davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

The St Adams Messenger has the follow
ing extract from letter written six wears
ago by the Hon. Bradley Barlow, of St.
Adams, to Senator Edmunds. 1t is is near
iy identical in thought and spirit with the
late speech of Senator Ferry OF Michigan.
concerning our financial troubles and neces-
sites:
All paper money that ever existed in this
country was, and is. a representative of
credit. No paper dollar ever represented a
dollar in gold. The national banks are al
lowed to pay their paper in the paper of the
government, and limited as the amount is.
to sum considerably less than the legal
tenders, the national banks could not pay
their notes in legal tenders to-day but for
the credit the government has given them,
which keeps their ,notes in circulation. So
the credit of the banks is based upon the
credit or Indebtedness Of the government.
In round numbers the legal tenders
amount to about four hundred millions
and the national bank circulation three hun
dred million dollars of paper money, au-
thorHed by Congress; 4 sum not likely to
be reduced at present.
The first step in the right direction, and
in the direction of making our paper money
equal in value and convertible into gold
will be to withdraw the three hundred mil
lions Of national bank circulation and sub
stitute in its place three hundred millions
OF legal tenders. This measure will not in
crease the paper money circulation one dol
lar.
The amount should be limited to such
sum as Is deemed equal TO the wants of the
people for the convenient transaction of the
business of the whole country
The present relations of the National
Banks and government are an unmitigated
evil. and should be dissolved a. soon as it
can be done without injustice.
1t is useless to expect from Congress any
practical or beneficial legislation upon
financial matters % long aS Congress feels
bound to protect the banks in the privileges
they now enjoy. They will always be an
impediment to a wholesome financial leglS-
lation.
Having got rid Of the national banks, so
FAR as they .have any connection with the
government, the. next step is to provide
some system to give fiexibility to the cur
rency. This should be done to accommO-
date the volume Of currency to the varying
wants of business. 1t should be done by
providing that the government shall in all
the principal cities. receive on special de-
posit legal tenders and issue therefor five
per cent. interest bearing certificates payable
on demand at the place Of issue. The legal
tenders 50 placed with the government on
special deposit should not be used, but the
same held for return when demanded by the
dep0sit0r. This system should be applied
to the present volume of currency of seven
hundred million dollars when the national
bank currency Is withdrawn and legal ten
ders substituted in their stead.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02
4 Celebrated ii0aN.

One of the most annoying holxcs ever Tt
corded was that which. aboat sixty years ago.
was known in London as the Berners street
hoax. 1t drew the attention of the news
papers at the time then OF the magazines
and the Annual Register; many years after
ward lin connection with 4 biographical no
tice of the hoaxer), of the Quarterly Re
view and more recently, if we remember
rightly, of the ''lngoldsby Legends Bern
ers street Is 4 quiet street of hotels and
~hops with priyate-looking windows; in 1910,
it was still more quiet. inhabited by well-to-
do families living in genteel way. one
morning, soon after break kinst, 4 wagOn-l0ad
OF Goals drew up before the door Of widow
lady in that street. and soon aiterward
yan-load Of furniture then came 4 hearse
with 4 collin, and a train of mourning-c0ach-
e. Presently arrived two fashionable ply
sicianS, dentist, and an accoucheur. driy-
ing up rs near as they could to the door,
and wondering why 50 many numbering We
hicleS were 50 near at hand. SIX men
brought great chamber-organ coach
maker a clock-maker. a carpet-manuiactur-
or, and 4 winc-merchant sent specimens of
their goods n brewer brought several bar
rcls of ale curioSitv-dealers brought ~andry
knick-knaeks. \ piano forte, linen jewelry,
Wigs and hcad-lreSseS. a cart-load of potatoes,
books, prints, conjurins trick>, feathers,
ices, icllie~, were among the things brought
to Tor at least near) the house while man
tuamakers came with baskets Of millinery
and fancy articles, and opticians with teles-
cope- Then, after time, troopel in from
all quarters grocerS, coachmen, foo;men,
cooks, house-maids, nursery-maidS, and
other servants, come IN quest OF situations
To crown all, persons Of distinction came III
their carriage>-the commander-ln chief, the
Archbishop Of Canterbury, cabinet minis
ter, the lord chief justice, the governor Of
the bank Of England, the chairman and
directors of the East India Company, an emf
nent parliamentary ptilanthropist, and the
lord mayor. The la,t-named iuncIionary-
one among those who speedily saw that all
had been yictimized by a gigantic hoax
drove 10 Marlborough street police-otice,
and tod the sitting magistrate that he had
received letter from lady in Bcrners
street. to the effect that She had hcen sum
moned to attend At the Mansion house, that
She was extremely i'll, that she wished To
make deposition upon oath, and that She
would deem it a great favor if bis lnrdShip
would call upon her. Al the other persons
Of emiuence had had their enumeration
appealed to in a similar way. Police officers
There We're no policemen IN those days. were
sent to keep order in 3erners street. which
was nearly chokel with vehicles, iammed
and intcrlockci one with another. the
drivers We're irrtatei, the disappointed
trade~men were cxaspcrated, and q large
crowd enjoyed the malicious fun. some Of
the vans qu1 l-l,1- ,y4rs |,,.-.srn.1 aud
L-,Lc,. viii. n few ,,.ls.,r MI. ls.,rs a
ur.v f., the r.r,,a., Al ,ir,rc,r tbe J,v
inr,i1 l,rc .,t i,,itFt iij nj. stf-,.rlinorv
STATE of thing. contipur. +, the terror and
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02
q Il1I4 ~ .loro lITHUu AIIu

