davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02

royalty the robes of mystery and dignity.
He sings no more Of ''braye knights and
ladies fair" the nobler attributes and
yearnings Of the soul of man employ his
numbers. His high prerogative is to
prompt man to complete, with the tro-
phies of noblest achievements, the picture
whose outline the possible has traced upon
the canvass of time--to charm him on to
the exalted destiny awaiting him in the
future, and, touching with magic art life's
secret springs, to point his chastened pas
sions to his God. The present has whis-
pered to him her mighty thoughts. He
is tuning his harp to a higher song than
has yet awed or reused the soul. Al
ready his lofty strains echo far on to the
future; even now the nations, girded
with holer hopes and purposes, listen and
follow the sacred chant.-Rural New
Yorker.
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
:.i:fl stellanfous.

WORKING GrRLs.-no.e is snoie
sb.pter in commendation of the "cHrh'lg
girls. numerous class of the community,
whose useful labors are frequently too
little appreciated:
Happy Girls! who cannot love them
With cheeks like roses, bright eyes, and
elastic step, how cheerfully they go to
work. Our reputation for it. such girls
will make excellent wives Blessed indeed
will those men be who secure such prizes.
Contrast those who do nothing but sigh
ali day, and live to follow the fashions,
who never earn the bread they eat, or the
shoes they wear; who are languid and lazy
from one weeks end to the other. Who
but simpleton and popinjay would prefer
one of the latter, if he were looking for q
companions :r
Give us the working girls; they are
worth their weight in gold. You never
see them mincing along. or jump dozen
feet to steer clear Of spider or a fly; they
have no affectation, or silly airs about them
When they meet you, they speak without
DULIlOI on u OOAC1 Silly ssics "a eA fs-S -
show off to better advantage, and you
feel as if you were talking to a human be
ing, and not to painted automaton, OIL
fallen angel. ,-.-. -r--,..
If girls knew how sadly they missed it
while they endeavor to show off their del
icats hands and unsoiied skins, and put
on thousand airs, they would give worlds
for the situation of the working ladies,
who are as far above them in intelligence,
N honor in everything as the heavens are
above the earth.
Be wise, then, you who have made
fools of yourselves through life. TURF
over o new leaf, and begin, though late
TO live and act as human beings, as com
psnions to immortal man, and not a
plsythings and dolls. limo other way cal
YOU be happy and subserve the crest ems
snd design of your existence
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
THE STOLEN BEEF.

| 4 Rich JoKE.-A Belchertown scr. q
is responsible for this story, which the fa :
mers will enjoy about "killing' time, al d
it ought to have been drawn into no
Drawer some months ago. But be, ter
late than never:
sThe mcanest of all men in our REL ion
is Sol Smith. You must know that l.ero
in the country, when one ofthe neiglilors
kills beef creature he is expected to-
send piece to each one cf the families
near bv. and they return the favor when
they kill, and SO the-thing proves to he
about rs broad as it is long. Now Sol
was SO mortal stingy that it went hard
with him to think of giving away anything.
and when he came to kill he was bent
upon keeping it all to himself. But pub
lie sentiment was very strong on tho sui
iect, and he would like to keep up O go' d
namo and keep his beef besides. 10
spoke gently to his next-door neighbor,
Johnson, and told him that he thought
it was very foolish plan to be sehdiI &
meat all over town, and each man hi d
better raise and kill his own. In fact, he
was determined to cheat his neighbors out
of their meat, if they expected any fro N
him, and save his credit too. Johnson
suggested to him that if he should leave
his beef in the barn over night before cut
ting it up, and then take it to his cellar be-
fore daylight, and give out that it had
been stolen, the people would lose Their
expected share, and be very sorry for him
besides. just it exactly he would do
that very thing. He killed his beef, hurg
it up to cool, md went to bed, to rise ear
~ and hide it. Johnson and few friends,
before going to bed, went over to Smitl q
barn, helped themselves to the beef ard
divided it share and share alike, leaving
but wee bit for the owner. Smith 70. Q
early, and found his meat was gone. lie
rushed over to Johhson's and told the sto-
ry, in state bordering on frenzy.
Goodr says Johnson, you do it we'll.
But it Is stole, | tell you?
'That's right; stick to it, Sol! Put on
that dismal face, and they'll all believe it."
Smith saw it was no use. He had fall
len into his own pit; and went home q
poorer, wiser, but, we fear, no better man."
-Harper's Monthly. aa AaH
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
GODS AMERICAN AND GODS
E=Ez ASEATEG.

