davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
Peculiar Penmanship,

1t is no unusual thing for the men who
distribute the mails to find in batch
half dozen envelopes which look as il
some fowl just emerging from some dark
liquid had walked across them. The
writing of lawyers and men in public life
is the hardest the officials have to strug-
gle with. They are so accustomed to
write in such haste that even in the di-
rections of letter they employ so many
Authorizations as to make the address
almost unintelligible to any but skilled
postofiice official. Merchants and bank
ers also write very obscure addresses, but
they arc by no means as bad as the law
yers and statesmen.
The worst iiend the decipherers have
to contend with is the funny young man
whose delicate sense of tasteful humor
leads him to discard such common things
as good English letters in the address of
notes to his lady friends. The letters in
some very frequently give place to SYM
bols, such as are seen on advertising puz-
zles, and very often the mail distributors
come across an envelope which bears
nothing but group of pictures.--Phiia-
dolphin Cal.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
again full of blossoms was told by,

again full Of blossoms; l was told byt
neighbor that II I would take slaked
lime and dust the trees while the dew was
on them would get fruit, but no fruit
that year. The next year l tried two
other prescribed Troublesome was hang.
ing tanzy on the limbs and stringing corn
cobs on the limbs that had been we'll
soaked in molasscs water; the same re-
suit, no fruit. The next year tried the
remedy prescribed by most plum grow
ers) the maui and sheet. In this way
sav.d about one-third crop, and proba-
bly, could have saved them all had it not
been for a long rain that kept me out of
the orchard for three or four days. In
that time think the mischief was most
ly done. The last year I determined to
make one more effort, as began to
get discouraged. We raise good many
chickens. l put their coops close to the
orchard and turned in my hogs to root
up the ground and pick up what stung
fruit would drop off, and then every
morning I scattered wheat screenings
under the trees, and while the chickens
were picking it up went around tc
every tree and gave it good jar with Q
heavy-padded maui that l fixed for the
purpose. The result last year was the
finest lot of plums that ever saw
american Rurdl Home.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
FOR THE FARM AND HOME.
Available Plant Food.

A large portion of our soil does not
contribute directly to the support
of the present vegetation of our
ordinary field plants. The estimate, ex'
elusive of water, has indeed placed il as
high as ninety-nin per cent. The me-
chanical agents of the soil affect fertility
in influencing the plant as regards mois-
ture and fertility. The small amount of
mineral matter that is removed from the
soil may be illustrated in the case OF the
hay crop, It has been calculated that
. Ia tons of hay would carry away from
an acre no more than 400 pounds; and
that the ash ingredients would amount
to only ITO, 900 of the soil on the sup
position that plants rely upon the depth
of foot from the surface for their sup
port. We cannot, by dissccting the
soil, determine just how much of it is
Immediately available for plant growth,
and the mode in which it nourishes q
crop is not clear. - Cultirator.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
INDESCRIBABLE MISERY.
Naked and Starving People on the
Irish Islands.

The British government has placed gun
boats at the services of Mr.. luke in his work
of relieving the distress among the inhabi-
tants Of the islands along the western Irish
coast. INDISPENSABLE distress has been de-
velopcd among the people mhabiting. the
Arran islands, off Galway, who, beside hav-
ing hardly anything but moss and sea grass
left to eat, are without fire, and often with
out clothing and shelter. 1t is not rare to
find girls II and Is years of age kept in Ell
forced hiding during the day time be-
cause bereft of every thread of clothing long
ngo bartered away for seed potatoes or roots
to feed the smaller children with. Fishing
Inspector Brady recently went among the
miserable people of Arran to distribute re-
lief furnished by an organization of the
Irish police His funds ran short and he still had
so much pitiable wretchetlness to relieve that
he appealed to Mr.. Busy, who is charged
with the distribution of the fund raised III
America, through the New York Sun, for the
impoverished fishermen of Achill and Botfin
islands, and begged him to divert part
of his store for the benefit of the Arranese.
This Mr.. Busy was permitted to do, and he
reports that, in order to save the lives of
scores of people now dying of starvation in
these western Islands, it is imperative that
-elief OH u large scale be ut once organized
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
n ecipes,

