davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
Crinoline and:the Clergy.

Our several friends Of the Aminadab
sleek order love joke, as we'll as The best
free thinkers in our neighborhood, and
the papers termed religious, par excellence
delight to give Tue bon nsots Of the fathers
Of the flock the gentle accelleralion Of the
rounds of the press. The following was
cut from the Boston Recorder, and sup
posed to be from the pen Of Parson Cook,
now taking his sojourn at that "Vanity
. Fair" called Saratoga-what would old
John Bunyun say if he could suddenly
come on US againl Verify, verify all is
vanity
"As soon as I could get the, ~,weighty
matters Of the hotel arranged, made my
way for the Congress Springs, between
eight and nine O'Clock on beautiful eve.
ming. And found the narrow Broad.
way ofthis place, so obstructed, partly
from the multitude Of people, and more
from the fact that the women dwelt in
tents. while they walked-that walking
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
influence Of Dress on Health.

Many Of the diseases TO which the del.
icate and youthful Of the female sex are
peculiarly liable, and by which SO many
of them are hurried into The grave in the
spring time Of their existence, may be
traced to impropriety Of dress-either in
preventing, by its undue tightness and
inconvenient form, the growth Of the
body, and the natural and free play Of its
various parts and organs, or to want Of
caution in accommodating it to the tenn
perature of the season, and to the various
and rapid yicissitudes of the weather, -
One cause of the alarming prevalence Of
consumption among the ladies' Of this
country, may, without any doubt, be
traced TO the general adoption of a style
Of dress which is totally unadapted to
guard the body from the influence Of cold,
and of those sudden transitions from heat
to cold, SO common, especially in the
middle and Northern States-and, more
especially, under circumstances when
these transitions Of temperature are most
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
q Raglan, Editor and Proprietor.

became matter Of difficulty and labor.
Indeed have somewhat questioned whe-
ther the greatness Of the multitude here
is not in part an optical illusion. From
some cause there is looming up, or. a
mirage. which is vastly increasing the
apparent bulk of the human race, to say
nothing of the quality or numbers. Bat
justice requires me 10 say, that this
ground swell Of fashion is no more for.
midable here, where one might expect
the worst Of it, than any. where else. II
is not confined to city or country, to high
life or low life. 1t is an appendage o.
human nature, though standing, out con
siderably from it. Il is, as the German.
would say, world fact, development
of the species-always excepting the male
portion of it, that have not yet given il
their admission to it. But enough Of this
1t is no difficult matter to "shoot folly al
it fes." when it presents such breadth
of surface to the marksman."
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
Life-Death.

There dwelt in ancient times on the Pa
lus Meotis, a barbarous people, called the
Alani, whose God was naked sword,
which they set up in the ground and wor-
shipped, and whose greatest glory and hap
piness consisted in slaughtering their fel-
low creatures, and employing their skins
for horse covers. This brutal nation was,
as far as we can recollect, the only one that
considered it ignominious to die of old
age. This maxim, nevertheless. seems to
have identified itself with the character of
martial nations, the members of which are
anxious to die for their country and it
may be viewed in a milder light where it
loses all that is rude and barbarous, and
appears in the rank Of real heroic virtue
1t is truly absurd to regard natural death,
that is to say, the only way in which men
can die of old age, as ignominious but
still it is real virtue to sacrifice ones
life for the public veal; virtue in which
the ancient heroes and philosophers were
great, and which those of modern times are
mostly very little. The more effeminate
and luxurious nation becomes, and the
more it is depraved by indulgence and vol
uptuousness, so much the more it breads
death and is attached to life. In vain
would you show the debauchee the lustre
of mortality that must surround his name,
if he sacrifice his lifosfor his fellow citizens
and his country. To no purpose would
you promise him the pure joys Of heaven,
and the everlasting glories on which his
soul will feast itself. He would rather be
utterly forgotten from the present moment
and renounce future state altogether, than
give up single year of his voluptuous life,
Between these two extremes the wise will
choose middle course. We must not hold
life so lightly as to throw it away, neither
ought death to appears terrible as to make
us hesitate to surrender it, when importan,
occasions demand the sacrifice.
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
A Eat Man.

