davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

FINE PRAyERs.-Prayers noed not be
fine. l believe God abhors fine pray,
ers.-If person asks charity of you
in elegant sentences he is not likely
get it. Finery in dress or language
is out OF tho place in beggars. ]
heard man in tho street tho other
day begging aloud by means of a
magnificent Grafton. He Is d
grand language in very pompous
style, and | dare say he thought he
was sure Of getting piles Of coppers
by his speech, but [ for ono gave
him nothing, but felt inclined to
laugh at his bombast. Is it not likely
that many great prayers are about
as useless ? Many prayer-meeting
prayers are great deal too fine.
Keep your figures and metaphors
and parabolic expressions for your
fellow creatures use them to those
who want to DO instructed but do
not parade them before God.--When
We pray, tho simpler our prayers are
tho better, the plainest, humblost
language which expresses our mean
ing is best. -Spurgeon.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21
Gold Dust.

Dissipation is never worth what il
costs.
lIavo not thy cloak to mako whor
il begins TO raiu.
A man may talk as n wiso mon and
yet act like fool.
Choose those companions who
minister to your Improvement.
A good sermon or Il faithful preach
or does not require largo church
or splendid audience.
Deliver us from tho mon whose
tongue never made mistake, and
who keeps n note of the fact.
Many n swcet.fashioned mouth has
been disfgured and made hideous by
the fiery tongue within.
God breaks the cistern to bring us
to tho fountain. He withers our
gourds, that Ile Himself may be our
shade.
The smallest and slightest impodi-
ments are the most annoying aud
as little letters most tire the eyes,
so do little affairs most disturb us.
To DO truly great, it is necessary
to be truly good and benevolent, for
all other distinctions tho clouds Of
tho valley will cover, and the greody
worms destroy.
Prosperity shines on different per
sons much the samo way that the sun
shines on different objects. Some
it hardons like mud, while others it
softens like wax.
False happiness renders mon stern
and proud that happiness is never
communicated. True happiness rem
ders them kind and sensible and that
happiness is always shared.
If you would have your son bo
something in the world, teach him to
depend on himself Let him learn
that it is by close, strenuous person.
al application that he must rise-that
he must, in short, make himself, and
be the architect of his own fortune.
We never knew q scolding person
that was able to govern family.
What makes people cold Because
they cannot govern themselves. How
can they govern others Those who
govern we'll, arc generally calm.
They arc prompt aud resolute, but
steady and mild.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21
How 10 Keep Sweet Potatoes.

A correspondent of the Cincinnati
Gdzeete gives tho following as his
method Of taking caro- Of sweet pota-
toes.
As soon as woll matured, dig them
up. Handle them with care so as to
avoid bruising them. As 5000 as tho
suu has dried the moist earth adhear-
ing to them, pack them In barrels or
boxes which do not hold over two
bushels each. First place in the bot.
tom Of the box q layer Of dry shaw
ings about an inch thick. Those made
at planning mills arc well adapted to
tho purpose, On these place a layer
Of potatoes, and an other Of shavinge,
and so on until the box is foil, cover
ing them finely with two or threc inch.
es of shavings. Let the boxes staud
q few days without any other cover, to
give the moisture aud opportunity to
escape, and the covers that arc put on
finally must not bo closed. Tho POI
tatoes need somo ventilation through
out tho winter. Place the box in n
warm, dry room. For several years
past we kopt them ia chamber ad.
joining the family sitting room with
the door between open. When tho
weather was very cold we sometimes
threw quilts over tho boxes at night
removing them in the morning. One
night, last winter the mercury sank
to twenty eight degrees below zero,
but our potatoes were not injured
the shavings by their non-conducting
quality, retaining tho warmth re-
ceievod from tho fire of tho proceed
ing day.
This plan answers we'll for family
purposes, when tho object is to keep
only few bushels for daily use and
for seed. They arc readily accessi-
bio, and il care is used as to hand
ling, packing ventilation and warmth
few OF them will be lost. We had
them to uso tho present year until
July, and the last cooked were Ms
good rs those we used tho day that
they were dug.
In this noighborhood, it is said
that formerly sweet potatoes could
bo kept.as others arc simply by plac'
ing thom in heap in collar be-
you'd tho reach of tho frost. But
from somo cause, not explained,
this cannot bo dono now.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21
WoRps THAT ALWAYS ToUou

