davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1884-07-26
The Superior Times.
Superior Cham'r of Commerce
(ISCoRPoRATED)
MEETS EVERY WEDNESDAY EVENING.

-DIRECTORS-
Denis Dean; l. F. Johnston; Josiah Bond Jr
W. II. Webb; l. W. Gates.
ENTERTAINMENT CoNfNISFEE:
W. H. Webb; Dr. O. n Muraock; James Bar,lon
Parties visiting Superior with view 10 locat-
ing here or III this vicinity, cordially inyired
to call upon the committee and officers of this
Association, who will endeavor to give them all
the information desired The Secretary solicits
correspondence. and Will promptly answer all
inquiries concerning the head of Lake Superior
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23
TattOed by lightning,

-Four children Of George Aston of
Bells, Texas, says the Fort Worth Ga
Sstte. while playing in front Of their
fathers house, were severely shocked
by bolt OF lightning that struck the
earth near where they were playing.
The youngest, babe, was scorched
about the hair and eyebrows and rem
dcred unconscious for half an hour or
more. On stripping the child to use
water for restoration they found its
breast and body beautifully tinted
with pink parks in the shape of leaves
and vines that in their delicate tracer
les far eXcelled the most dcxterous
work of art. The largest of the four,
a boy about nine years old, had his
legs paralyzed, so that it was several
hours before he could walk. and not
then before strong stimulating appli-
cations had been used to restore circu.
lation. His ankles were found to be
belted around with broad red marks,
apparently like the skin had been
scalded. The other two children had
no visible marks, but were badly
shocked and nearly scared to death.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23

The orange tree is the longest lived
ruit tree known. 1t is reputed to
have attained the age of three hundred
years, and it is known to have flourish
ed and borne fruit for more than hun
ired years. No fruit tree will grow
and produce fruit so well under rough
treatment. 1t commences to bear the
third or fourth year after budding and
by the fifth year it will produce an
abundant crop, but its yield will in
crease gradually under favorable cir
,umstances, and as the years pass on it
will become q very productive tree.
The early growth of the orange is quite
apid, and by the tenth year it will
have increased more than in the next
fifty years, so far as its breadth and
hight are concerned; but its age multi
plies its fruit stems greatly, and an old
tree will sometimes bear several
thousand oranges.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23
WOODSTOCK, W.T.. WEDNESDAY,, JULY 3d. 1884.

note, Then she tore it up and wrote
another which was merely an informal
invita- ion to lunch the next day.
Then she called Harry down to her.
"IIarry," she said, 81 want you to go
to Captain Fortescue's rooms, and take
this note and the umbrella. See him
if you possibly can and try to explain
about this unhappy umbrella and that
wretched, stupid Eliza"
Then she told Master Harry the
story, at which he laughed immensely.
"Now, you must not laugh, but think
how you can do the thing nicely,
Harry. You can manage it admirably,
if you choo e. 1t is too absurd to put
onpaper. And make Captain Fortescue
promise TO come to lunch, just TO show
he bears no malice
Harry put on his best manners, and
accomplished his task vel, though he
felt much aggrieved at having to give
up the umbrella. Captain Fortescue
came to lunch, and this time Eliza aG-
mitted him, and blushed as she did So.
London jVorld.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23
White Elephants,

1t is three hundred years since the
Western world received the first ex-
tended account of the wonderful
white elephant. This account came
from an Englishman, named Fitch,
who must have encountered great diff
culties in travelling through Burmah at
that time, and maybe found in Hakluyt's
qraint and famous collection of Maui
cations, TraIliques, and Discoueries."
This tells lis at that time the King of
Burmah had four white elephants,
which were very strange and rare. 1t
also records that if any other king had
one, the Burmese King would senl for
it, and would rather lose part of his
kingdom than not get it. The chroni-
Gle further tells us that when any white
elephant was taken to the king, all the
merchants of the city were commanded
to visit it, upon which occasion each of
them presented it with half a ducat.
AS there were grea. many merchants,
this made a good round sum. AT that
time the white elephant stood in the
kings house, and received great honor
and service Each of them had an
apartment Of its own decorated with
golden ornaments, and ate its food from
gold and silver vessels, Every day,
when they went to the river to battle,
canopies of silk or cloth Of gold were
held over them, and drums, clarionets,
or other instruments accompanied
them. AS they came out of the river,
each had a gentleman in waiting to
wash its feet in a silver basin, an officer
being appointed for that honor by the
king. The black elephants were not so
well treated. They were evidently re
garjel as the canaille, though some of
them were very handsome and fully
nine cubits, or thirteen and half feet
high. -Manhattan Magazine.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23
WHOLE NO. 2lSO.

