davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
Patrick Henry.

Henry had already received the name
of the MAN of the People" He sprung
from what may be called the middle
class, and bis personal appearance was
plain, almost humble. During his early
manhood he was noted for idleness and
failure in everything he undertook. He
failed twice as small country mer-
chant. giving his time and attention to
hunting, fishing. and playing the violin.
instead of his business !; and, as last
resort, read law for six weeks, barely
received license to practice, and SEEM
ed destined to starve little more ra-
pidly even in his new profession than
in trade The moment was near, how
ever. when his wonderful powers were
to reveal themselves. The clergy of
the colony-who we're not popular
class-brought suit to recover their
salaries. resting their claims on royal
order in council, which was in direct
opposition to an act Of the Burgesses,
and Henry was employed to oppose
them. though the law was completely
in their favor. The result was remark
able. The awkward youth rose to speak
in the midst of derisive smiles from the
clergy, who we're present in great num-
bers. His head hung down, and his
voice faltered. But soon an astonish-
ing transformation took place in his ap-
pearance. The head rose erect, the
voice grew vibrating and imperious.
and he denounced king. clergy and
Parliament in terms so violent and
overwhelming that he was interrupted
by cries Of "treason!" and the parsons
left the courthouse in bitter indigna-
ton. Henry's triumph was complete.
He had played upon the chords of the
popular heart with the hand Of a mas
ter. The jury decided the case in his
favor in open opposition to all law; and
the crowd. yielding to passionate ad-
miration, caught the young orator up
on their shoulders. and bore him, in
the midst of shouts and outcries, around
the yard of the courthouse.
Henrys next public appearance was
in the debate on the Stamp Act in the
House of Burgesses. We have seen
him on that occasion rise in the midst
Of the crowd Of planters. and break
down all opposition by his immense
eloquence. He had thus carried with
him the first men Of Virginia. as be
had carried with him the rustic crowd
when he spoke against the parsons
He was thenceforward the mouthpiece
and leader of the extreme revolutionists,
and his own fiery spirit pervaded the
whole fabric of society, moulding public
sentiment and squirting the people to
resolute resistance
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15

A SINGULAR FASCINATION Some
people find it impossible to stand at the
edge of a precipice, or on an elevated
sight, without experiencing single
desire to spring over. A gentleman
who recently travelled in Europe COM
municated some singular facts about
his experience in this regard "He
says: Last Summer l talked with the
guardian of the steeple Of the Cathedral
at Strasburg, and be informed me that
but few visitors were free from feeling
of fright on reaching the first terrace.
which is of great altitude, and that it
was SO pronounced as to generally refuse
to 90 higher Sometimes the women
tainted. There is really no danger, the
terrace being securely guarded by strong
iron rails. This man Of the upper air
guardian or guide-informed me that
the Summer before an Englishman faint
ed but be determined to overcome his
fright, and continued to ascend every
day for a week, until he could look out
in the direction Of the Black Forest.
from the lantern, with equanimity.-
During the Summer man had jumped
into the air through altitude fascination
He was probably dead before reaching
the ground, on account of the immense
height from the ground Formerly the
Vendome Column was the scene of so
many deaths of this kind that decree
was issued to prevent visitors FROM as
cending it unless accompanied by a
guardian. A year ago young man
Jumped from the dome Of the Capital at
Washington. fell on the roof below and
was instantly killed. His was another
instance of fatal altitude fascination.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
A Rich Mans Opinion Of Riches.

