davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09
Defective Construction of the Union Pa
cific Railway.

A correspondent of the San Francisco
Bulletin writes from Ogden City, under
date of May s:
"After travelling over part of the road
between this point and Echo four times
and the rest twice, in a position to see
every rail and tie, l can say Ofthe earth
work that, if it is not the worst piece Of
road in the world used for passenger
traffic, it is by far the worst I ever saw.
The passengers who know most about
railrOading and take most notice, are
the most timid. The earthbanks in
many places are not so wide as the ties.
Instead of being fourteen feet, where the
road has been cut out of the side of the
hills, the loose ground seems to have
subsided; and even where the line is
straight the cars frequently bend toward
the river. There is not sufficient width
Of embarkment to cover the ends in
places where you have a roaring torrent
fifty to seventy-five feet below you. In
many places-indeed, I might almost
say as a rule-the banks have not base
enough to give them sOlidity. A second
view Of the road along the clay and sand
banks above the WebeF-betWeen the
mouth of the canon and Ogden-cOn-
firms me in the opinion expressed yes
terday. In that part there is, in addi-
ton to the danger of the road bed with
the train sliding into the river, that of
the banks above, on the land side, COM
ing down OH the rails even in dry wealth
er. The company keep two watchmen
on the ground.
"Add to all this that the material was
thrown together in frosty weather, and
has since settled so that the rails are nei-
theT straight nor level and it can read
lily be accounted for that, though the
Company has wrecling-train ON the
road, thirty-siX wrecks have been COun-
ted this week between Wahsatch and
Ogden. The building of this road is ex-
tTaOrdinary in some things. In its cut
sandstone cuIyerts and bridge piles, and
It's neatly painted water tanks, it is su-
periOr to the Central Pacific. It's trestle
work and bridges, where they have been
finished appear sound and substantial
but from Wahsatch to Ogden there is
work for 10, 900 men for months to re-
make the road bed and straighten the
metal. The company employees appear
to take every precaution to avoid acci-
pent, and run very slowly, with sharp
lookout, when they have passengers.
By this means, since the Green River
bridge accident, no passenger has been
hurt to my knowledge, and no broken
passenger cars are seen on the roadside.
The directors reiterate their intention
of making a first class road of it, but
compared with the work needed to be
done except on the bridges, there are
few men to be seen.n
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09

again loft home, went to Louisville, pur-
chased SIX negroes and took them with
him to Texas, where he arrived Febru-
airy S, 1858. In 1859 he again visited his
home in this county, and after remain
ing a short time returned to Texas.
where he remained until February, 1856,
when he was by his friends brought back
home, entirely and hOpelessly insane.
In November, 1866, he was taken by
his son-in-law, Edward Burial, to an
insane asylum in st. Louis, where he re-
manned confined until July. 1867, when
he was killed by one of the inmates.
His will, which this suit is brought to
contest, bears date December 25, 1860,
and purpOrts to have been executed at
San Antonio, Texas. There are but
three heirs; the complainant, a grand
daughter Chas. w. Harris, a grandson;
the child OF Hon. c. NJ. Harris, formerly
OF OquaWka, now of Chicago; and Mrs.
Burrall, vile OF Edward Burial, a daugh
ter.
By the will mere pittance is left tbp
complainant and the grandson, the DrOD-
erty being nearly all given to Mrs. Bur
rail-.
1t is well known by old residents of
this county, that Jack had, for wears
past been, as it is termed, quite eccen-
trle, and That his popularity increased,
till, we understand, some of those who
knew him well, say that his mind was
III such a condition that he was unfit to
transact business intelligently portion
OF the time even before his visit to San
Domingo in 1857, and it is claimed by
the prosecution that at the time of the
execution of the will he was insane to
such an extent that he was incapable of
making will understandings and for
this reason they ask the court to declare
it null and void.
We, of course, know nothing of the
real merits of the case, but presume,
that the gentleman having it in charge
must feel pretty sure of success, or they
would not have undertaken so large a
job. Whatever may be the real merits
upon the points at issue, however, our
sympathies are with the compIainants,
because we have always been in favor of
an equal distribution of property by par
ents among the children, and don't like
to see one get all and the other none
| GeRcseO, (Ill.) Republican.
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09
Cape Cod TVOmen-The effects Of Heart
Sorrow and Continued Fear-A Blight
ed Race Of MatrOns.

