davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
A Peculiar Dish Of Greens.

The following incident occurred at a
very early date in the history of Maine.
Among the new settlers of Pemaquid was
one by the name of Alexander, who ac-
cording to custom, was chosen as captain
to command the little company of men
which banded together for self-protectlon
in those dangerous times. Now Mrs,
Alexander, being much pulled up by the
honor, must needs make feast TO cele-
brate it. All her neighbors were invit
cd, some of the women bringing knitting,
Others coarse garments for sewing, and
still others their 'littlc wheels" on theiI
backs, with distaff of fax to spin, and
all bringing babies.
One can imagine what a merry compa.
ny it was that gathered in the great log
kitchen, knitting needles clicking, babies
grooming, and the fax-whccls humming
like great swarm of bees in clover
field, while outside the newly-made cap
tam treated the men.
Over the fire and hanging. from the
huge iron crane was big brass kettle,
boiling furiously and emitting most fra
grant odor. There was a whispering
among the guests as to what their hostess
could be preparing, but all agreed that
if it tasted half as good as it smelled, it
would be good enough.
Dinner-time came, the knitting was pu,
aside, the babies were hushed to sleep,
and the wheels pushed back against tho
walls. All gathered about the rough
table expcctantly, and Mrs. Alexander,
with look. of triumph, passed to each a
goodly portion of the contents of the
brass kettle, well seasoned and garnishcd
with butter.
As it happened, one Of the guests was
a rough old trader from Boston, and his
natural gruffncss of disposition had not
been softcned by his generous potations
outside He looked at his dish curiously
for moment, tasted it, made a wry face,
then shouted out, to the CONSERVATION of
the company
"Woman, how much O. this stuff did
yc cook and buttcr?'
"Why, pound9" said the captains
wife, somewhat inccnsed. 'Pray, isn't
that cnough?'
'Enough9" cried the trader. "Ycs,
to kill the whole settlement, stewed in
yon pizen kettle! This is tea madam,
for drinking not to be made into vile
grccnsw
An explanation followed, and Mrs.
Alexander, to whom the article of too
was hitherto unknown, as also to mel
equally ign oro.,t .,~i orr, retired crest
fallen, yet we presume much wiser
woman. Youth's Companion.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
A Generals Anxiety.

One day during a noted Kentucky
campaign, and while the Confederate
army was passing through Allen County,
Gen. Breckinridge, approaching Gen.
Hindman, said:
"We are now only short distance
from Bear Waller and not very far from
Jimtown"
The solemnity of his manner attracted
Hindman's serious attention, and regard
ing Breckenridge with long look of in
quiry he asked:
"But, General, why does our nearness
to those places so concern you2"
"Well, you see, Breckenridge replied,
81 fear it will be my fate to be killed in
an action at Jimtown or Bear Waller.
Bear Waller, he repeated. "The thought
of being killed at place with such q
name makes me sick. Toledo Blade.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
How Many Hours for Sleep.

There is an old saying that has fright
ened a great many people from taking
the rest that nature demanded for them,
"Nine hours are enough for fool"
They may be; and not too many for
wise man who feels that he needs them.
Goethe, when performing his most prod
igious literary feats, felt that he needed
nine hours; what is better, he took them.
We presume it is conceded by all
thoughtful persons that the brain in very
young children, say three or four years
of age, requires all of twelve hours in
rest or sleep. This period is shortened
gradually until, at fourteen years of age,
the boy is found to need only ten. When
full grown and in healthy condition,
the man may find night of eight hours
sufficient to repair the exhaustion Of the
day and new-create him for the morrow.
But if he discovers that he needs more
sleep he should take it. There is surely
something wrong about | i'm; perhaps a
forgotten waste must be repaired. His
sleep, evidently, has not been made up;
and until it has and he can spring to his
work with an eXhilaration for it, he
should sensibly conclude to let his in
stinct control him and stay in bed
Good Housekeeping. g
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
The Conductor "Pas,cd,"

Did you ever on railway car observe
the many bits of pastcboard that are
thrust out at the conductors, who hesi-
tate before they punch them and hand
them back with an air that seems to say,
"Well, It's none of my business" and
move on to anothcr2 That's the ''pass, !"
and a mighty useful thing it is where the
shekels are not redundant and the ways
are long Lecturers find it so especially,
and Saxe-now old and, l am told, ruin
ed in health and spirts-oncc told me
one of his experiences that was very
amusing. He had passes on all the rail-
roads and steamboats, in the West, he
thought, but at one time he found him
self on short road not down on his
chart upon which he had no ticket. As
the conductor came along he took all his
passes from his pocket and held them in
his hand like deck of playing cards.
''Mr. Conductor said he, do you play
.uchref" Yes, sometimes. "Well,
what should you say to hand like that?'
II should say pass and SAKE put up
lis cards as the conductor passed laugh
ugly along Hartford Post
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
On a Mexican Street Car.

