davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14
STORY OF SILENT JOE

In the year 1867 young man named
Charles Miller left Hartford, Conn, for
the west. At Buffalo he fell in with a
man calling himself Henry Dawson, and
the two Travelled to Chicago together.
Miller had about $500 in cash with him,
while Dawson had only a few shillngs
left when they reached Chicago. The
former intended going to Colorado,
while the latter, who said hc was
butcher, decided to remain in Chicago
and work at his trade for time. They
took quarters together in cheap hotel,
and, to further reduce expenses, they oc.
cupied one bed.
On the night before Miller was to leave
for the far west, and as they were about
ready to go to bed, he took out and
counted his money. He had $500. so,
and, knowing that his companion had
but dollar or two, he handed him $40
bill.
81 won't take it from you except as
loan," said Dawson.
"Thats all right" replied Miller. 81
shall write you, and whenever you can
spare it you may send it along.'
"But you don't know me; we have
been together only few days"
~ can tell square man on sight. Put
this in your wallet"
While Miller was rolling up his money
Dawson got up and passed behind him.
All Of sudden Miller lost consciousness
In the summer of 1869 the writer was
one of the inhabitants of n mining camp
on the Purgatory River in southern
Colorado. One day tenderfoot reached
our camp. He was veritable scare crow
in general appearance. He hadn't a
shilling in money nor an ounce OF outfit,
and when we came to question him it
was discovered that he was only "half
baked" He gave his name as Joe, but
he had nothing else to tell. When asked
what his other name was, where he came
from, how he reached us, &C., he looked
from face to face in vacant way and
shook his head. We were not the kind
of men to turn chap like that loose to
be scalped by the Indians or to perish
of starvation. We made him wash up,
put on the garments we contributed, and
after he had got square meal he looked
and acted like different man.
One of my two terminates was an old
surgeon from Ohio, and, as we had roomy
quarters, he suggested that We take Joe
in. The suggestion was adopted, and
he was installed as cook and laundry
man. He was very willing hand, and
when his work at the house was finished
he stood ready to help us at the mine.
So far as speech went, we got no more
Oub VI llllll ullCi u thNh oii viz
first day. He called every meal supper.
He called every article of wash shirt.
Every day in the week was Wednesday
to him. could say to him, "Here, Joe,
fetch pail of water" and he would take
the pail and hurry away, but if | said,
'Now, Joe, what State do you hail
from 2" he would stand and stare at me
with open mouth. The miners played
many a joke on him, and some of them
were pretty rough ones, but no one ever
saw him get angry When we found
that he would not answer questions put
to him verbally, we tried him in writing.
If, for instance, we wrote the query:
"Whcrc do you live1" he would take the
pencil, as if about to reply, but before he
could make a mark the idea would slip
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14
RnleS Tor Cnrresnnndnnts.

An exchange lays down the following
pithy code of newspaper rules:
State facts but don't stop to moralizc.
Its drowsy subject. Let the reader do
his own dreaming.
Eschew prefaces. Plunge at once into
your subject, like swimmer into cold
water
If you have written a sentence that you
think particularly fine draw your pen
through it. A pet child is the worst in
the family.
Condense. Make sure that you really
have an idea and then record it in the
shortest possible terms We want
thoughts in their quintcsscncc.
When your article is completed, strike
out nne-tenths of the adjcctivcs. The
English is strong language, but it will
bear much reducing"
Avoid all high flown language. Tho
plainest Anglo Saxon words are the best.
Never use stills when legs will do as
well.
Make your sentences short. Every
period is mile stone, at which the
reader may halt and refresh himself.
Write legbly. Don't let your manu-.
script look like the tracks of spider
half drowned in ink. We shan't mis-
take any one for genius, though ho
write as crabbedly as Napoleon.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14
ODSTOCK, W.T., WEDNESDAY,, JULY ID, 1886.
The Highway Cow.

