davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-30
Superstition in Michigan.

In the little village of Grafschap, AL legan County, Mich., inhabited entirely by Dutch people, the silliest supersti- tions of ancient times flourish. Lately several cases of severe and stubborn sickness have been attributed to some unknown witch, and for that reason pill lows and feather beds were opened and carefully examined. Tho punches formed inside in time are called crowns, wreaths, chickens or any imaginable thing. A case few days ago of the above descrip- tion happened and the neighbors were called in, and, sure enough, the ''feath- CT devils," as they are called, were dis covered, A hot fire was made and the crowns, etc., put in the ire, but would not burn-even the feathers would not be scorched-but while wondering and talking about it they suddenly disap- peared. In some instances live chickens have been put in kettles and slowly boiled to death in order to counteract or dispel the evil one.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-30
ACTS LIKE A CHICKEN.
itrange Effects Resulting from Rein
 Pecked by 8 Maddened Hen.

itrange Effects Resulting from Beina
 Pecked by 8 Maddened Hen.
 A remarkable case of madness, result ing from wound inflicted by an angry animal, has recently appeared near here on tho plantation of Joseph Middleton, which lies about three miles from this town, writes Brazoria (Tex.) corre- spondent of the Philadelphia Times. A negro woman employed by him while setting hen to hatch nest of eggs wished to place more under her, and raised tho fowl from the nest in order to do so. Tho hen turned on her and gave her a peck on the hand so severe as to break the skin, drawing at the same time few drops of blood.
 As the wound healed up without de- lay nothing moro was thought of the matter, the woman only mentioning the occurrence casually to some of the other negroes on the place.
 Some ten days after the hen had pecked her the woman began to exhibit strange freaks of demeanor, and, from a good-natured, obliging creature, has be- come so fractions and surly that all are afraid to approach her. She refuses all companionship and wanders about the country all day from early morning, only coming to the house for her meals. If any attempt is made to confine her or to lay hands on her she becomes vio- lently angry, and makes various darts and springs toward any one present. For days now she has not spoken word, but keeps up continually low, | clucking noise, most horribly like that of hen, and sits by the hour scratch l ing in the earth with her hands and | feet. In eating her resemblance to fowl is displayed in most remarkable | and shocking manner, for her food is | taken up by her pecSing at it with all the motions of chickens head while | feeding.
 1 All who knew her before her madness say that her entire expression has un dergone change. This is probably true, for her features now wear a sharp ened, eager aspect and her eyes have a most unnaturally hard and bright look, with a bird-like way of glancing about her. At night she refuses to sleep under a roof, and is generally found hiding about sunset under som tree or bush, and will vigorously resent with an angry cackle all attempts to disturb her. She | is visibly growing weaker, and phy- sicians who have seen her say that her death is only question of a few weeks 1 at most.
 The negroes about regard her as ono bewitched or ''hoodoed," and can not be prevailed upon to approach her, even her husband end children having de- serted her. People come from all over the country to see her, while she re- mains to all appearances perfectly ob- livious to her visitors and quietly pur- sues her clucking and scratching as long as she is not interfered with.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-30
pEADWOOD'S BELLE.
She Is an Orphan, Every Body's Pet, ant
 Very Rich.

She Is an Orphan, Every Body's Pet, and
 Very Rich.
 The belle of Deadwood, S. D., is young and dashing girl. Her name is Margaret Sanford, and she is an orphan. Who her mother was no one seems to know. Her father entered mining camp about twelve years ago, foot-sore, ragged, almost starved, having walked across the canyons from Nevada. The miners gave him food and clothing and Margaret's body-guard.
 One night, says the Philadelphia In quirer, the old man was found dead be- fore his door, which the drifting snow had fastened so he could not enter. The child was fast asleep inside. After the funeral she became sort of a wanderer, going and coming at will, and making many valuable discoveries of ore. She learned to use the rife and revolver, and became ono of the crack shots of the camp. With two exceptions she was never molested, and there was funeral after each of these attacks.
 A year ago she struck an ore bed richer than the most in that vicinity, and again led the miners to the spot. This time thef made voluntary con- | tract to give her one-fourth of the yield. They kept their word, and now she is a | rich woman. She is tall, slender and good-looking, and wears long golden hair streaming down her back. On horseback she is & perfect backwoods picture, with her short skirt, buckskin | leggins, brown shoes and wide-brimmed l hat.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-30
DOUGHTY SAM JONES.

