davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
Old Maids.

THERE is stigma of reproach cast up
on the term " old maid "-too often Justly
so, admit. But where does the fault lieY
l know two women who may be classed
in this category-unmarried, forty years
old, or thereabouts. Both are of good
family, the daughters of wealthy men.
The one. some dozen years ago, finding, as
no sensible woman can fail to do, that
fashionable life had nothing in it to satisfy
her, made q stand for herself She told
her family that she must have life of her
own. She had no especial gifts, except a
remarkable aptitude for business inherited
from her father. In quiet way she had
turned her attention to t-growing, a
branch of industry offering many attrac.
tions to her, and into that business she de-
termined TO enter. Fortunately, she had
sufficient money, left her by her grand.
father, TO be able to carry out her plans,
despite the sneers of her fashionable ac-
quaintance, and the objections and obsta.
cles raised by her home circle. She estab-
lished herself on a fruit-farm in the
western part Of this State Her work
prospered. Now she is the owner of
several hundred acres, and has constant
and remunerative occupation Of kind
agreeable to her. After few years her
father died, and, instead of the rich man
he was estimated, he was found 10 be-
bankrupt This daughter had comfort.
able home and supportto offer her mother
and invalid sister. She has quite a settle.
ment of work.people, men and women, to
whom she and her sister minister in Vari-
GUS ways. In fact, she lives life which
is useful to others and develops her own
powers, and IN the consciousness OF that
she tnds happiness and peace" Nsto
Vine IN Old BosRes," fn Fsb No. Of Dsp.
piHeoA's Aagastne.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
Texts aud Sermons.

THE text Is the keystone of that formal
structure, the modern sermon. 1t was not,
however, so In former times, for we are
told that the old divines frequently
preached without any text at all; and we
knew celebrated clergyman who gener-
ally wrote his sermons before he selected
phrase from Scripture to prefix to them.
The connection of the text and sermon is
often forced Rowland Hill, the eccentric
English preacher, wiz hing to denounce the
practice then prevalent among the women
of wearing snowy head dresses called
top knots preached from this text (;
Matthew xiv IL" Let him that is on
the house tap not come dOtcR," and pointed
to the latter part of the phrase, "top knot
come down." as a Scriptural denuncialion
of the coiffurc in vsgue. Rowland Hill
was an inyetcrate clerical punster
Preaching on one occasion at Mapping,
a low district near London, he assured his
hearers, who had been among the most
dissolute OF that unsavory quarter, that
such Wrapping (whopping) sinners even as
they were might hope TO be forgiven.
One preacher took for his text the word
"and,' and another "but." The latter,
as Dean Ramsay tells the story, was a
candidate for a lectureship, and had to de
liver discourse before the trustees of the
endowment, in the way of competition I;
so he was determined to show how
clever he could be, and took for his text
the single word "but" He deduced from
thence the great truth and the important
doctrine that no position is without some
corresponding cross or opposite trial.
Naaman was a mighty man of valor and
honorable bit he was leper. The five
cities OF the plain were fruitful as the gar.
den of Eden, 6m the men of Sodom were
awful sinners. / called you, but ye an
swered not, etc When he came down
into the vestry after his sermon the senior
trustee of the lectureship met him and said,
Sir, you give us most ingenious dis.
course, and we are much obliged to you;
but we don't think you are the preacher
that will DO for us" This WAS practical
application of his sermon that the pulpit
orator had not calculated upon. One of
DR.. Hawks most effective "charity" ser
mons was preached from the text, "to beg
am ashamed" but "a meaning was given
to 1t quite different from the original in
tention. He turned it effectively to his
purpose by the gloss that he was ashamed
for his hearers that the neglect of so good
a cause rs that for which he was pleading
rendered it necessary TO beg for it,-Ro5.
Grt IJm:s, IN HarpeES Magazine.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
A Remarkable Case.

