davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17
ilisttIlanp.
THE MORTGAGE.

1t was New Years eve. Henry Bon
field sat looking into the fire, while his
wife WAS busy washing up the supper
dishes and putting the room in order.
lie WAS unusually silent, aud his wife, as
she glanced toward him now and then,
began To fear that something troubled
him. Ailer she had finished up hel
woik, she came and sat down 10y his side,
and rs she laid one hand on his shoulder
said
You are looking dull tonight, Henry.
Don't you feel we'll p
II am n little dull" he replied The
lact is. Jenny. don't feel comfortable,
rs things are. hoped by this tir,e to
have our home nearly paid tor; but in
stead. Eve only reduced the debt hun
dred and fifty dollars in the last year
At this rate, The entire mortgage will not
be paid off for six or seven years"
lis that all!n exclaimed Mrs Boniield,
in a cheery tone of voice. Now, | call
that taking trouble for nothing. What's
the great difference whether it takes
three years or six to pay off the mortgage
so it's pail off at last, and we have a
comfortable home al the while? Maybe
i, will be better for US TO save and pinch
tor seven years than tor three. Economy
will become habit by that time, and
there is no better habit for safe passage
through the world. as my father used TO
say"
"All very well. Jenny, if life were
certain" answered the husband. "lf
live. everything may come out right.
But if should die before the house is
paid for?"
Don't talk of dying" said Mrs. Bon
field, quickly. troubled expression
coming into her face
Her husband dropped his eyes to the
floor and sat in thought for good while.
Jenny" he sail. looking up at length
there's one way to make things safe. |
have been turning it over in my mind Tor
several days, but didn't care to speak of
it. | could get a life insurance for one or
two thousand dollars"
lie saw his wife's checks grow instant
Iy pale.
"Oh no." she exclaimed quickly, 81
wouldn't do that, The very thought
sends q cold shiver all over me-"
Thousands of people get their lives
insured said Mr.. Bonfeld.
But Mrs. Boniield shook her head. Il
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17

Not now. dear!" and Mrs. Boniield
tried to push her away.
"But the man told me to give it to you
rs soon as YOU came in, Here it is"
urged the child.
Give me what ?" and Mrs. Bonlield
reused herself little.
This letter." and the child pushed
letter into her mothers hand
letter! When she comprehendcd
that, Mrs Bonfeld's interest awakened.
She took it hom her child's hand, and
opening it. read a few lines. and then lci
it fall to the floor. But quickly and
eagerly catching it up, she held it in wild
excitement close to her eyes; lhen let il
fall again, ard burying her face in hei
hands, sat very still, while tears fell in
large drops through her fingers down up.
on tho carpet.
"DEAR MADAM $50 the letter rcad) ::
1.-TWO years ago your husband had his
lie insured in cur office for the sum OF
fifteen hundred dollars. The amount will
be paid to YOU on demand"
IL was from the secretary OF life in
surancc company, the office OF which was
in neighboring town.
Sinking upon her knees among her chill.
dron, tho widow lifted her heart in thank.
iuncss TO God. Light broke in upon tho
darkness OF her life. The tender love ni
her husband, that was ever concerned for
her good, seemed reaching over from the
other side to succor and to comfort her
Death had suddenly taken him away To-
what seemed an infinite distance. An
impossible gulf was between thenl..-
Now il seemed as if he were in the very
room with her, and that his hand, were
holding her up and leading her in safety
Dear husband :" she murmmed, "nry
heart blesses you for this love and care !,
1t will be well with your little ones now
will stand to them in your stead-.toil
for them care for them, make their lives
blessed rs you would have done"
All her way was plain now. She paid
of the mortgage, and so had her home
secure. \ part of the money that re.
manned she put out ut interest aud with
the rest fitted mp her little parlor ~ Il
place of business, bought 4 few useful
and fancy articles, and set up as a mil.
liner. Bcr taste. her skill, and her indus
try soon brought her plenty OF work, and
in few years she had the largest custom
in her line that the town afforded .-7hc
W0rkiR1m,W.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17
NUMBER 5.

