davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
The Irrepressible Book Agent.
fRnston Tos1rnnl I

There was a great commotion on
Washington street the other afternoon.
The mass of snow which had been held
by the frost immovable upon the roof of
high building, relaxed by the sudden
thaw, began to slide and fell in white
and smothering cascade upon the
crowded sidewalk. By leaping wildly
into the middle of the street and dodg-
ing into the doors of convenient shops
nearly everybody escaped the ava
lanche, but one unfortunate man was
caught by it and completely buried from
sight. Immediately the people who
had avoided share in his misfortunes
rushed to his assistance. One man
groped into the snow and caught him by
the leg; another got purchase on his
arm, and others gripping him by the
clothing and body in due time he was
brought to his feet again.
He presented sorrowful spectacle,
however. His hat looked like Q half
inflated concertina, his coat was torn
and his collar hung only by the button
on the back of his shirt, and wherever
he disclosed lodging place for the
snow in his raiment or person there the
chilling element had established itself.
He was apparently lifeless also, and a
great crowd collected, with every mani
festation of sympathy. The stranger
soon revived, he sighed and opened his
eyes, the flush of life returned to his
ashen cheek. He saw the concourse
about him and smiled, opening his
mouth to speak, and as the people
crowded around to hear him, said: "Ah
III that was narrow escape for me.
The perils of winter, even In this tenn
perate zone, are indeed fearful. But
how much more terrible are they in the
frozen regions of the po]el [ have
here'-and he opened a sachel which
had survived the shock-"the new book
describing the sufferings and details of
the De Long party, for which I am
taking subscriptions, and which Ishould
be pleased to sell you at"-but here
somebody yelled that another snowslide
was coming, and the crowd vanished
like smoke
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
GIRLS WHO GO CUNNING.
How q Couple OF California Lasses
Bring Down Feathered Game.

Bring Down Feathered Game.
Vallejo Chroniclel
A solitary sportsman, roaming over
the Alvarado marshes on Sunday last
in pursuit of the ducks, which were few
and far between, bethought himself of
an artesian we'll in the distance where
he might slake his thirst When he
reached the desired spot he saw two girls
seated on the margin, dressed in a Pc
ouliar and striking costume. They wore
tunics extending to the knees, long rub
Der boots, hunting coats and caps, and
were provided with an excellent brace
of breech-loading shotguns. Beside
them lay pile Of teal, widgeon, and
rail, ample testimony to their skill in
the use of their weapons. The hunter
raised his hat, and, presuming on the
fraternity Of sport, inquired if the la
dies had good luck. They pointed tri
umphantly to their birds. and then
glanced sympathetically at their inter-
rogator's faccid game bag. Both We're
unusually pretty girls, their cheeks
brown from exposure, showing that it
was not their first excursion, and the
hands with which they dabbed the cool
water upon their heated faces were
white and dimpled. They confessed
that the oddity of their costume made
them shun the male hunter, though the
sportsman confessed that he had never
believed that rubber boots could look SO
cunning.
Just then bunch of teal came down
the wind with lightning speed, and both
girls squatted on the marsh in a mo-
ment. Along swept the birds, bang
went both guns, and three birds fell to
the ground. They picked them up.
and, with a generosity altogether un-
known to the male sportsman, offered
him brace of the birds, as he had the
courtesy 20 allow them to do the shoot
ing.
They explained how they came to be
hunters. One was extremely delicate,
and, after graduating at a well-known
seminary in Alameda county, was rec
commended outdoor exercise by the doc
tors as the only escape from consump-
ton. Tired of objectless strolling, the
girl, under the kindly tutorship of her
uncle, learned to shoot, converted a
companion to the sport, and both are
now passionately attached to hunting.
They visit the best duck passes in Ala
media county, where snipe are to be
found, the good quail covers, and sell
dom return without generous bags.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
Tree.Planttnx I'M England.
Boston Courier.