Graham Biscuits -One quart of Ora
ham -four, one egg, half cup of mo-
lasses, one large tablespoon Of butter and
lard, salt, two teaspoons of baking pow
der.
Birthday Pudding. -One-half box of
gelatine soaked in four tablespoons of
water for ten minutes, add a pint OF
boiling water, juice of two lemons, one
cup of sugar-strain and set away to
cool. When cold stir in the whites Of
three well beaten eggs. A thin boiled
custard can be used to pour over this
pudding, or thick, sweetened cream.
Chou Chou for immediate use.-Equal
quantities Of green tomatoes and cabbage,
half as much onion, some green peppers
if they can be had; chop fine, mix well
together with plenty of salt, red and
white pepper, and press into jar OIL
pickle bottle; pour in all the vinegar il
will absorb, and place in cool place.
Will keep several weeks.
A Plain Salad Dressing. Take table
spoon, and holding it over the salad, put
in it Ghe SPOON one saltspoon of salt,
one fourth of that quantity of freshly
ground pepper and tablespoonful Of
oil; mix and add to the salad. Add
three more tablespoonful of oil; toss the
salad lightly for few seconds; add two
tablespoonsful of sharp vinegar; toss the
salad well and serve.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18

With few exceptions all members Of
the Umbellifere or parsley family of bot
any are more or less difficult to raise from
seeds unless the proper conditions neces-
sary to termination have been observed.
Prominent among the edible species Of
this natural order of plants are celery,
parsley, parsnips and carrots, with sew
eral other valuable pot herbs. This pre-
disposition to decay when placed in damp
soil may be accounted for when we con-
slider their peculiar structure. The en-
bryo is exceedingly small, and is incased in
very hard albumen, which, together with
the aromatic oil Astounding in the fruit
having tendency toward early deoompo-
sition, retards termination.
All seeds of this family require a very
slight covering of fine soil; indeed, in
the case of celery the seeds should be
sown over the surface, merely resorting
to shade. Perhaps the best system with
the latter is to SOW on fiat boxes of finely
prepared soil, then cover with moss thin
ly and place them in a greenhouse or
hotbed, giving careful attention to wa
tering always. In short time the mi
mute plants will show under the cover.
ing, when the latter should be gradually
removed. After few perfect leaves
have been formed, it is best to prick
them out singly into nicely prepared
frame, which will be during the mild
weather of spring.
1t must be borne in mind that seeds of
all these umbelliferous plants need the
lightest possible covering; in fact, mere
pressing into the soil, so as to be in con-
tact with the moisture. Many of the
complaints against seedsmen would never
be heard if gardeners would be little
more careful in planting. The after
culture of celery requires more thought
than any other of the family. The two
main requisites for success are rich soil
and abundant moisture; without these il
is useless to expect good crops. The old
style deep trenches for growing celery is
waste Of 4ime and money.-Josiaa
Hopes in N. Y. Tribune.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
ONLY THE WALLS REMAIN.
Burning of Seton Hall College at
South Orange, N. j.

South Orange, N. j.
The College of Seton Hail. at South Orange,
N. j., was entirely destroyed by fire recently,
together with its contents The students had
just finished dinner, when Clark Hale, one
of the smaller pupils, entered the refectory
on the first floor and said to FIR Marshall:
1.-THE building is on fire." The students were
got on the campus without confusion, and
then they saw smoke issuing from the
third floor windows, where the dormi-
tories are located, and from the caves
of the roof. The collegiates, under
the direction of Project d. Clancy,
then started for the top floor, used as dor
mitory for the senior and junior classes and
removed all the bedding, books and wearing
apparel to the campus All movable things
on the other floors were next taken out, after
which the boys organized themselves into d
bucket brigade, and carried water to the SEM
mary wing. In the mean time, the flames
had burst through the room, and assistance
was telephoned for to Orange and Newark.
Chief Kierstead of the latter city went to the
the scene in person, taking with him No. 8
engine and the supply company. 1t was the
valuable contents from destruction, as
it caught fire several times. The
fire in the college burned fully two hours.
Only the four walls are left, and they are so
badly cracked that they will have to be torn
down. AT one time it looked as though the
entire college buildings would be destroyed,
as the seminary wing was on fire in four
places, but the lively passing of water buckets
and well directed stream from the engine
soon subdued the flames. Bishop Wigger
of the diocese of Newark has bis episco-
pal residence at the college, and it is also
the residence of large number of priests.
At the time of the fire there were 90 col
legiates and 30 seminarians in attendance.
Beside these, there were % female servants
in the college, and ID Sisters of Mercy have
house adjoining. The loss is estimated at
about $4,000, on which there is an insurance
of about S25, 600 in foreign and home COM
panies As soon as the fire was extinguished,
FIR. Marshall called the students together and
made arrangements to send all who desire to
fhair homes
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
He skipped q Sale.