Although the etiquette of Mexican
street car is free and easy, and men
smoke inside or on the platform, women
are invariably treated with respect, and
half dozen men will get up to give
place to any woman, young or old, rich
or poor. The Mexican gentleman has all
the courtesy for which the Latin races
are famous. and life is smoothed and its.
angles rounded by the constant courtesy
of this most polite nation. Do not inls
agine that because people smoke in the
street cars their interiors resemble the
American railway smoker-all filth untter
foot, and the air befouled with rank
cigars and old pipes, The windows -are
generally open, and a constant current of
air drives the smoke out Boston Herald.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
Farmer joys "Arrantin'."

The jolliest farmer was Ephraim Joy,
Gray-headed and bent, with the heart Of a
boy.
He whistled all day as heploughedo or moved;
He hailed each neighbor upon the road;
He petted his cattle and called every one
BY some comical name-for the sake of the
fun
He sang at his milking, and pitching his hay;
He always was sunny whichever the day.
He carried his cream to the neighboring
town;
Three days in the week ho rode up and down.
Still singing or whsting or resting his team
After climbing tho hills or crossing the
stream.
Not single house did he ever pass by
Without stopping his horses and waiting to
cry:
"Well, neighbor, anything wanted my wayi
I'm goin' a'arrantin' most of the day."
And all of the farmers who plodded along
With never a smile or note of a song
Who never found time to get out the
''shay,"
And take wife and children Off for day.
Who thought it was queer in old Ephraim
Joy
To be jolly and merry-so much like boy,
Were all very glad, when he went up and
To have him do "arrants," if need be, in
town.
He was postman, expressman and messenger,
too,
No one caught him forgetting a thing he
could do;
And you'd never have guessed be was sixty
years old,
If you'd seen him "a-arrantin'," as he'd been
told,
Though empty his milk cans, he'd always a
load
When he started his horses again on the road.
His face was so bright and his manners SC
gay,
''The more arrants the BETTER" it seemed he
would say.
How often I've wondered, while thinking Of
With my heart full of love, while my eyes
have grown dim,
Of the help and the comfort which he always
bore
To the sick and the sorry, the weak and the
poor.
He did errands of mercy and love unseen,
AS well as the "arrantin known to men;
And l know if such work is the angels en-
ploy,
They have one helper added in Ephraim Joy.
Caroline B. Lero,U in Good Cheer.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04

An instance Of the intimate relation
ship between horse and its keeper is
afforded, says the New York Times, in
the remarkable history of the horse
Epaulet, for which Mr.. Bonner offered
$40, 900 in vain. On its first appearance
in the ring it was unnoticed and lost tho
first two heats. The regular driver and
trainer of the horse, colored man,
begged earnestly to be permitted to take
the horse and drive the remainder of the
race, and fortunately his request was
granted at the last moment. The horse
peighed with pleasure when his we'll
known driver mounted the sulky and
showed his satisfaction by putting forth
all his efforts and winning the race, and
several others afterward the same season,
with ease. His record stood at 2:19,
2:20 IA, 2:2O IL, in three straight heats,
which for 4-year-old was so gratifying
to Mr.. Bonner that he at once offered the
large price named for him. With any
6thef driver the horse sulked and had no
enthusiasm. The affection which exists
between all kinds Of animals and theii
kind and sympathetic keepers is trait
which should never be ignored.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
Dangers from Coats Milk.

