davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
times day. A person may mail let
ter in Yokohama for Toxic, one hours
ride to the north, as late as dusk, and
yet receive an answer the same
evening"
Tackling n Devil Fish.

Some years ago some devil fish ap-
peared in harDor where several
schooners were lying, and the
sailors, who were Swedes and had nev-
er seen one of the fish before, saw
them playing around in the harbor,
and thought it would be good joke
to spear one. So they took light
skiff and pair of old whale harpoons
and ropes that belonged TO schooner
and started out, and were joined by
the other boats. In Il short time one
of the boats got alongside of sea-bat,
and rouser it was, too. When they
struck it you'd have thought the
whole bottom had been hit, and a Sec
ond later that boat was rushing up the
harbor at rate she had never went
before. 1t was blind lead, though,
and the fish had to turn, and the skff
was jerked around so quickly that she
half filled, and one man was tumbled
overheard.
Up the channel they went, some
yelling for the boat and others to cut
the line as it was evident that she
would fill in moment; but it happen
ed that the only man who had a knife
had been dropped overheard, and as
they couldn't get the line united, they
had to let it 60. They said afterward
they were about to jump overheard
and let everything 60, when the fish
changed its course and headed right
for one Of the schooners They had to
jump then, anyhow, and, as they went
overheard, the fish dived under the
vessel, and the skiff struck her side
with a crash, and was knocked all to
pieces. The end plank, as they found
out later, to which the line was made
fast, went off with the fish, The men
were picked up and two days later
the devil fish hoated ashore 1t meas
ured eighteen feet across, and was
estimated to weigh ton.-Ne,o York
Sun.
A lawyer who climbs up on chair
after a law-book gets little higher
in order that he may get a little lore.
Boy (who does not appreciate
sermons): "Well, I'd just like to know
what preaching's for, anyway ?" Small
sister: "Why, it's to give the singers
a raSt y
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

Says an English exchange: The in
stance given of the carrying out at
Geeston, in Rutland, of the supersti-
tion that bees will not remain after a
death in the house of their owner, es-
pecially of the owner himself, unless
an intimation be given to them of the
fact, might be multiplied indefinitely,
for it prevails over a considerable por-
tion of England. In the case men
toned, the widow knocked at the bee
hives one after the other, repeating
each time the formula, "lIe's gone, he's
gone" and as the bees hummed in re-
ply it was understood that they accept
ed the news and would stay. In Here
fordshire it is considered sufficient to
tie piece of Grape to a stick set in
front of the hives, and in other
counties those or similar precautions
are always observed by persons who
would not lose their bees. 1t is diff
cult to account for this widespread be-
lief, or to give any possible conjecture
as to its origin.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

Mrs Fizzletop, not being satisfied
with the progress made by her son at
the University of Texas, called on his
teacher.
Professor, how is my son Johnny
coming on in bis studes?' she asked,
anXiously.
81 have great hopes OF him, mad.
ame, great hopes"
II am So glad to hear that"
"les, madame, he is phencmenally
lazy. | don't think l ever saw a boy
who was so phenomenally lazy"
81 understood you to say that you
had great hopes of him."
80 have, for l think if he ever be-
gins to study he is too lazy ever to
stop."-SVtings.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
The Angry Dog.

An ill-natured Bulldog was one day
trotting down street when he saw
another Dog lying in yard on the
grass.
"Stop looking at me, you scoundrel!"
exclaimed the Bulldog.
There was no response from the
Dog in the yard.
"Ill teach you how to ignore the
presence of gentleman" cried the
Bulldog, and leaping over the fence,
proceeded to mastcate the Dog in
the yard, but broke out most of his
teeth before he discovered that it was
y marble Dog.
MoRAL:-A quiet man is not al
ways harmless and angelic in a per-
sonal uncomfortable.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
A Quarrel.

