The Fairfield news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1881-1900, September 20, 1883, Image 4
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Sftmjtkltt ¥oUr».
There led* cernr temples ror commercial
drommen in the Western cities. A reporter
Luterriewed one recently which disclosed
the (act that he Is a shrewd chief, with
well-defined business ideas and a thorough
knowledge of all the ramifications of his
‘trade.’'
“Well, youngster,” said the reporter,
“bow’s traffic this season!’’
“'Bout up to the av'rage,” was the
serene reply.
“Hare many regular customers?”
“Yes; thirty or forty.”
“How many regulars and transients do
you do business for in the course of a
year!”
“Two or three hundred.”
‘ Ts the work bard?”
“Sometimes pretty tough.”
“Tell me exactly what you da”
“Well. I come down to the Kussell at 8
o’clock in the morning. If any of my cus
tomers show up I'm all right for the day;
but if they don’t, why I ketch on to some
other feller.”
“Haw do you grade your charges!”
“Oh, we’ve got a reg'lar price list—scale
of prices, you know.”
“And that is!”
“Carryin’ notes ten to twenty-five cents,
‘cordin’ to distance; luggin' samples thirty
cents an hour or fl SO a day. If wo carry
two hours straight in the mormn’ it's $1.
If we go out both forenoon and afternoon
It’s only $1.60.”
“Have very long days!”
“Not more’n four or five hours with any
one customer?”
“How do you fill in the remainder of the
time?”
“Runnin’ errands. (Excuse me; there’s
a feller tippin’ me the wink now.*')
And the leader of the guild darted away,
to receive instructions about the delivery
. of a letter. He disappeared, but in about
ten minutes he returned and silently inti
mated his willingness to renew the inter
view.
“Got thirty cents for takin’ that note
down to Guy Einchman’s,” he remarked in
a confidential tone, “day, young feller,”
he exclaimed, as if suddenly struck with an
idea, “are you a interviewin’ me!”
“Perhaps.”
“Well, I've been acquainted with you
so long I guess I won’t go back on you
now. Ask me somethin’more.”
“Have you ever been to school?”
“Sb’d tiiink so—seven years at the
Bishop and Irving, and ’m goin’ to the
night school this fall."
“Good idea”
“Think so? Well, I guess so, too. A
feller can't git too much learnln’, not by no
means.”
“What drummers—that is to say, what
lines of business—do you like best?'’
“Joolry men.”
“Why!”
“They stay in the stores the longest;
they’re lib’ral, and we’re more liable to
git extry from ’em. If they do a good trade
they don’t mind an extry half dollar. Why
Frolick, my friend from New York, who’s
in the jewelry line, sends me a new suit of
clothes every Christmas, reg’lar. He’s a
dandy, he is. There’s other good fellers,
too, but he's my partic’lar pard.”
“Don t you tackle some heavy loads!”
“You’re shoutin’. The lust Job a-carry-
in’ I ever took was flatirons—patent flat
irons. They broke me all up,” he added,
in a mournful tone, as if recollection of the
incident had something of the pathetic m
it. “Linen's heavy, toc-v-next to joolry—
but we git used to it, and don’t mind a
pretty big lug.”
“Does the custom of showing samples in
the agents’ rooms at the hotel interfere
with your profits?'’
“ T used to, but that’s played out now.
Merchants won’t go to the rooms any more,
ao we’ve got to go to them. We find our
trade a good deal better for it—sell more
goods and git through with a town quick-
er’n we used to when we had sample-rooms
so much.”
“How much money do you make?”
“1 av’rage about $9 a week. Pretty fair,
ain’t it!”
“Don’t you have any dull seasons in
your line!”
“Of course, from about Christmas to,
say the 20th of January, we don’t do
nothin’ to speak of; and then agin we have
a dull summer season. We're jest gittin’
over it now. Business is very good, though.
1 don't complain. (There’s another feller
wants me. Good day, mister. J’il see
you future.”)
And the boss of the sample toters again
whisked away on an errand for a dude,
whose hair was parted in the middle and
the ends of whose mustache tickled his
ears.
Ballooning.