One Of our city physicians has handed
us the following extract from letter
written to him by professional brother
in the upper country, describing some
what singular case, we believe of rare
occurrence in surgical practice
II must put in a slip, to give you an
instance Of death from the rapid accumu.
la.ion of fat. We had a young man,
residing lS miles from this place, who
was one Of the miracles Of nature. Al
the age Of % years he weighed 565
pounds; he continued gradually 10 increase
in flesh until he reached over 600 pounds
he was able to get about with lolerablt
ease 10 himself, aud attended to his plant
ing interest. Some weeks ago be com
menced increasing in flesh very rapidly
and gained II pounds per day ; then i
was found be gained little over pound
per day. Last week he died suddenly il
his chaise, think from the accumulation
Of fat around the heart. Three day
prior to his death he weighed GAG pounds
and had he been weighed the day Of hi
death, no doubt he would have gone owe
$50 pounds +; | have often seen him, ant
visited his family few months ago pro
fessionally, y,"-Csavannah News.
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
illustration of Faith.

=" Father" said little Welsh boy to
his parent, who had been explaining the
Scriptures to his family, in the hall of
what was once the manor house, but
which was then occupied by farmer
Father, you said you would one day,
when-I was old enough, teach me what
faith is. Am 1 old enough now p
Well, think you are Willy. Come
to me-" said his father, rising from his
chair.
The boy no sooner approached, than
his father raised him from the ground,
and set him on double chest of drawers,
that stood beside the wall. The chld's
color went and came, and he was evil
den,ly afraid to stand upright in such an
unusual situation.
" Now Willy" said his father. placing
himself at lille distance, and holding
ou. his arms, i" Now Willy, stand up
right and jump into my arms"
The child's position and the fathers
command, were alike calculated to pro.
duce alarm, and did produce it. But the
fathers look was calm, and kind, and
serious, and the child had invited the les
son, SO he had nothing for it, but to turn
his mind to compliance. 3
Raising himself somewhat, at length
he made an effort TO jump, but his heart
failed him and he drew back further from
the edge of the drawers.
"Ah, Willy" said the father, &" thou
hast no faith--try again." Will thought
a moment and perceived the nature and
drift of his fathers experiment. HI
came back again to the edge, and at thi:
time he did make the spring, but SO i'm
perfectly and with so divided mind tha
he would have fallen but for beam o
the ceiling just above him, on which he
clasped his hands and recovered himself
His father smiled and said, =" Willy
thou hast no faith yet /; but that was bet
ter than the last. Come try once more
The look of quiet love in his fathers face
, and his still open arms, at length assured
our hero there really was no danger; o
it may be so much reverence and trus
in parental smile. that he forgot TIT
danger Be this as it may, this TIM
Willy stood Dol! upright and jumped owe
the dreadful gulf into his fathers power
full arms.
lie looked up with smile; and hi
father setting him on the floor, said
There, Willy, that was faith. Their
is the gulf Of hell between you and eter
nal life; your Heavenly Father holds ou
for you the arms Of love, and sent hi
, only Son to die and prove it to you.-
Trust Him as you have trusted me, an
you will save your SOUL"
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
MISCELLANY.
The Dignity Of Nature Shown from
its Ruins.

