davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20
Mrs. Smith and Mrs, Jones:

ONCE upon time great many little
chlldren,s auntie sat sewing by the win
DOW. She was just beginning to feel
lonesome, when there came a loud knock
at the door, "Come in I" said the .nntie
The door opened, and two ladies came
mlncing into the room. One of them
was six years old, and said her name was
Mrs. Jones. The other was four wears
old; and he is named Mrs. Smith, {" said
Mrs. Jones.
Mrs. Ginger" said the ladies together,
how are you to-day? We've come to
spend day with you, and we are going
to bring our children"
oh, my dear madamsr' said the
auntie-! mean Mrs. Ginger; auntie, in
deed! - do thank you yery much for
coming: Do sit down, ladies'! How
many children have you?'
| "Oh!" answered Mrs. Smith, who was
beautifully dressed in little scarlet skirt
| and white waist, and one of Mrs Ginger's
| Overskirts looped up so he Il mean she)
| could walk; "oh, ma'am! we have a
great many. Mrs. Jones has two doll
children and a kittenchild; and have
| one kitten-child, too; and my youngest
daughter is named Julia Lippitt."
Why, where are your children" asked
Mrs. Ginger.
81 will get Them" said Mrs. Jones, s.
she tripped out of the room, bowling till
all the ribbons of her bonnet trembled.
Very soon she came back, talking very
fast, and carrying all five of the children.
go ladies ~ she cried, "these children
have been staying at Piazza Park for their
compilations; but my kitten-child is too
black to get white, so I've brought her for
Mrs: Smith to watch while go to Play
room Hotel to get her white dress"
Mrs. Smith was very much pleased with
this. She sat down with all her children
in her lap, and entertained Mrs. Ginger
i" Is your husband living?" asked Mrs.
Ginger, respectfully. "Yes'm," answered
Mrs. Smith " but he stays at home to pay
my rent. My poor husband has the collie
Lippitt, has but one leg"
az am sorry your husband is so ILL.,"
said Mrs. Ginger, in a sympathizing
voice. "Do you think he will ever get
well? ?" ooh, no! ma'am," answered Mrs.
Smith, not at all distressed. 81 shall
have to get another very soon."
well, what will his name be?" asked
Mrs. Ginger, very much interested. "Oh,
ma'am! of course, his name will be Mr..
Smith,
Here one of the kitten-children gave a
loud NEW" "Why, what's the matter
with tina baby?" asked Mrs. Ginger. Mrs.
Smith suddenly seemed to be raving mad
She ran around the room, behind chairs
and tables, under beds, and over beds, in
to closets, and out of closets, dragging
Julia Lippitt by her one foot, and drop
ping some kind of child out of her over
skirt at every jump she made.
Mrs. Jones, who had opened the door,
seemed just as crazy, and bobbed about
in her long dress so fearfully that poor
Mrs. Ginger was half distracted. "OhP
cried she. what is the matter, lad:esf
DO tell mel'
The ladies, by this time, were rushing
out of the door; but Mrs. Smith kindly
turned around and screamed out, "Ohi
Mrs. Joness baby is catching rat;;'
and that was the last Mrs. Ginger saw of
Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Jones that day
Nursery.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20
NO. 25.
Om Boys and girls.
THE CAT-BIRD.

BY MARIAN DOUGLAS.
The cat-bird on the cherry tree
How gayly and how loud he sings,
As on the blooming bongh he swings!
/" Zyr-rik, tyr-ree!' his mate he calls,
His carol with the blossoms falls.
Oil when he's pleased search far and wide,
No sweeter singers known;
But then. alas the cat-bird has
temper OF his own.
And II by chance his will is crossed
At once his spite he shows
" Mdo,r, nadotC! pay, pdy'' his song is changed;
And all the music goes.
II he can have, to build his nest,
The place that pleases him the best;
II winds are soft and skies are bright,
And all the world with him goes right
" Iyr-riI, tyr-ree!" you never heard
A swecter-voced, more charming bird
But il his mate to him should say,
= mean for once TO have my way"
Or il a sparrow or q thrush
The withered grass should take
That he had thought to use himself
When he his nest should make;
Or il too near his chosen tree
His head a robin shows
g Maor, naao,c! pay pay'" his song is changed;
And all the music goes.
o cat bird mid the falling flowers
Upon the cherry tree.
How many people have seen
That were how much like thee!
From cheerful homes and loving hearts,
Too well, alas know
There's nothing like a temper-ft
To make the music go.
-Nursery.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20
Selected @iseella,w.
THE LITTLE LIGHTKEEPER.

