davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
The Origin of .sMr.'' and ssMrs. ''

The history of those everyday titles of MT. and Mrs, which are now the common property of every one, is not without interest, though in some of its steps it is little obscure. In the earlier times of our history the ordi- nary man was simply William or John; that is to say, he had merely Chris tain name, without any kind of "han- dle" before it, or surname after it. Some means of distinguishing one John or one William from another John or another William became nec- essary. Nicknames, derived from a mans trade, or from his dwelling place, or from some personal peculiari- ty, were tack on to their Christian names, and plain John became plain John Smith. As yet there were no "Misters" in the land. Some John Smith accumulated more wealth than the bulk of his fellows-became per- haps landed proprietor, or an en- ployer of hired labor. Then he began to be called in the Norman-Frenrh of the day, the "Maistre," of this place, or of that, of these workmen or of those. In time the "Maistre," or "Maister," as it soon became, got tackled on before his name, and he be- came Maister Smith and his wife was Maistress Smith. But gradually the sense of possession was lost sight of, and the title was conferred upon any man who had attained social distinc- tion of any kind, whether by mere possession of wealth, or by holding some position of more or less consider ation and importance. It is only with in comparatively modern times that the term came to be considered an al most indispensable adjunct to every one's name when mentioned in ordina- " conversation or writing. Maistress Smith soon became Mistress Smith. Exactly how and when the term got corrupted cannot be said. Master Smith, however, remained Master Smith long after his wife became Mis- tress Smith.-Times- Democrat.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
The Worlds Telegraphs

Last year there were strung about this mundane sphere 100000 miles of telegraph line. The United States out ranks the world as far as the telegraph Is concerned, both as to extent of wire and number of messages sent Last year there were 65,000,000 messages sent in this country to 32,000,000 in Great Britain, 18,000000 in Germany, and 100000 in France. Russia sends about 10000, 900 of telegrams a year, Switzerland 2,OO0,0O0, Spain g. 100000, Turkey little over 100000 Belgium 6,00O,000 and Austria 9,000.- 900. Mexico has 460 telegraph offices, and it sends about 750,000 telegrams a year. Japan has 125 offices and sends nearly 3.0O0.0O0 telegrams year. It is a characteristic fact, showing the progress of the two nations, that the Japanese, with smaller territory and a much less population, send three times as many messages as China
 With the 65,000,000 telegrams sent last year, the United States had 15, 900 telegraph offices and 154.650 miles of lines. The mileage is larger to-day than then, and the wires are more generally used. Of these messages the average cost per message of those sent by the Western Union was thirty and nineteenth cents, and the average profit per message was fifteen and six tenth cents. In 1868 the Western Union had about one-fifth of it's pres ent mileage, and it's charge per mes sage was on the average over twice as great. At that time it made a profit of forty-one cents per message. In 1884 the Western Union had 145, 900 miles of wire. It sent more than 42,- 100000 messages and took in nearly s20,000,000 in receipts.-CleoeEand Lender.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
The Maels,rOm.

The maelstrom, which means, liter ally translated, grinding stream" is the most remarkable whirlpool in the world. It is situated on the Norwegian coast, just southwest of the Loffoden Isles. It runs between the islands of Moskenes and large solitary rock in the middle of the straits The strong currents rushing between the Great West Fjord and the outer ocean through the channels of the Loffoden Isles produces a number of whirlpools, of which the maelstrom is by far the most dangerous Such extrayagant stories have been told of this great eddy--how everything that enters the border of its current is instantly sucked down into bottomless abyss that it's very existence has been doubt ed. However, an examination was made of it fin 1859 by the Norwegian photographic survey, and an official report made. From this report we learn that in summer the current Is comparatively calm for short time at flood or ebb tide, when boats may ven. ture upon it. In calm weather steam CTS can cross it at any state of the tide, or large ships, if steady wind is blow ing. But in winter or in storms it is highly dangerous for any vessel to try to pass the whirlpool. During storm from the west, for instance, the cur rent runs continually to the east at 8 rate of six knots an hour, without changing it's directions for rising or falling tide, and the stream will boil and eddy in such mighty whirls that the largest steamer could hardly con tend successfully with the waters. Of course, the danger is not of suction into the heart of the whirlpool, as legends have supposed, but of being dashed to pieces against the rocks. Dead whales are sometimes thrown upon the nelghboring coast which have evidently been killed in this way. The depth of the whirlpool is only twenty fathoms, but just outside the straits soundings reach from 100 to POO fathoms.-chicdgo Inter 0cesn
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
Remarkable Memories.