your own way TO make, and nothing TO
make it with but you own head and
hands, and you must begin now to count
the cost OF everything. You have q
healthy. sound body; sec that you take
care oft. God gives you body but once.
He don't take care of it Tor you, and what.
ever of it you lose, you lose Tor good.
Many n chap goes into college fresh as
you are, and comes out with weak eyes
and crooked back, yellow complexion and
dyspeptic stomach He has only himself
to thank for it. When you get to college
they'll want you to smoke, aud you'll
want TO, just for idleness and good fel.
lowshp. Now, just before you begin.
just calculate what it'll cost you. You
can't get good cigar under ten cents.
and your smoker wants three a day
at the least There goes thirty cents
day. two dollars and twenty cents
week, or hundred and nine dollars and
twenty cents year. Take the next ten
years 1T that rate, and you can invest
over u thousand dollars in tobacco smoke.
That thousand dollars invested in saw.
ing bank, would give permanent income
OF seventy dollars yVar,-a handy
thing rs you'll find, just as you are begin
ming life. Now, know you think ali this
is prosy; You are amazingly giveu to
rhetoric, but, after all. you've got 70 get
on in n world where thing' 60 by tho
rules of arithmetic"
"Wcll, Untlc," said. little nettled,
II pledge you my word that l won't
smoke or drink, never have done either.
and don't know why | should
Good for you! your hand on that,
my boy. You don't need either t,baceo
or spirits more than you need water in
your shoes. There's no danger in doing
without them, and great danger in doing
with them; 81 let's look OH that as settled.
Now as to the rest. You have a faculty
for stringiug wolds together, and hank.
ering after it, that may make or mar you.
Many Il fellow comes TO naught becaus u
he can string pretty phrases and turn a
good line OF poetry. He gets the notion
that he's TO be i poet, or orator, or gen.
iua Of some srrt, and ncglects study.
Now, Harry, remember that al empty
bag can't stand upright; and that if you
are ever to be writer YOU must have
something to say. and that you've got to
dig for knowledge as for hidden treasure.
A genius for hara ,Cork is the best kind
Of genius"
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17

IL KNOWS IT" According to medical
authority, about the most useful part OF
the human face is the nose. One writer
compares il 10 custom house officer.
il detects at once all attempts to introduce
contraband goods into the syslem, be-
cause il is highly sensitive 10 the odor OF
the most poisonC us substances. 1t read
lily detects hemlock, henbane, monks
hood, and tho plants containing prussic
acid it recognizes the fetid smells of
drains, and warns us not tu smell tho
pulluted air. The nose is so sensitive
that it distinguishes air containing the
200,000th part of grain of musk. 1t
tells us in the morning that our urbcdrooms
are impure, and catches the fragrance Of
the morning mir, and conveys to US the
invitation of the flowers to 90 forth into
the fields and inhale their sweet breath.
To be led by the nose has hitherto been
used as phrase OF rcproach; but to have
a good nose, aud to follow its guidance,
is one of the safest and shortest ways to
the enjoyment Of health.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17

Mark Twain writes the following an
swer to correspondent: Young Author
Yes, Agassiz does recommend authors
to eat FISH, because the phosphol Gus in it
makes brains. So far You are correct.
But cannot help you to decision about
the amount you need TO cat--not with
certainty. IL tho specimen composition
you sent is about your fair average, |
should judge that perhaps a couple OF
whales would be all that you would want
for The present. Not the largest kind.
but simply good middlng-sizcd whales.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17