The hue Of her hide was dusky brown,
He body was lean and her neck was slim,
One horn was turned up and the other turned
down,
She was keen of vision and long Of limb,
With Roman nose and n short stump tail,
And ribs like the hoops Of homemade pail.
Many mark did heRbody bear;
She had been target fof all things known
On many scar the dusky hair
Would grow no more where 1t once had
grown;
Many passionate, parting shot
Had left on her lasting spot.
Many and many awell-aimed stone.
Many brickbat of good size,
And many a cudgel swiftly thrown
Had brought the tears to her loving eyes,
Or had bounded off from her bony back
With noise like the sound of rifle crack
Many day had she passed in the pound
For helping herself to her neighbours corn;
Many cowarily cur and hound
Ildu Detl vi hNih
Many teapot and old tin pail
Had the farmer boys tied to her timeworn
Old Deacon Gray was very good old man,
Though somewhat tempted to be profane
When many weary mile he ran
To drive her out of the growing grain;
Sharp were the pranks she used to play
To get her fill and get away.
She knew when the deacon went to town;
She watched him wisely as he went by;
He never passed her without frown
And an angry CLEAN in each angry eye;
He would crack his whip in a surly way,
And drive along in his one-hoss shay.
Then at his homestead she loved to call,
Lifting his bars with crumpled horn,
Nimby scaling the garden wall
Helping herself to his standing corn,
Eating his cabbages one by one,
Hurrying home when her work was done.
His human passions were quick to rise,
And strldlng forth with asavage cry,
With fury blazing from both his eyes,
AS lightnings fash from the summer sky;
Redder and redder his face would grow,
And after the creature he would go,
Over the garden, round and round,
Breaking his pear and apple trees,
Trampling his melons into the ground,
Overturning his hive of bees,
Leaving him angry and badly stung,
Wishing the old cows neck was wrung.
The moses grew on the garden wall,
The years went by with their work and
play,
The boys in the village grew strong and tall,
And the gray-haired farmers passed away,
One by one as the red leaves fall;
But the highway COW outlived them all.
Chicago Ledger,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

A Boston newspaper man named Nc
Nally, although only 81 years old, has
rescued from death by drowning between
thirty-tivc and forty persons, some OF
them under circumstances of the utmost
danger and difficulty. Recently he re-
ccivcd from the Massachusetts, Humane
Society very handsome medal. Mr..
McNally began his career as rcscuor at
the age of seven years, and has been an
expert swimmer since his fifth year. His
playmates dubbed him a 'wNter dog,
and from the number of hours he spends
in the water at time and the distances
he will swim it is rather difficult to be-
licvc that natnrc really intended him for
land animal.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14
Wild Hunters.

One traveller tells of having witnessed
the pursuit and destruction of a large
leopard by pack of wild dogs. Whether
or not the dogs had set out with the in
tention of capturing the leopard, he
could not tell. He saw them start up
the great cat in low jungle. The
leopard made no effort at first to fight oil
its assailant3; but with a series of pro-
digious springs sought shelter in the
only refuge the plain aiforded-a tree
which had partially fallen.
There the hunted beast stood, snarling
and growing in a manner that would
have frightened off any ordinary foe.
The savage dogs, however, never hesi-
tated moment, but with agile leaps ran
up the sloping trunk, and gave instant
battle to their furious game. One after
another, the dogs we're hurled back, each
stroke of the terrible paw making one
foe the less. Yet they continued to
throw themselves against the enraged
creature, until, wcOried by the contest
and wounded in fifty places, it fell from
the tree; when, still struggling, it was
quickly torn to pieces.
1t must not be supposed, however, that
the wild dog usually prefers as formi,
dablc game as the leopard. A sheep-fold
is always an attraction too great for the
wild dog to pass.
And now, after calling this wild hunt
er dog, | shall have to say that it is
not dog at all, but is only a sort Of
cousin to the dog, and really nearer
relative of the hyena, though it so rcscm-
blcs both animals as to have gained the
name of hyena-dog. It's scientific name
is Lyca0n genaticus; and besides the two
common names already mentioned, it has
half dozen more. st. Nicholas.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14
Tho Ruby ut the Head,

