davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01
Free Mail Privileges Ended

Hitherto the right to frank letters of
any size has been granted to the Presl-
dent, Ex-Presidcnts, the Nice-President
and former Vice-Presldents, to members
of Congress, the Secretary of the Senate
and the House, the privilege extending to
free letters not exceeding two ounces and
public documents weighing not over three
pounds. The governor of any State could
forward official documents to the govern
Ors of other States. Cabinet officers, their
assistants. commissioners and heads of
bureaus, the general and adjutant general
of the army, the superintendent OF the
coast survey and his assistant, and chief
clerks of departments were allowed free
transmission of official but not of private
correspondence Deputy postms sters could
send free all documents relating to the
business of their respective offices, and
those whose compensation dld not exceed
5000 per annum in 1916 were entitled to
the privilege of forwarding and receiving
free all communications not exceeding one
half ounce in weight.
This is what is termed the franking
privilege. Devised at 4 time when the
postage on letters varied from five to
twenty. five cents, it was necessary re-
lief to the government officers, whose sal
aries would have been materially dimin-
ished had they been obliged to pay such
high rates for their voluminous correspon-
dence from their private incomes. Since
the introduction of cheap postage, the
privilege has degenerated to Il supcrtluity
and latterly to positive abuse, and al
though repeated attempts have been made
in previous sessions Of Congress, to pass
an act for its abolition, the strong OPposi-
ton which the measure always encount-
cred rendered such efforts fruitless. The
evil has gone on increasing hundreds of
tons of letters and documents, together
with bundles OF dirty clothing for the
wash, boots and shoes and all kinds OF
stuff belonging to members of Congress
and their friends have burdcned the mails,
being sent in evasion and often i'll defiance
of the laws governing their Transmission.
and causing, according to the estimate OF
the Postmaster General, Il loss to the
country of over three million dollars Il
year. Even this large sum, AT periods.
has been greatly exceeded. IL Is stated
that. for the Presidential canvass OF lS'2,
if all the ranked letters and campaign
documents sent ont from Washington and
other points had paid the usual charges,
fully four million dollars would have
been saved
1t is a matter of 10 small moment,
therefore, to the nation that the act abol-
ishing the franking privilege has at length
passed both Houses of Congress and re-
ceivcd the Presidents signaturc.-Er.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01
Catching Rats.

There is perhaps no . waste pipe on i
farm which conveys away SO much OF
ones profits as the waste by rats, and all
sorts of cOntrivances have to he resorted
to in order to rid oneself of this plague.
As a general rule no plan is successful
long, and one has to continually vary the
tricks in order to get ahead of the cum
nins animals OF the vast number of
methods for their destruction which are
continually being suggested, there Is
probably no one much better than an
other All can be tried from time to time.
AS a general rule, those plans are best
which will tempt a whole colony to de
struction in one night; as on the - sin
GLE plan, daily" by which one at a
time is cntrapped, they learn to avoid
danger before much has been done to-
wards radiance.
We read in the papers OF one man who
was terribly troubled by rat ravages. who
set a barrel half filed with oats in bad
~ infested place. He let it remain here a
night or so, until nearly all the rats in the
establishment had found ont the treasure
spot. After this he filled the barrel with
water and then put layer of chatf on The
water, and oats on the chafl. The rats
jumped down on the 8 oats y as usual, but
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01
A Lucky Day.