WORDS THAT ALWAYS TOUGH US.
They occur in 30 many letters adj
dressed to us, and yet we can never
read them without emotion. The
words arc these "My mother died
when / qoas % child."-A lot 80 COM
mon and yet SO hard, for q child to
start ON the perilous road thro' this
life with no mothers voice to guide
it, no mothers voice to warn against
tho dangers, the pitfalls, which be-
set on every hand.
There is no grander charity than
that which provides SO liberally for
orphan children. At the same time
can hardly be q moro melancholy
sight than that presented by the
long procession of little boys and
girls that emorge from the palatial
edifices erected and maintained at
the public expense for tho accommo
dation of orphans. We never look
upon them without q feeling OF inef-
fable sadness that the one great
want, the greatest want Of all, Of
those little children --the want Of q
mother-is one which the State,
with all it's strength and all its
wealth, 10 utterly powerless to sup
ply.-''My mother died whom was
u child" is ono OF tho saddest Of
events in human its.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21
The Forty Thieves
Sdnguindyy Fight Amon3 the "F5n!
Thieres" Near Hamburg, Pa.

Sdnguinayy Fight Amon9 the "Fbry
Thieres" Near Hamburg, Pa.
A dispatch from Hamburg, Pa,
says : About year ago somo men
and women inhabited an old, tumble
down farm house in tho woods be-
tween Pottstown and Lancaster. A
murder was committed' there one
night last spring during q drunken
carousal woman called Pretty
Margaret being the victim. Who
has been tho murderer has never
been ascertained. Tho "Forty
Thieves" Us they aro called, had
committed many lawless acts, inclu-
ding highway and house robberies
and incendiarism but owing to the
fear and ineflicioncy Of tho constabu
larry they had not been punished
immediately after tho murder, how
ever, q vigilance committee made n
descent upon tho house and drove
the inmates from tho neighborhood.
Tho "Forty Thieves went into York
county and settled in tho hilly ro-
gion, whore they had a largo cave
for a habitation, and kept tho re gion
in excitement by their Dedatory in-
cursions. Last SundSy they held
drunken carousal which terminated
in n terrible tragedy. Ono of the
men, Big Mike, accused tho chief,
Bill Pratt, of unfairness in the di-
vision Of plumber that had boon sto-
len tho night before. This led to n
fight between them, eventually in-
volving nearly tho entire party. At
tho close of tho ailray, which was
only stopped because Of sheer OK
haustion upon the part of some of
tho participants, three of the mon
had been stabbed to death. They
wero known as Patsy Burns, Dutch
man Green, and Greasy Bob. Big
Mike, tho chief, and two women
wero severely wounded. Nothing
was known in tho outside community
of tho tragedy until Monday night
when children, who had been out
gathering berries in tho woods,
brought the news thero were threo
dead mon among tho bushes. 1t
was soon learned that the remaining
members of tho band had quit their
home, leaving behind thom tho un-
buried dead, and Big Mike, who OK
pired soon after relating tho partic.
ulars of tho fight. Tho murdered
men were buried whero they lay,
and preparations arc being made for
tho capture of tho murderers, who
are supposed to have gone in tho
direction of the Cumberland valley,
with tho intention of escaping into
Maryland or West Virginia.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

The FOLLY OF WEDDING Tours. -
It is notorious that woman will
submit to every suffering and under-
go every penalty required by fashion.
She will sacrifice her beauty and
comfort in dress, and joopardise her
dearest prospects Of lifo to tho re-
quiremcnts Of usage. A wedding
tour may havo untold discomforts;
it may embarrass her modesty, en-
danger her connubial bliss, injure
her health, lay tho beginnings OF
chickering's and differences it may
have every known disadvantage,
but it will be insisted on il society
utters its behests to that effect. 1t
is women who are specially anxious
that marriage should multiply, and
yet it is women who have given the
wedding ceremony such elaboration
Of display and loaded it with such
costly expenditures, that marriage,
with a majority Of men, is rendered
impossible. Fashion or comm on
sense, or some other power, should
dictate that marriage ceremonies
ought TO be simple and unostenta.
tions, and that after the ceremony Is
performed tho calm of some sweet
seclusion is absolutely necessary, not
only for future health of wife
whose nerves arc already overstrain-
ed by the excitement OF what is to
her tremendous event, but tho
foundation of an intercourse between
the newly.married- that shall
be sweet and lasting. Have any Of
our people the courage to defy usage
and act according to their own in
clinations at this important period 7
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

