davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
A STRANGE STORY.

The Fort Wayne lind S ntincl tells
the following remarkable story:
Among the more prominent visitors
who are with their friends and relatives
in this city is Mr.. Cecil c., of Brow
erton, n. Y. About five years ago Mr..
c. went boating on Oneida Lake with
two Of his companions. They unmoored
the boat and rowed for distance of two
miles to an island that lifted itself from
the waves. Here they spent few hours
in collecting botanic specimens until
black, thunder-laden cloud in the west
warned them that a violent storm was
brewing, and they speedily set out upon
their return. They had nearly reached
the mainland when their little craft was
turned keel upward by squall, and the
party was left struggling and painting in
the water Mr.. c. saw his two COM
panions swimming toward the shore and
attempted to follow them, but in vain. 4
delightful sensation of repose took possess
sion OF him. Then all was chaos Blank!
He was rescued by his companions, and
upon his return to consciousness he at
hands, to speak, bot found himself unable
to command muscle.
AS he lay in this condition, memory
pictured to him all that had transpired
up to the moment when he became insen-
sible. Then he marveled whether he was
alive or dead. Wha: meant this hush,
this chill, this blackness of darkness ;ha;
enveloped him Where was he What
was he? Would he be always thus
Time passed on, and he felt his thoughts
and ideas contracting to narrower and
narrower sphere, until nothing but the
central knowledge Of existence continued
to assert itself But suddenly crash, as
if all the Titan thunder gods had blown
their trumpots in unison, smote upon his
hearing-a deluge of light like the concen-
trated rays of million suns burst upon
his vision, there was a severing OF soul
and sense, as he stood in spirit besi lie his
violet strewn, coffin and read the iuscriP
tion:
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
NU MBER ;.

Cecil c., born in Baltimore, Nd, Jan.
%, 1876. Died at Brewbrook. n. Y, June
20, 1866 Aged twenty years,
Through the oval glass at the head Of
the casket be could see his face frozen
into the white rigidity of death. His
friends and relatives were seated around
the room, and the pastor was preaching a
touching funeral sermon, interrupted now
and then by the sobs of the listeners
Through the open window the glory of
summer day was drifting in, fragrant With
the sweet breath from the clover field and
musical with the songs of birds He saw
a latent beauty in everything he looked
upon, and a latent melody in every sound
he heard-snd he realized how crude and
imperfect are all our dreams of happiness
in the fiesh, as compared with those which
the immortals know. But, like flash
OF lightning, there came loss of identity
again-utter annihilation for an uncertain
lapse of time-and when he again awoke
to sense of his condition his spirit ence
more tenantsd his body-his coffin had
been borne TO the cemetery-and he heard
the sexton preparing to lower him to his
last resting place in the dust
Now, for the first time, great horror
fell upon him. He was to be entombed
alive-to be left alone with the night and
the terror, and the grim company of skel-
etons mouldering around him He would
regain consciousness when too late-would
strike the close walls of the prison, but Ia
no other purpose call, and there would
be no answer; pray, and the very heavens
would be pjtiless shrek, tear his flesh
with his fingers, curse, and, ravin2, die.
Summoning up all bis will, he utilized it
in last effort to break the spell that had
seized him, and with success He was
rescued from lis impending, doom, and
weeks OF watchfuf nursing brought him
back to the full enjoyment of his former
| health.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
CHATTER V.

ooh my lonely, lonely, lonely pillow
Where is my lover, where is my lover p
We viii now introduce the reader to
the villain of the piece. Her name is
Garlina Won Digiezout, and she has no
front teeth. Her forte is rivalry, and the
present business she has on hand is to
"cut out" Perseverance Matilda and to
secure for herself the precious heart,
which IS the object of the latter lady's
yearnings. To this patriotic work she
has devoted all her sleepless nights, en-
couraged alike by the impulses of her own
bosom and the secret service fund provided
by Christopher Knuckles.
If the reader has nothing pressing on
hand to prevent, we will now go to Jer-
sey, and enter the city of r, at
about sunrise. Enveloped in the gar
ments of invisibiiiy, we enter bedroom
in the third and last story of hotel A
human being of the masculine gender is
just arising, like Venus out of the sea.
from corn>shuck mattress But unlike
the fairy goddess, he is picture of man
who has passed an uneasy and unquiet
night. That once classic form trembes
with nervousness, like a mass of caif's
head jelly moulded into Adams shape
that formerly raven hair is matted, and
streaked with capilsceous silver; those
9nOnd0q beautiful eyes are now blear and
sore his robe de chamber (Which is the
French for night gown is '1attered and
torn," and his general appearance is 'eall
forforn." An hour is spent in dressing,
unbroken by the ejaculation of single
word from his lips, save an occasional
subdued imprecation. But he sighs awful
ly-in fact, like furnace. You say he's
been drunk. lou err, and you do net !;
he is and has been drunk for long time,
but it is with love- His emaciated form
the result Of vinegar and slate-peucil
diet-shows it. His eyes are two wit
nesses to the fact, from reading of and
weeping at the sorrows of such as he.
He has now completed his toilet by
turning his paper collar, which he has
worn for the last lunar month, inside out
and adjusting it to his neck with little
mucilage. Going then to closet, he
takes a drink of water out Of black
bottle and sits down.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24

