davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

4 SOLDIER OF FORTUNE.-The Benia-
min Mott of Alburgh had life of singu-
lar adventure At the battle on the line,
November 9TH, 1888, fought between the
Canadian patriots, under Gagnon Cotes,
etc, and the government troops led by
Col. Odell, Major SERVER and others, Mr.
Mott, who had the evening previous joined
the rebel forces, was taken prisoner and
conveyed to Montreal, where he was tried,
and condemned during the following April.
With much difficulty and great eXertions
on the part of friends his sentence was
softened down to banisbment to Van Die
mems Land, ind after remaining in Canada
for about one year confined in Jail, he with
others was transported in the ship Buffalo,
nearly suffering wreck on the voyage, ar
irving at Sidney, New South Wales, in
March, 1910. Here he soon after obtained
privilege and liberty of the island, and was
in the employment of James H. Williams,
United States Consul, who treated the
exile very kindly, giving him employ. All
length he took ship for home, glad to OBJ
tain his freedom. On the voyage Mr.
Mott performed the feat of circumnavigat-
ing the globe, finding himself on touching
at Valparaiso enjoying double Sabbath
After seven years of absence he arrived al
home, but found his household broken, a
son having died in his absence. The fol-
lowing amusing story is told ofhim. When
he left home for Rouses' Point on the even.
ing of November 6, 1888, Mrs. Mott re-
quested him to purchase for family use, a
pound of tea. On stepping off the boat
after his long exile, he recalled the request
and laeghingly said to friend that he
would g now take home that tea" The
tea was bought and conveyed to his family
But the buyer had been seven years in
effecting the purchase.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

A FAMOUS APPLE TREE-There is an
apple tree standing in a lot adjoining the
house of Rev. j. w. Canter. at Hunters
vile, Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
which has become historical. marking the
spot where General r. E. Lee pitched his
first tent in the late war. Early in the
summer of 1861, General Lee was ordered
to the command of the forces in West Vir-
ginia- Leaving Richmond, he came to
Warm Springs the first day, and on the
day following reached Huntersville, where
for the first time in the war, he bivouacked
on the tented field, selecting the afore-mep-
toned apple tree, which stands on hill
overlooking the town, rs the place where
his tent should be pitched. 1t is a singular
coincidence that General Lee should have
commenced his military career under an
apple tree among the mountains of West
Virginia, and have closed that brilliant
career by capitulating with Grant under an
apple tree at AppOmattox. And what is
most singular, is an incident connected
with the war, John Brown, who COM
menced this war. was hung on sour
apple tree and it is said that the forbid
den fruit that mother Eve partook of was
taken from an apple tree and now, to
cap the climax, agents for the sale of
apple trees are becoming as numerous as
lightning-rod men and sewing machine
agents -Greenbrier Independent.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

In the course of his address ut Cooper
Institute, an effort which from first to last
was well sustained, and exceptionally
thoughtful and forcible. Rev. DR.. McGIvm
remarked
g The line that separates the lawful from
the unlawful, the line of demarkation be-
tween what we may do and what We must
not do, is after all 6A q line it is Il geo
metric;ll line, rs it We're, and it is almost
impossible to toe that line, and not to run
the risk of going beyond it, And so the
wise man is he, who having said in his
heart that he will not sin, is wise enough
to not 90 50 near to that line that it would
be almost Il miracle, if at some time or
another, in some unguarded moment he
should not Overstep it. He is a wise man
then who saws, Il hate so much to trans
gress that line. that | shall give it wide
berth; fear so much that terrible preci-
pice that is worse than death-the mere
approach to which makes me dizzv-that
| shall take great care never to come near
it" Travellers in the Western Territories.
when they approach those wonderful IA
vines that are dug out by the course of
rivers, thousands of feet below the level OF
the plains, even while yet Il considerable
distance off, already begin to dread be-
cause of this immense depth. They fear
us if some strange fascination would drive
them to throw themselves over, and they
shrink far from that terrible precipice
TApplause1 So should it be with us in the
matter of the use of Intoxicating drink.
Because of the hOrrid character of the
abuse, we should be exceedingly charv OF
the use; we should dread the use where
such abuse is so easy. 1t is a mathemati-
cal conclusion, that where the abuse pre-
cipitates us into IN abyss, which is literally
q pit aoittoW bottom, the proper proportion
of n0u-usc should be n0n-atse aCith0W end
and that is no use Ut aI. 1t is then vir-
tue not to use it, unless there be a positive
necessity Does the law of God com.
mand us to Use it? And if God does not
command, where is the necessity? 1t may
perhaps, exist, but it!will be very rarely tc
save life or preserve health Yet | an
sure that in most cases even the physician
who prescribes that remedy could, if he
would, prescribe some other equally effect
ual If he cannot, it might be well worth
yonr while to 90 to one who can. / would
here advert, in passing, to the terrible re
sponsibility Of the physician, who presents
the free use of Il remedy that SO often turn.
out far worse than the original disease"
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29
Chinese Children.

