davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-04-12
TELEGRAPHIC.
WASHINGTON.
The Line OF Defense that
BclknapS Counsel have
Marked Out.

~ s"o mOtm EXtCf mlMMeOr. |
WASHINGTON, April 7.-Quartcr-
master Gen. Meigs siad the statement
OF Webster to-day, to the effect that
he sought for an interest i'm his moth
eXterminatOr by suggestion Of any
kind that could be tortured into such
suspicion were absolutely false. He
said nc had never told Webster that
the government had been swindlcd
out of large sums because the system
then in use was worthless; that he
had never asked him what benefit the
contract would be to him; that he
had never asked him how much he
would give the witness. He had al
ways considered Webster, like many
other inventors, crazy OH the subject
OF his preparation for DISCRIMINATING
moths. lie had considered him hon
est but rather light in the head. New
Ell inquired into his character. Wit
ness corroborated, generally, the 9th.
cr statements of Webster from the
record but pronounced his charges
false in every respectable creation
OF very active and imaginative
brain.
Witness was asked whether he was
the means of the adoption of George
w. Cowles & Co.'S. process for ex-
terminating moths. lie replied that
he had opposed its adoption ,vcn aft
or board of army officers had rec
commended its adoption, but finally
yielded to the accumulation of tcsti-
monials in its favor. G.. w. Brega
and Don Piatt were very active in
the matter. Witness said Cowlcs pro-
cess is now in use.
| SECRETARY RoBEsoN
has formally replied to certain inter-
rogatories Of Representative Bccbe,
chairman of the Committee on Ex-
penditnres in the Navy Department
He says that at no time have bills
drafts, checks, notes or acceptances
been issued, made or given by or un.
der the authority OF the Navy Depart.
ment or any of its bureaus or Offices
except such drafts as have been given
from time to time drawn by Pay.
masters of the Navy at foreign sta
/ tons Iii order to supply thcmsclve.
with funds for the purpose of paying
the expense of the naval scrvic,
abroad. No time bills, drafts, checks
notes or acceptances have, to tn,
knowledge of the department. beer
, given Emancipation of or in advanc
: of available appropriations. II i
possible that near the end of fisca
year, necessary and extraordinary OK
penses might be incurred on distan
stations, of which the department
might not be informed and for whicl
a sufficient means might not therefor
. be reserved. The Secretary cxpluin
the manner of making drafts in ran
dom and the way the BUSINESSES man
!. aged by Scligman Bros.
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-04-12

The stringency of the times was
strikingly illustrated at Boston last
Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-04-12

fected to tears.
When you see woman looking at
you with the crow-fcet deepening in
the corners of her eyes, her head in
clined to one side, her arms folded,
and her under jaw trying to reach up
to the top of her nose, don't stop to
ask for explanations-"git" out
brooklyn argus.
-zNyJ, Field and Farm publishes
an aconnt ofan enormous hog, raised
in Putnam county, N. Y, which meas
ured eight feet in length, seven feet
girth around the body, stands three
feet four inches high, and pulls the
scales down at the enormous weight
of ], $50 pounds.
A young lady dressed in much false
hair was warbling at the piano, when
her mother summoned her to assist in
some household duties, her rosy lips
opened poutingly and snapped ont,"O,
do it yourself2" And then went on
singing, "Kind words can never die"
Nos7ist0sn Herald.
"A farmers wife writes sound
oChoc " ~ newspaper WHICH, BIG buys
that many of the women who COM
plain so sorely ofthcir domestic labor
would find their burden lightcned
immensely If they and each member
of their families would but put every
thing they use i'm its place the moment
they arc done with 1t.
A correspondent of the Woman's
Journal writing from mid ocean,
asks: "Can there be anything more
impressive than this intinity of
space Z" Nothing, we would say,
nothing; unless it is to walk four
miles through a snow storm TO see
your girl, and then find another fell
low making love TO her.
st. Valentines Day, All Fools hay,
May Day and Christmas Day all oc-
cur this year on Monday. Inlepend-
ence Day comes on Tuesday. The
old prOyerb goes; aMonday for
health, Tuesday for wealth." SO that
the days augur well for lovers, fools,
maideiis, poor people and the second
century Of American independence.
The stringency of the times was
strikiDgly illustrated at Boston last
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
Women as Writers.

