davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02
MISS BRIGGS ENEMY.
BY LOTTIE BROWN.

Mr.. Perry was an old bachelor, and Miss
Briggs wds and old maid. lie lived in the
brick house ON the hill, and she in the cot
tage opposite, and they were mortal enemies.
lie desplsed hfr because she kept two cats
and canary, and she loathed him for his al-
fectlon for huge mastiif and a knock k-kneed
horse.
"Why on earth the man don't try to get a
decent horse is more than | can magin!''-
she would say, as he plodded up to the door.
81 believe that he is too mean and miserly to
buy one"
Miss Briggs would have hardly felt pleased,
had she known that Mr.. Perry rode back and
forward on his wOrn-out piece of horse flesh,
Tor the purpose Of annoying her.
They never spoke, but yet they managed
to keep up perfect warfare. by disagresable
manners aud wrathlul glances.
she sat hour after hour beneath the canary
bird IN the window, with her cats perched
upon the sill, and her knitting in her hand
throwing glances of scorn to the opposite side
where he' with cigar and newspaper, and
boots lew inches higher than his head, re-
celved and paid them back with interest.
Ills detestable dog came over and ran
through her garden, destroying all her beau
tiiul tulips and hyacinths, and she gave him
not oalh Wnlcn sent him howliug to his
master, and when said master remonstrated
sent word that she would treat him worse
next time
Her little red COW broke through his enclo.
sure and devoured his turnips and cabbages.
and he led her home, and informed Miss
Briggs that second offence would give her
a comfortabl pasture in the pond.
For two years they lived and fought and
no one could bring about peace between
them. 1t was pity, the neighbors all said
for Miss Briggs was a dear little soul, ano
there was not a finer man in the country thai
Mr. Perry.
Julia, love, !" said Mrs Perkins, one at
ternoon, as she entered the cozy parlor, g
am gong to have party, and | want yol
TO come down in the afternoon to tea, and re
main during the evening. Every one will b.
there.
"Will that old bach ovei the way b.
there?'
"Mr PerryH o, yes! We could not &c
along without him"
''rhen that settles the matter. 1 shan
CO."
"Now, Julia. don't be so foo,ish If 20
remain at home he will think that you ar
afraid of him."
Miss Briggs thought the matter over.-
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

A BLACK VILLAIN. N.-We learn from the RE-
PosIToRY that negro named Adams, on
Thursday last, outraged the persons of three
white ladies near Chambersburg, one of the
victims not being quite thirteen years Old
These outrages were committed at different
times during the day and in different locai-
ties The brutal wretch was promptly ar
rested and lodged in Fort Fletcher. The ex-
ctement was naturally intense among the
citizens and considerable difficulty was ex-
perienced in restraining the crowd that sur
rounded the Jail from forcibly taking the
prisoner therelrom and lynching him on the
spot. The REPosTToRY says: The prisoner
is as black as the ace of spades; about feet
4 inches high; of rather a stout build and
possesses most wicked countenance. lie is
a son of ''Ttus dams. "and has been "lown
the road" at least once. There are none who
have more vindctive feelings against him
than his own race, and if placed in their
hands his punishment would be swift and
certain.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

WHILE we have only arrived al absolute
equality of races after years of legislation and
bloodshed. the cuban revolutionists have at
one fell swoop brushed away all distinction
of caste, color or previous condition between
the people of their devoted island. The rev.
olutionary assembly, at a late convention,
declared that slavery shall hereafter cease to
exist in Cuba All the rights and privileges
of white men are granted to the mauumitted
slaves and the cause of the master and his
servant thereby made identical. This step
on the part of the leaders of the revolution
entities them to the consideration and SYM
pathy of the world. 1t proves that in their
efforts for liberty they are willing to make
greater sacrifices than the mere aiding of the
cause by money and services. 1t shows that
the principle that actuates the revoutonists
is universal, unqualified freedom, and not the
mere control of the island, and that to gain
that freedom they are willing to lay by the
prejudices of ages and unite heartily with a
down-trodden race in the prosecution oftheir
object. We extend the right hand of fel-
lowship to emancipated Cuba.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02
A Sslifisess Man.

