davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15
AN ANCIENT REPUBLIC.
Facts About Andorre, the Smallest of All
Commemorative.


Commonwealth.
This, perhaps, the smallest of all ma
tionalities, is remarkable for its long
llease of life. It's greatest length is I'M
Ny'r thirty miles, its greatest breadth is
under twenty; and when Historic de
Ia Republica d'Andorre" was pub
lished, in 1916, the population was
under 5000 1t is marvellous 'while
nearly all the charters, prior to the
middle age of the German and Italian re-
publics, have disappeared, the original
charters of this republic have remained
almost unsupported in its Pyrenean
archives for more than q thousand
years" The first credited tradition of
Andorre dates from IT'S, and the first
written charter, which is still known
to exist, from sol. The war of Andor-
rian independence lasted for 400 years,
and their Bill of Rights was obtained
at it's close in 1878. To give somewhat
Of an idea of the primitive character Of
this nevertheless sturdy nation, tho
Tdlker finds the following, descriptive
Of their judicial tribunals: Give times
year, on the occurrence Of some great
festival Of the Church, the four-and-
twenty representative oligarchs assem-
BILE at the village which courtesy desig-
mates the capital, to deliberate on pub
lie affairs. Each Of the twenty-four
councillors arrives on horseback, and
a national stable with twenty-four
stalls is prepared. Each legislator,
with his own patrician hands, puts up
his respective horse, attends divine
service in a chapel attached to tho
chamber of elaboration, exchanges his
peasants dress for the stateliest cos
tune, shoots cartridges and pheasants
in summer, hunts bears and wolves in
autumn and winter, fea5ts by night
with kind Of Cyclopic sumptuousness,
passes few laws, and effectuates no re-
FORMS" The Andorrian religion is a
curious admixture of worship and
pleasure, but in these regards is not
widely different from the practices OF
other countries. On some saints day,
sacred in their calendar, the people
congregate at lonely spot, where a
chapel opens for brief mass on each
anniversary Of its patron. The remain
der of the day is given up to dancing, a
recreation of which the Andorians "a. G
fonder even than their neighbors, and
which it is no hard thing for them O
get up, even without Il saints day. A
green sward. q clear moonlight, a
balmy air, and the falling fragrance Ct
a midsummer nights dew, are sutii-
Gent incidents. The chief dance OF
the people, termed the wal dan
dorre," is awkward enough. but pecu-
liar to the commonwealth, and reputed
TO have been in vogue in the days OF
Charlemagne.-Chr Christian at Work.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15

The Austin Colored Invincibles drill
in their hall once a week. Captain
Skidmore, who has been recently
elected, is determined that discipline
shall be maintained. After drill was
over, he made brief speech to the In
vincibles about the necessity of their
attending drill regularly, He said;
81 wants de members OBJ dis COM
mand to understand, onct for all, dat
we meets regular cherry Friday ebening
at eight o'clock, in dis heah hall, and
de member what fails ter put in an ap-
pearance will be-
"Shot to detr?" interrupted Corporal
Jim Webster.
,"Drapped from the ranks for a de-
serter2" asked Lieutenant Sam John
sing.
"Wusser den dat" continued the
CAPTAIN, amid a solemn silence that
was almost painful; ''de member what
fails to appear will be looked upon as
habin' been absent from do drulp--
Teas Stfttn0S.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15
THE CAMPHOR TREE.
Stupendous Laurels That Attain a Height
of Three Hundred Feet.


