davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21

Mug ltters Oh, be that has no little
black trunksstowed away in a corner for a
twelvemonth topull out on such dark anC
gloomy day as this, never knows the JOY
aud pleasure Of old letters from faithful anc
foolish friends
Here Is one from q pet, the schoolmas
ter's pei, who in twelve years seemed tc
nave united The experience and wisdom oil
many women OF twenty five with the grace
and loveliness of childhood, and to have
answered the call of the Father with
precious armfuls gathered in her short ca
reer. See how carefully it is puDctuated
Tor the teachers critical eye, and with what
earntst desire the short fingers tried tc
make straight The long lines that would &c
crookedIy any way how after the master
has returned TO his studies, she writes him,
as Most D'gniHed," ITO do nothing to
disgrace the sounding title of Senior,
not even TO put bis feet on the mantle
piece;" 10 beware of the silken mesbes of
Loves he; aud mixes in occasionally.
ouIDi 6 with The fire of her last and new.
est study, few well chosen French phra-
ses, setting oil thereby more fully the beau.
ty nnd purity of her child Engish.
Love letters Of course. That mack
ct III The corner there, none of these bound
with cotton strings or rubber bands. but
the one tied with blue ribbon, n little
solled perceive, the bare sight of which
gives me that dlzziness Burns speaks Of.
aud sets me at The old wondering whether
single LIE be not contemptbly selfish and
unaIu al See how tie rolIicking words
60 tripping over the tinted page to the
rafeSt ana the sweetest music that ever
hoats through human life with what care.
less giace the most sedate and dipnifed
letters JOIN hands with their cou1ettish
partners ana tlptoe on as the delicious
surges rise aud sink See those great top
heavy, tumble down rs and Fs come rol
ing 10, almost staggering with the amount
oi purple life that has mounted TO their
brains, US II they had drunk too deeplv of
the strong wine Of Love while here and
there is an A or an n with its feet planted
t'mly, striving TO withstand with its sober
dlgn'y the mad march of its thoughtless
companions.
Aud so we run through the packet
lhe aIphaOet is baving grand gala-day-
'0oN d" 'ua' Jo'Iy ID nearly splitting lis
SIDES with l"nghttr-aud poor common.
place words are dressed with most becom-
lug ~iirhery. But stop. here nre some
at the bottom OF the package that look
moIe Sober, even downcas' The big cap
ltaIs are oil III stIaight jackets, aud the lit
tie CHEEKY letters are as demure as steal,hy.
paced, white clad nuns. 'Tis too much
IKE inad-house, or u funeral of dead
nope lei us tie them up again and lay
them away IN their corner aud, reader,
III! carry Tie little black trunk to its hid
Ing place I'LL | can see more clearly-it
g'o"s dark SO suddenly these winter days
and wait I'LL the storm howls less furious
" down the big chimney and sends less
pItiiuI walllngs through every crevice aud
Granny, ere | show you more of its treas
ures.
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21

AN INGENIOUS DEVICE The following
story is told of an old lady living 10 Back-
lnghamshire, EGgland;-The husband OF
this ancient dame died without making bis
will, for the waut of which very necessary
precauton his estate would have passed
away from his widow, had she not resor.ed
to the following expedient to avert the loss
of the property. She concealed the death
Of her husband and prevailed upon an old
cobbler. her neighbor, who was iu person
somewhat like the deceased, to 90 to bed
at her house and personate him, in which
character it was agreed that he should
dictate will. leaving :he widow the estate
IN question. An attorney was sent for to
draw up the writings The widow, who
on bis arrival appeared in great affliction
at her good mans danger, began to ask
questions of her pretended husband, calcu-
lated TO elirit the answers she expected
and desired. The cobbler groaned aloud.
and looking as much like Q person going
to give up the ghost as possible, feebiy an.
s~ered. intend to leave you half my
estate. aud think the poor old shoemaker
who lives opposite is deserving the other
hall, for he has been good neighbor." The
widow was tbnnderstrnck at receiving re-
ply SO different from that which she had sx'
pected but dared not negative the cobbier'a
Will, for fear of loosing the whole property.
while the old rogue in bed (who was him.
self the poor old shoemaker living oppo
site, laughed in bis sleeve and divided with
her the fruits of project which the widow
had intended for her sole henefit.
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21
Pete ROleun.