Nowhere else in all New England
will one see so high an average Of fe-
male beouty of figure and hair and skin
as among the young girls of the peninsu-
Ia towns on Sunday, and in no place is
the change produced by the lapse Ofyears
from twenty to thirty, so painful and OBJ
viOus For the round, complete mat
rOnIy beauty of the second span of mar
ried life, one may look without seeing
single instance. The cause of this is not
far off, and suggests itself at once, to one
who sees the congregations of woman,
with here and there an Old sick man
among them, and then skips all the
years of active life down to early child
hood before he finds the male sex again
represented. For it is true that in the
fishing season there are no men or boys
on shore, and if you 90 among the groups
of bright, happy girls who do not rem
ember the cloud that hangs above them
you will find that nine OutOf ten Of them
look forward to 4 union with one who
is now away, and who expects to spend
his life fishing in the summer and
cOasting in the winter Now imagine
one of them sitting in her little home
two years married, with her baby in the
cradle and thenOrtheaster bowling with
out. She knows too well that at that
moment he may be struggling in the
breakers; while the Highland light that
she can see glares down piteOusly upon
his agony; for she has only to climb a
spur ofIand behind her house to see the
skeleton of ship from which the cruel
waves tore the desperate handhOld
months ago, and left the husband and
father to sink in sight of his own home
without a friend to aid. The grave
stones in the chUrchyard will not let
her stand between them, even for mo-
ment, for they tell her how in a single
night, sixty-seven women of one little
town were left widowed and desOlate.
If she will stay in her house and shut
out the suggestions of peril, still she
must look out, and she sees, coming
down the street, one whose lover sailed
away years and years ago, and has since
been missing. His vessel was seen 60
ing out by the Race, bottom up, and
when they told this poor woman all they
knew, she pressed her hands tOher fore
head, and cast a glance OUtUpOn the wa
ters, over which She has since waited
his return. When q vessel arrives she
hurries to the landing, and nothing
doubling for the long disappointment,
waits and watches to the end. How
little can we wonder, then, at the prem
ature decay, when we remember that to
the inevitable sorrows of wOman's lot,
in whatever station, these others, more
intense and perpetual, are added
Springfield Republican.
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09

In this season of dullness at Wash
ingtOu, induced by the temporary clos
ing of the books of the Presidential Gift
! Enterprise, and the consequent ceSsa-
| ton of the competition for Office, a news
paper reporter of that city has found a
phenomenal chicken, with four LEGS.
four wings and two tails. 1t was appar-
emily the product of double yOked egg,
and was alive after being hatched, run
ming about actively and using all four of
. its legs. Unfortunately the parent hen
took prejudice to the little monstrUsity,
and picked at it so numerically that ii
died. We think we see in the fate of
that poor chicken Il warning to Grrnt's
administration, which started in life
with like supeTabundance of legs, tails,
wings, feathers &C., but unfortunately
with OR{y one head to take care of ii all.
Naturally enough, that one head was
Overmatched by such Il sUperfluity of
furnituae, and the result is a growing
disgust and prejudice against the bant-
ling on the part Of those who had at
first invested it with 50 many fInCiful
adOrnments We shall see whether they
will peek it to death or nOt.-CH Eng,
A suggestion which, like certain al
manacs, may be useful in any latitude
at least i'm any where the mercury
ranges up among the nineties and be-
vOnd them-is that made by New
York paper for the benefit of all persons
who, during the next two or three
months, Will have occasion tu bg much
out of doors during the hot hours. There
is prevailing among many of the class
I'm the tOrrid season a habit of getting
'brick in their hats" and, strange rs it
may seem, the habit Is rather prOvuCu-
tive of sJmstrOke than other wise. Our
Eastern friend, therefore, suggests as a
lighter ornament to the head-gear, and a
security against that atlictiOn, that per-
sonS exposed 10 the suns rays should, in
defiance of all stupid jokes on the ma
terial, put cabbage leaves i'm their hats.
Gin. Eng.
A pamphlet just published i'm Paris
under the title, ''AIeNic0n Reminiscent
ces, ," states that the Emperor MaNimil-
ian told the author repeatedly that ne
he not received assurances from very Re
liable parties to the effect that the Uni
ted States would speedily recognize the
Mexican Empire.
In no country occurs more violence
and blOOd-shed on election DAYS than i'm
Hungary. During q bloody battle i'm
1913, Hungarian General remarked To
an old HOnved: To-day. things are
rather hot" "Bah, " replied the Hon
we'd, "that is nothing; 1 wish You had
witnessed the fight we had at Bihar i'm
1913, when we elected members of the
Legislature
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09

