davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
Catching Pigeons.

The ground being cleared. the chiefs
stationed themselves at distances all
round large circular space, each con.
cealed under low shed or covering OF
brushwood, having by his side net at
tached to a long bamboo, and in his
hand a stick with tame pigeon on
crook at the end of it, This pigeon
was trained to fly round aud round as
directed by its owner. with string .,
its foot SO feet long, attached TO the end
of his stick. Every man flew his pig.
con, and then the whole circle looked
like place where pigeons were flock
ing round food or water. The scene
soor attracted some wild pigeon. and
as it approached the spot, whoever was
next to it raised his net and tried &c
entangie it. He who got the greatest
number Of pigeons was the hero OF the
day and honored by his friends with
various kinds of food, with which ht
treated his less successful competitors
Some of the pigeons were baked. other'
were distributed about and tanned fol
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06

tering brass handles Of the drawers came of
IN their hands. Screws fell out and were
lost, glass doors refused to fasten, and all
their joy in the new purchase was spelled
by wretched workmanship.
If you move into a new house the door
knobs all but roll off IL you look at them,
the plaster upon the walls crack, and you
are fortunate indeed if the roof does not leak.
A farmer lately had his barns and outbuild.
ings tin-roofed at cost Of 81, 800. The first
rain thereafter poured in through the de-
fective soldering in torrent and ruined his
hay and corn crop. The timer had picked
up his trade of roofing. He would not take
time to learn it thoroughly. He was dis
honest fraud.
The very desk on which this is written was
new and handsome two months ago. 1t has
had the best of usage, yet already the main
drawer is SO rickety it only opens and shuts
by JUMPS and spasms. The keys never did
fit IN the locks, and the joints are gaping and
skaky. Substantial, smooth. working, honest
furniture and carpentry work are blessings
unknown in the United States. The same
spirit of slouchiness runs through iron-work,
machinery and railroad building. 1t is q
disgrace to the nation
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
FAShIONlETS.

Drab white Is the newest shade Of this
color.
Plum color and pale rose is a fashionable
English color combination.
Gold turtles are the latest golden fancy for
bat and bonnet ornamentation.
The high colors Of the newest jackets and
frocks are stiffened with wiggan.
Black or navy blue stockings are worn by
small girls and misses with dresses Of any
color.
White mohair or alpacs, with small red or
blue pumpadour figures, are being made up
for afternoon wear at the seashore and noun
tain resorts.
1Pinkish fawn is lovely and popular color
for taibr made costumes, and may be braided
With either gold or silver and q darker fawn
or tan braid. @
For summer silks, cottnns and light wooIens,
ths ..fan overdress" Is . fsvorite style The
material in 'front.' In plated 10 the belt at
ths top. falling IN plaits quarter Of a yard
In Length. Uso arc stitched along each
sdes Fartter down ths overdnas divides tn
ths centre and B drawn Up on either ode.
Scue Of thess fan fronts ars edged with iass,
eth1s With fringe
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
SINGLE FLOWER AND LEAF.

The tree grows to the size of an ordinary
forest tree 1t is found wild along the
southern Mississippi, but it is hardy. The
name, like the beautiful tree itself, is
one we had not to borrow from Europe.
"Catalpa'' is the native name, given TO the
tree by the Indians of Carolina. In fall and
winter it is covered with shower of long
seed pods. From this it is sometimes called
the cigar tree
1t may be propagated either by seed OF
cuttings. Not only is it such handsome
tree. but it is of use beside. The timber
makes a choice wood for cabinet work and
other purposes. 1t is of very fine texture,
and takes brilliant polish. Whether it will
grow satisfactorily in the far northwest
however, we believe has never yet beer
entirely settled The experiment should be
tried.
Another fine ornamental tree is the Turkish
horse chestnut. 1t is a handsome grower
blossoms in much the same way as the
catalpa, but, unlike that, the wood has AZ
special value.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
SLOUGH Work.