If you listen while sing story I'll relate,
may be thought Of worth those inclined to speculate
Far oil among Vensngos hills. in Alleghenys vale,
Where Oil Greek spreads her geey ide pie u the gale
here oil spous up nom out the ground, mamma once
came down
Where every field honey combed and every farm town
here hath gone to rest at night i'll Doubt debt and de-
slHiT,
And risen in the morning light an envied millionaire
1hee aIsong the rest attracted there by gain,
Afflicted with the called oil vpOn the Ha,n
For be IT known that Peter Old the hermit never fund
bong pilgrims Jealous herd to visit Hoey ground
This man, Pete Roeum by name, for what fear to tell
Bought square yard coal oil land to sRk coal oil well
flowing wei was his right sponting well was
pumping we'll" Wa on his left "dry weif ON his rear
wh surroundings fair and bright except the rearward
But Peter never looked back-at digging he begun,
lie bored he drilled and punched ali night he bored and
drilled all day,
forty days and forty nights he looked see come
His engine pulled the derrick ceaAed auger went PUNK,
And with each oft repeated st oke the well it SUNK
And ofen he Piled his task he thought upon the gains
That would reward his anxious tolls and pay linn for his
He saw twoforty on the plank" and footed up the bill
For mansions fair with marble halls on Broad street or Bush
Whilst just such reviries lost as he'd OF before
lie heard strange mysterious sound rushing from the
bore;
Then raised he mp and shouted "oil OH listen how It huns
lie DANCED he yelled, and shouted "J Tls OIL it comes
But hold high hopes have fallen before Cheyvo sometimes
aud caused man to lose his life his money soul and mind
Oh Peerl II you had but stopped when you first began
If not a wiser, bett ter one, you'd been LCer man,
No oil comes spoutng from the depth bat in its place ant
stead
There awful caving in beneath and overheard;
Down went the auger and the vas and down the engine few
The square yard coal oil land aud down went Peter
Thus every thing swallowed with such ash and
As has been head SINCE and neer has been before
And when the cavng in had ceased it ef, ghOs
The earth closed Up closed the Pharaoh and his
host.
since have sought the spot and held their chn in
thought.
And thus they the chance that with poor Peter
wrOnght
Then peterby what great Ill luck 1t matters not pu-(
In seeking oil vacuum struck and that it-sHcd kim
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21
What Labor h In n ysepubrIc.

A spicy writer IN "Life Illustrated" says:
- op are siebian," said au ancient snob to
C.cero, Yes" replied the Roman orato!',
the nobility of my family begins in me, that
of yours will end with YOU" Labor is
honor, and he who scorns the laborer need
not envy the donkey its redundancy of ear.
Let us look at This subject philosophically.
While it is true that the farmers are the
most independent class of workers in the
world, it is also true that they labor more
hours aud harder than most classes OF men
They usually rise before the sun has struck
Il light, and work until evening lets heT
cur; ain down and pins it with star" No
few voluntarily made slaves of themselves
until they employed machinery, which has
no aching bones, no nervous energy to bt
exhausted, and is never prostrated by fat
igue. Even now multitudes Of farmer
work too much, they do so because there i
SO much TO be done--because so many per
sons Shirk the yoke of labor, and seel
gnobe ease in kid gloves and silk stockings
aud the task Of toll falls uneqnaly upon th'
industrious. 1t is q saying, crystalized int
a proverb, that the work of woman is nave
done. Half the women in the world ar
household drudges; we are paradoxlca
creatures. One class OF men make dolls
their daughters, and seem TO think the chie
object in lite is to teach them how 10 max
lambs and lions lie down peacefully in IN
millennium of their worsted work; anothe
class run 20 the opposite extreme, aud Il
use the mildest from of speech, permit then
10 make slaves Of themselves. On Monday
The women must wash, and draw the waIe
from deep well, or fetch il from distan
spring, when few dollars would put.
pump in the house. Ga Tuesday she mus
iron, on Wednesday she must ehnrp, O
Thursday she must bake, on Friday sh
must sew, Saturday she must patch, aud o
Sunday she must stay at home to take car
of the children. Now these labors must b
performed by somebody. but they eau b
lighlcned aud abridged SO that the labo
will be a pleasure, as we'll as duty-s
that "tol will involve happiness, as o aoV
er exhales Perfume" Let the ornaments
and useful be united in the education
girls. Let them play on the wash tab al
The piano, thread the meadows and the ne
die, make beds Of flowers as well as beds
feathers.
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21
otu hCttShb D.
From the Round Table.

