davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

All kinds of starfish are found in the
depths of the sea. There is every variety,
from the five-armed to those with fifteen
arms, and from those which are nearly
pentagonal in form to the kinds which are
formed of a mere disk, having five narrow,
brittle arms radiating from it. This latter,
the brittle star, always comes to the sur
face with its rms more OF less broken, for
it has the power of swapping them Off at
VIII, and from appearances it must use this
power very often, though it certainly looks
like cutting off the nose to spite the face.
There is a form intermediate between this
and the true stariish, called Brisinga, which
has the same power. and, although it has
twelve arms over a foot long, they are fire.
quently taken with all the arms gone and
only the disk lett. True basket stars are
not found deeper than one hundred faith
oms, but allied forms much smaller are
taken in the very deepest water, clinging
to the branches of corals. off Cape Cod in
quite shallow water the Astrophyton, the
true basket form, exists in such abundance
as to be taken by bushels in the deep sea
trawl. The Antedon, a variety of Crinoid
intermediate between that group and the
brittle stars, is often found in great mum.
bers, but it always breaks Itself into a
thousand pieces. The true crinoids, or
stone lilies. have never been found in this
part of the ocean, though further south
they abound. ---Ratph S. Tarr, IN N. Y.
SIN,
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
LOST I'm MIp-WlNrER.

a Lake Michigan Propeller Wrecked on
Charity lsland-Story of the Disaster-
Seven Persons Thought to Have Per.
lshed.
DETROIT, Mich, Dec. 12.-The steamer
Oconto left Oscada OH Friday, December 4,
at four p. H., and soon encountered a ter
rible gale. When the storm set in it be-
came impossible to see, and the lights
went out. There were twenty-five
passengers and twenty-five members of the
crew on board. At twelve o'clock Friday
night Charity Islard light was sighted.
Within fifteen minutes the Oconto struck
Frank Teiper, first assistant engineer, who
arrived here yesterday, describes the wreck
as follows:
dealing out litc-preservcrs. After we got
ready for the icc-bath, in which none of us
could have lived fifteen minutes, we discov-
cred that there was 10 leak. When day broke
We set our colors at hulr-masta and began blow
ing the whistles. About ten O'Clock we sighted
the lighthousc-kceper and his assistant on
shore. We got our small metallic lite-boat
over the side, and in ii five of us went ashore.
There we found Two fish nuts; We then
1wonfy.,b hne p ia alI' Twn as 1naies a There g c %Grs
were taken direct to the light-kecpcr's house.
The men began keeping house in the fish
hutS. They have food enough to last them
two or three weeks. and plenty OF blankets.
Monday morning our party came away in g.
large yawl. Our party consisted of John Van
slyke, son of one of the owners of the Oconto;
Tom Crockcr, John CMvnnnugh, Walter Bost-
wick, James Ross, all of the crew; Anthony
Potts, of Forcstvillc, and myself. We took
aboard a compass, two bushels of salt and some
provisions. We started in the midst of cake
ice. Every minute or two the spray would
dash over und freeze us it struck. When we
got within four miles OF Caseville we found
the ice frozen sol idly. yet not strong enough
TO walk upon. We hoistcd our storm signal
and began cutting our way with axes. Two
boats started out to help us, but they couldn't
reach. To add to our dismay We found
that the solid ice. detached from the main
shore, was increasing i'll thickness every min.
ute, and that it was drifting down the bay.
taking US with it. We cut. pushed, rowed
and struggled like mad, reaching shore at
last ~ six O'Clock Monday evening eight miles
below CaSeville, having drifted that far in the
ice.
Eight more of the shipwrcckcd crew and
passengers landed at Tawas yesterday
afternoon. They left the Oconto at ore
O'Clock Thursday afternoon in a yawl. At
the lime of leaving they had heard nothing
of the fate of seven members of the crew
who left for shore on Tuesday in a small
boat The thirty-tour persons remaining
OH The island have enough to eat for few
days, but are all very downhearted.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