l still retain unimpaired my excel
lent voice for photograph albums, but
I have no patience with people who
scatter their relatives all the way
through them. What shall it profit a
visitor if he wade safely and gracefully
through twenty-nine pages, and then
founder in a hundred and thirty
fathoms on a first cousin or an only
son ?-Burdette.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23
Some Mexican SuperstitiOns.

Not long ago, in one Of the frontler
towns of Mexico, man shot defense
less old woman down in the street in
br. ad daylight. He was captured
with his carbine in his hand
and when examined before the
magistrate gave as reason for his
crime that the murdered woman had
been called upon to nurse his brother,
who was sick, and had, by working
charms upon him, caused his death.
The firm belief in phantoms Is taken
advantage Of by evil disposed persons,
who, disguised as women, glide about
the suburbs secured from molestation
by any passers-by. These phantoms
haunt graveyards, and grown men
will gravely tell you of "phantasmus,"
as they call them, seen at or near the
spot where men have been murdered.
These generally bear the form of men
lying dead, weltering in their blood.
Those that recount you these tales af-
feet not to believe in the existence of
spirits, but one can see that although,
like Nine. de Stael, not believing in
ghosts, they are afraid Of them all the
same.
At Pueblo a man went before one
Of the judges and asked protection
from a discarded sweetheart who, he
declared, had made an image the ex-
act representation of him, and which
was carefully dressed in clothes
like those he wore, and that
she stuck pins in the arms and legs of
this puppet, which act caused him the
most awful tortures, fearful pains
shooting through the portions of his
body corresponding to those in which
the pins were stuck on the puppet. lie
had dragged to court the woman, and
actually bore the puppet in his hand
as proof of what he said. Heproposed
to destroy this uncomfortable pirated
edition of himself, ard only asked that
the Judge would prevent the woman
from making another one.
The superstitions, of course, give
rise to a considerable traffic in charms,
in which may be found curious in
termixture in religious belief. A thief,
for instance, will carry as a charm
against detection some curious verses
addressed to the patron saint of his
guild. Love powders and potions are
often used, and sundry old men and
women ycleped "curanderos" make a
living as doctors, practicing a curious
medicine and necromancy. 1t is not
so long ago, in an interior city, that
one of the old women smothered her
self and patient, tax collector of
some intelligence, to death in an i'm
provised Russian bath, in which she
raised mephitic vapor of certain
herbs for the purpose of driving out a
witch that inhabited the body of her
patient. The fact that she herself
perished shows that she believed in
ghosts and thought that she could con-
quer them. Before entering the bath
she told her attendant to pay no at
tentlon to any cries from within, as
the witch would probably make a
great disturbance before allowing her
self to be dislodged.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23
The Seal Life of the Alaska Waters.