While our forests are disappearing
before the weodman's ak and the saw
mill, there is no such diminution of the
number of trees in England. This is
owing to the perseverance of the landed
class in tree-planting. One family
alone, that of the dukes of Athole, has
in hundred years planted scores of
millions of trees. The planter duke, y
who commenced operations in 1774,
planted 27 7,000,0 900 trees, covering 49,
600 acres, principally upon the Dunken
Hills and in their neighborhood. The
present duke of Athole plants from
100000 to 100000 trees every year.
The terrible storm which destroyed the
Tay bridge blew down $4,000 oil
the dukes trees; but the loss was
hardly noticeable. Millions of trees
have been planted on Nantucket island
but unfortunately most of them died
Visitors to Nantucket will remember q
few narrow belts of stunted pines here
and there on the downs in the interior
of the island, which represent the total
outcome of this most laudable enter.
prise.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
Restless san Francisco.
ISan Francisco Chronicle ]

There can hardly be any question of
the climatic causes cf nervousness and
restlessness here. Men can never rest
anywhere. They are restless during
business; they drop into saloons and
drink; they rush home; they are hardly
there before they want to be off some.
where; quiet, pleasant evening is out
of the question. I have noticed from
the experience of many people I know
that there is some strange climatic
cause for this. A friend of mine went
up north, and on his return noted the
most extraordinary change. While
away he had felt quite inclined to rest.
He did his business very quietly aud
enjoyed himself. AS soon as he landed
in San Francisco the old nervous spirit
appeared. He hurried home. He felt
that heacould not settle anywhere. and
he hurries now everywhere and is for
ever restless.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
Books the Death OF Conversation.
TBoston Transcript.

lA1oocOA AAOiioSAAPS'I
We are deluged with books that are
born and fret their hour upon the counter
and then are heard no more. Books
not account books, but books of no ac-
count. Books cata1ogued in the COM
monplace. Every one takes his turn at
a novel or drama, and society is the
loser by it; for what might pass current
in a spontaneous way for cleverness,
when saved up and dealt out in book
formula, loses ground and proves itself
not worth the saving.
People are niggardly of being bright,
clever and witty in society because
they are saving up for the coming book
that shall surely yet be written, and
that every one is supposed to be writ
ing. All the bon mots are carefully
tucked away; nothing is given out of
itself.
Every story has price in the book
market, and the vapid consequence OF
all this is that in general society con.
versation has ceased to exist. People
no longer meet to converse. Life is
too absorbing. Quiet groups in
pleasant parlors have passed away.
A larger scale of entertainment in
terrupts all this. Parties are OF
the past-"receptions," are the only
wear-very crushy, very vapid, very
much all alike, unless deliberate
stand is taken by some wearied soul
and form of entertainment is fixed
upon. and in such case one is invited to
be the privileged guest at the unfold
ing of the statue Of. g., Mr.. Ms
MS, twenty foolscap pages, read by
the author: or, it may be Mrs
blank verse, or somebody will strain
forth Browning.
Society has little spontaneity since
the whole world turned author, and
publishers have taken from it what
they cannot pay back.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
Anecdote of the Commodore.
TCor. Cincinnati ENQUIRER

[Cor. Cincinnati Enquirer.l
The writer was once standing in the
Office of Congress hotel, ii Rochester
N. Y, when old Cornelius Vanderbilt
father of the present great railroad
king, walked in accompanied by sew
eral magnates of the New York Cen.
tral.
"Hand me down that box" said old
Cornelius, speaking to the clerk behind
the cigar counter and pointing to a box,
each cigar of which sold for 81.
The old man selected four cigars, and,
throwing down $5 bill, again said &c
the clerk, Hand me down that 10-cent
box" The clerk obeyed, and the old
man clawed out handful and tossed
them to his companions, saying:
Here; these are good enough fol
vou."
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
some Lost Poem. of whittier.
IHarper's Magazine.
- 10