The astrOlogcrs of China, who, by i'm
perial command, have been studying the
stars OF late for the purpose of selecting a
lucky day on which his Celestial ma es-
ty, Tung-Chc, may assume sovereign
powers, have decided that the suspicious
Ofthe first moon IF the present year, that
is, on February %, 1873. This young
prince. who will then become the head of
the largest empire, Russia excepted, that
Ae world has known, will be eighteen
years old next April. lie has been on the
" dragons throne" nOminally, since 1861.
but he has been under the tutelage of the
cO-regents, the Empress-dOwager TITAN
and the Empress mother TZi-ssi, who
have been the actual rulers. He now pur-
poses assuming all the sovereign powers
in his own right. As soon as he does this.
it is possible that complications may arise
in the Celestial realm which will render
his new position less agreeable than his
present one. Sine, the treaties of Tien-
Tsin in 1858, foreign ambassadors have
been permitted to reside in Peking, but
all requests for formal audience at the
palace have been uniformly met with the
plea of the EmperOr's minority. This
has been received hitherto as an adequate
reason, but, as soon as Tung-Che becomes
Emperor in fact, it is probable that this
excuse will no longer be accepted. Wheth-
ci ut W III stcCcuc SItCcluily 10 TIC utllidliuS
of the barbarians,' or will continue the
ancient policy of exclusion. does not yet
appear; but late advices from the Flow
cry Kingdom seem to prove that the Chi
nese are making ready for some emergen-
cy. They are arming the Taku forts with
Krupp guns, and are completing the for
titicatiOns at the mouth of the Peiho and
in other places up the river with torpe-
does. Foreign officers are being gradual
ly supplanted by natives. new flag has
been adopted superseding the many pro-
vincial ensigns, and all powers are being
consolidated as far as possible in the hands
of the central government. If the audi
ence question should lead to another con-
flict with foreign powers, the latter will
find in the Chinese of to-day worthier an
tagonists than those who fought the for
eign DEVILS with gongs and stink-pots in
the years gone by. The Celestials are pc
culiar in their notions, and are welded in
some degree to the traditions of the past;
but they are none too conservative to
learn, even from their enemies, particular
ly when the lesson is taught them through
the mouths of improved Ordnancc.-Ap-
J,ietons' Journal.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01
Russian Ice Hills.

r. IL. Horne, in Haaper's Monthly for
February, thus seasOnably discourscs
about Russian Ice Hills
But the grand amusement of all is that
of the lice hills They are thus con-
structed: strong scaflOldin2 is raised to
the height of thirty feet, with landing
at the top, assembled by ladder. From
the top of the landing sloping place of
boards is laid. about twelve feet in width
and ninety feet long. descending in Il very
acute angle to the surface of the frozen
river. This inclined plain is supported
by wooden piles, decreasing in height,
and the sides are protected bya parapet
of planks. Upon the down-slOping plane
are laid square slabs of ice, close together,
and then water is poured all down the
slope. This water freeZes-half minute
or so of Russian winter is quite enough
for that-and the incline then presents Il
broad sheet of pure ice. From the bot
tom of this incline the snow is cleared
away upon the level surface OF the frozen
river for the distance of six hundred feet,
and twelve feet wide (the same width as
the inclined plane). The sides of this
level course are Ornamented with dark
green frs and pines. Each fair-gOcr who
wishes to indulge in the national amuse-
ment provides himself with peculiar
than any thing else-ascends the ladder
20 the landing at the top, seats himself in
his tray on the edge of the gathering in
cline. Of he goes and away he skeels
down the slope of ice. Such velocity does
he attain before arriving at the bottom,
that he is not only carried along the six
hundred feet of this icy level be-
low, but clean up TO the top
of second iee-hill like the first,
with another slope on the other side,
down which he skeels with the same rap
idity as before, and away again to an
equal distance ON the level below. A sue
ccssion of these fair-goers, furmantlcd,
seated in their sliding trays, balancing
themselves as they cut along, one close
upon the other, yet no chance of overtak-
ing each other (unless by some very I'M
lucky and very unusual upset, presents
a most peculiar and extraordinary scene.
Whenever the balance does happen to be
lost by a man, down he goes all the same,
to the continual peril of his limbs or his
neck, and it is impossible to predict
whereabouts his headlong career will bo
stopped. Boys sometimes-boys will dc
anything-by way OF a delightful increase
of the danger, skate like II flash down the
briGl llned plane, balancing them
sci = leg!
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