lTOl. LlllOlt JellS US lIlul tHc luz
seals which repair to the islands of st.
Paul and st. George, of the Pribylov
group, are in numbers almost fabu-
lous. They 60 to land to shed fur and
hair and to breed. The seal life of
that region is classified under the head
Of fur-seal, sea-lion, the hair-seal, and
the walrus. OF the true fur-seal, the
professor goes 50 far as to say that
there is no ether animal known to man
superior to this from purely physical
point of view, and few creatures eX-
hibit 50 high an order of instinct, ap-
preaching even to intelligence. A
male is in his prime at six or seven
years, measures 6 IL to Z 10 feet in
length, and weighs at least4OO pounds,
some reaching 600 pounds. The COM
paratively small head is almost all oc-
cupied by the brain; the large blueish
hazel eyes alternately burn with re-
vengeful, passionate light, then sud
denly change to the tones of tenderness
and good nature. When it seeks the
land it is in its fattest condition. In
from six weeks to three months the
superlluOus fat is consumed
by self-abs0rption, and the bones
show under the shrunken skin. 1t does
not seek the place of its birth, but aims
for land without regard for special 10
cation. The scal-weather is the fog
gy, humid, oozy damp of summer"
and about the first of June the males
select their positions, after the most
extraordinarily brutal contests which
man can witness. The females arrive
Il few we; ks later. The body is cover
ed with two coats, the short, crisr
overhair cOncealing the s3ft, elastic
fur. In contrast with that of the n.tlg,
the behavior of the females is dcscrib.
ed as Of exceeding peace and dove.
like amiability." The females are four
to four and half feet long, and more
shapely than the males. They do not
have protracted fasts like the males,
and have no great masses of blubber to
sustain fasting. Soon after they give
birth they leave their young on the
ground and 90 to sea for food, return
ing perhaps next, or not for several
days, in the meantime speeding to dis.
tant fishing banks to satiate their hun.
ger. The head and eye are exceeding.
ly beautiful; the expression is really
attractive, gentle, and intelligent. The
large, lllstrous, blue.black eyes are hu.
mid and soft, with the tenderest ex.
preston, while the small, well-formed
head is poised as gracefully on her
neck as can well be imagined. She is
the very picture of benignity and sat,
isfaction when she is perched upon
some convenient rock and has an op-
portunity to quietly fan herself, the
eyes halr-close,,, and the head thrown
back on her gently-swelling shoulders.
Prof. Elliott declares that he never
saw any driving of the young pups
into the water by the old ones, in order
to teach them to swim, as certain au.
thors have positively affirmed. The
pups blunder into the water awkward
ly, and become the most expert swim
mers only after many discomGtures.-
San Francisco Bulletin.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23

AS there are some flowers which you
should smell but slightly to extract al
hat is pleasant in them, and which, if
vou do otherwise, emits what is un-
pleasant and noxious, so there are
some men with whom a slight ac-
luaintance is quite sufficient to draw
,ut all that is agreeable; more init
nate one would be unsatisfactory ard
unsafe.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23

There are 600 churches of colored
Baptists in Texas.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23
CHILDREN'S COLUMN.
A tranger.

An old man went to the window,
shrunken and bent with care;
He d scythe swung over his shoulder,
And white was his beard and halr,
Ny little'one earnestly watched him
Up the billy roadside climb
Then said, in tone OF conviction,
Mamma that was Father Time"
Bessie Chandier, in ST. Nicholas.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-07-23

The laws of Rhode Island require
that a naturali2ed citizen, in addition
to the qualifications required of na.
tives, shal! own real estate above in
cumbrances of the value Of Sl34.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29
Mr. nonncr and wand y.

From the Commercial Advertiser.l
Have the sporting men begun worrying
you yet to put Maud $. on the track, Mr.. Bon
ner p
"Oh, Of course. They don't give q man
any peace so long gs thoy have q particle of
hope. mn somewhat protected by the fact
that sporting mon know l have consistently
made it n rule never to trot horse for money.
l shall not break my rule with Maud s. If
jay Eye Soc beats her record, shall probably
have Maud s. trained upon good track and
drive her for her very best But It will never
DO recorded. It isn't generally known that
the rules Of the turf record horses timo only
when the ownor or manager has bet upon
her. When Maud s. broke the record at
Cleveland, Col. Stone, who was managing
her for the day, made a wager Of 800 with IA
friend that the mare would beat 2.1l. This
was just before she started. Col. Stone men
toned this to Busbey of the Turf, Field and
Farm, who warned him 10 go quickly and get
the wager recorded by the judges. Stone did
so, and Maud S. 3 time went on record. Now,
have mare, Lucy Ouyler that know can
make the fastest half mile Of any horse In the
world. l trotted her at Fleetwood not long
ago before a top wagon, and asked my broth
or, David Bonnor, and another gentleman to
take hor time. She made the half mile in
l.O5. But it was never recorded. There was
no bot on it,
"Did Mr. Vanderbilt make it an expross
condition Of the sale that Maud s. should not
be put on the track 2"
II can answer you as did an elder of DR..
John Halls church who was here this morn
ing to see Maud s. Ho asked if there were
any conditions. said When we engaged
DIR. Hall to preach for us we didn't mako it q
condition that he shouldn't go down to Madi-
/ 1 4 L
fight but we didn't expect him to do Il for
all that"
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29