From The eloquence Of Homer de.
pcribing the glory and magnifcence of
Thebes, the vast circuit Of its walls, its
hundred gates, and the charols of war
pouring out of all, to vanquish and hold
in subjection the people Of as many ma
tions, yields only faint unimpressive
conception Of the city; but 10 pass thro'
the ruins of Karnac and Luxor vast
desolation Of temples and pillared ave-
nues that dwarf all the present structures
of the world, solemn, silent, and hoary,
covered with historic sculptures that re-
late to the conquest of kingdoms--a jour-
ney to pass through, a maze in which
even comprehension is lost-this reveals
a fil conception of The grandest city OF
the world, as no worlds could describe it.
Beheld and Judged by the majesty of its
ruins, there is poetry in the stones sur
passing all majesty Of song. So, when
the prophet Jonah, endeavoring, as he
best can, to raise some adequate opinion
of the greatness of Nineveh, declares
that it is an exceeding great city, of three
days journey and when Nahum follows,
magnifying its spIendor in terms of high
est description that, correspond; still
so ambiguous and faint is the impress
sion made, that many were doubling
whether, after all, "lhe exceeding great
city" was anything more than vast en-
closure of gardens and pasture grounds
for sheep, where moderate population
subsistded under the protection Of a wall.
No one had any proper conception Of
the city ill just now, when traveller
and anliquary digs into the tomb where
it lies, opens to view, at points many
miles assunder, its temples and palaces,
drsgs out the heavy sculptures, shows
the inscriptions, collects the tokens of arl
and splendor, and says Z" iris is Nineveh
the exceeding great city," and then
Judging Of lis extent from the vast and
glorious ruin, we begin to have some fl
Impression Of lis magnitude and splendor
And so il is with Babylon, Ephesus, Tad
more Of the desert, Baalbeck and the
nameless cities aud pyramids Of the ex-
tinct American race. All great ruins are
but a name for greatness in ruins, and
we see the magnitude Of the structure in
that Of the ruin made by it in its fall.
So il is with man. Our most veritable
though saddest impressions of his great
ness as creature, we shall derive from
the magnificent ruin he displays. In thai
ruin we shall distinguish fallen powers
that lie as broken pillars on the ground
temples Of beauty, whose SCARED ant
shattered walls still indicate their ancien
original glory; SUBMITS covered with
broken stones, infested by asps, where
the palaces Of high thought and great as
piration stood, and righteous courage
went up to maintain the citadel Of the
mind-all ruin now, arch angel ruined.
-TDr. Bushnell.
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27

A HupEFUL CoNvERT.--Recently the
Melhodists held great f." revival" in
Wisconsin. Among the converts was
one whose previous profession had been
I" three card monte" Times, ,bsing some
what hard he found little prof, in his
legitimate "practice," and became "con-
verted," as the elders say. One night at
the suggestion OF an elder, he rose TO ed
ify the congregation with his experience,
and thus delivered himself: "Ladies and
gentlemen,--I mean brethren and sis
tern | never felt SO happy before in all
my life embarrassed ~ say | never
felt SO happy before in all my life, livery
much Embarrassed LII any one thinks
! ever did they "Can Get lively bel ouI
Of Inc.
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
Woman's Smile and Laugh.

A beautiful smile is 10 the female coun.
tenance what the sunbeam is to the land.
scape. 1t embellishes an inferior face,
and redeems an ugly one. A smile,
however, should not become habitual, or
insipidity is the result, nor should the
mouth break into smile on one side, the
other remaining passive and unmoved,
for this imparts an air of deceit and gro-
,esqueness to the face. A disagteeabe
smile distorts the lines Of beauty, and is
more repulsive than frown.
There are many kinds of smiles, each
having distinctive characier-some an
nounce goodness and sweetness, others
betray sarcasm, bitterness and pride ;
some soften the countenance by their
languishing tenderness, others brighten i,
by their brilliant and spiritual vivacity
Gazing and poring before mirror cannot
aid in acquiring beautiful smiles half so
well as to turn the gaze inward, to watch
that the heart keeps unsullied from the
reflection of evil, and is Illuminated and
teautifed by all sweet thoughts.
Then there is woman's sweet laugh
than which there is not a natural grace
more bewitching! LIS sound has beer
pleasantly compared to that Of flutes or
the water. I. leaps from her heart in 8
clear sparkling rill, and the heart that Il
reaches feels as if bathed in the cool
exhiIerating spring. 1t runs the prose
of lips into poetry; it filings showers O
sunshine over this darksome world ID
which we are travelling, and il gilds viii
ligh: and brightsomeness all that i
| touches.
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
Beautiful Paraphrase.

As we have got into Sacred Poetry we
may as we'll remark, as an inexplicable
curiosity the intense badness Of rhyme in
most Of the psalms and hyms used in
public and private worship. Watts, Wes'
ley, William, Cowper, James Montgom.
cry, Kirk White and Thomas Moore,
are almost the only poets who, writing
upon sacred subjects, have adhered 10
rhythm, as we'll as to appropriateness of
expression. We have lately fallen upon
something very different from the usual
poetical paraphrases of Sacred Writ. 1t
is a verfcaton of the Lords Prayer
AN orison, the brevity and concenlra-
ton of which ought 10 be lesson to
those who indulge in many words when
they pour out prayer and praise. It has
lately been published IN London, is COM
posed as a duett, and harmonized for four
voices, with an accompaniment for the
organ or piano forte. 1t runs thus
Our heavenly Father, hear our prayer;
Thy name be halowed every where;
Thy kingdom come Thy perfectwill
In earth, as heaven, let all fulfill:
Give this days bread that we may live;
Forgive our sins as we forgive;
Help us temptation to withstand
From evil shield us by thy hand
Now and forever unto Thee,
Thy kingdom power and glory be.
Amen.
Here is nothing redundant, nothing
wanting. The music simple and melodi
GUS, is said 10 he worthy Of the Words
The most curious circumstance connected
with this paraphrase is, tina! all persons
concerned keep their names concealed
The authors are ~. NJ" and w. H.
The artist who has so beautiful,
adorned the music, is "R. t." The mn
sical composer is &c. F. H." Tn
paraphrase, which is as near perfection
as human talent can make il, has beer
duly entered at "Stationer's Hail.
but is not yet published, so that it may b.
adopted in public and private worship
| Philadelphia Press.
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
Only THE HEARr's OrrERrNo Acorp

