davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23
Crumbs.

THE only way to hold our own liz to
keep advancing-nO one can set still and
do it.
1t duz seem that all mankind luv lies
more than they do truth. How menny
people do WI suppoZe thare il in the
world who wouldn't rather listen to fiat.
terry they knu waZ false than to reproof
they knu was just?
Wize men laff at most things in this life
it liz only the phools who gap and
swallo.
Yu kant allwuss tell how mulch a man
il really tickled bi hearing him latf.
Thare ought to be a masheen invented to
meazZure the JOY in him, just az thare IL
to find out how much water thare liz in
milk.
Honesty liz the basis ov all that liz good
or even remarkable in emmy man.
The reazon viii everyboddy luvs a
child, and pets puppy, liz bekauze they
are so natral.
Whenever yu see a phellow who liz for
ever and amen in a red hot hurry, WI kan
make up vure mind that he haint got
mulch to do, and but little kapacity to
do it.
Good breeding liz nothing more than
the art ov knowing how to wait pashuntly
till our turn comes. A little child wont
do this, and a little pig kant.
Gossip liz more ketching than the
meaZles il.
The quickest way to take the humility
out of man who liz forever blaming him
self for sumthing liz to agree with him.
This amt what he liz looking for.
Book larnin liz all a man needs in this
life, provided he spends hiz daze in a
closet.
Next to bad man l am allwuss the
most afrade ov cunning one.
Familiarity kan only be prakticed with
safety amung the well bred-fools and
puppys will run right over yu with the
least bit ov encouragement.
ThOZe whOAever laff seem to hav died
before their time cum.
Every human being haz hiz own pri-
vate sorrow, and thoZe who whissell are
wiZer than thoZe who weep over it.
A conceited man liz a CRATE fraud, but
he never cheats emmy boldly so much az
he duZ himself.
He who don't want what he haint got
haz got all he wants and IL happy,
whether he knows it or not.
The covetous man is like sponge,
which takes in all the moisture that Gums
near it, and lets out none until it liz
squeezed
A cunning man IL seldum wize, and not
allwuss honest
The man who never deceives himself IL
the hardest kind ov man for others to
deceive.
If mankind had been satisfied with the
bare necessitvs life, we should to day
| be just about az far advanced in the arts
and sciences az Cain and Abel wuZ.
Double skies are a good throw with the
dice, but thare IL one better throw than
that-throw them into the fire.
Prudence is most nece ssary virtew il
! amt safe to be HAIRLESS, even with an in
innate friend.
No man haz ever lived to be so old and
so wizc, that he couldn't learn sumthing
from experience
1hare IL IA CRATE menny gin ger pop PEG
Pile; after they hav been unkorkcd for II
fin minnits, they git 10 he dredphull Hat
JOSH BtIlings, in ". T. IVeeMy.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23
MYSTERIOUS Demonstration.

A RATHER tough story, and one to be
taken with many grains OF allowance,
comes from Oakland, Cal. A few
nights ago the residence of Mr.. Clark, the
paying teller of the Bank of California,
was the scene of an extraordinary ghostly
demonstration. The family, consisting of
Mr. and Mrs. Clark and three young
gentlemen boarders, retired about IL
O'Clock. For time everything was quiet
about the house, and its inmates had all
fallen asleep. Suddenly from the lower
part of the house came Il long, loud wall
of anguish, as of some one in terror or
pain. Louder and louder grew the noise,
until the internal clatter had awakened
every one in the house. A desire for
companionship seized the boarders, and
they all gathered together in one room,
and were soon Joined by Mr.. and Mrs.
Clark. The noises still continued, but
changed in character very frequently.
An exploration was at length decided on,
and, leaving Mrs. Clark in charge.of one
of the bOarders, the party carefully de-
scended the stairs. Each had a revolver
in one hand, and with the other nervously
clutched the bannister The hall was
dark as Erebus, though when their
eyes became acc Istomed to the dim light
they could perceive any object that might
be in the rooms below. The noise con-
tinued, and now and then a note would be
struck on the piano. Just as they reached
the foot of the stairs a chair came glid-
ing out of the parlor and took up its po-
sition in the doorway, bowling and pod
ding as if to reassure their fears. Rush
ing past the chair one of the party en-
tered the parlor and lit the gas. Here
they saw a strange sight. Every article
OF furniture in the room was in motion.
The chairs and tables moved about like
animate things, and appeared To- take no
notice whatever of the intruders. Grad
ually the noises ceased and the furniture
became stationary. After waiting while
the party returned TO their respective
rooms In short time the noises began
again, and again the boarders descended
the stairs To their ineXpressible surprise
they found the parlor door taken from its
hinges and deposited ON the floor. After
that there was no sleep in the house. In
the morning the furniture was found to
be disarranged anu much strained. The
outside bars and bolts were perfectly Sc
cure and there was no trace to show that
any one had entered the house. An eX-
PLANTATION of the phenomena is awaited
ChicagO Inter OCEAN.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23
A Sane Man Confined in Il Lunatic
ASYLUM for Twelve Years.

