davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
How to Select a Piano.

In selecting a good piano from q
variety Of instruments, says professor
of music, the chief object naturally
should be to find one which combines,
as nearly as possible, all those quail
ties which render it both pleasing and
sympathetic in tone as we'll as solid and
durable in construction.
The qualities Of tone should be first
considered, the question to be decided
being whether the tone is sonorous,
full and strong, and at the same time
sweet and agreeable to the ear, a14 not
sharp and offensive. With this is
coupled the question whether the tone
responds easily to the softest pressure
of the key, and whether the touch of
the key, on applying a different force,
will also produce q proportionate tone.
This ought to he the fact throughout
the entire scale, and if this is the case
the piano may be considered of good
quality and evenness of tone. A piano
when lightly touched may be found
sweet and pleasing to the ear, but when
a little force is used it will yield only a
shrill, trembling noise, without any dis
tinct, pure, and round tone being heard
at oil.
Not only should the different octaves
be equal in the tone of their several
keys, but the same character of sound
should prevail in the piano from the
lowest to the highest note. The labor
and expense in regulating piano in
the aforementioned manner is so great
as to prevent manufacturers who do
not make strictly tirst-class instruments
from bestowing the necessary attention
upon this part of the manufacture !;
instead of this, however, they make
the tone brilliant" as they call it, in
order to hide the defects in the even
ness of the piano, resulting in either
the bass being too noisy, or the treble
too sharp, so that the ear is very soon
offended by the sound.
The action of the piano must be
elastic and the touch easy, although not
light enough to cause rattling OF the
keys after q short period of use. A
heavy, unyielding action tires the play
er out and makes the piano disagreea-
BILE.
These are the main points to be con.
sidered in selecting good piano.
The integrity of well-known man
ufacturer should be a safe guarantee
| that he uses only the best material, dry
and well-seasoned wood, substantial
braces, good strings, ETC., in man lfac-
turing the instrument. AS matter of
course, every manufacturer tries to
make the outside appearance of his
pianos as attractive as possible, but the
purchaser should not be influenced by
the faultless exterior finish alone il
selecting a piano. The real merit
should be sought in the perfection of
the action and the inner construction of
the instrument. Poor pianos may be
fitted up in the most elegant style, but
after little wear they fail to give sat-
isfaction.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

They have in California case which
is likely to be more celebrated than
that of the dynamiters in Chicago. A
man charged with murder has been set
at liberty, and probably will never be
tried again, because every man in the
county has been summoned as a juror
and found to be incompetent. It may
be doubted if there is a parallel to this
strange experience in the history of any
other county in America. The prison
er, Prewett, was arrested for murder
ing DR.. Powers, man whom the COM
munity thought should be lynched.
Prewett met the Doctor on the high
way and shot him dead. Then, fearing
trouble, and knowing the sentiment that
existed, he raised mob for the pur-
pose of lynching the man who was al
ready dead. Swearing all the members
of the party to secrecy, Prewett led
them to the place where Powers body
lay, and told them what had happened.
He explained to them that they were
equally guilty because they had con-
spired with him, and that they ought
to be thankful for his forethought in re-
lieving them of an unpleasant duty.
To have the tragedy properly under
stood, however, he suggested that the
body be hanged to tree, so that there
would be no difference of opinion as to
the reason why the victim had been put
out of the way. This was agreed to,
and the crowd dispersed. In the course
of time one member of the lynching
party concluded to confess, and on his
complaint Prewett was arrested and
ultimately brought to trial. At the
first hearing the facts as here outlined
were very clearly brought out, but the
jury divided hopelessly and a new trial
became necessary. About half of the
men in the county had been summoned
before the first jury was obtained. and
on the second trial all that remained
were subpenaed without securing the
requisite number. The majority of the
people were fierce partisans either OF
Powers or Prewett, and it was possible
to challenge them for cause. Finding
the poll list exhausted and only frac-
ton of jury secured, the Judge con.
cluded to admit the prisoner to bail,
and it is thought that this action will
end the case.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
The Illusions of Childhood.

