davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
A Lesson From q Broken Horseshoe,

A farmer went to town one day nc
companied by his son, little Thomas.
"See," said he to him on the way,
"there is q broken horseshoe on the
road; pick it up and put it in your
pocket"
ooh no, father" replied Thomas,
it isn't worth while to stoop and pick
it up"
His father, answering nothing, picked
it up and put it In his own pocket. He
sold it to the blacksmith of the next vii
lage for three farthings, and bought
cherries with the money.
After this they continued their Jour-
ney. The sun was burning hot. Meth
er house nor tree nor spring was any
where to be seen. Thomas suffered
with thirst, and had great difficulty in
keeping up with his father.
Thelatter then as if by accident, let
fall cherry. Thomas picked it up
with as much eagerness as if it had been
gold, and put it into his mouth. A few
PAGES further on the father let fall anoth-
er cherry, which Thomas seized with The
same haste. This game continued until
all the cherries had been picked up
When the last had been eaten, the faith
er turned to his son smiling, and said to
him:
"You see now that if you had been
willing to stoop once to pick up the
horseshoe, you would not have been
obliged to do it hundred times for the
nbarriee ~
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
WateriDg.plaCe Society.

A Long Branch correspondent gossips
as follows As a specimen of the class of
mothers and daughters who make up
fashionable society at watering places
let me illustrate by the following little
episode l listened to last Sunday in the
parlor Of the West End Il:
Miss, alighting from her carriage,
came dashing into the parlor like a
thoughtless romp. Her mother, an aged
lady, whose husband became wealthy by
a fortunate turn of events in the late re-
bellion, was engaged in reading one of
the latest novels. Her daughters voice
drew her attention from the book, and
she said, in drawing tone, "Well,
Sally, my love" taking off her spectacles,
now give your poor mother, who was
too sick to 60 to church, sketch of the
sermon. Where was the text ?"
Oh, don't go bothering mo about
the text" responded the light headed
Sally MS she threw herself into chair
81 don't know where it was I've for
gotten but, wouldyou believe it, moth
err? Mrs. P wore that horrid bon
net of hers. | do think some people are
most ridiculous. couldn't keep my eye
off of it all the time. Miss T had n
magnificent lace shawl on that must
have cost over two hundred dollars. For
my part | can't see how such q girl as
she is can get such dresses honestly.
Mrs s. looked like perfect fright.
Why will she dress so unbecoming and
extravagantly f? What taste some peo-
pie exhibit I saw Mrs. M go dash
ing by me as if she had no respect for
Sunday. Indeed, mother, / don't think
she has, although she makes great pre-.
tensions to be o good Christian. She
ought to be ashamed of herself"
"Stop, stop, child; you must moi
talk that way about people," said the
venerable mother. Sally, if you have
forgotten all about the sermon, you have
not the audience"
"That hateful Mr.. j was there
looking at me all the time so / could no
hear q word of the sermon. Mr.. b
spoke to me as 1 came out of church, anC
he was so pleasant [ could have"
"There, there" chimed in the OLE
lady abruptly "don't be foolish
don't see that going to church helps t,
improve you much. Go right up to you
room and put your things away" and tn
old lady put her spectacles on her nos
and resumed her reading. Such is water
ing place society.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
The Curious Story of A $50 Bill,

A few days ago says the Ne~ York
Ecening Post, Il. Rose, a well-known
sporting man, won ninety dollars in a
gaming house kept by one Patrick Bran
nisan. Having received his winnings
Mr. Rose went to Saratoga, and after
staying few days at one of the principal
hotels, rendered in payment for his board
the fifty dollar bill which he had received
from Brannigan. The clerk, however,
refused to accept it, alleging that it was
counterfeit, and Rose was, it is reported,
compelled to apply to John Morrissey to
lend him money to pay his bill and re-
turn to New York. On his return he at
once visited Brannigan, who Indignantly
denied giving him bad bill, whereupon
Rose laid n complaint before United
States Commissioner Shields, and Branni-
gan was arrested. In the meantime the
Clark Bros, in Chambers street,
pronounced the bill genuine, and of
fered to give another bill for it. Branni-
gan was, of course, Immediately dis
charged from custody, and the party
adjourned to Delmonico's to settle the
matter over bottle of Clicquot.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
How to Eyade the Income Tax.