The balloon in which the Count de Dion
and M. Rtmbielusky recently made an
ascension trim Paris presented several
novel feature^ of great interest and value
to the study of aerial navigation. The
principal of these is the invention of the
Comte de Dion trmse f. U is a double
balloon, so to speak. Over the ordinary
oiled silk, ol which the balloon proper is
made, is a covering of white calico which
extends over its upper half. From thia
outer covering a long funnel of oiled silk
extends downward, and connects with a
ventilating machine attached to the outside
of the car, which, by turning a cran ,
sends a blast of cold air out of the futnel
and underneath the outer layer. The object
of this is to piace a layer cf cold air between
the two coverings, which shall preserve the
gas in the balloon from being unduly
influenced by the rays of the sun. Another
novelty was the method of attaching the
car to the balloon, the cords being arranged
in a scientific system of triangulation,
enabling the weigflt of the oar to be equally
distributed around its circumference ami
keeping it in a perfectly horizontal position
in spite of any shifting of weight within it. In
, nautical parlance, the balloon would always
be tnmmed. The anchor itself was another
novelty, emulating of a number of formi
dable-looking flukes so arranged that they
could not fail to bold, or at least catch in
any obstacle which they might meet. It
waa attached to a powerful hawser which
itself weighed 120 kilogrammes. The
anchor looks as if, with the vast balloon
exerting its power above it, it could uproot
a forest or unroof a house with ease. The
car is of extremely neat basket-work, light
and yet strong. It u comfortably lined
with padded gray American doth, with
cane seats. Over the lockers at each end
it u oblong, and there was ample room m
it for the four aeronauts, their sdenufle
instruments, laid oat on a wicker table,
and for the hampers of provisions with
which the travellers were to good
cheer betwixt earth and heaven. The
scientific instrumenu are of the finest
quality, and comprise a hygrometer for the
measurement of the moisture or dryness of
the atmosphere, a peychrometer for meas
uring the ter sion of aqueous vapor, an
aneroid barometer and an extremely sensi
tive metallic thermometer. The scientific
equipment of the balloon was completed
by some beautiful liule elect: ic lights,
with their complement of charged batteries,
among them being a tiny electric bull’s-
eye lantern, the rays of which could be
directed up on the balloon and search out
any weak spot which mignt require atten-
3oo.
gwrnrffiiiwi 11 iiiirm-Tiriirr'f- ni - -
Courting Withbut Speech.
Courting, from all accounts, is a pret
ty tough job in Mexico. The young
man is first supposed to moot the yonng
lady on the plaza. They never apeak,
but they always gaze at each otner as
they pass. When the lady does not
make her appearance on Hie plaza the
young man will repair to the street
fronting the house, and walk np and
down in front of it for several hours.
He will always gaze earnestly at the
window as he passes. The yonng lady
and her female friends are inside, and
she will return his glance. After 10
o’clock the young man will go home.
This performance is continued for a
couple of months, and at last the yonng
man will knock boldly at the door and
ask for the lady of the house.
He will tell her he is in despair.
That her daughter is an angel
from the Paradise valley of Heav
en; that she is beautiful beyond
compare; that she is better than she is
beautiful; that he is wildly in love with
her, and that life has no possible inter
est for him unless he can win her. He
will then tell of his prospects In life,
what he is possessed of and hopes to
be possessed of. If this latter part is
satisfactory to the mamma, she will
oommisserate with him, tell him that
she has noticed his attentions to her
daughter, and finally conclude by invit
ing him to the inner circle aud introdu-.
cing him to the yonng lady in the pres
ence of the assembled family. The
grandma (if there is a grandma in the
family) will sit between the yonng
people and witness their cooing. Ail
the rest of the family remain in the room
also, unless they are otherwise engaged,
bnt under no circumstances must the
young people be left alone a second.
This, you will admit, is pretty tough,
but that is not half what the yonng man
must suffer before the padre closes the
bargain and gives bim a proprietary in
terest in his lady love. If, percharce,
the young lady has a pair of big broth
ers—and such is generally the case—
the unfortunate swain is expected to
treat them to mescal and cigarettes
every time they meet. It a circus or a
theatre company visit the town it is the
prerogative of the young lady to ask all
her female relatives to accompany her
to the show, and the young man of
course is expected and required to foot
the bill. But the worst part of the
business for the love-sick young man re
mains to be told. He cannot walk by
the side of his affianced on the way to
or from the theater. She will start off
ahead in company with some female
friend, whi>e the voung man will bring
up the rear on the arm of his grand
mamma, or some equally venerable
dame. This is the recognized and in
violable custom of the country, and
while it exists the American young man
will not be a social success in Mexico.
He cannot stand the racket. If the
young oonple are very spoony they can
be married in six months, though well
regulated society demands a twelve
months' courtship.
The wedding is a simple affair enough,
but usually consists of two ceremonies.
There must be a civil marriage under
the law, and the ladies invariably insist
on a religions ceremony afterward. The
marriage ceremony is conducted cheap
ly, though I have been informed of a
few instances where the grooms were
Americans, and were, consequently,
bled to the tune of $200. When the
youug couple are married they can en
joy the first real privacy of this acquain
tanceship. Not even au hour oefore
they are married will they be allowed a
few moments of uninterrupted converse.
All the tender nothings and sweet bill
ing and cooing habitual to lovers in the
United States are denied them, unless
they choose to indulge in such luxuries
before witnesses. Tuis rule of etiquette
is carried to such an extent that a young
lady’s reputation sutlers if she is seen
for a moment alone in the company of
a youug man. As an illustration of this
I will give a little personal experience.
There is a young girl in the fami'y,
about 20 jears old. Bhe was educated
in Ban Francisco, as were her mother
aud lather, and as a consequence they
are somewhat more progressive in cer
tain matters than their neighbors. 1
formed the acquaintance of the tamily,
and was invited to make a visit. I call
ed at the house a 2 o’clock in the after-
uoon. The mother was busy, and left
the young lady to entertain me in the
parlor. Boon a neighboring woman
arrived unannounced. A look of terror
seized my fair vis-a-vis, and with a flut
ter she pointed to an adjacent door,
and begged me to retire hastily. I did
so, the door was closed immediately,
and I found myself in a bed-room.
