davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
A Joke on Colfax.

There is good joke told about Colfax when
he and the Hon. Mr.. Fitch were opposing
candidates for Congress in Indiana. Fitch
had letter from prominent citizen of the
diatrict, which reflected very severely upon
"SkyIer" in several particulars, which, during
Joint discussion between them, he was in
the habit of reading. Colfax, of course, had
no reply that he could put in, so he tried to
ssgrin and bear it." However, Mr.. Fitch
imagined that Cofax was very anxious to get
possession of the letter, whereupon he had
it exactly copied, and on the next day of dis
cussion purposely placed the copy in the way
of Mr. Coliax, who very naturally gobbled it
up On the subsequent day, When they met,
MIR Fitch incidentally referred to the letter
che had in his possession" ect., whereupon
Colfax spIang to his feet and branded the state
ment as calumny that he would no longer
endure, and defed him to show the letter.
Turning upon him, Fitch said: sis that
what you want, you little rascal? You think
you stole that letter frcm me yesterday, but
you did not; it was only copy. Here is
the original. And now, Mr.. COlfax, would
propose to treat you as fond mamma does
refractory boy, were it not tomorrow you
would show the seat of your punishment for
the sake of exciting sympathy" Colfax new
er denied the letter afterwards.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
Gragshoppssrs in Texas Startling Sight.

The plague of grasshoppers is again sweep.
ing over large area of Texas. Up to last
adyices it had not reached Dallas none having
been nearer than Mansfield, Tarrant county,
according to the Dallas Herald That paper,
however, has heard of them at several places
on the frontier. -a5
At the Sulphur Springs on the Brazos, in
the county of Hood, they appeared in clouds
on Monday, the 21st ult.. and ate up every
Kind of vegetation. When they first appear
ed it was thought by the campers around the
Springs to be cloud, and preparations were
made for rain :s.they made a noise in their
flight very similar to a storm of wind and rain.
When they came nearer, they began to descend,
and covered the earth in every direction, con-
suming all garden stutfs and .other green
vegetation they could find.
The following extract of a letter from John
II. Cochran, Esq, dated at, Belknap, on the
10th of last month, describes the first appear
ance of the pest:
son yesterday, the 18th, 1 saw sight
which l hope no mortal man will ever see
again About 8 o'clock z. VI. went to the
door, and. observing that the sun shone but
dimly, looked for the cause. l saw in the
distant west what I took to be the smoke Of
an immense IRE, Out, on lOOklDS closer
perceived that it was not smoke. What is it2
was the inquiry of every one, both old and
young. 1t continued to approach, and in
about two hours came near enough to US to
see that it was dense mass of moving matter.
Nearer and nearer, DINNER and DINNER the
sun shines-we see what it is. My Lord
the Egyptian plague! From the ground
upward, as far as the eye could see, on account
of their denseness, was an almost solid mass
of living, moving insects grasshoppers.
"All who saw the sight agree that, for every
square iuch of surface over which they were
flying, there must have been no less than one
bushel of grasshoppers. This body of insects
were moving ahead Of northwest wind
They we're some three miles wide and as long
each way as the horizon was to us. This
could be seen before they approached near
enough to distinguish what they were; alter
they reached US the view. was very limited on
account of the denseness of the mass. They
passed over in northeast direction; still We
have millions left of the first coming. This
is no exagSeratiou.
"P. S.-Since the above was written we
learn that the grasshoppcrs have been seen
returning west"
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
MISCELLAN NEOUS.
Legal Anecdotes.

