davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
Marriage.

AT tbs present time, when the mar
riage relation occupies so much of the
public attention, the following views of
the late Theodore Parker on this subject
are not without interest:
Men and women, and especially young
people, do not know that it takes years
to marry completely two hearts, even of
the most loving and well assorted. But
nature allows no sudden change. We
slope very gradually from the cradle to
the summit of life. Marriage is gradual,
fraction of us at o time. A happy
wedlock is long falling in love. L
know young persons think love belongs
only to the brown hair, and plump,
round, crimson cheeks. So it does for
its beginning, Just as Mt. Washington
begins at Boston Bay. But the golden
marriage is n part of love which the
bridal day knows nothing of. Youth is
the tassel and silken flower of love, age
is the full corn, ripe and solid in the ear.
Beautiful is the morning of love, with its
prophetic crimson, violet, purple and
gold, with its hopes of days that are to
come. Beautiful also is the evening of
love, with its glad remembrances, and
its rainbow side tdrned toward heaven
as well as earth. Young people marry
their opposite in temper and general
character, and such q marriage is COM
monty good match. They do it in
stinctively. The young man does not
say, Ny black eyes require to be wed
with blue, and my over-vehemence re-
quires to be little modified with some
what Of dullness and reserve" When
these oppsites come together to be wed
they do not know it each thinks the
other just like itself.
Old people never marry their op-
posites; they marry their similars, and
from calculation. Each of these two
arrangements is very proper. In their
long journey, these two young opposites
will fall out by the way a great many
times, and both get out of the road; but
each viii r., .rm the other back again,
mi jy-and-by they will be agreed as to
the place they will go to and the road
they will go by, and become reconciled.
The man will be noblcr and larger for
being associated with so much humanity
unlike himself and she will be nobler
woman for having manhood beside her
that seeks to correct her Deficiencies and
supply her with what she lacks, if the
diversity be not too great, and there be
real piety and love in their hearts to
begin with. The old bridegroom, having
a much shorter journey to make, must
associate himself with one like himself
A perfect and complete marriage is, per-
haps, as rare as perfec personal beauty.
Men and womeA are married fractional
ly; now small fraction, then largo
fraction. Very few are married totally,
and they only, I think, after some forty
Or fifty years of gradual approach and
experiment. Such large and sweet
fruit is a complete marriage that it needs
a very long summer to ripen in, and
then long winter to mellow and season
it. But a real, happy marriage of love
and Judgment between a noble man and
woman, is one of the things SO worry
handsome that if the sun were, as the
Greek poets tabled, god he might stop
the world in order to feast his eyes on
such spectacle.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
Alcohol in Disease.

The question Of tho use Of alcohol in
medical practice IS having fresh discus
sion in England, where strong medical
declaration has been published, i'll which
the names Of greatest worth in the pro-
the present day the value of alcohol rs
an article of diet is immensely eXagger-
ated that its prescription in disease is
not to be interpreted Us a sanction for
the continuance Of its use when the oc-
.casion is past, and that they will gladly
support any wise legislation tending to
promote temperance among the working
classes, and undoubtedly among all
classes It is observed III England, as it
has been here, that the medical prescrip-
ton Of wine and spirits is made an eX-
cuse for indulgence in the same after the
necessity has past, the patient being
ready to assume that this "medicine" is
needed as a tonic. OF all the drugs adj
ministered in disease, alcohol is the only
one which 10 adopted in daily use after
ward, and the cheerful resignation with
which it is taken for "medicinal pur-
poses,' is II tribute to the unwavering
confidence which men come to repose in
IIIClI iuC0lSdl tbIAh ISGio' L iIc ttt -hutt
Gazette notices that the habits induced
by our " fashionable medical patronage
OF alcohol" have spread into the draw
ing-room and the nursery. Wine is or
dcred for the little folks as well as for
tho grown ones. AS the Gazetteremarks,
"port wine has been great panacea for
paleness and lassitude in the nursery and
in the school-room. Fashionable board
ing schools keep an approved cellar, and
indulgent mothers are apt to- think high
ly of the considerate docter who agrees
that the child would be all the better for
little wine at dinner" Now, however,
the fashion is to change, and that there
is " fashion" in medicine is well known
to all observers. The English protest
cannot fail to have a powerful influence,
not only there but here. 1t is not mere
ly that liquors are impure or drugged,
that the really nourishing element in
them is overlaid by adulterations which
may do positive harm, but the very
fundamental question OF the food and
fuel" qualities of alcohol is agitated.
The result will certainly be a reform in
practice which has in it the elements of
pernicious mischief.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
A Barring Deed.

