davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13
Te and Progress the order Of
Mans Creation.

itself it is good for nothing
All {! a babe in its mothers arms
is a prophecy; and is the thing
prophecied of it that the moth
er loves. If you look at it as
it is, you see little in it to attract
regard; but the mother looks
forward, and what she expects
makes it dear to her. The
child is the mothers telescope
and she sees through the whole
of her life by that.
But as the child begins to
delope, and comes to thesprats
Ting age, that age is relative to
the next. And the child is not
completed even when it comes
to youth. 1t feels itself to be
perfect, but is only relative yet.
1t has gone certain way tce
ward itself, but it is not ITSELF
Youth never stands as if that
were a completion Of it being.
The young man works for the
next thing; and that for the
next. Earlier periods work
for later periods. Manhood
prepares for something beyond.
Human life is drawn out in
sections. Every step is rela-
tive to that which is next be-
yond it; and every later step is
a necessary product Of that
which Immediately proceeds it.
All labor is under the same
general law. 1t is instrumental
and relative. The spade is good
for nothing in itself. Its value
is in the work it does. The
value of a plow is in the furrow
itcan turn. The value Of the
moving ma chine is in,,the grass
or grain it can PROSTATE. The
value ofeverything done in sum-
mer is not in the thing itself,
but in what is going to do in
harvest>time. The moving
maching tells what the spade
and plow are worth.
But the harvest itself is not
the final end. 1t is relative to
a mans appetite. 1t is that on
which he is to live. 1t is his
nourishment and strength
But what is a man nourished
good for? He is relative to
something that he is going to
as citizen, as, a laborer in the
world field. And that is rela-
tive to something beyond ; for
mere labor is but a means to a
higher moral or social end
Why do we labor? That we
attain certain moral Or social
advantages. And even these
are relative to the great pur~
poses ofhuman life.
Everythings bends to wealth.
Everything feels the power of
wealth. Everything turns to-
ward it as the needle turns to-
ward the attracting loadstone.-
But when you have got wealth,
have you got an end, or only a
a means3 Wealth is good for
nothing except for what it can
do, except for what use you
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13
A Woman HIng in Minnesota,

The St. Paul (Minn.) Pho
neer, March 24th, contains a
long account of the execution
of Mrs. Bilansky, at that place,
for the murder of her husband
by posining. The murderess
made the following remarks on
the scaffold: '...-
ri die without having had
any mercy shown me or justice
l die for the good ofmy ul,and
not for murder. May you all
profit by my death. Your
courts of justice are not courts
Of justice. But l will yet get
justice in Heaven, | am a guilty
woman, l know, but not of this
murder, which was committed
by anothhr. | forgive every
body who did me wrong! l
die a sacrifice to the law. l
hope you all may be judged
better than | have been, and by
a more righteous judge. | die
prepared to meet my God.
Her demeanor was not def
ant nor stoical, nor did she shed
a tear. 1t is believed that she
expected a pardon or reprieve
to the last moment. DR.. Miller
the deupty sheriff, then ap>
preached her with the rope,
when she exclaimed, CDR.
Miller, how can you stain your
hands by putting that rope
around my neck-the instru-
ment of my death? He assur-
ed her that duty compelled him
to do it, and she made no re-
sistance, and only saing," "Do for
Go d's sake, put it on so it will
not suffocate me-"
After it had been arranged,
DR.. Miller took the black cap
from his pocket, and proceeded
to put it on her head, when
she said, ''Be sure that my
face is we'll covered. All this
took place in less time than it
will take to read it during
which she said several times,
"God, have mercy-God have
mercy on my SOUL" Her last
words were" ,"Lord Jesus Christ
receive my SOUL"
She was requested TO take a
step forward on the drep, and
tn en- everything being pre-
pared, DR.. Miller made a mo-
ton to Sheriff Tullis, who pulled
the fatel rope and in an instant
she fell and in a few seconds
life was extinct. -. =
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13
ROMANTIC FRENCH DUEL

ROMANTIC FRENCH DUEL
"A tragical affair, occurred al
the town of ChantiIly,in in France:
some weeks since. About moor
seVeAgentlemen alighted from
a down train at the station al
that Gown, and Immediately pro,
ceeded to the forest. One o!
the seven, probably a surgeon
remained some distance behind;
while the others advanced in.
to the, wood, and a duel with
swords began. At the fifth
pass M. de M. fell seriously
wounded by a thrust through
the body. Both antag onist are
persons of note. The woun-
ded man was removed to the
Hotel d'Angleterre, and there
remains in a dangerous state.-
Various rumors are afoat as to
the cause of the encounter, and
it was particularly remarked,
that a lady not so closely veiled
as to prevent persons from see>
ing she was young and beauti-
full, reached Chantilly by the
same train, and waited in the
town thel issue Of the combat.
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13

