davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

The gifts of God to our people during the
ial that the spirit of deyout thanksgiving
awaits, not call, but only the appointment
of a day when it may have "A common express
sion. He has stayed the pestilence ut our
door; He has given us more love for the free
civil institutions in the creation OF which His
directing providence vas so conspicuous;
He has awakened a deeper reverence for law;
He has widened our philanthropy by call to
succor the distress in other lands; He has
blessed our schools and is bringing forward Il
patriotic and God fearing generation to exc
cute His great and benevolent designs for
our country; He has given us great increase
in material wealth and in the diffusion of
contentment and comfort in the homes of
our people; He has given His grace to the
Borrowing.
Wherefore |, Benjamin Harrison, President
of the United States, do call upon all our peo-
pie to observe, as we have been wont, Thurs
day, the oath day of this month of November,
as a day of Thanksgiving to God for his mer-
cies, and of supplication for His continued
care and grace
In testimony whereof have hereuuto set
my hand and caused the seal of the United
States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this fourth
day of November. one thousand eight hun
ence of the United States the one hundred
and seventeenth
BENJAMIN Harrison,
BY the President;
JoHn W FOSTER Secretary of STATE.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10
Plucking The OStrichcS.

The invitltio. of "Biddy. Biddy, come
Bid, and handful. OF yellow corn seat-
tered over the brown sand AT the Tore
nado Ostrich Farm Yesterday afternoon.
brought the II full-grown bird, into Il
feathcrV mass before T.. +. Matters and
his colorcd assistant. 4 group of cn-
RIOTS people banked the low railing along
the west reserve Of the grounds II MIS-
the second pluc>iug this srason, but ot i
generally fresh lot OF bir : from he AM
ercan Ostrich Company's parent farm at
Fallhrook, - intervals of eight month,
must Srpllftt" pluckin :. Suprrinten-
dent Waters was in his shirt sleeves, and
Il limp flour sack danglrd frem his rear
left pocket. It required some time To
counlrract The suspicion thai would llare
up ia - fringe Of Shiky neck, until The
rets-uriug gaze and the soothing voice
OF the feeder caused them To drop in
secllril y Ia tn temptation in the sIud.
Suddenly tl"rc Ms wild stampede.
and IT,. ueck of the gray female that
Waters had bent to seihr WAS hooded in
the sacN. IN opening tor breathing al
hitting several inches of her bill. Be
tween the men this strangely Suhdnrd
creature vi, guided into an op"u-eud
stall. Apparently lie ostrich, with fore
and-aft eve sweep. feels its helplcSsuess
when blinded. There was no resistance,
Il the power al pronged toe could not
get a back hil at heplurkcr. The assist
AM stood hehi as guard, while Waters
pulled. shipped ana answered questions
from iuquisilar~
They learned thai in each wing, over
the pr trctorS or floss feathers. there
grow to maturity in eight months u
long, Whit plumS. In the black male
illese are pure white. but the female adds
slight Standings of eeru or gray. The
sweep of short feathers above this spleen
did fan of white is pluckcd for tips, and
each wing furnishes - of these. Tie
tail feathers arr toned into Il deep old
ivory. and - of these are of commercial
Use. Scissors we're used only Ia clip the
long White plumrS, Is this must he done
month or NOR before maturity To pre-
vent the endS being whipped out. The
qnils are then pulled when ripe. Nearly
300 feathers We're secured from Biddy.
which will have Il market value of STD
after being eurlrd and dressed.
The female averages 20 eggs in Il year,
and nowadays these are all incubatcd nj
Fal broo%. where alfalfa pastures await
the young ones. Green feed nj turona-
do for the II costs on Il daily average 60
cents. None of hrsr birds are over three
years of age, and all are native SOUS and
daughters. The Youngest male. Il spleen
did curly-coatrd fellow, is but Ii months
old, and this second pluclling i'll his eN-
periencc WIS certainly anticipated. lie
fought, kicked and Orouchcd through the
process, but Mr.. Waters secured from
him the finest DlIunps of tbp pirl;
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

Our subscribers will please bear IN
mind that we have at this ii ne no travel
ing agent authorized 10 receive money
from subscribers On no account must
they pay money to any one claiming Ia
represent us unless he or she show $
written authority hearing our signature.
If any subscriber has paid money 10
any man claiming to he our agent, that
has not en- allowed on their suhscrip-
ton, please inform us by letter without
delay enclosing the receipt given by the
man claiming to be our agent, or show
the same to your Post master and ass
him to write us and give the amount
for which the + ccipi is given.
j. O. SMITH q Go.
Publishers SOMERSET REPORTER
Skowhcgan. Me. Oct. u, 1892. 43tf
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10
The Election.

