davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
UNCLE EPHRA,M..

~ q l. (, ~ Vi
My Uncle Ephratm was man who did not live
In vain, Fl % @ E
And yet, Why he succeeded 50 never cow.d ex.
r. plain; ~ :. - ## r
By nature he was not endowed with Wit to
degree,
But folks allowed there nowhere lived better
mar than he: r- ,ra. 81 de- aeA
He started poor but soor got rich; he went to
Congress thcn.
And held that post Of honor long against much
brainier men;
He never made famous speech Or did thing
OF note
Aud yet the praise OF Uncle Eph wcllcd up
from every throat.
recollect never heard him say bitter word,
He never carried to and fro unpleasant things
no heard;
lie always dored his ha, and spoke to every
one he knew,
Eo tipped 20 poo' aaa rioh aliko genial ':how,
dy->lc;"
&c kissed the babies, praised their lool:s, and
said: THAT child will grow
To ee Daniel Webster or our President,
Nuowr'
His Voice Was so .nelliduous, his smile SO full
IT mrth.
That folks declared lie was the best and smartest
man on earth!
Now father was smarter man, and yet he never
won
Such wealth and fame as Uncle Eph, 'the
deest1ik's favorite son.
He had "convictlons" and he was not loath to
speak his mind
he went his way and said his say as he might
be inclined;
Yes, he was brainy; yet his life was hardly a
success
BE was too honest and too smart for this vain
world guess!
At any rate, wondered he was unsuccessful
Ny Uncle Eph, duller man, was so revered Of
When Uncle Eph was dying he called mo to his
And in tone OF confidence inviolate he said:
"Dear Willyum. ere I seek repose in yonder
blissful sphere,
I fain would breathe secret in your adolescent
ear;
Strive not to hew your way through ife-it
really doesn't pay;
Be sure the salve Of flattery soaps all you do
and say!
Herein the only royal road to fame and fortune
lies:
Put not your trust in vinega--molGsses catches
fieS!''
Eugene Field, in Chicago News.
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12

thousands 81 barrels flowed out when
ono OF these reservoirs was tapped. In
sinking one pit, which was seven by
fourteen feet in area, on the banks Of
Black creek, the operators found that
one corner Of their shaft cut into m
older shaft which had been filed up
with rubbish. twigs, leaves, etc. At the
depth Of twenty-seven feet from the SUR
face . pair OF doors antlers were taken
from this old pit. Here, as on Oil creek.
the surface was occupied with trees
three feet in diameter, and some Of
them were growing Immediately over
the old oil welL-Prof. j. s. Newberry,
In HaHer's Magazine.
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
THE GARTER SNAKE

In Its Infancy 1t Foods Almost Exclu.
sively on Earth Wovrns.
A few summers ago bad i large TO-
male sirtalus which had been caught
the previous spring, in q v.vsrium by
herself. was greatly astonished one
morning to find that the vivarium con-
tanned twenty-eight snakes instead Of
one, the happy mother having during
the night given birth to twenty-seven
baby snakes. They were quite lively
little party. crawling about and over
their mother with unmistakable in.
fantile glee. Notwithstanding their
playful activity, they were continually
yawning during the morning, perhaps
not fully recovered from their pre-
natal sleep. The first thing thought of
was how and what to feed this interest.
ing family. knew that = toad or frog,
once or twice week, was food sufficient
for the mother, but the snakelets did
not appear able to master large grass.
hopper, much less toad. Having been
informed that young snakes fed upon
insects, / at once went on . collecting
trip and secured number of crickets,
grasshoppers, beetles, flies, moths and
caterpillars for them, but not one even
attempted to catch or swallow one
of the insects. At last concluded
to try earth-worms (Lun6rieus). The
first worm brought to them
was recognized by several Of
the snakes when yet about three fee:
away from the glass front of their cage,
and the worm had scarcely dropped
from the forceps in my hand before five
Of the baby snakes seized upon it, ami
such fighting, twisting, rolling and pul''
ing l never before Witnessed! Tb|s
worm was torn apart, and four snakes
began greedily to swallow the two
pieces. One of the snakes not only
swallowed his end of the worm, but
also the head of his brother who was al
work at the opposite end, and when the
snake discovered that while eating he
was being eaten, the writhing and
squirmine was indescribable until the
unfortunate snake disengaged his head
and neck from the teeth of his brother.
After this I had no trouble in feeding,
having discovered what may be
called the milk for baby garter snakes
am Of the opinion that many species
of our land snakes, when immature,
feed upon earth-worms DR.. Holorook.
in his work, ''North American Herpetol'
ogy," says that the little brown snake,
Storersa DO Kayi feeds upon insects, but
could never get them to eat insects Of
any kind. Earth-worms were their only
food. The mature garter snakes feed
mainly upon toads and frogs. have
never known them to be iusectivorous
In captivity l have seen them swallow
salamanders and small fishes, but
doubt very much if they ever pursue and
capture the latter in the water.-Scien
tific American.
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
ANCIENT OIL WELLS.