There's knowing little proverb.
From the sunny land of Spain;
But in Northland, as in Southland
Is its meaning clear and plain.
Lock it up within your heart;
Neither lose nor lend it
Two it takes to make quarrel;
One can always end it.
Try it well in every way,
Still you'll find it true.
In fight without Toe,
Pray what could YOU do?
If the wrath is yours alone,
Soon you will expend it
Two it takes TO make QUARREL;
One Can always end it.
Let's suppose that both are wroth,
And the strife begun.
If one voice shall cry for "Peace,"
Soon it will be done;
fbut one shall span the breach
He will quickly mend it.
Two it takes TO make quarrel;
One Can always end it,
--hiary E. Vaa Dyke in Young People
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30


Commodore Garrison was once cap
tain of steamboat on the Mississippi,
and while selling tickets one day, hap
pened to rouse the ire of a passionate
old man, who drew his pistol and, pre-
senting it at the narrow window, full
in the captains face, fired. The cap
snapped. lie tried second time, and
again failed. Garrison's own pistol
lay within reach. but, inste ad of TAX
ing it up, he quietly openel II d ,er,
took out box of percussion caps, and
handing it to his would-be murderer,
said:
Take new cap; yours don't work
we'll"
The furious man stared at him
moment. then burst into laugh and
held out his hand.
Another kind of courage is exempli-
fled in a story told of II young New
York inventor who about twenty
years ago, spent every dollar he was
worth in an experiment which, il sue
ceSsful, would introduce his invention
to public notice and insure his fortune
and-what he valued more-.his useful.
ness.
1t failed The next morning the
daily papers heaped unsparing ridicule
upon him. Hope for the future seemed
vain. He looked around the shabby
room, where his wife, delicate little
woman was preparing breakfast. He
was without a penny. He seemed like
a fool in his own eyes; all these years
of hard work were wasted. If he
were out of the way, she could return
to her friends. He went into his
chamber, sat down and buried his face
in his hands, with desperate resolve
to end it all. Then, with fiery heat
flashing through his body, he stood
erect.
at shall succeed" he said, shutting
his teeth
His wife was crying over the papers
when he went back.
"They are very cruel" she said.
"They don't understand. I'll make
them understand" he replied cheer
fully.
at was fight for six years." he
said afterward. Poverty and sick
ness and contempt followed me. I
had nothing left but the dogged deter
mination that it should succeed"
1t did succeed. The invention was
great and useful ono. The inventor
is now a prosperous and happy man.
"Bc surc you're right" he says to
younger men, then never give up"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
XIY.-NO3 WOODSTOCK, VT, NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 1885,
pebbles But breakfast would not
be ready until ten o'clock; had plen,

be ready until ten o'clock; had plen.
ty of ime.
by eight o'clock the bottom of tRe
basin had no mysteries for me- There
was not single cabot-lish that l had
not disturbed beneath his rock--not a
single camaron that had not COM
PEELED to crawl backward into his hole.
But the locket was not there-accord-
ingly it must be further down. / left
the basin and followed the course of
the stream-interrogatmg all the
roots, exploring all the boulders, ques-
tioning every tuft of grass. l was
about to pass on, when | saw little
serpent, like a thin silk string caught
upon the root of n wild strawberry
plant, wriggling in the current. |
seized tit was the locket
She would not come down to break
fast; but NJ. Rabut told me she would
certainly come down to dinner. She
was still a little weak, but that was
all.
Man is q selfish creature; the medal.
lion remained in my pocket.
While they were laying the table
that evening, l stole softly into the
dining-room. When her father had
led her to her seat, and she unfolded
her napkin, she found little box in it..
"What is this? Another of your
attempts to spoil me, papa?"
But the astonshed look Of NJ. Rabut
must have convinced her more than
his denial.
She opened the little box.
MY locket my locket p she cried,
putting it to her lips and kissing it
over and over again. watched every
kiss-I looked at her out of the cor
ner of my eye, Finally, her eyes met
my own--she understood. But the
little mysterious beauty did not even
say "Thank you"
And the long and short of 1t is, dear
sir that | never gave Helene, who be,
came my wife, single lesson,
All, yes, parJleu! l taught heI
| how to swim,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
The Cradle of the WaShburns.

