Friday, December 28, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield,Illinois on Saturday, August 11, 1832
The Captain of a trading vessel, who now resides at Brighton, picked up lately a dog at sea, more than twenty miles from land. This circumstance may throw some light on the fact of dogs, which have been sent to France or Ireland from England, finding their way back. The present earl of L….., sent some drafted hounds from his kennel in Cumberland to Ireland, where they were safely received, and a receipt given for them to the person who brought them over. Three weeks afterwards, two of those hounds made their appearance at Lord L….’s kennel, though in a very exhausted state. A gentleman told me, that a pointer dog, which had been left at Calais, made its way over to England. The most amusing fact of this kind that I know of, is one that was related to me by a gentleman on whose veracity I can place the most implicit reliance; and though it may appear to some of my readers to border upon the marvelous, I think it too entertaining to withhold it. He informed me that a friend of his, an officer in the forty-fourth regiment, who had occasion, when in Paris, to pass one of the bridges across the Seine, had his boots, which had been previously well polished, dirtied by a poodle-dog rubbing against them. He in consequence went to a man who was stationed on the bridge, and had them cleaned. The same circumstance having occurred more than once, his curiosity was excited and he watched the dog. He saw him roll himself in the mud of the river, and then watch for a person with well polished boots, against whom he contrived to rub himself. Finding that the shoe black was the owner of the dog, he taxed him with the artifice; and after a little hesitation, he confessed that he had taught the dog the trick in order to procure customers for himself. The officer, being much struck with the dog’s sagacity, purchased him at a high price, and brought him to England. He kept him tied up in London sometime, and then released him. The dog remained with him a day or two, and then made his escape. A fortnight afterwards, he was found with his former master, pursuing his old trade on the bridge.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield,Illinois on Thursday, March 2, 1848
Plutarch tells a very amusing story of Mark Anthony, who was a keen angler. One day while Cleopatra and he were indulging in this sport, he was unusually unsuccessful. Hurt at this disappointment in the presence of his mistress, he gave secret orders to some of the fishermen to dive under water, and to fasten, unseen, to his hook, some of the finest and largest fishes, still alive, and which they had lately taken in their nets. With nice execution they obeyed his orders. Every time he drew up his line he succeeded. The cunning Cleopatra, in rapturous language, extolled his art, his address and his fortune. Acquainted, however, with the artifice he was using, she had recourse to the ingenious countermine of desiring one of her own attendants to dive secretly, and attach to his hook a large dried Pontic fish. At last, when pulling up the line, at the sight of the heavy salted fish, the spectators expressed their surprise by a loud laugh. Antony did not relish the joke, and seemed highly displeased. The queen observing him in the mood, immediately took him in her arms, and fondly exclaimed, “Leave, dear general, angling to us pretty princes of Pharos and Canopus; your game is cities, kingdoms, and provinces.”
Friday, December 28, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Friday, June 23, 1922
Alice Rips Up Stake as Lion Claws Her Trunk in the Circus Tent.
Herd Head Saves Day.
Alice, a couple of tons of elephantine flesh got frightened last night and nearly went on a rampage that might have given Golimar Brothers circus a safe full of small change if Lizzie, the lead of the herd, had not brought her to her senses.
Alice was busy grabbing peanuts in the menagerie tent. Her trunk shot nearer and nearer to the lion cage to get the delicate morsels that lay in the dust. One lone peanut had found its way to the edge of the lion cage and Alice saw it. Out went the lithe trunk, through the bars and near the lion’s claws. The trunk grabbed the peanut but at the same time the claws of the lion scratched the trunk.
A shrill wail from Alice brought the herd to a frightened attention. Up came Alice’s stake as she pulled for a safer position. Back of her surged the heavy herd.
Then came the action of Lizzie and the trainer. Reassuring and calm was the note from the trunk of Lizzie. The herd snapped to attention and the trainer clapped the stake that shackled Alice in the ground. A stampede, the one fear of a circus man’s life, had been averted and a property damage of thousands of dollars had been prevented.
The damage done was slight, but fear gripped the heart of the circus men before Lizzie had quieted the herd. Only one bar had been ripped from the lion’s cage by Alice as she tore her trunk away in a frenzy after the clawing. Still the intervention of Lizzie had probably saved the entire menagerie tent, and a house or two.
