davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

l shrunk back into the crowd, for all knew the | character of West, and none cared to arouse him. Without word to any one, he left the room, and in moment the furious beat of his horses hoofs told that the avenger was on the track of his victim. For miles and miles the prairie stretched out, like an undulating sea, Terminating it's waves of verdure in an im-
 mense cypress swamp; and towards this swamp the wretch who was then strangely afforded a chance for lis fife, was now hastening with l frantic speed It was a strange race The moon. full orbed, rode high in the heavens, shedding flood of silvery radiance on all ob- iecs, making it almost as bright as day; still ness profound as the grave reigned around, broke only by the tramp, tramp of the pursued and pursuer. Nearer and nearer does he draw to the doomed wretch, and with shriek Of despair does the hopeless man see that it is impossible for him to reach his place of ref uge. Even now the breath of his enemy's stced comes like fire into his face, and with one more bound they are side by side. Spare me! o, for Gods sake, mercyp yelled the ter TOT stricken fugitive. The only answer was sparp, quick flash, stunning report. and the murderer stood in the presence of that God whom he had outraged by his crimes onearth' Gone! unannealed, unanointed, with his white, ghastly face upturned to the sky, and the red blood dabblirg the sweet white flowers, the I last of that murderous band which had marred forever the happiness of the cold, stern man sitting on his horse, looking impassionately on the face of the dead man, thinking dream fly, perhaps, of the dear home, and its dearer inmates, lost to him in this world forever.
 Reader, this is no fancy sketch. John West is not the name of the man, one incident of whose varied life we have endeavored to give yon; but his name is inscribed high on the rolls of fame. Should this eyer meet the eye of Texan Ranger he will, perhaps, remem- Der the night before the walls of Monterey, where he told this story to his companions, and stripping who formed one of the group of listeners. VALE
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21
SONG OF THE MoTHERLEss.

BY HELEN BRUCE. Can she be sleeping with the silent dead,
 That cherished one? ~ E Can the damp earth be now her only bed,
 Her life be done? s=s q. -rF1- I cannot, CANNOT feel that she is gone
 TO COME NO MORE That she by the still waters stands upon
 The spirit shore. Mother, HOW coULD'sT THOU leave thy chil' dren thus,
 Sadly alone? This earth, alas hath no "sweet home" fol US.
 Now THOU art gone. Where shall we find ANOTHER voice to bless
 As thine hath blessed? And where another heart of love so true
 As that at rest? Though we should. seek them through tht whole wide world, .ls-t
 'Twould be in vain A mothers love, once lost, cannot be found
 On earth again. ftf- 't
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21
Franklin's Religious Belief.

Much has been said and written on the question, whether Benjamin Franklin was believer in the divinity of Christ ln- deed there are those who have asserted that he entertained opinions in coincidence
 with the belief of D'Alembert, Volaire, Dldoret, and many others who were con sidered as theleading literary menand philosophers of the French Court, while he resided al Paris. That he did not be- lieve in the absolute divinity of Jesus Christ, il is difficult to doubt, if we judge
 by the record which he himself has left behind but by the same test we find him
 devout believer in the existence and
 providence of Deity. As to his skep,i-
 csm with reference to the divine charac-
 ter of Christ, it is remarkable fact that some of the greatesl minds of the present and past age concur .vith bim---while, on the contrary no great man of the present century has declared in favor of Atheism. With regard 10 the opinions of Franklin on these subjects, we clip the following extract from the last number of the Quar- tery Review of Freemasonry: i ass ; .a'' In answer to letter from the Rev,
 Dr. Stiles. President ei Yale College, dated January 2Sih, l790, in which, among other things, he asks to know the opinion of his venerable friend concern
 ng Jesus, of Nazareth, Dr. Franklin seems to express surprise that his religion should be called in question. He ob-
 serves: {" This is the first time have been questioned upon it.' We close this article with quotation from the residue of his answer: '' cannot take your curiosity amiss, and shall endeavor, in a few words. to gratify it.. Here is. my creed believe in one God, the Creator of the universe. That He governs it by His providence. That He ought 10 be worshipped, That the most acceptable service we render 10 Himis doing good to His other children. That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with jus
 tice in another life respecting it's conduct in this. These take to be the funda- mental points in all sound religion, and regard them as you do in whatever sect l meet them. As to Jesus of Nazareth,
 my opinion of whom you particularly de- sire, 1 think the system of morals, and his religion as he Jeff them to us, the best the world ever saw, or is likely to see; but apprehend it has received various corrupling changes and l have, with most of the present dssenters in England, some doubts as to his divinity" sdi 8 IS
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

