davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
IT Didn't Suit.

a Detroit boy, after finishing the last
chapter of a book called "The Pleas
ures of the Deep" pleaded with his
father to let him ship aboard lake
schooner. The old man smiled grim
smile, took the case under considera-
ton, and in few days the boy was on
the rolling deep, having shipped as a
greenhorn on a vessel in the lumber
trade. He sailed to Saginaw, came
down and crossed to Toledo, and next
day he appeared in Detroit, lame and
stiff, bis throat sore, one eye nearly shut
and feeling of humbleness running all
through him.
"What back again ?" cried the old
man, as the boy entered the house.
"Yes. father. l want to saw all the
wood for wiLter, bring in all the coal,
clean out the cellar and paint the barn
and you needn't give me but two mealsa
day."
"Don't you like sailing2"
"Father, you don't begin to realize
anything about it. The captain sailed
right along on Sunday, the same as any
other day, and I believe he swore even
harder. He wouldn't give me an um.
brella when it rained. he made me sit
up most all night, and two or three times
be called me up at midnight and made
me haul on ropes and drag old sails
around. There wasn't single night
when all OF us got off to bed at nine
o'clock, and there wasn't day that he
didn't boss US around and break In on
US every time we got to reading any.
thing goodl I like land, father, and l
wish you owned q farm |"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
A War Incident.

At the battle of Gettysburg, while
commanding a company In the Eighty
second Ohio regiment, July l, an officer,
Capt. Lee, was wounded and left for
dead upon the field at night by his re.
treating comrades. One of Jubal
Early's aids carried him off the field,
with other wounded, and deposited them
in an obscure farmhouse, whence ne bad
no means of communication with his
regiment of friends. The news of bis
death reached his home in Ohio. His
obituary was published, and Prof. Nc
Cabe had prepared an eulogy upon him,
to be delivered July II, the Sunday OF
commencement week, in connection with
other exercises appointed for the DAY.
An immense crowd were gathered In the
church. After the opening OF the e1-
ercises, Capt. Lee, pale as ghost, hob,
bled in on crutches and took quiet
seat among the worshipers. He bad
been left behind by his captors, and,
not knowing himself reported dead, he
had come quickly iome to Delaware to
recover, reachinr there unannounced
late on Saturday night. Those wsre
days Of intense dramatic experience,
days of death in life, and life in the
midst of death, and though every. heart
of those who knew him leaped for JOY
at seeing him, the decorum OF Gods
house was preserved. The meeting
was turned into a missionary anniver-
sary. Rev. DR.. Harris, the then mis-.
sionary secretary, but now a bishop OF
his church, presided. When donations
to the missionary fund were in order,
this young soldier, poor man, pale and
falteringly, rose on his crutches, and
said, brief y: "In token of gratitude to
God for having spared my Life upon the
field at Gettysburg, put me down for
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
A New Plague in Egypt.

4 tatter f,om Alexandria says A new
calamity now engages the attention OF
all Egyptians even more tnan me ehn n ~
cial DEGREES of the khedive or tne re-.
fusal of the government to accept 1ne
induments of the new courts. 1t seems
That many of the cavalry horses tnat
have returned from Abyssinia in the Lass
two months came with most malignant
disease upon them. The doctors pro-
nounce it kind of typhoid fever. lt1s
most Infectious and terribly rapid IN its
proeress, death resulting in many cases
in few hours. It is stated, ana on
GOOD authority, that the government m
stead of isolating the infected animals,
sold them all at very low prices to the
fellnheen. Thus they have been dls-
tribnted throughout the country, and In
the neiohborhood of Cairo alone several
hundred horses are already reported
dead. A well informed correspondens
thus describes in the Delta the enect OF
thig epidemic in one Of the busiest dis
tricts :: cit is ravaging now among tne
horses. mules and donkeys OF our dis
trict most furiously. and many villages
are named where not one horse has es.
caned the disease. It is to be feared
thst this calamity will interfere very
disapreeably with our work, as the cart
men will be short of horses. and the
donkeys to carry seed and cotton to the
stations will be very scarce. The gov
EMINENT ia alone to blame that the dis
ease has spread go quickly over the
country, selling everywhere Tor a napo-
leon or pound the sick cavalry horses
returned rom Abyssinis, instead OF lso-
latinp them" .-.,-.......,. ... ?:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
Not Contagious.

