davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
The Highest Observatory.

. The advantages of regular accounts of what is going on several thousand feet above the earth has been recognized by meteorologists. To furnish data to the scientists, the Tyrolese are going to have the highest observatory in the world. They have built two houses, one made of logs and the other of stone, on the summit of Somblick. As stone house would be uncomfortably cold so high tip in the air, the weather observer is provided with hut made of logs, lashed, anchored and cabled to the top of the mountain ;butno wooden structure can be entirely secure, so terrible are
 the wind storms that sometimes rage in the upper saie,, hence the stone refuge, which is cut into the rocks. Of course, the observer will be able to communicate the diary he keeps to the scientists on
 the surface of the earth by telegraph and telephone. Another observatory will be the famous tower, 1000 feet high, the foundations of which are soon to be laid,
 on the Champ de Mars, to be in readiness for the Paris exposition, two years hence. It will be one of the wonders of the world. We have described it's feat ures in these columns already, but after the exposition is over it will be used as an observatory, and will be devoted to forwarding scientific objects. ts.-Demorest.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
GlSsIn About Diamonds.

''Yes, there is difference between a gem and diamond" said a State street jeweler; "a gem is perfect diamond, or perfect precious stone of any kind When diamond merchant speaks of a gem he means something in which there is no fault or fl w, no impcrfection of color, shape or cut. The difference be- tween gem and a diamond may be as wide as that between plug horse and thoroughbred racer. One stone may be worth $50, and another exactly the same s:ze may be worth $1OO, or even more. Not one person in a thousand can tell gem from a fairly good stone. The weight, also, is small index to the size of diamond as it appears in set , ting. A karat stone may appear as small as this-o-or it may be nearly twice as great in circumference, like this-O. A gem must be cut so cor rectly that a hairs breadth is far too W de to measure the plane of the differ ent facets by. Every facet must be of precisely the same size as every other facet of like position. Its angle, too, must be geometrically correct. The glory of a diamond is its refractive power. With out light the diamond is as useless as a pretty picture, though it is a very con- mon belief among people who have never handled diamonds that the stones have light in themselves, making them brilliant even in complete darkness. Another common error is that the dia- mond cannot be broken or injured, and 1 have known of fine. stones being luined by foolish persons who hit them with hammers in an effort to illustrate the hardness of their gems. The dia- mond IS very brittle and is easily injured by slight blow or fall. Diamonds will burn, too, under a heat sufficient to melt bar iron. They are nothing but pure carbon, and they may be reduced to graphite and finally to carbonic acid gas. The purest stones are highly trans parent and colorless, but more generally there is some tint, like white or gray. Brown, blue, green, yellow and red arc very rare, while black is met with once in lifetime. In all of my experince have seen but two black diamonds. John Rice of the Fremont house owns one of them. The other is in New York Chicago Herald.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
Half Cents Wanted.

There is growing demand in New York city for smaller coin than cent The little red coin has travelled West until it has reached the shores of the Pacific, where it may be said to meet the brass cash of Cathay, and no smaller coin is needed in the West. But here a half-cent would tend to prevent waste among the poorer people. Thus there are plenty of toys which are retaiied at a cent each which could be, and would be, proftably sod at half cent. One must buy an even number of pounds of sugar and an even number of some kinds of goods, or lose half cent. It will sound mean to some people to hear one complain of the loss of half cent but the old Scotch proverb about wilful waste and woful want cannot be ignored. ''The standard coin of France is the franc" said Frenchman to me yester- day, land it is as big a coin there as a dollar is here. That is because we have also the centime-a fifth of your cent. It would make America richer to give the people half cent coin. .-Brookly Eagle.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
Dairy Goats.