always keep my letters, aus! occas Or al.
ly. on some dreary autunr.l or gintry day,
| drag from its 11;.ding; ;,iuce for twelve.
'non'". the little old trunk that for genera
lors mas been an heirloom in the family,
aud, bringing it out in the light of my
pIeasant study, reanimate the liteess forms
that lie buried within its black sides, and
spend half the day in walking with these
old friends the dreamy pahs of past
away. What care though aged trees
creak dismally and wave their brauchCs in
speechIe>s supplication for quiet and peace
in their declining years, and the evergreens
sigh mournfuy as the chilling winds rush
through them aud stay not to daily with
their graceful leaves as did the summer
breczes--,hough the old house moan and
rock from cellar to garrot, and ttde rats go
scampering through the Eanstot at sound
of the unusual unait. l aud my cheerful
fire and these old letters are having q
grand reunion, and the nectar of memory
has made me cbllvious of the outer world
to- day.
Here are packets yellow Nth time that
often, deep in the stiffness Of a winters
night have been opened and conned through
the lens of tear drop as thoughts OF
school days, away from home, with gentle
counsels and anxious inquiries after health
came linked with the familiar words. -
The needed hints in regard to improve
ment of time aud the value of money
home advice as TO the repairing of a gar
ment, and questions as to whether Others
will last through the term cheering word;
of comfort among strangers, and assur
ances of love and fond remembrance among
the dear ones, written with the intention o.
tightening the burden of home-sicknes', bn
from their very kindness adding much there
to-all and more are familiar as household
words, and need only sight of the hastil
written address to he called again into con
scousness.
Here are packages Of later origin, each
marked with the inevitable stamp-letter'
from true and tried friends, worth thei
weight in gold letters of condoleuce
letters of JOY words of cheer for darkes
hours, of reproof for vain tho ights ant
frivolous babblings essays on politics an'
public economy. to prove the wisdom OF III
writer and the patience of the reader ; two
sheeted craft laden with ballast and trum
perry fair missives crossed and re crosses
ill one is reminded of the illustrations
a sewing machines unavoidable stitch Sc
lections Of poetry (; pressed flowers dur
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21

There's poem by SAKE, very witty, own,
The subject of which Is ''Go 1t Alone,
And the wisdom of which / am slow to deride,
For l read it with pleasure and profit beside,
And said to myself it is just as you sing,
Se5-re6ance, dear bard, is glorious thing
And never on others life burdens III cast,
But will bear them heroic and brave to the last,
And further, moved, 1t is noble and grand,
When the storm beats about us unaded to stand;
AS It's lovely the blessings of sunshine to share,
And shelter the weak with protection and care
But own that my heart has grown fainter Of
late.
For my dear Mr.. SAKE, I've been trying tc skate;
| started forth bTavely the ordeal to meet
In my head were your verses and skates on my
feet.
But the rhyming 80 smooth, and logic so nice,
Had different look when viewed from the ice.
The standpoint was changed, if standpoint it
be.
To go pitching about like a vessel at sea,
And to find, half the time, for your struggles and
pains,
That your heels are at least as high as your
brains;
"Aone!" / exclaimed, ''ohl never can go it,
And this is what comes of trusting poet"
No, no, Mr.. SAKE, you may talk as you please !;
All graDdly heroic, defying the Fates,
Could never have gone it alone upon skates
(Of course, l allude to the neophyte sage,
No respecter of persons, of youth Or of age)
For there matrons and maldens, with cheeks all
aglow,
As roses would look peeping out from the snow;
There seigneurs most potent, and followers Of
Mars,
And cupids with trowsers, and men with cigars,
Were striving to skate, and by each it was shown,
That in learning this art you can't 'go it alone" ="
MORAL.
Nowif ladies, you'll pardon some Jcchng advice.
Don't refuse wiling hands and warm hearts--on
the ice
Nor anywhere else; for say it. and know it,
In spite OF the rhymes Of the Green Mountain
poet
That you'll need in this world of sunshine and
storm,
An arm that is strong, and heart that is warm
Il. C.
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21
Erig. Cen. James s. WausyvOrth