A man already assessed left Noting
ham, in England, and went to Birming-
ham, leaving 95 of income tax unpaid.
He was followed to Birmingham and re-
questcd to pay up his arrears. He dis
regarded the notices served upon him,
What is more, he stuck them up in his
office, and annotated them satirically.
At last he was informed in red letters
that if he did not pay, he would be ''pro-
ceeded against" Being man Of nerve,
he took no notice of the threat. Then,
in the course of month or two, he
received huge, foolscap written,
not lithographed--fro Somerset House,
asking the grounds on which he declined
to pay. He replied, after a week or two,
that the reason he had not paid the
money, was that he hadn't it. Two or
three months afterward he was told that
was not reason of which "Her Males
TVS Commissioners could take cogni
zance."
He failed to see this, and, "Her
NIaiesty's Commissioners spent some
ten months in arguing the point-still
in writing. At last "Her Majesty's Com
missioners" became peremptory. They
wrote, through their secretary, that they
"declined to argue the question further
the money must be paid" The defaulter
replied that he was kind" and that he
should, therefore, decline to hold any
further correspondence with the depart
ment" Well, the matter went on fol
five years, and during that time the pee
cant person never paid farthing OF
income tax. His one answer to all ap
plications was that he was in correspon
dence with the department. At last {
warrant was issued and entrusted to the
sheriff of the district for execution.
The defaulter being in lodgings, the
sherifT's officer concluded it would be o
no use to distrain, so he took the default
ers body. This was illegal. An office
has no right to take the body of an in
come-tax dcfaulter until he has distrainec
and finds the proceeds of the distrain
sufficient to meet the demands. Thu
result was that the defaulter commenced
an action for false imprisonment agains
the officer, and did not withdraw it til
the sheriff had paid the amount due Oh
account of the tax and costs, as well as
small douceur, which sufficed to pay tn
expenses incurred by the defaulter il
giving a dinner to a few friends to cele
brate the event.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
To a Young Girl.

You think you love the man who is
coming this Sunday night to visit you
And he acts as if he loves you Suppose
he declares HIMSELF" and asks you to
become his wife. Are you prepared to
say to him, ~ love you and will trust
you through life with my happiness, and
the lives and veal of our children ~
He is jolly, gay and handsome, and all
the darts of Cupid are twinkling and
sparkling in his eyes but will those
eyes always find expression from the
love of true soul? Tonight he says
many pleasant things and draws pretty
pictures for the future. Does he 90 to-
morrow to work which gives promise
to the fulfillment of your .lesire IN life {?
Do his ambitions and achievements
satisfy you Does his everyday life
shine with the noble endeavor of a trust
worthy man ? If you think and desire
companion in your thinking-one who
can unlock the deepest depths of your
mind, to what strata of humanity does
he belong in the scale of excellence and
morality p? Is he doing all he can to
build future usefulness and happiness in
which you can share and feel blessed
These are questions which the experience
of after years make many women weep
in the bitterness of soul that they were
not thought of before they answered
" Yes"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

HANDSOME MEN.-An exchange says
one of the greatest nuisances at hotels
a handsome young man. He is an intol-
cradle bore TO all the ladies ofgood sense
in the house. If | might be allowed n
suggestion, I would advise every father
who is threatened with handsome man
in the family, just to take a clothes
FOUNDER and batter his nose to pumice.
For some cause or other, nine out of ten
of the handsome men you meet are con-
ceited jackdaws. They cultivate their hair
and complexion so much that they have
no time to think of their brains. BY the
time they reach thirty, their heads and
hands are equally soft. There are three
or four of these specimens of humanity
stopping at the West End, You are sure
to find them astride of the piano stool,
or boring some young lady to sing an air
from opera boutfe.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

