davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
The Making of Wntc!, Glasses.

In the manufacture of watch glasses
the workman gathers with the blowing
tube several Kilograms of glass. Soften.
ing this by holding it to the door of the
furnace, he puts the cid of the tube into.
communication with a reservoir of com
pressed mir, and big sphere is blown.
II is, of course, necessary to get the ex-
net proportion of material ut the COM
mencement of the operation, accompa-
MED by peculiar twist of the hand aud
an amazing skillfulncss.
The sphere ought to be produced
without rents, and in such dimensions
that it is of the requisite thickness. Out
of these balls the wcrkingmen cut con-
vex discs of the required size. This is a
delicate operation. A "tournette, Ia
kind of compass furnished with dia-
mond in one of its branches. is used.
The diamond having traced the circle.
the glass is struck on the interior and
exterior sides with stick and the piece
is detached. The discs, which are after
ward traced, are obtained very easily.
They arc seized by the thumb, passed
through the aperture already made and
detached by the pressure of two fingers.
An able workman will cut out GO0O
glasses day.-PittsJu1y Dispatch.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
A Card of Aluminium,

'Here is card tina! typi6es ny line
OF business" said an energetic trades
man to friend, handing out business
card so light and thin that but for its
elasticity and cracIiie blind man would
have said that it WAS gold leaf. 1t was
thinner than ordinary writing piper and
yet it had the elastic qualities of fine
bristol board. 'rhat card is male of
aluminium" said the tradesman. land
it is novelty. 1t is the finest card
made, and rs sell the finest goods nude,
1t typitics my business. 1t is more
durable than anything that l have been
able to find, and l have tried everything
made of paper, metal, wood aud cclu-
loid. "-MeD York Times.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
A Scheme That Failed.

There was New York man who had
travelled far and wide, and everywhere
had heard that there were laws and
ordinances against the use of sings by
boys. One day, in country town, he
saw boy knocking sparrows off the
trees with absolute precision with sling
charged with small shot. The city man
looked at the sling and saw that it was
nothing but n rude, crotched stick, with
band of rubber tied from one arm of
the crotch to the other. Instantly he
conceived an idea for making a fortune.
He came to New York and made an i'm
proved sling out of twisted wire. He
invested IL considerable sum of money in
the purchase of plant for turning ont
the improved toy. He made his patent
sings by the thousands. So much for
the man and his grand scheme. Now
for the boys: They will not buy the new
sings. The old hotnely wooden ones
shoot thousand times better than any
thing else can be made to do.-Nc,o
York San.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
The First American Traitor.

While Arnold was the most conspicu.
GUS traitor Ill the Revolutionary era, the
first man detected in an attempt to be-
tray his country was DR.. BENJAMIN
Church, of Raynham, Mass. He was n
graduate ct Harvard University, studied
medicine in London, and became emf
nent rs a surgeon. He lived bachelor.
extravagantly, in mansion, in 17GS.
For several years preceding the Revolu-
ton he was conspicuous among the lead
ing Wings Of the Massachusetts Provin-
cial Congress and was an active member.
At the same time lie was trusted as an
ardent patriot. Church was evidently
the secret enemy of the Republicans. So
early as IVA he wrote parodies Of his
own popular songs in favor of liberty
for the Tory newspapers; and in Sep.
TENDER, 1913, an Intercepted letter, writ
ten 10y him III cipher to Major Cain in
Boston, which had passed through the
hands of Il friend of Church, was deci-
phered, and the woman confessed he
was the author. The case was laid be-
fore the Continental Congress, and he
was dismissed from the general director
ship of the hospital. lie was arrested
and tried by court martial ut Cam
bridge on charge of holding criminal
correspondence with the enemy. He
was convicted October and imprisoned
ut Cambridge. On the 9th of November
the Congress ordered him to be ..close
confined without the use of pcn, ink or
paper, and that no person be allowed to
converse with him, eXcept in the nrcs
ence and hearing of magistrate of the
town, or the sheriff of the county where
he shall be confined, and in the English
language, until further orders from this
or a future Congress" He was so con-
fined in the Jail at Norwich, Conn. In
May, 1776, he was released on account
OF falling health, and sailed for the West
Indies in merchant vessel. He and the
vessel were never heard of afterward.
boston CuUicuior.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