Some curious customs observed in the
bringing up.of children in China are de
scribed in IN article in AL the Year Round
When son is born n milk name " is
given him in connection with the rejoic-
ings of the family This corresponds with
our pet names. The important ceremony
of binding the wrists is observed in con-
nection with the thank-otferings to the
goddess mother. 1t varies in details. A
common plan is to tie II piece of red cot
ton loosely around the wrists; another is
to fasten some ancient copper coins on the
wrists for several days by means of red
cotton. In some families this is not finally
removed from the infants wrist for sew
eral months, though it is more usual to
take it off after fourteen days The idea
is that this binding of the wrists together
will prevent the baby from being wicked
and disobedient, not only in childhood, but
also in after life. In allusion to this sin
gular custom, when children are trouble
some and naughty, they are asked if their
mothers neglected to bind their wrists.
When the baby is a month old the head
is shaved for the first time and in the case
of Il boy this ceremony is performed before
the ancestral tablets. A feast is also given,
to which the relatives and intimate friends
are invited, and it is customary for them
to bring presents of toys, food, money.
etc. they also frequently club together
and send the infant a silver plate, on which
they inscribe three characters, meaning
longevity, honor. and happiness. Shortly
after this, the parents make their acknowl-
edgments to their friends for their con-
gratulations, and for the presents which
they have sent; this is commonly done bv
sending II small present of cakes in return
At a subsequent entertainment, which
sometimes takes place when the child is
four months old, the happy father,'' it is
said, bows down before the goddess
(mother), and begs that the child may be
good-natured and easy to take care of,
that it may grow fat, that it may sleep
we'll at night, that it may not be given to
crying" etc.
The maternal grandmother, when a boy
is IL year old, sends him present of Il
cap and pair of shoes, as well rs some
other garments, and on this occasion an
other family feast is held to celebrate the
birthday.
Our mothers, whose children are back
ward in walking, will be amused at the
following Chinese nursery superstition
- 1t is the custom in many families, when
the child is just beginning to walk alone
for a member of the family to take a large
knife, often such as is used in the kitchen
to cut up vegetables, and. approaching
him from behind as he is toddling along
to put it between his legs. or hold it a little
way off him. with the edge downwards
and then to bring it to the ground, rs if ir
the act of cutting something. This i:
called cutting the cords of his feet ant
the motion is repeated two or three times
1t is done in order to facilitate his learn
ing to walk, and is supposed to be of grea
use in keeping the child from stumbling
and falling down"
After the shaving of the head at the ent
of the first month, it is common practice
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

A MINISTER WHO WASN'T 4 PUDDING
HEAD.-An anecdote is told of Parson
Shute, the first minister settled at South
bingham, which for ready wit ought not
to pass unrecorded. 1t appears that the
reverend gentleman was very fond of pud-
ding. so at a ministerial meeting cne day.
the hostess, in order to crafty the taste of
her guest. had pudding for dinner. I'm
fortunately, it came very near the fire
while it was cooking, so that when it was
served it was extremely hot. The parson,
without allowing it time to cool, placed "A
piece at once in his mouth. and then fol-
lowed the usual contortions incident to
such an occasion, but all to no purpose
The pudding would not 60, SO the parson,
who was a polite man. quietly slipped it
out of his mouth and into his coat pocket,
which was observed by one of his brother
ministers, who, for the sake ola Joke, said,
L" So you are putting the pudding in your
pocket, are you?" "Oh yes said the
parson, all unmove1, 81 put a little piece
in there merely to light my pipe with
after dinner'' The explanation, it is
needless to add. was sufficient.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