A correspondent writes: The British
Goat Society has held its half-ycarly
meetings and the report states that the
committee have been able to supply goats
to cottagers with very satisfactory re-
suits. So far this is good news, for a
milch goat is tractable and gives most
abundant yield. But it is to be hoped
that the cottagers will be careful of their
milch goats, and will not allow them to
pasture at large The goat is proof
against almost every known vegetable
poison. Any one who doubts this may
test the fact for himself, for there is
nothing goat likes so much as mouth
full of tobacco. A goat which knows
that you have tobacco about you will
follow you anywhere and any distance
for it. And it is an unkind practical
joke to disturb the tranquility of row Of
chaises at the seaside by the production
of tobacco-pouch. The cow, as we all
know, from the time we first began our
nursery-rhymes, is partial to the chem
lock rank, ~ and there have been cases of
poisoning from the milk of COWS that
have eaten hemlock. But the goat will
eat with impunity not only hemlock, but
yew clippings (Which are fatal both to
cows and horses, bryony, foxglove, and,
indeed, almost every poisonous plant.
The result is, of course, to poison the
milk, and it is consequently to be hoped
that the favored cottagers will confine
their goats to swedes, vetches, cut grass,
and other such harmless substances, and
| will not ALLOW them to roam at large
| st. Jdmes'S Gazette.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04

The principal astronomical event Of
1886 will be the total eclipse of the sun
on the goth of August. The line of
totality in this eclipse will cross the At
lantic Ocean, traversing land in the West
Indies just after sunrise and in Southern
Africa towards sunset. On the coast of
Benguela the total phase lasts nearly five
minutes, and at Grenada, in the West
Indies, the duration will be nearly four
minutes. Three comets of known peri
I'd are expected to return during the
year. Oilers comet, with a period of
seventy one and half years, will proba-
bly, reach Perihclion near the close of the
year. A small comet discovered by Pons
in 1919, and rediscovercd by Winnecke
in 1858, is due in 1885, as is also the one
irst seen by Temple in 1869, and again
observed by Swift in 1880. The period
of each of these two comets is about five
and n half wears
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04

The Car Builder reproduces the half
page photograph of stranger sight than
Baron Munchausen ever saw. A train
was stalled in snow-bank. An engine
with small snow-plow started out
from the station to aid the incoming
train. Supposing the stalled train to be
three miles out instead of two, the engine
with the plow ran into the stalled en-
gine in a snow-bank and actually took
the incoming locomotive entirely up on
its entire length. The smokestack, bell,
sand-chest, and cab were wiped off the
lower machine, but the upper one lost
only its smokestack. The two rear drive
wheels of the upper locomotive sit over
the place of the lower smokestack, and
the forward trucks above are in the place
of the lower cab. There is tilt of per-
haps ten degrees to the right in the ups
per locomotive. Both engines were now
in dangerous place, so the plucky
engineers plugged the broken pipes of
the under engine and discovered that it
still could be worked. In this condition,
with a full-sized locomotive on its back,
the under engine was run back two
miles to a sidetrack and switched.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
So LONDONDERRY VT. THURSDAY, MARCH 1885,

very first opportunity, only Pm afraid ]
cannot emphasize it half so neatly as you
did,"
"Oh, don't" said Hattie, piteously
lifting her little hands. 'Plcase DON'T
"No, l won't, said Mr.. Gray. "Wep
forget and forgive"
And when Cousin Prodgitt and Mrs.
Hardy came in Hattie and the young
clergyman were earnestly discussing tho
rival merits of the geraniums on Mrs
Hardy's flower stand.
Mrs. Prod ,itt stayed until spring, and
when she went back home she told hcA
daughter that Hattie Hardy was engaged
to young minister.
cor at least suspicion she is" sh,
added. "She won't own nothin' for sar,
tin; but things amt now as they used t,
be. Folks as was engaged to be marie
used to be proud of it. But Hattie's !
queer girl. She hasn't been brought up
as girls were brought up in my day."
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
HUMOROUS.

