davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
ChiIdren's Questions.

Show us the philosopher that child can
not puzzle. We have not yet seen such a
phenomenon. Roll all the wiseacres into one,
and a sohoolboy's why's and wherefores shall
confound the combination. Ii, when the Ad-
mirable Crichton Travelled through Europe, af-
fixing his challenges to the gates Of colleges
the professors had pitted their six-year-olds
against the prodigy, we warrant they would
have propounded problems beyond his skill
to solve. The truth is, that it is much easier
to answer learned man than a child Your
philosopher understands well enough that
there are matters concerning which all men
are equally ignorant, and with cOmmendable
tact and prudence they steer clear Of them.
Children are not satisfied with evasive re-
plies. They croSs-examine with merciess
perseverance, and sometimes drive the most
profound to the refuge of 81 don't know
But even that confession--so humiliating 10
grown up wisdom-does not always silence
the youthful searcher after knowledge. lie
is apt TO think you ought to know, and TO
ask why you don't know. We really like to
set smart child on pendant, 1t is aston
ishing how the little interlocutor will worry
and badger the man Of books. But it does
him good. 1t teaches him how much he
does not know. II is very foolish for a man
to give himself airs on the score of acquire
ment which do not suffice TO save him from
being concerned and convicted of ignorance
bv mere baby.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
The Afternoon Of Life.

Horace Greeley, in his autobiography,
speaks OF the change wrought in him by the
death OF his son as a passer over TO the af-
ternoon Of life. The brightness Of the morn
ing and the midday was for him wholly
gone. II is pathetic expression, and be-
trays the keen sensibility Of the great jour
nalist Yet when men reach this stage oi
their journey, not by sudden access Of grief.
but by the even movement Of years, we can
see nothing in it that they need dread The
afternoon of our common day had its pleas
ures as well as the morning. The allotted
work is finished OF finishing. The tense
thought and strained nerve are relaxed the
beats Of the pulse are slower. Over mind and
body there steals a grateful sense Of rest.
There is something soothing in the mitigation
Of the intense brightness of the earlier hours
Of the day. Noone can sit quietly and watch
the approach Of twilight without a quicken
ing of the sense of awe with which We nat
urally contemplate the mystery of the uni
verse. In the transition from day to night.
God seems 10 compass us more closely. The
serious thought which was impossible amid
the excitemeuts Of active exertion now rises
spontaneously, and we are once more, in the
highest sense, rational beings.
Similar 10 this is all healthful experience
Of the afternoon Of life. Whether the work
be well-done or ill-done, whether it has ended
in victory or defeat, there is sense Of CON
tentment that the period of struggle is past
Charles Lamb devoted one of his most exu-
berant essays to a description Of the feelings
Of ga superannuated man" Walter Scott
wrote in the diary, the composition of which
was a solace of his later years d" It is enough
to have lived" That Gladstone should ask
a discharge from the service i'm which he has
so long performed the duties of a soldier and
a chief, is becoming in scholar who loves
truth for her own sake. We need not speak
of Bryant and Emerson and Whittier,
whose long afternoons have been tinged with
the melowest Of light, aud whose characters
have put on fresh beauty with advancing
years.
We touch upon this theme that We may
contribute something, however little it may
be, to subdue the dread which so many feel
of the afternoon Of our earthly existence.
There are great natures that cannot but be
busy till the nightfall of death comes upon
them. Such is Lord John Russell, and such
was Guizot. Such an one is Pope Plus, who
is brimful OF fight, though rapidly verging
on ninety years. But these are exceptional
men, whose superintendent vitality only
death can quench We may be sure of find
ing that all periods Of life have their com
pensations. If our existence is a journey,
We may believe that the part Of it whhh lies
nearest to our destination will not be barren
of iov
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03