The following incident is mentioned
in an exchange in proof that the yellow
fever is not contagious in the sense in
which smallpox or scarlet fever is, and
that, unless place is in a condition
favorable to the spread of the disease,
there is no special danger that the
presence of patient who has contracted
the fever elsewhere would cause well
person in contact with him to take it !:
About twenty years ago the yellow fever
desolated Norfolk, Virginia. For time
the alarm in the country round about
was very great, and every village and
instituted sort of quar-
antine, which shut the poor Norfolk
people closely in their stricken city.
Henry A. Wise alone Of all the people
in the neighborhood retained at once
his courage and his humanity. Seeing
how sore the need was of refuge
without the walls of the city, he invited
the sufferers, sick and well, to come to
his plantation in Accomao county, just
across the strait from the city; and de-
fying the threatened violence OF a
frightened mob, he brought them there
in considerable numbers, and not q
particle of harm came of it !; not single
person who had not been exposed
to the infected air of the city took the
disease. If this fact is correctly re-
ported, there is something in it deserv-
ing the careful Investigation of thought
full physicians.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
Love and Devotion.

Sandy Melville endeavored to swindle
an old man in Omaha by selling him
spurious gold coins in exchange for
greenbacks. After his arrest be at
tempted to escape from the officers and
was dangerously wounded. A lovely
maid haunted the corridors of the jail
until the sheriff took pity on her and
permitted her to enter the prisoners
cell and dress his wounds. She nursed
him and gave him brandy and water and
piloted him out of the valley Of the
shadow. When she had restored him
to health the courts took him in hand
and sentenced him to five years i'm
prisonment in the Iowa penitentiary.
Affecting spectacle justice of the peace
called in; marriage ceremony in the jail
witnessed by all the prisoners bride
groom carried eff to chew tobacco in the
penitentiary bride returns to her hum
BILE home to take in washing and to wait;
beautiful essay in local paper on
woman's devotion, with appropriate
references to Diana and Mother Eve.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
A Dance Of Death.

The Hon. Evelyn Ashley, step grand
son, biographer, and formerly private
secretary of Lord Palmerston, writes to
a London paper to explain, by means OF
a private letter he has received from q
very authentic source, the meaning OF
Mr.. Baring's denial of the statement
that forty Bulgarian girls were burned.
The statement was founded on a misun-
derstanding of coloquial Turkish
phrase. To burn is yakmak, verb con-
stantly used in the sense also of ruin.
Thus debtor will say: "Do you wish
to burn mea" meaning to ruin me. The
truth as to these girls is that they were
carried off, and have never been heard
of since. Mr.. Ashley's correspondent,
q consul, further tells him that after two
hundred men had been murdered In q
certain village, the Turks found some
more in hiding places, and told them
that if they would dance one of their ma
tional dances they would let them of:
So the poor fellows begun to dance. 1t
was q dance of death. The ruffians shot
them down while at it.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
Strange Sounds at Night.

Evary one has noticed how many
singular sounds are heard at night
noises apparently unexplainable, and
consequently mysterious. Many 3
ghost story has spring up from an un'
accountable noise; many person terri
fed beyond measure by an unexpected
sound at midnight. Sir David Brew
ster gives an excellent account OF 9
mysterious night sound which would
have frightened many persons, but
which proved innocently harmless when
tested by steady observer. A gentle.
man heard strange sound every night
soon after getting into bed; his wife
heard it also, but not at the time when
she retired, little earlier than he. No
probable cause could be assigned, and
the effect upon the Imagination became
rather unpleasant. He found some time
afterward that the sound came from q
wardrobe which stood near the head OF
his bed. he almost always opened and
closed this wardrobe when undressing;
but as the door was little tight he
could not quite close 1t. The door, pos.
sibly affected by gradual changes OF
temperature, forced itself open with a
sort of dull sound which WAS over in an
instant. From the lady not being in
the habit of using that wardrobe, the
mystery became associated with her
husband only. Had they given way to
and never investigated the
affair, another haunted house would
have been added to the long row already
standing.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
Legal Begging aud Stealing.