MURDER.-1n Floyd coun-
ty, Va, few days since, Am
brose Cox entered the house OF
Mr.. Moore, his brother-in-law
and shot him him dead with a
rifle. The cause Of the mur-
der was the division Of a tract OF
land of Cox's father by which
Moore obtained half, which his
slayer swore he should never
occupy. -
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13

|touch a mans feeling, by will
| will irradiate a mans dwell
ling" and he paints a picture
that breaches to men comforts
the sick, gives hope 10 the
dropping heart, sheds light up
on the darkened soul. Copy
lists are not artists, any more
than a dog is an artist, because
he draws a little baby in a wag>
on behind him. 1t is he that
makes mechanical art the serS
want of power that is the artist.
In every profession, every
thing a man touches or does is
an instrument, and not an end.
There are no endsin this world.
Everything is in a scale. 1t is
the genius of the world that
everything shall take hold on
something in the future. We
hear seat deal of ado made
about and undue restlessness, or
a want of a contentment, in
Imen. There is a fable of a man
who offered a great piice il he
would find a person that was
contented, and who went a.
round the world for that pur-
pose. Now there is a sense in
which a man, looking on the
present in the light Of the fu-
ture, and taking his whole be-
ing into the account, may be
contented with his lot; that is
Christian contentment. But
what philosophers want is that
a man shall be contented in just
the state he is in. But l tell
you, if a man has come to that
point where he . content, he
ought be put in his coffin; for a
contented live man is a sham !!
If a man has come to that state
in which he says, 81 do not
want to know any more, or do
any NOR, or be any MORE" ne
is in a state in which he ought
to be changed into a mummy |
of all hideous things; mumuies
are the most hideous, and OF
mummmies, those are the most
hideous that are running about
the streets and talking? | would
rather see the old Egyptian
cerements, than those men that
are content with what they are
and do not want to be any more.
The thing which minister and
moralists generally arc stig-
matizing as a human infrmiry,
| mark as the element of God
in a nan.
II is not in accordance with
the Divine economy that we
should be content in this world.
We are so created that our
higher faculties are never salts
fed. Love for ever says. Give
me higher power. knowledge
never feels itself to be knowls
edge, but always asks for more
knowledge. What is there in
skill that does not conceive of
greater skill? What man in his
attainments does not see steps
like those of Jacobs ladder,
whoes foot was on the ground,
and whoes summit was angle
crowned the heavens? God
has made the human mind so
that it is always seeking the
future, as a plant in the dark
struggles toward the least ray Of
light. 1t is the nature of man
to go onward and upward,-
Aspiration is the law of his being
Hence, we are never to deem
this life, or any part of it, a
completed thing. The whole
world, and all its treasures; in
dividual life, and every part Of it
all pursuits; every stage; every
result-these are one steps lea
ding to other steps. We are,
of us in a world teat marches,
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13

can make oft. If a man is
worth five hundred million dol
lars, and it is locked up, not
used, it is worth to him just
what FIVE hundred million bush
els of wheat are to a man that
eats not a kernal or sows not a
grain. 1t is as good as dirt no
better no worse, Wealth, as a
power, is a tremendous pow~
er. AS a means, it a tre-
mendous means. As an end its
good for nothing.
Every part Of higher occu>
patton bears the the same nature.
Nothing for itself good. Eve
rything looks forward, and is
measured by what it can do
in revealing a future thing
Do you ever think how curious
ly God has stamped himself in
this world. The everlasting,
the forever-active, the time
working God-when he makes
things he never makes them out
right, but makes them so that
they go pertecting themselves.
He, as it were, lends his genius
to everything that grows. He
does not cause a plant to come
forth perfect in an Instant
When a seed is put into the
ground he touches it with magA
netism, so that it becomes lit
tie creator and shoots out a stem,
and carries it through all the
subsequent stages of its growth.
In all organizations up to
man, and most eminently in
man, and especially in men of
genius, we find this same de-
vine trait-namely, the power
Of making, the power of max
ing, the power of creating
We derive ii from God. 1t is
that subtle analogy or line of
connection which takes us back
to our Divine patronage.
Reading and writing are rel
ative. The want ofthese things
is disgraceful; but in and of
themselves they are good for
nothing. If they were good
for anything in and of them
selves, a man that could read
and write a strange language
would be as we'll off as a man
that could read and write in his
own tongue. If reading were
good for ANYTHING in and of its
self, | might as well read for
you in Hebrew-and as to that
matter, | might for great many
of you! But the more intelli-
gent of you desire to compre-
hend the meaning ofwhat | read,
and therefore it makes a great
difference whether | read to
them in a strange or a familiar
language. The ability to read
and write is merely something
put into your hands by which
you can do something. 1t is
good not for for what it is in
and of itself, but for that which
it is looking forward to in the
future.
Skill is good for nothing ex-
cept in its relation to, and its
power to take hold on, the fu>
ture. No man, merely because
he has art<power, is, therefore,
to be congratulated as an artist.
1t is the power of the artist to
create, and he is to be measured
by what he does. And there
is a distinction to be made be-
tween artisans and artists.
Where man does a thing that
has been done before, where a
man does a thing that calls into
exercise no new power, he is
an artisan. Where man builds
a house that he has seen built
before, he is an artisan; where
a man paints picture without
- AM, ,o,,
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13