A Menasha farmer who was in town
with his wife, left her shopping, and when
he got through his business he started for
home, having forgotten all about her. She
found that he had gone, and SO she hired a
livery team and was driven home. He
was in the back yard doing his chores
when she arrived. She took press board
and went out there. Just as he was seat
ing himself on milking stool, and had
conversed with old brirdle a little on the
subject of " histing,'' SO he could reach
her fountain filled with milk, he heard
something drop on the opposite side of him
from the cow. 1t was the press-board,
and it struck on the elbow Of his pants.
His wife was at the other end of the press
board. The cow became frightened and
kicked him in the vital part, and goat
that had been watching affairs, butted him
opposite to where the cow left her tracks.
His wife asked him if he would ever forget
her again. and he said he never would, as
long as his back ached.-GLd Crosse DEM
ocr0t.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

FAvoRITE CATS.-There are plenty of
good cats, and always have been, whose
shrine is still the hearth-rug, who repu-
ditte familiarity from strangers, but are
loval TO the home that shelters them. dis
criminatingly affectionate, daintily clean,
philosophically med;tative, thoroughly
respectable who enable you to un-
derstand the feeling which caused Southey
to confer honors on his cats, and even
raise one to the peerage, with the title OF
=" Earl Tomlemague, Baron Raticide,
Waowlher and Skaratchi."
| like, personally, to have good authority
for nv peculiarities, and | can assure
those who like eats that they like them on
good security. Not to mention the char
acter given TO them by the Egyptian and
Scandinavian mythologies. they havc also
unto this dav with the MahOmmedans a
kind of imputed goodness, because of the
affection with which the prophet of that
faith regarded his own particular f;lvorite;
for he allowed her to make the bosom of
his robe the nursery of her kittens. and
once cut off the sleeve of his robe rather
than disturb her midday siestl.
Petrarch had his cat. when dead, en-
balmed, and Rosseau shed some really
genuine tears over the loss of his. When
DIR. Johnson's cat WAS ILL Great Bear
though he was called-he nevertheless
nursed it night and day, and went him
self for the oysters with which he tempted
its returning appetite. Cowper did not
dsdain to write the elegy for his favOrite
Tabby, and even Scott. the - dog-loving"
as he grew old, learned to appreciate the
cats quiet affection and peaceful COM
panionship; while there is no pleasanter
picture in all Montaigne's writings than
that the old Gascon philosopher draws of
himself and puss playing together in his
study.-Amelia E. Barr, In Christian
Union.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29
lBy Request.l
THE WIFE'S STORY.

My story. marm ?IWel, really now, haven't much
to say,
Eutifyou'd called year ago. and then again to-day,
No need of words to tell you marin, for your own
eyes could see
How much the Temperance cause has done for my
dear John and me.
And many night these little ones went supperlcss
to bed.
Now, just peep in the larder, marm-there's sugar,
-four, and tea,-'
And that is what the Temperance cause has done
for John and me.
That pail that holds the butter, John used to fIl
wi h beer,
But he hasn't spent cent for drink for two month,
and year.
He pays his debts is strong and well. and kind M
man can be-
And tnat is what the Temperance cause has done
for John and me.
He used to sneak along the street, feeling mea
and low,
AS fhe didn't dare to meet the folks he ed to know
But now he looks them In the face and steps off bold
and free
And that is what the Temperance cause has done
for John nd me.
year ago those little boys went suolling through
the street,
With .canty clothing their backs, and nothing on
their feet;
Bat now they've shoes and stockings, and warm
garments. as you see,
And that is what the Temperance ca1se has done
for them and me.
The children afraid of him, MS coming stopped
their play;
But now, when suppre time is DER, and the table
cleared away,
The boys all frolic round his chair the baby climbs
his knee;
And that is what the Temperance cause has done
Tor John and me.
Ahl those SAL sad days are over, of sorrow and o
pain,
The children have their father back, and l my Ohm
again.
pray excuse my weeping, marm.-they're tears 0
joy to
How much the Tempe ancc cause has done for my
dear John and me.
Each morning when he goes to work, l upwart
look and Say,-
" Oh, Heavenly Fatheri help dear John to keep hi.
pledge to day"
And every night before l sleep, thank God OF
bended knee,
For what the Temperance cause has done for ny
dear John and me-
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