The Editors Drawer Of HARPERs MONTHLY
for April has the following:
In the spring of 1S41 L searching for a
studio in which to set up my easel. My
'househunting' ended at the New Y orl1 Uni
versity, where found what | wanted in one
of the turrets of that stately edl6ce. When
l had fixed my choice the janitor, who accom-
panied me in my examamination of the rooms,
threw open door on the opposite side Of the
hall and invited me to enter. / found myself
in what was evidently an artists studio, but
every object in it bore indubitable signs of
unthrift and neglect. The statuetts, bust,
and models of various kinds were covered
with dust and cobwebs; dusty canvass were
faced to the wall, and stumps of brushes and
scraps of paper Uttered the floor, The only
signs of industry consisted Of few mastery
crayon drawings and little luscious studies
OF color pinned to the wall.
"You will have an artist for your neigh.
Dor" said the janitor, "though he is.not here
much of late he seems to be getting rather
sHrFrLEss; he is wasting his time over some
silly invention, a machine by which he expects
to send messages from one place to another.
He is very good painter, and might do well
if he would only stick to his business; but,
Lord, he added, with a sneer of supreme con-
tempt, 1.-THE ioea of telling by little streak
of tightening what body is saying at the
other end of it! His friends think he is
crazy on the subject and are trying to dis.
suade MIN from it, but he persists in it until
he is almost ruined
Judge of my astonishment when he inform
ed me that the ''shiftless' individual, whose
foolish waste of time so excited his commser
| alton, was none other than the President of the
National Academy of Design-the most ex
alted position, in my youthful artistic fancy,
it was possible for moral to attan-S. F. b.
Morse, since much better known as the inven
tor of the electric telegraph But little
while after this his fame was flashing through
the world, and the unbelievers who voted hin
insane were forced to confess that there wa:
at least ''method in his madness"
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02
A Touching Sketch.
TWENTY-FIVE CENTS.

"Please, sir, will you buy my chestnuts?"
'Chestnuts No returned Ralph Moore,
looking careessly down on the up-turned
face whose large brown eyes shadOwed by
tangled curles of haxen hair, were appealing
so pitiiully to his own, what do want with
chestnuts?'
But please, sir, do buy EN- pleaded the
little one, reassured by the rough kindness of
his tone. Nobody seems to care for 'em,
and-and--'
She fairly burst into tears, and Moore,
who had been on the point of carelessly pass.
ing her, stopped instinctively.
Are you very mnch in want of the mon
ey?'
Indeed, sir, we are,' sobbed the child;
mother sent me out, and
Nay little one, do not cry, in such O
heart broken way said Ralph, smoothing
her hair down with careless gentleness, .
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

SEALS The talents of the seal are mani
fold, from the agility which he displays in
catching fish for his master, to the capacty
he has shown in learning actually to speak.
More than Que seal has been taught TO utter
distinctly the word Papa, and several ami
mails OF the kind are reported to have pro-
nounced several words at time Nor must
their love for music be forgotten, which is
SO great that they will rise from the water
and remain nearly standing upright as long
as. the instrument is played, to which they
listen with unmistakabe pleasure 1t is not
so long since one of this remarkable race
came every day for six weeks from the waters
of the Mediterranean, to take her rest under
the divan OF custom-house officer in
Smyrna. The latter had tanned her, and
placed few rough planks at the distance of
about three feet from the waters edge under
his couch, and on these boards the seal loved
to rest for several hours, giving vent to her
delight, oddly enough, in orofusion of sgbs
like those of suffering man. She ate
readily the rice and the bread which offered
her, though she seemed to have some trouble
in soitening the former sufficiently to swallow
| it with ease. After an absence of several
| days, the aiectioDate creature reappearpd
with a young one under the arm, but month
later she plunged one day, frightened, into
the water, and was never seen again.
Nearly about the same time, another seal
appeared suddenly in the very midst of the
port of Constantinopie, undisturbed by the
number of caiques dashing to and fro, and
the noise Of a thousand vessels with their
crews and their passengers. One day the
boat Of the French legation was crossing
over to Pera, loaded with wine for the am
bassador. A drunken sailor was sitting
astride ou the cask, and singing boisterously,
when all Of a sudden the seal raised himself
out of the water, seized the sailor with his
| left arm, and threw himself with his prey in
to tue waves. He reappeared at some dis
tance, still holding the man under his fin,
as if wishing to display his agility, aud then
sank once more, leaving the frightened,
sobered sailor to make his way back to the
boat Surely, nothing more than one such
occurrence was needed to give rise to the
many romances of former ages if the same,
even, had happened in earlier days the seal
would have been q beautiful Nereid, who,
having conceived passion for the hapless
sailor had risen to take him down to hel
palace under the waves. - Putman's Maga.
zine.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02
NUMBER 20.