The peach crop in Ohio is
said to have been materially in
jured. For other fruits the
prospects are good. Wheat
promises well. 3s s
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13

We should do well, 10 take
counsel from the wise. and war
ning from the foolish.
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13

In one of his pleasant dis
coursesGn the, Tabernacle ol
the Sairts at Utah; President
Heber G. Kimball gently admon-
ished the true believers as fol-
lows:
"Some who profess to be
Saints, and even Elders, will
get drank, fight, and swear
most horribly; their state and
condition are much worse than
that ofthose who do not under
stand the law Of God and who
have not been educated in the
principles of virtue, righteous
ness, purity and holiness. Breth-
ern and sisters, if you feel wills
ing to do as | do, you will stay
at home and let the liquor go
60 to hell with those that corrupt
themselves with it. The only
wish | have to offer is, I wish
there was a little more stry-
chine lit, | wish it for the
sake Of all those that will not
forsake their evils; for, if Iwere
in that position, l should wish |
was where / could not sin any
more. ..- .
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13

settled. We. never shall be in
this world. Nothing is finish
ed here, Every >tep is a pre-
paration for the next; and that
for the next. The whole of this
life is one'grand mcrch toward
life indeed, and life is earnest?
The family visitor. [volume] (Pruntytown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1858-1860, 1860-04-13

lllC 10 olC iollo lillICu toW Wdtu
life indeed, and life is earnest?
AMUSING MISTAKE II mi,s-
lister asked to loan a Hoop skirt.
A well9lnown minister of Chel-
sea, Mass, was greatly surpri-
sed, some time since, at recei-
wing an epistle from a lady
friend at Cape Ann, containing
sundry and diverse female con-
fdence relative 10 her approach
ing marriage, and an urgent re-
quest to send Immediately "a
hoop skirt" The minister was
completely dumfounded. II
was strange epistle for him to
receive; but there was the su-
prescription: Rev. :,
as plain as could be. In the
course Of the day, however, the
mystery was cleared up, and it
appeared t1at the fair cores
pondent hal indited two letters
one 10 the Reverend, requee'
ting his presence to the mar
riage knot, and the other to fe-
male friend. enlarging on the
anticipated occasion, and re-
questing her service in procu-
ring that highly Interesting ar
ticle, a hoop skirt. BY some
hocus-pocus the letters were
placed in The WI ong envelopes
but luckily the rightful owners
eventually exchanged letters,
and the minis ters and hoop skirt
were both there.
St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-12-27

No compromises and no conces-
sions will be acceptable to South Car
DINA, for the reason that she is deter
mined to reopen the slave trade.
South Carolina will struggle to keep
out of any connection that does not
realize this object She demands
cheaper negroes. 1t squares with her
conscience, her religion, and notions
of civilization, in order to get them
to open the African slave trade, which
the whole civilized world beside has
united in branding as piracy. To
whatever political condition she may
attach Observation-Disclosures a Southern
Confederacy, an Oligarchy, or repre-
sentative Monarchy, she will prove a
pestilent member A community that
has by legislative action stricken from
the list of holidays the Fourth of July,
that has outlawed the signers of the
Declaration of independence as mis-
guided and deluded men, and Wash
ington not less State that so hates
not only the Union itself, but the very
name, that its Legislature expunges
it from the list of names given to le-
gal divisions, is past hoping for, if
not past wishing for.
St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-12-27
A Mere PrCteXt.

The New Orleans Delta, an extreme
Disunion and Slave Trade journal for
years past, says, referring to its more
conservative local contemporaries
The Bulletin has much to say and
complain of the personal liberty bills
of Northern States. 1t is cxtraordi-
nary that certain journals which, be-
fore the last Presidential contest, saw
nothing in these bills to justify rcsis-
lance, or even serious discomfort, are
now for dissolving the Union unless
these bills are repealed" This is a
notable advance. We hope it is not
eXpcdicnt-a dodge to avoid an issue
on higher grounds. If the Union is
to be dissolved solely or chiefly on &C
count of the refusal to repeal these
bills, it might as well be considered
as dissolved, at once. Those laws
will never be repealed. There is no
power to compel thcirrcpcal, and even
if they arc repealed, there is nothing
to prevent their rc-cnac!ment.
If the acts in question are uncon.
stitutional, their repeal, or their ere
enactment" are matters of very little
practical consequence. The Delta is
about right in its intimation that this
is mere prctext, not at all seriously
affecting the present Secession move
mcnt.
St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-12-27

