davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
The House Martin.

The most extraordinary character
istic of the house martin is the deter
mined propensity it has for domestic
life and the rearing of large families.
1t is now a we'll ascertained fact that
martins will go on laying and hatch
ing eggs long after there is any rea-
Sonaple chance of their bringing the
young to maturity When the proper
time for migrating comes and the
leaders of the march are marshaling
their armies for TIE journey south
ward, many of the parents are still
busy wit. the cares of their half-grown
families. Until the very latest day
allowed to them they continue their
laboriouS but pleasant task, and in q
great number of instances have TO go
oil, leaving the lucklcss youngsters to
die of starvation in their nests. In
deed sometimes the marching order is
given while the mother bird is sitting,
and unmatched eggs have been found
SO deserted under the caves. Perhaps
the most amazing anecdote related i'll
connection with this hasit IS that for
which Mr. Blanchard is responsible
He declares that in 1921 pair of mar
tins, taking possession of an old nest
probably the same which they had
occupied the summer before
in it the dried bodies of some young
sterS that had been left in it. They
endeayored to lift out the corpses; but,
all their efforts were in vain, they
then carefully walled up the aperture
with clay, converting what had been
a nest into veritable mausoleum.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
A Polar Tempest.

1t is impossible to form an idea of
a tempest in the Polar seas. The ice
bergs are like floating rocks whirled
along a rapid current. The huge
crystal mountains dash against each
other, backward and forward, burst
ing with roar like thunder, ard re-
turning to the charge until losing
their equilibrium, they tumble over
in a cloud of spray, upheavlng the
lcefelds, which fall afterwards like
the crack of whip-lash on the boil
ing sea. The sea gulls fly away
screaming, and often black, shining
whale comes for an instant quilting to
the surface. When the midnight sun
grazes the horizon, the floating noun
tains and the rocks are immersed in a
wave of beautiful purple light. The
cold is by no means so insupporta BILE
as is supposed. We passed from a
heated abin at thirty degrees above
zero to forty seven degrees below zero
in the open air without Inconvenience.
A much higher degree becomes, how
ever, insufferable if there is wind. At
fifteen degrees below zero a steam, as
if from a boiling kettle, rises from the
water. At once frozer by the wind,
it falls in fine ~ wder. This
phenomenon is called sea-smoke At
forty degrees the snow and human
bodies also smoke, which smoke
changes at once into millions of tiny
particles, like needles of ice, which
fill the air and make a light continu-
Gus noise, like the rustic of stiff silk.
At this temperature the trunks of
trees burst with a loud report, the
rocks break up, and the earth opens
and vomits smoking water. Knives
break in cutting butter. Cigars go
out by contact with the ice on the
beard. To talk is fatiguing. At
uight the eyelids are covered with a
crust of ice, which must be carefully
removed before one can open them.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
The Hottest Spot on Earth.

Perhaps the hottest region of the
earth is along the Persian gulf, where
little or no rain falls. At Bahrin, the
arid shore has no fresh water; yet a
comparatively numerous population
contrives to live there, thanks to the
copious springs which burst from the
bottom of the sea. The fresh water is
got by diving. The diver, sitting in
his boat, winds a great goatskin bag
around his left arm, the hand grasp
ing its mouth; then ne takes in his
right hand heavy stone, to which is
attached strong line, and, thus equip
ped, he plunges IN and quickly reach
the bottom. Instantly opening the
bag over the strong jet of fresh water,
he springs upon the ascending current.
at the same time closing the bag, and
is helped on board. The stone IS then
hauled up, and the diver, after taking
breath, plunges in again. The source
of these copious submarine springs is
thought to be in the green fields of Os-
man, some five or six hundred miles
distant.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

