davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22
From Peterson's Magazine.
cover the RiVer.'


The following beautiful and pathetic poem is worth!
out tears?
Over the river they beckon to me-
Loved ones who've crossedt to the further side;
The CLEAN oftheir snowy robes see,
But their voices are lost by the dashing tide.
There's one with ringlets of sunny gold,
s.. And eyes, the reflection of Heavens own blue;
He crossed in the twilight gray and cold,
And the pale mist hid him from mortal view.
We saw not the angles that met him there,
The gates of the city we could not see;
Over the river, over the river, -
MY brother stands waiting to welcome me
Over the river the boatman pale .s.1
Carried another, the household pet;
Her brown curls waved in the gentle gale
Darling Minnie! see her yeti
She crossed on her bosom her dimpled hands,
And fearlessly entered the phantom bark;
We watched 1t glide from the silver sands,
And all our sunshine grew strangely dark.
We know she is safe on the further side,
Where all the ramsoned and angles be:
Over the river, the mystic river
My childhoods idol is waiting for me.
.5l3 For none return from those quiet shores
Who cross with the boatman cold and pale;
81. We hear the dip of the golden oars,
And oi they have passed from our yearning hearts
They cross the stream and are gone for aye;
We may not sunder the veil apart
That hides from vision the gates Of day.
We only know that their barks no more
May sail with us Ger life's stormy sea,
Yet somewhere, know on the unseen shore,
They watch and beckon, and wait for me!
And sit and think when the sunsets gold,
Is flushing river and hili, and shore, .
shall one day stand by the water cold,
And list for the sound of the boatman's oar.
1 shall watch for CLEAN of the Tapping sail;
shall hear the boat as it gains the strand;
shall pass from sight with the boatman pale,
To the better shore of the spirit land.
shall know the loved who have gone before,
@ And joyfuily sweet will the meeting be,
When over the river the peaceful river,
The Angle ofDeath shall carry me.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22
NEW SERIES. VOL. 3. NO. ~.
Ia Jew. NORRIS, Proprietor. I
Law Of NEWSPAPERS.

l. Subscribers who do not give express notice to the
contrary, considered wishing to continue their
ubscription. Egf I'm
2. Ifsubscrbers order the dscontinuance of their
periodicals the publisher may continue to send them
until all arrearages are paid
g. If subscribers neglect refuse to take their pc
riodicals from the Office to which they are directed
they held responsible till they have settled the bill
and ordered them discontinued. s,.s-,e ...,..z.
A. If subscribers remove to other places without in
forming the publishers and the papers are sent to the
former direction, they are held responsible
g. The Courts have decided that refusing to take pc
riodcals from the office, removing and leavingthem
uncalled for, is PRMA FAcIA evidence Of Intentional
fraud asaa ..##.
es5- Postmasters neglecting to inform publishers
when papers not taken from the Office, lay thsn
selves liable topay the subscription.
II is also tseir duty in such to notify the pub
Usher that the papers taken out by those they
senl to- and the why they not, II known
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22
Not at Home.

Ihe deceptive art Of polite society, in which
| mot at homes is employed to convey false
impression, not unfreqaently fails Of its aim,
In classic history the story is told of Scipio
Naslca, who was near Reighbor of Ennius.
the poet; and calling one day upon Ennius,
ne was met at the gate by the servant maid
who told him that her master was not at home.
But such was her manner, that Scipio at once
perceived that in so saying she had spoken
falsely by the direction of her master. 1t
happened soon after that Ennius called upon
Scipio, who instead of sending messenger to
the door, cried out, .she's not at home. To
10 which Ennius replied, II know your voice.
! know You are at home." But Scippio an
swerlng. said, "You are an impudent man.
believed your maid when she said you were
rot at home, but you will not believe me when
l say it myself"
But they who resort to this ruse in a matter
thought to be so trivial, not only expose them
selves to the danger of being detected in il to
their mortifc alton, but also to the danger Of
contracting the habit of utterins falseboods
IN matters Of graver moment; and of thus for
feiting their character for veraclty. And the
servants and other inmates of their fsmilies
who are the bearers of these false messages.
are thus taught to lie not only by another,s
direction, but for their own benefit whenever
the temptation occurs. 1t may therefore be
said of this, and of all other deceptive arts
that they are not only palpable violations of
the Scripture rule by which speaking the truth
is enjoined. but also that they are entirely in
defensibe on the ground Of expediency.
Robert southey, in chapter on ssNfarriaee"
delivers himself as follows: "a man NAV be
cheerful and contented in celisacy, but do
not think he can ever be happy; it is an unnat-
ural state, and the best feelings Of his nature
are not called into action. The risks OF mar
riages are far greater on the woman's side:
women have so little the power Of choice, that
it is not perhaps fair to say they are less like
ly to choose well than we are; but am per-
suaded that they are more frequently deceived
in the attachments which they form, and their
opinions concerning men are much less accu.
rate that mems opinions of.tlgeir sex. Now.
if a lady were to reproach me FOR having said.
this. should reply that it was only another
mode Of saying there are more good wives in
the world than there are good husbands, which
Iverily believe. know nothing which 1
good and sensible manis so certain to fnd.if
he looks for II, as good wife.0
81
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22
From the Kissou,f Democrat.
Lutte is Gone.