SHERIFF'S SALES BY virtue of
-, - sundry writs of VGnd. Erpon. issued out of
the Court of Common Pleas of Cambria county
and 10 me directed, there viii be exposed to
Public Sale, at the Union HdU, JohnstOlrn, on
MonGny- 26Ih day of February, inst; at ?
o oclocksP. NJ. the following Real Estate, to wit ::
ALL the right. title ana interest of Catharine
McKenna ana Daniel McKenna, of, in and to ali
1haJ certain Iot or piece of ground situate in
JohnStown, in the county of Cambria and State
or pennsylvania. bounded and described as fol-
lows 10 VII: Fronting twenty nv { t;J ieel on
the south side OF Market street and running
back southeasterly fifty5fve and one-half t551e)
rect toa lot now of Mr.. Iiendlng, belng lots late
the property of james Downey. sr., decd, and
lot now or late the property OF John Coad and
~. O'Connell on the east, being the same lot Of
ground which by sundry mesne couveyances
and allowances in lazy became vested in John
NJ POWER ana JACOB Rellly, who by deed dated
the 9th day of April, 1859, conveyed the same to
David ID. JOues, who by his deed conveyed the
same, dated May 10, 1854, to James HerringtOn,
and the said JAS. Harrington, by his deed dated
June Is, 1864, conveyed the same to Geo. Huscr,
u, who 10y his deed dated Nov. 3, 1865, conveyed
the same to John Krauss who by his deed dated
Nov. D. 1866, conveyed the same to Catherine
MeKcnua, party hereto, with the hereditaments
and allowances. Taken in execution and TO be
sold at the suit of Robert Robinson and Samuel
b. Robinson, trading as Robinson & Co. and $
B. Robiuson, Administrators Of $ b. Robinson,
decd, ard Hill Burgoon, Administrator c. {. q.
OF r. Robinson, decd.
ALSO, all the right title audIinterest of Joseph
keltTuier' of, in and to a,ceTtain lot Of ground
ing Is feet on Broad street and extending back
l32 feet to an alley. adjoining lot of John Me
Closkey on the east and Isadore Rifle on the
weSt, having thereon erected two story plank
house and q one story kitchen attaChed-nOw
in the occupancy of Frank Gelder. Taken in
execution and to be sold at the suit of The St.
JOSeph'S Society.
Also, all the right, title and interest of Michn
p, Kelly, of, in and to a certain lot of ground
situate in Cambrio borough, Cambria county.
fronting on Broad street the south, lot of
Thomas keelan on the east, and an alley on the
north, and Third street the south. having
thereon erected two story plank house, not
now occupied. Taken in execution and 10 he
sold at the suit of n. F. Carroll, tor use of Fat
rick Shanahan.
". b. BONA CEFFS. Sheriff.
ShcriG's Office, Ebensburg, Feb. 6, 1872.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24

privation. He stood like one lost in
meditation, and much resembled the we'll
known picture of Napoleon at St. Helena.
He rehearsed,in an undertone, Goldsmith s
deserted Village" and all the songs
containing that hoart-rending word, 'fare-
well, that he could remember. He pres
pared to leave this dreadful inquisition
where his young affections had been so
cruelty put to rack. Only one regret
arose in his tender bosom, and he burst
into tears, He had forgotten his meer-
schaum To go back was impossible,
SO he philosophicaIly took mouihfpl of
cardamon seeds and left the premises.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
CHATTER ".