He did not dream there was any dan
ger, because the liquid was locked up
in the can. But there was great ex-
ploslon, and he was very badly hurt
This seems very mysterious. The
probability is that the can had been
standing there a good while, and a
good deal of vapor had Termed, some
of which had licked out around tae
stopper, and was hanging in a sort of
invisible cloud over and around the
can, and this cloud, when the match
struck it exploded.
Suppose girl tries to fill kerosene
lamp without at first extinguishing
the blaze. OF course the lamp is near
ly empty or she would not care to I'll
it. This empty space is filed with a
cloud OF explosive vapor arising from
the Oil in the lamp. When she pushes
the nozzle of the can into the lamp at
the top, and begging to pour, the oil,
running into the lamp, fills the empty
spaces and pushes the cloud of ex-
plosive vapor, and the vapor is obliged
to pour over the edge of the lamp
into the room outside. OF course it
strikes against the blazing wick which
the girl Is holding down by the
side The blaze of the wick sets the
invisible cloud of vapor on fire, md
there is an explosion which ignites the
oil and scatters it over her clothes and
over the furniture of the room. This
is the way in which a kerosene lamp
bursts. This same thing may hap
pen when girl pours the oil over the
fire in the range, or stove, if there is
a cloud of explosive vapor in the up
per part of the can, or if the stove is
hot enough to vaporize quickly some
of the oil as it falls Remember that
it is not the oil but the invisible vapor
which explodes. Taking care OF the
oil will not protect you. There is no
safety except in the rule: Never
pour oil on lighted fire or into a
lighted lamp"
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
Reading iloud.
Nin9teenth Century.

If you ask eight people out Of ten
now, they will tell you that they hate
being read to. And why2 Because
from their childhood they have been
unused to it, or used only to such
monotonous drone as robbed even the
Arabian Nights" of half their charm.
The husband, at the end of hard
days work, returns home to pass the
evening, absorbed in his book, or doz-
ing over the fire, while the wife takes
up her novel, or knits in silence. If
he read to her, or if he could tolerate
her reading to HIM, there would be
community of thought, interchange
of ideas, and such discussion as the
fusion of two minds into any common
channel cannot fail te reduce And
it is often the same when the circle IS
wider. I have known a large family
passed the time between dinner and
bed time, each one with his book or
work, afraid to speak above his
breath, because 1T would disturb
papa Is thisEcheerful, or wise, or
conducive to that close union in
household which is bond of strength
through life, which the world can
neither give nor take away7 | can
not blame them, for they are all read
abominably; and it is enough to have
endured the infection of family pray
ers, gasped and: mumbled by the head
of the family, to feel that listening to
such a delivery for any length of
time would exasperate one beyond
endurance.
But it was not always SO. In the
last century-even as late as fifty
years ago-reading aloud was regard
ed as an accomplishment worthy the
cultivation of those Especially those
who live in the country with preten
sions to taste; and It was consequent
". far more frequently found enliven-
ing the domestic circle. There were
fewer books, fewer means of locomo-
ton, fewer pleasures Of winter nights,
outside the four walls OF the country
parlor. The game of cribbage, or the
sonata on the spinet, did not occupy
the entire evening after 6 o'clock din
ner; and Shakespeare and Milton were
more familiar to the young generation
in those days than they are now.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
The Deadly Teapot.


While good temperance people
are decrying liquor" said one of the
leading physicians of the city, " they
seldom stop to think how much harm
is being done by the abuse of bever-
age to which many of them are deyot-
ed. / Just came from attending the
case of . 5-year-old babe who is ruin
ed for life by its parents INDUCING it
in tea-drinking. The child became
very nervous and dyspeptic, and tEey
sent for me. / asked them how much
tea the child drank. About two
cups at each meal and several between
meals. was the reply. You see, the
doctor continued. "thev left the tea
pot stand on the stove all day. Thus
the tannic acid is extracted, which
serves to turn the Innings Of the sto-
mach into leather and brings en- dys
pepsia and kindred diseases. Yes, you
find hundreds of men, women and
children, who have completely ruined
their nervous system by the excessive
use of common tea 1t viii be
blessing to mankind when a temper
ance crusade can spare wind enodgh
from its attack on alcohol TO assaiI
tea.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
POET HITS TERRIBLE TRAMP.
To Start for San Francisco Afoot from
the Big bridge
New York Journa