1t is a popular error to suppose, says
an article on jewelry, that the diamond
is the most valuable of the precious
stones. The relative value of the finer
gems places the ruby at the head of the
list, giving the diamond second place,
and following it the sapphire. What are
known as perfect diamonds are not un-
common, but perfect ruby has almost a
fictitious value in the market, as it is
generally held at any price the owner
sees fit to ask. One very choice stone
littlr larger than an ordinary sized
cherry pit is valued at $1,000.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

The fFeeRdn'S STANDARD says: 'The
nature of the country has much to do
with the sound of bells. In hilly To-
cality bell will not be heard half so far
as if the land were level, or nearly so.
A bell will be heard a great deal further
lengthwise Of a valley than over the hills
at the sides. Where bell rooms are
lower than the surrounding buildings
and trees, these distractions break the
sound and prevent its free passage to q
distance. Towers having small windows
or openings, with the lower boards close
together, often box up the sound. In
cities, the noise Of steam and horse cars,
manufacturing establishments carriages
and carts rattling over the pavemcnts,
etc., is so great that bells are not eX-
pectcd to be heard at any considerable
distance, and this is the reason why, in
all cities, several bells are used for fire.
alarm purposes, it being impossible
for one bell, no matter how large it may
be heard above the thousands and one
noises incident to every large pIac,.
1t is said that the largest bell ever made
in this country weighed $4,000 pounds,
and before it was figured hung on the
City Hall, in New York. On one or
two occasions this bell was heard up tho
Hudson River thirteen miles, in tho
night, when the city was comparatively
quiet. 1t is great mistake to suppose
that bells can be heard in proportion to
their weight-that is, a bell of two thou
sand pounds will be heard twice as far
rs one Of /, 900 pounds. This is not so,
for the reason that the larger bell does
shot possess anything like twice the rcso-
nant surface of the smaller one. What
is gained and admired in the larger bell
is its deep, majestic and digniiied tone,
which it is impossible to secure in the
smaller one, the weight of bell invalia-
bly, governing its tone. A bell of 100 or
200 pounds, in an open bclfry, on an
enginc-house, q schoolhouse or factory
in the country, is frequently heard at
long distance, out of proportion, appar-
emily, to one of 1000 pounds in
a church-tower near by; and in
stances of this kind frequently cause
no little comment in the way of
comparison. One reason for this Is that
the small bell has sharp, shrill, pcnc-
trating sound, that must, Of necessity, be
heard very much further in proportion to
its weight, than the low, mellow church
going sound of the church bel. The
same principle applies to the whistle OF
a locomotive and it is heard a long dis
tance simply because It's tone is shrill
and penetrating. When hung stationary
and struck or tolled, bells will not be
heard as a rule, half as far as when
swung The swinging motion throws
up the mouth of the bell,
and not only carries the sound off, but
imparts to it arichncss that is always
absent when the bell is at rest and
struck. A great effect is to be gained by
ringing bell properly throwing the
mouth well up and not lazily jingling it.
1t is not physical strength that is re-
quired in ringing bell somuch as get
ting the knack" of catching the rope
just right particularly on the second
"down pull" The windows in the tow
er should be as open as possible, and the
tower ceilcd just above the windows"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14
RearS in Maine.

A correspondent of the New York Sun
writes: There are several bear cubs in
various stores about town, Gagged up in
little dens, and they are q great adver-
tisement for their owners. A bear cub
is probably the drollest young animal
alive. They play all sorts of funny an
tics and attract more custom than lot
terry. know Of q restaurant which mum.
bers pet cub among its attractions, and
that bear is bonanza to the bar. 1t has
learned to drink beer, eat pie, and play
with the customers dogs. Once in a
while it escapes and gets up the street a
little way and seems quite sad at being
recaptured. A pair of these playful lit
tie fellows have just been sold to the
United States Soldiers Home at Togus
for only $50.
The Maine bear is the genuine black
the sheep, lamb and calf-eater. He nev-
er bothers man unless provoked to fight,
and then he is an ugly customer to meet.
They are pretty well thinned out in the
western part of the State, but have
often met them within twenty miles OF
Bangor. They are the terror of farmers,
but the delight of sportsmen, and, while
many flock of nice sheep are eaten up,
it is no uncommon sight to sec nice 300
or 4OO-pounder hung up alongside Of
beef and mutton in the Bangor market
shops.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14
PEARLS OF THOUGHT.
Pleasant words are as on honeycomb,
sweet to the soul.