There was no window, the only ventila
tion being the door opening to the sit
ting-room. Tuis being closed, you may
imagine my condition, with the ther
mometer 106 degrees in the shade.
There, however, 1 had to remain ior full
forty minutes, when the visiting lady
took her departore. When the door
was opened I was in a very amiable ana
a very warm condition. Apologies, how
ever, weie profuse. Both the mother
and daughter spoke at the same time.
Tney said that they formerly lived in the
United States, and consequently were
not so rigid in enforcing parlor rules
when Americans were the visitors. Bat
the sudden appearance cf the neighbor
ing woman struck terror in the young
lady, and in pitying tones she Informed
me that if she was seen alone with me
in the parlor her reputation would be
torn to pieces m twenty-four hours.
Such is the rigidity of etiquette in that
country.
A Thrilling Scene,
At Perianportu, near Truio, England,
the driver of a wagonette party, wander
ing on the beach found his retreat out
off by the tide. He essayed to climb
the uiiffs, bat when half way up he
found progress impossible. The ledge
on which he was supported would only
give space for one foot, and the ground
to which he dung above was loose and
crumbling. For some hours he endured
this suspense, when the visitors descried
him from above. The news spread and
a crowd congregated, but none dared
venture along the slight edge by which
alone the man ooold be approached. To
have thrown a rope would have been
useless, for the effort to catch it would
have certainly caused the poor fellow to
fall. A coast guardsman named Began
volunteered to be 1st down 100 feet over
the face of the cliff, and whi]p he de
scended the excitement was quickened
tenfold. By a sudden effort the ooast-
guardsman clasped the man with a
strong grip, and they swung off the
ledge together. Even then the danger
was not at an end, bat • descent waa
safely effected to a ledge below, whence
access to the summit was gradually
gamed. The spectators collected a good
round ram for the gallant ojast-gnarda-
man.
An Indian Soars.
'j 1 1'
The Lake Street House, Chicago, one
of the earliest hotels of Cnioage, of
which tne bibulous Mark Beaubien was
mine host, stood near the river, on Lake
street, and was, perhaps, the most popu
lar hostelry of its time in the city. It
is not generally known that thia house
is still in existence, but such is in reality
the case. It was removed one block
northwest of its original site, where, in
a much-improved and remodeled state,
it now stands, bearing no suggestion of
antiquity in its outward appearance.
Many incidents are related of this hotel,
aud of the scenes and incidents which
occurred there. Some of these are well
worth repeating, bnt limited space for
bids the mention of more than one.
Guests who stopped at the house and
were given the beet chamber sometimes
bad a strange and startling experience.
A man wonld go to bed and sleep sound
ly until just before dawn, when he
would be awakened by a cry of “Indi
ans, Indians. ’ At the same time some
one would rush into the room, sratch
the bed-clothing from the bed, and dart
out again before the astonished guest
could get his eyes 'airly opened. With
visions of inforia'-ed savages, glancing
tomahawks and flowing blood, the terri
fied man wonld jump ont of bed, harry
himself into his garments and bolt oat
of the room, confident that a terrible
Indian massacre was in progress. But
imagine his overwhelming amazement
and confusion when, on rushing into
the cuisine of the hotel, where breakfast
was in coarse of preparation, he wonld
be corlly informed that be was alarming
himself without cause—that there were
no signs of an Indian outbreak or any
distorbanoe of the peace whatever. To
make the mystery more dense, nobody
could tell him who the person was that
had wakened him in such an outrageous
manner. He would questioa everybody
about the hotel, but each and all of
them would wear a look of hopeless be
wilderment, and either pronounce the
whole affair a perplexing puzzle, or in
sinuate that he had been dreaming.
This same thing occurred at different
times, and with different guests, always
with the same result. The victims gen
erally arrived at the conclusion that it
was a practical joke, perpetrated by
somebody in the hotel for his own indi
vidual amusement. One night a man
stopped at the house who had heard
about this trick, and was prepared to
bkffie the joker if any attempt should be
made to deprive him of his morning
nap. Sure enough, shortly before day
light, he was aroused by a terrible com
motion. His door was thrown open and
somebody plnnged into the room, shout
ing in thrilling tones: “Indians, Indi
ans; quick, for your lives! The Indians
are upon ns!” The bedclothes were
whisked off the bed, and the mysterious
intruder vanished. The man coolly
rose, picked up the bedclothes from the
floor, put them back in their place,
crawled into bed again, and was soon
enjoying a comfortable nap. Some
tune later a hand shook him gently. He
looked up into the anxions lace of the
landlord. “Say, mister, it’s 6 o’clock;
you’ll have to get up.”
“Why, what’s the matter?”
‘ Well, breakfast ought to have been
ready an hour ago, and we can’t finish
it till you get up.”
“Do you take me for the cook?’’
“No, but I want that sheet you’re ly
ing on. It’s the only one in the house
that can be nsed fora tablecloth, and we
want to set the table,”
That was the explanation. The Indi
an scare was a ruse to get the sheet for
the breaktast table.
tsurnlnc Clothing.