A BEAUTIFUL ExTRAcT.-The follow ing paragraph is from the Wisconsin Far mer: uotH do saa aaais1 ~ 4.i'ii'95 Tothe majority of men we are satisfied that the soil is nothing but dirt; but to the chemist who knows it's origh, It's na- ture and it's capa bilities, 1t is a wonderful nixtare of those beaatifui clements, which in their ever varying forms become the ambient air, the liquid ocean, the pre- cious opal, the ametyst, the jasper and the still more precious diamond; or the de- Iicate blue bell and the iviolet,t the amararith, the lily and the rose bud, the spear of blue grass and the cedar of Lebanon or again the ruby-hp, the love-lt eye, the no- ble, palptating heart, and yet more won derful brain! These are jewels oi which the soil is composed, and out ofwhich the husbahdman so unheedingly strives to force the food hunger eraves. Henceiorth, as he turns the furrow Of the field, let the sleep of his thoughts be broken by the re. fiection, thisearth thus starred up by my ploughshare, is doubtless composed in parl fof the ashes of ancestral heroes whose deeds, are the history of the past, and whose mortal remains are the plastic ma. aerial out Of which we are building the bod l ies of men to day. 1l4 3n' oaA5issi
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

the trunks and the roots spreed out on every side, and in consequence ot the fires every summer, there are large cavi- ties in nearly every tree. There IS not much grace or beauty in any of them, but they are the awfulest biggest things" that ever l did see. There has been an other grove of them discovered lately on the banks of the Fresno.
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

'
 PASSING EDITORS AT THE CusTom HovsE.---Th editor the Portland Argus has been on visit 70 Montreal, and thus describes his escape from the Custom House ordeal:. fu
 On entering Canada. the travellers lug gage is. as everybody knows, subjected 10 examination. by the lynx-eyed revenue officers of Canada. and 1 of course pointed out mine, as others did theirs, expecting il to be searched for packages of Havanas and other articles dutiable by the laws of the country What was my surprise. however, when the officer informed me that he would not look at mine. g.avelv giving as reason that he understood 1 was an editor. as gravely thanked the gentlemanly officer for the exemption, and for the compliment to the honesty and honorable character of the editorial profess sion, which ] understood i, to imply. " Beg pardon," said he, {" the exemption is due, not 10 your honesty, but to your pouerfyi Editors, sir, are never presumed to have anything i; pick-pockels aud custom. house officers always give them a wide berth, excep, by mistake" By this time found l had encountered genuine wag, who, soon learned was as full of fun and anecdote, as he was full of information in regard to the country and people nlong his route. B sysi saazlli9 Tutt .9ah sA&
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

at t x a |.
 WoMAN's GRAvE.--I can pass by the tomb of man with somewhat of calm in- difference; but when survey that of a fe. male, sigh alnvoluntarily escapes me. With the holy name of womunl associ- ale every tender and delicate afieclton. 1 think of her as the young and bashful virgin, with eyes sparkling, and cheeks, crlmsoned with each impassloned feeling of the heart; as the chaste and virtuous ma,ron, tired with the follies of the world, and preparing for the grave to which she must soon descend. Oh! there. is ssome.I thing in contemplating the character of woman that raises the soul far above lie
 level of soclely. Sire is formed to adorn and humanize mankind, 10 soothe his cares and slrew his path with flowers. In the hour of distress, she is the rock on which he leans for support, and when fate calls him from existence, her tears bedew his grave. s,
 Can you look upon her tomb without emolons Man has usually justice done 10 his memory; woman, seldom. The pages of history lie open to one, but meek un-- oblrusive excellencies of the other sleep with her unnoticed in the grave. In her may have shone the genius ofa poet with the virtues of q saint. She ,too, may have passed along the sterile path of existence and felt for others as now feel for her. :,
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