ONE Of the most remarkable cases, in
the long list Of wonderful blind cases, is
that of Martin Weaver, of this city. He
was stricken with blindness by disease,
when but two years old. He was brought
TO this country by his parents, in 1S45,
when he was eight years of age, and since
that time (he is now thirty-one) has been
living in Cincinnati. AT present he is in
the employ of Mr.. Benz. Kicking, corner
of Plum and Columbia streets, doing
chores about the house and store, and TAX
ing caIe of the horse and stable. From
long residence in this city, and by stimu-
lated use Of his sense of hearing, and his
memory, he is enabled to freely move
about the city, knowing the name of every
street or alley when he reaches it, (by
paces) ana other peCuliarities He goes
about without the use of cane, and seems
to have a knowledge of danger ahead sole
ly by instinct. He drives the horse and
wagon from the stable to the store with
more accuracy than many other drivers
who are less afflicted His knowledge of
names of persons by their voices is also
marvellous, never failing to detect a voice
when once heard, The case of Martin
Weaver is OF G OF the most wonderful we
have met.---CtHcjHHdH ChrOHtcls
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
Another Household Fraud.

From -four to whisky, from milk to Pc.
ruvian bark, there is none perfect-no, not
one Adulteration, sdmixture, impurity,
these all are proved against whatsoever we
eat or drink, or wherever that we vindi-
cate ourselves. They form part of our
pomadss ana perfumes, and they infect
the subtle powder, by whose means the
cheek and brow of beauty conceal the raw
ages Of time. One other disclosure is
needed, and then we shall learn that silks
and woolens, cottons and linens, are adul.
terated, and that short measure is by no
means uncommon, If not with the retailer,
at least with the manufacturer, who stamps
the number OF yards upon the original
packages.
The last assault is made upon kerosene
oil, that lovely compound which illumi-
mates so many households and whose va.
garies have "put out the llght" by many
aappy hreside This Is the familiar peril
0fthe day. The pioneer is safer on the
Indian frontier, and the powder magazine,
INTO which the careless laborer enters with
lighted pipe, is more secure than the
hearlhstone on which the glare OF the
kRrOcann fallr s-tl-ef.aa.ss-fli..--. NJ. ..-.a
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
Replies to a Life Agents Circular.

THE following somewhat facetious re-
plies to Life Agents circular, requesting
information as TO the health and habits OF
an applicant, were received at prominent
Life Office:
l. How long have you known -----f
Since two years after was born.
2. What are his general hsbitsg In
winter, red flannel and blue beaver /; in
summer a straw hat canted to one side,
and nankeen trousers, very loose In the
legs.
8. What is his profession? Congrega-
tionalist.
4 Do you know, or have You heard,
that he has ever been afflicted with Gout,
Asthma, Consumption, Splitting of Blood,
or any other disorder TO shorten life No;
but he can have it if it is required by the
company.
5. Has he ever had Vertigo, or singing
in his head? Yes, he sncres nightly, and
daily hears the music of the sewing ma
chine.
6. Has he ever been afflicted with Fits
or Rupture? Never had a fit in his life
his tailor being very unsuccessful but
once had a rupture with his landlsdy.
Z. Has he ever had Fever and AgueP
Had fever last summer when the ther-
mometer was at ninety.
Q. Nhat state was he IN when you saw
him lastS The State of Michigan.
Q. Has his application ever been reject
edY Yes, once promptly by lady.
10. Do you think his life safely insura-
bleS Not at his own valuation. Bought
at his own estimate, and sold -. that of
the people, he would break any bank in
the country.
II. Do you call his lungs sound? No.
call them inflated air tubes. .......r.
1e. What age do you consider him
Old enough to know more than he does.
l3. Does he smoke or chevy He smokes
when he chooses. ..a'
IA. Is he of steady habits? Yes, he is
agent for Fairbanks' scales and balances.
ID. What is his height? That depends
upon the thickness ofhis boots.
16. Has he children? Yes-two neph-
| ews.
II Is he ordinarily sober? never
heard him laugh but once, and that was at
his own Joke .l.a
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
Honesty.

