice of the chamber
of commerce., may permit in certain
cases one additional working hour
daily, the schedule Of these excep-
tions to be revised triennially The
'normal workday, as itis technically
called, has hitherto existed only IN
Switzerland, and its introduction into
Austria must seriously diminish her
power OF competition with other
countries, and particularly with Hun.
gary. where no such restriction Of
labor exists, and whose manufacturers,
as is guaranteed by the commercial
treaty. may freely enter Austria.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19

general state of health is also satisfac.
tory, and Mrs. Merlin the lady SUI
perintendent of the whole staff, is OF
the opinion that the girls are, on an
average. we'll satisfied with the situa-
ton and fond of the work
1t is perhaps disadvantage that
telephonists have TO talk all day long;
but this very fact is said to prevent
them from INDUCING in disputes and
gossip and makes their work compar-
atlvely quict-a point upon which
some subscribers to the exchange have
beeu known to entertain different
opinion The aspect of a telephone
Office is curious enough to an outsider
\ number of young girls sitting be
fore a cupbord-like structure into the
apertureS of which they are busily
chattering, holding in the meanwhile
an instrument like an ear-trumpet to
their heads wo0ld appear ridiculous
enough were 10 no; we'll known how
indispensable the telephone has be-
come to civilization
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
TIE English Language and Literature

The first subject which, as / con
ceive, is entitled to recognition as of
equal academic value or rank with
any subject now most honored IN the
English language and literature.
When Greek began to revive in Eu-
rope English was just acquiring a
literary form, but when Greek had
won its present rank among the liberal
arts Shakespeare had risen, the En-
rlish language was formed, and En-
glish literature was soon to become
the greatest of modern llteratures.
How does 1t stand now, with its lm
mense array Of poets, philosophers,
historians, commentators, critics,
satirists. dramatists, noyelists, and
orators? Ii cannot be doubted that
English literature IS beyond all com
parlssn the amplest, most various and
most splendid literature which TIE
world has seen; and it is enough to
say of the English language that II IS
the language Of that literature. Greek
literature compares with English as
Homer compares with Shakespeare
that is. as infantile with adult clvlAza-
ton. 1t may further be said OF the
English language that it is the native
tongue of nations which are pre-emi-
nent in the world by force Of charac-
ter. enterprise and wealth, and whose
nolitical aud social institutions have
a higher moral interest and greater
promise than any which mankind has
hitherto invented. To the original
creations of English genius are TO be
added TRANSACTIONS into English OF all
the masterpieces of other hteratures,
sacred and profane. 1t lsIa very rare
scholar who has not learned much
more about Jews. the Greeks, or the
Romans through English than through
Hebrew. Greek, or Latin. And now,
with all this wonderful treasure with
in reach of our youth, what is the
pnsition Of American schools and col
/ iepes In regard to teaching Enghsnf
Has English literature the foremost
place in the programmes OF schools
Py no means; at best only a suhordln-
/ ate place. and in many schools no
Mace at all does English take equal
rank with Greek or Latin in cur col
| leoes2 Bv 40 means not in the mum
/ her and rank of the teachers, nor III
/ the consideration in which tie subject
/ is held by faculty and students, nor IN
/ the time which NAV be devoted 70 i
\ bv a candidate for degree. Until
within a few years the American col
7 leges made no demand upon candidates
for admission in regard to knowledgt
of English; and now that some col
leges make a small requirement II
/ English, the chief result Of the ex
aminations is to demonstrate the woe
! fuI ignorance of their own Language
and literature which prevails among
| the picked youth Of the country.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
WATERLOO.
A Graphic Account of Visit 10 the
Famous battlefield.
q Brffaloninn Ahrnad

