davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24

untidy maid has left swinging
from the ceiling, can keep one
eye upon her and another upon
her broom, a third on the mosquito buzz
zing about in front of it, fourth upon
little rent in the web, a fifth upon a
fly that is nearing the danger point, a
sixth upon creak in the ceiling, a sew
enth upon one of its own legs, and the
eighth for miscellaneous purposes
''The ground spider is the lion of its
kind. Size considered, it is swifter than
deer. 1t runs down its game Its
eyes are placed two on the sides and two
in front of the narrow part of its peaked
head, and four in row below, on the
front of the broader part.
"a printing Office furnished me with
the strangest spider have. 1t was a
lean, lank, semi-transparent, tubular
bodied, small-headed specimen, with
very long thin legs and a remarkably
hungry look. He had two eyes in
front, and on each side of his head
three. tapping on each other as clover
leaves do"
''How do you get your spiders?"
''Catch some myself; others are sent
to me. An acquaintance sent me three
the other day. When I unwrapped the
package and saw they were in one box
became doubtful. 1 opened the box.
One of the three was jumping spider.
What the others were 1 could not tell.
The jumping spider had killed them,
and was frisking about over their broken
carcasses.-N Y. Sun.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24

down a bad reputation, and it IS tar
more difficult for a young woman.
Time and patience and earnest en-
deavor usually will do it, however, al
though memories of it and illusions 10
it may rise up to plague one OCCASION
ally for many years.
It needs to be impressed very strong.
" upon many young people that recK-
lessness and notoriety can not possiply
confer happiness. They do supply
Temporary excitement, which many
mistake for happiness, but it turns bit
ter to the taste before it is done with.
True modesty and dignity are wholly
consistent with a thoroughly enjoyable
life. Those who lack these forfeit
something of the respect OF others,
and, when that is gone, nothing else
can supply its place. The merriest
young men and women-many OF
whose lives actually overflow with fun
and frolic, and of whom their friends
hardly can think without sympathetic
smiles-are those who so indulge their
fondness for social pleasures as to IN
terfere neither with their own nor any
other persons intelligent and pro1t-
able use of life, who are careful to re-
tain their own self-respect and conf
dence of others, and who shrink from
even the appearance of '.fastness, in
stinctively and with their whole souls.
-C0nQre QationaliSt
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
SCOTCH SANITATION.
An Institution That Exists Only On t
Pages of the Statute Books.

An Institution That Exists Only On tho
Pages of the Statute Books.
The Scotch are a hardy race, and it is
well for them that they are so; for their
dwellings are in many districts in a
truly horrible condition, and those
whose duty it is to remedy this state of af-
fairs appear to be thoroughly careless in
the matter. Some striking observations
on this point are made by the inspector
and public health officer of the northern
(Highland) district in Scotland in his
half-yearly report. The public health
act, which was passed nearly eighteen
said to be in operation except in few
districts are really Indifferent on the
subject of sanitary matters, and seem
well content to leave things as they are
instances, more especially in remote
places in the Highlands and islands, it
is notorious that there are all manner of
accumulations of the most abominable
description at nearly every house, with
in as well as outside the walls; but,
as some of the persons who should
1tthc dCtiou 1Oi tlic pun pOSe VI udNlIS all
these unwholesome things removed are
probably themselves equal offenders to
a greater or less extent, it seems utterly
hopeless to expect them to enforce thor
ough sanitary reforms of any kind. 1t
is not surprising that under such condi-
tons typhoid and typhus fevers and
other forms of disease should be of fire.
quent occurrence; it is more surprising
that any person should escape. The
only explanation suggested by the In
spector is, that possibly the poisons
arising from so many forms of pollu-
ton within and without the houses
are counteracted by the constant
burning of the open fires usually placed
in the center of the houses, and BY the
abundance of mountain and sea air
which is admitted by the open and ILL
fitting doors. 1t is not impossible that
the dense clouds of peat-smoke in which
the people continually live may have
some salutary antiseptic properties.
Perhaps, again, on the homeopathic
principle, one poison kills another, and
thus the various smells counteract each
others effects.-St. James Gazette.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