At all depths even as deep as has been
explored, we find life to be very abundant
and in great variety, every group of the an
imal kingdom being represented there ex-
cept tho higher vcrtebrates and the insects
proper. One of the most abundant groups
encountered is that called Gorgonia, or soft
coral, to which the sea fans belong. The
stony corals are represented only by the
one polyped cup coral. This is simply a
sea III surrounded by a stony coat.
Primnoa and Paragorgia, the bush coral and
tree coral, are remarkable tor their great
size and beauty. the former being a delicate
pink, the latter a pink bordering upon the
red. Specimens Of the tree coral four feet
in length bear evidence of being mere
branches, while We have taken frag-
ments of bases which must have been
ten or fifteen feet high and nearly that
number of feet in width. The animals
forming this colony produce in unison a
rather tough, spongy mass, branching and
growing. The polyps can contract and
withdraw into this mass, but are fixed per-
m%anently in one place.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
NeErOes Going West.

RALEIGH, N. c., Dec. IA remarkable
exodus of colored labor is now in progress
from several counties along the southern
border of this State. These counties are
Harnett, Cumberland, Robson, Richmond,
Columbia, Arson and Union. For some
months men have been at WORK in all that
section seeking to induce able. bodied men
and their families to go to Kansas or
Arkansas. 1t is thought that in all be-
tween 1900 and 1900 persons have thus far
left, and this is so great a drain upon the
labor of Richmond County that the people
are anxious to stop it, but they have been
so wrought up by the agents with stories of
life and wealth in Kansas that they can
not be induced to turn back from the
promised land.
No reports have come back from hun.
dreds who are already in Kansas and Ar
kansas. a few years ago there was a SIM
liar emigration from this State to Kansas.
Many cmiglants died and others returned.
No cause is given for the exodus except
natural restlessness and the allurements
held out by agents. There is no abatement
Of the rush.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
PIT N POINT.

The baseball mans salary is hence
forth to be not over 50, ZOO. We fear
only men with common-school educa-
tions "a be obtained for this sum-
Boston Post.
III threw my love to him and it hath
gone astray," sings Lille Drake in an
exchange. Let Lille be comfortcd by
the reelection that a woman never could
throw anything straight Chicago Jour
nal.
According to a correspondent "the
Princess Louise of England writes vcrv
we'll" This is encouraging. We trust
she reads, too. After a while we NAV
expect to find Princesses almost as we'll
educated as other Chicago Inter-
Ocean.
The United States has nearly three
times as many doctors as England and
nearly four times as many rs France in
proportion to the population. Does
this redundancy of doctors in the Unit
ed States ccount for the small propor-
ton OF the population?-Boston Tran
script.
At a social gathering on Austin
avenue Hostctter McGinnis, who is a
great wag, said to Miss Esmerclda
Longcotfin: You would not believe.
Miss Esmerclda, what rye
made among the fair sex. You would
not believe it." II don't" replied Miss
Esmerelda.-1cnas Siitlinqs.
Humanity yves at least one little
aebt OF gratitude, to Emil lola. Wher
he was poor he used to catch English
sparrows and eat them. Now, any
ma who will come to America and eat
Engllsh sparrows can secure steady en-
plovment at good wages and will be-
hailed as a public Observation-Disclosures
Eagle.
Hostess: ooh! Nine. Zuchetti. let
me Introduce my friend, Major Ender-
by. lie is most anxious to know vou."
The Major-''Believe me, madame, this
is an honor l have long looked forward
to. l remember listening with rapture
to your Marguerite when l was a mere
boy His acquaintance with Nine.
Zuchetti never got any further.-Puck.
-'My dear fellow" says an Indiana
Sheriff to his prisoner, II must apollo
gize to you for the sanitary condition of
this Jail. Several of the prisoners are
down with the measles, but I assure you
that it is not my fault. ooh, no ex..
cuses,' replies the prisoner. ut was
my intention to break out as soon as
possible, any way."-M Y. Sun. {
Athletic Note: 'There is a man on
our street afflicted with a bad case of the
foot-and-mouth disease" remarked Ebe-
nczer Jones to a Young physician of his
acquaintance. "Impossible!" said the
young doctor. II never heard Of a hui
man being taking that disease" "But
he has it, undoubtedly" "What are
the symptoms?" ''Why, he thinks he
is a champion pedestrian, and he is al
ways talking about it."-PiWsburgh
Chronicle.
Important Information: A profess
sor at the University of Texas was ex-
planning some of the habits and Gus
toms Of the ancient Greeks to his class.
''The ancient Greeks built no roof over
their thcaters," said the professor.
''What did the ancient Greeks do when
it raincd?" asked Johnny Fizzletop.
The professor took off his spectacles,
polished them with his handkerchief, and
replied calmly: ''They got wet, 1 sup.
pose. "-Ieras Syitings.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