AN instance of the finding of money
was toldu few days ago. A lad named
Johnny Black, twelve years old, picked up
on the street pocket-book containing ev.
identity large amount of money. He
put 1t in his pocket and turned back Ia
walk in an opposite direction to that in
which he was going when he found the
pocket book, in expectation of meeting the
loser, on the hunt for it. He had gone
but block when, sure enough, he met a
man very excitedly searching the pave
ment, and walking quite hurredly. Johnny
went up to him and touched him
Have you lost anything, sir'"
eyes"
"What was it?"
"a pocket. book with large amount of
money in it"
"COme in here with me.g
And the two walked into a store, where,
in the presence of the proprietor, the man
named the amount of money and gave a
list Of papers contained in the pocket
book he had found. 1t contained $4,000
in bills, the amount named by the stranger,
and all the papers he had mentioned, when
the little fellow, without any apparent
emotion, handed the stranger the pocket
book, with its contents.
"Now," said the stranger, you come
with me p
And he took Johnny TO clothing store,
and fitted him out with a nice, warm suit
of clothes; thence to a boot and shoe
store. where his pedal extremities were
adorned with an elegant pair of calf skin
boots; then to jewelers. they went, and
the boy was presented with fine gold
watch and chain, the former bearing the
inscription, presented to John Black
(aged 12) for his Honesty in returning a
lost Pocket Book Containing $4,000. BY
the Loser, 1868"
Will not Johnny be happier, and better
al his life, than if he had kept, or t,fed
10 keep, the money Y"--EBehdngs.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29

submitted to the Board of Health the
an9lys sis of seventy eight samples of kero.
sene oil bought at random in various
stores about the city. A seventy ninth
sample was procured from the Boston
manufacturer, Donner aud was the oniy
S1fs on on The list Professor Chandler
says that every retiner can send per
tectly safe kerosene to market if he
chooses he may make II stand fire at 1i0
degrees F., 100 degrees F., 1870 degrees
F., or any other temperature he may se-
lect; 1t is merely question of few
cents, more or less per gallon.
And here comes the consumer with his
desire to buy cheap. Competition is ex
hlbited, and cheap oil is made, which is
adulterated to the last degree The cost
OF good oil Is not much more than that
OF poor one. Professor Chandler in.
quires II any one would hesitate to pay
nve, ten, or fifteen cents per gallon for the
difference between an oil which is per.
tectly safe, and one which is liable to de.
stroy ones wife or children at any mo-
ment by most horrible death. And as
to the poor oil so commonly sold, he SAYS
II would be safer to have gunpowder in
ones lamp, because that substance would
remain quite out of the way of fire, but
this oil is so volatile that it seeks the flame
OF itsown accord.
The Professor recommends the enact.
mcnt of stringent laws compelling the re
tiners to remove dangerous substances
from their kerosene, and inhicting
heavy penalties upon those who are
reckless enough to endanger the lives
of innocent purchasers. Retailers of kero
sene he would have licenced by the Board
of Health.
There is an easy test of the quality OF
kerosene, and that is to find its burning
point" which should not be below 10
degrees Fab. This fine test may be made
by applying lighted match to little of
the oil contained in cup or saucer, and if
1t can be made to take fire it should be econ.
sidered at once as unsafe-evcn though
the experiment be made in one of the
hottest days of summer. Should it not
take fire, 1t might still be dangerous oil,
ay9ate oil must not evolve a combustible
vapor below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Ex-
pcrimcnters should understand that great
care is necessary in applying this test
Ns5r York t0HlHltrciM Adu6rtiSer.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29