In England they now have a special breed of goats for the dairy, and an association has been formed, the best animals registered in stock book, and general improvement determined on. In fact, an illustration of celebrated dairy goat, recently appearing in an English paper, showed such a capacity of uddel as to compare favorably with some COWS now in our dairies. And why should not the goat be given a useful place among our domestic animals? If it can be so improved as to give large quanti- ties of milk, it will largely contribute to the assistance of those who have no facilities for keeping a COW, while their prolifcacy will place them within the reach of all.
 The she goat sometimes gives as much as six quarts of milk, if they are supe- rior milkers, and the milk isnot only rich in cream, but in all the elements that form a complete food. Butter is not ma le from goats milk, but some of the richest and best favored cheeses are pro- duced from it. We predict that ere long we will begin to import strains of good milking goats from Europe. .-Farna, Field 12aG StGcE,nnn
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
Work of inc Rig Volcanoes.

Vesuvius, in the celebrated eruption more lava and ashes than would build another mountain of it's own size; its ashes were carried to Constantinople and into Syria and Egypt, while stones of eight pounds weight were cast into the streets of Pompeii, six miles distant. Etna, in 1880, disgorged more than twenty times it's own mass, and nearly ninety years later poured forth f~od which covered eighty-four square miles of surface and measured nearly one hun sdred million cubic feet. After the erup- fion of the same mountain in 1910 the ;smolten sea kept moving at the rate of a yard a day for about nine months, and did not become thoroughly cold sand solid for ten years. From thirty to forty million cubic feet of matter have repeated ly been discharged from the greater vol canoes. Tunguragua, in the Andes, in 1797, filled up valleys one thous- and feet wide and six hundred feet deep. a
 Cotopaxi has projected from its crater block 109 cubic var Is in bulk dis tance of nine miles, while it's roar has been heard for more than 600. Java's volcanoes are perhaps the most noted of the world, their eruptions des- troying from one to four thousand lives at time. Earth auakes have been attended with more widely fatal results, as a rule, than VOL canic upheavals. In Cecilia, in 1868, 60, 900 persons pcrished from one shock or series of shocks; in 1456, Naples fur nished 10000 victims, and in 1926 TO- 900. Tho Lisbon earthquakes of 1881 and 1755 each destroyed from 30, 900 to O,O0O lives. The havoc wrought in Jeddo, Japan, in 17o3, is know to us, of course, only by tradition, but the figures from this source reach the appalling height of 200, 900 souls. So, it will be seen, the disaster which visited New Zealand in June will have to make a startling record if it is to be placed in the first class of destructive convulsions.
 Washington Star
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
DroonIng Shoulders.

This is serious evil. It compromises both appearance and vitality. A stoop, ing figure is not only familiar expression of weakness or old age, but is, when caused by care less habits, direct cause of contracted chest and defective breathing. Unless you rid yourself of this crook while at school, you will probably go bent to the grave. There is one good way to cure it. Shoulder braces will not help. Che needs, not an artificial substitute, but some means to develop the muscles whose duty it is to hold the head and shoulders erect. I know of but one bull's-eye shot. It is to carry a weight on the head. A sheepskin or other strong bag filled with twenty to eighty pounds of sand is good weight. When en- gagged in your morning studies, either before or after breakfast, put this bag of sand on the head, hold your head erect, draw your chin close to you neck, and walk slowly about the room, coming back, if you please, every minute or two to your book, or carrying the book as you walk. The muscles, whose duty it is to hold head and shoulders erect are hit, not with scattering shot, but with a rife ball. The bones of the spine and intervertebral substance will soon accommodate themselves to the new attitude. One year of daily practice with the bag, half an hour morning and even- ing, will give you noble carriage, with out interfering a moment with your studies.
 It would be very difficult to put into paragraph more important instructions than this. Your respiration, voice and strength of spine, to say nothing of your appearance, will find new departure in this cure of dropping shoulders. .-Df, bio Lt,ois.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01

A story comes from Mexico that the natives of Mexico on the coasts inocu- late themselves with the virus of adders, cobras and rattlesnakes, and persons who have been thus vaccinated are rendered forever proof against injury from any bite or sting. An eruption immediately breaks out, accompanied by fever and much swelling of the body, after which the skin gradually flakes off in scales, as in leprosy. It is said that people who have been vaccinated in this manner can not only handle the most poisonous ser pents with impunity, but the bite of these persons themselves is as fatal as that of the snake whose virus has been transferred into their blood.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
A Bee in 8 Telephone,

