davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
Scotch ssSpare-Rib Dinners"

In Scotland after the slaughter of the mart (bulloek) at Martinmas, a well-to-do farmer used to give q "spare-rib dinner" to his neighbors, served in the spence, or best room. At other times. dinner was served for the whole household, gudeman, gude- wife, the children, maid-servants, and farm-laborers, known as minds. But on the occasion of the spare-rib dinner, the farmer and his wife abandoned the society of their servants, and dined with their guests. Preparations for cooking began at early morn, and eve rything was in profusion. Stacks of bread, heaps of vegetables, piles of chickens, Joins of mutton, loads of pork, and prodigious haggis fianked and faced the principal dish, roast ribs of beef.
 The guests arrived little before one o'clock, at which hour the dinner was served by the maidens, who placed the meats and vegetables all on the ta- ble, and then stood back and smiled When the guests were seated, the mis- tress stood at her husbands right hand, whence she directed the gude- man and the maidens. As the first course was being served, she exhorted the guests to ''stick weel to the skink, and no trust to the castacks" is, indulge freely in broth, and do not ex- pect much to follow it. Pressing to eat was considered good manners, and the wife was expected to urge the guests so long as the meal lasted.
 "I say, minister, what ails ye at the swine that we're no tastin' the pork the gudewife would say to the clergy man. The parish schoolmaster would be addressed with:
 Dominic, dinna crack (talk) yersell out O yer denner, my man; free (taste) the guse, and dab it weel wi mistard.'
 "Mayersicauber and Glentolichan," 1" naming two farmers by their farms Eye maun talk spaul (leg) O the chuckie (fowl), or a weng O the jenkie (duck), or big seklice O the public jock (turkey). Tax bit O inert l (bullock), Saunders Tamsom; o'd man, it was felled by Jock, yer gude- brither."
 When the meat viands were re, moved, which was done by huddlinq them together in large wicker bask. ct. the gudewife took her seat oppo site her husband and served cheese and pudding.-YoutRS Companion
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

coffee like dey was our own old marse's folks. Ain't muffin like corn pone for rale good flavor, dat dey ain't. An the young lady from de Norf, she's as pretty as peach. Reckon de capt ing links so, too. He, he hep
 And old Pomp shook his sides with an inaudible chuckle of glee.
 Later in the evening the gentlemen went up to the house, where stood the three Misses Harrington in simper- ing row.
 But their call there was insipid, and several of them returned to the "Stone Barn" to finish their evening.
 Adrian Dulary remained the latest of also late, in fact, that it was he who escorted grandma-who had dis creetly fallen asleep in her big chair some time ago-and Aileen to the house, under whispering pine-boughs, by the light of big round moon.
 The three cousins, whose list of calls had long since ended, were yawning in the parlor.
 "Dear mep' cried Selma, as the little group came in. "Where have you been all day, Aileen?"
 "In the old stone-barn chamber, learning to spin," said Aileen, laugh ing and coloring.
 Juanita looked sharply at her. What change had subtly crept over her voice and manner? Then she looked at Captain Adrian's bright face.
 Take good care of her," said the young officer, tenderly removing the heavy shawl from Aileen's shoulder. 'fShe has promised to be my wife, be- for great many weeks"
 It was not until Dulany had gone that the full cannonade of questions burst on Aileen's devoted head.
 "Girls, girlsl don't all speak at once," said grandma. "It's just ex- actly as I've always told you. The right one will be sure to come along if you sit in tRe chimney-corner and wait. And that was just what Aileen was doing this evening"
 And that night, when the frost white stars of midnight climbed the sky, Aileen whispered:
 "Good-by, sweet New Years Day the happiest I have ever knownT'- Helen Forrest GrdUeS.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

Yet, such is Davos, where, for many seasons recently, doctors have been senting their patients with the best results. These results are due Co the extreme dryness and purity of the air, tEe dryness removing eatarrh of the bronchial tubes, and the absence of organic matter in the air prevent ing irritation and breaking-up of lung tissue. Patients are recommended to begin their stay in tho place during the Summer, so that the coming Au- tumn may acclimatize them and ena= ble them to bear the cold of Winter. The place has plenty of amusements, and the only fear is that it may become over-crowded, when its bene- fits must surely disappear
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
UndercIoihing.

