davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25

are almost alike, our earth being 1900
miles in diameter, and Venus $500.
The force of gravity on the surface OF
the latter is very nearly nine-tenths OF
what it is with us. Its density is al
most the same fraction OF that OF the
earth. These facts show that If trans
ported to the surface OF Venus we
should feel more at home, so far as
some essential features OF experience
are concerned, than on any other
planet known to us. We should weigh
just about nine-tenths of our present
weight, and should find distances
bearing much the same ratio to our
muscular power of walking that they
do in this world; while in all probable
ity the surface rocks and earth, IL such
he formed there, would be compacted
and constructed like those we daily see
around u.s. This would not be the case
on planets so much smaller than the
earth, as Mercury or Mars, or so much
larger, as Jupiter, Saturn or Neptune.
Again, the year on Venus would be
about two hundred and twenty-five
days in length, u good deal more like
what we have on the earth than is the
case on any other planet. In the length
of the day we should find a still more
homelike experience, as the difference
would be imperceptible except to care
full observation. Venus rotates in 20
hours 21 minutes 23 seconds, and the
earth in 23 hours Sc minutes A seconds.
The day, of course, depends little on
the motion of the sun in. the sky, but
the difference between this as seen on
our earth and from Venus would not
appreciably affect the similarity of the
days in each. These likenesses to the
length of our day and year and to our
worlds density would cause similari-
ty, in all probability, in the important
matters of mountain form and of vege-
tation. In fact, so far Venus is nearly
the twin sister of our world.
ber's journal.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.
why Dwellers in the Antipodes Expect 81
Much from tho State.

If we find our presidential year a
serious financial inconvenience by rea-
son of the uncertainties connected with
every canvass, how much more, should
one think, must not the colonial capi-
talist feel the presence and the risks
of politics in his life, when, for him, a
general election is always possible, is
very often expected, and may at any
time lead to important changes in the
business policy of the government, and
so,of the whole community! But the
colonist, used to the vigorous political
activity amidst which he has so long
| lived, makes few or no complaints ol
these risks. He seems to enjoy the
game. When / asked people, during
my travels. how they could endure to
hear so much of their government, they
were generally surprised TO learn how
little many Americans have occasion to
remember. from moment to moment,
what their legislatures are actually do
ing. Government by responsible min
istries is always picturesque, even II 1t
is not dangerously drastic; and the
colonist thinks so much about the
latest great political speech and the
most recent ministerial crisis that he
hardly knows how a freeman could
live and be so completely without
dread. as we here in America often are,
concerning what may happen next in
the political world. A presidential
canvass, like our recent struggle, is for
us refreshing draught of genuine ma
tional politics, after a number of years
of comparative dullness. But the colo
mist is used to eXcitements that for him
are almost as great, and that perhaps
once a session. This doubtless is one
reason why he expects so much from
the State. If the gods will always be
appearing to mix in the affairs of daily
life, then, to be sure, even the herds
man must try to get the gods to do his
work for him. With us the gods otter
inhabit for years a heaven all theil
own, and we are thankful enough i
| they mind their own business, and dc
no more serious mischief than some.
how to spend the revenues.-Josiat
Royce, in Atlantic.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
BABIES OF THE WORLD.
Nearly Thirty-Seven Million of Them Al
pear Every Year.

