davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
A California Story.

In the latter month of 40 number
of professional gamblers in large prac-
tice were residing at the Graham House
among the rest, two were especially
remarked for the boldness of their play
and the steadiness Of their business
nerves. Among these were hunch-
back named Briggs. and Joe Basset, a
better sort of graduate of the old Vicks-
burg school. Both had been signally
successful in many sharp operation
during the year, and had considerable
property in lots, which for their con-
venience in business they had convert
ed into cash, and banked, partly with
Burgoyne u Wright, partly on various
Monte tables.
One day, in an after-dinner chat, they
compared notes, aud found that they
stood equally fair on tho gamblers
change. each being good for just one
hundred and twenty thousand dollars
Immediately available in dust.
Being both more than usually enter
prising under the inspiration of wine,
Briggs offered daring banter which
was recklessly accepted by Basset; that
they should at once adjourn to an upper
room, fill up u check for the entire sum
he was worth iu cash, divide equally
between the two, two hundred and forty
thousand dollars in red checks, and play
for the whole-neither to leave the room
on any pretext until all the red checks
were lost and won. Accordingly, with
no less cquanimity and pleasant single
ness of purpose, they retired with few
choice spirits of their set, to the privacy
of reserved apartment, aud having
provided store Of choice liquors, cigars
and sis,,ds fes the company, executed .h<
required documents, divided the rosy
counters they took their seats at op
posite sides of the table and began thu
extraordinary and interesting contest
a contest which called out such feats o
memory, sagacity and discrimination
self-possession, quick-recognition o
signs and detection of sly finesse. sucl
: ine feints, nimble thrusts and parties
, hot assaults and well. ordered retreats
3 as would have made the fortune an,
fame of a statesman, general or fencinI
l master.
a The first deal was made at four o'cloc
t in the afternoon, and the game went o
g without changing fortune all night. A
/, the elbow of each stood glass of waite
e moderately heated with brandy. Meth
!. er smoked; cloud between them woul
a be as culpable blunder as the sun is
y the eyes of duelist Ten O'Clock ne,
Q morning found them vet in their place
e both looking somewhat pale and hae
o gard, but very quiet Briggs had fou
y thousand dollars left Of all that he WI
. worth in the world. The cards wei
. dealt. The table at which they sat W;
II near the door of the room and just ;
1t Basset, whose say it was, was makir
,, up his mind, some one entered and stoe
behind him. Briggs eyed his antagoni
ie over his shoulder, and with searchil
II stare that held his very breath. Wit
J. out noticing the entrance of the ne'
Is conner, without one startled glance,
y even the move of a finger, Basset We
ee six thousand dollars
1t "Take the money" said hunchbae
ed and he took it. Briggs had two jacl
is Rasset three kings. As the two toss
! of great bumpers Of raw brandy. Bsis
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

A WORTHLESS Doe.-"I say, squire,
what'll yeou take fur that ere dog o.
your'n?" said yankee pedlar to an old
Dutch farmer; "what'll yeon take fur
him? He ain t very good-lookin' dog;
but what was you calk latin he mought
fetch?"
"Ah!" responded the Dutchman, "dat
dog ishn't wort you to buy 'um."
Guess ten dollars abeout would get
him, say, wouldn't it! I'll give you
that fur him."
"Yaas; be ishn't ,0ors dat
"Wal, I'll take. said the pedlar.
"Shtop!" said the Dutchman; "dere's
one ting about dat dog ! CANT SELL"
90! take off his collar. don't want
that" suggested the pcdlar.
| "Tain't dat" replied My nheer; "he's
a boor dog, but ! CANT sell de rag IF
his tail zen Icomes home
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
CATHOLIC PRIEST BURNED TO DEArE

CATHOLIC PRIEST BURNED TO DEATH.
Father Nc cCabe, a we'll known Cath
olic priest, was burned to death at Ma
lone, N. Y, while lying in his bed, on
the cath inst. owing to the clothes
which covered him taking fire. TIE
fire was confined to the bedroom, and
nothing was known of the lamentable
affair until next morning, when his bo
dy was discovered by another priest
who had slept iu an adjoining room.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

~ The following affecting Tale is
found in the Chickasaw Iowa) Repub-
lican. 1t is not stated that it was
Written expressly for the Republican, -
but in the absence Of any credit in the
columns Of that paper, we assume that
the suthor has been engaged to write
exclusively for our Jacksonville cotem.
porary. We design to send marked
copy of the Times of this week to the
proprietors of the New York Ledger
If they have the audacity to place it in
type among their trashy illustrated non
sense they may expect to be visited by
the severest penalties known to the Law
of Copyrights. Let them buy 'cestern
talent if they would furnish the public
with readable stories:
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
GOVERNMENT PATRoNAGE.--A list O

