davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

the sides of a warship, and if it Is suffi- ciently equipped with them there is no reason why a battleship should not be able to plough it's way through any hos tile fleet, discharging it's secondary bat tery of rapid-firing guns right and left and ahead of it.
 It was stated that this device was an invention of Secretary Long, and that the talented secretary had also invented other devices for remodeling warships and making them better for modern purposes, but when asked about this the secretary replied:
 Assistant Secretary Roosevelt is taking the most vigorous steps toward bringing the navy where it should be. He now takes the point that we have sufficient number of warships to meet, without em- barrassment, any navy that could conven- iently be sent to these shores. His em- barrassment over the Philadelphia as compared with the Japanese cruiser Ma niwa has been lessened by view of the new magnificent cruisers which met his eye on his last tour of inspection.
 An idea of the cruisers as rated by Sec retary Roosevelt can be had from this of fical document, sent by his representatives: The work of bringing all of the cruis- CTS up to the standard of the Brooklyn will be pushed as fast as appropriations can be secured from congress, but as a western congressman remarked to a southern representative:
 Fifty thousand dollar bills don't grow on trees" "No, nor on cotton bushes, either," replied the southerner. And so the work will have to go slow But we
 c. s. RUSSELL.
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

of ships like the Baltimore, San Fran cisco and Yorktown.
 'If hostilties had occurred and we had lost a ship like either of these Baltimore or Philadelphia in simple fight with an- other ship of the same nominal force we could never erase it's memory from our national records"
 This means that he Is going to increase the fighting efficacy of the Baltimore, the San Francisco and the Yorktown and make them equal to the Raleigh, Cincin- natl, Marblehead, Montgomery and Olym- pia.
 To bring these old warships up to date there is only one thing necessary, and that is the additions of the Dashciel rapid firing device. This is of comparatively recent invention, and, as it's name indi- cates, provides for the quick discharge of a cartridge from the mouth of the guns of a warship.
 In a letter to congress Secretary Long recommended that $50.000 be appropriated for the cruiser Chicago, and many per sons supposed this to be for an entirely new armament and battery, but those connected with the naval department laugh at the idea and say that this sum would be wholly inadequate for the pur- pose. The $50,000 is undoubtedly for the purpose of the rapid-fring device for the cruiser.
 The United States navy consists of more than 150 war ships. These include cruis- CTS, torpedo boats and what are techni- cally known as battle ships. The term "battleship," however, is a loose one and can be applied to any boat that goes to war. In a recent Cuban scrimmage a large row boat fired upon a Spanish crus-
The age-herald., 1898-02-20
SLEEP AND DREAMS.
The Incident of How Agassiz Worked Out Scl- entific Problem.

W. J. Stiilman in London Spectator. <
 The letters on sleep and dreams in the Spectator remind me of a case in the exl perience of Agissiz, and which he told mo himself, though 1t is recorded in his work on the American fishes. He was studying a fossil fish in the Jardin des Plantes, but had never been able to determine the spe- cies to his satisfaction. After time he dreamed that he caught the very fish, and without difficulty determined the question, thinking, as he woke from the dream, that he would now have no difficulty. But on returning to the fossil, something in the dream had escaped him, and he could no more determine the species than before. The next night he had the same dream, and again forgot the essential point. He then determined to take pencil and paper with him to bed, and make his note as soon as he awoke. The dream came the third time, but to his surprise on fully awakening he found the drawing made and lying on. the table at his bedside, with three bones displayed in 1t which were not visible in the fossil, and which solved the problem On returning to the Jardin des Plantes he obtained permission of his friend, the director, to chip away a scale of stone which lay on the spot where the bones were in the drawing, and found them there as his drawing had given them. It is thirty years since Agassiz told me the incident, but those who have access to his history of the North American fishea will be able to read 1t in his own words in the introduction, and correct my version if my memory has in any detail failed me
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

