davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
Chinese Cooking.

Professor Pumpelly, in his interesting
book, "Acros8 America and ASIA" gives
the following amusing description of the
Chinese method of preparing dinner. He
says;
GA few miles Northwest of Ki-ming, the
road enters gorge, by which the Yank-ho
finds its way through mountains Of limestone
and schalstone. The route is quite pictur-
esque, being cut into the rock along the edge
of the rapid and fOaming river. At the
Northwest end of these narrows, small
cluster of houses called Hiang-shui-fu, is the
usual resting place for the middle of the day.
Here caravans of camels and mules are rest
ed, while their drivers collect in a large room
which is at the same time kitchen and eating
house. Here, also, we entered, and sitting
down at rough deal table, ordered our
dinner of the Chang kweite, or, as Able Hue
calls him, 'the Inspector of the Chest.
There were steWed mutton, and fried mutton,
and beef and poultry, chi-tang- chau'er, or
fried eggs, lau-ping and man-tau, or fried
cakes and steamed bread, and vermicelli.
There was also pork in various shapes, but
our knowledge of the Chinese pig and its
habits disinclined US from partaking of its
flesh. Excluding this, we ordered little of
everything else, and the cooking of our
dinner began under our eyes. We heard the
chickens squeal, and in a few minutes they
were thrown through the window to the cook,
who then had them dressed and broiling in
an incredibly short time; the bread maker
put the Jumps of man-tau into the steamer,
and then busted himself with the lau ping.
Taking a large piece of well kneaded dough,
and making it into stick yard long, he
drew, threw, pulled and twisted it until it
assumed the dimensions Of girls skipping
rope; and then doubling and twisting and
pulling it again and again, producing
double stub and twist texture, he cut it into
small pieces, which, after good deal of
tapping and patting became respectable
disks; as he finished each of these he uttered
a shout, and with well directed aim, tossed
it some twenty or thirty feet across the room
to the cook. In the meantime another man
was manufacturing the yermicelli. Seated
on a machine, some three or four feet above
the cooking-range, this man worked a long
lever, which moved piston in q cylinder
with a perforated bottom; at every stroke
the long white strings descended into boiling
pot beneath, until the cook, judging that the
quantity was equal to the demands Of our
appetite, cut off the material flush with the
cylinder, giving the man on the lever time to
curl up on the narrow board and smoke his
pipe till another customer should need his
services. While waiting for dinner the
traveller passes his time in drinking large
quantities of tea, but during the meal the
beverage consists of strong rice brandy,
sometimes favored with rose leaves, and
alygov--- II lSeI, hs,E''
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
A Child's Faith.

How straight and simple is the way a
child comes to Jesus No doubt, no hesita-
ton, only simple faith and perfect love. A
little girl of my acquaintance was once look
ing at picture, with which many of you
may be familiar, which represented rock in
the midst of stormy sea, having upon its
summit cross to which female figure just
recovered from the angry waves clings, faint
and exhausted, while at her feet hand
grasping part of wreck is just disappear,
ing in the black water.
"What does that mean ?" asked the child
cit is called The Rock of Ages, was
the answer.
"That means Jesus, to whom we cling for
salvation"
"You know the hymn says, Other refuge
have 1 none. "
90 yes !" said the child, after a moments
hesitation, ''but that rock isn't my Jesus
when I cling to him he reaches down and
clings toe"
Teach the little ores of this Jesus "whc
reaches down and clings too, )" to whom We
hold, not so much from fear of falling, since
underneath us are his everlasting arms; but
because, like the trusting child whom the
father safely carries, we love to cling, that
we may draw him National Sunday
School Teacher.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
A Mothers influence.