GOVERNMENT PATRoNAGE.--A list of
our ministers and consuls abroad. with
the states from wich they were appoint
ed, their compensation ETC.. has been
published by the State Department. 1t
affords some curious statistics of the
rank held by the several members of
the Union in the government patronage.
New York, of course, carried off the
lions share. Pennsylvania is very lit.
tie behind her, however, the aggregate
lof the former being $40, $50, and Of the
after S74,825. Virginia comes next
with $55, 800, then Indiana $23, 500.
Massachusetts $2O,750, and soon down
the list. Ohio. the third state in the
Union, in almost every respect, ranks
ninth, with Sl5,5OO. Missouri, Ten
nesse, N. Carolina, Arkansas and Ver-
mont do not appear in the table at all.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

remarked, as he rose to 60 off to bed,
elf you had noticed that man I might
have borrowed the money and held on a
little longer; but when I saw that you
did not turn to look over your shoulder,
or drop the face of your cards, l knew
you had pure hand" A few days
after that, the hunchback invested fifty
dollars, borrowed from Basset, in a
miners outfit, and started for the dig.
gings, where he died in a month, q help
less pauper.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

~ a Grim. con. case of an unusual
character came up before the Supreme
Court in New York last week. Hora-
ito Simms, lawyer. sued Marcus B.
Monck for the seduction of his wife, lay
ing the damages at $4,000. Simms's
affidavit relating to the progress of the
seduction, and the means he used to fix
the Grim. con. upon the guilty parties. is
equal to anything of the sort that has
yet appered in conjugal litigation.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

WHAT WE WEIGH WHEN DRIED uH-
Only one-,enth Of the human body is
solid matter! A dead body weighing
one hundred and twenty pounds. was
dried in An oven till the moisture was
expelled, and its weight was reduced to
twelve pounds. Egyptian mummies
are bodies thoroughly dried. They usu,
ally weigh about seven pounds.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
INlS McGregor Forever !
<A0NlW I

At Mc(;rcsor now there Is fcasting and fun,
For the OYSTER reason has just begun;
You can have THEM Raw, or Stewcd or Fried,
In all the shapes that dish can be tricd
Fresh from the sHELL, KBa or CAN,
In dozens or gallons-to suit each Ean.
Along the streets there plenty of places
Where q trifie Of cash makes smiling faces
But among the boys--we speak as We feel,
There are none like MRrzsRR to get up . meal
He Hauks the Plates with LAoRa 90 nice
To swim the beautios-please take our advice
when you fnd in your pocket quarter to spare,
Just stop ut the GRM--MErzGRR is there
Ready to furnish rich dish
Az tho heart OF man or woman could with,
At a price quito low-fo come along room
To HAsDlS6's BLOCK in tho GEM BALLOON.
Nav L. So
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

AN UGLY BED FELLow.-AND HOW
HE GOT TAKEN DowN.--A few nights
since, one of our citizens was aroused
from his slumbers by something pulling
the blankets off his bed. AS it was
near day he concluded it was one of his
fun loving early-rising chums playing
him a practical joke; SO reaching out
his hand he caught the culpril by the
hair of his head, as he supposed, while
with the other hand he struck light,
at the same time threatening Vengeance
on the intruder he SO firmly held by the
bair. The light blazed up and he lean
ed over to get view at the prisoner
who had said 'nary word." and seem
ed to squat to keep out of sight. Ina
CINE his CONSERVATION on finding he had
his hand clutched in the hair on the
back of lice bear. Here was fix
His grip relaxed, and "drappingl' the
beast, he retreated to the wall on the
farther side of the bed. His pistol un
fortunately was in his trunk, and no
even a shoe-Enife was in reach. AS 1
last resort, he tried to pray but coulc
only think of "Now l lay me down t.
Sleep" which he knew was decidedly
out of place on that occasion. He wa
giving way to despair, when a happ.
lidea struck him: she'd make an ugl,
face at the bear;" so blanketless ant
, shivering as he was, he struck an atti
tude, looking the bear full in the face
Bruin couldn't stand it long. and afte
: one look of wonder he turned tail to an
5 vacated the premises. The victo
> breathed more freely, secured the door
< and devoutly thanked his maker for th
S gift Of making faces" The bear be
5 longed to the museum that was exhibit
ing in town, and had accidently got OF
of his cage. Itwas reeaptured withor
difficulty before it had done any rel
damage.-Jackson Col. } Ledger.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

