davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18
Demoralizing influence of Debt.

Debt is an ineXhaaStiJlc fountain of Dis
honesty The Royal Preacher tells US; Tie
borrower IS Serrant 10 the lender Debt is a
rigorous scrv!tude. The debtor learns the
cunning tricks, delays, conceamentS, and frauds
10y which dishonest servants evade or cheat
their master. He is tempted to make amb-
gnous Statements; pledges, with secret pas.
sages of escape; lying extracts, with fraudu-
lent constructions: lying excuses, and more
mendacious promises. He is tempted to elcde
responsibility; to delay settlement; to prevar
icatc upon the terms; to resist equity, and de-
wise speciOuS fraud. When the eager creditor
would restrain such vagraucy by law, the
debtor then thinks himself released from moral
obligation, and brought to q legal game, in
which it is lawful for the best player to win.
He disputes true accounts; he studies Subter
fuges; eXtortS provocatiouS delays; and har-
bOrS in every nook, cOraer, and passage, of the
laws labyrinth. At length the measure is fill
ed up, and the malignant power OF debt is
known. 1t has opened in the heart every
fountain of iniqnity: it has heso!led the conSci-
eRce; it has tarnished the honor; it has made
the man a deliberate student of knavery;
neutrality-suspicious. Of fraud; it has dragged
him through all the sewers of petty passions,
anger, hate, revenge, malicious folly, or
malignant shame. When a debtor is beaten
at every point, and the law will put her screws
upon him, there is no depth in the gulf Of dis
honesty into which he will not boldly plunge.
Some men pat their property to the flames as
sassinate the deteSted creditor, and end the
frantic tragedy by suicide, or the gallows.-
Others, in view of the catastrophe. have con-
vertcd all property to cash, and concealed it.
The laws utmost skill, and the creditors fury
are alike poweress how-the tree is green and
thrifty; its roots drawing copous supply from
some hidden fountain.
Craft has another harbor of resort for the
piratical crew Of dishonesty: viz: putting ones
property out of the lats's reach By Fraudulent
conveyance. Whoever runs in debt, and con.
sumes the equivalent of his Indebtedness; who
ever is fairly liable TO damage for broken con-
tracts; whoever by folly, has incurred debts
and lost the benefit of his outlay; whoever is
legally obliged to pay for his malice or careless
ness; whoever by nfdety to public trusts
has made his property just remuneration for
his defaults; whoever Of all these, or whoever,
under any circumstances, puts out of bis hands
property, morally or legally due to creditors,is is
u dishonest man The crazy excuses which
men render to their consclences. are only such
as every villain makes, who is unwilling 10 look
upon the black face Of bis crimes.
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18
A Call to the Ministry.

Somebody is always telling stories about
the = Hard shell Baptists" Wags have the
run on them, and they may as well be content
and bear it. Here follows tale told of them
not long since Nv informant locates it in the
mountains of North Carolina, where the Hard
shells are quite numerous, and where they be-
iieve pretty strongly in dreams and voices In
the important matter of call to the ministry
q dream or a voice is almost Indispensable.
Now, it came to pass that man by the
name Of Walker felt himself considerably NOV
ed to hold forth" and keep " spreading the
fleece" Gideon like, TO ascertain his duty il
the important premises. To assist him in his
pous investigations he called at still.house
one evening 10 get some of the good critter" i"
After refreshmeut, the story runs, he left for
home, and on the way he felt moved" to 90
into the grove few hundred yards from the
road, thar to wrastle on the subject" While
he was 'wrastIin" most earnestly, scarcely out
done by the patriarch some one passed the
road with loug cared animal, politely called
q John Donkey, aud John let off, as his race
is wont to do sometimes, in most moving and
thrilling manner.
Walkers imagination, by his earnest "wraSt-
lin," was wrought up TO great intensity, and
he converted Major Johns dScordant music,
which, to most men, resembles the filing Of q
saw mill saw, into a call from Heaven urging
him to preach the Gospel No time was to be
lost He rose from his knees duly commissions
ed, went TO his church and demanded license
when the pastor iuterrogated him thus !:
Pastor. Do YOU believe, Brother Walker,
that you are called Of God to preach, "us vas
Aaron 2
Walker. Mos. sartiuy does.
Pastor Give the Church, that is, the Lreth-
ren, the proof
Walker. vas nightly dilhkilted, and
was determined TO go into the woods wrastIe
it ont
Pastor. That's it, Brother Walker
Walker. And while there wrastIin', Jacob
like. l hearn one oV the curiousest voices |
uvcr hearn in all my borned days.
Pastor You are on the right track Broth.
er Walker Go on with your noration
Walker | couldn't TELL for the life oy me,
whether the voice was up in the air or down
in the sky, it sounded 50 curious.
Pastor. Poor creetur! how he was dfikil-
ted Go on to norate, Brother Walker. How
did i: appear to sound unto you?
Walker. Why, this away; " Taw.waw-
ker-waw-waw ker Go preach, go preach 20
preach, 20 preach-ee, 90 preachah, so preach
uu, 90 preach all ee.uh.ah-cc.
Pastor Brulhcring and sister, that's the
right sort Of a call Enough said, Brother
Walker. That's not one ov Yer college calls, nor
money calls No doctor oy divinity uver got
sch a call as that. Brother Walker must
l.rv vp Iippnsa fur SartiD and IA SH'p
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18
The London Times.

