davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
CINCINNATI O., SATURDAY. MAY 10, 1866.

we fairly held the danger under lock and
key, in the harbor, till it totally disap-
cared. Quarantine prudence and skill
enabled this great city Filthy as it was)
to stand beforeit, looking on with impuni-
ty and defar ce, while it died out, strangled
on our waters. Thus far we have re-
peated the example in the case of the Vir-
ginia. Meanwhile the city has prudently
and thoroughly cleaned itself, and, with
proper care, may, we hope, go on through
the summer without much anxiety.
These ships had each more than thou
sand passengers. Some five hundred of
them, in each, were crowded together in
the holds, below ,he water mark, with no
other ventilation than that which could
reach them from above through tubes and
passage ways. How could they possibly
escape the outbreak of some pestilentia
disease in such circumstances There
was no sickness on board when they
started both were attacked when about
week out, that is to say, when the con-
fined air of their holds had had sufficient
time to become intolerable. These facts,
together with the exemption of the cabin
passengers, and the control we have had
over the malady in quarantine, seem in
deed providential lesson. proclaiming to
US, not only the necessary conditions OF
safety, but also the cheerful assurance
which all prudent men may entertain in
spite of the menaced evil.
With such security to the properly eau
tious, the pestilence, even when it does
prevail, is nothing like the terrible calami,
ty which exaggerated alarm paints it 20 be
The venerable DR.. Bigelow, of Boston
says that, if it were continuous disease
inst cad of an occasional visitation, .
there would be little anxiety respecting
it, except among the most exposed, that
is to say, filthy and incorporate classes
1t would not, he says, affect in any way
the business, the travel, or the recreation
of the community. The ratio Of its NOR
tality is not greater than that of oul
steam voyages to Europe, and who fore
goes visit to Europe for business ol
pleasure, because an ascertained ratio o
deaths occurs on the passage He adds
that he irnevts of So Ffe Of sssss4sz
the world easier than that by the cholera
Let us then be of good courage, cleanse
our premises, correct our bad habits, say
our prayers faithfully, go about our hon
est business as usual, and leave the event
to him "who careth for u.s." and without
whose (" notice no sparrow falls to the
ground. The Methodist.
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
CHINESE JUGGLING,

While walking on the bank of the river
this afternoon, near the junction with the
Grand Canal, saw some clever Juggling.
A boy, about fifteen years of age, per-
formed the needle trick in an exceedingly
expert manner. He commenced by stick
ing dozen of common sewing needles
upon the end of piece of wood, and
showed them to the lookers-on. soxam-
ordinary sharp-pointed needle. Having
done this, he placed them, one after the
other, between his lips, and sucked them
slowly into his mouth and, to all ap-
pearance, swallowed them. He then
walked round the circle with his mouth
open, and allowed the people to look into
it but nothing was to be seen of the
needles. He then took a crystal ball,
aboutthe size of walnut, and, placing it
between his teeth, drew it into his mouth,
and to all appearance, swallowed it--as
he opened his mouth, and it was not visi-
BILE. He then made an effort as if bring
ing it up from his stomach, and elected
it from his mouth; repeating this per-
Torrance several times. He next took a
long piece of thread, passed it up one nos
tril and brought the end out by his mouth,
moving it backward and forward by the
two ends-the one hanging out of his
noStril, the other out of his mouth. He
then pulled the string out altogether, in
troduced it again into his nostril by snuff
fng it in, and seemed to swallow the
whole piece of string. He again swal-
lowed the glass ball, elected it, and, i'm
mediately afterward, drew the thread out
of his mouth with all the needles strnng
upon it. This is really very clever trick,
showing wonderful powers of slowing
things away in the mouth-the more so,
as he was talking the whole time. A
great amount of skill is exhibited, and no
small degree of risk must be run in per-
forming this trick, as Mr.. Lockheart men
tions case that occurred at Shanghai,
where the needles that had been intro
duced into the mouth, ready threaded,
slipped down and became impacted in the
back part of the throat, and caused death
the fifth day afterwald.
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
ILL CALL TOMORROW.