A PRETTY IScIpENT.-A young Ills nois girl purchased small Testament for four dozen of eggs, at three cents per dozen. When her brother was, about to startto Mexico as volunteer ID the war, she put it into his vest-pocket.f There n remained in the same pocket and wrapped in the same paper unul the pauie ot
 Buena Vista, when the wearer received q
 wound. through the Testaments the book
 breaking the force of the bullet, which lodged in his breast and sent him to the hospital. There he read the book, en-
 braced religion. and eventually became .
 missionary preacher. Thus wonderfully
 did the shilling Testament savea life and d soul.
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

| F MAMMOTH TINE GRO E IN CALl-
 roRNIA.-The San Francisco correspon-
 dent of the New York Evening Post,
 gives the following account of this won. derful example of the forest growth a,,
 The |" Mammoth Pine Grove" which
 we took on our return route, is at the
 South fork of the Merced. We found
 them not only up the valley, but up the
 mountain also. We rode along for five
 miles, hardly knowing what to look for
 following our directions, and expecting to
 find something at every turn, We saw many trees of ten and fifteen feet in di-
 ameter, and, though at any other time we
 should have gazed in wonder at these, we had got our ideas up, and that was
 enough. But as we were wandering along, suddenly, right in the midst of all
 the other trees, appeared most enormous something what, we did not think for a
 minute for though it was a tree, 1t was so entirely different from all our notions of trees, that it was for moment unin- telligibe But when we came nearer, and getting clearer and fuller view of
 it's form, then the wonder of it's size could be seen and felt. My companion
 walked his mule around it, and Il took
 him minute, less thirteen seconds!
 We soon came upon another, an old
 dead trunk lying along the ground and
 partially burned out. Into it three could
 easily ride abreast, two could go nearly
 through; and one could pass out at the
 farther end. But if the bark were cleared
 off the wood. or if 1t were more fully
 burned out, four or five could ride through
 with ease. We saw others even larger
 and standing; one, the largest, was thlr
 ty-six feet in diameter, and one hundred and eight feet in cirtumference. These , trees, are of the redwood species, q kint of pine which is common in California though only three or four of these nam moth groves have been discovered as yet ] They grow in among the more ordinary sized pines, which, all being fine trees serve to show the immensity of the red woods Most of them are fIom two hun ) dred to three hundred feet inheight; ther' are some nearly four hundred. In tho
 Calaveras Grove there is tree four hun f dred and fifty feet high, and one, whicl r was thirty,three feet in dIameter, lhel ] have sawed of and plained over Upol 1t is builta pavilion, and itis used as l dancing haIl, the floor of which is ninety e nine feet in circumference. .-ssf
 ' Though so higb, none, of these tree taper towards the top-or but very lIile
 tree thirty feet in diameter, five fee a above the level of the ground, will be fiji a teen to twenty feet at it's top. True, thl IT is qune difference, but in three hundre $ feet it hardly shows. The bark is yer j. thick and rough; the hmbs, commencn ,- one hundred feetfom the ground, gro .e out nearly straight for several feet, an !? linen turn suddenly up; they are thie Id and slubbed the foliage IS very meagr' IS being chielgeI6stefed around the ends ! the hooked boOgbs, The lower part
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

-i -ia--Douglas Jerrold says: A diamond is a
 diamond, though you put it on the finger of a
 beggar-only that on the finger of a beggar nobody would believe it to be diamond. Does not mendicant genius every day offer the pre- ciotis jewel in it's head' for sale, and yet, be-
 cause the holder is mendicant, does not the world believe the jewel to be of no valuef
 Men have died with jewels in their brains,an not until the mon were dead were the gems
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

TIE METHoDIsTs- ON SLAvETY.-A number of the Conferences of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church South have ex- punged that rule of their discipline relating to slavery. In the North Carolina Con- ference. we think, the vote was unanimous in the South Carolina Conference there was only one negative; the action of other Conferences has already been reported Tn ourlpaper. The Georgia Conference, we are glad to add, has followed up the good work by adopting the resembling resolution by aiunanimous vote. 'ai8Aik9 aan Thus perish ail restrictions whose object is 10 put the ban or the brand of immoral- ily upon an institution of the South Ten years ago. the idea of expungIng this rule from the Methodist Discipline would have been voted as chlmercal and impractca- ble as the proposition to repeal iegai anathemas against slavery now IS by poll-, cy and party-loving politicians. 1Ba. the "world moves" and those who refuse to move with jt willg after while, find them selves so far behind that no attractive for ces can draw them back to power and in- huence. We speak of politicians only. s7e7s 2 lo eaalo' [Columbus Enquirer. (
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21
L. rEArHERsroN. .... ..,,z. P. II, rARR