The following story is told Of Jacob
Ridgeway. a wealthy citizen of Phila-
delphia. who died many years ago, leav-
ing fortune Of six or seven million
dollars:
"Mr. Ridgeway," said young man
with whom the millionaire was con-
versing, "you are more to be envied
than any gentleman know"
"Why so?" responded Mr.. Ridge
way. Il am not aware of any cause
for which 1 should be particularly
envied."
.What, sir? exclaimed the young
man in astouishment, "Why. are you
not millionaire Think Of the thous-
auds your income brings you every
month"
"Well, what of that? 2" replied Mr..
R.. all I get out of is my victuals and
clothes, and l don't eat more than one
mans allowance, or wear more than one
suit at a time. Pray can't you do as
much p
"Ah. but" said the youth, "think Of
the hundreds of houses you own. and
the rental they bring you"
"What better am / off for that p
replied the rich man. II can only live
in one house at a time; as for the
money I receive from the rents, why. l
can't eat it, or wear it; can, only use
it to buy other houses for other people
to live in. They are the benefciaries,
not l."
"But you can buy splendid Furniture
and costly pictures, and 6nc carriages
and horses in fact, anything you de-
sire"
"And after l have bought them" re-
sponded Mr. r., "what then !? l can
only look at the furniture and pictures
and the poorest man who is not blind
can do the same. l can ride no easier
in fine carriage than you can in an
omnibus for five cents, without trouble
of attending to drivers, footmen and
hostlers and as to anything "desire"
1 can tell you, young man, that the less
we desire in this world the happier we
shall be All my wealth cannot buy
me single day more Of life; cannot
buy back my youth; cannot purchase
exemption from sickness and pain can
not procure me power to keep afar off
the hour of death and then, what will
all avail when, in few years, at most,
l lie down in the grave. and leave it all
forever? Young man, you have no
cause to envy me-"
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
Franklin in Philadelphia.

The advent of Franklin into the city
on the day when, shabby lad Of seven
teen, be walked up High street munch-
ing bis roll, really marks the date Of
the birth of intellectual birth in Phila-
delphia. There is not an effort for
her improvement, mental or practical,
which cannot be traced to its origin in
the teeming brain Of the energetic
printer. Schools, universities, free
churches. public libraries. drainage.
fire and military companies, street
lamps and street sweeping-every re-
form, from the broad policy of the
statesman to the smallest drtail, bears
somewhere the bold scrawl. Franklin
fecit. The wisdom and scholarship Of
that day were wholly drawn from
books. Franklin dealt directly with
the great natural forces, physical and
human; out of the unlikely material of
his fellow-apprentices he made the phil
osophic Junto; with the petty politics
of the drowsy town, he studied State
craft; kite and a key under his keen
eyes told the secrets of the lightnings
which had been kept for ages. Moth
ing was too insignicant for the life
giving glance Of those keen eyes. He
sees a seed adhering to the straws on
his wife's broom, plants. tends it. aud
gives to the country the before unknown
broom corn and new source of indus
try. He observes green twig on
basket lying on the wharf. thrown from
an Amsterdam brig. plants and tends
that, and presently Pollard willows
grow wild by every stream. He is the
foremost typical American in our his
tory; moral rather than religious; a
domestic man faithful to.his wife, yet
cultivatipg Platonic friendships with
other women never losing his self
control. yet with keen. fine sense Of
fun; testing one minute high meta
physical problem. and the next coun-
terfeit dollar always master of the pre-
sent moment, whether it demanded the
making Of cases, rollers, and ink. which
be had no money to buy, or the con-
struction of new government from the
ruins of the old.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
West Point.

The military academy at West Point
was established in 1894 by an Act Of
Congress, and has from that time been
the school for the instruction Of officers
of the regular Army of the United
States By provisions Of law each Con-
pressional and Territorial district, and
the District of Columbia, is entitled to
have one cadet at the military academy,
and no more. In addition to these, the
appointment annually Of number not
exceeding ten "at large" not confined to
a selection by Congressional districts. is
authorized The District and Terri
torial appointments are made upon the
nominations of the member of Congress
or delegate representing the District or
Territory at the date of appointment
The selections "at large" and from the
District of Columbia are made by the
President. All appointments are re-
ouired to be made one year in advance
Of the date of admission, which is about
the 1st of June in each year. Candi-
dates must be over seventeen and under
twenty-five years of age, at least five
feet high, and free from any deformity,
in6rmity or disease which would render
them unfit for military duty. and from
any disorder of an infectious or immoral
character. They must be able to read
and write we'll, and perform with facility
and accuracy the various operations Of
the four ground rules Of arithmetic, Of
reduction, of simple and compound pro-
portion, and Of vulgar and decimal
fractions. They are also required to
have a knowledge Of the elements Of
English grammar, of descriptive geo.
eraphy, particularly Of our own coun-
try, and the history of the United
States. The pay Of cadet is $41 .66
a month and rations. Applications for
admittauce may be made at any time by
letter to the Secretary Of War by the
applicant. his parent, guardian, or any
Of bis friends, stating the precise age.
permanent abode Of the applicant, and
the number of the Congressional dis
trict in which be resides, or it may be
made, in case of vacancy, directly to
the member of Congress from the dis
trict in which the applicant resides.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
Sweetening a Robbery.