1t is never quite safe to be churlish OIL
impolite. A philadelphia manufacturer
once lost some extensive orders from Rus
sia by a want of attention to visitors. and
the following nc.dent, said to be literally
true. is told of another Philadelphia ira
der, who subjected himself TO great NOR.
tifcation by impoliteness to Washing ton
Irving He had been annoyed by many
idle calls, and became little crusty:
About this time, the owner was on
day standing in his door, when up came 8
rough looking man, in well bundled over
coat, wearing coarse, unpublished boots
and carrying in his hand whip, who
thus accosted him,
Good day, sir. Are you the owner
of this establishment 90
"Well. | am" replied the o ther, with
look which seemed to say, "now yor
want to try it, don't you?"
Have you any fine carriages for sale ?''
inquired the stranger, apparently moi
needing the boorishness of the other.
"Well, l have"
"At what prices %
Different prices, of course"
"Ah yes. Can look at them 20
"You can do as you please, stranger.
They are in there"
The stranger bowed politely, and pass.
ed in, examined the vehicles for few
minutes, returned and said:
There is one | think will answer nv
purpose" pointing towards one; "what
is the price p
"Two hundred dollars"
g Is that the lowest ~
THAI is the lowest %
Well, sir, | will call and give you
my decision o-morrow :" and the strang-
er walked away.
Eyes, you'll call tomorrow 0, yes,
certainly" replied the owner in tone OF
irony, not so low but the stranger heard
him but he Kept on his way, taking no
outward notice of it.
Fool me, will you % and the owner
commenced whistling.
The next day came, and with it the
stranger, also.
"I have come according to promise, y
said he.
al see You have. sir replied the owner
little abashed
81 will take that carriage, sir :" and
to the aotonishment of the other, he pulled
out an old wallet, well stuffed with bills,
and deliberately counted out two hundred
dollars.
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
HOW 70 DO A KIND DEED.

Just in front of my window is bill,
where the children come to coast in snow
time. 1t is very long, and the slope is so
gentle that it is quite safe. Well. this
morning, quite crowd Of merry young
sters were enjoying the sport and making
all the hills about us ring with their clear
voices. But at the top of the hill,
stood queer-looking little fellow, all by
himself. | think he must be poor, for he
was dressed In mans ragged coat, and
he had an old handkerchief tied over his
head. AS he moved forward, to look af
ter the descending sleds, | saw that he
was lame. No one seemed to notice him
for long time, except once, when a
naughty boy threw big SNOWFALL at
him. My heart began to ache lor him,
he looked so lonesome standing by him
self. Presently bright looking lad left
his mates and went to hi | could not
hear what he said, but directly saw him
DoIp Ju6 tdlG UON w q oOaH OlA MO oASu,
and down the long slope they went to-
gether. Then heard the boys hurrah,
and half dozen strong little chaps took
hold together and drew the sled up the
hill with the lame boy on it. Then he
had another slide down and another ride
up. Other boys came to help, and no
one among them all had a merrier time
in coasting than the ragged lame child.
Now, was mt that beautiful sight? [
think our Father in heaven liked to see it,
do Mt you? And think the fine lad
who had courage enough to do kind
action and influence enough to make the
others follow his example, must have
been happy boy. What do you think
about it.-Zion's Herald.
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
A PHARISEE.

Here comes Mrs. Prouty. Her um-
brella's always up. She's never caught
in shower" What do you mean ? )"
g Why, don't she always 1ake you feel
as if you were out in the rain, and she
standing under cover, chuckling? She
does me- Her work is always dreadfully
sure to be done up, whether its cheese or
salvation She isn't as other women are.
There's never anything left over on a
Saturday night with her. Don't You see
how her mouths primmed up? That's
as much as to say, The washing, and
mending, and churning, and cleaning, and
baking are all through with, up to the
minute and her soul seen to be-
sides. Mrs. Prouty where's Eliza
we are going down the brook-road pres
emily. for, little walk" Eliza stayed
in. She's preparing herself for her Sun
day school class" replied Mrs. Prouty,
precisely, and with a tone of subdued
self-gratifcation. Her daughter, also,
was not as other peoples daughters were.
:. Wasn't that Christian of me to give
her such a chance See how much
good it's done her. whispered Joanna to
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19