When Lord Nelson gained the great vic.
tory ~ Copenhagen, he silenced the land
batteries by hh broadsides but he found
Out That one or more Of his ships were In
rather shallow water. 10 wa, therefore
deemed expedient to send letter 10 the
Crown Prince of Denmark. to demand a cos.
sation OF hostilities, in order 10 spare further
bloodshed. The letter being written and
neatly folded, Lord Nelson sent for a stick
Of sealing-wax II so happened that he who
was sent on this commission had his head
taken on by cannon-balL This was re.
ported 10 Nelson. Send another messeu.
ger for the wax p said he. II was observed
TO hiT that there were waters on the table
" Send for the sealing-wax :" he repeated.
II was done and the letter was sealed.
Some one said, May take the liberty of
asking why, under 50 hot fire, and after
such AN accident, you have attached so much
Importance TO circumstance apparently
trhing 2" He replied "If / had made
use OF wafer, it would have been still wet
when the letter was presented ~ the Grown
Prince; he would have inferred that the bet.
ter was sent of in hurry, and that we had
some very pressing occasion for IT, The wax
told ~ tales"
This was before the ,'ay Of envelopes.
Nt.'"h "iN NiN'ilI ~ ltlltI was lufil n Wolk
Of time and skin.
Every one knows the story Of Admiral Far
ragut having himself lashed to the rigging
OF his flagship at the battle Of Mobile. He
showed the same courage, in different way,
when lad lie was a midshipman when
only eleven years old, and served on board
the famous Essex while it crnised about the
Pacific seizing the British whalers during
the war Of 1872. OF his conduct, when the
Essex wiss'captured, the following story is
told
81 David Glasgow Faragut. a midshpman
on board the Essex, thirteen years of age.
was knocked down 10y q splinter. which
struck him ON the thigh, and disabled him
during the remainder Of the action While
supporting himself by the railing which was
placed around the hatohway on the quarter
deck, an eighteen-pound ball carried away
the tail of his coatee. Several men were
killed very near him, but not the slightest
change was perceived in his countenance or
manners. But no sooner were the colois
struck than he burst into tears"
The -" lad Farragut was commended in
the official report of the battle, and the re-
gret was added that the boy was too young
for promotion.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
TOueh the Toreh!

My old friend, suppose that you and
begin this new year with the determination
to be better men. Let us turn over new
leaf The man thus addressed, on a New
Years eve was fifty years old, and had
never given one hour to his Lord. He
left me with thoughtful look on his counte-
nance. That evening, for the first time, he
was IN the eprayermeeting. Within month
he had set up his family altar and been adj
mitted TO the church of Christ
That one sentence did the business. Ii
touched the man just at an impressible mo
ment, and did what thousand sermons had
failed TO do. Now, is il not the duty of
Christs people TO be watching for opportu-
mites 10 say kind, earnest word TO the un-
converted We never can tell Just when
the tinder will catch and flame up. Ii is
ours to touch the torch of truth the Divine
Spirit may be in the torch, aud we know
it not.
My neighbor, who took that new departure
eight years ago, holds out well, The fire
kindled 10y a word has burned on with n
steady glow Nathaniel was in the recep-
tive frame of mind to respond to Philips
Come and see." The unconverted are often
in such impressible conditions, but no one
touches the torch of love to them at the right
moment. Harlan Page kept ever at the ten
tatiye process, and, although sometimes his
warm truth came in contact with the ice or
the rock, yet in over one hundred cases the
fire of conviction kindled, and a soul was
converted. Christians are PRAYING for the
conversion Of souls, But suppose that Jesus
should come into our meetings and ask each
one, g How many souls hast thou tried to
save To whom hast thou spoken the word
in season " Probably nine-tenths Of the
company would stammer out, b" Not one,
Lord, not one " Such prayer-services end
in ashes. They commonly leave a church
in worse condition than before. God has
been solemnly invoked to do what His people
refuse to do themselves they have told Him
pious lies when they pretended to be anxious
that sinners should be brought TO the Saviour.
1t is fearfully solemn thing, and danger
GUS thing, too, for church to assemble and
ask of God that he would bless their indo-
lence and cowardice. God often answers our
conduct, and not our spoken prayers. We do
nothing for sinners the Lord does nothing
for us.
Human hearts are not set ON fire with lei.
cles. Only a soul in full glow with love 10
Jesus can kindle another soul. The truth
spoken in lore was Paul's torch 1t is wise
to prepare the way for message TO the con.
science by some act of personal kindness. A
visit to house of sorrow, opens the door for
pressing Christ's claims at a succeeding visit.
Go and win people to yourself then win them
to your Savior.
Is your prayer-meeting up to red hot
glow, this week Then scatter the fire
Snatch burning brand, and touch with II
some soul that is dead in sin. The more a
| torch Is carried the BRIGHTER IL burns
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
kindly Reminders Of Death.