The PUBLIC CREDIT. This bill which was
the first sigoed by the new Speaker and Pres.
ident Grant, is as follows:
BE it enacted, &C., That in order to remove
any doubt as to the purpose OF the govern
ment to discharge all just obligations to the
public creditors and to settle conflicting
questions and interpretations of the law by
virtue of which such obligations have been
contracted, 1T is hereby provided and declar-
ed that the faith of the United States is SOL
emily pledged to the payment in coin or its
equivalent Of all the obligations of the
United States not bearing interest, known as
United States notes, and Of all the interest
bearing obligations, except in cases where
the law authorizing the Issue Of any such OBJ
legations has expressly provided that the
same may be paid in lawful money or in other
currency than gold and silver; but none of
the said interest-bearing obligations not al
ready due shall he redeemed or paid before
maturity, unless at such times as United
States notes shall be convertible into coin
at the option of the holder. or unless at such
time as bonds Of the United States bearing
lower rate of interest than the bonds to be
redeemed can be sold at par in coin; and the
United States also solemnly pledges its faith
to make provision at tue earliest practice
period for the redemption of the United
States notes in coin.
JAMES G.. BLAINE,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
SCHUYLER CoLFAx,
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate
Approved. Z. S. GRANT.
March Is, 1869.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

The CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE
OF THE NJ Il. Church. This Conference,
which was recently in session at Danville,
was formed by the late General Conference
at Chicago. 1t was part of the old Bati-
more Conference, but was divided twelve
years ago, and this present Conference in
cluded in what was known as the East Balti-
more Conference. The following boundary
was fixed by the General Conferences:
Central Pennsylvania Conference shall be
bounded as follows: Gu the south, by the
State line from the Susquehanna river to the
west boundary of Bedford county, excepting
so much of the State of Pennsylvania as is
included in Baltimore Conferences; on the
west by the west line of Bedford, Blair and
Clearfield counties, except so much of Clear
field county as is embraced in the Erie Con-
ference; thence to Saint Mary's; on the north,
by the line extending from Saint Mary's east
ward to Emporium; thence by the southern
boundary of Potter and Tioga, excepting
such portion of Tioga, as is in Liberty
Valley Circuit; thence through Sullivan
county north of Laporte to the west line o
Wyoming county; on the east, by Wyoming
Conference to the north line of the Philadel
phia Conferences thence on the northern line
of Carbon, Schuylkill and Dauphin counties
to the Susquehanna river, including Ashland
Beaver Meadow and White Haven Circuits
thence to the Susquehanna river TO the plac
of beginning.
This is, therefore, purely Pennsylvani
| Conference.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

Ok Christmas Eve last, at Cumberland,
Md, gang Of rufians broke into the Color
ed Methodist Church in that city, where a
Fair was being held by the members of the
congregation, and, without any provocation,
murdered a colored man named Wesley Ross
who was attending the Fair with his wife
and child. The assassins and their accom-
plices, ultra "nigger haters' and active par
tisans, were arrested taken before a magistrate
and during their examination deliberately
walked out of the magistrates Office. The
States Attorney had them again taken into
custody, and George w. Sills and John Nc
Girr were indicted by the Grand Jury of Al
leghany county for murder, and another of
the gang, Thomas Sammons, was tried there
on the charge of assault with intent to kill,
but was acquitted With this fact before
him, and it being evident that justice would
not be awarded the alleged murderer, and a
fair trial had in Allegheny, the States At
torney had the cases of McGirr and Stills re-
moved to the Circuit Court of Washington
county, where the trial, if such it can be
called, took place last week. Three witness
es, who were standing in the immediate vi
cinity of the muredred man, testified 10 have
seen "Sills cut Ross, and to McGirr striking
him Immediately atterward, and jumping up
on and trampling his body when he fell to the
| floor from loss Of blood Upon this indispu-
table testimony the State rested its case. 1t
will hardly be believed, in the face of posi-
tive testimony as to the guilt Of the prisoners
that Washington county jury, after 80 min.
deliberation, rendered a verdict of mot gull
ty," and let these ruflians again loose upor
society Mr.. David b. Myer (white) testified
that previous to the murder he met Sills anC
his gang in the vicinity of the church, and h
heard Stills say that "he would give the blacl
- - h--ll, and he would whip an.
white man who would take up for them, - ant
after committing the decd, a Mrs Mile
| (white) testified that she heard Sills boas
that he had killed one niger, and he woul
kill another he would kill them all, one b
one, as fast as they would bring them to him.
The verdict is disgrace to the county an
the State, and unworthy the days in which W
| live. So says the Baltimore AMERICAN.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02