The owner was completely staggered.
Here was something new. A cabman with
so much money He took the money,
looked at it, and then at the stranger
eyed him from head to foot, and even ex-
amined his boots attentively. Then he
counted his money over and held up each
bill to the light to see if it was counterfeit.
No, all was good. A thought struck him;
he would find out his name
81 suppose you would like receipt ?'
said he at length to the stranger.
" 1t may be as well.'
eyes, sir. What name ?'
Washington Irving"
"Sir," said the other, actually starting
back with amazement. "Did I under
stand your name was -
Washington Irving" replied the
other-an almost imperceptible smile
lowering around his mouth.
Washington Irving,-sir,-my dear
sir" stammered the owner, confusedly,
dbl really sir, beg ten thousand
pardons, sir, but I mistook you for cab :
man. sir l did indeed p
"No excuse, my friend" replied Irving.
I" am no better than you took me for.
You acted perfectly right" and having at
length succeeded in getting his receipt.
amid host of apologies, he politely bade
the humble carriage "good day"
and left him to the chagrin that he had
mistaken for cabman, man whose lofty
genius had commanded the admiration of
the whole world.
The friend who related this anecdote
asserted that it was a fact-and was told
by the veritable owner himself 1t doubt
less proved lesson to him not to judge
men by their dress.
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19

should be able rightly to appreciate her.
Such was the first Napoleon, the aerial
animal who found the diamond on the
earth but threw it away for the search
of baubles that he vainly fancied would
decorate his castles in the air The union
of these two, being both physically and
atfectionately incompatible, reminds us of
the lamentation of the Bachelor Watts,
in his lyric, +" The Indian Philosopher.
Our long intercourse with the world,
has fully convinced as that the -happiest
place on earth is the freside whose in
habitants are perfectly harmonious while
the chief source of trouble and sorrow, is
the improper education cf youth, which
leads them to prefer, in the choice Of their
companions for life, the pomp and vanity,
the wealth and fame of the fashionable
world, to that harmony of intellect and
feeling, that union of aspiration and af
fection, which alone can make one out of
two, of whom the happiness of both shall
be multiplied in consequence of that COM
bination. Could bad education be
corrected, and its evils prevented, the hap
piest place on earth, would be the family
freside. so happy that few would forego
it's pleasures for those Of any other cir
cumstances Instead of lonely men and
women, or those unequally voked, :"
broken hearts and ruined constitutions,
the world would be filled with little else
than pairs, prosperous, good, useful, con-
tented and happy.
The reflections and conclusions of an
eminent historian have so strong an in
fuence on the mind of the reader, that
we could not refrain from entering our
protest against the impression that would
be made by the decision of Mr.. Abbott,
that the circumstances which surrounded
Josephine in her last days should make
her more happy than could the possession
of the treasure that was lost to her in
most affections Properly interpreted,
we regard the last clause of the sorcerer's
prophecy as fulfilled more minutely and
completely than even the former.-Ed-
Journal.
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
aearlut and 9iresiae.
THE FAILURES AND FALsEH00Ds OF HU
MAN LIFE.

