davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
A Terrible Moment.

The Bein Public of Tarbes, june %,
thus describes the destruction of the
bridge of the Adour: From daybreak
the entire length of the structure was
crowded with people, too busy in
Watching the passage in the stream of
trees, gates, articles of furniture and
other things, to have any apprehension
of the danger they ran. At quarter
before one, some workmen, noticing
the water dashing violent against the
piers of the bridge, and the flood
attaining the crown of the arches, saw
the Missionary begin to open. A lock
smith named Barthez was one of the
first to perceive the danger, which he
at once announced, begging the crowd
to retire at once. At first no attention
was paid to tbswarning but some
men employeda at the arsenal came be-
hind the>store of NJ. Roes and saw the
dust Ky and the mortar give way, on
whIGh workman called Coulinet hur-
lied away and joined Barthez in giving
the alarm. Still the idea prevailed
that the whole incident was Il piece OF
pleasantly. But on seeing those two
men pale, and terrified, tho people be-
gan to leave the bridge. At that mo-
ment an oscillation was felt, and the
panic reached its height few seconds
later q detonatiop was heard like tht
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07

firing of several pieces of artillery ; it
was the bridge which had given away,
precipitating with it several unfortunate
persons into the river. They are said
to have four in number, and to have
succeeded in saving themselves, and
we sincerely trust that such is the case.
The crash was followed by the cries
and lamentations of the populace one
calling out for his brother, another his
son this one seeking his wife and that
other her husband. After the first
moment of terror had passed crowds
hurried to cross by the railway bridge,
still intact, in order to reassure their
families and friends,
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
A Heroine.

The sisters and pupils of the con-
vent of the Feuillantines had a very
narrow escape from death. The build
ing was surrounded by water ere the
inmates were aware of their danger.
On seeing that there was no hope OF
escape except through assistance from
outside, the superioress ordered the
sisters and the $50 pupils to ascend
to the third story, and kneel in
prayer for deliverance. Their ag-
onizing appeal was heard some
distance off by victims of the flood
trying to escape to places Of safety.
The father of one of the girls Sc
cured the assistance of two stout-armed,
strong hearted men, who accompanied
him in an old scow. They succeeded
in reaching the convent after many
perilous escapes, and the father scaled
the walls and assembled to where his
daughter was, on her knees in prayer.
His strong arms were around her ere
she was aware of his presence. He was
soon surrounded by the tcrror-stricken
girls, who implored him to save them.
The end of short rope was quickly
made fast to an iron column and the
rope thrown to the men in the boat be-
low. He descended down the rope with
his daughter, and when they reached
the boat he shouted to the superioress
to have the girls get in line and
follow in order, coming down the rope.
This instruction was promptly obeyed.
The pupils insisted that mother" .as
the superioress is called, should be the
first saved, but the brave-hearted
woman of 60 would not move. $50,
INV children, God will protect us all,
and I will stay here at my post OF duty
till the last one of my children is safe
in the boat" When seventeen had de-
scended the men said the boat was full;
"but keep up your courage, for we will
soon return" The boat did return,
and continued to return till the last in
mate was carried to place of security.
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
THE HABITS OF AUTHORS.