1t Is pleaSanter, perpaps, to reflect
on the dead, under the green grass, than
on the living, under sqUalid rags and
filth, for death in any shape is fairer to
look upon than life in some shapes.
This fair, green chTch-yard is a more
pleasing resort than the cherries homes
of want; but here YOU find sOlace and en-
jOyment for yourselves, while there YOU
would carry comfort to hearts that would
swell with gratitude.
How we'll it We're, if this communion
with the dead would awaken within YOU
4 deeper compassion for the sorrows OF
your kind. How well it were, if from
these tOmbs all could gather the lesson
seek to inlpJess on you, that charity to
the dead is but too often robbery from
the living.
Let your kind words and good deeds
fall in places where they will be heard
and needed. Let your aims be given to
the poor and needy; then will your re-
cOmpense be in the consciousness that
you have increased your talent many
fold; and, though the dead maynOt come
forth to do you honor, the living will
surely rise up and call you blessed.
"What you have seen and heard is
the lesson for which I came to teach you,
My time grows short apace; my mission
is fulfilled. Peace attend you through
life. Farewell!''
She would have pleaded to be carried
from the lonely cemetery back to hel
home, but the Ghost had vanished into
thin air before she could mUrmur word
The white monuments melted slowly
away into darkness; the graves sank
fatty toward the earth, and the sorrow.
full figures upon them like vapOr, flOated
off into space. Only one, the figure o.
child, to which her eyes clung despair.
ingly, retained its shape and place. Now
it rises to its feet, and, tOttering nearel
falls into her arms.
"Why, mother dear, how dark it ha;
grown, and what nap I did have il
my chair"
Sure enough, it was her own little
Meg; and sure enough, she was sitting
in her own room, and no lonely grave
yard in miles Of her. She wondered {
great deal how she had ever got back
but there was the open window out O
which she had gone, and, looking out o
it, she saw the same groups Of noisy
children that she passed in her ghOstly
journey.
Mrs. Colonel Gordon never was very
clear in her mind about that ghost; anC
whatever her opinion might have been
she kept it locked in her own breast.
But, whether she believed it to have
been a real ghost or not, of this mucl
we are well informed, that when the SUI
rose and lighted up the next May morn
ing, she and little. Meg, encumbereC
with pOrtentOus basket, sought the
home of poor BOb's widow, and sOOI
made the wOman's heart light and the
children somewhat full. She found how
much more blessed iti to give than to re.
receive, and often after thatshe andlittl,
Meg and the burdensOme basket went
forth to feed hungry mouths. She nev,
er forgot the lesson of that night, anC
many poor souls, and bodies, too, in tn
neighbOrhOod, had they known tn
truth as you and I know it, would hav
called down blessings on Bob Martini
/ Ghost.
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09
From the Cincinnati Commercial
BOB MARTINS GHOST.
ATaIe FOR Decoration Day.
BY SAN JUAN.
BY SAN JUAN.