In the sad night the angels come,
on wings OF light they bore him home; .
up through the starlight, in The cleaning,
And heavens music woed their coming.
Up through the moonbeams. with our bIessn,
with their pure lips his pale cheeks kissing
with angel grief, with spirit tears,
They turned the leaf of coming years; 4
And out they led him ere the morning. n r-
With glorious crown his head adorniny.
Upward, upward to endless heaven.
One more pure soul to God is given
March Gath, 1858. hsr a. emh
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22

Sterne, who used his wife very i'll, was one
day talking to Garrick in fine, sntimental
manner, in praise Of coniagal bliss and fidelity:
"The husband" said Sterne, "who behaves
unkindly TO his wife. deserves to have h,s
house burned over his head.o s. aa. ."
Garrick replied, 81 hope YOU are insured,
then ;, H.ra ss.z Co.,. ....s....a -..| s.. .. ...
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22

A Yankee recently married wife,sate 1--WE
pumpkin pies, licked negro told lis,-~ent
to church, and tore his troussrs--all 10 ore
day.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22

But never, Oh! Brown Bread Cakes! never
may your taste pass away from my lips, your
odor from my nostrils, or your memory from
my heart, till ''my eyes shall be turned TO be-
hold, for the last time, the sun in the heav-
eus', ..-t A N.." 20 ',.t,a .t..-
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22

highest flights of its Imagination, ever to have
scared to brown bread cakes? 1t isnot the at
tempt to rouse, in these sluggish minds, an en-
thusasm for the ambrosial food, Quixotic to
the last degree? Nay, is itpossble to intro
duce into their stolid souls any conception of
the ethereal favor which penetrates my in
most frame when sit down to repast of
of brown bread cakes? Yet, in the great null
titude gathered from every nation under heav-
en-, the mighty throng that are making the will
derness of this New World to bud and bios
som as the rose, there must needs be a few who
have an eye for the curve that swels the lux
uriant sides of sweet potato, nose to dis
cern The fumes that rise, incense like, from a
fair, young beef steak, floating in its own sa-
pient juices, soul to mount upwards on the
wings of smoking Mocha; and since.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-04-22
OTTUMWA, IOWA, THURSDAY, APRIL %, 1858.

unpalatable; and reserve to yourself the smooth
ly rounded upper crust, which is deiciously
toothsome. "Hand ignota loquor." Lay your
portion on your plate, crust downward. With
your own polished knife (the reason of this
you will presently perceive) carve from the
ball of golden butter lump of magnificent d.
mensions. BE not niggardly in this respect.
Exercise toward yourself large-hearted gen.
crosby; for butter sinks into itself, and in it.
self is lost with wonderful rapidity. when II
rests on pedestal of hot bread. Press your
butter, still adhering to your knife, down into
the warm, soft bread, in various places, form
ing little wells, whose walls are unctous with
the melted luxury, and then--Oh! THEN! but |
cannot sustain the picture which my fancy has
drawn.
''My eyes are dim with childish tears, 12 .'
My heart is idly stirred,
-, For the same sound is in my ears
That in those days heard.
Thus fares it still in our decay, rgE xg f.
Yet mourns the wiser mind .-... -..-..
Less for the crusts time takes away,
Than those he leaves behind.
The bridegroom may forget the bride
Was made his welded wife yestreen:
The monarch may forget the crown .#
That on his head an hour hath BEEN"
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15
THE ROAD 40 i.uliOHrALITY.
What zee Beiieye and Win.