Prof Nowberry Gays the Mound Buildcrl
Knew the Value Of Petroleum.
Petroleum was sought and used in
North America as early rs anywhere
else in the world, since it was collected
in many places and in large quan.
tity by that mysterious people OF
peoples whom we know as ''the Mound
Builders" When, in 1859. I went tc
Titusville. like thousands of others,
called there by the Drake oil we'll,
noticed that the bottom lands on Oil
cred with magnificent forest of hem.
lock trees, wore pitted in peculiar
way; that is, the surface was occupied
by series of contiguous depressions ten
or fifteen feet in diameter, and from one
to three feet in depth. These were cir
cular and symmetrical, in that respect
differing from tho pits formed by up
rooted trees. Inquiring of Brewer and
Watson, who had an oil-weu there.
what was the cause of this series OF
pits, I received no satisfactory answer
from them; but q by-stander answered
my question by taking me to his we'll,
just begun in the vicinity. AS it
chanced, this we'll was sunk in one of
the pits before referred to. 1t was car
ried to the depth of about twenty-five
feet in the earth when the rock was
reached and the drilling begun.
Throughout this depth it. followed the
course of an old we'll, which had been
cribbed up with timber, and in 1t was
q ladder such as was commonly used in
the copper mines Of Lake Superior by
perhaps the people who worked the oil
wells This ladder was portion Of q
small tree, Of which the trunk was
thickly sot with branches. These were
cut of four or five inches from the
trunk, and thus formed steps BY which
the well-owner could 60 down and
gather tho oil as it accumulated on the
surface of the water, just as was done
by the old oil producers on the banks Of
the Caspian and the Irrawaddy. Some
of the trees which grew over the pits
which marked the sites Of the oil wells
were shree and even four feet in diam
eter thus proving that the wells had
been Abandoned ct least 400 or 500 years
ago.
At Enniskillen. Canada, and at Mecca
and Grafton, q, I found similar ancient
oil wells AT Enniskillen the oil was
obtained BY sinking pits through forty
or fifty feet Of impervious clay. Be-
meath this the oil accumulated on the
surface Of the Limestone, and sometimes
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
PlTH AND POINT.
shouldn't be h handled without Il elov.

-Shouldn't be handled without gloves
live electric wires Texas Siftings.
s "A medical philosopher says that
matrlmony appears like an inverted
fever. Il begins with warmth and ends
with chill.
There IL gorge in Yellowstone
Park where no sound can BIZ heard.
Not bad place for boarding house.
Rams Horn. :-
There il great pleasure in showing
some other fellow up as fool It takes
away that lonely feeling, as It were.-
Indianapolis Journal
-"Who is making all this talk?'
asked the vinegar bottle severely at q
social repast II an," said the cham
pagne bottle proudly from the head Of
the tatle.-N. q. Picayune.
kitty" said the lover, as they sat
in the dark corner of the piazza
''Kitty, close your eyes" why so,
George?' 1T you don't every body will
be able to see us."-Harper's Bazar.
ITO be taken after each meal, read
Impecune, as the doctor left the pre-
scription; Il shouldn't think one dose a
day would help = fellow up very fast"
Pharmaceutical Era.
But, Bertha! it was only last
month that l paid a dre ssmaker's bill
of $50 marks. and here is another one
for this month of 100 marks" ''Well,
dear Edgar, that shows, you see. that I
am beginning to spend less!"-Flie-
gende Blatter.
Visitor lat Lonelyville, N. J.)-'1f
were in your place l would keep an
eye on those tramps. They are all
armed with big murderous looking
clubs" Jersey Farmer-''Oh, that's all
eight Them clubs is for muskeeters.
IN. Y. Weekly.
Brakeman ION railroad train At
night)-"Poughkeepsie!!" J" Poughkeep-
sic Lady-''Dear me! Will these rail-
road men ever learn to pronounce So
folks can understand them? What sta;
ton is this?'' Friend-'This is our sta
ion-P'kepsy."-Good News
Miss Antyque-'1 always keep a
light burning in my room. I'm SO afraid
burglars will break in and carry me
away" Miss Firstsummer-"Ah, yes?.
And by keeping the room light enough
so they could see you, you would pre-,
vent them from doing so."-Chicago
Post.
Just Like Grown Folks
Said little Grace to little Bess:
II guess TIL make my doll dress"
Said little Bess to little Grace:
II think you'd better wash its face"
"Wash its face, indeel!" cried Grace
In conscious wisdom she grewprouder-
''Tll do like grown up ladies do.
just put on grease and lots Of powder"
Epoch.
"A great many men down town are
like tho boy at school He spends the
time from nine to ten in getting start
ed, and from eleven to twelve in watch
ing the clock for the time when school
will be out From ten to eleven is the
time when he does any thing, and then
he does very little. He grows up to be
the kind of man who is always howl
ing about dull times, and who wonders
why business is so poor.-Atchison
Globe.
II fear verwy much" said Willie
Washington, ''that am growing wesent-
full" "Why?" was the interrogatory.
II am getting SO that I answer back
with quickness that amounts almost
to asperity. Miss Belle Pepperton
wemahked to me yesterday that it
seemed impossible fob me to get any
thing through my head at times"
''What did you say?" Il told heb that
if such were the case should certainly
have stahved to death long ago.
Washington Post
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
SEASONABLE CHAT