It is well to know that fire makes
headway more rapidly in burning clothes
when tbe endangered person Is standing
up. The difference in progress between a
burning lamplighter of twisted paper, held
in tne hand perpendicularly, Jlaine down,
and in tbe same paper laid flat on a marble
heartn can be seen in a moment. The
first thing to do when clothing catches fire
is to he flat aud cover up the flames, if
there is nothing within reach to smother
it. if, as it is probable, there was a bed
in tbe room where Miss Manship was
standing, getting into the bed, between
tbe blankkts, and rolling up in them,
would have been a sure way of putting
out the fire In a burning skirt or sleeve.
The worst, the vety worst, thing to do
was to run down stairs. Opening the
door made one draught, the flight down
stairs another, and rushing out into the
sireet, in the last frenzied moment, the
worst of alL The impulse to get out of
doors is very strange in all such cases,
because within the house there are always
means for putting out a fire, and outside
there are cone. Rugs, rag carpet torn
off the kitchen floor, a heavy overcoat,
blankets from the beds, even pieces of
bedside carpet, put round the person in
the twinkling of an eye, while water
pails and pitchers are there to hand,
ready to be emptied. In every case let
the person whose clothes or hair has
caught fire throw herself flat on the floor
and roll upon the flame. It there is any
thing in the room of thick woolen or
carpets to smother it, even a gossamer
waterproof cloak, snatch these and
smother the fire while calling for help.
If the fire has caught the hair, bury the
head in bed-clothes. Fire cannot burn
without air, and by shutting out all air
from the flames, they must go out. But
an open door fans the flames and a stand
ing position gives them headway. Girls
•re much more liabta, from their long,
flowing hair, their cotton aprone. and,
altogether, thinner aud more loosely bouf
fant dress, to be set on fire than boya,
whose stout cloth jackets are not easily
ignited. The rules tor putting out Are in
burning clothing may not be taught in the
normal school, but every teacher ought to
know them, and so thoroughly that even
the fright of mounting flames will not
drive them out of mind.
Tre London Engineer, in referring
to the power of the albatross,ita weight
of twenty eight ponnds, its wings thir
teen feet from tip to tip, and its ability
to keep in motion for a whole day says:
“We have in this bird a machine burn
ing concentrated fuel in a large grate at
a tremendous rate, and developing a
very large power in a very small space.
There is no engine in existence which,
weight for weight, gives out anything
like the mechanical power exhibited by
the albatross.
We were taught tnat the ability of
flies to walk on the ceiling was owing
to a power in their feet which enabled
them to hold on by snotion. Bnt Mr.
H. De Witz, of the Berlin Society of
Natural History, has discovered an ex
udation ot a sticky matter from the
foot of a fly by fastening the insect on
the under side of a plate and viewing it
through a microscope. The edheaive
matter seems to pass down through the'
hollow of the hair. Probably the same
method of holding un applies to ell in
sects.
OySteft throws on Trees.
A peculiar case, tlat came up from
the lower Court m a finding of facts
by Judffo Culver, hw been on trial re
cently, before the Supreme Court of
Errors, Connecticut. It concerns a
novel industry, unheard of outside this
county—the artificial propagation of
oysters on trees.
Poquonoc River is a broad arm of
Long Island Sourd, penetrating the
Connecticut coast a few miles east of
New London, dividing the great level
sea meadows for three or four miles in
land. The tide rises the whole length
of the river. For years the waters of
the Poquonoc River have been noted
as producing the most delicious oysters
known in the world. They outranked
the famous “Blue[Points,” selling read
ily at $10 a barrel When the latter might
be bought for $5. On account of the
thick black mud that plastered the bed
of the river, and which is fatal to oys
ter culture, only a small margin of the
bottom, a rooky strip far in shore,
could be utilized l)y the oyster-growers.
Annually the oysters that had attached
themselves to the rocks and other ob
structions over this district were
knocked off and sold at tempting pri
ces, but there were not enough of them.
It was not until three or four years ago
that a speculative and inventive Yan
kee devised a plan for extending the
oyRbr cultivation upon the mud bot
toms. He went into his woods and cut
down a forest of tough, wiry white
birches, dragged them to the bana,
bore them in bis bo&t upon the river
and dumped them overboard, taking
care that they should be left at proper
intervals on the bottom. He had an
idea that the oyster spawn would come
sailing along in the season, catch hold of
the birch boughs, and grow into a fa
bulous fortune for him. The idea was
a good one, but not perfected. He al
lowed the birch to lie a suitable time
and then pulled them up. Every bough
and twig was thick with half-grown
bivalves, but the weight of the growing
shells had dragged the brusii down
into the fatal mud, and the oysters had
perished by the million.
Enlightened by his failure he made
another trial. He planted the birches
upright on the botcom, setting them at
an angle with the current. The sub
merged trees, as described in the judi
cial hnding, were from fifteen to twenty
feet in length, and the butts, which
were three or four inches in diameter,
were thrust three or four feet in the
mud. Their tops just pricked through
the waves at low tide. It is stated in
the report of the Oyster Commission of
the State that each female oyster will
produce in the breeding season from
9,000,000 to 40,000,000 eggs, which
float with the current and attach them
selves as spat or spawn to any obstacle
they encounter, in the breeding sea
son that followed the planting of the
birch trees, millions, billions of spat
came floating down the current of IV
quouoo River to the submarine forest.
