davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
Mark Twain AZ n ReNOrtpr.

I reported on morning newspaper
three years, and it was pretty hard
work. But enjoyed its attractions.
Reporting is the best school in the
world to get knowledge of human
being, human nature, and ways. A nice
gentlemsnly reporter-I make no refer
ences-is we'll treated by everybody.
Just think of the wide range of his ac-
cuantanceship, his experience of life
and society. No other occupation
brings a man into such familiar social
relation with all the grades and classes
of people. The last thing at night
midnight-he goes browsing around
after items among the police and jail
birds in the lookup. questioning the
prisoners, and making pleasnt and last
ing friendships among some OF the
worst people in the word. And the
very next evening he gets himself up
regardless of expense, puts on all good
clothes his friends have got. go the and
takes dinner with the Governor or the
Commander-in Chief of the District, the
United States Senator, and some more
of the upper crust of society. He is on
good terms with all of them and is press
ent at every gathering, and has easy
access to every variety of people. Why,
Ibreakfasted almost every morning with
ihe Governor, dined with the principal
clergyman, and slept in the stations
house.
A reporter has to lie little, of course,
or they would discharge him. That is
why 1 left it. I am different from
Washington; l have higher and gran
der standard of principle. Washington
could not lie. I can lie, but I won't.
Reporting is fascinating, but then it is
so distressing to have to lie so. Lying
is bad-lying is very bad. Every in
dividual knows that by experience. I
think that for man to tell lie, when
he cannot make anything by it, is
wrong.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
Baise Your Own Meat.

Get few sows and raise your own
meat this year. 1t is surprising how
soon few sows will stock up farm
with an abundance of meat. Hog
raising on large scale may not be con>
venient to every farmer, but every fam
lily can raise enough meat for use every
year, and even few pounds to sell if
necessary. The early-maturing sort are
best in this, that they are easiest fat
tened, and are ready for killing whens
ever desired. Some prefer the Berk>
shire and Essex and others still the Po-
land China. The latter are especially
desirable where the object is to keep
them beyond one season and to in
crease the weight. Get any sort pro-
ferred and give them proper attention.
and then you will be perfectly uncou.
cerued whether the price of pork goes
up or down at hog>killing time.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
Why They Don't Rally.

A gentleman from the North struck
into a conversation with q negro at the
depot yesterday.
"How does the Republican party
flourish down here?"
"Well, sab, she's mighty weak an
sickly, fur fack, boss"
I'm sorry for that" said the strang-
er.
Eyes, sab; de 'Publicans haz done
bin on de down>grade for seberal years,
an de skedjule am gettin' fas'er and
fas'e de furder dat dey go!"
"Why don't you colored men rally
and save it, my friend?"
"Good golly, boss, de cultured poppy
lashun hab got to rally an sabe dere-
selves. When de Publican train hab
got no provishions on board, an de
Dimmycrats haz plenty Of bacon ter
eat an is allus greasin' de Publican
track wild de meat-skins, de niggers
takes mighty little stock in dat train
dat's sol"
The Northern gentleman saw the ap-
plication.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
The May to Keep Cur Flowers.

Never cut flowers during intense sun.
shine nor keep them exposed to the
sun or wind. Neither collect them
tightly together, as it hastens their de-
cay. Do not pull them, but cut them
cleanly off the stems with a sharp knife
or pair of scissors. When taken in
doors, place them in the shade, and re-
duce them to the required leugth of
stalk with sharp knife, by which
means the tubes through which they
draw mp the water will be left open,
and the water will ascend freely; where
as if the stems are bruised or lacerated,
these pores will be closed up. Use
pure water to SGT them in, or pure white
sand in state of satnration, sticking
the ends of the stalks in it, but not in q
crowded manner If the stems are put
in water alone, it ought to be changed
daily. and thin slice should be cut of
the stalks at every change of water.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
AnecdOte on Edw In Booth.