"And if there be a human tear
From passions dross refined and clear,
A tear so limpd and so meek.
1t would not stain an angels cheek,
lis that which pious fathers shed,
Upon duteous daughters head i''
LADY OF THE LAKE.
Christopher Knuckles sat in his shep
adjoining his residence on Two Hundred
and Tonth Street, city proper. A casual
observer might have noticed that this
biquedal Bruin was unusually cross on
this occasion. Such an observation would
have been correct. The fact was that
his corns troubled him, and besides that
he had just swallowed hale tufrlbler of
inferior kerosene in mistake for brandy.
He hammered loudly against the wall
with an empty bottle, and clamorously
called for Perseverance Matilda.
She came, she saw, and she went
after the ensuing dialogue:
''Sit down, you Persy !"
She sat down.
"And so ye're sparkling that young
Currentia, are YEP
q have that pleasure boldly respond-
ed Perseverance Matilda. A dose of
vinegar and onions cured her cold, and!
her language was now fluent and natural.
swell, you must step it," said the
stern old uncle.
81 fail to discern it," sententiously re-
joined the loveress.
He slapped her in the face and continued;
See yere. forbid the banns. An
irreconcilliable fcud exists between the
houses of Knuckles and Currentia, dating
back 10 that time whereof the memory of
man ruhneth not TO the contrary as the
liars say. 1t originated, l believe. in a
dispute about a game of poker. Centu-
ries roll on, but only deepen and widen
the breach. | want no grandchildren
with the cheating blood of the Curren .
Iias flowing in their veins"
''Gammon," said II. Matilda, al love
and my love IS reciprocated, and it shall
be consummated. | am the envy Of all
the other girls in town, and the beau Ideal
Of all the young men. Lots of match
making papas and mamas have been try
ing to get me 10 propose to their sens, but
nO-no-my angelic Wilhelm is the sole
proprietor Of my hearts undivided aAec-
tiOns and moreover, I have lien OF.
him on account of disbursements, pres,
ents, and SO forth. / will now marry
and settle down. have broken enough
hearts | have sown my untamed grain.
OH
"That'lI do, you minx,' interrupted old
Christopher. ''Y ou're rebel Avaunt
and quit my sight"
And she did So
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
EBENSBURG, PA, SATURDAY, 1872

man was fresh, and he gradually gained
On the fugitive dimity.
At last-oh unerring instinct that
guides alike the faithful canine and the
faithful lover l-Matilda bolted into the
ladies' entrance of the hotel introduced to
the reader in the preceding chapter. She
assembled the three flights of stairs at a
single bound, and there on the landing,
for the first time, released her hold on the
musical implements by laying them down
AT the right of the door before which she
stood, she saw pair of shabby, but newly
blackened CATERS; she recognized them as
Wilhelm's, and she kissed them. Then
she twisted up her back hair, shook out
her dress, and rushed into the room. But
only two or three steps at most-for then
she came to the standstill, as one suddenly
stricken with petrifiaction. Was it be-
cause of the sight that met her eyes
Was it because she saw her long lost
Wilhelm there besieged by her hated
rival Was it because of all this ? No ];
it was because the policeman had caught
her 10y the skirts aud held her there!
Now Wilhelm rose to greet her, but the
quick CarNna was on Der 1eet IN an IN
stant, and by back handed blow sent
him sprawling upon the floor. Advanc>
ing TO Perseverance Matilda, with her
eyes shooting lightning, she was about
commencing terrific philippe against her
when we'll directed impromptu blow
from that individual sent Disiezout tum~
bling back OYER the coal scuttle. At these
belligerent indications the policeman van
ished. not neglecting, however, to take
along with him the bass viol and It's bow,
as treasure trove if nothing else,
iIostili'ies were now begun in earnest
TIE whacks, The bangs, the rips, the
shrieks, were awful to hear; the air was
] filed with flying mats of hair and jets OF
blood, and as the combat deepened it be-
came bloodier and hairier. Poor Viii
helm. the innocent cause of this dreadful
war, alternately swooned, shrieked, cried
and sucked the black bottle. in the farth-
est corner of the room, and the carnage
and slaughter went on.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24

"Ah, me-" he says-and you might
have seen tears trickling down his cheeks,
if such had really been the case, but it
am not Is this protracted thing to be
continued? &? Who says I'm mad, at his
peril? I'm only sick with hope deferred.
1t seems like half dozen centuries since
| saw my poor loveress; and she doesn't
know where | am. Here, in a foreign
land, hoped we might be free from cross
fathers and crotchety uncles, and | could
receive company-the company of she
who loves me so much. My letters must
rival who thinks to wean .Ae from her.
Or has she seen some fairer youth and
made an assignment of her affections
'Twould crush my lamb like heart to
think so, for forty advantageous offers
have received, but rejected them all, and
wait only Persy Tilda's proposition TO
say yes O.
What further be intended to say was
Interrupted by rattling noise at the door,
followed by the entrance into the room of
Carlina Won Digiezoui, at whose appear
ance Wilhelm swoUncd, but as he had
fortunately placed the black bottle upon
the table by his side, he took healthy
draught tiTerefron, and shortly resived.
Carlna fell on her knees before him,
clasped her hands, and prcfaciDg her re-
marks with a s:anzt from Walt Whites
man, beseught him TO be her husband
Never was suitor moEe earnest, mOrc,
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
II.


