A Two Day's Bride Insane

Kansas, 1879

July 13 — Mr. Oliver Mottier was joined in matrimony with a very estimable young lady of Williambury. On Tuesday, the 15th, only two days after her marriage, she became a raving maniac.

The first indications had of anything being wrong was her going into a trance, similar to that of a spiritual medium. Her talk appeared to be entirely with Minnehaha, or about her, she having previously read about her, then there appeared to be a struggle between Minnehaha and another, a male Indian, to get possession of her mind; the latter succeeding, she commenced going through the war-hoop and yells, and all other maneuvers incident to Indians starting out upon the warpath.

This part of the sad scene having come to an end, her ravings day and night were of a very promiscuous character, but showed very little symptoms of vicious or profane temper. Her father informed us that she had not been in the habit of reading or studying Spiritualism, and knew comparatively nothing of the subject. The woman was brought to Ottawa on Monday, where she was declared insane, and ordered to the Ossawatomie Asylum. — Ottawa Gazette, Kansas.

How to Secure a Good Country School-House

1879

Agriculture advances with the improved conditions of the common schools

There is more at stake in a little country school than some of us are aware of. The surroundings of a child exert a wonderful influence for good or ill. It is good economy to see that the school-house and its surroundings are convenient and pleasant. For beautifying the ground employ a landscape gardener or the man or men of your own neighborhood, who have displayed the best taste in beautifying their own homes. Before constructing a school, do not be afraid to pay a small fee for plans to be examined. Then, on these plans get the advice of a committee of teachers. Every man is not a landscape gardener or an architect, any more than he is a blacksmith or a doctor. By employing the best men for each place or business, time and money are saved and everything goes off better. There are numerous approved patterns of stoves and furnaces which are made for bringing into the room, in a partially heated condition, an abundance of fresh air, and for expelling the impure air. To do this may take a trifle more fuel but it will prevent cold draughts, drowsiness, pale faces, and poor health. Good health is a priceless treasure, often too little prized till it is taken from us. To regain it we are willing to spend fortunes; to preserve it in our children we should take all reasonable precautions.

A school-room, even the poorest, need not be destitute of ornaments. A little effort on the part of a teacher or of the school board, will secure some pictures, brackets and vases for flowers. Once in a while some evergreens may be tastily arranged and suitable mottoes placed about the room.

And now, after making all needful preparations in the house and its surroundings, do not neglect the most important part of placing a first-class teacher in charge. The people may be poor, the number of children small, the times hard, and the most rigid economy seem necessary; but here is one of the last places wherein to cut off expenses. The enterprising farmer does not try to hire poor, cheap hands to do his work, because produce is cheap or because he is in debt. He knows the best are the cheapest at any reasonable price. He hires men to drive his team, to feed his animals, milk his cows, plant, cultivate, and harvest his crops. He does not expect that even his best men will perform these duties with profit to himself without some of his personal oversight. To perform this work, he often pays a man more wages than is paid the teacher of the summer district school. He is willing to leave this cheap teacher with entire control of his children all summer for the best hours of the day, but he would not think of trusting the entire care of his swine to the best man he could hire. He could not afford it. He would lose money. Swine may live a year or two and that is the last of them. The children will probably live forty to sixty years, and mold the character of those who follow them, and, to some extent, of all those with whom they associate. There is no reason in thus discriminating between the care of our domestic animals and of our children. Is it not a wonder that the district schools are as good as they are, considering their management?

Every farmer does not know how to superintend a school. But few of them know how, and they are aware of it, hence they do not visit the schools or attempt to interfere with their management. In some States the people employ skilled or professional persons to superintend their schools, but in many places there is almost no supervision. The school runs itself, if the teacher and scholars can get along together. Every man ought to be expert at his own business, and has no reason to expect he can do everything and do it well.

