davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04

What gives promise Of supplying the
long felt want of rotary steam engine
has been invented by Mr.. Parsons, an
Englishman.. He calls his discovery a
steam turbine" 1t is probable that the
need of all the complicated machinery
of compound triple and quadruple ex-
pansion engines, with the attendant diff
Guilty of managing them and the constant
danger of their getting out Of order, will
be obviated by this simple device. 1t has
''neither valve. piston, pitnan, connect
ing rod nor fywheel," which will make
it boon to all establishments where
power is required. 1t can be easily at
tached to dynamo shaft Of any size
and be made to furnish electrical power
in desired quantity. A steam turbine
wheel that practically amounts to ro-
tary engine is indeed an invention of
which we may well be proud just as we
turn down the leaf upon the nineteenth
century The small amount of steam
pressure needed for the new turbine is
another feature that will commendit es-
pecially to the manufacturers. Now,
too, that it has been invented, the sim
plicity of the thing is such that the won
der will be nobody ever thought of it
before.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04

It 10 always amusing to encounter any
body newly provided with dog especi-
ally il 1t be his or her first dog. There
Is mixture OF pride of self conscious
ness ano of anxiety in the owner which
Is somewhat similar, presume, to the
emotions OF woman with baby, and
certainly not unlike the futtering con-
Germ o. hen with a brood of chicks. II
tie dog, as often happens, is a puppy,
the greea own is apt to feel an alarm
on one point that is quite Unnecessary
grown dogs will not modest puppy-they
respect lis tehder years and innocent
nature. But this graf truth in natural
history is ofte OVERLOOKED.
Only the other day saw In Common
wealth avenue young lady leading
forth St. Bernard rough coated pup,
a soft yielding mass of fluffy brown and
white. To caresss him would be de-
light, to hug him, rapture. The fiercest
b Ill ter Ter would not have harmed
b .ir In his head. But tie young wo-
man whipped out her lash and stood
guard ev n at the approach Of an Irish
setter.--Boston Post.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
A True Democracy.

Not everybody has thought of the die
ference between a true democracy and
a representative government. In true
democracy the people themselves gov
ern, They vote on laws and measures
to DO passed, and themselves elect such
officers as are necessary In repre-
sentative government the people elect
representatives who make, or are sup
posed to make. such laws as are needed
and transact other public business, 1t
will be seen, therefore, that the United
States is a representative government,
not democracy.
The trouble with representative gov
eminent is that its representatives are
apt to forget the interests of those who
elected them for their own interests and
to represent only themselves. The def
milton of public Office in the mind of
practical politician is a place created to
give living to the politician.
The only trace of really democratic
government among civilized nations to-
day Is to be found in Switzerland in the
two legislative features known as the
initiative and the referendum. In the iu-
itiative, so called, a body of private citi-
zens may prepare laws and propose them
for enactment. The referendum is. how
ever, more important because its adop-
ton has been seriously proposed in other
countries. w. d. McCracken mentions
in The Cosmopolitan magazine that it is
survival of the ancient Swiss landsge-
meinde, where all voters assembled, and,
opening the meeting with solemn prayer,
in few hours had transacted all the
public business necessary for the next
year.
Under the Swiss referendum all laws
of great importance are referred to the
whole body Of voters for their rejection
or adoption. Sometimes the voters
themselves, or body of not less than
$1,000 of them, demand by petition that
a measure shall be thus referred. Again
the legislative body decides that
law shall be thus referred. Then il
is published, and copies thereof are
distributed among voters. Ninety days
are allowed 10 pass. If in that time
10000 voters, or eight cantons, have not
petitioned for popular vote on the bill,
then it becomes Law without the pop
ular vote.
What boon to our country it would
be Just now if the silver and tariff ques-
tons could thus be settled on the refer
endum principle by vote of the whole
people! 1t would be marvellous in
ducement to- voters to study into the
real merits of both questions.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
FIVE STATES ARE OUT OF DEBT,
The municipalities Have, However riled
Up Great burdens.