Hobbies are hard steeds to manage.
Society's favorite flower--The dandy
lion. e 3
A burning question-The price of
coal.
The lawyers advertisement Give me
a trial.
A tongue that never talks scandal--the
tongue of a shoe.
The butcher should always be placed
on joint committees.
''No," said the hack-driver, 81 can't
stop; my business is driving"
An anomaly in pantaloons-They are
never tight when they are full.
A woman refused to give a meal to a
dwarf the other day, because she was
opposed to dine-a-mitc.
Uncle George: And so you go to school
now, Johnny What part of the 'excr-
cises do you like bcst3 Johnny; The
exercise we get at recess.
"Ah," said Jchol1es, taking his friends
baby, ''hc has got his mothers cycs-and
my hair" he added, as the youthful
prodigy grabbed him by his fore-top.
She-"What a man you are, George;
always making fun of the ladies' taper
waists" Hc-"And what should l do
with taper, but to make light of it."
'Maud, dear, why is a eG-a-..sf iN0
your checks2n -"'7V7", ooiih' you hlo"
7 ~. can guess conuudrums. Why is
hc?n because he is the cutler of roses,
love-" Tableau. .
"Mr Smith, " asked the professor of
natural history, (which animal exhibits
the greatest susceptibility of attaching
itself to the humanracc?n Smith reflects;
"Ah--cr-cr-er-I think the leech,
professor"
The author of the lines, "Sit still, my
heart, sit still" has at last been discov-
cred. He proves to be photographer,
and when it first became necessary for
him to use the expression he was taking
his best girls picture.
In olden times they used to punish
man for lying by boring hole through
his tongue. In modern times they quit
it, because mans tongue would not
last more than six weeks, if hole was
put in for every lie he told. -
81 must have order in this courtroom,
sternly commanded justice of the peace;
II must and will have less noise and con-
fusion here. I have already disposed of
three important cases without being able
to hear one word of the evidence"
Lieutenant Ito brother officer: II
have ill-luck in getting married A fair
one without money my father objects to.
A homely one with money my PERSONA
! feeling objects to. A fair one with
money her father objects to. A homely
one without money-why naturally
everybody objects to.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
A Fable.

A sick farmer had an obstinate COW
which he wished to get to market. On
consulting his neighbors he received the
following advice: The carpenter said
he'd have screw driver; the furniture
man said let bureau drawer; small
boy offered to holler; the newspaper man
said let an editorial leader; the postmas-
ter suggested having letter carrier: the
village topper wanted to do his part, and
offered to take horn; the pickle vendor
thought little gherkin would start her.
Meantime the farmer expired of exhaus-
ton, and the COW died of grief.
This fable teaches that the possibilities
of the English language are great,-LUe,
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
Lieutenant Greely makes pathetic ar

Lieutenant Greedy makes pathetic ap-,
peal in his recently published book for
the survivors of the Lady Franklin Bay
expedition. Some of them have not been
fully paid for their Arctic service; not
one Of them has been promoted in the
army; one lies in city hospital the re-
cipent of private charity, apd one and all
are neglected and forgotten after their
faithful discharge of the government
service required of them in the far,
North. The Lieutenant remarks that
Brainard, who was Lockwood's associate,
in making the furthest North, is still a
sergeant in the United States Army
whereas his gallant service would have,
earned him a commission in any other
service in the world. The New York
Tribune thinks that the fact that these
men were sent to Lady Franklin Bay by
the United States government and were
exposed to the most agonizing suffering
in the interest of science fairly entities
them to generous consideration.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
Remedy for HydrOphobIa.

People of Ufa, Russia, have cure for
hydrophobia of their own. They give
to bitten men and beasts powder made
from a field plant known on the Volga as
drok, of which Gemata Tinctoria is the
scientific name. This powder is taken
on an empty stomach for three days, and
one dose on the ninth day. Salt and
salty food spoil the effect of the drug. A
well-known family Of landowners used
the medicine for over forty years, and
saved over four hundred men, women
and children affected with hydrophobia.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
THE WRONG MAN.