1t was the remark of IA distinguished
physician Of the last century, that the
Nah who should discover "a Specitice for
physical pain, as certain in its ncutrali-
zing effects as water when applied to fire,
would rank in the estimation of postrrly,
next to the inspired writers Professor
Holloway, the founder Of that simple yet
profound system Of medical treatment,
which has lraverSed wish such wonderful
rapidity both the old world aud the new,
appears to have accomplished this grand
dcsi leratum and something more. 1t is
alleged by those who have tested the
properties of his celebrated Pills and
Ointment in their own cases, that they
not only alleviate the agony attendant
upon all internal and external disorders,
but permanently eradicate them. That
these remedies are among the wonder
working agents of an aye of wonders,
cannot be questioned. Those who be-
lieve that the science of MEDICINE is close
monopoly, and that there is no medical
skill beyond the circle of the" Faculty."
who look upon diploma as sort of
" tirman" to which every man should
bow in homage, will of course prefer
being conventionaly killed to being
irregulafly cured. Such is not our taste.
We care little for names, nothing for big
words and oracular shakes of the head
What We see and know We believe; and
really the proof Of the urvarying efficacy
of Holloway's remedies are 80 numerous,
50 consistent, so inuOntr0vertible, that
our common sense, despite the leaning
that We have in common with most men,
toward tinle-sanctioned systems, compels
us, aotens roiena, to attach full credit to
them.
1t may be weakness to be guided by
our own perceptions and the testimony of
honest witnesses. in preference to receiv
Ing as Gospel what the interested advo.
Gates It a very fallibIe system would
have US believe; but We CLAIM, right to
the independent use of our faculties, and
must state our convictions. The science
of medicine, as practiced by large pro-
portion of its grave professors, is merely
a round of stereotyped prescriptions.
which every sane man knows do not, one
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15

Having attended the Examination OF
the young ladies' of Mr.. McCurdy :
schoul in Okolona, ON tho 7lh and 18th
inst, induces me to make few but brief
remarks concerning it. So far as | was
capable Of Judging Of the competency Of
the teachers, they gave entire satisfaction
to all who were present. The young
ladies', in reciIing their studies, performed
it in a manner that evinced, to my mind,
that they had been assiluously and dill
gently engaged in the duties asst gned
them. Their ability to solve and ans
wer every question that was put to them
correctly gives additional credit to the
school in which they were engaged. ]
have attended several exaninati, ms in
Okolona, but none in my estimation have
surpassed the present. Mr.. McCurdy
and bis Lady are well qualified to take
charge of this institution, and parents
need not fear their ability or competency
to the task. cannot see why their
school should not number over 4 hundred
pupils. Their manner and style Of teach
ing is to inculcate principles, and not
mere words, and thus for pupils to solve
problems in their own language. This is
certainly healthy location for a school.
and if patrons can be satisfied of the fac,
Of having an able and competent faculty
t, teach their daughters b.,lIesletlres, il
would be greatly to their interest to pat
ruEize it. hope to see the next session
open with at least a hundred pupils, and
trust that all will use their best effort
to make this school one among the best
Of the South. A SPECTATOR.
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15
"a FRIEND IN NEED. !. g.,

