davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24

An CNnArrY BoY.-You can always
/ tell boy whose mother cuts his hair
Not because the edges OF it look as II Il
had been chawed off By an absent minded
horse. but you tell it BY the way he stops
on the street and wriggles his shoulders.
When fond mother has TO cut her boys
hair she is careful TO guard agains. any
annoyance and muss BY laying sheet on
the carpet.
1t has never yet occurred to her to sic
| him over \ bare floor and put the sheet
around his neck Then she draws the
front hair over his eyes. and leaves it
there while she cuts ,ha. which is at tho
back; the hair which lies over his eyes
appears to be surcharsed with electric
needles. and ,l,a, which is silently drop
ping doxn under his shirt band appears
TO be on Ere.
She has unconsciously continued to push
his head forward unit! his nose presses his
breast, and is too busily engaged to notice
The snuffling sound that is becoming
alarmingly frequent. In the meantime he
Is seized with an irresistible desire to blow
his nose. but rccollects that his handkcr-
chief is in the other room.
Then fy lights on his nose. and does
it so unexpectedly that he involuntarily
lodges. and catches the points Of the
shears on his left ear At this he com
mcnces to cry ami wishes he was a man.
But his mother doesn't notice him. She
merely hits him on the other ear. to in-
spire him with confidence aud goes on
with the work When she is through she
holds his jacket collar back from his neck.
and with her mouth blows the short bits
of hair from the top Of his head down his
back. 49, -
He calls her attention to this fact. but
she looks for a new place on his head and
hits him there. and asks him why he didn't
use his handkerchief Then he takes his
awfully disfgnred head to the mirror and
looks at it. and young rs he is. shudders
as he thinks CT what the boys on the
street will say.
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24

Does the dark and sosnaasss river
Stretch so wide
TIE hcmevard rolling tide
Over which tAse crossed
Our loved and carly lost,
That their sealed eyes mar never see
The further side,
Where still amid this toll sed misery
We hide7
Is the realm sf their transitions
Ciass a. hand
To this cur living iandr
Nearer than NE dreamg
a. Can thsr catch sae gleAm -
OF our smiles and hear the words We speak,
And see our deeds?
And, looking derpes than car eyes may seek,
Our needsY
Do they mingk in our glsdness7
Do they grieve
When ways Of good we leave?
Do they know each though, and hope
While We In shadow grope,
Can they hear the Futures high behest,
Yet lack the power
To stay Us from our ills or 20 arrest
The hour
When they fad US bowed with sorrow
Do they sigh?
Or when earth passed hy
For them, do they forget
The cares that here besst
Their well beloved? OR DO they wal,
60, be it thus y
And watch beside the golden gate
For US?
We are yearning for their secret;
Though We call,
No answers ever fail
Upon our dullard ears
To quell our namcless fears,
ie. God is over all, whate'e er may he,
And trusting so,
Patience, my hear, little while and we
Shall know.
We wait then, in patience or
We pant, we strain, like birds against the wires
With beating our bruised wing against the rim
That bounds our utmost flying,
" hen We seek The distnn, and the dim,
But-we wait.
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24
ST. MARY'S BEACON
is ftsLisHED EvERY rHrRspAY
J. F. KING L JAMES s. DOWNS.


TEnHs ~ SuRsrnfyrInS 81 90 psranpuw n
D." paid within SIX months. No suhscription
Will be 7sceived for a shorter period than six
months and no Psper to be discontinued until
nj af'rarAges are paid except at the option of
the p1blisher.
Tfnss oT anvrRTIsISG.- cents per square
Tor the hrstinserion. and 50 cents for every sub
sequent insertion. Eight lines or les. constitute
square. " the number oflnsrrtions he not
marked on the advertisement, IL will be pub
i'hed until forbid, and charged accordingly.
n liberal deduction made 10 those who adver-
tise by the year.
Concentrations Of a personal character will
be charged si the sasne rates as advertisements:
obituaries over ten lines In length will be chary-
ell ~ the rate q :" cents per square
All communications for publication mu,t be
accompanied with the real name Of the au,hor,
or no attention y Ill be paid TO them Thr real
name Of the author will no; be published unlr..
desired, but We cannot consent to instr; COM
munica,ions unless W. know the writer.
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24

MARY. 60 into the sitting room. please.
and tell NE how the Thermometer stands"
Mary (after investieation): 1T stands
on the frs' uartcl-rieee. jcs, ssen the
waIi, u.rm,
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24
'oRLD RENOwNEDNr NEW SINGER
Sewing Machine.