One Of the relics in the Norlands IL
brary at which | looked with unusual
interest, writes the Lewiston (Me. J
Journal "Rambler," was the Wash,
burn cradle-the cradle in which all
of the seven WaShburn brothers were
rocked. 1t looks like a picture | had
seen of a cradle imported in the May
flower. 1t is home made piece of
furniture, constructed of pine boards
an inch thick, rudely dOvc-tailed to-
gether. 1t has buggy top and solid
pine rockers, shaped like half moons,
with no twist or scrolls to decorate
them, but numerous scars where chips
apparently had been knocked out Of
them by the paternal cowhide boot.
A crack had necessitated the mailing
of a large cleat on the inside. The
outside is painted dark green tint.
The inside never was painted, but it is
well Drowned by age. Its associations
make this one of the most remarkable
cradles in existence. Four Congress-
men rocked in it, Two ministers
plenipotentiary to foreign countries
have been lulled to sleep within its
pine boards. Its soporitic influence
has been grateful to two governors.
1t has held a secretary of state, whom
l saw looking at it with a smile, the
other day BY the side of the cradle,
and equally venerated by the family,
is very old spinning wheel, once op-
Grated in the chimney corner of the
Washburn homestead, by Martha Ben
jamin Washburn, the mother of the
renowned seven sons.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
CHILDREN'S COLUMN.
The Palm Tree.

The Palm Tree.
The palm tree grows very erect,
sometimes eighty feet in the air. The
natives celebrate its $50 uses Did
you ever know such a useful tree?
And what is very remarkable, it grows
As well in the hot and sandy desert as
1t does by the cool springs of Elm.
The weary caravan crossing the desert
rejoices when they see before them
grove of palms, and they lie down be-
meath their shade with delight, and
drink of the spring that generally
gushes from its roots. You know it
bears delicious fruit-dates, and the
2amels feed upon the date stones. 1t
gives us the nice fans, which we con-
sidcr great luxury in warm weather.
There are 1000 species of this tree.
In cold weather it gives US fire. We
use it to make hats and slippers; it
gives tools and aprons to the work.
man, chairs and beds for the weary.
1t gives US shutters and blinds, and
lamps and oil. 1t makes us books and
paper, bows and arrows, lines and
nets, sails and cordage, food and medi-
cines. 1t makes the palanquin in which
the eastern traveller is carricd-his
goods are packed in bags and baskets
of palm, his dinner is cooked and
served in vessels of palm, and his very
roof is rooted, curtaned, and carpeted
with it, Give tho Arab and his camel
the palm and the spring, and they
wish no more. The palm grows from
within, outward. This is The reverse
of other trees. The travellers call the
tree and its fountain the choicest gift
Of God.-PansN
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
Professional Consultations,

Family Physician-"Well, l con-
gratulate YOU"
Patient (excitedly) 81 will re-
cover"
Family Physician - "Not exactly,
but-well, after consultation we find
that your disease is entirely novel, and
if the autopsy should demonstrate that
fact we have decided to name 1t after
you" u."-Philadelphia Call
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
Front Porch Neighbors.

"Hello, Mary johnson, how many
stops has J our sisters organ gotp"
Seven, guess"
"Will you please run in and ask her
to use all of emp"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

A new case Of fraud in preserved
food has been disclosed by French
paper. A sample of preserved toma-
toes when examined differed from a
normal specimen by containing much
less dry extract, potassium bitartrate,
and total phosphoric acid. The Infer
cnce is that the sample in question
contained but little tomato and was
chiefly composed of carrots and pump
kns, the whole being colored with
some aniline dye.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

A well-known physician in British
India wants to make criminals who
have been sentenced to death useful as
subjects of experiment for the purpose
of ascertaining how to treat cholera
successfully. lie would take any pris-
Oner under sentence of death who
gave his consent, experiment upon
him, and if the experiment itself did
not result fatally, spare the prisoners
life. AS the number of capital con-
victions in British India is between
800 and 400 year, there would prob
ably he plenty of candidates for the
chance OF escape thus afforded.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