Tho world is full of worship such rs it
is, and worshippers, such as they are
Idolaters do not gropo in those regions
alone, envcloped, upon missionary maps,
in the darkness of India Ink. Many a
man walks up and down Wall Street
there, and Lake Street here, with bis god
in his certainly very ignoble
place for divinity. Many a man places
bis idol under a lock and key in an iron
box, and goes to home utterly shrineless,
and lies down beneath the solemn and
sleepless stars, complacent with the thought
that his god is safe, whether he is or not.
Think Of ones having bond for god
"a mortgage upon sod-an undivided
interest in god! These are harsh terms.
but then good sober Saxon lacks the COW
ert grace of the Norman, and he would
live short and stormy life, indeed, who
should attempt to call things the through
by their right names.
Many a mother clasps to her bosom q
little idol, that may waste away with the
whooping cough in its second summer, or
whom breath of air from a forgotten
window, or a door ajar, may wait out of
the midst of life, into the dumb and dus-
ty remainder, we call death. Who has
not seen gods that eat oats-gods that eat
out of troughs-gods that make their
beds in kennels?
We know a man who worships his own
nose; onother who adores his whiskers
and who is ignorant that hosts of people
offer their deyotions to eyes divinely black
or heavenly blue gods by the pair!
We saw, the other day, a hideous little
marble immage of the Burman god, Gau-
dana, sitting cross-legged like petrifed
tailor. Its fingers, all of a length, looked
like fragments of broken comb. and its
ears rested gracefully upon its shoulders
And this precious little monster, had ac-
tually been worshipped. Prayers had
been said and sung, and offerings render
ed to the awkward hump of calcariou;
stone. The weak had implored its strength
the sad, its consolation, and the strong, it,
blessing. There was little stain upon i
perhaps the trace of a sacrifice Of blood
But we were not very much surprised
Tt seemed to us we had seen such deities
before-mav be not called Gaudama, bu
then worshipped-but then helpless. W.
drew from our pocket its solitary occupant
a ouarter of a dollar. We set them side
bv side. The one was silver, the othel
marble. The one bore an eagle. the 9th
ar a sort of peaked night cap. There Wer
. few other differences, but they were i'm
material. They. had both besn adored
| we were very sure. The quarter wa
somewhat worn, and there was hole II
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
POETRY of THE PRE SENT.

From high arbiters the decision has
come that the era Of poetry has passed.
Judgment is given that the present has
its province of labor, high duties to fulfill
in answering the demand Of tie on-rolling
tide of human destiny, among which,
however, happily or unhappiy, poetry
is not numbered. AS the conditions of
life change, SO doubtless, and 50 fortu-
nately, must all the representatives of life
change. But the theory which decides
the poetical age to be passed, rests upon
the hypothesis that there was period
! when the night that had long brooded
over the world lifted, and the full and
visible morning of time was usherod in.
The assumption is thatthe present is the
| noon of the world that, calculating the
separating point between ancient and
modern, it was most ard only favorable
to the developments of the highest forms
Of poetry. @
| This system of poetical investigation
| forgets that no period of the world can
be absolutely light hat the superiority
of the present, as of every age, is only
comparative-that the present, in the
worlds history, may become as relatively
dark as it is now relatively light. The
destiny of man is most assuredly to adj
vance. Humanity we may tlust--with-
out raising an unfounded hope, or passing
| the bounds of rational enthusiasm--shall
vet know broad and full light, of which
those even who stand With straining and
expectant eyes, upon the furthest watch
towers of the present dream not, and
catch no glimpse. Ofthe fullness of time
we know but the promise. 1t is not hos.
tility to the present, but the most candid
philosophy, which points us to brighter
future. The relations, then of past and
present must be ever renewed. Rather
do those relations eternally exist, thus
granting the Same high privileges o
poetical excellence. -.
Peculiar kinds Of poetry only prevail a
one period more. than another. The sen
| timents aud the expressions of poetry
must change with all of life. The pres
ent which boasts itself over the past
which forsakes the charms of one for thu
excellence of the other-demands revo
luton in poetry, as in locomotion. Th'
" regular lines" of stages and of epics ar
passed. Still, with these ceaseless shift
ines of mind and action, does the ever
restless heart retain the sanctity OF it
human nature-still is the many-tone'
Tyre of mans spirit giving forth new
song to eager and charmed listeners
Man is not above it or beyond it. Th
rush of the nations, and the voice of tn
ages will never grow SO loud as to drowl
or still the strains which the earnest spiri
chants to beguile its way. True, til
semi-barbarous aspirations Of Knight-El
rantry are passed, and the Tyre of th
wandering minstrel thrills no more in IN
son to praises of maidens fair, or gauni
] lets thrown-the bard no longer gid
, with lofty numbers the bloody renown
q false chiyalry-no more does be aim t
organize the crude fancies Of men respec
inc a childish myrhology-not longe
will be cast around tho hollow pomps
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02