The ILL-FATED CrrY.-The Rev. Mr..
Ash, the Chaplain of the British Lee
CATION at Buenos Ayres, has published
pamphlet respecting the late pestilence
there, from which it appears that out of
a population of $780,, 900 about two-thirds
fled and about 20, 900 persisted, the NOR
tally ranging from 400 to 600 per diem
more than per cent of the inhabi-
tants. The city is said to have been
reeking with filth, steaming like
dung-hill whenever hot sun came after
a rainfall" The River Plate was so
poisoned that the fish died in it, yet this
water was what the inhabitants had to
drink. There was no drainage facilities,
and what wells there were in the city
were utterly unfit for use. On the 10th
of April there were $40 interments. On
the 10th the psstilence began visibly to
decline but it will require years to re-
pair the ravages of the epidemic.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
furnace, and there were no ladders at

that furnace, and there were no ladders at
hand.
"Save my child-save herm screamed
Stephen Abbott; but no one seemed will
ing to take the risk,
"Will no one save her7" he cried,
wringing his hands.
There was stern look on the face of
Edwin Galpn as he approached the spot
where George Weir was standing with
the crowd, pale as ghost. He laid his
hand heavily on his shoulder, and placing
his lips on level with his ear, he Kissed
through his clenched teeth, "Now is yonr
time, save her, for you love her."
There was a deep meaning in his words,
and terrible earnestness in his manner.
81 cannot, | dare not" pleaded Weir,
as he shrunk from Galpin's gaze.
"Save her---you love her" hoarsely
reiterated Galpin, tightening his grip on
Weir's shoulder.
"Tm afraid dare not" exclaimed the
certified man.
Flingng him out of his path, as he cast
upon him look of ineffabe dsdain and
loathing, Galpin sprang into the burning
building. No one ever expected to sec
him return. But he reappeared neverthc-
less bearing in his strong arms the form Of
his wife securely wrapped in a blanket
Laying her at her fathers feet, he reeled
and fell forward to the earth. 1t was the
last time his eyes ever beheld earth's glad
ness. Never again might he look upon
field or grain. Stone blind from hence
forth must walk Edwin Galpin, and q
child could lead him. He was fearfully
burned, and for the sake of one whom the
flame had not even scorched.
1t is pleasing to record the sequel.
Whatever may have been the feelings o.
Amy Galpin previous to the event Just
recorded one thing is true never die
woman more sincerely repent for the indif
ference she had manifested toward hel
husband, and never was there o more de
voted wife than she proved to be. Fol
hours she would sit with her arms arounc
Edwin's neck and her cheek pressed to hi'
own, and dearer to her heart was the poo
sightless man, who had lost SO much t.
shield and save her, than all else in til,
world beside.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
A Commercial Agency Case.

The case of Mellier against Shepherd,
manager of Bradstreet's Commercial
Agency, was before the Circuit Court of
ST. Louis, the hearing being on the mo-
ton of the defendant to dissolve the in
junction granted few days ago, enioyn-
ing the circulation of the July number
of BrodSheerS Commercial Reports, on
the ground of the false and injurious
rating of the plaintiff. Several witnesses
testified to the solvency of Mr.. Mellier,
his business qualifications, integrity, &c. :,
also that he is doing large and pros
porous business. Mr.. King, formerly
al employee of the Agency, testified to
the mode of transacting the business of
the Agency. He said that most of the
reports were manufactured in his office.
From the time Mr.. Shepherd took
charge, the reports were based on the
old reports. The city reports were all
copied into the letter-book, and then
forwarded to New York A book called
the "black book" was kept, in which
all unfavorable reports were copied.
Every one in the Office had access to this
book. He testified that some Agencies
we're partial to subscribers, and that a
gold-headed cane would often raise a
mans rating. The plaintiff had been re-
duced from the rating of &c. c. D. d., -
very high rating, to "E. d." which
meant that he was doing business with
capital of less than $500. Subscrip-
ton to the agency generally meant an
increase of credit The witness further
stated that he had manufactured hun
dreds of reports himself.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
Signs of the Ku Klux.