One of the most useful and magnifi-
cent productions of the vegetable king
dom that enriches China, and more
particularly the provinces of Kiang-si
and Canton, is the camphor tree. This
stupendous laurel, which often adorns
the banks of the rivers, was in several
places found by Lord Amherst's en-
bassy above fifty feet high, with its
stem twenty feet in circumference.
The Chinese themselves affirm that it
sometimes attains tho height Of more
than three hundred feet, and circum-
ference greater than the extended arms
of twenty men could embrace. Cam
phor is obtained from the branches by
stepping them, while fresh cut, in
water. for two or three days, and then
boiling them till the gum, in the form
of white jelly, adheres to stick
which is used in constantly stirring
the branches. The fluid is then poured
into a glazed vessel, where it concretes
in a few hours. To purify it the Chi
nese take quantity of fne-powdered
earth, which they lay at the bottom Of
a copper basin; over this they place a
layer of camphor, and then a layer of
earth, and so on until the vessel is
nearly filled, the last or topmost layer
being of earth. They cover the last
layer with the leaves Of plant called
pc no, which seems to be species Of
mentha (mint). They now invert q
second basin over the first, and make
it air-tight by luting. Tho whole is
then submitted to the action Of a regu-
lated fire for certain length of time,
and then left to cool gradually. Ga
separating the vessels the camphor 10
found to have sublimed, and TO have
adhered to the upper basin. Repeti-
tons of the same process complete is
refinement. Besides yielding this va
liable ingredient, the camphor tree 3
one OF the principal timber trees OF
China, ana is used not only in build
ing, but in most articles Of furniture.
The wood is dry and of light color,
and although light and easy to work,
is durable and not likely to be injured
by insects -BalkyuS Aonhly
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15
TRAVELLING IN TURKEY.
Sights Along the Railroads and In Dirty
Country villages.


Country villages.
The European railways are now open
to Vienna and this city is blessed with
a daily mail. The route from Vienna
to Constautinople by rails an interest
ing one, since it gives the traveller
view of the village life of the Turks,
which has hitherto been beyond the
reach of those who have not the time or
the endurance for caravan travel. But
the lamentations of the travellers who
come by the new railway over the pri-
vations of the route are painful. A man
sallies forth gleefullY from Vienna in
the midst of luxury to take run to
Constantinople. He is told that he
can reach his destination in iorty-
seven hours, and makes up his mad
that he can endure any thing in the
way of privation for that time. In
twenty-four hours he is convinced that
he will die of starvation before he has
arrived at the end of his journey. A
dirty and ragged populace offer him
water at every station for a good price.
At some stations men propose to him
to buy bits of terribly black bread and
cubes of lambs livers fried at a penny
q handful, the vendors horny Est being
measure. But the traditional railway
restaurant, with its formal splendor of
glassware and its decorative food prep
arations, is totally lacking. If in one
place he can find restaurant. its high
est achievement in the way of dinner
! is a dish of green peppers stewed and a
cup of black coffee. On arriving at
any station where the unusual number
of officials implies Importance, the
tourist will feel hope reviving within
him. But on asking for the restaurant
he is sure to be answered, There is no
restaurant; there is only a change of
cars, and an examination of passports
and OF baggage. y ConStcntinople let
ter
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15
A Husbands Generosity.

Tomorrow, Maria. will be your
birthday. and l want to give you some
appropriate present. What shall it
be?'
"Whatever your kind heart may
suggest, John"
Next day. maria you know how
your poor back has suffered from pull
ing off my boots in the evening. 1t
will not suffer any more, my love.
See! have brought you a nice new
bootiack which [ will use hereafter i'm
stead. '-Chicago 7rIOHne.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15
PEOPLE BURIED ALIVE.
he Awful Story of q Russian Peasant
MS


Woman's Fate.
In Russia people are oftener than
,lsewhere condemned-unin
Of course-to that most gruesome OF
all deaths, of which E. A. Poe had
such unfeigned horror-burial alive.
But the circumstances accompanying
this frightful tortue are seldom so
characteristic or so horrible as in the
case of the wife of a peasant in the
government of Volhynia, on the borders
of Austria, who, according to the local
journal, VolhyniG, was lately buried in
a comatose state. She was expecting
soon to become a mother at the time of
her supposed death. After the corpse"
had been kept the usual time, the par
ish priest, KonstantinofF, recited the
prayers of the burial service in the
church-yard; the widower cast three
handfuls of earth on the coffin, and all
departed except the grave-diggers. In
Cling up the grave the latter shoveled
IN an unusually large sod Of hard earth,
which struck the coffin with a loud
noise, and woke up the unfortunate
CONAN from her sleep. The horror of
her position at once dawned upon her.
She cried out in most piteous tones to
he grave-diggers to rescue her from a
horrible death. She solemnly prom
%ed them all her property if they
would take her from the grave and
coffin. The more she cried and en-
treated, the more strenuous were their
endeavors to fill the grave; and on
leaving the church-yard, when their
work was done, they still heard her
cries and means.
The grave-diggers then hurried off
to her husband who was surrounded
with guests, drinking TO the memory
of the deceased. Having related what
had taken place, the matter was dis
cussed by the guests and the neighbors,
who soon came rushing in, and it was
finally resolved mem. con. that an evil
spirit had taken possession of the de-
ceased, and that, in order to prevent
her walking at night and disturbing
the people, it was absolutely necessary
to disinter her and drive an aspen
stake through her body. The husband
sent a deputation to the priest, asking
permission to disinter the body and
perform this superstitious rite deemed
necessary in all such cases. The priest,
Mortified, hurried off to the church.
yard, and had the body disinterred ii
the hope of saving a life, but super
stition had already got its victim-tht
woman was dead, but unmista6ablC
signs showed she had struggled HARD
to escape from the most horrible death
the human mind can conceive. Pal
Mall Gazette.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.