Sergeant Nlarryat, who was an eminent
Queens counsel, some time after he had
retired from practice, declared that the an xiety
of people to go to law was amazing to him
veteran expert in the chicanery Of courts.
'.For my part" said he, .'if any man were to
claim the coat upon my back, aud threatened
my refusal with lawsuit, he should have 1t,
lest in defending my coat, should fud that
was deprived of my waistcoat also"
Lord Stanhope, to illustrate the caressness
with which acts of Parliament are prepared,
brought forward a certain statute in which
the punishment of fourteen years transporta.
ton was imposed for particular ofense, ''and
that, upon conviction, one half thereof should
go to the King, and one bali to the informer." !"
Lord Chancellor Thurlow had once a
dispute with a barrister respecting certain
act Of Parliament. Upon investigation it
"Oh v' he exclaimed, in his gruf way, '.d-n
the act. / can manage well enough with the
common law, but, as to the acts of Parliament
the devil himself could not reco!lect them all :"
Mr. Chitty tells of the costly blessings of
chancery the following story: ''An attorney
on the marriage of his son, gave him G500,
and handed him over a chancery suit of his
own practice. About two years after, the son
asked his father for more business. "Why,
gave you that capital chancery suit" replied
the father, ''and then you have got great
many new clients; what more can you want?"
eyes, SIR" replied the sun, 'but haze wound
up the chancery suit, and given my client
great satisfaction, by putting him in possession
Of the estate" .What, you lmprovident fool"
rejoined the old lawyer Indignantly, "that
suit was in my famiIy for twenty-five years,
and would have lasted, at least, as much
longer, if had kept it. You squander the
good things of the profession, and | shall
coun.enance you no longer, rest assured of
that" .a.-.a
Conflicting evidence is one of the chronic
difficulties of courts and juries 1t is not
every judge, however, who can balance its
uncertainties as mathematically as Mr.. barron
Perrot "Gentlemen of the jury, this judge
is reported to have said, in summing up
evidences in certain case, ''there are fifteen
witnesses who swear that the water, course used
to flow in a ditch on the north side of the
hedge; on the other hand, gentlemen, there
are nine witnesses who swear that the water
course used to flow on the south side Of the
hedge Now, gentlemen, if you subtract nine
from fifteen, there remain six witnesses wholly
uncontradicted and l recommend you to give
your verdict for the party who called those
six witnesses"
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
"" H'>b Sbh O-'t
"Governor of Arkansas"

"A lady correspondent of the editor Of
the Winchester Times, writing from Buffalo,
n. Y, makes the following reference to that
noble Virginan, General Jubal A. Early:
IA few days since visited Niagara, and
learning that General Early, of Confederate
fame was boarding at Drummondvlle, Canada
him, not having had that pleasure since saw
him at the head of his army in Winchester.
Accordingly, in company with friend, we
procured carriage and started. The ride
from the Falls to Drummondvlle was through
pleasant farming country, and when We
arrived there were directed to a small brown
cottage, simple and unpretending in appear
ance, yet of great consequence to me as being
at present the home of General Early.
HE came out when told we were at the
door and when introduced myself and told
him I was formerly from Winchester, he
seemed delighted to see me, as he said he was
glad to see any one from the dear old town.
His form is bent and he suffers considerably
from rheumatism otherwise his health is
good. He still wears the gray. When he
spoke of the South his eyes frightened, and
he seemed still deeply interested in her well
fare, especially in the future of the Shenan,
doah. Valley.
"The battlefield of Lundy's Lane is almost
in sight of Drummondville, and when l re-
marked to the old General that we were quite
near celebrated battle field, he said, oh,
yes, but nothing like the battle-felds of the
Shenandoah valley He again thanked us
for calling to see him, and we bade him good
bye and returned to Buffalo"
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
POLITICAL.
A SPANISH ANRcDoTE. /

The following gbeautifullines on Wilkes CONVEX
sntion with a Geronomite friar in come Spanish
convent the picture of the Last Supper are fro m
Moxon's selections from Lord Eoushton's poems
II was a holy usa age tn record,
Upon each Refectory's side or end.
This last mysterious Supper of our Lord,
That meanest apPetites might upward tend.
Within the Convent Palace of old Spain,
Rich with the gifts and monuments Of kings,
Hung such picture, said by some to reign
The sovereign glory of these wondrousthings
A painterof far fame, in deep delight,
Dwelt on each beauty he SO well discerncds
While, in low tones, gray Geronomito
This answer to, his ecstacy returned:
''Stranger! have received my daily meal
In this good company now three score years,
And thou, whoe'er thou art, can'st hardly feel
How time these lifclcss images endears.
s.Lifelcss-ah, no! both Faith and Art have given
That passing hour life of endless rect,
And every soul who loves the food of Heaven
May to that table come a welcome guest.
'LifeIess-ah, no! while in mine hear arc stored
Sad memories of my brethren dead and gone,
Fam iIiar faces vacant round our board,
And still that silent Supper lasting on.
ssW hile review my youth-what / was then
What am now and ye, beloved ones all!
Il seems as these were the living mer,
And we the colored shadows on the WALL
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
Fun at Home.