AN anecdote of Wendell Phillips has re-
Gently come to OUT knowledge, and we think
it too good to be kept longer out of print
About a year ago Nr. Phillips arrived in u
certain Western town to deliver his lecture
on the Lost Arts. lie had been particularly
requested by the secretary to give that lee
rure, and, no other; but, after getting to the
town, he learned from friend that the lite
rary association for which he was to lecture
Stad been so manipulated rs to fall in the
hands OF a committee of Democrats, who
had sworn TO abolish from their platform all
political discussions, especially those which
involved the treatment of black folks. BY
the mere engagement of the great lion 81
aboltionism the committee expected to show
their impartality; by confiuing him to the
Lost Arts they thought they had changed
him to period infinitely removed from pres
ent politics, and they felt inclined to pat
their own backs over their shrewd manage
ment "lll fix 'em," quietly remarked Mr..
Phillips. The hour arrived; huge audience
Democratic committee hugely delighted that
they had the abolition orator on a safe sub
ject. Mr.. Phillips was introduced with {
very emphatic announcement that he was to
lecture on the Lost Arts. What was the
horror of the committee as the orator pro
ceeded during the first fifteen minutes to de
scribe the Democratic party as one of the
Lost Arts, tracing its career with his owr
terrible sarcasm invectve, and ridicule.-
After thus furnishing the committee to hi
hearts content, he went on with his lecture
us usual. Meantime, the committee learned
a useful lesson in tne,philosophy of discussion
and came to the conclusion that any lecturer
who is worth hearing is rather disinclineC
to being put into a cage.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

CUTTING OFF DEAD HEADS. The New Y ork
TRIBUNE says:
Among the announcements from Washing
ington is an unpretending little paragraph to
the effect that the Postmaster General has
revoked all commissions as special agents of
the postofllce other than those under pay and
assigned to duty. The meaning of this is
that hereafter Gov, Randalfs crowd of ad-
venturers and confidence men are to be
stopped from travelling free over all railroads
and steamboats, of the country. Whenever
the Postmaster General wanted to oblige q
friend, or send some striker of to cork up 0
Convention or manipulate a caucus, he
made bin special agent without pay. The
commission was simply universal. railroad
and steamboat pass. Sometimes q single
train going iuto Washington would contain
dozen of these "Postal Agents" whose
''green seals were fourished in the face o.
conductors in lieu of tickets. A train be
tween New York and Washington was scarce
ly ever without brace of them. Men made
business trips over the whole South ant
West on Postal Agent commissions. o
course the railroads found some way to ge
even with the Department, and the Govern
ment eventually had all the promiscuous fire.
riding to pay for. Mr.. Cresswell is not to-
prompt in striking at the root of the discred
liable abuse.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

A PUZZLED YANKEE.-Jinks tells good
story of man on Mississippi steamer who
was questioned by Yankee. The gentle
man, to humor the fellow, replied to all the
question straight fordly until the inquisitor
was fairly puzzled for an interrogatory. AT
last he inquired
'Look here, 'Squire-where you bornY'
~ was born" said the victim, ''in Boston,
fremont St., No A left hand side, on the
lst day of August, 1920, at o'clock in the
Afternoon; physician, DIR. Warren, nurse
Sally Benjamin.
Yankee was answered completely. \ For {
moment he was struck. Soon, hOwevE hi
face frightened, and he quickly said:
Yeas, wall l calculate you don't recollec
whether it was frame or brick house, dev
yer
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