To beg tobacco and steal umbrellas is
strictly legal, for it has become a law by
custom, the practice of which has been
indulged in "time ont Of mind, whereof
the memory of man runneth not to the
contrary" .
If by chance one loses possession OF
an umbrella only for the short space OF.
five minutes on a stormy day, when such
things are most required, the chances
are that it will go into the hands OF
stranger and will never be seen again by
the rightful owner. But an umbrella
stolen is not so great a crime or an act
of such unparalleled meanness as to
have an habitual tobacco beggar solicit
in bland manner q "chew;" and when
you hand him your box to have him
take all that there is in it, put what he
can in his mouth and the rest in his vest
pocket, then coolly remark that you
keep poor stock and advise you to go
and purchase new supply.
Both of these disreputable acts are OF
frequent occurrence, but the petty lar
ceny in umbrellas is not so frequent as
the confidence dodge in tobacco. The
surest remedy to effectually abate this
nuisance is to attach your umbrella to
your side as some of the ladies do their
fans, and when you are solicited by
well known tobacco beggars hand them
five cents.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
The Custer Fight.

. Little Buck Elk has stated to Indian
@ Commissioner Mitchell that he was in
the fight in which Gen. Custer and all
his men were slaughtered, and that
eleven different tribes were engaged in
the fight. He said that the Indians
were as thick as bees at the fight, and
that there were so many of them that
they could not all take part that the
soldiers were all brave men and fought
well; !; that some of them, when they
found themselves surrounded and over
powered, broke through. the lines and
tried to make their escape, but were
pursued and killed, miles from the battle
ground. One soldier, who had faster
horse than the rest, made his escape
into the Bad Lands, and after he had
riden seven or eight miles accidentally
ran into a war party of Indians and was
killed by them. This soldier rode q
big horse with fa1en name, and had q
government saddle and gray saddle
blanket, but it was not known whether
he was an officer or not. he also said
that they captured six battle flags, and
that no soldiers were taken alive, but
after the fight the women went among
the dead bodies and robbed and mutila-
ted them. There were plenty of watches
and money taken from them which the
young warriors are now wearing In their
shirts and belts.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
sitting on a Porcupine.

The Sacramento (Cal Union has the
following incident: A traveller by one
of the railroad trains brought to the
CITY porcupine of large size, Gagged in
q roomy box, with pieces OF board
placed across the top at intervals OF
about an inch and half, in order that
the animal might have as much ar as
possible. His owner sat the box down
near the ticket Office while attending
some other matter, and it attracted little
attention. By-and.bye Q young man,
who had got tired of standing mp, seeing
what appeared to be an empty fruit box
handy, deposited himself upon it with o
sigh Of relief. A bystander who under
stood the situation, stepped up quiet
" and with his cane begun punching
the porcupine. It wa. but few sec
onds before the animal became "fret-
full, as it were, and he got his "back
up." The reader may at some time
have admired the alacrity with which an
Individual has arisen from chair out OF
Difference to bent pin which had some
how got there before him, but on this
occasion the man shot up as though he
had sat down upon full paper of bent
pins, all hot at that. u. -. ':''
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
San Francisco Millionaires.

It seems to be penchant among the
millionaires of San Francisco to squan-
der their money on hotels and opera
houses. Senator Sharon has seven
story palace hotel, on which he is losing
about 81, 600 day; Senator Jones runs
newspaper and Roman bath estab-
lishment; E. J. Baldwin, another mil.
ionaire, has built an opera house and
hotel at cost of $3.50, 900. John Ke-
one, another millionaire stock broker,
has given Strakosch $4,000 lot OF
ground, upon which no promises to
build an "Eetalian opera house," and
Jasper Med Donald, leading bear, has
Just taken possession OF one OF San
Franoisco's leading theaters for moneys
advanced. It would seem as it her mil
ionaire brokers intended having a
monopoly of oil the lu1uries "f life.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
eJust Like Her.

