davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26
The United States Mail Contractors.

There is, says Washington dispatch,
one peculiarly noticeable about the wit
nesses who appear before the post office
committee of the House IL relation to
the frauds in the mail service now be-
ing investigated that is not noticeable
in the witnesses. appearing before the
several other investigations now in pro-
eress. AL these mail contractors and
their attendants are good looking, well
dressed, smart fellows, evidently well
posted in their business, and well
{" fixed" for money. But 80 far they
have failed to know anything OF import
ance to the committee. They have ex-
ceedingly retentive memories. about
everything except their own business,
but when that is inquired into they
know nothing, are even unable, although
carrying on immense operations, to give
their receipts and expenditures. One
of the most curious and interesting of
these witnesses was before the commit
tee and gave long account Of his trans
actions with the post-ofice department.
His name is 8. 8. Huntley, young tel-
low evidently not much past thirty
years of age, who has the airs Of mil
Gonaire. He swore that he was one of
the firm of 8. s. Huntley & Co., mail
contractors, and also of Berlow, Sander
son & 90. He had gone to Montana in
1857 poor boy. After being there a
short time they bought small route Of
the agent, with whom they became &C
quainted, on credit, and by some means
succeeded in paying for the stock on the
entire route in four years. From that
time they had gone upward and onward
and were now operating in their own
names several hundred thousand dollars
worth OF contracts, and in his settle
ment last year with Barlow, Sanderson
& 90. bis share was $425, 900. He told
the committee how the contract for the
route from Reding, GAL, to Roseburg,
Oregon, was let to one Goddred for $24,-
600 in 1874, and Goddred carried the
mail with his stock and then failed. By
agreement, and by buying off intermed-
ate bidders, he got and still holds the
contract at $75, 900. He denied ever
having bribed or given presents to any
official Of the post-office department, al
though he was intimately acquainted
with nearly all of them, and troubled
them very frequently on business. He
knew nothing whatever Of any attempts
by his firm to do anything but legiti-
mate business. In fact, he knew very
little, If his story was accepted, about
the immense business that he WAS con-
ductino.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26
A True Community.

The family should be a community.
To make it truly 80 there must be com
mon interest. Alas for that household
where the fathers business, the mothers
social cares, and the children's sports
and pleasures are not shared by each
other Then it will not be strange if
the expenditure is ont of proportion to
the income, and if the companions and
resorts of the children are evil. Happy
that home where the cares and joys are
80 divided that the former are not op-
pressive and the latter arc multiplied
where the hearts grow closer as the years
roll by, 80 that the separations which
must come to every family are only
bodily and therefore temporary
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26
Quick Prescriptions.

Professor Wilder, of Cornell Uni
versity, gives these short rules for action
in case of accident:
For dust in the eyes, avoid rubbing
dash cold water in them remove Gin.
ders, etc, with the round point of a lead
pencil.
If an artery is cut, compress it above
the wound if a vein is cut, compress it
below. st ..ss - .
If choked, go upon all fours, and
cough.
For slight burns, dip the part in cold
water if the skin is destroyed, cover
with varnish. ..H-l :
For apoplexy, raise the head and
body !; for fainting, lay the person fiat.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26
Worship In the Wilderness.

The early settlers of America, among
other trials, experienced great difficulty
in attending divine worship. On ac-
count of the raids of the Indians it was
necessary that at all times the men of
the household should 60 armed. A
picture shows the strange scene of the
master of the household, with his gun
on his shoulder, about entering the little
log church built in the woods. It is the
first Sunday that they have had service
in long time, and the whole family
have come up to hear the words of truth
from one who had periled his life and
sacrificed his earthly prospects for the
good of his fellow creatures.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26
Leather at the Centennial.

The applications for space in4he shoe
and leather building have reached the
humber of SAT, and there are more in
anticipation. The spaces are divided as
follows: Seventy-fve to boots and shoes,
harness, thirty-six to morocco and sheep
skins, sixteen to rubber goods, twenty
three to saddlery hardware, fifty-one to
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26

The above estimate for Madrid is from
recent compilation given in a journal
in that city. The capital OF Spain
is thus made to rank as one Of the most
unhealthy places in the world.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-04-26
Life In Great Cities.