CT. The rowboat had small equipment of guns and few shells. But by it's action it became warship and was mme- diatey classified in the Cuban fleet. The term "war ship is so conflicting that naval officers rarely use it, substituting for it "battleship" and Cruiser" both of which have their special significance in naval parlance.
 The $5O,000 recommended for the Chi cago would just about purchase an equip ment of rapid-fring guns, and with these were part of the navy at the beginning of the present administration would be complete, but without them the United States navy as Secretary Roosevelt says in his above quoted remark, would be in ferior to foreign ships, though nominally their equal.
 The Daschiel device, about which there is so much talk, consists of a mechanism, partly electric, by which the guns are loaded and fired automatically with start ling rapidity. By the movement of 8 lever which is pulled by the arm the gun is loaded and discharged. It takes two men to operate it; one to feed it and the other to move it.
 At each motion of the arm the gune is fired by an electric battery; and so quick ly is it done that it can be loaded and fired five times before the first shot has reached its destination.
 This is for use in a close engagement and is what is known as a secondary bat tery. All the warships have a primary battery, but to be ready for modern work they must also have this secondary bat tery. The gun that Is used carries a cartridge of five or six inches. These guns make admirable "coast" guns around
The age-herald., 1898-02-20
JOURNEY FELLOWS.

Bliss Caranan in the Independent. l wonder who. Kept pac, with me as I wandered through The mountain gorges blue I said to the aspen leaves, The timorous, garrulous tribe of the forest
 folk, 'eWho people the wilderness, When the wind is away And sparrows and jay Keep silence of noon ou summers day." And the leaves replied, "You must question our brother, the rain
 of the mountain side" Then said to the rain, The fleeing sdlvery mutitudes of the rain, "Who people the wilderness, When the noon is still, And the valley and hill Feel their pulses slow to the summers
 willr And the rain replied, "You must ask our brother the fog on the
 outward tide.'' Then I said to the fog, The anciemt taciturn companies of tho
 sea-mist, "Who people the loneliness, When your hordes emerge On the gray sea-verge, And the wind begins his wailing dirge?" And the fog replied, 'sInuuire of that inquishtor at your side" Then asked myself. But he knew, If report of senge be true. No more than you.
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

In report issued by the assistant secre- tary of the navy and published in this newspaper, MT. Roosevelt says:
 Ut is better by far to have a smaller number of ships first class and equal to any foreign ships as regards their bat teries rather than have a large number of ships really inferior to foreign ships that are nominally' their equals.
 "The real fighting efficiency of ships Nike the Raleigh, Cincinnati, Marblehead Montgomery and Olympia compared with foreign vessels of the same nominal class stands high, while the reverse is the case
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

Secretary Long and Assistant Secretary Roosevelt are busy these days trying to make modern navy out of a few battle ships and a great many old ones Both gentlemen believe that in time of peace 1t is best to prepare for war. And they are making their aids do a ''step lively at the work of getting ready. The old adage, 'Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you." may be all well enough for land- lubbers, but it is far too old-fashioned for the secretary of the navy and his vigorous assistants.
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

widest confusion by the alarm, 1t being thought that the enemy was attacking the outposts. When the true state of affairs was understood the others made life burden to John until the battle of Murfrees- boro, when the Lincoln county stripling was promoted for conspicuous bravery. He was afterward assigned to Bragg's army, and died like hero at the battle above
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

W. B. Allin told this one: He said that just before the battle of Murfreesboro a detachment of Morgan15 command was guarding mountain pass few miles from Bradyville, Tenn. A portion of the valley leading to the pass was densely wooded and swampy. The marshy ground abound d in bullfrogs of huge proportions, and the trees afforded myriads of owls of
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

immense size and roasting place. Among the soldiers was a stripling from near Stanford, by the name of Spreeler. It was a gloomy, wild and windy night that Spreeler was called upon to do guard duty. Along about 1 clock, when the sky was of a deaden hue and the wind sighed fitfully through the trees, an owl on a nearby limb hooted:
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

''Who-who-who are you?'
 '.John Spreeer," exclaimed the sentinel, trembling in his boots.
 Just at that moment bullfrog in deep base tones, seemed to say:
 'Sur-sur-round him!"
 "Tll be darned if you do," exclaimed Spreeler, as he fired his musket and broke for camp, which had been thrown into the
The age-herald., 1898-02-20
The Sentinel Fled From the owls

From the Harrodsburg (Ky) Democrat.
 few days ago several ex-confederates, who happened to meet in an Office Row room, were discussing Col. Sears 'Why the South Lost" published in the Courier Journal of Sunday. This led to various kinds of war talk, and ex-County Attorney
The age-herald., 1898-02-20
SECR6TRRY LONG TO MHKB NEW NAVy


His Designs Enormously Stated of Guns For
The age-herald., 1898-02-20
Cannon. 

the clouds" while in the forefront of tht charge and trying to spike an eneany'e cannon.
The age-herald., 1898-02-20

A LETTER FROM ASSISTANT SECRETARY
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
DORSET VALLEY.