The experience of telegraph operators, inspectors and linemen brings them into close acquaintance with all sorts and conditions of faults ill connection with their work; the variety of these faults is wonderful, many stranger than fiction. One of the most curious in connection with telephony which we have ever known has just happened within the last few days at a place called Moss Bay. The lineman's attention was called to the circuit in question, as hearing was diff cult; on listening at the telephone he heard a "sort of booming, which came on intermittently, very much resembling the distant roll of the tide, and which rendered speaking and transmission of work almost impracticable." Having satisfied himself by the usual methods that the instrument was right and the line free from induction, and that it was not picking up vibrations, the con- clusion was arrived at that the fault must be in the general office, Moss Bay. An examination of the telephone appara- tus disclosed novelty. A huge bee was inside the telephone, and, in trying tc make good its escape, it had become fixed between the sounding board and microphone, and it had hummed to the extent of interfering with the human oreronc of tho oircuit Hou tho hoo came there the lineman cannot say, whether by accident or design he knows not, but the bee was the .cause of the fault. In concluding his report, the lineman candidly states: '1 have met some very tedious and technical faults in connection with various telephone ap- paratus, but never was done with bee before. "-Mechanical World.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01

The lofty wooden spires of tho churches in Mattoon, H., havo been pierced in hundreds of places by wood pcckers looking for food or for places for nests. The holes in tho Methodist church steeple became so unsightly that a man was employed to shoot the birds. Then bees took up their abode within, and their honey drips from the holes and smears the stcepe. The Congregational church steeple is we'll filled with honey, and so are the steeples in neighboring towns. Six swa' ms of bees were seen to quit the spire of Paxton church in one day.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
When the Emperor William travels,

When the Emperor William travels, says the PaU MaU G.sette, every possible measure is taken to provide for his comfort. The emperor's special train consists of three saloon carriages, connected with each other by covered way. The imperial carriage proper is richly hung with bluo damask, and at one end there is a small compartment, in which the emperor likes to stand at the window when mak- ing short journeys. A small saloon next to this coupe contains sofa and spring seat, opposite which is the emperor's camp bed. Near the saloon IS the study, in which stands a desk with writing ma terials, whose appearance shows good wear. Upon bracket above the desk is a small model of the Column of Vic tory in Berlin. Adjacent to the study is dressing room, fitted up with extreme care and good taste. A final room contains two small sofas, leaf table and a large mirror. With the emperor's own carriage is carriage for bis suite, and this is, of course, quite differently fitted up. It contains five ol six apartments, each containing table and two small couches. All the rooms are connected by telegraph with the emperor's apartments. The car riaoes are provided with gas through cut
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
A COnspiratOr.

"say, Jones'" said Bentlow, q un- derstand that you and Jerfyn are no longer friends. Whats the trouble be- tween you?"
 "Trouble!" replied Jones, "Trouble enough. He's scoundrel, that man is, a villain, a cowardly thief! Oh, if only had him here nowr'
 "Why, my dear fellow, you seem to be excited. I can't believe that Jerfyn is as bad as that. What did he do to you?"
 'sDo to mel Trifed with the best and holiest feeling that man can know friendship! Do to me! Betrayed me by his false, smiling, hypocritical face Do to me? Cheated me, outraged my finer feelings, bruised mo and wounded me. Do to mel Induced mo to try to learn to ride on bicycle! Oh, the vil- lain l'-Somer0ilie Journal.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
R ading Character b7 the E ITS.