An interesting sketch is given by cores
pondent concerning the advertising rooms OF
the great London "Thuuderer :"
Turn to the counter there is 4 wide space
beyond, and many clerks, writing, always
writing Four favored, or u3faYored ones
We know not how to deem it-sit on thrones
behind the counter, to take the tribute of the
advertising suppliants; from these four we
may choose oar oracle and judge hut it mat
ters little which we take How very silent is
the room scarce any sonnd, but the clink OF
money and the low uttered fats Of these
throned arbiters OF advertisers tates.
OF no avail is remonstrancc here the ad-
VertiSement has hardly reached their hands
scarcely has time elapsed to skim it oVer-be-
fore the quiet utterance Of their judgment if
one should venture to demonstrate at the
charge, his lines are given back and the next
conner served no wordS-they have no time
for words the first decision is the final one
we mean, Of course, in the buster portion Of
the day-from II o'clock till 2. And how
"use doth breed habit in q man :" the per-
emptory officers rarely or never err seldom
will the printed lines fall to bear out their
charge their practiced eye fathoms the mys-
like seers of the mighty press, q field Of the
type rushes back on their sight, soon as their
mild ORC rests upon the scraw.
And how the piles Of advertisements grow
by their side ! AS they take them they give
a printed acknowledgement to the advertiser,
and ne then behoIds his composition lmpaled
with others which have proceeded, upon a
wire.
AS we look at the business of this Office, we
wonder where it is to end. Already, in the
London season, when the town is tu!I, the
Times issues, not uufrequently, ten pages Of
closely printed advertisements, of six columns
each, and each column q long one. Yet there
is always enough on hand for several days to
come an advertiser cannot expect to see his
lines in print for three days, sometimes week
from the period that he gives it in. We ask
ourselves why people will consent to wait SC
long why pahper still this oVergrown favor
ite of fortune, paying duties to the Govern
mcEt, Us it does, for advertisements and stamps
and paper alone amounting to $500,0O0 an
nuaIly. beside giving livelihood to so many,
many families?
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18
a Hunter after Office freed.

A the time for the new Administration ap-
pTOachcd. the crowds who thronged Wash
iuuton increased. Those who make them are
not altogether disntersted. Some are on Office
bent. Curious ways some OF them have Of
finding ont where best to drive their stakes
that's so; what post would best suit their gen
Jus. II mas even come to this; that some have
gone so far as to look iuto the different De
partments in advance, and to make inquiry Of
tue incumbent clerk to the probable time,
&c, Of his deCcase aS such. An instance Of
this kind happened the other day at the
Patent Office. i long, sIabsided, rckety, car
roty.toppcd individual from ''NeIew England" "
with the richest Yankee patois, walked into
the library of the Patent Office, presided over
by Professor JiSon, late of Columbian College
az urbanc gentleman, fine scholar, no politician
but with a sense of humor
" Wa'al, stranger Kin ookt books here
spose there public proptcry?
" Certainly" said the Professor. What
book would yon desire"
Aud the Professor marched toward the
cases of heavy French and German tones
which he has 10 slit for the benefit of our iu-
ventors
Wa'al, III like to see the book they cali
the 'BIeue Book"
"Ah, sir, Pm sorry we hav'nt it here. You
are at liberty 10 read any of the books which
We have
Fact is, want to find out the best hearth
| can; ex2ectin' Mr. Linkin to put me in when
he comes into power. | rayther like this
bearth, stranger; 'SPose you don't 'Spect to
stay, hey What's the salary Couldn't you
let me know as to the dooties 2"
d" | am sorry, friend, to say the salary hard.
ly pays for the duties 1t is only what you
would earn by close labor on a co!nfeld out
west"
Never mind that; what's tie dooties p
Think kin doc 'em ?"
d" / am not we'll enough acquainted with
your requirements to answer. First, | have
to keep an eye 10 all the books heren
"Wa'aI, that's not so hard; guess could do
that well as any"
Next, have to make indexes aad read
proof of patent reports.
That would come guess, by little prac-
tice"
Then" said the Professor with q merry
twinkle, " have to translate. for the use of
the office, from these books, most Of which
have to commit to memory; and from the var
iouS ancient and modern languages, including
Sauscrlt, Hebrew, HindoO, Swedish, French,
German, Chocktaw, Kickapoo -
Before the suaye Professor had finished his
inventory, his ofice-seeking interocutor had
bis hat op, and precipitated himself into the
corridor, with a hasty- o.-..........-.
lhatIl do, stranger. Good day"
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