1t is very pleasant to have friends
friends who will tender advice on every
subject; in fact, 50 much do we like IT.,
and so 9sen have we become to it, we al
most think it is absolutely essential to
our existence. What would we do If our
friends did not advise us We lend such
willing ear, the more they advise the
more they wish to do so, and We always
thank them from the richest part of our
heart We have been often thankful for
advice in various forms and shapes. but
never until few days ago did We really
feel the weight Of friendly advice. Our
soul rejoiced, our bosom thumped, and
we grew a fit or so taller when We read
a letter Of advice signed simply, "A Sin
cere Friend !" He advised On various
suhjects-how we ought TO act-what' we
ought to do. As usual we felt thankful;
but when he cautiously brought up some
of the greatest faults of our character
and implored us, not with tears in his
eyes, but blots on lis paper, to "turn
sinner turn" we incontincntly invoked
the god of favors to shower blessings on
the head of A Sincere Friend "A
Sincere Friend" dwelt at some length On
our character, which he says "is just form
ing and almost implores us not to "fo,.
ter a tlomineering, dictatolial spirit, which
will not brook opposition He gives us
some credit for generosity mot as much
as we like, but says We havn't enough
p" to prevent our assuming to ourself some
things our dogmatic disposition will not
cOncede to others" This Sincere Friend
knows no more about us than he does
about anything he never saw or heard of,
and we'll only intimate to him, whoever
be is, that ue once heard of man mbo
made a fortune by Winding his oun Jua.
ness
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15
A SOUTHERN CONGRESS-.

A correspondent Of the Charleston
Mercury advocates the holding Of q
Southern Congress, and uses the follow.
ing language:
Our ancestors were beset with difficult.
ties which bear a striking resemblance to
those which now almost paralyze the az.
ton of the South But they had one ad-
vantage over us. which | ain surprised
has never been escorted to by the South
in her efforts after justice and equality.
They had a C,ngress--a regularly Or
ganized Congress--a body who watched
over their rights, who discussed their
grievances, and recommended measures
for the maintenance Of the one, and the
redress of the other. -
Oar representatives are about return.
ing home 10 render an account d their
stewardships to their constituents. |
propose for their and the peoples discus
sion and examination, hut IN imitation
Of the wisdom Of our .torstatAers, tie
Southern States establish a Congress wiM
limited pouers, to meet at statcd times m
til her grierancts are redrcssed .that 10
shall be lie business Of this Congress to
discuss tie rights and mrongs ofthe South,
and recommend to tie Southern States
measures efredress.
Such congress would be nucleus
around which Southern opinion would
adhere; it would be bond of union
among the Southern States-and would
either restore us to our proper position
in the Contcderacy, or pave the way for
our leaving it in i body; would bring
about dissolution by cooperation. Here
is remedy that has been tried once and
found availing. Who will be its advo.
Gates A Congress, not for the purpose
Of disuniun, but to redress our grievan
ces, and to bind us more closely together.
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15
A PERSEvERING LOvEF.


Some months ago, Capt. Ii. A. DeRe.
Were, an ex-officer of the French army,
came to Mobile and delivered lectures On
the Crimean War, detailing his adven-
lures, and telling the various events that
transl ired in those times. he proftssed
to be one of brigade of ZOuaves, who,
it will be remembered, distinguished
themselves by their valor. During lis
stay in Mobile he became involved in a
difficulty, and fought duel, In which he
was severely wounded, by Capt. Harry
Maury, formerly chief of Police in that
city. He was carried to the residence Of
Col. +. s. Bount. u wealthy, and most
respectable Lawyer of Mobile, and it
seems, while convalescing, made good use
of his time in love making. Possessing
"a handsome face, fine looking form and
winning manners, beside, being a gal
liant ami brave soldier, he succeeded in
gaining the affections of Miss Blount
WAC, week or Two ago, her father being
absent, slipped over 10 New Orleans to
be married. The father having leaned
the gallant Captain was already married,
telegraphcd to have him arrested for big
amy. DtRevere was arrested, but at.
forwards succeeded in eluding the oil
GERS, and with bis intended and her moth
er, escaped to Havana, whittier the ia
tller followed, ana rescued his dau. hter
from Il fate She seemed recklessly deter
mined to share. Col. Blount tninhng
the gallant Captain would cease his en.
deavors to marry his daug liter, and scent
in to forget the truth, "the loving are
the daring" went to New York, and was
quietly spending time, when 10, the first
thing he knew the Zouave Was in the city,
sent friend to hold all interview with
the daughter and mama (monla favored
the designs of Frenchl), and the next
thing the old gent knew his wife and
daughter were gone He offered re-
wards, sent the police in search, who ar
rested the Captain, but who, with his usu.
al tact ana good fortune, managed to cut
their acquaintance. Fortuna taret torti-
bus.
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15

a matter Of scourse-as part of the
business of Southern papers. Now, for
one, we have deliberately resolved never
again to publish the prospectus Of a
Northern paper unless paid for it as for
an advertisement. We may have to hum.
bic ourSelf sometimes, but intend to keep
clear of the sense of degradation we
would feel were we to truckle to the dir.
ty, unprincipled getters up of Northern
literary papers, and advertise and puff
for them for nothing.
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15

VT Subscribers who desire to discon-
tinue their papers, are required by law
TO give cypress notice and pay mp all ar
srearages--if they fail TO do this, they are
responsible so long as the paper is sent
Moving away, or refusing TO take the pa
per from the postoffice, without discon-
tinuing, as aforesaid, is no excuse for not
paying for it, aA
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15
RIVER NEWS.