Z SETTING RIVER ON FIRE. 1t takes
a smart man TO accomplish this feat and
a Frcnchman has done it. The Phila-
delphia Ledger of Tuesday last says;
About o'clock the whole surface Of
the river opposite Chestnut street was
covered with the most dense volumes of
smoke. The fireman with their usual g.
lacrity, were out, and there is no know
ing what they might have done towards
extinguishing the Delaware, by pouring
streams from the Schuylkill into it,
had it not been that the experiment Of
burning the river was short-iyed esses
intended to demonstrate the possibility Of
tho thing and not to consume it entirely
A Frenchman named Guilbert, was ex-
.perimenting with his chemical fire. to
show how easily hostile feet might be
destroyed. He raised a great smoke con.
siderable fire, and a perfect hubbub; but
as the fleet was not there it was net dos-
troycd. zg a4 IS
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
YOUR NEIGHBORS.

Take care of them. Don't let them
stir without watching. They may do
something wrong, if you do. To be sure,
you never knew them to do anything
very bad, but it may be on your account
that they have not. Perhaps if it had
not been for your kind care, they would
have disgraced themselves and families a
long time ago. Therefore, don't relax
any effort to keep them where they ought
to be-nevcr mind your own business,
that will take care of itself.
! There is man passing along-there
he is, looking over the fence into his
neighbours garden-be suspicious Of him,
perhaps he contemplates stealing some
thing one of these dark nights; there is
no knowing what queer fancies he may
get into his hes d. If you see any symp-
toms of any one passing out of the path
of rectitude, don't say anything to the
lerring individual about it, but tell every
body else that you see, and be particular
to see groat many. 1t is good way
to circulate such things, and though it
may not benefit yourself, nor any one else
in particular, it will be something equally
important about some one else. Do keep
something agoing, silence is . dreadful
thing; though it is said there was silence
in the courts of Heaven for the space of
half An hour, don't let such thing occur
on. earth-it would be too much like
Heaven for the inhabitants of this mum
dane sphere. If, after all your watchful
care, you can't sec anything out of the
way in any ono, you may be sure it is not
because they hare not done anything
wrong: perhaps in an unguarded mo-
mcnt you have lost sight of them; throw
out hints that they are no better than
they should be. it5t1 't&#
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02

dren this is all wrong. ! like Mr.. Bu-
chanan. So ought you; you ought to
love everybody; | had no idea of talking
politics to YOU He then went on to-
ask them if they would not like to receive
letter from Queen Victoria--s'who CT
tainIy was q very estimablc lady" and
the Queen of England not being involy-
ed in "Lecompton" children expressed tho
opinion that q letter from her Majesty
would be an honor.
This occurrence has furnished laughter
to a large circle for two days, so VIC s'o~
late no confidence in thus giving it 70 tho
public.-PhIaaelphia Bullstins
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
THE CHIMES.