There was a Corsican boy who could rehearse 10000 words, whether sense or nonsense, as they were dictated, and then repeat them in the reverse order without making single mistake A physician, about sixty years ago, could repeat the whole of Paradise Lost" without mistake, although he had not read it for twenty years. Euler, the, great mathematician, when he became blind, could repeat the whole of Yir- giPs "4Eneid," and could remember the first line. and the last line in every page of the particular edition which he had been accustomed to read before he became blind. One kind of reten- tive memory may be considered as the result of sheer work, determine tion toward one particular achieve ment without reference either to culti- vation, or to memory on other subjects. This is frequently shown by persons in humble life in regard to the Bible.  An old beggarman, at Sterling. known about fifty years ago as Blind Alick," afforded an instance of this. He knew the whole of the Bible by heart, inso- much that, If a sentence was read to him, he could name the book, chapter, and verse; or, if the book, chapter, and verse were named, he could give the exact words. A gentleman, to test him, repeated verse, purposely mak- ing one verbal inaccuracy. Alick hes itated, named the place where the pas sage was to be found, but at the same time pointed out the verbal error. The same gentleman asked him to re- peat the ninetIeth verse iof the seventh chapter of the Book of numbers. Alick almost instantly replied: "There is no such verse. That chapter has only eighty-nine verses" Gassendi had acquired by heart 5000 Latin verses; and, in order to give his mem- ory exercise, he was in the habit of daily reciting 800 verses from differ ent languages.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
l'aptnin and Mate:

A New England skipper was in the habit of attending to the helm of his schooner, and steering the craft to suit himself. One day the mate who had charge of the front part of the vessel thought he perceived breakers ahead. He walked back to the end of the vessel and said to the captain:
 q say, Cap, do you know you are going to run this craft high and dry on the rocks9"
 "Guess not"
 The mate went forward and took another look. Once more he returned to the stern, and said sternly:
 Captain, there are breakers ahead. !"
 "AIr. Mate, I am attending to this end of the vessel, and I wish you would attend to your end"
 The mate went forward again, and dropped the anchor. and there was the schooner anchored securely with all sails set
 Returning once more to the captain, the mate said:
 "I wish to report that my end of the schooner is at anchor. -SUftings
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

give me money for housekeeping, 1t isn't fair for you to spend it in buying articles which no one can use !"
 Certainly it isn'tl" said Ella Dale, coming valiantly to the rescue.
 The deacon's under jaw dropped; he had half a mind to be angry, but he thought better of it, and broke into a slow chuckle.
 "Mildmay," he said, turning to the young man, "be warned in timel You see what tricks these women folks will be up to P
 But MT. Mildmay, who had some how got hold of Elias hand under the folds of the tablecloth, did not seem to heed these words of wisdom as deeply as he should have done.
 Ladies" said he, "there's a bushel of oysters out in the wagon, that l was taking home If you win build ur a good fire, we'll have a roast, and I'll be head cook. I suppose you've got plenty of bread and butter?"
 "Yes; and good, hot coffee," said Mrs. Smart "Make haste, Ella, and start the fire to blaze. And we'll stimulate it with machine-oil and cheap pins"
 The deacon sat by and made no demur.
 He only laughed in sheepish, si- lent sort of way.
 And the family dined off hot roast oysters, bread and butter and coffee.
 Towards the close of the repast, a stout, itinerant vender, with basket on his arm, tapped at the door.
 q hope I see your honor we'll ?" said he, with the regular professional whine. "Will'ee buy something to- dayp Pins, needles, shoe-laces, hair. pins or little"
 But Deacon Smart shut the door in the very midst of his oily orations.
 "No P said he.
 And the monosyllable sealed Mrs Smart's triumph for good and alL- Helen Forrest GraoeS.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
NO. IT,.
The New England Primer.