The advance OF women in literature Is
one of the remarkable facts of the age.
Female story writer's are now much more
in demand than the other sex, and in this
field of industry, at least, women have no
reason TO complain that they ore not as
we'll paid as men. Those who write for
the weeklies and magazines receive the
same compensation. in proportion to the
amount of work done, that is given to male
writer's. The Harucr's, Appleton's, Serb
ner and other large concerns, make no
distinction in this respect, the only point
considered being the actual value of the
sketch or story offered. Female writer's
are stronger than the opposite sex in work.
ing up sentiment and death, and this
gives them decided advantage in popular
fiction. Men excel in the management of
plot, but, when it comes to elaboration,
they cannot compete with literary sis
terhood. This remark is not intended to
70 beyond the range Of American writer's
of the present time. Such authors as
Scott, Dickens, Bulwer, Thackeray,
Cooper and Irving are, of course, not in
cluded in any comparison on the subject.
But magazine editors, who may be con-
sidered good authority, tell me that women
are now read more extensively than men,
and account for this on the ground just
mentioned-theirs superior tact in working
up interest by presenting every detail and
playing cleverly on all the chords of SEN
timent. Outside of fiction women do not
make much progress, but within that
charmed circle they now have matters
pretty much to themselves. If the female
element were eliminated from the author
ship of light literature in the United
States, what remained would probably not
be more than one third of the whole
". Y. Cor. Hartford Times.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
George Washington.

George Washington was a conspicuous
and beautiful instance of q man who
minded his own business. Suppose that
an intelligent person living in one OF the
European centers Of civilization had been
asked, about the year ITO, what man
then over thirty-seven years of age was
most ely to be the typical great -and good
man of the modern world! Would he
have singled out the Virginia militia Of
icer, at that time busyiDg himself with
the care of his plantation on the Potomac,
and whatever social duties and delights,
or whatever polite politics were conven-
lent and appropriate! The strong point
about Washington was, that the duty Or
the pleasure, the ceremony or the selfsac-
rifice that lay in his way, he enjoyed or
performed without Sinking, and to the
very best of his ability. He did not, as a
youth, lie awake O. nights wondering
what he would be when he grew up to
be man." When he became a man he
showed neither Imagination nor genius,
but he had one OF the traits of genius,
namely, conc entration. He put his mind
upon his present occupation, without
looking back or looking ahead. lie EN-
gineered, fought the Indians, rode horse
back, wrote letters, went fox hunting, at
tended church, proposed to young women,
conducted campaigns and governed the
United States-each at the proper time,
and each with sincerity of purpose and
assiduity. We do not hear of his swear
ing often; but when he did, it was thor
oughly and effectively done. If he seems
not to have been as successful in the mat
ter of matrimonial proposals as in other
occupations, we must remember that the
earlv and indiscreet refusals of Washing
ton by the said old wives themselves, must
be taken with few grains of deferential
allowance for April.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
A BARRIERS Dog.

Mr.. 8. Griffin, hairdresser of st. An
drew's Hall Plain, has succeeded in
training q really noble looking dog (of the
retriever breed) to be of eminent service
10 him in his business. On entering MIR.
Griffin's sanctum sanctorum, if the object
be further reduction of the hair or
pleasant shampooing, the visitor will OBJ
serve handsome retriever reposing in
dignifled ease on q mat evidently care
fully arranged for his comfort. The pro-
prietor touches a bell 1.-THE dog eyes lis
master for q moment with q look Of intel
ligence, then with few active bounds
ascends the stairs to "regions above"
Presently the machinery connected with
hair-brushing is set in motion. The Wis
itors curiosity being aroused, he is courte-
ously invited by the proprietor to observe
the dog at his work. For our part, we
must confess we were both astonished
and amused. The animal was "hard at
it" in y large wooden wheel, which he
turned rapidly with his feet. On our ap-
pearance, rs though anxious to display
his ability and proud of his requirements,
he redoubled his efforts and the wheel re-
volved at great rate. The dog continued
his work after we had left him until the
signal was again given him by touch Of
the bell, when he at once reappeared In
the lower apartment, taking his position
on the mat, evidently prepared to "wait
for further orders. "-EngliA Papsr.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
Plain Houses for Plain Men.
On this subject Wilson Flasy writes in
1,o (Nr A ,,r;1,