A PRovoKING PRAYER Book - Mrs
Prime, when her only son Peter went into
the navy, in the hopes that there would be a
war with Cuba, received as parting gift, a
neat little music box which he had purchased
at Paillard's, in New York, for the sum Of
so. The box was great source of com
fort to that estimable lady, and she would
sit by the hour to hear it play its old-fash-
ioned tunes, such as Pop GOES the Weasel, -
DANDY Jim of Caroline" and Lucy Long"
by the very good old favorites very seldom
heard in these modern davs when style seems
to be Of more account than harmony. Mrs.
Prime priced the gift 50 highly that she gave
IT place on the centre table, with her de-
votioual books and, in fact, she had deyo-
ton for that music box in memory of the de-
parted son. Mrs. Prime WAS somewhat
near-sighted, and upon this hinged her awk-
ward mistake. Last Sabbath the good lady
made her preparations for church, and Just
as tne bells struck for the last time, she ran
into the parlor, snatehed up the prayer book
and almost ran to the church, having holy
horror of being late. She soon arrived at
her destination, and had hardly had time to
note precisely what the horrid Smiths were
wearing, although she was certain sure they
had on the same clothes they wop in the
summer, when the good pastor gave out the
lesson, for it was an Episcopal Church She
reached in front of her for the prayer book
and made an effort to open it, but being
near-sighted turned it over two or three
times when it finally flew open, and as the
pastor commenced on the second line some
thing within began to play Wait for the
Wagon" The good woman had brought
along the mgsic box instead Of the prayer
book ; horror of horrors the Smiths, who
sat directly in front Of her, perceived her
mistake Immediately and their snickering
called the attention of the congregation to
the poor old lady while she, covered with
shame, did not know precisely what to do.
The minister stopped in the midst of his les
son and all eyes were turned to the pew Of
Mrs. Prime, while the good woman thought
if the earth would open up and swallow her,
or that some one would halloo fire" she
would be satisfied Her fumbling at the
box only started on fresh tunes and all the
tunes represented in the box came out in
rapid succession. First there would be .'Ole
Dan Tucker, then would be heard the live
ly strains Of Pop goes the Weasel. " follow
ed by ''Dan1y jim" There was consterna-
ton in that church You may suppose. and
do what the good lady would she could not
stop the lively instrument. She sat on it,
pat it under her feet, turned it upside down,
but m 60, still came the tunes in rapid sue
cession Jim along Josey." Lucy Long
and Others. At last when Mrs. Prime
thought she should feel willing to die just
then and there, the sexton seeing the evil
dent mistake Of the good woman, took it
from her and passed it UP the aisle, the last
heard Of it being the parting strains Of
''lIome Sweet Home - Elisabeth Herald
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