The Pail Mall Gazette reads modern
wives lecture on the duty OF finding
sureties for their husbands. A woman
who WAS an inmate of the workhouse OF
st. George's-ia-the-East applied for per-
mission to leave that establishment fora
day or two. Her husband, who was in
receipt of pension OF G33 per annum,
had been sentenced to four months i'm
prisonment, and to find sureties for a
further period of two months for sav-
age assault upon herself. During his
Imprisonment she and her child had be-
come chargeable to the parish, and the
guardians had attached the pension, 80
as to pay for the maintenance OF the
wife and child during their stay in the
workhouse. The term OF the erring
husbands imprisonment having nearly
expired, he had written amost affection
ate letter begging his wife to find the
necessary sureties for him. Her appi-
cation was granted by the guardians, and
the woman was given permission to start
on her singular errand of endeavoring
to persuade some confding person or
persons to guarantee that for two whole
months her husband would refrain from
any further attempt to fracture her skull
or smash her ribs.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
Another Indian Fight.

News from Fort Fetterman states that
a haying party of twelve men and seven
OK teams were attacked by a band OF
twenty or thirty Indians, twenty-five
miles from that post. John Ottens,
wagon master, was badly wounded and
one horse was killed. It appears that
two of the party were ont hunting about
eight o'clock, and, hearing an Indian
war song, hastened to the train, which
was Immediately prepared for defense.
Four Of the men started to find the saw
ages, which they did, and made q lively
retreat, hotly pursued by them to with
in fifty yards of the train, when the re-
manning eight men sent a volley into the
Indians, who retreated to the shelter Of
the bluffs, and commenced firing upon
the train, which, being at disadvantage,
was compelled to move two hundred
yards. The fight lasted nearly four
hours. The number of Indians killed is
unknown, but two were seen to fall.
Mr.. Powell, a contractor, states that the
Indians showed great courage, and were
strongly armed with Winchester and
army rifles. The telegraph line between
Fort Fetterman and Cheyenne being cut
about the time of.the fight, it is thought
that it was the work of the same band.
Ottens is doing well, but undoubtedly
will lose his right arm.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
Elbow Grease.

"Awful Gardiner was once q well
known pugilist and sporting character in
New York. On one occasion he went to
Newark with q "select party" to give
sparring exhibition. The man who
had charge of the hall where the show
was to take place was of gigantic stature,
and one of the party wagered bottle OF
wine that lawful Gardner " could not
knock the fellow down with his fist.
They all waited in the ball for the COM
ing Of the janitor with Lights. He ap-
preached with candle shaded in his
hands, and as he came within arms
reach the "Awful" measured him and
struck square from the shoulder. The
man hardly winked. he simply turned
his head round toward the pugiist and
said: "Gentlemen, please be little
careful OF your elbows"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15

A NOTABLE C1ooK.-In the Kansas
building, on the Gent grounds, is
a clock whose peculiar excellence is that
it requires winding but once in hun
dred years. It is said to keep the most
accurate time, telling the month. of the
year, the day of the month, the day Of
the week, and the time of the day; and
vet the inventor claims that it does all
this with much less power than is re-
quired with any other clock escapement
ever invented. Who would like CEN
tury clocka
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
Let Ne See Him.

When Louis XIV. was passing through
q town in the north of France, his re-
ception being Of the most enthusiastic,
an old woman was suddenly seen to dart
through the ranks of the military escort,
crying: "Let >me see him! Let me
see him!"
The king stopped his carriage, ad-
dressed few kind words to her, then
continued his progress.
Then the old woman flung her hands
into the air, aud, with all the rapture OF
pious Simeon, cried:
"ThaDk Heavenl l have seen him
And now / don't care how soon-he
dies!"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
A STORY. with q Moral.