"A Vienna engineer proposes to
condense the solid part of the smoke
us it arises from the coal. and the car
bon which is formed is to fall back into
the furnace. 1t is to be done by cleo
tricity.
"A new preservative Of iron and
steel has been found in a modification
of the well known Japanese gum lac
quer After many experiments, the
preparation has been finally adopted
for the imperial japanese navy.
Professor Absolute, of Berlin, has
succeeded in getting photograph of a
rifle bullet travelling at the rate of
1900 feet a second, the plate which he
used for the purpose being exposed for
only 0.000O76 of a second.
Eucalyptus leaves and extract have
long been used for the removal and
prevention of scales in steam boilers.
Scientific authorities recommend it,
and engineers in public service have
been advised to use it by the engineer
ing authorities at Washington.
In Germany a substitute for lignum
vitae in certain mechanical uses has
been found by impregnating soft wood
with oil and subjecting it to pressure
to increase its density. Thus pre-
pared, the artificial is said to have all
the properties of good lignum VITAE.
AS the best method of Waterproof
ing soldiers clothing. the Belgian Gov
eminent has adopted dipping the goods
in acetate of alumina and then drying
in the air. The clothing is not in
jured, and is said to offer no obstacle
to perspiration after treatment.
-Soapstone incorporated with oil,
after the manner Of paint, is said to
be superior to any kind of paint as a
preservative. Soapstone is to be had
in an exceedingly fine powder, mixes
readily with prepared oils for paint
use, covers well surfaces of iron, steel,
or stone, and is an effectual remedy
against rust. 1t has been known to
protect some stonework, such as obe~
lisks, in China, for ages past.
"A Russian physician named Portu-
galoff declares that strychnine is an
infallible cure for drunkenness, ad-
ministered in subcutaneous injections.
The effect OF the strychnine solution is.
to change the craving for drink into
positive aversion, and this change is.
effected in day. After treatment Of
eight or ten days the patient may be
discharged. The strychnine is ad-
ministered by dissolving one grain in
200 drops Of water, and injecting five
drops of the solution every twenty-four
hours.
The plan has been proposed by a
competent authority in such matters
that in order to insure greater strength
and consequently more safety in ropes
used for scatfolding purp0ses-particu-
larly in those localities where the at
mosphere proves destructive of hemp
fiber-such ropes should be dipped
when dry into bath containing twenty
grains of su1phate of copper per litre
of water, and allowed to soak in this.
solution some four days. BY pursuing
this method, which is claimed to be
much more practicable and effective
than any other yet resOrted to for this
purpose, it is found that the ropes will
thus have absorbed certain quantity
of sulphate of copper, which will pre-
serve them for some time both from the
attacks of animal parasites and from
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15
A New Fire Ouickener.