On this subject Wilson Flasg writes in
the atlantic for April: =,
l do not deny the right of a poor man
to live in q fine house; but he cannot be
so happy, or 30 thrifty, or SO respecta-
BILE, ~ in plain house adapted to his
moderate wants and his limited means.
An educated poor man in such house
might not seem out of place to one who is
not aware of his poverty. But an ignt-
rant man with clOwnish manners cannot
live In palace without making
his personal defects both conspicuous and
ludicrous. Yet how often do we observe
that the most Ostentatious house in
village belongs to some unlcttcred clown
who has by Z blind turn Of fortune 8 wheel
become rich. Conscious that wealth alone
can distinguish him above his equals, ne
seizes the first opportunity to gain DIS
tinction by Building costly house. But
its splendor does not blind him to his
own personal defects, and when he ap-
proaches his mansion with stranger, he
shrinks from acknowledging it as his own
property, because he is sensible OF
his house is contrasted with his awkward
manners. his ungrammatical speech, his
hard hands and his rustic visage. ~,
~ may UC Shlu, Ill UclcDSc vi I'LL tIllS
show, that it is faithful index Of the
character Of the people; that it is true to
the weak side of human nature. But it is
not the follies or the vices of men which
We would see faithfully indexed ON the
face OF the country. We want that kind
of scenery which is true to their material
occupations, anG to those customs and
habits which are interesting as we'll as
characteristic. We do not like to see any
mans estate covered with the idols of his
ambition, it that is either foolish Or vain.
Neither, on the other hand, if the inhabi-
tants are filthy, is 1t agreeable to see this
principle of truth to human nature literal
]y carried into operation. The advocates
OF the ornate fully understand this princi-
pie; but they err in overestimating the
effect Of displaying the proprietor's ambi-
ton. They think chiefly of setting forth
in the landscape what pleases the wealthy
and fashionable part of society, and work
as if they thought the way to improve the
aspect of the country was to conceal the
evidence that any other classes exist.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06

claim, or Of making her presents. She
never heard the Secretary of War say any
thing about the contract between her hus-
band and Evans. On her cross examine
ton, by Mr.. Robbins, the witness said
that she understood Mrs. Belknap as deny
ing that she received anything, and meant
to convey that impression. In response
to .. question by Mr.. Clymer, the witness
said that she saw him CO., but once, and
that was three weeks ago. 1t was ut the
breakfast table at the Arlington Hotel her
husband presented her to Mr.. Clymer
Their short conversation had no reference
to coming before the committee.
MIR. Marsh was recalled, and testified
to the effect that Mr.. Clymer had told
him, on the occasion of his former evi.
dence, that there was no danger to him
(witness), as he could not be sent to prison
for anything he had said before the CON-
mittee. Witness went to New York feel
ing easy; but when, on Friday morning,
he read the remarks in the House, that
the Secretary of War was not only liable
to impeachment, but to criminal prose-
cution, he thought he (witness) was in
danger as we'll, and hence his trip to Cam
ada.
Mrs. Marsh, being Intercepted as to
why she went to Montreal, said that she
saw in morning paper that her husband
had jumped off the train. She followed
the next morning, fearful that he had been
injured.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
Proposed Change in the Manner Of
Counting the Electoral Vote.

