davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
The Ships Bell,

81 was in the land SERVICE" said an
old soldier, but everything about the
naval service has always had the great
est fascination for me, perhaps on &C.
count of the fact that my regiment, like
many another, for that matter, had
more or less of service on the coast or
by navigable waters, within sight or
sound of gun-boats. l think the lands
man generally, when he first hears the
sound of the ships bell, is pretty sure
to be struck by it, even more than by
the sound of the ships cannon, for can
non speak alike on land and sea; but
there is a distinctly salty flavor about
the ships bell, and one soon comes to
like it very much. The sight of the
gunboat by day is cheerful, but the
sound of the ships bell at night is more
cheering still. Time and again, on
guard at night, l have listened for the
bell. / met, to be sure, at either end of
the post, the man on the next post, yet
all the camp was asleep, and the sound
of the bell was welcome companion
ship. 1t meant that somebody was up
on the gunboat, too; and not only up,
but alert. The ship may not be visible !;
but the exact striking of the hours means
presence, readiness and power. And
what's this it strikes? Seven bells.
Half past three; and you smile little
as you think that at eight bells comes
the relief. 1t may be that you are on
picket, far from camp, with it's friendly
suggestion of support even though it be
asleep; with the other men on post
sleeping now, and yourself alone !;
meeting at the ends of the little beat
you pace no one. Then, through the
darkness and stiffness, comes, doubly
welcome now, the sound of the ships
bell; distant, but heard" New York
Enp
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
Settled by a BayOnet Charge.

March IA, 1864, was the date of the
capture of Fort de Russey, the Gibral-
tar of the Red river, by troops of
Banks expedition. While the navy
was picking its way up the river chan
mel among torpedoes and other sunken
distractions, the land force marched
around to the rear of the fort, and, get
ting within cannon shot, opened bonn
bardment. The post consisted of two
earthworks connected by a covered
way. 1t mounted eight seige guns and
two field pieces and was garrisoned by
300 men. After four hours battering,
with little effect, the Union COM
mander, General Kilby Smith, decided
to end the struggle by storming before
the Confederate land forces could come
up on his rear. Although his troops
had marched thirty-five miles in twenty
four hours, he formed column for at
tack, placing General j. A. Mowers
division in front. A strip of woods
screened the column when forming
but an open space 100 yards wide lay
between them and the parapet. Gen
line, composed of General Lynch's
two regiments, the Fifty-eighth Illinois
and Eighty-ninth Indiana, and Gen
eral Shaw's Iowans, the Fourteenth
Twenty-seventh and Thirty-second reg
iments. The instant the column
emerged from the woods, the Confed
crates opened with shell and shrapnel
The outburst was answered by bias
from the battle trumpet sounding The
double-quick charge. When under full
Roadway, the troops broke into a wild
cheer and marched steadily on into thu
works at the first rush, General Now
er's horse leaping the ditch and ram
part with his firm-seated rider, aheat
of the most impetuous of the soldiery
The capture was in nick O. time, TO
next day the position was surrounded
by General Dick Taylor's cavalry.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07

the great raider. The warden of the
penitentiary took Morgan and his party
outside the walls, conducted them to
the station and saw them aboard
night train bound for Cincinnati. The
tunnel was fake gotten up to explain
their absence. Mr.. Radebaugh's story
lacks some elements of probability,
though, on the other hand, the tunnel
Morgan, Basil Duke and others, always
was rather hard to believe. Peniten-
tiaries are generally constructed with
special reference to tunneling, and it
always seemed mysterious that casual
military prisoner should escape in this
way from an institution intended to
defy the cunning efforts of the thou
sands of desperate men incarcerated
therein. Tunneling is very old. fash
toned trick, and only successful in pris-
ons built long ago or buildings not
originally intended for prisons. Ali
modern prisons are built with special
safeguards against this method of es-
cape. On the other hand, Secretary
Stanton was not given to tricks or SUBJ
terfuges. He was strong, resolute
man, more disposed to the other ex-
IRENE in accomplishing his ends and to
force results. If he decided that John
Morgan was put in the penitentiary in
violation of the laws of war he would
have ordered him to Johnston's island,
Fort Delaware or some other military
prison, and those who didn't like it
could have done the other thing. There
does not seem to have been any neces-
sity for releasing him outright. As for
retaliation, that is all bosh. The rebels
were doing the worst they could to our
prisoners, and there was nothing to fear
on that score.-National Tribune.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
What Constitutes a letter.