pear Every Year.
1t has been computed that between
thirty-six and thirty-seven million of
babies are born into the world each
year. The rate of production is. there
fore, about seventy minute, or rather
more than one for every beat of the
clock. With the one-a-minute calcula-
tion every reader is familiar, but it is
not every one who stops to calculate
what this means when it comes to a
years supply. And it will probably,
therefore, startle Il good many persons
to find on the authority of writer in
the hospital that. could the infants of a
single year be ranged in line in cradles
seven deep. they would go round the
globe. We have the ingenious conclu-
sion also that. supposing the little ones
to grow up and the sexes to be about
equally divided, we should have an
army hundred times as large as the
forces of the British Empire, with a
wife in addition to every soldier. The
same writer looks at the matter in a
still more picturesque light He i'm
AGNES the babies being carried past a
given point in their mothers charge
one by one and the procession being
kept up continuously night and day
until the last-comer in the twelvemonth
has passed by. A sufficiently liberal
rate of speed is allowed, but even with
these babies-in-arms going past twenty
minute, the reviewing officer would
only have seen sixth part of the in
fantile host file onward by the time he
had been a yenr mt his post. In other
words, the babe that had to be carried
when the work began would be able to
toddle Onward itself when IA mere
fraction of its comrades had reached
the saluting post: and when the years
supply of babies was tapering TO a
close there would be rear guard, not
of infants. but OF romping boys and
girls. They would have passed. in
fact, out of the maternal arms into the
hands of the school-teachel Every
moment OF nearly seven years would
be required to complete this grand pa
rade OF those little ones that in the
course OF twelvemonth begin to pls =
their part in the first age OF man. :
Leeds Mercury.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
THE ART OF DINING.
The Small Party of six or Eight Persons
the Truest Enjoyment.


"Think of me with envy" Thackeray
said to an English friend in Paris who
had called to take him to dinner
party at which both were expected.
Sir Joseph told me that, so far from
being ready, he found Thuckeray had
sent an excuse based on very slight
cold, and had settled himself to COM
plete comfort. In loose morning
clothes, with his feet to the fire, he
was established in Il deep' armchair,
with small table beside him; on it Il
shaded lamp. with a roasted pheasant,
claret and fruit, and by way of com
pany a new French novel. This made
the entertainment he had bid his friend
remember with envy when he found
himself imprisoned for two hours next
an unknown person, possibly a dull
one. IL thought nothing was lacking
to my comfort, but to see you in even
ing rig and know I've escaped from
what's ahead of you makes me settle
down to complete enjoyment of my
book and my bird. just say you called
for me, but found me covering over
the fire."
Thackeray's well-known dislike to
formal dinners is shared by many, who,
like himself, are a fashion of the time
and liable to be invited because they
are fashion, not for the real charm of
the man, which can never come out
naturally in that sort of company.
No way of meeting in society is more
thoroughly agreeable and refreshing
than the small dinner whore congenial
people meet, where the six or eight
chosen persons at table can talk freely
together and the different minds give
freshness to each topic, and where gay
nonsense has its underlying knowledge
and bias OF character. Such dining as
this is the fine towering of civilization,
and it is best found in the great centers
where the easy play of minds together
has been growth, But all favoring
conditions are nothing without tact,
that faculty combining all faculties
into harmonious and instant percep-
ton and execution. This is vital to
social success. and, as the Scriptures
say of charity, "all else is naught
without it," 1t is as much a lovely gift
of nature as the artists eye or the
musicians ear. an enviable, charming
gift which training and use can de-
velop, but not give.
Constantly one sees people puz-
zled because they are not the social
success they believed inevitably due
their position or wealth, or unhagging
efforts to do the right thing in the
finest way. They can not see why
"some little house round the corner
succeeds where they fail, and gathers
the important and charming people
whose verdict makes the law of fashion
IL law unwritten but Irresistible. IN. Y.
| Mail and Express.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
THE RATTLER'S RATTLE.
A Cambridge Professor Says the Attach
ment Is Simply Mechanical.