capes with his life it is to suffer from
prolonged illness and often from the loss
OF limb. When the rattlesnakc is ut
rest, the poison fangs lie back against
the roof of the mouth, but when excited,
as he opens his mouth the fangs become
erected by n peculiar mechanism which
cannot be here described, rs its descrip-
ton would involve SO many technical
anatomical details. Suffice it to say that
when, being erected, the snake strikes, his
poison fangs bury themselves in the flesh
of his victim, while simultaneously the
poison is elected down the canal which
travcrscs each of them. The feeling of
anger also doubtless sets the poison
glands secrcting just as the sight of good
food will make a hungry mans mouth
water, i. c., will set similar glands Sc
cretng in the mans mouth. The rattle.
snake strikes its prey to kill it, and,
having struck. waits quietly till it dies.
Then it begins to dcvour it as leisure,
not again using its fangs, but only the
small teeth before mentioned. 1t always
dcvours its prey entire, and can swallow
an animal much thicker than its own
body.-New York. Sun.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
Protective Resemblance In Crabs.

In all animate nature we find what arc
termed protective reseRblances. In
other words, an animal that constitutes
| tidbit to certain fishes resembles some
thing that is not in such demand, and so
escapes. a most remarkable example of
this is found in the SaragOssa Seattle
vast mass of seaweed in the Atlantic that
appears to be held in place by the var
ious currents which sweep around it
where almost all the crabs are Of the cx.
act tint Of the weed, rich olive, light
or dark rs the case may be. One crab
especially was so perfect in its mimicry
that | have overlooked specimens not Il
foot away, the discovery beng made by
their movements, the raisisg of leg or
claw above the surface. Every living
creature i'll tins weed is n mimic, finding
protection in its coors and tints from
the many birds that fy over it in search
OF prey. Some crabs nrc not satisfied
with their resemblance to seawccd, SO
they f"-'hwith proceed to plant it upon
their bacl', SO that they resemble rocks
covered til weed. Some years ago 1
kept several of these crabs in an aouar-
ium, suppossing at the time the growth
of wecd was an accident. But one day,
wishing To make a drawing OF the crab,
l cleaned its back with finger brush
and returned it to the water. Almost
Immediately the crab seemed to realize
it was in I'm exposed condition, and be-
gan ut once to remedy the defect. With
its biting claws it bit of small pieces of
scawccd, pressed the end to it's mouth,
evidently attaching some adhesive sccrc-
ton, and then raised the claw over its
back aud pressed the broken edge of the
twiS to it, where it would remain. An
other branch was attached in the same
way, and so on, until the back of the
crab began to look like a moss covered
rock again. This operation l observed
on several occasions, and while it may be
instructive it certainly requires no little
thought or something very much like it
on the part OF the crab. The spirit
crab finds protection in its resemblance
to the sand. never sawone away from
1t; running about it was perfectly safe,
and even if IL watchiul bird should see
it the crab could dart into its burrow
with remarkable speed. The so-called
rock crabs or stone crabs were remark
able for their miwicry, so resembling
the stones of the bottom that it was al
most impossible to distinguish them
from it.-iSan Francisco Chronicle.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
The Rabbit Pest i'm Australia.