BY CHARLES s.. SMITH.
HERE is the story Of q little child
Who, with her father, lived beside the sea,
A lighthouse tower Of stoutest masonry
A sleepless sentinel, whose beaming eye
Watched through the night to warn Of danger nigh.
One day her father, who had gone ashore,
Failed with the early twilight to return;
And she sat, and wondered more and more,
And thought, .Our light should shed as true a ray
Lest ships should be mi'led any cast away
And so she sat, perplexed with anxleus care,
'.What do? Indeed 1 cannot bear
Through all the dreary night to stay alone;
The little creature then knelt down and prayed.
Then she arose. and with trembling hand
Slow dragged . chair beneath the well-trimmed
light;
Perched her slight figure on the trusty stand,
And stretched on uptoe to her utmost height
And then reached up-alas her heart grew sick;
The lighted paper did not reach the wick
What should she do in this her hour of need.
NAught could she find to make the pile more
Till the big bible, kept with careful heed,
And read at night and morning, met her eye;
Upon the Book Of God she feared to tread.
And yet she thought. " What if our light could
Some chip from wreck upon the rocky shore!'
Ana 90. Win resolution strong ana brave,
The heavy volume 10 the pile she bore.
The deed was done; the lights benignant ray
Beamed DER the boiling breakers Of the bay.
Her father sat upon the ehore meanwhile,
Detained by cruel wretchee, who had planned
To keep the light INTENDED, and beguile
Some passing vessel on the rocky strand,
And. when the cries Of drowning men were Ger,
To steal the cargo as it washed ashore.
And they sat there. plotting evil schemes,
Hoping the midnight hour would bring them
luck
True a the lights reproachful beams
Flushed Ger the waters. Fooled and panic
They together with q sudden start,
And grufly babe the keeper to depart.
Soon DER the waves the little boat he steers,
Its white sail cleaning in that grateful light;
And now the strong man's eyes are full of tears,
To see efar that face so wan and white,
Pecring through darkness from the slippery rocks
The night-dews falling on her faxen locke.
Glad was the daughter when her father came;
Proud was the father he kissed his child.
But when she aeked. with blu-h Of bashful shame
If her young feet the Bible had defled,
No, no." he raid; - there never is abuse
When sacred things are put to noble USE"
And so he soothed her till her thoughts grew
calm.
And brought the Bible when ehe was in bed,
And read the glowing language Of q psalm
Until her heart grew warm and comfOrted;
And listening to the roaring Of the deep,
The little lighthouse keeper fell asleep.
-OiiUer OPTICS Magazine.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20
Twice Married.

NJ. Fl. B. WRITES to the St. Louis Re
publican: There are tragical, comical
and common place divorce suits, and the
following certainly is as comical as any
on record. A young couple ten years ago
agreed to disagree. and she of the firm
went West to the Eldorado of discomfort
ed wives in those days, Chicago. Then
she commenced suit, but before 1t was
granted he went on, made up the peace
between them, and hand in hand they re-
turned. Before the year was out, how
ever, they quarreled again, and this time
he didn't reach her quick enough; the
bill passed, and as divorced woman she
resided in Boston for five years. Then in
an idle hour she answered a matrimonial
or q personal in New York paper, cor
responded some months, journeyed on to
this city to meet the Adolphus of her ma
ture dreams, and found in him the Icha-
bod of her early days. They had lied SO
faithfully in their letters and so unani-
mously that ne ither had discovered the
others identity. Whether the deception
had cast new light on the subject or
whether they were convinced that in all
the world they couldn't each find fool
like the other, at any rate once more they
mated. A second wedding and a second
hand honeymoon ensued. But the hus-
band speedily began to rchearse to his
answering anonymous advertisements,
and, instead of retorting, as she properly
could, to the anonymous advertiser, she
wept and he bullied, and on time dragged
till last summer, when they separated,
and this spring a suit for divorce was
commenced. The parties are both
wealthy; Mr. -- lives in fine style at
an uptown hotel and attends to his law
business; Mrs. stops with sister
in Brooklyn. -Four hearings in the suit
have taken place before a referee. AT the
close of the fourth, behold the belligerent
pair went to DelmonicO's to lunch togeth-
err. The anxiety and excitement of the
lawyers were something dreadful to wit
ness This case has SO much money in
it, has already dragged its slow length
over so much time, has so many beautiful
features, and perhaps that nightmare of
the legal profession, reconciliation, may
step in and spoil all"
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20