TuE LIQUOR COMMISSION A proposition
has obtained committee reference IN Con
gress that commission of five men special
~ qualified for the purpose, shall be ap
pointed to inquire and take testimony as to
the results of the liquor traffic in connec-
ton with crime, pauperism, the public
health, the moral, social. and intellectual
well-being OF the people; second, concern
ing prohibitory legislation in Maine; Mas
sachusetts and other States of the Union,
and third, to recommend any additional
repressiye legislation that may be deemed
necessary As the proposed commissioners
are to serve without salary, having only
their necessary expenses paid out of the
treasury, if the right kind Of men are Sc
lected there is no danger of their becom-
ing a burden on the country while in the
discharge Of their duty, and they might
possibly present mass of information
which would he of great value to the COM
munity. In 1872 the amount of revenue
paid to the national treasury on distilled
spirits was S49,475 ,5l6.36, representing
about 100, 600 900 gallons at retail value
or about $3l7 .00O, 900. On fermented
liquors the taxes paid amounted to Ss,-
573, ,4s9, representing, it is estimated, an
aggregate money interest of about $780,
900 900. Even the home wine trade repre-.
sents a value Of about SIS 5,OOO, 900. All
this is in addition to the foreign import
trade, valued at $i64 900 900. These are
stupendous figures, even regarded merely
Is indices OF property, commerce aud iapor'
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

Georse W lillian Curtis l. not Il man who
gives liberation To any wrong, and Har-
per's Uee.ly, under his editorship, has been
strenuous IN enforeing the morals of poll
ties Here is what MIR. Curtis says in its
columns respecting the case of Senator Car
penter
Mr. Carpenter has been re- elected Pre>i-
dent pro teniPOre Of the Senate. He is not
the gentleman the country or the Republi-
can party would most willingly see in that
position but the Senate could hardly have
refused to re-elect him without seeming to
cOuntenance the recent scandal against him.
That scandal, however is wholly unsustain-
ed. Ii is not denied that it came frum
person who had u personal grudge against
the Senator, and who told DR.. Bliss, of
Washington. that he meant to be even
with him. The story rests wholly upon his
assertion, and the attempt to aid a. eyi-
denee the statement that many persons oh
tanned rooms at the hotel after Mr.. Carpen-
ter was denied, falls before the familiar fact
that it Is the universal custom to engage
rooms in advance, which the Times states
was true IN all the cases cited. This story
has been 50 widely and acrimoniously re-
peated that had Mr.. Carpenter not been re-
elected, the conclusion would have been un-
avoidahle that the Senate really believed it.
For. unless it is utterly degraded, i. could
not have elected him its chief ofieer, had it
not been convinced of the ialsity of the
charge We differ with Senator Carpenter
radically and often, and he seems to Us
very unsatisfactory representative of the
Republican party, but We are sincerely glad
of the action of the Senate, for. rs against
the unsustained allegation OF person who
eoniesses sinister motive, 1t must be re
garded as a conclusive vindiea.ion.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

al viii land you safely at the dock in
Liverpool, said he, ''if y1u will be men,"
And he did land us safely; but the vessel
sank moored to the dock. The captain
stood on the deck of the sinking vessel, re-
ceiving the thanks and the blessings of the
passengers, as they passed down the gang
plank. | was the last to leave. A. pass
ed, he grasped my hand, and said,
Judge P, do you recognize me?''
! told him that was not aware that |
ever saw him until stepped aboard his
ship.
DO you remember the boy in Cinein-
nati?''
Very well, sir; William iIayeriey. "
Il am he said he "Go1 bless you -
And God bless noble Captain Hayer-
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

