davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04
A Rat i'm the Cars.
A FAT WOMAN IN TROUBLE.


A day or two since, just after the express
train left Stamford, where it had been delayed
a few minutes, to wood and water, a rat ran
from one corner Of the car amid the feet Of
the passengers. As soon as it was known
that there was rat on the floor of the car,
considerable excitement took place among the
ladies, and crinolne took Sudden rise. The
passengers struck at the rat as he lodged from
one side of the car to the other, with their um-
brellas aud canes, but without any effect-the
old rat successfully avoided all the kicks and
thrnsts, and disappeared under the seat Of
fat woman, who sat at one end Of the car,
half asleep.
A COMMITTEE Of one,' sself-appointed,
backed up by half dozen 'sfull-grown boys"
suggested to The fat lady the propriety of ris-
ing to euable them to find the rat.
Now it is no easy matter for $50 FOUNDER,
encountered by a huge mass of crinoline, to
rise at a moments notice, therefore she de-
clined. She was duly informed Of the state of
affairs, and of the critical position which she
occupied in the eyes of the public at that
moment. Again she was requested to rise,
but she positively refused. Like certain dis
tinguished politicians, she seemed TO main
tain her position, till broader and more COM
prehensive platform was available. Various
suggestions as to the rats whereabouts were
made by the s'boys' in audible whispers which
made the fat woman
"Blush like full-biown rosen
and to get her eyes open. Many of the pass
engers seemed to have an idea of their own
which was quite amusing-lips were compress
ed, cheeks were expanded, teeth, worth from
$e5 to untold fortunes, were exhibited
"There was aHilence deep as death,
Andthe boldest held his breath
For tlne.'
But that time was decidedly short, for at
this point the lady in question gave a roll
which made the car fairly groan, one or two
spasmodic kicks, and the $50 pounds shot out
of her seat like sky-rocket, upsetting babies
and bandboxes. crushing crinoine and beavers,
| landing about six feet from her seat upon a
| little old man, whom she nearly smothered,
besides knocSing off his wig and otherwise dis
arranging his toilet, upon which he remark
| ed TO himself that she had better ssimmer
| down" and join the circus. After vigorously y
shaking her dress, amid the laughter of the
passengers, she regained her seat, and the
| huge mass Of crinoline commenced to settle
to its proper place, aud quiet was once more
restored, when one Of .'the boys" whose
mlrthfnlness must be somewhat largely devel.
oped, burst into a ''horse laugh" The effect
was like spark in magazine, the whole ca,
exploded, and the fat woman Joined in ant
laughed as heartily as the merriest. Her jolly
old sides shook up and down, and the cal
springs vibrated, keeping exact time. Ba
what became of the rat is question. Hurt
ford Times.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

An Austrian army, awfully arrayed, a
Bold by battery Deseiged Belgrade;
Cossack commanders cannonadng come,
Dealing destructions desolating doom;
Every endeavour engineers essay, ~t
For fame, for fortune, fighting furious fray;
Generals 'gsinst generals grapple, grimly great;
How hold heroic hearts hard haggared hate
Infurated, indiscriminate in i'll,
Jeered Joined javelin, jaeger juvinile,
Kinsman killed knsman, kinsman kindred kill!
Labor low levels loftiest, longest lines;
Men march mid mounds, mid moles, mid 'mur
derous mines,
Now noisy noxious numbers noticed nought
or outward obstacles, opposing ought
Poor patriots, partly purchased, partly pressed,
Quite quaiing, quaking, quickly quarter quest ],
Reason returns, religions right resounds,
suwarrow stops such sanguinary sounds.
Truce then to Turkey, triumph to thy train,
Unjust, unwise, unmerciful Ukraine,
Vanish vain victory vanish victory vain'
Why wish we warfare? wherefore welcome we're
Xerxes, Ximenes, Xantheus. Xaviere?
Yield yield ye youths Ye yeoman, yield you
yell!
Zeno's, Zarpharrhe's, Zoroaster's zeal,
All, all arouse all against arms appeal!!!
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

Is EFoRE AND AFTER.-Before the
election Loco Foco candidates in Penn
slyvania proclaimed themselves in favor
ofa protective tariff. The day after
the election the philadelphia Argus
denounces protective tariff as only
beneficial to 'sfactory monopolists."--
1t is curions that so short time should
change the views of a great party. 1t
does not make much difference howey-
er. The people seem to know what
they want and they will take care oft.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