The battlefield of Waterloo as it
lies to-day is an uninsplring spectacle
"a good place to sit down and muse
on life and me2 and the vanity Of
human things but we had "a vivacious
little guide who spared no time for
musing. but engaged us with a very
dramatic recital IN broken, though
quite Ineligible, English of the stir
ring things that happened on that
bloody Sunday in 1915, when Bona
parties brief candle went out and the
EurOpen kaleidoscope ratified itself
into q fresh combination. / can't
help sympathIzing with the bottom
dog. The dramatic symmetry Of
Napoleon's career wins us against our
reason
[ went out to Waterloo with some
Euelishmen, and l took solid comfort
in giving them my small opjniou Of
their Iron Duke, although we must
allow that he did this business very
handsomely.
But that guide. I shall not soon
forget him. He made more Of an Inn
preston on me than all the books |
have read on the subject of Waterloo.
He omitted nothing; he opened his
soul to US, and he suited the action TO
the word. He gesticalated; he at
titudinized; in short, he fought the
battle over againfor US. His English
was doubly English He was espec-
tally happy il his 'hup guards, hand
hat emp He rscited this thrilling
incident over his shoulder as he led us
down the two hundred and odd steps
that mount TO the summit of Mound
of the Lion, and it was only by the
extraordinary presence of mind that |
grasped the railing IN time to escape a
fall.
The Mound of the Lion is an artif-
ciai elevation which mas been reared
VERY ul-advisedly, ! think in the
midst OF the field and OF its earth.
thereby modifying the condguration
Of the landscape, so that one can not
now gain so accurate an idea of the
battle-ground as might have other
wise been Obtalned-unless, indeed,
the loss is compensated by the fact
that the summit of the mound affords
a commanding view
The tranquility of the scene is i'm
pressive, and one is reminded Of By
ron's line
"How that red rain has made the
harvests grow
l never saw fairet stretch of the
country-hills and valleys and wind
ing roads and shining villages. Every
feature of this sweet landscape played
its part in the drama of that day On
the right is the chateau of Hougo-
mont, against which all day long the
French lines beat like he waves of
the seattle key of the English posi-
ton, held to the last by the gallant
Coldstream guards, though the house
was burned over their heads. The
old brick wal around the orchard still
stands pierced with loop-holes, Worn
away by the peltlng ram of muskei-
balls. If you have any sort Of im-
agination you can stand there to-day
and see the fight. suppose there has
scarcely been a closer. hotter, bloodiei
battle in modern times. The lines
were posted only mile apart, and
from The moment Of the first assault
upon Hougomont to the low, despair
ing cry of the French general; ''Tout
est perdu Sauva qui peut" the battle
was like the straihing struggle of well
matched wreslers.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
TWO ODD DeWN.EASTERS
Tom. ComR's Queer Ways-U ain e's
Champion cider Guzzler.

Tho little town Of Winthrop, whose
white cottages nestle by the waters of
lovely Lake Maranacook, is one OF
the oldest places which this odd state
can boast says a Bangor letter to The
New York Sun. Three great mills are
the support of the village, and broad,
well-hlled acres the independence Of
the rural dwellers. There is a street
or two quite we'll built, and a wooden
hotel, which sees its best times IN the
summer, when throngs come from
the city to picnics at Maranacook,
which is a great pleasure resort ia
central Maine
But. older than the town, are two
very queer men, whose actions pro
vide more themes for talk among the
villagers than all else. Tom Coffin,
as heis Familiarity called, is the bright,
particular star of eccentricity; he was
born by Maranac0Ok's tide and was
Just an ordinary young man until he
left his employment ID the oll-cloth
one day and went nobody knew where,
leaving sundry creditors sorry, so is
said. to the extent Of several nun
dreds.
Years rolled on and the young man
and his escapade were quite forgotten,
when one summer afternoon 4 tall,
elegaku y dressed stranger got of the
train at the little station, and having
collected great amount OF baggage,
looked about him as though in quest
of familiar faces. There was a single
carriaoe al fhe station, and the driver,
am old weather beaten man, APP
preached the single and Hne-looklng
passenger with almost reverential AIR,
knowing that he would not walk to
the hotel
''Kerridge. slrl" inquired the an
Gent Jehu as he reached for the tray
eler's bag, and then catching the
strangers eve, ne almost shouted
Tom Coffin, by jingo!
His memory had not failed; he was
right. The stranger smiled and said
careIesslv: You don't forget old
friends, / see. Abe" then he stepped
into the carriage, and before tea tlme
all Winthrop knew that Tom CONN
had come home, and guessed that ne
was rich.
Rich he really was. lie had gone
to the gold diggings out west, mad met
a Rard. dug with him, and got flGn I.
Some say that Tom got more than ms
share of the gold.
When he had been rev DAYS d
the hotel Tom paid off all ms oolgai
tons. and the people who but q hitle
time before would have delighted te
follow him with sheriff, now iawneo
upon him and referred to him as Mr.
Coffin. or SPUR Cotfin-
Toms next move was to ask th'
price OF the best house IN the town
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
Women as Teleplonlsts
Pan Mail Gazette

