davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09

A well-known sporting character
being on his death-bed, was attend
ed by friendly divine OF somewhat
nervous temperament, who, to con
sole him, expressed conviction
that he and his penitent would meet
thereafter as winged angels. care
you sure of that?" inquired the dy-
ing man. "Qmte sure,'' replied his
advisor. "Thon I'll fly you for a
sovereign replied the incorrigible
gambler. An enthusiast ofthis sort
seems, according to local paper,
to have greatly distinguished him
self on the occasion Of a fire which
lately broke out at the cotton samp-
ling offices of firm in Liverpool.
While the confagration was at its
height, and the burning cotton was
being thrown out of the windows
upon the flags below, number of
brokers stood in the street discuss
ing the sum which the waste would
realize. One among them offered
to bet guinea that the burnt cot
ton would fetch els, and, as this
was apparently far beyond it's value
he found no difficulty in finding per-
sons. willing to take the bet. This
he did till twenty persons had ac-
ceptcd the wager for guinea each.
He afterwards went to the sale and
bought the cotton for GIG, which he
then sold for fl2 sustaining loss
Of Ca upon the purchase, but pock-
citing sixteen guineas as the balance
of his profits on the transaction.
Pal MuW gazette.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
A Suicidal Family.
rom the ST. Louis Republican.


John Harper, of Gilpin county,
Colorado, owned a large ranch, on
which is a large gold mine near
Central. He had been badly en-
barrassed in his finances, but the
proceeds of the ranch and mine had
brought him through the trouble,
and he was out of debt. This was
about a year ago. He then COM
mitted suicide, and left large fam
lily well off. John Harper never
told what made him do it. Appar-
emily when life was just beginning
to be easy and pleasant, he cut off
the last end of it and threw it away.
One of his daughtersfs Mrs. David
Broomert, at Longmont. Miss
Matte Harper, another, lived with
her married sister. She was a
young lady. There were several
younger children. Matte locked
herself up in her room one day and
would not let Mrs. Boomert in.
Then Mrs. Boomcrt ran to a neigh
boris, and said: "Mattie has locked
herself in her room, and I'm afraid
she will do something to herself"
The sad end Of her father was up
permost in the swoman's mind. The
neighbors came and looked into the
room through 4 window, and saw
her standing in one corner with her
face to the wall. The door was
broken open and Matte was found
hanging by white woolen comfort
to clothes hook in the wall. She
was quite dead. She left letter
and a will, but no reason for her
sudden departure from the world.
She wanted her share of the estate
divided between her two little sis.
ters, and them we'll educated.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09

There might have been disas-
trous fire on Fourth street on Satur-
day but for the heroism displayed
by man named Swcetman. He was
passing along when he saw little
flames creeping around the chimney,
and be dashed into the house. He
shouted "fire" until the house rang;
while he seized the bureau aud
threw it over. He called to one of
the family to 60 and sound the fire
alarm. The bureau was left lying
on the floor, and Sweetman gathered
up a table and rushed into the yard.
He sent a small boy to sound anoths
er alarm, and ran in and began
racking a bedstead to pieces, at the
same time ordering the women to
throw everything out Of doors. He
got the bedstead down and rushed
out doors and started q third boy
to sound another fire alarm box,
and then he went in and carefully
brought out the wood-box and q
floor-mat. The women were, mean
while, showing the parlor furniture
out doors, and as soon as Sweetman
had flung the mirror through the
back window and torn the baby's
crib to pieces, he ran in and helped
them, while another messenger was
sent to jerk an alarm out Of letter
box on the lamp post. While
Sweetman was thus working heroic
ally, another man had climbed upon
the roof with a pail of watr and
put ont the FIRE, and three four
more arrived upon the sce6 st ii
time to prevent SweetS991 from
throwing the piano down cellar to
give himself room to work.-Detroit
Free Press. ia .e -.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09

Not only overLondon, but through
all its streets and squares, its alleys
and "closes," aud in its obscurest
corners, there was last week brood
ing fog compared with which the
famed London fogs Of the past have
been but gossamer mists. 1t came
in thick, dirty yellow cloud, pene-
trating every crevice and opening,
creeping along the thoroughfares
like a solid though intangible mass.
The American idea of such vista
tion is that the atmosphere has be,
come infectiously dull and stagnant;
the gloom of an American fog is no
more serious than the absence Of
sunshine and a dispiriting heaviness
in the air. But the fog, which, ever
and anon, besets London, besieging
it like an atmospheric host, absorb.
ing it like an atmospheric sponge,
as little to be resisted by doors and
windows and blinds as q goblin or a
fairy sprite, as opaque as a stone
wall, as persistent as miserly cred.
itor, as preventive of business as a
financial crisis, and as hostile to the
pleasures ofthe fashionable world
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
Greeley as Chesterfield.