MIND READINa.- - MIR. j. IL. Brown
the mind reader, gave private test
of his powers in tho parlors Of the
Lochiel hotel, at Harrisburg, last
week, in tho presence of distinguish
ed persons. After briefly stating
the conditions for the satisfactory
performance of his test, he declared
himself ready to go to work.
His frsttest was TO find an article
secreted by Robert Snodgrass, esq.
To prevent all possibility Of his SEQ
ing where the article was seoreted
"a coin) tho Hon. A. J. Herr and
Jones Wister accompanied him to
tho hall and remained there with
him until the article was hidden ;
they then led him blindfolded into
the parlor in which ho soon picked
up the article and held it up to view
of the audience, although it had
been carefully secretod in tho lining
Of q hat.
A number of othor experiments
reading the minds Of tho following
gentlemen DIR. Il. j. Dunott. Hon.
II. A. Lamberton, DR.. III. B. Buehler
Jas. w. Weir, Jones Wistor, A. j.
Dull and Mayor Patterson, woro per-
formed successfully to tho astonish-
ment Of oil present.
Mr.. Brown also announced that ho
would discover the location of any
secreted by nay person whom tho
committee might designate. Two
of tho committee accompanied tho
mind reader, who was blindfolded,
to the outside, after which Robert
Snodgrass was selected. That gen.
teman placed q small silver coin un.
dor the log Of chair, and when Mr..
Brown returned (still blindfolded)he
placed his left hand into tho left
hand of Mr.. Snodgrass and for a
number of seconds placed his right
hand on tho subjects forehead, tell-
ing him to concentrate his thoughts
intensely on the object which he
had secretod. Tho miud reader,
after taking u short and rapid walk
with Mr.. Suodgrass, stopped Mt the
chair, lifted it and exposed tho coin
Rev. L. A. Bryant and Benjamin NJ,
Mead were then requested to fix their
mind on one person each in the
audience, and Mr.. Brown pointed
out both gentlemen--H. A. Clute
and Daniel Herr. DR.. Jeremiah Sell
or was asked to think Of the initials
of any person in tho audience, aud
the mind reader informed him that
ho would not only pick out the
initials but pick out the man whose
name they represented. From an
alphabet strung along tho wall he so
lectod tho initials. ~. W" aud af-
terward walked up to Francis Wyeth
and said he was tho man wanted.
Mr.. Seller, having stated that he
had an acute pain, Mr. Brown told
him where it was located-in one OF
his fingers. IIo also located tho
from which james W. Weir
is suffering. Tho mind reader retir-
ed to the outside again aud in his
absence Rev. Clark transferred key
to James W. Weir, who handed it
to Mr.. Holmes, who handed it to
Attorney General Lear, who hid it
in the folds of II book. When Mr.
Brown returned he operated on Mr..
Clark, traced the koy to tho several
parties, who had it aud finally pick
cd it up from tho floor where tho ar
ticle had fallen.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

A WoSDRous WOMAN SwnMEn.-
l have seen some OF these ethereal
ladies swimming and diving as fear
lessly as fish. Recently saw q cou-
pie. Isuppose man and wife, little
further out than seemed to be safe
She would get upon his shoulders
and dive from them though the
heaviest breakers, then she would
attempt SUNNI ersaults over his arms;
for moment her head and half her
body would be in the deep, and her
feet toward tho zenith. Sometimes
before she had completed tho revo-
luton, o big breaker would strike
and toss her fifteen feet away, when
| expected to SEQ her half drowned
and in need Of masculine assistance.
She wonld simply spout like little
whale, snatch the brine from her eyes
and was ready for another trial.
Corner Stone.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