Brigadier General James Samuel Wads-
worth, killed in the late b oody conflict at
| Charlottesville, was borne at Geneseo,
New York, Oct. 30tb, 1907. He was ed
ucated at Harvard and Yale colleges,
studied law at Albany, and completed his
course 10 the Office of Daniel Webster. In
1861 he was appointed Commissioners to
the Peace Convention at Washington, and
at the opening Of the war was one of the
first 10 offer his services to The Government.
In April he was commissioned Major Gen
eral by Gov. Morgan, hut the appointment
was subsequently revoked and .ne commits
sion Withdrawn. IN June ne was appoint
ed volunteer aid on the personal staff of
Gen. Mcdowell, was present at the battle
ol Bull Rru, aud commended for his bravery.
He ,1aS made Brigader General of volun'
/ teers August 0 h, 1851, and was assigned
to the command in the advance under Nc
Celan. In March, 1862 he was appointed
military Governor of the District of Colum-
bia, and with command of the defences at
Washington. In 1862 he was the candl,
da'e of the Union party for Governor OF
New York but was defeated by Horai.o
Seymour. In December following, ne Was
assigned to IA command with Burnside and
after the latter's disaster o. Ere ,iericksburg,
we believe was out Of actire service. D0.
ring 1863, he was Engaged in various com.
missions, and ar,ong Others went to Louis
lana'to Investigate the condition Of the
IreedTien, and as our readers will remem
! Ter, made an elaborate report to the PreSi
dent. He also took deep interest in tbt
treedmau's villages in Virginia and Soutt
Carolina. Upon the reorganization Of th'
Army of the Potomac by General Gran
he was assigned to a position, and in th'
advance to Richmond, galanty died {
soldiers death.
Gen Wadsworth came from one of thu
best aud most esteemed families in New
Yolk, and Inherited from his father au(
brother large fortune, 10 which he addeC
largely by his energy aud industry. ii
was probably the wealthiest mau in New
York out Of The city, and it is said coul'
walk from Geneseo to Rochester over hi
own soil. lie was a large stock grower
aud made immense imporlations Of cattle
But Immediately npon the fall OF Sumte
he abandoned wealth aud beautiful home
and offered his services to the country, au
from that time until the canvass in whic
he was engaged, We believe. he never Wis
+ ted his home, but confined himself arduosl
aud devotedly to his duties. He was
good man aud pure patriot, aud di'
without a stain upon his fair fame.
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21
WHOLE NUMBER Isl.
MADISON AND srARsrraLE

MSS Martinesu Is helping to correct pub.
lie sentiment In England. and turn 10 IN "a
vor Of the North by giving reminiscenses
Of her visit to America 10 1895. Prom.
iHent Southern men then spoke with frsuk-
ness Of the evils of slavery and looked with
torebodings 10 the future.--She says of
Judge Marshall: ~. a. .s..s 80.
He was eighty three--as bright eyed and
warm hearted as ever, while as dignified
judge as ever filed the highest seat in the
highest court Of any country He said he
had seen Virginia the leading State for hal
his life; he had seen her become the
second, and sink to be, ! think the 9Th.
Worse than this there was no arrestiDg her
decline if her citizens did not put an end
10 slavery; and he saw 20 signs OF any Ia.
tention TO do so, east of the mountains,
at least. He had seen whole groups of est
tates, popolous in his time, lapse into waste
He had seen agriculture exchanged for hu-
man stockbreeding, and keeuly felt the deg.
radiation. The forest was returning over
the old estates, aud wild creatures which
had not been seen for generations were re-
appearing; numbers and wealth we're declin-
ing, and education and manners were de-
generating 1t would not have surprised
him TO be told that on that soil would the
main battle be fought, when the critical day
should come which he foresaw' g4
Of Madison she says: .ts.irl
Madison had cheerful and sanguine
temper, and If there was one thing rather
| than another which he had learned to cou-
slider secure, 1t was the Constitution which
be bad SO large share in making. Yet
he told me that he yas nearly 10 dispsir,
and that he had bee6 quite SO till the Colo.
niz ,tion Society arose. Rather than admit
to himself that the South must be laid
waste by servile war, be stroye TO believe
that millions Of negroes could be carried to
Africa, and SO got rid Of "a
He talked more Of slavery than OF all
other subjects together, returning to It
morning, noon ard night He said that
the clergy prevented the Bible. because il
was altogether against slavery; that the
colored population was increasing faster than
the white; and that the state of morals we're
such as barely permitted society to exist
OF the issue Of the conflict, whenever it
should occur, there could, he said, be no
doubt. A society burdened with q slave
system could make no permanent resistance
to the unencumbered enemy; and he was
sstonished at the faua.icsm which blinded
some Sou bern men to so clear certainty.
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21
Ola ThIng..