CovINGTON, our trans Missouri neigh
Dor, has had a sensation of metropolitan
proportions. For six years she has num-
bered among her residents man named
Thomas Carter and a woman named Mrs.
Dracott, the twain, as it is alleged, bear
ing relations to each other which it is in
cumbent upon couples in similar circum-
stances to have ratified according to law.
Twelve years ago they were residents of
Oregon, the woman being the wife of
man by the name of Dracott, who was
worth at that time the very comfortable
sum of $95, 900. BY conspiring with "a
couple of the physicians connected with
the Territorial Insane Asylum Carter and
his paramOur succeeded in kidnapping
Dracott and having him wrongfully in
carcerated in the institution on charge
of insanity, thereby gaining possession of
his fortune. For twelve long years this
villainous fraud upon DracOtt had been
kept up, depriving him of.his liberty and
compelling him to associate with luna
tics and madmen. BY some means he
succeeded in conveying knowledge of his
deplorable situation to persons outside,
and an investigation of the matter was
instituted. SO strongly had the job been
put up, however, that an expense of
$4,000 on the part of the authorities was
required in order to break up
the tolls by which Dracott was
held The efforts at ferreting out
the iniquity finally led to the dis
covery of the prime actor in the
monstrous imposition. A United States
detective was instructed to proceed to Cow
ington and procure the arrest of Carter
and Mrs. Dracott. Upon arriving at
Omaha the officer learned that Carter had
started for Salt Lake City. He tele-
graphed to Ogden, and succeeded in Sc
curing the arrest of his man at that place
on last Wednesday. Yesterday he went
to Dakota City TO examine the county
records for the purpose of discovering
what property the pair had, in order that
proceedings may be instituted for trans
ferring the title of it to Mr.. Dracott, as a
partial restitution for what he has been
deprived of by the Vaccinations OF the
guilty parties. Carter has invested some
money in CovingtoI and Dakota County,
and was one of the principal capitalists
who gavothat town the impetus it had
three or four years ago.
We hope that whatever wrong has been
committed may bring to its doors a
prompt punishment. but it is out of the
reach of possibilities for the unfortunate
Dracott to ever realize anything like an
adequate recompense for the misery and
mental anguish he has endured while
suffering as the helpless object of the Gu
pidity of faithless wife and unscrupu-
lous knave-4Siour CITY (Io,ea) Journal
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23
CANTON. MISS, SATURDAY, MAY %, 1874.

which the above incident was observed
was drawing near to its disappearance.
But before that day arrived another gen
tleman appeared at the door, and in
spected with some interest an anvil
standing in the center of the shop.
"How long has that anvil been here ?"
he asked of the blacksmith.
why" said the workman, ait must have
been thirty or forty years
"Well," said the gentleman, az will
give You twice as much for that anvil as
will buy you new one"
Certainly" replied the puzzled smith /;
"but | would like to know what you
want with this anvil"
&" will tell you. There was formerly
an apprentice in this shop who used to
work on it. That boy has now become a
great man. Thousands love and honor
him as friend and teacher, and l wish
to carry back this anvil as memorial of
the humble beginning of his life. ~
HarDer's Wdqazine
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23
Om Bops and guls.
THE I'RU1NTS.

NO.. 2l.