Major Buford, called by the way
of eminence, "tho Major was one o.
the most noted duelists Of tho day
A dead shot, perfect master oI
fence, and his enmities utterly re.
lentless. his name became terror t.
nll who knew him.
In the midst Of knot of admiring
friends one day, tho Major was dis
cussing his last affair." and compla
Gently explaining how it came that he
mortally wounded his adversary, in
stead Of killing him on the spot,
when one or two men standing with
in hearing, suddenly advanced and
struck him in the face. Tho spocta.
tors stood aghast. What could have
tempted the stranger to rush thus
inadly On his fate 7 He was an old
man Already, to appearance, had
three score and ten years passed
over his head. He must, indeed,
havo been weary of life, whose briei
remnant he was ready to cast away
10 recklessly. @
The Major was astonished. The
very audacity of the act struck him
with amazement.
as this provocation sufficient, or
must I repeat it I" inquired tho as
Bailant.
The Majors first impulse was to
return blow for blow. But fierce
and violent as were his passions, ho
schooled himself to complste mastery
over them, and moments reflection
told him how bootless, under the cir
cumstances, would be public brawl
The indignity he had received would
admit Of but one reparation, aud that
he determined to lose no time in
seeking.
"The insult is sufficient no an-
swered with a forced calmness.
"Oblige me by naming friend"
And the two strangers took their
leave together.
At sunrise on tho following morn-
ing, tho principles and their seconds
made their appearance on the ground
selected. No one else was present
not a surgeon. The Major, in his
own past experience, never had need
cd one, and his opponent, it was
plain, was careless Of the conse~
quence.
There was no necessity of delay.
The preliminaries had been settled
The parties were TO fight with pis-
tolls, at ten PAGES, tho combat to
continue until one or both had fall
len,
Ono condition had been insisted
on by The stranger, which called an
indignant blush to the Majors cheek,
as Il seemed to imply and imputa-
ton upon his honor, though he SUBJ
lmitted with the best grace he could
It was, that before placing tho com-
batants, the bodies OF both should
be inspected, to see that no secret
protective device was employed by
either.
Tho ground was measured and the
men placed. There was marked
contrast between the two in more
respects than that Of years. Tho old
man erect nd motiopless as q stat
ute, his Ia looks floating in
the, breo once looked at his
antag9ni gh his side was turn
cd. 'Hjs ih66 vas stern and deter
mined, bat nothing malignant in it.
M Major. nm tina other hand. Qlar>
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

10
James Hackcnburg,
Jane Walter intcrmarried with David Wal,
ter NJ Jane ilackenburg, Centrcvillc, Sny.
der Co. Pa. Harriet Evurhart, Nh Harriet
llackcnburg, intcrmarricl with Nathan
Eycrhart. Clyde. Sandusky Co. Ohio. Su-
sanna Wilt NJ Susanna llackcnburg inter.
married with John Wilt, Hannah Beachlcr
NJ Hannah Haekenburg intermarriei with
John Bcachler, lIartletou, Union Co. Pa,
Catharinc Weaver NJ Caiharinc Hackcn.
burg intermarriel with Edward Weaver,
schoolcrait, Kalamazoo Co. Mich, Jesse
liackcnburg. Swcnglc Z. o. Union Co. Pa.
samuel llackenburg, Vicksburg L. o. Un.
ion CO.. Pa, lincal dccendants Of John
llackenburg, late Of Centre township Sny.
der County, deceased.
You are hereby cited to bo andappcar be.
fore the Judges Of our Orphans Court at
an Orphans Court to bc held Mt Middle,
burg, on tho ith Monday Of September 4.
u. 1876 NJ 10 o'clock in the forenoon, then
and there TO accept or refuse to take the
Real Estate Of said John lIackenhurg de-
ceased. at the appraised valuation put up-
on IL by an Inquest duly awarded by the
said Court. and returned by the Sheriff
OF said county, or show cause why the
same should not bc sold. And hereof fail
not.
Witness tho Hon. J. C. Buchcr, Esquire,
President Of our said Court, at Middle
burg, this LIST day Of August A. d. 1876.
DANIEL ElSENliARr, sheriff.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21
H q t n ".
Cooking and Courting.


Dear Ned-no doubt you'll be surprised
When you receieve and read this letter
I've rallied against the marriage state,
But you see know 40 better.
rys met q lovely girl out here,
Her manner is-well-very winning;
We're soon 10 be.--well, Ned, my dear,
III tell you all From the beginning.
I went 10 AK her out 10 ride,
Last wsdnssday--itw was perfect wealth o.
She said she couldn't possibly.
The servants had all gone OF togethers Z
IHibernisns always rush away.
AZ cousins funerals TO be looking y
Pies must be made and she must stay,
She said TO do that branch Of cooking,
'Oh, let me help you,' then I cried;
Ill be . cooker too-how jolly =
She laughed and answered with a smile,
AN right but you'll repent your folly;
For shalt be q tyraut, sir,
And good hard work you'll have to crap.
SO si, down there and don't you stir,
But take that knife and pare that apple.
She rolled her sleeves above her arm,
That lovely arm so plump and rounded
Outside the mourning sun shone bright,
Inside the dough she deftly pounded.
Her little fingers sprinkled -four.
And rolled the pie crust into masses {
passed the most delightful hour
Mid butter. sugar and molasses.
With deep reflection, her sweet eyes
0azed on each pot and pan and kettle /;
She sliced the apples. filed her pics,
And then the upper crust did settle.
Her ripping waves Of golden hair
In one great curl were tightly twisted,
But looks would break II hero and there,
And twirl about wherc'er they listed.
And fhen hcr sleeve came down, and
Fastened II up--hcr hands we're doughy,
oh, II did take tho longest time,
Her arm. Ned. was so fair and snowy.
Bhe blushed, and trembled and looked shy
Somehow that made me all tho bolier,
Her arch lips looked sc red that l.
well-found her heal upon my shoulder.
We're TO be married, Ned. next month
Como aud attend the welding revels.
I really think that bachelors
Are the most miserable devils
You'd better go for some girls hand,
, And II you are uncertain whether
You dang to make due demand,
Why, just try cooking pies together.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