ONLY THE HEART's OFFERING AccEP.
TED.-The other day in walking down
the street little beggar boy-or one who
might have begged so ragged was he's.
having discovered that l loved flowers,
came and put into my hand a faded little
sprig, which he had somewhere found.---
4 did not look directly al the scrawny,
withered branch, but beheld it through
the medium of the boys heart seeing
what he would have given, not what he
gave and SO looking, the shrivelled stem
was ladened with blossoms Of beauty and
odor. And il ! who am cold, selfish and
ignorant, receive so graciously the offer.
ing Of poor child, with what tender Joy
must our Heavenly Father receiyethe sim
cere tribute Of his creatures, when he looks
through the medium Of his intimate love
and compassion. Christ does not say
stake the noblest things Of lifo. and
bring them perfect TO me, and I will re-
ceive them" He says: "Tako the low
est and most disagreable thing, and If you
bring il cheerfully for my sake, il shall
be 70 me a flower Of remembrance, and
/ will place il in the book Of life. aud
keep it forever. vi IL. w. Beecher.
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27

A certain young lady, who was famous
for making good picked walnus, and
was very fond Of eating them too, one
season discovered that her jars were
emptied before she had fairly tasted her
favorite pickle. She called her servants
to account, but each one denied having
meddled with the jars. and the good lady
determined, if possible, to find out the
thief. She made another fine lot Of pick
les, and placed them on a shelf in tht
same store room, keeping daily watch
upon them. To her great surprise, she
discovered no other than her pet parrot lc
be the pilerer of her pickle jars. She
caught him hooking out the walnuts with
his crooked beak, and in her anger sht
dashed pitcher of hot waller upon him
which she chanced to have in her hand
Poor Poll was in cad plight, both il
suffering and appearance, his bright fea
theirs all fell out, aud he was long in hi
naked candilion nursed by the pity of hi
forgiving mistress. During This periot
of probation, venerable friend Of III,
lady one day came 10 visit her, who wa
quite bald. Poll waddled quietly into tn,
parlor, and climbing upon the back of th
old gentleman's chair, seemed to be SOM
time intently examining his bald head
then, growing bolder, she got upon hi
shoulder, and with beak upon tho ball
spot, cried
ESQ I! SO you've been at the pickle,
walnuts too, have youW
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
POETRY.
To the Comet.

Whence thou, and whittier bound, celestial
ranger?
And what's thy mission in these lower skies 2
Cam'st thou from spheres beyond our mortal
eyes,
Prognosticating dire impending dangerf
Or art thou on tour of observation
Before thou tak'st permanent location
In olden time, the world had gone demented
To see thy tail long trailing mid the stars,
The sign Of woes, Of famines, and of jars
Among the nations, not to be prevented,
To them thou vert spectacle of doom
They fear'd thy train the earth would over
whelm
To us it seems gem bespangled broom
Wherewith the angels sweep their starry realm
But why so hasty in thy evening hightP
Why hide thy face, like oriental maiden,
Behind veil composed of threads of light
Offeathery texture, and profusely laden
With gems and sparks of celestial hue7
Say, art thou journeying to the far-Of place
Where chill Uranus runs his lonely race,
To learn how all thy brother comets doIi
Ethereal stranger when wilt thou return
In silvery splendor in our skies to burn 2
Methinks the light Of many eyes shall pale
And sorrowing spirits find Welcome rest,
Ere thou again thy glittering form shall trai
Athwart the heavens, fleet Meteor OF the West
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
The Scenery about Pixies Peak.