Ages since, men heard the ringing
OF the song-bells gently swinging
In the starry domes of thought;
Long they listened to the chimes
That the poets golden rhymes
Out of sweetest fancies wrought
Still the tunefsl bells are pealing.
waking every holy feeling;
stu they vibrate in the past,
And the poet of to-day.
Hears the music far away.
Clearer than a clarion's blast
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
Ass sess 70 GsaLE SUBSCRIBERS sr NAIL o
CARRIER FsR
TwO DOLLARS A YEAR,
Invariably in advance.
RATES OF ADVERTISING:
JOB PRINTING.
70 PUBLISHED WEEK.

The Journal Office is furnished with an en-
arely new and complete assortment of Job
Type, Material, and Stock; and is prepared to
execute Book, Pamphlet, Card, Circular, Bill
Head, Handbill. Label. and all other kinds OF
plain and fancy Letter Press Printing in as
good style and at as reasonable rates as any
sAies in the Northwest.
Orders. from distance, for printing, ac-
sonpanied by cash, will be promptly attended
70, and work Immediately sent by express or
m8il az desired.
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
Roftrp>
NETTIE.

Eettie is 4 strange coquette u
AL the ladies cry.
SO long As Nettie jilts not me. 8.
Pray. what care II
If Eettie had mind to laugh.
And hath no mind to cry,
Who shall rebuke her merry moods
In truth, not |.
But if love, deep as deepest sea,
As lasting as the sky.
BE Nettie's wisb-who'll give it her :?
answer, /.
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02

A RENEGADE BUTcHER's SoN.-Sena-
for Hammond, of South Carolina, who
recently characterized all working people
a, athe mudsills of society" IS himself
the son Of butcher--the blood of a
d mudsilr' is in his veins. AS SAKE says
"Depend upon it, my snobbish friend.
Your family thread you can ascend
without good reason to ap orehcnd
You NAV find it waxed at the other end
By some plebian vocation,
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02

R A woman in a neighboring coun-
ty has just been delivered Of four boun-
cling boys. We need not admonish the
happy parents to look out for squalls
Louisville Journal.
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
A FANCY.

] fashion many 4 song;
They wander east and west
/ would that might know
Where they make their nest
Know the eyes thai sec them,
Know the hearts that beat
When the rhyme is perfect
And tho thought is sweet {!
T. B. Aldrich.
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02

H Sam and Sambo, two hands on
farm had holiday, and started for fun
to the woods. They soon came to bears
cave, deep among Il e rocks, and lighted
only by one hole above. They looked in
and saw the young cubs at the bottom Of
the cave, and the mother gone. II was
decided that Sambo go in and seize the
cubs, while Sam kept guard Without
Sam was little negligent, and the old
bear had time to sqaeezc into the hole.
Sam seized her by the tail and held on
like grim death. "What for you make
it SO dark up dar, SAM" cried out Sam
DO. "Golly, if de tail come loose, guess
you'll know
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02

re- An itinerant phrenologist stop
ped at rustic farm house. the proprietor
Of which was busy thfashing. "sir,.I am
4 phrepoIogist; would you like to have
me examine the heads Of your children,
I viii do it cheap "NFalI,'' said the
farmer, pausing between the two strokes,
Il rather guess they don't need it. The
old woman combs them with fire tooth
comb once week.
The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-06-02
Ga- II fellow attacked my opinion

H If a fellow attacked my opinions
in print, woald | replya Not |. Do
you think | don't understand what my
friend, the Professor, long ago called tho
hydrostatic paradox ofcontroversv 2 Don't
know what that means? Well, Iii tell
you. You know if you had a bent tube,
one arm of which was the size of pipe
stem and the other big enough to hold
the ocean, water would stand at the Same
hight In one as in the other. Controver-
sy equalizes fools and wise men in the
same way, and the fools know it,-Dr.
| Holmes.
Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-04-20

acted as the true woman that you are
You must invite Mr.. Fletcher here, and
we will have 1t all settled forthwith.
The next evening Alfred came, and it
was decided that three months would be
long enough TO make all needful prepara .
uons.
We took house near Mrs. Erskine's
and on the appointed day we were mar
rled. That evening ] presented Alfred
with the remainder. of my fortune He
looked astounded
Il have never cared to inquire wheth-
er you were rich or poor,' said he; ''but
as knew nothing to the contrary, l sup
posed the latter. But this money shall
not remain idle; will invest it safely,
and IN your own right.
Six more years have passed. They
have been years of happiness and pros
perity.
Thus it ever is. True love knows but
one application, and true lovers are as in-
separable as two ounces of quicksilver
poured into one funnel.
Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-04-20
NO. Is.