THE PoET WHITTIER. ship-buider Of
NuburypOrt has named one of his irs,-class
ships after the poet Whittier, who writes, to
acknowledge the compliment, that; SIN the
course of my life [ have done something in
the seafariug line as we'll as in Spanish cas-
ties. but, unfortunately my ships rarely
come to port 1t is u satisfaction, therefore,
to feel that l have now an interest in a
stauncher craft, substantial as oaken ribs
and copper bolts can make her."
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

AN Ohio editor is getting particular about
what he eats. Hear him; "The woman who
made the butter which we bought last week
is respectfully requested to exercise more
judgement in proportoning the ingredients.
The last batch had too much hair in for but
ter, and not quite enough for a waterfall -
There is no sense in making yourself bald
headed, if butter is so cents pound.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

A sailors wife at Portpatrick had just re-
ceived intelligence that her husband had per-
ished at sea. She was visited by a neighbor
who sympathzed with her loss, and express
ed fear she would be poorly of. Deed 1
will" said the widow; "but he did all he
could for inches saved me the expense of
his buryin."
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

For THE LADIEs.-To keep the hands soft
and white they should always be washed in
warm water, using fine soap. and carefully
dried with moderately coarse towel being
we'll rubbed every time to insure brisk cir
culaton, than which nothing can be more
effectual in promoting transparent and soft
surface. If engaged in any casual business
which may hurt the color of the hands, or il
they have been exposed to the sun. little
lemon juice will restore their whiteness, and
lemon soap is proper to wash them with.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02
From Tennysons "In Memoram."
IF A MAN DIE. SHALL HE LIVE
AGAIN!

Oh, yet we trust that somehow good
Will be the final goal Of i'll,
To panps of nature, sins of will,
Defects of doubt, and taints of blood.
That nothing walks with aimless feet
That not one life shall be destroyed,
Or cast as rubish to the void
When God hath made the pile complete.
That not worm is clovcn in vain:
l. That not moth with vain desire
Is shriveed in a fruitless fire,
Or but sGbservcs anothers gain.
Behold, we know not anything;
can but trust that good shall fall
AT last-far of at last, to all,
And every winter change to spring.
So runs the dream, but what am |?
An infant crying in the night
An infant crying lor the light;
And with no language but a cry.
The wish, that Of the living whole
No life may fail beyond the grave,
Derives not from what we have
But lkest God within the soul?
Are God and Nature then strife,
That Nature lends such evil dreams?
So careful of the type she seems,
So careless Of the single life;
That considering everywhere
Her secret meaning in her deeds,
And finding that OF fifty seeds
| She often brings but one to bear
l faltered where ! firmly trod,
And falling with my weight Of c,res
Upon the great world $ altar-stairs,
| That slope through darkness up to God.
And gather dust and chaf, and call
To what | feel is Lord of all,
And family trust the larger hope.
$50 careful of the type!" but no,
Fiom scarpcd cliff and quarried stone
She cries "A thousand types are gone;
care for nothing; all shall go.
''Thou makest thine appeal 10 me;
bring to life, | bring to death
The spirit does but mean the breath.
know not more And he, shall he,
Man, her last works, who seemed SO fair,
Such splendid purpose in his eyes,
Who rolled the Psalm TO wintery skies,
Who built him ianes Of fruitiess prayes,
Who trusted God was love indeed.
And love, Creations final law
Though nature, rcd in tooth and claw
With rapine, shrieked against his creed
Who loved. who suffered countless ills,
Who battled for the true, the just,
BE blown about the desert dust,
Or Sc aled within the iron hills?
No more! 4 monster then dream,
A discord. Dragons of the prime.
That tear each other in their CLINE.
Were mellow music matched with him.
b oh, life as fertile, then, as flail!
Oh, for thy voice TO sooth and bless!
What hope of answer or redress?
Behind the veil, behind the veil
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-04-02

A LITTLE MISTAKE. "A worthy deacon in
a town somewhere in North America, gave
notice to prayer meeting, the other night,
of church meeting that was to be held i'm.
mediately after, aud uncOnsciously added:
'There is no objection to the female
brethren remaining!"
This is equaed by the clergymen VINO told
in his sermon of a very affecting scene were
"there wasn't dry tear in the house"