sure of gaining their confidence, rs tho
opposite method of making very few
and pompously announcing the name OF
the malady, and forthwith prescribing
and departing; leaving it to be inferred
that he is so learned medical man"
that he can Immediately determine the
disease and its treatment. In trivial af.
fairs, that are sure to get well, il mol very
seriously mcddled with, such method
will do very we'll. But in the more seri
ous affections. such a superficial investi.
CATION and prescription is worse than NO
treatment. As there are nincty.nino
chances of injuring patient to one OF
bcnelitting him. A very obscure symptom
and one that is only arrived at by patient
and careful investigation, may be the
one all important TO discover, to make IL
clearly appear what the true nature OF
the disease is. and determine the precise
course Of treatment the case demands
A knowledge of this, The superficial and
hasty investigator would fail TO attain,
and failing in this, might result in thu
loss of the patients Lille.
There is much of humbuggery and
quackcry lowering about the medical art
The newspapers abound with announce
nents OF the greatest medical discover
les of the age" Vehicles arc passing
through the country in all directions.
with the name Of some doctor and his
patent medicines" artisticaly painted
upon them. Or il the doctor have no
particular medicine that he is anxious To-
SELL may merely have his own name in
golden letters displayed upon his vehicle
OF locomotion, to let the wondering pco.
pie know that n doctor sis passing by.
This may remind one Of the history of
the youthful artist. who in his first at
tcmpts at his delicate art dolincated the
figure of horse, but fearful that any one
looking n, might not recognize the ami
NAL, wrote under it,, This is a Horse
So we might infer that some quackish
doctors fearful that the people might not
know them, adopt the "label system" -"
In this there is no harm, but there is not
AL the good in il that there might be. II
all the quacks would likewise "la bel"
themselves, the medical profession would
be "protectcd'' and the community could
avoid them if they wished
A remedy for all these errors will be
found in the enlightenment Of The people.
There is want of physiological knowl
edge, which our common school system
has not attempted to supply. Every per.
son should understand the physical laws
and the functions OF his, body in all its
parts, that thereby he may be able to
take care of his health, by avoiding many
causes Of disease To- which he ignorantly
exposes himself. II should be under.
stood that disease is u. arrangement OF
the na,ual functions Of the body and the
restoration Of health is brought about by
bringing those functions 10 anormal con-
dition And thai this is not accomplish.
ed not by hap hazard administration Of
drugs, but by the application of sound
natural science.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17

by Henry Reynolds, NJ. ID.

The American people, generally. arc
great consumers OF drugs. Every dug
store and many grocoly stores are filled
with Patent Medicines" and their vaHH
ted powers are heralded from every con
spicuous place, available for Displaying u
"ll"shy poster" The people are supplied
gratuitOusly with almanics, "cook book" -"
and the like, which are ladencd with rs.
tonishins cures wrought by the great re-
medy, which the proprietor offers at 4
very low price 10 the suffering public.
Some OF these eutcrprising medical ven
dors have even venturcd to enumera,c
the symptoms of the various diseases, so
that il any one has pain or an ache 10y
rcsorting TO Ibis al-wisc almanac" hc
can at once determine under what dis.
ease NJ may be laborins. and further.
will learn the "surc cure" for it. Thai
none may doubt the efficacy Of this IA.
NOUS medicine, there are often added
testimonials from Clergymen, Doctors.
Lawyers and others.
Now the Patent Medicine business his,
been, and is now. 4 great business, and
many have made their fortunes out of it
not. however. by buying and taking il
but by selling it. For the past ten years
the business has been rather "ovCrdone."
So many wonderful stories are told OF the
great powers of various preparations,
that these oSageratiOns fail to produce
their former effect on the minds Of tlc
people. so that new devices are conlirl.
ally needed to lure the people 10 "buy
bottle" and try it. Every avenue 10y
which man may be induced to purchase
is made available. Every disease with
which tho human race is affected. or il
imagined to be affected. has its specific
remedy, which is urged upon the suffer.
or.
That many get well while taking these
preparations is not to he doubted. But to
iufer that these medicines cured them
might be very far from the truth. i
very often might he nearer the truth to
say that they got well in spite of the med
icine, that is, that the medicine conld
not prerem their recovery, alth ough it
may have retarded instead of Fastening
it. Many diseases have tendency to
get well themselves il left alone. Henrc
Il large proportion If the sick recover
whether they are treated by the "water
cure" or the regular" practitioners. by
the homeopathic. by no medicine at all.
or by the patent medicines. Drugs do
not cure diseases directly. Disease does
not consist Of anything that drug can
antago nize and eradicate. The manifes
tations of disease are often the effort,
that the system is making to relieve it,
self OF some noXious material, after the
elimination OF which, the system is left
free to perform its functions in healthy
manner. Some diseases must run Il GER
tain course, at The termination Of which
health results, if the vital powers are suf
licient, or arc enabled by appropriate
treatment to hold out until the disease
has run its course. There is too much
meddling with disease by administering
drugs without due discrimination. Some
persons seem to have an idea that if
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17

Keep the heart YOuns-never mind a grey hair
Keep the heart young, and your never despair;
Hopeful and glad, lie; the old frame decay
Who cares for the she'll when the jewels away
Keep the heart young with full trust in Gods nigh,
To anchor YOU safely, but follow the right;
Keep the heart young and DC merry and gay,
Give care 10 the winds and be jolly alway.
Keep the heart yoaug and be tender and true,
A. loving 20 Others As they are 70 you;
Keep the heart young and don't fly in a rage,
II any one mentionS your mellow Oil age.
Keep the heart Young anl let oil time appear,
Hell glide on gently You'll scarce feel HIM near;
\ iiiend-snd 40 foe-brineing peace and delight
But keep the heart young, and youll always be
right
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17
KEEP THE HEART YOUNG.