am convinced by every one of many keen observations that the man whose upper car projects and bends forward is invariably one who is either very tracta- be, or dcsirous of learning, or very dill- gent, writes Henry Clark. Such would be the qualities indicated from his habit of attending or giving attention to what passes around him. He is quick to learn, easy to train, provided his hand is delicate and facile enough to do what is required of him on occasion.
 On the other hand, the man whose ear buttons back to his head-:s close to the skull in It's tip and posterior margin, evinccs opposite qualities. He is inat- tractable, inattentive, needless; he is ac- customed to hear, it is true, but not to mind what he hears; to allow peoples cruel, witty, wise and trenchant sayings to go by unobscrved. Nevertheless, such a man may be handled, " r"ason of his being unobservant. A goo m,ny ex- ccllent public servants have uch ears, and must habitually be unobsclv mt of many things, since so many uncomforta- ble things encompass and engage them that they woull become quite miserable were they to heed them all.
 The pointed car is the ear of the tur- bulent, intracta5le man; who breaks out occasionally in an original vein, and who has his days and hours of uneasness. The ear bounded in its superior margin by curved line is that of the quiet, easy, amiable man.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
The Bees Sting.

The hive and it's inmates afford, per haps, more interesting field for micro scopic research than anything else in the whole insect kingdom. Take the bees sting; why, that alone might occupy all the rest of this paper. The sheath makes the first wound, and, inside it, so managed that they enclose tubehill space down which the poison runs, arc two darts, all built in such a strictlyJme- chanical way that-Mr. Chesire says they remind him of the guide rods of steam engine. The poison is gummy, but it is prevented from clogging the machine by gland which secrctes lu- bricating oil. The queens sting is big ger than the workers - drones have none but it is practically barbless, and can therefore be easily brought away in- stead of being left in the wound and thereby causing the death of its precious owner. It is formidable weapon, the sheath SO hard that it turns the finest ra- zor-edge; but queen never stings ex- cept in contest with another queen; she may be handled with impunity. Of the worker it is a mistake to say that it al- ways leaves its sting in the wound, and dies from the loss. If it generally does s,, the fault often lies in your impa- ticnce; bear it like hero, and the bee will work it sting round and round til it
 is able to withdraw it without impedi- ment. Of course you get pierced deeper and deep, but then, consider the crea- ture's life is saved by your suffering.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01

The President has far beaten the veto record of any of his predecessors. Wash ington, during his two terms, vetoed only two bills. None were disapprovcd of by Adams or Jefferson. Madison has six vetoes to his credit, and Monroe one. John Quincy Adams, Van Buren, Harri- son, Taylor, Fillmore and Garfield did not exercise the power once. Eleven bills were vetoed by Andrew Jackson :; nine by Tyler; three by Polk; nine by Pierce; three by Buchanan, and only one by Lincoln. Andrew Johnson, dur ing his stormy term, returned seventeen bills to Congress without his approval :; Grant, twenty-five; Hayes, twelve; ,; Arthur, four; and Cleveland, so far in his administration, 115.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01
HUMOROUS.

The scenter of gravity-Newton.
 Bay rum goes to the head, but it never intoxicates.
 The darkest hour is when you can't find the matches.
 You can't have the last word with . chemist; he always has retort.
 If you want name for a cat call it Plutarch, because it has so many lives.
 ''Thieving in the outskirts" is the latest name for picking ladies' pockets.
 Nothing in the world will produce such activity in real estate as an earth quake.
 School marm to little Josie-"Where is the North Polc9" "At the top of tho map, marm."
 A smart boys composition on babies reads: "Thc mothers heart gives 4th joy at the baby's 1st 2th.
 A man has invented machine which will make 10, 900 revolutions per second. He ought to find a ready sal, for it in Mexico.
 Father in the gallery to his son who is leaning over too faD-"My boy, mind you don't fall; the seats in the orchestra are four times as dear"
 When they get into scrimmage down in Mexico it always takes people quite a spell to tell accurately which is the gov ernment and which the revolution.
 "Why does Dina get more beaux than I9" asked the elder sister. 'T don't know, unless it is she is little archer," said mamma, with quiver of her lips.
 "oh, papa" said young gentleman of five to his parent, who had just taken vigorous after-dinner nap, Eff you gave your nose some soothing syrup, don't you think you could put it to sleep, tooa'
 A clerk is in his dotage-a doctor in his pillage--a thief in his cribbage-a butcher in his sausage-a sailor in his stowage--a salesman in his storage-a professional pedestrian in his mileage a lctter-carrlcr in his postage.
 "Wh,t lovely COW, Uncle James," exclaimed city girl, the morning after her arrival in the country, ''and how comically she shakes her head" "Yes, but don't get too near that cow" cautioned her uncle; ''he's an ugly crttcr."
 An accepted suitor, one day walking with the object of his affections, said: "How transported l am to have you hanging on my arm' "Upon my word, said she, "you make us out very re. spectable couple, when one is transported and the other hay ging." Ministers who preach long sermons in the summcr--will be interested in the comments of their smallest hearers. One of them, when asked what lesson waa was to be learned from the story of Paul and Eutychus, replied: 'Please, sir, ministers should learn not to preach too long sermons" Another, a little 4-year- old, commented thus: Mamma, that minister preached me all to hungerl"
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01