The average depth Of the Atlantic
ocean is set down at l3,4GO feet, and
that of the Pacific at 1900. On the
western side OF st. Helena, soundings
have been made, it is said, to the depth
of q, 900 feet--fve miles and quar-.
ter-w1hout teue aching bottom ,
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

DEAD LErrERs.-Every postmaster
once quarter returns all the letters for
which he can find no claimant to the
Department at Washington. A conf
dental clerk breaks the seal Of all these,
and opens them, but does not read a
single line. He simply ascertains if
there is anything in them. If there is
not, they are, without further trouble,
packed away for burning, and all con-
sumed by fire in an oven prepared for
that purpose, so that nothing can escape.
If, however, there is any sum of money,
or any valuable, however trihing, the
letter and contents are handed over to
another clerk, who simply examines the
name and address, and then encloses the
whole back to the writer. The rest Of
the letter it is forbidden to read. If the
writer cannot be found, the letter is then
carefully preserved, with its contents,
for years, until every chance Of its be-
ing reclaimed has died away. During
the last quarter s 2,655 was received in
abont s,eOO letters at the dead letter
Office. Not quite $4,000 year is
generally thus received in about o,O0C
letters, or about, on an average, IS q
letter. Of this it is calculated tha,
nine-tenths are returned to the SEN
| der.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
The Maid Of the Wapsipinicon.
OR A TALE OF REAL LIFE.
BIT AN EYE WITNESS

1t WAS evening on the beautiful Wap-
sipinicon. the silver beams of Luna
which struggled down through the
branches Of the trees revealed a scene
of transcendant beauty.
Upon an ancient Gopher mound which
had braved the tempests of an hundred
winters, sitting in an attitude of grace
full repose, was An angelic maiden first
blooming into womanhood. She was
radiantly and peerlessly beautiful
Felt (probably Of the Bradford News:
-ED. TINES. hides his inglorous head
in the vain attempt to furnish words
descriptive of her loveliness.-
Graceful as duck, wild as hawk, pen
sive as a setting hen; with her golden
curls streaming over her head and shoul-
ders to the ground, like some bri ght
swamp angel she sat, while the moon
beams rested like halo on her elegant
head. Sorrow and the rosin weed which
grew around her, cast deep shadows
over her unrivalled eountenance, and
the light wind as it kissed her mag
nifcent cheek bore to her delighted ol-
factories the fragrant odor Of boneset
Her knitting work lay idle in her lap
Her eyes. which shamed the lightning
bugs, were befoozled with diamond
tears. She was listening with an air oI
sorrowful distraction to the passionate
pleadings of noble youth who knelt al
her feet. Never moonlig ght fell on a
more glorious Intellectual countenance
than that upturned to the maiden's
enamored gaze. Never yielded Mother
Earth to finer form than that which
pressed the India Rubber prairie at Sere'
phina's feet.
His features were such as Nebuch.
adnezzar or Bailey might have envied
His dark piercing eyes were like the
waters of his own Wapsipinicon fol
depth and clearness, anil were brilliant
mirrors in which the truth and veracity
of his godlikc soul were reflected
From his brow of vast ponderous pro
portions the sweetning breeze swep
back long hiacynthine locks whose hue
in the shade was deep raven blackness
but when the light fell upon it, it re
sembled muddy pool when the moon
beams strike it aslant. His hands wer'
closed in an attitude Of despair. Ill
spoke! and his tones were deep ant
mournful as the chant at the funeral O
an exiled bull frog at the county seat.
"Oh fairy queen of heaven! pur
dove of the moon shiny sky translucen
light Of my benightcd eyes cherishe'
and beloved of my hearts core! How
canst thou doubt that the cabbage love
the genial rain =? Dost thou doubt tina
the chicken loves the dough dish ?
Then doubt my love for thee? All
love is a feeble word TO express tn
passion that consumes my vitals. B
mine adorable one else die:''
| ga n, ,,1nhuS" she mn,
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
CHARLES s. D. JONES,