Then flashed the livid lightning from her
eyes.''-PoPE.
1t was daylight 5us, after dinner, and
everybody was engaged in that post~pran-
dial occupation of teeth>picking. Did
say everybody2 Well, | erred-but re-
member, dear reader, that ''to err is hu>
man, and to forgive etc. Everybody,
then, was engaged in dental excavations,
save Oae-another exception to the gener-
al appearance of things, as you notice.
That one was Miss Perseverance Matilda
Joahns, the only daughter and heiress of
non-existing parents, for they were dead,
and she was sweet seventeen-at the time
TO which this history refers, residing in
the domicil of her respected, but stern old
uncle, Christopher Knuckles.
She sat in the kitchen, excoIiating po-
tatoes She was fair creature, with
solferino hair, eyes ''deeply, darkly, beau
tifully blue, robust form, and bad bonn
bazine dress around her body, and cold
in her head. Suddenly she rolled her
eyes frantically towards the rafters,
dropped a semi peeled potato upon tho
floor, clenched the knife with both hands,
and Missed through her teeth, (Which were
false):
ST bill, upon my soul, I bill ~
And then she fell to peeling her potato.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
ST bill, upon my soul, I bill !"
And then she fell TO peeling her potato.
CHAPTER III.

"Gone, but not forgotten ."-ANoNYMoUs
Perseverance Matilda was desperately
in love with Wilhelm Currentia, and Ujce
UerSa. But the old folks, as might be ex-
pected, were down on it, Wilhelm was
confined to his room, and deprived of the
common necessaries of life, and not ais
lowed to receive company. In vain Ma
tilda called to see him, the servants had
positive orders to deny admittance TO her
or any other marrying young woman who
might solicit admission One day Will
helm made Il rope out of his bed>clothes
after the most approved fashion, and in
the 'hoIy hour of midnight" let himself
down TO terra .tfrpad. For an hour and a
half, the rash youth stood gazing at the
roof which had sheltered him, and under
whose shingles he had suffered such great
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
WRITTEN FOR THE FREEM1N:1
SATURDAY NIGHT THOUGHTS.
FROM THE GERMAN.

The day of rest-that happy dayI
How sweet to have it near
The weeks hard labor now is done.
The time for rest is now begun
The hour of rest is here.
The tOilful week is DER; now may
The weary labOrer rest;
No more let cares of earth employ
Let thoughts of heaven each soul en-
pley-
OF heaven, our home so blest.
With trustful hearts let's look alOft;
From heaven let's gather strength :
Earth, cruel MASTER grinds us down,
Wen need we hope our woes to drown
Ana cheer our hearts at length.
Ere long the day we've sighed for oft
Will rest unbroken give;
Then sorrow, care, and pain shall cease,
Wen find, at length, unbrozen peace
An endless Sabbath live.
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
PERSEVERANCE MATILDA.
a leap Year Love Tale.
EY PAUL PARALLELt
CHAPTER 1
"Is John Smith within?''
"Nts, that he is.'-MoTuER GoosE.

''Is John Smith within?''
YES that he is. s.'-MoTuER Goose.
1t was midnight. Darkness reigned
undisPuiod master Of the earth, and Gin,
merian gloom was the order of the even
ing. The busy, busting, boisterous and
generally bad city of P was over
spread with shadow from Tartarus. -
In a word, ii was dark ! as dark as, in
the language of somebody, ''the shades
of midnight cast on the gates of hell"
In fact, it ,cH8 midnight-that dreadful.
dismal time when cutters yawn and po~
licemen sleep. But il was rot total dark
ness-altbough it came within one of it
for in all the wide cxpanse there was
but ore light visible, so the owls and bats
told me, for it was not apparent TO human
eyes. That solitary light came from
non explosive coal oil larp, which lamp
stood on table, which table stood up
right in the sixth story of (nos the house
that Jack built, butt the pasatial residence
of Geotirey Currenia, on the southwest
corner OF Broad and Front streets, sur
rounded BY an iron fence and beautifully
oman nted with a ground rent and a
mortgage. The compliments of the au>
thor of this highly thrilling CD thing are
presented To the reader with the request
that he Will accompany him to the locali-
~ whence proceeds this light, which, like
the eyes of Polyphemus, glares at US
liercer and fiercer as we approach.
We crawl down the chimney like fairy
sweeps, and transformed into flies, stand
unseen in the room Of Wilhelm Currentia,
the only son Of Geoffrey Currentia, his
father and parental parent. Wilhelm
stands before US, and VIC will take look
at him He is a young man who has
evidently passed through the frosts of
forty summers, more or less, and possess
ed in detail of the following appurtenane
Ces Hair as black as all ou!-doors at that
then present time; eyes ditto; coats, pants,
vests, boots, idCna face as white as snow
before it has reached the dirty ground.
His nose was a cross between The Grecian
and the Roman cast, and was a model of
nasal beauty, not in the least impaired by
the roseate hue on the end Of it, His
mouth oh such a mouth. Rogets
Thesaurus and Crabbe's Synonymous com
bined would be insufficient to produce the
necessary euIogistic words repaired to
properly describe it. And so we will
pass it, and while we are on the pass,
pass to the next chapter, which is
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
SECRETS ABOUT CUBRTHNG.

