davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07
Origin OF the Fork.

Forks made their appearance about
the tenth century We find mention
that a certain Father Galveston a favor
tied of Edward H., had sixty nine silver
spoons and three FORKS. But, it is
added, that these three forks were in,
tended solely for the eating of pears.
Queen Clemence, Of llungarr, in 1928
was the possessor Of thirteen spoons and
one fork, and Queen Anne, of Bourbon,
had one of gold which was Inherited hs
Charles v, king of France This king
himself owned seven or eight, according
TO an inventory made in 1880 The one
left him by viii he subsequently had or
namented with precious stones.
The silverware OF Chancellor Duprat,
which an expert declared TO hc worth
933, S48-a considerable amount in those
DAYS 1890 included only one fork,
while it contained two dozen spoons.
The inventory of the possessions of the
Prince of Conde tl5SSl records but one
fork. 1t is described as silver coated
with god, and was reserved exclusively
for the use of til + prince
The first inventory in which number
Of forks are mentioned is that of fabri-
ellie Estrees l59sl. 1t inctIdes TWEEN
tv, of which eight were made Of silver
The others being of iron with coral
handles. But these forks were used only
for toasting bread and Gabrielle, like
the Prince OF Conde, sovcrelgns and the
common people, al ate with their fingers.
1t is strange fact that the introduce
ton Of forks Tor table service. al first
provoked scandal. 4 curious pamphlet
of
speaks Indignantly in the fol owing
strain: 'In the first place" says tie
anonymous letter, they never touch
meat with their fingers, but use forks,
which they raise up to the mouth while
stretching out the neck. They eat their
81 al with forks. for it is forbidden tc
touch meat with the fingers, no matter
how dilhcu t it may he and theF7frefer
touching their liz, W III this little in-tru-
ment than with their fingers
Before the introduction Of the fork,
there existed a sort Of code ot fine man
Ders for the use Of persons Of culture.
Among other things il Is ordained that
when something il offered at table it
is proper 10 take it with three fingers,
and also it is considered breach OF line
manners TO touch ones nose with the
hand in which the meat is held -
At the present time. N certain coun
tries. the fingers constitute the only
forks in use The Turks and Arabs still
adhere to this primitive custom in China
two little sticks are employed, where
with the favorstc rise r e4ten. But, IN
genera the FORK in one shape or another
i aow used. and il il often not the lack
o. this instrument, but th- tempting
Wand TO plunge it Into. which IS de
s.dera.z4.4-
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07
"The Old Oaken siuckat.r

According to the Hartford Coarunt,
the familiar poem, The Old Oaken
Bucket, was written BY Samuel Wood
worth in 1919, just after he had drank
water from bucket at we'll IN Crom-
we'll, Conn, which was on the premises
of the late Captain James Riley. The
poet was then teaching a district school
on Prospect Hill, in that town.-Ec,
change.
Such is not our understanding of the
origin OF the poem spoken Of. When
lad, living in New York. we knew
Woodwork well, and he vas the first
person we ever saw '.at the case. setting
type. lie was man Of fine intellectual
attainments, ready writer poetry lie nc
his forte. But, like many another bril-
liant intellect, he was cursed with an
irrepresslbe thirst for liquor. We have
always understood the history of his
writing 1.-The old Oaken Buckle to be
this, and our impression is formed from
early recollections and information
Woodwork at the time worked n
printing office twheIe we knew him in
the 30 cry. near Pump, now Canal
street. \ friend and nclgabor from his
old home III the East had called on him,
and together they repaired 10 a neigh
boring tavern, where they imbibed pretty
freely. Taking an unemptied glass in
his hand. " oodworth extollcd the ex-
cellence of the liquor saying it was the
best drink OF which he had ever par
taken.
NO, Sam" said his companion, Il
think | can call your attention to drink
that far surpassed this. l. was the pure,
refreshing crysta water that YOU and
used to drink from the old oaken bucket
that hung in your fathers we'll
The reference to his oil Massachusetts,
home and its surroundings. recalling the
days of his freedom from drink. com
pleteIv broke him down. = He at once
left the place, ana returning to the
printing Office, seated himself 1T table
from which he dii not rise till the poem
that has become 50 celebrated was com
pleted. .--Aorrood bo,cHe, IN Uelanure L1-
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07
Queer, II True.

