davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
Fast Railroad Time.

'It's foolish statement" said As
sistant Superintendent Rowland, of
the c., B. & @, pointing to para
graph cut from a railroad paper pub
lished in Chicago. 81 refer to this
paragraph, which somebody has
mailed me with a big interrogation
mark on the margin: "A train on the
West Shore run eighty miles an hour
not long ago. The fast mail train on
the c., B. & @. regularly makes sixty
miles an hour on certain portions Of
its rum I am astonished that such a
statement as this should appear in a
railway paper. No train in Auherica
was ever run eighty miles an hour,
nor no engine without train. OF
course our fast mail train doesn't make
sixty miles an hour any portion of its
run, regularly or irregularly. A mile
or two here and there on a down grade
may be covered at sixty seconds TO the
mile but that's all. l have run a
train for twenty-five years and | tell
you l don't want to ride eighty miles
an hour or anywhere near it on the
best track the Chicago, Burlington Il
Quincy has, and we have just as good
roadway as there is in the United
States. Eighty miles in an hour is
practically an impossibility with cur
present locomotives and track. For
years | tried to beat the record be-
tween Mendoza and Galesburg, an
hour and forty-six minutes for the
eighty miles, with two stops, but we
couldn't do it. When they talk of
their sixty miles an hour you tell
them they lie. Beats all the fast-run-
ming stories that go around. The
other day ! read that a train in Eng
land regularly ran ninety miles an
hour for 40 miles. "-Chicago Herald
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
PRICE THREE CENTS.

men stole to the hut, barricaded the
entrance. and then drove off with the
dogs and walrus meat. They had gone
several miles before they saw the Esqui-
mauX in full pursuit. The party wait
ed for the thoroughly angry natives to
come up, and then told them plainly
that they would never see their dogs
and sledge again unless they agreed to
go with them to Kane's ship. Finally
bargain was made, good feeling re-
established, and the poor fellows, to-
gether with some of their friends from
a neighboring village, never rested un-
til Hayes was back on the ship again.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
The Mousc.Tower on the Rhine.

This tower is situated on an island
in the Rhine, and is supposed to have
been erected during the middle ages
by some of the robber-knights that
then infested Germany. The ruins
have been covered with stucco and
converted into Watch-tower. Its
name is popularly derived from the
legend of the cruel Archbishop Hatto
of Mayence. According to the story,
as told in the well-known ballad of
Southey, the crops of the district had
failed one year. and all the poor people
were starving. But the rich bishop
had granaries filled to over flowing,
which he was holding in order to profit
by the advanced price of the grain.
The wretched people besought the
bishop to give them food from his
abundant stores. To rid himself OF
their opportunities, the bishop ap-
pointed day for all the poor TO come
to his barn and receive portion of
grain. When they had all gathered in
the building, the cruel prelate ordered
his servants to fasten the doors and
set fire to it, thus burning the wretch
ed beings alive. The next day a
whole army of rats were seen coming
toward the bishops palace. He fled
fol safety to this tow er on the Rhine,
but they pursued him, swimming the
river and scaling the walls of the tow
er; and making their way into the
room where the terrified bishop was
trying to conceal himself, they de-
voured him alive. This was in the
year go. A different story concern
ing the mouse-tower, however. is given
in Murray's Handbook of Germany.
This asserts that the tower was not
built until the thirteenth century,
more than 200 years after the death of
Bishop Hatto. at was intended.
with the opposite castle Of Ehrcnfels
erected at about the same time, as a
watch-tower and dollhouse for col
lecting duties upon all goods which
passed the spot. The word naaauS is
probably an older form of mauth,
meaning duty or toll, and this name,
together with the very unpopular OBJ
iect for which the tower was erected,
perhaps gave rise to the dolorous
story of Bishop Hatto and the rats
Inter- Ocean.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
The Wealth of Chilli.

