davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23
A Piscat0rial H0wler.

One of the most remarkable sound
making or musical fishes, is the great
drum fish, or pogonias chromos, COM
mon on our western coast, and more
than once the crews of vessels have
been astonished at the curious sounds
that come up from the sea. A vessel
that was lying off the coast becalmed
some years ago was surrounded by a
regular band Of fishes that uttered the
most remarkable sounds-now a shrek
would rise, then a groan, followed by
numerous grunts; the rushing ofsteam,
the hiss of boiling water, muffled tones
of drum, and even the changing of a
deep-toned bell. were some of the re-
markable sounds that rose from this
musical school Of Gnny singers.
Humboldt, the great observer of natu-
raj phenomena, dwells upon the re-
markable sounds that came from a
school of fish that surrounded the vessel.
One Of the mcst remarkable sounded
like the twanging of a gigantic harp,
while Others were so loud aud start
ling that the men were alarmed, fear
ing that an explosion was about to oc-
cur from some submarine volcano.
atlanta Constitution.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23
Christmas Chimes.

The meadows are brown, the hills arc alhbare,
And up through tho valley the clear, crisp air
Il singing Christmas song
Like the song oil the sea in the purple shell,
If we list to its notes it will sweety tell
Tho secret it's kept SO long.
It tells of time 80 sunny and fair
When we watched the clouds Of tho snowy air
For the reindeers tiny form.
And sew in our dreams such pictures OF light,
As we lay through the hours Of tho long, dark
night,
Away from the clouds and storm.
Such pictures ns glow in fairy tales
When told ut the hour that daylight palss
And the crimson west grows gray,
When we list for the chime of tiny bells
That are hung in the shade of haunted dells
And ara rung by goblin and fly.
It rings on the heart fearful change s
Ola darliened time, so sad, SO strange, :
When our dreams had lost their light.
1t whispers and sings 10 the leailcss trees
Our secret that sshs in every breeze
ill the day wears into the night
o, Christmas chimes! Ye are merry and sad,
Yo wound the heart and ye make it glad
With the music your ringing makes;
And the weary heart that has dreamed so\lopg
Takes up the thread of the broken song
And sings till it, quivering, breaks,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23

The only written language of the
American Indians was in the form Of
heroglyphics, Lut This plan of picture
writing was not much used among the
tribes of North America. AS the spok-
en- languages of the tribes, however,
have such u complete dialectic struc-
ture it was not dinicult to give this a
written form by means of the Roman
alphabet. This has been done in many
instances, and number Of grammars
and dictionaries have been printed in
different Indian dialects, besides many
other books. Several newspapers are
at this time printed among the civil
lied Indians of the West, and ut mis-
sion stations, in the Indian language.
The Aztecs and Toltecs kept their his
torical and other records by means of
nieroglyphics in a very systomatip
manner.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23

The kingdom of Bavaria, which
next to Prussia Is the largest constitu-
ent part of the German Empire, has,
says a Boston Transcript correspond
ent, an area about equal to the princl-
pal part of the State Of Michigan,
known as the Lower Peninsular; and
on this population subsists without
distress, numbering as many as that of
the whole State of New York, the
city. Long Island and all, but setting
aside only the city of Brooklyn. This
statement of the area and population
Bavaria leaves out of account that de-
tached fragment of the kingdom
known as the Rheinpfalz, separated
from the main body of the country by
100 miles and lying on the Rhine. The
soil of Bavaria is made productive
only by constant attention to its chem
ical needs and by careful cultivation;
but wherever in the country you see
them, the people appear to be well fed,
we'll clothed and contented. Three
times in my life l have gone through
the length or breadth OF Bavaria, and
l have never seen a beggar anywhere
within its borders, in town or country.
Outside the cities, the land of Bavaria
is divided among half million rropr-
etors, in lots of from five to thirty
acres, though very few have forty TO
fifty. Around the cities the holdings
do not average over an acre or two;
but these afford Il living for family
in the growing of vegetables for
market, its members finding time for
labor elsewhere, also; and no matter
how small the holding it is a freehold
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23

Dean Stanley had a great respect for
presence of mind, and used with great
delight to tell story of presence Of
mind by which he had liberated him.
self from dangerous visitor. Since
he was willing to see almost any one
who asked for him, he once told his
servant to usher into his study gen.
tleman whrhad called, and who hap
pened 10 bear a name which was fam
iliar to him.
When the gentleman appeared, he
proved to he an entire stranger. 1t was
evident there had been some
mistake. This became still more
evident. when, advancing with an
air Of great excitement, the gen.
tleman exclaimed, "Sir, / have
o message to the Queen from
the Most High. ! beg that you will
deliver it instantly" "In that cass,"
said the dean, taking up his hat, ''there
is not moment to be lost. Let us 60
at once" They went downstairs IN.
to the hall; and opening the door, the
dean requested his visitor to step ont.
No sooner had he done so. than tho
dean shut the door behind the lunatic,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23
[V.--NO WOODSTOCK w. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2a 1880
Shying Horses Near.Sighted.