1t costs London $4,000, 900 q year
Tor gas.
The first dining-car has just been
attached to one of the British railways.
Steel knives that will cut cold iron
have been invented by an Englishman.
"A military balloon invented in
France is shaped like whale and pre-
sents an extraordinary appearance when
raised in the air.
Capital punishment has been abol-
ished in Pekin, and instead of being de-
capitated culprits are sent into the Amoor
Province to till the soil.
The old and popular game known
as hop scotch was originated by the an
Gent Romans. 1t signifies the passage
of the soul from earth to Heaven
The people of Ceylon use honey in
stead of salt for preserving meat. A
traveller says meat so preserved is of ex-
quiste flavor. 1t is kept in earthen pots
and remains good for several years.
Several strips of papyrus, originally
taken from an Egyptian grave and
placed in the Berlin Museum, have been
found to contain portions of lost work
of Aristotle ON the Greek constitutions.
"A lady and gentleman recently
fought duel with pistols in the vicinity
of Warsaw. Shots were exchanged, but
both missed their aim. The gentleman
then offered an apology, which was ac-
cepted.
Mr.. George Muller, the well-known
head of the Orphan Homes at Bristol,
announces that during the last year he
has received f41,558 s.in answer to
PRAYER" not a single donation having
been solicited.
1t is the custom in Northumberland
to place stool at the church door dur.
ing the marriage service, over which
stool the newly married couple have to
jump. They are allowed, however, to
walk out on payment of a forfeit
"A few days ago, while shooting in
the park at Monza, King Humbert's
gun failed to discharge itself properly.
His Majesty put in another cartridge,
and on firing again received such a
shock that he thought the gun had
burst and broken his arm. The fact
was that the first bullet had not issued
from the gun, and the second OCCASION
ing block, it was only the excellence
of the gun that prevented it from burst
ing.
"A mirage was again observed re-
Gently by many persons at Valla, in
Sweden. The entire lower part of the
northwestern horizon shone with lurid
glare, above which was cloud-bank as
Stunning the most remarkable forms.
From time to time animals, trees and
shrubs were seen. Soon a bear changed
into an elephant, and soon dog into a
horse. Later on groups of dancers
were seen, men being distinguished from
women. Further north the cloud formed
an oak forest, in front of which was a
valley, and nearer still park with
sanded paths. At about $50 the cloud
sank into a mass and the phenomenon
disappeared.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24

CURIOUS DEEP-SEA FISH.

terrible weapons they can kill animals
much larger than themselves, and l have
seen them swallow fish foot long. 1t is a
strange fact that all brilliantly-c Olored ami
mails are well provided with means of de-
fence. while those that are poorly defended
are incOnspcuous, resembling the color of
their favorite haunts. The latter are thus
colored for the purpose of escaping the
notice of their enemies, while the former,
such as sea anemones, crabs, ETC., having
no enemies to fear, by their brilliant co.Ors
attract the curious within reach of their
deadly powers.
Perhaps the most curious deep sea anem
one Is the EpiZOanthus, Il form which Sc
cretes sandy substance in its body walls.
After the free-swimming stage it always at
taches itself to the back of a shell inhabited
by hermit crab, and soon begins to absorb
the shell. The crab thus transports the
amenone from place to place; but in return
it is furnished with comfortable, trans
portable house, which grows at about the
same rate AS the hermit grows. and is thus
an accommodating house. If the shell was
not absorbed the hermit would outgrow it
and leave it, and the anemOne would be
obliged to remain in one place. This is a
remarkable case of division of labor among
the lower animals, entirely different kinds
working together for the common good.
One furnishes the house for crab with
very delicate unprotected abdomen, while
the crab returns the favor by transporting
the other from place to place, and keeping
it upright
All kinds of starfish are found in the
depths of the sea. There is every variety,
from the five-armed to those with fifteen
arms, ami from those which are nearly
pentagonal in form to the kinds which are
formed of a mere disk, having five narrow,
brittle arms radiating from it. This latter,
the brittle STAR always comes to the sur
face with its arms more or less broken, for
it has the power of swapping them off at
will, and from appearances it must use tins
power very often, though it certainly looks
like cutting off the nose to spite the face.
There is a form intermediate between this
and the true Starsh called BriSinga, which
has the same power, and, although it has
twelve arms over foot long, they are fire.
quently taken with all the arms gone and
only the disk left. True basket stars are
not found deeper than one hundred faith
oms, but allied forms much smaller are
taken in the very deepest water, clinging
to the branches of corals. Off Cape Cod in
quite shallow water the Astrophyton, the
true basket form. exists in such abundance
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
THE SLAvONlANS,
A Wheelman Enjoying the Spectacle Of q
National Dance.