The worlds supply of nitrate OF
soda and guano has been obtained
from the arid rainless west coast re-
gions of South America. Along the
sout.srn coast of Peru are series of
rocky, desolate islands on which no
rain ever falls and only the gentlest
breezes sweep. There are at present,
as there have been for centuries, my
riads of sea- birds along the coast, and
they, with thousands of sea lions, live,
breed and die upon these islands.
Guano is a mixture of the excrement
of these seals and birds, the decom-
posed bodies of both and the bones of
the fishes which have been their food.
These deposits have been accumulat-
ing for centuries and in many places
are hundreds of feet deep, baked into
solid mass by the tropical sun.
These masses of guano were worked
by the Peruvian Government from
1916, when their value as fertilizers
became understood, up to the war
with Chilli in 1880. The annual ship
ments to Europe and the United
States amounted to millions of tons,
valued at between s20,000,000 and
$50. 100000. all above the expense of
working being clear profit. This
should have enriched Peru, but it
merely enriched her governing classes.
During, the war the Chilians seized the
islands and annexed them to Chilli.
There have been no exports of guano
since, but the Chilian Government is
making preparations to resume the
shipments. and it will probably be in
] the market again next year.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
Number Seven.

The mystic power supposed by the
credulous to belong to the number sew
en- is due to the ancient belief that it is
a holy number. The sanctity was no
doubt given TO it primarily by the Mo-
sale narratives of the division of the
week into seven days, the last of which
was day of rest, set apart and chosen
for that purpose by Deity itself. That
the ancient Hebrews regarded the
number as possessed of some mysteri-
Gus, sacred quality is plain from its
use as recorded in the Scripture narra-
tive There were seven days in crea-
ton, seven weeks between the Passo-
yer and Pentecost, seven days allowed
to feasts, and the same number to the
ceremonies of publication; seven vic
tins were offered as sacrifices on spec
ial occasions, the seventh was the sab.
batical year, and seven times seven
was the year preceding the year of Ju-
bilee. The use of the symbolic num-
Der in the Apocalypse is something
remarkable, the seven churches of Asia,
the seven golden candlesticks, theseyen
stars, seven spirits before the throne,
the book with seven seals, etc. The
mystical meaning ascribed to this
number was not peculiar to the He.
brews, however; it also prevailed
among the Persians, the ancient Hin
docs, the Greeks, and the Romans.
Thence the superstition filtered down
through the ages to the present time.
Thus there was seven wise men OF
Greece, seven wonders of the world
seven graces, and so on. Ancient as
tronomy had seven planets, the Sun,
Moon, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter,
and Venus, and the seven metals oi
alcherly were supposed to correspond
with these gold. silver, iron, quicksil
yer, lead, tin, and copper, but modern
discoveries in astronomy and chemis-
try interfered rather awkwardly with
this very effective combination. In
fact, the enlightenment of modern
times has shown so plainly the absurd.
ity of superstitions concerning mum
bers that none but the credulous are
now influenced by them.-Intei-O Ocean
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
A MOnstrOsity.

Papa (soberly THAT was quite a
monstrosity you had in the parlor last
evening.
Maud (nettled) Indeed! That must
depend upon ones understanding of
the term "monstrosity."
Papa (thoughtfully) Well, two
heads upon one pair of shoulders, for
example. -BinghGmton Republican.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
An Odd Public House.

A curious public house is among the
latest attractions in Paris. Its called
La Taverne da Bagne. The walls are
hung with paintings representing the
horrors of convict life, interspersej
with portraits of notorious Commun.
lists. All the walters are dressed in
convict uniform and wear the chains
and boulets of the regular .forcat. The
landlords is Citoyen Maxine Lisbonne
one of the leaders of the insurrection
of lS7l,-LondoR Tri'
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
He Tumbied too Quickly.

Little Johnny Fizzletop got a scold-
ing for tearing his new pants. He
fell while running ana split them at
the knee.
"Oh, you bad boy said his mother
angrily, slow did you come to be SO
careless as to tear your pants y
al couldn't help it, ma. | fell so
quick that | didn't have time to take
them off, replied Johnnie. Boston
G1obe
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

The advantage of fresh air from
the open windows in a sleeping room
has received strong proof from an in
cident of the cholera in Spain. In the
house of rich merchant the cholera
attacked, first of all. the one person
who slept in the only room Of the
dwelling which was without win
dow
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Japan has just settled the question
of free popular education, and all chill
dren between the ages of 6 and IA are
compelled to attend school from three
to six hours a day for thirty.two
weeks in the year.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

The acreage devoted to the cultiva-
ton of tobacco in the United States is
said to have increased from 63S,S
acres in 1880 to 100000 acres at the
present time, while the product has
increased from 472, ,66l, 900 pounds to
600,000,000 pounds. Until 1870 Vir-
ginia led as a tobacco-manufacturing
state. Now Kentucky is first. The
late crop of that state is said to be the
largest ever raised, with the exception
of that of 1877, which amounted to
Sl,4S4,000 pounds.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
The Barley.Field.

