davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
Changes Wrought in the Course of Half n
Century.

Fifty years ago the population of the
United States was only 17,G91 42O. The
census cost the Government 1888, 427.
There were slaves in all the States cx-
cept Maine, Massachusetts,, Vermont
and Michigan. Iowa had 16 slaves,
wisconsin II, Ohio 3, Indiana 0, Hi
nois S5l The total in all the States
and Territories was 2,4S6,22S. Fifty
years ago the first railroad-spike ma
chine was put into use, making fifty a
minute, forming both point and head,
Heprs Burden, of Troy, N. Y, was the
inventor. 1t ranked among the best
paying inventions of modern times.
Fifty years ago the Whig party held
its first convention at Harrisburg, nom
mating General William Harrison, of
Ohio, as President of the United States
Fifty years ago Joseph A. Adams for
the first time made use of the idea
now embodied in the art OF cleo
trotyping by reproducing from wood
cuts. Fifty years ago the first power
loom for weaving carpets was set in mo-
ton by E. b. Bigelow, of Boston. Ten
yards a day was its original capacity.
Fifty years ago CS39) the first wheat
was shipped from Chicago, amounting
to seventy-eight bushels. 1t was sent
eastward by the lakes to Buffalo. Fifty.
one years ago the first steam fire-engine
ever made was tested in New York. 1t
was invented by Captain John Ericsson.
Fifty years ago the Sirius and Great
Western, the first ocean steamships, en-
tered New York harbor on their return
trips. Fifty years ago 1000 reformed
drunkards marched in procession at the
first anniversary of the Washington So
ciety. Fifty years ago law was enact
ed against dueling in the District of
Columbia. 1t grew out of the Cilley-
Graves duel. Fifty years ago the Chero-
kee Indians were removed from Georgia
and placed west of the Mississippi
river. Fifty years ago was established
the first commercial college in America,
Corners College of Boston. Fifty years
ago the first patent was granted to
Goodyear for vulcanized India-rubber
goods.
Fifty years ago survey was made by
John Baily for a canal across Central
America, Fifty years ago John Ericsson
was allowed letters patent on a steam
propeller boat, Fifty years ago beet
sugar was firnt modo by David Il, Child,
of Northampton, Mass. Fifty years ago
the banks of the United States resumed
specie payment. Fifty years ago tho
Massachusetts Abolition party was or
ganizcd. Fifty years ago wooden clocks
had only been in use one year. Fifty
years ago the daguerreotype was invent
cd in France. Sta atistician.
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17

LEARNING A LANGUAGE.
A Vocabulary of Ninety Words Answers
for Ordinary Use.

How annoying it is not to be able 10
understand a language. With the scanty
Spanish at my command L am able 10
ask for and get whatever I want, but IN
conversation can only obsCurely guess
the speakers meaning by a word caught
here and there, generally at the end OF
sentence. If only they would speak
slowly, and use the shortest sentences
and simplest words. Yet it is a de-
cided advantage to be able to speak the
language of the country, if only lit
tie: for the people always suppose that
YOU understand and know more than
YOU really do, and this is material
benefit. One can learn with ease, and
in very short time, all that IS abSo-
lutely necessary to make ones way
through foreign land. Here are few
hints:
Take first lesson or two in pronuncla"
ton from a competent teacher; then
master about dozen verbs-the auXll-
iaries, of course-and several other IT.
regular verbs should be acquired with
perfect fexibility. Among the most USE
full of the latter are, in French, p0H10T,
voui0r and aHfr; in Spanish, poder,
querer and ir Then the numerals should
be learned, and so thoroughly as to be
able quickly to count hundred buck
ward. After all, these amount to only
two dozen words. Next follow half a
dozen propositions and half dozen ad-
verbs of time and place. And lastly,
brief yocabularies of nouns, those to use
in travelling (perhaps a DOZEN, at the
hotel la score), and in inquiring ones
way about town Ia DOZEN.
Altogether, / believe that vocabulary
of ninety words, carefully selected,
would answer every pressing need. OF
course, in order to be thoroughly COM
Portable, one should carry with him a
pocket dictionary, 1t is far better to
procure this than any OF the converse
ton manuals offered at the bookstores
as royal roads to the acquisition OF Ian
guage. These are not to be recommend
ed; their vocabularies contain words that
one would never need, and omit some OF
the most necessary; their CONVERSE
tions" are highly grammatical, stilted
and unnatural. al.-Boston Traveller.
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17
WHY SOLDIERS DESERT.
Officers Think Man in the Ranks an In
ferior Being to Themselves.