The following gem, should be read in
every family:
A mother on the green hills of Vermont,
was holding by the right hand son, sixteen
years old, mad with love of the sea. And
as she stood by the garden gate one morning
she said:
edward, they tell me, for never saw
the ocean, that the great temptation, of a
seaman's life is drink. Promise me, before
you quit your mothers hand, that you will
never drink liquor"
"And, said he, for he told the story, 81
gave the proznigc, and I went the globe over
to Calcutta and the Mediterranean, San
Francisco, and the Cape of Good Hope, the
North and South Poles; 1 saw them all in
forty years, and never saw glass filled
with sparkling liquor that my mothers
form at the gate did not rise up before my
eyes, and to day l am innocent of the taste
of liquor"
Was not that sweet evidence of the power
of a single word? Yet that is not half
e" For, still continued he, yesterday there
came into my counting room man forty
years old"
''Do you know me?"
"No."
"Well, said he, 81 was brought drunL
into your presence on ship board, you were
a passenger; they kicked me aside; yor
took me to your berth and kept me there til
I had slept off my intoxication; you ther
asked me if 1 had mother; said I haC
never heard word from her lips; you tOld
me of yours at the garden gate; and to-day
am master of one of the finest ships il
New York harbor, and came to ask you tC
come to see me"
How far the little candle throws its beam
The mothers words on the green hills o
Vermont God be thanked for the mighty
power Of a single word
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

trial with one of the hayward children, and
1 asked; "Well what did you say?"
She answered: cob nothing. | only
kept You know it does not make things
better to answer back"
"But what did you do?" I again asked.
81 just waited as patiently as l could un'
til she got over it.
"Keep still" How wise, how heroic, how
beautiful, to keep still and bear in silence
sharp, passionate yords "Just waited. ;
How admirable the grace of patience, to wal
until the furious storm of anger is over, an(
never increase it by the utterance of single
word
How sweet to see little children TURF
silently away from contention; and hov
beautiful for young people to abstain iron
answering back Exchange.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
Forgetfulness in Little Folks and Great
Folks. ="


oliver did you carry that basket to thu
store"
go, forgot"
"Why did you not come directly home
from school, Oliver, as 1 requested your"
go, forgot all about it !"
"Why did you not study your Sabbath
School lesson, Oiver?"
go, I forgot it entirely Indeed, for
got to bring my book home"
Thus, on every occasion of neglect and
unfaithfulness, the excuse was, 81 forgot.
Did God forget? No This forgetfulness
showed his wicked heart-his disObedience
"Be ye doors of the word, " says the Apostle
James, "and not hearers only, deceiving
your ourselves"
AS it is with little folks, SO it is with big
folks; go, I forgot it, indeed And why
did you forget it? Why VOW, and pay not
Why make an engagement and fulfill it not
You forgot to comply with your promise
How is this DoyOu forget your breakfast
your dinner, your supper Do you forget
to provide for your bodily wants or necessi-
ties? And yet you forget to do thing that
might have saved soul from death eternal
Wicked man, wicked woman Is this you.
brother, sister, forgetting to do good, and
that good you promised to do =? This indi-
Gates obtuseness of conscience, a lack Of
Gods fear, love and mercy. Besides griev-
ing the Holy Spirit by this omission, you
forfeit your reputation for strict honesty,
curtail your usefulness greatly. We be8eech
you consider engagements binding to the
very letter, for conscience sake. Do you
promise to visit the sick, the poor, the OPP
pressed, to attend to such meeting, to de-
liver such message, such a book, such a
tract, for the souls salvation? and then will
you say when questioned, Il forgot it?"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
Swimming Apparatus.