Some of the Sayings to Which He Gave
 Utterance at Lynchburs. Va.
 God never called me to preach like other men, nor other men to preach as I do, though sor.e have tried it and got badly left.
 God Almighty made me just as I am, and I have never interfered with the job one particle.
 truth so it will stick to you like a ourkleburr to an old sheep's wool. It'll be there when you shear him.
 don't mean by an honest man one who pays his debts. That's the mean est sort of honesty. Any man of sense or decency will do that if he can.
 Some church people, however, are afraid to walk along some streets for fear of meeting a man they owe and won't pay. They do business as agents" and board their wives in order to successfully rob their creditors. If any body asks you to take drink, he thinks you're hypocrite, and if you take it he thinks right. I've moro respect for 9 faro dealer than progressive euchre player, be- cause the faro dealer plays for money to support his wife and children with, while the progressive euchre player plays for nothing but a booby prize, for which he risks damnation. The church member who rents his house for a saloon is like the Confed- crate who fought on our side, but ran a ] powder mill for the Yankees. He didn't kill any Yankees, but supplied the pow l der with which they shot down thou sands of rebels. The preacher that will house such a member ain't any better 1 than he is.
 I wouldn't give tea cents to hear | Ingersoll on ''The Mistakes of Moses,'' l but I'd give ten dollars to hear Moses on | the mistakes of Ingersoll.
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-30
The Longest Month.

'An early winter!" exclaimed an "old- est inhabitant'' who was given to romano ing. "Pooh! I've seen six weeks of snow in the month of Novemberl'
Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-11-30
Goderre & Duchaineau,

MERCHANT TA1LoRs. 172 BANK STREET. IT ATTEST FALL. STYLES TO SELECT FROM IL We guarantee style and workmanship, and a large saving in cost to our customers Come and see us.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23
Keep an Eye on the Chickens.

Hens like to have their liberty and to
roam over the garden and fields and to
select their own nesting places in the
barn or among the bushes or tall gra IS
in the vicinity of buildings, out the
profits to Their owners under such cir
cumstances are not always sure to be
satisfactory Hens in the garden are
rene Tally unmitigated nuisances. surely
20 if they are your neighbours hens.
dany persons seem to think that poul-
try can not be profitable unless they
can have Their full liberty and can OBJ
ain most of their lvng from what
they can p ok up VIII lie forag ng on their
own account. But this a mistake.
Hens running at large, unless closely
watched and cared for. seldom pay
very well. They often have to scrat h
too hard for Their living, ard what eggs
they Law are largely lost or in some way
wasted Then the CHI ckens get caught
by hawks, foxes or other ANIMALS of
prey.-N. E. Farmer.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23

70 improve. He continued growing
better. until finally his folks, upon Their
own responsibility. took him home.
where he continued doing well until
some time in Nav last. when he agan
showed symptoms of returning INSANITY.
but before he grew bad enough to be-
returned TO the asylum. he was kicke |
on the head by horse, sustaining a
fractured skull. which i'm the course of
few days resulted in his death.
Many other equally as thrllling and
horr BILE truths can be picked up at
almost any insane asylum of any note.
MANY more incidents that would make
very interesting reading came to nv
not ce during my visits. some of them
very lnd crous. others pathetic. while
the above are among the most terrible.
here Is one old man at present in the
Dayton Asylum who donated 800 ia
the institution when it was bu Il. and
th's fact is one of the very few things
ne never loses sight of. 1t seems to
burn into the poor fellows very soul.
mere are number of the inmates who
In some way have got it into their poor
brains that they are there waiting for
payday. and the attendants tell me it
S very touching when several of them
become impatient and demand the r
money on threats to leave. They often
claim their wives and children are
starv ng, and they must have the r
money or they will de. 1t is utterf,
lmposs BILE for one to imagine the har-
row ne thoughts that a short study of
an insane asylum and its patients VII
awaken. 1t must be experienced to be
appreciated.-ido May, IN Cincinnati
ERquirer.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23
TORTURE AT SING SING,
The Teri BILE Inven. on Exhibited Nv

