davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
How the Chinese Aim.

When the French troops made their
first and unsuccessful advance against
Sontay, some Importance was attached
by the special correspondents of the
English papers to the circumstance
that the Black Flags apparently fired
low. 1t was pointed out that most of
the bullet-wounds received by the
French soldiers were found in the legs
and lower parts of their bodies.
OF course the practice of firing low
is one strongly urged upon the troops,
shower of bullets being much more
the ground in front of the advancing
| hostile forces, than it would be if sent
into the air over the heads of the ap-
preaching enemy. But we heard a
rather interesting experience of the
reason why the Black Flags and their
allies fire low. expressed the other day
by one who has had a great amount of
experience with Chinese troops. He
said that the bulk of the Chinese had
no idea of the use of the sights on the
rifles, and it was almost useless to at
tempt to teach them the use of such
cOntriVanceS.
Thus, q Chinese soldier armed with
modern rifle would never think of
raising the sight of his weapon when
he was called upon to use it, especially
in the face of an enemy. He would fire
at an object six hundred yards off with
the sight down, the consequence being
that the muzzle of the rifle not receiv-
ing he necessary elevation to carry the
bullet over long distance, the ball
would strike or descend very close to
the ground before it reached its desti-
nation. 1t was also asserted that some
of the Chinese soldiers actually
knocked the sights off their rifles us
! being entirely useless.
We need hardly to say that the
Chinese can never become effective
soldiers until they appreciate the value
of sighting their rifles; and the circum-
stances we have narrated will 90 as
future proof of the miserable condition
of the Chinese forces; the supineness
and incompetency of the officers, and
the ill-prepared state of Chinese armies
to resist European troops. Japan
GHzPtiP
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
"Odd" People.

Why, or in what particular, per-
son is odd, few people who call them
such, can tell. Ii you will observe the
"odd' man you will find that he is in.
dependent and not bound down by
invisible ties of society to certain
prescribed dress, but dresses in way
comfortable to himself, OF course it
is not intended to defend man whose
Oddity consists in dressing in 4 style so
completely at variance with the times
as to make him obnoxious. You will
also find that this ''odd' man has q
blunt and honest way of expressing
himself on any subject. If he likes q
person or thing he says SO, and is
equally as plain in expressing his dis
like of the same. If he asks you 10
visit him or to accompany him to u
place of amusement he means Just
what he says, and his odd.tv in this
consists in the fact that his invitations
are not II mere matter of form. but are
given in good faith, hoping that you
will accept. 1t is not for you to say
whether or not he is able to afford the
pleasure of your company. That is
for him to Judge, and nothing short of
q previous engagement, if you are on
friendly terms with him would be an
excuse for declining his hospitable
kindness. The ''odd'' man is general
ly endowed with considerable self-es-
TEEN and respect, which makes him, to
certain extent, sensitive. You can
not slight him without his feeling it
keenly, and although he may say
nothing, or act in a way to let you
know it, yet you can depend on it the
sting is there. The ''odd" man will
generally acknowledge a fault. and do
all he can to make amends when he
offends. This is one of the things that
make him "odd," because he is true to
himself and to his friends, which is a
little out of the usual order of things.
He is not actuatcd by policy. He does
not smile to your face, waiting only for
the opportunity to stab you in your
back. AS is the ':odd" man so also is
the "odd" woman, only more so. This
| is not intended as defense of odd
people, neither is it intended to breed
oddities, but it is hoped that those
who are to us "oddn in all that word
implies may be better understood and
treated as they should be.-NesO York
San.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
General Lees Sons.

General Robert Z. Lee left three or
four sons The elder. George WASH
ington Parke Custis Lee, is President
of Washington and Lee University, at
Lexington, Va, the institution presid-
ed over by his father at the time of his
death. He was Major General in the
Confederate army. The university
over which he presides had some life
and impetus given it by the heated SEN
timent that prevailed in the South i'm
mediately after the close of the war,
but latterly it has not prospered, and,
like Virginia University itself, a school
that held a first place so long, and that
was founded by the great Jefferson,
whose homestead overlooks it from
distant hill, it seems to have partaken
of the general blight and decay that
have fallen upon the once proud and
magnificent State of Virginia. Gener-
al Runey Lee, another son of the great
Confederate commander, leads the life
of a quiet Virginia farmer, caring
more for fat calves and green mead
ows than for life of public service to
which the whole Lee family, by an in
exorable fate is denied admission. Bob
Lee, as he is familiarly called, is the
youngest son of General r. f. Lee, and
he is also quiet farmer. His home is
on the James, near Richmond. -.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
Literary Pirates.