There was heather king once, named
Philip Of Maeedon and very wise king he
was though he was heathen, and one OF
the wisest of his plans was this lie had a
slave, whom he ordered to cone to him every
morning of his life whatever he was doing
and say TO him, in loud voice, Philip re-
member that thou must die" lie was a
heathen, but a great many who call them
selves Christians are not half so wise as he,
for they take all possible care not TO remem-
Der that they must die, but to forget that
they must die; and yet every living man has
servant who, like King Philips, puts him
in mind, whether he likes ii or not, that his
day will run out at last and his twelve hours
of life will be over, and then die he must,
And who is that servant A mans own
body. Happy for him, though, II his body
is his servant-not his master and his tyrant
But still, be that as 1t may, every fnger-ache
that ones body has, every cough and cold
ones body catches, ought to be to us warn
ing, like King Philips servant, Remember
that thou must de' Every little pain and
illness Is warning, a kindly hint from our
Father in heaven, that we are doomed to
death that we have but twelve hours in
this short day of life, and that we must get
our work done and our accounts settled, and
be ready for our long journey.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
A Novel Fire Extinguisher.

At a recent destructive fire in a country
town, number Of the would-be savers OF
property lost their heads, and as there had
not been fire of any consequence for years
in the place, when the cali was made for the
town fire engine, scarcely any one knew
whore to find it. -Four excited individuals.
however. started off with a rope TO pull it
forth, and arriving at the supposed place of
deposit, some distance away, they broke OFF
the hasp Of the door, blundered in among
wheels and some old lumber in the darkness,
and made fast their rope. They now pulled
with will. The machine yielded, and away
they ratified with it down hill 10 the
confogration. When close upon it, in the
full light of the blaze, they were halted by
one of the town officials, who demanded.
"Say, men, who is in such hurry to be
buried 2" Buried We're going to put
ont the fire." Put out the fire Well said
the official, "you won't do it with that old
hearse unless you load her up with water"
The excited quartette turned round and
looked at the vehicle behind, when the truth
burst upon them. They had in their excite
ment broken into an old hearse house, and
drawn forth, instead of the fire engine, a
superannuated old funeral ear which stood
there am inky old skeleton, with its rusty
black trimmings tapping n the breeze.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
Keeping the Tongue.

Keep il from unkiudness. Words are
sometimes wounds. Not very deep wound.
always, and yet they irritate. Speech is un.
kind, sometimes when there is no nkind.
ness in the heart so much the worse that
needless wounds are inhicted so much the
worse that. unintentionally, pain is caused
Keep it from falsehood. 1t is so easy to
give a false coloring to so make statement
that it may convey meaning different from
the truth, while yet there is an appearance
of truth, that We need to be on our guard
There are very many who would shrink from
telling a lie who yet suffer themselves in
such inaccurate, or exaggerated, or one-sided
statements, that they really come under the
condemnation of those whose "lying lips are
an abomination TO the Lord"
Keep it from slander. The good reputa
tion of others should be dear to us. Sin
should not be suffered to go unrebuked
but it should be in accordance with the
Scripture method go and tell him hi,
fault betwixt thee and him alone And il
should be borne in mind, that what is too Of
ten considered as merely harmless gossip
runs dangerously near, if it does not pass til,
confines Of SANDER. A reputation is too sa
cred TO be made plaything of, even if the
intent be not malicious american Messenger
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
MONTPELIER, VT. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3, 1875. /.