Exy@ a school teacher relates the fol-
lowing amusing incident: One day I
saw little fellow with his arms around a
witch of girl, endeavoring if interpret
ed the manifestion Alright, to kiss her.
+" Tommy" said |, - what are you do
ing there 2"
g Nothing sir" spoke the bright eyed
little witch; she wath trying TO kith me,
that he wath, thir," and eyed him keenly
Why, Lucy, what prompted him to
act SO ungentlemanly right here in schools"
asked, anticipating some fun.
80, he hitched up here, and wanted
me 10 kith him, and l told him hat /
wouldn't kith such naughty 10y as he
ith then he thed he'd kith me, and told
him that he darthn't, but he thaid he would
do it, and told him would tell the math-
ter if he did, but he thed he didn't care a
thump for the mathter and then tried to
kilh me hard" and the little thing sighed
Why didn't you tell me as soon as
You could g asked in pleasant manner.
90" she replied, with naivete which
did not often see, Il didn't care much
if he did kith me, and tho / let him.
Here the school, which had been listen
ing attentively, broke out into an uproar-
Gus laugh, while our little hero and hero
inc blushed deeply.
Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-04-20

DOES YoUR MOTHER KNOW You'RE
Our "A young lady once had beau.
One evening said beau was anxious to
enjoy some private conversation with his
charmer, but there being two children in
the room somewhat marred his Wishes
The gentleman looked to see them sent
to bed but he vas disappointed. The
youngest child a 10Y of three years old
slept with the you0g lady, and had no
idea of retir ng without his bed-fellow
Stretching his chubby length upon the
carpet, the youngest watched the twain
with resolutely wide-awalfe eyes until the
clock struck nine, when patierce becom-
ing exhausted he raised his little head
and said
Nine o'clock is bed time Don't you
think your mother wants you nowf'
This was one of the tallest hints the
young gentleman ever received In civil
kind of way and the mingling of en-
barrassnent and vexation and mirth pro-
duced by t, was funny in the extreme.
Sonny was sent to bed every night af-
ter that Solus, and much TO the relief of
the visitor.
Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-04-20
A Three Minute Horse.

A certain DR.. - had horse, so
thoroughly uSed-up as TO be worthless
the only good points" remaining being
where his bones distended to the skim
SO he prepared to dispose of him in this
wise:
lie went 10 the stable with lath, and
gave the animal a regular rib-basting
three times day, until finally whenever
the excited horse heard his step, or saw
his face, or saw his step he would begin
10 kick and plunge like one possessed.
Arrived at this point, the Doctor bor-
rowed the decorated blanket of a well
known nag called White Feather and
enveloping the remains of his horse in it,
sent HIM 10 auction 10 be sold, with dIreC-
tlons 10 the auctioneer to "let him slide"
if he could get a bid of forty dollars for
him.
In the meantime the brute was adver-
tised as g a celebrated horse-kind in
harness be made his mile inside of three
minutes-was handy at the plough-and
sold only because the owner had no fur
ther use for him."
On the day of sale a crowd gathered
among which was the Doctor, whom the
horse 10 sooner saw than he began to
manifest signs of uneasiness, which the
auCtioneer denominated life and spirit"
The first bid was sevenly-ive dollars,
and soon ran up to one hundred-one
hundred and twenty-hve-one hundred
and fifty-at which price the nag was
pronounced sold.
The buyer, a down-easter, paid the
money, and harnessed the spirited animal
to a wagon, informing the crowd that he
was going to Cape Cod, where he him
self belonged.
He had not been absent more than an
hour, when he was seen vending his way
back, lot having got SO far as Cape Cod
He told the auclioner that he had returned
to make inquiries, which, perhaps it would
have been as we'll to have made before he
bought the horse.
" You say this animal has made his
mile In three minutes g.
- 'es"
AIayI be allowed to inquire how long
since g.
Certainly-within three weeks
"One question more-where did he
do it 90
"On the Rutland Railroad cars-the
down grade g
The present owner made up his mind
instanter, that the term 9 sold'' had a
double Specification.