BY return just issued the area OF
London is 1872 square miles. The river is
crossed by seventeen bridges. The aver
age daily supply of water is 514 269
metric tons, and the annual ratable value
of property is f20,000000 sterling. Last
year the number of births was 121 900 IN
fifty-thre weeks, or ,2S5 weekly; and as
the deaths were 1864, or ,446 weekly,
the excess of births over deaths was A.
467.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20

A VIRGINIAN is under arrest for pawn
ing his wife's corset for pint of whisky.
He believed that tightlacing would kill
her.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20

"A gentleman whose probocis had suf
fered amputation was invited out to tea
I" My dear" said the good woman Of the
house to her little daughter, Il want you
to be very particular, and to make no re-
mark about Mr.. Jenkins nose" Gath
cred about the table, everything was
going well; the child peeped about,
looked rather puzzled, and at last startled
the table: Ma, why did you tell me not
to say anything about MIR. Jenkins nose?
He hasn't rot anyn ~
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20

The Kansas wine crop of last season
is put at 100000 gallons. The estimate
this season is 100000 gallons.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20

The United States has $4,000 miles
of telegraph. No other nation has half
as many.
American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20
Six Dog Stories.

DR.. PRIME, in one of his Irennus Let
tiers in the New York Observer, relates sew
eral anecdotes of dogs that have exhibited
an intelligence almost human. Some of
these tales of dogs, it is remarked, are
quite well authenticated. The first is
about
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12
Relieving ChOkcd Cnttle.
Milk nMsl llilk.Roo,,,s.

l was away from home. My wife and
boy were feeding the COWS, and one of
them got choked with a. t,rnip. Nv
wife sent for the neighbors, and thew
came to relieve the COW. One got her
by the horns, and another poked stick
down her throat, and unfortunately it
was pine stick. They drove the tur-
nip down but broke the stick off in her
throat; and the last choke was worse
than the first. Then they put cleyis
III her mouth and could feel the stick
run into the back of her head. Some
advised my wife to kill her, but she said
that she would not until came home.
L arrived ut home at seven in the eve
ming. The stick was broken in her
throat at eleven o'clock in the morning.
| went Immediately to the yard to see
the COW, and found the stick in her
throat. 1 got her by the horns to turn
her around and she fell on a patch of
Ice, and then went straight for the barn
and threw out the stick, which measur-
ed twenty-one and one-half inches in
length and one inch in diameter; and
then l. could see that there were other
ways to relieve them without sticks and
ropes. The next COW that got chokcd
thought would try an experiment
with. had u pair of bars leading to
my barn-yard. 1 took the top bars
down and left three lower bars in, and
took the whip and made the COW Jump
over the bars, and she was relieved.
That is the way I relieve all my choked
cattle and horses, and never knew it
to fail. Sometimes [ jump them over
twice, and ] find that the action Of ris-
'pg sad tho aulaon drop on tho &yopt
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12
Can the Ethiopian Change his Skin

A DR.. G. T. Maxwell, of New Castle,
Pa, details in the Philadelphia Medical
Times an interesting experiment which
adds peculiar force to the question asked
by the prophet Jeremiah. In 1872,
q negro named James Pearce was shot
in the face accidentally, the wound be-
ing such as would leave q frightful scar
unless Disagreement could be in ameas-
ure prevented by the ENGRAVING of new
skin upon the mutilated portion of the
face. This course was adopted, and
with his patients consent DIR. Maxwell
took gratis of skin from his own arm,
which, with other gratis from the pa
tents arm, he placed upon the surface
of the wound. The success of the oper-
alton was seriously endangered by the
patient going on spree, during which
he destroyed some of the gratis, but
fortunately two were left, one of them
being white. The piece of white skin,
which at first was only the size of a
canary seed, grew to cover space of
half an inch, and for a time after the
wound had healed could be easily dis
cerned ct quite q distance. Close ex-
animation at this time showed that
dark colored lines formed net work in
the skin, giving purplish tinge to it.
At the end of q month these lines, which
were simply blood vessels, had increas-
ed to such an extent that the whole sur
face of the wound was of uniform hue,
the white skin having lost all its char
acteristics. From this experiment DIR.
Maxwell draws the conclusion that the
coloring matter which darkens the skin
of some races is in the blood, and not in
the skin itself.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12
Trousers for Ladies.