The Nashville Ui1ion's account Of the
recent conflagration in that city contains
the following:
While the flames We're darting like the
fiery fends through the building, and
the whiskoy in the adjoining house was
exploding, a party of firemen entered
one of the buildings. A keg of powder
was Seen few inches from the fire, in
fact, other articles of merchandise were
already burning, and notwithstanding
it was hard enough and at some risk the
firemen had ventured, n still greater
danger was imminent. In less time than
it takes to tell it, the flames would reach
the powder, the explosion of which
would have been fraught with horrible
consequences. Seeing the danger of the
situation, yet with a presence of mind
seldom preserved, Mr.. Alfred Mcknight,
of Deluge Fire Company No. 3, quickly
seized the keg of powder now enveloped
with flames, and bore it out of the
building into the street. There are few
men in such moments of danger that
would think of undertaking such haz-
ardous deed, and not one in hundred
would have sufficient control of their
fears in similar situations TO have accom-
plished this removal. Such conduct is
deserving of the highest praise of every
one.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
A Gamblers Trick,

A gambler in his confession says 81
once knew u Southern gentleman who,
although not ostensibly q professional
gambler, really made short cards u
business. He was man of education
and fine conversationalist, and very
elegant gentleman. lie was very fond
of little game of draw, just to kill time
you know; but the result was that he
always got the best of it, and mingling
with moneyed men, his winnings were
large. / got into series of games with
him, and as well as 1 understood cards
myself, l invariably got the worst of it.
L knew there was something, and 1 re-
solved to discover it if possible / care
fully examined the backs of the cards,
and understanding how this sort of work
is done, 1 very soon satisfied myself that
the backs were all right. L watched his
deal. He threw them around with great
rapidity. His shufiling was square.
One day procured powerful mag
nifying glass, and went carefully over
o pack of cards that he had won with
the night before. A long and careful
search revealed in the aces and face
cards series of trifing concavities.
Inc puncheS were SO slight as to be in
visible to the naked eye, but in passing
my fingers over them / could feel them.
4 gamblers fingers are, or ought to be,
soft as velvet Subsequent investiga-
ton revealed his work. He had on the
inside Of his finger minute punch.
In the beginning of q game he woald
manage to turn the face of the aces and
face cards one at time, so as to bring
them against his punch, and then one
indention, or two, or three, in certain
locality would designate the cards. So
nice was his sense OF touch that, when
dealing, he would naturally pass the
face of each card over his left middle
fingers; and, no matter how rapidly he
dealt them, he would know the posi-
ton Of all the face cards in the pack.
Of course this gave him a heavy per-
centagc, and the result was that he in
variably won.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
OphthalmascOpic Explorations.

An instr lment for examining the in
terror of the eye for the purpose of as
certaining its condition is one of the ex-
traordinary aids which modern science
has furnished oculists for determinin
with considerable accuracy what partic-
ular part Of innermost tissues are de-
ceased.
But it is a dangerous practice to il
Illuminate the organ in its normal state as
q mere matter of qualification to see
how delicately it is constructed, because
the necessary amount of light thrown
in to give distant view might prove
extremely injurious to the retina.
So many eyes are permanently de-
stroyed by being subjected to intensi-
fed, or, as it might be better expressed,
by saying concentrated rays, in the prac-
tice of various arts, that all unnecessary
excitement of the optic nerve should be
avoided.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
RIDGWAY, PA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY D., 1872.
"But you'll finish it for me, Dan =
IA NJ Cl,,,oI,;11