sweet to the soul.
Persecution Is often the wind that scat
tors the good seed Of the kingdom.
The way to do good is to be good;
there must be light, then it will shine.
Occasions do not mako q man frail,
but they do show what he is.
The unhappiest of mortals arc those
who have more money or more time than
they know how to use.
Night work will, in time, destoy the
student; for it is the marrow from his
bones with which he fills his lamp.
Pride and opulcnce may kiss in the
morning as married couple,
but they are likely to be divorced before
sunset.
When worthy men quarrel, only ono
of them may be faulty at first, but, if
strife should continue long, commonly
both become guilty.
The jealous man is always hunting for
something he does not expect to find, and
when he has found it he is mad because
he has.
They that would be safe have need to
be suspicious of the temper, The garris-
on that sounds parlcy is not far from
being surenderel l..
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

Possible Customer-What does first
class funeral co t. Mr.. Layemout2
Mr.. Layemout (undertakcr) - Why,
none of your family are dead,' are theyi
P. C.-No, not yet; but the old lady
has bought kerosene stove, Johnny's
got new bicycle, and my oldes,
daughter is keeping company with q
Pittsburg dude who carries hair trigger
pistol. It's well enough to keep abreast
Of the market, Judge,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

The ancient city of Tarsus, where the
Apostle Paul was born, has railroad.
British capitalists are constructing it.
The first section from Mersena to Tarsus
has just been officially inaugurated, The
opening was made the occasion of a
grand jubilee. A dozen sheep were
sacrificed, there were religious bcnedic-
tions, speeches and then free excursion
to the notabilities.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

Cocoanut growing in Florida seems tc
be a success. In the region Of Lake
Worth there are 10000 trees growing,
and part of them are fruiting In 1875
a vessel loaded with these nuts was
wrecked on the Dade coast and floated
ashore near Lake Worth, most of which
were gathered and planted. The nut
begins to bear in about seven years from
planting, and the crop averages from 1O(
to 200 nuts per tree. Very many more
are being planted.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

Joseph Howard, in the New York
World, thus lets loose the vials of sar
casm upon one of the fashionable follies
of the day "Come with me to Central
park, where everything is bright and
beautiful and where even sad imvalids
sitting on the benches draw funny pic
lures in the dirt with their canes or para
soils, and little children lame from their
births emulate the gambols of their
sturdier companions. Come to Central
park, where the birds sing and the cows
low, and the monkeys chatter and the
sheep wigglc-wagglc their little tails,
while the robbins jump rcd-brcastcd
here and there, and squirrels and chip
munks and wild cats startled from their
resting places, leap across the path,
skirting the carriagcway buryng them
selves in the grass or mounting with
lightning speed the bark of some mag
nificent tree. Come, say, and sec to
what extreme idiotic degree fashion
tempts its votaries. Standing near the
mall, my attention was attracted by o
pair of spanking bays sturdily coming
down the road, drawing superb Ian,
dau in which sat two lades-oh, how
black, how sombre, how dismal, from
the onyx tip of their black lace parasols
through hot, thick veil and heavy mourn
ing costume! The coachman and the
footman on the box; my eyes! but they
are sight, wide mourning bands upon
their hats, black gloves upon their hands
and the wide tops of their professional
boots absolutely covered with Grape,
while on the long tapcring handle of the
whip stood forth an invitation to the
gaping crowd to see how bad the
mourners felt, huge black rosette,
whose long, heavy ends futtered in the
breeze as the horses champcd their bits
and waved their tails and darted down
the drive. OF all the idiotic displays,
of all temptations to redculc, of all pro-
vocatives to what our rcportorial friends
call 'derisivc laughter" that picture
caps the climax"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14
Knew the Climate.