BY F. Is. CROSBY
" LET'S hockey jack this afternoon,
And have game of ball,
or one-old-cat or two-old-cat
Or any cat at ALL"
And Charlie White and Harry Blake
And Tom and Willie Poole
Made OFF across the Deacon's field,
Well out of sight of school.
But, as they climbed the Deacon's fence,
Poor Tom must push awry
A hornets nest, and then what came
You know as well as L.
Alas, it finished Tommy's sport
Before twas well begun;
And back in school his tear-stained face
Appeared at half past one.
No two-old cat to-day" said viii,
And through the corn they go;
But why should luckless Hal forget
The ditch that lay below.
With shoulder famed and jacket torn
And forehead black and blue.
His heart aquake. poor Harry Blake
Limped into school at two.
" No one-old-cat to-day" said VIII,
- No use tor two to Try
Give me the bat. and do your best
AT catching on the fly
Perhaps twas only Charles fault
That let the ball slip through:
But at the school a swollen nose
Arrived at half -past two
Alas! our poor unfortunates-
Reduced from four 10 one.
No matter, them" said sturdy Will;
III toss and catch alone"
His lonely game was brief, indeed.
The ball lodged in tree,
And meek. repentant Master VIII
Skunk into school at three!
Behold the sum % all their sport,
Their honey turned to gall;
No one-old- cat no two-old-cat,
Nor any cat at ALL
N. y. IndepeHdeHt.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23
Doubtful Land Titles.

PEOPLE in the North who think they
own land on what is known as the Cum
berland plateau in Tennessee-and we are
informed there are Il good many such
will do well to have their titles thorough
ly investigated by competent and trust
worthy lawyers before paying any more
taxes on them, according to a correspond
ent who writes to the Sun from that re-
sion. These lands lie on the top of the
Cumberland Mountains, and the State law
allows one man to enter j, 900 acres in his
own name, and no more, either direct
ly or indirectly; but many persons
have entered as many as 100000
acres or more, using the names of
other persons, and afterward having
assignments of entries made to them
selves. We are told that large guam
titles of these lands have been sold CT
traded to people in the North, the pur-
chasers receiving quit-claim deeds. 1t
would appear that the traffic must have
been pretty extensive, as the records show
that county surveyors have in some in
stances certified to having surveyed as
many as twenty 5000 acre tracts in Il SIN
gle day! The great drawback to the
value of these lands is that in many in
stances the owner of "a claim for 1000
acres finds on Investigation that there are
several older claims for the same prop
erty ahead of him, while there is nothing
to prevent any enterprising citizens
who feel so disposed from putting
two or three more entries on top OF
his, and as likely as any way the last one
Will hold good against all its predeces-
sors, SO defective and fraudulent have
been the practices in relation 10 surveying
and selling these lands. Besides, under a
State law, any person who has color OF
title and has enjoyed seven years pcacea-
BILE possession of tract of land thereby
acquires a possessory title to all within
his bouhds, no matter who owns the bona
fide title, provided there is one. Itwould
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

appear that filing claims one over the
other upon the same land has been rather
encouraged by the authorities. The
county receives taxes Oh all the acres
which are supposed to lie in layers several
thicknesses deep; various officials receive
fees when they are bought and again
when they are sold for taxes; dishonest
lawyers get well paid for making pre-
tended searches and fraudulent reports !;
while the surveyors make money every
time they survey the same piece of ground
for new claimant. In addition to all
this there is the chance that nOn-resi-
dent owner may have sent the money to
pay his taxes to a dishonest agent, who
has pocketed it and permitted the land to
be sold for the benefit of common schools.
On the whole, real estate situated on the
Cumberland plateau appears to be very
uncertain prOperty-N Y Sum-
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