GOLDEN WEDDING OF MR.. AND MRS. JOSIAH
FRENCH

GOLDEN WEDDING OF MR.. AND MRS JOSIAH
FRENCH.
Saturday, Aug. 10th, was a delightful
day, on which over 800 of the relatives and
friends Of Mr.. and Mrs. Josiah French as-
sembed at their residence in this village TO
celebrate the both anniversary of their
marriage and the 77th birthday of Mr..
French. Fifty years ago Mr.. and Mrs.
French were married by the late Hon Charles
X. Field of BrRttleboro, then a resident of
Wilmington, they being the first couple Nc.
Field united in marriage. They have resided
in Jacksonville forty years, upright, peacea-
able, industrious, one of the best families in
this community, much respected and beloved.
This tribute OF respect aud esteem was well
deserved aud worthily bestowed A. A. But
terfeld, ESD, was master Of ceremonies, as-
sisted by j. W. Morse. Short but appropri-
ate addresses were made by Rev. j. Clifford
and Leonard Brown, Esq. Poems were read
by Martha French, r. d. Brown, Thomas
Fowler. Mrs. Willard Faulkner, and two odes
by Rev. IL. Eastman, adapted to the tunes of
'Aud Lang Syne' aud Bonnie Doom.
Misses Netto Morse and Gertie Hicks pre-
sided at tho organ. The music was excellent
A rich and ample collation. was served, L. IL.
Stetson and A. A. Butterheld having charge
of the tables in the front yard. The brides
cake, marked 80 years, was presented by Mr..
and Mrs. e. H. Stetson. A large tray OF
beautiful flowers, marked 80 years and con-
tanning so flowers was presented by Mr.. and
Mrs. q. S. Allen. Presents to the amount of
over 500, part in gold, were contributed
and formally presented with appropriate ro-
marks by A. A. Butterield TO Mr.. and Mrs.
French 10 which Mr.. French very properly
and feelingy responded. Tho exercises were
closed with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne. u
This was one of the most interesting so,
cial interviews of the kind ever witnessed in
this section, and the many participants will
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29
PanamaC Canal.

Tho report made by NJ. de Les5eps at the
annual meeting of the Panama canal cOmpa-
ny held in Paris few days ago shows that he
does not feel, or at least does not admit the
least apprehension concerning the future of
his enterprise. Indeed, it would be hard to
find more sanguino document than that
which be read, and which the meeting unani
mously approved. He admits that the mate
rial execution of the work has not advanced
at an Rstonishingly rapid rate, and that, if
maintained Mt the same ratio, it would re-
quire many years to complete the canal. But
he asserts that the principal difficulty in all
such cases lies in tho preliminaries, or, 80 to
speak, in the attacking of the work. The
first soil removed, the first cuttings made,
are always tho most difficult, long and costly.
He points out that in the case of the Suez
canal, where there was q total excavation of
70, GOO, 900 cubic metres, only one-third Of
this soil was removed in the first seven years,
while two-thirds were removed in tho last
two years of working aftor the contractors
had finally perfected the plant aud machine
ry requisite for the work. In the case of the
Panama canal, there are 100, O0O, 600 cubic
metres of soil to be exoavated, and, although
the work thus far has been slow, NJ dc Les
seps feels assured that the facilities for han
ding it will increase at such rate as to COM
plete the entire undertaking within three
years. He confidently announces that ty the
lstot January, 1883, the canal will be ready
to receive tho trade of the world, and that
this prediction can be demonstrated with
mathematical precision. it is curious to see
how De Lesseps and his critics disagree. We
have been told repeatedly within three
months by experienced engineers who have
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29

George Westinghouse, says the Milling
World, before he invented and perfected his
wcll-known air brake, was regarded by num-
Der of his acquaintaces with something ap-
proaching pity, because of his alleged lack OF
''gumption.' His air brake was success,
and his friends began to think there WAS
something in him, after oil. His automatic
engine added to his fame and bank balance,
aud lie mounted higher in the esteem of his
former friends. A few weeks ago a valuable
well OF natural gas was struck on his prem
ises at Homewood, near Pittsburg. The well
ID 1880 feet deep, and the flow Of gas is tire
mendous, the roar being almost deafening
and scarcely eDdursble to the citizens of the
neighborhood. Two other wells arc being
put down by Mr.. Westinghouse and he esti-
mates that his profit therefrom will soon
amount to $1,000 day.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29
Miscellany.
FIrenles in the wheat,