Three years ago the United Telc-
phone company began to employ
women. Chiefly for reasons Of econ,
omv." we learn. but besides this there
are other advantages If a boy IA
years old is employed as "a telephonist
his voice will before long become
hoarse and indis.nct; with a girl this
IS not the case The female voice IS
always clearer, and as a clear voice
besides a good ear IS one OF the chief
requirements Of a telepAoulst, women
ara naturally preferred. They are ad
nitted at the age Of lG, the majority
of those at present employed by the
I United Telephone company being be-
tween the ages Of 1G and y. From
the number Of two, with whom the
experiment was begun, they have ris-
en- TO over hundred, who perform
their duties to the satisfaction Of the
company.
/ Preference is given TO tho daugh-
I ters Of professional men this, how
ever. is no strict rule. There are no
preliminary examinations 10 be pass
I ed before admittance into the tele-
phone Office. The different ranks arc
/ the clerk in charge, who has the
supervision Of room in which are
employed from six to fifteen clerks
the deputy Of the clerk in charge, the
( first band second class operator and the
learner. According to these ranks
the pay varies; as rule, however lis
to l6s is the weekly pay, which some
times rises to 81, and in rare cases 70
25s. The hours Of work are from 2 q
6 or 10 to z, respectively. Nocases OF
\ illness has occurred on the stall since
the commencement Of the work the
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
NAPOLEON III.
Some Anecdotes OF the Late Emperor
ofthe French.

There arc some curious anecdotes
about Napoleon Ill, il the Souvenirs
of CamptrsAe, recently published by
"Sylyanecte, . whoappears to be one Of
the legiumist neighbors of the emper
or in the vicinity Of Campiegnc forest.
One of the stories illustrates The
tenacity with which the emperor.
from earliest days of his childhood un
I'll the days of his complete success,
believed in his destiay. When he was
but boy at the Chateau Il Aremm-
berg, he was playing one day with a
girl cousin and one or two other
children in garden The little girl
venmed on one or two pleasautries
as TO the nature of his hope one day
TO mount the throne of France: and
finally announced her belief that ma
had no claim az all. The youthful
Napoleon drew her gradually away
from the others into secluded corner
OF tee garden, and selling her by one
screamed. IF you don't take back
every word you said a few minutes
ago, cried Napoleon, "and confess
that you knew it to be unjust AID uu-
true. / viii break your arm. The
frightened little maid retractcd, and
used to say years afterward that the
boys ferociouS resolution so alarmed
her that she would have consented to
anything,
The same chronicler tells MS that
Napoieon's fascination for Mile De
+ Montijo, who atterward became tke
/ Empress Eugene dated from the time
when that sprightly beauty gave him
sharp horsewhippng. The emperor
/ had invited Mile de M0ntjo and her
mother 10 Campiegne, and showed
/ them much attention at hunting par
ties. One evening when the hunt
came home late Napoleon appeared
in Mile. de Montiio's chamber, and
/ this so enraged the beauty that she
caught up her riding whip and gave
! it to him over the head and ears. This
soon brought about an explanation,
and in the course of time came the
! famous letter i'm which Napoleon eX-
| pressed his desire to have Mile. Eu-
genie to wife "A letter which the
mother lost 20 time in making public
and which is now religiously preserv
ed in the archives of the family al
Madrid. According to "Sylvanecte,
the future empress was much perse
cuted by Napoleon befort
he made her his proposal
of marriage, and it is related
that on one occasion he wes so enrag
ed because she would not grant him 8
rrndezvous-as for while they
were out riding that he put spurs tC
his horse and galloped away, leaving
her to find her way home through
the forest as best she could. The pooi
girl lost her way. and did not react
the palace until o'clock in the eve
ming, when all the domestics were
thoroughly alarmed for her safety
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
A Swarm OF Sharks.

