davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
Stopping a Panic.

In the spring of 1864, says a writer,
we were marching along in q broken
woody country in southern Arkansas,
southwark, when one day the infantry,
about two hundred strong, acting as es-
cort to my mule train of about one hun
dred and sixty wagons, was moving just
in advance of it. AS they passed
sharp turn in the road by corner of a
field fence strong body of the enemy
suddenly rushed out from the timber
and brush and attacked them, killing
and woundipg the officers and some
men and two of the three musicians.
Our escort was thrown into confusion
and ran back; so did the little drummer
boy, with his drum over his shoulder
The head of my train was just approach
ing the turn of the road, but I had now
halted. Five of us-myself, clerks, and
orderly-were sitting on our horses, re-
volvers in hand, as the infantry came
running back toward us; but the little
drummer boy, on arriving at the fence
corner just before me, looked up, bare
headed as he was, and, seeing us and
the train, at once wheeled round and be-
gan beating the "long roll," which
means "fall into line"
The little black-haired fellow played
his level best, and the flying men hear
ing the roll call, and seeing the brave
boy beating so furiously and resolutely,
with his face to the approaching enemy,
began falling into line, and soon nearly
all of them were in battle order and
blazing away at the coming enemy. The
drum, however, could still be heard
above the din and rattle of the mus
kerry. We discharged our revolvers at
the enemy across the corner of the field
fence, and the fire of our now rallied
escort was SO hot and effective that the
enemy soon retreated and ran into the
timber out of sight, leaving many dead
and wounded. L rode up to the little
drummer boy, and, patting him on his
head, told him he ought to have cap
tain's commission, for he by his coolness
and courage had stopped the panic and
saved the train from capture. "Well,"
said he, the long roll will stop panic
if anything will. :"
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
A Colorado Zephyr.

They have some furious winds, or, as
the local papers call them, zephyrs, out
West. The Denver Ne,0S tells us of ono
in Colorado that is worth an item. 1t
says: The heavy wind Registered on
Pixies peak the other day seems to have
struck earth about Cucharas, and judg-
ing from the reports received from that
quarter it must have been pretty Sc
we're zephyr. Considerable damage was
done along it's track, and all work and
business was perforce suspended during
the prevalence of the gale. A Cucharas
correspondent of the Chieftain relates
the following among other effects of the
storm: "While the proprietor of the
Cucharas sample room was at breakfast
one morning, the back door of his es-
tablishment was burst open by the force
Of the wind, and his bar and bar fix
lures were carried through the front
window and scattered over the broad
pampas in wild and dire confusion.
Mr.. Mitchell; one of the leading mer-
chants here, has been engaged all the
morning removing his goods from the
shelves and putting them in place of
safety. His house sways and vibrates
so much that he fears it may go down
at any moment" He also relates a
touching story Of mule being blown
out of its harness, at grading camp,
and carried away bodily. The same
paper also learns from gentleman just
arrived from Walsenburg that the most
tremendous storm of wind ever known
in that section commenced about day
light in the morning. The air was full
of flying dust, the roar of the hurricane
was deafening, and it was almost impos-
sible to stand on ones feet on account
of the power of the storm. Houses were
unroofed, and the timely use of ropes
alone saved the Eoof of the Masonic Hall
from being carried out on the prairie.
Doors and windows were blown in in all
parts of the town, outbuildings over
turned and unroofed, and the whole
place looks as though it had experienced
a heavy bombardment. Fortunately
during all the uproar no one was in
jured, though the air is said at times to
have been full of flying boards, shin
giles, etc.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
Leap Year Parties.

Louisiana, No., leads in the leap year
festivities. The young ladies of the
Harmonica club gave a centennial leap
year hop January 1st. The young gem
tlemen were invited by the ladies and
requested to assemble at certain dry
goods store, where the girls called at the
appointed hour and escorted them in an
omnibus to the hall. Instead of gentle
men rushing around with pencil in hand
to mark engagements on the pro-
grammes the order of the evening was
reversed and the fair damsels besieged
their gentlemen guests, calling for their
cards and engaging their partners for
the different dances. When the inter-
mission for refreshments arrived, fair
ladies were to be seen leading bravemen
to the oyster supper. Supper was served
under the hall, where the girls showed
true leap year grit by paying for the
boys supper. The gentlemen wore
their coats pinned back, and were ad-
dressed as "miss," while the bewitch-
ing ladies assumed the role of "mister. 4"
1t was altogether an enjoyable affair,
and conducted throughout in genuine
leap year style.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
A New Years Diary.