The truflle is kind of mushroom, of a
tlcshy, fungus structure, and of no und-
ish figure, found buried in the soil OF
woods at depth of several inches, and
it is much esteemed as an esculent. 1t is
not very extensively known in this cOun-
try, but it is very popular in France,
where the yield this year is reported to
be enormous. French dishes dressed with
this vegetable are considered more tempt
ing than when dressed in our fashion.
The history of the truflle has decidedly
a-sical character. The earliest notice OF
it tnat has been found, is in the annals OF
Athens, by whose wealthy population it
was held in high estimation. The best
and most valued roots were found in
Thrace. In Rome this vegetable was even
more appreciated. At splendid banquets
where many thousands of the tongues OF
birds were served at table, the rarest truf-
files were used as condiment to stimulate
the sickly appetites of Lucullus and VI
tellius. Modern naturaliSts have likewise
devoted some attention and inquiry to the
matter and the general opinion is that
nut, growing beneath the surface of the
earth on the root of the oak, just as the
real gall is formed on its branches. 1t is
also found near birch, elm, and other
trees. The best specimens are black. A
white variety is found in the deserts OF
n IL Is VI 1iS
same use to the Inhabitants that potatoes
are i'm this country. In India liquor is
distilled from it which is highly priced by
the natives. 1t requires a year to bring
the roots to state of maturity. In Franc"
spaniels are used in searching for these
underground vegetables. The value OF
the crop is not generally known in this
country. In the year 1885 over ,00O
pounds of truilles We're exported from
the French ports to supply the English
and American markets, as well as those
of Sweden, Russia and Turkey. The val
lie of this expert was about 1920, 900. The
exports have gradually been increasing
from year to year, amounting at the pres
ent time to nearly one and quarter mil
lion OF dollars.-N. Y. Observer.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01
Miscellaneous Selections.
PRAYER AND POT1TOES.

[If brother or sister be naked, and dcstitut
OF daily food and one of you say unto them, ls
standing We give them not those things which al
needfui for the body; what doth it proilt?-JAME
>: H. 10.
An old lady sat in her old arm chair,
With wrinkled visage and disheveled hair,
And hunger-worn features;
For days and for weeks her only fare,
As She sat there in her old arm chair,
Had been potatoes.
But now they were gone; of bad or good
Not one was left for the old lady's food,
Of those potatoes;
And she sighed. and said. ''what shall do?
Where shall l send, and to whom shall go
FOR more potatoes?
And she thought of the deacon over the way,
Whose cellar was full Of potatoes
And she said; al Will send for The deacon tt
come;
He'll not mind much to give me some
OF such a store Of potatoes"
And the deacon came over as fast rs he could,
Thinking to do the old lady some good,
Buf never, for once, of potatoes;
He asked her at once what was her chief want
And she, poor soul, expecting grant,
Immediately answered, POTATOES.
But the dcAcon's religion didn't lie that WAY;
Than To give OF his hoartlcd pot;tocs
So, not hearing, of course, what the OLD lady
said,
lie rose to pray: with uncovered head,
But she only thought of potatoes.
lie prayed for patience. and wisdom, and grace
But when he prayed, Lord, give her peacc,
She audibly sighed, ''give poiaioes:''
And at the end of each prayer which he said,
He heard, or thought that he heard in its stead.
That same request for potatoes
The deacon troubled; knew not what to do
Twas very embarrassing TO have her act SO
About ''thcse carnai potatoes
So, ending his prayer he started for home;
But, rs the door closed he heard deep grean,
80, gfre 10 The hungry pofdfoes'
And that eroan followed him all the way home,
In the midst of the night it haunted his ROOM
70, girc y Tie hungry Pofafocsi" ....f,..
From his well filled cellar taking in haste
A bag of his best potatoes.
Again ne went 10 the widows lone hut;
Her slccpless eyes she had not yet shut;
But there She sat, in that old arm chair,
With the same wan features, the same sad air,
And entering in he poured on the floor
A busbel or more from his goodly store,
of choice potatoes.
The widows heart leapcd up for joy,
Her face was haggard and wan no more.
CHOW. - said the deacon, ''shall we pray?''
-'Ycs,', said the widow, ''nov, you mayi'
And he kneeled him down on the sanded floor,
Where he had poured his goodly store.
And such prayer the deacon prayed
As never before his lips essayed;
No longer embarrassedS but free and full,
He poured out the voice Of a liberal soul,
And the widow responded, aloud, ''amcn ~
But said no more of potatoes.
And would yon, who hear this simple tale,
Pray for the poor, and praying, ''prcraH,"
Then preface your prayers with aims and good
Search out the poor, their wants, and their needs;
Pray for peace, and grace, and spiritual food,
For wisdom, and guidance, for all these good ;
Buf dort forget the potatoes
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01
A Royal Visitor.