It was just what they wanted—a ready
made home. They drifted as thick as
snowflakes to the bending boughs and
pliant twigs. Singly they were so
small as to be almost invisible, but
their legion speckled the trees with
brownish patches. Finally every branch
and twig was covered, but apparently
there was no diminution in the army
of floating immigrants. The new-com
ers multiplied on the speckles already
attached until there were dozens in a
bunch. It requires two years for an
oyster spawn or spat to reacn maturity.
From a mere speck It' will grow in a
month or six weeks to the size of a
quarter of a dollar. In two years an
acre of brush wdl produce 1000 bushels
of full-grown oysters. The trees bowed
under their load of growing shells, but
the elastic wood kept the fruit clear of
mud. At the end of a few months it
was seen that the oyster orchards pro
mised an astonishing harvest. All the
oystermen along the river were anxious
to try their hand at the new style of
oyster farming. Under the law of the
State tbe mud bottom on each side of
the 100-foot channel was staked and
set off in plats to a dozen or more appli
cants to be planted with oyster trees.
Boon both sides of Poquonoc River,
from its head for a long way toward
the sea, was bristling with sunken
birches waving an ebbing and flowing
welcome to the drifting spat.
Among the marine horticulturists
was Gideon F. Raymond, the plaintiff,
who in the years 1879-80-81 placed
upon his plats, in all, about 6700 white
birches. One encouraging crop of oys
ters had been gathered from tne trees,
the forests replanted, and the cultiva
tors were looking forward to a second
and larger harvest, when an event oc
curred which provoked the present suit
in Court, and has nearly ruined the
business of raising oysters on trees. In
May, 1881, scarlet fever and diphtheria
broke out in the village 'and neighbor
hood of Poquonoc and soon assumed
the most virulent character. The dis
eases raged through the spring ami
summer. Out of fifty cases twenty
terminated fatally. The distress was
terrible. The village was barred off
from the rest of the world. Few per
sons dared to cross the plague-stricken
district. Out-door work was in part
or wholly abandoned. The streets
were seldom disturbed except by the
passing of a funeral train. Often in
the same house two aud three persons
lay dead at the same time. Tne well
had all they could do to wait on the ill
md bury tne dflM. In the general ter
ror and fever of excitement some imagi
native person rushed to the conclusion
that the pestilence was caused by oys
ter brush decaying on the mud plats.
He whispered nis suspicion abroad. In
a moment tbe villagers were aflame
with resentment against the owners of
the oyster-beds. “Pull up the trees at
once and burn them on the river banks,”
was the wild demand. Few men were
calm enough to investigate or brave
enough to resist the popular clamor,
in the town of Groton, in which is
Poquonoc villt,ge, the selectmen and
Peace Justices constitute tne Hoard of
Health. Nearly all the members were
either large oyster bed owners or sym
pathizers. They were impelled to make
an investigation. They pulled up some
trees. The odor from them was not
unwholesome. They examined a filthy
pig-sty and said in their report: “Here
lies the cause of the epidemic. ” “Down
with the oyster-brush Board of Health!' 1
was the last leply of the stricken vil
lagers. An appeal was sent to Dr.
Charles W. Chamberlain, Chairman of
the State Board of Health. He visited
and examined the oyster plats. He re
turned to Hartford and wrote back an
order that the Local Hoard remove the
trees at once, .saying that the rotting
brush had poisoned the air. The Lo
cal Hoard proceeded to act, but were
met by an injunction served by the
fishermen who owned the beds. There
upon the citizens held a special town
meeting, electing anti-brush men as
officers, Who formed A hew Board of
Health. The new Board called a hear
ing, at which the anti-brush men were
represented by the Hon. Thomas M»
Waller, the present Governor of the
State. Gideon F. Raymond appealed
with the other oystermen in opposition.
The excitement at the bearing was so
fierce that Mr. Raymond was glad to
escape from the audience-room and
from the town.
The Board decided that the brush
must be taken up. W. S. Fisn and
Thomas W. Noyes were appointed a
committee to execute the task. A
dozen men were hired to pull up the
trees. They worked industriously from
late in the autumn of 1881 till the spring
of 1882 before their work was accom
plished. The trees were found to be
covered with oysters in all stages of
growth. Every bough and twig was
bent with the load. They were thrown
in a rattling heap on the shore, where
they were frozen and died by the cart
loads. It was found that most of tho
crop of the year 1879 were flt for mar
ket, and many of the year 1880 were in
like condition. The oysters on trees
planted latest, though only a few weeks
old, were as large as silver quarter dol
lars. Many were found no larger than
a shad scale. Raymond promptly
brought suit against the Board of
Health, claiming $25,000 damages.
His legal statement was. first, that the
Board was not a legally constituted
body; second, that they were respons
ible as a Board for any mistake they
might have mado, and, third, that it
was conferring extraordinary powers
on any Boat'd to authorize them to des
troy property merely at their own ca
price. The case came before the Su
perior Court in New London last fall.