As a matter Of general polite al interest, and
consideration that should not be suffered to
pass out of mind with the present campaign.
we call the attention of our readers, before
they lay aside their political discussions, to the
following answer OF the Louisville Journal to
the boast of the Enquirer, tEat the Democrat
ic party, so called-without, however, eithe-
truth or justifcation--is the 'spermanent'' par
ty of the country; that it is ssthe only one
that has stood the test of talents ard time, and
maintained the confidence of the people. %
This boast finds no foundation or pallia.ion
in the facts developed by the precarious and
vacilIasing history OF the party of whom it is
made. The Journal says:
The Democratic party has been the least
permanent of all the political parties of the
country it has been disbanded three times and
reconstructed upon new basis and built up with
more of the ''cohesive powern which was ne
cessary to its termination. The Republican
ism of Jefferson was the first Democrat. though
1t never assumed the name--the epoch Of its
decadence was the quarrel betw cen the leaders
for the succession to James Monroe. The
Albany Regency and the Richmond Junto built
up with the second Democracy, which was
the Jacksonians This existed twelve years
and then shivered into splinters by cutting up
against the Buffalo platform. The next re-
construction was under the counsels of John
C. Calhoun, though Cave Johnson, of Tennes-
see, and Robert J. Walker, then of Mississippi
pi, where the ostensible managers at the IL al
timore Convention Of 1874, and placed James
X. Polk in nomination for the Presidency.
This was the third or Calhoun Democracy.
1t survived the severe crippling it received by
the election Of Taylor and Fillmore, but ex-
hibited tokens Of weakness from the contagi-
Gus imbeciity Of Pierce; it patched up its
broken constitution sufficiently to travel to
Cincinnati, but the effigy of a President nom-
mated there soon fell to pieces like the made.
up gentleman of Poe's story, and now il is
hard to say where the Democracy is, or who
is Democrat. For the third time, the party
of periodical dissolution is shattered and bro
ken into pieces" The broken fragments will
be collected together, as far as practic able,
and carried te Charleston, il. about eighteen
months, and then we shall see the leaders emu
lating the dextelity Of the Ravels when they
put together the different pieces of Harlequin,
after he had been blown limb from limb by the
Pantaloon! And after that, we shall have
other boasts that the fourth reconstruction of
ssthe party of permanency" has the confidence
OF the people, Baltimore Patriot.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

ssMy first aim was at the upper part of the
door--a pannelied docr-and ! applied the
brush vigorously. sNlrs. BIifkin.,' said I to
my wife, 'as the morning is rather cold
shouldn't you think ii well to put on two coats ?
She took the pleasantly as an inkind reflection
on the disposition made OF the old clothes. and
didn't say anything. worked away on that
door severely, but found before had done it
weariness in the wrist. and cold sensation up
my sleeve attracting my attention, revealed the
fact that a stream of paint was stealing along
the handle of the brush up nv arm. / laid
down the implment and went to procure some
thing with which to wipe the paint off, .Mr.
Blifkins.' screamed nv wife, 'look at the
baby looked, as she held tbs. young pro-
dizzy up TO view, and was much shocked. The
baby had crawled to the paint pot, and i'm
! mersed his two hands to his elbows. Not
\ content with this, he laid hands on the brush
and when Mrs. Blifkins saw him, be was en-
gagged in an insane effort to get 1t into his mouth.
The precocity Of that child is most wonder-
full the paint was washed of, and CON-
menced again.
/ 'Mr Blifkins,'' said my wife, when had
been working about two hours with INV hands
cramped, my wrist and back aching, nv ewes
full of paint, and my face tattooed by the same
like New Zealander, ''are yon most done ?'
The sNo' that returned fear was not pleas.
ant. Al that afternoon worked at that ter.
rible task, and about dinner time saw it ac.
complishad 0Mrs Rl;fy;,s - s,;J s.tb<
work is completed come and look and at.
mire." She came al my request, and noticed
mischievous twinkle in her eyesa as she look.
ed. .'Why, Mr.. Blifkins,' said my wife
you've put more paint on the paper and car.
pet than you have anywhere else.o Her c,it.
icism seemed unkind, but looked where she
had directed, and around The doors and wind
ow frames We're rays Of paint like the sur
ronndings of Islands on a map, and below
were large b.otches of paint upon the carpe
that had assumed geometrical forms enough ts
have puzzled the judgment Of professor
81 confess, my dear, that in this particular
have been little slovenly; but look at tha
work" s'Mr. Blifkins," said my wife, 81
there is no better painting in what's its nam,
at Rome | don't care about seeing it," The
door bell here rang, and accoutred as was
without thinking of it, | rushed to see who
had come, and met whole bevy OF ladies
and suffered the modification of sensitiv,
nature under such Circumstances. here sun
up the whole:
81. Bltfhins in account Vith Domestic Econ
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