8NHE magnitude 20 Which the S,.U;,c
~ Machine business his grown i
iy unsnrrass, d By the rivalry Of the
rlerS competitors, few ui whom are ur.
m'lia- With thu numerous artCcas rs.
ri'd To Ter the COMMUNICATION ard SAL.
the rarticula: machine soush, 70 h..
u. Ii the number Of sa,cs BE- auv cr;.
ION OF tie merits Of the dlfcr,nt ma.
lnes, 1t cannot be denied that the Sing
ownlrg 10 :ae rcrul;r;ty of what is
own aS the "N,w Fan.il;" machine
snrpasscs all OIL ers. fpr III. Sip,er t.
nPany sold over ffty-.wo thpusand Q,
&c mae dimes las, year tuan any other :,
his capital invested in his farmin. opera
lions. or is there one who would not b,
iglad 10 be insured that much on his bus
t<hess this year? Now. why is this thus
Here are two Of the largest busincs. avc
cations in the country. the one not max
ing even the ordinary interest value on hi
capital, and the other making over 80 pc
cent. in addition to the ordinary in,eres
value Of bis capitalize one growing riel
and the other poor. There mus, Be som
controlling reason for all this. entirely out
side Of those laws which control such IN =.
ters when left free aud untr.mmelled.
Is fair. therefore. to assume that thi
$500. 200, 600 Of surplus profits is the en-
act measure Of protection received BY Ii
manufacturers at the expense Of the pro
dueer. through the operanca Of the tari,
legislaiico Of the country. Il is but righ
and proper to deuounce the "baek-salar,
grabbers as robbers. bat 10 view Of th
the facts herein disclosed they are but th,
worms feeding upon the leaves Of the tree
willis, the borer Is left unii>,urbed q. il
gog: IN It's wcrk Q! icstrueiicr api death
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24

People ~io .l~ays van''n: souesa.ay
Lev, saOu. try Eta:aislA.
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24

The last census reports show that
for Juuel. 1870, there was EN-
ploved in the manufactures in
the United States, rs capital,
the sum Of $c,lls, EOS, 7Go
That for the wear the value of
material used in manufactures
Was sass 4c7, SAC
That there was paid wages for Ia
Dor, ,75, 5,5s+, ,s4o
Now rii 10 'his 10 re- =, ne in
May ~, lN1G=,.
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-07-24

Spots on the sun-Teek!es os yosr
so,s face.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17
Singular Method of Suicide.

An extraordinary case of self-destruc-
ton occurred on March 4, at the lead
mills of Windor & Harrop, in Manches-
ter. Three of the clerks were practicing
blank-flring in the store-room, as was
their custom, when one of them, named
Alfred Roberts, passed his rifle to fell
low clerk, named Thomas Walter, and
told him to aim at his breast. It ap-
pears, however, that Roberts had, upper
ceived by his companions, loaded the rifle
with bali cartridge. Walter took aim, as
desired, and, to his horror, Roberts fell
dead at his feet, the bullet having passed
through his breast. In his hand was
found the following note:
MARCH T. 1873.
| am very glad you have saved me the trouble of
shooting myself. / know you are anxious to be-
come marksman in the corps; perhaps will be
of service to you by making target OF myself.
Wishing you success to your first shot. remain,
yours, respectfully, ALFRED RoBEETs.
Mr.. Tom Walter.
The reason for Walter complying so
readily with Roberts request to take de-
liberate aim at his breast is that 1t is Gus
tomary among volunteers to point their
rifles at each other for the purpose of &C
curing steadiness of aim.-Neao Yorh
Times.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17
Defective FIues.