FEATHERsToN.... ...... ...,Z. P. II. FARR. EEATHERSTON & FARR, ATToR-
 N NEVIS AT LAW, AND REAL ESTATE AGENTS, Clarendon, Arkansas. Will practice in the counties of Monroe, Arkansas, Prairie, St. Francis, Jackson and Phillips. Particular attention given to collections. REFERENcES: Madison Ark, Hon. w. c. Beaseley,S $. W. Childress; Clarendon, Ark. H. M. Couch :, Panola. Miss, Col. Calvin Miller; Coffeeville. Miss. E. c. Walthall; Memphis, Tenn, D. M. DuBose. Esq, W. J. Webb Holly Springs, Miss, w. T. Featherston; Washington. D. C.. Jacob Thompson. f5E8 aH JylI
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

4 g4Ff .~. ~f
 A CHALLENGE TO THE WORLD. MT. Mark R. Cockrll, a celebrated farmer and woogrower of Tennessee,' believing that soft climate will produce an,ore soft and perfect wool than the lar-iamed Ger man province, Silesia, proposes to. select five sheep from his flock -three ewes, and two bucks-and show for $3000 q side, against any five sheep selected from one flock, ewes and bucks as above. All the world are requested to compete, making as many entries as they may think proper. The premium to be awarded to the party who has three sheep out of the five that have the most fine fibre of wool. Entries to be made with the Secretary ofthe 'Ten- nessee State Agricultural Bureau, on or be. fore the 20lh day of Aprilnext, but the ex- hibi,ion to take place on the Nashville track, on the 2d Mondayin May. 1880.
 MT. Cockrill also proposesto compete
 with two blood horses, for S2000, against all the irotlng stockin the world the Janis nal travelling the gratest distance m two hours to take the prize. Camels and drom- edaries are requestedto compete in this triaLma3 sftl aaaeh 8afaffalgjs s1aa 1e' v
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

A rCHANCE" OF ORIENTAL Hus- BANDs.-S Some Washington writer. noti- cing the retinues of oriental nebles who are likely to visit Washington with the am bassadors from China and Japan, holds out delightful prospectto ambitions Yan- kee girls: "1a aatie 5'''e ''s'A
 Several European diplomats have carri- ed of valuable prizes in the shape of Yan- kee girls butthe supply is not yet exhaus- ted There is splendid lime for the de- serted Ariadnes with the oriental lega- tions. All the persons attached to them will have fabulous wealth, of course and as for pedigrees, they can go back nobody knows how many thousand years. Then they have such astonishing silks, such lots of gems, such ravishing cashmeres, and such an extraordinary lot of pretty things of all kinds, which they will bring with them for presents is something magnificent The beauty and intelligence of Americar woman are universally acknowledged; why should they dot captivate the Q. ientals
 Who shall say that Fifth Avenue queer shall not reignin he gardens of Ispahan or give the law in the imperial palace Q Jeddo, or sport her cdtqae with thirty-lsi' oars in the sparkling waters of the Colder Horn, or introduce fashionable Christianity and crinoline at the same time into tbt first society of Pekin? It is a splendit chance for some of our feminine philoso
 phers, and we have no doubt that they wil % in for it with that enthusiasm which |
 always the forerunner of complete success
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

Grand total ...... .....' .... S770 0,7l5,O00 -al This table suAices of itself 10 give an idea of the immense activity of the age We have enumerated only some score of great enterprises and yet they require for their execution the ehorm ous sum of seven hundred and seventy millions of dollars. The picture that this presents to the mind is too sublime for criticism We leave our readers to contemplate t at their leisure. A'N
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21
TAS. R. HARRINGTON.

DENTIST, Near Oakland Grove, I-l-- lllJ Prairie county, Arkansas. DIR. EARRING TON is prepared to perform any operation, or execute any artificial work in the Dental pro- fession. He hopes by his particular attention, carefulness and experience to merit the pat ronage and influence of the citizens of Prairle and adjoining counties, which he respectfully solicits. may30-1y
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

WILLIAM T. JONES ATTORNEY
 w AT LAW, Brownsville, Arkansas. Will practice in the counties of Prairie, Jefferson, Arkansas, Monroe, St. Francis, Jackson and White. Prompt attention given to the collec- tion of all claims in the middle and eastern mart of the State. sept26-tf
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21

r E. .GATEWOOD, ATTORNEY AT | LAW. Des Arc, Prairie county, Arkansas. Will practice in the counties of Prairie, Ar kansas, Monroe, St. Francis. Jackson, White, Conway, and Pope. He will give prompt at- tention to all business entrusted to him. N1y yOFFICE-OvER TowN HALL, (Frith's New Building. ) first door. febl3-tt
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21
1 1 m. 2 m. } m. b m. ye
~ Advertisers by the year will be