The Municipalities Have, However, Ruled
Up Great burdens.
Five states-Iowa, Vermont, Michi-
gan, Wisconsin and Illinois-have no in
terest bearing debt, aud there are six or
seven other states whose bonded debts
are mere bagatelles. Among the num-
Dor are New Jersey, Nebraska, Ken
lucky and California. In current news
paragraph, which contains the above in.
formation, it is said that exclusive of
tho south the states of the Union are
generally free from debt, "and that 1.-THE
annual interest charge of all the states
collectively is less than that of single
railroad the Atchison. Topeka and San.
Ia Fe."
To foreigner or any one else not fa-
miliar with the facts this would convey
the impression that the Americans bear
an extremely light burden of debt, Such
an idea would be somewhat modified,
however, by the knowledge that the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe pays in
terest on $500, 900, 900 or more, the annual
interest charge exceeding S25 600, 900
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
oEArH,AMoNe THE FlREMEN,
About 40 Per Cent. DIE Of Respiratory
Dlseases-Ths Effect of Consumption.

Dlseases-Ths Effect of Consumption.
DIR. Mays OF this city has recently been
conducting Investigations for the pur-
pose OF determining what proportion OF
death among the tlremen are due to con-
sumption OF the lungs, The results APP
pear In the Philadelphia Medical and
Surgical Reporter, and they reveal the
TACT that this class of men are slngularly
prone to fall victims to that gravest OF
maladies.
He sent out a circular to each OF the
Fire Departments of the principal Amer
lean cities, and the returns showed that
during given period there had been 9A
deaths from all causes, IA OF these
| deaths being caused by consumption, 81
by other disease of the lungs, l22 by
other disease than consumption and
those OF the lungs, and 1870 by accident.
According to this showing very near
one-third Of those who died had con-
sumption, and larger number died from
that disease than In consequence ofacct
dents, Notwithstanding the hazardous
nature of their calling. But this, says
| the doctor, does not give true idea of
| the tireman's liability to pulmonary dis
eases nor, perhaps, of his whole liabil-
| ity to consumption, for 1t is quiet GER
tain that this disease makes a frequent
beginning in pneumonia or bronchitis
among these men.
The total number Of deaths from pneu-
| monia We're thirty-eight, but there is a
good'reason for believing that at least
some of these were due to consumption.
From an inquiry into the length of sick
ness of those who are reported as having
died from pneumonia In the Philadelphia
| department, probably none died from
acute pneumonia. But even II this sus-
| picion is not well founded, in any case it
still remains fact that forty per cent.
| of the causes of death to which the fir =
man is liable come through respirato y
| diseases.
Considering that firemen are picked
men, and subject to rigid physical exam
nations when they enter upon their du-
ties, they may be considered an un-
usually healthy class when they JON
tiiefT department, and singularly free
| from even the tendencies TO consump-
on. Now, the generally accepted
theory as TO the causation Of this disease
is that it is conveyed from one person ,
another; in other words, that 1t is co =
gious, and Of germ origin.
DR.. Mays emphasizes the fact that fir :
men, of all men, are the least liable t.
| contract con -unptlon py cohI"gioh
! nee, he believes that t. he results OF is
Investigations among this class OF II
goes long way to prove that consun :
ton cannot possibly be dependent upon
a single specific cause. He says that he
who carefully watches the diffe ent steps
in its development must feel that it
arises My when and where the bodily
energies are Slapped and exhausted, re
CARELESS of the abs nnce or pres ence OF
exposure TO specific germ Hence, any
cause which is capable OF destroying the
vigur and vitality of the b dy is also a
potential cause of pulmonary consumI,-
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
THE
Londonderry Sitter.
SO. Londonderry, Vermont.
THE
The Faddist.