A Recipe That Can He Used for Chow
Chow as We'll rs Ntnce Neat
"Dear me-" she cried, as they met on
the street. 'Fbut was just wondering
how you came out with your tomatoes"
"They wore splendid"
$50 were mine. Got all through with
your peaches?'
'YeA"
$50 have I. Made any catsup?'
"Yes."
''Aow did it come out?''
Fine"
''Mine didn't. I'm afraid it didn't
boil quite long enough. Have you got
. recipe for chow-chow?"
'Oh. yes"
''Then for mercy's sake letme havei it
I've lost the one had last year,
with pleasure.
"And you'll come over and taste it?"
eyes"
Thanks My husband is worrying
for fear We shan't have any. Does
your recipe call for tomatoes, cabbage,
onions, pepper, horse-radish, red pep
pers, carrots, potatoes, celery, parsley,
egg plant, cinnamon and currants?"
Il am quite lure it does"
$50 glad! lean use it one day for
chow-chow and the next for mince pies.
I'll send the girl right over after din
mar Detroit Free Press.
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
Instructive Little Tale.

Once upon 9 time Snowman took a
sick elephant to the house of veterin-
ary surgeon and asked him if he would
not treat the poor animal. ~. f:..s e
Z ! will doctor the beast" answered
the veterinary surgeon, ''if you leave q
deposit with me. You are Q total
stranger 4: i.
Fl So the Snowman deposited the ele-
phant with him, and the elephant ate
him out Of house and home in about fouE
days Chicago Tribune.
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
Cheaper Postage.

Customer want . two-cent stamp.
Druggist - Cert'nly, ma'am. Any
thing else?
.Customer-No Please be sure and
send the stamp home in time for the
mail. ..,...
Druggist-Yes, ma'am. Shall send
the boy to lick the stamp?
Customer-No. That will not be nec-
essary. =,
Druggist with sigh)-Two cents.
i Customer (paying him)-It does seem
~ though we ought to have cheaper
postage! Observation-Disclosures Ba-
xar
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
VOLCANOES At WORK.
Many Eruptions from Old Orators OF
Alaskan Islands.

Many Eruptions from Old Craters ON
Alaskan Islands.
The steamer Arago, which recently
returned from St. Paul and Oonalaska,
brought information that within the
last few months . strange reaction ol
nature has developed on several vol.
canic islands, attended, in some in.
stances, with serious results Until
within the past few years the craters
distributed throughout Alaska were
thought to be extinct The natives,
who seem to have an inherited dread Of
what they call the fire god," became
sufficiently courageous to establish set.
Elements at the very base of the vol.
canoes.
When the volcano at Bogoslov com,
menced to emit smoke some time ago il
was thought that that would be the ex
tent of the eruption. Later on, as pub
lished. lava and cinders were emitted
from the crater in alarming quantities.
The theory advanced by an officer Of the
Arago, who has given the matter con-
siderabl study. is that the action of the
Bogoslov volcano has affected and is af-
fecting all the Others
While the Arago was up north VOL
cano located on Aukatan Island. which
had been extinct for hundreds of years,
alarmed the native village at its base.
The top, which was visible. became OBJ
scured, and clouds of sulphurous smoke
covered the sky. The natives were
panic-stricken at the sight In hot
haste they commenced to remove to q
more distant part Of the small island.
Meanwhile huge volumes of smoke
poured from the summit of the snow
covered mountain. At night beautiful
sight was frequently witnessed. Long
tongues Of fame loomed up out of the
crater and danced in the darkness. At
other times fine showers of glittering
sparks arose.
Some of the older Indians prophesy
that . terrible eruption of lava will soon
come from the Aukatan crater. They
are leaving the island to fee from the
danger. H. &s.%
The volcano which recently sprung
into action on the island Of Unamak
still continues to emit dense volumes of
black smoke and cinders. In other
parts OF the country supposedly extinct
volcanoes are commencing to give signs
of life, and are expected to become
active in . few years.-San Francisco
ChrOnic1e E H. :E-..
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
Another Count Necessary,