Mrs. Dora Stacy of Granville, N.
Y, visited Mrs. A. A Norton last
week.
Sam Dunton has gone to look for
position as electrician for the gov
eminent.
Several of our boys would like to
enlist to help free Cuba.
Mrs. A. L. Bowen has received
her first installment of spring hats
just as good, pretty and cheap as
ever.
Road commissioner Taylor Of Man
chester is doing some very good work
cutting the brush aud widening the
road bed. Our town needs the trees
and brush cut by the roadside in
many places. Potter has begun to do
so.
Elmer Wilkins is blowing the gar
dens. Elmer knows how TO do it..
He has rented the O'Connor place
again.
The Dorset Mountain Marble Co.
has started up their quarries thereby
giving work TO their old hands.
A long, cold rain has made life a
misery for the past week.
The listers are through taking
spring lists. They find little change
in value as with former '97 list.
Mis-. Ellen Bowen has bought
Thomas Maloney's house and lot.
James Cady at the old stand is put
ting in an immense pile of wood.
Eva Blackmer is home for short
visit.
Clark Howard took in Jay lows
ley's sap buckets March 80, and paid
Jay $40 and cost for damage. Clark
lost his sugar and had to pay for
losing it. He don't like it.
Large lots of lumber, lime, pipes,
etc. are constantly going up to the
Werner place at Dorset Hollow. Mr..
Werner says the trolly cars used to
wake him up in his country home
near Boston so he sold out and came
here where no noise will disturb the
pleasant run of his dreams save ma
lures voices and that of his own fam
lily. He will be II miles from the
railroad from postoffice and church
and in a beautiful valley.
Bowen's delivery wagon is seen Of
ten on the roads. He pays the high
est prices for produce and has not
yet put war prices on his goods but
says he shall have to soon for the
poor consumer must pay the war
taxes as usual.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
GRAFTON.

Mrs. Nora Hennessey has returned
from Burlington Hospital,
School in Eastman district began
Apr. Is, Nellie Kingsbury teacher.
Other schools in town began Apr. 25,
with the following teachers: village.
primary, Agnes Fairbanks; grammar,
Geo. Houglton; Pc tengilI bridge,
Miss Colby: Houghtonville, Ella Viii.
lis; Walker district, Efie Clark; Val.
ley Miss Smalley.
Orrin Kingsbury of Chester has
opened harness shop in this place and
will soon move his family.
Will Turner has gone to Boston.
Nellie Kingsbury has been obliged
to give up her school on account quinsy
sore throat. Leon Thompson takes her
place for this week.
Carl Unwin of this place and Mary
Field of Newport, N. H., were united
in marriage by Rev. Mr.. Haskins,
April IA.
Horse distemper prevails in town.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
WINHALL HOLLOW.

School in No. in session, Miss
Mary Randall teacher. Scholars from
No. 5 carried by A. ID. Hulett.
A. L. Witherell has returned to his
home in Rupert
Mrs. Chas. Hosley was called here
last Tuesday By the sudden illness Of
Mrs. l.. j. Barnard. Mrs. Barnard
is better, Lucius Martin is stopping
with her at present.
Mrs. 0. l.. Hewes visited in Man,
chester the last of last week.
X. F. Hewes is making some repairs
in his house, Geo. Lackey doing the
work.
L. C. Shattuck and daughter Edna
have gone Oh to his farm to live.
H. M. Crandal visited in Townshend
on Sunday, two of his grandchildren
are here attending school.
F. d. Reed and family visited at G..
V. Bryant's last week.
Miss Pearl Barnard is to teach in
Jacksonville.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29