Don't laugh the faddist to scorn. He
is the happiest man alive. Other people
run in ruts and get to be wooden old
fogies before their time. For the fad
dist life has an ever renewed interest,
He is always discovering the fountain
of youth, the alienation for all human
miseries. That it is not true fountain,
not lasting alienation, Is nothing. II
is real while 1t lasts. 1t gives him as
much pleasure for time as if it We're
the living reality. By the time he dis
covers there is not much in it he will be
interested in something else. and so
keep himself alive and young,
The most important sanitary improve
ments, reformations in morals and re-
ligion, better methods of education
all began as fads. Those who went
in for them We're sneered at as cranks,
and respectable, conservative people
made very merry over them. Yet by
and by the crank's ideas began to be
popular. 1t has been found IN the case
of every fad or crank notion which pre-
vailed to any extent that it contained a
grain of precious, golden truth helpful to
mankind. Through the water cure craze
mankind became cleaner in general,
Through vegetarianism the people learn
ed that they We're eating more meat shan
was good for them. The fad for physic-
al culture was so laughed at at first
that rural parents wanted to discharge
for wasting time teachers who attempt
ed to introduce it into the schools, yet
through physical culture and outdoor
sports the whole American people have
become in the last generation taller,
stronger, handsomer and certainly hap
pier
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
Just what is a policeman's duty as a

Just what is policeman's duty as
witness at tie trial Of person whom he
has arrested is an interesting question at
present Naturally it seems that after
a policeman arrests an individual and
takes him to prison the officers duty is
done, unless lie is called ON to give evil
dence ii court. In that case it is his
place to give his testimony neither for
nor against the prisoner, SO far as his own
personal feeling goes. He has no more
interest personally in convictiug sln ar
rested man than the states attorney has.
But in many recent cases, notably that
OF Miss Borden, the police seemed de-
termined to prove the individual guilty.
In several instances they have raked up
the persons past record during most of
his life and assured the court that be has
committed other misdemeanors, imply.
ing, so to speak, that man who would
steal a horse would certainly also com
nit murder. 1t is not right. It is not
decent. 1t is the courts business 70
prove the prisoner guilty if he is SO.
The police have no right to take hand
in trying a prisoner.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
THE sALroNsrAIL BICYCLE TROPHY r
The aggregate Of county and munich

The aggregate Of county and munich
pal Indebtedness in 1850 was about 5000
900 ,0O0--nearly $3.50, 900, coo more thar
the bonded debt Of the United State
OF this vast amount $S46,00000 was
upon municipalities and $l44 ,000,0 900
upon counties. 1t has been frequently
said that Ohio heads the list of the states
in the amount of local Indebtedness.
The census figures of 1850 do not con-
firm this assertion. The county and
municipal indebtedness of Ohio in the
census year was little more than $685.,
0OO, eco, of which $50, 900, 900 rested upon
mulicipahties Pennsylvania had SOL
100000 Of local debts, Massachusetts,
500 coo Geo ard New York $244 900 600
If the local bonded Indebtedness of the
various states was disappearing as rapid
ly as in the debt of the United States,
there would be ample cause for congratu-
lation But it has been fast increasing
for many years. Cincinnati Times-Star.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04

In these three words are to be found
natures great medicines and hygienic
agencies If person is found who has
kept his youth and mental powers far
beyond the average age, he will always
be, like Gla6 stone. a man who "does his
nine hours sleep" or if not nine hours
then at least eight hours. This genera
ton is handsomer, healthier and will be
longer lived than the one Immediately
preceding because it lives more in the
open air, eats more fruit and really
sleeps more than its parents did.
Our grandparents, especially if they
came from the superstitious old countries
of Europe, thought that in some way a
current of air blowing upon them would
poison them. No less dangerous than a
mad dog bite was that dread thing they
called draft" The new school hui
man being has made himself on such
friendly terms with drafts" as to find
that the quickest and pleasantest way to
cool himself when he is overheated is to
place himself where the fresh, sweet air
surrounds and envelops him. One will
take cold twice as quickly in room full
of impure air as in one where the wind
blows upon him freely all day long.
We may rejoice that this is good
fruit year. Every season develops more
and more the magnificent possibilities Of
our country in fruit production. This
year for the first time fresh figs have
been shipped across the continent from
California, arriving at the Atlantic coast
in a fair state of preservation. If you
would be happy and live long, make
fruit large part of your diet, especially
in hot weather.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04