To all I say, employ only good teachers. How can this be done? Certainly not without taking some pains to find out that they are good. The candidates should be thoroughly examined in various studies, by competent persons, who make this their entire business, or an important part of their business. This is not all. Good testimonials must be produced, vouching for moral character, correct habits, etc. If the person has ever taught school before, great care should be taken to learn that he has liked the business, kept good order, and succeeded in interesting his pupils. With thorough examinations and a searching inquiry of reliable persons as to character and former success, competent teachers can be selected.

There is no objection to hiring such persons at the lowest possible rates that will employ them, but hire them at any price, and do not take up, even for one term, with a person who does not bear the severest test. In hiring for low wages, this must be taken into consideration: the teacher will not be contented with his place or business. He may think it important to give part of his time to something else, to eke out his small salary. If he is possessed of good calibre, he will soon engage in some other business, where his energy will bring larger returns. This will make it necessary to employ new and untried teachers. Frequent changes of teachers are much to be avoided. — Prof. Beal.

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

1879

The Seven Wonders of the world have justly called forth admiration for many ages, and as many of our readers may not be acquainted with them, we take this opportunity of giving a short description of them.

First, the enormous Colossus, of Rhodes, claims our attention. It was built by Cares, of Lindus, a pupil of Lysippus, in the year 288, A. D., and twelve years were spent in its construction. It was an enormous statue of Apollo, and was one hundred and twenty feet high. It stood across the harbor of Rhodes for sixty-six years, when it was prostrated by an earthquake. It was afterward bought by a Jew from the Saracens, who loaded nine hundred camels with the brass.

Next in order are the Pyramids of Egypt, those wondrous monuments of wealth and grandeur of the ancient kings of that country. The largest of the structures employed three hundred and sixty thousand workmen for thirty years in its construction. The general opinion is that it was designed for the tomb of Cheops, the supposed founder of the pyramids.

Next comes the aqueducts of Rome. Little is known about them except that they were constructed by Appius Claudius, the Roman censor.

Fourth, the Labyrinth of Psammetichus, on the banks of the Nile, containing within one continued wall, one thousand houses and twelve royal palaces, all covered with marble, and having only one entrance. One building was said to contain three thousand chambers and a hall built of marble, adorned with statues of the gods.

Fifth, the Pharos of Alexandria, a tower built by order of Ptolemy Philadelphos, in the year 252, B. C. It was erected as a lighthouse and contained magnificent galleries of marble, a large lantern at the top, the light of which was seen a hundred miles distant. Mirrors of enormous size were fixed around the galleries, which reflected everything on the sea. A common tower now stands in its place.

Sixth, the Walls of Babylon, built by order of Semiramis, or Nebuchadnezzar, and finished in one year by two hundred thousand workmen. These walls were of sufficient thickness to allow six chariots to run abreast upon them. They were further furnished with one hundred gates of solid brass.

The last of the Seven Wonders is the Temple of Diana, at Ephesus, completed in the reign of Sevius, the sixth king of Rome. It was four hundred and fifty feet long, two hundred feet broad, and was supported by one hundred and twenty-six marble pillars seventy feet high. The beams and doors were of cedar, the rest of the timber was cypress wood. It was destroyed by fire in the year 365 B. C.

The Opera Through the Telephone

1879

Very many persons among the opera audiences at the Academy of Music recently noticed a curious little box on the stage, immediately beside the prompter's box, with a tin funnel opening toward the singers, but probably very few had the slightest idea of what were its uses.

In reality it was a scientific marvel, and played a quite important part in an experiment that was completely successful. The instrument was a Blake's Battery transmitter, made very much like an ordinary Bell telephone, but having, in place of the permanent magnet, a Bhumkorf coil and one cell of battery attached. Its usual function on a telephone line is to increase the volume of sound by the action of an induced current, but at the Academy it was employed to gather in the music of the opera and convey it to distant residences. A private wire led from it to the office of Dr. Alan P. Smith, and to the homes of Mr. A. G. Davis. No. 429 Madison avenue, and A. Wilson, Jr., 162 Mosher street, connecting to telephones at each place.