While the Pacific Steam Nayiga
ton Company's steamship Chala,
CAPTAIN Hogg, now in this port, was
leaving Bahia. one Of the cooks, who
was asleep on the rail, fell overheard.
An alarm was Immediately given, the
shin was stopped and backed. life
buoys were thrown overheard, and
with amazing rapidity boat w3s in
the water and in charge Of Dir. kel-
lick. the first officer, pulling hare II
the direction Of the man, who was o
splendid swimmer, and who made
GOOD progress in the direction OF the
boat. Suddenly, however, the place
became alive with sharks, and 1t at
once became apparent the unfortunate
man was doomed Once he threw
himself almost completely out Of the
water tn an effort to escape the jaws
of one Of the monsters, out few
seconds afterward he was evidently
seized and dragged under, as nothing
more was seen Of him. Other sharks
apparently disappointed in their hopes
al prey. were then observed rushing
through the water in oil directions
and even appearing to mediate an at
tack upon the boat, which, after an
Intellectual search, pulled back TO the
ship. The sharks we're apparently
rayenous and the rapidity with which
they swarmed around the unfortunate
man amazed all who witnessed the
striking proof Of the voracloasness OF
these denizens of the deep.
Water in Juanajnato, Mexico, has
hitherto been sold % tho people. but
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
A South Carolina Man of Family
Keowee IS C)Courier

The family Of Mr.. joel i. Phillips.
OF our county, has a remarkable rec
ord He has been married twice,
having born to hlm by his first wife
twelve children and by his second
nine. lie has now living eighteen
children, the youngest buS 3 months
old and the oldest 43 years old, and
has in all about eighty-live lmeal de
scendents living He has lived on the
same place forty years, and ali
the children we're born there. The
whole eighty-fve lineal descendants
live within twenty miles Of the par
entail home. and are doing well Mr.
Phillips is g. years old. Such larga
family, kept so near togethar for SO
great s length Of time, seldom nap.
pens in this life.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19

The engineers of the Central Bridge
Works were consulted, and they
agreed TO undertake the work. New
iron towers were constructed, and
this morning the work of transferring
the weight of the bridge from the old
towers TO the new was successfully
completed. An idea of what this IN
volved mGy be formed from the fact
that the bridge is a 1,2S0toot span
and the dead weight to be transferred
was 52S tons, or 264 tons at each end.
This was done ON a small bed plate,
or saddle, only 4 by fleet. This was
possibly a more difficult job than any
thing connected with the great canti-
lever bridge which this company was
so successful in constructing.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
An Engineering Feat.
Buffalo Commercial

The Central Bridge Works, Of this
CITY. this morning successfully accom-
plished one Of the most difficult engi-
neering feats ever attempted IN this
country. When the upper suspension
bridge was constructed It was placed
upon wooden towers. For some
time past the company has felt the
necessity of replacing these with
others made Of more durable material,
but how to do it was the question.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19

A new paper, called the Foreigners
Daily. printed in Spanish, French,
Germany, and English, has appeared
in the CITY of Mexico.
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19

Five candidates for congress are an
nouuced ia the fifth district Of Missis
sippl
Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-19
4 satI.faetory Explanation.

ST. Louis PostDI=patch
Papa. SAID little red haired
Charley, what do they reserve base
ball mines for?'
70 lose games, my son, the father
answered.
But they sometimes win said
Charley.
Only when they can't help it, my
dear. If they we're all like the st. Louis
reserves, and understand their busi-
ness as well, they would never make
such a mistake they'd never win a
game, unless the umpire made them
take IT,