bottle with barnacles and hydroids at
tached, and in the same haul a rubber doll
with no evidence of its having been on bot
tom. l always had a suspicion that som
mischievOus sailor played a Joke on
the naturalists on this occasion. Be
this as it may, the doll is at present
carefully stored away in the National Mu-
scum. Strange though it may seem, it is
only rarely that bones OF fishes and ceta-
ceans or even pieces of wood or iron are
are taken. When we do find wood it is only
in small pieces and badly eaten by deep-sea
animals. There must be a continual rain
of such matter because of the abundance of
large fishes and cetaceans in this region,
which, when they die, must drop to the bot
tom. No doubt, as soon as they reach bot
tom they are seized upon and devouted.
The presence of %phosphates in the mud is
proof OF this. Echini, or sea urchins, hire
known to eat bones. A story is told, uron
the authority OF a gentleman present at the
time, about some tile fish taken from one
hundred and fifty fathoms, three of which
had in their stomachs bones of mutton
chops brown overheard from the steamer
Fish Hawk that morning. Several times
when we set our travis, and left them down
an hour or two, some OF the fishes were
found to be almost completely eaten by am
phipod crusteceans. From this it would
Seem that anything edible would be de-
voured at short notice. 1t is estimated by
Prof. Verrill, 1 believe, that all the mud, or
bottom, has passed through the stomach of
some animal at least once. This does not
seem improbable when we consider the fact
that certain sea cucumbers, which are Very
abundant, eat mud alone, and continually
have their iltestines full, not unlike the
earth worm. Iron soon deoxidizcs. The
only relics of fishes that we find are an o.
casional sharks tooth and many otoliths of
fishes, both of which are hard to destroy.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
Il D CAvED.
An Experience With Il Colored Representa-
tive of the Law.

AS we rode out from a town in Mis-
sissippi to view a plantation a CONNER
cial traveller for q New York house ex-
pressed a desire to 60 along. He pro-
cured a horse and joined the party, and
his company was welcomed. A mile
and a half from town we came to a no.
ticc, posted on Il board, and everybody
stopped to read it. 1t was a notice of
Shcriff's sale, and the colorod man who
tackled it up was still on the ground.
The notice was badly written and worse
spelled, and the drummer laughed long
debt, and ''sheruf' for Sheriff.
whats wrong wild dat notis?" asked
the colorcd man in a very edgy voice.
"It's too funny for anything" was
the reply. "Some n had better go to
school,"
Oats me, sab. Tn a Constable an
1 writ dat off"
ooh, you did? Well, 1 hope the CAT
will be sold"
Eyes, sab. You come along wild me,
sahr'
with you?"
YES, sab. l rest you, sah!'
"What for?"
Contempt of court, sab! Come
right along"
"Wherc?"
"Befo' de Justiss, sab! Well see
about dat caf!'
The drummer was advised against re-
sistance and finally permitted himself to
be taken before a colored Justice nearly
two miles from the spot. The Consta-
BILE had picked up a colored man on the
way, who made and swore to a CON-
plant, and the drummer wa duly ar
raigncd on the charge, although his
Honor seemed very uneasy about it.
The Colonel acted as counsel for the
prisoner. When the case wa ready ne
said:
''Your Honor, who is this %court?"
Il is, sah," was the dignificd reply.
"Has this man shown any contempt
for you?"
mo, sah."
Then how can you try him for con-
tempt of court?"
The old man scratched his head,
opened a law book wrong side up, and
finally replied:
ode prisoner am discharged, but will
hev to pay one dollar costs"
''But if he is discharged because OF
his innocence, where do you get the
right to put costs onto him?" asked the
Colonel.
"Where do 1? Why, in de law
book"
(Which one?"
"Dc one at home"
81 take exceptions, your Honor, n
shall carry this case to the Supreme
Court said the Colonel.
"Umph! Dat alters de case. De
prisoner am discharged from his fine OF
one dollar, an de constable am ilncu
two dollars for making a fool OF hlssel1
an gettin' dis court all twisted up IN a
hard knot afore white folks!'- De"0"
Free Press.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
A Queer ~Iniication of Prosperity.

