davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30
WHAT rs I'm THE BEDROOM

If two persons are to occupy bedroom
during a night let them step upon weigh
ing scales as they retire, and then again
ia the morning, and they will find their
actual weight is at least pound less in
the morning. Frequently there will
be loss of two or more pounds. and the
average loss throughout the year will be
more than one Lound, That is, during
the night there is loss of podnd Of
matter gone from their bodies, partly from
the lungs and partly through the pores of
the skin The escaped material is car
bonic acid, and decayed animul matter,
or posoinohs exhalations. This is diffus-
ed through the air in part, and in part
absorbed by the bed clothes. If a single
ounce of wood or cotton be burned in a
room, it will so completely saturate the
air with smoke that one can hardly
breathe, though there can only be one
ounce of foreign matter in the air If an
ounce of cotton be burned every hour of
the night, the air will be continually sat-
urated with smoke unless there be an
open window for II to escape. Now the
sixteen ounces of smoke, thus formed, is
far less poisonous than the sixteen ounces
of exhalations from the lungs and bodies
of the two persons who have lost pound
in weight during the eight hours of
sleeping, for while the dry smoke is
mainly taken into the lungs, the damp
odors from the body are absorbed both
into the lungs and into the pores of the
whole body
Need more be said to show the impor
taace Of hafing bedrooms well ventilated
and of thoroughly airing the sheets, eov'
erlids and mattresses, in the morning be.
fore putting up in the form Of neatly
made bed /? Perhaps the worst of all
| Bedroom evils is the feather bed-but ac
cording to the notion # some, il it is old
and dirty it is so mach the bctter-lf it
was slept on bv u great grandmother; and
| has absorbed the exhaiatlons of the body,
the disease and decomposition Of three
genera ions, 1t is capital bed A grand
mistake Being an lhsu!atiUn against he
| flee circulation of the electric forces of
the 5, stem, and being body of constant
" dccaying animal matter, feather bed
is the worst of all couches to sleep upon.
a person of good health and vigorous
constitution will never rise from ore
Hithuut feeling weakness which takes
hours to retover from. The moisture
and vitality of the system has been ab-
sorbed without being replaced by an
equal amount of life capital; and particu-
larly when the room is poorly ventilated
will tbs destructive ard weakenInS inHu-
ehces Of the feather bed be felt Our
advice is, to discontinue their use entirely.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30
NV Mother taught me to Pray

"My mother taught me to pray when
[ was Il little boy. | had often to 90 to
the town a mile and a half from my
home. after dark. for the days are short
in Scotland, and used to be fraid -
So my mother told me that when | was
afraid, must pray to God, and used
to do so.
"My father died when | was very
Young. | cannot remember him at all
My mother used often to have spells of
sickness, and felt badly for her, for [
had no father 10 love, and loved my
mother very dearly. and | love her now
Once when she was sick. | prayed for
her, and | told the Lord If be would
make my mother we'll, | would never
doubt him again. And sure enough she
was well in the morning it was in the
morning / had asked him she might be
well. God has been wonderfully good to
me. If you knew how he kept me and
NV sister from evil to which we were ex.
posed, you would say we have great cause
Of thank fulness have not served hlm
as | ought, and | wish to do better in
future"
Sdch were the words of a humble man
who came to my study to talk to me-
His health is feeble, and he is so deaf
tina, was obi iged to use a pen for my
part of the conversation. while he would
speak to me in a feeble, but audible
voice His simple and fersent utteran-
ces touched my heart, and | thought
they might interest some others.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30
TERMs.--$l.oo PER ANNUM.