The joint resolution, which was recently
passed by the United States Senate, pro-
poses to substitute for Article 10 Of the
Constitution a new article, of which the
main features are the following:
1.-THE electors are to ballot in their re-
spective States for President and Vice.
President, as at present, but the list of
votes must be sent to the presiding JUS
tice of the United States Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court, at time and place
to be fixed by law, is to publicly open
all the certificates and count the votes,
and the person having the greatest
number of votes tor President, consid-
cred by the court to have been lawfully
given and certified, shall be President if
such number be a majority of the whole
number of electors lawfully appointed.
If no person has such majority the state
of the vote shall I've Immediately certi-
fed to the House of Representatives,
which, from the persons having the
highest number, not exceeding three, on
the list of those voted for as President,
shall choose the President Immediately
by ciua roce vote, the representative
from each State to have one vote, if a
majority of its delegation agree on one
candidate, but otherwise the vote of
such State shall not be counted. A
quorum is to consist of a member, or
members, from two-thirds of the States,
and a majority of the States shall
be necessary for choice. The
voting must continue until a President
is elected; in case the House fails to elect
before the 4th Of March next following,
then the Vice. President shall act as Pres
ident, as in the case of the death or con-
stitutional disability of the President.
The person having the greatest number of
electoral votes for Vice. resident, to be
counted and determined as above pro-
vided, shall be Vice President, if such
number be majority of the whole num-
Der of electors. If no person is thus elect
ed the Senate is to choose Vice. President
by majority of its whole membership.
Finally, it is provided that no Justice of
the Supreme Court shall he eligible or
elected as President or Vice President un-
til the expiration of two years after he
shall have ceased to hold office.''
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06

We have two or three times alluded
to gigantic job Of whiting b:gua near
" three years ago by Mr.. George w.
Knox for exhibition at the Centennial, to
show the outside heather what y "Yan.
kee'' can do with his everlasting jack
knife. After laboring during his leisure
hours with . degree Of perseverance and
patience that few men possess, Mr.. Knox
has finished his work, and it is truly a
wonder to see. Out of solid pine plank
fourteen feet long, two feet wide and two
inches thick he has cut and carved and
whitfield a bewildering combination of
chains, pincers, cannon, monument, ETC.,
almost ad infnitum. Many of the devices
are exceedingly ingenious, and the work
shows an originality and skill that we
have never seen equaled in this line II
any ut the effete mOnarchies Of the Old
World think they can beat Knox at whit
Ting, let them bring ON their man. As
far as heard from, he is the "boss. -
Cleveland Her0ld.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
How to Become Healthy.

Nobody ever repented of eating too
little" was the sage remark of an old
gentleman on the verge of ninety, next to
whom the writer had the pleasure of sit
ting at dinner the other nil ht. The host
was pressing him to take more, and urg-
ing him in the usual phrase, "Why, you
have eaten scarcely nothing!" Now, il is
to he assumed that the old gentlemam's
words indicated one of the by-ways 70
good health, along which he had travelled
through his long life, and to which he
owed his present remarkably hearty con-
dition; so it was suggested to him inter-
negatively that he had always been small
feeder. YES" he answered, "ever
since was two or three and twenty; up
to that time was weakly fellow enough,
and used to make the great mistake of
trying to eat and drink as much as could,
in the hope of becoming strong. All my
friends and the doctors backed me in my
error; but fortunately found it out in
time, and knocked off'-as your modern
slang has it-more than half nv usual
amount of stimulants. gave up the idea
of making myself strong and merely
strove to make myself we'll, and was con-
tented with eating just as much as could
digest and no more. Of course it took a
little time and experience to discover the
precise limits; could not adopt the gold
en- rule of always leaving off with an ap-
petite. because never began with one,
but by persistently erring on the right
side got hold of one of the great secrets
of life-the secret of knowing when one
has enough, and after year or two / be-
came so much better that used to find
myself keenly ready to eat at meal-time,
and by degrees actually acquired an ap-
petite. Then, once found 1 never de-
stroyed it but always determinately rose
with feeling that l should like to eat
more. Naturally the temptation for a
while grew greater as my digestion grew
stronger; but l was firm; did not be-
have ungratefully to my stomach, and i'm
mediately presume upon its increased
powers by overlooking it. did not live
to eat, bnt only ate to live; and behold
me! have no need TO be very particular
as to what eat, even at my time of life
l have only to be careful not to eat too
much" Here indeed is the great, secret
Of great deal that is amiss with many of
us. We are in the habit of eating too
much, more than our digestive powers
can tackle, and that which is not assimi-
lated more or less poisons. The system
becomes overcharged, and gives any latent
tendency to disease within us every faculty
for developing itself. The question is,
not 50 much what to eat as what quantity
to eat; and nothing but sharp lookout
kept by ourselves can give us the answer.
-zinslsy's Magazine.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
Mr.. and Mrs. Marsh Before the In.
vestigating Committee.