WAsIllNGToN. Dec. 12.-United States
Consul Frisb:e, at Lyons, France, writes
that the consumption of champagne is re-
garded rs an indication of the business
prosperity of the country importing it; and,
as the sales for the United States show an
increase of S.!Si, 924 over those Of 1854, the
deduction is drawn that business is in a
t3GMrishing condition in America. On the
contrary, European nations have curtailed
their orders, showing according to the
champagne bar0meter-that mercantile
dealings are dull; and the Consul attests e
the truthlulnesS of the latter fact
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
A FIT THAT DIDN'T FIT.

A gold ring with a coral flower,
quite finely wrought, aud right peculiar,
With kniEhtly pride or princcly power,
Won Carl presented to his Julia.
And, faith he felt so grandly wise,
AS by her side he took his stand,
And boldly looked into her eyes
And placed the ring upon her hand.
Then said, with lordly air. and true:
This ring. fair Julia, does portend
The love dcvout / have for you"
why so?" She asked. ut has no end"
Then blushing she hcrhand withdrew,
M said, with smiles that were quito win
ming:
I" And so it does, Carl, mine for uou,
Since l see it has-1ob eginning."
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

DIR. EPSON, of New York. says the
Philadelphia Ledger, has discovered an
ingenious method of bringing to account
in court the dealers in stockings pois-
>oned by dye-stutf. There is no law, it
appears, directly applying to such cases,
sc the Health Officer proposes to have
the dealers charged with selling poisons
without a label. 1t is Il very taking"
scheme, but would hardly hold if j
Philadelphia lawyer should be engaged
FOR the defense.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

"A D1sCussloN carried on in the american
B~oohnadher concerning supcrnuities in
printing, points to economics in time
that would be secured by dropping the
article che 1t has been estimated
that if all of the ''thcs" in one edition
OF the London Times were placed to-
scther they would fill eight columns of
that paper, and that months, possibly,
of every voluminous writer's life must
be given to spelling out the deinito ar
dicle,
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
A Logical

Miss Nartineau used to tell the following
amusing incident: A ~servant-girl came to
her and applied for a position. The girl
haG a marked and unmistakable brogue, but
emphatically denied that she was Irish.
"Well," said Miss Martineau, 81 don't
know whether you arc IN Irish woman or
not; but l am sure you were born in Ire
land.'
"Well, ma'am," was the immediate reply,
'suppose l was: if l was born in a stable
would | bc a horse?!"
She was engaged without further parley.
youths Companion.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
Forming an Acquaintance.

Mamma" said a little girl to her
mother, 'Pve been getting acquainted with
the little girl next door,"
"Have you, my dear? Well, how did you
do it?!"
"Why, mamma, l DIES sot down and
looked at her, and then she DIES sot down
and looked at me-"
'And then what did you do?"
"Why, mamma, l DIES sot up closer, and
then she des sot UP closer, and then l DIES
looked at her and smiled, and then she
des looked at me and smiled, and then we
was atwainted." -Chicago Ledger.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
SIEGE GUNS built of wire arc the new

SIEGE GUNS built of wire arr the new
est description of ordnance for the
British national service. A very tough
stee. wire is used, having a breaking
strength of 100 tons to the square inch,
which is wound over a steel tube, being
frequently fastened of to secure it's CO.
hcsion, and SO neatly put together as to
look precisely like solid metal. An ex-
detrimental hoWitzer has been made
upon this principle, and passed a salts
factory proof at the Royal Arsenal,
Woolwich. More of these guns are in
course of construction.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