"Ah," said Mrs. Prodgitt, "things
have changed since my day. When l
was girl, folks used to etay at hume and
help their mothers do the houscwork,
and piece bcdquilts, and embroider lace
veils instead of running about in all the
dirty streets and narrow lanes in crea-
toni"
Mrs. Prodgitt did not take kindly to
modern civilization.
She had come up from Owl Brook to
visit her cousin Mary Ann, who had
married Ebenezer Hardy a quarter of a
century ago and settled down in New
York; and, as she expressed herself,
"things seemed to be all turned topsy-
turvy."
"But, Cousin Prodigy" said saucy,
Hattie Hardy, who was equipping her
self with basket, bag parasol and water
proof cloak, sit is work of mercy and
charity that we arc engaged in"
"Nonsense" irritably cried Mrs. Prod
gitt. 81 think you've all gone crazy to-
gether! Pm surprised at you, Mary Ann,
to let the child go tramping all over the
city by herself. In my day it wasn't
considered respectable"
"You say truly that times have changed
since then," mildly uttered Mrs. Hardy,
who was knitting fleecy wool by the fire.
"Be sure, Hattie, that you come early.
The new minister is to be here tonight
to tea, and Betsey can't be trusted with
the new set of moss-rose china"
81 wonder what he is like?" said Hat
tic, as she tied the deep blue strings Of
her hat into coquettish bow under hel
round chin. 81 do hope he's young and
handsome"
"My dear" demonstrated Mrs. Prod
gitt.
"Of course" added Hattie, 1--WE knew
that old Mr.. Puzzleton was a perfect
saint; but one don't like saints with rec
noses and spectacles and three layers o.
double chimp
Mrs. Prodgitt looked as if she expect
ed that Hattie would be struck by light
ming on the spot for that heretical re
mark.
''Harriet!" was all that she could utter
While Mrs. Hardy, more accustomed
to the audacious speeches of her prett,
daughter, went on in her purring, sing
song tones:
"Don't forget that poor widow in Col
lane, Hattie. And if you go to Mil
Reneau's, 1 think it would be well t
speak word in season to that great laz
son of his, who is always buying lotter
tickets, and does nothing to support tn
old folks"
"Oh, yes! I'm glad you mentione
that" said Hattie, penciling an entry o
her little tablets. 'Mem-to give Jona
Reneau a piece of my mind Dear MI
Puzzleton always said that that youn
man was dreadful stumbling block"
"And think, went on Mrs. Hardy
"that the Gray sisters can find work fc
Alice Jennings now, if she is still unen
ploycd."
"The which2" said Mrs Prodgitt.
|
''Thc Gray sisters" explained Mr.
) Hardy. zone of our church organiz'
) tons"
, Mrs. Prodgitt glarcd.
'Is there any end of the folly and mol
sense of the present generationG" said sh
81 suppose" laughed Hattie, 'that
your day, Cousin Prodigy, nobody wei
slunminga"
"Went-wherep said Mrs. Prodgit
"Slumming!" distinctly repeated Ha
tic.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04

A man came into cigar store, bought
cigar, and threw bad five-ccnt piece
on the counter. He was hurriedly de-
parting when the dealer called after him
Hold on, hold on, its bad."
"Neyer mind, answered the pur-
chaser, as he quickly passed cut, "rll
smoke it anyhow. .r-,Ne'o York CONNER
cid,
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04

The Euphrates river, once mighty
stream, seems likely to disappear alto-l
gether. For some years the river banks
below Babylon have been giving way, so
that the stream spread out into marsh,l
until steamers could not pass, and only a
narrow channel remained for the native
boats. Now the passage is being filled
up, and the prospect is that the towns on
the banks will be ruined, and the famous
river itself will be swallowed up by the,
desert
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
PRICE THREE CENTS.
Song,
Oh, three little birds on bramble sprayl
Eacb Hay,, ta find him, n nast.

Oh, three little birds on bramble sprayl
Each flew to find him nest;
There was one went rarely over the sea;
And one flew straight for the North Counhie
But tho third
Little bird,
He winged his way to the watery West,
Where one that love sits signing.
Oh, for the withering bramble spray,
And the bird that sleeps in his nest!
There is one in castle over the sea;
And one in pine in the North Countrie;
But the third
Little bird,
He sings at lattice far in the West,
Where one that love lies dying.
All me, for the thorny bramble spray
And the weary bird in his nest
There is one that dreams of tho silver sen;
And one looks over the North Countries;
But the third
Little bird,
He sings DER grave in the silent West,
Where one that love is lying.
Chambers Journal,
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04

What wouldn't the average boy give if
his pa would only send him to the Fort
Wrangel training school in Alaskaa The
newspaper of that place says that the
boys of the school last year killed for the
use of the institution 121 deer, II seals,
1 bear, about $50 wild geese, over 800
ducks, and numerous grouse, porcupines,
marmots and snipe, and caught all the
salmon, halibut, Goldfish, trout, herring,i
founders, crabs and clans they needed.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-03-04
The Commissioner of the General Land

The Commissioner of the General Land
Office has made the remarkable discovery
that, through legislative or clerical ac-
cident, the Indian title to 10000, 900
acres of land in Dakota has not been ex-
tinguished, though not less than twenty
thousand people have moved in and set
tied the section. Ten million acres are
a good deal of land-enough to make
three states like Connecticut and have a
million acres over.