Says Dr. Wm. A. Hammond, "Tho chief object of underclothing is tho re- tention of tho natural heat of the body n such a way that low temperatures and sudden changes will not affect tho surface Several years ago l perform ed some experiments which went to show beyond any doubt that silk is below wool in it's power Co prevent the loss of heat from tho body, and very little superior Co cotton. Indeed. nothing is in this respect preferable to wool. and of this material all under clothing meant for winter uso should be made. In summer mixture of wool and cotton, called merino, may be worn, but even in very hot weather silk is not desirable, for it is not such a ready absorber of the precipitation as wool, and allows tho body Co be kept in state not very remote from that known as parboiled. Wool, however, taking up, as it does, the moisture from the body exposes At to tho atmos- phere, or is eyaporated, and, the pro- cess being Q cooling one, keeps tho skin from being oyorheated No un- derclothing should ever be so thick as to prevent free passage of tho cuta- neous excrctions and the atmospheric air. The skin requires ventilation as do the lungs. Chamois-slSln under garments, perforated" or unperforat. cd, are abominations,
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
Cnitle on the Track. !.

Do we try to avoid killing animals9 ? We do when 1t is possible" said an old engineer But if it is impossible to stop the train before reaching them it is dangerous to lessen the speed, for when train is moving slowly big, healthy steer is sometimes enabled to derail it. If l see can't stop before reaching the animal pull the throttle wide open and let her go. In going around curve one night eight miles from Davenport, on the Rock Islands l saw a steer standing on the track. He did not move, but looked straight at the headlight. Iopened the throttle and the next moment hit him. l felt the jar. He was literally chopped to pieces and the particles of flesh coy- cred the headlight, so that I could not see until the next station was reached. The engine was covered from the pilot to the tender with blood and pieces of flesh."
 "The worst animal to encounter on a railroad track" continued the engl- neer, "is sheep. Even if they are on the outside of the fence they will vent. ure on the track when the first opening is reached. And the one that takes the lead is followed by all the rest. Hogs make bad mess. I hit drove one day while running fifty miles an hour. Realizing I could not stop before reaching them l let the engine have all she could take. There was a slight jar and a moment later the porker: were flying in every direction to tht sides of the track and over the engine As the animals began falling the fire man sarcastically remarked, Pork i' coming down. That engine was th' bloodiest and dirtIest ever taken to [ shop. They were two days cleaning it."-Dacenport { Ia. ] Gazette.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
ADVERTISING RATEst
To.dnr.

rho sunshine fingers in tho room, sec it through thc window stream, Hisring tho pillow, where he lad His head, in many boyish dream. ilui, oh the taango tincn yesterday The young, strong step that so 1 misa, Tho weary miles now stretching on Between us, Bnd my Inst fond kiss. Aud mino had been 0 different pinn, A dream Of sheltered brooks md bowers, Of tuil and pleasure hand in haid, ofhomc md friends md merry houri But he had longcd Co Try tho world, It's hopes, its promises, its cares, To tcmpt Dame rorlunr's iiclle smile. And win her 10 him uuawarcs. And so, with spirit bold and brave,
 He pressed my hand in mntc Eood.by, And turned aside, lest ! should sno The tears tlat gistcnod in bic eye. And my poor heart wus aching sore, He might have heard each throb oi pain, My questioning heart that ycarnod to know tfI should meet my boy again. Oh, lio ia hardi Tho common lot
 Aud parting wiring Inc hnguishod hoart, But, oh how differently we'd ohoUsc, Yet sec our fondost hopes dcpartl We take the burden we would iain
 Lay down, and fold our wcary hands, Praying our loss mny Dc his gaini
 Trusting to Him who understands.
 -Ersrg OtlsF Ssiardag.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
Noses and Ears.