His royal highness, Nassr-ed-Din. King
or Shah OF Persia, who rcioices in the adj
ditional title of Shah-yn-shah or hing OF
kings. has sisniticd his intention to visit
Europe in the spring. This news, trivial
in itself, and unworthy of special note in
these days remarkable for the interchange
OF royal and imperial courtcsies, assumes
Il certain degree of interest when we con-
slider that no successor I'd the title of Cy-
rus the Great has condescended TO enter
Europe since the melo-dr;lmatic and some
what disastrous visit made by NerNes,
half thousand years before the Christian
era. 1t is not probable that the present
potentate will travel with rs much mag
niticence as his great predecessor, nor that
his following will be SO large. Times
have changed. and Persian resources are
not what they once Were. If he should
move with half the population OF his
kingdom, men. women, and children, he
could not equal the great host which ac-
companied NerNes to Greece, where 1t
met with such incivility mt the hands oi
the children of HELEN. Perhaps the re-
membrance of this ancient discourteSy 10
his toreiathcrs is the reason that Nassr-cd-
Din does not include Athens in the list OF
European capitals to be graccd by his roy
al preSencc.-ApptetOn.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

instead found watery grave. In this
way the smart Yankee reports he de-
stroyed forty-two in one night. The only
doubt we have about this is, that one who
should have genius enough to plan so
brilliant a campaign against the rat enc.
my should ever have allowed them to in
crease to this terrific number; but the idea
seems feasible, and we think it would do
no harm for any one engaged in rat-fights
totry this one among the various schemes
in progress. 1t is always worth while
to spend time destroying rats.-Fo,mcy's
Press
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

In order to quiet the maidens' fears OF
their consistency, the lovers in the eastern
part of Maine bind themselves by prom
issory note as follows: ''IlAMPDEN, Me-,
Sept, l9,lS72.-Dear Mary: promise to
marry YOU in six months from date.
Yours lovingly, Il. NJ
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

-Plancth states that when tuning
fork i'm vibration is brought near flame,
a loud tone is suddenly perceived which
in the case OF q rapidly burning gas-fiame
is quite as loud as that produced by plac
in~ the foot of the fork upon a sounding
board. The loudest tone is produced by
bringing the flame between the prongs OF
the vibrating fork,
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

AN applicant for Il pair OF boots was
asked what number he wore, and replied
as soon rs he could recover from his sur
prise ..Why two, of course!"
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

On the centenary of the death of Swe-
denis great naturalist, LinnIus, January
10. Stockholm honorcd his memory by
unwilling a statue.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

Madame Tussaud has added Stanley
and that respectable colorcd oc'm'u, ka-
lulu. to her waN-works,
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

and there again and again there are globes
infinitely multiplied. Space, then, is a
field in which the Almighty displays the
majesty Of his supreme power.-Es.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-03-01

LOUISVILLE, KY, orclans the disinfec-
ton of paper currency to prevent the
spread of smallpox through that chan
mel,
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-07-12
The Summer Vacation.