Used salmon stock for Pickerel bait.
Within the past two years the State
OF Maine has placed more than 50,-
900 landlocked salmon fry in Bremer's
and Fields ponds, two large sheets of
water near Bangor, This winter the
fishermen have been taking large
quantities Of pickerel from these
ponds. using live bait. which the fish
seemed greedy to get On Sunday a
warden was sent out to see that the
law was observed, and found about
twenty fishermen, every one OF whom
had his hooks baited with young sal
mon, which were dipped from the
shoal places and blowholes on the
borders Of the ponds. The matter has
been brought to the attention OF the
Fish and Game Commission, who will
no doubt close the ponds for Ave years
until the young fry have grown up, as
the State can hardly afford to grow
young salmon for pickerel bait. The
practice Of using fish from the hatch
cries for bait is said to prevail all
over Maine, particularly in ponds that
have been newly stocked.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
s1oO REWARD slOo.

The readers of this paper will be pleas
ed to learn that there is at least one
dreaded disease that science has been a
BILE to cure in all its stages, and that is
Catarrh. Halls Catarrh Cure is the
only positive cure known to the medical
fraternity. Catarrh being constitutions
al disease, requires constitutional treat
ment. Halls Catarrh Cure is taken in
ternally, acting directly upon the blool
and mucous surfaces of the system,
thereby destroying the foundation of the
disease, ard giving the patient strength
by buildiag up the constitution and as
sisting nature in doing its work. The
proprietors have so much faith in its
curative powers, that they offer One
Hundred Dollars for any case that it fails
to cure. Send for list of testimonials.
Address, F. J. Cheney & Co., Toledo, O..
N@ Sold by Druggist, 75c.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
BONDVILLE,

John Harrington has gone TO STAN,
ford to work this season..
Herbert Johnson, W. ID. Howard
and Chas. Styles went to New York
last week to see the elephant and buy
some horses.
Sheriffs Godfrey and Nash from
Bennington appeared here last week
and arrested Arthur brooks on a
charge of assault on Della, the IA
year 90 laughter of d. l.. Benson.
He was tahen to Bennington and had
hearing before Judge Darling and
fined S25. and costs, amounting to
about $40 Bail was furnished and
an appeal taken to June term of
court at Manchester.
w. C. Wheeler has sold his vii
lage residence to c. B. Williams.
All of bis other houses are rented.
He has to hire a house. 1t is not de-
cided where he will move yet.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
PERU.

The annual Congregational society
meeting will be held at church vestry
next week Wednesday, May 3, at 2
O'Clock p. m.
Mrs. Edmund Batchelder who has
been in poor health for several weeks
past is now about the house and rides
out pleasant days.
Mr.. Person Wyman is able tC
walk to the postofiice.
NJ. j. Hapgood left Tuesday fol
North Adams to resume his work
there as administrator of the Higgins
estate.
Ned Whitney came from North
field, Mass, last week and began
work for M. B. Lyon.
Mrs. C. G. Hunt has gone to Rut-
land to visit her son.
Mrs. George Wyman of Jamaica
was at P. T. Wyman's Wednesday
and Thursday with millinery goods
enough for all.
A wedding is budding and we think
will blossom next week.
Peru creamery will open next week
Monday.
The c. E. society have new Or
gan and they say its to keep this time
for all are much pleased with it. A
picnic organ from Estey's.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
Our Neighbors
what They iare Doing-Briefly Told by
the Sifter's Intelligent STAFF of
Correspondents.
LONDONDERRY.

Twenty.seven scholars are registered
in the village school.
George Holden has been quite sick
but is convalesclng.
E. w. Gibson and Marion of Ches.
ter spent Saturday at home.
Mrs. w. f. Sutton and Mrs. w.
l.. Gibson were in Westminster and
Bellows Falls last week.
Mrs. Lydia Hathorn an aged lady
has been suffering from what seemed to
be an a5sctss on her limb. There was
sensation as though there was some
foreign substance irritating it. After a
time something appeared on the sur.
face and her son drew therefeom a
good sized sewing needle, when or how
it entered into her system she has no
knowledge.
Sadie Parker has taken the school in
Landgrove Hollow which commenc s
next Monday. Florence Hathorn in
GAINESVILLE which commences the sec.
ond Monday in May.
G. E. Bacon has beeu spending a
few days in Sunderland.
Mrs. Emma Bowen and SON OF Sun.
derland are visiting Mr.. and Mrs.
Asa Warner.
Parties from Springfield have been
here for the purpose of purchasing the
Hermitage but as yet no sale has been
made.
Mrs. Sutton and Josie are expected
home about the 18th of May also Mrs.
II. A. Hayward.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
JAMAICA.
j. o. Lanphear is reported on the