The GREAT MYSTERY following beau
tiful passage is taken from Timothy Titcomb's
"Preachings upon Popular Proverbs" which
the Springfield R,puJticGH is now giving to
the world
'The body is to die so much ia certao.-
What lies beyond? No one who passes the
charmed boundary comes back to tell. Tho
Imagination visits the realm Of shadows-sent
out from some window of the soul over lifes
restless waters-but wings its way YEARLY
back with no olive leaf in its beak as token
OF merging life beyond the closely bending hor-
izon. The great sun comes and gosS in he0-
ven, yet breathes no secret of the ethereal
wilderness. The crescent moon ceaVes her
nightly passage across the upper deep, but
tosseS overheard no message aud displays no
signals. The sentinel stars challenge each
other as they walk their nightly rounds, but
we catch no syllable Of the countersigu which
gives passage to the heavenly camp Shut in
Shut in +! Between this and the other life
there is 9 great gulf fixed, across which ne-
ther eye nor foot can travel. The gentle
friend whose eyes we closed in their last sleep
long years ago, died with wonder in her rap
turestricken eyes, smile of uefable Joy up
on her lips, and her hands folded owe: trium.
phant heart but her lips were past speech,
and intimated nothing of the vision that en-
thralled her"
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

."TRUE FOR YoU"-" Father Mcclure" Of
Pittsburg, was many years ago very popular.
both in bis private and ministerial life He
was genial, warm-hearted old Irshman, fond
Of a joke, and the following was one Of sever
al good ones on himself, which lie relshed
very much in telling.
He was riding out on the Butler road one
hot summers day, when he stopped at house
by tue wayside to get drink of water, aud
rest while. While in conversation with the
woman of the house, he picked up bible,
and asked her if she read it often.
Yes" sLereplied, q have read 1t through
often"
And Go You understand all you read in 1t,
my good woman 2"
Yes, do" said she
"WelI.' said he, have read i: all my
life, and | fiud a great deal in it which eau
not understandn
well" said she, "if you are fool, is
that auy reason that should be Z"
Shure enough, what could Father Mcclure
say to that
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

Fast NAGs-They tell good story of an
old fellow up the country, named Peter Bates.
a keeper of tavern, who was named to be
au excellent Judge of horse flesh. Once
spirited young mare was led up to the hotel.
Quite crowd soon gathered TO see her
The owner spoke of her good poiats. boasted
Of her speed and said she could tgot mile in
three minutes Presently along came Uncle
Peter, and then removing his short pipe, said:
Boys,i don't see but one reason why the mare
can't trot Y mile in three minutes" "Whae
is it Wat is it, Uncle Peter ~ asked the
young tyres, anxious to learn from one OF
such acknowledged skill in such matter, why
said he, " the distance is to great for SO shor.
time"
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

It's NE.-The following, from the local
of a New York paper, has more true poetry
in it than many piece of sounding rhyme oi
lo!tier DretenSioHS and greater length
Passing neat little martin box Of house
last evening, we happened to see man wait
Ee at the door for admttance. At this in,
stant green blind opened little way aud
by the gas-light We caught glimpse 0: pair
of brilliant eyes, and q futttr Of something
white, and a bird toned voice softly said,
"Who's there :"
It's me-" was the brief response.
The eyes and the Gntter disappeared from
the window like stars in cloud, and We al
most fancicd as we passed on, that we could
hear the patter of two little feet upon the
floor, winged with welcome
1t was tgle, it all happened in an instant,
but it haunted US for an hour.
" It's me-" Amid tie jar Of a great city,
those words fell upon the listening wife above,
and met glad response
It's NE - And who was "me?" The
pride OF hearts life, no doubt the tree q
vine was cliuging to the Defender OF the
Faithful" in the best sense in the world
It's me q" Many there are who would
give half their hearts, and more than half the
hope in them, for Que such recognition in this
" wide, wide world"
On Change, in the Directory, in the Post
Office, he was known as A. B. c., Esq, but
on that threshold and in those walls, Its
me" and nothing more; and what more is
there one would love to he
Few Of all the hearts that beat SO wildly,
warmly, sadly. slowly, can realize true soul
amid the din and darkness Of the world, in
that simple but eloquent IT'S meas if he
had said
Now, am nothing to ali the world.
For am all the world to thee
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18
Now, ! am nothing to ali the world.
For ! am all the world to thee.