THE report of the Fire Mar shall of the
city of Brooklyn for 1872 shows total of
34S fires, involving loss of twenty-five
lives and nearly two millions OF property
Of this total of fires, seventy eight, or
nearly one-fourth, are charged against
defective fues and imperfect appliances
for heating. So many fires, then, were
the result of deliberate and inexcusable
neglect, too, not chargeable to the suffer
ers in MANY cases, but to architects and
builders. When a person superintends
the construction of his own dwelling, and
suffers the mechanic to construct improp-
er fiues, or build fues with beams exposed
on the inner surface, perhaps he does not
deserve much sympathy when he aWakes
some night and finds his house in flames.
But not every man superintends the con-
struction of his own dwelling. The vast
majority of men do not, but purchase
houses ready made, and too often built to
SELL 1t is not possible for purchaser to
dissect the dwelling he is about to buy,
and the fatal defects here alluded to are
never apparent to superficial examina-
ton. The opportunity to inflict fatal in
jury upon the innocent purchaser is thus
almost without limit, and 1t is reasonable
to assume that less than a 1.-THE Of the
cases where the fire -fiend is invited by the
builder are reported by the officials ap-
pointed to examine. 1t is not probable
that the seventy eight cases reported, as
resulting from defects in fues and heating
appliances, cover the number properly
asssignahie to that cause. In many cases
the flames gain such Roadway before dis
covery that the starting point cannot be
distinguished.
Thai fiues can be constructed, says the
North american, SO as to render contiagra-
ton impossible from that quarter is alto
gether certain That the cost of SO con-
structing them is not oppressive is also
easily demonstrate. There is no valid
excuse for building fiues of worthless
| brick and mortar without cohesion. Nor
is there any excuse for neglecting to plas-
ter flues inside and out from cellar to
roof. The cost is not burGensome, and
the extra time consumed in doing it is no
| bar. There can be 10 justification for
| constructing flues intersected by wooden
beams and pierced by hemlock joists, and
| the only explanation of such recklessness
| lies in the insanity of the builder, Or in
an acknowledged design to rob insurance
companies and ruin purchasers of such
traps for the unwary. When fire is re-
ported and the cause assigned to defec-
tive flue, every person Of rejecting mind
knows that the fire was in no sense acct
dental. 1t was provided for by the build
er Just certainly as the doors OF the
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17

| dwelling were provided for ingress and
| egress, or the roof to keep out the rain
and snow. Of course, it cannot be as
sumed that the builder deliberated upon
the certainty Of contlagration, but his
reckless neglect of ordinary precaution
amounts to pretty much the same
thing. When a man digs a trench in q
thOroughfare and omits to enclose it, he
may not premeditate the disabling of the
innocent pedestrian who stumbles into the
ditch, but the law holds him responsible
for the palpable neglect. A fire from a
defective fue must be regarded in the
same light It is the result of inexcusable
carelessness, and the responsibility Of
loss ought to be forced home to the
builder.
The rage for cheap homes has some
thing to Go with this wholesale reckless
ness. Yet there Is ne man of even av-
erage common sense who would not will
ingly pay two hundred dollars, Or even a
thousand, extra, for his house, and feel
assured that the tlues were positively fire.
proof. But not every lessee or purchaser
comprehends the danger which may i'm
pend over his household for five years,
and only be precipitated later. AS before
remarked, defects Of construction do not
I'iOSG VIC Sy VI thC pulCAdcCl VI lCoSCC
But where such defects exist, one person
is fully aware of their existence That
person is the builder He knows-no
one better-that fiue constructed of
poor brick and poorer mortar is never
safe. He knows that when flue is only
one brick in thickness, and not well &C.
mented inside, it is dangerous. And he
knows that the exposure of beams and
jolsts to the hot air is SO dangerous that
it is only a question of time when the
catastrophe shall result. Knowing all
these facts, is 1t not singular that the law
does not make him responsible for the
crime of inviting confiagration?
There is in this country popular su-
perstition that a man has an unquestion-
ed right to do as he wills with his money,
if he refrains from trespass upon the
rights of others. The liberty of the indi-
vidual is jealousy fenced about. We are
daily told that the Government must not
interfere with individual enterprise But
the builders of dwellings with defective
tlues trespass against one Of the most
sacred rights of man-to be secure in
person and property. A cheaply con-
structed house, or church, or other public
building is decidedly the dearest invest
ment ever made. AS rule man can
have only his moneys worth. If he builds
chcaply he will have cheap affair, Of
course; and if be constructs a house Of
poor materials and it falls, or if he builds
defective flues and they communicate fire
to the building, he deserves no pity.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17
A Sad Story.