SWIMMING ~ TuE SALT LAAE-A cores
pondendent, who has bathel in the salt sea
Of America, writes There are no fish in the
great Salt Lake. The only living thing about
its waters is a worm, about quarter of an
inch long. This worms shows up beautiful
ly beneath the lens of 4 microscope When
a storm arises the worms are driven ashore
hv thousands, and devoured bv the black
gulls We found pure stream pouring in
10 the lake. 1t was filed with little chubs
and sinners. The fish became frightened,
and were driven down the brook into the
briny lake. The instant they touched its
waters they came to the surface belly up
ward, and died without a gasp. The water
Is remarkably buoyant Eggs and potatoes
float upon it like cork. Mr.. Rood and my
self stripped and went in swimming.
diyel into the lake from long pier. which
had been built for the use of a small steam
boat that formerly piled upon the waters
The sensation was novel. The water was 50
salty that my eyes and ears began to smart,
but 50 buoyant that found no difficulty in
floating even when the air was exhausted in
my lungs As | strnck ont for the beach
felt as light As feather. In spite OF all that
| could do my heels would flv out Of the
water | found 1t impossible To stand uron
the bottom. The lightness Of the water and
the surging Of the waves forced my feet from
under me. person who could not swim
might be easily drowned in five feet Of water.
His head would 60 down like lump oflead
while his feet would fly up like a pair of
ducks. The water is as clear as the water
of Seneca lake 50 clear that the bottom
could he seen at the depth of twenty feet.
When we reached the shore and crawled out
up on the sand, in the light of the sun, our
bodies were quickly coated with salt. We
were compelled to go to the little stream
from which we had driven the chuhs and
sinners, and wash off in fresh water before
we put on our clothes. Our hair was filed
with grains of salt which could not be wash
ed ont The Mormons occasionally visit the
lake in droyes for the purpose of bathing.
Many of them say that their health is i'm
proved by leaving the salt upon their bodies,
and dressing without wiping Themselves with
napkins
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

\ BALi.RooN CoNvTRsA1IoX- As for the
talk OF bathrooms, its Stiffness and inanity
are almost proverb:al And vet. what else
can one expect In the '.squares" ones
attention is 50 constantly called off to some
process of bowing. or setting. or crossing
over, or turning round, that it Is next to i'm
possible to get holf dozen consecutive SEN
tenceS Of conversation at a time. Indeed.
have often meditated making fortune by
publishing, for the use of men whose small
talk is limited, pocket Dancers Conrersq-
i.0A Book, to consist wholly Of three word
beginnings of sentences, such as Don't you
think, Have you SEEN ''Do You
know, and 50 on. The reader would be
instructed, every time be found himself at
rest beside his partner, to start one of these
fragments, with pleasant smile land an in
terrogative air, in well-founded confidence
that by the time the third word was out of
his mouth some exigency of the figure would
rexuire him to turn off to some independent
movement on his own part, which ended. his
partner might safely be assumed to have for
gotten all about his last remark, and to be
ready L. listen to another equally illusory
But even supposing couple to have com
parati,ely time to talk-as, for instance.
during the short interval between two dances
how, if (as must continually happen) they
were utter strangers 10 one another till ten
minutes ago. how, | say. can they be ex-
pected to get beyond the veriest outworks
and superfcialities Of conversation? The
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

TINE FOR ALI THNGs-EvEN FAsmoNs.-
After days shopping or an hour under the
hand, a woman bemoans her
self for her paradise lost yet it Is really
surprising 10 see how short is the time which
she is forced to spend on clothes in order to
be yerv well dressed Conld Charles sum
ner deliver orations in sash, or Mr.. Long
fellow write poetry in paniers? Certainly
not. Nor would Mrs. Stowe have better
nodded Uncle Tom in eoat-tails, or Mrs.
Browning sung in trowsers. Sunni cuique.
A woman spends an hour in embroidering
gown, when she might have learned Ian
guage or saved soul. True; but there are
times when she does not feel either ike
learning language Or saving soul. Then
the growth of silken leaves and buds under
the busy fingers is no task but solaee.
know n woman VINO
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

THE OPPOSITION To CHRISTMAS. - We
yearn for little iolly,a brief holiday time.
Il season Of mi>rule, and burst of two
penny extravaganza However, We may
try To conceal the fact and summon to
our faces a snug sneer in the presence
of hard progressionists,w we feel our
fingers clench as We hold our hand in our
pockets Most Of all do we feel an almost
unconquerahlc desire to punch those hard
heads, as they come butting at Christmas
and trying to knock over our " cakes and
ale" Let them have their way, and there
will soon be no more plum-pudding, No
decking of our rooms and halls, or even
our churches, with bright green boughs and
red berries. no waits, no Christmas carols.
no kissing under the rsistletoe they would
bring all life down to the union work
house pattern If they could-that is to say
to their own pattern (tor it does sometimes
happen that there is faint CLEAN and re
flected glory Of Christmas-tide even in work
house wards here and there), and would
inaugurate the holiday by a bowl of water
cruel and lecture on the application of
the steam crane to the extraction of the
cube root. Let the merry features of Christ
mas be kept and multiplied, but let not its
sublimer aspect be forgotten Ii Is well for
human friendship and sympathy to scatter
gifts and kindle social gladness in the
sadder and the merrier homes it Is still
better for Christian faith to ditfuse abroad
more and more of that light which pro-
claims the effectual rising OF the Sun OF
Righteousness English Magazine.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