II has for some time been realized by the
German. authorities how advantageous
it would be il their cavalry could rapidly
throw across river a bridge of sufficient
stability to carry artillery. They have
now supplied TO their cavalry folding
boat. which with all the necessary stores
cen be loaded and carried ON four horse
wagon, Each regiment receives two of
these wagons, which makes 10 for cav
glry division, and this amount of material
sulicos to construct in II very short time
u bridge more than 80 yards long. These
boats can be used in various ways, the
only disadvantage experienced being that
that the l3 wagons take up as much room
as u battery and materially add to the
length of column. 1t is thought that
their value has been conclusively proved
at the maneuvers in various circum-
stances. Revue du Cercle Militaire.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04

In nothing can the old world teach
tho new more effectively than in the care
of forests. Before 1t was too late Europe
learned that il her woods We're all cut
away the rivers and streams would dry
up and the earth would become a barren
waste unfit to raise even sagebrush. So
in time the governments took action.
In Italy the laws are 20 strict that man
cannot cut down tree upon his own
farm without permission from the gov
ernmont inspector,
Forestry laws Of some kind we must
come TO in America. We must in par
ticular save untouched the wooded
heights around the sources of streams.
Certainly, too, in time we shall have
something which resembles the schools
of forestry in Europe, 1t is matter for
either the state governments, the United
States government, or both, to take in
hand.
Austria Hungary has well perfected
system of forest preservation and of
training in the science of forestry.
Thanks to these, 20 per, cent of her area
is still in woodland, though this region
has been settled since the beginning of
modern history. Forest supervision in
the empire is under control Of the min
lister Of agriculture. A whole army of
foresters, professors, guards and in
spectors is under him. They must be
regularly trained for their places, and
when once they are admitted to the serv-
ice promotions follow as in the army.
There are three grades Of forestry
schools-primary, middle and uniyer-
sity. The would be forester studies
through the whole course in each as if
he were fitting himself for the profes-
sion of law in America. Ii Germany
forestry education is considered SO i'm
portant that 6! years are spent III
the course OF stGdy before the stu
dant is considered u competent pro-
fessor Of his science. In Italy the for
estry course is three years. The branches
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
An Odd Occupation.

Cincinnati has man who follows a
unique vocation, of which he says: "a
preacher hires me to wander about town
and report to him little incidents or
queer ideas that strike me. He takes
these and weaves them into his sermons
For instance, preacher who has large
congregation with much visiting to do
could not, if he were SO inclined, visit
all the public meetings, the resorts of
gamblers and drunkards, the factories
and the slums of the city. lam the eyes
through which he sees these things, and
using my information he speaks learn
edly and intelligibly of all phases of life
and sets his congregation a-wondering
where he gets time to see so much. He
is thus enabled to interest every element
In his CONGREGATION.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04

Reed Relois is hard to please indeed.
He tried to commit suicide because his
sweetheart would not marry him. Friends
labored with him and brought him back
to life, Then in order to keep him from
doing it over again, his girl said she
would wed him and did so without de-
lay. But before the honeymoon was
over the ungrateful fellow told friend
that matrimony was not what it was
cracked up to be" and took dose of
poison on that account. Once more he
was pumped out and set upon his feet.
What he will next try to kill himself for
is uncertain. His last reason was most
frivolous one. Suppose everybody who
discovers that matrimony is mot what
it is cracked up to be- should commit
suicide?
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
Miss Hading's Faithfulness.