YALE AGRICULTURAL LECTURES. The
public will be gratitied to learn that
the novel experiment Of the Yale Ag-
ricultural Lectures of last Winter
were SO successful as to induce its
repetition this Winter on q more COM
plete scale. The course will COM
mencc Feb. 9th, and continue through
the month. These lectures, which are
of great value to the whole country,
and worthy the attention of every
cultivator, are given under the aus
pieces Of the Yale Scientific School, or
Scientific Department Of Yale College,
as supplement to its newly-institu-
ted course of practical collegiate ed
ucation, and for the benefit of the pub
lie at large. \ new and important
feature Of this course will be its com
plete illustration by specimens, draw
ings, models and animals. Lifc-sizcd
paintings of groups from celebrated
herds will be included in these illus
trations. The lectures on training
and breaking horses are to be accom-
panied by practical illustrations. The
lecturers OF last year will take part
in the course, and other eminent
names, with variety of new sub
jccts, will be added to the list.
The expenses of the course arc pro-
vided for in part by subscription. The
lectures are under the direction of
Prof John a. Porter, who may be ad-
dressed for further information. at
New Haven, Conn.-Imerican Agri-
cuttayist.
St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-12-27

are capable of bearing arms-to offset
which we have at least seventeen
field hands--sturdy young negroes
besides the female servants. And
this is a fair representation of the
force upon our plantations. Consider
ing such state of facts; DO you
blame me for desiring to absent my
self, my husband and children from
the State ?"
The passage introduced in the above
letter is striking and emphatic con-
tradictlon of the charge so commonly
made Ivy the Democratic organs, and
which is embodied in Mr. Buchanan's
late Message, that Northern "agita-
tors" arc responsible for this danger
Gus state of affairs on the plantations
Of the South. The slaves have learned
all these things from their otca masters.
But bad as matters may be, just now,
at the South, Secession would be
the most fatal remedy that could be
tried. If the Union is dissolved,
slavery will not long survive it.
St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-12-27
Compromising.

The belief now generally prevails
at Washington that no measure of ad-
justmcnt can possibly be framed that
the Seccssionists will touch. In the
Crisis Committee of 33 the Republi-
cans were asked whether they would
give up the Territories to slavery to
" save the Cnion," and they replied
NEVER They were asked next if
they would consent to pcaccablc Sc
cession." They replied that Lincoln's
administration would enforce the laws
and collect the public revenues at all
the ports South as well as North
" We will resist their collection an
swcrcd the Fire Eaters, and wage
war against you" Every we'll, if
you think you can achip Uncle Sam, try
it. Your experience may make you
wiser though saddcr men"
From all this it will be perceived
that it is idle for the North to offer
any terms of pacilication, short of I'M
conditional surrender to the slave
power. Indeed, Wigfall declared in
his two days speech, that the Free
States must not only give up the Ter
ritories to slavery, catch all runaway
niggers, or pay for them, allow slave
holders to bring their slaves with them
into the North, conccde that the Con-
stitution recognizes property in the
bodies and souls of men, Chat was
his languagc,) but having done all
this, "you must" he said, "changc
Northern sentiment, cease 10 call Stare
rya aorong. You shall not permit
men to make speeches against slave
ry within your borders. You shall not
publish papers and pamphlets, or
preach sermons, or make stump
speeches against our peculiar institu-
ton. You shaU nOt-that's the word
| choose to use"
St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1860-12-27
The President and his Allies.

1t is said that the president has i'm
plorcd the Disunionists of the South
to postpone the contamination Of their
treason until the close of his term.
This favor he demands of them in CON
sidcration of his faithful observance
Of their commands during his entire
term Of Office, even to the extent
of distracting the nation and destroy
ing his own party. Blu: the iire-catcrs
having used him to their entire salts
faction now treat his supplications
with contempt. In vain he may tell
them that he has sacrificed his honor,
his political reputation and his man
hood in their service, and that in pity
they should grant him this poor re-
quest. They laugh at him in his sor-
row, and even revilc him in his hui
initiation. When his wisby-washy
message was read in Congress, they
could not suppress their contempt for
the man and the doccment.
And yet the President might well
say to them Ell IN Brute? Has he
not in that message espoused their
cause by throwing the whole blame
of secession upon the North !? Did he
not expatiate in strong language on
the subject of the personal liberty
bills, and did he not maintain dead
silence on the outrages committed on
the persons Of visitors and residents
in the South This he did to please
them, and yet they will not stretch
forth hand to save him !--DIilwaukee
Sentinel