 tricted to their legitimate business.
 egr Advertisements displayed by large type, or in double columns, charged double the above rates.
 INssS- Personal communications charged dou- ble the rates of regular advertisements. se
 r1y Legal advertisements will be charged, for one square or less, first insertion Sl, and 90 cents per square for each additional inser- tion.
 GJsy Announcing candidates for State and District offices, S7; County offices, $3; Town ship, offices $3, invariably in advance
 G1+ Calls on persons to become candidates are charged at the usual rates, except when pei sons making the calls are subscribers to our paper Payment in advance.
 F$- Political circulars charged as adver- tisements.
 f1y Advertisements not ordered for spe- ciAed time, will be inserted till forbidden' ana charged for accordingly.
 R1gAll advertising to be paid for quarterly OUR JOB PRINTING DEPARTMENT;
 WE have supplied ourselves with good assortment of Printing Material, and are ready to execute all kinds of Job Printing, on reasonable terms. ana .# 4sE.
 We are prepared to print Pamphlets, Cata- togues, Posters, large or small, Cards' Dai' Tickets, Bill Heads, Blanks of every descrlp- tion. for Clerks, Sherifs, Justices ot the Peace, Constables, &c.
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21
OUR JOB PRINTING DEPARTMENT.
E,R. MCPHERSON, COIINTY SIJRV EYOR.

ALL persons wishing my services IT "A this department of business, will please address me at Brownsville, Prairie county Ark Every call will be Punctuaiiy hlied.
 nov13-1y rra.Ha rE
Des Arc citizen., 1859-01-21
LANES BOWIE-THE ALAMO.

A correspondent. under the signature ol q Jarez," writing from Bayo Terrehonne, gives m anecdo,e of Col. James Bowie, the inventor of the well-known knlie bearing his name. He says: ea
 There is great deal to interest one on this, C our Terrebonne." It was here that the celebrated Col, Bowie Che, the inventor of THE knife ) resided, and carried on his daring and desperate explots--not of rapine, but of rencounters. the like of which. have never been equalled in the worlds history.
 By y-the -bye-speakihg of Bowie-I will narrate an anecdote of him, which was told me by old Mons. J., one of the oldest inhabi- tants of Southern Louisiana. .e a..t a.. .ts.a j. | young Virginian, of good famllY,(o (ot course, came down on the bayou to the South, and opened pIantation.' He brought with him seventv-four negroes, and eighteen thou ] sand dollars in cash. The '' sharpers.7 hear | ing of this, followed our r. F. Y. down the bayou. and caught him at Houma, where they interestid him with 'f friendly" game of < draw" They feeced the poor boy out of all his cash, and twenty-one negroes.
 Oar " Virginia friend" seemed to be per- fectlv desperate-he was almost frantic athis losses--and, in moment of passion, accused the gamblers of cheating This they denied but the denial had scarcely passed their lips, before stentprian voice cried out" TH1EvEs YOU LIE llP' In aninstant all was confusion and uproar. The gamblers endcayored to make good their escape but the strong arm or Bowie was against .them-they recognized the fatal knife in his hand, and he compelled them to dsgorge their ill-gotten gains. This isa true type of the much maligned Col. Bowie. ..... s,+ fstl... s...
 The closing scene of the life o this strange and daring man, was in keeping with that of his early history. He met death, on sick bed, in the little room of the Alamo, weapon in hand :, and pluck to the last. The small, gloomy, lhick-wall- ed apartment, one Of the strong deiences of the old mission of the Alamo, where Travis, Bowie and Crockett died over whelmed, but not subdued by the soldiers of Santa Anna, was, three years since, an object of much curiosity to visitors Ill San Antonio, as well as a glorious me
 mento of the past to the survivors oi the independence struggle of Texas. IL was at that time in fine state of preservation, grim, blackened and perforated with can non balls On the walls were numerous autographs recalling the history of two weeks gallant defence of the fortress, and manfesting the interest which visitors felt in the spot. The fortress had been re- roofed, and all but this little room used as store.h house for the Federal troops quar- tered hard by. It IS to be regretted that the old mission, with it's curiously carved door and thlck fortress wings, was not left in the same condition as it was after the siege-a roohess, powderrblackened monument of the desperate valor of one hundred and fifty men, who resisted for a l fortnight, under serious disadvantages, the onslaught of four thousand Mexlcans.
 New Orleans True Delta.