friend writes inc from Australia that
the rabbit pest is in no way dimin-
lsEcd, Notwithstanding the efforts of the
Governments and individuals in the way
of wholesale slaughter Of Dummies wher
ever they abound. "a few weeks ago )"
writes my friend, az went up country,
and several times when looked out of
the windows of the railroad train, the
ground was so covered with rabbits that
for miles away it looked like n great
field OF grain waving in the wind. The
oilcr of S125, 600 of the New South
Wales Government for process of
wholesale determination that shall not
endangcr human beings or domestic ami
mails and fowls, is still open, aud the
successful man can count upon public
subscription to an equal amount, aud also
upon reward from each of the other
Australian Governments. Many millions
of rabbits are killed in Australia every
year, but the immense slaughter does
not keep down the numbers; rabbit skins
are an article of commerce, and in most
of the cities there are rabbit-skin cx-
changes, just rs we have cotton and corn
exchanges in American cities In single
city, Dunedin, New Zealand, Is, OOO, 900
of rabbit skins are sold Mt the exchange
every year, and in some years the deal
ings have reached 20, 900, 900. The bun
MES i'll the Australian colonies arc all de-
scended from seven rabbits that were
taken there from England in 1851; an
enterprising Australian on visit to the
mother country thought it would be a
fine thing to have some rabbits at the
Antipodcs, so that they could be
'coursed" with dogs, and when he re.
turned he took Il cage full of the harm
less little animals. For n year or SO all
that he bred were distributed through
the colonies, rs everybody wanted them;
his name is not held in affectionatc re-
and he is not looked upon ms
a benefactor of his race. In England. as
in America, the increase of the rabbits
Is kept within bounds by the foxes,
wolves and other noxious animals that
prey upon them; there was no such re-
straint il Australia, and hence the terri
BILE result. Thousands upon thousands
Of square miles of land, suitable for
sheep pasturing, have been devastated by
rabbits, and hundreds of farmers and
sheep owners have been ruined tinan-
ciallV-C TicJ1o JL,yJ
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

AT recent banquet in his honor ut
Dusseldorf, Emperor William. of Ger
many, made significant speech, 10
which, after dilating upon his desire for
hearers for the protection of the rights of
labor, and, after expressing satisfaction
at the conclusion of the commercial
treaty with Austria, he said: AS to the
home policy which is becoming estab-
lished, l shall not deviate hairs
breadth from the course have adopted.
l alone am master in this country and no.
body else." His emphatic language in
regard to the treaty with Austria, which
Prince Bismark opposed, and also in re.
gard to home affairs, was evidently di-
rected at Prince Bismarck.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
Each Race Has Its Od0r.

All Indians greatly dislike what they
cali the white mans smell, and can dc.
tcct it with perfect ease. ~ have"
says Western man, "entcred tepees OF
the Utcs filled with Indians who had not
bathed for year, and whose aroma rose
to heaven, and every one of them would
complain OF the odor that biought in
with me. The same feeling is manifested
by the Chinese. who themselves have Il
very marked odor that is intensely dis
agreeable to whites. AS matter OF
fact, each rnce has its peculiar odor,
which is not perceptible by people of
similar origin, but which is plainly no.
ticeable by those of different blood. -
Neto York Tribune.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
Frog and Fish Showers

A writer In NATURES Realm says that
fishes may he Matched in the clouds.
What he says about it is so interesting
that his whole letter is herewith given:
81 observe reference made in the
american -ing1er touching upon showers
OF fishes, il which it states that science
has not yet fully explained the phe-
nomena. This is perhaps slightly in
correct. Several causes have been sup-
gested. Might it not very probably be
that fish ana frogs which fall apparently
from the skies are really bred there?
Water fowl, it is known, very frequently
carry eggs OF fish to grca. distances, hay
ing swallowed them, and in their fight
disgorginG the same unframed where
they can and do fructify and mature in
water over which these birds pass. The
eggs OF many old fish are very gluti,
nous, and readily adhere to substances
brought III contact with them durino
particular times of their incubation. Ii
IS not very probable that not only do
these birds convey ova upon their wing,
~ well as In their crops, and when fly
ing at great heights the ova, becomin.
detached from their wings, may renal:
suspended in the moist atmosphere
winch IS quite possible under certai,
conditions of atmospcrcal pressure, and
mat when under development they be.
come too heavy and naturally fall to the
Garth, as frequently Witnessed"
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

some may be interested to take n man
and see how neatly our English relatives
are trying to hem us in on every side
remarks the San Francisco Ar1onaut
beginning at Halifax, the defences of
which are strengthened from time to
time, and are just now pronounced i'm.
pregnable, we find some nine hundred
miles to the south and FIVE hundred
miles off our Carolina coast, Bermuda
with docks, machine shops, and fortii.
cations for no other purpose than TO keep
an eye on us. Three hundred miles
further southwark are the Bahamas.
winch almost touch our coast, aud still
further southward, Jamaica, where n
strong military force is stationed. com.
manding the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf
of Mexico. British Honduras, in Central
America, is the last in a chain which
surround us. With a few cruisers iudi-
ciously distributed between Florida and
Yucatan, and with Belize, St. Lucia
and Kingston as bases of supplies to fall
back on, the Gulf of Mexico could be
most efiectually sealed"
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
Deep Subterranenn Obseryations.