The great contest of 1892 i oyer. and
the Republican party, after a series of
National victories and brilliant achieve
ments covering period of - years, with
but one interruption, has again suffered
temporary defeat.
1t is in vain to attempt to analyzc this
defeat or attempt to explain it away, but
a few phases of the situation stand out
in bold relief and It is only necessary to
allude to them. to find Il solution.
First, the SOLID South remains solid.
This has for twenty-five years placed Il
serious handicap upon the Republican
party, which no party without marvel
Gus vitality could have stood 50 long aud
so we'll.
Second, the foreign element in the
great cities of New York. New Jersey,
Connecticut and Illinois, held with an
iron grasp by Tammany and kindred
Democratic organizations, and used with
out scruplc and with consummate skill.
have been sufficient to swing these states.
all naturally Republican, into The Dem
ocratic column and elect Cleveland.
Either of these two elements eliminated
the country would be ovrrwhclm-
ingly Republicans and Harrison would
have been elected by Il big majority.
The mere { angc of the offices from
Republican 10 Democratic occupancy Is
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10
THE BORDEN CASE AGAIN.
Special Charge {" the Grand Jury Asket
Tor but is Denied.

y
Tor but is Denied.
TAUNroS. Mass, Nov. the first hint
at the Borden cast clue III the superior
court when Mr.. Adams, for Miss Bar-
den, addressed the court, asking tn. spe-
cial Instructions SHOULD be 4ivcu the
grand jury not To be influenced 10y hetr-
say evidence or newspaper paragraphs
District Attorney Kno"Itou promptly r.
piled IN Substance that M heln.yrI That
he could be rrilei upon to property coa
duct the ease before tae grand Jury n.
ter hearing both Of Them, the t7trt de
eded that 40 special Instructions for t4e
grand jury We're necessary.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10
The House.

The eolnila,ion of election return.
for Conorrssmen made mn from the re-
ports publishcd in rbc morniuo naper..
@ivns the Democrats majority over
''ie i"l'"''''''h' III ''''' l'N' ''"'''' u a.
a''' over 'o'' ''i''ol''in9 ''''' i''''''
i''' nes u W. "'''l - a'>lr'''9 III ''''
''"''''i'' '''"'''''' nv IL '''' very
i'' i''''''''''' wv ''''''i'' '' ''t'N''
1t : 9'''' ''''7 ''''',''' 'l'''''''' 'N''' ''i'
,i'''''''''''' ''''iil y '''Poae,' wa 'z''' ~
has asked the British government 10 in
vcsligate the situation and furnish re-
lief.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

What i the tariff on wool: The ques-
ton prompted indirectly by letter
from Mr.. Gllcn {. Moses of Bath, treas
urer of the Worumbo Manufacturing
company l'hc letter is published in
the Argus and i. in reference 10 a piece
of fine cloth produced in the Worumbo
mills. Mr.. Moses say, the piece in qucs-
tion IVA, made of wool ON which we have
to pay Il tax OF II cents ON each pound :
The Argus in an editorial aluSion to the
letter ~ an argument for free wool.
speak of the cloth as made of wool
taxed forty cents a pound, There
must be- SOM mistake here. Clothing
wool, are divided into two Glasses by
the Mc\inlry tariff. The duty ON tine
first cla-- is eleven ccnt~ a pound, and
on The second class il i twelve cent
P57iand ldreujSer.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

Seven hnilliu~- Nerr burned in t.4st
Boston saturday night aud 2no man
were thrown out Of work by tn" lire
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

Totals............... l5l PCS % 239 1852
Whole number OF electoral votes. ...-........4l Al
Necessary Tor Choicc.........s.....-. .233
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

The Republicans control IN" HeNt L. :
senate, having - ont of s. votes
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

Harrison, plurality in Maine appears
to be about II, 800 on u smaller vote than
in the september election, When thu Re
publican plurality MAS l2,500.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10
I,rniIl.