At tho Census Bureau.
Superintendent Porter-I declare, i'll
haven't got to have another count OF
every city in the West! "
Assistant-What's the matter?
Superintendent Porter-Here's let.
tor from Tascott saying he has not been
counted. g..
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12

Washington was great man, and
he accomplished marvels for his conn.
try, but then he didn't have as much to
worry him 10 modern statesmen have.
His trousers never bagged ct the knees
Somerville journal
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12
Exceptions.

Johnny Cumso-I don't like Freddy
Fangle. He talks too much out Of his
mouth.
Mrs. Cumso (reprovingly)-Did you
ever know people to talk except with
their mouths? "a
"Yessum. Deaf and dumb people
talk with their hands ~" Harper's &
Bazaar. #a.
The coarsest granulated sugar makes
the clearest sirup.
Mower County transcript., 1890-11-12

| one. The skies were most softly, sun
nily. luminously blue; everywhere
| were plows furrowing the dark
sod; everywhere was budding green
cry; everywhere were budding boughs;
| and from the prairie grass came
the persistently cheerful chirp of
the meadow larks. Kansas was
that morning, as she not frequently
is, more prodigal of spring-time promise
! than of midsummer fruition. .'
''Miss Josylanv'
TIE weather. beaten woman who had
answered his brisk knuckle.knock on
! the panels of tho seldom-used hall door
regarded him with stolid curiosity.
| "Linnet? She's out with the children
| somewheres-gaddin' as usual Won't
you come imp -.>5.. Il
mo, thank you," replied Bonnell,
taking his hat of in fashion that the
| Door rich woman for moment imagined
implied supreme sarcasm, II shall try
to ind her. H1a -
Find her he did. She was in the next
field. with half dozen registering
young Blatchfords about her. They
were on their way to seek the where.
| abouts of nomadic hen, or rather of
her nest. The fear that she would .'lay
out" had caused the mistress of the
farm anxiety unutterable.
Although B0nnell has never seen
Linnet there was no .m1staking her. A
girl city born and bred is, in the city,
lone Of . multitude. In the country, es-
pecially in the new Western country,
she is distinctively and delightfully."-
conspicuous She Is the transferred
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-03-14
(Correspondece o the Union TiME,.)
News from North Paoolet.

Eta JANE, March 1O.-Mr. Noah b uioe
has set up his tent IN our yard ani is now
ready to take pic.ures of all kinds His
motto is ''sctisfrction or ne pay From
specimens of me work shown US we are we'll
prepared to sa" that those who patronize
him will get sood pictures. He expects to
stay he:e until the first of next week
Nertab'e winter struck our vicinity last
Friday in the form of o. heavy snow the s-s.,
ed off and no traces of q are to be seem to-
day.
Several cases of bad colds are among our
people some bordering on pIeumonia.
Last Monday a child of Amzie Mckissick,
colored, living on Mr.. W. C. Kirby's farm,
was burned to death. TIC mothc. had left
it in charge of anothe: child about two years
older. while she welt to neis shbor's house,
only few hundred yards distant 1t is
supposed that the oldes. child set its clothes
on fire by lighted straws, as hat was the way
it generally undertook to paciy it.
Rev. II. p. Smith will peach at Salem
next Sabbath, aid Rev. j. d. Bailey will
preach at Skull Shoals the same day.
Our friend "Joe' wants us to tell ho,c
Paul was baptized. We will admit
that we have no sc;ptural grounds
rpon which to predicate an opinion as to
how he was ba2tised-whethcr by immersion
or otherwise-but wo will say that if the
context is taken as n basis of our opinion,
it was not by immersion. We don't attribute
the greatness of he man to the amount Of
water or tho NAME. i l which it was applied,
but to his commission issued in Acts, 26:l5 to
18 verses.
Will Joe please tell us who was the last
man on earth to alk with the Saviour,
For some days past Miss Mandevillc Gou-
o'clock has been lying..at therpoint of death,
and at this writing may perhaps be dead.
She is sister of w. L. Goudelock, Esq, and
is a high toned, noble and pure woman. -
We sympathize with her family and the
community in the loss of such a pure
christian and useful member of society.
VOX.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-03-14
Correspondence Of Union Times.
Santuo Happen ings.