Something About the Ouer,crought Condition Of
Their Physical and Mental Status.
When Dickens laid ont for himself
system of literary work and forced him.
self into q rigid adherence to it, spend.
ing Just SO many hours daily at his
desk, whether in the mood or not, and
whether accomplishing anything or not;
p!odding away at composition in as
matter of fact a manner as to labor with
a shovel at an embankment-he set an
excellent example for all writer's, but
one which the majority of them would
find it impossible to initiate. No
greater diversity, 10 sharper contrast
can be found than appears in the modes
of composition, the requirements to
surroundings, state of feeling, and
necessary conditions for freedom in
working in different authors, as shown
by their own statements or those of
their biographers and personal friends.
Walter Scott felt no special need of
reconsidering or revising what be had
poem-he sent off one after another in
heard of before his day. Where would the
Waverly Novels have been, and should
we ever have had the long list if he had
been subjected to the test which AIcott,
in his Concord Days." lays down as
his "code compositions" TO wit !:
Burn every scrap that stands not the
test OF all moods of composition such
lack longevity. What is left gains i'm
mensely. Such is the law. Very little
of what is thought admirable at one
writing holds good over night. Sleep
on your writing take walk over it !;
review it of an afternoon; digest it after
a meal let it sleep in your drawer a
twelvemonth.
The impulsive habit belongs to some
authors whom we should least suspect
of it. If there has been one woman
writer in America who was pre-eminent
for a strong masculine understanding,
critical insight, GOODNESS and impartiality
in her judgments, and the power to put
her own personality aside, it was Mar
garet Fuller; yet, of her, when espe-
cially employed as critic on the New
York Tribune, Mr.. Greeley complained
that she could only write "when in the
vein, and although new books demanded
her attention, and the utmost prompt
day to feel in the right mood for writing,
and her criticisms were consequently
sometimes too late. She did, in fact,
distress herself in writing; her pen was
"non-conductor, she said she was
subject to pain, and affected by the
rcost subtitle influences sometimes
wrote in bed, and believed that she
could understand anything better when
she was ILL.," Her "Summer ON the
Lakes" seems to have been written
under more tranquilizing circumstances
and after more orderly way than was
usual with her. EVERY day." she says,
Il rose and attended to the MANY little
calls which are always on me.
Then, about eleven, / would sit down
to write at my window, close to which is
the apple tree lately full of blossoms
and now of yellow birds. Opposite to
me was Del Sarto's Madonna ; behind
me 'Silenus holding in his arms the in
FAINT Pam ] felt very content with -.
pen. my daily boquet and uGA1n:yy
birds. About five would -ay yeilo%
walk till dark" so out and
Another NHarr4
IN s-- he highest dis
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
The Secretary.Bird and Snakes.

Many and various are the names APP
Piled to this extraordinary bird, by the
natives of the different countries IN
which it is common. By some it lis
known as the "deviIs steed," by Others
as the "bird of fate" We-must own
that to us these fanciful appellations
are. quite unintelligible, nor has any
eastern tale that we have ever read
thrown a light upon their origin never
theless our unpoetical imagination at
once recognizes the appropriateness OF
its nickname of the " secretary, as the
crest upon its head, when laid back,
looks most comically like the quill pens
which clerks or secretaries used some
times to put behind their ears. Its
common name is crane-vulture, while 1t
is known to men of science as the Gy-
pogeranus serpentarius. The crane
vulture inhabits Africa, from the cape
to fifteen degrees north latitude, and
from the Red Sea to Senegal it is also
occasionally seen on the PHILIPPINE
Tcl 10 --ns><>=--------
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07

According to the Hindoo law giver, a
woman has no god on earth but her
husband, and no religion except to
crafty, obey and serve him. Let her
husband be crooked, old, infirm, often.
siye; let him be irascible, irregular, a
drunkard, a gambler, debauchee; let
him be reckless of his domestic affairs,
as if possessed by devil; though he
live in the world without honor; though
he be deaf or blind, and wholly weighed
down by crime and infirmity--still shall
his wife regard him as her God. With
all her might shall she serve him, in all
things obey him. see no defects in his
character, ard give him no cause of I'M
easiress. Nay, more in every stage OF
her existence, woman lives but to obP'
at first her parents, next her husbs
and his parents, and in her old age
she must be ruled by her childr,
Never, during her whole life, can
be under her own control. These
the general principles upon which t
life of women i'll India is to be &C
ductnl
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07