American publishers are always
complaining, says the st. james Ga
zette, that they do not deserve the evil
equation given them by English auth
ors. But such tale as that told by
Mr.. Max O'Rell, the exceedingly
'.smart' writer of ''John Bull ct son
He" is decidedly damaging. When
great firm of transatlantic publishers
brought out a translation of MIR.
O'Rell's book, he wrote suggesting the
propriety of pecuniary compensation,
promising myself" d" he says, ''at the
same time that if | received a check
rom an American publisher / would
put it in my scrap-book among other
curiosities. =" But the check never
came, and nothing at all has the auth
or of book which must have sold by
scores of thousands in America receiv-
ed from across the Atlantic. Mr..
O'Rell, however, is not wholly without
his revenge America is country pos
sessing 1S9 religions (thus beating
England by 81, and is. it appears, no
other than the tribe of Manasseh. 1t
is not wonderful that such Christian
land, in constant search after truth,
should not yet have come across the
great precept given on Mount Sinai
s.Thou shalt not steal?" 1t is worth
paying something in order to be able to
write like this about your enemies, and
know that you can not very we'll be
contradicted.
In response to the above correspond
ent writes the Gazette:
If the ingenious NJ. Max O'Rell
would take q walk down, not Fleet
street, but Booksellers row, he might
see another side of the copyright ques-
ton. He might notice popular
American work called democracy, )"
published by three British publishers at
the exceedingly low price of 6 pence, or
Al pence cash. Compared with the 4O
cents q shilling pence). or even 70
cents 40 pence), the American pub
fishers charge for their work, this will
show him the gratifying fact that he is
more appreciated in America, than the
author of democracy" in this country
for. reduced to a least common multiple,
he is worth nearly 6pence more, or 1O(
per cent, than his similarl y placed
anonymous American. A yard or sc
further ON he might see the bad Boys
Diary" published by the same three
eager enthusiasts for the diffusion o.
American literature; and of ''Don't'
and '.Never" and "Always" he may
see at least four copyright editions
pirated--I beg pardon, ''reissued'-
in this country. And then, if he desir
ed further enlightenment on the sub
iect, he might find out how many
English checks We're in the scrap
books of the American authors of thest
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
The Blacksmith.

Clang, clanR. Clang is the blacksmith's song
And the sparks fail far and wide,
AS the hammer descends, with his arms SO
strong,
On the anvil at his side
When the dusty bellows wheeze and blow.
When the fire burns bright and clear,
And the metals aheat in the red-hot glow,
When again the song we hear.
OF my childhood days, remember well
The cottage old at the foot of the hfll
With its gabled roof and caves SO brown,
Always so lonely and still.
! remember well its owner, too,
With his slvery hair and wrinkled face,
Whose nose was built on so spare plan
His spectacles could hardly keep their
place.
The smithy stood just across the road,
And DER it the shade of a larch-tree swung,
Where thrO' the long, bright summer time,
The robins buided their nests and sung,
While II hrOoklet near sang its tnkling tune,
TO the buttercups nodding DER its brim,
And the anvil rang out its merry chime
Meath the blows of the blacksmith, old and
grim.
AS plainly as ever see him now
BY his heap of old iron close by the door;
There are plenty of shoes on the pegs i'll
row,
Andthe rafters with cobwebs, are festooned
He could clinch an argument as well as nail;
If blows came i'll question, no craven was
Whether blows or words twas all the same
He could hammer them in quite handiiy.
Rather a learned chap you see,
Taught many a school in his youthful day,
Wrote short poem once on time,
And went through Dart-in the part of
day.
A sort of IL musical character, too,
Tho not especially good on II swell;
He used to whistle quite frequently,
But what the tune WAS we never could tell
So he whistled and sang, till one quiet day,
A nameless shadow crept thrO the door
Then bright grew the face with its crown of
gray,
And the spirit was free for eVermore.
The anvil is wrapt in oblivion'S gloom,
And passed away are the tree and bird.
Where the smithy stood is the sweet clover
bloom,
And only the song of the brooklet is heard.
-Westminster, Md, Advocate.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
How the First Duel in kentucky was
Settled.