He was brought into the Police Court
Monday morning and arraigned on charge
of disorderly conduct. 1t was the hot
test morning of the summer. Judge and
clerk and prisoners and spectators mop.
ped their brows and gaspcd for breath.
"Well, Daniel ?" queried his Honor.
"Wcll, sir, l suppose did it."
"You can't expect me to let you of
this time. You were here only two
weeks ago."
"No, sir, I can't. But hope you will
do me favor all the same"
"What's that, Daniel Z"
"Send me to Siberia for three months,
sirp-Free Press
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

An anti-tobacco reformer has found
that of the seventy-six United States
Senators fourteen chew tobacco and
tilty-eight use it in one form or another,
while of the 325 members of the House
only few abstain wholly from tobacco.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

In one of the graphic novels the eide
Dumas describes the stratagcms of two
rivals cutthroats who have to pass the
night in the same cabin, and vie in the
enunciation of pious sentiments, while
under cover Of the blankets each whets a
sxteen-inch dirk knife. The govern
mcnts of France and Prussia says DR..
Oswald have played similar game fol
the last eighteen months. They
strengthen their frontier posts, improve
theirI brccchloadcrs, subsidizc an army
of spies, and strain every nerve to pre-
pare for the moro and more deadly, in
evitoble scrimmagc, and yet all the
while intricate one another with smil.
ing assurances Of mutual good will and
respect.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

1t is estimated that when the Lick
telescope shall be finished and set in
position it will have cost $164, $50 The
observatory dome will cost $50, $50, the
mounting S4s, 900, the visual objective
S53, 900, and the cost of the Photographic
objective will be s13. 900,
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

A Utica, N. Y, genius has invented a
farm harness that weighs less than fifteen
pounds, and does away with whitille-
trees, traces, and many Of the cumbcr'
some straps and buckles. Moreover 1t
Is chcap.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

According to advices from Port Town
send, Or, the Port Discovery Mill at
that place has received an order from
Japan for railroad ties, aggregating 12O,
900, 1000 feet Of sawed timber. An adc,
quatc conception of the size of this order
may be had from our authority, who
says this mill has never cut more than
$1,000, 900 feet in one year, hence il
would take four years Of steady work to
fill the japanese order. Moreover, it is
claimed that if ties can be produced at
that point more cheaply than at other
places, the same must be true of large
timber, and further extensive orders
may be accepted. Such an order must
create better times on Puget Sound and
lend better feeling to business gener-
ally. Such an order must have its effect
upon the value Of lumber at all shipping
points, not only by reason of the amount
absorbed in this single ORDER but as in
dicating future large markets for Ameri.
can lumber
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

An observant writer says that few men
know what to do with their hands. They
should offer them to some nice girl.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-14

"a WA O. not, life If sweeping by, e
H and dare before you dc.
TX something mighty and sub
nhW lime leave behind to conquer
time. $66 week in youI
own town. IS outfit free. No risk. Every.
thing new. Capital not required. We will
furnish you everything Many are making
fortunes. Ladies' make a, much as men, and
boys and girls make great pay. Reader, il you
want business at which you make great pay
oil the time, write Tor particulars to
II, IIAILLTT & Co.. Portland. Maine,
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-07-29
tF'r he R.arsA.l
e'0ms pa0n lsauas.

Not having seen any communication from
Compton lately. You will please allow Us
a small space in your valuable paper 20
note the few items nf interest happening in
ouI quiet Meek
The wheat ihreshing and shipping has
been completed and neither yield nor
price seems IA he satisfactory. ~ cts. per
bashel was the price for the crops on New
town
This neigahnrhood was treated Ia 8
grand excursion on the 4th. by Capt ]. W.
CroSwell, or the schooner Kent Island, and
IL proved to he q very enjoyable affair
owing TO the pleasant breeze and the exer-
tons Of the gallant Captain TO make II ~,
Well, the centre Of attraction this sum
mer seems 10 be Blakis.one's Island. and the
boat race there on the s4th was quite excit-
ing. Housman & Bethel rSked in the
change, beating the Ella May and others
pretty hands. All that wish 10 regain their
laurelslan do - on the 1lth. prox.. IS We
are inislfinci that Cn that date there will he
race open 90 enc and all The course
will be from Newtown Greek 10 Hawkins
Bouy and return, with oysters. fish and
pine top thrown In. J.&L.