In the vicinity Of Towards. Penn,
reside nondescript people who popn-
late the broad side. Of Pool hill and are
known Is the Pool tribe 4 New York
Sun CORES pondenc ~ko net one Of these
people SAYS
Af'er the o.d man hal again irrigated,
asked WIN il wa- the bite Of rattle
snake never hurt Pool,
he looked up with a cunning leer and
said; That's watu su,ain' TO know.
mistah"
We'll. " said I. you can have the re-
mander Of this ire Jllce if you ~!il tell
me
II. rolled gp the sleeve Of bis ragged
Old hickory shirt ue.5 II % the shoulder
Right Delo. he blce1= xas 1eep cor
rugated scar IS large A. : silver La. dol!
lAr.
''Io' see ~" be asked, AMI THEN con
.inae1 when ! .as ycah.ius ny
fzdder killed rattIer an Tx OFT one D
de pizon teet He cat hole II my arm
dere, and pat some o de pkoa u i: Il.
wah posfal So. a. didn't -, sci fob
mos yeah. les as long ss 20 can see
that scar wont I'll pizoned We 10 ks
alias does dat lasns IL .om de n jans :"
The idea hs. struck me taat The Old
man was lying. ou, don't KNOW.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07
TIE HOME DOCTOR.

FREcKLE LOTION S-Sulpho- carbonate
ounces, rose water, twelve ounces: aico
hol. three ounces; spirit o. neteli. one
bali drachm. Nix them. To be =
plied twice day, leaving on from half
an hour to one hour. then wash OF an
protec, the face with vail on exposure
to strong light.
To TAKE CIsDERs FROM THE FYE.-
In most cases q simple and effective cure
may be found IN one or two grains Of
daxseed, which can be placed in the eve
without pain or injury. As they dissolve
glutinous substance is formed, which
envelops any foreign BODY that NAV be
under the lid. and the whole is easily
washed out A dozen of these seeds
should constitute part of every trav-
eler's outfit
PRODUCTION OF NEv-BIoop. An en-.
tire change of diet frequently does more
toward the production Of new blood for
an impoverished circulation than all the
blood and bilious mixtures we can take
And when We have good blood and
healthy circulation clean nutriment taken
IN small doses. and not in three over
loaded stomach portions as IS customary,
We should have good compilations with
out other aids. We should eat that
which nature Graves, and change as often
as the appetite for the food before you
pals.
RESTORING AND PRESERVING THE
SIGHT. For near sightedness, close the
eyes and press the fingers gently from
the nose outward across the eyes. This
iattens the pupils. and thus lengthens or
extends the vision. This should be done
several times day, until the short sight
edness be removed For loss of sight bv
age, or for those who require magnifying
glasses, pass the fingers and towel from
the outer corner Of the ewes inv ardly,
above and below the eveball, pressing
gently against them This round. them
up, and preserves and restores the sight
This IS nothing new. as It's said that the
Hon. John Quincy Adams preserved his
sight in this way through the latter part
Of his life. Lawyer Ford also restored
his eyes in this way, and was enabled to
lay aside his glasses, and has since pre-
served his sight by continuing this prac-
tice
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07
PUNGENT PAR AGRAPHS

A coat of paint has no buttons on it.
Nothing tries the soul of a.man more
than shoe peg.
A convict. however poor, can always
have watch and chain.
The skv, unlike man is most cheerful
when the hluest. - Worcester Ga,tttc.
If the cattle kings should wish to wire
the President they might utilize theiy old
fences. B,ston Post.
'No, Viola, we hardly think it posi-
bic that the reason they call them giddy
gitls Ia because they are so apt to make
the Young mems heads swim. - Sonnr
rWe ,jouraa5
A great deal has been written about
learning to s~y no. If YOU would teach
a man to say no. just ask him IF he
would like 10 paw that little bill to-day"
Stockton NhtricA.
Mary Ellen Chase saws there will be
three women to one man III heaven. his
is IN direct conflict with the popular be
lief that heaven il a place OF rest and
peace st. Pau Herald.
LOVELY WOMAN
Her voices tnusi.. has been sung
Ev poets not few,
But If there, music in her ton sue
There's often dIscord, too
Some scientific person has discovered
that yptococcuszanthogenla
causes yellow fever. it will also pro
ducc lock aw if you try 10 proanoante
the word with undue haste. st. Paul
Heratf
Walt Whitman is said to be the chief
curiosity in the city of Camden. No
wonder The man VINO can rhyme
Jurisprudence with s mbolical
would be curiosity anyw where. .-Loneu
citizen.
THE AD"
The al when fir-t ooaei At is not seen a. all.
And again the fl ,ar i uun}tIred Will fall,
The third time IT assumes familiar face,
And tAa fourth time Is seen in It's own proper
The fifth :l.ne its looked at, the locker half
real7 1t,
The sixth time he avs. "Pshawi why, no
bad ss"eiS it
At the eIghtu he hiur.s out, There's that
blamed thing again
The ninth time 10 W 3uders il there's any
thing IL it
The tenth time he reads II in less than
minute
At the eleventh be says he will Ask cross tho
II he sees it a twelfth, 'fhow guch stuff can
pay
Thirteen times makes him think it may he a
god thing
Whlea fourteenth pafnsai the longing doth
Fifteen times ho has read and no thinks he
vil try IL.
His wife, the sixteenth. eutreats him TO
buy II
The seventeenth day Is tho theme Of the
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07
EVENING SOLACE.