The following is worthy the pen Of
the original Doesticks, and is pretty
good ''take off, on telegraphic reports:
I've just returned from witnessing one
of the most mournful sights that ever
made a man feel as though he had been
peeling onions all the week and grating
horse radish on Sunday. It was the dy.
ing scehe of one of the Pet Lamme's.
down at Alexandra, and as one of Five'e
chaps remarked, it was enough to mako
the eye of a darning needle weep. Jim
was the name of the suferer--if he ever
had any other it had slipped his memory
though his afectiouate relatives some-
times called him Shorty" He was out
on picket guard when the Southern Con-
federacy attempted to psss HIM. He
challenged the intruder, and called to
his comrades for help, but before the lat,
ter arrived, the Southern Coutederacy
drew masked battery from his pocket,
and fired six heavy balls through the
head of the unfortunate Zouaye, nearly
fracturing his skull, and breaking several
panes of glass. The cowardly mlscreant
then fed to an adjoining feuce, closely
pursued by Sherman's artillery.
Upon discovering that he was wounded,
Mr. Shorty examined the cap on his
musket, and stood it carefully against
tree, buttoned up the jacket to the neck.
and asked his comrades for chew of to-
bacco. Too full of emotion to speak, tho
geutlemauly comrade handed u plug OF
tobacco to the dying man, who cut OFT
about half an ounce from it. placed It
though ghtfully in his mouth, and then
stuffed his handkerchief carefully in the
hole in his forehead made by the shot.
rs any Of my brains hanging out 2
he asked OF his conrade.
NO Shorty" answered the other,
bursting int tears, you never had any
to hang cut"
After this response, the dying man
paused fer moment TO spit ID the eyes
ut Dig that was smelling round his
heel, and then proceeded III the direc-
tou OF the hosbilal. As he passed tae,
o;fieers tent, noticed ti,at the top of
his head was completely gone, and one Of
his eyes Wa, halt way down the back of
his neck Upon entering the hospital,
he took up pipe aud commenced to
smoke il, al the same time giving US
history OF his life aud career. After fin
ishng the pipe aud history, he asked Us,
tc wrap him up in the American flag, and
died
/ p. S.-Since writing the above, |
have heard that no s6ch occurrence took
place at Alexandria The alarm was oc-
casoned BY the failing Of bundle Of hay
in the officers quarters-the noise haV-
ing been mistaken for the discharge OF
artillery. have since learned that no
accident has occurred, aud that Shorty
did not cvme with the regiment, but re-
nlainei iu New York.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

The New York Herald contains the fol-
loving encouraging paragraph in its money
article of Monday week
Commerce, in the North, is already
entering upona phase heretofore unknown
in the history Of America, but far safer
for the future welfare of the country. lu-
stead of the insecure business with the
South, BY which our merchants have lost
such vast sums of money, and have been
obliged to sacrifice feelings and principles
for gain, certain and lucrative trade is
springing up. We are becoming depen.
dent upon each other, Instead OF upon
strangers. Credit is curtaiIing itself with
10 limits that exclude the po; sibility of
those periodical monetary convulslons,
that have swept over financial circles
every few years with such terrific and de
struciive violence. [Other New York
and Philadelphia papers also speak Of an
increasing sound Fall Trade.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

Don't get discouraged Who ever
gained anything by drawing down tn"
corners of his mouth, when clouds cane
over TIE sun, or letting his heart drop.
like d lead weight into his shoes when
misfortune came over him T.? Why, man.
if the world knocks you down and jostleS
past you in its great race, don't set whln-
ing under peoples feet but get ny rub
your elbows aud begin again There ere
some people whom even TO Look at is
worse than ii dose Of camoni|e tea What
if you do happen to be puzzled IA little on
the dollar aud cent ques ion 7? Others
b"sides you have stood exactly on the
same spot and struggled bravely out of
it; and you are neither hals, lame or
blind that you cannut do likewise The
weather may be dark and rainy-very
well-laugh between the drops aui think
cheerily of the blue sky and srnshine
that will surely eou.e &c morrow. Bust
ness may be dull; make the best of what
you have and look forward to something
more hopeful Ii YOU catch a fall don't
lament over your bruises but be thankful
that no bones are broken. If you can't
afford roast beef and plum pudding, eat
your Goldfish joyfully and bless your stars
for the Indigestion and dyspepsia you
thereby escape! But the moment you
begin to groan over your troubles, and
count over the calanities, you may as
we'll throw yourself over the dock and
done with it.
The luckiest fellow that ever lived
might have woes enough, if he set hiu-
self Sc. iously to work looking them up
They are like invisible specks of dust !;
you don't see 'em till you put on your
spectacles But then i. is worth your
while to put on your spectacles to discov-
er what is a great deal better let alone.
Don't get discouraged little wife +! life
is not long enough to spend in inaaming
your eyes and reddening your nose be
cause the puddings won't bake, and the
husband says that the new shirts you
worked over so long "set like meat bags" -"
Make another rudding-begin the shirts
anew! Don't feel down in the mouth"
because dust will settle, and clothes will
wear out, and crockery will get broken
Being woman don't procure you an ex,
emption from trouble and care; you have
got to fight the battle of life as we'll as
your husband, and it will never do to
give up without struggle Take things
as they come, good and bad together and
whenever you feel inclined 20 cry, just
change your mind and laugh. Keep the
horrors at arms length never turn a
blessing round to sec if it has got dark
side to it, and always take it for granted
that they are blessings until they prove
to be something else.
Never allow yourself to get discour-
aged. and you'll lind the world a pref.
ty comfortable kind of place, after
all.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30
Value of Hum imam Life.