"About four weeks ago, said farmer
on the market the other day, 81 con-
cluded to get rid of several old stumps
near the barn, and l came in and pur-
chased some giant cartridges, Next day
forenoon went at the job, and had Just
got cartridge tampcd down In the first
stump when saw a man drive up 10 the
house. That was nothing to bother over,
however, and l lighted the fuse and ran
around the barn to wait for the explc;
sion. l had only got in place when l
beard voice calling:
"'Ahi there, Sharp! ! want to sell
you the best washing machine ever
made"
'It was the chap who had driven up,
and my wife had sent him out to hunt
the up. He was within ten feet OF the
stump when he called. I had a, two.
minute fuse on the cartridge when ]
heard his voice and called back:
"For Heavens sake, get out o. that 7
"Oh, I'll get out, after l have sold
you a machine. Sharp, where are your
"Well, sir, you can have my ears II
that idiot didn't walk up and rest his
elbows on the stump, and he was there
when she exploded, He took rise o.
six OF eight feet, came down spread.
eagle fashion, and then scrambled UP
and made for his wagon with slivers
sticking out all over him. When he
went BY the house my wife asked him
if the machine saved ten per cent. in
soap, but he never answered nor came
to a halt. He just sailed over the fore.
wheel to his seat on the wagon, give the
horses d cut with the whip, and was
mile away when went out to the road
to inquire if his machine was full jew
| cleo, o-Detroit Ere Press.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
THE RAILWAY STRIKE.
An Exciting Adventure at Little
Rock,

A dispatch from Little Rock, Ark, says,
A freight train run by switch engine left
tho Iron Mountain depot and reached Benton,
rs miles SOUTH recently. The passenger en-,
gne which was TO take the st. Louis train
south was captured at the round house by
masked strikers aud sent after the freight
train, The freight train was oyertaken at
Benton and disabled when the strikers started
back toward Little Rock with the passenger
engine. At Vaudeville, 10 miles south
of the city, they waited on o
side track for the passenger train TO
go by. The train came along, and when the
last car had pass,d they threw the switch
open and dashed out in the direction of Little
Rock. United States Marshal Fletcher and
several deputies We're on the passenger train;
accompanied by Superintendent Wheedon
The track was cleared for switch engine.
The officers got aboard and pursued the
strikers, both reaching and dashing past the
depot under full Roadway. While crossing
the bridge the pursuing engine caught and
made fast TO the strikers engine, and the Off
GERS began climbing aboard, ordering the
strikers to stop. They refused, and on reach.
ing, the north side of the bridge several
strikers jumped off and the officers began
firing About 50 shots were fired
and one striker named Sullivan was shot in
the leg severely and was captured. Seven
others besides Sullivan were captured, and
the officers are in pursuit of the fugitives,
about Is in number The captured strikers
were released on bond, and tonight every
thing is quiet, although considerable excite
ment prevails.
A Fort Worth, Tex. dispatch says. The
Texas Il Pacific road is open from New Or
leans TO El Paso, much to the chagrin and
discontinue of the striking Knights of La,
Dor. 1t is understood here that an effort will
be made to buy OIL the men working that
road with money furnished by the Knights of
Labor in the Eastern States
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
MURDER AND ROBBERY.
Train Robbers Murder an Express
Messenger and Steal 500, 900.