Tie human heart has hidden treasureA
In secrr< kept, in silence scaled
The thou-t:s. tue hopes, tho dreams. ths
Pleasures,
Whose charms were broken ifrevealed
AMI DAYS may pass IN gay confusion,
AM nas.ts I'll rosy riot fy.
hlle. lost IN fame's or weaIth's illusion.
The memory OF the past may die.
But there are hours Of lonely musinE,
Such As IN even NJ silence come,
When, soft as birds their rnions cloaing,
The hear. best feelings gather hona
Then In our souls there seems TO languish
A tender grief that .s not woe.
And thoughts tns, once wrung kraan Of
anguish
Now cause but some mild tears 70 fcw.
And feelings, once as strong As passions,
Float softly hack-a faded drea:u,
Our own sharp sriefs ana wild sensa tons
The tale Of others suffering seem
Oh. when the heart is freshly bleeding,
How longs il for that time to be-
When, through the mist of years receding,
Its woes hus live in reveryl
And II can dwell on moonlight glimmer.
On evening shade and loneliness,
And, while the sky grows dim and DINNER.
Feel no untold and strange distress
Only deeper impulse given
By lonely hour ami darkened room.
To some solemn thoughts that to
heaven.
Seeking life and a world 10 come.
-Chdrfott~ Rronte.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07

- <', NJ STA'' III IL. hoho".
'ne o'4cf o. wv" 81 i"aTt COW
,dn0"ef' thaf drIi'e'ed TINS oracufar
'' "'' III i''lf5'-t IIlt bc was once
r'0'""'2 N'I. ''.h 0. M. ',nnes, olt
''''S must nave .'eEh III "a|S "h]ch were
P''','>."'ic "a "a "s Hi> ieI@ows IN the
''''' "'', : were cen cihcd- 10 them
nc tS. and hat AWAY bteH, "Broncho
am anu o." bIl hense 7, mp on t'.e
'''iH'. "li"Se age was btt Quo mortal
i''A " nv a. VI 7fd'" "a man when
"''''''" WIN ''"AE2h ana traded viii
" ' I"'h' va 'h rc"otn a. saying That
~ al'o"e" 'AAt "h@n lhet thar Young
''''@ from tIie states ne hein no
I ' ''"i"e 'hah hi'Hcho sam. That
<|, "a H.
ihe' 'Hd FoHh"stef. was relative.
4 "a NY h'' l'2' i've, characterzatlon,
'''h was veteran. ana lie
'''N',' - a. ne SAL on rudF7Dench, out
''N' me l'i''eT IPG c+pin, and facing tie
q" eastern eye MS surround
- We 'he aoolhanaf' 'on ot dcsolatlon
ne c"plh $1,000 IN narrow valley, near
cue oe", amoot arg, oil what might be
S'I'aHl. 10 INC gray banks lnclosing it
ie" stHntcd and distorted cedars were
:'e''f'"'iSly cHn%ln.f, and at distance
n.y. "tic some tatcies OF sage brush
~ ''h"lse' lhdcld, "ereehe who should
'"'N AZ 'hcse 'llh@s to the exclusion Of
"iSt"ht ones, a. he who should crriousIy
lh'it'1 mes l"IId stT"etso OF Naples when
oE H'Uh} ms eyes he could see across the
-'e'" '"'' J"i bay TO hH grand Silhouette of
<eSuVlu5, with Sorrento and Capri in The
instance. Here, %ho'e the barren out
ihe7 OF 81 IL ranops, above 1he srarsely
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07