This diverting piece of fiction was in
vented in San Francisco: Edwin Booth is
proverbially opposed to having his pri-
vate trumpet blown, but little incident
of his overland trip is too good to be
lost. It seems that in the same parlor
car with the trugelian and his family
was lady more remarkable for the loud
ness of her style than for her refinement.
She repeatedly stated that she would
give hundred dollars to kiss Booth.
At Omaha a poor emigrant attracted
the attention of the travellers as they
returned to the car after dinner. He
had started for California, but had
been robbed while asleep. Booths eyes
fell upon his gorgeous admirer, who
was standing near. He went up abrupt
ly to her and asked, "Did you say you
would give hundred dollars to kiss
me?" She replied, II did," and open
ed purse defantly. He passed his arm
around her neck, and giving her a
sounding smack held out his hand for
the fee. This was given. Booth wheel
ed around and forced it into the emf
grants hand.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
Be Social.

Men who isolate themselves from So
ciety, and have no near and dear family
ties are the most miserable of human
beings. Byron says Happiness was
born of twins" but the phrase though
pretty and poetic, does not go far
enough. We are gresarious, and not
intended to march through life in single
or double file. The man who cares for
nobody and for whom nobody cares has
nothing to live for that will pay for the
keeping Of body and soul together. You
must have heap of embers to have a
glowing fire. Scatter them apart and
they grow dim and cold. So to have a
brisk, vigorous life, you must have a
group of lives, to keep each other
warm, as it were, or afford each mutual
encouragement and confidence and sup
port. If you wish to live the life of a
man and not of fungus, be social. be
brotherly, be charitable, be sympathet-
10, and labor earnestly for the good of
your kind.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
Arranging the Homestead.

|
From short essay upon the meth
ods of laying out the farm, written by
Mr.. Donald G. Mitchell for the Con-
necticut Agricultural Report, we take
the following:
As to that area lying Immediately
about the homestead and connecting it
with the out buildings, cattle-yard, and
all approaches to fields ard highway
the great ganglion, as physicians would
call it, of the whole system of farm ydi-
visions-I need hardly remark that, shis
area mnst be level as practicable, well
kept, ample in size, giving freedom
and breadth for all incoming and ont
going teams and having such accessoc
ries of shade whether of fruit or forest
trees, and of green turf, as shall make
it grateful, hospitable looking, and en-
joyable looking to all inmates OF the
homestead. The out buildings in cons
nection with farm buildings proper
should be disposed about the homeS
yard in such way as to offer an effect
i've lea or defense against prevailing
cold winds. ~
Hence it will come to be cherry rem.
devious for Winter, where such repairs
to farm utensils as may be made out OF
doors can be effected; where neigh
bor's team may not suffer, where the
bees may have their bench of hives, the
children can have their swing, the
house dog may sun himself, the pig
cons, if you have them, may COO under
the caves, and the tom-turkey, that
politician of the crowd, may strut and
scrape his wings in the dirt and have
ont his gobble.
l think we all recognize the charm.
ing and comfortable look of such
farm>yard wherever we encounter it,
and augur we'll for the thrift and cons,
tentment of those who preside over it,
In contrast with this you may. if you
have iourneyed there, recall 10 mind the
pinched narrow lane, which leads from
the highway up to many farm home.
stead of South western New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. The farms are excel>
lent and we'll titled, with far better
land than ours; but the home-yard is as
pinched as the lane leading up to it, SO,
that the tnrning of team is no easy
problem, and the housewife encounters
the mire of the wheel-track at her very
door. No tree, no shade, no bees, no
swing-scarce a flower. They are
thrifty, money-getting farmers; but, by
this token, they do not cultivate the
sort of thriftiness which gives civiliz-
or refining grace to so many of the farm
homesteads of New England.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
Selling His Birfhri.ht.