was so Jolly about it and accommodating like
that they thought as one good turn deserves
another they would have conviyial cup of
coffee with her; which they did, and as the
rats hadn't eaten all the strychnine, she got
her money back and the coroner got job,
but it is not known what commission he
gave her.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

A correspondent of the Burlington, Vt
Free Press has 'receiyed number ofinqui-
ries from soldiers who served in the wars of
1879 and 1861, to know what Congress IS
doing for their benefit, il anything new"
Is it possible Government hasn't paid those
old soldiers what it owes them yet? IL it
hasn't, suppose il divide hundred or two
millions among them, taking receipts in
fall. But that wouldn't 90 either. 1t
might satisfy the soldiers, but they are not
the parties who are always in want Of
something more. The claim agents are
much more interested. Boston Herald
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02

Washington Irving gives a pleasant
sketch of Christmas in England. from
which we take the following
While lay musing on my pillow, heard
the sound Of little feet pattering outside Of
the door, and a whispering consultation.
Presently choir Of small voices chanted
forth an old Christmas car,l, the burden Of
which was
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-01-02
NUMBER 27.
shifting Scenes: or Gilmpses OF Famous Peopis.
From the Danbury News
MANY FACES

What strange thing is memory II
plays such tricks with w, bringing Up de-
tached and absurd "reminiscences when
| more important ones have faded from the
mind Every newspaper glanced at, each
magazine looked into, will recall memories
that have land dormant fer years, and a
Hood OF recollections rushes over Us, carry
ing us back further than we care to count
fol instance
GOV MARCY
wasa most pleasant, t,friend incur household
earnest. absorbed. determined a man among
men. Yet, OF all my many memories of
him. comes the evening when, having left
his erfra sized India rubbers ia our hall We
children played they were boats
MOTLEY, THE HISTORIAN.
Christmas eve and thought him the most
| remember as dancing at child's ball one
splendid looking being had ever seen
whenever J read the - Dutch Republic" |
cannot keep my mind On it, for seeing Mr..
Motley and very minute girl galloping all
over the delightful pages
". p. WILLS
l can see now. as he once stood, talking To
my father, and saying, - If had three
wishes, as fairy gifts ior my children,
would ask for each one of them. IaipUdeRcs
Mpudence - LnpuleRcs - There is moth
ing like it for helping one in life" And he
lived up to the belief OF
MARGARET FULLER,
whom | admired and loved, | remember
best, being taken shopping with her in
Paris, when she requested that CaPHch'n
fridr might be sent to her room without
fail at 10 p. III. (She meant to order n hood,
and also when she wished. To purchase n
handsome citizen in place of the cdgdieSfick
she intended to ask for. In Italy she once
asked FOR 4 coachman to stir her tea with.
instead Of = spoon heard
JULES JANIS,
the famous critic and feuillotonist, expa
tiate upon the exquisite color of the - Car
dIRgi Of the Ssls'--he meant a lobster lie
had never seen any but boiled one What
blistering sarcasm would be here vented on
any other learned man who had made 80
ridiculous mistake saw
LAMARrISE
standing in the famous niche in the fuller
les, holding and restraining a mob of 90,-
600 from murder and rapine, by the i'm
mense power of his elOqaence, and where
for thirty hours he poured forth that resist
less yOlums of wrath, and Indignation. and
persuasion, and pleading. Yet | remember
him best as last saw him. deeply interest
ed in a spirit-rapping sencs. where the de-
ception was patent to all ewes but his |
once met the soldierly, dignified
GEN. SCOTT,
in all the glory Of his war t0ggery. lie
saluted us with his well known, finished
courtesy, only to step the next moment on
piece Of orange peel, aud excite series of
plunges wildly forward before he could re-
gain his equilibrium while We hurried
away amidst the wells of some disgusting
small boys who shrieked, - Go il Old
Fuss and Feathers 80