jump from his horse ust before they
gained the land. Now. to his amaze
nent, this man lifted Edith from 90
manche and folded her IN his arms
Shorty he raised his head
You needn't look 50 sort o surpr sed.
young Teller said he; You bet its all
righ- haven't got card case about
me. III nv names Simpson and and ="
Els n4nner cha-ged IN second God
bless you, for as > p','ckv and clever a
thing as ever saw il all my life He
vii bless You, too for you've saved the
life Of my little girl. that's the apple Of
nv. tye. still clasping his daughter
tightly with his left arm. he wrung'
Jacks hand and the tears stood in his
ewes.
.Tuit then. with MANY a crack and
groaL aud almost. one would saw. crv
Of diaress. Simpsons Ranch house was
torn fcm its fraiI foundations and swept
down .s4e valley
'.Never mind let her 60" cried he.
''l'll buy q dozen blamed old shanties
like that for you to morrow, if you want
EN-"
Next dav all the neighborhood knew
that Simpson had come back. and why
he went away: how the partner who had
defraudedan nearly ruined him wears be
fore had written him from his sick bed
n his refuge in Manitoba. how he had
made restitution; how Simpson had been
for months beyond the region of mails
and telegraphs how he had come home
Il Il : h., l. j
Il didn't know you were ahead OF
me-, /" he told him. ''Of course it was
my horse you heard but knew short
cut to the mesa, and turned off bv it;
but YOU were too quick for me oh, yes,
| know, it's all right. | wouldn't cross
the little girl. anyway. If she's willing,
] am; and if she's going to leave her old
father, I'm mighty glad she's going tc
have man to take care of her that's got
sand. ."-A. A. Hayes IN B4av
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07

Anv truth. faithfully faced i strength
N Itself.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-11-07

New Hampshire has he longest lived
people. On q -sefa--e.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-01-03
Origin Of q Petticoat.

1t was at about the same date 1855
56) that our gracious queen set the
fashion of wearing scarlet under-pet-
ticoat, an idea obtained from the milk
maids at Balmoral. 1t is said that the
late Prince Consort, in admiring the
effect of the red petticoat in the land
scape, suggested that her majesty
should adopt one also. This sealed the
fate of / white petticoats in England.
They had-bssa--Roru previously to
that both in summer and winter, aud,
OF course, in order to- make sufficient
warmth, several had TO be put on, thus
adding to the weight to be carried at
the waist. Since the introduction OF
the scarlet skirt the fashion of the col
ored petticoat has been maintained. snd
the useful skirt lined with leather has
also been introduced for walking in the
country in muddy weather. -leiswrs
Hear,
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-01-03
Composing Leaves.

To compost leaves use freshly slaked
lime, one, bushel to every fifteen or
twenty of the leaves and dark loan w.
ing beneath them One bushel of lime
is recommended for ten of swamp
muck. Twenty bushels of the leaves
and muck are to be first spread three
inches deep, then bushel of lime warm
from the shaking sprinkled over this
layer. Then this process is to be re-
peated till the heap is several feet high.
The heap may remain through the
summer and be mixed by cutting down
and shoveling over II bushel of salt
Ito six bushels of lime) be dissolved in
water, and the brine used to slake the
lime. the action will be more rapid, aud
a few weeks be long enough to set up a
decomposition, when the heap may be
overhauled, and will be ready to use in
q few weeks more. Instead of salt.
muriate of potash will answer, and will
supply indispensable potash to the
crops. 1t is on account of the forma-
ton of soda and carbonate of soda from
the lime and salt mixture that this mix
ture exerts more powerful decompo-
sing action than lime alone. When salt
is cheap and wood ashes scarce, the
mixture may be applied to advantage
Farm. Field and F9reside.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-01-03
Speakers and Crowds.

A huge crowd Is always agitated by
some restlessness or emotion; it sways
TO and fro; it changes its pose; it is i'm
patient and inexperienced and the
condition precedent of the speaker
success is condition almost impossi-
BILE of ful6lment. 1t is in the power of
one man to destroy that breathless
hush in which alone the orator can
be heard and we know that malevo-
lent OF INSCRIPTIONS partisans are not
unwilling to provide that one man.
Then suppose the speaker is heard.
Undisciplined and ill-informed crowds
are ignorant of the art of good lis
tener. A stroke of keen wit misses
their appreciation literary allusion
is wasted on them ; they care nothing
for the .'lofty and balanced Style of
Pitt, the infections of the voice, the
niceties of gesture. are for the most
part inaudible and invisible. But the
case is far worse than this. The crowd
will not even allow the speaker to fin
ish q sentence. AS his words flow on
he comes upon the name of the person
or the institution against which the
mob is demonstrating Instantly
some fugleman brays or groans some
zealot cries, down with. him. OF
''Turn him OUT" OF goes the crowd
into cheer, hiss, or guffaw, and
the speaker must leave the reporters to
finish his manned sentence and begin q
fresh one.-St. James Gazette.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-01-03
A Suicidal Epidemic.