With the astrologers a large nose was always sign of much character of some kind, but what was determined by other characteristic marks. A Ro- man nose was sign of courageous temper and disposition to face and overcome difficulties, while a more strongly aquiline nose was an indica- tion of rapacity; the idea being evident ly borrowed from the similarity of this description of beak to that of the eagle the most rapacious of birds. The snub-nose showed little character but much temper, while the Greek nose, even straight and regular, was a sign of the temperament of the owner. Large nostrils indicated good lungs, health and long life, while swelling nostrils showed warlike spirit and fire. A very sharp nose was consid- cred an indication of a busybody, while bluntness at the end of this member was an outward sign of the possessor's mental lack of acuteness. Large ears were always bad, the simi- larity between their owner and the donkey being supposed to extend fur ther than the ears, while small ears were always good. The lobe of the ear passing insensibly into the cheek was 8 sure sign of thief and liar, while an exceedingly sharp division between the two indicated honesty and candor. Thick ears meant thick brains, while thin, delicate ears de- clared their possessor to be man of refined intellioence.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
HUMOROUS.


 Good at a pinch-A tight shoe.
 A fine Presiding over a police court
 It is exceedingly proper that wrest- ling matches be held in the fall--Lotc- H Citiscn.
 According to the Darwlnian theory our ancestors were all tail. hearera- GourerRcttF.
 "Order arms !" as the colonel said to the quartermaster. The arms were ordered forthwith.
 The coachman's occupation is moro agreeable than that of the hostlor; but the latter is more stable.
 Auctioneer (selllng town property): "Why, gentlemen, the very atmos- phere's worth the money"
 Iowa encourages men to quarrel and become sick by employing women lawyers and 122 women doctors.
 1t is given as a reason why lawyers charge such enormous fees that their career is brief one, at the longest.
 What woman would he the most likely to give her husband n blowing up if he irritated her2 Dina might,
 "Nervous girl" wants to know how to cure a tickling sensation about the face. Get hlm to shave off his nous tache.
 Oscar Wilde has taken to featuring again. Since his marriage he has learn cd more about leeturing than he ever dreamed of before
 Imitation cod liver is now made in Paris. What anybody wants Co imi- tate the stun for is a mystery. somo thing as unlike it as possible would be more taking.
 Something new in butter dishes, ! sec" said Mrs- Pompano as she glanced over tho advertisements. "What is itp' asked pompano eagerly. Good butter"
 A Boston oculist adyertises to sup ply "curk nose spectacles." Without being positive we presume that spec tacles for cork noses are the same as those for tho ordinary kind of noses.
 In Spain the natives keep guinea hens about their houses for the sake of enjoying their harsh and discordant cries. This would seem Co indicate that they have no street bands iu Spain.
 A boy defined salt as "the stuff that makes potatoes taste bad when you don't put it on." Ie.was twin brother of the boy who said that pins had saved a great many lives by not being swallowed.
 Some dyspeptlc growler says: "To educate young ladies is to let them know all about the ogIes, the omenies, the ilcos the tics, and the mlsticsi but nothing about the ings such as sew ing, alarming, washing, baking and making pudding.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
On Mount Washington.

A peculiarity of Mount Washing
 ton, due to it's rarifled atmosphere, is the fact that it takes longer time and of course more fuel to do the cooking. You order a hard-boiled egg at the Summit House and it must cook just twice as long as at the Crawford. Meat keeps here a long time without spelling. Putrefaction is so slow that wonder lies the body of lamented dog who died months ago, but it is as we'll preserved as if stuffed with sugar of lead. The successor of this dead dog is a splendid animal of Great Saint Bernard, weighing 150 pounds.
 Winter in the signal station on Mt. Washington must be serious business. Water will freeze hard by a red-hot stove. There are six men in the si r nal station. One of them in mid winter goes down the mountain on snow shoes, picking his way, but it is often week before he can get day to return in. The highest wind re- corded on the summit is 186 miles an hour, and the lowest temperature is fifty-hve degrees below zero, or eighty seven degrees below freezing. The signal station wires come up on the railway trest.e. The wires on the posts are removed in the fall, as the accumulation of frosts on them would break Sthem.-Lelptston lie, JolrnaL.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
Historical Trees.