Never existed being better calculated
to enjoy all the blessings that earth and
life can bestow, seldom has one had within
reach 50 numerous and great opportunities
for the perfect enjoyment Of those bless
ings, yet we can hardly conceive Of one
whose whole natural life was almost con
stantly deprived Of it-nay, We may say,
made constantly miserable by the misap-
plication Of those boundless means Of hap
piness, as was that Of Josephine, Empress
Of France. With heart susceptible Of
the warmest and most enduring affection,
and an opportunity for attachment to
another, equally impressible, she was
forever separated from her loved and
loving William. With the keenest con
sciousness Of unhappiness from a union
with a man whose soul was supremely
welded to a worldly ambition which over
balanced all the sweet ties Of q pure and
spiritual affection, she was foIribly mar
ried to one Beauharnais) who could
leave her for the mere external fascina-
tions Of proud, beautiful and artful
woman Loving more dearly than all
things else, the quiet retirement, the
beauties Of nature and the dear home
circle, she was doomed to solitude Of
heart, and residence in the confines of a
city Of human construction, the hustle Of
nonular assemblies, and the deceptionS
and intrigues Of artificial life With
heart overhowing with sympathy for
suffering humanity, ana benevoence to all
her race, she was compelled to witness the
fiendish slaughter Of thousands Ct hel
folow creatures. for no other reason than
that they were the best citizens OF France
and to anticipate, for the end, nothing
better for herself. What mine OF tht
elements Of happiness was thus exploded
and destroyed What an Eden OF bliss
was thus foreclosed to her souls asplra'
tions what hell upon earth was thus
opened for her incarceration and thai
for not one fault nor folly Of her own
but simply because Of the unfortunate
union Of persons physically and morally
unsuited to each other, for the sake q
external advantages.
What lesson is the life Of Josephine
to those parents and guardians who breai
the natural current Of affection from th'
hearts Of their daughters OF wards, merel!
for considerations Of wealth, family
fame
Let all such, read the life Of Josephin
by Abbott. Let all the Williams
too be advertised. that no wealth, no
blood, nor fame can be substituted to
such 4 heart and head as Josephine
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
THE CHOLERA.


For weeks the papers lfave.fealt largely
wteh the thoIera, ana no little appfehen-
sion has been excited by the supposed i'm
minence of the dreadful calamity The
newspapers at first contributed to this
anxiety, and, had the pestilence been
really present in our atmosphere, it could
hardly have failed to have found ready
victims among the morbidly-excited peo-
pie. One of the strongest proofs that
the miasmatic condition of the atmosphere,
which produces epidemic cholera, has not
thus far, reached us is the fact that, with
such moral predisposition of the people
for its influence, it has no. been able to
reveal itself.
The inference that the disease must
come because it has heretofore usually fol-
lowed a given route, which has led it
toward us, is a reasonable deduction. We
are not at all disposed to dispute its posi-
bility; it may be prevailing among us
before this article reaches our readers
but we doubt that it will, and we hesi-
tate not to affirm that it NAV not at all
appear here as an epidemic (though it
may as an endemic }, and are quite sure
that if it should reveal itself generally,
it need not be formidable. Though med :
ical science is yet baff1ed by some of the
problems of the disease, yet the conditions
of safety, especially of early cure, are SO
we'll ascertained, and are so practicable,
that no person of ordinary health, tenn
perance, and moral courage need fear it,
any more than he should any of the com
mon forms of more or less epidemic dis
ease which occur every summer among
us.
The first ship that brought it TO our
harbor (the England) afforded proof Of
this last assertion. Not single cabin
passenger suffered. What could more
conclusively attest the safety of all per-
sons in ordinary conditions of comfort and
prudence :?
The second ship (the Virginia. repeats
this proof. Rev Dr. Hamlin, of ConStan-
tinople, who has stood for years in the
midst of all the epidemic attacks in that
city as physician as well as missionary,
declares that people Of tolerable health
and temperate habits, keeping clear of
nervous anxiety about it, need fear it no
more than they fear being swept from the
world by comets tail.
In fine, this pestilence is comparatively
harmless to right-living people, unless
they consent to be towards. 1t has been
called "God Almighty's scavenger" for
the cleansing of great cities it does its
work thoroughly where it needs to be
lone, and seems disposed to step aside
from its appointed task, only to punish
unreasoning timidity. Of course Incl
dental exceptions can be cited, but they
are only incidental, and so comparatively
few that no reasonable man should ad
nit them in his logic upon the subject.
The cases of these foreign ships should
confirm our hopefulness and courage rath-
| er than alarm US. In that of the England
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
MISCELLANEOUS.