The Court-room was thronged. The
most interesting evidence for the oyster
brush men was furnished by Captain
James M. Buddington, of Groton, a
l>olar whaler and explore:- and owner of
an oyster forest. He estimated that
500 bushels of oysters had been des
troyed on the Raymond lot alone,
though the greater part of the crop was
not a quarter grown. He said that he
had- seen from fourteen to twenty five
bushels of oysters on a single tree. He
presented in Court two or three twigs
of birch that were loaded with oysters.
During the trial the merits of the Pb-
quonoc River oysters were thoroughly
discussed. In the opinion of one ex
pert cultivator their delicious flavor
was due in part to tne strong solution
of iron brought down in the streams
from the rocky hillsides of inland,towns.
All the witnesses asserted that the Po
quonoc oyster was entirely free from
the hard substance that injures the
quality of other kinds. One Poquonoc
enthusiast said that they were the finest
oysters in the world on the half-shell.
Tne scarlet fever aud dipiitheria ceased
to be epidemic in Poquonoc on Septem
ber 1,1881, though cases of malarial
fever, an unusual disease in tne town,
appeared later.
Wolves and Dogs.
flow ia it that thS wolf of Russia Is so
amch more formidable an enemy to the
human race than his French or German
brothei? Writers and novelists of ail
ages have accused this ubiquitous quad
ruped of treachery, stealthiness and
ferocity, until children, wno take their
impressions from books and not from
experience, have come to regard him as
the inearnation of that is mean, blood
thirsty, tricky, and dangerous, “Truth
compels me, however,” says Lieutenant
Colonel Richard Irving Dodge, of the
U.ute 1 State: Army, “to affirm that of
ail tne carnivorous animals of equal size
and strength he is the most harmless to
beast and the least dangerous to man.
He will not even attack when wounded;
and though he will snap at pursuing
dogs in self-defense, he never follows up
the advantage given him by his sharp
teeth and powerfni jaws, bnt takes to
flight as fast as he can.” These words,
written about the buffalo woif of the
American plains, tall, gaunt, lean and
hungry looking, may with equal truth
be applied to his congener in Brittany
and Poitou, In the former province
wolves are rarely seen, although they
commit terrible nocturnal depredations
among sheep, calves and dogs. Such,
however, is their cowardice, that every
Breton farmer is in the habit of sending
his flock of sheep ont to pasturage dur
ing the day with a little child, pfteu a
girl not more than 6 or 7 years of age,
in charge of them, and nothing is more
uncommon than for the hungry marau
der, who lies licking his chops on the
edge of the adjoining thicket, to issue
forth from his fastness and pounce upon
a sheep so long as the infantile repre
sentative of the lord of creation is close
at hand. At night, however, the wolf
is bolder, aud will scale walls and
scratch his way through the thatched
roof of the sheepfold to get at his prey.
Strange as it may seem, the dog—es
pecially if he- be *of the smooth-haired
breed, like the pointer or fox terrier—
has more attractions for the “canis
lupus,” whose relative or descendant he
is generally believed to be, than the
woolly sheep. “When a wolf is hungry,”
writes an English gentleman who has
long resided in Brittany, “and smells
an appetizing dog, he will spring upon
huu and cany him off, even under the
nose ;of his master. It is certain, in
fact, that the wolf prefers a dog to any
other prey. When I was at Hnelgoet
three years since a wolf jumped over
the wall of the hotel yard and carried
off a dog whose piteous howls awoke
the entire village. An empty collar,
sospended at the end of the ohaio, and
covered with blood, bore testimony to
the untimely fate of its late wearer.”
The hvely author of “Wolf-hnnting in
Brittany relates that a Breton peasant
named Antoine lived some years since
with his wife in the Forest of Dualt or
“Black Rock.” A heavy snow-storm
had fallen to the monntains, and for
several nights in succession Antoine
found it necessary to protect Ms there’
sheep by admitting them to hi* hat.
Six or seven wolves paced around his
dwelling all night, uttering the most
dismal howls; bat a large wood-fire and
the presence of man kept off the fam
ished besiegers. At last the peasant
and his wife fell asleep, and the fire
burnt low. A sudden dash was made
at the roof, and five jaunt wolves leaped
down into the hut Before Antoine
ooold strike a light the three sheep were
devoured and a favorite little dog was
swallowed at a gulp, and then the in
vaders sprang upon an old oaken cap-
board and disappeared through the
roof.
Profeeeor Treadwell, of Massachu
setts, found that a half-grown American
robin in confinement ate in one day
sixty eight worms, weighing together
once and a half as much as the bird
himself, and another had previously
starved upon a daily allowance of eight
to ten worms,or about 20 per cent of his
own weight,
AGRICULTURE.
Thx drat few years of the life of an
apple tree la the most important peried
for exercising care and diligence in re
gard to pruning. A well-known pomo-
logist once said that he could grow a
model apple orchard and • never prune
with any other implement than a jack
knife. He wonld begin with the tree
as soon as it was taken from the nurse
ry, and would at onoe begin to form
rite future top. Then is the time to
avoid crotches, whioh will be almost
sure to split in after years, and to begin
at the top at the right height and in
the proper shape. One is apt* to begin
at the top too low; it looks higher on a
small tree than on a large one. It may
not be desirable for the general grower
to undertake to do all his pruning by
means of a knife, but he can always use
it to good advantage. Excessive prun
ing of large trees should always be
avoided.