OvERwcRKED WoMEN-An over.worked
woman is always a sad sight-sadder great
deal than an over-worked man, because she is so
much more fertile in capacities of suffering
than man. She has So many varieties of
eadache-Sometimes as if Jael weSe driving
the nail that killed Sisera into her temples
sometimes letting her work with half of her
brains, while the other half throbs as if
would go to pieces-sometmes tightening
round the brows as if her cap-band were Luke's
iron crown-and then her neuragias, and her
backacheS, and ber fits of depression, in which
she thinks she is nothing, and less that moth
ing, and those paroxysms which men speak
slightingly of as hystericaI-conVusions f.; that
is all, only not commonly fatal ones-so many
trials which belong to fne and mobile struc-
lures, that she is always entitled to pity, when
she is placed ia conditions which develop her
nervous tendencies.
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

The Way of the World,


Lac peasant harvest oFeeZ4 from over
'.-.1! "s,p =. nc" now" nay CONES pre.
.','r wv S'"'l I,""' ~, TP'"|I ;
n ."n' E"er"id, I'aFe'stS N"o" 'na' "a.
IT," ',.C''' '"3'" "'s '''S"H WIN ."e
1o,e'"N a"u "L.'"' VI "o!H "IPI, aiming
..s y IN o' ''Ie '7'a "1' rs H'.''o'l MS
0'.'TS 'here iAFoi'e enough c'iP"c"'ioh' Or
yb.n l',fI .f l,,Iy en-, :,
or, r:,L l;, g -;rI -. r,,. ,.;u cI,
a,yo him w,tbont = .,,,n ~ = IIn.b and if
sbe saws she will the arf,ir i ds,;Js, }rrourb
sounds nicely in AN Irish story Won know
Should her "ogId man" soc 4, IA iu,errrra
Paddy lust tins him over the bend ,yirb Ii.
.aillelah and marries the Girl before he ca,
ret on his feet araiD As for The, maiden She
never associates tear, or tboorhts of spi.;da
with the wedding cnraaemeut but sirns from
\ tie time of her betrothal:
..u,.
Ti.na;. ',s''. =, i s''De''
-, ,,';,,, .. H.. ,,,rri.1 -
And won't YOU have M, prctty I,5,
Harroo -
] c,,7, -o,dor, r-;u ,,ar,.;-.,.L.. III
.ra,.,r,l, .,.a,.t '''S' 'o",
a,.,,i,n ,, ro,,or,or ao ,,.raa '0i NV ,',e
III IA o1ro,',,,,a.F ",'s'' 'o,"0 i-"
& b,,... ..I.a'. ,l.s. 80 y" 'o'"' P'','S
grand ar.,,n,,;,, -. ~" '',C, ~" .
IA LELAND b.s ,roG,'.od nn;,a I,t.Il o'D
nel. rom,rca ~ ,,L;.E an ,ta .s"e u! 'l-s
rl,r If ,bo ,,rr o,J Ios. s"o a., ""'H p''
fore opr o rs,6or, ;",, anu " ""o''" - ''y i '0
yo..1N.
ps -' ,,r '''s .nc'en' ana scrnpnIouSIy reSpecta-
4 VI -NehaEh, d"elt faIr and froIc'
,to.. !ou.5 aPotheoslS o. eighteen summers,
H ,' ""'uFal beauty was materially cnchanc-
II "a y the very becoming mellow light reflect
H., .r-, va, some hundreds OF golden accessories.
=, I' p, Plrs'monioas but pious parents had saved
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

FUNNY.-The best joke of secession, if SO
serious a MATES admits of jest( though, for
that matter, secessionists themselves have
perpetrated it, is that the Mississippi Legisla.
ture has authorized the governor to borrow
two million of dollars! This state has repudi-
ated an honest debt, and her credit is by.
word. Who will take her bonds A friend
suggested that propabIy Floyd, Russc i Co.,
might, if an opportunity was afforded. We
donbt it. They have no use for worthless
bonds Mississippi might leave her bonds out
in the street all night, and if she will place q
light near them, 50 that they can be read, We
very much doubt whether any of them would
be missing in the morning. Repudate an
honest debt and ask credit for two million
Don't she wish she wish she could borrow it.
Rolelgh ( " c. Banner.
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