One day last week the guests of the
Revere House, Boston, were placed IN
flutter of excitement by the arrival of
nicely-dressed young man who registered
his name as Fred Grant. 1t soon became
noised about that the Presidents son was
at the Revere, and the corridors of that
hotel presented an unusually lively APP
pearance. Very soon Mr.. Grant came
from his room and descended to the
office, the observed of all. The young
ladies' in particular, were delighted with
the young mans appearance. Arrived at
the office he informed the clerk that the
immediate condition of his eXchequer was
not pleasing, and requested that few
dollars be advanced on il draft which he
held between his daintily- gloved fingers
As politely as possible the clerk informed
him that II rule of the house required that
he should be identified, and requested
Mr. Fred to be seated while a gentleman
in the house having the honor of MIR.
Grants acquaintance should be sum
moned Fred could not bear that he
should be the cause of any Inconvenience,
and said that he would call upon II friend
at the fremont and borrow some funds.
In short time he returned with a note
from Peabody, Kidder & Co, introducing
Mr. Fred Grant. The clerk was about To
give him the money on the draft when a
gentleman stepped up to the counter, and,
Selling MI Grant by the hand, said:
q Why, how do you do, Emery?' This
ended the game, and the subsequent pro
ceedings had no further interest for Mr..
Z" Grant" He calmly accepted the situa-
ton, and took a seat pending the arrival
of police officer. From a want of
change he was a changed man, and when
the officer arrived walked soberly with
him To the station-house. a strange
feature in the case is that there is not "A
young lady in the hotel who did not
know that he was an impustor Chtrd90
inter OcfdH.
The production OF wool IN the United
States during the last four years is thus
set down by the CoBiH8eTciai BuilettH: In
1s7O.,125 ,000, 900 pounds; 1871, liz, 100000
pounds; 1872, 135,o0o0O0 pounds; 1913,
I IL 5nn 600 pOIInIS
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

ONCE upon time a gentleman drew
up his horse near smithy in a York
shire village. On entering it he hardly
arrested the attention of boy who
seemed to be absorbed in the work of
blowing the bellows. Closer observation
revealed the presence of a book-its
pages kept open by two bits of iron
placed on n shelf near the lads head.
Each time he brought down the bel
lows or released it he seemed to catch IL
sentence from the book
A generation passed away. The little
village had grown to be brilliant town.
Low matched houses had made way be
ore fine mansions, and the smithy in
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

the boy who can work steadily and faith
fully for months for such an object as
Harry had, never taking one cent from
his hard earned money for his own pleas
ure, never failing in his. selfimposed
duties-,S. 4. FIost, in Nethodist
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

"A little four-year- girl went run
ming into the house the other day, eN-
claiming, Mamma, mamma, I've seen
Jack Frost I've seen Jack Frost!'
Where did you see him, my darling"
queried the mother. oh, | saw the tip,
of his tail hanging over the caves" She
had seen an icicle
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

The production of lumber last year
on the upper Mississippi and its tribu-
taries is estimated nj 1892 1G362S feet,
both logs and lumber being included.
The supply of logs on hand for the season
of 1871 is estimated at 80 500 600 feet.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

A YOUNG, unmarried clergyman, of
Brookport, Pa, offers twenty cords of
wood for "A good wife. He retains just
enough for crematory purposes, in case
she isn't Il success.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-23

THE New York detectives are success
full in only one case out of nineteen re-
ported.
Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-10
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.

The Senate and House having come
to dead lsck on the currency question
the subject is now n the hands Of a
Conference Committee composed of
Senators Morton, Sherman and Merri-
mon, and Representatives Maynard,
Farwell and Clymer. The Committee
will report free banking bill provided
the ratio Of the retiring to the newly
issued currency can be agreed upon.
II is pretty well understood that if the
ratio were fixed under forty per cent.
the President would veto the bill.
The Committee, it is said, could
agree on thirty.five per cent, but 1t is
uncertain whether such a bill could Q 0
through. 1t may safely be said that
either no legislation at all will be had
on this all important question, or else
such compromise measure will pass
a. not to materially disarrange the
present volume Of currency.
Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-10
THE NEW SECRETARY OF The TREA-
SURY.