No less than 1000 humming-birds
were put to death that their fine
feathers might beautify the gorgeous
ballroom gown of London belle. In
the same great vanity fair 500 canary
birds shed their blood the other day
that another woman might outshine
the other fair and fine sinners of her
set. So runs the world away.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

1t is Allegheny in Pennsylvania, AL
leghany in Virginia, and Allegany in
New York, Recently the Postofiice
Department, being in doubt as to how
the name should be spelled in Mary
land, applied to the Historical Society
Of that state, which recommended AL
legany, because that spelling accorded
with the statute creating Allegany
County, Maryland.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

Recent statistics show that in 1884
the number of boiler explosions in the
United States was 1872 being less than
in the previous year. There were 254
persons killed and POI injured in them,
however, and the number is much
larger than it should be. Fifty-six of
the explosions took place in sawmills,
where the so-cal,ed engineer finds a too
facile fuel in shavings. Men chosen
for such positions should have the
gumption to perceive that such firing
generates steam too rapidly for safety
These people can reduce the general
death rate if they wish, and can espe-
cially reduce the present high per-
centage of mortality among sawmill
engineers.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

Florida is the land of fruit as well
as flowers. A paper of that State
says: Commencing with January, we
have strawberries then and until late
in June. Japan plums from Febru-
ary. Mulberrles are ripe in April and
last until August. Pineapples ripen
in June and last nearly all the year.
We have guavas from June until late
the next spring. OF the various ber-
ries - dewberries, blackberries, and
huckleberries - almost any quantity.
Peaches from May l until July. Mel
ons from June until late in the fall
Oranges-the best of the kind-from
October until the next June, with
lemons and lines, persimmons, pome-
granates, grape fruit, grapes, and
shaddocks.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

A correspondent to the Philadel-
phla Press says: "The postal service
of Japan is always pointed at as a
model in its way--one of the foremost
departments of the Europeanized gov
eminent. And, indeed, it must in all
fairness be acknowledged that much
credit belongs to Japan for swiftness
in the dispatch of mails, while fettered
with lack of railroads. In the first
place every train carries mail, and in
Japan, be it known, the imperial rail
roads run through passenger trains
every two hours, and on the Yokohama
railroad nearly every hour. Thus,
while in America three mails each
way, daily, would be esteemed the
climax of facilities, the minimum be-
tween the various cities here is about
ten each way. daily. This applies
merely to the railroads, of course.
The delivery of mails is also very
prompt, and takes place good many
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30

Carlsbad, the great German resort
for invalids, was very full the past
season, and there were many Ameri-
can visitors. The population proper
numbers $1,000. Till the year 1852
visitors were welcomed with a flourish
of trumpets from the top of the tower
of the Town Hall; now they receive a
demand on arrival to pay tax of Is
florins for the privilege of drinking
the waters and listening to the bands
which play in the morning. The prin.
cipal industry of Carlsbad is that of
housing, feeding, and curing invalids.
Though the place is small, as many rs
10000 strangers can be accommodated
at time. During the season, which
begins on the 1st of May and closes on
the lst of October, nearly 10000 per-
sons spend not less than three weeks
in Carlsbad. There is great industry
there in needles and pins, which are
hand made. When Goethe was here
in 1903 he sent pound of pins as u
present to his Frau Won Stein.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-11-05
VOL. 28---NO. 45:
TIE OYER.OHEoK Rim.