G1SsENG-WHAr is 1T Pin our week
ly market reports, the information regard
snv Ing Gi3se il Sr il Fea6sfs. and fha oGssion e
" What in the world is Ginseng?" induces
us to give the following accounts of its
properties, origin, and use. Ginseng
was formerly supposed to grow only in
Chinese Tartarv, affecting mountainous
situations, shaded by close woods but it
has long been known that the plant is al
so native of North America. M. LARA
sin transmitted specimens Of it from this
country to Paris in l704, and it has since
discovered in Canada, Pennsylvania and
Virginia, by Lafitean, Kahn, Bartra n, and
others, correspond. G exactly with the
Tartarian species. The dried root of
Ginseng is scarcely the thickness of the
little finger, about three or four inches
long, of horny texture. and internally
and externally of yellowish white color.
The Chinese ascribe extraordinary virtues
to the root, and consider it sovereign
remedy in all diseases to which thay are
liable. In Americ no value is set upon
Ginseng as a medicine and it is gathered
only for shipment, and large quantities
are reported from Virginia, Ohio, Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania. In
1859 the trade in Richland county, Wis
connin, is stated to have amounted to
$4,000.
MossEs.-The poor Laplanders find
several Of their comforts from mosses.-
Golden maiden-hair, one of the largest
species of the moss tribe, forms excellent
beds, by cutting thick layers of it,
one of which forms the mattrass, and
the other is coverlet. Linn@us tells
that he himself often made u.e Of such a
bed when travelling in Lapland. These
mossy cushions are SO elastic that bed
may be rolled up in parcel small enough
to be carried under mans arm, and the
inhabitants take them about with them on.
their journeys. The Lapland women also
make use Of the gray bog moss their ba-
bies are thus completely protected from
the cid, like young birds, in soft and
warm nests. The Greenlanders use their
moss as tindir, and for wicks to their
lamps.
'Dr. Person." said gentleman to the
great Grecian," with whom he had
been disputing-"Dr. Person, my opinion
OF you IS most contemplate. "Sir,"
returned the doctor, Il never knew an
opinion Of yours that was not contempt
ible''
The insolent civility of proud man
is, if possible, more shocking than his
rudeness could be; because he shows you,
by bis manner, that he thinks it mere
in him: and that in his
goodness alone he btstows what you
have no pretense to claim.
DR.. Watts whose passion for the justly
celebrated Mrs. Rowe, then Miss Singer,
is well known, having called one winter
morning upon that lady and perceiving
that the fire and the conversation were
getting dull, took up the poker, and put
ting it in the fire, said ALLOW me,
madam, to raise hame.'
The colored citizen., 1866-05-19
goetrp..
IN THE FIRELIGHT.

By JOHN HAY.
NV dear wife sits beside the FIRE,
With folded hands and dreaming eyes
Watching the restless fame aspire,
And wrapped in thrilling memories.
mark the fitful freight fling
Its warm caresses on her brow,
And kiss her hands, unmelting snow,
And glisten on her wedding ring
The proud, free head tEses crnn ms ~ well
a4ae neck superb, whose outlines glide
Into the bosom's perfect swell,
Soft billows by its peaceful tide;
The cheeks faint flush, the lips red glow,
The gracious charms her beauty wears,
Fill my fond eyes with tender tears,
AS in the days Of long ago;
Days long ago, when in her eyes
The only heaven cared for lay,
When from our thoughtless Paradise
All care and toll dwelt far away;
When hope in wayward fancies throve
And rioted in secret sweets,
Beguiled by PASSIONS dear deceits-
The mysteries Of maiden love.
One year had passed since first my sight
Was gladdened by her girlish charms,
When on rapturous summer night
clasped her in possessing arms.
And now three years have rolled away
'thair 1oWnr
owe hel three fold at this hour
The love that lit our wedding day.
now, vague lowering DER her form,
My fancy views, by love refined,
"A warmer and dearer charm
BY wedlock's mystic hands entwined;
a golden coil of wifely cares
That We rs have forged, the loving joy
That guards the curly headed boy,
Asleep an hour ago upstairs.
A fair young mother, pure as fair,
A matron heart and virgin soul
The fickeripg light that crowns her hair
Seems like sanity aureolel
A tender sense upon me falls
That joy unmerited is mine,
And, in this pleasant twilight shine,
My perfect bliss myself appals.
Come back, my darling strayed 50 far
Into the realm of phantasy-
Let thy dear face shine like star
In love-ight beaming over me;
s
Of thy long silence, drear eclipse;
oh kiss me back with living lips,
TO life, love, lying at thy feet