Tn speaking of the inhabitants O. "Down East" fishing villages John 5. McMasters an author of history Of the American people, the second vol ume of which has recently appeared, thus alludes to an old national "insti. tution:" All he knew of theology and much of his knowledge of reading and spelling was gained with the help of the New-England Primer. There Is not, and there never was text book so richly deserving history as the primer. The earliest mention of 1t in print now known is to be found in an almanac for the year 1891. The pub lie are there informed that second impression is fin press and will sud denly he extant, and will contain, among much else that is new, the yer ses John Rogers the Martyr, made and left as a legacy to his children. When the second impression became extant, rude cut of Rogers lashed to the stake and, while the flames burned fercely, discoursing to his wife and nine small children, embellished tue verses, as it has done In every one of the innumerable editions since struck of. The tone of the primer is deeply religious. Two-thirds of the four-and- twenty pictures placed before the couplets and triplets in rhyme, from "Iu Adams tall .-. We sinned an,'
 to
 "'Zacchcus,he Did climb treo Our Lord to sce,'
 represents biblical incidents. Twelve words of six syllables' are given in the spelling lesson. Five of them are abominatioD, ediication, humiliation, modification, purIhcation. More than half the book is made up of the Lords Prayer and the Creed, some of Watts hymns, and the whole of that great Catechism which 120 divines spent
 five years in preparing. There, too, are Mir. Rogers's verses, and John Cot. tons Spiritual Milk for American Babes; exhortations not to call ill names, not to be dunce, and to love school. The primer ends with the fa- nous dialogue between Christ Youth and the Devil"
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
The First Umbrella in London.


 In Red Lyon square lived, in former days, many notable persons. Among these was Jonas Hanway, well known as the benevolent traveller, the found CT of Magdalene hospital and last, but not least, as the introducer of um- brellas into London. Hanway, who died at his house in the square in 1876, was the first man who ventured, after his return from Persia in delicate health. to walk about the streets of the metropolis with an umbrella over his head It was bold proceeding; for, although others ultimately fol- lowed his example, some time elapsed before the fashion became general, and it was so regarded as sign of inhrmi- ty to use umbrellas that those who carried them were exposed to much "chaff" and unpleasant jeering from the London gamins of the day. Strangely enough, the high position the umbrella has attained in political circles of late is foreshadowed in one of Beaumont and Fletcher's plays, Rule Wife and Have Wife," where Altea says, as though she were ad- dressing a liberal candidate for par liamentary honors of the present time: Are you at ease? Now is your heart at rest?
 Now you have got shadow, an umbrella
 To keep the scorchinG worlds opinion
 From your fair credit.
 The umbrella may be glorifed by Mir. Gladstone; but it would be unjust to ignore the fact that it is really in- debted for its greatness to the grand old man of Red Lysn squars->Ht yamess Rasstth
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
Evidence of Insanity.

"They say Carping Is little on aia base"
 "What's that 2r
 People say the old man is getting flighty."
 "Flighty? ?"
 "Yes; kind O shaky in the head" "Tm afraidits true"
 "What do you know about it g- "I took dinner with him the other day and before we left the house he did something that staggered mo" "What was that P
 "He gave his wife some money without her asking for it"-chtoago Led0sT. e
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
The Lanrnages Of Lhe Morld.

It is said that the nations 0f the earth speak about ninety different dialects. But these dialecis can bo traced to a much smaller number of languages. All these languages arc divided into three olasses-namely, the Indo-Germanic, which embraces the ancient classical languages and those, of modern Europe; the sanscrlt, which embraces all the various languages of India, and the Semitic, which embraces the Hebrew, Chaldalo, syrIAu ArahIc, etc
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
It Wouldn't Take So Long.

Colonel Lubbock and Jones were walking home from the office.
 "Wait awhile" said Colonel Lub- book, halting in front of grocery. "I want to step in here and get some tea"
 "I don't believe I'll have time" said Jones. "I'm in. something of hurry"
 "You won't have to wait long, I'm only going to get quarter of a pound."-zrasslsf's 4agastRA
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
In fine FirelIRhf.