The relative healthfulness of some of
the great cities is shown in the following
table, which exhibits the annual NOR
tality for 1000 inhabitants:
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
Marietta GEORGIA. FRIDAY Morning. 30,
A MORTGAGE.

In the whole range of sacred and
p7oiane literature, perhaps there is
nothing recorded which has such
staying properties as a good healthy
mortgage.
A mortgage can be depended on
to stick closer than a brother. 1t
has mission to perform which new
er let's up. Day after day it is right
there, nor does the slightest tenden-
cy to slumber impair its vigor 10 the
least Night and day, and at hollis
day times, without a moments rest
for sickness or recreation, the biting
offspring of its existence goes on.
The seasons may change, days
run into weeks, weeks into months,
and months be swallowed up into the
gray man Of advancing years, bat
the mortgage stands up in sleepless
vigilance, with the interest, peren-
NAL stream ceaselessl y RAINING on.
Like a huge nightmare eating out
the sleep of some restless slumberer,
the unpaid mortgage rears up its
gaunt front in perpetual torment to
the miserable wight who is held with
its miserable clutch. 1t holds the
poor victim with the relentless grasp
of giant not one hour of recrea>
ton ; not moments evasion of its
hideous presence. A genial savage
of modifying aspect while the inter-
est is paid, very devil of hopeless
destruction when the payments fall.
Other liabilities may be evaded
or smoothed aside but a mortgage
hangs on with the pertinaci,y of a
bull dog or the grip of a blacksmith's
wise. If the interest is not paid, it
is added to swell its grim parent,
the principal and holds up its hor.
rible front with a harder seeming
than before, 1t will have the pound
of flesh which is nominated in the
bond and more terrible than the
fearful witches in Macbeth, the
threatening iend, Foreclosure, rears
up its dreaded menace with the
crushing weight of hopeless despair.
Pity for the pOor"man who has the
grim fiend in his household. Ever
hour of his life is fraught with one
intact endurance of misery and dread
with a grievious load he
is powerless to shake away.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
From the Chicago Tribune.
A FARMERS GUILLoTINE AND
HOW 1T WORKED.


James A. Moore, aged about thirS
ty~five, living on farm near the
Farmers Institute, about IL miles
south OF this city, committed suicide,
at the Luke House, in Lafayette,
Ind, last night, June, 2nd. No
cause is known for the deed. The
manner in which it was accomplish
ed is perhaps unparalleled in horrid
ingenuity. He came to the Luke
House Saturday, said he was per-
fectng an invention, and would pro-
baby stay a week, bat would visit
his home Monday, and prepaid his
bill till that time. He called at the
machine shop of Harding & Sons,
had large, new broadaxe and two
bars of 6-inch wide by inch thick
iron, 10 inches long, which he had
riveted to the head of the axe. On
either side, fastened to these bars in
the shape of handle to an axe, he
had system of wooden bars S feet
long, the extreme end of which was
fastened to cross piece, secured to
the floor by hinges. The axe was
raised and held to its nearly perpen-
6icular position by double cord
fastened to the wall. Between the
cords stood a candle, arranged so
that when the candle burned down
to the cords it would burn them off,
and the axe fall Where the axe
would strike he placed small box.
open at one side, in which, when
found, was his head with some cotton
that had been chloroformed. His
chin was held up from his neck by
a stick run across the box, through
holes on either side, holding his head
firmly in position. He was strapped
tightly to the floor with two straps,
one around his legs, another about
his arms and breast The straps
were both screwed to the floor, rem
dering it impossible to move. 1t is
supposed that he set his axe, lit the
candle, and strapped himself to the
floor, put his head into the box with
the chIoroformed cotton, and was
probably insensble when the axe
fell. The axe and fxings would
weigh about fifty pounds, and would
fall distance of from ten to fifteen
feet. His head was completely sew
cred from the body, and the axe
buried in the boards beneath.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
FUNNY.