The Teri BILE Inven. on Exhibited by q
srue; Keeper.
At this moment the attention OF
everybody was attracted by the keeper,
vino was actually SIN ling. 1t was the
first time his features had relaxed dur
ing the day. and the crowd gathered
round him.
81 am going TO show you little in
vention of my own" be said, pleasant
ly, (which has been adopted all over
the country suppose YOU know that
the criminals often get ugly. The place
that haroOrs more than fifteen hundred
of New YOrk's worst scum must neces-
sarily have number of hard charac-
tiers to deal with. Men mere get rebel
lious, ill-tempe:ed and unmanagcable
the lash. the paddle, the douche, and
often Gained men by putting them in
the dark rooms. The tiercest spirits
are ouelled by imprisonment in
dungeon. The wildes case we ever had
turned to lamb alter twenty-tiv days
Imprisonment. with out a CLEAN of liglt,
Il b AK cell. All that is settled now,
however. by my little invention. We
don ave 10 u>e the black cells or
any thing else, and the men are so
thoroughly scared by what l call nv
weighing machine. that they no lon ger
fie hit r reoel." He then showed it to
us. Ii a convict became desperate at
ili-trcatment, Uver-wOrK or realiZa-
ton OF the awful duration of tw nty-
years sentence, he is dragged int, the
keepers room, anil pair of iron hand
cnfs are screwed tightly about his
wrists, then the chain which Connects
the two handouts is drawn up unit he
is aim st lifted off the floor. Here he
hangs against the wall until his spirit is
subdued. The wall was smeare w tn
the stains of blood from the wrists Of
the poor wrec rs who had hung there.
''lt's daisy said the keeper, radi-
antly: ''the toughest man in the whole
jail has ne e. been able to stand it
mo than three uarters of inmate.
1t cures rheumatism, blindness and all
the other ills that criminals are he.r
to-
sit must be torture"
swell. ratner. 1t stops the circala.
ton of the blood, Won know"
And he still smiled as he stood with
his hand on tie pulley, while tie
crowd wandered away. It's great
thing to have clear idea of the humor-
GUS ing S ng Cor. Cincinnati lin
quirer.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23
ASTRONOMICAL TlDBlTS.

Pink teas are more fashionable than green
teas, but are less common.
A breakfast salad recommended for this
tine of year consists of lettuce hearts and
new tomatoes.
Without cold veal many caterer would
be much puzzled to know how to make
chicken salad
Dry toast and marmalade and a cup of
English breakfast tea is the Anglomaniac's
first meal of the day.
The eating of oranges, grapes, asparagus
and lettuce in public often tells what kind Of
man or woman You are.
A Florida town has sent a petrified ham e.
the Sub Tropical exposition. and all the rail-
road restaurants have an eye ON it
An antiquated egg will never poach but
can he utilized in any kind OF an omelerte. a
fact that residents OF hotels ascertained years
and years ago.
There is remarkable consumption of we'd
ding cake now going ON IN the land. and q
corresponding amount Of nightmare and
royal family dreams.
An authority says we should never eat
when we are angry or even i'll humored, IN
less we wish indigestion and dyspepsia all in
one Availability should 60 with every
meal
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23
CURIOUS THINGS OF LIFE.

A Wichita baker displays the sign: Eight
loves for 81"
A New England constable, who has had
great experience with tramps, says that he
has never yet seen one with bald head.
The latest Arkansas sensation is a negro
baby with two heads and faces, one arm and
three legs. upon which it stands tripod fash
ion
A Louisville man called on a hotelkeeper
in Bullitt county. KY, the other day and
paid seventy five cents for meals he had eaten
fifteen years ago.
An old lady of 76, living in Dooly county.
Ga, is able to perform the feat of dancing a
iie with q tumbler of water balanced on her
head without splitting drop.
A parishioner stood up in St Georges
church. Bolton. England, recently and for
bade the bans of a couple intending to he
married The objector was quietly requested
to go to the vestry at the close OF the service.
when 1t was learned that he grounded his OPP
position Oh the alleged fact that the man
was in debt, and consequently not in posi-
ton to be married
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23