Unwritten poetry! tits stamped upon the
broad blue sky; il twinkels in every star. 1t
mingles in the oceans surge, and glitters in.the
dew-drop that gems the lily's bell. II glows
in the gorgeous coiors Of the decline Of day,
and restsin the blackened crest Of the gathsr-
ing storm-clond. 1t is on the mountains
height and in the cataract's roar-in the tow
ering oak, and in the tiny flower, where we
can see the hand Of God, there beauty finds
her dwelling place.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04
SOLD SERIES. VOL. 10. NO 85
TEksmS, S1.50 I'm Advance.


There once lived in an old brown
cottage, so small that it looked like
chicken coop, a solitary woman. She
tended her little garden, knit and spun (.
for living. She was known every
where, from village to village, by the
cognomen of "Happy Nancy" She
had no money, no family, no relations,
she was half blind, quite lame, and
very crooked. There was no comeli.
ness in her; and yet there, in that
homely, deformed body, the great
God, who loves to bring strength out J.,
of weakness, had set his royal seal.
Swell, Nancy, singing again !''would
the chance visitor say, as he lounged
at her door. 49,. .ses !. .-
''La! yes, I'm for ever at it. don't
know what people will think, she
would say, with a sunny smile. =
''Why, they'll think, as they always
do, that you are very happy"
"La! well, that's a fact, I'm just as
happy as the day is long" smams
'Iwish you would tell me your secret
Nancy, you are alone, yon work hard,
yon have nothing very pleasant surroun-
ding you-what is the reason your SO !,
happy?''
"Perhaps it is because / hav'nt got
anybody but God' replied the good
creature looking up.
'sYou see, rich folks like you depend
upon their families and their houses;
they've got to keep thinking of their
business, of their wives and children,
and then they're always afraid ofmigh-
ty troubles ahead. faint got anything
to trouble myself about, ycn see, cause
leaveit it all to the Lord. / think, well,
if he can keep this great world in such
good order, the sun rolling day after
day, and the stars shining night after
night, make the garden things como
up the same, season after season, he
can sartainly take care of such a poor
simple thing as am; and SO, you see,
leave it all to the Lord, and the Lord
takes care of me-"
"Well, but, Nancy, suppose frost
should come after your fruit trees are
all in blossom, and your little plants
out; suppose"
"But don't suppose; / never can sup
pose; | don't want to suppose, except
that the Lord will do everything right.
| That's what makes you people unhap-
lpy; you're all the time supposing. Now,
why can't you wait till the suppose
comes, as l do, and then make the best
of it!''
"Ah, Nancy, it's pretty certain you'll
get to heaven, while many of us, with
all our worldly wisdom, will have to
stay out"
"There, you are at it again." said
Nancy, shaking her head, "always
looking out for black clouds. Why, if
| was you, I'd keep the devil at arms
length, instead of taking him right into
lmy heart; he'll do you a desperate
| sight of mischief"
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04
LOngEtenings. :

The summer work il done the harvest has
been gathered; the busy days OF toll are to be
succeeded by the season which benefcent
Creator seems to have designed for the reinvig-
oration of the prolific earth, and the mental
Improvement OF His creatures. From the au-
tumnal to the vernal equinox, the long even
lngs suggest and afford the proper opportunity
for rest, recreation and instruction. And the
family newspaper, the school teacher, and the
popular lecturer, are, perhaps, equally import
ant in subscribing these varied purposes. The
newspaper will keep the reader in practical
relations with the progress of the world, and
the doings Of his fellow beings around him !;
the school-teacher will make hlm better &C
quainted with the books Of the present and
the lore Of the past while the lecturer will
introduce him to the more intricate problems
of art and science, and the more familiar de-
tails Of the advancing philosophers, in their
numerous applications to the varied purposes
OF human life.-Ltfe Illustrated.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04
ADVICE WORTH MILLIoNsl GRAr1s.