But the lesson of defeat would be i'm.
perfectly learned, did not the army aud
the nation alike gain from it a juster sense !,
than they before possessed of the value Of.
individual life Never has life been so
much priced and so precious as it has be-,
come in America. Never before has each
individual been of so much worth. Ii
costs more to hiring up man here, and he
is worth more when orought up,than else
where. The long peace aud the extraor-
dinary amount of comfo.t which the ma
tion has enjoyed have made u (speaking
broadly fond of life and tender of it. We
of the North have looked with astonish-
meut at the recklessness of the South
concerning it. We have thought it bra.
yer to save than to spend it; and ques..
tiouab.e humanity has undoubtedly led
Us sometimes into feeble sen.imentallties
and false estimates If its value. We have
been in danger of tIilking too much of
it, aud of being mean spirited in its use.
But the first sacrifice for which war calls
is life aud we must revise our estimates
of its value, if we would conduct our war
to happy end. To gain that end, nc
sacrifice can be too precious or too costly.
The shudder with which we heard the
first report that three thousand of our men
were slain was but the sign of the blow
that our hearts received. Burthere must
be no shrinking from the prospect of the
death of our soldiers Better than we
should fail that million men should die
on the battlefield. 1t is not often that
men can have the privilege to offer their
Ii, es for principle; and when the oppor.
tu Iity comes, it is only the coward that
does not welcome i. with gladnsss. Life
is of no value in comparison with the spr-
itual principles from which it gains its
worth. Nomatter how MANY live, ii costs
TO defend or secure truth or justice or Ii.
berty, truth aud justice and liberty must
b. defended and secured Selt-prcstrva.
tion must yield To Truths preservation.
The little human life is for to day-ths
principle il eternal To die for truth. to,
die open eyed anI res lutely for the good
cid cause" is not only honor but rewad.
&
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

The Ruins OF HAMPTON A CORES
respondent of the Boston Courier, writ
ing from Newport News, saws:
A foray authorized by the proper ofb-
cals, has just been made by US upon the
ruins OF burned Hampton. From them
have been brought to our camp boards,
stoves, and whatever was needful to pre-
serve our men from suffering. and mahy
a relic of these picturesque ruins and lie
membranes of rebel outrage and reck
lessness will reach in due time our Mass
achusetts homes. Cruel, wanton was the
destruction by Magruder's men of this
nnce thriving and beautiful village, but
the deed was done, and those Scared
timbers were silent. and mary homeless
wanderers are eloquent witnesses of the
atroeious character of this rebellion
Some of the half melted or burned ar.
tieles taken from these ruins look singu-
lariy like antiques from Hcrculaneum or
Pompcii have portion of the met
al of the Dored bell which was given to
the ancient Episcopal church at Hampton
long before the separation of our country
from Great Britain. Besides this relic
some odd half melted coins and books
Zone more than century old,O have
been permitted to retain as relics.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30
The Sunbeam I'm the Church.

1t sweetly stole through tinted pane
With mild aad mellow light,
And stayed within the sacred fame,
IS though it loved the sight.
It played on childhoods cloudless brow,
In warm and rosy rays,
And gave the mothers paid cheek
The bloom of other days.
1t touched the old mans silver head
With amser's softest hue,
And fondlv Ger the hallowed font
A peaceful rainbow threw.
1t lit the sculptor's classic group,
Or monumental stone,
And fingered long with faith and hope,
And round the mourner shone.
1t o'er the blessed Altar hung
And crowned the priest with gold,
a royal robe the surplice seemed
And fell in purple fold
More bright than Aaron breast plate glowed
The holy book of God,
And gems bestowed the very floor,
Whereon the people trod.
Fen thus the Spirits living light
Will all our lives surround,
And we that heavenly gift may seek
within the Church's bound
Then come. by font and Altar come,
With faith and works of love,
The darkest days shall brightly beam
With radance frCm above.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30
A. WIFE AND A DUCKING.