succeeded In jumping on the train as Il
was moving out of the station. He was
great deal surprised TO see. however
upon placing his overcOat on the back of
a seat, that 1t was not his own, but much
better and more expensive one, although
similar In color. There was now no way
by which the mistake could be rectifed
until he arrived home, and so dismissing
the subject tfom his mind rs q tritle of no
moment, save TO the owner of the coat, he
went TO sleep, and dreamed Of the expect.
ed rise in Merchants Union Express stock,
and golden future of ease and enjoyment
as the result of his visit to the metropolis.
Arrived home, his first duty was to tele-
graph TO the manager Of the theater, and
to inclose In letter the missing check
which he had subsequently found. But
neither telegraph nor letter was answered,
and so the matter was again dismissed
from his mind as of no consequence, and
only alluded to occasionally when com
plimented upon his good taste and judg-
ment In the selection Of an overcoat.
But now we come to the result of this
trine, which can be stated in the few fol-
lowing words;
The owner Of this overcoat refused to be
comforted by the cloakroom attendant,
I
who could do no less, he thought than
discharge his unfortunate employe Thus
discharged in the winter, he sought long
and faithfully for employment, but could
not find It his money gone turned from
his boarding house; starvation fairly star.
ing him in the face; dissolute companions
at last prevailed upon him to become
member of their gang, and he was soon
arrested and sentenced to Sing Sing prison
for term of years-to be afterwards, with
a party of fellow. convicts, transferred to
the prison at this place. And all this
mans disgrace, suffering and moral death,
was the result of trihe that has not
caused its author the loss of a moments
sleep or the variation of a single beat to
his calm and healthy pulse. Had he
known what was to have been the result
of that nights haste and carelessness, he
would have willingly made pilgrimage
from here to New York, to have saved that
poor fellow from the trouble his careless
ness produced Now he can only regret
his hasty act, when he shall learn for the
first time, that his trile was anothcr's ruin.
Auburn (M ~ NeioS.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29

laid 1t down without comment. No alter.
alton was visible in his countenance, but
he remained perfectly silent Conversa>
ton dropped among his suite and, after
some minutes, the General, beckoning La
Fayette TO follow him, passed 10 an inner
apartment, turned to his young friend
without uttering syllable, placed the
fatal dispatch In his hands, and then, Civ
ing way TO an ungovernable burst of feel
ing, fell on his neck and sobbed aloud.
The effect produced on the young French
marquis, accustomed TO regard his General
(cold and dignided in his usual manner) az
devoid of the usual weaknesses of humani-
~, may be imagined. 81 believe" said La
Fayotte In relating this anecdote, "that
this was the only occasion throughout
that long and sometimes hopeless struggle,
that Washington ever gave way, even for
a moment, under a reverse of fortune and
perhaps | was the only human being who
ever witnessed in him ar exhibition OF
feeling so foreign To his temperament As
II was, he recovered himself before had
perused the communication that had
given rise to his emotion; .ad when he
returned to his staff not trace remained
on his countenance either of Grief or des-
pondency."-" B'g5Hd Tie Breakers" in
Fec. No. Of LippiHcOtrS Mwd-ihe.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
Audubon and ROthSchild.

In 1884, being in London, Audubon
called on Baron Rothschild with proper
letters Of introduction, hoping to secure
his subscription to the Ornithology. He
writes
"Soon corpulent man appeared hitch
ing up his trousers, and a face red with
the exertion of walking, and without no.
ticing any one present, dropped his fat,
comfortable body into chair, as il caring
for no one else in this wide world but him.
self While the Baron sat, we stood, with
our hats held respectfully in our hands
| stepped forward and with n bow pre-
sented him my credentials. The banker
opened the letter, read it with the manner
OF one who was looking only at the tenn
poral side of things, and, after reading it,,
said This Is only q letter of introdutlon,
and expect, from its contents, that you
are the publisher of some book or other,
and needing subscription Had man
the size of mountain spoken to me in
that arrogant style in America, should
have Indignantly resented it; but where |
then was, it seemed best to swallow and
digest it as well as l could So, in reply
to the offensive arrogance of this banker,
| said | should be honored by his suhscrip-
tiOn to the Birds of America Sir he
odidp hCNtl SiBu my udlllC W any SuD-
scription list; but you may send me your
work, and / will pay for copy of it
Gentlemen, l am busy, and | wish you
good morning. We were busy men, too,
and so bowing respectfully Ge retired,
pretty well satisfied with the nmall slice of
his Opulence which our labor was likely
to obtain"
The point of this interview WAS in its
result, Several numbers of The "Birds of
America" were sent to the Baron by Au-
dubOn, and after eight or ten months a
bill for el00 was presented
The Baron" writes Audubon, "loOked
at it with amazement and cried out, what,
el00 for birds! Why, sir, l will give
you G5 and not farthing more," and
since the naturalist did not regard that
amount of the Baron's money as worth a
el00 from any one else, he was compelled
to take back the numbers delivered.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
l1ottrp.
ONE YEAR AGO.
BY MRS. II. n. stowe.