A Wheelman Enjoying the Spectacle Of q
National Dance.
Egali has promised that shall see the
Slavonian national dance sometime to-
day, and a village is now visible in the
distance. At the Danube-side village of
Hamenitz an hours halt is decided upon
to give me the promised opportunity of
witnessing the dance in its native land.
1t is novel and interesting sight. A
round hundred young gallants and
maidens were rugged out in finery such
as no other people save the Croatian
and Slovenian peasants ever wear-the
young men braided and embroidered,
and che damsels having their hair en-
twined with a profusion of natural
flowers in addition to their costumes of
all possible hues. Forming themselves
into large ring, distributed so that the
sexes alternate, the young men
extend and Join hands behind
tamboricas strike up lively twanging
air, to which the circle of dancers en-
deavor to shuttle time with their feet,
while at the same time moving around
in circle. Livelier and faster twang
the tamboricas, and more and more ami
mated becomes the scene, as the dane
ing, shutting ring endeavors to keep
pace with it. As the fun progresses into
the fast and furious stages the youths
hats have a knack of getting into
jaunty position on the side of their heads
and the wearers' faces assume reckless,
flushed appearance, like men half intoxi-
Gated, while the maidens' bright eyes and
beaming faces betoken unutterable hap
piness; finally, the music and the shut
fling of feet terminate with rapid
flourish, everybody kisses everybody,
save, of course, mere luckless onlookers
like myself and Egali, and the Slovenian
national dance is ended. Outing,
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24

At all depths even as deep as has been
explored, we find life to be very abundant
and in great variety, every group of the an
imal kingdom being represented there eX-
cept the higher vertebrateS and the insects
proper. One of the most abundant groups
encountered is that called Gorgonia, or soft
coral, to which the sea fans belong. The
stony corals are represented only by the
one polyped cup coral. This is simply
sea anemone surrounded by stony coat.
Primnoa and Paragorgia, the bush coral and
tree coral, are remarkable for their great
size and beauty, the former being delicate
pink, the latter pink bordering upon the
red. Specimens of the tree coral four feet
in length bear evidence of being mere
branches, while we have taken frag-
ments of bases which must have been
ten or fifteen feet high and nearly that
number of feet in width. The animals
forming this colony produce in unison a
rather tough, spongy mass, branching and
growing. The polyDs can contract and
withdraw into this mass, but are fixed per-
manently in one place.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
CHARACTERISTIC DEEP SEA FISH.

On the muddy bottom. where rocks and
other solid foundations are wanting, such
animals as need a firm base to rest upon are
seldom found. Thus sponges, barnacles
and hydroids are very rare after the one
hundred-fathom line is reached. The curl
Gus devices adopted by some clusters in
order to firmly fix themselves in the mud
are remarkable, and show how evolution
can work. There is one cluster of Gorge
mans that, as it grows, encircles ball of
mud in membrane grown especially for
the purpose. AS the cluster grows the
membrane descends into the mud until
gOod-siZed ball is encompassed; then the
end of the circular membrane begins to con-
tract and the colony is held in place by the
ball
Who has ever been to the sea shore OF
New England without seeing sea
anemone? AS they live in the quiet hooks
of tide pool, expanding and closing their
delicately colored petal-like tentacles. they
look like SO many flowers. After having
dredged in certain localities all the tubs
and pals aboard are brought into use as a
garden in which to transplant these animal
flowers from the deep sea. Bright red,
delicate pink and beautifully notified kinds
slowly unfold their tentacles as they begin
to be accustomed to the decreased pressure
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
LIFE ON THE OCEAN BOTTOM.