What does 1t mean? Is there any
special cause to be assigned for the in
creased and increasing number of sui
cides? Doubtless some persons deny
the increase, asserting it always has
been so, but more publicity is given to
the cases now than ever before. We
are not speaking with such skeptics.
We wish they were right We know
they are wrong.
Greater publicity is indeed given to
the cases now than formerly and this
tends to increase the number. News
papers with reports of suicides are very
wisely excluded from judiciously man.
aged asylums for the insane, because
the suggestion tends to create a passion
to go and do likewise. There is q sense
in which every suicide is out of his
right mind, and when reason is par
tally dethroned and strong emotion
dominates the mind, the fact that one
has found way out of the world un-
doubtedly encourages another to fol-
low. 1t is not wholesome to society to
publish the details of suicides. If the
fact must be mentioned as part of the
history of the times we live in, let Il be
with the least possible coloring and
with strong condemnation. 1t is great
sin, great crime and cowardiy act
if the victim be sane when. the deed Is
done.
Where the suicide is intelligent and
moral, the act is almost always the re-
suit of pecuniary or domestic troubles.
Except those instances in which intern
perance was the impelling demon, the
cause of suicidal despair may be largely
found in these two quarters. And he
must read the journals of The day very
carelessly who does not. see that the
habits of business and the features Of
domestic life are loose to adegree hithi
erto unattained. We are passing
through troubled waters in social and
business concerns. The foundations
are shaken. We have sown to the wind,
we are now reaping the whirlwind.
The moral epidemic is fierce and spread
ing, and we have not seen the worst
yet. There is vast amount of wrong
doing unrevealed. Much of it may not
be. But we shall hear from time to
time that mems hearts fail them be-
cause OF fear, and rather than bear the
ills that are, they fly into the dark, per-
chance to hide themselves from an i'm
pending calamity.
A sound mind in sound body is q
great good, and he who has it with a
clear conscience will wait Gods time
to leave this beautiful world.-N. Y.
Observer.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-01-03
FARM AND PRESIDE.

Grape Pickles: Fill a ier with al
ternate layers of grapes and iiugar, and
cover with cold vinegar. House
hold.
-Graham flour is sometimes used
with good effect to thicken the juice of
stewed tomatoes instead of using bread
or cracker crumbs.
When frying cakes. instead of lay
ing the hot cakes on a plate, lay them
on a colander; set that on plate, so
that any fat which drips from them
will drop through the holes in the col
ander, and not be soaked up into the
cakes to render them unfit for USE
Boston Globe.
Give the pasture fields and mead
Ows u fair chance, treat them to an oc-
casional top-dressing, spare them from
overtaxing, and they will pay, as they
go. better dividends in beef, mutton
and pork, with less expense and greater
regularity, than will any of the grain
or fruit crops, and will leave the soil
richer year by year.-TrOy Times.
The Germantown Telegraph says:
''Fresh. clean lard rubbed on any kind
of warts on horses or cattle will re-
move them on three or four applica-
tons. l have removed such warts
time after time, and have never been
able to find the wart for the fourth APP
plication.
Tomato Soup: To one pint Of
canned tomatoes or four large raw ones
cut up fine, add one quart of boiling
water and let them boil till done; then
add nearly teaspoonful of soda; when
it foams up add one pint of sweet milk,
pepper and butter or one cup of sweet
cream instead of butter, few crack
ers rolled fine, and serve.-Boston
Budget.
Natural vegetable acids do not
harm milk, but the artificial acid of
fermenting food introduces an element
into the consumption that is not posi-
bic for nature to nentralize, and hence
affects the milk. The amount of fer
ment may be small and do little injury,
but if carried beyond certain point
will have deleterious effect, which ex-
pertinent time and again has demon.
strated. Albany Journal.
"A row of fine trees along the road
side forms an attraction to any farm,
says the Tribune and Farmer, but it is
not always desirable in every view. If
the trees are close to the side of the
field their roots will often exhaust the
soil for rod or more inside the fence.
and this, to farmers who pride them
selves on having crops even over the
whole field, makes the trees almost as
much of nuisance as they would be if
not beautiful. 1t is the water that these
take up that makes the crops poor un-
der them, so that even heavy manuring
does not entirely remove the difficulty.