"Why it is that shying in horses
should be set down to an ugly dlspo-
sition l don't know" said prominent
veterinary surgeon to a New York
Sun reporter: at must be because
horsemen don't know what else to lay
1t to. The fact Is that it seldom is
met with unless the horse is near
sighted. | have tested scores of shy
ing horses for near-sig ghtedness, and in
nearly all cases found what | expected.
And now, when am asked to give
points on buying horses, give this as
one Of the requisites: Never buy a
horse which is near-sighted. There
are, however, two exceptions to this
rule. If the horse is to have a mate,
then 1t doesn't make any difference
about the sight One horse can go
blind If the other Is clear-sighted. If
the horse is to be used for riding to
saddle be careful that he Is not near
sighted, for he will throw you sooner
or later.
"The reason why near-sighted
horse SHES is very simple" the sur
geon continued. "0f all animals the
horse is the most gentle and even tim
id. He sees strange object and his
susceptible mind magnifies it into
monster that is going to destroy him.
A piece of white paper at the roadside
in the night is ghost and IN old
wagon in the ditch is a dragon. Eve.
ry horseman knows that If you drive
the animal close to the dreadful object
the horse cools down at once 1t is
supposed that it is because the horse
makes closer acquaintance with the
object. That is true, but not in the
sense in which 1t is generally under
stood. The animal has not been able
to see it from distance. lie is near.
sighted"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23

"What are you reading, dearest?'
And he takes the fair face in his
hands and raises the ripe lips till they
touch his own, bent down to seek
them.
"a Legend of Fair Women" she
answers when she gets her breath.
"Tennyson, eh? All, vanity read
ing about yourself"
1t is a year later. They are married.
The hour grows late. He is not there.
Once again Tennyson is on her lap
and she is reading. He enters.
"Hullol Not gone to bed yet ?
What have You got therep'
"a Deserted House." she says mourn
fully. And he asks no more.-San
Francisco Chronicle.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23

Just where the path disappeared
Into the copse that skirted the great
dark forest, where all day long the
shadows hid, and out of which tho
night seemed to come as the sun went
down, a man came, bearing an armful
of tirewood. AS he logged along he
caught protruding twig and tossed
it away. Quickly little slip of a
girl, with sun-kissed hair and eyes Of
dlvinest blue. ran and picked it up.
MAY have it?' she asked Of the
man.
"Ye may have it without asking. If
yell take the trouble to stoop fort"
returned he.
lm going to plant It," declared the
tiny maiden, lightly holding the twig
between her soft finger tips.
"Whatll ye do that for ?" said tho
man. ut will never grow"
"Oh, it will if tend it," confidently
returned the lassie.
With another look at the wind
blown curls and the eyes like heaven.
the man went his way and the wee
one planted the twig.
Every day she watered and tended
and watched the little wisp, with its
slender, silvery lining. Day by day it
grew larger and sturdier, and swayed
more gracefully in the summer wind;
and the little maid clapped her hands
in her glee, as she cried 81 knew it
would grow"
Again and again the seasons came
and went. The castaway twig had
grown into Il beautiful tree. The slip
of a girl on the verge of womanhood
stood. Then it was the hand of the
death angel touched the lovely maiden
and chilled the warm life in her tender
frame and put out the light in her
beautiful eyes.
They made her grave beneath the
tree she had planted and fostered, be-
cause she had wished it, and mourned
her long and deeply.
But now the tree, they that had
loved her noted, seemed to droop and
languish, and on the breeze there came
a sound as of soObing and sighing.
which shook the tree through all its
branches to its very core, and quivered
and trembled in each pointed leaf.
They said it seemed almost as If the
insensate thing grieved like them
Seemed-for they held 1t could not be
so. Still the tree languished, until
every upward turning branch with
every twig hung down, and every leaf
from its twig depended; and each
night and morning the dew dropped
like tear from each slender point and
fell on the grave.
Then they said: "rhe tree truly
grieves for her" The "Willow" she
had named it. and now they called it
weeping Willow" ."--Happy Hours at
Home.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23
A Formal Call in Persia.