Don't be afraid ola little fun at home good
neople. Don't shut up your house lest the
sun should fade your carpets and your hearts,
lest hearty laugh shake down some of the
musty old cobwebs there. If you want to
ruin your sons, let them think that all mirth
end social enjoyment must be left on the
Threshold without, when they come home
at night. When once bcme is regarded as
ONLY place to eat, drink, and sleep in. the
work is begun that ends in gambling houses
and reckless degradation. Young people must
have fun aud relaxation somewhere; If they
do not find it at their own bearthstones, is
will be sought at other aud perhaps less prof.
table places. Therefore, le. the IRE burn
brightly at night. aud make the homestead
delightful with all those Little arts that paEeuts
SO perfectly understood. Dou't represa tbs
bu6yant spirit Of your children. Half az
hour of merriment, round the lamp ard fire.
light of home, bIots out the remembrance OF
many caro-, and annoyance during the day :;
and the best safeguard they can take with
them into the world is the unseen infu-
ence of bright little domestic sanctum- a
home With mirth and eheerfulness Is one OF
the dearest of earth's possessions.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
We were shown by one of the gentle

- We were shown by one Of the gentle
men engaged at the deep cut" on the rail-
road, near town. curiosity which Barnum
in his palmest days could not have surpassed.
1t was a piece of iron, apparently bolt head,
circular in shape, about one inch and quar-
ter in diamater, and half inch thick, taken
from the center of rock about two by two
and half feet. The rock was perfectly solid
and bore no evidence of an opening of any
kind through which the iron could have been
inserted As to when and how it came there.
are questions open for discussion.-RocAtng-
ham Register.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
RATES OF. ADVERTISING.
Forsake Not the law Of Thy Mother.

Every day furnishes testimony to the
wonderful influences of mothers Words
We6nd, in an exchange, the following, which
every boy and girl, and every mother should
read IA mother, on the green hill of Ver-
mont, stood at her garden gate. holding by
her hand n son of sixteen years of age, mad
with love of the sea. Edward, said she. ..ihey
tell me that the great temptation of seaman's
life is drink. Promise me, before you quit
your mothers hand, that you will never
drink" said he, for he told me the story, II
gave her the promise. L went the broad globe
over Calcutta, the Mediterranean, San Fran
cisco, the Cape of Good Hope. aud during
forty years, whenever saw glass fiIled with
the spark ling liquor, my mother'sfor by the.
garden gate on the hillside of Vermont, rose
up before me and to-day, at sixty, my lips
are innocent of the taste of liquor"
"Was not that sweet evidence of the power
of single word and yet it was but half;
for said he yesterday there came into my
counting room man offorty, and said to me-
do YOU know me p No, said /. 81 was
brought once said he, to my informant.
drunk into your presence, on ship board; you
were passenger; the Captain kicked me
aside you took me into your berth, kept me
there until slept off my intoxication. and
then you asked me if had mother. | said,
never that knew of; never heard mothers
voice. You told me of yours at the gardenj
and to day, twenty years later, am master of
one of the finest packets in New York, and
come to ask you to come and see me-" How
far back that little candle throws its beam
the mothers word on the green hillside OF
Nermort God be thanked for the almighty
power cf single word.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

IL. T. HelmJoH, Esq, 594 BroadrGy:
Your letter of the 14th inst received con-
tanning check for $4,000. This amount 1
shall use in the most appropriate manner. l
perused the contents Of your letter with the
utmost qualification. The question is pre-
scnted to the people whether they will aid in
electing an administration bent on tramplng
the Constitution into the dust, and elevating
upon its ruins a power controlled by bond
holding aristocracy, whose motto is gold for
the rich and rags for the poor, with prOstra-
ton in every branch of industry, and the
business of the whole country, or one from
whose intelligent administration we can have
one Union, one country, one destiny.
Sincerely yours,
GEoRGE WASHINGTON LANGLEY.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
Spirit Of gsf6s5s1I::1otll1l!.,
tuesday Morning, october 27, 1858.
[For the Spirit of Jetfcrson.1
oNDERDUNK.