A French inventor has patented an ap-
paratus for swimmers. For the hands he
has large membranous fin, which is held in
it's place by loops passing over the fingers
and strap around the wrist. The surface
presented to the water by these fins is so
large as to add greatly to the effectiveness
of the strokes of the arm, but not so large
as to exhaust the muscular power. Their
effect is to reduce very much the effort re-
quired to swim without them. But the great
est ingenuity is displayed in the form and
fitness of the fins for the legs, which are at
tached to the ankles, and are so formed that
they act upon the water, both in the move
ment of bringing the legs together and
throwing them back. They act so finely in
threading water, as swimmers call it, that
one can really walk, if not on the water, al
least in it. The difference between swim
ming with this apparatus and without it, is
very much like the difference between row
ing boat with handle and the blade of al
oar. The old swimmer has no trouble ii
using the fins at first trial, and is surprised
to find with what ease he can swim without
exhaustion. He easily swims twice as fas
with the apparatus as without it, and he car
sustain himself for hours upon the water, Of
swim miles with it.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

The words might be sharp, harsh, censori
Gus, or even bitter-it mattered not, sh(
threw nothing back, but met them all with
the same sweet spirit of calm endurance
She was often placed in very trying ciroum-
stances, but her Selfcontrol never left her
patient kindness remained unchanged.
When a mere child, her mother gave, as
it were, the care of the entire family into
her tender hands, and kissed her last fare
we'll Tender, delicate child that she was,
and yet 50 strong, so firm in goodness! Her
father, hasty, irritable, at times unreasona
BE, was most exciting in his requirements;
but she met his various moods with patient,
forgiving love.
Her brothers and sisters were passionate,
ftGul, aud trying, but their misdemeanors
were never visited with sharp rebuke. She
never answered back to their peevish and
complaining words.
I have seen sadness come over her coun-
tenanoe like heavy cloud, and large tear,
drops roll slowly down her fair cheeks, but
no temper-dashes ever disturbed the quiet
beauty Of her face, no violent emphasis or
unloyeIy accents broke the melody of her
sweet voice. I've seen her slowly leave the
room to avoid conflict, and once when through
some misunderstanding sac received a pain
full upbraiding letter she stole away softly
to her chamber, and afterward she told me
that she fastened to God to get right feeling
quickly.
One day she was telling me of particular
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
Hair

There are more applications than one for
the familiar metaphor about human life
hanging on single hair-at least a very
few hairs recently caused man in England
to lose his life upon the scafold. A doctor
who was somewhat of an enthusiast on the
subject of the microscope, had made spe-
cial study of all kinds of capillary tegu-
ments, and at length made bold to announce
that upon the inspection Of tuft he could
tell from what animal it was taken, and from
what part Of the animal Not long ago he
received number of hairs which he was re-
quested to examine. He did so, and the re-
suit of his inspection was report that they
were from human eyebrow, and that they
had suffered confusion. Soon after ne was
required to attend the trial of man who
was accused of murder. The victim of the
crime had been killed by heavy blow upon
the eyebrow with blunt instrument, and
there had been found in the possession of
the prisoner hammer to which there chung
the hairs which the doctor had examined I'M
der his microscope. Upon his testimony the
man was onvicted-forming a notable in
stance of science assisting justice. But one
of the Jurors, though agreeing in the verdict,
was haunted by doubts as to the reliability
of the process by which it had been reached.
To test the doctors skill, he called on him
one day with lock of hair, and asked the
scientists opinion as the original wearer.-
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
8MsbxMdtp.
u ~ oA

LIATRIs ODoRATIssIMA, Wjld..-This
plant, which is a native of the Southern
States, has been the subject of some recent
inquiries 1t grows in low, sandy woods
from Southern Virginia to Florida. 1t is
known by several local names, as wild vanilla,
deer's-tongue, and sea lavender. The leaves
have strong vanilla odor. The plant grows
three to four feet high, with simple straight
stalk, terminated by corymb of bright pur-
pie flowers. 1t belongs to genus which is
represented by eighteen or twenty species in
the Southern States, none of which are spe
cially odorous except this one. Several
species are found in the Northern, and seve.
raj in the Western States. They all have
snowy purple flowers, some Of them in long
spikes, and are known by several local names,
as button snake root, blazing star, &c. The
leaves of the aforementioned species IL.
odoratsssSma) have been employed to give
pleasant fragrance to tobacco and Cigars
They are brought to market in small bales.
The lower leaves of the plant are about six
inches long by three inches broad. 1t is
said to be very abundant in Florida We
are not informed as to the market price of
the leaves, but do not doubt that it depends
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
Central 4rrsbgtrian,
Back Money