ADVICE WORTH MILLloNs] GRATIS.
Every woman has right to be any
age she pleases, for if she were to state
her real age no one would believe her.
Every one bas right to wear NOUS
tache who can. Every woman who
makes puddings has perfect right to
believe that she can make better
pndding than any other woman in the
world. Every man who carves has q
decided right to think of himself by
putting a few of the best bits inside
Every woman has right to think her
child the ''prettiest little baby in tile
world" and it would be the greatest
folly to deny her this right, for she
would be sure to take it. Every young
lady has a right to faint when she
pleases, if her lover is by her side to
catch her. Every fool has right to he
on the best terms with himself, and
that man is a greater fool who differs
with him about those terms. Every
child who makes noise. has RIGHT
to be turned out of the room; and, sup-
posing you have not the right, you are
perfectly justified, if the parents are
absent, in usurping it.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

"Ithrow in The dangerous experiment of The
baby and the injury TO health: both Of which,
could they be estimated by numbers, would
swell the amount to an alarming figure
came solemnly TO the conclusion that it would
have been better to have hired it done.s
Such was MIR. Slfkins' story about his econ
omy. is a case not much owe, stated.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

Diggs saw note lying on the ground but
knew that it was counterfeit, and walked on
without picking itup. He told Smithers the
story, when the latter said
"Doyou know, Digss, you have committed
a very grave offsnce?"
"Why, what have donep"
"You have passed counterfeit bill, know
ing II to be SUCH" said Smithers with smile
and fed. St
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04
A Merry Eye.
BY Read rRoRNroN.

BY BEAD THORNTON.
The light Of q merry eye
In this dark world OF ours,
'Tis like the blue April's sky,
Or sunshine after showers
Though born to trouble as we are,
And never from sorrow free
Still, merry eyes are aye the sign
OF what our life should be.
Forjoy is sorrows elder born,
And shall outlive her sigh
And sorrows truest tears are shed
When weeps merry eye.
The languid life Of softer lands,
Thro' pensive cribs may CLEAN
But saxon blood and toiling hands
suitbest q sunny beam.
My blue-eyed boy, by two months young,
His infant words to try,
Tells all he needs by meaning smiles
That haunt his merry eye.
That sunshine OF the heart shall live,
And cares and years defy
Fen wrinkles radiate the light
Around merry eye!
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

g. At the late election Iowa City pollsd
ever 1900 votss.
The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-11-04

OCEAN NELoeuENcE.-Fitzgerald, OF
the Pacific Methodist, went to the
beach, sand gazed and listened to the
deep, snllen roar of the ocean, thrilling
the soul with MYSTERIOUS awe, sug-
gesting its dread tragedies and terrible
secrets. In that roar we heard the
shrieks of dying men and women; the
pititnl moaningof starving ones drift.
ting upon the wild waters after shin.
wreck; the hoarse shouts of excited
mariners battling with the tempest, the
booming of artillery, and the clashing
of sabres on hostile decks. AS We
listened and mused, the voice of Ocean
brings the tones of dear ones that sleep
beyond lis floods, and of noble spirits
buried in its depths II speaks Of tho
happy, moarnfal past, and looking far
out upon its waters, until vision is lost
in distance, it speaks Of the Infinite
Future"
Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-29
NO. 25.