A gentleman of middle age; who had
always been farmer, had cleared up
and improved one of the best farms in
Maine, erected new and convenient
buildings, reared family, and was en-
joying the blessings with which he was
surrounded, became possessed with the
idea of selling bis farm.
Friends told him he could live 80
much easier to 60 into the village, where
he could have q nice house, q garden,
keep COW, and,-if he chose, a horse,
and live like a gentleman on the interest
of his money, that he advertised his
farm for sale. He found no want OF
purchasers, and the farm was soon dis.
posad OF for a handsome sum. Then
the stock, farming tools, etc., were sold,
and the place that he had wrought with
his own hands, the buildings he had
built for his own convenience, and, &C.
cordine to his own notions, the spot
where he had raised his family, and
around which clustered 80 many associa-
tions, passed into the hands of stran-
gers. For time the gentleman did not
locate, as he desired to look round, find
q place to suit him, and see where he
could he happy for the remainder of bis
days. At last he found place that
suited him, purchased it, and settled
down to life again. But things did not
20 right. He missed his old farm and
house, the silent but delightful company
of his cattle, sheep, and other domestic
animals, the scenes where he had pass
ed 30 many happy Year,, and the society
OF his old neighbors, tried and true:
He grew discontented, and was well
nigh sick. His wife and daughters,
also, were not pleased with their new
home; it was half mile from town,
with a little land, and was what many
would have called desirable place.
Having remained long enough in his
new place-he could not be said to have
lived OF ALTO become satisfied he
should never be contented, he resolved
to have the old farm back again. He
went to the man who owned it, paid him
five hundred dollars more than what he
got, took possession again OF his fa-
miliar fields and groves, and, having
learned a wholesome lesson from his
transaction, is now at work again upon
his old farm, happier, wiser and bet
ter contented, if not richer man.
It's moral to farmers and cthers is,
that when they get discontented and sell
out, they should be sure they are able to
buy back their old homes and business,
when they find they have not bettered
themselves by the change. g..
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
A Clerical Hit.
Ministers will have their little jokes

Ministers will have their little Jokes
like other people.
"Come over and preach for me to-
night" said a Chicago divine to a
clerical friend whom he met on the
street, not many days since.
"I can't tonight" was the reply,
"I'm almost down sick with head
ache"
"Well," drolly observed the other,
"I guess you can do it, for if you preach
as you usually do, you won't have to use
your head anyl"
They they both laughed, and pinched
each other in the ribs, and said it was q
good one, Just as heartily as though
they had been the worst kind Of sinners
all their lives,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15

Wild PEACHES editor of the
Wallapai Enterprise, published at Min
eral Park, Ari., has been presented with
box of wild peaches, and says of them !:
These peaches, though wild, are equal
in flavor to any We have ever eaten, and
some of them measured as much Us nine
inches in circumference. The trees
upon which they grow were discovered
some twelve or thirteen years ago by
the first whites in this section of the
country, and at the time of the discovery
the main tree looked to be as old as it
does to-day. The fruit, in appearance,
resembles the finest Jersey peaches.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15
His Epicurean Taste.

"Speaking of epicures," lately re-
marked young Chicago society swell,
GIVE got a brother who is the greatest
epicure I ever saw"
Indeed" chorused the circle about
him.
eyes," continued the swell, "why,
he eats everything in the line of victuals
he can lay his hands on-he doesn't care
what !"
Then when everybody got up and
rolled around and laughed, that young
swell got mad, and wanted to know if
any one supposed that he "didn't know
what an tepicure was2"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-15

IOtdl. ...'.'' .VAAH
In accordance with custom at hotels,
q servant isreckoned ashalf aquest-
servants count for one. Now at Schwal-
bach each guest had to pay less than two
dollars day, while Saratoga mulcted
them in the snm Of ten dollars apiece
and over. What is the reason, asks the
New York Times, for this difference be-
tween the cost of living al. the American
and German watering places?