The servant girl who pours kerosene
oil on the fire, seems 20 have disap-
peared pretty completely. Perhaps she
has been to a considerable extent ex-
terminated. At any rate we don't
often read of cases Of explosion and con-
Migration, though the vigilant house
keeper. if she happens into the kitchen
NAV still detect an odor which tells her
that the girl must have poured oil on
the kindling either before or after it
was ignited. But the Listener has a
case which may explain why kerosene
accidents are not so frequent. The
servant girl has discovered new fire
quickener. 1t was in Boston, and not
long ago, that the mistress Of a house,
not much given to going into the
kitchen, entered one day, unexpectedly,
lust in time to catch her kitchen maid
in the act of emptying spoonful of
granulated white sugar into the fire.
Sugar is exceedingly inaammable, and
its application made the fire flash up in
excellent shape. The head of the
house had noticed that he was called
upon to pay for great many barrels OF
sugar, and his wife had wondered at
the family's enormous consumption of
that article, but she did not wonder
any more, especially as the girl, under
pressure, confessed that she had regu-
larly been using the sugar to quicken
the fire. Sure. num-" she said, 1--WE
must have the fire, an the coal burns
that slow that me heart is broke waitin'
on it. r-BOStoB Trans "ript.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15
THE SNAKE IN THE GRASS.

A foe to all honor, all virtue, and good,
Is this serpent OF most multitudinous brood;
Not only in coverts Of dark does it Turk,
But we see in our midst its most venomous
work.
In the whitest of souls it leaves its foul slime,
And its victims are many-the man in his prime,
The beautiful maiden, the wife and the child,
The bride whose young life has been all unde-
filed
Have cause to be wary. for nothing, alas
Has so venomed fang as 1.-The snake in the
grass"
] mind me this moment of some have seen,
Circumspect as to conduct and honest Of mien,
But know of the poison that lies out OF sight,
And know of the wrong they will make OF the
right;
So, in crossing life's highway, watch for the foe
Who is waiting to lay all my fondest hopes low;
l watch for the enemy, wary and wise,
AS the serpent in Eden, who comes in disguise;
And 1 wish that all others could avoid as they
pass,
This worst of all reptiles, 1.-THE snake in the
grass"
Helen L. lfanoilIe, in Good Housekeeping.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15

MANS brains do not win woman,
Mr.. Erudite," remarked Miss Flippant,
scornfully. ~ see they do not" re-
piled Mr.. Erudite; land did you ever
notice that few women win mans
brains? "-Harpcr'S Bazar.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-12-15

Turning to a more cheerful subject,
Mr.. Ward continued:
1.-THE winter OF 1888 and 1889 is
wildly impressed upon my mind, be-
ing my first experience as a trapper
After journey of six hundred miles
from Independence l arrived at Fort
Bent, and early in the fall the different
hunting and trapping parties started
out for a long sojourn in the mountains.
was fortunate in being one of u party
of twelve of which Kit Carson was a
member. We made our headquarters
in Browns Hole, on the Colorado
river, where it enters the mountains
from the east Trapping proved hard
work, but 1 never enjoyed life more,
and we knew no such thing as sickness.
Our clothes were made by our own
! hands of buclzskin. Our food was
nothing but meat. 1t was cooked on a
stick or ON the Goals, as we had no
kettles. Antelope, deer, elk. bear,
/ beaver and, in case of necessity, even
the wolf, furnished u variety that was
always acceptable. At night we
gathered round roaring fire, in COM
Portable quarters, TO listen to the stories
which such men as Kit Carson could
tell"
How we're the beaver trapped?"
Each man was provided with a
horA', and was expected to look after
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-05
PERSONAL.