Most people have supposed that anything
sealed against inspection and delivered to
the postofiice constituted in effect ''let-
ter" which at the regulation rate of
cents postage Per ounce the mail service
would be obliged to forward to its destina-
ton. So far as the domestic service is con-
cerned this supposition may be correct and
would seem to be implied by the wording
of official DECISIONS which declare that
"all matter sealed or otherwise closed
against inspection is also of the first class"
But with the foreign mail service at least
the condition is different. A provision in
the postal treaty specifics that letters Sin
their usual and ordinary form" are to be
forwarded at given rate. Just what con-
stituted this usual and ordinary form"
has not till now been defined and officially
declared, and this is the way in which the
definition was brought out:
A Boston archit ct offered at the post
Office in that city sealed roll addressed
to the commissioner of patents at Ottawa,
on which the proper amount of postage
at letter rates had been paid. The clerk
in charge of the window declined to re-
ceive the roll as letter. and on the mat
ter being referred to him Postmaster Co
veney decided that the term letter is to be
construed TO mean ana embrace Sedleu
packages consisting of an envelope of any
size, but fiat, as is the usual letter. The
objector did not think that this ruling and
definition of letter was correct and gave
his opinion that letter twas a package
| containing personal matter of no salable
value" The matter being referred to the
authorities at Washington for decision,
| the superintendent of foreign mails in due
time forwarded q decision embodying the
joint opinions of Canadian and American
postal authorities to the effect that 1.-THE
term letter, in its usual and ordinary
form, is to be construed to embrace sealed
packages consisting of an envelope of any
size, but of the usual letter shape and its
contents but that rolls or pacakge not
inclosed in an envelope as the word en-
velope is generally used, cannot be consid-
cred TO be "A letter in its usual and ordi-
nary form A sealed package in the form
of a roll is, therefore, not entitled to trans
mission in the mails exchanged between
the United States and Canada, and your
office was correct in declining to receive
the sealed roll mentioned" This would
seem to settle the matter as to what con
stitutes letter within thAmeaning of oul
postal treaties. Paper World.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
OWNING Rods.

A divining rod Is simply forked piece
Of wood generally whchhazeD which is
alleged to indicate the presence of mineral
In the ground when the party having it
walks over the surface The usual direc
tions for its use are to hold the forked end
of tho rod in the hands, and when over
the body of mineral the other end will
dip toward the ground.
1t is impossible to say what charlatan
first imposed the divining rod on credu-
lous people during the superstitious ages
To attempt to sell such instruments in this
enliehtened age Is an insult to the general
intelligence.
There never was simple rod that could
exercise such power with the exception of
the miraculous rod of Moses which by a
divine miracle drew water from rock for
the relief of the suffering Israelites.
The only Instrument that will indicate
the presence of mineral is the miner
compass, and 1t works in conformity to a
recognized law of nature. 1t will indicate
the presence of iron ore by the dipping of
magnetized needle, when held over q
body of ore lying near the surface. We
have recently received several letters from
men In various parts of the country, who
were not inclined to believe the claiIS \
made for divining rods by party III
small village who offered them for sale IN
advertisements inserted in country news
papers, but who were anxious to possess
such an instrument if reliable. Ta these
we have invariably replied that the parties
Offering such instruments for sale were re-
lying on the credulity of superstitious
people to make their sales.
The man who buys a divining rod is
r i. Il. l..
price of the rod away, for the one who
throws the money away loses only the
price of the rod The one who buys the
rod loses both the money and the time he
spends in vain attempts to locate body
of mineral by use of the rod If the min
eral does not crop to the surface, there is
but one way to find it, and that is by pros
pect shafts or drill holes. -Colliery Engi
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
Something About Lectures.

