Thursday, November 29, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, February 19, 1881
A traveling party lost their dog at Leipzig, and ten days afterward, when at Berlin, about one hundred miles distant, the animal joined them again, ragged and gaunt. The dog had not before been over the road.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, June 13, 1849
A short time ago, my host Stewart, of the Denton Hotel, purchased a rock fish weighing about sixty pounds. Upon opening it he found in it a certificate of membership of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which is as follows:
Member
Methodist E. Church,
Founded A. D. 1784.
Quarterly Ticket, 18
Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
The paper was of course in a crumbled and wet condition, but upon exposing it to the sun, and ironing the kinks out of it, it became quite legible.
Denton [Md.] Journal.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, August 15, 1849
The following is an account of a wonderful sea fight, taken from a late Dublin paper:
Capt. Rochefort, of the British and Irish Company’s crew vessel Rose, arrived yesterday morning from London, and reported having on his passage fallen in with a whale of huge dimensions one morning, at two o’clock, seven miles S. W. of, the Lizard. This monster of the deep was suffering at the time in an encounter with two great enemies of his tribe-a sword fish and a thresher. These formidable creatures generally go together through the waters, and are reputed to be joined in a league of unrelenting enmity against the cetaceous animals. Capt. Rochefort and his crew saw the combat for about three quarters of an hour, but, being obliged to continue their voyage homewards, they had to forego the pleasure of witnessing the struggle to its close, and of taking in tow to Dublin the body of the vanquished whale, for of his eventually worsted in the affray there was no doubt. The sword fish was seen once driving his tremendous weapon into the belly of his victim, as he turned on his side in agony. The thresher fastened on his back, and gave him some terrific blows which were heard at a distance with great distinctness. The latter not having any power to strike in the water, it was the instinctive policy of the sword fish to make the attack from below; thus causing the whale to rise above the surface, which he did at times to a remarkable height; The other assailant which was about twenty feet long, then dealt out his blows unsparingly, with all the force of his lengthy tailfinn-between them their victim suffered extremely; he spouted blood to an immense height, and crimsoned the sea all round to a considerable distance. Being within two hundred yards of the ship towards which the whale appeared to make for protection, the conflict was distinctly visible to all on board. It is considered unusual for marine animals, such as were engaged in the struggle now narrated, to be seen at such a latitude. But this point must be settled by naturalists.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, June 27, 1849
In the vicinity of the barracks assigned to the European soldiers in India, there is usually a number of little solitary cells, where the disorderly members of the corps are confined for longer or shorter terms, by order of the commanding officer. In one of these at Madras, on a certain occasion, was locked up poor Jack Hall, a Scotchman, belonging to Edinburgh or Leith. Jack had been intoxicated and was sentenced to eight days of solitary confinement.
Soldiers in India have their bedding partly furnished by the honorable company, and find the remainder themselves. About this part of the house furnishing, however, Hall troubled himself very little, being one of those hardy, reckless beings on whom privation and suffering seen to make no impression. A hard floor was a down bed to Jack; and therefore, as he never scrupled to sell what he got, it may be supposed that his sleeping furniture was none of the most abundant or select.
Such as it was, he was stretched upon, and under it one night in his cell, during his term of penance, and reflecting on the impropriety of the future “putting an enemy into his mouth to steal his brains,” when lo! he thought he heard a rustling in the cell close by him. At this moment he recollected that he had not, as he ought to have done, stopped up an air hole which entered the cell on a level with the floor, and also with a rock externally on which the building was placed.
A strong suspicion of what had happened, or what was about to happen, came over Hall’s mind; but he knew it was probably too late to do any good, could he even find the hole in darkness, and get it closed. He therefore lay still, and in a minute or two heard another rustle close by, which was followed by the cold, slimy touch of a snake upon his feet.
Who, in such a situation, would not have started up and cried for help? Jack did neither. He lay stone still, and held his peace; knowing that his cries would most probably have been unheeded by the distant guard. Had his bed clothes been more plentiful, he might have endeavored to protect himself by wrapping them closely around him; but this their scantiness forbade.
Aware that although a motion or a touch would provoke a snake to bite, it would not generally do it without such excitement, Jack held himself as still as if he had been a log. The snake, which was of great size, crawled over him. Jack moved not a muscle.
For an hour the reptile crept back and forth over the body of the petrified sailor. At length it selected a position near his head, and coiled itself to rest.
The morning of that terrible night dawned at last. Never had the human heart experienced such violent throbbings; and yet, the dauntless courage of the sailor sustained him through the difficult trial. Jack looked cautiously about him; arose noiselessly, and looked for the intruder. Not seeing the snake, he became assured that it was under his pillow. He raised the end of this just sufficient to get a peep at the reptile’s crest. He then placed his knee firm on the pillow; but allowed the snake to wriggle out his head, which he battered to pieces. This done, the courageous fellow for the first time breathed freely.