The racy correspondent Of the Conanacys
ciaL AdreTtis,r. Eli Perkins. whites as
follows aprOpos of the gas famine in New
York Last night went from Dr Ewer's
with Julia. | felt great confidence in
myself The darkness gave me conf,
dence. 1t always gives lovers confidence.
There were thir'y>six dark gas burners,
and one tallow candle-one Eighth ave-
nue. talloW candle in her fathers palatiai
mansion. took her hand, l did, and
was about to say something confideniial
in the feeble candle light, when we heard
Julia's cousin Mary in the back parIor
with Charley Brown. Charley was taxi
ING advantage Of the darkness too. We
saw their shadows on the glass door.
beard hin, whisper:
MARY, dear, | have something conf
Dental TO tell you.''
'sWhat is 1t, Charley ?" she lisped, in
a veet voice.
Then we saw one arm of his shadow
encirce her shadow, and somebody whis-
pered-
81 think, Mary-I think that-I love
YOU -
Then we heard suppressed SIGH.
seMary,'' continued the voice, do YOU
love me p
"Yes. Charley, | do love YOU" she
sobbpd.
al nw much p
"More than words can express
81 am very clad, Mary" continued tie
voice, "for | thouoht Won were flrlinc.''
.sWeU Charley
Bot ChaiIev seldom said another word.
Young fellows never get farther than Ills
nowadays. This is as much as any rea-
sopab!e younp lady ought 10 expect. Now
Charley is an honorable. high school feI>
low, and he has gotten Just so far with
three hundred and efGhtv-six diff.ren.
Young ladies on Fifth avenue. II ia
called Inv the fellows the sss,icking nsint -
One day | said. Charley, did YOU ever
Get any farther than the Sticking Point ,"
s.Psbaw. Eli. YES he repIied. ssTbere
are two other points still. We call tb,m
the AwfnI Oath Dodoe and the Poverty
Dodoe Wbv I've come these dodpcs
over the Fifth Aveppe Girls more than
twenty times"
ssWhat !, the AwfnI Oath DODGE ,"
The Awful Oath Dodge is where we
get sweet on a girl tell her that we love
her oct her to sav thai sba loves rs. tbsn
anno1nce with Tremendous solemnitv that
we were compelled to take an awfal oath
at the bedside of our diving grandfather
The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-24
CAMBRIA COUNTY. SIS. ::

The Commonwealth Of PENNSYLVANIA:
C-'- To d. w, Lewis. Richard {. Lewis. II. p
Is. Lewis, George Il. Lewis Edw. Roberts.
- Guardian of Edwin Porter. minor child
OF Sarah l. Porter, formerly Sarah +. Lewis,
deceased. ana Edward L. Lewis, heirs and re-
preScntativcs OF Richard Lewis, deceased, and
all others concerned in the premises Greeting:
We command you and firmly enjoin you. that
laying aside all business whatever, you be and
appear before the Judges Of the Court OF Com
mon Pleas OF said county, to be held Mt Ebens-
burg, the first MOHGdyO Of March Hcrti to show
cause, If any you have, why the witnesses on
,Erii,,S &c i nSSTON MOORE, on his complaint
tied. should not he cNamiiCi - =, - -. -. -, ~ - -
reduced to writing and filed of record In 81, 5
said court, in order to perpctuate the same,
agreeabIy to the constitution Of our govern
ment aud the Act of Assembly in such case
made and provided. And hereof fail not at
your peril
Witness the Honorable JOHN DEAN, President
Of our said Court, at Ebcnsburg, the !lth day OF
December. in the year OF our Lord one thOus-
and, eight hundred and seycnty-One.
!. X. HITE, PrOthOnOtary.
Attest-W. i. BONACEER, Sheriff. I2-lO.-3t ]