The Mud Beds and Coral Groves of the
Deepest Seas-A Continual Rain of Mat
ter from the Surface-HOw 1t LIS Utilized
by Animal Flowers and Finny Monstros-
tiles.
It has been said that the ocean bottom is
literally paved with starfish, and to Judge
by the vast number that come up with every
dredge load this must be true. How so
many animals live together and get enough
oxygen to support life has always puzzled
me. There are no currents of any import
ance, and the slowly moving drift begins
far in the north and passes through the en-
tire length over layers and beds of animals
each of which is exhaling carbonic acid
gas. There are no plants to destroy this
poison and give in its place the much need
ed oxygen, yet they must get a supply from
some other quarter or they would not live.
Mixed up with the mud on the bottom in
deep water there are numerous broken and
entire shells, which in places are very
abundant These are no doubt the REM
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
READING FOR THE YOUNG.
THE LAST AND BEST.

Said the Child to the youthful Year:
"What hast thou in store for me,
o giyer OF beautiful gifts, what cheer,
What JOY dost thou bring with thee?'
Nv seasons four shall bring
Their treasures: the winters SHOWS,
The autumn's store, and the flowers OF
spring.
And the summers perfect rose.
All these and more shall be thine,
Dear child-but the last and best
Thyseif must earn by strife divine,
II thou wouldst be truly blest.
" Wouldst know this lsst best gift?
Ills q conscience clear and bright,
A peace of mind which the soul can lift
To an infinite delight.
Truth, patience. courage and love
If thou unto me canst bring,
win set thee all earth's ills above,
. Child, and crown thee a King!''
Celia ThGrter, in st. Nicholas.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24

nants of feasts had off their contents by
numerous and various fishes, starfishes and
crabs. The bottom animals are very vo-
racious, eating anything that falls in their
way, and hence, although we dredged in
the track of ocean steamers, we seldom
found relics of any kind except cinders. On
one trip, in 1900 fathoms on the edge of
the track of ocean steamers. we hauled up a
bottle with barnacles and hydroids at
tached, and in the same haul a rubber doll
with no evidence of its having been on bot
tom. l always had suspicion that some
mischievous sailor played joke on
the naturalists on this occasion. Be
this as it may, the doll is at present
carefully stored away in the National Mu-
scum. Strange though it may seem, it is
only rarely that bones of fishes and ceta-
ceans or even pieces of wood or iron are
are taken. When we do find wood it is only
in small pieces and badly eaten by deep-sea
animals. There must be continual rain
of such matter because of the abundance of
large fishes and cetaceanS in this region,
which, when they die, must drop to the bot
tom. No doubt, as soon as they reach bot
tom they are seized upon and deyoured.
The presence of phosphates in the mud is
proof of this Echini, or sea urchins, are
known to eat bones. A story is told, upon
the authority of a gentleman present at the
time, about some tile fish taken from one
hundred and fifty fathoms, three of which
had in their stOmachs bones of mutton
chops brown overheard from the steamer
Fish Hawk that morning. Several times
when we set our travis and left them down
an hour or two, some of the fishes were
found to be almost completely eaten by am
phipod crusteceans. From this it would
seem that anything edible would be de-
voured at short notice. 1t is estimated by
Prof. Verrill, believe that all the mud, OF
bottom, has passed through the stomach of
some animal at least once. This does not
seem improbable when we consider the fact
that certain sea cucumbers, which are very
abundant. eat mud alone, and continually
have their intestines full, not unlike the
earth worm. Iron soon deOxidiZes. The
only relics of fishes that we find are an oc-
casional sharks tooth and many otolitls of
fishes, both of which are hard to destroy.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24

and the warm water. and it Is interesting u
watch them as they are in this benumbed
condition. 1 have had good reason to re-
fleet upon the power possessed by these in
nocent-looking creatures The first dredge
load ever saw contained numbers of a
very large species, and we all set to work
to remove them from among the more
precious and rarer kinds. AS / picked
them from the mass I lacerated my hands
upon the sharp spines of some rays or
skate that were also present in abundance.
Soon sharp pains darted through my hands,
and before long the pains had increased so
much that had to stop work, and 1 was
afterward told that it was caused by the
lasso cells of the anemOnes. With these
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
A FIT THAT DIDN'T FIT.