TO-DAY there is a man going about the
streets of this city, ragged, dirty and pen
niless, subsisting on free lunches, and the
charities of gamblers, and has not slept in
a bed for months, who, during the war,
was one of the most dashing cavalry Off
GERS in the Union army, and was pro-
NOTED from the rank of First-Lieutenant
to full Brigadier and Brevet Major Gen
eral, for brilliant exploits on the field of
battle, and who for a long time had
large and important command.
He has been here for two months, under
an assumed name, being ashamed to dim
the brilliancy of his record in the service
of his country by an exhibition of his
degradation under his former honored
name. He is generally very reticent,
having little to do with any one or talk
ing but little, save when "engineering"
for drink, at which he is remarkably
successful.
Night before last, while lying helpless
ly drunk in the rear part of Third street
saloon, some men thought to play joke
on him by stealing his shirt, and pro-
ceeded to strip him. Underneath his
shirt, and suspended by a string around
his neck, was a small canvas bag, which
the men opened and found it to CON-
tain his commission as Brevet Major
General, two congratulatory letters. one
from Grant and one from President Lin
coin, a photograph of little girl and a
curl of hair--a chestnut shadow" that
doubtless one day crept over the brow of
some loved one.
When these things were discovered,
even the half-drunken men who found
them felt respect for the mans former
greatness, and pity for his fallen condi
ton, and quietly returned the bag and
contents to where they found them, and
replaced the sleeper's clothes upon him.
Yesterday a NeOs reporter tried to inter
view the man and endeaVOr to learn
something Of his life in the past few years,
but he declined to communicate anything.
He cried like child when told how his
right name and former position were as
certained, and, with tears trickling down
his cheeks, said: "For Gods sake, sir,
don't publish my degradation, or my
name at least, if you are determined to
say something about it. 1t is enough
that know myself how low have be-
come. VIII you promise that much? 1t
will DO no good, but will do my friends
great deal of harm, as, fortunately, they
think died in South America, where
went at the close of the war"
Intemperance and the gaming table, he
said, had wrought his ruin.-hans0s city
NecS
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17

then by those who ought rather to en-
courage it, and to so direct it that it will
bear abundant fruit. The child who sets
himself down to commit something to
memory, however worthless, or however
unintelligible to him that something may
be, is sure of encouragement. But if he
ask why iron sinks and wood floats on
the water, he is shut up like jack knife,
with some idiotically wise saw about be-
ing seen and not heard.
But tits not merely the habit Of OBJ
serving that we need to cultivate. We
must learn to observe intelligently-to
look at things with our wits about us,
and to learn their causes and consequence
| es as well as the facts themselves. Any
body may see the bud, the blossom, and
the fruit of the tree all in their regular
order, but if he see no more than these,
his observing is of little worth. He must
see in the bud the beginning of bios
som, In the blossom the promise, in the
fruit the tulhllment, before his looking
will have taught him even so small q
thing as why the bud and tue blossom are.
We can hardly fail to be observers SO long
as we have eyes and ears, but we may, if
We will, make ourselves educated observ-
ers, which is quite another thing. We
may learn to make teacher out of every
thing around us, and thus draw instruc-
ton from hundred sources that were
otherwise sealed books to US, and indeed
we must do something of this sort if we
would be really and truly educated
Hearth and Home.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17
Educated Observers.