N
ment Is Simply Mechanical.
Mr.. S. Garman of the Museum OF
Comparative Zoology, Cambridge,
Mass, has been investigating the rat
tie of the rattlesnake. The habit OF
sloughing is common to all serpents.
A short time before the removal of the
old skin takes place, the new epiderm
makes its appearance beneath the old.
The mode of growth of the new and the
removal of the old is the same III all
snakes. with the exception that in
those with rattle that portion of the
slough that covers the tip of the tail is
retained to form one of the rings of
the rattle. The attachment is simply
mechanical: the rings are merely the
sloughs off the end of the tail. The
terminal bone of the tail is formed of
vertebra that have coalesced, and
changed in great measure their shape.
In the different species the number of
vertebre included in this bone varies
considerably, and sometimes it varies
in individuals of the same species.
With the purpose of indicating the
manner of growth of the rattle, and az
far as possible determine its origin,
Mr.. Garman has followed up its ap-
pearance in several species, .ull details
of which. with figures, have been
lately published. In the very young
rattlesnake, while the vertebrn are
still separate, there is no rattle;
but about week after birth
well-marked button is seen.
With the first slough the first
ring is set free, the button being pushed
forward, and third button is grad
ually perfected. In time the traces OF
the vertebrR in the terminal bone are
almost obliterated. The bone becomes
thickened, pushed forward at its edges,
and otherwise enlarged. In full
grown rattlesnake the hinder seven OF
the rings belong to the period OF the
snakes most rapid growth-they form
the 'tapering rattle" formerly used in
classification of the species while four
OF the rings and the button are formed
while the gain in size was less rapid,
and form the ''parallelogramlnic rat
tle' of the old classifers. Many SER
pents besides those possessed OF a
"crepitaculum' are addicted to making
rafting noise by vibrations of the end
of their tails. In illustration OF the
extent TO which the tail has been modi-
fled in different cases, Mr.. Gnrman
figures the tails of several species,
among others that of AnciStrodOn con
cortrig, Lin, the copperhead OF the
United States The tip of its tail is di-
rected downwards as well as little
backwards. Most often the button has
one or two swellings in degree re-
sembling those on ring of the rattle.
A living specimen OF this snake, kept
for year or more, would take to rat
tling on the floor whenever 1t was irri-
tated. The sound was made by the
terminal ifch OF the tail, this part
being swung from side to side In the
segment of circle, so that the tip
might strike dow,wayd. The result
was tolerable imitation OF the sound
made by u small rattlesnake. Science
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
eoTTLE.NosED WHALES.
Capture of One of These Rare Cetaceans
on Atlantic City, N. j.

on Atlantic City, N. j.
One of the late valuable acquisitions
of the National Museum at Washing
ton is bottle-nosed porpoise, or whale.
1t was recently caught at Atlantic City,
N. j., by the United States life-saving
crew. The animal had stranded itself
in shallow water.
The whale is not what would be
called n monster in size. 1t is 123 feet
in length and weighs about 1,600 to
1,S0O pounds. 1t is full-grown female,
belonging to a species that does not at
tain great size. The males grow some-
times to length of 15 feet. The whale
is considered great prize by natural
lists on account of the rarity of animals
of this kind. Prof. True said that this
was the sixteenth of its kind captured
in the North Atlantic. These whales are
cosmopolitan in character and occur in
other seas, but this is believed to be
the first one ever seen by naturalists.
Such whales have been caught by fisher
men, and their skulls and portions of
their skeletons have been saved. There
Is a skull of one at Harvard, which was
captured in 1867. The best known rela-
tive of the botttle-nose is the sperm
whale. The head of the whale is small
and terminates in long slender jaws,
forming a proboscis from which its
popular name of bottle-nose is derived.
The males are marked by two teeth
that stick up out of the lower jaw, one
on either side. Sometimes these teeth
curve around or lap over the upper
Jaw in such manner as to make 1t
doubtful whether the animal could
open its mouth. The bottle-nose feeds,
it is supposed. mainly on cutie fish. 1t
has a breathing hole on top OF its head
and pair of small eyes located well
down on the side. The color of the
whale as it appeared to-day was black,
with light grayish shade on the belly.
The color of the whale when in its
natural element is dark gray, but the
color changes rapidly, after the animal
is brought ashore.
The whale was photographed soon
after it was brought to the museum
grounds. Several views were taken
from window above the spot where
the cetacean lay. Arrangements are in
progress for taking cast of the crea-
ture with o view to having an exact re-
production of it in size and other re-
spects made in papier mache. For this
purpose the tail was cut off, as this
part will be cast separately. A plaster
mold will be taken from one side of the
animal, and then it will be turned over
and similar mold taken from the
other side. Separate casts will also be
made of the head with the mouth open.
so as to show the structure of the jaws.
When this is done the carcass will &C
to the osteologist. The flesh will be
stripped from the bones, which will be
placed in the macerating watts. In the
course of months they will issue forth
glistening white, be rearticulated by
the osteologist, and mounted as per.
feet skeleton in the department oi
mammals Washington Star.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
hEwaArE.s CUPBOARD.
Full OF Casts and Busts of Heads of Msi
dercrs and Criminals.