In Louisville court somebody has
been giving the "signs" of the Ku
Klux. First he tells how to recognize a
brother at distance. We raise the
hat with the right hand, pull the brim
down over the right eye. The answer is
the same with the right hand. Both
then draw their left hands cross their
mouths, as if washing, and strike
their breasts with their right. The
grips are made by grasping hands in the
usual manner with the thumb pressing
slightly between the others thumb and
forefinger, saying, Il am alright; how are
youy He answers, Il am all right
| reply, How may I know you are all
right ? He answers, BY word or letter.
| ask, Which do you prefer?' He may
call for either If he asks for Il letter /
tell him, Spell He says, S; / say,
H. he says, "A; 1 say, 'P;' he
says, U II say p he says, spelling
out, SLAP up which is the text word of
the order. 1 get into difficulty and am
overpowered, and desire to know if my
brother is present. L lock arms across
my breast as if cold, saying I wish
knew if any of st. Mary S children were
about. If any brother is about he will
come to my aid. If my opponent be a
member of the order he will Immediately
dcsist. When travelling at night, on
meeting a person and desiring to know
if he is brother, l say halt ? and give
a loud slap with my hand on my thigh.
He answers with two slaps.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
Midsummer.

It is midsummer, the sweet midsummer--
Poor Daffodil blossom what's that to thee
Thou hast no part in its golden glow
Thy time Of blooming was long ago;
Thou hast no share in its silver dew
1t will not wake thee to life anew.
What sadder fate can the Autumn bring
Than Summer does to flower of SPRING.
1t is midsummer, my life's midsummer--
My sorrowing Heart what's that to thee2
Its joys are things that can not share
IT'S not for me that its days are fair;
For Love for me was an April flower,
Whose beauty went with the passing hour.
What sadder fate can the Autumn bring
Than Summer does TO flower of SPRING.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
Going to Milk the Cows.

Daisies and buttercups blossom
In the meadow just below,
And the apple-trees down in the orchard
Are drifts OF scented snow.
And the robins, they sing in the lilaos,
And swing in the purple boughs,
While dainty, sweet little Mollie
Is going to milk the COWS.
Tripping along so lightly,
Out to the clover lot,
There are the patient beauties,
Blossoms, and Sue, and Spot.
fingers she long at her milking,
Watching the sunset bright
In the rosy west, aud the round full moon
Flooding the world with light.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

CoRsETs. 1t is estimated that the sale
of corsets in the United States increases
five per cent. every year. In 1870 ten
million dozen corsets were imported, and
the annual domestic production was one
million five hundred thousand pairs. In
the same year were imported about two
hundred dozen corsets for the use of
males. If this thing goes on more and
more male corsets will be imported every
year for the use of females, for the shape
won't make much difference. Perhaps,
however, they will not be needed, for
the old adage says: Waist not want
not"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

A CHINESE LETTER. THE following is
the letter from the Corean authorities,
declining to hold intercourse with Ad-
miral Rodgers In the year 1868 a
man of your nation, whose name was
Sebiger, came here and communicated,
and then went away. Why cannot you
do the same ? In 1865 people named
the French came here, and we refer you
to them as to what happened. This peo-
pie has lived for 1000 years in the en-
joyment of its own civilization, and We
want no other. We trouble no other ma
ton. Why do you trouble us? Our
country is in the extreme East, and
yours in the extreme West For what
purpose do you come so many thousand
miles across the sea? Is it to enquire
about the ship destroyed Gen. Sher-
man Her men committed piracy and
murder and were punished with death.
Do you want our land ? That cannot be.
Do you want intercourse with lis ? That
cannot be neither"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

MAD DoGs.-Says IN English writer,
mad dog will not go out of his way to
bite you. 1t pursues straight course,
swapping at every living object which it
meets. A friend of mine once passed on
9 lonely country road, within couple of
feet of dog which struck him as having
something strange in his aspect and
movements; fifty yards further on he
encountered two men with guns, who
asked him if he had seen q dog, and on
being informed that he had, told him to
thank God for his escape, for that very
brute was raving mad, and had bitten
two or three men and children and at
least a dozen animals that morning. My
informant almost tainted with the shock
which this intelligence communicated,
and was greatly relieved to hear the re-
port of gun directly afterwards, telling
that the career of the mad dog had
ended
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
An Angel Now.