Is laid. English mothers of quite mod
crate means find time to watch the de-
velopment of their growing children.
This is the advantage of the nightly
rubbing of the child and the daily bath,
which is far less frequent in this coun-
try than it should be. At such times
the mother can easily note any irregu-
larity in the figure or projecting shout
der caused by a weakness of the mus
cles that hold the shoulder bones in
place, or she can note the STOPPING
tendency which is caused by insufficient
development of the muscles of the
chest. Then comes the beauty of gym
nastic training at home with the simple
pulley and weights. By this means
nearly all the muscles of the body may
be trained. Spinal disease is too fire.
quent and too terrible a scourge to
womanhoOd for any precautionary
means to be neglected. A mothers
sare may save her child life of acute
suffering and develop her into the
glory of perfect physical womanhood
There is nothing better to strengthen
weak muscles than daily cold bath
followed by brisk rubbing taken before
breakfast. 1t is hardly to be hoped
that the average mother will recognize
the value of such means of health; this
is impossible until people have become
wiser, but the best medical experience
sanctions it in spite of the old wife's
tale about the danger and shock of
frequent bathing in cold water.-N. 7:
Tribune.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23
TOO LATE.
The Intricate Pr ,bi-m Which Confused
the COlored Gateman,

The Intricate Problem Which Confused
the COlOred Gateman.
We finally came to a toll dge, at
the gate of which was colored man.
The cha-ge for the two o. lis was seven
cents. and it so happened that neither
OF us had even small b IL. A five was
the smallest. and when it was handed
out the toll-keeper was in fix. He
hadn't change enough into three cents.
We'll, we've got to cross" said the
Colonel.
''Reckon you has, but l want dem
seben cents
1T isn't our fault if you have no
change"
Oats true. but | reckon we has got
to fix it somehow. Let's see? Oar am
free cents comm to you?'
Yes
''Or seven cents coming to met"
Exactly"
NOW. boss dar Gums nv son Jim. Jim
am lame an doan' git long nohow. He
am good boy, an | reckon you'll be
nclin' to help him a tile. He's ridin'
M ole mule, an dat beast hasn't had
any fun since de wah. 'Sposen you let
Jim + de dat tree cents out?"
"HOw?'
why. he nebber crossed oll-bridge
in his life. 1t would do him up proud
YOU see. an nobody knows how much
good it would do de ole mule"
The Colonel consented and Jim rode
the beast in the most solemn manner to
the other side. We followed him across
and rode away WI tn the father calling:
white man. come back heah! How
[ gwine to git dat boy back heah wido 1t
pawn fo' cents toll at de odder eandn'
Detroit Free Press
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23
DANCING FOR LUCK.

The Queer Results brought About By the
Paying of 40 u Browns Body"
Lieutenant Chandler in an article on
Sherman's march to the sea, speaks of
a halt AT Shady Dale. Ga, as follows:
The column halted here for short time
to rest. and one of the bands struck ur
John Browns Body Lies Wondering
in the Grave" TO us this was rothin.
new; but what WAS new was to see u
number of negro girls, a dozen OF more.
come out from the deserted mansions
and. forming ring around the band.
with weird aud plaintive wall danced
in Il circle in the most solemn, dignfied
manner so long as the band PLAYED that
tune There was not a man in this
dance. There was not Il word spoken
to any of the girls by any officer or man
in the command. because we were all
too much astonished, and as soon rs
the music ceased they all scuttled off
aud disappeared behind the shrubbarv
and in the houses. The modest and
serious department of these girls in this
dance made a deep impression on ne.
The more thought over the matter the
more / became interested to know WHY
they should have danced. and WHY taev
had danced to that tune, but paid no
attention to several better dancing
tunes which the band played.
Il looked about for the girl to whom
| had SPOKEN about the absence of the
white people. but she was gone. and III
her p ace a big. fat, comfortable look
ing D.nah leaned on the fence, with her
fat black arms and gOod-humorei face
shining in tie sunlight.
'''Aunty, Go you know why those
girls danced 70 that tuner
"'Yes. sa';; it's a-cos dat ar am de
weddin' tune and dem fool gals thinks
dat if dey don't dance every time dey
heahs it dev'll never git married.
Why, that is no wedding tune
That is John Browns body
~ doesn't know muffin bout J hn
Brown, nor his body either. | tells you.
honey, dat am de weddin' tune what
ley plays and dances down heah at de
home-a-cnming. when de darkies gifts
married and the white folks comes ont
on de verandys and dances, too, eff dev
is house hands dat's married: anu eff
icy is field hands, de young NASSAU an
He gals comes Down to de quartahs an
dances; and e'ery fool nj ggah wencn
dat Amt married vet thinks she muss
dance ebeyv time she heah dat tune. r
else her chance is gone, sah.'
Thus volubly the colored woman set
my mind at rest and convinced me that
the tune was older where the words
were unknown than where they were
familiar. - Detroit Free Press.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23
BASEBALL TALK.
TJt;oo has q female baseball nine.