Chamber’s Edinburg Journal.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, September 5, 1849
The Boston Traveler gives the following account of a singular death from fright in that city.
The following cause of death was reported at the interment office: It appears that some days ago a boy, named Joseph Kennedy, six years of age while sitting in the kitchen at home, received a severe shock of fright from a cat, which had been shut out, suddenly leaping through a pane of glass into the room, shattering the glass. The boy immediately sickened and died, and, as the physician pronounced, solely from the effects of the shock.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, August 22, 1849
During the height of the fire on Monday morning, a woman was sitting near a fence, out of danger, surrounded by a few articles of furniture, and two fat pigs. She appeared perfectly unconcerned in regard to the progress of the fire, and was absorbed in scratching the backs of her pigs with a hoop-pole. They were evidently highly gratified with the affectionate attention of their mistress, for they paid no heed to the bustle around them. When asked what had become of her little children, she replied that she hadn’t seen them for an hour or two, but she had no doubt they would take care of themselves, while she felt it was her duty to watch over her part of the family which hadn’t equal intelligence. It is gratifying to know that the whole family-mother, children and porkers were united and comfortably quartered before night-fall.-Alb. Journal.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, June 20, 1849
Last fall some time, a large Prairie wolf, who had acquired sufficient notoriety in the neighborhood northwest from Paris [Illinois] and not very far from the town, by his bold and daring depredations upon the lambs, pigs, etc. of the neighbors, to cause a reward of five dollars to be offered for his scalp; one day came near the residence of Mr. Q’s dog, they got onto a severe fight. Miss Jane hearing the fuss, picked up an axe and ran to the scene of action. With a degree of firmness possessed by but few of her sex, she at once engaged in the melee and dispatched the wolf with the axe. We understand the premium offered by the county, as well as that offered by the neighbors, was paid to Miss J.-Paris Pioneer.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, September 19, 1849
A black snake, four feet and a half in length, was captured in an apothecary shop in Lowell, yesterday. He went to the city in a load of wood. Having made his way to the apothecary shop, liquor was put up on the floor, and the unfortunate visitor yielded, to temptation, got drunk, and was easily captured. This is another striking instance of the dangers to which unsophisticated visitors to the city are exposed.-Boston Jour.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Wednesday, October 24, 1849
Chews Tobacco Like a Man.
A friend has just related to us a curious fact in natural history respecting a dog. In North Attleboro, Mass. there is kept, in a manufacturing establishment, a large mastiff, who takes as much comfort with a quid of tobacco, as does the most inveterate lover of the weed. So habituated has he become to its use, that he must have it, and will sit all day in the center of the workshop, chewing away with great appetite and good relish. He became thus much like a man, by playing, when young, with “old sogens,” as the end of cigars are professionally fermed. In such play he would occasionally find a “soger in his mouth, until at length a taste was formed for the tobacco, which has since continued to increase, and now he is what he is. We believe this is the only instance on record” of any animal but man, and one species of worm, using the weed from pure love of it.-Boston Cabinet.
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Published in the Sangamo Journal, Springfield, Illinois on Tuesday, November 27, 1849
The following fact occurred yesterday: A beautiful and high spirited horse would never allow a shoe to be put on his feet, or any person to handle his feet, without a resort to every species of power and means to control him. At one time he was nearly crippled by being put in the stocks; he was afterwards thrown down and fettered; at another time one of our experienced horse shoers was unable to manage him by the aid of as many hands as could approach. In an attempt to shoe this horse yesterday he resisted all efforts, kicked aside everything but an anvil, and came near killing himself against that, and finally was brought back to his stable unshod. This was his only defect; in all respects he is gentle and perfectly docile, especially in harness. But this defect was just on the eve of consigning him to the plow, where he might work barefoot, when by mere accident, an officer in our service, lately returned from Mexico, was passing, and being made acquainted with the difficulty, applied a complete remedy, by the following simple process:
He took a cord about the size of a common bed cord, put it in the mouth of the horse like a bit, and tied it tightly on the top of the animal’s head, passing his left ear under the string, not painfully tight, but tight enough to keep the ear down, and the cord in its place. This done, he patted the horse gently on the side of the head and commanded him to follow, and instantly the horse obeyed, perfectly subdued, and as gentle and obedient as a well trained dog suffering his feet to be lifted with entire impunity, and acting in all respects like an old stager. That simple string thus tied made him at once docile and obedient as any one could desire. The gentleman who thus furnished this exceedingly simple means of subduing a very dangerous propensity, intimated that it is practiced in Mexico and South America in management of wild horses. Be this as it may, he deserves the thanks of all owners of such horses, and especially the thanks of those whose business it may be to shoe or groom the animals.-Com Adv.