In Shepherdstown they have skunk,
Whose name they say is Ondcrdunk,
Who last week tried to show his spunk
In an amusing way, sir
gentleman was speaking loud,
On public matters, to a crowd
Which it appears is not allowed
To Southern whites to-day, sir
When, with cock'd pistol in;his hand,
His skuukshp, as / understand,
Squeak'd out to those who were at hand
.trak Ike that ARE man ter Jail, sir.''
Like ehtniug f-cm n angry sky
Flashed forth the fire from every eye,
Which when his skunkslip did descry
He suddenly turned tail, sir,
And rushing in the Court House door,
The cold sweat start ng from each pore,
He fainting fell upon the floor
With panic stricken heart, sir!
II was, in sooth, a funny sight, .-.
To see the fetid fellows fright;
The Radicals themselves outright
Did lnugh. when witnessing his flight,
And also at his filthy plight
When haul'd home in cart, sir!
october l9, 1865.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
The Arkansas Arms Turn out to be a
Radical Speculation.

wAsfffsaroN, .octS6er lot is known
to the militasy authorities here that the arms
destroyed on the steamer Hesper at Cat islam 1
were purchased by the Governor of Arkansas
and Senator Mcdonald Of that State as a
speculation, if the Legislature could be gotten
to buy them. 1t is not believed that any
armed resistance is contemplated in Arkansas
by the parties who captured the arms, as they
destroyed them, and did not reserve them for
uco
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

LET JEEMEs Go."-The Land we Love
gives model letter from young lady whose
Sweetheart was in the Fifth South Carolina
regiment, to Mr. Davis, President of the late
Confederacy. asking for a furlough for her low
er to come home aud get married:
s'Dear Mr.. President: 1 want you to let
Jeemes Clancy of Company 4th, 5th S. c.
regiment, come and get married Jeemes is
willin', is willin', my nanny, she is willin',
his nanny says she is wilIin' but Jeemes's cap
tain, he amt willin'. Now when we re ali wiI>
lin, 'ceptin Jeemes's captain, I think you
might let up and let Jeemes come. I'll make
him go straight back when he's done got mar
ried, and fight just as hard as ever"
Your affectionate friend, &c.
Mr.. Davis wrote on the letter 'let Jeemes
CO." and Jeemes came home, married the
affectionate correspondent of NIr. Davis, and
returned to his regi giment, and did fight as well
as ever.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

A BEAUTIFUL SENTIMENT.-We clip the
following beautiful sentiment from an ex-
change =
Sorrow sobers us and makes the mind ge-
NAL And in sorrow We love and trust our
friends more teuderly, and the dead become
dearer to US. And just as the stars shine
out in the night. SO there are blessed faces
that look at us in our grief. though before
their features were fading from our reeoiiec-
ton. Suffering! Let no man dread 1T too 90
much, because it is better for him, and 1t VIII
help to mako him sure of being immortal
1t is not in the bright happy day; but only
in the solemn night, that our worlds are to De
seen shining in the long. long distance. And
il is in sorrow-the night of the soui-that
we see the sarthest, and know ourselves ma,
tives of infnity and sons and daughters OF
the Most High.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

- The new Church recently erected in
Woodstock, for the use of the German Refor-
med congreg CATION, will be dedicated on the
second Sabbath in November next.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
Second Dispatch.
THE OWNERS STORY


WASHINGTON, October 19.-The follow
ing dispatch has been received here:
LITTLE Rock, ARK, October II.
81. IT. Schcfeld, Secretary Of Var:
"The arms purchased for the State were
destroyed by an armed baud of men in Mssis
sippi river. The boat was captured and the
arms thrown overheard From facts in my
possession am satisfied that armed resistance
to the laws is contemplated, in which event
the United States forces here would be entire-
ly inadequate to preserve order
POWELL CLAYTON,
"Governor of Arkansas"
President johnson, when the above matter
was presented to him, is reported as having
said that "if the parties had contemplated
armed resistance they would not have destroy
ed the arms and ammunition on the Hesper.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