Ftreflles In the wheat.
Al, never Of a summer night
VIII life again be half as sweet
A In that country Of delight
Whore gtrayiug, staying with happy feet,
We watched the hrefles In the wheat.
Full dark and doop the starloss night,
Stil throbbing with the summer heat;
There was no ray Of any light,
But dancing, ganclnR, far and feet,
Only the iirenios In tho wheat
In that great country Of delight,
Where youth and love tho borders mote,
We paused and fingered for the sight,
While sparkling, darkling flashed the sheet
Ofsplendd nreflies In the wheat.
That night the earth soomed but height
WhereOn to rest our happy feet,
Watching ono moment that wide flight,
Where tightening, Frightening, mount ant
meet
Those burning iroflos in the wheat.
What whispered words whose memory might
Make an old heart with madness beat,
Whose sense 10 rustic can recite,
That chasing, racing, rhythmic beat
Sings out with 1refies In the wheat.
Oh, never Of such blost despite
Dreamed I, whom fate was wont to cheat
Ard like star your face, and white
While mingllng, tingling, wild az seet,
Btormed all those frefiies through the wheat
Though Of that country Of delight
The farther bounds we shall not greet,
Stlll, sweet Of all, that summer night,
That mad1est, gAddest night most sweet,
Watching the arelies in the wheltl
Harriet Prescott Spo6ord IN the Bdzdr.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29

On the 10Th inst. VIC spent the day over
the line of the above road. Commencing lt
miles from the tunnel, at o portable steam
mill used by Newton Bros in cutting out lum-
ber aud timber to be used on the line of the
railroad. we found 10 men under the direc-
tion OF T. II. Miller, who has charge Of the
construction train. We were welcomed to
ride of three miles up the truck at a speed of
about Is miles an hour. At this place we
found gang of 2l men laying and ballasting
tho track under the charge OF p. b. Sargent,
a genial fellow who has had 20 years expert
euce in trackaying. Also at this point we
found Moses Newton, one of the company,
who freely impaired to US any information in
regard to the road. Ho said the train would
run up to the Monroe bridge on or before the
23d inst, distance of miles from the Tuu-
nol The next gang Of 10 men, under the
charge Of Hugh Miller, were building large
culvert. Still above thii point and extend
ing to the bridge, We found Philo Sibley with
27 men, grading and finishing for track lay
ing. Also, above the bridge, was Louis Dus-
salt with six men, putting in trestle-work.
The grading is nearly completed to Martin
| Wheeler's. From this point we drove along
| the line of the survey to Readsboro. Near
the pulp mill from 10 to 90 men are at work
| in the ledge, grading for the road. George
Hutchinson, the civil engineer in charge of
| the road, is making some changes from the
old survey. Tha grade averages 40 degrees to
the mile, and there is no place over so de-
greos The distance from Hoosao Tunnel to
Readsboro by this line is about II miles, aud
Mr.. Newton says they have met with fewer
obstacles than expected in building the road.
They are using the best Of steel rails, 80 feet
long Mr.. Newton also said that after the
completion of the road their intentions were
| to keep construction train on the road, pre-
pairing it for the third rail making it a stan
dard gauge road. The work seems TO be done
in a thorough manner. Some 20 or 80 men
are employed by the Newtons in their pulp
mills turning out from 20 to - tons of pulp
per day, which is shipped to Holyoke to be
made into paper. The prospect is good for
the extension of the road to Wilmington, pro-
vided the same aid is extended to it by the
people of Wilmington that was extended to
the Brattleboro & Bennington railroad. Yours
| truly VIM III. HICKS
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29
Not That Kind,

Apropos of General Thomas, we recall an
anecdote that was told of him during the war,
While his headquarters were at Nashville .
rough West Virginian-a oaptain-came 10
him for leave of absence. He said he desired
TO go home and visit his wife, whom he hadn't
seen for whole year. "a year ?" echoed
Gen. Thomas "Why, my wife and haven't
seen each other in three years" "That may
be all right for you," said the captain,
"but men my wife amt that kind of folks 4"
A shout of laughter went up from the Gener-
ais staff, in which Thomas Joined heartily,
and the man got his leave.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-29

"Oan you help me little ?" asked a tramp.
II am hungry, and can't get any work at my
trade"
"What is your trade ?" asked tie gentle
man.
81 am glass worker"
what kind of glass worker2"
''Beer- glass worker"
"Here's penny for your frankness."
''Thank you, sir" said the tramp, grateful
ly. "Pll put part of it in the bank"
~ Y. Sun.