We don't tell this story for the
purpose of instructing thieves, but
as a warning for unsophisticated shop
keepers.
Not many weeks ago, two we'll
dressed, foppish-looking young men
stopped one evening before the door of
grocer in South Boston, where they
talked aud laughed in a gleesome and
bantering manner. The hour was late,
and as no teams we're passing their
conversation could be heard by the
storekeeper They were getting up a
wager. One was offering to bet the
other large amount that he would, or
would not, do such Thing By and
by they entered the store.
"Have you maple syrup for sale p
asked one.
The grocer said he had.
Il want two quarts of it."
"Have you a vessel in which to put
itp
"Yes-put it in here"
'What?" cried the grocer, in sur
prise as the polished castor was set
upon the counter,-'In your hat 7"
''Yes it is for wager. Dick bets
me ten dollars l wont do it, and after
that wear the hat home. In with it,
sir. The hat is mine, and paid for I
assure you"
The shopkeeper measured out the
two quarts of syrup, and poured it into
the hat.
The purchaser laid two-dollar bank
note upon the counter. As the grocer
turned to make change, the young gen.
tleman, peering into the hat. cried out !:
"Say, my dear sir, do you think
reaches improve syrup?"
"Roaches 2" repeated the man Of the
store, turning from his till.
The grocer came and looked over
into the hat, and by dexterous move
ment, the betting customer lifted it.
and clapped it upon the victims head.
forcing it down till the brim was upon
his nose. At the same moment the
second well-dressed gentleman reached
over and emptied the money drawer !;
and the precious pair were we'll out of
the way long before the unfortunate
grocer could find sight and voice sufi-
cient to enable him to give the alarm.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
One Step at a Time,

A great many people dishearten them.
selves by worrying too much about pos
sible future troubles Prudence and
forethought is commcndable, but mere
unreasonable worry should be avoided
1t is an act of folly for man to conjure
up all the troubles that might befall
him, and mass them before him as SO
many obstacles to overcome at once. A
man at the foot of a fight of stairs
which be is about to ascend, would be
foolish to assume that he must take all
the steps at once, and that because he
cannot do that he cannot ascend the
stairs at all. He has only to take one
step at time, and when he gets to the
top step be takes that almost as easy as
he took the first. But when he gets to
the top let him be careful lest be does
not fall all the way down by one mis-
step 1t is the same way with the af-
fairs of life All we have to do is to
take one step at time.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
Selett Roetrp.
Written for the Baltimore Snn.
CENTENNIAL ODE.
FOURTH OF JULY, 1876.

The following Ode was written a few
months ago by the late Rev. John Kidd, OF
Pana, Illinois, while on his death-bed. He
asked that it be published in the Sun on the
Fourth of July, 1876:
Gliding the landscape anew with his glory,
The sun of the Fourth looks DER mountain
and plain;
Morning forever i,lustriUus in story,
Dayspring of Freedom, we hail thee again
Time has beheld since thy first celebration,
An ACE with its chance and its change pass
away;
Then thou didst shine on the birth Of nation !;
What hallowed morn dost thou shine on
to-day
See, leagued together in closest communion,
crease,
And O. er US triumphant the flag of our Union
The banner of Freedom, the. symbol Of
Peace!
See, from the stormy Atlantic extending,
Till far in the west the Pacific appears,
All climates, all seasons, all soils compre-
hending,
A land which the fullness of blessing
endears.
How the heart ihrobs with exulting emotion.
Pondering the deeds and the daring OF
those
Fearless, though few, whose undying devotion
Won, and for us, such land from their
foes
Yet not alone must we own us their debtors
In the cause of all Lations they fought in
the van,
And scorning the slaves ignominious fetters,
Set open the portals of Freedom to man
All have gone down to the graves silent
slumbers-
All-but emblazoned in history's page,
And sung by the bard in the soul-stirring
numbers,
Their names shall live onward TO earth's
latest age!
And still, as centennial mornings in splendor
Serene and unclouded arise on the view,
Shall our sons and our daughters exultingly
render
The tribute of praise 10 their memory due !
Hope lifts up the veil, and with gladness un-
bounded,
Reveals new order of things to the sight;
Corruption abolished, abashed and con-
founded,
And victory forever secured to the Right
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
Irresolution.