The tree under which William Penn made his treaty with the Indians. The tree on Boston common, where, tradition says, seven tories were hung, Elm tree on Cambridge common under which General Washington first drew his sword as commander-in-chief of the continental army. The Charter oak. Pine tree near Fort Edward, N. r., where Jane McCrea was murdered by the Indians. The thirteen trees planted by Gen. Alexander Hamilton on his estate near New York, repre-. senting the original thirteen States. The oak tree at Franklin, N. H., on which Daniel Webster, when boy, hung his scythe and said to his father, "Now the scythe hangs Co suit me" The apple tree at Appomattox under which General Grant received tho surrender of General Lee.-Mdgaztne of American History.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
Mexican Silver Money.

San Francisco, it is believed, is the only city in the United States in which the exchange of Mexican dollars is ex- tensively conducted, and is one of the only two cities in the world where the business is largely transacted-the other being London. The Mexican dollar is an ugly ill-stamped, badly milled silver disk of fl grains, but it has been accepted as the standard coin of China for nearly thirty years and has steadily grown in use and favor, notwithstanding the amusing episode of the trade dollar, with it's APO grains and English die-sinker.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

The Arabs in the Sahara Desert some times chase ostriches on horseback for very many miles. It succumbs to fatigue sooner than the horse, and is thus eventually captured. Zebras also are very difficult to approach. These beautiful creatures invariably run away on hearing the slightest noise. They gallop gracefully and swiftly over the plain, opening out at distance of ten to fifteen yards from each other
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
How Webster Loved Good Fare.

Daniel Webster was a good liver, and when in Washington he used Co % to market three times a week to purchase delicacies for his table. Come and dine with me-" he would say to a friend, "I will give you a chowder made by my own receipt from Massachusetts codnsh, and a slice of fine mutton from a saddle that l bought in the market" He was very fond of a cup of tea made in Britan mia metal teapot which had belonged to his mother, and which he finally gave to Monica, his colored cook. lt is to-day in the collection at Indian HiI farnl.--Ben. Perleg POore,
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

There are seven sisters in New York who possess eos inches of raven hair, and a statistician recently computed that their combined hair, if placed in single strands, would reach over 160 miles, They put their hair in silk bags at night to prevent it from tangling. The father of these girls, Rev. Fletcher Sutherland, has been pastor of Metho- dist Episcopal churches in Geneseo, Lyons and Loekport, N. r., and is the only survivor of President Buchanan's inaugural dinner given at the Ma tional Hotel in Washington, at which some forty guests were poisoned.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

The statistics laid before the National Butter, Cheese and Egg As sociation at it's late meeting in Chicago must have made its members feel that they were something more important than flies on the country's coach wheel. It was asserted in those statistics that the annual value of dairy products in this country was S100,000.000 greater than that of the entire wheat crop, and $l20,oO0,00o greater than that of the cotton crop; while the amount of capital interested in COWS was said to be greater by S40,000,000 than that invested in bank stocks.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

Dr. Barthelemy of Paris is of opin- ion that the symptoms of hydrophobia in man are manly due to the imagina- tion and the irritability of the patient. He himself had introduced his finger into the throat of mad dog and drew it out covered with frothy saliva; in drying it he observed that he had a slight excoriation on his finger. He lightly cauterized it, but. ten days after, he experienced a sense of con- striction about the throat. He felt alarmed; the difficulty of swallowing increased until he could not drink anything, and the sight of water caused spasms. The will, however, was strongly exercised, and at the end of three weeks the attack was mas tered. This is not an unsupported experience, there being at least one other notable cure by sheer will power Will-power, by the way, has also been successfully exerted to over come the effects of a yenomous reptiles bite
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