Gerior Being to Themselves.
The following extracts from soldiers
letter received bv the writer will show
what life at some of the army posts is
and how recruits view the efforts of the
Government to find out tho principal
reasons for desertion:
II have had the blues worse than is
usual with, me, and that is saving great
deal, for have had one continued fit Of
the blues almost ever since came here.
Upon my.word, life here is without ex-
ception the deadest, dullest, and most
| miserable | have ever experienced.
The same routine day after day, no
change or variety of any kind, and the
only thing we have to look forward to
is that the winter is drawing to close.
Lately there was a Board of Inquiry
in session for long time for the pur-
pose of discovering the causes of deser-
tion. What conclusion they arrived at
| do not know, but | will say that any
enlisted man of ordinary intelligence
could give many reasons for the great
number of desertons which occur every
year Tho idea of number Of high Of
ticers of the army determining the cause
of desertion is ridiculous if for only this
reason: Deserters are not given a
chance to state what caused them to de-
sert and the men who remain (many Of
whom only ctov bnraueo +bev arc afraid
Of tbo consoouoncos) and who could
rive tbe boa I'd nlentv Of information on
the subiec+ if tbov we're allowed. have
no opportunitv to air their complaints.
and. as Won see. the men who are most
" concerned arc NOT asked for their
opinions.
"Durinr the summer of 1889 articles
were published in several New York pa
pers in regard to food supplied to
recruits at David's island, saving that
an officer of high ranl, had been inter-
viewed and said that he would be
satisfied to cat the same food as SUP.
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17
reproducing Power of the Liver.

scientific fact of great value, and
one which should bring comfort to le-
qions of that large class of persons who
are weary of the caprices of an erratic
or tardy liver had proved that large
nortions of the liver can be removed
without serious disturbance to the ami
NAL functions of the human body The
eynlanation of this curious fact seems
TO be that the liver has a wonderful
mower of reproduction. Pontick found
that within few days of the removal
of portions of the liver, the work of its
reproduction began, and that it pro-
cseded with great rapidity to compile
tion. In certain cases he found that
within period of few weeks as much
has been reproduced as has been re-
moved. and this amounted occasionally
To twice as much as had been left be-
hind. These Investigations have an in
terest altogether outside of that which
is absolutely scientific, because they
,an not fail to influence the develop
nent of abdominal surgery, fit is un-
lerstood that large portions of the liver
nav be removed without serious danger
% life.- Richmond Despatch.
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17
FULL OF FUN.

The Chinese always begin the new
year by paying their debts. What a
heathenish custom-Minneapol Jour.
nal.
--Tramp-"Could you give me lit
tie to eat, madam?" Madam-"Oh,
how lucky! The cooking club has just
gone, and you can eat tall" But the
tramp had fed. N. Y. Sun.
Above Suspicion. here, John
Asterkin, your nose is as red as beet.
l believe you've been drinking"
Don't sphose l drink-ic through m
noshe, do you?"-Bingbampton Repub-
lican.
-Wickwire-"What board do you pay
at your new placer" Yabsley-"Three
dollars a week" Wickwire - "You
must get rather simple fare for that low
price?' Yabsley-"O, no. It's quite
complicated-mos ostly hash, you know"
-Terre Haute Express.
Teacher Ito new scholar) is
your name, sonny?" Boy-''Gunn."
"Give me your full name" John G.
Gunn." What is the G for?" Get
yer" "What do you mean by that?"
"Well, all the boys call me Johnny Get
yer Gum, anyhow"-Texas Siftings.
Clothing Salesman-"Well, how do
you like this pattern?" Customer
Cant you give me something little
quieter? You see, I frequently come
home after midnight, and it is matter
of some Importance to me not to wake
up my wife. Huntington Free Press.
Mrs We're de Vere-'Don'tyou think
that this about sectarian schools is quite
futile?" Mrs Malaprop-'Indeed l do.
Boys and girls went to school together
when | was child, and it is all nom
sense to say that they can't do the same
thing now. ."-Boston Post.
The new Mrs. Brimley las the car
riage leaves the house)-"Whad yo' set
tin on de fo' for, Claudie?" Mr.. Brim-
ley-'T doan' objec' t d ole custom OBJ
fingin' shoes at d bride, but ! seen dat
low-down Briggs coon a-pryin' som pm
offn' he's mules foot jess fore we
stahted. Judge.
How to Decide.-"I am devoted to
phrenology, and l love the study and
pursuit of literature, and am puzzled as
to which l should make my life work"
said the student. "NTy dear boy" re-
turned the professor, why don't you
teoe " vent o,a decide +he na~tt-~ th"e
way? Heads, phrenology; tales, lot
tcrs. ."-Harper's Bazaar.
Mr.. Garrick--"Glad to see you, old
man, You're just in time to help me out
of a difficulty. We're starting new
amateur dramatic club, and call our.
selves the 'Roscians.' We also want
short motto, which will be printed with
the name on all programmes. Some
thing terse, you know, and short-and7
well-sort of half apologetic, you know.
Now what would you suggest"' Mr..
yniC-"Somethin Shorthand appro-
priate-and pologetic-um-let me see
how would Don't Shoot suit you?'-
Boston Beacon.
-"Well mum, I must be afther lawn
yez," announced the cook. what do
YOU mean? Why are you going?" asked
her astonished mistress. Il am going
to be married next week" was the re-
ply. But, surely, Bridget, you will
not leave me so suddenly. You must
ask him to wait for few days. "Oh
couldn't. mum" "Why not, pray?'
Sure, mum, I'd 1oike to oblige you, but
| don't feel well cnohEh acquainted with
him to ask such thing, ,"-London Tit
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17
A PAIR OF FISHERS.