Messenger and Steal $4,000.
One of the most daring and bloody express
robberies ever perpetrated in illinois has oc-
Cured on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
west bound express between Joliet and
and Morris The facts as learned from
the bagSageman are that shortly after the
train which leaves Joliet at r. IS a. m. had
left that city he heard rap at the baggage
car door Thinking it was the ex-
press messenger, he opened the door and
was met by masked robbers who covered
him with revolverS and demanded his key to
the express car Tho key was given up, and
one robbcr, who was on top of the baggage
car, held revolver on the baggage man
through transom in the roof Of the car,
while his confederates turned their attention
to the express car.
1t is thought that tllcy tapped on the ex-
press car door and informed the messenger,
Kellogg Nichols, that the baggageman wanted
to get in. At any rate, the express car door
was opened and the despcradocs entered and
then occurred one of the most bloody and
desperate struggles on record. Being con-
fronted by the murderous villains, the mes
senger fought for his life and the property in
his trust, until he fell to the floor corpse,
mangled almost beyond recognition
The robbers then rf1ed his pockets of the
keys of the safe, which they robbed of all its
contents Checks and valuable packages not
containing money they left scattered about
the floor. Nothing was known of the occur
renee until the train reached Norris the first
stop west of Joliet where the train stops to
take coal. At Morris the local express mes
senger raped on the express car door, but as
the summons was not answered it was
thought the train messenger was asleep. Upon
the door of the car being opened, the horri-
BILE evidence of the desperate struggle and
the dead body of Messenger Nichols was dis
covered In one hand that was clutched the
dead hero had a lock of dark colored hair
torn from the head of one of his assailants
The dead messenger was married man and
lived at Chicago He has been in the service
of the United States Express Company about
10 years and was one Of their most trusted
employees.
As to where the robbers boarded the train
all as yet is mere speculation. Conductor
Wagner does not remember having seen any
suspicious characters aboard, but the general
opinion is that the gang got OH the train al
the coal chute, two miles west of Joliet and
jumped off just before the train reached
Morris.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
UNFAVORABLY RECEIVED.
How the Cabinet Views Mr.. Glad
stones Home Rule Scheme.

The London ObSerUersays that at the cab
met council recently, the measures submitted
by Mr. Gladstone for the home government
of Ireland were unfavorably received, and
that the project, II persisted in, will lead to
the disruption of the cabinet.
The Observer states that. Mr. -Gladstone's
draft, as printed and handed TO the cabinet,
deals exclusively with appropriation, TO:
which colossal sum will be required. The
administration of the fund is to be Entrusted
to an'Irish local body, the constitution of
which is left blank in the draft, but which
the ministers were informed would be of the
character ofan> Irish Parliament
The Standard says: 1t is supposed that
Mr.. Gladstones scheme for the government
of Ireland proposes the establishment of a
single chamber parliament at Dublin, and
embodies the principle of minority repro
sentation. Ireland will continue to send
members to Westminster, not in proportion
to her population, but in proportion to her
contribution to the imperial revenue Under
this scheme there would he 30 Irish members
of parliament. The police are to be dis
armed, and are to he under the control of
the government at Dublin Provision is
made for the Use of the imperial forces when
needed for security of life and property.
The government at Dublin will not have
power to impose duties on Briith goods, 10
treat with foreign powers, to employ the
revenues Of the country for the endowment
Of any religious body, Or to pass measures TO
impair the validity of contracts.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
BODIES DANGLING IN THE AIR.
Indiana Citizens Take the Law Into
Their Own Hands