1t appears that clever lyceum lecturer
may run single lecture for lifetime
and may make barrel of money by re-
peating it year after year before different
audiences. In book of "reminiscences by
the genial Bishop Clark of Rhode Island
he makes revelation of the fact that he
has delivered one of his own lectures $50
times Let us regret that he does not tell
the amount of profit he has got from it..
Plenty of lecturers have taken in from
500 to 81 900 for u lecture, and, as the
bishop used to be a platform star, well
worth 81, 900 tune he may have got a
pretty handsome annual income from his
lecture. Suppose he delivered it ten times
year at that price for 80 years, he could
live in clover on the proceeds. 1t Is not
every man who would snceze at So q
year from the time he was, say, 40 years
old till he reached the age of 70, all earned
by rattling off the same old lecture once \
month, with two months for vacation aud
bracing up.
We never heard how many times tho
once famous teetotal orator, John j.
Cough, delivered his lecture on "The Bot
tie" but we would not wonder WORTH a
cent if we were told 1000 times. We do
not know how often that eloquent Amer
lean, Wendell Phillips, now deceased, re-
peated his lecture on 1.-THE Lost Arts, "
but we know that it served his purpose for
very many years. 1t was a masterpiece too.
If a man can get up lecture that will
go, the world is his peach. street organ
which gives you the same tune all the
time is nothing to it.
That satirical lecturer, the late David
R. Locke, better known az the Rev. Pc
troleum Vesuvius Nasty, had device by
which he saved time and brain. He him
self once confessed to us that when ly-
ceum committee from any place called
upon him to engage his services and
asked what he would lecture about he al
ways told them to take their choice
"Cursed Be Canaan, Moses In the Bull.
rushes, ""Wisdom For Seekers and "Our
Country's Hope" But, +" said Nasty con
fldentially, Il had only one lecture alt the
time, and whatever title they liked best
they got the same old thing. 1t suited any
title, every place and all occasions!'
We never had the happiness to hear the
lecture which Bishop Clark has repeated
$50 times, year In and year out Its title
is "The Living Machine" and there could
not be better one. 1T is great thing
| for lecture to have a catching on title.
1t is great thing also for a lecturer to be
as grand looking as the now aged Bishop
| Clark was in the years of his lecturing.-
| New York Sun.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
In GENERAL
New Every Morning.

Every day is fresh beginning;
Every morn ia a world made new
You who weary of sorrow and SHINING,
Here Ia a beautiful hope for you,
hope for me and hope for you.
All the past things past and over,
The tasks done and the tears shed.
Yesterdays errors let yesterday cover;
Yester day's wounds which smarted and bled
Are healed with the healing which night has shed
Yesterday is now part Of forever,
Bound up in a sheet which God holds tight,
with glad days, and sad days. and bad days. which
never
Shall visit us more with their bloom and their
blight,
Their fulness of sunshine or sorrowful night
Let them go. since we cannot recall them,
Cannot undo and cannot atone
God in his mercy receive. forgive theml
Only the new days our own.
To-day Ia ours and to-day alone.
Here are the skies all FURNISHED brightly;
Here 10 the spent earth all REBORN
Here are the tired limbs springing lightly
To face the sun and to share with the morn
In the chrism of dew and the cool of dawn.
Every day is fresh beginning.
Listen, my soul, to the glad refrain,
And, spite Of old sorrow and older SHINING.
And puzzles forecasted and possible pain
Take heart with the day and begin again!
Susan Coolidge.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
BOnaparte at Corsica.

Professor Sloane, in his "Lifc of Napo-
leon, in The Century, writing of the re-
turn from Egypt, says:
AT last favoring wind began to blow
With lights extinguished and at night
they passed the strait which separates AT
RIGA from Sicily, escaping the observation
of the English cruisers sent from Nelson s
fleet to patrol those waters Skirting Sar-
DINA, the 0otilla reached Corsica early in
October. Though rs he declared, he was
"deeply moved by the sight of his native
town. no remnant of his early enthusiasm
could sweeten for Bonaparte the enforced
delay of several days in the harbor of A JAG.
cio He had left far behind the emotions
of that primitive society and was indiffer-
ent to the Astounding carcsses of all the
friends who crowded the decks to see him,
evidently frettng to be gone. One fact
alone has been recorded to his credit. His
features relaxed with evident joy as he ten
derby returned the greeting of the old
woman who had been his earliest attend
ant 1t was his last visit to the island of
his birth, but not the last time the accents
of its dialect fell on his ears, for it was a
Corsican who soothed his last hours at
St Helena
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
They All Had the Twang.