A striking and novel annexation on the
holy Scriptures was made in NeU York
Herald leader, the other day. in these
words: '' None of the pigeons are more
thoroughly symbolical than the cock which
crew thrice in the night, and whose crow
ing was of the most significance to a per-
son whose character no one admires. Ju-
das went and hanged himself when he had
heard the cock crow three times" No
previous commentator. we believe, has
stated that it was cock pigeon that crew,
and it has not been customary to connect
Judas with the occurrence. But the relig-
ious character of the Herald settles these
points.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

grass and flowers refuse to grow. ANY
time through the winter, harness the old
horse, and start for the woods to hunt for
what our English friends term "a pleasing
bit of rock-wOrk" An unusually rough
tions, is a prize; let such form load to
begin with. Next collect supply of the
unctuous leaf mold, which has laid buried
beneath its covering for many years, until
it has become as dark and firm us the most
f;astidious plant can require. These things,
with the addition of some good sharp
sand from the creeks margin supply the
groundwork for the structure. In arrang-
ing the stones upon the heap. do not at
tempt any mathematical precision; endeav-
or to initiate some shelving mass of rock,
such as may be found in nature, the wilder
and more irregular in outline, the more
effective and appropriate it will prove.
With the advent of spring, repair to the
woods again, and wherever the little
curling frouds of the ferns are just peeping
above the leaves, with the aid of good
trowel carefully pry ont a good ball of
earth, roots and all, and transfer them to
their artificial home. There are also many
other pretty and modest native plants
which will thrive luxuriantly amid Just
such surroundings; watch for these during
summer and mark them, so that when the
dormant season arrives they may be re-
moved with safety. An occasional trailing
vine, clambering over and festooning the
surrounding shrubs, will add dainty
grace to the hitherto unattractive corner
The appropriateness of rockeries has
been frequently called in question. but this
we presume, is an allusion to the practice
of placing them upon the open well kept
lawn-a custom which would seem to be in
direct opposition to all the acknowledged
rules of taste; but in such out-of-the-way
hooks as we have suggested, nothing could
be more appropriate or attractive.-Ne1C
York Tribune
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29
WHICH WAsHBURN ?-Severnl Years ag,

WHICH WAsHBURN?-Several years ago.
when there We're two or three members of
Congress by the name of Washburn. and
even prior to that, when Governor Wash
burns were somewhat plentiful. the press
and the people were sorely puzzled as to
their identity. 1t appears that the recent
election of Governor William b. Wash
burn has perplexed the minds of the
editors of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Weeklg
for in the last issue of that paper we find
q cut which purports to be Hen. William
b. Washburn, Governor of Massachusetts
and United States Senator-elect to fill the
unexpired term of the late Senator Sum-
ner--from photograph by Balch." Above
this we have n very excellent engraving
of Governor Washburn-but unfortunate
ly it is not n picture of the Senator-elect
1t is however, speaking likeness of ex-
Governor Emory Washburn, who occu-
pied the executive chair twenty years ago
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