From the paper in the Century by
5. G. w. Benjamin, who has just re.
turned from the court Of Persia, where
he was U. $. minister, we quote the
following: "Ihe manners Of the
courtly occupant Of this Teheran man
sion are guided by an etiquette that is
indeed "a law of the Medes and Per.
SLAMS, which changeth not The visi-
tor sends notice an hour or two prevl-
GUS to calling If the visit is one of
Importance, notice is sent the pevious.
day. You will 60 in fashion suited
to your social position and the rank of
the host. Whether on horseback or
in carriage, you will be accompanied
by a number of mounted attendants.
AS you approach the house, servants,
mounted or on foot, come forth to
meet you, and one returns with speed
to announce your coming. A dozen
attendants escort you to the reception
room. According to your relative
rank, the host meets you at the foot Of
the staircase, at the door, or at the up.
per part of the room. The question OF
seats is one also requiring the utmost
clrcumspection in observing the vari-
ous shades of rank. If your rank is
superior to that Of the host, you are
invited to occupy sofa alone, at the
upper corner, while the host sits on
chair or on the floor at your right.
The left Is moro hon orable than the
right in Persia If Of equal rank, he
occupies the sofa with you; but if you
are inferior, then the positions are re-
versed. The upper corner of the room
is in any case the most honorable posi-
tion. If number are present of varl-
GUS rank, each one knowns his place
at a glance. The passing Of refresh
ments is also q matter of undertaking
strictness, the number and quality de-
pending upon the time of day and the
character Of the guest. The kalidn,
or water-pipe, offers a fine opportu-
nifty for display of Persian manners.
According to precept and custom, a
Mohammedan cannot smoke the samo
pipe with Christian, and, except on
rare occasions when the host is man
of progressive views, separate pipe
is furnished for European visitor.
But among Persians it is the custom
for the highest in rank to receive the
pipe first, offering it to each in turn
before smoking himself. For an in
ferior to accept the offer is an incredi-
BILE offense against good manners. But
each in turn after this ceremony takes
a few whiffs at the pipe, all taking
care to eject the smoke from the bowl
before Offering it to the next. The
attendants on such an occasion leave
their shoes at the door and retire back
wards"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23

There Is a beautiful story OF an old
elephant engaged in battle on the
plains of India He was a standard
bearer, and carried on his huge back
the royal ensign, the rallyipg- post OF
the Poona host At the beginning Of
the fight he lost his master. The ma
hout, or driver, had just given him the
word to halt, when he received fatal
wound and fell to the ground, where
he lay under heap of slain. The
obedient elephant lay still while the
battle closed around him and the stand
ard he carried. He mover stirred foot,
refusing to advance or retire, as the
conflict became hotter and fercer, until
the Mahrattas, seeing that the standard
was still there, flying steadily in its
place, refused to believe they were be-
ing beaten, rallied again and again
around their colors. And all this
While amid the din Of battle the pa
tlet animal straining It's ears to catch
the sound of that voice it would never
hear again. AT length the tide or con-
quest left the field deserted. The NAH
rattas swept on in pursuit of the fly
ing foe, but the elephant stood like
rock, with the dead aad dying around
him and the ensign waving In its
place. For three days and nights it
remained where its master had given
the command to halt. No bribe or
threat could move it. They then sent
to village one hundred miles away
and brought the mahout's little son.
The animal hero seemed then to re-
member how the driver had given his
authority to the little child, and i'm
mediately, with all the shattered trap
pings clinging as he went, paced quiet
ly and slowly away.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23
UHILDREN'S COLUMN.
One Little Rhy mo-

One little grain in the sandy bars;
One little flower in field of flower;
Ono little star in heaven OF stars;
One little hour in a year Of hours
What II it makes or what If il marsl
But the bar is built of the little grains;
And the llttlo flowers make the meadows GAYS
And tho little stars light the heavenly plaiasi
And the little hours OF each little day
GIVE to Us all that life contains.
--Ernest Whiinsv IA ST. .NteholaG
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23
WHOLE NO. $3.50.