A correspondent of the National
Tribune tells the story OF hero who
still lives in Doniphan county, Kan,
an honored and respected citizen. His
name is Mott Dawson, and during the
war he was member of Company A,
Seventh Kansas cavalry. At one time
while he was at Cairo, ILL.,, he. and
several of his co mrades went up town
for a good, square meal. They had just
sat down to table in the restaurant
when along came the provost guard
and demanded passes. 1t was mighty
seldom that Kansas soldier carried a
pass, and the boys didn't have passes
on this occasion. "Come along up to
headquarters, said the sergeant in
charge. "Now, look here" said Mott,
"we amt doing anything but eating
our dinner, and as soon as we are
through we are going to camp" mo,
that won't do" and the boys had to
leave their unfinished meal, and, in
charge Of one guard, started for head
quarters. Now, every comrade that
has ever been in Cairo knows how the
sidewalks are built to keep out of the
water. Well, at the first street cross
lug tuC Sudlo Wuc vi luC OulsllC, anu
quick as thought, Mott gave him push
and away he went, musket and all, into
about four feet of water. "Shin out
boys" cried Mott, and away they went
for camp.
Early next morning here comes 6
squad of soldiers in charge of a lieuten
ant to arrest those Seventh Kansas
boys, and the fellow who got ducket
was along with them. After looking
about some time without success this
soldier said: "Id know my man RICH
away if could hear him speak; ht
talks through his nose" Several O.
Motifs comrades heard this, and ONT
stepping up to the officer and talking
through his nose said: "Well, | wal
down town yesterday, bnt I'll be - i
pushed anybody in the water" An
other one caught on and said: 81 wa
down town, too, but l never saw any
body pushed off the sidewalk" Severa
others spoke up in the same way, whel
the lieutenant remarked: We nigh
just as well go back to camp, for tn
whole - regiment talk through thei
noses," and back they went.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
Central Vermont RaiIr0s d.
Commencing June 80, 1885

Train. Going South and East ,OiH Leau Mont
pelier as folLo,os.:
8.b5 A. nj, MAIL, for Fitchburg Boston Spring
field, New London and New York.
l2: 80 p. M. FAST TRAIN, for Boston via Low.
ell and New York via Springfield.
6;O5 p. M; PASSENGER, for White River
'" .Ts:4o A. M. EXPRESS, for Boston via Lowell
and all points In New England, New York and South.
Trains Geing North and West:
$3.50 A. NJ. EXPRESS. for Montreal. ogdens-
Io:iBA. M. PASSENGER for Burlington st.
Adams, Richtord. Highgate Springs and ogdens.
burg, making connections for Rutland, Troy, Al
$50 r. NJ PASSENGER. fer Burlington. St.
Adams, Montreal. Ogdensburg and Richford. Wag'
ner paIler car to Montreal. Connecting at Swanton
With wagner sleeping car Tor Norwood Niagara
81 IS p. NJ EXPRESS for Burlington. Con.
Meeting with @. T. Co.'s boat for Plattsburgh, ar
9: 05 p. M. EXPRESS for Burlington, st. AL.
bans Rouse's Point and Montreal. Pullman sleeping
car Montpelier to Chicago without change. Due
Junction for Troy, Albany and New York
Through tickets to Chicago and all poihts west tor
sale Mt the principal stations
Suburban Train Service.
Leave Montpelier at 7:l5, 9;l5, 1850, A NJ, Il 10
$3.50, 100 p. M Arrive at Barre twenty minutes
Leave Barre at siO. $3.50 A. NJ 1850 M, sos $40
$3.50, P. NJ. Arrive at Montpelier twenty min
utes after leaving time.
Trains leave for williamstown AZ lao p. n. ant
sDaiiy, Sundays included. Sundays only,
All passenger trains win stop at the Pionee, Works
to take OF leave passengers when signaled
E.w. THOMPSON. Agent
y. W. BALDWIN, General Superintendent
8. W. CUMMINGS. General Passenger AseLL
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
Hygiene of the Eye.