Whoever wished to correct the illu-
sions of childhood? All of us can look
back to time when we believed vivid
ly that our own parents were perfect,
and believed dimly that the whole
grown-up world was perfect The
child knows indeed, that there are bad
people in the world, but they have
nothing to do with the world in which
he and his companions dwell, and when
he thinks about them, he is puzzled
how to find room for them. We have
heard of child so moderate that he
only produced two perfect men lesides
his father to confute the doctrine of
original sin (women evidently being
not included in its scope), but most Of
US would have brought forward much
larger body of witnesses on his side.
Now, no one would say that you gave a
child truer view of his father and
mother if you made him understand
that they were two very faulty beings,
with as much to repent Of as the
naughtiest of his playfellows. tits not
that truth had better be sacrificed to
love; we do sometimes feel that way of
these illusions ill later life, and any
one who will put the two states of mind
side by side will at once see their
difference. 1t is that the illusion is
actually truer feeling than any you
could substitute for it. It is the
natural, healthful condition of mind of
a child, the one which puts him into
his place with regard to his elders,
which enables them to do their part
toward him, and him to do his toward
them. 1t bears every test of truth, ex-
cept that of being independent of pc.
sition. 1t is the truth for particular
stage of Development Spectator.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
Mineral Springs in Russia.

It is not generally known that there
exist in the region Of the Transbalkan
multitude of mineral springs, the
waters Of which are said to possess
many medicinal qualities salutary in
the treatment of various d seases. It
is to be desired that these waters were
properly analysed and made known to
the world, if the scientific reports upon
them at all agree with the popular To-
Cal belief in their efficacy. There are
thirty -four springs within compare
lively small area, and within easy dis
lance of inhabited places; some few of
them are, however, difficult of access.
Beyond the already discovered springs
travellers come upon fresh ones in ev-
cry direction throughout the surround
ing country. Their properties differ
exceedingly; some are ferruginous,
others acldulous, alkaline, sulphurous,
etc. Their temperatures vary from 43
degrees to 2 degrees Reaumur Clio de-
grees to IS degrees Fahrenheit). The
only points where any preparations are
made for visitors are at Darasourisk
and Tourkinsk. But even here the ac-
commodation falls far short of the lux
urious, and is supplied by the person
who rents the two nearest springs from
the Government. At most of the 9th
er springs visitors are obliged to lodge
in the huts of the natives. Visitors are
sufficiently numerous in summer, and
have been SO for many years, but they
do not come from great distances, for
the reputation of the waters, though
well established among the people, has
not yet spread to the great wor. d.
There are no doctors and few comforts.
The natives use the waters, not only
for themselves but for their cattle.
Thousands of sheep, oxen, and horses
suffering from cutaneous maladies are
brought to certain of these wells every
spring; the custom is an immemorial
one.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

SARAH BERNHARDT's entry into Rio
de Janeiro was effected with more than
her wonted eccentricity. Elaborate
arrangements had been made for her
arrival The Brazilians and the French
competed which should show her the
greater distinction. Both sent depu-
tations to welcome her. Carriages
were to be at her disposal on landing,
and floral tributes were prepared in
astounding abundance. But the great
actress declined all these honors, and,
instead of taking one of the boats sent
to enable her to effect a more speedy
and digniied landing, she entered Bra
iii by the custom-house wharf. When
the other members of the company
disembarked there was much applause,
and an enthusiastic welcome was offered
to the supposed tragedienne. But
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
Green Tea.