"buC you IL nn1SD III IOr lnS, Lilu
said Mr. Churchill.
"Well, don't mini You can jedge
Of the science IN .ny story, and you can
realize the moral tendency of it. That
bar was about to eat me up, rs was
sayin' me .settin' up thar two hundred
feet from the yarth. But alters had
way of getting out of scrapes. L jest
happened to think that it warn't me the
bar wanted. He warn't hungry-he
was dry. He was hankerin' arter that
black bottle in my coat-tail pocket, ond
and so jest whisl1ed it out and pulled
the cork and stuck the neck in his mouth
as he come up to,cdrds me. You orter
see how comfortable his eyes looked as.
that brandy went down his gullet! He
sucked away till he had dreened the last
drop. Then he let go, and fell that two
hundred and twenty feet on to the
ground. slid down, and it seemed as
of I never would reach the ground,
which was two hundred and fifty feet eff
it was an inch, and 1 found his neck
broke. He had come to the drunllard's
ontiincly eend."
Here Dan looked ominously at old
Weed the pilot, whose nose was fearfully
red. "I skinned him and hung the skin
up to dry. Made some hair-ilo outen
the fat. 'Twarn't wuth shucks. Smolt
like applo-brandy, and when put it on
my head l got the sack from the gal l
was goin' with, bekase l smelt Of liquor
like pizen she said. But the techinest
sight was to come. Tho night arter his
death I found Mrs. Barr and her cubs IL
standin' by the hide of the beastly ole
drunkard cryin'. They's no Limit to
the affection of tho female sex. She
rubbed her eyes with her left hand,
and pinted to the hide with her right.
And the young bars looked on kinder
solemn, and then they all marched off in
q percession."
why didn't you shoot EN-, Drn:"
said Raymond.
Shoot en- exclaimed Dan, draw
ing his other boot, and looking furiously
at the quostion6r. "Shoot EN-. You
onfeelin' brute you, You ha'n't got no
heart Do you think I'd shoot a Wild
der and her poor fatherloss-fathcr-
less"
Cubs" suggested Dudley.
YES, cubs" thundered Pluo, and
turned into the bunk and snored in ten
seconds. Whether Bill Mckay had kept
watch over the receding water I can not
say, but when Dudley climbed to the
deck he found Bill rolling in an agony
of laughter, and Dudley himself, insen-
sible alike to Dams science and to his
moral, lay down on the deck, and looked
up at the con .ellation of Ursa Major
and-well, let us say for the sake of hu-
manity, that he wept over the tragic
end of tho father of family.-HsarM
and Home.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
Yicissitudes OF a Russian Nobleman.

!. Omaha, Nebraska, is favored local.
ty, since it possesses a real live Russian
nobleman who plays piano in a lager
bier saloon for living. His story,
whether true or false is n singular one.
He belongs to a family of the lower no
bility, and when quite young was placed
i'll the army. But he had the bad habit
of spending more money than he ac-
tually possessed, and notice of his debts
was conveyed to his father, who cut off
his allowance. This SO disgusted him
that he deserted and entered the Prus-
sian service. Here, too, his expensive
habits got him in disgrace, and, being
dismissed from the army, he came to
America. Not being able to procure
anything to do he wrote to his family
who sent him large remittance with a
promise, which has been faithfully kept,
to send certain sum at stated intervals.
While he has money he lives like a
prince, and when it is gone he plays the
piano for living. He is said to be q
fine musician, and since leaving New
York has been hod-carrier in Chicago
and teacher of music in other places.
Here is fine chance for some young
lady with nobleman son the brain"
Moreover this man is sail to be really
fine-looking, and a genial companion
at all times.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22

They raise some very "smart" women
in Vermont. We frequently read of
their taking charge of farms, chopping
fabulous amounts of cord wood and per-
forming other feats that would excite
the establishment if not the envy of their
weak sisters in the cities. The last and
martest of whom we have read, and
the one most likely to excite astonish-
ment and least likely to rouse envy in
the weak sisters aforesaid, dwells in Rut-
land. She is thirty-eight years old and
has buried two husbands, been divorced
from third and is living with the
fourth. Her children already number
fourteen. She is still in the prime of
life and no one can guess the greater
triumphs that await her in the future.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
POETR Y.
Ii Il E .