The old silver mines of Pribram, in
Bohemia, constitute one OF the most re-
markable meteorological localities known,
having furnished more than eighty spc-
cies OF minerals, some very rare, in Gd-
dition to several valuable metals. Some
of these shafts are more than three thou
sand feet deep, the Holy Virgin reach
ing three thousand six hundred and sixty
feet and the Saint Adeltert three thou
sand six hundred feet In these two
shafts, which are the deepest vertical
holes in solid rock in existence, have
been established obscrvatories for record
ing the variations in temperature and
magnetic dcviations. Trenton (M. ~
Americaa.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
A CROOKED EXAMINER.

A learned professor was examining q,
graduate in the presence OF Board Of
Judges.
"What do you know OF difrercntal cal.
culusI" he asked.
Deep silence ensued.
!, well, then, tell US something abop I,
the binominl theorcm2"
Another term of silence, deeper, if
possible, than before.
Perhaps you had better begin with,
some easier question, Professor" kindly
suggested one of the judges.
Very good" said the professor.
"Well, sir" turning to the shivcring
candidate, "you will please tell us the
distinction between the diifcreutial cal
culus and tine binomial theorem. -
Philadelphia Tines.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

A traveller comes back from Mexico
with new idea which he hopes to utilize
In the manufacture of flour. lie notes
that for centuries the Mexicans have been
accustomed to parch their gram before
grinding it, aud claims to have dis
covered that the heat gives the flour n
sweetness and fragrance unknown in
the flour of the ordinary brands and at
the same time adds much to its powers of
nutrition. Mills are to be equipped with
apparatus for parchiug the wheat before
putting it into the hopper, and we arc
told that the result will be culinary
revolution.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
LEGAL RNEYIrY.

A certain learned Judge, when at
tempting to be >lear, is ut times rather
perplexing. "My good woman" he ls
reported to have said to n witness, "you,
must give an answer in the fcwest posi-;
BILE words of which you are capable; to
the plain and simple question whether,
when you were crossing the street with
the baby on your arm. and the omnibus
was coming down OIL the right side and
the cab on the left side, aud the broug--
ham was trying to pass the omnibus. you
saw the plaintiff between the brougham
and the cab, or whether and when you
saw him at al, and whether or not near
the brougham, cab and omnibus, or
either, or any two, and which OF them.
respectively-or how was it? "-Ncsos
York Herald.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

When Alexander Pope visited the
Orient nearly two centuries ago he OBJ
tanned slip of ono of the willows beside
the waters Of Babylon, whereon the chill
drcn of Israel hung their harps in the
days of captivity. Planting the wand
upon his return to England, he secured
Il thrifty tree in time. From this latter
Martha Washington procured twig,
which it is said she brought to Arlington
Heights, opposite Washington, with the
same result. And now tree grown
from slip taken from hers has just been
planted in the Indiana State House
grounds.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
DEAD LOADS OF ADVICE.

~ hope, Jennie, that you have given
the matter serious consideration, said a
lady to a servant-girl who had "given
notice" because she was to be married
that "day two weeks"
ION, l have, ma'am," was the earnest
reply. i've been to two fortune.tcller
and clairvoyant, and looked in sim
book, and dreamed on lock of his hair.
ana been to one of these asterologers, and,
TO meelum, aud they all say to 90 ahead.
ma,am. l amt one to marry reckless like,
ma am. "-Ha1per's Basur.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

The longest sleeping-car run in the
world is doubtless that on the Canadian
Pacific Railway from Montreal to Van
couver, 2905 miles. If the Canadian
Pacific were DESTROYS of increasing this
remarkable run, it could easily extend it
to 3O77 miles by starting its cars at
Quebec, or could make the mileage still
more extraordinary by adding 4S1 miles
and commencing it at St. John, New
Brunswick-33S5 miles over its own line
from Vancouver.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
CONSISTENCY.