More green tea is sold in this country
than in Europe. The reason for its
nonularitv here is, no doubt. as re-
cent English writer has observed. in q
great measure due to our intercourse
with Japan, where green tea alone Is
manufactured. In the making of tea,
as in everything which this curious
people do, the Japanese have way OF
their own. 1t would startle an Assam
planter. to see them in picking time
souatting down before the trees and
stripping the branches of the leaves.
instead of scientifically selecting only
the Young, undeveloped leaf, the first
leaf below that, and half the second,
from which would he evolved respect
lively Broken Tips" or Orange
Pekoe." "Pekoe" and "Souchong. +"
Any one accustomed to the elaborate
machines for rolling" and firing" the
leaves which are in use on European
plantations, might be amused at the
Japanese method where the workers
roll and squeeze and twist the leaves
in their hands on parchment stretched
over charcoal fire. Very fine teas
are, nevertheless, manufactured by the
Japanese, and in the celebrated district
of Uji rumor tells of tea worth $16per
pound, though it is not definitely
stated, whether that price has ever &C.
tually been paid for it. Moreover, in
the case of teas intended for ex-
port, only so much work is done
upon them as will enable them
to be sent to the "tea-fxing
godown" of Yokohama, where they are
worked up for the market before being
shipped. As is now we'll known, the
difference between green tea and black
lies in the fact that in the former fer
mentation has been arrested by firing,
the color of the leaf being in this way
partially preserved and fixed; with the
latter, by much longer process, fer
mentation up to certain point is per-
mitted, and the leaves are not "fred"
until they have become oxidized by
exposure to the air. In Japan the
leaves, after being picked and with
cred" by short exposure, are fred in
the way described above sufficiently to
stop fermentation, and in this partially
cured state are sent to the European
tea merchants, by whom they are again
fired" In the "godowns" of Yoko-
hama hundreds of women can be seen
at work turning the leaves over
and over and round and round in large
basins built over charcoal fire. The
coloring or painting" is also done at
this period by means of spoonful of
indigo and powdered soapstone put
into each basin, and thus disseminated
through its contents. But in Japan
tea is not grown for export only, but is
the chief article of home consumption
and these domestic teas as procured in
the country are probably the only sam
pies of unauthorized green tea which
foreigners are likely to meet with.
They produce beverage viii CHI is
refreshing, quite harmless, and which,
Notwithstanding the way in which it is
prepared, can, after only short resi-
dence in the country, be readily dis
tinguished from hot water.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

A CERTAIN physician says that young
ladies may try all the antidotes in the
world for depressed spirits: but, till
they have recourse to q small dose of
husband, they need not hope for any
long-contnued convalescence,
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
Beauty and For
4 vo,1np man meets

A young man meets a
a ballroom, falls in love
ries it, goes to housekee9
and boasts of having q ho1
to grace it. The chanee1
one he has neither. Hef
gets to be an old story,
faded, or freckled, or ire
the face was all he wanted
attention to, all he sat up
bargaiued for, all he sF
honor, and protect, he e. &C.
trade, knows q dozen ia
likes better, gives up staI
in the evenings, consoles es..
cigars, oysters, and pohu
upon his home as a vel!
clearinghouse.
A family of children G.
him, but neither he nor ns !
anything about training
came up helter-skelter' i
when babies, dolls when !, X
drudges when young mel
and SO pass year after e, yesa "
quiet, happy, homellk I, ,n ns
throughout the ent re ng hs
Another young man !, " =,
ored of a sfortune." he Il.
to parties, dances the pom l,.;;tl
changes billets-dou Nv, WIFI
question to it, gets yes = =,
it to the parson, weds i IT.
carries it home, sets up
ment with it, introduces ~ i
and says (poor fellow, e ~
married and has got a n .ss'
It is false. He is nos s Nj
no home, and he soon ~. ,lD i
is in the wrong box, D ant :
get out of it. He m1S |,.;sn
to escape his coffin. u l e1ia
late him and he has to Oh
They praise the house nss,'
the cradle, the new Da .rho
the fortune" and ne .. Wa Va
good-morning. AS u u and
ggood-morning since 10 1se,1 su.
fortune were falsely ae s"
-Ne,v York TelegraM
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

when the mistake was discovered the
modification was quite as great as the
enthusiasm, and as freely expressed.
The projected fete ended in riot, the
police were active and energetic, and
half dozen rioters were captured.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