A dispatch from Shoals, Martin county,
Ind, gives the details OF a triple lynching
there A vigilance committee of about 100
men from Martin and Orange counties SUR
rounded the Jail, The sheriff asked who was
there, and the answer was crashing IN OF
the front door Then the lynchers rushed
Thomas and Martin and John Archer,
the latter the son Of Thomas, the
ringleaders of what Ia known as the
Archer gang. The prisoners offered no TO-
sistance, and when asked il they had any
thing TO say, they refused TO speak, Their
hands We're tied behind their backs, and they
were taken over to the court house yard.
They were again asked il they had any con,
fession TO make, and still no reply heing
made by any of them, they were uncereinoni
ously strung up to young maple trees. Tom
Archer, about 90 years old was hanged first;
Martin, brother to Tom, aged about IS, was
suspended near by, and John, son of Tom
Archer, about 50 years old, was hanged
about 50 feet from his father, The crimes
for which they were hanged comprise almost
murder to petty thieving For 25
years they have been the terror. OF
Martin and Orange Counties, and have
terrorized the community in which they
lived, until the people didn't know, when
they went to bed at night, whether they
would be murdered before morning or their
houses burned down. Martin Archer has a
family living in Southwest township, Orange
county, who are we'll thought of Two OF
his children are young ladies teaching school
in that section. Old Tom Archer, rs he was
called, lived in Martin county, Columbia
township, and had large family, every one
of whom is under Indictment for larceny,
arson and murder. The chief reason for
their being hanged was the confession of John
Lynch, another member of the gang, who is
in the Washington 1ai Settlement is run run
eral people is looked for at once, as the con-
fesSion CT Lynch duplicates 80 or 40 persons
in this vicinity. The viglantS had another
rope, as they supposed Lynch was also in the
jail, and they intended to make a complete
job of it. The mob left all their tools and
masks behind, and Sheriff Padgett has them
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
FATAL FIRE IN MONTREAL
Four Five-Story Buildings and
Contents DESTROYED.

An extensive fire has occurred OH St. Pau.
md Commissioner streets, the center of the
wholesale trade of the city, by which four
flve-story buildings were consumed with the
goods stored therein, and three others badly
damaged. The loss sustained by these firms is
estimated at s13O,0OO, about two thirds being
covered in the North British and Mercantile,
Royal, Citizens, Royal Canadian, British
America and Phoenix of Hartford, Ct, offices.
Their losses are estimated at $4,000, which
are covered in the Citizens, Royal and Scot
fish Union and Imperial.
Frederick Haines, guardian of No 3 sta
ton, is missing, and as his torch was found
in one of the warehouses burned, it is he
lieved he has been killed by falling walls and
is buried under the debris A force of mel.
is at work to rescue him if alive. Guardian
Manning received compound fracture of
both legs, and is considered in critical state
Firemen Mooney and Cairns were dangerous
ly injured by falling walls. Nine firemen had
miraculous escape from instant death. They
were up on a Hayes ladder guiding the hose
into the building some of them so feet from
the ground when the ladder swayed to one
side, but was caught on telegraph pole, and
prevented by the wires from coming to the
ground, SO that all escaped without scratch
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-18
now Long Should Cows Go Drys


At the recent Illinois Dairymen's con,
vention the following discussion was had
on this subject:
Mr.. Johnson: buy cows and feed
them-force them in fact, using them up
as mixers in a year or two, then fatten
them up for market. l let them go dry
as short time as possible. Mr.. Hostel
ter: Cows should go dry six to eight
weeks. Mr. johnson: In the way cows
are usually kept they should be allowed
rest. Mr.. Boyd: Much depends upor
the COW. My best cows are persistent
mixers. have trouble in drying then
off. If not allowed rest, cows generally
prove poor mixers the year succeeding
nearly full year of milking; it seems tc
undermine the constitution. Mr.. Boyd
added that the calves of these pcrsistcn,
mixers are liable to be weak. Mr.. Du
bois: l keep my cows as long as the,
produce well, and hence prefer to have
them go dry six to eight weeks. Mr.
-: I can get as much milk in tn,
life of good COW, by milking her min,
months, as longer. Mr. Buell.: My cow
will give milk right along up to the tim,
Of calving. What must I do--sell then
and get others9 It is not always tn,
case heifer MIXED up to calving tn,
second time will remain persistent
milker; nor if from accident she goes dr.,
early in the season that she will eve
after be short mixer; they often re
gain natural period. A calf from
persistent" COW, and looking just lik,
the dam, will be likely to inherit tn,
quality. Mr.. Reed preferred six to eigh
weeks rest for cows; does not believ,
ordinary cows will make money for tn,
farmer, counting the dry season, at O.
cents per 100 lbs. for milk Prof. Henr,
thought there was too much guess worl
,mong the farmers in the dairy business
they should know more regarding cos
! IF food, care, etc. The statement wa
well substantiated by the fact that II,
one present seemed to give actual figure
If the last seasons results.