Poor fellow! he is selling his birth
right; it makes my heart ache to see
him." a Elo t. i@
Selling his birthright, Mr.. Jamesl
What do yon mean?" said I to the
the friend with whom I was walking.
George Norton is noble fellow; he is
only sowing his wild oats; he will come
out of it all right; only give him time"
II repeat it, Stanley answered my
friend; THAT young man is selling his
birthright. Let me try and explain
what / mean to you. and we will take
for an example George Norton, by way
of illustration.
"Here is young man who has re-
ceived many gifts from the hand of
God. A noble and vigorous physical
frame, youth, beauty, manly vigor, in
tellectual capacities far above mediocri.
ty: generous nature, frank, affection
ate, tender hearted, liberal to fault,
filled with noble impulses, and yet,
though endowed with oil these gifts, he
is very spendthrift of these blessings,
frittering them all away for present
pleasure and worldly amusement.
"When such young man gives him
self up to his social companions, gives
time to this idle fellow, and money to that
spendthrift, passes an evening in
billiard room, another at card table,
is the hail fellow we'll met at drink
ing saloon, he will go from bad to
worse, wasting and scattering the riches
Of Gods blessings, and before he reach
es middle life will be mere nonentity
in the society of which he might have
been an ornament, q frequenter of
drinking saloons and gambling dens,
and may at last become driveling
idiot, or fill pauper's grave. Is not
this selling his God-inherited birth
right, and where is the the place for
repentance here? It is not an over
drawn picture. / have watched this
downward progress, rapid and fatal as
it is, in many a young man; misdirect-
ed, misguided, ultimately and irretriev-
ably lost"
How many Of onr young men, and
young women too, are daily and hourly
bartering away their birthright, most
of them for even less than Esau's mess
of pottags! Some for wealth, some for
worldly emolument. but o! how many
just for present pleasure!
And when at last, with physical
frame enfeebled by excesses. opportu-
mites for improvement utterly thrown
away, mind weakened and imbecile,
nothing but wreck of all the noble
manhood with which God has endowed |
them; then, yet o how seldom even
then do they try to find ia place for
repentance" We leave them in the |
ha-ds of Him whose mercies cannot be !
numbered, but yet who has said, THUS
far shalt thou go. and no farther.
There may be for them ''no place for
repentance, though they seek it care
fully and with tears"
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
A Judges Opinion Of Preaching.

Ministers do not exercise good sense
in addressing the people. They are
afraid of repetition. They use langu-
age not well understood by the common
people. Their illustrations are not
taken from the common pursuits of life.
They write in too elevated style, read
without repetition, and are not under
stood by the people. If lawyers were
to take s,ch course they would ruin
themselves and their cause. When /
Was at the bar, used to take it for
granted when l had a jury before me,
that should have to repeat over my
main positions about rs many times as
there were persons in the jury-box. I
learned that urless did so-illustrated
and repeated, and turned over and over
the main points of the law and the eyid-
ence-I should lose my cause. One
object in addressing jury ia to get
their minds settled before they leave
the jury-box; not to make a speech
only partially understood by them; not
to let ourselves out in illustrations en-
tirely above their apprehension; not to
display our oratory and then let them
go. We are set on getting a verdict,
and hence we are set upon being under
stood We mean to convince them;
and if they have doubts as to the law,
we make them understand it, and rivet
it in their minds. We expect to get q
verdict, and to get it on the spot; 30
that when they 60 to their room, it
will be found that they have under
stood us, and that they have been con-
vinced by the facts and arguments. II
we do not thus take pains to urge home
every thought and every word and
every point, so as to lodge it in their
we are sure to lose our
cause. We must overcome their preiudi-
ces; we must overcome their ignorance;
we must overcome their interest. even
in our client, if they have any.
Now if ministers would do all this,
the effects of their preaching would be
different from what they
are. They go into their study and
write sermon, they go into the pulpit
and read it, and those that listen to
it but poorly understand it. Many
words they will not understand, unless
they go home and consult their dctiOna-
ries. Ministers do not seem to address
the people expecting to convince them
and to get a verdict in favor of Christ
upon the spot. They rather appear to
aim at making fine Literary productions
and displaying great eloqnence and an
ornate use of literature and language.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
Bull.Fightiny In Spain.