We obtained an idea of love differen-
TALLY as it exists in the sexes by observ-
ing the degree TO which it Affects men
and women as probable cause of insan-
ity. In the same manner I think we
can gain a knowledge of the compare
tive intensity with which emotion and
states of consciousness, common to both
sexes, exist in intellection, by observing
the extent to which they react as prob
able cause of mental alienation. For
my purpose shall use DIR. Kirkbridge's
report for the Pennsylvania Hospital for
the Insane. The analysis is based upon
the supposed causes of insanity in G. 500
cases. Domestic difficulties are the
probable causes of mental disease in At
men and sc women. Nearly two TO one
expresses the difference in intensity in
the action of this cause. Fright resulted
in insanity in 16 men and 36 women !;
grief affected II men and 256 women, q
difference of more than three to one !;
religious excitement acts as the cause in
70 men and 127 women, difference of
60 per cent. nostalgia, women and no
men from mental anxiety there are 164
men and 261 women insane. These
causes, which present such dissimilari-
ty, have one bond of union they affect
the emotional part of the physical ma
ture. From this 1 would not conclude
that women are less able to bear the
operation of these exciting causes than
men but that the emotional nature of
woman is more largely developed. and
thus more exposed to the action of such
causes as directly affect it. II am
right in this, we would expect to gee in
women the emotional forms of insanity
developed in excess of the same in men;
and this is just what we find. Coptinu-
ing to analy re the tables of DIR. Kirk
brid ge relating to the same cases as above,
we find the number of women to be g.
220, the number of men exceeding them
by 459; and yet there are ,032 cases of
melancbolia among the women TO 832 in
men. Prof. Maudslcy defines this form
self feeling, with corresponding gloomy,
morbid idea. Popular Science Month";
W.
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
Shakspeare's Death-Maek.

The admirers Of Shakespeare every
where will be interested to learn that
the Page bust of the bard has been COM
pleted. This bust, as is gene rally known,
is o reproduction from the German
death mask that came into the light of
criticism about thirty five years ago,
and which was only seen by Mr.. Page
last year. The artist is entirely ON
WINGED, from the most assiduous investi-
cation, that the death-mask is genuine.
In 1910 Ludwig Becker, court painter
at Darmstadt, purchased at an auction
sale small picture. BY an unknown
/ lemish artist, called "The Death-bed
of William Shakespeare. From study
of the face, he came to the conclusion
that it must have been painted not
from the body, but from a mask. So
struck was he by this inference, that he
began making inquiries in regard to the
matter. After rambling over Germany,
inspecting old portrait galleries, and
searching junk shops, at length he came
upon an old plaster mask, which, on
turning over. bore mortuary cross and
the date A. D. 1916, the year in which
Shakespeare died. As the picture was
dated 1857, and as there is striking
resemblance between it and the mask,
the evidence of the genuineness of the
latter is, when other things are taken
into consideration, quite strong. When
Shakespeare died, there were but two
portraits extant, and these are now
known as the Draeshout engraving and
the Chandos portrait. The latter rep
resents the poet in his later years, with
a beard and mustache, and dressed in
black, with wide, square collar turned
over, and little rings in his ears. The
former shows him as man of about
26, his face smooth and incipient
mustache shading his upper lip. When
Shakespeare died, however, monu-
mental effigy was determined on, and a
plaster cast was taken off the face. MIR.
Page, after the most careful study OF
the bust at Stratford. the Draeshout
engraving and the Chandos portrait,
and by the aid of his artist-faculty for
noting the resemblances of faces and
figures, has become firmly convinced
that the Darmstadt mask gives the i'm
precision of the features Of the poet.
He has finished the bust since his re-
turn from Germany. It is life size. and
represents the poet in the maturity of
his powers. The mustache is fully
worn, ard double tuft is upon the
chin. It is not Shakespeare at twenty
six, nor at fifty two, but only Shaks-
peare. These facts we're CLEANED by O
reporter of the New York World from
conversations with Mr.. Page. A Ger
man professor has advised that. in order
to test the genuineness of the mask, the
skull of Shakespeare, which is in the
grave at Stratford, be disinterrei ana q
comparison instituted. This reminds
the reporter of the inscription on the
granite slab in the Stratford church:
Good Friend for Jesus sake forbeare
To digg the Dvst enclosed heare;
Blese be We Man vt spares thes stones
And curst be he vt moves my bones.
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
Female Society.

All men who avoid female society
have dull perceptions, and are stupid,
and have gross tastes, and revolt aga INST
what is pure. Your club swaggerers,
who are sucking the butts of billiard
cues all night, call female society in.
sipid. Poetry is uninspiring to yokel;
beauty has no charms for blind man !;
music does not please a poor beast, who
does not know one tune from another,
but, as true epicure is hardly ever
tired of water, sauce and brown bread
and butter, protest I can sit for a
whole night talking to well-rey ulated,
kindly woman about her daughter Fanny
Or her boy Frank, and like the evenings
entertainment.
One of the greatest benefits a man
can derive from woman's society is that
he is bound to be respectful to her.
The habit is of great good to your NOR
ais, men, depend upon it. Our educa-
ton makes us the most eminently sell
fish men in the world, and the greatest
benefit that he has is to think of some
body to whom he is bound to be con,
stantly attentive and respectful.
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
The State of the Cotton Trade.