The appointment of Hon. b. H.
Bristow rs Secretary of the Treasury
was but carrying out plan matured
some time ago by the President.
Though unframed in practical bust
ness affairs, as was true of most of his
predecessors in that important posi-
ton, he is credited with having a clear
head and executive ability OF high
order. The Louisville Commercial says
of him;
We have entire confidence that he
will administer the affairs of the Trea-
sury Department firmly and judicious-
ly keepin git alike free from entangling
alliances with interests which can moi
be legitimately considered in its man
agement, and from all suspicion or
faint of jobbery. His nomination is
received with pride and pleasure in
this community, and the confidence
we express that his administration OF
the Treasury will be alike honorable
to himself and beneficial to the coun-
try, is generally shared 10y our and his
fellow citizens.
b. II. Bristow began the practice OF
the law at an early age, and when the
rebellion broke out was regarded as one
of the rising men of Southern Ken
lucky. He was an earnest and decided
Union man, and in 1871 went into the
army, taking part in the battles at Fort
Donelson and Shiloh, as Major in the
Twenty.Sixth Kentucky, and after
ward becoming Colonel of the Eighth
Kentucky cavalry. About the close OF
the war he was appointed United State.
District Attorney tor this district, 4
position which he filled with distin.
guished ability, acquiring the conf
dence of the Treasury Department Sc
thoroughly that he was frequently sem
to other districts to aid in the conduct
of cases in which important interest.
of the Government were involved
After filling this position several year;
| he resigned and resumed private prac,
| tice. When the important Office o
Solicitor General was ere lted, he wa
selected as the first to fill it, and doubt
less the ability he displayed in thu
discharge Of its duties and of those o
the Attorney General, in the office, thu
! Cabinet, and before the Supreme Cour
during the frequent absences of MIR
Alderman, suggested him as a suitable
person to fill acceptably the Treasury
! Dapartmput
Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-10
THE COFFEE CROP.

The American Grocer, in an article
on the coffee trade, gives some inter.
esting facts connected with the growth
of this popular article of consumption.
The berry is grown in countries lying
between % deg. north to 80 deg, south
latitude. The conditions required are
a dry pure air and an altitude Of from
one to four thousand feet above the sea
level. The best coffee comes from Cey-
Ion. The Dutch East Indies produce
annually 100000 bags. The pIoduc-
ton of Ceylon for 1884, is estimated
at $50, 900 cwt. Brszilis at present the
heaviest coffee producer, yielding in
round numbers 44S, 900, 900 pounds.
DR.. Livingstone writes from the old
coffee-growing Abysinian country,
which nearly three hundred years ago
supplied Persia: This country, it is
thought will again be opened and
yield a heavy product"
Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-10
CowARDLY JOURNALISM.

On Sunday we charged the editors OF
the Press and Herald with deliberately
circulating through this county state
ment about the early educational asso-
Citations of one of the editors Of the
CHRONICLE which they knew to be
false. We not only pronounced their
charges untrue, but denied them in de.
tail so that they could see that there was
not even the slightest foundation for
them, They We're circulated in the
meanest spirit and for the vilest pur-
pose. Every honorable journalist I'M
der such circumstances would either
attempt to sustain his charges or ad-
NIT them to be false, and make the
proper correction. The Press and
Herald does neither. 1t, therefore, ad.
mits what We charged, to-wit: that il
took advantage of a storm of excite
ment to deliberately put forth state
ments which it knew to be false, and
for the purpose of affecting the infiu-
ence of this paper and the social stand.
ing of the editor referred to. 1t did
this as uuscrupulously and as deliber-
ately as possible. We plainly charged
it with falsehood, and yet it has neither
the manliness to resent the charge OF
to repair the wrong inflicted Such i!
its idea of journalism .
Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-10

THE Chattanooga Times speaking of
the ante-bellum School fund, address
ing US, asks:
Now will it just tell us how much of
that sacred bunch of "scadsn was re-
turned 10 Nashville at the close of the
war, and what became of it?
Certainly we will. Not a single dot
Tar Of that fund was ever returned to
Nashville. By an act of the Confede-
rate Legislature the entire fund was
invested in Confederate bonds, and for
aught we know. is still in the vaults,
or what is more probable in the cellar
OF the building formerly occupied by
the bank Of Tennessee, and worth no
more than the same quantity Of brown
paper. That is the history of that
sacred bunch of scads." About six
hundred thousand dollars in coin be-
longing TO the bank was captured and
returned TO Gov. BrownlOw. But this
coin was no part Of the original School
fund. Confederate bonds were good
enough for the school children, but
King Harris and his itinerant followers
kept enough coin to supply their wants.
Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-06-10

THE Memphis Appeal is evidently
disguised with the John " regime as
it now exists at Nashville. 1t sees how
the people are going to consign the
close corporation to infamy, and
gives Gov. Brown this hard hit:
Two years ago Brown got only thir-
teen thousand one hundred and forty
three majority over Freeman for gov
ernor, the total vote of the State being
about one hundred and eighty thou
sand. This clearly shows that the
Democracy must select good men.
The question is, will they go outside
Of the ring - for man.