j. o. Lanphear is reported on the
gain.
|. W. Higgins is reported very sick
and failing. His brother, Rev. A. M.
Higgins of Somerville, Mass, is caring
for him.
Miss Lena Rider is teaching this
spring at Brookline.
Miss Ella Willis is teaching the
spring term of school at Hougthonville.
Miss Emma Clark is on the sick list.
Mrs. Alonzo Clough of West jana.
lea is quite sick She is attended by
DIR. G. B. Doaue of this place.
Revillo Howard goes this week to
Massachusetts to see his sister who is
very sick with cancer
Henry j. Allen and M. H. John
SUI nave the recruiting papers tor this
town, so all who wish to enlist will
apply to them.
Mrs. Arthur Allen celebrated the
3Sth anniversary of her birth Monday
eve April 18th. There were about 20
friends there including Rev. 5. H.
Taylor, and what made the occasion
still more interesting it was an anniver.
sary of his birth also. What anniver.
sary? Well we will call it his Dist,
and if it is not right he will please in.
form.
News is received here that Leroy
Rawson's wife is very sick at her for
mer home at Chester.
Tuesday morning the hills were
white with snow.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
MANCHESTER DEPOT.

Quite number are on the sick list.
Willis Pettibone drives the National
Express in place of Geo. Chapman.
George Chapman is on the train
from Bennington to Hoosic Junction.
Charlie Brewster is clerking in Pet.
tibone's store. tn
Walter Jenkins starts with his bro
Their Charlie, who is in in poor health,
for Colorado Wednesday.
DR.. Roy Linsley of Bristol is expect
ed home to spend next Sunday but not
to do work.
The w. r. G. held sociable at
Mrs. Towsley's at the street last We'd
nesday evening and realized between
seven and eight dollars. The proceeds
are to 30 to help build the new G. A.
N. nall Ill ploePoo''
Quite number of the Odd Fellows
went to Bennington Wednesday to a
district meeting.
Rev. H. L. Kelton, a former pastor,
with his family are visiting friends in
this place.
Miss May Taylor passed quietly a
way Sunday morning after an illness Of
three weeks and one day. Her funer-
al was from her late home Tues day
afternoon, Rev. Mr.. Swart of the
street officiating Her schoolmates were
the bearers and the singers were also
her mates. The flowers were beauti.
full and in abundance. The grave was
trimmed with evergreen and trailing
arbutus.
The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1898-04-29
CHESTER.

Not warning note is heard from
any Of the mills now except that of
George Lovejoy. All the rest are
taking an enforced rest for the want
of business.
Pollard's wrapper factory was quiet
last week by the breaking of some
part of the engine, but last Monday
morning its coughing and sneezing
was heard, showing that work had
begun again.
Measles have been quite plenty.
We have had enough for our own use
and let the Grafton stage driver have
some. He has recovered and return
ed to duty again. Mrs. Fred Gowen
is sick at present with them.
Weddings have been all the rage
here the last week. On Monday or
Tuesday, we have not learned which,
NJ. E. Bugbee was married to Miss
Holden and on the following Wed
nesday, April 20, Charles Dodge, son
of VIM. P. Dodge, was wed to Miss
Florence Dunsmore by Rev. H. l..
Ballou The following Thursday
evening Henry Farr and Miss Ethel
Kendall we're made one by the assist
ance of Rev. Geo. w. Perry. The
bride is a daughter of Orrin G. Ken
dali, Esq. We feel to congratulate
all and say in the language used in
revival meeting, ''let the good work
90 right on if the war continues we
shall need some more infantry.
School street is to have new iron
bridge to replace the old wooden one
which now is defunct, and there is
prospects of side walk bridge put
on the new iron bridge on Grafton
street. We shall hail that enterprise
with gladness.
A. d. Randall, highly respected
citizen of this town, died in the re.
treat at Brattleboro last week Thurs
day. He had had the measles but
did not recover from them as was
hoped, his mind became deranged, he
was taken to the asylum and died two
days later. The funeral was Sunday,
Rev. j. NJ. Ashton officiating.