v,der the lee Of the headland, $3.50
oout nnt of the hot sunshine, -
fisher, idle sitting, r-rf.,. =.
PLAYS with his rod and line -
r,s oddyIng current ripples &V
'nt a, ,be roots of tho rank marsh grass,
,.S AZ down in the clear brown shadows
I'll The fish like shadows pass.
III. hand has lost Its cunning; q -
= Us glances fall and rise, -'..t
Vow into the cool, dark water,& a,
Ar And now into two blue eyesi za,g
ror another sits beside him
On the narrow ledge OF stone,
and the loops of her fiuttering ribbons
across his cheek are blown. ~
che breaks her talk and laughter
tn watch the anglers game
And never the angler guesses
That her own is just the same.
FIR hook and line are ready
whenever the fish will rise.
Though his with fly are baited, q.
And hers with two blue eyesl
Alas for the simple fisher!
He knows the anglers guile
)ut Of their lurking places
The watery brood to vile;
3ut never he dreams that danger
Can lie in wait for him;
That long ere the flames of sunset
Shall redden the shadows dim,
The girl who sits bes de him
Will land an easy prize, D..
Ind carry him homeward captive
To the bait oftwo blue eyesl
kate Putnam Osgood, in Outing.
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17
HEIRESSES FOR SALE.
Germans Led to Think Americans VIII
Help Them Out.

Germans Led to Think Americans Will
Help Them Out.
'Jt is characteristic of the present
aay," says the London Globe, that
German paper should contain an adver-
tisement offering to supply rich Ameri-
can women to needy Germans of posi-
tion. The advertisement may be and
probably is a mere swindle; but that
such a thing should be advertised is in
itself significant. The advertiser ap-
peals to Germans having titles or OH
cial positions-and this includes prac
ticallv the respectable male population
of Germany-to write to him in order to
be put into communication with Amerl-
can heiresses with fortunes up to four
millions. All is to be private, photo
oranhs are to be interchanged, and the
whole thing is strictly honorable, one
sees at once that the thing is as shadowy
as the fascinating, abbreviated adver-
tisements which appear IN the fetle
Journal, where 'Veuve' or Demoiselle,'
with a lot of millions, is offered to an
impecunious title; but the fact is quite
characteristic of the feeling of the mo-
ment.
s0The untitled heiress has been SO
much on the hunt for mobiles that the
transactions have, as it were, passed
into the market, and the fortunes OF
rich Young ladies are quoted upon the
Matrimonial Exchange. There is moth
inp new in the situation. Since the
days when the world thought only OF
marrying and giving in marriage until
the food came there has always been q
marriage market; but it has been left to
our own days to make the thing into
matter of advertisements and quota
tions. 1t is the low-water mark OF Vul-
carization of the institution OF matrl-
mony; and, rightly or wrongly the pro-
ceeding has lately identified itself par
ticularly with American women in fort
une Nobody can mistake the tendency
of the last ten years in the matrimonial
market. 1t has been an openly avoweo
barter Of money for titles; ana II mas
perhaps done more than any thing else
to yulgarize the marriage ceremony
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17