SL4~ AbAlAC ~ y OOANAAJS
Attorney at Law and Notary Public,
No. l, Corner Of Main and Sirth Street.
Dubuque, Iowa.
REFEREkCES:
Hon. Bernhsrt Hem, Hon. Thcophilus Parsons,
Fairfield, Iowa. Hon. Emory Washburn,
Hon. James NJ. Love, Law Faculty, Cambridge
U. s. District Judge, Mass.
Kcokuk, Iowa. Bernard G. Caulicd
Col. Robert Robinson. Atty, Chicago, Ill
Middetown, Iowa. Hon. WIZ. $. Bod!ey,
Hon. Juo. McKeon, u. ST. Louisville, Ky
Dist. Atty, N. Y. City Benost, Shaw & Co.,
Hon. JOAN A. Dix, New Orleans, La
n. Y. City. Hon. A. q. Penn.
Hon. James Campbell New Orleans, La
late y. NJ. Gen, Phila Hon. Eeverdy johnson,
Col. jaime, Page, Pha. Baltimore, Md
Peter Waples. Esq. Phila. Col. Louis v. Bogy,
L. A. Benoist L Co, st. Louis, Mo
Bankers, st. Louis, Mo Hon. John Y. Darby,
Hon. joel Parker, st. Louis, Mo
nE"Collections made and proceeds promptly remit
ted. 55l
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
IL EGBERT,

Dealers in Foreign and Domestic Dry Goods Groceries
Hardware Nails Crockory stoves Iren Glass. Queens
Ware Furniture. Sash and Farming Utensils.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

DEAN, FREN CHI & EMERY,
cry Stoneware Stoves and manufacturers Of Sheet Iror
and Tin Ware. (Post Office Building
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

In my desperation would lear up crea-
ton! / would eat red hot potatoes, T.
would fog the earthquake! would
tie up the winds in bundle and thrash
them with the rainbow! I'd swallow
ten thousand water-melons. and cast
myself into the foaming pillows which
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
VOLUME 2, NO. 10.
Mistellaneous.

J. H. & w. GRANNIS,
Dealers in Dry Goods Groceries RcadyMade Clothing
Hardware. Queens Ware. Tin Ware Stone Ware Drugs
and Medicines Oils Paints Putty. Glass varnish. &c.
Main street, Strawberry Point Io~s. 1T
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
WHOLE NO. 62.


The Hon. Elizabeth St. Leger was the
only female ever initiated into the anci-
ent mystery of Free Masonry. How she
obtained this honor we shall lay before
our readers. Lord Doneraile, Misc St.
Leger's father, very jealous Mason,
held warrant, and occasionally open
ed Lodge at the Doneraile House, his
sons and some init nate friends assisting;
and it is said that never were the Maso-
mic duties more rigidly performed than
by them. Previous to the initiation of
q gentlemen to the first steps of Mason
ry, Miss st. Leger, who was young
girl, happened to be in an apartment ad-
joining the room generally used as q
lodge room. This room, at the time.
was undergoing some alterations
among other things the wall was consi-
derably reduced in one part. The young
lady having heard the voices of the
Free Masons and prompted by the curl
osity natural to all to see this mystery
so long and so secretly locked up from
public view, had the courage to pick a
brick from the wall with her scissors,
and witnessed the ceremony through
the first two steps. Curiosity satisfied,
fear st once took possession of her mind.
There was no mode of escape, except
through the very room where the con-
cluding part of the second step was still
being so!ernized, and that being at the
far end, and the room very large one,
she had resolution sufficient to attempt
to escape that way; and with light but
trembling step glided along unobserved.
laid her hand on the door, and gently
opening it, before her stood a grim look
ing Tyler, with drawn sword.
A shrick that pierced through every
apartment, alarmed the members Of the
Lodge who all rushed to the door and
finding that Miss St Ledger had been
in the room during the ceremony, in
the first paroxysm of their rage, resolv-
ed on her death; but from the moving
supplication Of her younger brother,
her life was saved on condition of her
going through the whole of the solemn
ceremony she had unlawfully witnessed.
This she consented to, and they con-
Quoted the beautiful and terrified young
lady through those trials, which are
sometimes more than enough for mas
culine resolution; little thinking thai
they were taking into the bosom o.
their craft rnember that would after
wards reflect lustre on the annals of Ma
sonry. The lady was cousin to Gene
raj Anthony St. Ledger, Governor o
St. Lucia, who instituted the interesting
races and the celebrated Doncaster S.
L ger stakes. Whenever benefit wa:
given at the theatres in Dublin or Corl
for the Masonic Female Orphan Asy
lum, she walked at the head Of the Ere
Masons with her apron and her ins;gn
of Free Masonry, and sat in the from
Tow of the stage box. The house wa
always crowded on these occasions
Her portrcit is in the lodge room
every lodge in Ireland.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