While the wheat market is "boom-
ing" cotton manifests more depression
than at any time within the past two
months. Notwithstanding the fact that
our crop for the year just ending has
been fully 5000 bales less than the
preceding one, the stock of American
cotton at Liverpool is 10000 bales
larger than it was year ago, and the
Liverpool price on the Odd was 10
1Gd., against Sd in 1874. The Liver
pool Economist says that the market
at Manchester is flat, that stocks are
accommodating and that the raw material
is in but little demand at Liverpool.
England wants our wheat, for, however
dull trade may become, her people
must have bread to eat; but as
to cotton the case is quite different.
India is competing with her cotton
manufacturers on so formidable scale
as to drive them almost altogsther out
Of the market there and in China.
This was the prime cause of the recent
--<iiurea IN London, Liverpool and
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07

gives us, in that modest, straiehtfo,
ward way which makes her narrative 8
charming, on account of her habit O
writing.
Abstruee as were her subjects, she di,
not find it necessary to seclude herself
She had singular power of abstraction
which made her Independent of ont
ward circumstances. She rose early, sh,
says, and made the needful arrange
ments for her family, then wrote, sub
ject to interruptions of visitors, who
had leone to spend o few hours" with
her. However, I learned by habit te
leave the subject and resume it again al
once, like putting a mark into book
might have been reading" In another
place says she:
"I had, and still have, determined
| perseverance,, but I soon found that il
was in vain to occupy my mind beyond
certain time. grew tired, and did
more harm than good SO, if met with
| a difficult point left it, took my
work or some amusing book, and re,
sumed it when my hand was fresh, u
She took up for this recreation poetry
and afterward novels.
There is something exceedingly pleas
ing in this mental healthfulness, this
systematic working of the faculties, this
sound, refreshing kind of life. It re-
minds us of the account which is given
of Schiller's manner of writing: In the
common family room, where the wife
and children could come and go at will,
giving him pleasure and contentment
rather than an annoyance by doing so !;
and as fast as he finished a scene, he
would call them and read it aloud.
It is delightful to think of him in this
way, serene and cheerful, the life of
the imagination inseparable from that
of common life, SO that he could turn
from writing page of "Wallenstein, :"
to jot down little items of accounts or
notes of his progress, in his diary. It
was very humble mode of living, so
far as the outward goes for his houee
was the farthest from being grand, and
was scantily furnished. The room in
which he wrote had but few adorn-
ments.
Very unlike indeed were his su, round-
ings to those ofthe author of "Lothair."
1t would seem in the case of the latter
SIS if sumptuousness could no farther
go-statues, paintings, velvet carpets,
rich and rare furniture, stained win
dows, hangings of black and gold, and
the luxurious appointments of man of
extravagant tastes. And if we are to
accept the details of authorship in
"Contarini Fleming" as actual expert
ences, OF even an exaggerated statement
of them, we must arrive at the con-
clusion that Disraeli's method is
forced and unhealthy one. 81 shut my
self up from all human beings. I
wrote the first sentence while in chapel,
and under the influence of music. It
sounded like the organ that inspired
it," The instant it was finished, "my
mind seemed exhausted, my power
vanished. The excitement had ceased"
And every day the young autobiograrher,
who is telling personal history in his
romance, says he 'warmed up his
fancy" by reading over what he had
already written before he could go on.
Undoubtedly Disraeli, in this produc-
ton of his earlier years, embodied some
of his own life, and indicated the over
wrought mental and physical conditions
under which he wrote.
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
THE FAINT FLOWER,