Irresolution is fatal habit; it is moi
vicious in itself, but it leads to vice,
creeping upon its victims with a fatal
facility, the penalty of which many o
fine heart has paid at the scaffold. The
idler. the spendthrift, the epicurean and
the drunkard are among its victims
Perhaps in the latter its effects appear
in the most hideous form. He knows
tnat the goblet which he is about to
drain is poison, and yet he swallows it.
He knows. for the example Of thousands
has painted it in glaring colors, that it
will deaden all his faculties, take the
strength from his limbs and the happi-
ness from his heart. oppress him with
disease, aud hurry his progress to dis
honored grave, yet he drains it. How
beautiful, on the contrary. is the power
of resolution, enabling the one who pos
sesses it to pass through perils and dan
gers, trials and temptations Avoid
then the contraction of the habit of ir-
resolution. Strive against it to the end
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
BE RULER OVER YOUR Own SPIRIT

BE RULER OVER YOUR Own SPIRIT
"A hasty temper often leads young
men into great mistakes. 1t frequently
causes them to misunderstood an en-
ployer's intention. and to resent as az
insult what was meant only as just
rebuke In this way a young man
sometimes losses a valuable situation
and has to begin the world over again
And unfortunately, his hasty temper
does not permit him to learn wisdom
from his experience. On the contrary ii
too often leads him again into the same
mistake, and he is again set adrift. His
temper grows worse and worse, until.
at last. be becomes unbearable, and no.
body will long keep him in employ.
ment. On the other hand, a good
temper and an obligipg disposition,
when combined with honesty and in
dustry, are invaluable qualities in every
one who has bis way to make in the
world.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
PRIMITIVE MAN.-The late Professor

PRIMITIVE MAN-The late Professor
Wyman, in an able article on the she'll
mounds of Florida, argued '"that the
steady progress Of discovery justifes the
inference that man, in the earliest peri
ods of bis existence of which we have
any knowledge. was at best savage,
enjoying the advantages of but few
Of the newest inventions" The term
primitive man." Professor Wyman
thought to be misnomer, if intended
to be strictly applied because the
earliest traces thus far discovered do
not reveal to us his beginning. "This
is still hidden" Professor Wyman
states, "in that mysterious past out of
which he has emerged, and into which
neither science nor exploration has as
yet penetrated" Geology, in fact, fails
to reveal to US our actual beginning.
for, as Cuvier writes. '.tbe place where
he (man) dwelt may have been utterly
destroyed. and his bones buried at the
bottom of the existing seas"
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
she silently awaited the knife, althoug b
the knife might be clenched in fathers

she silently awaited the knife, although
the knife might be clenched in a fathers
hand
And now, that father, frozen tc
stone, stood there, holding the light in
one hand, and still clutching the red
knife There lay bis child. the blood
streaming from that wound in her arm
her eyes covered with CLASSY film
Mary" shrieked the guilty father,
for robber and Tory as be was, he was
still a father ''Mary!" be called to
her, but that word was all be could say
Suddenly, she seemed to wake from
this stupor. She sat up in the bed with
her CLASSY eyes. The strong hand Of
death was upon her. As she sat there,
erect and ghastly, the room was throng.
ed with soldiers. Her lover rushed
forward, and called her by name. Nc
answer. Called again-spoke to her in
the familiar tones of olden times-still
no answer. She knew him not.
Yes, it was true-the strong hand e'
death was upon. her.
''Has he escaped ?" she said, in that
husky voice.
"Yes!" shrieked the father. "Live.
Mary, only live. and tomorrow | will
join the camp at Valley Forge"
Then that girl-that hero-woman--
dying as she was, not so much from the
wound in her arm, as from deep agony
which had broken the last chord of life
spread forth her arms, as though she
beheld form floating there above her
bed, beckoning her away. She spread
forth her arms as if to enclose that an
gel form.
Mother !" she whispered-while
there grouped the soldiers-there, with
speechless agony on his brow stood
the lover-therc, hiding his face with
one hand. while the other grasped the
light, crouched the father-that light
flashing over the dark bed, with the
white form in its centre" Mother,
thank God For with my life have
saved him
Look. even as starting up on that
bloody couch, she speaks the half
formed words. her arms stiffen, her
eyes wide open. set in death. glare in
her fathers face.
That half-formed word, still quiver-
ing on the white lips of the hero woman
that wold uttered in husky whis-
per, choked by the death-rattle-tbat
word was-"WAsH1NGToN p
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
Centennial Data.