"Feller-ci citizens, them's my senti-
ments! 1t won't do for this fight to-
90 on! The Bargrass people, whar
Squire Thruston lives, will swar he fit
for twelve an half cents; and them
bad town boys, where Squire Harrison
lives, when he runs them out of his
watermillon patch, will call him old
fightin ninepence.' like good fight
better than a hot toddy of a cold night,
but | hate a bad fight worse than a
nest of yaller-iackets. There amt no
good in this fight, nohow. don't like
the weepons., nuther. Rifles is all
right for injuns and bars, but are awful
things turned agin friends. If you had
painted yer eyes black with yer fists,
or even doubled one another up by
kicks, when you quarreled, it would
have been reg lar, but TO 60 borin'
holes through one another with rife
balls. like augers through poplar, logs,
won't do at all. The commandment of
the Scripter says, Thou shalt not kill,
but it don't say though shalt not hit
with the fist and kick with the foot
when q feller makes you mad. pro-
pose, tharfour that we wind up this
fight with q shootin' match, fur gall
lon of whisky. Our side agin your
side, will shoot at tree the size of a
man, sixty yards, at the word, and the
shot nearest the center wins" .4.,..
So soon as Sullivan finished his
speech, Thruston and Harrison who
had both been compelled to laugh at
it's oddity simultaneously extended
to one another the right hand. A hearty
shake followed, and the difficulty was
all over.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15

lacerated the showman's face that he
fell insensible on the stage floor.
And when he had once more recov-
cred. and the panic was over, the dead
brute was dragged out by two men,
and the performing ponies cantered on
to the stage.
They looked around for Leonardo,
who was to come next in his ''Grand
Act" of driving pair of ostriches,
harnessed to tiny chariot.
But Leonardo was gone.
Nowhere could they find him. In
fact, they never found him. All search,
all the printed advertisements were in
vain.
And when the circus company left
Lone Ledge, Little Leonardo's place
was vacant.
Where do you suppose he was?
Well, of course you will all guess.
You can easily imagine how at the in
stant when the Snowman stepped SO
smilingly on the stage. good John
johnson lifted the curtain and caught
the poor little groyelling object off the
floor.
Here, said he, in a low voice, as he
wrapped around the tiny form coarse
grey blanket-shawl which Aunt Elsie
had given him for the boys in case it
should be cold coming home. DOM t
kick! It's a friend. just keep quiet. :"
At that moment all the excitement
about the leopard's spring was at its
height. Did and Sid clung shrieking
to their uncle's coat.
''Boys. this is no place for us, said
Mr. johnson. Gomez
Fortunately their seat was near the
side door, and in the general confusion
they were unnoticed. One or two long
strides took them safe out into the
cool night air, and almost before it
seemed possible, they were in the box
wagon with Ned, galloping over the
hills as fast as he could 60.
'Where are you going to take me?"
said Leonardo with startled face.
'Homen' said Uncle John.
And home it was. Aunt Elsie was
considerably startled, as you may
guess, by the appearance of three little
boys instead of two, and one of them
clad in such an extraordinary costume.
But when she understood it all she said
that Uncle John had done exactly
right.
He had no friends or relatives-at
least, SO he said-and the good couple
on the mountain adopted him for their
own.
But he never likes to talk about his
circus life. He only shudders and is
silent when the conversation turns on
such things.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
VIctoria's Eldest Daughter.