In Iowa gangs of swindlers are
working" the farmers in the same
way with the "Standard'' mill. In
Michigan, especially in the southern
counties, agents are busy buying straw
stacks for paper mills. They never
haggglc at prices, but give notes at q
generous figure, asking for receipt "to
send to their employers to show that
they have made purchases Of course,
the paper to which the farmers sigma.
ture is thus obtained generally turns up
a promissory note, left at some bank
for collection, or sold to some ::inno.
cent party. The dcluded farme,
might be worse off, however-he has
the straw,-Rural NeW Yorker.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

On the muddy bottom, where rocks and
other solid foundations are wanting, such
animals as need IA firm base to rest upon are
seldom found. Thus sponges, barnacles
and hydroids are very rare after the one
hundred-fathom line is reached. The Curl
GUS devices adopted by some clusters in
order to firmly fix themselves in the mud
are remarkable, and show how evolution
can work. There is one cluster of Gorge
mans that. rs it grows, cncircles a ball of
mad in q membrane grown especially for
the purpose. AS the cluster grows the
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

AN English railway has adopted .
chemical solution of soda, which gives
out heat without vapor, for heating
their cars. The chemicals are stored in
an iron receptacle about three feet long,
a foot broad and six inches deep. This
Is placed on the floor of a compartment
and gives out enough heat to render the
carriage comfortable. When it begins
to cool off a shake will make it as hot
as ever.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

4 CHICAGomanufacturer of butterine
boldly and candidly advertises his wares
in the papers of that city. He an
nounces that he has "high grades for
sale and that ''ordcrs are solicited and
satisfaction guaranteed.' If butterine
is what the makers claim for it, it will
make a market for itself.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

OF the population of Iowa, 1,443,576
are native born, and 5000 foreign
born. OF the number S2S,05S were
born in Iowa, 11S,717 in Illinois, l12,-
$50 in Ohio. 1876 in New York, and
T0.SS9 in Pennsylvania.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
At an Evening Party.

Young Mr.. De Lyle lin the conservatory
May l present you with a bud, Miss So
cietie, from this beautiful plant:
Miss Societie (blushing)-Oh, thank you,
MI. De Lyle. You arc very
Fairy OF the Household Gripping in)-I
guess papa wouldn't like you to pick any
of the flowers, Mr.. De Lyle; they are only
rented for the evening IN. Y. Sun.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

PooR Iceland is said to be in a de.
plorable condition. The extremely cold
winters are getting to be the regular
zhing and famine years follow each
other with increasing frequency. Yet
The pluchy people cling to their inhos-
pita1ie land, and are making a vigor-
Gus struggle to secure larger constitu-
t'onal Liberties from the King of Den
mark.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

The report of Land Commissioner
Sparks says that the loss by the deprc-
aation of timber thieves during the past
year amounted to the Government in
timber unlawfully cut on public lands
the sum of So, COG, 900. on which there has
been $3l, $40 paid, with SIG, COZ due in
accepted propositions OF settlement.
There are suits pending involving ST.
$50, $50.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

AMOR a new ballet about TO be
put upon the spectacular stage at Milan,
requires two hundred and fifty dam
seuscs and two thousand three hundred
costumes. besides an elephant. fourteen
horses. twenty dogs, and quite a me-
na@crie of monkeys and bears.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

IT was said that if Stead, editor of the
IaW Mall Gazette, was convicted there
would be some startling disclosures,
with the names of prominent people at
tached. Mr.. Stead has been in prison
for some time, but the social world has
not had its serenity disturbed. The
Gazette takes the matter quietly, and
very little is heard of Stead.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

The spectacle of a little man under
q hat too big for him is only ludicrous,
but the sight of a young country like
Canada laboring under a debt of nearly
three hupdrcd million dollars is thought
KY the Toronto Truth to he too serious
40 be amusing.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
RUTLAND (VT.) papers tell the stor,

RUTLAND (VT.) papers tell the story
of a farmer in that neighborhood, a
.Tidowcr and well to do, who not long
ago wrote to a woman near by whom
he had never seen, describing his cir
cumstances. He told her that if he did
not hear fromder to the contrary with
in two weeks he would call with a min
lister and marry her. No letter came,
and he carried out his threat at the APP
pointed time.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25

ONE hundred and ninety members of
Congress were in the last House also,
being nearly threc-iiiths of the whole
number. Many of the remaining 1856
have already served in Congress.