100 years ago-American Indspen
dence.
200 years ago-King Philip (the In
diam defeated and slain /; habeas corpus
in England.
800 years ago-Massacre of St. Bar
tholomew; Spanish Armada in prepar'
alton.
400 years ago-Printing invented
Isabella the coming queen.
500 years ago-The days Of Tanner
lane, the Tux; and Chaucer, the Eng
lish poet
600 years ago-Baliel and Bruce
Richard Bacon, St Thomas Aquinas
House of Hapsburg founded.
700 years ago-Richard Ceur d.
Leon and Saladin, Sultan of Egypt
measuring swords in Palestine.
800 years ago-William the Con
queror, Of England.
900 years ago-Hugh Capet. th'
FfeHehman-
1000 years ago-Alfred the Great
LOO years ago-Charlemagne ant
Haroun AL Raschid.
1900 years ago-Mohammedanisn
established, and making lively work II
Constantinople and other places.
1900 years ago-Old Chosroes. the
Persian, lives by murder, and the Pop'
is made a secular judge among kings
1.4OO years ago-The Saxons make
lively work in Brittany Clovis estab
fishes the French monarchy, and th'
Visigoths conquer Spain.
1900 years ago-The Roman EN-
pire having legislated many years il
favor of capital and against labor, divides
and begins to fall to pieces.
1000 years ago-The world had
nothing better to do than to broach ant
denounce heresies and get up religious
prosecutions.
1,7OO years ago-Marcus Aurelius
Facitas and Plutarch made a smart trit
of philosophers.
1900 years ago-Jerusalem was de
stroyed, and Herculaneum and Pompei
were buried in the ashes of Vesuvius
1876 years ago-All the world wa
at peace, and Christ was born.
5000 years ago-Adam. only com
mon clod, rose to the dignity of larg'
real estate owner. but by poor manage
ment was driven into involuntary bank
ruptcy.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15

A young woman from the rural dis
tricts entered dry goods store the
other day. and asked for pair Of stock
ings. The clerk politely asked her
what number she wore ''Why, two,
you blasted fool! Do you suppose I am
q centipede, or that I have got wooden
leg? How many do you suppose two
legged hairpin like me would wear?''
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15

A BEAUTIFUL SUPERSTITION Among
the superstitions of the Seneca Indians
was one remarkable for its singular
beauty. When maiden died they i'm
prisoned young bird until it began to
try its powers Of song, and then. load
ing it with messages and caresses. they
loosened its bonds over her grave, 10
the belief that it would not fold its
wings nor close its eyes until it had
flown to the spirit-land and delivered
its precious burden of affection to the
loved lost.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15

knight, the actor. passing the even
Ing among some friends in the city O
London. was requested, in bis turn, to
favor the company with song. HI
politely deolined-alleging that be was
90 Indifferent vocalist that any attempt
of his would rather disgust than enter.
tain One Of the company, however,
asserted that be had very good voice,
and said that he had frequently had the
pleasure of hearing him sing. THAT
may be-" resumed the wit. "Rut, al
I am not freeman. have no voice in
the city,"
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15

A clergyman lately addressed his
female auditors as follows: "Be not
proud that the blessed Lord paid your
sex the distinguished compliment Of ap-
pearing first to female after resurrec-
ton, for it was done that the glad It'd
.ings might spread the sooner"
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15

A Virginia editor, whose paper has
just suspended. says that be entered the
field Of journalism under the impression
that there were "millions in it," "And
so there are," be continued, "but they
remain in it yet"
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15
AND TIN WARE
OF EVERY DESCRIPTION.


We have in stock the most popular and
best Parlor, Cook and Room Stove manufac-
tured, among them may be found the Home
Delight, Morning Light, Florentine, Tuscan,
Bon Ton, Florence, Charm, Belle, Regulator,
Centennial, Palace Cook, Golden Eagle,
Eureka, Combination Cook, Wabash, Model
Complete, Victor Cook, Pretty Range, Pet
Range, and can furnish on short notice any
other stove manufactured.
We invite special attention to the Regula-
tor "Revolving Top" for convenience. Sur
passes anything in the stove line ever offered
in this market.
Stoves repaired on the shortest notice.
Roofing and spouting specially.
We hope by giving our personal attention
to business, and making moderate charges to
receive share of the public patronage.
GiUe us call. ELIASON b BENSON,
Middletown, Del.
Middletown transcript., 1876-07-15

Kind words never blister the tongue