1t is commonly said that the best
bull-fights in Spain take place in Se-
vile; but this is not the case now. Cen
tralization and money have produced
their usual effects, and Madrid draws
the talent of the kingdom, and in the
regular seasons-spring, and from Sep
tember to November-turns out the
best-appointed corridas, to be seen in
Spain. Seville, however, is we'll sup
piled with brilliant local performers.
Most of the stars of the profession come
from Seville or the Seville district OF
Andalusia, and it yields to none in it's
devotion to the spolt. An impressive
spectacle was witnessed III that city q
few years ago. A veteran espada, long
retired from the arena, full of years and
houors, partly in Difference to the wishes
of the public, partly yielding to the
impulses of lis pride, was tempted to
re-enter the ring and kill one more bull
before he died The touching manner
in which the good old man performed
the operation excited the greatest en-
thusiasm. Many, it is said, were affect
ed to tears.
The head of the profession, at pres
snt by general acknowledgment, is
Cuchares, a graceful and powerful man,
with an expression Of grave humor in
his face, and peculiar twinkle of the
eve. The forte of Cuchares does not
lie in that lofty chivalrous bearing
which made Pepe lilo SO generally be-
loved and deeply lamented, but rather
in the exquisite aplom6 and sang-frIod
with which he does his work. Cuchares,
as he stands eyeing his bull, sword in
hand, is q picture, and he seems to
throw kind of glamour over the ami
NAL, to puzzle and disconcert him by
bis mastery coolness. He never seems
to dodge or make any exertion TO get
out of the way Of a rush. All that can
be made out ls that the bull has missed
him, until the proper moment has ar
rived, and then it is perceived that the
sword is no longer in the hand of the
man, and that its little red hilt just ap-
pears in front of the shoulder of the
bull. And Cucharas stands with .
grave half-smile upon his face. and
almost winks; he would not for worlds
do SO actually, but he goes as near it
as his personal dignity and the circum.
STANCES allow.-"Home and School" :"
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
Tn. Co,.,nut Reader.

The Constant Reader.
The oyerworked scribe of the Mudville
Garette
Sat wondering, ,-moneyless wight
If his Office would ever be cleared of its
debt,
With the times 80 deplorsbIy tight
When the tread of old leather was heard on
stair
And stranger stepped into the room,
Who asked with the "don't let me bother
you" air,
Which the bore ia 50 apt ~ assume
allow are ye?" The editor rose with a
smile
And pleasantly yielded his chair
Placed the visitors sadly unbeautiful tile
(Which exhibited symptoms of wear)
On the top of the desk, alongside of his
"a shocking old plug, by the way,)
And then he asked in rather obsequious
tone, e-....r
"Can we do anything for you to-day?"
"No-Ijes, called to see ye"-the visitor
said;
"I'm friend to the newspaper NAM
Here he ran a red handkerchief over his
head,
And accepted the editors fam
II hev read all the pieces you've writ for
your sheet,
And they're straight to the pint, con-
fess-
That ar slap you gin Keyser was sartinly
neat
You're an ornyment sir, to the press!"
II am glad you are pleased" said the
writer, "indeed;
But you praise me too highly, by far
Jus. select an exchange that you're anxious
to read,
And while reading it, try this cigar.
By the way, Tye melon laid up for
treat
I've been keeping it nestled in ice,
It's beanty, sir, fit for an angel to eat
Now, perhaps, you will relish a slice?"
Then the stranger rolled up half dozen
or more
Of the choicest exchanges of all
Helped himself to the fruit, threw the
rinds O. the Aoor,
Or flung them at Hies on the WALL
He assured his new friend that his "pieces
were wrote
In a manner Oncommonly able"-
As he wiped his red hands on the editors
That hung at his side of the table.
"By the way, I've neglected to ask you
your name,"
Said the scribe as the stranger arose;
That's fact" he replied, "Pm Abimalech
Bame,
You have heerd O. that name I suppose?
Pm a-livin' out here on the Fiddletown
Creek
Where own good house and a lot;
The Gazette gets around to ME wun1t every
week
I'm the constantest reader you've got"
"Abimalech Bame," unused the editor,
"B-a-m-e"--
Here his guest begged chew Of his
''twist")
81 am sorry to Say your melliauous name
Doesn't happen to honor nv lis,n'
"Spose not" was the answer-"no reason
it should,
For ye see I jine lots with Bill Prim-
He's reg'lar subscriber and pays ye in
wood,
And borrow your paper O him!
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16
For the Brookhaven Ledger.l
THE GHOSTS OF THE YEAR.