Corn is lirmer As this is the pulse Of
the whole grain market. it can be said
that grain Is Liable To take an upward
turn any day. Cottouserd is III growing
demand The manufacturers agent.
placed orders for almost fun production
of the mills, and there is little doubt that
!" t1e near future prices Will be higher.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

Fresh Laid eggs continue in lght supply
with a consequent hrmcr feeling in prices.
However, Unless II shipper ma II pretty
good name ia the market it would he dill
ficut for him To rralizr more than 20 t. =
cents for easterus ana 3 for nearby. Some
ol the western cunsignmrut- Of late have
been of II doubtful quality and p cents
has been the outside limit Province c-,s,
sell rs low as 81 cents. Ice house eggs are
in large supply and realize not more than
10 nnuls
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10

Connecticut is the only New England
state that goes for Cleveland, and in thi,
Il Republican legislature is elected.
The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-11-10
Volume 80.
BEW ARE.

ENTERED As SECOND CLASS MAIL MATTER,
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-09
TRAVELLING IN ALASKA.

1t Is Difficult and Periious in the Extreme.
A recently returned traveller from
Alaska, Mr. Israel C. Russell, says that
he met with enough adventures in his
journeys to satisfy the most venture
some geographical explorer. The eX-
plorers got along mostly by climbing
over the steep walls of ice and snow,
and across immense fields of ice. In the
climbing, steps were cut in the ice, and
the members of the party slowly and
painfully dragged themselves up that
way. At almost any time q false step
would have precipitated the party thou
sands of feet down the frozen precipices.
On one occasion they were descending,
when they found that an avalanche had
carried away the steps which they had
made in going up. The impromptu
staircase was destroyed for three hun
dred feet, and they had to lower a man
by rope to chop out another, there
being no other way of getting down.
Such accidents as this were not uncom-
mon. Avalanches were continually fall
ing, rushing down the slopes with the
speed of railway trains, and with a
roar like thunder, the sound being
audible twenty miles away.
One night about 10 o'clock the party
was passing over a bad place in the
Agassiz Glacier Two men were in the
lead, drawing sled. Suddenly they
disappeared, having fallen into a fissure
in the ice A projecting ledge about
twenty feet below luckily caught them,
else they would never have been seen
again. They were hauled out with
ropes.
In the same neighborhood, the next
day, the party were travelling over q
great ice field, and Mr.. Russell, turning
tolool1 back over the way he had come,
was startled to see that the greater
part of the field had disappeared, leav-
ing an enormous hole of unknown
depth. Another time one of the men
tumbled into a crevasse, or narrow slit
in the ice, and was only saved by the
pack fastened to his shoulder, which in.
terrupted his fall through twist in
the frozen tunnel which had yawned
for him.
One would think such dangers suffi-
cient to chill the ardor for adventures
in the most enthusiastic arctic explorer.
1t looks fine TO return with hard-earned
laurels, but the chances are great
against the laurels, and in favor of the
ardent traveller finding an ignominious
grave in some ice hole, or at the bottom
of some unsupported precipice. .-Har-
per's Weekly.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-09
SECONDHAND BARRELS.
The Dangers That LurlS in Their Use b.
the Public.