A Mrs Holmes from Lawrenc Kan
sas, has gone TO the Kansas Gold region,
and writes back the fellOwing description
Of the country to the Lawrence Repub-
lican.
DEAR MOTHER II write this to you
sitting in our little house among the rocks,
about one hours walk from the summit Of
Pixies Peak. 1t is a curious little nook
which we have selected as our temporary
home, formed by two very large over
hanging rocks, and enclosed by number
of small ones, while close beside it is a
large snow bank which we can reach with
ease. Our couch is composed of large
quantity of spruce boughs (cut with that
little knife which you have used so,
much.) These we arrange on the rock
upon which we spread some quilts re-
serving others for covering-and by the
help of good fire, which we keep burn
ing all night we can manage to keep the
cold off very well.
Two days of very hard climbing has
brought me here, il you only knew how
hard, you would be surprised that / have
been able 10 accomplish it, but my
strength and capacity for enduring fatigue
have been very much increased by con-
slant exercise in the open air since leaving
home. l was often obliged to use my
Fhands-clutchiing now at some propitious
twig which happened to be within reach,
and now trusting to some projecting stone.
This is the most romantic Of places.
Think of the huge rocks projecting out
in all imaginable shapes, with the beau.i.
full evergreens, the frs, and spruces inter-
spersed among them, and then the clear,
cold mountain stream, which appears as
though it started right out from under
some great rock-and on it goes, rushing,
tumbling and Kissing down oyer the rough
mountain sides, now sparkling in the
sunbea ans, and. now hiding behind some
huge rock, and now rising again to view,
it rushes on, away down, down, until ii
turns a corner and is lost 10 our sight. -
Then think of the fragrant little flowers
80 many different kinds and some Of
them growing within reach of our snow
bank.
The scene from the top Of the Peak
is mageifcant. Extending as far as the
eye can reach, lie the great level plains,
slretced out in all their verdure, and beau.
ty, while the winding ofthe great Arkan
sas is visible for many miles. We can
also see distinctly where many of the small
ler tributaries unite with it. Then The
ruggid rocks all around, and the almos
endless succession of mountains and rocks
below, tie broad blue sky ever our heads
and seemingly so very near.
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27
FlatfOoted Courtship.

One long summer afternoon there came
to Mr.. Dayidson's the most curious speci-
men Of an old bachelor the world ever
heard Of He was old, grey, wrinkled
and odd. He hated women, especially
old maids, and wasn't afraid to say so.-
He and aunt Patty had it hot and heavy,
whenever chance threw them together; (;
yet still he came, and it was noticed that
Aunt Patty took unusual pains with her
dress whenever he was expected. One
day the contest waged unusually strong,
Aunt Patty left him in disgust, and went
out into the garden. 1.-The bear :" she
muttered to herself, as she stopped 10 ga.
ther a blossom which attracted her atten.
ton.
"What did you run away for 7" said
a gruf voice close to her side.
ITO get rid of you.''
You didn't do it, did you 7"
"No, you are worse than burdock
bur-"
"You won't get rid Of me, neither"
"I won't, eh :"
"Only one way"
"And lhat?"
"Marry me-"
"What, us two fools get married p
What will people say!"
"That's nothing to us. Come, say
yes or no; I'm in hurry"
"Well, no, then"
every well, good bye. Ishant come
again"
"But stop bit--wha. pucker to b.
inw
eyes or NOT"
"l must consult
Gall right. I thought you was of age
Good bye"
"Jabez Andrews, don't be fool
Come back, come back, say. Why,
believe the critter has taken me for earn
est. Jabez Andrews I'll consider
81 don't want no consiterin'. In
gone. Becky Hastings is waiting for me
i, thought I'd give you the first chance
All right. Good bye"
"Jabez--Jabez /! That stuck up Beck
ey Hastings shan't have him, if | die 70
it. Jabez--Yes. Do you hear! Y-E,s!'
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27

The following notice was lately affixed
to a church door, and read in the church :
"This is to give notice, that no person is
to be buried in this churchyard but those
living in the parish; and those wishing
to be buried are desired to apply % the
parish clerk"
True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-27

liable to produce their baneful effects
npon the system. The contrast in the
habits of American and English ladies,
in this respect, is most surprising,