It was one of the most beautiful nights
in August that our mess were seated be.
fore the quarters at Fort Corcoran, court.
ing the muses. and recountihg tales of
food and field. OBJ had related a
huShabIe story about
''the holy ground
0fpoteen and potatoes"
W thrown us into Mysteries with
Larry NJ Hale" when with ono accord,
the boys appealed to R for some.
thing sentimental.
R was handsome young fellow
of about twenty four, and as fond of the
girls as duck is of water. His easy
nonchatdnt manner, combined with d
spice of deviltry, fine voice, natural tai
ent for music and a "good pair of legs,
made him general favorite with the
gentler sex and if he took a little ad
vantage of this fact, it is exeusable on
the ground that "all is fair in love and
war" lf modesty was one of his inner.
ent characteristics, its development had
been sadly neglected SO. without fur,
InSF luQuceueut, ne FelaLeu tne ION iWihS,
which, as near as | can recall, | give in
his Own language.
"You see, boys, before I was transfer
red to this prison house, | was IN charge
Of as awkward set of recruits as ever
shouldered musket or wore a uniform
They had rushed with willing hearts and
sturdy arms from workshop and field to
the defence of constitutional liberty,
knowing as much about military tactics
as an elephant about rope. walking =
Morning, noon and night, | maneuvred
those fellows until drill became regular
bore. Just as they had attained re
spectacle proficiency, and | was ready tc
enjoy the satisfaction which accompanies
all good works, the following was placed
IN my hands -
Head Quarters, Army of the Potomac.
Lieutenant R will prepare for par.
ticular service and report for instructions al
headquarters. By order of
Brigadier- General McDowELL,
Commanding.
A. A. exI,H, Military Secretary.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30
THE LAND WE LOVE.

Tn. land of love the land we love
How shall we sound its praise to-day3
Such hope and fear our spirits move,
We cannot sing-we can but pray.
Oh Star of Promise, shine AGAIN
From out these cloud enveloped skies
ok. heavenly Light, our path make plain,
Through the dark mists that round US rise
Since last to these fair wales and hills
We saw the hues of autumn come,
What desolating griefs and ills
Have frowned DER Freedoms sacred home
Vow vainly all these splendors smile
On wooded height and winding shore;
they cannot saddest thought beguils,
Or charm US, as they charmed of yore.
In vain bright harvests gleam around;
In vain fair Plenty crowns the year;
No heart to Joys light thrill can bound
While Warfarc's heavy woes arc near.
OH worse than in that weary time
When patriot sres their toll begun
When, struggling long with hope sublime,
This goodly heritage they won.
They rose against foreign foe;
They battled with an alien crew;
Their hands were strong to give the blow;
Their hearts were eager to subdue.
But re we pause in doubt and dread;
We have no spirit for the fray
Il is not alien blood we shed,
A friend, brother, we may slay.
A 5rotherf Mol blot out the name,
And TRAITOR" let the record stand:
For traitors they-all lost to shame
Who plot against their native land.
Just Heaven, that such thing should bel
That recreant man bright gifts should mar
And wage 'gainst land so fair and free
Unnatural and unholy war!
Oh, Southern chiefs oh. rebel bands,
\ sacrilegious deed ye do !
Ye smite. with parricidal hands,
The sacred breast whence life We drew.
Men of the North 60 forth-go forth.
To aid your young Republic now;
Oh let not her who gave you birth,
Beneath this weight Of sorrow bow.
Take from her cheek the flush of stams
To her sad brow its crown restore
And let her, mid the nations, claim
The honored place she held before.
Show her she still has 10, al s0h,-
Sons worthy their immortal sircs--
Son. through whose leapng veins yet runs
The old, warm glow Of sacred fires.
Go forth, unwatefing, to the strife
Give fervent prayers, your Zeal to pfote;
Give toll and treasure. stretgth and life
Give all to save the lattd you love.
Nts. E. S. SMITH in the Home Journal
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

A noble lord asked clergyman once,
at the bottom OF his table, "why the
goose, ii there was one, was always placed
next the parson ideally" said he,
Il can give no reason for it; but Your
question is so odd that shall never zee
goose for the future without thinking
If your lordship.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

Religion Is not thing whicn spends
itself. 1t is like river which widens
continually, and is never SO broad or SO
deep as its mouth, where it rolls iato the
ocean Of eternity.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30
HOW TO ADMONISEI.