"Where is the little brother
My father showed to me?
O, tell me, darling mother,
Where can the baby bep
I've hunted for him everywhere,
But, oh, there is no baby there
ave have no baby any more"
Answered the gentle mother
"For Death last night came to the door,
And took the little brother,
"And did you let the baby 60
The baby that we all loved so?
Ishould have thought you'd held him tight
And said, 60 Somewhere else, tonight"
"Ah child the little brother
Was wanted up above;
And holier, cen than mothers,
Is the Al-Father's love.
An angel now-my baby dear
Why should l ask to keep him here"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

SINGULAR Sun STROKE. The Holley
Standard relates singular case of sun
stroke which occurred in that town
While Daniel S. Waite was riding his
moving machine on his place between
that village and the Ridge, a load of
furniture passed along the road, on
which was man holdings large mirror.
The suns rays glancing on the mirror
were reflected SO that they struck Mr..
Waite, who fell senselcss from his
machine on the outside. He afterwards
compared the effect to that of blow
powerful enough to knock him from his
seat. The lines were passed around his
his neck, and the team stopped when he
fell. After time he came to himself
and climbed partially upon the machine
and the team started and carried him to
the road, where he again fell off and re-
lasped into state of insensibility. He
was discovered in that condition shortly
after and conveyed to his home. His
life was for some time despaired of, but
he is now slowly recovering.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10
How Shell are Made.

A correspondent who has visited the
Royal Arsenal at Woolwich, England,
says: Behind three or four immense
heaps of shot and shell is the shell foun-
dry, the interior of which at once brings
to the mind of the visitor subterranean
scene in pantomime before the trans
formation. Amid the roaring, cracking
furnaces, which, when open, seem almost
to shrivel up the eyes of those unaccus-
to look upon them, dusky figures fit to
and fro, stoking, hammering, or wheel
ing masses of dull blue-looking metal,
which seems cool enough, but throws
out, as it passes, fierce heat, which
makes one involuntarily shrink and draw
back.
Toward the centre of the circle row
of men stand, each stirring up mould
of white hot metal, which throws weird
lurid light upon the workers face and
hands, making the whole place look as if
some great incarnation scene was going
on within it. This is the liquid metal
now being worked free from air-bubbles,
and which, poured into q mould, will,
half an hour hence, form the rough, con-
ical shot and shell so rapidly being
wheeled away on all sides Of us to cool
in the open air
When cool, the shells are taken to the
tinishing-room, to have their studs fixed,
and have all the final touches put to them
before they are wheeled out to the gigan-
tic piles already standing in the centre of
the arsenal, waiting till they are sent
away to be filled at the laboratory, and
shipped off either for home OF foreign
service.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

WARS HIS NAME.-In the "Life of
Barham " an amusing anecdote is told OF
King, the actor, who met friend whose
name he had forgotten, and took him
home to dinner. After several attempts
to find out his name, King said "My
friend and | have had dispute as to
how you spell your name indeed, we
have laid bottle of wine on it" "Oh !!
with two ps, " was the answer
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

New YORK VIADUcT RAILRoAD.-It is
the plan for the Viaduct Railway to run
through the yards in the rear of houses
and stores, SO as to avoid the heavier
cost of buying and destroying the build
ings themselves. The road will be built
on brick arches, supported by heavy lat
eral iron columns Of elegant design,
themselves supported on inverted arches
of solid masonry built into the ground.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-10

RoDBERs.-The daring of Broadway
robbers far surpasses the boldness with
which the highwaymen of Hounslow
Health used to stop the mail coaches
with their cry of Stand and deliver I"
The very crowd of Broadway is partial
cover for these bold freebooters, for in
that crowd it is everybody's business to
interfere in nobody else's business.
One afternoon, at the crowded corner of
Broadway and Warren street, two men
tripped apparently and fell. One re-
covered himself first and walked away
without stopping to apologize or to look
ont for his companion. Not one in the
crowd paid any attention to the matter
further than to laugh quietly at the mis-
hap, And yet in the few seconds Of that
fall one of the men was robbed by the
other of thirty-tive thousand dollars.
The tripping and the fall were parts OF a
bold plan of robbery thus successfully
carried out.-N. Y Paper.