Occasionally it seems as if about all the
mechanical work done in America was of the
SLOUGH order The main object in making
things appears to be to get them Off in the
quickest and cheapest way consistent with
concealing their defects. The present system
of building tenement houses for the poor is
an illustration 1t is infamous, Mud NOR
tar, bricks that break in two in the handling,
rotten timbers, and sewer pipes that dis
charge in cellars, were some or the peculiar
tiles of workmanship that became apparent
at the coroners inquest after six-story
building fell in anl crushed dozen poor
laboring men more or less.
Then there was a notorious fire disaster
coming on the heels of the tenement-house
crash. A building was raised from its
foundations, set upon screws, Chicago
fashion, and other repairs were made The
work was supposed to be done, and the
screws were taken away. About hundred
working people were engaged ip the struc-
ture. A fire broke out and the himsy walls
s!repairs" and all, fell in together. At the
coroner's inquest that followed this affair e
was shown that the repairs had been un-
dertaken BY q man who had not sufficient
mechanical knowledge to mend cellar
door. But he undertook the raising and re-
modelling Of a four-story building full of
heavy machinery and containing hundred
people during work hours There was worse
than SLOUGH work here. There was crime.
Such plumbing as is done IN America
would be punished BY fine and Imprisonment
in any other country. Occupations invoiv-
ing most serious consequences to life and
health are picked up" by anybody and
everybody. Amy quack Is doctor" and
a half-decent barber is professor"
Into the smallest details this slouchiness Of
workmanship enters There Is very little
real art skill IN our country, because cur
would-te artists will not take time and pains
to learn to draw. Put the pictures in our
illustrated papers, comic and otherwise
alongside those of French or German funny
paper. As compared with the ex cutioa in
these, the American drawing is as stiff and
ugly Is q clothes-horse.
George Eliot says Of Adam Bede that his
work had always been part Of his religion.
and be saw NEST clearly that good carpentry
vas that form Of Gods will which concerned
him. Pity American carpenters and cab.
met makers could not have some such divine
revelation At this mopasnt q vision rises
in the mind A married couple bad long de-
sirod Q substantial bookcase. They had
been too poor to buy it Tor years At las,
the coveted money was in their hands, and
tho treasure IVES brought hona. Il looked
4 marvel Of ornamental woods and veneer
ins and brass work. Well. Il bad been In
Ne hosal suly . few vsskA whan tas slaa
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
Violin Varnishes.

We do not say that amber entered
into all the Cremonese varnish, nor are
we prepared to admit that the excel
lence OF that varnish depended upon
the presence of that costly fossil gum.
We suspect that the fiddlemakers
bought their varnish, as they bought
their wood. in the open market, select
ing it, no doubt. with equal care, per-
haps modifying it in various ways be-
fore applications; and. further, that the
varnish on those old violins will be
found almost identical with the varnish
of the old Italian pictures. Painter
and tiddlemaker probably went to the
same shop; any one could get the stuff
then, (the bad cheap Cremonas have it
as we'll as the good ones.) AS long as
the art of Italian painting was at all
alive, so long there was demand for
this particularly good varnish. When
it declined at the end of the eighteenth
century the manufacture of the precious
varnish went out. Anything cheap in
the varnsh line was thought good
enough. and pictures and tiddles alike,
along with their glossy coats, became
good for nothing file SATURDAY Re.
rislU.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06

A handsome dress of black satin rhadame
was lately trimmed in way that attracted
general admiration. The trimming was a
woven fabric of mingled jet and steel The
steel was not of the old-fashioned, glittering
polished kind, but rather Of the dull shade
known as steel blue. 1t was woven into a
loose meshed network Of large beads Upon
the network were large drops of brilliant jet
beads. The trimming was about two and a
half inches wide. 1t formed cuffs and trim
ming down the front of the basque, was laid
down the whole edge of the long overskirt at
the side, and made dashes of brightness here
and there upon the drapery. Every time
the lady moved tins superb trimming twin
killed. light moonlight upon the water. Being
of the dull blue rather than the polished
knife and fork steel, it was not painful to
the eyes, but was simply brilliant without
being binding.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
DrACharlcs Robinson on Home Life.