Thb striped bag, wnich destroys
youug plants, is a great obstacle to su-
cumber culture. Yarious expedients
are resorted to in attempts at protection
against this pest. An efficient remedy
is sprinkling the plants and surface of
the hills, while wet with ashes, soot and
superphosphate. There is probably no
better remedy than soot when this can
be obtained in snffloient quantity. Box
es with mosquito-netting or glass for
the top are cheaply and readily made,
and when placed over the hills prevent
the bugs irom their work of destruo-
tiod.
Early Hoeing,—By this we do not
mean hoeing early in the season, but
early in the morning. In the early
morning the dew is on and this is charg
ed with an anailable amount of ammo
nia, whioh, of course, feeds the roots
below. If the surface is neglected a
crust forms and the air does not circu
late in the soil Get the farm hands to
begin work a oonple of hoars earlier in
the morning and give them the same
time at noon to rest.
Stir the Soil.—This cannot bo too
strongly urged upon farmers. Thor
ough pulverization of the soil is some
times worth an extra dressing of ma
nure. Two fields, lying side by side,
were sown in wheat. One was plowed
and harrowed the usual way while the
other was harrowed five tunes. The
result was that the latter gave seven
bushels more to the acre than the for
mer.
Chickens, when first hatched, should
not be harried ont of the setting nest
For twenty-four hours at least from the
time the earliest commence to show
themselves, it is better to leave them
under or with the hen mother. They
need no food for from a day to a day
and a half usually. When they get
strong enough to venture from beneath
their mother’s wings it is time to move
the brood.
A Du Page, III., farmer claims that
for three consecutive years he has ob
tained sound apples free from worms on
trees in his orchard by lowing three or
four quarts of salt under each tree,while
the fruit on trees not so salted was all
injured or ruined by the codling moth.
The ground in this case was under cul
tivation. and he had never tried the salt
remedy on trees growing in ground that
was seeded down. It will cost but little
to try the salt remedy, add now is tbe
time to do it.
Very careful experiments made in
New York last season show that the flat
culture of potatoes produces the finest
tubers and the largest yields. The beet
results followed the Dutch method of
planting, which consists of keeping the
surface of the ground level, planting a
single eye in a place, covering it six
itches deep and allowing bnt a single
stalk to grow in a hill, which are a foot
apart each way.
A correspondent of the Farmer»
Review has preticed daring several
winters the plan of keeping apples in
dry sand, poured into the filled barrels
after storing in the cellar, and finds it a
“decided improvement” on any other
ever tried, the fruit remaiaing till late
spriug“as crisp and apparently as fresh
as when first gathered.” He does like
wise with potatoes, and uses the same
sand year after year.
Thistles in Oats.—When thistles ap
pear in oats their tops may be mown off
a week or two before the oats shoot np
into heauing. At this time the thistles
are several inches higher than the oat
leaves. If cut then, blossomidg and
seeding are not only prevented, but the
short stubs of thistles fall out of the
bundles in binding and leave the straw
clean.
Moles Protect Strawberries.—An
Indianapolis, Indiana,fruit grower says:
“Last year I put twelve moles in my
strawberry patch of five acres to oaten
the grubs, and they did the work. I
never had a dozen plants injured during
the summer, either by the grubs or
moles. I know some people do not care
for moles on their farms, bnt I want
them in my strawberry patch.”
Imi practice ot some of the best far
mers now is to keep pigs through the
snmmer on green food, out and carried
to the pens, with a little grain,and what
milk can be spared after untter-making.
Spring pigs are thns made to weigh 200
pounds at raven months old, and,exoapt
in the last month, they get little grain.
The beet time to qell such pigs is at the
beginning of cold weather, usually in
October.
Melon Vines.—A writer states that
he has positively driven bugs away
from his vines by putting a gallon of
clean sand around every vine. Where
sand can be obtained this is a very con
venient protection against a very bad
enemy, and a single trial may satisfy
any one whether it is i fifcctuaL
The fat on a cow known to be a large
and rich milker will mostly go into the
cream pot during the season. It is
never safe to bny a milk cow in poor
condition, as she will require heavy feed
ing, or make poor thin milk.
Cut griss when in bloom, and it will
make more nutritive hay than if oqi
later. The amount of water has di
minished, and therefore shrinkage will
be less. In late-cut hay the increased
fiber make, it more indigestible.
As soon as onions show sign* 0 f mag
got work, pull the affected ones by the
roots, and carry them from tbe rtaiq.
Children can do this work, and many
onions can thus be saved, aa no worm
oau destroy more than a single plant.
THE VERDICT
-or—
THE PEOPLE
BUY THE BEST!
Ms. J. O. Boao—Dear Sir: I bought the lint
Davis Machine gold by you over live yean ago for
my wife, who has given it a long and fair trial. I
am well pleased with It. It never gives any
rouble, and la aa good as when hint bought.
J. W. UOMCE.
Winns boro, S. C., April 1883.