anu lOE LllC uCdU inc bLulle.
tWas poor Bob Martins widow there?
arked quiet little Meg, of Mrs. Colonel
Gordon,
4 did not see her, my child and it was
no place to look for BOb's widow and rag.
ged children, in all that crowd of well
dressed people, How they gathered
around to admire when l placed that
beautiful wreath on his grave. It ceT-
tainIy cost enough, and l am sure that
Door BOb's widow would be grateful il
She knew what pains took to make his
grave respectable with the others.
There is no doubt oft, for poor BOb'S
widow would have been grateful that ye'
" moment for anything. From the in
most depths of her heart she would have
been grateful for a loaf Of bread, or even
for kind look and word. Because pool
BOb's widow lUdS poor. She was a very
poOrIBol1's widow, indeed. All that she
owned in this world was her rags and the
two children which Bob left her when
he went away for a soldier. Bob lin
gered in the poor wOman's memory
green enough, WithOuttlOWersO Wreaths
to recall him, for there were his eyes and
features in the little Bob that clung tC
her skirts and cried; still, she would
have been grateful to know that his
grave, of all others, was not neglected,
but wore as fair and costly a wreath as
bright May flowers could weave.
1t had been Decoration Day for sol
diers' graves, and with itended, for Mrs,
Gordon and host Ofiadies as rich and
good as she, q week of bustling prepara'
fiOn and excitement. There had been
flowers to be bought, and flowers to be
cut, 'and flowers to be woven into
wreaths, and shaped into bouquets
There had been evergreens to build into
arches, to decorate and to trim. There
had been pretty maidens to array III
white robes, with ribbons, and bows,
and curls. There had been committees
to make, committees to meet, and com
msttees to disagree In fact, according
to Mrs. Gordon, there had been such 9
time that her life was nearly Worrledoul
other, and she was glad TO see the end
of it. The graves Ofthe soldiers had been
decorated, many hundreds of them, and
now they lay sleeping as silently in the
quiet cemetery as if the SHOWS OF winter
rested upon them instead Of the flowers
of May.
do not mean to say that Mrs. Colo,
mel Gordon was thinking of all this as
she sat i'm the evening shadows but II
was plain to perceive that the question
of little Meg had putherabOard ola tram
of thought that was whirling her along
at q rapid rate toward somewhere. The
silence and darkness had overcome lit.
tie Meg, and folding her little hands and
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09
bold RObberIes.

Nor long since a man stood in a Wall
street bank with a bag in his hand con-
taiuing $4,000 in gold. A gentlemanly
looking man, with his hat off, said to
the one who held the bag "Let me
have it ; III guess within half an ounce
of its weight
The person addressed mechanically
( handed the bag to the applicant, who at
once ran out doors and was soon lost in
/ in the crowd, while the loser never saw
/ it again. On seeing his hat off, he
! thought him 4 clerk in the bank. A
| gentleman standing by saw the thief re-
move his hat and hang it on a hook,
Z when he too suppOsedit to be some one
connected with the bank. and said Moth
I ing.
Some years since Il person entered
the Importers and Traders Bank New
York, in broad daylight, took off his
coat, put on a dusteT, stuck pen be-
hind his ear, and then walked delibeT-
ateIy past clerks and tellerS, and cashier,
aud pushing the president aside, who
stood talking with some Of the directors;
entered the vault, and helped himself to
the largest package Of money he could
find, and walked out UnmOlested; no
one sUspecting that anything was wrong
till he was off and out of sight.
A few months ago in New York a
heaTse drove up to the door Of mansion.
A genteeI young man rang the bell and
inquird for the man that lived there,
but he was down town. He said the
hearse contained a coffin, in which were
the remains Of the daughter Of the Oc-
cupant of the house, who had Just died
at school in Connecticut. The servants
of the house had heard nothing of the
matter, but helped the driver to bring
the coffin into the parlOr, and, at the
suggestion of the young man, who said
he was teacher, sent one of their num-
Der to the gentIeman's place of business
to inform him of the sad news. The
teacher remained in the house to tell
him the particulars, in the house to tell
him the particulars, but when the man
arrived the teacher had gone, and about
So, 900 worth Of jewelry. kept in bureau
caskets, had gone with him. The eOf-
fin was opened, and found to be filed
with a beech log.
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09
From the Clinton (OhiO) Herald
1derfuI Escape from Instant Death.

A shocking tragedy, the result Ofwhich
has plunged a happy household in the
very depths Of unuttOTable woe, occur
red in this city on Sunday morning last.
1t appears that Nellie and Frank Slen-
man .step daughter Of D. J. Davis, resi-
ding on Camlnche avenue1, and respee-
lively nine and fifteen years were up
stairs dressing to attend the Methodist
Episcopal Sabbath school. Frank the
elder sister, took a target pistol from
box on the window sill, turned to look
out of the window, and, by some means,
discharged the piece, the bullet taking
effect in Nellie's head about two and a
half inches over the left temple, passing
obliqUely toward the right eye, and
lodging on the paTietal bone. The acCi-
dent occurred at about q quarter past
10 10, clock. Physicians were Immediate
Iy sent for, and Drs. Cummins, COgswell,
and PaXOn arrived with all possible des-
patch but Of course the skill of surgery
could avail little in such q desperate eX-
tTemity. Blood came from the Child's
nose; She also swallowed some blood
and vOmitted it up again, while two or
three teaspOOnsful of brains have eXu-
ded from the Orifice. How the child es-
capped instant death is a wonder. She
has, however, been conscious from the
first, and has been able to answer all
questions, although as physicians express
: it, in a semi-cOmatOse state. Seeing her
sister in tears, she told her, lovingly, not
| to feel bad-that if she should die and
/ go to Heaven she would ask God to let
| her come there too. On Monday, as DR..
/ COgswells was about leaving her bedside,
/ he asked her, "Is there anything 1 can
do for you?" eyes, #" replied Nellie, with
childish confidence, ''yOu can hear me
/ say my prayers" 1t was a touching
scene, as the little girl, apparently on the
| verge Of life, took the Doctors hand land
/ in low but distinct voice, repeated the
words, "Our Father who artin Heaven"
/ etc. She-is spoken of as an unusually
/ bright ana Intelligent child, Of a gentle
and amiable disposition, and the cher
/ ished idol of the hOusehOld.-Atn noon to
/ day she was still alive and doing well,
4 though the chances of her recovery are
extremely doubtful.
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09
Advertisements will be inserted at the