The last stampede of the herd, according to the circus men, came in Montgomery, Ala., the winter quarters. A lonesome mouse had run in fright up the trunk on one of the elephants. A bellow of fear followed and the entire herd trouped through the side of the winter barn.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamon Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, August 9, 1848
About the moment of the Cambria’s departure from Liverpool last Saturday, a dreadful occurrence was taking place at the Zoological Gardens near that town. As one of the keepers was engaged in his usual office of cleaning out the den of the Elephant “Rajah,” he struck the animal a blow with the broom to make him move. The animal took no notice, and the blow was repeated with severity which so infuriated Rajah that he forced the keeper with his tusks against the timbers which form the den, hurting him severely, that as the elephant retired he fell to the ground. The elephant had not yet done with him, but again approached, and placing his great foot, which measured four feet around it, upon his body, and crushed him to death.
The proprietor, who was in the garden at the time, determined upon having the animal destroyed and upon representing the case at the barracks, obtained the services of thirty-six riflemen, and to prepare for the worst, for it is alleged that the elephant was mad, two field pieces, also, two Captains accompanying the men. A dose of prussic acid was administered to the animal, which scarcely produced any effect-at least he soon overcame it. Twelve of the soldiers then fired, but without effect-and upon twelve additional shot’s being discharged, only one took effect. It entered under the fore shoulder-the animal reeled and fell dead. Van Amburgh, who was present at the execution, said, that only one ball took effect. Rajah was a noble animal-the largest elephant in the kingdom, and cost the proprietor of the garden L600, eleven years ago. He was thirty-five years old, was ten feet high, and weighed nearly four tons. This was the second keeper he killed; it was, nevertheless, a pity to destroy so rare an animal.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamon Journal, Springfield,Illinois on Thursday, June 22, 1848
Yesterday, by city ordinance, was the last day that hogs were allowed to roam our streets without a ring in their noses. We hope the city [Springfield, Illinois] marshal will see that the ordinance is enforced.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamon Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Thursday, August 15, 1844
During the voyage of the U. S. sloop of war Saratoga to the island of St. Thomas, off the coast of Africa, May 24th, the coxswain in charge of the tiller, broke it and fell overboard. While in the act of swimming towards the ship, he was seen suddenly to disappear, and thereupon the fins and tail of a huge shark emerged from the water, and splashing for a few moments, sunk beneath the surface. I saw, says a spectator, nothing but a crimson stain of blood and a hat floating at a short distance. Not a cry was heard, it was so sudden. Again the splashing of the shark occurred, another was seen to seize the hat-two boats reached the spot; but to late-scores of fish were leaping about for the torn pieces of the poor sailor.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamon Journal, Springfield,Illinois on Thursday, June 27, 1844
In the village of Pottsville, Pa., a few weeks since, a handbill, of which the following is a copy, was posted up for public perusal:
The Fox and the Coon! Grand Contest!
A grand contest between a little red Fox, and a real live Coon, the representative of Van Buren and Clay, will be had at the saloon of the Town Hall.
This Evening, [Saturday, March 23rd,] at 8 o’clock. The friends of the old Fox of Kinderhook, and also the adherents of “that same old Coon,” of Kentucky, are invited to attend and see that “fair play” is shown to their respective favorites. Admittance 12 cents. Pottsville, March 23rd, 1844.
The contest announced in the foregoing, grew out of a dispute, says the Miners’ Journal, about a woodcut representing a Coon with a Fox down.
At the time and place mentioned, a vast number of whigs and locos assembled to witness the fight, and, in the language of the handbill, only fair play shown to their respective favorites.
The Coon, continues the Journal, was only about six months old, and rather small. The Fox was old and, nearly twice the size of his Coonship, and looked quite as sly and cunning as Matty himself. The preparations were all made-bets ran high-Cooney walked deliberately to Foxey, and lick’d him in two minutes! Foxey ran and ensconsed himself in a bucket-Cooney followed, sprung upon the basket, placed his paw in a peculiar position-and a shout in favor of the “Coon of Kentucky,” fairly rant the Hall.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Published in the Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, February 15, 1890
He would Swallow Anything That Would Ring, but Counterfeit Money Was a no go.