Mr. Boao: You wish to Know what T have to aay
in regard to the Davis Machine bought of von three
f ears ago. I feel 1 can’t say too much In Ita favor.
mode about $80,00 within live months, at times
ruhnlng It so fast that the needle would get per
fectly hot from friction. I feel confident I could
not have done the same work with as much ease
and so well with any other machine. No time lost
In adjusting attachments. The lightest running
machine 1 have ever treadled. Brother James and
Williams’ families are as much pleased with their
Davis Machines bought ot you. I want no better
machine. As I said before, I don’t think too
much can be said for the Davis Machine.
Respectfully,
ELLIN STIVINSON,
Falrfl“ld County, April, 1883.
Mr. Boao : My machine gives me perfect satis
faction. I find no fault with it. The attachments
are so simple, i wish for no better than the Davis
Vertical Feed.
Respectfully.
Mrs. R. Mili.iho.
Fairfield county, April, 1883.
Mr. Boao: I bought a Davis vertical Feed
ewmg Machine from you four years ago. I am
slighted with it. It never has given me any
rouble, and has never been the least out of order.
It is as good aa when I first bought it. I can
cheerfully recommend It.
Respectfully,
Mrs. ji. J. Kirkland.
Montlcelio, April 30,1888. A
This Is t<> certify that I have been using a Dans
Vertical Feed Sewing Machine for over two years,
purchased of Mr. J. O. Hoag. I haven’t found 11
possessed of any fault—all the attachments are ao
simple. It never refuses to work, and Is certainly
the lightest running In the market. I consider it
a first-class machine.
Very respectfully,
Minnii M. Willingham.
Oakland, Fairfield county, 8. C.
Mr Boao : i am weu pieaseu in every particui
with the Davis Machine bought of you. I think
a first-class machine in every respect. You knew
you sold several machines of the same make to
different members of our families, all of whom,
as far as 1 know, are well pleased with them.
Respectfully,
Mas. M. H. Mobley.
Fairfield county, April, 1883.
This isto certify we nave naa m constant use
the Davis Machine bonght of you about three years
ago. As we take In work, and have made the
price of it several times over, we don’t want any
better machine. It Is always ready to do any kind
of work we have to do. No puckering or skipping
stitches. We can only say we are well pleased
ana wish no better machine,
Catherine Wylie and Sister.
April 25,1883.
I haye no fault to find with my machine, and
don’t want any better. I have made the price of
It severe, times by taking In sewing. It Is always
ready to do Its work. I think It a first-class ma
chine. I feel I can t say too much for the Davis
Vertical Feed Machine.
Mrs. Thomas Smith.
Fairfield county, April, 1883.
Mr. J. O. Boao—Dear Sir: It gives me much
pleasure to testify to the merits of tbe Davis Ver
tical Feed Sewing Machine. The machine I got of
you about five years ago. has been almost In con
stant use ever since that time. I cannot see that
it Is worn any, aud has not cost me one cent for
repairs since we have had it. Am well pleased
and don’t wish tor any better.
Yours tru'y,
Robt. Crawford,
Granite Quarry, near Winnsboro S. C.
We have used the Davis Vertical Feed Sewing
Machine for the last five years. We would not
have any other make at any pnee. The machine
has given us unbounded satisfaction.
Very respectfully,
Mrs. W. K. Turner and Daughters
Fairfield county, S. C„ Jan. 2T, 1888.
Having bonght a Davis Vertical Feed Sewing
Machine from Mr. J. O. Bong some three yean
ago, and It having given me perfect satisfaction In
everv respect as a tamily machine, both for heavy
and light sewing, and never needed the least re
pair In any way, I can cheerfnliy recommend It to
any one as a first-class machine In every particu
lar, and think it second to none. It is one of the
simplest machines made; my children use It with
all ease. The attachments are more easily ad
justed and it does a greater range of work by
means of its Vertical Feed than any other ma
chine I have ever seen or used.
M *s. Thomas owings.
Winnsboro, I-airfield county, 8. C.
, We have had one of the Davis Machines about
four years and have always found it ready to do all
kinds of work we have had occaaton to da Can’t
see tnat the machine Is worn any, and works as
well aa wnen new.
— o^ w .4 AAG AAA4MV/UAAAw 11ref
been ont of order since she had It. and she c
any kind of work on Ik
Very Respectfully,
Montlcelio,' Fairfield county, 8. O** *' ,UI
Ridgeway, N. C., Jan. 10. 1883.'
any repairs and works just as well as whei
bought She says it will do a gres" r ru
practical work and do it easier and bettei
any maculae she has ever used. We chw
recommend It as a Na 1 family machine.
Your tnty,
Winnsboro, 8. C., Jan. 3, isss^* 8, ^ DAV
M*. Boao : I have always found my Dai
chine ready do all kinds of to work Ihave I
•anion to do. I cannot see that the
wom a particle and it works ss weilas wh«
Respectfully,
Winnsboro, S. C., April,*1 Sit,^ C ' GoODI
¥7 wlfe h *s been constantly
the Davis Machine bonght of you about five
Sjto. I have never regretted baying it a
always ready for any kind of family sewing
n *paire r l ^ ht ’ 1111 neTer 001 of otd
Very respectfully.
A. w. I
re
Fairfield, 8. C., March, 1881.
\
f.