Far away in heather country, where
they have never learned of Jesus love, there
exists a beautiful custom, from which the
children of our favored land Of gospel light
might learn lesson.
The mothers do net stay indoors, and
sew, and work, and care for the children,
but 10 heavy outdoor labor, such as belongs
to the men of this country. Their babes
are strappedto the mothers backs in a little
sort Of seat or bag, where they grow and
thrive without interfering with her work.
As they grow older, and begin to care for
themselves, it is customary for them to give
a certain portion of their gifts and earnings
to their mother, as a reward for her care of
their infancy. This Offering is aptly termed
Back Money as if to thank her for the
many hours Of WEAKNESS and twinges Of
pain experienced by her when carrying her
babe on her back, as she tOiled in the field.
The children who give their pennies to
send the Bible to that far-off nation could
not do better than to initiate this beautiful
custom.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
4nns&hula aNntds.

CHE CARRIES THEM UPHILL. The
other day the children were learning the
twenty-tbird Psalm, and we were talking to-
gether about the Good Shepherd, and how
He takes care of the sheep and the little
lambs. ImpetuOus Mary, eager to speak
her own thought, said rapidly;
He feeds them, and drives away the
lions and the bears"
eyes, said Tiny, thoughtfully, "and He
carries them uphill"
'-He carries them up-hiUP
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
CENTRAL PRESBY TERRAIN.

much upon their mode of cure and their
soundness. For wrappers of cigars the
leaves would need to be sound and unbroken.
Probably if the plant were submitted to
cultivation, and the stalk cut back so as to
favor the development of large leaves, it
might be improved in quality and value
We would be glad to see its use extended,
for it has no hurtful properties, and since ii
improves the flavor of tobacco, the more Of
it employed in the manufacture of that arti-
Gle the better.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

ALL COPS DEVELOPMENTS have method.
No matter how small thing He sets Him
self to do, He does it with plan. There
is not a blade of grass under your feet but
He has a perfect method in its development.
God would never sIn.ss our fields and woods
as He does, if He were to work as we work,
in haphazard dabs and dashes, here and
there, persevering nowhere, finishing moth
ing, fragmentary patchwork.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

CALIFORNIA RAIsINs--Several grape
growers in California have succeeded in pro-
ducing raisins of fine quality. Messrs.
Wadsworth & Butterfeld, from their vine
yard on the foothills near Nevada City,
have produced, from $50 pounds of grapes,
$50 pounds of raisins of superior flavor,
claimed to be equal to the Malaga, and worth
"a cents per pound. This furnishes fine
margin for profit, as it secures 8 cents per
pound for grapes, which is very remuner-
ative figure in California.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
Historical Lessons from a Brick.

Who would suppose than an humble brick
could be capable of imparting valuable and
important information, even to corroborate
the sacred writings? But an Austrian sa-
Uant has discovered, by means Of micro
scope, in a stone taken from the pyramid Of
Dashour, many interesting particulars con-
nected with the life of the ancient Egyptians,
The brick itself is made of mud Of the Nile,
chopped straw, and sand, thus confirming
what the Bible and HerodotuS have handed
down to US as to the Egyptian method OF
brick-making. Besides these materials, the
microscope has brought other things to light,
the debris of river shells, of fish, and of in
sects, seeds of wild and cultivated flowers,
corn and barley, the field pea, and the com
mon flax, cultivated probably both for food
and textile purposes, and the radish, with
many others known to science. There were
also manufactured products, such as frag-
ments of tiles and pottery, and even small
pieces of string made of fax and sheep s
wool. 1t has been truly said that the anti
quities of Egypt shave not only confirmed
Scripture history in the most complete man
ner, but revealed such subtle harmonies of
geography, habits, manners, customs, and
language, as prove that that history must
have proceeded from contemporary writer's. "
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07