European sugar reiners have lately discovered in Central India a forest tree which seems likely to come into general use as a substitute for the cane and the beet. It is called the Maheva, and abounds in Southern Hindostan. Its blossoms yield an immense amount of juice, which is easily converted in- to sugar of an excellent quality.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

In paper on the rule of the road, from & scientific standpoint, Sir George Campbell, a member of the English parliament, maintains that the most natural and convenient method for all right-handed people is to turn to the left on meeting others in the road, as is done in Great Britain, instead of turning to the right, as we do in this country. He opposes the proposition to make a change in England.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

A village in Switzerland, more than i've thousand feet above the sea-level, and surrounded on all sides by snow clad mountains, with climate where the thermometer oftel stands at twenty degrees Fahrenheit in the day, and below zero at night, does not seem to be quite the right place for consumptiye patients to winter in.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
The Snow Storm.

Lightly and whitely
 As wheat from the grain, Thickly and qaickly
 As thoughts through the brain, So fast and so dumb Do the snow-nakes come; Swift, swift as the lays drop
 From glad poet-lips, Soft, soft as the days drop
 From Times finger-tips. Oh, so many, so many! Yet no sound from any. Oh, 80 fast, oh, so fastl Yet no track where they passed. Oh, so fragile, so frail. Yet no force can prevail To speed them or stay them. No prayer can out weigh them. They full where they must,
 Through the fathomless gray .,. And bring to earths dust
 What of heaven they may. -Grace D. Litchfsld, in St. Nicholas.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

According to the statement of a Madrid music journal, no professional pianist became victim of the cholera epidemic in Spain. One can easily un- derstand that some piano playing would scare off even the cholera.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

According to the latest official state ment published by the authorities of Russia, there are in that country not less than 14,00o square miles of oil producing land, but of this vast terri tory the field at Baku is the only one worked, and even this covers only the limited space of some three and one- half square miles. The output is enormous, and the fact is stated by one who witnessed the opening of well in that locality that a column of oil spurted to a height of 100 feet, carrying great stones with it. the flow continuing until large lake of petro- leum was formed. The product is re- fined on the spot, the residue being used as fuel for steamers and ratl- ways.
Connecticut western news., 1885-12-23

In the cotton mills of the United States in 1870, there were employed 134, 4,S60 people, men, women, and chil- dren combined. The amount paid in wages per head, on an average, was $288.10 for a years labor; or at tho rate of 92 cents per day for 3l3 days, the number of working days in the year. In 1880 there were employed in the cotton mills 172,544 people, and they received in wages for their years labor s243.65, or $44.45 less than in 1870, or about 80 cents per day. Now, if we allow for a 20 per cent of a reduction in wages since 1880. il would leave the average wages of each operative 64 cents per day; while the consumption of cotton between the two periods of 1870 and 1880 had increased 40 per cent per head.
Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-03-27
Gov. Hubbard Endorsed.

The members Of Workman Post No.
81, 6. A. r., after their Post meeting
Saturday, March q, had all informal
discussion relative to the late veto by
Gov. Hubbard Of tire 81 ,Qoo picnic bill,
and was unanimously agreed that the
Gov. did just what's right. and that no
reason exists why the old soldiers
should have holiday at the expense
Of the state. The old soldiers ask o.
the government a just. recognition OF
their claims, but they ask nn favors Of
any one. If the s. 600 were given it
would be A favor wholly. Such pro-
csedings are calculated to bring the
veterans into contempt, and to cause
aenple toregard them AZ eagerly grasp
ms everything within rsacts. and by
arousing hostiiity to them to some ex-
tent lessen their chances to obtain
shoir sishtfel demxnds Of the general
government. The members Of this
post, not acting u post, but individu'
ally, uaoas heartily indorse the action
Of tho governor, and regret that he
did not put his veto upon the broad
ground that il va. wrong in princisla.
Signed, H. II. FARNnAf,
For all members present.