Many poems thrown off at moments,
and of which the author thought
so lightly that he included them
in no collection, are now lost.
Among these are Isabella of Austria
written when he was but 20, and said to
have a grand ring to it; ''Palo Alto"
which. assuming to be the translation
of Mexican lament beginning with the
words "Rio Bravol Rio Bravop never
did appear under his name; Bolivar" !"
a copy of which revolutionary general
commanding in Venezuela has lately
requested of the author; and poem on
Henry Clay which has had some singu-
lar fortunes, having been metamor
phosed in western paper into an ad.
dress to Mr.. Benton, and again read, on
the occasion of public welcome to
Vicksburg given Sergt. Prentiss. as the
effort of an admiring southern poet, and
still later appearing in the shape of an
apostrophe to Smith the Mormon
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
a sLlGH T MISTAKE.
What Fate Did for a Young Man In
an 1nte elligence Oface.
rOo+,o;+ E.oo Dro.,

What Fate Did for a Young Man In
an Intelligence once.
Detroit Free Press
a young lady went into an in
telligence Office the other day, and, as
there was no girl in at the time, sat
down to wait for one She is Jeffer-
son avenue belle and leads the gay pro-
cession in society circles; she is also q
good daughter and model housekeeper,
taking all the care of large establish
ment OF her mothers ageing shoulders
As she sat and waited in the intelli-
gence Office a gentleman whom she
knew came in to get girl; she had
met him at social reception q few
nights previous, he in full evening
dress, she in costume of pink silk and
Spanish lace, with roses in her hair
He had whispered sweet words of ad-
miration to her, and she had blushed
beneath his too ardent gaze. It was
only rehearsal of that foolish old
play, Loves Young Dream" but it
had left pleasant memories with both.
She could not help showing she was
glad to meet him again, and half rose.
But he passed her to speak to the
woman at the desk, who supplied
"help to domestic Macedonia
my brothers family is in need of
girl, Mrs. -. Gan you send one up
there to-day?"
mo, sur" said the woman stolidly,
6 tina ant one in now"
"Why won't this one do?" asked the
gentleman curtly, turning upon the
young lady. who in her plain walking
dress and yelled turban sat trembling
with apprehension.
LA, now, she amt no girl" said the
mistress of the intelligence, but the
customer paid no attention to her.
"See here, Miss or Mrs. what's your
name" he asked abruptly, "can you do
general honsework, wash, iron and
cook? If You can and are worth your
salt, you can get place-d'ye hear2"
The girl shrunk hastily from his ex-
tended hand, and he asked:
Are you German or Swede? Be-
cause if you can't speak English, we
don't want you What's the matter
with you? Amt deaf and dumb, are
you?"
By this time the indignant girl had
collected her wits, and, rising from her
chair, she walked out, leaving him star
ing aft er her.
"She will meet and she will m iss him,
There will be one vacant stare"
But he will never know what fate did
for him in the intelligence office.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
The Magnitude OF India.
fPhiladelphia Press.

Few people are aware of the magni-
tude of India, or comprehend that it con-
tains some 5O,O0O.OO0 more people than
all Europe west of the Vistula. Fewer
still know that it contains sixty-two
cities with population of more than
$4,000 people, and twenty-five cities
with more than 10000 inhabitants.
Below the limit of $4,000 the towns be-
come much more numerous, and there
are hundreds with populations above
10000. The majority of the latter are
quite unknown to Europeans, an active
magistrate or two excepted and there
is no book in English which gives the
slightest account of their organization
or of the life and people in them. Yet
many of them have histories of 1900
years, and In all flourish families which
think themselves noble, and have long
pedigrees and stirring tales to narrate.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
Brutality to the Insane.
Exchange.