New 1oFk journal
\ well-built man. apparently about
40 years of age, who wore a black
goatee and wide brimmed cowboy
hat, sat in the office of Richard K
Fox the other afternoon. He was
Adrian Hit, the poetieal pedestrian,
who was to start at 3 D. m. in an en-
deayor to walk to San Francisco.
William E. Harding, Mr.. Fox, and
! other sporting men sat around and en-
couraged the venturesome poet with
tales of men who had been scalped
while crossing the plains, and pedes-
TRANS who had died from sunstroke
and starvation in the wild woods,
through which a part of Mr.. Hits
route lies
You cant scare me. boys, with your
ghost STORIES" remarked the rhyming
walker. IN get there if it takes me
ten years
Have you any record as pedes-
trian?" asked Journal reporter.
Yes" replied Mr. Hit. I have
walked thousand miles in Texas in
less than a week. Besides, | have a
well established pedestrian reputation
! IL VIZ "SS0. all oItC vi GI1S gISdIGSt
poets this country has ever produced.
See this"
Mr.. Hit handed the reporter small
volume of poems, on the cover of
which was a picture of man walking
at twenty mile,an hour pace, and
the legend, Ireland forever; England
no, never. From the brain, pen and
pencil OF Adrian HIT" printed on the
cover. The volume was interspersed
with crude drawings evidently whit
| tied out of single, and representing
Mr.. Hit walking all the way from five
to fifty miles an hour.
Let me read you a sample verse. y
said he, and before his auditors could
stop him he sang:
oh, if you will but read this book
| know YOU won't be cross
| And over the money you paid for it
You'll never mourn its loss.
This is no common book of prose-
The ottaner you read it the richer it grows.
| When you look at it you'll say its profound,
The longer you read it, the better it'll sound,
The poet was seized before he could
recite the lis other verses, and he con.
tinued:
| shall Walk over lIle fOugIeSl
route | can pick out, mountains pre-
ferred. | expect to make fifty miles
day, and will telegraph Richard K.
Fox every night from nay stopping
place"
Don't send them collect, interiect.
ed Mr.. Harding.
Il shall carry no provisions, but
will have plenty of money to buy
whatever | need. think can reach
San Francisco inside of year.
IF you walk as we'll as you write
you'll reach there in three months, ;
said Mr.. Fox.
This pleased the poet, who present
ed each auditor with a copy of his
work, The New Shakespeare" and
then retired to secure some needed
rest.
William E. Harding was asked
whether Hit would really undertake
the proposed task, to which he re
Piled:
He is sincere in his statements,
aud informed me that some unknown
person has offered him a purse oil
81, 900 to attempt the feat. | have nc
doubt he will start off tomorrow, II
he onl y goes as far as the Jersey City
ferry He will start from the foot Of
the big bridge.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
Facts Ab0ut the Banana.

The banana is an annual, the fruit
coming to maturity about year after
the shoot IS planted, the trunk of the
tree consequently attaining a height
of from..S to 10 feet, and girth of So
inches. From this trunk, which is of
a fibrous nature, are thrown out long
palm-iike branches. al the junction of
which appears the fruit, each group of
punches, numbering from four to
twelve, being called hand" and
each hand having eight or ten banan-
as upon it. A bunch of eight hands
IS the ordinary size of shipping fruit.
From the root of the tree several
shoots or suckers sprout, each of which
in turn, becomes a fresh tree The
life of the banana tree, however, IS
not usually long; it is felled after the
fruit is gathered, and sometimes m
deed during the operation Jamaica
contains good many banana planta-
tons, varying in size from 2, OoJ 70
200, 900 trees, for the most part cult
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
A Slight Mistake.
Wall Street New.