Like Ursus and Homo, Billy and Danger were good friends. Billy Wright is a man and Danger was a dog. Billy Wright is running a saloon on Wabash avenue and Danger is dead. He was blown up in an explosion in a manhole the other day. He was a sagacious animal, and Billy often said that he knew more than half the men who came in to take a drink over the bar. Danger’s name did not fit him for the reason that he was not dangerous. On the contrary, he was the most forlorn-looking cur that ever escaped the poundmaster. One ear was gone, he squinted in his left eye, a section of his tail was missing, he limped badly owing to a dislocation in his right leg, and at some time in his life a beer-wagon had run over his back, completely marring what ever little beauty he might have possessed. Then someone scalded him. Nobody ever knew where Danger got his food. Billy said he guessed the dog had a meal ticket over on the West Side. At all events Danger never ate anything around the saloon except money. It may sound strange, but it is a fact, nevertheless, that Danger would swallow anything in the shape of money from a one-cent copper to a silver quarter. He seemed to have a penchant for small coin, and never lost an opportunity to gobble up whatever came his way. If a customer chanced to drop some of his change on the floor Danger was there, literally speaking, with four feet. Before the astonished patron knew what had happened his nickels and dimes had disappeared down Danger’s canacious throat. Then the bank would be closed for a time, and Danger would crawl off to his corner and pretend to sleep, looking out of the corner of his eye for another opening.
“The funny part about it all,” Billy used to say, “is that you can’t fool ‘um with counterfeit money. They often try it on ‘um with lead nickels and tin beer tabs, but he is to wise.
Shorty before Danger died, a stranger entered the saloon. He called for a drink and in receiving the change dropped a quarter on the floor. The echo of the ring had not died away before Danger had snapped the coin up and sneaked behind the stove.
“Here! How’s this?” gasped the man as his eyes bulged out like the bull’s-eye front to a watchman’s dark lantern. “Where’s that money gone?”
“Dog swallowed it,” replied Billy, nonchalantly polishing a wine-glass with his apron. “Dog swallowed it! O,I guess not.” “Well, I guess yes,” returned Billy, carefully replacing his glass back of the bar. “What! a dog ate money?”
“Sure.”
“No O,no.”
“try ‘um with a silver dollar,” said Billy, complacently drawing himself a “snit” of beer.
The man looked at the remaining change in his hand, looked at the homely cur apparently asleep.
“Not in a thousand years,” he said.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield,Illinois on Wednesday, November 29, 1848
We copied a paragraph from the London Globe, last week, alleging the appearance of a huge sea serpent to persons on board the British frigate Dedalus. The following official announcement of the fact is copied from a state paper brought by the Hibernia.
Her Majesty’s Ship Dedalus, Mamoaze, Oct. 11.
Sir-In reply to your letter of this day’s date, inquiring information as to the truth of a statement published in the Globe newspaper, of a sea serpent of extraordinary dimensions having been seen from her Majesty’s ship Dedalus, under my command, in her passage from the East Indies, I have the honor to acquaint you, for the information of the lords commissioners of the Admiralty, that at 1o’clock P. M. on the 6th of August last, in latitude 4 deg. 44 min. S, and longitude 9 deg. 22 min. W. The weather dark and cloudy, wind fresh from the N. W. with long ocean swell from the N. E., by N. something very unusual was seen by Mr. Sartoris, midshipman, rapidly approaching the ship before the beam. The circumstance was immediately reported by him to the officer of the watch, lieutenant Edger Drummed, with whom and Mr. William Barret, the master, I was at the time walking the quarter deck. The ship’s company were at supper.
On our attention being called to the object, it was discovered to be an enormous serpent, with head and shoulders kept about four feet constantly above the surface of the sea, and as nearly as we could approximate by comparing it with length of what our maintopsail yard would show in the water, there was at the very least 60 feet of the animal, no portion of which was, to our perception, used in propelling it through the water, either by vertical or horizontal undulation. It passed rapidly, but so close under our left quarter, that had it been a man of my acquaintance, I would have easily recognized his features with the naked eye; and it did not, either in approaching the ship or after it had passed our wake, deviated in the slightest degree from its course to the S. W., which it held on at the pace of from 12 to 15 miles an hour, apparently on some determined purpose.
The diameter of the serpent was about fifteen or sixteen inches behind the head, which was without any doubt, that of a snake, and never during the twenty minutes that it continued in sight of our glasses, was below the surface of the water; its color a dark brown, with yellowish white about the throat. It had no fins, but something like the mane of a horse, or rather a bunch of sea weed about its back. It was seen by the quartermaster, the boatswain’s mate, and the man at the wheel, in addition to myself and officers above mentioned.
I am having a drawing of the serpent made from a sketch taken immediately after it was seen, which I hope to have ready for transmission to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, by tomorrow’s post.
Peter M’Quham, Captain.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Thursday, July 31, 1845
The waters of the Francisco Bay, and especially of some of the rivers which enter it, are thronged with aquatic fowls of every description, beyond estimation, computation or description. A gunner can obtain feathers enough in a day for a large bed-and fowls enough to last him two months. They will not spoil for that time, if cleaned, and hung up in the air. If you can fall upon their nests, you can load a boat with eggs in a short time. So say Yankees in California.