Let the person whose name you wish
to know inform you in which of the up
right columns the first letter of name is
contained. If it be found but in one
column, it is the top letter; if it occurs
in more than one column it is found by
adding the alphabetical numbers of the
ton letters of these columns and the sum
will be the number of the letter sought.
By taking one letter at time, in this
way, the whole name can be ascer-
tanned. For example, take the word
Jane. ] is found in the two columns
beginning with b and II, which are the
second and eighth letters down the al
phabet; their sum is ten, and the tenth
letter down the alphabet is }, the letter
sought. The next letter, A, appears in
but one column, whore it stands at the
ton. n is seen in the columns headed
with B, d and NJ, these are the second,
fourth and eighth letters of the alpha
bet, which, added, give the fourteenth,
or N. and so on. The use of this table
will excite no little curiosity among
those unacquainted with the foregoing
-Des Moines Qa.) Register.
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17
------------------------
EIoxvers and the Children.

There are but few children who are
not attracted by the beauty and sweet
ness of flowers. We have often watch ed
with great interest the seemingly
natural tendency of young children to
admire flowers. Frequently we have
seen them gazing with rapture upon the
picture of a flower and smelling it with
apparent disappointment that it yielded
no perfume. The child appears to IN
.stinctively know that flower is dell
cate, innocent and pretty; and 1T may be
laid down as general rule that a boy
that is brought up among flowers Will
develop into better man than one VINO
is stranger to flowers. If we could
have our way, we would adorn with
flowers the homes from which come our
criminal classes. They would not ban
ish crime from the community, but they
would greatly lessen it. Flowers make
neople gentler, softer and better, ana
the father and mother who do not
neglect to provide this holy influence
for their children are doing them a
service that perhaps the eternities alone
will tell the value of.--Western Rural
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17
AN AMUSING GAME.
A Key to Any Persons Name-How to
Mystify People.

By the accompanying table of letters
the name of person or any word may
be found out in the following manner:
DeSoto times., 1890-04-17

--Bridgton, Me-, has at least one ap'
sent-minded citizen. He met with al
accident and was confined to the mouse
for several weeks, but forgot entlrelS
that he held an accident policy entitlias
him to twenty fye dollars week.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-08
IL Is Speaker Start.

The lively contest over the speaker
ship ended in the election of Hon.
Henry r. Start on the third ballot. The
WATCHMAN has supported Mr.. Mann
from the first, but its friendship for
him has not blinded it to the quaifica-
tons of Mr.. Start for this office. Mr..
Start will be competent and able pre-
siding officer. But the facts in connec-
ton with his election are interesting
in analysis. Mr.. Mann had ninety
votes on the first ballot, and 10l on the
second; Mr.. Start, fifty-six on the first
and sixty-one on the second; Mr.. Ma
loney, siXty-three on the first and fifty
two on the second. Mr. Thompson
had eighteen on the second ballot.
Then recess till afternoon was taken.
Now note the third ballot: Mr.. Mann
had ninety-eight, which was substan-
TALLY his former vote; Mr.. Start had
1872, and Mr.. Thompson fell to ten.
Put two and two together and you have
four. The Start vote of sixty-one, the
Maloney vote of ifty-two and part OF
the Thompson vote give somewhere
about 1872. In other words, the demo
Gratis went solidly for Mr.. Start and the
latter was elected. Why was recess
proposed, and what happened during
the recess? Had the supporters of Mr.
Mann voted down the motion for &
recess, another ballot would very likely
have given them the victory. In the
forenoon the fight was Mr.. Mann's.
The speech of acceptance of the sue
cessful candidate had the right ring
1t was significant in that it reminded
the members that they were elected t.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-08

more singleness of purpose. A purely
literary institution can only be ham
pered by the presence of school in
whose aims it has no interest whatever.
If it were large university, covering
all lines of study, the case would be
totally different. AS it is, it is becom-
ing clearer to every one that the future
welfare of the university as a classical
institution, and that of the agricultural
college as practical help to young
farmers, demands that the two become
distinct. Let the university continue
in its own good work, and let the agri-
cultural college, as Mr.. Chaplin sug-
gests, be located at some accessible
place and conducted by board of
trustees, elected by the legislature, a
majority of whom shall be farmers or
men engaged in mechanical employ
ments.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-08