A gentleman on East Fourth street
found ragged tramp sitting on his
front steps eating his lunch.
Here! What are you doing
there?" he shouted. Partaking of a
slight lunch. Will you JOIN me2'
the tramp politely responded
No; don't want any of your vii
famous feed
That's so; it is pretty rough kind
of fodder. | just got it out of your
kitchen. Your wife must be doing her
own cooking now"
What's that, you Internal hound?"
exclaimed the angry man, start
ing toward the tramp, still sitting
quietly on the step.
Don't get excited, SIN; don't get
excited; think a minute. Aren't you
mistaken in calling me hound2"
No, I'm not; and I'll"
But, my dear sir, you are mistaken;
| am no hound, I'm a setter.
The gentleman gazed at the tramp
in admiration and left him to finish
his lunch.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11


waited By the small settlers in the diff
ferent parishes. These holdings gen
orally consist of three or four acres of
land, on which the owners live IN a
temporary mud hut, being afraid to
leave their property to the tender
mercies of their neighbors, who rob
each others grounds with the strlctest
impartiahty whenever they can get a
chance, The cultivation is very prim-
Itive The land beng cleared by $
big hce, hole is dug and the sucker
is planted in it, in most cases nature
doing all that is necessary, but in larg-
er plantations the trees are all planted
with some degree OF SYSTEM in the
form of squares, and trenches are dug
for irrigation, the banana thriving
best in damp, stiff soil.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
Cincinnati Inquirer

An eccentric character living In
Western Massachusetts had the mis-
fortune to lose his wife, and all ar
rangements were made for interring
the worthy lady's remains with fitting
solemnity. When the hour for the
ceremony arrived. however, the be-
reaved husband was nowhere to be
found. and CONSERVATION fell upon the
funeral guests as the minutes passed
without his appearing. Just as sus-
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

pense was becoming unbearable the
widower came striding in from the
backyard, putting as if from violent
eNertion, his clothes covered with
mud and his shirt-sleeves rolled 10 Inc
elbow.
We'll, now, is everything ready
thought as it was kind Of broken
day I'd take time by the foreloc& and
clean cut the well. I won't be mere
than tvs jiffies fiNin' up, and ther, if
you hurry things little, parsou, we
shall get to the grave full as quick 5
if I'd been sittin' here wastin' half :
dav."
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
A SONG OF CLOVER

/ wonder what the clover thinkst
Intimate friend of the bob-o-links,
Lover of daisies slim and white,
Walter with buttercups at night;
Keeper Of inn for travelling bees,
Serving to them wine dress and lees,
I,oft BY the royal hummfng birds
who sip and pay with fine -spun words.
Fellow with all the lowliest:
Peer Of the gayest and the best.
Comrade of winds, beloved of sun,
Kissed by the dew drops one by one;
Prophet Of good luck mystery,
BY sign of four which few may see;
symbol Of natures magic zone,
One out of three and three in one:
Sweet by the roadside, sweet by sill,
Sweet in the meadow. sweet on the NIL.
Sweet in its white, sweet in its red.
Oh half its sweetness cannot be said.
Sweet in its every living breath,
Sweetest, perhaps, at last in death.
oh who knows what the clover thinks:
Noone. unless the ob-o-linEs.
ESTHER WYNs
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
Lou Prices Tor Huffer.

The View York Tribune In It's market report, e1
piztned why some butter y sold for such los
pr1cez In speaking ~ butter II said: Light col
cred goods ara very hard to dispose Of and sever
a lois were thought well sold AZ 70 10 ceElts u
butter makers woaid get the top price, they should
use the Improved Butter Color. made By Wells,
Richardson & Co, Burlington. VI II gfEes a pure
da1delipn color and never turns red or r. ned,
but tends % improve and preserye the butter.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
Vital Qnestseas ILL