me hangers IhaU Lurk IN Inelr US0 Dy
the Public.
Secondhand barrels play more i'm.
portant part in the storage of the food
products used in this city and it's en-
virons-in Brooklyn, on Long Island
and throughout no inconsiderable por-
tion of the State of New Jersey-than
most housekeepers, or for that matter,
most people, are aware.
But few, if any, new barrels are made
in this locality. New barrels are made
and exclusively used in the west. 1t is
western-made barrels, recoopered, that
are used for packing biscuits, sugar,
fruit, eggs, butter and other kinds of
food products.
The newly made barrels come hither
from the west filed with flour and other
food stuffs, from the fishing centers
crammed with captured denizens of the
deep, and from other places laden with
delicacies intended to tempt the appe-
tites of citizens of the Empire state.
When they are emptied the retail pro-
vision dealers who purchase their con-
tents, sell them Unfortunately to all
comers willing to pay the price, which
is generally from ten to fifteen cents or
upward for each barrel
The inhabitants of the tenement
houses in the eastern district of the city
are among the largest purchasers. The
people living in the poorer districts on
the West Side are also large purchasers.
1t is from the epidemic localities, particu-
larly those on the East Side, owners of
cooperages in this city and Brooklyn
buy large proportion of the second
hand barrels they rejuvenate. But it is
not only the proprietors of cooperages
who do so. Biscuit manufacturers and
representatives of sugar houses do like
wise.
The cast-off barrels sold to the inhab-
itants of tenement houses are used for
holding dirt, ashes, dead rats and other
kind of vermin, cast-off clothing and
underclothing that often contain germs
of malignant disease, and would not
have been parted with by their impecu-
NOUS owners except through necessity.
Recoopera9e e of these secondhand bar
rels is carricd on to large extent in
this vicinity Five firms alone recooper
over twenty-five thousand barrels daily,
and in sugar houses and biscuit bakeries
probably six thousand more are daily
recoopered.
Over twenty-five years ago a Brook.
lyn assemblyman-Samuel Maddox
introduced bill into the state legisla.
ture to prohibit the packing of food prod
uets in secondhand barrels. The bill
was withdrawn owing to circumstances
Tradition says that over $50, 900 was put
up to defeat it. A considerable portion
of this large sum, it is said, found its
way into the noclSet of an assemblymar
elected to represent labor from the
Ninth assembly dh5rict, who practiced
ruse de guerre ane introduced another
bill prohibiting packing food products
In barrels, whether old a. new.
The price paid journeymiSn for recoop
ering is three and half cents barrel
Experts say that careful washing and
cleaning would be sufficient To purify
secondhand barrels for the use o. fRod
products. IN. Y. Advertiser.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-09
a BIRD FAMILY.
Two Hundred CanarIes That Lived Hap.
PLY Together.


PLY Together.
The bird family to which have al
luded more than once was kept for a
good many years-perhaps to this day
in a room in the upper story of a
house in Brooklyn. The mistress of it
had at the time. knew it, several
years ago, two hundred canaries, all
raised from two or three pairs. and be-
cause she had not room for more she
was obliged to discourage their nesting.
AT one time when went to see them a
persistent little bird had ''stolen her
nest" as the poultry-raisers say. She
collected enough stuff for an apology
for nest, placed it on the door sill, and
there the brave little creature was
brooding her eggs where every one who
entered had to step over her. 1t was a
touching sight, and their mistress could
not bring herself to break up the nest
so confidingly placed.
With all those busy, happy canaries
and never saw liveler colony-a
solitary bluebird dwelt in peace and
contentment. He had been brought to
her injured in some way, and as an ex-
pertinent she put him into the bird
ROOM At first the little fellows were
in awe of one so big, but finding him a
well-disposed parsonage, they accepted
him as roommate and paid no further
attention to him. Outside the walls Of
this happy bird home lived another
bird, whom their mistress did not dare
trust within--a mocking- bird. Constant
entertainment was furnished him by
his stirring little neighbors. He was
as interested in their ways and doings
as any child in circus. He often stood
for an hour at a time, with attention
fixed upon them, following their movc-
ments with his eyes, and uttering his
sentiments now and then in low chuck.
1t has been said that the mocking-
bird cannot initiate the canary song,
but this bird sang the canary aria fre-
quently, louder and better than the
canaries themselves. 1t was curious to
see the effect of his performance on
the small birds. When he began, every
note ceased; every little yellow head
turned to see who it was that so out
did them. They were not discouraged,
however; they We're too happy and the
music too infectious to resist. In a
few moments they joined in, in chorus,
and then the house fairly rang with
canary songs.-olive Thorne Miller, in
Harpers Bazaar.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-09