The Princess Royal is q woman OF
universal attainments. She writes pO-
litical memoirs, keeps up correspon-
dence with philosophers, is sculp-
tress, a painter, composes sonnets,
makes architectural plans, etc. She
has a great deal of natural intelli-
gence, but an education 80 extended
| that at certain moments it seems that
the superabundance of her ideas is
detrimental to their arrangement. Her
! strength has sometimes the result of
obscuring the clearness of the ideas
which she seizes and the opinions she
processes. She does not rack her mind
for the occasion; its riches are SO
numerous that she is constrained TO
withhold them, and speaks, somewhat
| as Rochefoucauld wrote, by maXimS.
Society must be distastcful to her.
She does not like it; without doubt she
despises it, for one meets at her sOirces
people not to be met with elsewhere,
and who mingle in society only at her
house. She does nothing to merit the
title of '.woman of the world, but, on
the other hand, she has the feeling
one might say the pride-of her super
iority of princess. She seems to dis
dain the fidelity of social relations. A
mere nothing detaches or irritates her;
while, if it is question of sustaining
an idea, she will display u resolute
persistency destined to triumph over
all obstacles.
She occupies herself with politics,
and she has upon this subject her
private opinions, which are not always
those entertained in her immediate
surroundings. Thus, under the pretext
of satisfying her artistic tastes, she
often goes to Italy, SO as not to be
obliged to approve what she condemns
or to yield a point which she defends.
She is sincerely and boldly liberal, and
this is one of the grave reproaches
addressed to her. Her relations with
the Empress are very strained; they
are less SO with the Emperor. She
exerts over her husband. by affection
and by skill, an influence without
limit.-Berli7a Society.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15

Even small children have an eye for
the eternal fitness of things. Give B.
year-old boy hammer and he will i'm
mediately cry for looking-glass, -
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15

The Judges of the New York court Of
appeals have at last got into gowns
Win the ladies send them old hoop
skirtSPn
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15

Rabbi Moses, of Milwaukee, has is
sued an expurgated edition of the five
books of Moses,
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
Business Cards.
j. III. DUSSELL

fTTORNEY AT LAW, Counsel in
IN English and German. Office over FIAh's
Clothing Store. Phenix Block, Ravenna, y
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15

ne "St eor oar shetOes make purchases
OF NEW AND DESIRABLE GOODS from Largest tandm
Ieeor"e@ M@n"fdctWTeTs the
LINE ORDER Bezieying 1rt;st;c Desooers
Who make Speciality
una Tor tess money than could
scde Oe haze concluded
NESS bat to cO,fne DIFFICULT RE-
fAlhiNG OF WATCHES, CLOCKS In naddi-
ton to Whtch, aoiU q
USUALLY FOUND IN a FIRST CLASS STORE.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15

ATOTARY PUBLIC, Mantua. o. Con-
IN iveyancing, Collections and Pension Busl-
ness promptly attended to on the most reason
able terms. olz-u.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15

p. B. CONANT,
TTORNEY AT LAW, Ravenna, o.
IA Office in blackstone Block, North Chest
nut street. RaveRna, Ohio
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-05-15
I. III, PHELPS
'..E A. N. FARR,

rrORNEY AND COUNSELLOR AT
N LAW, Onice over Peter Kings Grocery,
West Main St., Ravenna. Ohio.
The Mineral argus., 1884-08-14
Record of casua1t.ea.

Perry Wilson of San Antonio was bitten by a
mad p,'ecat Wilson was given up to die. He
had a maidstone applied to the wound and is
well
A { Lampas, Tex, a fire destroyed the post
Office building and two adjoining stores with
contents. Loss, $4,000; insurance, $4,000
The mail matter was saved.
Capt Newton, passenger in the steamer Lax
ham, which sank after a collision with the
steamer Gijon, escaped with fifteen Spaniards
and landed at Muros, Spain. He reports that
Immediately after the collision the captain of
the Gijon shot himself. There is no news Of
the captain of the Laxham.
An explosion of gas in one of the dressing
rooms of the Pittsburg, pa opera house, ter
ribly burned Maggie Welsh, Mollie Campbell
and Maria Foley, who were ~engagedin cleaning
the theater. Gas had been escaping all day,
and when a young woman went into the room
and struck a light an explosion occurred. Mag
gle Welsh and Mollie Campbell are thought IA
tally injured
Capt andrew johnson, one of the oldestard
best known captains On the Missouri river
dropped dead of heart disease in Bismarck,
Wednesday afternoon He was forty-seven
years Of age, and has been navigating the Mis-,
souri, nearly twenty years. He was well TILL
within a few moments of death, when he COM
planned of a slight headache and reclined on a
couch in his store. Ina few moments he
rolled off on to the floor, and his partner picked
up, dead
Cumberland, Nd, Special:-The damage
along Georges Greek by the food will amount
10 over 100000 Mrs. Mccormick and her
daughter, Mary, were drowned in the food;
also two children of Richard Moody, all of
Barton. At Lacoming the houses and places
Of business:of II. Williams, Ben Coburn, John
NJ. Boyd, William E. Hartman, John Terrens,
August Eichorn, and Gen. NJ Cochrane were
washed away or greatly damaged The bodies
Of the drowned were recovered. There are no
further reports of loss of life, except at Barton.
There is said to be very little distress.
The Mineral argus., 1884-08-14
Horrifying aa1lows Scene.