By summer airs awoke from sleep
The bailey stirs; the ripples creep
in shimmering curves across its loa,
Expanding like restless sea
Beneath the azure 5 radiant sleep.
What story trusted to is keep
In foolish confidence and deep
Is this it babbles eagerly,
o summer airs?
Is it q tale TO make eyes weep?
The thrilled and quickened pulses leap'
Or hands to clap exnltingly'
1t murmurs thus to you and me
As o'cr its fair expanse you sweep,
o summer airs!
Mary l.. Goodrich in the Current.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

The old reproach that we are "a ma
tion Of pie-eaters" is now replaced by
the statement before pickle mer-
chants congress that billion pickles
are annually grown in this country,
whole tracts of land in the East be-
ing devoted to the vagrant cucumber,
where once potatoes and wheat were
the staple product
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

Pixies Peak Railroad, when COM
pleted, as it is soon expected to be,
will be the most notable track in the
world. 1t will mount 2000 feet higher
than the Lima and Oroya Road in
Peru. The entire 80 miles of its
length will be a succession of compli-
Gated curves and grades, with no
piece Of straight track longer than
800 feet.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

A German traveller, Doctor Ger
hard Rohlfs, contends that it is I'm
wholesome to wear woolens in a hot
climate. He bases his assumption on
the fact that sheep taken into hot
countries lose their wool in the
course of year. The lion of North
Africa has a thick name, but in Cen
trail Asricanone There must, urges
the traveller, be a reason for this loss
of a woolen coat in the tropics and
from the fact lesson should be de-
duced by man which should be rigidIy
followed.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

The last thing at which General
Mcclellan worked on the day of his
death was an account of the battle of
Antietam. He was preparing series
of articles for the Century Magazine.
and the first of them was to be one on
Antietam. 1t was not finished From
between the leaves of a book lying
on the generals table when he died
protruded numerous pages of manu-
script. The book was an authority
the general had been consulting and
the manuscript was the half written
article on his most famous battle.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

"a Game With History" is the III
tie of an essay upon hop scotch, read
before the Anthropological Society in
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

Cocoanut cellulose is new sub
stance, and if it possesses the quality
claimed for it, England may go back
to her wooden walls with safety and
beat up her self-destructive rams for
old iron. The patentees claim that a
ship cannot be sunk by shot or shell
if only she has taken the, precaution of
coming into the fight with this pecul-
lar tissue as great coat. When a
shot, no matter what its dimensions,
strikes the side of IA frigate, the car
penter and his mates need not jump to
cram in the oldtime plugs, for the
cellulose Immediately closes, and a
drop of water will not enter.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

A newspaper correspondent des-
cribes the American watch manufac-
tory at Waltham, Mass, and in speak
ing of the astonishing minuteness of
some very essential parts of the watch
says: "a small heap of grain was
shown TO us looking like iron filings or
grains of pepper from pepper castor
apparently the mere dust of the ma
chine which turned them out: and
these, when examined with micro
scope, were seen to be perfect screws,
each to be driven to its place with a
screw driver. 1t is one Of the statis
tics at Waltham worth remembering
that single pound of steel, costing
but so cents, is thus manufactured
into 100000 screws, which are worth
$11."
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

Not only calves furnish vaccine
virus, but make demand for it as
well. This may seem paradoxical,
but this is the way of it. People who
have been vaccinated several times
upon an arm, or who may fear dis.
fgurement by the operation, are now
being vaccnated upon the calf of the
leg. This method has also been found
convenient in vaccinnating young
children and babies, who are not so
liable to get hurt, for almost every
one lifts a baby by the arm. 1t is
also advocated by fashionable ladies
who desire to be able to wear short
sleeve and still wish to be protected
against smallpox.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03

Horses an. Carriages at all hours. Persons
earned TO all surrounding points upon arrival
oftrains. Special accommodations TO excur.
zion pal ties. Good teams and attentive dti
yers. R
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-03
che Londonderry Sitter.
AN INDEPENDENT REPUBLICAN NEWSPAPER,
ISSUED EVERY FRIDAY MORNING
FROM
filter Of11ce, So Londonderry, VI
SITTER OFFICE, LONDONDERRY, VT.