MEMPHIS July 9th.--The river, from
Thursday night to last night, fell 10 inch
es, making the total fall since the decline
commenced Of 6 feet 81 inches.
LOUISVILLE, July Slh.-River still fall.
ling slowly, with feet ii inches in the
canal.
" VicKsBTsG, July 1.-The river at this
point is about stationary, and has reced-
ed four inches altogether.
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15
"THE EAGLE or THE SOUTH,

We have received the first number of
this paper, and, without hesitation, re-
commend it to Southerners as every way
deserving their support. For sometime
past, we have been publishing the pros
pcctus of this paper, and, in speaking of
it for the first time editolially, We have
a few words to say regarding Southern
patronage to Northern newspapers
Some affect to think it very mysterious
why Southern people prefer to take pa
pers published out of their own section I;
but if they will only notice to what ex-
tent Northern literary papers are pulled,
their prospectuses' published, year in aud
year out, in what terms of adulation
Southern editors speak of the talent dis
played in the columns Of these literary
papers, the mystery vanishes, and they
will no longer wonder at the why and
wherefore.
Did any one ever see the prospectus
of a Southern published in a Northern
paperl We never did, but have search
ed most diligently the columns of every
one misfortune has thrown in our way
Within the past four or five months, we
have received at least half a dozen pros
pectuses, from as many scayengerS, pub
fishing literary papers. accompanied by
requests to publish the same, and as com
pensatiOn We We're to be placed on their
exchange list Was ever the climax of
impudence and presumption capped more
completely Half, yes, one third the
patronage given to Northern, if given to
Southern papers would work quite
change in their character. 1t would en-
able them to employ as good writer's as
can be procured at the North. 1t would
make them able to reduce the terms 0
subscription to an equality with those Of
the North and at the same time send out
papers as interesting and desirable in
every way as they can be made there
Some imbecile old fogies may say South
erners have not the energy-have not the
tact to get up good newspaper and
place it before the people in such way
as to make it take but We say they can,
and would if patronizcd one third as lib
orally as Northern papers. But the fault
lies not so much with Southern people as
it does with Southern editors. If they
would quit publishing these prospectuses,
quit putting the worthless part of North
ern literature, the people, not having its
merits () always paraded before their
eyes, would not be SO apt to give their
money to its support. People now-a-
days are restless, nervous, impatient and
excitable, and like to read literature con-
genial to their tastes, so anything smack
ing of the horrible, tales of murders, and
horrors of all kinds are seized upon with
the greatest ayidity. This is one great
secret of the success of Northern papers.
There, events are continually transporting
which afford themes for " heartrending
tales, thrilling romances," &C., and the
cunning Yankees know how to fix up
soft soaping letter, copy Of which is
sent to every editor in the South. Forth
with his prospectus is published, his pa
per pulled, and subscriptions fairly roll
into his pocket. This system Of gratuit-
ons putting has been carried to such an
extent 1t has become to be looked on as
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15

CUMBERLAND UNIvERsITy.--We have
received catalogue of this institution,
and judge it is in fourishing condition.
The total number of students is 500, of
whom l65 belong to the CollegiateDepart-
ment, III to the Preparatory. SO to the
Theological, 6 TO the Engineering, and
1873 to the Law.
The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15

To We attended public debate of
the Okolona Debating Club last Satur-
day night; the question was whether
Gen. Walker was and is jusliiable in bis
attempts to Americanize Nicaragua
The discussion was quite interesting, and
at the end, it was adjudged by the audi
ence that he was justifable. We hope
the members will persevere-'twill add
greatly to their own amusement and i'm
provement, and to the entertainment of
our citizens.