While l was in Washington,
Horace Greeley used occasionally to
visit us there. l remember that he
once breakfasted with me, if | rec
ollect Alright, tete-a-tete. Mr.. Gree
ley had long before this discarded
Graham bread and a vegetable diet,
and had grown to be hearty de-
vourer of animal food. After break
fast | lighted cigar and offered
him one, although | knew that he
did not smoke. OF course he de-
clined it. He was in capitaLhumor,
and, turning to me, he asked me if
/ knew that he claimed to be the
most polite man in the country. l
told him that l recognized his many
excellent qualities, but was not
aware that he was especially re-
markable for the graces of polite
ness. lie assured me that he was,
and told me that he had never been
beaten in politeness but once in his
life. That happened, he said, many
years ago, before the days of rail
roads. Early one morning he left
Bagg's Hotel, at Utica, in a stage
coach westward bound. Thefe was
but one passenger besides himself,
gentleman of very prepossessing
appearance, with whom he soon fell
into conversation. After awhile
the stranger slowly, and, as it were,
mechanically, drew cigar case
from his pocket, and, opening it,
rendered it to Mr.. Greeley, who de-
clined the proffered offer. The con-
versation was resumed; and pres
emily the stranger, extracting a
cigar from the case, placed it in his
mouth, and returned the case to his
pocket. Another interval Of talk
.cnsued, when the stranger, abruptly
but deferentially, remarked to Mr..
Greeley, 81 hope, sir, yon have no
objection to a cigar?" ''None in the
world sir" replied Mr.. Greeley,
"when it is not alight." "Oh," re-
piled his companion, 81 had not
the remotest thought of lighting it. )"
Thereupon Mr.. Greeley felt that he
had been conquered in politeness,
and he afterwards ascertained that
the victor was the famous Capt.
Sherman, of Lake Champlain.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
Boss Tweed.

I Front the Nov York Sun. r
An officer who had occasion to
see Warden Lisco,nbe, Of Black
Wells Island yesterday, described
his interview with Tweed to
friend last evening as follows:
"Poor Bill Tweed! you never saw
such change in man in your
life. He knew me at once as l en-
tered the room, and as l turned
round and said How do you do, Mr..
Tweed?' the old man scarcely raised
his head, but moved about like a
man whose heart is broken. He
didn't even seem to have the cour-
age to answer me in the Warden's
presence. A little time afterward
we were left alone, and l said to
him, Cheer up, Mr.. Tweed; you
have good friends yet who will do
all they can for YOU IT'S too late,
too late. l never thought l should
have come to this answered the
old man without raising his head.
And referring to his party, he con-
tinued: It's true l was the head,
and l'vc born the brunt; but if the
truth were known, it would be found
that men | trusted as friends ad-
vised me to do things l did not
know at the time were wrong, as /
was assured they would be great
public benefits. The Tenth Ward
boys know | never robbed poor
man.
On Mr.. Tweed's hearing Of Harry
Genet's escape, and that Billy
Shields, as he called him, was in
trouble, he for moment assumed
his former bluntness, as he said:
'What has Harry put poor Billy
Shields in a trap for? It's shame.
| know Shields could not be bought;
he treated me like y gentleman, and
if l had wanted to escape l could,
but when he told me, 'Mr. Tweed,
in Difference to your feelings, l will
exert as little authority as l think
necessary l knew what he meant,
and Pm sure Billy acted just the
same with Harry Genet
The officer describes Mr.. Tweed
as a person who seems to have
grown twenty years older in short
time, who stoops good deal, and
who seems to wish to avoid all idle
curiosity. His worst enemy, the
officer thinks, would feel sorry to
see the old man so disgraced. The
shaving of his head seems to have
crushed his spirit more than any
thing else, as every now and then,
while seemingly forgetting himself,
he puts his hand up to stroke it;
then suddenly recalling himself he
nervously shrugs his shoulders,
sighs, and becomes silent. Unlike
many prisoners, he seems to have
given up all hope of . new trial, and
in the officers opinion looks like a
man whose naturally strong consti-
tuition is gradually preparing for a
final but certain dissolution. He is
employed by the Warden in his
office, and is allowed the freedom
of the prison, as the physicians say
restraint would soon end in his
death.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
INDEPENDENCE, IOWA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 1873.