placed in his hands the purchase mon.
ey. This done, the stranger was in
troduced and the bargain was settled.
The well turned out only a moderate
producer, and the stranger lost money.
In one minute the Western adven-
turer had cleared $57 900 in hard cash.
The next stage carried him out of the
country. He was never seen again in
Pithole or any other oil town. lie had
made his pile and was satisfied.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-12-23

The man who said, "There Is A gar
den'i her face" was evidently using
aowery language.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1885-10-01

A circular received from Mrs. II. NJ.
Joiner, President Of Lake County w.
&. r. u, bears written request for the
publication Of said circular, relative tn
the law requiring tile Use In scl,ools of
temperance text books. We have CIV
cn due publicity to the matter, In the
columns of the STAR, some time ago,
ii we mistake not.
The averase citiseit Of this cOmnu-
nifty takes pride IN visiting the popu-
lar store Of Isreal Hamburger, especial
~ ut this time, when the handsome
suine new st,ck of millinery ard clOaks
of latest styles for ladies' wear are OH
the shelves. 'l'he purchaser there has
tile main benefit.
a teachers institute for lake county
will I've held at Baldwin, cotiiiienclng
at 1Oa. M, Monday, Oct. 18th, and
closing, at p. M, Friday, Oct. 10th.
rl,ese institutes are Of value tu teach
ers, through an exchange of views, and
we trust there will Le gUod attend
uisce.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1885-10-01
Ellsworth (Irccting.

Mrs. Will Raymond returned, ON tn
l6thj from her Visit In Rustf0rd, Mecos
ta county,
L. II. Jennings. ofiohia. Vas thfo0sl
Here, on businessj Iaft week.
Miss Matte Delzelf haS returned L
Reed City.
The SECOND annual meeting 6f III,
Osceoia tAiptist Association was helt
with the Baptist Church Of Luther
Sept. 18th, 10th and Goth. Revs. Mr.
Wright, Of Hersey, Hill, Of Big Rapids
watefnah; Of Morley, and Brund
widgej Of Reed City were present.
Mrs. fhTs Tuff, Of Deer Lake. died
at 60ti6ck q. mi. she leaveS a hus.
band and foGr little children; the
YOUNGEST batte Of two weeks: She
was buried, the following day, Id Ash.
t0fi.
A German, whose name We do not
know, died, in Luther, Sept. Sth. He
was tie father Of Mrs: Staelshaw lthe
lady who was sunstruek). He had
been sick for long tinej with con-
sumption, and he requested that his
body body he kept two days and two
nights, and to be buried at the hour he
died. He was buried ut ] ! a. M, Thurs.
day. His widow left for Germany, thai
day. They were to have started, Sept
Istl, th % E..f MI
Mrs. H. Laurence received letter, q
few days ago, from her brother, who
lives In the Province of Quebec, Cana.
da, which said that neighboring boys
were out in the woods, and oiie of them
thought lie would "play bear" as
there were bears In the vicinity. So
yoncealing himself In the bushes, he
commenced to growl and tear around
The other boy was frightened, and ran
10 the nearest house, gisift the alarm
III bears. The man seized his gun, and
rah to the spot, where he saw some.
thing moving and growing, and think.
Ing 1t was bear, lie fired. What wa.
his surprise and horror to find that be
had shot his own son.
At the Woodruff school meeting, on
Sept. 10th, the motion was made ant,
carried that repairs should lie made on
the gist buildings, and that sidewalk,
from the steps to the entryi should b.
laid.
Mrs. John Nelson met with quite all
accident, the 10th, As she was riding
to Luther, seated in the back part ol
the wagon, the spring seat overturned
In such way ~ to throw her over In
the road. Size WIS stunned by the fall
for the first few moments, ana now has
u very lanIe back, in consequence.
Mr.. Eentor's mules broke out of their
pasture, the night of tile 18th, and Were
found near Nirvana, the following
night. They had doubtless started back
for Missouri.
While John Nelson was ut the reun-
ion his oxen broke In the corn field, and
one Of them ate 80 much that when
found was nearly iilseiisible. All that
saved him was weak lye. The tines oi
of u pitchfOrk could have b. Ell run In
him and he would not have hinched,
Henry Hoover, of Dover, lost u val
liable COW, last week; caused by eating
Paris green and lard.
RoxIE RoxFoRD.
Sept. Goth, 1885.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1885-10-01