AND how absolutely is Christ gift We
never can merit it; we can never earn it
1 have somewhere read of a poor woman in
a royal city Of Europe whose little boy lay
i'll of fever. His parched lips, unsatsfed
with water, craved some cooling fruit. Call
ing IN a neighbor to watch her boy, the poor
mother took her only half crown and has
tened forth. As she walked on she saw an
open gate leading into a garden and a
grapery. There hung the luscious fruit her
child was longing for. Approaching the
gardener, she said humbly; please, kind
gardener, sell me a bunch of grapes for my
sick boy. See, 1 have brought the money"
The gardener looked at it and then at her,
and said: "Begone BECOME at Once~ Hi
ding her tears, she FASTENED home, gathered
up her choicest treasures, and pawned them
for another half crown. And again she
sought the gardener. "See, kind gardener,
have whole crown now. Oh sell me
one bunch, or ever so few, for my poor sick
boy" "WOman, do you know where you
are? You are in the kings garden" AS
she turned away beautiful lady met her.
What troubles you, my poor woman?'-
Oh! 1 only wanted to buy some grapes for
my poor sick boy. Lady, kind lady, could
you sell them to me?" Good woman,
these are the kings gardens, and the king
never sells his grapes, but l am the kings
daughter, and I WILL GIVE YOU ALL YOU
WANT" And so she loaded her hands with
the luscious clusters.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

LOVE is a universal master; whether
clothed in magnifcence or poverty, it is a
species of omnipotence. If a man have
love in his heart, he may talk in broken Ian
guage, but it will be eloquence to those who
listen. 1t is want of Surcharge of Divine
grace in the heart that makes men lean,
barren and unfruitful.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07
Central 4resbptuian,
Office No. 1918 Main street, nearly opposite
the Post Office.
TIE r Ms.

Three Dollars year, paid in Advance. If not
paid within the first too months, 81.
PosTAGE-Twenty cents year-to be paid at
the office where the paper is received
PAYMENTS may be made to local agents wherever
practicable; all ministers of our Church are author
ised to act as such. Or by checks ROsto6fce money
orders, or letters Registered by Postmaster. Other
wise IT MUST BE AT THE RISK OF THE PARTY SEND.
ING IT.
OBITUARIES. Charged at ten cents line. The
party sending can make the estimate by counting
eight words to line. Payment Invariably in ad.
vGnce.
CONSIDERATIONS AND LETTERS ON BUSINESS
should be addressed to Central Presbyterian Box
IL, Richmond, Va.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

GREATEST SORROW AND JoY.-A clergy
man once said: "When l come to die l
shall have my greatest grief and greatest joy;
my greatest grief that have done SO little
for my Lord Jesus, and my greatest joy that
my Lord Jesus has done so much for me"
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

The doctor replied, after brief inspection,
that it had been taken from the back of a
Norway rat And such was the fact! Pro-
badly there are few ladies who would care
to submit their supplemental locks to the
examination of this unpleasant accurate mi
croscopst.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

The MoTHER's INFLUENCE.-One good
mother, said George Herbert, is worth a
hundred schoolmasters. In the home she is
a Gladstone to all hearts, and loadstar to
all eyes," Imitation of her is constant
imitation which Bacon ikens to "a globe of
precepts" But example is far more than
precept. 1t is instruction in action.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1872-08-07

SUGAR IN SAINT MARY's PARISH, LOUIS
IANA.-It is reported that Mr.. Etienne May
nard, who, after the war, began without a
dollar, and with one row of seed-cane in a
garden, made, the second year, Al hogsheads
of sugar; and now, as the fruit of that small
beginning, owns a plantation fully stocked,
and worth at least $4,000. The secrets Of
Mr.. Maynards success are industry, econ
omy, and good implements.