Give me the old songs, those exquisite
bursts Of melody which thrilled the Tyres o.
the inspired poets and miuistrels Of loup
ago. Every note has borne on the air {
tale Of joy and rap,ure--of Sorroto and sad
nessl They tell Of days gone by, aod tint
hath given them voice which speaks t
MS OF those who once breathed those melo
dies--of what they aoso are, and what ac
soon shall be. My heart loves those melo
dies may they be mine to hear till life
shall end, aud as "launch my boap upon
the sea Of eternity, may their echoes be
waited TO my ear to cheer me on my pas.
sage from the scenes of earth aud earth
laud
Give me the old paths where we have
wandered and culled the flowers Of love
and friendship 10 the days of "Aud Lang
Syne sweeter far the dells whose echoes
have answered to our voices; whose turf is
not stranger to our footsteps, and whose
rills have in chdhood's days reflected
back our forms, and those of our merry
play.fellows from whom we. have parted,
aud met no more in the old hooks we
loyed so well. May the old paths be
"o'S'Cu "iAO iAGbNeUo OWH ueW, anu Up
green forever 10 my memory
Give me the old house, upon whose stairs
we seem to hear light footsteps, and IN
der whose porch merry laugh seems to
mingle which the winds that histle through
old trees, beneath whose branches lie tht
graves Of those who oRce trod the halls
and made the chambers ring with glee-
And 0 above all, give me the old friends
hearts hound TO niue in life's sunshiny
bours, and link so strong that all the
storms of earth might not break it asunder,
spirits congenial, whose hearts thro' life
have throbbed 10 unison with our own
o, when death shall still this heart, /
would not ask for aught more sacred to
hallow nay dust than the tear of on old
friend. May my funeral dirge be chanted
by the old friends love so fondly, who
have not yet passed away to the spirit;
bright home
Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-05-21
General Stanley and General Forrest.

Mai Gen. Stanley writes as follows TO
the Cincinnati C0mmerciai: The late
butehery at Fort Pillow by Forrest, seems
to have filled he community with indigna.
tiou and surprise. To those 10 the front o!
our armies who know Forrest, say there i:
nothing astonishing in his conduct at Fort
Pillow. know that this very much re-
spected Confederate hero, has upon for
mer occasion condescended to be his own
executioner. To show the style of man
jeff Davis and the Cincinnati Enquirer,
delight to honor, l will relate the 70 Living
which was stated to me last summer by O
rebel citizen of Middle Tennessee, mai
of high standing in his community, who hat
it from his nephew, an officer serving un
der Forrest. A bout the middle of the
summer of 1868. Poorest surprised the
post of Murfreesboro commanded by brig
adler general H. r. Crittenden, of Indiana
The garrison was composed mostly Ct the
Och Michigan and the 7th Pennsy lvana
cavalry. After some little fighting tht
troops surrendered.
A mulatto man, who was servant t
one of the officers of the Union forces, wa:
brought TO Forrest on horseback. Th'
latter inquired of him with many oath
what be was doing there 7" Tue mulat
to answered that he was a free man, anC
came out as a servant TO an office:-namiDg
the officer. Forrest who was on horse
back, deliberately put his hand to his hol
ster, drew his pistol. and blew the man
brains out The rebel officer stated tba
the mulatto came from Pennsylvania, an
the same officer deuoGnced the act as on
OF co4d-blooded nurde7, and declared b
would never serve under Forrest. Th
murdered MAJ was not a soldier, and il
aeer' tie occurrence took place before IL
/ Ur,ted States Government determined
arm regroes. Of the truth of this there
not the shadow of doubt, and it can b
established by living witnesses.