INJURED, sit cannot be. The mandate of
my vengeful father and the decree of fate
must be obeyed." And her voice was
as melodious as the tinkle of a fractured
cow.bell, Ear down the Chickasaw road,
and low and sad as the last moan OF a
dying pollywog.
talk no. Of obedience thou beauti-
full and cruel one y he yelled in voice
of speechless agony. ''Oh canst thou
sit in thy cold majesty, like frozen
sausage, and see my aching heart going
to smash before thine eyes for mistaken
sense Of duty?
"See," said he. as his voice died
away to sad wall. like the howl of a
broken backed mastiff or defeated can
didate, and lie dashed from the gum
weed near him drop Of pcariy dow
.'See, night herself weeps with me and
mourns thy cruelty"
The maiden was appalled, at the sight
Of his anguish. Tho crimson tide.
which dyed her cheek like red holly
hook, cut stick and left it whittier than a
cotton pillow case, and the tears gushed
from her eyes like the percolations in
milk. strainer and traversed down hel
checks in quick succession. She arose
from her seat, dazzling in her beauty al
a bright tin pan when the midday beams
Of the glorious sun are poured full upoI
it, and captivating in her grace as I
yellow lily floating upon the stagnan
waters of dry goose pond. Sh'
spoke and the stars Of night stood still
the winds ceased moaning among tn
leaves and the frogs were silent to listen
"Adolphus beloved of my SOUL" in
voice sweetar than the syrup of the cit
Exchange, "thou knowest that / low
thee, my heart clings to thee as til
bean to its pole. My heart knows Ii
other music save thy voice, and and m
lips no yictuals but thy kisses F! with the
, l famish, die !! But the picket fenc
of duty surrounds me. 1t is stuck fu
Of cruel spikes, and cannot surmoul
it. A last embrace my heavenly ont
and we part forever" -
, "Bid me not depart" he roared as h
clasped her to his breast ; II will neve
leave thee. Forty-eleven savage loct
&c motives have not the power to tear !
from each others arms. | tell thee IN
! angel love, the thought of leaving th'
rends my soul, and maddens me.
makes me rip aud rave like frenzi'
) shanghai; it makes me bel!er like di
: tracted bed bug: it makes me feel ba'
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16
CLAYTON LODGE No. 70.

By Atwood Sackrder. This we'll known House has been
put complete order by the present. Proprietor and
Travellers may rely upon being we'll treated ut reaon-
able charges. Walkers Stage Lines change at this
House daily.
The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1857-12-16

General Real Estate Agent McGrcgor Iowa. VIII at
tend the purchase and sale OF Real Estate in any
portion Of Northwestern Iowa. Locate Land Warrants;
enter Land Invest money good security; pay Taxes
Investigate Titles &c. &c.
The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-02-25
HOWARD ASSOCIATION,
PHILADELPHIA.
Important Announcement.


To all persons afflicted with Sexual dis
eases, such as SEMINAL WEAKNESS. IMpo-
TENcE, GoNNoRHGA, GLEEr, SYPHILIS, &C.,
SC.
The Howard ASSOCIATION of Philadel-
phia, In view OF the awful destruction of hu,
man life and health, caused by Sexual dis
eases, and the receptions which are practised
upon the Unfortunate victims of such diseas
es by Quacks have directed their Consulting
Surgeon, as CHARITABLE ACT " ortlly
Of their name, to give MEDICAL ADVICE
GRATIS, to all persons thus afflicted, Male
or Fcmaie,) who apply by letter with a des-
eruption OF their CONDITION, (age, occupation
habits of life &C., and in cases of extreme
poverty and suffering to FURNISH MEDI
CINES FREE OF CHARGE.
The Howard Association is benevolent
Institution established by special endowment
for the relief of the sick and distressed. Attic
ted with "Vrulent and Epidemic Diseases.
and its funds can be used Tor no other pnr.
pose. 1t has now a surplus or means, which
the directors have voted to advertise the
above notice. 1t is needless to add that the
Association commands the highest Medical
skill of the age, and will furnish tho most an
proved modern treatment. Valuable advice
also given to sick and nervous females afflct-
ed with abdominal weakness, Womb Com
plant Costiveness, LeucorrlTa.&c.
Address, (post-paid) DIR. GEO. r. CAL.
HOUN, Consulting Surgeon Howard Assoc.
alton, No. 2. South NINTH Street, PhiladeI-
phia, Pa.
By order of the Directors.
EZRA d. IIEARTWELD, President.
GEO. FAlRCIIlLD Secretary. ls:y.