Alex jefferson, the negro, who, in a jealous
rage killed Henry Hicks and Emma Jackson,
also colored, and nearly killed Anna Jackson,
and slightly wounded his brother, Celestial
Jefferson, at Mrs. Jackson's residence on Buff
falo avenue, Brooklyn, n. Y, was hung Friday
Aug. /, in the presence of four hundred spec
tators. He dressed himself in a black suit
presented him by the sheriff. He was kept in
conversation by his spiritual adviser up to the
time he was led to the seaffold between two
clergymen, and the moose around his neck.
When Jefferson was placed under the gallows
one of the %clergymen said Jefferson had for
given all his enemies. Shortly after the rope
was cut and Jefferson's body shot up into the
air, the knot slipped around under his chm, and
his neck was not broken. For a moment he was
motionless. Then he kicked, struggled and
gIoaned as he slowly strangled By a desperate
effort he got his right hand up to the rope and
tore the black cap from his face, exposing its
contortlons and his staring eyes. After he
tore the black cap away his hand fell down by
his side. The contortions and commissions of
his body continued five minutes. Life was pro-
nounced extinct eight minutes after the rope
was cut The body was sent to the morgue.
The Mineral argus., 1884-08-14

Several Frenchmen at Craunstadt, Wurtem-
burg, were rejoicing over the recent insult to
the German flag in Paris, when an elderly Ger
man approached and demonstrated them This
gave rise to a quarrel, and one of the French
men dealt the German a fatal blow.
The Philadelphia Catholic Standard has a
cable from Rome stating that a brief, informing
Archbishop Ryan Of his translation from St
Louis to this city, was forwarded on the 10th
inst Mahony, editor of the standard. states
that the prelate will probably receive his re-
script by Monday, and likely start for Phila-
delphia a few days later.
The London Times has received the follow
ing translation of an Arabic telegram dated
Dongola, July 25: ''The Mudir, with two bat
talions of bashi bazouks, a detachment of
mounted infantry, some guns and 1900 armed
volunteers, attacked and defeated a rebel sheik
named Ashmel Ell Homada, who was entrenched
in the Ambukol district among the ruins of
the mountains. The rebels were driven COM
pletly out of the province, and Dongola is now
safe and tranquil. A messenger from Gordon
has arrived with a letter for the mudir, and he
is awaiting a reply"
The Mineral argus., 1884-08-14
miscellaneous News Notes.

The Kelly motors say they pay no more
money until they see the machine.
Hargrave, banker of Lampasas, Tex, has
assigned. Liabilities and assets, $4,000.
West Virginia Republicans agreed to fuse
with the Greenbackers, but sat down on pro
hibition.
Wall & johnson, druggists of Milwaukee,
we're alta thed by the Sheriff while on the eve
IF assigning.
r S. Spiers, a large furniture dealer of Col
ambus, Miss, has assigned. His creditors are
m Cincinnati and Louisville.
Beetle & Brother, wool merchants of Phila-
lelphia, have assinged. Liabilities, $4,000.
The firm refuses to make a statement
Franz Miller, Philadelphia, kept twenty-five
logs and was very poor. The courts ordered
them killed, and he wept bitterly while the
work went on.
John Caswell & Co., New York tea mer-
shants, failed They ask al extension Of three,
six and nine months. The house is one of the
oldest in the trade. If granted the extension
asked, the general opinion is that they will pay
n full.
The New York city armory commission,
which is composed of Ma. Gen. Shaler, Mayor
Edison and Commissioner Thompson, asked
he sinking fund commission to put $2,OOO,OOO