A WASHINGTON letter says: "Gen.
Malone had on his summer suit. II
was composed of finely woven, broad
brimmed Panama hat, bleached to a
perfect Wilderness, and SO delicate that
it was in no shape, being cooked up
high on one side and pulled down low
on the other. His shirt was linen
throughout, and his collar two-ply and
portion Of the garment. It stood up
in limp folds. His tie was black and
loosely put together. His coat was of
the lightest weight broadcloth, cut very
low in front; vest, black gros grain
silk, three buttons; pantaloons, fine
black and white stripes, puckered at
the waist like q lady's bonnet, large
and baggy at the knees, and coming to
point so small at the feet that they
would not slip over the heels of his
shoes. Gen. Mahone's hair is longer
than it ever has been, hanging in great
folds, almost white, across his shout
ders. while his beard has whitened in
the last few years of trouklous excite
ment."
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
Gotham's Great Literary ADVANTAGE

Gctham's Great Literary Advantage.
II see that New York is competing
with Boston for the title of literary
center of the United States"
"Yes, and New York will win, too"
"Think so?"
"No doubt of it. You can get the
finest kind of q square meal right on
Broadway for rs cents now. "-CHicaoo
NeaUS.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
CURIOUS =,

facial nerves, may ofts ~
wringisS a soft tov e1'en b
and a., sprinkling it VIZ out
This should be laid" l on sly
pohltice, and will of ta u
a refreshing sleep. 'SA 0d
CASTLE i or oil soap cut IN .; o.
in three-quarters Of up II, N!
and and boil for two or three y
add five ounces Of elvoa1
cold, this fluid will s, nrs
s and most lasting bubbles 9
A FRENCH statist;o;,.
following as the propo sta,l
OF persons killed annuaI1u
ways of the respectisl
France, one in every q
gland, one in every .25o = N
one in every 1900, OoO: >,
every 81, 500, 900.
LEAVES of larch viii,
rolled into balls, the l Lrt.'
a foot in diameter, BY tIss
ton of water, have lust /.
before the Berne Natursl|
Such balls, free from COM ~
are formed in certain Svi
in other places are pro5no]
Gus plants.
The brick clay deposits
Germany, have been ior
Strohecker to be singula,l|
eral metals heretofore ver3
ticularly cerium, glucinun]
didymlum, and yttrium, !
of these metals seem to M
abundance to materiallv
worlds supply.
In Italy a living scorpioI
/! into q wide glass bottle MI
a few drops of olive oil d
quality. More oil is poure|
~, until the bottle is fN|
scorpion dead. In its strlI
itself it elects all its poised
and this poisoned oil forms
remedy for the sting Of a 4
A VALUABLE discovery d
has been made on Vancol
A sample was taken to n
gave very satisfactory ted
burning quality and spec|
The scene of the discover
near the eastern side q
Island, and within five mild
shore, where there is a god
ships.
The simplest and lea
method for removing sal
brickwork, when the ehiod
position where the sun and
have free access, is to wal
diluted hydrochloric or cd
attic acid of commerce.
pound of the acid is used
binary pailful of water, til
being made with a sponge.
The census of the Frd
shows q decided failing
autumn of 1885 there weya
600 fewer inhabitants tha|
ago, and this diminution
on thu cab and omnibu
Apparently the chief abse
foreign residents and the
ing-class, who can get fod
rent cheaper outside the d
The New York Sun, an
efficient system of coast
estly puts the case thus
or effective bio :kade d
York, Chesapeake Bay,
leans would mean the
our commerce for the tima
5000, 900 bushels of grain
ing in Chicago for this P!
main stored in Chicagd
would no longer be tro4
Cincinnati hog. Some
tralian sheep-raiser would
wool market. King Cotton
fer his seat to India.
manufacturing Interests
would be revived at Our
the wheat-grower Of the
west, the cattle baron Of
the pork-packer Of Cin
planter of the Mississlp
shepherd of the Southwest
are to escape the conseque1
aster on one of the gre
Let them undeceive tllemsd
men may endeavor to me-
tent of the calamity invol
tile occupation or close
New York harbor, but thd
| ho ao%;pnokaI
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