ONE year ago a ringing voice,
\ clear blue eve
And clustering curls Of sunny hair,
Too fair to die.
only year--no voice. no smile,
No glaAce Of eye,
No clustering cnrls Of golden hair,
Fair but to die.
One year AGO, what love, what schemes
Far into life
What Joyous hopes, what high resolves,
What generous strife
The silent picture on the wall,
The burial stone,
OF al that beauty, life aud Joy
Remain alone
One year, one year, one little year.
And 50 much gone
And vet the even flow of life
Moves calmly on.
Tho grave grows green, the flowers bloom fail
Above that head;
No sorrowing tint Of leaf or spray
Says he is dead.
No pause or hush or merry birds,
That sing above,
Tell US how coldly sleeps below
The form we love.
Where hast thou been this year, belovedY
What hast thou seeuS
What rising fair, what glorious life
Where thou hast been'
The veil the veil so thin, so strongy
'rwixt us and thee;
The mystic veil when shall it fall
That we may see
Not dead not sleeping, not even gone,
But present still,
And waiting for the coming hour
or Gods sweet will.
Lord of the living and the dead
Our Saviour dear!
We lay in silence at Thy feet
This sad, sad year
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
How Some Joint Stock Companies are
rnT, Formed. ,-r,...
Written for the Cincinnati Chronicle.

Written for the Cincinnati Chronicle.
COURSE these hard times. The cues.
ton now before the house, Mr. Sharp, is,
how we poor devils can manage 10 raise
the winds and it is more pulling to me
than ever the p0rls aSiR0rUln OF Euclid ap-
peared to the dullest typo that has ,sssayed
It's solution since It was published 10 the
world. What can we dor"
7" II such question forces itself upon
Semmy Ford. she times are bad indeed"
responded Bin Sharp. ave must try some.
thing new"
"There's nothing new to try. Every
thing is exhausted. haven't an expedient
nor a resource of any kind left We have
attempted all sorts of dodges; engaged in
magnificent gift enterprises, in which
every ticket drew valuable prize advtr.
tised dollar stores, in which gold watches
worth from 500 TO $500 were the princi.
pal stock in trade pulled and blowed
Professor Sophs Magic Curean till the
gudgeons will bite no more offered The
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
Logic.

A NAN who was up to thing or two
once offered to bet that he could prove
that His side Of the river was the other
side, His challenge WAS soon accepted,
and a bet Of ten dollars made; when,
pointing to the opposite shore of the river,
he shrewdly asked
" Is not that one side of the river"
"les," was the immediate answer.
"Agreed," said the man; "and is not
this the other side ?"
" Yes, said the other.
Then" said the man, "psy me the ten
dollars, for by your own confession have
proved that his side OF the river is the
other side"
The dumbioLnded antagonist, overcome
by this profound logic, Immediately paid
the money.
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29
AnecdOte Of General Washington

WASHINGTON had accepted an invitation
from Arnold To breakfast with him al
West Point the very day the plot was dis
covered, but was prevented from keeping
his engagement by what men call chance
by the earnest request, namely, of an
old oihcer near whose station they passed,
10 spend the night there and inspect some
works IN the neighbOrhood, Next day
while Washington with his staff, inolud
Ing La Fayette, were seated at table al
TINS officers quarters, dispatch wa.
brought TO the American General, which
Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-29

IT il seriously proposed, In New York
city, to put up an elevated plank road, 10
be used only for yelocipede rideps-eaoh
one to pay a small fee upon starting out
The road, it is stated, could run over the
roofs of houses. The idea is certainly an
original one. II comes from Mr.. Dana,
of the New York Sun, who is an enthu.
slast on the yeloeipede subject, and has
been copied and tsvorably commented
upon by nearly all the newspapers Of our
American " "metEopolis.n