Listeners at these houses placed an ear to the telephone, and heard all the music of the opera almost as distinctly as if seated in the auditorium of the Academy. The voices and the orchestral music were transmitted perfectly. Even the words of the prompter were audible, as well as the applause from the front of the house. The test was a most interesting one, and was perfectly successful. — Baltimore American.

Judge Also Town Bartender, Court Recesses for Drinks

California, 1879

Tending Two Bars

At Moore's Flat, Nevada Co., Cal., on the 18th instant, Justice J. M. Ballard was presiding in his court room, trying a prisoner. His Honor combines the business of Justice and mixing drinks.

During the trial a man entered the court room and, walking up to "the bench," implored the Justice to come out and give him a drink, as he was sorely suffering with the belly-ache. The case was urgent and the court kept the only saloon in the place.

At length his Honor yielded to the eloquent pleading of the spasmodic appellant, and left the bar of justice to preside at the bar of alcohol. The prisoner, lawyers, and jury all left the court room to see relief administered to the colicky sufferer. His pains were speedily relieved, and after a social glass all round, the court resumed its sitting.

—Weekly Reno Gazette, Reno, NV, Aug. 28, 1879, p. 4.

Decatur Doctor Caught Digging Up Negro Cadaver

Illinois, 1879

BODY SNATCHING.

A Decatur Doctor After a Negro Cadaver

His Operations Brought to a Sudden Conclusion.

The Decaturites are all worked up over a body snatching affair that occurred last Friday night. A prominent Decatur physician is implicated in the affair, and if he shows up the Decatur folks promise him an anti-cordial reception.

It seems that the above mentioned physician wanted to increase his knowledge of the human frame, and with this end in view he climbed the fence of a Decatur graveyard, having in his possession those necessary grave-robbing instruments, a pick and shovel. Strange to say this son of Esculapius seems to have a horror for the Caucasians. The reason of this is not known, but it is thought that Caucasian "stiffs" do not "pan out" as well as those of other races, therefore he concluded to get a "subject" of the African persuasion.

Having arrived at this conclusion he wended his way toward the "last resting place" of a recently "planted" negro. As soon as the grave was reached he unslung his pick and immediately began to delve into the newly made grave. He worked away with a will, and he was just stooping to raise the lid of the coffin when the deep stillness of the night was broken by the loud report of what seemed to him about seventeen cannons. The bullets flew past his cranium and buried themselves in the earth a few feet beyond him. The perspiration started in great beads to his forehead, and dropping his pick and shovel he precipitately fled. Scaling the graveyard fence, he took a short cut for his stable. Arriving there he immediately hitched his horse to a buggy, and in less time than it takes to "blow up a safe" he was driving across the country at a "Sleepy Tom" gait, and no tidings of his whereabouts have been received up to this writing.

The names of all parties are reserved, as it is thought that there will be further developments made.

—Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, IN, Aug. 19, 1879, p. 4.

Why Some People Are Poor

1879

Silver spoons are used to scrape kettles.

Coffee, tea, pepper and spice are left to stand open and lose their strength.

Potatoes in the cellar grow, and sprouts are not removed until the potatoes become worthless.

Brooms are never hung up, and are soon spoiled.

The flour is sifted in a wasteful manner, and the bread-pan is left with the dough sticking to it.

Clothes are left on the line to whip to pieces in the wind.

Tubs and barrels are left in the sun to dry and fall apart.

Dried fruits are not taken care of in season, and become wormy.

Bags, strings and paper are thrown into the fire.

Pork spoils for want of salt, and beef because the brine wants scalding.

Bits of meat, vegetables, bread and cold puddings are thrown away, when they might be warmed, steamed, and served as good as new.

—The Bucks County Gazette, Bristol, Pennsylvania, Feb. 20, 1879, p. 1.