BETWEEN Kenosha and Milwau-
kee, an Insurance Agent entered
car, and having issued tickets to
several of the passengers, approach
ed an elderly lady, who, it after
wards appeared, was deaf.
MADAM, would you like to insure
against accidents inquired the
agent.
I'm going to Oshkosh to visit my
darter, who is married up there and
has got baby
The agent raised his voice little;
would you like to insure your life
against accidents ?
She's been married two years and
half. It's a gall
Agent, still louder: 'Pm au insur-
ance agent, madam; don't you want
your life insured against accidents 2
'Oh, | didn't understand you
said the old lady. NO; her name
is Johnson; my name is Evans, and
| live five miles from Kenosha.'
The agent vanished.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
STUDY AND BUSINESS.

la learning, concentrate the energy
of the mind principally on one study;
the attention divided among several
studies is weakened by the division;
besides, it is not given to man to ex-
Gel i'll many things. But while one
study claims your main attention,
make occasional excursions into the
fields of literature and science, and
collect materials for the Improvement
of four favorite pursuit.
The union Of contemplative habits
constructs the most useful and per-
feet character contemplation gives
relief to action; action gives relisf
to contemplation. A man unaccuS,
toned to speculation is confined to a
narrow routine OF action men of
mere speculation constructs visionary
theories, which have no practical
utility.
Excellence in a profession and
success in business are to be obtain
ed only by persevering industry. -
None who thinks himself above his
vocation can succeed in it, for we
cannot put our attention to what our
self importance despises. None can
be eminent 10 his vocation who de-
votes his mental energy to pursuit
foreign to it, for success in what we
love is failure in what we neglect.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

TIE journals Of Sweden publish
details of revolving scene at an ex
ecution in that country. Two men
named Hijert and Fektor were gull
lotined for the murder of a railroad
engineer, whose carriage they had
mistaken for the mail, which they in
tended to rob. A large crowd Of
spectators assembled around the scat
fold, and after the criminals had been
dispatched drank or licked the blood,
taking it up with spoons or with their
fingers from the wood Of the platform.
There appears to exist among the
people belief that the blood of a
criminal is a remedy or preventive
against many diseases,
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
AN OPINION.

Cag7 Schw@: That the Republican
National Convention has not come up
to the demands of the times, must be
admitted by every one, but the nom
ination could have been worse, and
that is something. 1t is evident that
we are not to have Centennial cam
paign after our own hearts. Mr..
HAYES is neither a man of much tai
ent nor of force and character. He
was not born to be a leader, but, on
the other hand, he requires one, and
were he to fall into bad hands, ne
would probably be misled. A man
of such weak nature is hardly the
man for the great need of the times.
They might have done worse at Gin
cinnati, but, toe, they might have
done much better, and we're afraid
they've let a good chance slip.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
A MIXED FAMILY.

The following is told by the Los
Angeles (Cal.) Republican, "There
is a family in this town with nine va
rieties of children. The husband and
wife have each been married twice
before, and had one child at each for
mer marriage, which makes four
each one having different
parents. The present wife's former
husbands had each been married be-
fore, leaving child by their former
wives, which makes six children of
different parents. The present hus>
bands two former wives had been
previously married, leaving each one
child, making eight of different pa
rents. The present husband and
wife by this marriage have one child,
making nine, all living and no two
having the same parents"
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
BIG TREE

ONE of the most ingenius applica-
tons of the auger is that,of telling
trees, especially as practiced on the
mammoth growths peculiar to Cali
fornia. 1t is stated that "the big
tree" as it was called, which grew
in Calvaveras county, contained half
million feet of inch lumber, and
was felled by five men working -!
days, making 1l24 days labor of
this kind upon one tree. This tree
measured ninety>two feet in circum>
ference at the base, according to
statements which admit of no ques~
ton in respect to genuineness- 1t
was not cut down with axes, but as
more practicable method, was bored
down with long pump augers, and
the wood remaining between the
holes was cut off with chisels on the
ends OF long sticks.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