AT Yaquina Bay, Oregon, the fishing
is done by Indians from canoes. They
fish in about l25 feet of water, a mile
and half or so from shore. They use
no bait, but have the shanks of their
hooks covered with block tin, the gilt
ter of which attracts the fish, and the
hook does not reach the bottom until
it is seized by fish. There are two
Indians to each canoe, and at present
five canoes are employed. The beauty
of this system to the tish-canning es-
Establishments is that there can be nc
great loss. If an Indian or a canoe
goes down, all that is necessary is to &c
to the reservation and get another
tano
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
That Looks Reasonable.

Phasssius, Jr. lin hardware store
Pa, what does the lady want of that
step ladder she is buying?"
Phasa slus-"I don't know, nv son
unless she is milliner and is going to
use it when trimming one of the new
style of hats"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

W1ee1Ns, the weather prophet,
abates nothing of his claim that there
will occur in the fall storm compared
to which other storms are 8ephyrs.
The elements will begin amusing them
selves on the afternoon of September
20, and when the affair has ended this
country will look as if it had gone
through threshing-mach Atten-
ton is here called to Mr.. Virgins
date, as it seems to have slipped the
mind of the giddy thousands, who go
along with their petty affairs as if no
such shaking-up were in prospect.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

VERY warm, light blankets, and
teather-cloth are now made from The
waste feathers of domestic fowl and
game birds. au
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

SAID old jenkins: II never know 4.
woman that gave anybody piece of
ner mlnd that hadn't lots of pieces left y
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27
A LIVELY time was experienced by

A LIVELY time was experienced by
an apiarist, one day last week, at Bruce
township, Ontario, when sixteen swarms
of his bees came off ut the same time,
and besieged branch of tree, where
they formed huge roll several feet in
circumference and about five feet long.
He separated them, finding out each
of the sixteen queen bees, which he
put into hive, and gathered enough
bees to make swarm, until he had the
whole sixteen quietly settled in new
hives.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

A YOUNG lady and gentleman living
near the Red Sulphur Springs, Vir-
ginia, eloped from the house of the
lady's parent for the purpose of getting
married. The flying pair were in a
single buggy, and made good time un-
til Indian Creek was reached. The
creek was very high, but an attempt
was made to ford it, when midway Of
the stream the vehicle was washed
over and the occupants thrown into the
water. They lodged against q broken
tree in the middle of the creek. The
young man caught the lady as the
rushing waters were carrying her
down and held her. Fortunately, just
at the root of the tree there was suf-
ficient foothold for the young man to
stand, so that the water only came up
to his armpits; but on either side of
him it was too deep and the current
too strong to venture to reach the
shore. He held the young lady in his
arms for two hours before they were
discovered. The position was made
more unpleasant by the sun pouring
its rays upon them. Fortunately,
when the buggy was overturned. an
umbrella was thrown in reach of the
Young man, and he managed to open it
and hold it over the young lady. They
were discovered, and a young man, al
though the risk was great, swan a
strong horse to the place, and the i'm
periled couple hung to the animals tail
and were brought back safely. The
father caught up with the pair at the
creek, and the wedding did not take
place.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

A REMARKABLE scene took place at
the funeral of young man named
Frank Peachy, at San Francisco, few
days ago. The father of Frank, man
gray-bearded and bent with age, met
face to face with his former wife-the
nother-from whom he had been sep
arated twenty-five years. The father
resides at Los Angeles and the mother
at Oakland. They have married again
and have families. Their actions over
the body of their boy were sad to be-
hold. The father tenderly stroked the
hair of his son and the mother kissed
the lips. Both wept bitterly, but
neither recognized the other. At the
grave the old mother knelt down and
prayed while the earth was being
thrown over her son.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-08-27

Rum has sunk more h SI
tho tempests that ever w