ASA the most eEaiaeas physician
or ny school, what is the best thing Is
the world for quoting and allaylHg sil
irritation OF the nerves, and curing all
forms of nervous complaints. giving nat
Efal. childlike refreshing sleep always?
And they viii tell you Enthusiastically
Some foI'na Of Hops t.tn
CHAPTER l.
Ask any or all Of - most eminent
physicians:
What is the best and only remedy
that can be relied ON TO cure all diseases Of
the kidneys an6 urinary organs: such as
Rright's disease, diabetes. retention. or
Inability to retain urine, and all the dis.
e~ses and ailments peculiar - Women
And they viii tell you explicitly ana
5mphaaealiy "BachW =
Ask the sasle physicians
ny lat Is the most reliable and sureSt
care fer 3N liver diseases OF dyspepsia:
e1n>tp2tlan, Indigestion, hilioasness.
&s'ail&, fever, asae, etc. and they Will
eli sou:
.NtHt1gute' az ndlAlslian Z"
It'ee, wlaeu thgsS pesas<liss are combined with
0yGzts equally valuable
An. @1satsat>{gd into Hop Rittegs, Stleh i Men
dSF u aad my sser:atts curative fewer is develop
~" @sssy II ~ Natt& - is operations ,tlat No igS
ease o. I'D health sstG possibly exist 81 rsSt lis
power, and ySt u Is
lt&esale$s lsrtae most fra{l woman weakest iii.
NSssd ar smallest catli 10 ilse
CHATTER IL
@Iat3t,4tS
Almost dead er nearly dying,
cor years and givtnup hN PHYSICIANS.
+. tirtsht'S and other kinney diseases.
lsNer complaints, severe coughs. called
consumption. have been cured.
y oHlR go'se nearly chds4
From agony Of NEURALGIA righteousness
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

Mr.. Churchplllar-s Do you know
where little boys go who play
ball on the Sabbath dayln Small Boy
-"Betcher life we do. Dey 60 over
ter Hoboken, case dc cops nab EN- If
dey play here. II yer want to see a
a rattlin' good game, come over wild US
and be umpire
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
- -~

In the eighteenth century the
growth of population in Denmark was
so small as TO be scarcely noticeable.
During the present century the popu-
lation has increased from one million
to nearly two.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

Il IS said that the brave meu Of the
Massachusetts, militia greatly resemble
German soldiers. They wear spiked
helmets and drla& beer. aud srma of
the officers RSe eve glasses.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

Be careful to avoid unripe fruit and
drinking too much ice water Every
body ought to want to live until fall
just to see how many electoral votes
Ben Butler gets.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

1t was Tenneyson who invented the
headline Sweet Girl Graduate
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

Colorado contributes leo, coo colts
To the eountry,s resources this vear.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

What comes once IN q minute, twice
III Il moment, and once III mans life.
The letter VI.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
Important.

The city Of Panama Is peStered win
thieves and criminals.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

Beware af lac ineipsent st ages of consumption
faSc Psa,S Cure in TIME
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

- 40 Hatch that aohnctF Feathers,
ribbons, velvet can AL he col0rta Ia match that
uew mat by using the Diamond Dyes. 19c. for any
color at tue druggist, Wells, Richardson \ Co,
GtI.fiugtoa, Vt
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
Carbo-IircS

For Geld in the head, there is nothing SO 500,
as PiSo'S Remedy for Eatarrh.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11

There is 4 similarity between lilies
and dead cats, in that they should
both be planted deep.
Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-11
10 ,Taf,n Ir,n1 Ron

70 >tresgtlcu weak chll,rsu AMI Silse theieS Ills
orders, use 1srawa'S Tecthip.r Cordial
The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-04-30
The City Council.

At the meeting of the City Council of
Palatka April 2Sth. 1884, in the Council
room, there were present: William J.
Vinegar, President Aldermen Loeb,
Kennerly, and Merryday; L. Falk.
Clerk.
R. R. Reid applied for lease for ninety
nine years from the city of the small
parcel of ground in front of his store
needed to straighten the corner of an I'M
occupied lot on which he wished to put a
brick building.
Referred to Committee on Town Prop
erty.
B. P. Calhoun, Esq, appeared for J.
E, Lucas, and applied for lease of prop
erty known as the boat-house landing,
that permanent improvements may be
placed thereon. The gentleman was
asked to make written application.
Mr. Underwood, on behalf of himself
and other property-holders, stated that
an attempt was being made to fill in and
beautify the river shore along the Ham
mock, so as to provide a promenade for
the public on certain conditions, and
asked the corporation of the city to unite
with himself and friends in the work.
He was requested to make statement in
writing of his intentions and plans.
The committee on the petition of the