WAsHINGT0N, March "A.
Mrs. G. P. Marsh, who arrived this
morning, came into the room of the Com.
mittee on Expenditures in the War De.
partment to-day, accompanied by her hus.
band. She was sworn as witness, and
under the examination of Mr.. Danford,
testified that she left Cincinnati in 1865
where she had formerly resided, and has
lived in New York most of the time since
that year. She had known Mrs. Bowers,
(now Mrs. Belknap), since 1860, and had
been at the same hotel with her in Gin.
cinnati for four years. Cincinnati was
her home, and she visited that city twice
q year, staying there two or more weeks.
She met Mrs. Bowers in New York,
where Mrs. Bowers was her guest. Mrs.
Bowers was widow at the time the
witness commenced housekeeping in New
York, in the summer of 1871. She wen,
to Europe, in company with Mrs. Bowers,
the last of June, 1872, and knew MIR. Pen.
dleton's name was on the list of passen.
gers. The witness was asked whether she
had any conversation at any time, with
Mrs. Bowers, now Mrs. Belknap, relative
to her interest in the Kentucky Central
Railroad claims The answer was: Two
or three weeks ago, at the Arlington
Hotel" At that time the witness asked
Mrs. Belknap whether she had ever re-
received any money on account of the
clam. The witness told her she had
heard that she received &c. 600. Mrs. Bel
KNAPP replied: 1.-THE claim was for only
$1O, 900, and how could receive &c.
00OY During that conversation, Mrs.
Belknap was in q state Of excitement and
distress. Mrs. Belknap was u friend of
hers, and the witness felt much interest
in her account. She had simply men
toned to Mrs. Belknap an idle rumor.
She had always talked to Mrs. Belknap
as she would to her sister. She had heard
rumors for over year. She related to
Gen. Kidd0o the conversation between her
and Mrs. Belknsp. She did not know Of
MIR. Pendlet0n's paying money to Mrs. Bel
KNAPP on accountof the Kentucky Railroad
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-04-06
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.

Thomas Mcguire, of Boston, the
well-known New England reporter of the
New York Herald, gets $4,000 by the
will of a New York man, whose daughter
he once saved from drowning at Long
Branch.
"A letter dated Montreal, March 10, tJ
the New York Graphic says: Rumol
says that Mrs. Mckenzie, who eloped to
New York with Mr.. Bridges, has gone
to Chicago, and intends to remain there
with view of setting divorce from her
husband; and that the husband, for the
sake of his children, declines to sue for a
divorce on his own account"
Baseball players will be startled to
hear that Mr.. Harry Wright, the Captain
of the champion Boston Nine, is dying OF
consumption in Savannah, Ga. For sew
eral weeks he had been in failing health
and short time ago he started for Flori
da, and succeeded in reaching Savannah
when he was overtaken by his present i'll
ness. In the organization of the cele
brated "Red Stocking Baseball Club Of
Cincinnati Mr.. Wright first gained high
reputation as baseball manager and or
ganizer, which he has since sustained
and in his business he has always been
known as courteous and honest ball
player.
The gentleman who became Mark
Twain's father in-law was very much i'm.
mersed in business when Mark was pay
ing attention to the daughter, but finally
thought it worth while to ask the humor.
ist some plain questions, Of which New
York paper says: So he called Mark aside
one day and said: "Mr. Twain, you seen
to be paying attention to my daughter
Now, we all like you pretty we'll, you
know, and we are of course all acquainted
with your reputation as literary man
Still, in other respects you are stranger
to us, and some references as 10 your char.
acter and standing are desirable. =" " That's
very reasonable" said Mark. "That's
very natural and paternal. It's just what
should do were in your position.
guess I can give you some names thai
will satisfy you. Now, there's Mr.. Good
man, of the Territorial Enterprise. And
there's Mr.. Frederick McCrellish, of the
Alta California. You write to them.
guess they'll give me good character.
guess they will lie for me. I've done the
same for them whenever requisition has
been made upon me-" But Mark married
the girl Notwithstanding.