Whom eIce questioned Of my spirit thus
oh, what is Life say, truly, what Il Life p
II answered me from out its stormy depths,
" il poor, slack tissue full CT rents;
shining cup, that often holds but Goals
All blacEened, and the heat long since died out;
A play in which the actors wear thick masks,
Lest curious eyes should look too deep and SEQ
The seething, boiling pssions of the heart,
In widest tumult and confusion dire;
A solemn chant that rings uncoasing out
Like chant of priests frinrs funeral;
Or yet like music melting into walls,
As come sad ocean dirgs forever melts;
splendid pageant, all made up and false,
That glitters while it lasts, but does no good;
A sort of compound, into which are thrown
Such bitter mixtures as arc found at hand;
a wild and dreary waste of desert sand
Tossed in terrific masses by the wind
weary waste OF waters, where there's naupht
But drifting sca-weed on the foamy waves
A fitfuf, lurid glare, that flashes up
a single instant, then dies out again;
Tis anything that's pitiful or sad,
But naught hatsjoyous, full Of happincss
That comes beyond our poor nfes narrow range"
Then Conscience cakn and cloarits warning spoke
"oh, Human Soul, some sudden bitterness
Hath warped and crushed thee with its heavy
-ht;
Some griovous wrong Thy better feelings hushcd,
And thou been made to drink some cup Of gall
That wrought swift reaction on thy Joy,
o. thou hadst never spoken thus OF Life.
When passions pillows sink to calm again,
Emotions ofa better sort shall come;
9he crimes and errors of the Sorld will not
Thon drive thee from it with hatred decp
Not harsh, but glieved,a plying tenderness
Will teach thee Life is not for self alone,
Since others claim thy sympathy and aid.
The wandrcr needs kindly spoken word
To lead him back to duty's one straight path;
One, doubling ii there may exist spark
OF truth or justice in the outer world,
And finding in one heart, receives sweet faith.
If Life to thee is but a shadowed way,
1t gives no right to shrink within thyself
Thy grief repressed, repugnance overcome,
And outward seeming calm and poised go meet
Those who have need of thee, as they press on
10 final goal, the same as thine own aim;
Nor e'or forget thy Lies for them, not thee.
And blessing others, thou shalt be thysclf
Moro blcst and joyous than thou dared to hope"
]. J. OWEN.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
An Indiana Story.

1t is not often that lady sues form
er lover in order to recover the presents
that she has given him. About seven
years ago music-tcachor appeared
among the denizens of Lafayette Ind,
and among his pupils We're the daugh-
ters Of q lovely widow. Soon the musi-
clan began to touch the chords of the
widows heart instead of those of the
piano, and so successful was he that the
lady, with her confding nature, placed
gold watch and chain and fine gold
ring in his possession. Finally the mu-
sician migrated to Danville, and there
he received fifty dollars from his fascin-
ated widow. Time wore on and the
widow marrio3 an estimable gontloman,
and the music teacher was apparently
forgotten. But the latter, rash youth,
took it into his head to call on his form
cr true love-" and having called once
and been kindly received, chose not to
"want to be an angol," so far as the
number of his visits was concerned. But
he went once too often. The last visit
he made he was confronted with a bill
for $3.50, the alleged value of the watch,
chain, ring and greenbacks, with seven
years interest added. He had Difficult
ty OF vision, and q justice of the peace
was appealed to to open his eyes. Judg-
ment for the plaintiff for the sum OF
$l06. An appeal was taken, and the re-
suit is as yet unknown.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
Animal Sagacity,

The workmen in the engine-house ST
the New Haven Railroad were greatly
amused, few days ago, by the move
ments of weasel that had killed a rat
nearly as large as himself, in one of the
engine-pits. The side of the pit being
perpendicular, and the rat too heavy for
the weasel to carry up in his teeth, the
question arose how he should get him
out. 1t looked like difficult task, but
the weasel was equal to the emergency
After several unsuccessful attempts to
shoulder the rat and climb up the side,
he laid him down and went about to the
different corners of the pit on tour of
inspection. Finally selecting one in
which sufficient dirt had accumulated to
make an elevation of several inshes, he
went back, dragged the rat to the cor
ner, and stood him upon his hind legs.
He then clambered out of the pit, and
going to the corner where he had left
the rat, let himself down by his hind
feet from above, clasped the rat around
the neck with his fore paws, pulled him
up and trotted off with him to his hole.
The weasel is one which made his ap-
pearanee at the shops some time ago, and
which, by being unmolested, has become
quite tame.-SprinaJield Republican.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
4 Poor Speculation.