Governor Hill will give reception to his persona
friends on Tuesday evening next, and DIS annual
Legislative reception a week later
Ex-senator David Mcrriwetber, of Kentucky, the
appointed successor Of Henry Clay has recently been
visiting Washington He Is eighty years Old
Mr. W. t. ITornaday, tho well known traveller and
writer SAYS that I'm school and college he formed
mortal hatred Of algebra and mathematics IN general
His career was shaped by reading AndnDons bir's
of America" and Du Challu'S Equatorial Africa
Tho Rev. Calbraith b. Perry, who has accepted q
call the House OF Prayer Rituast Z. r. Church., at
Newark. n. j.. Is ono OF the most successful min
listers in baltimore. His work there has been chiefly
among the negroes
A reception Will be given TO President McCosh on
Tuesday evening by the Penn Club of the leading
social organizations of Philadelphia. The formal re-
tircment OF the venerable philosopher from the head
Of the college, which he has presided for score
Of years, will tako place at tho annual meeting OF
the Board Of Trustees at Princeton on Thursday. IL
Is worthy of note that DIR. McCosh received official
ntlmatlon OF his choice president Of Princeton
on May, 1868, after his remarkable abors In
ton with the meeting of the Evangelical Alliance
in this city. In October OF tho same he returned
to this country and soon after delivered his inaugural
address president of lie college.
Miss Munck who has just been formally berOthed
to Prince Oscar OF Sweden, IS Of German ancestry
and Is related to the husband Of Carl0tta Patti.
She IS accomplished musician and writes clever
poems.
The late Baron Albert Dietrich, of strasburg,
was o descendant Of Dominic Dietrich, who
signed the treaty by which Strasburg was coded to
France In the time OF louis XIV, and grandson OF
Frederick Dietrich, first Mayor of StrasDurg dur
ing tho Revolution, before whom ROuget do rIsle
first sang the "MarseiiiaiseD Baron Albert always
remained loyal to France and gave up all his official
honors rather than take tho oath of allegiance to
Germany IIo and his brothers the first to In
trOduce the BeSsemer steel making process iho
France. They employed 5000 men In their foundnea
It is said that when NJ Alexandra Dumas, tho
younger, admits friend to HIS heart, he Is faithful
to him to extreme degree. When Ill or In trouble
NJ. Dumas Is at his door He consoles him, he en-
courages him and aids him. And IL these friends
remember their benefactor In last will and tesla
mcnt, as sometimes happens, they know that good
use will be made OF the money How many on W
Dumass friends have been helped by the requests
of his friends
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-05

cities who have mortgaged their property to
pay for it, were its charge given to body or
organization possessing no such autonomous or
iuperial character as that now existing"
AIayor Hewitt, i'm discussing the Bridge
finances and other matters connected with the
structure. said ain this connection i may
add that | agree with the Mayor of Brooklyn
in the opinion that the management OF tho
Bridge is unnecessarily cumbersome, that the
number of trustees can be adyantageously re-
duccd, and that the management would DC
more efficient and the results more profitable
il the control of the Bridge were placed in the
hands of n single executive officer. to be ap-
proved by the Mayors Of the two cities"
The testimony from these two sources is I'M
mistakable. 1t is, we believe the first time
that the Mayors of NewYork and Brooklyn
have spoken officially on this subject The
suggestion as to a single executive officer TO
be approved by the Mayors is open to the OBJ
lection that those two officials might fail TO
agree and deadlock ensue. The Bridge
occupies unique position. 1t belongs to both
cities, and neither probably would be willing
TO relnouish its care and management wholly
10 the other. Certainly Brooklyn, which con-
tributed two-thrds of the cost. would not con-
sent to a Bridge commissioner chosen by the
Mayor of Ncw-York. and this city wouid
naturally fear undue encroachments were the
control Of the structure vested in a Brooklyn
man. A single commissioner or superintendent
with whom tho Mayors were associated might
be n satisfactory arrangement. The makeup
of the governing body is matter to which the
Legislature should give careful consideration,
and we have no doubt that the subject can be
disposed OF in such way as to give entird
satisfaction to everybody except, perhaps the
present trustees, who have shown an unac-
countable desire to hold on to their Offices.
In treating of this whole matter the Legisla-
turc may wisely take into account the best way
of managing the Bridge police. AS at present
constituted the police force of the Bridge arc
responsible to nobody but the trustees. Is
there any reason why they should not be sub
;cct to the Police Commissioners of the two
cities? In that case there would be an end
of the constantly recurring complaints aDouu
their rudeness and bad manners. The middle
Of tho Bridge is a well defined point, which
would naturally mark the dividing line be-
tween tho jurisdiction Of the cities. Wlth
such an arrangement the number OF Bridge
police could be fixed according to the actuai
needs of the structure as determined by eX-
pcrts. At present the Bridge is over-policed.
The plan here proposed seems better fitted
than any other that has come to our attention
for adjusting the difficulties that have arisen
in connection with the Bridge police, whoso
in manners and overbearing and dictatorlal
WAYS have become insuifcrable.