His mouth was absolutely open to shut
down on my neck and finish this story
for me. l could feel his hot breath on
my face, when the wolves made rush,
and one of them absolutely seized my
foot. The grizzly rushed after them
furiously. Now was my opportunity.
With superhuman eXertion | rose upon
my uninjured knee, and half-scram bled,
half rolled into the pen. Before l was
well in | could hear the huge brute
coming on run. / crawled another
foot further-too late--no; 1 reached
the trigger with the tips of my fingers,
and down shot the ponderous door,
scraping the grizzly's nose as it fell.
81 was shut up in the bear pen. How
the brutes did rage outside. A hundred
times they walked around and around
the pen, the bear officiating as chief
mourner and the wolves skulking after
him and bowling dismally. AS for me,
l lay stretched on the ground inside and
laughed and cried, and cried and
laughed TO" my nerves were gone all to
pieces, and had spell of what would
have been Mysteries if l had been a
woman. Sometimes 1 varied the per-
formance by fainting comfortably
away, with snch blessed sense of
security; and when walked again l
cried and laughed some more. l staid
there and kept house in that bear-pen,
l don't know how many hours. After
and saw my friend the grizzly rise
upon his launches. Then some more
shots sounded and he fell, with faint
struggling motions of his arms. The
wolves rushed at him first, but few
more shots scattered them; and then
came John with three of the neighbors.
"'When l ask you not to go next time
maybe you'll listen, said John. He's
a funny fellow, that John. You see my
horse had gone home, and then John
gathered IN some of tile neighbors and
went to look for me. They found where
had been thrown ana where the bear
had dragged me. They had never ex-
pected to find me alive, and there l was
in the bear-pen. Well, my broken leg
was a serious matter, but it healed at
last, and you can Sc%rcely tell any
difference in my walk. / could show
you the scars on my shoulders made by
the grizzly's teeth. Vixen a change in
the weather is brewing those places
hurt me yet, and the memory is so
vivid for moment ! fanny myself IT,
ing in that bear.pen with huge Rocky
Mountain grizzly .wo feet away. tell
you that helpless, foolish tears come TO
my eyes when think of it."'-St. Louis
Globe Democrat.
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-09
rHE nvEHM aERlcHr.n
A German Conclave whose Justice wus
Swift and Sure.

Swift and sure.
This mysterious order was established
In the middle ages throughout Ger
many. It's members numbered several
thousands, of all ranks and conditions,
who were free and honorable men.
Solemn and awful oaths bound them to
absolute secrecy, and communication
was effected by signs known only to
the initiated. So far they were much
the same rs any other of the secret or
ders. But their peculiar operation was
to administer Judgment in those rude
and barbarous days.
Any king, prince, peer or peasant
might be summoned to attend their
conclave, and woe be to him did he re-
fuse to obey. Beneath the surface of
the ground, in dinly lighted caverns,
the judges, with masked faces, took
their seats; the other officials, likewise
masked, surrounded them. If the ac-
cused person was present, he was adj
judged, sentenced and, if necessary,
executed on the spot. If he failed to
appear after three citations, he was
sentenced to death and each member of
the court was bound to pursue him to
the bitter end of doom. He may be a
brother or father, but none dare
warn him of his impending fate. He
had defied the "Vehm Gericht," and he
must perforce die, sometimes in his own
own house.
As proof he was not victim Of law
less violence, his property was never
touched, and knife was planted near
him in the ground
Charles, Duke of Burgundy was cited
three times just before his death, and
failed to appear. An English noble
found his bed sinking through the floor
of his hotel into the earth, and he him
self bound and held for Judgment. OF
course. his landlord was member Of
the order.
And however irregular this oour Sc, it
helped justice in those cruel days, when
might was right and men were serfs.
Other courts were slow, uncertain, and
difficult of access This was silent,
swift and terrible. 1t struck once, and
had no need to strike again. Escape
from its neshes was impossible. The
most cunning hider was tracked down
in his obscure and distant retreat.
And strange though it may seem, its
legal authority as "a court of the Holy
Roman Empire was extended until the
downfall of that empire, in 1906. 1t
continued To exist in Westphalia, Ger
many, until 1911. Then the last mys-
terious shadows of the "Vehm-Gericht"
dicd utterly ayyav-N Y TedOer
The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-07-09
Cost of Lighting London.

The lighting of the streets Of the city
of London costs rather more than s60,-
900 year. This, it is estimated, will,
as soon as the electric lighting in prog
ress is completed, be Increased to $780,
OOO yearly. The lighting of the streets
of London outside the city, whichever
boundary be taken-that of the school
board district or that of the metropol-
itan police districts necessarily a
continuously increasing one, In the
larger area there is an addition to the
London streets # between 30 and 40
miles every year. In 1880 the cost of
lighting the streets at that time was
given by Mulhall as $500, 900 a year,
and it is estimated that at the present
time, with the very large additional
mileage, the yearly cost of lighting the
streets of London is between s3,OOO, 900
and $3.50, 900. O.-Spare Moments.