SANTuC, March l1th- AS there have been
good many changes in tho weather aud
small grain crops since last appeared be-
fore the public, will report progress. Tho
last two weeks We have had more rain and
cold than nt any period since Christmas.
After the heavy rains the osts were looking
better, until the freeze on Salesday, which
killed all the young oats to the ground, and
bleaohed nearly all of the other. 1t is not
thought that the roots are injured. Last
Friday we had snow here, that after driz-
zling awhile, come like a storm accompa-
MED by, q strong wind. This anchored
plows for few days, and it is hoped tho
farmers will not think they are so far behind
that they have a weeks work on hand and
only one day to complete it, and just half do
1t, for great many are much more advanced
than at the corresponding pcriol last year.
The Santuc Div. s. of L. is still growing.
At almost every meeting new members are
initiated. 1t has also instituted at the meet
ings the discussion OF subjects. At the last
meeting the subject, "Is it detrimental to.
ones character, or reputation, to be q.
member of the Temperance Society was
Interestingly aud instruotively discussed,
pro and con, by Revs. G. II. Willeford, and
JDo. Atiaway. and Messrs. J. H. Randolph,
d, B. FAINT and II. G.. Farr. This was de-
cidedly one Of our most interesting meetings:
and If all could be as this was, our lodge
would soon attain the reputation Of being
quite dispeller of blues. Itake the liberty
10 ask you 10 come down, Mr. Editor, and
give us the password at our election and
supper, two weeks hence, and we will lot
you in, and you can see how we enjoy our
selves,
mule "got off, with me again by play.
playing Yankee trick on me one evening
last week; not by falling down, but another
way, so it did not hurt physically, and AM
Just Awaiting opportunity to retaliate.-
Human nature like. T.. W. J.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-03-14

THE DEAD IS AL.vE.-St Louis, March 8.
The local press Is puzzled over the case OF
John j. o Conno". 1t is claimed that he had
died, his body was identified at tho morgue
hy his wife, who had him buried. a few
days later it was claimed that O'Conner was
alive, that his wife had been mistaken. Now
there is every reason to believe that Con
nor was buried in his own person,
OCounor was seen Saturday night ; the
grave in the cemetery is empty. This morn
ing he exhibited q cut huff way across his
abdomen. lie is of the op Mon that he wa,
really buried and that bis body was akcn up
and conveyed to dissecting room while in a
state o. suspended animation.
He thinks that when the fist incision was
made it caused q flow Of blood, which yosto.
red h;m.,to consciousness, lie s:a,cs that ho
went to a lodging house Mondsy evening,
and that he knew nothing more urti We'd
nesday night, when he found himself seated
on the court house steps in dazed condition,
weak and sick.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-03-14

When the Farmers Movement dcgcncratcs
into Ben Tillman boom we may write it
down rs a fizzlc. The farmers of South Caro-
lima know Ben Tillman we'll enough to know
that he is not the man to make Governor.
When The Edgefed meeting put forward Ben
Tillman's name for Governor, which was
very natural, if Mr.. Tillman lacked the sag
acity to suppress such acton, they showed
the true inwardness of the movement. The
indications so far go to show that the farmers
of the State mean to keep level heal. You
may bet your money freely on South Caro-
lima farmers refusing to do foolish or un-
conservative thing as soon as they have time
to comprehend the situation. Wait and see.
Col. Register.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-03-14
ayss- Sheriff Nichols, OF Spartanburc, a

DSss- Sheriff Nichols, Of Spartanburg, al
rived here early last Tuesday morning, hav-
his brothcr-n-law, L. II. Finger, last Friday
They were OH their way to the Columbia
Jail to escape party of lynchers who, we
learn, were going into Spsrtsnburg seeking
Turner'S scalp, rs Sheriff Nichols and his
prisoner were coming out. 1t will be rcmem-
bcred that this man Turner killed German
year or 50 ago, under most trivial provoca-
ton.
The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-03-14
A Correction.

A Correction.
The Secretary of the Farmers Mass Meet
ing has called our attention 10 the omission
of the name Of e. b. Bobo. as ono Of
the delegates selected to attend the convcn-
ton at Columbia, on the 9th inst. 1t was
clearly an unintentional omission OH our
part, rs Mr.. Bobos name was plainly OIL the
list of delegates given us by Mr.. OTIS, the
Secret ary of the meeting; but we trust friend
Bobo will not consider himself any the less a
delegate because his name did not appear
with the other delegates in the proceedings
Of the meeting.