minutes the youthful bride complain.
ed of excessive pain in the stomach
and began to realize the rashness of
her action.
A messenger was sent in haste
for her husband and myself. Mr..
Haller's Office being near my own,
we received the message almost
simultaneously, and we rapidly
drove together in my buggy to his
house. When we arrived she was
dead, period of fifteen minutes
having elapsed from the time of ta-
king the fatal draught to
the time of extinction of life. They
were just laying her out on my arri-
val. To my surprise / found she
had grown in that short period so
rigid as to render it difficult to
straighten her limbs. In the course
Of three-quarters of ali hour her en-
tire body became as hard and infex-
ible as bone.
On more minute examination and
inquiry found that the dissolved
silica she had taken into har sten,s
ach had been absorbed and trans
mitted by the chylopoietic apparat-
us and blood vessels throughout the
system, and that her whole body
was a petrifaction. The case being
SO singular and SO sudden, the hus-
band and BRIDES family consented
to a partial post-mortem examina-
ton, other medical men coming to
my assistance.
We found it impossible to cut
through any portion with our seal
pels. DR.. Ferguson broke his seal
pei in the first attempt. We were
able only to break through the chest
with a hatchet, finding extreme diff
ficulty in entering the thoraic cavi-
ty, the contents being, all solidifed.
The heart was found as firm and as
solid as stone, resembling 2 piece
Of cornelian as to both color and
consistency.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09

"Ephraim, come to your mudder;
boy, whar you bin?" e tls .s1
"Playin' wild dc white folks
chillun.'' s,s
"You is, ehs See hyar, chile, you
broke your old mudder's heart, and
brung her gray hairs in sorrow to
d. grave wild your recumless and
carvings on wild ebil 'sociashuns.
Hadn't I raised you in de way you
should ought to 60 IMP" ae
"Yessum." qs lssH =
"Habn't I bin kline an ten'er wild
you, an treated you like my own
chile, wich you is?" -I ,..,..
"Yessum."
"Habn't l reezened wild you, an
prayed wild you, an deplored de
good Lord to wrap yon up in his
buxEum?" asr ag s54 sl
"Yessam." s i .tlH ba
can isn't 1 your naterl detector
aud garden fo' de law?" d
"Yessum."
"Well, den, do you spose l'se
gwine TO hab your morals ruptured
BY de white trash? No, sab! You
git in de house dis instep; an ifi I
eber cotch yon 'mudicatin wid da
white trash any mo-. for de Lord,
niggar, III break Your, black head
wid a brick" ,6n.u .,e, ~. -
"Yessum."
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
Sudden Petrifaction of Bride.

Dr.. Jorsck, of Marksvillc, La, in
a letter to the New York San of
Saturday, says: "Mr Frederick
Haller is by profession lawyer.
He early acquired, however, quite
fondness for the natural sciences,
especially geology. He has per-
haps the largest and most complete
geological cabinet in Louisiana.
Something over a month ago he
married, taking as his bride, beau
tiful young girl of l6. AS physi-
clan to her fathers family and an
intimate friend, ! was af honored
guest at the marriage ceremony. l
am sure l never saw a more bcauti-
ful and happy bride.
Next afternoon she and some
three or four Of her most intimate
friends went into Mr.. Haller's
"Rock Study" to look over the cab
met of curiosities. Among the Gu
riosities which Mr.. Haller had gath
cred were several round boulders
brought from Arkansas. These
boulders Oh being broken present
in the central space crystalline for
nation, and are usually not much
larger than the double fists. One of
these, however, was unusually large
measuring twcnty-one inches in cir
cumference. Frequently the inter-
nal surface, always hollow, contains
water, or rather concentrated So
luton OF silica in water. This fact
was known to one of the young la.
dies, who mentioned it.
AT once it was proposed to break
the large one, and several ineffect-
ual attempts were made by them
with geological hammer. They
called to their aid a colored man, a
servant on the place, who was re.
quested to break open the rock. A.
pitcher being placed underneath
the bOwlder as the man held it, one
sturdy blow of his stalwart arm
cracked it, and the tluid ran out and
was collected in the pitcher, scarce
losing a drop, there being half
pint of it.
The bride, without ever giving it
thought, conceived the notion of
drinking the water from the boul-
der. She poured most of it into a
glass tumbler, nearly filling it, and,
lifting it to her lips, she drank first
to the health of her husband, then
to that Of the unmarried friends in
the room, wishing them shortly to
be happy brides like herself, and
drained the glass. But in few
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09