55-Enterel ut the rost-oflicc at Soutl
Londonderry, as ccond-c ass matter.
The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-10-31

1t is not the best lhings-that is, the
things which we call the best-that
make men; it is not the pleasant things;
ii is not the calm experiences Of life. 1t
is life's rugged experiences, its tempests,
its trials. The discipline of life is here
good and there evil, here trouble and
there JOY, here rudeness and and there
smoothness, one working with the 9TH
er; and the alterations of the one and
the other, which necessitates adapta-
tions, constitute a part of that educa-
ton which makes a man man, in dis
tinction from an animal which has no
education. The successful man in
variably bears on his brow the marks Of
the struggles which he has had TO un-
dergo.
Two things in life are absolutely
certain-death and sorrow: and these
two, about which there is no contingent
alone possess the power TO surprise us.
All that is problematlcal we are ready
for, and accept without lifting our eye
brows; but to the figure of sorrow, whose
shadow falls athWart our path few
days journey ahead, and death who
waits at its end, without clamor, since
he is sure of us-to these we say, at
cannot be! 1t is impossibller' We
count upon the uncertain, but the in
eyitable surprises us. ..-
When We call TO mind the humilia-
ting necessities Of human Eature as far
as the body is concerned, and in our in
tellectual resolves the meanness or pal
triness Of many of our motives TO ac-
ton, we may well be surprised that a
man who has so much cause to be
humble should indulge for moment in
pride.
Advertise with us We have the
largest circulation OF any paper IN the
county II win rsy you. 7
The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-10-31

The bile wreaks grevious injury. Head
aches, constipation, pain in the liver
and stomach, iauniice, nausea ensuc.
A few doses OF Hosletter's Stomach
Bitters will reform these evils and pre-
vent further injury. 1t is pleasant
aperent, its action upon the bowels be-
ing unaccompanied by gripping. The
liver is both regulated and stimulated
by it, ana as it is very impolitic to dis
regard disorder of that organ, which
through neglect may culminatc in
dangerous congestion and bepatic alb
scess, the Bitters should be resorted TO
at an early stage. Failure to do this
renders a contest with the malady more
protractei, Fever ani ague, rheuma-
tism, kidney and bladder troubles. are
remediei by this fine medicine, and the
increasing intirmaties Of age mitigated
by it. II may be also used in GONZALES.
cence with Vantage, as it hastens the
restoration of vigor.
The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-10-31
FARMERS G0tUMtN.
~ ., ,sfeyZ s-SsF.s Z 81 7i;;ss 7ea-.
ssp 6rss s,sl-s (. lssFss

e The Corn Flower In. the Garden.
. 1t is rather singilaT, with the very.
numerous .weedssTe layeTeceiyed from
Europe, especially frofns England, that
two of the scommonest weeds of the
grain feldshould not have been estabs
hshed llere-the Corn-aower and the
Corn Poppy. Both plants are ANNALS,
and it may be that they are prevented
from appearing as weeds, berauso the
seeds cannot retain their Vitality in the
severe cold Of our winters, We have
received so many coarse and unsightly
weeds from Europe, it seems pity
that VIC are deprived Of the really beau
tiful ones .r - se ~
The Corn-1ower is frequently culti--
waited in gardens, especially in the ceuns
try, often under the name Of Bachelors S
Buttons, name also applied to several
other flowers. Besides Corn-fower and
Blue-bottle, tho plant is called In Eng
land Blue-blaw and Hurt7sickle,, the
latter name from notion that in reap
ing, itturns the edge Of the sickle. The
plant is closely related to the thistles,
The head has an outer row of very large
.6orets, which are of one Of the most
|. beautiful shades Of blue to be found in
any flower Cultivation has produced
purplisb, white, and other varieties,
none of which equal the original in
beauty. This is said to be the favorlte
flower Of the Emporer William, wherein
he shows excellent taste, SO far as color
is concerned. An old legend says, that
a youth, named Cyanus, was very fond
of flowers, and would pass days In the
fields, making garlands. One day he
was found dead in field, and instead OF
burying him, or even cremating his
body, the Goddess Flora transformed
him into a Corn-dower, which was o
good and handsome thing for the, God.
dess to dc.-DR. G. THURBER in An.
AyricultariSt ....-
The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-10-31
Finish for a Gum Stock.