When | was a boy used to declaim
these stirring lines: "Strike for your
affairs and the fires; strike for the green
graves of your sircs." But now the
affairs and fires are register holes in the
wall, and the green graves of the sires
are vaults of stone, made to look as
much like small palaces rs wealth can
make them: and nobody would care to
fight for either. | saw the other day a
motto, "God Bless Our Flat that was
all that there was left of the home.
do not oppose the flat system; but say
that anything that breaks up the home
feeling aims blow at church and State.
When the romance and the sacredness
of home are gone, then it seems as il
even decency very soon departs. Bick-
erings arise, determinations follow; and
one of the pair goes across the State
line to get permission to break the sa-
cred union. How can there be any
home life among our rich people, with
one house in the country, another in
town, and a couple of months in Florida
between? And as if this were not bad
enough, they take their children abroad
for some years, have lived in Paris
and watched the effect of those Eu-
ropean sojourns; and l know whereof |
speak when say they are bad for our
sons and still worse for our daughters.
They come back denationalized, having
lost all idea or love OF home life, and
happy only when counting the days be-
fore their return to their beloved Europe.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
The Danger OF Wearing Cotton.

We copy from the Gentleman's Intel
hgence of May, 1874 Cover a century
ago), the following tragic incident and
speech as there recorded:
This day, one Michael Cannody was
executed here for felony, upon which
the journeymen weavers of the city
(who labor under great difficulties by
reason of the deafness of trade occa-
stoned by the pernicious practice of
wearing cottons) assembled in body,
and dressed the criminal, hangman and
the gallows in cotton, in order to dis
courage the wearing thereof. And at
the place of execution the criminal
made the following speech:
Give ear, good people, to the words
of dying sinner. Iconfess that haze
been guilty of many crimes that neces-
sity compelled me to commit, which
starving condition was in | am well
assured was occasioned by the scarcity
of money that has proceeded from the
great encouragement to our wooden
manufactures. Therefore, good Chris
tians, consider that ifyou 90 on to sup
press your own goods by wearing such
cottons as am now clothed in, you
will bring your country into misery,
which will constantly swarm with just
such unhappy indicators as your pres
ent object is; and the blood of every
miserable fellow that will hang, after
this warning from the gallows, will lie
at your doors. And, if YOU have any
regard for the prayers of an expiring
mortal, | beg that you will not buy OF
the hangman the cotton garments that
now adorn the gallows, because can't
rest quiet in my grave if | should see
the very things worn that brought men
to misery, thieving and this untimely
end; all of which | pray to the gentry
to hinder their children and servants,
for their own character sake, though
they have no tenderness for their coun'
try, because none will hereafter wear
cotton but oyster women, criminals,
hucksters and common hangmen."
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
Father, Moth,r, and Three Sisters beau.

Mr.. David Claypool, formerly Sergeant
alarms ofthe New Jersey Senate, and nav
Notary Public at Cedarville, Cumberland
Co., n. j., makes the following startling
statements "My father, mother, and three
sisters all died with consumption, and my
lungs were 80 weak raised blood. Nobody
thought | could live. My work ship
smithing was very straining on me with my
weak constitution, and was rapidly going
to the grave. While in thi. condition l
commenced using Mishlers Herb Bitters,
and it saved my life. Because it was so
difficult to get it in this little place, and |
had improved 80 much, stopped taking 1t
for a time, and the result is that / have
commenced going rapidly down hill again.
Somehow, Mishler's Herb Bitters gives
appetite and strengthens and builds me up
as nothing else does, and ! must have
dozen bottles at once. Use this commu-
nication Us you please, and if any one wants
10 be convinced of its truth, let them write
me and will make affidavit to it, for /
owe nv life to Mishler's Herb Bitters."
The secret Of the almost invariab!e relief
and cure of consumption, dysentery, diar.
rhpa, dyspepsia, indigestion, kidney and
liver complaints, when Mishler's Herb
Bitters is used, is that it contains simple,
harmless, and yet powerful ingredients,
that act on the blood, kidneys, and liver,
and through them strengthens and invigor'
ates the whole system. Purely vegetable
in its composition; prepared by regular
! physician; standard medicinal prepare.
ton: endorsed by physicians and drug.
gists. These are four strong points in favor
Of Mishler's Herb Btters. Mishler's Herb
Bit,ers is sold by all druggists. Price $l.W
per large bottle. bottles for $500.
Al rcor drussiss for NIsHLEns HKRR BrrrrHa
~ 49, uox Keen IL do mot take anything elss. but
- : poueAI oard TO MIsnI-xn Hmm BrrrxAe %
~ Cuwmsrcs Street. Philadelphia,
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
Decorations for Dining Rooms.