lASAShcSH6C'l
At the regular bi-monthly meeting Of
the Society for Promoting the Welfare
of the Insane. in New York, a paper
written by Miss Mary Brigham was
read in which she said: "Of all dis
eases, the most mysterious, the most
intricate and difficult to treat, and at
the same time which shows an alarming
increase among all classes, is insanity.
It demands and must receive that merit
more in accord with the laws Of hui
manity than has been accorded it. The
history of insane asylums has been for
ages one long ghastly chapter of inhu-
manity and sickening brutality, and
every Investigation made within the
past decade, when honestly conducted,
has revealed state of affairs, especially
in the asylums of this country, which is
disgrace to our boasted Christian
civilization.
Medical science tells US that all the
implements of torture - the chains,
irons and rings-are done away with.
But what has taken their place? Are
not the straps, the cords, the muffs
the bin led rooms, the chairs, the crib,
III udklJ use III OdA aoJ Auno: DO NV
the insane suffer from the old spirit of
tyranny and neglect? Do they not
hear the contemptuous word, the
cruel taunt, the insulting AMI evasive
replies to civil questions? Do not pa
tients experience the ignorance of doc
tors and the neglect and abuse of at
tendants? Do not blows with the fist,
with straps or W ,th keys form the daily
part of thu unprotected life of many pa
tients in our asylums who are reason
able enough and nsible enough to feel
the cruelty of it all? It was treat
| ment of punishments then; it is treat
ment of punishments to-day. The sys-
tenn under which these asylums are
governed is o system that makes but
never cures; treatment contrary to
science and common sense, and is an
outrage on common decency and com
mon humanity, and the patients have nc
protection from physicians who do moi
| know sane from an insane person; nc
protection from cruelty, abuse and neg
lect."
AT the conclusion of the paper Mrs
M. Eugenia Berry, the secretary, ex
planned that Miss Brigham had beer
confined in an asylum, and that upor
her release her representations to the
authorities of Massachusetts, had beer
made the subject of an official investiga
tion.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05

The banging of girls hair changes
the whole nature of the little wretch,
and she becomes as gun that is loaded.
You take a picture of "Evangeline," !"
ana bang her hair. and she would look
as though she would "run al" people.
How would Mrs. Van Cott, the alleged
female preacher, look with her hair
banged? It is just the same with boys.
You take nice, pious. Sunday school
boy, who can repeat 800 verses in the
new testament, and cut his hair with
clipper, and he looks like Tug Wilson.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
EngIand's sporting Land.

In England there Is more land lying
idle in sporting grounds, game preserves
and landlords parks, than the whole
kingdom of Belgium, which supports
in happiness and prosperity 5000, 900
people, and sends large food exports to
London. An income Of $170, 600, 900 q
year is received by 8,142 landlords AZ
rent on 46, 500, 600 acres Of land.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
.For the Omces.n
[Chicago Herald.l

The Mormon church now includes a
president, II apostles. So patriarchs,
1885 sentinels, 3.153 high priests, H.
900 choirs, 1900 bishops, and 400
deacons. In Arizona there is MEM
bership of 1892, in Idaho twice as
many, and Mormon missionaries are at
work all over Europe and the United
States.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
TRICKS OF MEMORY.

Every Other Saturday.
How Is it, growing old, that what we've been
In earliest days should cling to memory
yet,
When all the interval Of life between.
Compared TO that, seems easy to forgetl
How life, in which we've fought and tagged
and striven
Looked back upon, should be but empty
noise,
While far between it, like the hills of Heaven,
Stand out the days when we were girls and
bows.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
Exchange.

When the high-school girl went to
Tidioute to spend week at Thanksgiy-
ing she wrote letter to Amy which
nearly drove that young lady wild in
the effort to ascertain her meaning: It
began: My visual organ were de-
lighted to trace the inanimate lines of
your chirographv over the folioic sur
face" Amy is still sick.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
prof. Swing.l

To have all the gates of the sense
suddenly closed. to hear no longer the
call of friend, to be obliyieus to the
city's street and to day and night, to cease
to be a man and to become pale mar
BILE form in a coffin, this is the amazing
spectacle of our world. The seven
wonders are as nothing compared with
this one marvel 1t dwarfs all else.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05

J. NJ. d.: A true philosophy of life
would teach that it is scarcely worth
while to live In an atmosphere of worry
about matters which we cannot con-
troll.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05
A MISSOURI MAIDEN.
ABweet Sixteen, m She Appeared sn
. Missouri Log Cabin In War
Times