On being asked by an English inter
viewer, What is your favorite roller
Nine. Jane Hading replied: Il have
no favorite role, or, rather, all my roles
ere favorites. / couldn't play charac-
ter unless / liked it sufficiently to identi-
fly myself with the parsonage it repre-
sented. Of course there are parts in
which feel myself more at home than
in others. / first endeavor to under
stand the characters that 1 propose to
portray, and it is not until 1 feel that /
understand them that l attempt to learn
the words that are put into their
mouths. l may tell you that all my
study is done at night"
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04

Some technical purisrs are calling The
turn on people who say "the United
States is q nation" alleging that it i
bad grammar. and that we should Say
1.-THE United states are anation. Well,
we won't do it. The United States is
one country-one and indissolable-and
it is altogether proper to use the singu-
lar verb after the nominative UNITED
States" Yoa can think Of it as col
lective noun, if you wish, and ease your
grammatical conscience in that way
but the United States is our country
These prlrists would like to have us say
"those molasses" probably.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04

There is one point that ought to weigh
very seriously in all considerations of
annexing or not annexing Hawaii. That
is, that if these islands should pass into
the hands of any other nation, as they
certainly win do if the provisional gov
eminent now established there loosens
its grip, then the United States would
have no naval or coaling station at all
in that part Of the Pacific over w.lich
the great lines of traffic pass. Another
nation would certainly take away from
us Pearl river harbor on the island Of
Oahu, which is now ours under treaty
with Hawaii
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04

The motto of the proprietors of DIR.
Henry Baxter's Mandrake Bittels is, "the
greatest good TO the greatest number,
and so sell 4 large bottle of valuable
remedy for the small price of 25 cents,
and warrant every bottle to give satisfac-
ton or money refunded.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
Government Land Still Left.

Why do people starve i'll cities, asks
correspondent of the New York Sun,
when within easy reach by rail in both
Arkansas and Missouri are yet thousands
of acres of government land to be had
for the settling on them? They are not
the richest lands, the correspondent adj
mits, yet they are rich enough to raise
milk, butter, vegetables, fruit, chick
ems, pigs and corn" Fuel grows upon the
land. The climate of the hill lands of
Arkansas, Where these government lands
are, is one of the most healthful in the
world. The correspondent tells us also
that if settlers do not wish to take up the
wild lands and subdue them there is
still left between Springfield, Mo-, and
st. Louis III abundance of decided land
which can be bought at from $3.50 to 81
the acre.
Much of the government land is with
in 100 miles of st. Louis. As to the fer
tility of the soil, one may recall what the
French gardeners say-that the farmer
makes his own soil, and that they could
raise rich crop upon a city pavement
in short time. At Harrison, Ark, is a
government land Office where entries can
be made.
Colonies might be formed from the re-
spectacle laboring classes of cities and
the unemployed everywhere who would
welcome this opportunity for homes and
independence. Ii our American poor
had somebody who would do for them
what Baron Hirsch's managers are do
ing for the Russian Hebrew immigrants
i'll New Jersey, many such colonies
would soon be fourishing, and the pie
thora of unemployed workingmen would
be relieved
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1893-08-04
WI: TELL YOU

nothing new when we state that it pays to engage
in permanent most healthy and pleasant bust
ness, that returns profit for every days work.
Such is the business we offer the working class.
We teach them how TO make money rapidly, and
guarantee every one who follows our instructions
faithfully the making of 100000 a month.
Every one who takes hold now and works will
surely and speedily increase their earnings; there
can be no question about it; Others now at work
are doing it, and YOU, reader, can do the same.
This is the best paving business that you have
ever had the chance TO secure. You Will make
grave mistake if you fail to give it trial at once
IL YOU grasp the situation, and act quickly. you
win directly lind Yourself in most prosperous
business at which YOU can surely make and save
large sums of money. The results of only a few
hours work will often equal weeks wages.
Whether Won are old or Young, man or woman, it
makes no difference, - do as we tell you, and sue
cess will meet YOU at the very start. Neither
exuerienee or capital necessary. Those who work
for us are rewarded. WHY no; write to-tyiy for
fu particulars, free l.. G. ALLEN ~ CO,
Box No 420, Augusta, Me.