Mrs. Tilton sews for living now.
She seems to be the only one of the
entire set that is trodden down and
stoned. Theodore earns respecta-
BILE competency and is somewhat IL
oaized by his lectures. Henry Ward
B, scoops in cash by the ten and
hundred thousand dollars at a time.
The poor woman is turned out to
live the best way she can. None
seem to have any decency in the
matter. If Beecher be innocent why
is Mrs. Tilton sighted and snubbed
by the Pharassees of wicked Brook
lynn None of the lot have the man
hood to stand by the woman, who,
whether innocent or guilty, merits
their assistance.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

"BAYoNErs properly applied will
carry six Southern States" says
Douglass at Cincinnati. This is en-
ii ely in harmony with the Republi-
can idea. Morton would have said
the same if it had occurred to him ;
but he would have been mistaken as
Douglass is. The day of the bayo-
net as an element in politics is over.
Douglass forgets that the people are
in power in the House Of Represen>
tatives. Courier JOaynal.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
HOW THE GIRLS FISH.

utIe are Bcnetdli( aoout SIX Vi
them in the bunch, with light dress
es on, and they have three poles
with as many hooks and lines among
1 them.
Then they scamper down to the
river or creek until they fad shall
low place where they can see the
! fish, and shout:
/ ooh see one"
"Where
There"
'Oh my, SO he is.
Let's catch HIM
who's got them bats 2
you lazy thing, you're sitting on
my pole
SHOW me the wretch that stole
my worm
All these EXPLANATIONS are gotten
off in q tone that awakens every
echo within mile round, and sends
every fish within three acres into
galIoping Mysteries. Then the girls
by surperhumau exertions manage to
get a worm on the hook, and throw
in with a splash like the launching
of a washtnb, and await the result.
When a silver,fn comes along and
nibbles the bait they pull up with a
Jerk, that, had an unfortunate fish
weighing less than fifteen pounds
been on the hook, would have land
ed it in the neighborhood of three
or four miles in the country. After
awhile feeble minded sun6sh con-
trives to get fastened on the hook of
a timid woman, aud she gives vent
to her tongue:
'Oh ! something's got my hook
Pull up, you little idiot = shout
FIVE excited voices as poles and
hooks are dropped and they rush to
the rescue. The girl with the bite
gives spasmodic jerk, which sends
the unfortunate sunny into the air
the full length of forty feet of line,
and he comes down on nearest cur,
ly head with damp flop, that sets
the girl to clawing as though there
were bumblebees 10 her hair.
Och ! murder! take it away
Ugh the nasty thing =
Then they held up their skirts and
gather about that fish as it skips
over the logs, one all the time holds
ing the line in both hands, with her
foot on the pole as though she had
an eyil,disposed goat at the other
end. They talk over it.
How ever will he get off 2
Amt it pretty 2
wonder if it amt dry?
Poor little thing let's put it
back
Glow will we get the hook from
it 2
Pick it up says girl who backs
rapidly out of the circle.
Good gracious, I'm afraid of it.
There, its opening its mouth at me-
Just then the sunny wriggles off
the hook and disappears between
two logs into the water, aud the
girls try for another bite.
But the sun comes down and fries
the backs of their necks, and they
get three headaches in the party,
and they all get cross and scoId at
the fish like SO many magpies. If
an unwary club dares show himself
in the water they poke at him with
poles, much to his disgust. Finally
they get mad all over and throw
their polls away, hunt up the lunch
basket, climb up into the woods,
where they sit around on the grass
and caterpillars, and eat enough OF
dried beef and rusk and hard boiled
eggs to give a wood horse the night
mare after which they compare
notes about their beaux until sum
down when they 90 home and plant
envy in the hearts of all their mus
lin delaine friends by telling what
"just splendid time" they had.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
FRENCH STRATEGY.