A gold ring with q coral flower,
Quite finely wrought, and right peculiar,
With knghtly pride or princely power,
Won Carl presented to hts Julia.
And, faith he felt so grandly wise,
As by her side he took his stand,
And boldly looked into her eyes
And placed the ring upon her hand.
Then said, with lordly air, and true:
This ring. fair Julia, does portend
The love devout have for you"
"Why sO?" she asked. at has no end"
Then blushing she her hand withdrew,
And said, with smiles that were quite win
ming:
And so it does, Carl, mine for 1,ou,
Since see 1t has-7tO beDinnirO"
-COurisr. To,fysanl
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24

Miss Martineau used TO tell tho following
amusing incident: A servant-girl came to
her and applied for a position. The girl
haG a marked and unmistahabie brogue, but
emphatcaly denied that she was Irish
WELL" said Miss Martineau, II don't
know whether you are an Irish woman or
not; but | am sure you were born in Ire
land"
"Wel, ma'am," was the immediate reply,
"suppose was: if / was born in a stable.
would be Il hOrse?'
She was engaged without further parley.
youths Companion.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
Forming An Acquaintance.

Mamma" said a little girl to he,
mother, 'I've been getting acquainted with
the little girl next door,"
"Have you. my dear? Well, how did you
do it?''
''Why, mamma, I DIES sot down and
looked at her, and then she DIES sOt down
and looked at me:'
And then what did you do?'
s'Why, mamma, des sot up closer, and
then she des sot up closer, and then | des
looked at her and smiled, and then she
des looked at me and smiled, and then we
was atwainted. Ledger
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
Valuable Manuscripts.

The Russian police have succeeded in
discovering in the ex-Monastery OF the
Cistercians at Santa Croce in Gerusa-
femme four boxes containing one hum
dred and forty-four manuscripts, which
it would seem were withheld at the time
when the italian Government took pos
session of the libraries of the different
monastic orders and concentrated their
contents in the newly founded public
library in the Roman College, called the
Victor Emanuel That these manu-
scripts were missing was recognized at
line and their recovery now is mat
- n - - s--sf-s~so~ey them
Il
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
A Discreet Negro.

Meeting Jim Webster, Uncle Nose could
not help being ast0nished at the magnifi-
cent pants of Jim.
"Dat's mighty fine pair OBJ pants for
SIGH a pore niggah as you am to be wear
in''
eyes, dey's gorgus, and no mistake"
How much mout dey cost yer, and whar
did yer git emp
"Dey mout cost me two years in de PEN
itenshiery Ell le"-TeUtls SJtings.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-24
KEEPING A GOOD NAME.

When Once Lost, Difficult Thing to Re-
gain-A Few Thoughts for the Young
People.
Folly has hardly another form so OBJ
jectionable as that of carelessness, real
or apparent, about ones reputation.
When young man behaves as If he
were willing to be believed EAST" he
may be guiltless of any real disposition
towards dissipation, but he can not
complain if the more desirable of his
ASSOCIATES gradually withdraw Them
selves from intimacy with him. When
a young lady, no matter how innocent'
of anything worse than determine
ton to amuse herself at all hazards,
condescends to fiirt with gentlemen, or
to indulge in boisterous behavior in
public places with other girls, she
must not be surprised if, before long,
she become aware of less heartiness in
he greetings of the acquaintance
whose society she prizes most, receive
fewer invitations from anybody, and at
last perceive, with painful cleamess,
that she is actually, even if undemon-
stratively, avoided, except by those
whom she does not wish to meet.
Parents often are to blame for not
guarding their children more carefully
from undesirable companions, and
from forming careless and dangerous
social habits, but in many cases their
circumstances are vain, and they have
the grief of witnessing the evil which
they can not help. Young men and
women must be allowed to decide
many things for themselves, even If
they choose wrongly. If they will not
heed good advice, they must be taught
by bitter experience; and the saddest
fact connected with the subject is that
it is so hard to recover ones credit,
even after one has seen the great blum
der which has been made, and is hearth
- earnest to correct it. 1t is no
matter for young man to live