gotten gold; men who sneak into
office by lowering over the ballot
box with their grcenbacks and jugs
of whisky; who stir the old rebel
lion in the hearts Of the people, and
endanger the glory that was bought
with hearts blood; who. for want Of
something better to do, write long
articles on strong-minded women,
picturing in glowing colors the
spheres they should occupy, blast
ing so far as their power to dosso
goes, their good name and reputa-
tion, thereby putting a stumbling
block in the way of virtue, and
helping to make all women vile;
ever telling of the blessings of OBJ
scurlty-respect and an unblemish-
ed character, things that he tosses
aside when placed between him and
noteriety-these are the "wolves in
sleeps clothing" who prate Of
plotting maids"
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
The Plotting Men.
pOndence of the Ipter-Ocean.

Correspondence of the Inter Ocean.
A lady correspondent writes and
defends her sex as follows:
CHANGING to take up copy Of the
Inter- Ocean my eye fell upon an ar
ticle entitled "rhe Plotting Maid" }"
in which she was criticised very
severely, in some instances more SO
than she should be, according to my
notion. There are scores of men
who are honored and respected who
employ as cowardly means in order
to earn their living as the plotting
maid. He works in his sphere OF
action, she in hers, and very lin
tied one 1t is compared with his.
He deprives her of the means OF
earning for herself living, by
keeping the avenues closed that
should be, as they are to him, open
to all women. This would do
away to a great extent with the
treacherous "plotting maid" AS
the case stands for her, it is sim.
ply a choice between poverty and
marriage with some one who has
the means of giving her the good
things Of life which everyone ap-
preciates. Taking the world in
general, the wages of women are 50
much lower than those commanded
by men, and their constitution is so
much weaker, that in course of time
they find-themselves without a home
or situation, with nothing to de-
pend on but charity or their wits,
simply because their wages were
such as to barely enable them to
live, or, as might better be said,
genteelly starve.
So, you see, 1t is the inequality of
the sexes SO far as wages are con-
cerned, and the insults heaped up
on women who try to achieve the
success which otherwise might be
theirs, that makes SO MANY women
scl,emers. The opinion of the
much abused lords Of the situation
is, that they are the innocent vic.
tins Of the plotting maid, and, in
fact, of women in general. You
never think that there are thousands
and thousands Of men, who, with
their vile influence turn the bright
world into a den of thieves, and
make of it a world in which misery
and vice reign supreme. Men who,
after the mischief is done, turn
their coats and cry corruption"
who sell their souls for paltry dol
lar, and barter the little honor they
have left for popularity; men who
band together like Bedouins and
defraud the Union of its first gains;
who slip from the gibbet by cover
ing their guilt with perjury and ill
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
A Petition for q New National Hol-
iday.


From the Washington Star.
A petition has been presented to
the House of Representatives, which
the signers will, at all events, sue.
ceed in keeping out of the musty
pigeon holes Of the committee. 1t
is from fifty citizens of the city of
Buffalo, N. Y, praying Congress
that the 10Th day of February, the
birthday Of Abraham Lincoln, be
declared a national holiday. The
frame is encased in a rosewood lid,
highly polished, having for a bas-
relief shield of bird's-eye maple
bearing the following inscription in
indented letters: Memorial to Con-
gress Of fifty citizens Of Buffalo,
New York" The diverse side Of
the frame, bearing the signatures,
is Of Russian leather, and has the
inscription, congress the Forty
third" 1t was presented to the
House by the Hon. Lyman X. Bass.
1t will make an ornament for the
committee room, at all events, and
always prove a reminder that such
q petition is before them. When
the petition was presented Mr.. Bass
placed it in front of the speakers
table. When that officers eye fell
upon it, he said: "Whoever put
that tablet there take it away, as it
is in gross violation Of the rules Of
the House."
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
Sir Garnet WolselY. the Comma nder
Of the Ashantee Expedition,