The decorative dishes and plates lately SC
fashionable are being replaced by pictures
of still life, studies of trees, large panels OF
antique embroidery and so on; gilt baro-
meter is put opposite a clock in dial case.
The sideboard Is considered cumbrous piece
of furniture for many diningrooms if only
of middle size, AMI instead are seen antique
dresscrs or small presses in Norman or Breton
style, on which, on shelves, are placed silver
tankards and old drinking vessels, rs also
sets of Bohemian and crystal glass. A time
piece answering the furniture has also lis
place at one corner.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06

One of the most peculiar committees
in Michigan is at St. Naziane. Though
founded in lS4S its population is now
but PIP. The articles of association,
for the settlement is, in fact, but So
ciety-provide for a board of seven
trustees, consisting of a priest, three
men and three women, elected by all
the adult men and women annually.
German is the only language spoken,
and only two, the general manager and
the doctor, know English They live
entirely by themselves, taking no inter-
est in the outside world, and the women
work in the fields the same as the men.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
crossed it ended with . large puff

crossed; IL ended with . large pun
round the bottom. The bodice and
train were both made Of velvet, trimmed
with splendid lace, and a garland of butter
cups went across the bosom. Another
charming toilet consisted of a sapphire blue
satin skirt, densely embroidered with real
amber beads, tunic and waist of net inter-
woven with gold threads, and blue velvet
train To this, turquoise ornaments and
white feathers in the hair A dark blus
tulle costume with plush side breadth, which,
like tho waist, was covered with blush steel
heads, was very original. A white tulla
toilette with large silver butterflies as trim
mings was greatly admired. White was
again the predominant color among the
dresses worn by the young ladies.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
DRESS OF EMBROIDERED cHAMBsRY.

Accordingly we present them with very
pretty pattern for an embr oidered cham
berry gown. The robe comes in patterns, in
all the popu ar colors. The patterns have
four and half yards of embroidery with
edging to match. The skirt is finished on
the bottom with a narrow. plated ruffie,
and three rows of the wide founcing ars
gathered upon the right side o: the skirt
below q pulled section of the overskirt-
The ample back drapery is looped upon the
back Of the basque In imitation OF poion.
aise, and the long tunic front Is trimmed
with rsvers Of the founcing. The jacket
is trimmed, as shown in the plate, with ths
embroidered edging, with standing collar
and cuffs en- suite. -
A straw hat is trimmed to match The
dress. The parasol is Of the same cplor.
Hats and parasols very generally match the
color of the costume this summer. Many
have parasol and q hat to 60 with each
roatuma
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06

The Medical journal states that a few
handfuls of common salt thrown daily into
closets, and an occasional handful into wash
basins, goes far toward counteracting the
noxious effects of the omnipresent sewer gas.
Few people are aware that, when they find
wall paper that suits them precisely, by
having it properly vanished they can render
it almost time proof. 1t can be washed
when it becomes dingy. and it Will last for
many years.
The White Cross army is an association
for promoting moral purity among men. In
an address delivered at one OF Its meetings
Dr. De Costa laid stress ON the fact that
most people eat too much. From that they
are led ON to drink too much in order to
stimulate them to bear the heavy load Of in
digestible food. Gluttony leads to drunken
ness and thence to all other sins and vices
The terrible sickness which devastated
Plymouth, Pa, has been finally decided to
be typhoid fever. Plymouth was only a
little country place, yet there were nearly
1000 cases of theA1fever. A fiigbtful per-
centage OF those attacked died. The town is
destitute, and the public has been largely
drawn on for its support during the epidemic.
And the origin of all this misery. is directly
traceable to filth, cesspoois, and want Of
drainage.
An entomologist has reported having found
TIA species of noxious insects in the trees,
shrubs and plants of the New York parks
last year. These include the cotton worm OF
the south, the wood borers Of the west, the
sugar cane beetle, many species unknown to
the ehtomologst, and some entirely new
Tha Lost, tcfiy a inc IN IA
trees are the bag worm, the tent and web
caterpillars, the scale insect, the coccus and
the elm beetle OF these insects seven bushels
of coconnS and enn mosses ,xara ramnuad
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
Industrial Training.