The stocks of guns,as they come from
the stores, ARE generally oiled or varnish-
ed. In selecting gun, the quality
being the same, choose the oiled stock;
to finish 1t so that the water will not
affect it, and any scratch can be quickly
rcmedied, take one quarter pint of boiled
linseed oil, piece Of yellow beesway,
about an inch square, or its equivalent
in size, and if handy, add teaspoonful
of copal yarnish, heat all together in a
tin or earthen dish, placed ON the back
of the stove, stirring frequently, until
the wax is all melted. Rub the stock
down smooth, with very fine 10 or 0O)
sand paper, or emery paper, being care
ful not to touch the locks, or metal part
of the gun the least particle, as 1t will
show every time; then apply the above
mixture warm, with cloth or piece of
sponge, rubbing it in well and thorough
ly; it will not harm the gun if ii gets on
the mountings, as It viii all rub OFF.
Stand it away for at least twenty-four
hours. Then take piece of wooden,
an old stocking leg, or the like, and rub
the stock well and thoroughly, cleaning
ont any that may remain in the check
ing with piece OF soft pine or Eastwood
splinters; then apply another coat of the
finish, warm or hot as before, and after
standing again, rub down with the
woolen rag, Three or four coatings
thus applied, and rubbed in, will give
the stock finish that viii bring out the
grain, ill up the pores Of the wood, and
the more the gun is handled and rubbed,
the brighter the polish will become. 80
r, q. NEwToS in An, Agriculturiat.
The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-10-31
Soils and Season, ,fFect Quality in CIR

Soils and Seasons effect Quality in Grapes.
Perhaps no fruit varies more in the
quality of its favor, as affected BY loca-
tion and the season, than does the grape.
The same variety which is rich and
luscious in one place, is poor and TASTE
less in another. The Concord is fine
grape in southern New Jersey, but
inferior in the northern part OF the
state; it is large and rich when grown
on the shaly banks of the lakes of West
ern New York, but small and insipid on
the clay soil at the foot of some of these
lakes. On the best of soils, marked
difference is made in the character of
the grape by the season. A summer
rich in sunshine, and free from prolong-
cd rains, aud periods OF cloudy weather,
with late and beautiful fall, will pro-
duce grapes of Il quality that is never
seen in ordinary seasons. Even the
most common varieties, attain sweet
ness and flavor, which rank them with
the better kinds. In such a year, the
Concord contains a double mouthful-
one in the pulp, and enc in the skin.
The Catawba grows almost as dark as
the Isabella, and the Diana colors a
perfect purple, and loses entirely the
peculiar ''catty' flavor of other seasons.
Some approach to this perfection may
be made by artificial means. If vine
is trained against the southern side of
porch, and over tin roof having reflect
ed heat, the size and quality of the fruit
will surpass that grown on the open
trellis. Our native varieties, grown in
cold grapery, change their natural
characteristics. The Iona loses its sharp
and sprightly flavor, and becomes a
mild, sweet grape, much resembling Its
foreign sisters. These facts will account
Tor the varying reports that are given,
year by year, of all varieties of grapes
An. Agriculturist.
The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-10-31
A Remarkable Fsoape.

Mrs. Mary A. Daley, of Tunkhan-
mock, Pa, was afflicted for six years
with Asthma and Bronchitis, during
which time the best physicians could
give no relief. Her life was dcspaired
of, until in last October she procured a
bottle of DR.. Kings New Discovery,
when immediate relief was felt, and by
continuing its use for short time she
was completely cured, gaining in flesh
80 lbs. in a few months.
Free trial bottles of this certain cure
of all throat and lung diseases at T. d.
Thomas drug store. Large size 81.