Hon. j. l.. Martin, state tax COM
missioner, began suit on Tuesday
against the Central Vermont railroad
company for their unpaid corporation
taxes for the six months ending June
30 and due to have been paid August
81. The company has only made re-
turns for its traffic done entirely within
the state, leaving out all interstate busi-
ness, rendering check for about $4,000
in payment in place of the full amount
due. The suit is for about S32 900 for
taxes and for 500 day each tor neg
lee ing TO make returns and for neg
lect to pay, bringing the whole
amount up to about $4,000. The
commuy refuses payment for taxes
on its interstate business on the
ground that the Rutland railroad COM
pauy has forbidden it to make >uch
payment. The suit is returnable AT
le ,Xt March term of the Washing
ton county court. 1t is understood in
private circles that the company re-
fuses payment of these taxes because
of an understanding that the supreme
court of the state has rendered de-
cision, not yet promulgated, that the
corporation tax law is unconstitutional.
If this is true, it shows an interesting
state of things when the fact of such
decision having been made can leak
out before the official announcement is
made .-BrattlebOrO PhGnir.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-08
Again the Swedes.

In the course of its editorial com
ments on very irrational communi-
cation on the Swedish colonization
scheme, the Burlington Earth says:
Now it is the simple fact that the Swedes
have not come here to wage war upon the
farmers of Vermont; they have not come
here to oppose them in any way whatever
They have simply come here to endeavor by
an exercise of the utmost thrift and econ
omy (Which is held in dersion by some OF
our contemporaries), to wiring livelihood
out of the rock-ribbed farms OF vermont,
which neither our correspondent nor any
other native farmer would accept as gift;
but which have been abandoned because
the former owners could not make them
sufficiently profitable to buy pianos for
their daughters and fine carriages and silk
attire for their wives. The Swedes are con-
tent to abide their time and wait Tor these
luXuries. The women are willing to help
in the fields till such time as they are able
to adopt the customs of American ladies
without bringing their husbands and faith
ers TO a premature old age by overwork,
and themselves to the poor-house by their
own extravaganza. Are they to be blamed
for this? We should think they We're
rather to be commended. When
our correspondent says that he would rather
see the decadence OF the state, both in its
numerical strength and its prosperity, than
to have better state of things brought
about by the encouragement OF Swedish
immigration, we can not follow him to that
length When man is so spiteful as to
prefer to intiict injury upon himself rather
than see his fellow-men benefited, we can
have no sort of sympathy with him, in that
direction. II prosperity can come to us
through the Swedes, we should much the
rather welcome il than antagoniZe It,
through mere selfish and malicious motives,
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-08

The letter of Hon. William Chaplin of
Middlesex, which will be found in
another place, strikes the keynote of
what the programme of the farmers and
other friends of the agricultural inter-
ests of the state should be for this ses-
sion. Mr.. Chaplin takes plain ground
in favor of an agricultural and indus
trial college entirely independent of any
other educational institution. This is
a subject which the leading men in
agriculture in Vermont have been chew
ing on for some time, and if they do
not agree with Mr.. Chaplin in every
particular, we think they will be found
to be in harmony with him on his main
point. Now seems to be the time to
strike. The act of August, this year, by
which $4,000 is to be given each state
by the national government for the
year ending June 30, last, and an addi-
tional 81 900 each year for ten years,
to be applied to school of agriculture
and mechanic arts, gives the state
money enough to effect the change
from Burlington to some more central
and convenient place with facility and
decided advantage. This proposition
should not be regarded as a blow at the
University of Vermont. On the con
trary, the best friends of the university
must see that the highest interests OF
the institution imperatively demand
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-08

MONTH after month our friends, the
free-trade enemy, deluded themselves
with the expectation that the repub-
lican party would be rent asunder by
the attempt to enact a tariff bill. In
the end the party is found united and
triumphant, and it is the opposition
that shows signs of decentralization.
The democrats in the house lacked the
courage to stand and be counted when
the final vote on the conference report
was reached, and majority of seventy
one was recorded in favor of the bill.
Nev York Tribune.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-08
A New Jersey Experiment.

1t is not in Vermont alone that the
farmers are having hard time. What
is true here is probably equally true in
all the eastern states. The competi-
ton of the West, in which whatever is
produced is produced in large guam
titles, from soil naturally fertile and
easily cultivated, has driven the eastern