E. Rumfori, Feb. sth, Isl.
Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-02-17
Local Agents for The Democrat.

J. a. Lovcoy Albany. Henry W. Park, MeXic
Silytnus Poor, ADdover. Geo. n. Brown, Mason.
=. Foster, jr.. Bethel. Henry Upton, Norway.
pr tapham. Brvaut's 4. Orlu Poster. Nswrv.
". Cummings Buck6eld. n. Abbott, Jr..E. Rumf'd
BolsterS Wright. piNh'd. &. l.. Douglass, Upton.
David Sewall. T.. sumner. II. h. Chandler w Sum'r
2. shirley, Frychur-. Jas. VI. shaw, Waterford
4. ~. Knapp, llUover. II. saunders sweden.
y. q. Hubbard. Hiram.
Subscribers can Tell, by examining the colOrcd
siip attached 90 their paper, the amount due. and
those wishing 20 avail themselves Of the advanced
payments, can send 70 a. hv mail hand 20 the
nearest agent. "Sept. 7, IL on the slip. means
the paper Is paid Tor. 10 that date. When money il
sent care should De taken To OeNamine slip, and
the money d, not credited within two weeks, We
should be sppriScd oft.
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

So deep.seated and strong is the
prejudice in California against the
Chinese that both political parties
there have placed themselves on
record as opposed to further in
PRODUCTION of that element into the
California body polite. In other
words, Democrats and Republicans
alike regard Chinese cheap labor as
did Bill Nye, with unmitigated dis
gust. Nevertheless we see it stated
in the San Francisco papers that
the farmers find great difficulty in
procuring sufficient help to do their
ordinary work, even when Offering
$50 per day with board. Farmers
who could make it profitable to hire
thirty hands are obliged to put up
with half the number, simply bI r.
cause more are not to be had on any
terms. And yet eve are ruined by
Chinese cheap labor.'
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

DISASTER IN GUADALOUPE.-
Fire has once more had a great vic
tory, and devastated one of the fair
towns of that strangely volcanic
West Indian Island, GaudalOupe.-
Point a Pitre, little market place,
was visited on the 18th ult. by a de
vastating conilagration which speed
lily consumed the whole town, save
a church, theatre, the court build
ings and a hospital. A splendid
line Of wharvcs was burned, and
much sugar ready to be shipped
was destroyed with them. The I'M,
fortunate town was shaken to piec-
es by an earthquake in 1S43, and
the town was rebuilt of wood so
that the flames had an easy prey
The telegraph announces that 30
900 inhabitants are rendered home.
less by this catastrophe, but since
Point Pitre's whole population is
only 1880, the statement seems
problematical. Gaudaloupe is OF
volcanic origin, and the highest sum.
NIT of its principal mountain range
is a volcano 5000 feet above the
sea. Point a Pitre, which was a
thoroughly French town, was the
Islands principal harbor.
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

The English Independent says -
"Thc Sandwich Islanders have sent
g., 900 to relieve poor French peas
auts whom the war has ruined
Fifty years ago the typical savagcs
who Gwelt in these islands were de.
vouring one another in continual
and ruthless cOmbats. They have
received the Gospel of peace at the
hands of few humble American
Congrcgationalists, and under its
inspiration send succor to the desc
lated peasantry of country which
boosted that it was at the head of
the European civilization, and whose
"most Christian" kings ard emper.
Ors were esteemed the el,iest sous of
the Churcli-thc other party to the
war, moreover, being the great
Protestant power which boasts OF
its philosophy and reformed religion.
The little gift of the simple Sand
witch Islanders ought to set French
and German cheeks burning.
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