STORM SIGNALs.-It is announced that
the Meteorological Committee of the
Board of Trade of London have decided
to return to the use of the storm signals of
Admiral Fitzroy. These signals, which
have Tor some years past, since the death
of that eminent meteorologist. been dis
continued, gave formerly great satisfac-
ton to those directly interested in the
navigation of the sea: although many
landsmen We're found who harped upon
the occasional mistakes that occurred.
The success of Admiral Fitzrov and the
necessity of u similar work to secure the
safety of the shipping in American ports,
had great weight with Congress in the
deliberations incident to the estal lish-
ment of the system of storm warnings of
the Army Weather Bureau. Indeed. the
system of Admiral Fitzroy has been so far
followed that there is not now throughout
the civilized world Il single seaport of any
Importance that does not provide for the
prediction of approaching storms as care
fully as it provides for the preservation of
its channels or the maintenance of efficient
lighthouses. In Great Britain the plan
adopted is to let the Government provide
the meteorological observers, the tele-
graphy and the storm predictions while the
individual seaports provide for the display
of the warning signals. By this arrange
ment the expense of the system is very
uniformly distributed. In this country
the army provides for all the expenses, in
Guiding the signals: an arrangement that
increases very materially the necessary
appropriations made by Congress: but
that is said to ensure more perfect per-
formance of the work In one point,
however, the English system is manifestly
superior to our own, viz. !: in that the sig
nal adopted in that country indicates the
direction from which the approaching gale
is expected to blow. 1t is well known
that the signal displayed at New York
tells us merely that high winds are ex-
pected, but gives us no further hint rs tc
their character, whether they are to come
/ from the north, south, east or west
Many a vessel is consequently detained fol
fear lest northeast wind is approaching
only to find that the gale is westerly one
and would have been helpful had she
put out to sea. 1t surely cannot be thai
the Signal Office has not the information
necessary to justify the display of sucl
signals rs are used in England Would il
not be an improvement if throughout the
world a uniform system of storm signal
should be adopted such as the English sys
tenn, which is already well known ant
highly appreciated?
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

The SPOKEN WORD.-The Arabs, who
have many good proverbs, have one which
is found true and truer the more expert
cnce we have of life. While the word
is vet unspoken," they say, ..vou are
master of it; when once it is spoken, it is
master of you III luck and good luck
both know this proverb by heart, and,
though both quarrel with it, they know
well that their quarrel is hopeless. The
"Oh, stranger. what a word has escaped
the fence of my teeth" so often repeated
in Homer, has a familiar sound as we read
it; for our hearts say it to our hearts life
long, from the day when the heart has
first a voice. An amusing story is told of
Campbell, apOcrvphal no doubt. how the
expression, the author of The Pleasures of
Hope. forever tagged to his name, whether
written or spoken, became at last a weari-
ness to the flesh and to the spirit. and how
he sighed out, one day. that his spirit
would dread to return to earth again lest
it should read on his tombstone. Here
lies the author of The Pleasures of Hope. >
So we have heard of distinguished travel
cr whose literary work is far from being
contemplate, but whom it vexes to be
denied the style of poet, by world that
knew him first rs a narrator of travelling
adventures, when travellers were rarer
among us than they are to-day. Even so
great poet as Goethe would have given
some of his immortal laurels if he could
have been reckoned among the men of
science, and John Ruskin, who is pure
poet, without trace of the scientific
faculty. insists that science is his field, and
that the world misnames him critic and
prose-poet. Doubtless. the list is a large
one of the unhappy happy men whom
Fame has taken by the hand. and who
quarrel with that spoken word of theirs
which caught her ear, and made her love
them. and which her love repeats for
ever.-Scribncr's Monthly.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-04-29

CREMATION.-AT Troy cremationist asks.
wouldn't it be pleasant to receive a des-
patch something like this some day:
DEAR MoTHER.-William died at noon TO day
Ashesby mail. Yours in sorrow,
JOHN SMITH.
With the adoption of cremation there
will also have to be a change of obituary
verse to something like the following:
The boast of heraliry,
The pOmp of power,
And all that beauty,
And all that wealth e'cr knew
Await alike the inevitable hour
The path of gloy leads out 10 the lue.
"And this is all that's left of thee,
Thou faircst of earth's daughters;
Only four pounds of ashes white
out of one hundred and fourteen and
three quarters"
The Chicago Trib,nc illustrates as fol-
lows the connection between the urn and
the bottle: Alcoholism and cremation
are fast becoming cosmopolitan questions.
People are waking up to the conviction
that it is a sanitary necessity they should
be burned; but then. they favor postpon-
ing the process until the mortal coil has
been shuffled off Cremation internally
during life, practised as it is every day in
the liquor saloons of Chicago, New York,
London and other places. is by competent
authorities declared to be as unwholesome
as post-mortem cremation in a Siamese
furnace is salutary.n