In talking to the San Franciscans not
long ago, Professor Agassiz urged upon
them the proprlety of establishing in their
midst Museum of Natural Science, not
merely because 2 collection of scientific
specimens, such as they have the means
of making, would be an honor to their
city and State, but more especially be-
cause such collections serve'to make ed
ucated observers, whose habits of obser-
walton will enable them to become wor-
thy contributors to the general fund Of
human knowledge.
Now, in that one happy phrase, "edu
Gated observers" the professor struck
the keynote of all true educational prin-
ciples. The habit of observation is,
above all else, the educator, and the man
or woman who cultivates that makes sure
work in the matter of acquiring inform
alton, whether the habit be accompanied
by much or little Of scholastic culture.
All that we know of physical science, of
course, we owe to observation alone. But
this is not all. In thousand other ways
the study of things and the study Of men
is of even more value than the study of
books. Indeed, the very books we use,
if they be of any account at all, are the
more or less Immediate fruit of intelligent
observation. All that we know has been
learned originally by this very process
We observe fact, and learn that it is a
fact From it and others we draw con-
illusions. And this is the genesis Of all
our knowing. We get from books only
the results of other peoples observations,
ard while these are of great worth with
out doubt, we can not do more foolish
thing than to rest satisfied with them, and
neglect the countless opportunities we
have of questioning the things about US
for information at first hand. As well
might we refuse to look at Niagara be-
cause we have already seen pictures and
read descriptions of the cataract.
Training of precisely this sort-the
cultivation Of the habit of looking at and
looking into the things with which we
daily come in contacts one of the
great educational needs of our time, asst
| has been Of all other times. The only
wonder is, that professional educators in
the past have been so slow to recognize
the want and to supply it. We observe
facts, and we question them of their
| cause and meaning instinctively. We DO
it even in early childhood, and ordinarily
the tendency is pretty efectually checked
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17

| after its habitual fashion at the play. For
some minutes the actual condition OF
| things was not even realized behind the
scenes. With the exception Of myself and
! one other actor on the stage nobody be.
| lieyed but what Rutherstone, still to quote
| the technical phrase, had altered his
business" on the spur of the moment
But when Julia had been helped to her
feet, and he still made no effort to rise, a
panic seized those who stood near-a
panic which increased to fearful terror
as thin line of blood began slowly to flow
across the boards from his body.
They raised him He was dead! Al
ready the expression of agony on his face
was becoming settled and rigid and
there, upon the very spot where, few
minutes before, he had been going through
the mimic show, preparing for his fate, he
met it-and by my hand! But how?
What had CHANGED? AS if by magic, a
surgeon was at his side, laying bare his
breast, and in moment the mystery way
solved The ramrod had been left in the
pistol, and had gone straight into his
heart!
Hours passed before poor Julia could
be made to realize this discovery; but no
oooilcI Hdu we tlleIe upon tuo stage maze
it than, to add to the situation, call was
raised for the actor in the front of the
house, and the band simultaneously struck
up the ertr'acte music.
1t was dreadful moment-too dreadful
longer to dwell on! The explanation was
simple, and it flowed easily enough from
the glib tongue Of our smooth-spoken man
ager Could he ever hold up his head
again? Could he ever forgive himself for
his carelessness? From my observation
of him subsequently, he did both; but he
said, and this perhaps was not altogether
untrue, that the event had cast dreadful
shadow over the rest of his life; it GER
tainly had over mine. AT any rate, as my
second, in reloading the pistol for the last
time, he pleaded that he must by accident,
in the nervousness and excitement Of a
first night, have forgotten to remove the
ramrod. Nothing more could be urged
but it had the effect of making me for
swear the players art; | never could 90
through the mockery Of pretense again
The barrier to Cougars alliance with
Miss Halworth was removed, but need
say that she never gave her hand to him?
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17
THROUGH LIFE.

We slight the gifts that every season bears,
And let them fall UNDECIDED from our grasp,
In our great eagerness to reach and clasp
The promised treasure of our coming years;
Or else we mourn some great good passed away,
And in the shadow of our grief shut IN,
Refuse the lesser good we yet might win,
The offered peace and gladness OF To-Day.
So through the chambers of our life we pass,
And leave them one by one, and never stay,
Not knowing how much pleasantness there was
In Zach nl mntiI the closing of the door
Has sounded through the house and died away,
And in our hearts we sigh, "Forevermorei'
-Chdan5eTss Journal.
Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-04-17

HERMAN ELLwANGER, whose wife and
child were killed by the falling of John
Bell s. Co. 3 store at Dubuque, Iowa, in
May last, has entered suit in the sum OF
$25, 600 each against the lessees and own
ers of the building.