The old saw "that there is nothing new under the sun" is being constantly exemplified. Ages ago, upon the banks of the Nile, some of the rccusant Egyp- tians who did not join with their ccm- patriots in rcverance for the gentle crocodile slew the playful creature and utilized its skin coverings for their rolls of papyri. Now, after all the years intervening, the latest craze in hibliope- gist matters is for crocodile "skin, and when properly treated it forms a most effective binding, rivalling in appear ance the best morocco.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01

At various times for fifty years smoke has been seen issuing from the swamps of Florida. and every conceivable theory projected to account for it. The swamp is impossible, but men have penetrated very near to where the smoke ought to be. There, however, they could sec no sign of it. It is even claimed that some have gone directly through it without knowing it, and Judge White, an aged citizen, is positive he was once within five or six miles from it, when it was perfectly plain. So the weight of scientific opinion is that it is vapor collected by peculiar conditions in the great swamp, invisible, of course, to one in it, but opaque to those few miles away. We all love mys- tery, however, and so the common voice runs that an opening in the swamp dis charges blue smoke from some under ground source.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01

Acc ,rding to the New Orleans Times Democrat Louisiana lost 200, 900, 900 lbs. of sugar last year by imperfect sugar milling. The quantity of sugar actually made last year was 250, 900, 900 pounds. There is only one first-class sugar mill in the State, most of the others are clumsy affairs, which leave nearly one-half of the saccharinc matter in the bagasse or refuse cane. The planters are aware of this enormous waste, but say they cannot afford to throw away their old machin- cry and buy new.
Connecticut western news., 1886-09-01

la wyer who boarded at Eagle Hall, and was reported to be the richest man in town. It said:
 "MY DEAR Mss WALLACE: It is with the utmost regret that learn that you have en- tered service at my good friend Esquire Par. ker's. But this fact emboldened me to en. treat you to become my wife. Need say how impatient am to learn my fate9 Thu single monosyllable, yes CT mo- written on the outside of this envelope and sent back by the messenger, will make me either the luck fest or the most miserable man alive.
 ''Yours most truly,
 ''ARIsTIDEs SPIKER"
 Patty took up her pencil and wrote, in the blackest letters of which its lead was capable, the word "NOw Then she gave it to Ned, and returned to. the front porch. .-..-........ ..,,...s,-x.
 "Well," said Mr. Etherage, "have you considered the matter2"
 s'No' she answered.
 ''Then what have you been doing all this time2' little responsibility.
 "You have no right to ask that ques- tion," said Patty, demurely.
 'No right2'
 "No" said Patty. "You-you are not my husband yeti"
 Something in the saucy phrase-some- thing in the half, pathetic quiver of the voice, filled Etherege's heart with exul- tation.
 'Patty!" he cried. My shy, bright eyed darling! my souls treasure! Now I am the happiest fellow in all the worldr'
 So it was that Patty Wallace found herself engaged to be married.
 q thought it was coming," said Mrs. Markoe. "A pretty girl like Patty is sure to be snapped up."
 And Mrs. Parker's apple-pies was the key that unlocked the puzzle of Patty's life. When it was believed that she was driven to work for her living, all the lovers who had stood worshiping her from afar of, rushed promptly to the rescue.
 But good Mrs. Markoc never knew this.-Helen Forrest Graoes.