yotive offerings Of art that fiji the whole
soul with their beauty; where the carpets
yield to the lightest pressure, and the rich
hangings crimson the palest check. Yet
amidst all this show and adjoining has the
proud wife sat, the choicest piece Of furni-
ture Therefor so her husband regards her.
Formal and stern he has thrown around her
The drapery of his chill heart. and il has
folded about her like marble She is "mv
lady, and nothing more. No outburst Of
affection, IN the form Of sweet praise. falls
upon her ears-yct pendants of diamonds
drop therefrom, but their shining is like his
love, costly aud cold We have heard such
a one say, in times gone by, All this wealth,
all this show and pride Of station, would |
resign for one word Of praise from my hus.
band. lie never relaxes from the loftiness
which has made him feared among men he
never speaks 10 me but with measured ac.
cents, though he surrounds me with lux
uries."
we wondered not that a stifled sob closed
the sentence. Who had not rather live in a
cottage, through which the winds reyel and
the drops fall, with one in whose heart dwell
impulses, the holiest in our nature-one no
Is not ashamed or afraid to give fitting com
mendaiion-t than in the most gorgeous Of
earthly palaces, with a companion whose
lips are scaled forever 30 the expression Of
fondness, sympathy, aud praiseY
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
A Perplexed Wife.


Physicians have little reverence for dead
bodies, and they neglect no opportunity OF
putting such as come within their reach to
the use Of medical science by dissection.
They sometimes get into trouble by appro-
priating bodies of persons who are unclaimed
of friends.
A ludicrous incident happened in one Of
the London hospitals by little over-haste in
scietiic work. A patient had died in the
hospital who was thought to have no friends.
The attending surgeons cut off his head,
with half dozen others, for chronological
inspection. But an old woman came to the
hospital 10 claim her hueband's body The
physicians were in trouble. They identified
the body by scar on the right arm and, Sc
lecting the head which seemed TO fit best,
sewed it to the body The woman recog-
nized the body at once by the scar, but when
she looked at the face, she cried out
90, murder, and It's death that alters one
entirely, it is My poor Dennis had carroty
hair and now the head OF him is as black as
a tom-cat"
The surgeons escaped detection, but the
woman could never understand the mystery.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
A Model Mother.


My mother was am angel upon earth She
was a minister of blessing to all human beings
within her sphere Of action. Her heart was
the abode of heavenly purity. She had no
feelings but Of kindness and benefcence; yet
her mind was as firm rs her temper was mild
and gentle. She had known sorrow, but her
sorrow was silent. She was acquainted with
grief, but it was deposited in her own bosom.
| She was the real personifcation of female
virtue, of piety of charity, of ever active
and never intermitting benevolence. Oh,
God could she have been spared yet little
longer My lot in life has been almost
alwayscast at distance from her. have en-
| joyed but for short seasons, and at long dis
tant intervals, the happiness of her society,
yet she has been 10 me more than mother.
She has been aspirt from above watching
over me for good, and contributing by my
mere consciousness of her existence 10 the
comfort Of my life. That consciousness is
gone, and without her the world feels TO me like
a solitude. She was born on the 22d of No
yember, l7li, and had completed within less
than a month her rseyenty-fourth year. Had
she lived TO the age of the Patriarchs, every
day of her life would have been filed with
clouds of goodness and Of love. There is not
virtue that can abide in the female heart
but II was the ornament of hers. She had
been fiftyfour years the delight of my fa-
theirs heart, the sweetener Of all his tolls, the
comforter of all his sorrows, the sharer and
brightener of all his joys. II was but the
last time when saw my father that he told
me, with an ejaculation of gratitude to the
Giyer of every good aud every perfect gift,
that in all the yieissitudes of his fortune,
through all the good report and evil report
of the world, in all his struggles and in all his
sorrows, the affeetionate participation and
cheering encouragement Of his wife had been
his neyer-failing support, without which he
was sure he should never have lived through
them.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
Broken Friendship.