The report of the superintendent of pub
lie schools in Boston discusses the expert
ment of manual training for boys. Two
hundred boys, from ten different grammar
schools, have been under instruction in car
pantry two hours a week since September.
They were selected by the masters from
among those IA years of age or older who
had the permission of their parents to take
the instruction. "The experiment has al
ready gone far enough to prove that work
of this kind can be joined to the ordinary
grammar school work with good effect, "
says the superintendent, and he advocates
the making Of provisions for industrial train
ing for girls as well US for boys.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
Mushroom parasol4.

Mushroom parasosarc among tae novelties.
They are made of silk canvas, woven gau2es,
black, white and colored, and covered with
a shirred circle of piece lace, black, white or
colored, with rlfile at tho edge to match,
or sometimes with deep founce of lace,
which does duty for both covering and Dor
der rule The lace forms n chou cabbage
or tuft at the top, made more decorative 10y
the addition of a ribbon bow and loops and
floating ends, the artistic handle being
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
A Powder Hall.

A so-called "bal poudre" lately took plaos
In the town hall in Brighton All the guests
appeared with 20 wdered hair. the gentlemen
In the usual evening dress, only with white
vaistcoaes and q white flower in their but
tonholes. The hostess, Ms Cooper, worn
black velvet with old lace and diamonds, her
daughter q white satin dress embroidered
with beads, the waist fastened with old
fashioned CLASPS. Among the dresses . nut
brown velvet costume with. amber oolored
atm tablier and black ChantiIly lace excited
veryxgress admiration. The aAoiier va.
folded in squares, with bonquso OF
busssrcaps intervening. whsrs rhs line
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06

The human face should be oval, and the
dressing of the hair and the arrangement OF
the bonnet trimming should be done with re-
gard to producing this effect. Before buy
ing new bonnet the purchaser must decide
whether her hair is to be worn high or to he
brought down in a Catogan br aid.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06

The water system of New Orleans
consists of large wooden tanks at the
rear of each house, some of them reach
ing to the caves, which catch all the
rain from the roof. The water is re-
markably good, but these huge tanks
give the houses very odd appearance.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-06
FIG. THE "CLAUSTRA."
FIG. 21QUEEN CHAIN.

Fig. shows a new style of self-lockng
lace and shawl pin which is attracting atten-
ton. The ''Claustra" is made in variety
of lengths, hence includes sizes suitable for
brooch, shawl, lace and hair pins, and even
bonnet ornaments. II is made both
with and without pendants, and is
susceptible of a great variety of de-
signs and styles Of ornamentaton. Some
of the designs are very unique, as, for IN
stance, one in which the head of the pin is
composed of gems Stimulating great spider,
while the cap that goes over IN. point OF the
pin and which is suspended from the head
by means Of slender chain, represents fly.
The effect when the PIN proper Is concealed
in lace or ribbon, is that of II cunning spider
drawing by "a golden cobweb an unwary fly
into its trap. All the popular designs, such
as enameled flower patterns, crescents and
stars, swords, etc, are represented in the
"Claustra."
QUEEN CHAIN.
This style of chain, shown in Fig. of the
illustration, is still the mode The watch is
worn In little channels leather case inside
the bosom of the dress. The short chain,
about four inches long, terminates in II tiny
ball or other fancy design, and hangs outside
the corsage. Chain and ball are seen in the
illustration. Som etimes a bow of colored
ribbon is tied to the ring Of the watch and
ornaments the corsage outside. or this little
chain The jewelers. Circular says
As 1t is susceptible of an infinite variety OF
pattern and material, it is likely to please
for long time to come. Numbered with
attractive patterns are chains finished with
three small balls set with gems and chains
on which a solitary ball open, in half, dis
closing a lock or vinaigrette. Again, the
finish is fanciful, as a vinaigrette in form of
a jug, teapot or rose. Counted with
fancles rather than fashions, are enameled
chains incrusted with colored gems, to wear
with watches similarly decorated. Ladies'
watches, by the bye, remain small in size.