dercrs and Criminals.
Il was the practice of the authorities
up to the time of the murder OF Mr..
Briggs to take q cast of the heads and
faces of criminals after execution. Our
guide commenced his tour of the prison
with an exhibition Of a cupboard full
pf these memorials. It was ghastly
show of fearful countenances, low fore
heads, large brutal mouths, full necks.
strong jaws, and weak, broad chlns
and narrow, and beneath them all the
mark of the rope which had strangled
them. Seen in this fashion the criminal
countenances were no doubt considera-
bly, discounted but not so seriously as
a caricaturist of some of our public
men would have us believe. How GER
tain of the shining lights OF the day
might look, shorn of their hair, and in
prison dress, offers temptation to any
artist who is opposed in politics to the
man he is drawing, but he would have
to give rein to his bitterest imagination
to match the countenances in the
Warder's cupboard at Newgate. L
could not help thinking that Franz
Muller was something lilke-but let us
not be personal.
This is the head of Martha Brown
ing, who murdered her mistress, you
will remember, in Park lane; killed her
for the sake of some bank notes, which,
when she got them. turned out to be on
the Bank of Elegance. This (tapping
the grim bust with curious familiar
ity) is Franz Muller, who murdered
Mr.. Briggs, and, after denying his
guilt almost to the last confessed it in
conversation with his Lutheran
priest. This is Greenacre. who cut the
the body of his victim up in pieces and
hid them in various parts of the town.
Greenacre's was tell-tale mask
low forehead of the worst form and
downward drag" stiff and cruel. A
good thing for some of us that we do
not shave! Do you remember the
mustache movement! It was probably
started by some interested person who
did not care to go about with mis-
gaze Leech did some of his most char
acteristic sketches in Punch during that
curious period. / was visiting at
a little provincial town in those days,
where the leading draper of the place
had been hooted and called 'Frenchy," 4"
and pelted for coming back after a
holiday with d beard and mustache.
And l remember as a boy that the
records of the Burke murders were
still used as Bogey by nurse maids
whose charges would not keep close to
their apron strings. The fear of being
"Burked'' was "a lively one for many a
long year after Burke was hanged at
Endinburg and Bishop and Williams at
Newgate.
"These are the heads of Bishop and
Williams said our guide, pointing to
a particularly ugly couple; ''they MUIR
dered little Italian boy and offered
the corpse at Kings College for twelve
guineas; they were body-snatchers.
And this is Mrs. Brownrigg, who used
to take little girls as apprentices and
then murder them; that as in 1888. y
"Do you notice that some of the
masks have open eyesP" asked the bar
| rister.
Yes, and thay remind me of the
line in Poe-'His eyes have all the
seeming of demons that is dream
ing ''-London Sunday Times
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
A BOYS WISE CONCLUSION.