Long white trousers for ladies are
very much worn on the Continent.
These trousers should be quite plain for
wearing in the daytime and in the
street; but those for evening wear
should be made of fine embroidery, lace
insertion, or heavy rich lace frills or
tiounces, according to the taste and
means Of the lady herself. What could
look prettier, or more modest, than to
see a pretty, small trousered foot in silk
stockings and IL neat sandaled shoe, ap-
peuring under the skirt of O muslin
dress, the ankles buried, as it were, in
several rows ofthe lace frills or founces
of fine cambria or muslin trousers {?
Surely, also, when young lady of
eighteen or nineteen is dancing, it is
more modest, as it is certainly very be-
coming, to see the limbs hidden in lace
frilled trousers of cambria than in the
present fashion. AS said, this mode
is very much seen on the Continent,
among French, Spaniards, and espe-
cially Russians. When at Barcelona, a
few years ago, / remarked that every
lady wore trousers, some plain, some
richly trimmed with lace frills or
flounces. Two or four inches of the
trousers were visible, setting off the
small Spanish foot to perfection. I
knew pretty French lady who used to
wear most becoming trousers in the
evening, which were made OF very fine
cambric, with rich lace frills up to the
calf OF her leg, and insertion between
each frill. The lace frills of her trous-
ers just Touched the instcp, but the
rest of her trousers were Just visible
under and through the transparent
skirt Of white muslin. Mayo-
zine
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12
Barney Aaron and the Pickp0cket.
The New York Tribune of Monday

says:
Barney Aaron was riding down
town on Fifth Avenue car yesterday
evening. Mr.. Aaron is we'll known in
sporting circles as pugilist of the first
Gloss. He is small in stature, but his
science is something wonderful. On
the rear platform was Rev. Henry
Thorpe, Of Pittsburg, an elderly clergy
man. Barney and the clergyman got
into conversation, and after talking q
little while, separated, one being on the
opposite side of the platform to the
other At Eighteenth street two noted
pickpockets, James Henry and William
jackson, got ON the car. They are res
idents of the Fifteenth ward, and knew
Mr.. Aaron. They did not think he
would interfere with them, and so pro-
ceeded to rob the clergyman. Jackson
crowded him against the car-door, and
Henry took his gold watch. They had
not calculated an any interference, and
were sadly disappointed when Mr.. Aaron
exercised his science on them with
startling results. Mr.. Jackson received
a slight testimonial of MI. Aaron's es-
TEEN in the jaw, which tumbled him
OVeI Cuc OtaouUOttIO AA1tO Ille StIect. MT.
Henry attempted feeble resistance, but
to no purpose. Mr.. Aaron took the
watch which had been wrung from
Henry's hand, and by manual
application sent Henry to join
jackson. After arranging his dis
turbed sealskin coat, Mr.. Aaron
handed the recovered watch to the Rev.
Mr.. Thorpe, remarking, Here's your
''super" old man. Don'tyou never stand
on a car platform again. You're the
worst old sucker I've met in a year."
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12

A SECOND FATHER MATTHEW. is
there that does not respect the memory
of Father Matthew, the great champion
of temperance? Innumerable societies
bear his honored name but there is
one man who has struck o more sure
deat(l-blow to intemperance, and that
man is DIR. J. WALKER, an old Califor-
mia physician, who has discovered in
"nature's meek and lowly herbs," a
medicinal "tonic " and gentle stimu-
liant that completely takes the place of
the fashionable alcoholic poisons called
" tonics," so popular as a compromise
between strong drink and cold water,
and does away with the mania for drink,
and in reality cultivates an involuntary
disgust for the same. It even does
more: It-acts upon the entire physical
system, purifies the blood, and pro-
duces hale, hardy health. The discov-
erer of this great medicinal stimulant
is surely entitled to the thanks of q
whole nation, and it is not extravagant
to entitle him ga second Father Mat
thew."-COm
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12