When the roses bloom the mercury COM
mences its ambitious task Of climbing the
scale of the thermometer. Open doors
and windows, the minimum amount of
clothing Of the lightest fabrics, Involuntary
seekings for the shady side of the street,
and an irresistible feeling that 1t is good
and grateful thing to be lazy, all sympto.
matte evidences of the season. A refuge
somewhere from the blazing heats Of city
thoroughfares and the confnements of
brick walls is in the minds of men and
women. Whether ii be to walk the beach
by moonlight and ''list to the long waves
landward pouring" to hearken to the eter.
nal thunder of Niagara, to sleep under the
majestic shadows of the mountains and be
enchanted with the romance of summit
and glen, or to be satisfied with the peace
full and pastoral beauty Of quiet nook
among the green fields Of the country side
however varying tastes may incline,
there is ample opportunity for the satisfac-
tion Of them all. This summer exodus
from the cities, and the rush Of the multi
tude to travel or places of resort, is a BEN
efcial thing. People who remain station
airy become rusty. Travel and association
brighten them and clear the fog out Of
their heads. The machine cannot 90
clashing on in its ceaseless round forever.
If it is not rested occasionally it win wear
out before its allotted term Of years is fin
ished. There is no danger that the great
mass of the men of this country win err
on the side of too much indulgence in re-
taxation. For the present, at least, they
can very well stand an increase Of the dis
position toward rest, and the attractions Of
a summer trip draw them in the direction
of a healthy humoring Of themselves.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-07-12
Unairsd Chambers.

The following sensible advice il given US
BY correspondent in the c5mf,y Gentle
man
pass some houses IN every town whose
windows might as well be sealed IN with
the walls for any purpose they have but to
let in the light. They are never opened
summer or winter. In winter Il Is too
cold. In the summer the flies stray in, or
II they are Melted, the dust Sits through
the nets. Now, | can tell a person who
inhabits such chambers when pass him
on the street--there is such smell about
his clothing, | always wish for sniff Of
cologne, Or hartshorn, or burnt feathers, or
something Of the sort, to ''take the taste
out A house that is never aired has
every nook and corner filed with stale
odors OF cooked meats, boiled vegetables,
especially cabbage and onions, which. az
the weeks go by, literally reek in their
hiding places.
Who has not wished sometimes to hang
new servants clothing out Of doors some
frosty night, until 1t should be thoroughly
aired2 But l have seen the fne ladies'
come sweeping into the church with their
yelyets and silks, when said yelyets and
silks gave unmistakable evidence ofhayine
been housed in just such shut up cham
bers. OH what tale that odor Of pork
and cabbage tells about the ladies style of
housekeeping. The very garments Of the
children tell the same story of uncleanli-
ness. 1t is bad to have unwashed clothes.
but there may Ae an excuse for it. But
what excuse can there be for unaired ones.
when air is 50 cheap and free There Il
death in such unaired chambers. Better
a swarm of flies or cloud Of dust--better
frost and snow in a room than these in
tolerable smells. Dear girls, the first
thing in the morning, when you are ready
to go down stairs, throw open your win
dows, take apart the clothing ofyour beds,
and let the air blow through it as hard as
it will.
There is health and wealth in such
policy. 1t helps to keep away the doctors
with long bills. 1t helps to make your
eyes sparkling and make your cheeks glow,
and to make others love your presence.
Girls who live in those close, shut-up
rooms, can only be tolerated, at the best,
in any circle.
The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-07-12
The Philosophers Stone.

The eccentric but brilliant John Ran.
dolph once rose suddenly in the House Of
Representatives, and screamed out at the
top of his shrill voice, "AIr. Speaker Mr..
Speaker ! | have discovered the philoso-
piers stone. 1t is-pay as you go I"
John Randolph dropped many rich gems
from his mouth, but never richer one
than that "Pay as you go~ and You
need not dodge sheriffs and constables.
"Pay as you 60" and you can walk the
streets with an erect back and manly
front, and have no fear of those you meet.
You won't have to cross the street to avoid
dun, or look intently in shop-window,
in order not to see creditor. "Pay as
you go" and you can snap your finger at
the world; and when you laugh, It viii be
hearty, honest one, and not like the
laugh Of the poor debtor, who looks around
as though he was in doubt whether the
laugh was not the property of his creditors,
and not included in articles exempted
from attachment" "Pay as you go, and
you will meet smiling faces at home
happy, cherry-cheeked, smiling children
a contented wife-a cheerful hearthstone.
John Randolph was right, 1t is the phi
losopher's stone