Last spring some $4,000 were sub
scribed by she Troy admirers of baseball
to form the Haymaker Base ball Associa-
ton. The season was a most unprofita-
BILE one, and after one or two calls upon
the stockholders it was found that the
liabilities of the club would eat up not
only the earnings but the entire capital
subscribed. The stockholders were ask
ed to remit the balance of their sub
scriptions to the treasurer, but having
failed to do so the claims were placed in
the hands of Flagg & Neary for collec-
ton, and there is considerable swearing
in consequence. One gentleman is out
$1,000 and several others from $500 to
$500. If baseball was Improbable last
year, We think now that next season it
will be the deadest kind of failure
Troy Times.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22

President Smith, of Dartmouth Col
lege, used to set type in a printing office
in Windsor, Vt He says that the ex-
perience was Of great use to him, as it
taught him to spell correctly, and he
thinks he is better college president
for having been printer, Here is a
double moral: If you want to learn to
spell correctly or become the president
Of college, begin your career by set
ting type.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
THE jSTORY-TELLER.
BY EDWARD EGGLESTON.
DAN PLUE,S STORY.

1t was not often that gentleman of
culture and lawyer in successful prac-
ticc commanded an Ohio river ilat-boat,
but Mr.. Churchill was out of health, and
so, taking his brilliant nephew, Dudley
Churchill, along for company he embark
ed on the boat which was to float the pro-
- duco of his farm to New Orleans.
1t was Saturday night, and Mr..
Churchill, boinga scrupulous man, would
not let his boat float on Sunday so she
was made fast in o secure landiug-placc,
her long, sweeping oars, each OF which
took four men to swing, wero folded at
her side, and the rough Hoosier crew set
themselves about finding some anuse-
ment for the evening and the idle day
that was to follow. The river was fall
ing fast, and Bill Mckay, the good-na-
tured champion Of his county, was Or
derea to stand watch for the first half Of
the night, lest the boat should ground.
With raeful countenance, the burly
giant climbed the stairway, sorry that he
could not stay below and hear the yarns
which only hat-boat cabin ever hears.
Come, Dan! tell US q story" said
Dudley Churchill, who enjoyed nothing
so much as the society of the rough
hands, with their fresh originality OF
character and their rude wit.
Dan Pluc, who was addressed, looked
up slowly. "I don't think OF no story
But eff you'd like to hear little scien-
tific fact with high moral tendency, l
think mout relate somethin' Of that
sort" ...-
First-rato," said Henry Turner, the
cook, washing dishes; ga fact from you
would be delightful, especially Il fact
with IL moral tendency"
"Wcll, then, [ shan't tell it" said
Plue. "You han't got the sperrct man
orter have when he hears fact, espo-
cially fact told of q Saturday night
and good enough fer sermon fer Sun
day morning"
"Pshaw Dan, tell it for me-" said
Dudley. Il am prepared to believe ev-
cry word you say, and to profit by the
moral of the story"
"Well. it's right smart story to be-
lieve, and dom know as 1 should have
swallered it myself Of anybody had told
it to me. 1t does seem a little juberous
to look at it. But see it with these
ere eyes, and I'll swear to it on stack
of Bibles as high as a sycamore"
Wouldn't you put a Testament on
top of that, Dan 7" said Perry Raymond.
Yes, ten on 'cm! When 1 tell q
yarn tell yarn, but when I'm talkin'
in the presence of II lawyer and Chris
tian like Mr.. Chur.hill, and when I'm
tellin' a scientific fact, and a hopin' to
make moral, and, may be, a religious
impression, stick to the facts as saw by
these orbits of mine"
What do you propose to call this
story I" asked Perry Raymond.
"Why, should call her Positively
A Fact, ef named her, but. Dudley's a
man of literary parts, and I'll just hint
to him that it's true, and that it's got
solemn moral, and that its about bar
that got to gottin' tight. May be he
can give the fact I'm going to tell a
name of rho sort you see in books"
Lets see" said Dudley How will
this do y? Lets call it irs.1
-IrL x.i.1fgHrL
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22

Forty-four thousand three hundred
and ninety-nine years from now the sun
will burn out, says the Monthly Scientist.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-22
THE ISEBRIATE BEAR.
A scIrSrrIFIo INT FAcrMwlFrH VII A MORAL.

"First-rate. And now here goes. 1
think when you wasss' lectioneering fer
Congress last year, Mr.. Churchill, you
must been to Jericho, in Ripley Coun-
typ -r.7nf- ~
"Yes," said Mr.. Churchill, gravely.
"You must seen the place where the
road crosses the Loughery Creek =
"Yes."
"Ds you happen to know where Ben
Samson lives :"
"Yes; staid with him in red house
at the top of the big hill"
Precisely Well, wanted to fix the