CURE FOR BLEEDING AT THE NosE.--
There arc two littlc arteries which
supply tho whole faco with blood,
ono on each side these branch off
from tho main arteries on each side
of tho wind-pipe, and running up
ward toward tho eyes, pass over tho
outside of the jawbone, about two
thirds Of tho way back from tho chin
to tho anglo of tho jaw, under tho
ear. Each of these arteries, OF
course, supplies just one half of tho
face. tho noso being tho dividing
line tho loft nostril is supplied
with blood by the left artery, and
the right nostril by tho right artery.
Now, suppose your II ose bleeds by
the nostril, with the end of the fore
finger feel along tho outer edge of
the right jaw until you feel the beat
ing of tho artery directly under your
finger, tho same as tho pulse in your
wrist, then press the finger hard up-
on it, thus getting tho fellow in n
tight place between your finger and
the jaw bono tho result will bo
that not another drop of blood goes
into that side of your face while the
pressure continues hence the nose
instantly stops bleeding for want of
blood to flow continue tho pressure
for five or ten minutes and tho rup-
tured vessels in the nose will by that
timo probably contract 30 that when
you let the blood into them they
will not leak.-Bleeding from q cut
or wound anywhere about the face
may be stopped in tho samo way.
The Creator probably placed those
arteries as they are 30 that they
might be controlled. Those in tho
back Of the head, arms, and legs are
all arranged very conveniently for
being controlled in like manner.
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

A blind man in Stony creek town
ship, Somerset county, outs wood and
does all the chores about the house.
During the season he bound two hun
dred dozen Of rye, built hay on the
wagon and is now throshing with q
fail. He does not seem to derive the
usual disadvantages kom being blind
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21

A young man was frequently carl-
toned by his father to vote for 'mea.
sures not men He promised to do
SO. and soon after received bonus
to vote for MIR. Peck. His father,
astonished at his voting for a man
whom he deemed Questionable. in
quired tho reason for doing go.
Surely, father, said the son, you told
me TO vote for measure and II Peck is
not . measure | dont know what is 7
The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1876-09-21
Notice to Heirs.

IN he matter Of Nc estate Of Honry Yer.
ger, late Of Miiiiccrcek TOWNSHIP. dcc'd
SpWtcr County IS; Tie COMMUNICABLE
Of Pennsylvania, 10
Nancy ycr.
ger, widow, Susan savers. Ne Susan Yerser,
intermarfied with Adam savers residing In
Mlillecreok township, Snyder 90, Pa, Han
nah Grouse, NJ Hannah Icrgcr intcrmarricd
with Charles Grouse, Washington township.
snyder 20, Pa, Esther Diubcrmau, Swcngcl
% Union Co Pa, Henry Ncrgcr, Middle.
creek township, Snyder county, Pa. CGoorgo
fcrScr) linoal defendants OF Horny Ycrgcr, do.
ceased, late or MiIilccrcek township.
You arc horcby cited TO 10 and appear before
tho Judges Of our Orphans court ut an or.
phan' Court to be held Mt Midilobury, on tho
1th Monday OF September A. ID. 1879. at 10
O'Clock In In tho forenoon. then and thcro TO nc-
ccpt or rctuso to take tho Rcai Estate Of said
Henry forger deceased, Mt tho appraised vaiu.
alton put upsn II by an Inquest duly awarded
by tho safi court, and returned by tho Shorlr
OF sail county, or show cause why tho Same
should not 10 sold. Aud hereof fail not.
Witness tho Hon. Joseph q. Buchcr. Esquiro,
prosidont OF our sail Court, Mt MiidloUurg
this LIST day OF August A. u. tsTG.
DANIEL ElSENHARr, sheriff.