A few simple rules carefully obeyed will
do much to preserve the eyes in health.
Light and color in rooms are important.
The walls are best finished in single tint.
Windows should open directly upon the
outer air, and light is better when they
are close together, not separated by much
wall space, not distributed. Light should
be abundant, but not dazzling. 1t should
never come from in front, nor should sun
light fall upon work or on the printed
page. Never read or sew in the twilight
after an exhausting fever nor before
breakfast Look up frequently when at
work and fix the eyes upon some distant
object Break up the stretch of wall by
pictures that have good perspective.
These rest the eye, as does looking out Of
window
When at work on minute objects, rise
occasionally, take deep inspirations with
the mouth closed, stretch the body erect
throw the arms backward and forward and
step to an open window or out into the
open air for a moment. Two desks of diff
ferent heights are valuable for student
or writer, one to stand by and the other to
| sit by Plenty of open air exercise is es-
| sential to good eyesight.
The general tone of the nervous system
| has much to do with the eyesight. Pro-
| longed or excessive study frequently has
| pain or poor vision as symptom The use
| of tobacco may bring about defective vi
| sion, and alcohol sometimes destroys 1t
utterly, owing to nerve Inflammation that
| 1t sets up. City life, with shut in streets
and narrow outlook favors the production
| of errors in vision When looking at dis
| tant objects, the normal eye is at rest To
see near by muscular effort is required.
| This effort, when constant, changes the
shape of the eyeball. After the eighteenth
or twentieth year parts of the eye that
earlier showed signs of bulging or becom'
ing nearsighted may acquire new strength,
and those who escape myopia up to tins
time are usually free from 1t after that
The children of nearsighted parents are il
special danger. They require constant
care 1t Is best to have all children 5 eyes
examined for defects when they are II
years old
Nearsight and color blindness are bar
riers to the army and navy, to certain flint
and mechanic arts and to many industrial
pursuits. Their early recognition save
time and money and often prevents tn,
Encouragement of defeat.
Ounces of prevention are better thai
tons of cure. There are but few forms o
partial or total blindness that were not "a
one time the reverse of hopeless. In view
of this fact, the duty of parents and guard
ians is clearly manifest. Ignorance mus
be replaced by knowledge, carelessness b.
enlightened forethought Precautions il
the way of type light, color and rest ant
exercise, together with occasional calls up
on the ooulist, will probably secure fai
eyesight for life. Outlook.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
A Chance to Make Money.

l have had my first streak of luck
and l want to tell you about it. A lit
tie over four weeks ago began selling
Dish Washers, and have cleared in that
time $400. Isn't that pretty good for
better every month right along, as
every Washer sell helps to sell 9TH
ers. | can wash and dry the dishes
for an ordinary family in two minutes;
and as soon as people see such ma
chine, they will buy it quick. This is
business any one can do we'll at, in
any locality. You can get full particu-
lars by addressing the Iron City Dish
Washer Company, E. E., Pittsburg, Pa.
Don't wait till some one else gets your
home territory, but start to work at
once. MRS. W. HENRY B.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-08-07
ESTATE OF HoRATIO TEMPLEToN.

In Probate Court, held at Montpelier, in and for
said District, on the 22d day of July A. d. 1895:
William II. Kellogg, Jr., and Charles F. Temple
ton, Executors of the last will and testament
Of HoRATlo TEMPLEToN, late of Worcester,
to said Court with the consent and appreciation
ceased residing in the State of Vermont for license
to sell part of the real estate of said deceased sit
uated In Worcester, in said District, to wit: Hill
farm, so called; also the following wild land so
called: Lots forty.two, forty.seven, forty eight
fifty two, sixty two, and sixty-three in the third
divison also half lots sixtyve and sixtysx In the
third division; also lots fifty two sixty, sixty-four
and sixty seven, in the second divisions; also the
governors right, so called; also two sheds in
the of the Congregational church, rep
resentiDg that the sale thereof would be beneficial
to the legatees and devisees of said deceased,
and those interested in his estate, in order
to convert said real estate into money. Where.
upon i is ordered By saio Court, that o- SAID
to be held at the Probate ONCE in said Mont
pelier on the Sth day of August, A. D. 1895
for hearing and decision thereon; and it is further
ordered, that all persons interested be notified
hereof, by publication of notice of said application
and order thereon three weeks successfully in the
Vermont Waterman g. State Journal, a newspaper
crculates in the neighborhood of those interested
before said time of hearing that they may appear
at said time and place, and If they cause, object
thereto. By the Court,-Attest,
$3.50 HIRAM CARLETON. Judge,