Up where the meadow-crass
Leans toward the river,
Stood little BiueSell
All in SILVER.
River oh, River!
where are you going7
Stay just q moment
In your swift fowin
sob, little Blueben!
How can wait
Tho miller will chide me,
The boats will be late.
Rain-clouds, oh, Rain-c'ouds
Where are you dying?
an so thirsty,
Painting and dying.
" Oh, little BluebelI!
Afzr in the air
The storn-king is calling,
And we must be there"
" Robin, dear Robin!
am so Ill,
And you're at the river-5rink,
Drinking your fill.-
sob. little BIuceeIi
Do, then, look up;
Some kind cloud will give you
q dfOp AZ your cup
Here little Bluebelt
Ceased her complaint,
Dropping still lower,
Hopeless and faint.
But down fell the twilight,
And up came the Dew.
WHIPPING, Dear BluebelI,
Were sorry for You.
I" We are net strong,
Like the Rain or the River,
But never . flower fainis
For hep we can give her"
By thousands and thousands,
The Summer night through,
Silently gathered
The hosts Of the Dew.
At dawn, little Bluebell
Held gratefully up,
Her silent thank-offering-
The Dew in her cup.
-Morv A. Lath5ury,
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
CANTON, MISSISSIPPI, AUGUST 7,

boards to our knees We must GO to England
hrst-then home. Jessie, Jessie, if do not
lind you as left you slall go mad.
Your husband. CHARLES LESTER
And so Jessie's letter had come at
last. And as John Fairjohn looked
into her face he saw how angels looked
in Paradise.
And Job. Job was found drowned in
the Kill the next morning. Jessie
never knew it, perhaps, for she and her
boy were on their way to New York to
meet the Silver Star when it made port.
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07
A New Freak Of Fashion.

"Better be ont of the world than out
of the fashion" is, and has been the
ruling doctrine of the favored few to
whom fortune has been lavish of her
gifts.
The latest freak of the aristocratic
world of London will somewhat sur
prise the time-honored proprieties of
human life. It is collins A strange
fancy, no doubt, for health, wealth, and
beauty, but such it is. There has been an
exhibition of coffins at Stafford House,
the town residence of the duke of
Sutherland, and young ladies in gay
bonnets, old dowagers in gorgeous silks,
whiskered handles in all patterns came
to see, and to admire. The coffin show
has been the success of the season.
There must be some element of cheer
fulness in the trappings and the suits OF
woe. Otherwise, We presume, the
countenances of persons who attend
funerals would not wear SO cheerful and
even hilarious an aspect. At all events,
society would seem to have agreed to
accept the most esthetic and pleasant
view of the inevitable it possibly can.
The ccffins exhibited were in accord
ance with Mr.. Haden's views of the
expedience of using wickerwork with
moss and herbs in room of closed
box and screw nails. There were about
a dozen new styles, made of osiers,
white or stained, plain and ornamental.
A double basket is provided where char
coal is required, the powdered dust be-
ing placed in the interval-of two and
three inches-between the two baskets.
It is proposed to fill the baskets with
ferns, ichens, MOSES, shrubs, end
evergreens. It is admitted that in some
cases Innings of some imperishable ma
terial will be necessary, and in general
the wicker collins, when filled with
foliage, will be less gloomy and repul-
sive than the wooden ones.
The fashionable world is discussing
coffins. They are the subject of con-
versation in drawing-rooms, kettle
drums. and promenades. Such remarks
as the following may doubtless be
waited from the usual lounging grounds
of wealthy idleness $50 nice |" $50
sweet !" $50 cool in summer $50
comfortable in winter!" and 30
death would appear TO have lost its
terrors, and the old reverential awe
which used to attend the first
dark day of nothingness " to have
passed away. Still, the world moves
on, and the skeleton grins, and
the Mephistophelean laugh is doubtless
heard above the chatter and the din OF
careless mockery.
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07

NOT long ago, Mt a mansion on MUIR
Hill, a sentime ntal young lady stroll
with gentleman, on whom she Ind b
eve, into the conservatory. LookiI
up pensively into his face, she said, WI
tears in her voice, "Ah, no enc low
me. Mr.. Barnes ?" "Some one does
Eyes !" said tho lady, dropping b
head, and pressing his arm ever so iittl
"Yes, Miss Nellie" said the wretc
"God loves you." chr. Barnes, ie
70 mi"
The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-07

The Kansas people have tested the
qualities of grasshoppers as an article
Of food aud pronounce them, after being
boiled in water to clean them, and fried
in butter, to be quite palatable, and
even GOOD eating, like small fish,