The ninth annual meeting OF the
American Humane ASSOCIATION will b
held at st. LOUIS, beginning Wednss-
day, November 18th, 1885.
Among other topics for discussion will
be 1.-THE Over-Check Rein," its injury to
the horses beauty, the tor
ture that it infiicts. and the
diseases that follow its use.
We never see fine horse checked up
close, without feeling that our ideas Of
beauty in horseflesh are very DIFF.
ferent from those of our ancestors. The
mind naturally runs to freedom
and as we do better in mere
speed with q freedom approaching
license, SO with our horses. We be-
lievs in giving them rein, even II We
check ourselves. What can be more
grand than q picture Of the old Roman
ampltheatre with the horses running
free? What beauty! See the difference
between horse as pictured there and
one upon our streets or track to-day.
We talk about utility in everything.
but where is the utility in lifting
horse off his fore feet by line passed
under his tail, and as though that were
not enough, the tail is tortured and
prlcked and strained to bring it in turn
as near the bit as possible. There
is no beauty in a horse
under such circumstances, and no
utility. Let US give our horses freedom,
and stop torturing them.
We are glad the attention OF humani-
tsrlans is being drawn to this subject.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-11-05
4 Notable ADDRESS.


The address of Judge Barrett, of New
York, IN sentencing Ward the embezzleI
to ten years of hard labor In the peniten.
tiary, Is well worthy OF preservation, and
We reproduce it and emphasize its utter
ances:
"Ward, you have been convicted By
an intelligent and conscientious jury Of
the crime of which you have beer
charged" began the judge, directing hii
gaze opon the prisoner who stood before
him. "Tou have certainly had fair
impartial trial. The jurors we're mos
carefully selected and came to the trial o.
your case with apparently unprejudiceC
minds. The court guarded all you
rights and privileges from infringement
to the best of his ability. You were con-
yicted because you had no defense. YoJ
offered no defense 20 facts. 1t il
only q matter for coDjec-
ture why so intelligent a jury
should have taken so long a time to de
eide your case. II your case had beer
that Of q person wholly unknown thu
jury needed not TO have left their seats
On the contrary, your case has had tbs
benefit OF more than careful considera
ton. You have been most ably defend
ed by your counsel. You were no
convicted on popular clamor. TbC
jury probably delayed its judgment be-
cause they were afraid in some way
they might be accused of being infiu
enced by. popular clsmor which tended
20 make that conviction doubtful.
haYe nothing to say 70 you il
the way of q homlly, because
think It would be wholly useless. You
have shown yourself to be wholly indif
EeFent throughout this trial to charges
which have been brought against you
you seem to experience no remorst
whatever over the ruin and sorrow which
yeu have brought 70 hundreds of people
in this country; you have done more e
unsestle public trust in moneyed instI
tutiOas than any other man in this gen
erstion snd YET through this trial yoU
have shown yourself wholly unrepentani
for the crimes you have committed
This being the fact must simply con
| tent myself with pronouncIng the sen
tence Of the court which is that VOL
shall be confined in states prison q
hard labor for period OF ten wears.
The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-11-05

The last contribution Of General Grant
to the Century, and which appears in
the November number OF that magazine,
has special interest, now that he IL
numbered among the dead heroes. In
portion of his comments on the civil
war, and which is accompanied by
maps and diagrams, in the Century,
General Grant says: There was no
time during the rebellion when I did
not think, and often say, that the south
was more 70 be benefited by defeat than
the north. The latter had the people.
the institutions and the territory 20
make great and prosperous nation.
The former was buTdened with an instl-
tuition abhorrent to all civilized peoples
not brought up under IL, and one which
degraded labor, kept Il in Ignorance.
and enervated the governing class.
With the outside world ct war with this
institution, they could not have extended
their territory. The labor of the cour.
Try was not skilled nor allowed to be-
come 20. The whites could MT toll
without becoming degraded, and those
who did were delominased poor white
trash" The system of labor would
have soon exhausted the soil and left the
people poor. The non-slaveboldsrz
would have left the country, and The
small stakeholder must haye sold out q
his more fortunate neighbors. Soon The
slaves would have outnumbered TIA
masters. and not being In sympathy
with them, would have risen In theil
might and exteImInsted theEn. Til
war was expensive 10 the south a. vel
as TO the north, both in blood AMI
treasure; but il was worth all II cost. -