BIZ L. H. N.
How did get there? How should 1
know? How does anybody get into
fairyland, or any other such place?
Suffice it to say that at almost midnight
upon the last night of the old year l
stood alone in the weirdest place that
ever was haunted by ghost or goblin.
1t WAS a great echoing cavern, down in
the heart of the earth. The sides re-
ceded into the gloom on every hand
and the lofty roof bent in starry dome
above. The wallis were covered with
quaint records of the struggles and tri-
umphs of almost six thousand years,
and on every hand were the relics of
many bygone age. A rich, mellow
light streamed from great golden
chandelier that might have been
wrought under the eye of some beauty
loving Egyptian monarch. While I
stood wrapped in it's radiance, faint
tinkling as of elfin bells, sounded above
my head. I looked up and saw fa-
miliar figure descending flom the dome.
He whistied shrill tune as he rode
down on fierce wind. Such on un-
canny, wrinkled little old man, with
icicles clinging to his beard, his cap
and his huge fur coat! He roughly
tweaked his knobby nose, as he whis>
tied and stamped his foot. At the sig
nal thousand sprite-like forms few
from thousand hiding places and as
sembled around the cross little old
man.
When be had scanned his vassals
closely and begun to talk in thin, icy
voice, who would not have recognized
the ghost of Winter?
"You are oil here" he snarled. "Of
course you are whenever nobody wants
you. What do you come to me for?
You know already what to do. Jack
Frost, is that you? Well, you have a
great deal to do. Creep into every place
that will hold yon. Nip all the flowers
that you can find. won't have flowers
in winter. Consumption. 60 on as
usual. Keep your victims in long
line marching to the graveyard. Ha,
ha! I can hear their lean voices chatter
ing together ~ they go. Now isn't it
music?" and he gave q little fiendish
laugh. North Wind. West Wind.
blow your hardest, and sing hoarse,
wild song around The houses in yonr
way. And you, Clouds, keep off the
sunshine. If people will have some fun
out of us with their skating and sleigh
bells, pinch their poses and toes for it. !"
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-11-16

And so ne went on. but was watch
ing snowy form that hovered ovel
him, and in her fury-like mien and gilt
tering eyes, I saw the spirit of the
storm. She inspired the rushing tenn
pest and the deep thunder. She wore
the awful lightning for jewel, and had
her home on the pinnacle of storm
cloud.
But here a sudden burst of music fill
ed the place, and lovely form glided
through the eastern gateway. Her
white robes were futtering in the south
ern breeze, and her arms were laden
with flowers. She was followed by au
elan train, who unlocked the streams
as they passed, SO that the air was filled
with the sound of bubbIing water. The
reignlng monarch gave her no cordial
greeting for Ii scolded that she al
ways came before her time, and tried to
melt him with her south wind. But
Spring smiled and took her place, while
Winter vanished with clatter of hail
stones and a whistle of angry winds.
Spring called to her flowers. Corni>
Gus, blow your trumpet for the birds to
return. Nimbus, pour down refreshing
showers. Rusticus. SOW your grain
and let us adorn our earth 30 beautiful
ly that she will forget how old she is,
All, here come the flowers already, and
all the air is full of busy life. The win
dows are open to let us in. and the pale
faces are getting rosy and brown. The
roses are budding and the birds are
rearing their young" She was here in
terrupted by fat lady in scarlet robe,
who came putting up through the floor.
"Oh! my" she exclaimed, lit is so
warm coming through the earth. I
hurried up the short way from China. F"
She looked around uneasily. "The June,
roses are lovely and the crops look we'll
but here / must bring the cholera
across the ocean and half dozen fe-
vers Here you are, Malaria, at last.
Well, do your duty. sir. You know
what it is. And here's many field of
grain to ripen and many barn to fill
with fragrant hay" She had scarcely
finished, when the western gateway was
swung wide and a lovely maiden enter
ed with burst of triumphant music.
She carried golden sheaf on her arm
and cluster of grapes at her side.
"What a merry. busy time herald"
she cried. 1.-The harvest is ready to be
stored away and the apples are ripe for
the gatherer. Thanksgiving is to be
celebrated and the earth to cool down
for winter All, Bacchus! does your
old face grow jollier at the royal grapes
I bring you?" and Autumn laughed and
waved her sunny hair. And at the
sound of her silvery laugh the scene
changed. The October breeze was
playing through forest whose flame
color and crimson grew glorious in the
loving rays of sunlight. could hear
the clear whistle of the quail, and the
dropping of nuts on the rustling leaves.
Beyond. flowed lordly river, reflect
ing in its sapphire bosom the fieecy,
floating clouds. In the blue, dreamy
distance lay waved line of hills, where
the harvesters were robbing the vines
and orchards Of their wealth. And over
all rested the sweet Autumn veil of
woven sunbeams rare.
But magic wand was lifted. I sat
by the dying embers in my CRATE. 1t
was midnight, and the last night of the
old year.