"A negro was committed to jail at Wood
stock few days ago, charged with having
attempted to commit rape upon the person
of q white woman near Strasburg.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

While crossing fsrry, little three,
year old was heard to exclaim, as she saw
sail-boa5, "Ob, mamma there's boat with
a bonnet on ~
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27
Howard House,
Nos. 8 d. 7 North Howard Stree

Nos 8 d. 7 North Howard Street,
1.-TWO Doors from Baltimore Strect,)
BALTIMORE.
TJNIS Hotel has recently been cnia rged thorough
i Iy rennvatcia nd elegantly rcfurnishcdt through
out a nd is now capable of accunmOd dating over
400 guests Under the ma ua cement OF the present
pronrictors, it has attained popularity cxcctled
by no Hotel in tho country. Everything wh'Gh can
conduce ia the comfort of gueste, furnished with
an un-parirg hand: and the Howard iouac offers
accomnnd tions to the travelling public equal to
any other nrst class Hotel in the United States
BATHS BILLIARD ROOM, BAR. ETC,
are all uaexceptiouablc, The Proprictors solicit
the patrunagc OF the public ,
CO. Stages will be at the Depots on arrival OF
trains also at the their arrival to con-
v.y guests and their baggage TO the House.
TERMS---S3.oo PER DAY.
n. P. SEWELL,
March 81, ls5s-ly. Manager.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

Why may barber be said to fetter the
alphabet? Because he ties up queus, and
puts toupees in iron.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

Motto for late euchre parties-Burn the
midnight Hoyle.
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

The difference between boatman and
n lion is not so great as might be supposed
the latter has roar, and the former is a
rover,
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

- How to make tall msn ''short'" Bor-
row from him,
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

Vote for Seymour and Blair,
Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-10-27

= The Last Sensation tight sh0N.
Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-01

EdgeGeId and Il kentucky r. R.
,o,=., .................... 200 A. N.
Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-01
THE SNOW.

Present Appearance of Cur City-SnOW
Slides and Cars BIOckaded-Twent
Inches of Snow and still Falling
Incidents Of the storm, etc.
Never within the history of our city OF
State has there been such a snow storm as
the one which has just visited us. The
snow commenced falling on Sunday night
at II O'Clock, and continued to fall inces-
sanity all night and all day on Monday,
sometimes very rapidly. On Monday
night at quite late hour it turned some
warmer, and through the night the weather
alternated between rain and snow. On
yesterday morning it was again showing,
accompanied with rain and light Seet.
The weather was warmer yesterday, and the
snow melted rapidly, though it continued
to fall at intervals throughout the day.
Last night at ten o'clock it was still snow
ing, though it was melting as it fell. There
have fallen, at the least calculation, full
twenty inches of snow during the last forty
eight hours. Our city presents a singular
appearance. Snow banks are piled against
the houses and in the streets, while as it
melts of fearful slush is left, that rem
ders our thoroughfares almost impossible
Snow men and snow houses are seen in
various localities, constructed by the juve~
nile portion of our population. The street
cars have stopped running, being blockaded
by the snow. Pedestrians make their way
with difficulty. Sometimes dashing into a
hole or a snogbank several feet deep, and
sometimes blinded with snow that comes
rafting and splashing from the house
tops. Several of these snow slides have
been heavy and sufficient 10 have buried,
and perhapst TO have crushed parties caught
under the falling velocity. The snow is
banked high on the roofs, and the tin
cutters pour continuous streams of water
into the streets az it melts away. The
snow, the mud, the slush, the running
water under foot, with snow or rain or
mist all the time falling, and dark clouds
overhead, combine to present an appearance
altogether unknown in this locality. We
have seen and heard of many incidents of
a lndierous character. Pedestrians who
venture out fall upon the sidewalks, sink
in snow hanks OF slash into pools of wafer
covered with snow. As to ladies, none
have been seen on the streets for days, and
as regards their sweet faces and sunny