. Missouri Log Cabin In War
Times.
ca. O. Marshall in @Army Life"1
One day stopped to give one of the
boys of our mess his breakfast. He
had been on rear picket the night be-
fore and consequently would be with
the rear guard of the army that day.
Our regiment having the advance,
made an early start and I did
not expsot TO rejoin it until a
late hour at night After find
ing our comrads and giving him his
morning coffee, / pushed forward. In
course of the day. wishing to rest
short time, I ventured to call at dwell
ing by the roadside. The house was
simply log hut like all others in the
backwoods of that part of Missouri.
Entering found it had but one room
and that furnished IN the plain, rough
style common to such localities.
In one part of the room sat-what
shall oall her? How shall describe
the charming creature who sat before
me? A woman; an angel beautiful as
day; fairer than the fairest; in age just
passed beyond charming sweet sixteen
to lovely womanhood. No, / will not
attempt to describe this most beautiful
one. Let it suffice that my highest
ideal OF angelic perfection was more
the lovely being before me.
Being young and enthusiastic
volunteer, such feast of beauty COM
pletely captivated me. Numerous re-
membranes of stories where ha ,ead
of princesses of beauty being TO lni else
where by some singularly fortune
favored knight flashed through my
brain. All my faith in love at first
sight returned with double force. Al
though enrapt had not yet heard her
speak had not heard the enchanting
tones of her sweet voice.
Her mother-could it be? Was it
possible that this plain, coarse woman
was the mother of one so divine? Mol
would not believe it. would believe
that she was the child of love-a being
of heavenly, not of earthly origin, and
I almost trembled for fear she would
suddenly vanish from my sight and soar
to her far-off home above. Her mother
went to the door and called: William,
come here; your sister wants to
see you" Her brother would come, she
would speak to him. Then, oh, then!
should hear the delicious music from
that sweet angels tongue. The bare
anticipation intoxicated me. What,
then, would the sweet reality be?
Would it then be possible for me to
control myself? Gould I then refrain
from throwing myself at her feet and
praying to be her slave forever? She
rises to speak to her brother Oh sweet
anticipation! One moment now is an
age of bliss. She opens her mouth.
Oh! sweet, charming, delight what?
The words she spoke we're: aBill, you
little cuss, give me chew of tobacco"
Thrusting his dirty hand down into his
greasy pocket he brought forth filthy
piece of the vile weed, and-words are
worthless-the romance was busted"
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05

Cassells Cyclop@dia: A falling rain
drop descends with q velocity which
increases until the acceleration is bal
anced by the resistance of the air. after
which the drop descends with uniform
velocity.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05

Brooklyn Eagle IF ever / marry
shant seek for mind minds too cold.
I'll choose an emotional woman.
Don't do L." eagerly exclaimed his
bald-headed friend, don't do it, i'm
plore you. My wifes an emotional
woman"
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05

A novel is being written in England
by nine different persons, the object
being to give individuality to each
character.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-04-05

J. A. Macon: A shotgun kin out
vote good-size' comp'ny O water
million hunters.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-01-10
IRRIGATION IN CALIFORNIA.

In 1871 the crops in the valley of the San
Joaquin river, California, from long droth
and severe north winds. were threatened
with entire destruction. Some of the farm
ers then hurriedly cut few bitches from
the King river, and the flooding they thus
obtained made the wheat yield from 30 to
50 bushels per acre, and land which had pre-
viously been hard to sell at $3.50 per acre
rose in value to S25 and $50. FROM that
time to this the system OF regularly man
aged irrigation has steadily grown in all that
valley section, lying 200 miles southeast OF
San Francisco. There are now six com
panies organized for this purpose, with an
estimated capacity to furnish water for the
irrigation OF about $50 square miles. al
though past experience tends to show that.
after the system OF irrigation has been once
established, the water supplied will go fur
ther and probably make cultivatable much
larger area. The companies buy their wa
ter rights from the companies al the price
of $40 an acre, for which they can take as
much water as the area of ground requires,
and draw at any time and as often as they
choose. They have to make their own lat
erals, which are usually bitches lour feet
wide by one deep, and can be made cheaply
by plow and scoop. Since this system of
irrigation has been adopted, many thou
sands of acres of land Heretofore almost
barren, have been turned into some of the
most productive farms on the Pacific coast,
and are especially valuable for the raising
of grapes and other fruit Scientific Ams,i-
can,