Friendship is a good deal like china. 1t is
very durable and beautiful as long as it is
quite whole but break ii, and all the ce-
ment in the world will never quite repair
the damage You may stick the pieces to-
gether so that at a distance, it looks nearly
as well as ever but it won't hold hot water
1t is always ready to deceive you you trust
it and it IS on the whole, a very worthless
thing, fit only to be put empty on a shelf
and forgotten there. The finer and more
delicate 1t is, the more utter the ruin \
mere acquaintance, which needs only little
illhumor to break it up, may be coarsely
puttied, like that old yellow basin in the store
closet but tenderness, and trust, and sweet
exchange of confidence, anno more be yours
when angry words and thoughts have broken
them, than can those delicate porcelain tea
cups, which were splintered to pieces, be- re-
stored to their original excellence. The
slightest crack will spoil the true ring, and
you had better search for new friend than
try to mend the old one. And all this has
nothing to do with forgiveness. One may
forgive and be forgiven, but the deed has
been done, and the word said the flowers
and the gliding are gone. The formal
making up" especially between two wo-
men, is of 10 more avail than the wonderful
oements, that have mended cracked ugliness
Of the china vase that you expected to be
your "joy forever" Handled delicately,
washed to purity in the waters of truth, con-
fded to no careless, unsympathizing hands,
friendship may last two lives out but it
" does not pay to try TO mend it. Once
broken, it is spoiled forever.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03
MARRIAGE PRAYER.

hi htNs w. FfouA4t.
The i.nr watch between me and ,hec oea vxti, ~
Watch between rs. oh our Father
May our hearts united he,
And the living tie that binds us
I've the thoughts that rise to thee
Watch between ~, Oh our Fatherl
Through this day 20 ralm and bright.
While the smiles of friends shine on rs
While We walk within the light, -
Lest the darkness come upon u.s.
Lest we miss thy voice so clear,
Lest IN feeling we 20 frum thee.
Heavenly Father, he thou near
Watch between ~, Oh our Father,
When the day shall darker grow:
When the wind signs through the branches
Aud the air IL thick with snow
Lest our hearts grow coid aud feeble,
And our symuathfes decay:
Lest we strike the notes Of discord
Aud live estrlnged for aye
Watch between ne, oh our Father,
When thy messenger shall come
Mud On wings Of love and merry
Bear our best beloved home,
Lest In bitterness Of surrow
We thy meaning dimly see;
Lest we miss the Joy OF giving.
Nursing selfish misery.
Watch between rs, Oh our Father
AZ the closing of the day,
When upon the long, last Journey
One shall 60, the other stay,
4 little longer I'M the Master
shall have made all things complete,
IN the house OF uany lnansions,
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03

FoRGAvE lIIM.--An editor of a weekly
paper, published in little village in Mis-
souIi, called at the White House, and was
admitted TO Mr.. Lincoln's presence. lie
told MIR. Lincoln that he was the man who
first suggested his name for the presidency,
and pulling from his pocket an old, worn,
defaced copy of his paper, exhibited an item
ON the subject. DO you really think, I"
said Mr.. Lincoln, Is that announcement was
the occasion of my nomination Scr
tainly," said the editor. 4" the suggestion was
so opportune that il was at once taken up
by other papers, and the result was your
nomination and election"
"Ahl we'll" said Mr.. Lincoln, with u
sigh, and assuming a rather gloomy countc-
nance, " am glad to see you and know this,
but you will have 10 excuse me | am Just
going to the war department TO see MI
stanton We'll" said the editor, viii
walk over with YOU" The President, with
that apt good-nature of his, took up his hat
and said, Come along"
When they reached the door Of the secre-
tary's Office Mr.. Lincoln turned to his com
panion and said, O. shall have to see Mr..
Stanton alone, aud you must excuse me"
and taking him by the hand, he continued,
Goodbye. | hope you will feel perfectly
easy about having nominated me don't be
troubled about il | forgive YOU
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-03-03

LIVE PEAcEABLY.--No man will properly
develop as a Christian who lives in state Of
quarrel. In enmity against God, he is of
course not Christian at all; but reconeiled
TO Him he must remain dwarf, unless he
secures peace with those around him.
Fighting the brethren, fighting angerly in
behalf of reform, contending with bitter
words and hard strife for even the best of
doctrines, he will stunt the growth of a
divine life within him. Even fighting
against sin is not to be done in quarrelsome
way, but in a spirit of honoring God while
abhorring the sin and pitying the sinner,
We are 10 conduct warfare, but our fight
is to be a good" one, which means that it
is to be directed against wrong and in favor
of right but also that it is 10 be waged SO
that in the darkest day of defeat we may be
able to say, I" Father forgive them, for they
know not what they do"