DRY, { have tried it once or twice, you
will overdo the matter, and render your
discourse heavy. In cpite of yoursrelf, il
will appear stiff and unnatural, labored
and cold. L am q very wicked man, but
if | had to preach in your pulpit next Sab
bath morning, / should select subject to
nay taste, then make as the lawyers call it,
brief of what / intended to say. This I
should carry with me through the week,
and during my leisure hours, even walking
along the streets, think closely on its di-
visions and subdivisions, till had attain
ed full and distinct view of the matter
which / wished to clothe in words, till I
had become warm and interested in it, and
made it perfectly familiar to my thoughts
Then could enter your pulpit, and speak
with fiuency, earnestness, ease, and with
the best ornament of style, manner and ell
ocution that my poor genias could com
mand. What do you think of this plan
of preparing sermons?" he inquired.
at strikes me as admirable" /" answer
ed. a ,- Lns
"lf you willtry it next Sunday ."he add
ed, Il will be present, and honestly
give you my opinion of the character of
your performance"
l retired to my room, chose subject.
made brief, and faithfully followed his di-
rections-with one exception-I did not
take it into the pulpit with me- lie kept
his word, and came to church on Sabbath
morning. Meeting me after the services,
he said:
"Sir your Discourse was natural, easy.
simple and magnificent; you laid down
Sentence after sentence. paragraph after
paragraph, entirely fit for the press, / did
not notice that You tripped single time,
which YOU would have done, had YOU used
a manuscript. You will make an extern
poraneons speaker quite as popular and
brilliant as ever Mr. Larned was"
This gentleman communicated to mo
what was worth more, as to the secret
OF speaking we'll in the pulpit, than
all which had heard from the professors
at Andover, or read in treaties on the sub
ject.
Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-29
National Democraer,

Senator Hammond. of. South Carolina,
In the recent debate in the Senate Of the
United States, tells us that all loBorins
men are "slaves. This is one of the
points" of national democracy. Here is
another point" which has been put forth
by Senator Clay, of Alabama, in his re-
cent speech: 3 iHs e.s roi1F
3 Establish as principle, that to give
sanction to law it must be approved blythe
n'Yoruy at The ballot bor. and you take
away this security and surrender those
rights to the most capricious. rapacious
and cruel of tyrants. regret to see the
growing spirit in Congress, and throughout
the country. to democratise our govern
ment-to submit euery question plethsr
pertaining to organic or n.unsciipal Iosrs, to
the vofe Of the people" a.eiS s's'I
Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-29
Removal of slavery from Nit. ouri.

The Alexandra Delta is another of tho
newspapers of Missouri, that has the hon
esty and independence to encourage the
cause of free white labor in that State
Its issue of the 3Oth ult. has the follow
ing: inif ai "a
The recent demonstration in Missouri
on the emancipation question, have pro-
duced a prodigious effect in the northern
States. They are understood to betoken
the sure and speedy extinction of sla7ery
in Missouri. Thousands and tens of thous.
ands of persons in the east, who had new
cr before entained the idea, are now seri-
ously considering the propriety of a removal
of themselves and families to Missouri
We should not wonder if the operation of
this cause alone should bring $4,000 in
habitants into Missouri from the fres
States in one year from this date. and that
100000 additional should follow within
two wears. IT . 4g
Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-29

1S- A majority of the candidates on the
democratic state ticket have declared their
utter contempt for the Mass Meeting of
the 23d, and for all Democrats who oppose
the Lecompton Constitution Some of
them have written letters to the Central
Committee of the Mass Meeting. express
ing these sentiments. These letters so
important in the present crisis, the Pharos
studiously withholds from it's readers, and
whilst opposing the Presidents pro-slave-
ry policy, recommends them to vote for
MS picked friends for State officers. Do
Democrats follow principles or men,
LogansporfT journal. 3.g = aslz.-1a ias4
Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1858-04-29
Written for tho Marshall County Republican
I THE EVENING: BELL.
By CLARA OLIVE.

Hark. It's the evening bell hear, as.,r.
1t wakens thoughts to memory dear;
Yes. thoughts of home my fond heart swell.
Where first heard the evening bell
Those pcnsivc memories haunt me still,
In fancy | hear. the whippoorwill,
Whose piaintive notes did nightly swell,
And u,ingle with the evening bell.
How strange its po~ er. its sound will bring
The dreams Of my youth on fancy 5 wing,
And sleeping memories rouse to tell,
How sweet that time of the evening bell.
Oh, yes! it recalls those dreamy DAYS .fa
When | wandered oftby winding WAYS
10 howery nook. or shady dell, }n
Til warned to return BY the evening bell.
The friends of my youth, oh. where are thes
Our household band, the grave and gay2
Low in the tomb, there many dwell,
And list no more to the evening bell.
Those that are left are scattered wide,
And other cares their hearts divide, els
There's none Of the band with me TO tell,
Or childhood days and the evening bell ~
Then do not chide when my thoughts stray
To other scenes, at twilight gray.
For memory throws her magic spell
Der me, when hear the evening bell.
PLSNorrH, Ind.