4 WELL on PRoPELLER-The Green Bav
Adro;Qte tells the following: The propeller
Rocket, on late trip down, was boarded, at
one of the small towns in Michigan, by an
old lady not posted in the modern improve
mentS in the lake steamers When a few
hours out the old lady discovered two men
pumping up water to wash the decks, and the
captain being near by, she accosted him as
follows well, Captain Rice you've got a
well aboard, Ell ?" "Yes, ma'am, always
carry one" says the polite Captain. well
that's clever. l always did dislike the nasty
lake water, specially in dog days"
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18
Deacon GYunl.

Deacon Grum is a truly pjoUs man. Il can
not be doubted. lie loves God and loves good
things, and is on his way to heaven But tenn
ptram'at is a great thing \ shrewd observer
once said, " 1t is temperament that makes a
great mnu" 1t certainly makes some little
ones, aud withaI, some very queer oacS.-
Deacon Grum is consrituticua.iy gloomy and
dcspoudinG He was dipped il natures blucst
dye Aud the tinge, as Is apt 10 be Tie case
passed to his religion. lie has no bump Of
hope Where it ought to be- there may GER
tainly be found, if phrenoIo-y has q shred Of
truth in it, deep depression. 1t is hard for
him to hope, even as a Christian
While the present is very dark for lin, the
rature is still darker All things, he fancies
are going 20 ruin. There was somcthin. OF
riety 10 the days gone by. There was some
resdum at it in his own earlier days. lie bell
ewes in the rcvivaIs and the good men Of
twenty or thirty wears ago. He cspocil,ly re-
ours 10 the times OF Edwards and BraiGeri. and
the holy Baxter times not coIored by the at
rabiljary Of his own nature. Bat many Il Jer-
epr;ade does he pour forth over tie worldti-
ness or incficiency Of the modern Church.
He knows not what things will come to. He
trembIes as lie thinks cf posterity.
Deacon Grum is slow TO eutcr into any mea-
spr.s r,r ,L, advancement nf ra,f,,on Ho
secs Grf7irgIrjes That other, do not sec He
calculates nicely all tbe pos,ibilities Of evil -
He secs ali the wronr princfnlcs that NAV he
involved He is fearful ahont motives lie
has lis diry,nrItios wirb oII tba Mans srrroyt
81 Tbsy nrn foo narrog or tLpy are too
broad TIav arc TOO ,inii ~ th.y ara IA,
hola ,rboy,r, roo sl,,y ~ ,,ora i;l,,Iy ,lov
are foo fost Ue isafroid of rnnning Lnrnrs
ho i sent. Of rnin,r hrforn thn Snirif instead
If fo,Iowin,,. of bayir,, too ,nrcl human orancv
ard ,bon a,Ioin of h9v;ng, tooIit,In pronoso
,s ran ,,,rI 10 slaL,ns his boad dont,.r,,IIr
Ue i arwsys in = no.itiop 70 cav If y nIop
doos ,,ot s',crocd ~ tn,d Won co
Deacon Gram never sees anv token of GOOD
in the rbnr,.b to which bc IoIoors VIA,
others r.gord aso star n. nro,nisa i to him
only \ mereor,r a,sb-a nbosnhoric rIeam-
or merriam, nurc fancy If few attend meet.
inrs that Of course is bad-most unyromis
inr IF many ro no docs not think mnrh Of
II I, nav lac mere matter oe form He
fears il is It is the heart God wants. It's
no great thing to 90 to meeting. If there is
manifest feeling in the church. he takes no en-.
courarement from it, It nav he only ani-al
feeling 1t is not that deep feeling, he is sure
that opens the windows of heavcn-such as
Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-04-18

VERY LUCKY-A lawyer on o circuit,
dropped ten pouad note ander the card table,
while playing cards at the inn. He did not
discover the loss ant he was going to bed,
but then returned Immediately. On reaching
the room he was met by the young waiter
who said
| know what you want, You have lost
something?"
Yes, l have lost q ten pound note"
Well, sir, have fourd it, and here it is"
" Thanks, my good lad. here is sovereign
for you" $500. ..-.. .....
=" No, sir, I want no reward for being hon.
est, but," looking at him with knowing grin,
" wasn't it lucky that none Of the gentlemen
fond it p