A New York Herald correspon-
dent thus pictures the youthful COM
mander OF the Ashntee expeditions:
"Mr. s., Sir Garnet"
This stately little gentleman, of
proud military bearing; quick,
bri ght eye; broad, high forehead; /;
ardent temperament; a sparkling,
vivacious intelligence animating ev-
cry featurc-this is Sir Garnet VOL.
sely, the paciticator of Red River,
and the young hero chosen for the
command Of the British expedition
to Coomassle.
Sir Garnet found to have extern
sively travelled through the United
States. He told me an amusing
tale, which am sure If related will
not be considered a violation of con-
fidencc, Of how he and a friend of
his found themselves at the Bre-
WORT House, in New York, at the
early part of the war. They were
both too young to care much which
side they should take; neither of
them had any special sympathies
with the South more than with the
North. But they were determined
to take opposite sides during the
war and to meet at the Brevoort
House at future time to compare
notes. They "tessed up" His friend
took sides with the North. Sir Gar
net went with the South, when Lees
gallantry and Stonewall Jackson's
ability made a great impression on
him.
Sir Garnet Wolseleysis said to be
the youngest General in Her Majes-
ty's service. He is not 40 years old
yet, and as he has not risen to his
present rank through interest, it
may be assumed that he has shown
himself a capable and energetic Of
ficer to have attained his present
position. A glance at his "Soldier's
Pocket Book" will show the quail
ties of which he is possessed. Ev-
cry line in it is ritten like q SOL
dier and from a soldiers stand
point. There is no nonsense about
him. The great aim he has in view
seems to be to instruct young Off
GERS in their duties and to inculcate
the idea that everything should be
sacrificed to success.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09

as n plague of Florence, strikes
practical blindness to the whole
population, and defies the sun and
moon, gas, kerosene and tar, with
an equal triumph. At such a time
the London blind have for once the
advantage Of their eyc-blessed fell
low-creatures; used to cropping they
may grope amid the fog as skillful-
ly as under the MONDAY sun, and
find their way when the seeing are
bewildered. For two days London
was enveloped in one of those mon
ster fogs, the thickest and most long
enduring within the memory Of liv
ing Cockneys. 1t is almost as. if
the great teeming hive of human
bees had been sulphur.suffocated
out of existence. The busy Thames
flows, for once in an age, unobstrnct-
ed and free between it's murky and
Uttered banks. Vessels, coastwise
and sea-worn, lie helpless at the
quays, and crowd closely together
as if for mutual protection. The
penny steamboats,. creep fearfully
from pier to pier, their lavish gal-
axy of warming lights painting but
dull red flush on the yellow can
vas Of the fog. On London bridge
at midday, there was an irregular
torchlight procession of people with
links and lanterns cropping to and
fro, seeming, from a little distance,
like phantom saturnalia.
Everywhere there is cropping and
colliding, deadness and silence in
most places like that Of midnight.
Cheapside, for once, ceases it's day
long babble Of cart-wheels and
shoutings, its barricades Of vehi-
cles and crowded pavements. Link
boys walk before carriages and
carts; draymen curse at the fog
blindness of the coachmen and om-
nibus drivers; moneyed men, tiding
painfully towards Change, lose pre-
cious appointments; Londoners of
forty years standing, attempting to
reach the green -grocer's to order
the family supply, find themselves
lost in the next street, and wander
for hours around radius a few
yards Of their residences; children
are hopelessly lost, and the police
and pickpockets are equally baffled.
Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-09
A Great Soldier In Disgrace.

After. long and tedious trial,
which was first called in August,
1872, Marshal Bazaine has been
adjudged guilty Of having capitula-
ted the army at Metz in open field
before he had exhausted the rcsour-
ces Mt his command. This is a
crime punishable under the army
code of France with degradation
from Office and death, but this Sc
we're sentence has been commuted
to seclusion for twenty years.
Marshal Baxaine is now nearly
50 years Of age, and has served in
all the wars of France since 1884,
when he served in Affica. He has
received all the honors that France
could confer. He WAS created Mar
shall Sept. s, 1864, while in com