NBwAYao, Mich, Sept. 25.-I,ast
evening Pro . uting Attorney George
LeutoD called to see Sheriff Kimbull,
and while there went into the Jail cor
ridOr To see james Danforth, Confined
therein as insane. When offhis guard,
talking to tl,e sheriff and wife the lun-
attic dealt Mr.. Leuton u blow with a
club In his possession that hal not been
noticed. Telling him to tile floor. The
sheriff pushed his wife into the hall
and closed door, being Knocked sense
less moment later by Danforth.
While tllis was going OH Leuton reco :
cred sufficiently to crawl out Of I, Q
door and cry 'Ihurlcr," when ASST {.
ance came, the sheriff WAS cared fvi,
and the insane man Was Overpowered
Mr.. DanfOrth ID y well-tV- do farmer Of
Ashland t,wnsbip, who was sent to the
Kalamazoo asylum xs mildly insane,
and was recently discharged therefrom
ms cured. On Sunday last he arose at
O'Clock In tIie morning, made fre,
ordered breakfast, sent the farm hands
to work and gave other evidences Of re-.
turning insanity, finally screechIng at
the top OF lis voice until the neighbOrs
gathered ubout Ills house. which lie
barricuded aud with ~ loaded gun de-
fled them. Sheriff KimbHll by strategy
,lisarmed him and lodged him In Jail,
where lie was allowed the freedom OF
the corridors. He II u large and pow
erful man. Weighing 2i0 pounds. and
is 40 years of age. Mr.. Leuton's injur-
les are quite serious, hut those Of tho
sheriff are not ~ bad. - Eccnfh0 Nebs.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1885-10-01

r. y. WaIdrOn, who represents the
Grand Rapids daily Dentocrdt, was In
town, last Saturday, and was among
the callers vt the STAR Office. The
tem0c,'dt Is one of the best dailics IN
this part of the State; where 1t Is re-
crivcsi fresh from the press and Its
Circulation Is increasing rapidly.
last Monday, WIN. Fisher, Of Elk
township, gave the editors family a
treat IN shape Of splendid water
meluii, as large as watsf pail, and
one of the sweetest that We have ever
tasted. II Vas genuine prmluct OF
the sand plains; but it could not he ex-
celled anywhere.
The village election last saturday,
was all one way as regarded the
question of bonding fdf $500 foi
public buildings; only one vote being
cast against the measure. A light
Vote was polled, however.
We Received an agreeable Mll,
Friday iiioriiiig last, from Emil A.
Dappef; Esq, an attorney from Grand
Rapids, who was Ia Baldwin ON legal
business.
#. v. Childg Of Reed City, talks OF
purchasing 800 or 600 acres Of plains,
adjoining his present GfantJ farm, and
try sheep raising.
The first day OF the fair was tety
quiet. The weather Was all that Cotild
be desired.
The Congregational Society are rum
ming dining hall ut the fair ground,
during the fair.
J. H. Cobb has the "boss" thing in
the shape of u scrub broom and mop
combined.
Visitors to the fair can find plenty to
eat, MS good as the country affords, ut
our hotels or at Fred. Roberts bakery.
Honey I'm the comb Is what attracts
something more than bumblebees at
Townsend's family grocery.
Collins & Amspoker, Reed City, have
one of the largest and best stocks Of
furniture in Northern Michigan.
There Is no better dentist to be found
in the State, than H. B. Peck, Of Reed
City.
Our subscribers may bring that wood,
ON subscription, as soon as they please.
Tie F. &P. NJ. run special to Bald
win, to-day Thursday from Reel City
Ackerson Bros, tile photographers,
came huck to town, Tuesday.
"Tcn Nights in a Bar Room," t,y the
Cl.ase Dramatic Association, tonight.
That cheese at Carpenter 4 Bush's is
altogether too good to keep.
A pl,renoIogist held forth in town,
Monday and Tuesday evenings.
The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1885-10-01


Those who are looking this waS with
. view to lOcute farnlsj should not full
to consult A. ". Newton, Land Com'r
Of the F: q p. NJ, at East saginaw, or
w. U. Hughart; ut Grand Rxpids, sbe
Commissions for the g. r.. e. l. X. r..
The terms at which these lands are Of
fered, brii1g them within reach Of the
settler Of moderate means.
A. G. Hawley, who has beeii KEEPING
boarding house over ut Star Lake, is
under arrest charged with having stol-
Ell heifer from u Mr.. Sells, over ut
Star Lake. We understand that Mr..
II. has hitherto borne good reputa-
ton, aud this act seems uuexplaisidble.
Much sympathy is expressed for bis
family.