We mus. consult the gentleSt manner
and softest seasons of address our ad
vice must rot fall like violent storm,
bearing down and making those to droop
whom it is meant TO cherish and refresh.
II must descend as the dew upon the
tender herb, or like melting flakes of
snow the softer it falls the longer it
dwells upon, and the deeper it SINKS into
the mind. If there are few who have
the humility to receive advice as they
ought, it is often because there are few
who have the discretion to carry it in
proper vehicle, and who can qualify the
harshness and bitterness of reproof,
against which corrupt nature is apt to
revolt, by an artful mixture of sweeten-
ing and agreeable ingredients TO probe
the wound to the bottom. with all the
boldDess and resolution of good spirit
ual surgeon, and yet all the delicacy and
tenderness of friend, requires very
dexterous and mastcrly hand. Affaele
department and complacency of behavior
will disarn the most obstinate; whereas
if instead of calmly pointing out their
mistake, we break out into unseemly y sallics
of passion, We cease to have any influence
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

Justice Is a .lrlCe vi tue mind, reward,
ing all mep aoeording to their wJEthiness'
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

SR P0INNA1 'FEIN1 T0e1'S0N'f
W thrown US into Mysteries with
LARRY NJ Hale" when with one accord,
the boys appealed to R for some.
thing sentimental.
The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-10-30

"the holy ground
or poteen and potatoes"
The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-30

the taking Of the rest, but the fact il not
the less gratifying. The bankers returned
from Washington very confident Of the power
OF the dovernineni TO suppress the rehs lion
within few months. fOf conrse. The lit
tie matter ut Leaington looks very mucb
like it'll
This afternoon the>n,arkes was generally
steady, with re Their Il bitter demand toI
Southern bonds. Probably owing to tn.
Lexington defeat Of the Union forces
Foreign exchange gave WHY again to-day.
The best bankers bills were sold At i0sf, ana
very good bills indeed at 1851 d lsst. Francs
ranged from 5.27i to $50, with ri Their b. tier
Inquiry than there Was for sterling. The paI
OF exchange between this country ard Eng
land being about 1925, exchange on London
must now be set down as stauGin. ut one Ia,
cent. discount II will con tfnue to rule at
discount until our i'm port-rs begin 10 he mor
liberal III their orders for foreign goods ana
It Will fall still lower than it is II we shouio
one OF the cotton ports eu; commence th,
shipment Of cotton.
FROM grHoPg
Ry the arrival OF the Persia, at ST. Johns,
Esd, we gather from the New York Herald that
the dates brought over by her are four day.
later than these by the Saxonia.
The steamship Canada, from Boston, ar
rived at Queenstown on the l4th inst
The Persia reports passed on Monday, lott
inst, the steamship Great Eastern, putting
back to Liverpool in II damaged state.
dispatch from Queenstown, of the 18th
inst, says the STEAMSHIP Persia had q 900 in
specie on board.
The Canada reached Liverpool on the 18th
inst.
"A London dispatch OF the 18th inst, says
there IS 40 news to-dayo of any political i'm
p0rtaEcc.
The Persia reports the following arrival
from a bloekaded port: Arrived from tn.
pst OF Charleston, Sept. oth, Mary Cren, a,
Liverpool.
The Great EAstern was to have sailed foI
new York on the 10th OF September; so, il
she left ON that day, she had been six days out
when met In her crippled condition
Consols closed in London the 18th inst
1T 93a 1881 for money.
In tie Liverpool Cotton Market prices had
advanced one-eighth of penny per pound
for fair and nliddiing descriptions of Ameri-
can, and holders were firm. The stock IN
port amounted 10 s5o, 900 bales, OF which SCI,
$40 were American.
The trade reports from Manchester and
l-iNerfooI Were unfavorable. Breadstuits
were q liet but teady in Liverpool, with the
exception OF corn, which tended downward
in price.
The Emperor of France had denied that he
was making extraordinary naval prepara-
tons