Utica has a female baseball nine.
Won der Abe has offered Louisville l,SOO
for the release of Pitcher Stratton.
Arson is said to be only ~ years Of age.
but he acts like sixty on the ball field
Boston has offered $1,000 for the release
of Hardy Richardson The Detroit club ~
fuses to sell
With proper training Catcher Bushong
hopes to make fine pitcher out Of Hughes.
of the Brooklyns
Mike Kellys batting average is now little
over so This is considerably more than
any other man in the League
Manager John Kelly, OF the Louisvilles.
has engaged the baseball grounds at the Hot
Springs next season, and will organize Q
team of twenty players for games there next
spring
Some of the Southern league players
worked on the management to let the reserve
privilege go by default They wanted TO be
left free to skip out at the end of the season
The Southern league. however. Is paying a.
big salaries as any other, and it would be
folly to carry expensive teams this season
without the reserve privilege
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23

iuenti.sed Wilu i.e- a0rS. .ss 'eaIs
always respectful and 1t is almost pa
thetic to see how anxious they are tt
learn. Then they are generous almost
to fault. When this work was frs
commenced we took up a COLLECTION
once every Sunday, but the Chinese
gave 50 much that we were obliged to
limit the collections to once month.
They could not be taught to give five
cents. but gave half-dollars and dollars.
Not long ago we planned to give them
an entertainment in the church. They
learned of it and in five minutes wen,
among themselves and collected $60.-
Chicago Ae,cs.
The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-23
MONGOllAN SCHOLARS.

The Chinese Pupils Chicago Sabbath
School ami Their Intelligence.
Thirty-nine Cinnamon of pious in
clinations attended the Chinese Sunday
School at DR.. Goodwin church, corner
of Ann street and Washington Boule-
ward, yesterday afternoon. Many of
them had dis arded the costume of
their native land and wore the dress of
this country, but by far the greater
number had ON their abbreviated
Mother Hubpards and sandals. and
wore their hats SO as to display the full
beauty and symmetry of tieir cues.
All were scrupulously neat in appear
ance, deterential 10 manner, and atten-
tive to the exercises. These consisted
of PRAYER, the singing of hymns, both
pounding of the Scriptures.
The ladies of DIR. Goodwin's church
have exertd themselves toward the
conversion of the Chinese. and since
the Sabbath School was established,
upward of year ago, many of the
heather have embr ced Christianity.
Yesterday one Chinaman was learning
the alphabet, while ane Their, who had
mastered the intricacies of the lam
grage, was wrestling with do trinal
principles, and wanted to be enlight
ened as t. the meaning of the term
.'heresy'
There is one teacher to each Chinese
scholar. If the latter can cot read. he
is taught the alphabet. and is then made
to spell words forming part o. some
Scrptural text. The whole text is then
made plain to him, and the Scriptural
idea contained in it fully explained.
The teachers say the Chinese are very
apt pupils Generally one lesson is all
they require in which to master the En-
lsh alphabet. Information once &C
CURED they do not forget The ''Chins
how who learns his letters one Sunday
attends school the next Sunday pre-
pared to engage in spelling. A few
months later his textbook is the Bible
He is inquisitive and anxions to learn
and his quick, snbtle mind readii,
comprehends an idea The teacher
saw the Chinese are model pupils
When they sing the somn lent lool
vanishes from their faces and thei
smart CONTINGENCIES are lighted up will
joy.
The Chinese are q misunderstood
people, declared lady urcAA.-snti'