The fire upon the hoartb Islow- And there is stiffness everywhere like troubled spirits, hero ard 'h"rs Inc hrelight shadows hutteting go. And as the shadows round me creep, A childish treble breaks the gloom And softly from further room Comes; "Now lay mo dowa to sleep And, somehow, with that little prny'r And that sweet treble in my ears, My thought goes back to disis''s yoars And fingers with dear ono thorcf And as hear my ehild's anon, My mothers tacc comes back to me- Crouohcd at hor lido seem to be, And mother holds my hands again. Oh, for m hour In that dear placei Oh, for tho peace of thht dear iir~oE Oh, for that childi,h trust sublimoi Oh, for glimpse of nlothcr's facc Yet as tho shadows round me orecr, do not seem to be alone
 Sweet magic of that treble tone And ''Now lay mo down to slecpW a
 - Eu0sas F1sid.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
HUMOROUS.
Society gossIp Is ouIy chIn.deop.

DOcleNy Bussap AS "uiy N"AH-NNAE
 A coat ofpaint has no buttons The charactep<o of tho ChInaman iH apt to be washy.
 An onion is very aromatic, but you wouldn't carry 1t in your pocket for . cent.
 "Love is blind" but 1t gets along remarkably well without the aid of guide
 Fresh oysters md roller skates are much alike because they both 90 down rapidly. .#f
 Little Jack: "My mamma's new fan is hand.palnted,' Little Dick: "Poohl who cares2 Our whole fence is"
 The reason miser can find no ln- terest in poor people is because they have no principal %
 A minister, having some of his old sermons, was asked what he had in his package. "Dried tongue" was tho reply. e @
 Nine hundred and lrty.ave farms in Iowa are owned by women. The rest of the Iowa farms are only bosscd by women. ..-...... .- ..
 The man whose wife woke him up in church by sticking a pin in him. says he doesn't like such pointed sug- gestions. A .o'
 A Russian proverb-Deforo you go to war, pray once; before you go to sea pray twice; befOSe you take . wife pray thrice.
 Eliza Mathilda-Haye you ever read any of Holmes works ? Charles Au- gustus-oh, yes, have read Holmes Sweet Home
 Baid-headed gentleman in the par quet to young lady in dress circle dur gan afrectionate passage in the play; 'I respect your emotion. ma'am, but you are shedding tears on my head"
 Seven hundred and lfly-doIlar fans are very common in New York, but sensible girls don't look for such pre- sents They take a hfty-cent fan and s74a.50 in oysters aud and theatre tickets ---
 Smith, did you see my wife go dowr this street P" "Yes, she passed about an hour ago" Wonder what my chances are for overtaking her r Good. The sidewalk is just linod with show windows"
 A celebrated tragedian had broken nose A lady once remarked Co hitA: 'I like your acting, but to bo frank with you, can't get over your nose" "No wonder, madam" replied the tragedian. "The bridge is gone"
 One hundred and fifty inventions relating to roller skates have been pa- tented since January l, and yet lt is safe to predict that when skater un- expectedly sits down with dull. sick ening thud, the language used on the occasion will be tho same as that em- ployed last year.
 HOW TO RAT AN OYSTER.
 Don't drown him docp in vinegar Or season him at all.
 Don't cover up his shining form
 With pepper, like palli
 But gently lift him from his shell
 And firmly hold your breath,
 Then with your cagor tongue and teeth, Just tickle him to doath.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
Local News a Speciality.
On the Thresholds

While was singing yesterday,
 Beneath the lilacs, dear, A little bird perched overhead
 As if 1t longed to hear. Icried, ''Oh, bird, sing-sing to'me! No song of mine can ever be So sweet as your wild minstrelsy." Tho little bird began to sing
 At every note and sound It seemed as If strange listeners came,
 And softly gathered round. And still the bird sang loud and clear shut my eyes that might hear The voices in the strange world near. And when at last the bird was still
 Iopened wide my eyes, But all around were but the trees,
 Uplifting to the skies The little bird is far away, But beneath the lilacs stray To that sweet world Of yesterday.
 -Rca, ia CasseiPs Family .Mdgazaas.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Few persons who sdorn their hats in the Alps with edelweiss are aware of it's fragrance, which, however, is exceedingly evanescent; it rarely lasts more than an hour after the flower has been plucked.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
"Un Canadien errent,
 Banne de ses foyers. Par courait en p.eurant Les pays etrangers."