'Let me Kiss Him for his Mother -
got mad because the mother wouldn't
have him, and whipped her little boy
within an inch Of his life.
Il Dreamt I dwelt in Marble Halls, "
used to cheat at marbles when a boy,
and his dream was a hOrrid nightmare,
brought on by remOrse at the recOIleC-
tian OffraUdulent marble HaULs.
"I'm Saddest when 7 Sing" was tick
led almost to death if invited to.
"Happy be Thy Dreams" -" sold ben
zine whiskey. You can fancy what kind
Of "dreams" were produced.
Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-06-09
BATTLE EVE.

BATTLE EVE.
] sEE the broad red setting sun
sink slowly down the sky --
zee. amid the cloud built tents,
His blOOd-stained standard fly,
And meek, nashville, the pallid moon
Looks nom her place on high.
o, setting sun, awhile delay
Linger Oh sea and shore
For thousands eyes now gaze "n thee
That shall not see thee more
y thousand hearts beat proudly now.
Whose race like thine Is O'cr
o. ghastly moon thy pallid ray
On paIsr bTOws shall liel
On many a torn and bleeding heart
On many a glazing eye;
AID breaking hearts shall live to mourn
For " HON 'twerc bliss TO die.
Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-07-13

(" weed.u All tobacco is sold by auc-
tion-the most legitimate way to sell
cotton or any other staple; ana we
feel assured that if Bob. Patrick or
other reliable cotton men were to es-
tablish q cotton Change and sell at
public vendue, 'twould be a success.
We had the pleasure of meeting, in
st. Louis, Sylvester and Pratt, OF that
live sheet, the st. Louis Ttnles-the
former of insurance fame in your city,
and a elear-headed, positive political
writer; the latter among the best
groupers of commercial details in St.
Louis.
1t is warm-oppressively so; and
the barometer indicates storms.
We have often thought, while en-
loving a trip on that peerless little
steamer, the Belle Memphis, how it is
that such a boat and with such men
as Capt. Crane and Billy Blenker-
who, If paid according to their merits,
must obtain $1,000 per month-can fur
nish a first class breakfast, q ld carte,
for fifty cents, and the hotel at Hum
bolt one dollar, here at the Richmond
House, one of the best hotels in the
country, and the largest of any city
under %, 600 inhabitants, a sumptuOus
meal is furnished for seventy-five
cents. We don't know how these
things are, but we do know they are.
The whole thing is wrong; and al
though seemingly of trifing moment,
are so many impediments to Southern
| advancement, and assist in driving
| trade and travel from Memphis. These
little items seem trivial, but are among
the first noticed by strangers. There
Is no reason why Memphis and the
| territory contiguous thereto, should
put an onerOus tax upon travel, know
ing that these prohibatssy measure;
are the drops that wear out the o.
thence of the transient individual who
may become a citizen possibly but mo-
probably, when he is muleted to hi
last cent for grub. Provisions arr
cheaper than in the North, and IT i
time for the community to be posted
that one dollar per meal at a country
hotel is ~extortion and nothing else
"That's Ehst's the matter" As W.
pay for these meab, we have the RICH
to argue the point. We don't com
plain of the quality or quantity kE.
we protest against the tariff.
" Let those who paid seventy-fve and "a
befoFs,
If they pay adOiies, row eat the more