She wuz n old maid, Aunt Sue was,
Sho never had any little boys
Err girls, like most Of women does.
guess she didn't like the noise
And bother at a baby brings,
And so God didn't send her mono,
But let en- stay and wear their wings.
l bet they have a sight OF FUN
I've got q baby brother there,
And he's got wings, and, IL I'm good,
TIN goin' TO die and have pair
Some time, cause mamma said would.
When Aunt Sue was a girl ma said,
She had beau like Sister Bess
Hewent to the war and come back dead,
And that's all 'at saved her, l guess,
Cause it he hadn't lost his life,
He would a come back after her;
And she'd "a had to be his wife
And 20 with him iist eUerywhera
ia think she'd a been awful glad
Because he didn't come, but died,
But std OF that it made her sad,
And mamma said she went and cried
And mamma said, q long, long while
After her beau wuz dead, Aunt Sue
Just mopcd around and wouldn't smile,
Until they Thought that she'd die, too,
But std OF dyin' she KEEP on,
And turned out to be a old maid;
Jist cause the other beau was gone,
She wouldn't have no more, she said.
Ipity Aunt Sue; but can't
Help he glad at her beau died,
Cause ! wouldn't have old maid aunt
If she'dn been that fellows bride.
] like Aunt Sue; her ginger cakes
Are better'n what we have at home;
Theys sweeter'n them my mamma makes,
And she mos always brings me some.
And she's got lots of books and cats,
And n little dog, and she don't care
How much play with them and that's
Why like to 20 down there.
Old maids are nice. When I'm man,
If don't live single life,
But marry some one, it's my plan
TO have a old maid for my Wife.
Andrew j. Skriggins in Commercial G
znttn
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
NATURES SUBSTITUTES.
Trees That Enable Man to Dispense With
the Slaughter of Animals.

Trees That Enable Man to Dispense With
the Slaughter of Animals.
Nature seems to have provided many
ways to enable us to dispense with
the slaughter of animals if we will.
For an instance of this in domestic use,
besides the soap-tree bark, which is
perfectly cleansing in properly, we
have the tallow-tree, tree reaching a
height of forty feet, the seeds of whose
flowers are covered with something re-
sembling tallow, which rises to the top
when the seeds are thrown into boiling
water, and being skinned of and
pressed, makes u hard cake OF tallow,
from which excellent candles are man
ufactured, and which can be used in
various salves and ointments. The tree
producing this really valuable substance
is native of China, but now Is to be
found all along our southeast sea-coast.
Another producing growth, al
though not known generally rs such,
is the fragrant bayberry, the sheath OF
whose berries yields a hard and spicy
waxen product of gray-green color,
which, although not so much used, Is
of nearly equal worth with that OF the
tallow-tree. and which is in some re-
spects superior to the tallow of any
animal, except possibly those oxen that
are fed for two-thirds of the year upon
hay and what is called dry fodder. 1t
may be fanciful notion, but there Is
something to our way Of thinking much
pleasanter in the light and heat fur
nished by vegetable substance than
in that resulting from burning animal
fat, however thorough the process.-
Harper's Bazaar.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25
THE PLANET VENUS.
The Likeness Existing Between II and o,
Own World

While watching these graceful wind
ings of the planet, we naturally inquire
as to its real condition. Readers are
familiar with the idea that it is world
like our own earth, travelling in y
smaller but otherwise almost similar
orbit around the sun. On more minute
inquiry we lipd that the likeness be-
tween IL and our earth is in some
points very great greater, in fact.
than in the case OF any other planet
In the fundamental element OF size they
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25

II can give you gas If you are
afraid the pain will be too great to en-
dure." said u dentist to an elderly
colored woman who had come to have
several teeth extracted. mo, sab, no,
sah!' she said, shaking her head en-
phatically; "you don't glib me no gas
en- hab me git up out'n dat cheer en-
walk home dead, no sir! / reads dc
newspapahs!n
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25

doctor, why didn't you kill that
snipep He came just right for YOU"
'But, my dear fellow, he flew zig-zag.
and l had no sooner fred zig than he
was gag. '-Fliegende Blatter.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-05-25

"A Buffalo bachelor has memoir
andum book in which he keeps the
name OF every girl he has ever kissed.
Ho had 923 names on the list the last
time he counted up.