Which being literally translated means that a Canadian was tearfulIy wandering far from his home in the land of the stranger. Surprised at hearing the late MT. Cremayies' song, so popular with the exiles of 1887 in a distant and semi-savage land, he made inquiries and found that the Arab was French Canadian in disguise who had once been sailor. He happened years ago to be left in Alexandria, and joining a caravan, was captured by a tribe of Arabs. He got so accustomed to their ways and habituated to that mode of life that he preferred to re- main with them though many oppor- tunities had occurred to return to civ ilization.-Montreal Gossip
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

An Englishwoman just home from America sends to the PaH Mall Ga- zette her opinion that an influx of highly cultured Englishwomen into Canada and the United States would be as great boon to those countries as it would be a relief to Great Britain. Although the ladies in the older cities of the North American continent are" she says, "with scarce ly any exceptions, superior to English gentlewomen in brain power, in clear ness of mental vision, in common sense, in practical, sound judgment, and in general intelligence. yet we miss in them that indehnable charm which always clings to a cultivated European" She has been assured by the government officials in Canada that if superior women, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five, would come there from England, and submit to the position of domestic service, they would almost be sure to marry well within a short time of their arrival especially If they go fm West She graysly advises her edu. sRtsd eountrywemen te do thlal
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

Less than four out of each hundred Americans lived in cities in 1790. The city population had increased in 1S40 to eight per cent, and is now twenty-tTo, There are only seventeen States with more people than New York city.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

He is a mlss-guided youth who does everything his sweetheart asks him to aos
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

F The growth of American public libraries since the revolution has been something phenomenal. There were in the country in 1776 but twenty of these institutions. with an aggregate of 45,623 volumes. At the present time there arel nearly 4200. containing more than 13,000,0O0 volumes.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

NJ. Delaunay of Paris predicts that earthquakes on grand scale will oc- cur next year either when the earth is under the influence of planet of the first rank, like Jupiter. or under that of group of asteroids, or at a time when the sun and moon are nearest to our planet simultaneously. This spe- cialist in earthquakes foretold the frightful catastrophes which occurred in South America in 1877. He an- nounced a vast seizmic disturbance in 1883, and the appalling disasters in the Indian Archipelago followed He
 raised his voice of warning also before the late extensive shaking of the earth in Spain. It is no wonder that his latest utterances have caused consider
 able attention in various countries.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

v Paper is made in France from hop vines, and it is claimed that the fibre secured is the best substitute for rags yet obtained. as it possesses great length, strength, fiexibility and deli cacy. Papermakers near hop growing districts should investigate this mat ter, for the vines are now a waste product.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21
A KInsman in the Desert.

F.. X. Perrault has received a letter from one of the Canadian boatmen on
 the Nile. The writer states that wan dering little way from the camp one day he came to an oasis and in this green spot found man sitting on the ground, and as he drew near the strains of this familiar melody fell on his ear:
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

The British colonies include the richest and largest forests in the world, extending over millions of square acres. In India alone about 60.000 square miles are afforested, and the forests of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Cape Colony are second to none in size and the variety and value of their productions. But there is no knowledge of forestry and no school of the art in France and Ger many. Consequently the acreage under timber there and in Great Britain Itself is small and constantly
 decreasing. Of the 20.000,000 square acres of Scotland, only about 100000
 to 800000 acres are woodland. D.
Connecticut western news., 1885-10-21

The center of population is moving rapidly westward. It Is now a little to the south of Cincinnati, having long since crossed the Alleghenies. The movement has been about 445 miles west for every mile south. In 1890 the movement westward will probably be even greater, and, so rapid has been the settlement of the Northwest, the center of population will be far ther north than at present.