The L. S. Treasury will make no
effort to collect the income tax of
corporations for the last half of 1870,
1t being doubtful if the collection
could not be successfully resisted in
the courts. A Washington special
says this affair is regarded on all
sides as telling strongly against
Commissioner Pleasanton's admins
istratiOn of the revenue office. Bas,
ing his Interpretation of the law,
according to his friends, on the pri-
vate statement of two or three con
gressmen as to what they supposed
the law intended, by unadyised and
hasty action he put it beyond the
power of the government to have
the opinion of the legal officer till
it was too late to collect the tax,
(about five million dollars,) under
any circumstances.
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

ALABAMA CLAIMS.-We are in
formed that the most persistent and
unyielding of the private citizens
who have claims against the British
Government are DR.. j. G. Aver &
Co., of Lowell, Mass, the manufac,
turers of medicines. They will con
sent to nothing less than that their
demand for medicines destroyed by
the British pirates shall be paid in
gold and in dollars to the last cent.
They are emboldened by the fact
that the destruction of their goods
by the English in China and else
where (for where are not that troub
lesome nation trampling upon some
body p have hitherto been paid in
full, and they now say that they
shall be. They however propose
this compromise Give us Canada
and we will call it even, because we
can then send our remedies there
without duty Wash. News.
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

We learn from the Peterborough
On. II. } Transcript, that on Sunday,
10th ult., one OF the severest hail
storms ever witnessed in Peterbor.
ough, passed ouer the southern por'
ton of the town, damaging the
crops, and in some places complete
~ running them. One hundred and
thirteen lights of glass were broken
in Mr.. John Stones house, and his
crops almost spOilt. Another man
estimates his damage at over 5000,
and in the town of Knoxville there
is hardly house that did not have
more or less glass broken from the
windows, the wooden mills having n
large share. The circus grounds
where Barnum's show had stopped
to feed, presented u novel sight
The hail striking upon the canvass
would accumulate in sufficient guam
tity to break through, and lay in
piles upon the ground, while a large
ridge was formed around the out
side of the tent. In some parts Of
the town the hail stones were mon
strous, some of them measuring four
inches in circumferencc-nc rly as
large as a hens egg.
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04
SYRIAN LOGIC.-A Syrian c

SYRIAN LoGIC.-A Syrian C,
vert to Christianity, as the story
goes, was urged by his employer to
word on Sunday, but he declined.
"But,' said the master, ''does not
YOUR bible say that If "a man has an
OK or All ass that falls into a pit Oh
the Sabbath day he may pull him
QUIT ayes" answered Haydn =
"but if the ass has habit of fall
ing into the same pit every Sabbath
day, then the man should fill up
the pit or sell that ass The story
has a sort of swivel "moral' which
will fit great many disputed points
in these days.
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

"A Chicago boot black was lately
run over by man from the rural
districts, who gave him $40 to stop
crying. That struck the youth as
an available feature of the case, and
before night he had been run over a
great many times and picked up a
heavy lot of bank bills for lad OF
his inches.
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

A curious story is told of the dis
cOvery of the Amador mine. now
the richest in the world: The mine
was first commenced by Vermont
er named Hay ward, who was soon
after joined by another Vermontcr
named Chamberlain. Chamberlain
at last became discoura ged, but
Hayward stuck to it, but his men
all left him, and he was on the point
or starvation. He then went to
Chamberlain for some money, but
was refused ; but before he closed
the interview Chamberlain gave
him S3000-a!l lie had in the world.
Take it, old fellow" said he with
California heartiness; "do your
best" With this money Hayward
re commenced, and he had worked
until it was all spent, and his men
were reduced to IA bag of beans for
nourishment, when to the gloom of
hope the precious ore blazed sud>
denly up. When the mine was pay,
ing $40, 900 a month, Hayward made
over to his friend one perfect third
of it. Chamberin retired upon
81 1000, 900, and moved east to edu>
cate his children, Hayward buyir g
back the whole. Finally, even Hay,
ward grew tired and he sold out
the mine to stock company. The
mine will make $l,000,000 net this
year. Its president said last week 4:
"The Amador mine will hold out
longer than we will.'
National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-08-04

AT meeting of the spiritualists
in Saginaw, Mich, on Sunday ev.
ening, Moses Hall, one Of the speak
ers, said that, when a little boy, he
could see faces around his bed eve.
ry night, and knew they were faces
of those in the spirit land. His
mother reproved him by telling him
"to go to sleep, for nothing allied
him but worms" The Enterprise
prafanely adds: ave guess mother
was right"