There is growing impression among
stock owners that the health IF sheep,
~ we'll rs cattle. suffers from absence
Of carbon in their food: and it was sug-
gestcd by correspondent, few weeks
since, that tho worm disease of sheep
had greatly increased Of late years, be-
cause the pastures arc not burnt as for
mcrly. The ash or char Of the grasses,
it was asserted, gave the carbon of
which they stand in need. That tho
carbon obtained in this way does tho
sheep good in nndoubted, because the
animals 60 licking about a burnt place
while there is plenty Of good grass
around, and they arc not Mt all likely to
choose what is not good for them under
such circumstances. But if carbon is
tho ingredient sought after, it can be
given to sheep in other and less cxpcn-
sivc forms, for frequent grass burning
is suicidal to the man dependent upon
his grasses.-Pyniric Farmer.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12
Up In tho Clouds.


Ny friend, your fancy flies too far,
The world Of man lice round our feet,
Here ITS nnccasing conflicts arc
And here it's varying forces meet.
Pray, curb the thoughts that vaguely rise
Above lifc's real and stubborn facts;
Give Ger wild flights to distant skies,
And do some good by human acts.
ttoplan dreams arc pleasant things,
No doubt but dreams are poor ut best.
W. live not hy imagining,
Nor thrive on vague and vain unrest.
We must behold with eyes Vt sense.
Onr feet must tread III actual ways,
Aud ere We gain the rccolnlrnsc
'Tis ours to number tpilsomc days.
Grand theories, Of what might he.
Pro.liEiu,,s schemes for changing all,
Heavens order hero can never FREQ
Mankind from Natures bond and thrall
What is, hOwr'rr or whence II came,
IL that which all must rccoEnizs;
But brings no joy to fearful eyes.
So, friend, give DER your fancy flights,
Below the clouds yOull daily find
Much strife twixt struggling wrongs and rights,
Much good to do to aid your kind.
Pray, curb the dreamy thoughts that rise
Above life's real aud stubborn facts;
Frrsake void realms and vacant skies,
And 40 some good by human acts.
Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1874-03-12
AN ALGERIAN SCHEME.
An Artificial Sea.

An idea, says Galignani's Messenger,
was started not long ago on tho prncti-
cability of forming nh inland sen III
French Algeria. There exists, south Of
the Atlas, chain Of salt lakes called
"clotts," tlat 60 from east to west,
following q general depression, which
lies at al average depth Of from eighty
to ninety feet below tho level of tho
Mediterranean. According to tho prob
ability, there formerly was q sea there,
of which the chotts are nero remnants.
1t would be easy to restore this inland
gulf by merely opening Il short canal
connecting the Gulf of Gnbcs with tho
nearest chott, according to the descrip-
ton lately given by the Societe dc Geo
graphic by Capt. Boudaire, who has
himself surveyed the Mel-Rhir. He
states that the chOtts situated south Of
Biskra arc a series of shadows, varying
between twenty to sixty kilometres i'll
length, and generally dry in summer.
They form chain about three hundred
Kilometres (225 milcs) long from Chott-
el-Rhir, which lies in tho meridian of
Biskra. An insignificant chain of downs
or sand hills separates the Gulf of
Gales from Chott-cl-Fnrou The sur
face of these shadows, az smooth us
the floor of barn, is sprinkled with
the salts of magnesia, which gives them
the aspect of being covered with hour
frost. The western bank of Chott- Mel
Rhir, rs the We'd Zebra, is twenty-sev-
Ell metres eighty -one feet) below the
level of the sea, and its bed has Il slope
eastward Of twenty five centimetres per
kilometre, or four-tenths per cent.
Should this inclination continue Us fur
rs Chott-Sellem, sixty kilometres fur
Their east, the latter would be forty-two
metres Q26 feet) below the level of
the sea; without this being ascertained,
the latter chott lies certainly lower than
the Mel-Rhir. From various cursory
observations there appears to be no
doubt that from the latter to the Chott-
el-Faroun there exists IN immense de-
preston, which might be filed with sea
from the Gulf of Gabes. The advan-
tages to he derived from this plan would
be considerable. Seaports might be
formed at eighty kilometres south of
Biskra; the wandering tribes of those
regions might thus be kept in obedi-
ence, and the numerous rich cases of
the Souri, and We'd Rhir, whose de-
pendence from France is merely nomi-
ma, would be effectually held under
rule. The presence of the sea, more
over, would render rain more frequent,
and thus fertilize the country.