"Sheriff, SAID the man on the scaffoIdi
lew moments before that Official was:
going to get the drop on him. "will you.
be KIND enough to request the choir to:
sing something else?"
whats the matter with what they re.
singing nowI" asked the Sheriff, who
had no ear for music worth mentioning.
Nothing, possibly, to you," WAS the
polite reply, "but. really, don't think
'Blest be the Tie That Binds is at all
appropriate to such an occasion rs this.
by thunder" blurted out the Sheriff,
III hadn't thought of that. "-Detroit,
Free Press.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
Deer I'm an Old SMamn.

In what was at ono time great bog or
swamp resident OF kendallville, Ind. j.,
some days ago, while running ditch,
cshumcd several perfectly preserved
skeletons of deer, found just as the
creatures mired, possibly hundreds of
years ago. One head was found with
outspreading antlers of great size, the
length of the horn being forty-eight in
ches and the measurement from tip to tip
forty-onc inches. Close to the head The
circumference was twelve inches, from
the head fifteen inches The horn is
black, glistening in the sunlight like
polished ivory. It is regarded as an c.;.
tremely valuable specimen. = EoStoa
Herald.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
HE HAD HIS REVENGE.

Sergeant Rondinclla prides himself on
oeing an excellent swimmer; but the
other day he had the modification of
sinking to the bottom when practising in
the river: a couple of soldiers plunged
IN after him, and, scizing him by the
mar and the arms they dragged him safe
y to shore. A couple of hours aftcrward
the Sergeant reported as follows:
Eight days arrest to Privatcs Ran
oeila and Conarillo for dragging their
superior officer by the hair.n
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
STILL HERE,

Ibid l hurt your finger last night.
darling, when 1 squeezed your hand so.
hardF he asked tendcrly, bending over
her so ms to catch the fragrance of the:
rose that IN hour before had cost him
weeks salary.
ut IS OF no consequence, DEAR" she,
answered merrily, striving with her Jer--
sey CITY choir accents to rcassure him..
ut is somewhat disligured, but" she.
added quickly, noting the sharp look of
pain that shot over her lovers face, sit
Is still in the ring. "-Cloak Recicw.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

The Bishop of Lichticld, England, has
started a crusade against what he calls
"the reformation and degradation" of
graveyards by the ornamentation of the
graves with artificial flowers.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
HE TOOK THE HINT AND HIS HAT

81 suppose" said she, glancing ut the
clock, "thut like other boys. you fought
many battles at school, and when you.
were once In fight you stayed in till you.
won"
mo-" said he candidly; 81 used to
get out of fights as quickly as possible. %
wen, now," she observed, with.
another glance at the clock, 81 should
think that you would have been staver."
"No, 1 wasn't"
And to show that he wasn't slayer he.
took his hat and went.-Capc Cod Item.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

Fifty English sparrows were taken to
Australia in 1860, and now there are
countless millions of them in all the
colonies; they refuse to cat insects like
their ancestors, but devote themselves
to fruit, grain, peas and other vegetable
things, to the ruin of hundreds of farm
ers and gardeners. Moral-bcwarc of
exotics in Il new country.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
THE VITAL QUESTION.

II wanted to ask you something" he,
said, with look of much anxiety in his
face. Yes" she replied, as a sudden,
smile Illuminated her countenance.
~ know that what am going to say.
may sound u little silly -"
II don't think it will, George"
"Wcll-your father--"
Gle likes you very much, George"
"Does hc2 Well, when he came home
to-day did he happen 10 tell you what
the score was? l came down in such
hurry that 1 didn't have time to look at.
4 paper. y Washington Post.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31
BURGLARY DEFINED.

Professor (at the Law SchooD- "What
does burglary consist of, Mr.. Bright?"
Studcnt-''There must be breaking,
SIR"
Professionalism example, then, sup
pose man enters through a door, and
takes ahalf-dollar from your coat pocket.
Would that be burglaryg"
Student-"Yes, sir, for that would
break me. "-Ne,o England Magazine.
Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-31

The Atlanta Constitution thinks it
worthy of record that one of the best in
formed men of New York never had any
education beyond that OF common
school. He is regular lecture gocr, and
in that way has learned enough to enable
him to shine in literary and scientific
circles.