When the French were in Mexico
the stage robberies in the vicinity of
Monterey became almost as frequent
as they are getting to be between
here and Kingsbury. With the
practical common sense for which the
French are distinguished when they
go about killing people, the French
General at Monterey devised plan
that worked like a charm. lie
picked out half dozen of his small>
est zouaves and dressed them up as
females, and put them in the stage.
Each unprotected female had short
breech loading carbine concealed
under his pettipants, and they cover
ed their demure faces by wells. OF
course the robbers surrounded the
stage, and the ladies, with an excess
of feminine modesty, climbed out Of
the vehicle and fell in line with the
rest of the passengers, when a sud-
den an epidemic broke out among
those Mexican patriots, for each lady
on on average, destroyed about three
Of them, and the rest lost all taste
for female society and went away
disguised. The ladies returned to
town in high glee, but for long
time the Mexican bandits entertain
ed such lofty veneration for the
gentler sex that an old bonnet and
shawl displayed conspicuously in a
stage secured it immunity from in
terruption.-San Ant0nia HeraM
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

THERE are quite a number of
Georgia papers advocating the re-
moyal of the capitol from Atlanta to
Miledgeville, foremost among them
is the Savannah News. There are
also quite a number of influential
papers who stubbornly oppose its
removal. The agitation of the ques-
ton is altogether premature and can
do no good.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
SWARM OF BEES ON a NEGRO

Hamilton Journal: One day last
week, as the negroes on Mr.. John
Hudson's place were in the field at
work, they heard swarm of bees
coming, and stopped to see which
way they were going. One Of the
negroes was surprised to find the
bees settling on his head but they
did so. sHe walked to a bunch of
bushes and shook them from off his
head, when they settled on bush.
He afterward went home, got gum
and hived them. They are now at
work making honey, and the negro
is claimed to be the champion bee
hiver in the neighborhood.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

d. B. HAMILTON, Of Rome, an
nounces his candidacy for the State
Senate. One of the planks in his
platform is removal of the capital.
His object is doubtless to get more
mileage.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

WE think the honor of killing jim
Blaine is about equally divided be
tween Grant, D)m Cameron and
Rev. II. NJ. Turner, colored, Of
Georgia.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

THE Chicago Journal contains
twenty-five sheets, or eighty eight
large quarto pages, ISL columns of
which were filled with list of props
erty to be sold for taxes. Let's re-
sumo. 'Rah for Hayes.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

The man who cansnd does pay
his debts promptly, deserves the ad-
miration of the world he who
would, but can't, deserves their pity,
and he who can and won't ought to
be incarcerated for life.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

WHEN we see men grumbling at
everything, finding fault with every
body, and never seeing anything ex-
actly right, we naturally conclude
that they are very bad men or most
consummate fools.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

A man in South Hsdley, who ha
Just got out Of a lawsuit, wants to OBJ
tain large picture of a COW, with
one client at the head and the other
at the tail, pulling, and the lawyers
meanwhile quietly milking.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

PROFANITY weakens veracity, new
er hurts the one to whom it is used,
and holds up the perpetrator to the
ridicule of fools.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30
A business man accos:ed gentle

man from The country, saying:
"Why don't you trade with me y
"Because," said the individual,
"you have never extended an invita-
ton to me to do so. read the coun-
ty paper every week and have nev>
er seen an advertisement of yours in
it, and l never 60 to places that | am
not invited to-"
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

Men and women who never have
had any children to raise, are usual
ly very profuse in giving directions
on this subject.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

GLOW do you like your spring hat
and is it paid for z -Ba|timored".
First rate and none of your business.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

MALARloUs FEvERS,

You are al liberty 10 use my name in
praise Of yo n Regulator as prepared by you,
and recommend ii TO every one AZ the best pre-
ventive for Fever and Ague in the world. /
plant in Southwestern Georgia, near Albany
Georgia and must say that. il has done
mare good on my plantation among my negroes
than any medicine ever used; il supeTsedes
Qunine if taken IN time.
Yours &c, Hon y. IL. HILL ia.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

YOUNG men who despise the coun-
sells of the aged and experienced,
usually end their career in disgrace.
The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1876-06-30

OUR passions and appetites only
get the advantage of us while we
are nursing them in mind.