The Detroit Free Press says /: A large
number of the Detroit young men have
purchased diaries for 1876, and have
taken up their pencils with firm de-
termination te keep track of every day
in the year. Every young man should
keep diary. When he is old and gray
his grandchildren will fish it out of the
rag bag and find it more valuable than
gold or silver. There is no set style of
iotting down thoughts and events, but
perhaps it may be we'll to give the
record of 1875 as taken from the pocket
diary of an average young man:
"January Wont to see my girl.
Shall leave off swearing, drinking,
euchre, smoking, chewing, being out
nights, betting, going to the opera, and
shall try to seve $40, 900 this year."
Janua-y f1-&Tent to see nv Girl,
Lost box of cigars somewhere.
"February 1-Won 1875 betting on
dog fight. Thst's the way to scoop 'em.
Am trying to get along on fifteen cigars
per day. Went to see my girl. She
says I shouldntswear."
"April 20-Vent to see my girl.
Nothing new."
"July 4-Thi is sthe glorious Fourth"
September Went to see my girl"
November 11-Glorious weather.
Went to see mygirl."
December This is the first of
December"
December f5-This is Christmas"
december 3l-This is the last day
of the year. must commence to-mor-
row to save money and break off my bad
habits. Went to see my girl last night,
and made her h,ppy by telling her that
L was going to slve $40, 1000 next year."
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
4 Tramp Turns Hangman.

Thomas Love was arrested in Worces-
ter, Mass, for peculiar crime. Love is
a vagrant, with no ostensible means of
support, and has part of the time lived
on the bounty of A. J. Duncan, who re-
sides in Worcester. The other morning
Mr.. Duncan went to his barn to feed his
cattle, not in the meantime seeing Love,
and, after he had finished, came down
on ladder from the loft, going down
backwards. When Mr.. Duncan had
nearly reached the foot he felt rope
touch his head, and slip moose was
thrown around his neck. Mr.. Duncan
turned round and found himself in the
tolls of Love. Love had a long rope
and one end around the neck of Duncan.
Love pulled at the other end fiercely.
A struggle ensued (which ended in the
escape of Duncan from an untimely end
and the hasty fight of Love from the
barn. Love was captured.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
Keeping up Appearances.

A touching incident is related in q
st. Louis paper of the way a little girl
in the public school attempted to "kecp
up appearances. The pupils were ac-
customed to bring their luncheon, which
at noon they ate together, but one day
the teacher noticed that this little girl
looked wistfully at her companions as
they went out with their lunch, but
never brought any herself. The child
was neatly but poorly clad. and always
attentive to her studies. On another
occasion the teacher observed that the
little thing had apparently brought her
lunch with her; but when the noon hour
came she still remained in her seat, with
the package wrapped in paper on the
desk before her. The teacher went to
the child and asked her why she did
not go out with the rest, at the same
time putting out her hand toward the
package. Quick as thought, the little
girl clasped her hands over it, and ex-
claimed, sobbingly "Don't touch it,
teacher, and don't tell, please It's
only blocks" And that was the fact.
Having no dinner too bring, and too
proud to reveal the poverty of her fami-
ly, the child had carefully wrapped up
a number of small blocks in paper, and
brought the package to present the ap-
pearance of lunch.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
A DiSgISted Miner,

Frank Goodwin, Black Hills miner,
arrived in st. Joe, in the condition
known among fnanciers as busted.
Goodwin says he left Baltimore, Md,
last summer and arrived in Omaha
about the first OF August. From that
point, in company with four others,
he set out for the Black Hills,
lured by the promise of gold held
out by that new country. From Chey-
enne the party proceeded on horseback
to the hills, experiencing little or no
difficulty in running the gauntlet of
United States soldiers. Goodwin and
his comrades made thorough survey of
the country, but met with little or no
gold. At last, completely impoverished,
they returned to Omaha to engage in a
more legitimate pursuit of wealth.
Goodwin says that Omaha is crowded
with returning MIXERS that there
are fully one hundred in the city at this
time. As for himself, he is completely
disgusted with gold hunting. He says
there is some surface gold to be found
in the Black Hills territory, but then
only in exceedingly small quantities.
Goodwin is a native of Maryland, is
about twenty-four years of age and q
painter by trade.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
That Butter Compound.

The butter compound man has now
turned up in Connecticut. Ohio was
not long ago the headquarters of the
stuff, but its star, unlike that of empire,
wends its way eastward. If people
would take common sense view of such
things, they would not write to ask our
opinion, says the AgricuItu1'iSt. The
circular claims that butter undistin-
guishable from the true article can be
made at a cost never exceeding four
cents per pound. Now, if there was
any truth in this claim, do you suppose
that the makers of the compound would
send out elaborate circulars entreating
people to buy the compound, a box of
which will make one hundred pounds of
butter, at fifty cents wholesale Not
much. They would make the butter
themselves. On one hundred pounds
of butter costing four cents per pound,
they would make from $40 to $25 at
fair market rates, while by selling the
compound, if it were all profit, they
make only fifty cents, That tub won't
hold water.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
A Court Case.

The chief justice of Cape Colony,
South Africa, has given a decision in
law suit Off an nprecedentedkind. Kruger
sued Schalwyk for damages to reputa-
tion. A game of forfeits was in progress
at Schalwyk's house, and Miss Schal-
wyk, pretty damsel, incurred the
penalty of having to kiss every man in
the room. She kissed dozen persons,
but stopped the osculatory process when
she came to Kruger. In the very next
round of forfeits it devolved on Kruger
to kiss Miss Schalwyk. He refused.
The male Schalwyk then denounced
Kruger as drunken Hottentot. Hence
the suit, which resulted in farthing
damages for the plaintiff.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
What they Wore.

Among the handsomest dresses worn
by ladies present at the leading stylish
party in New York--the infant asylum
ball-was pearl blue silk with four
bias flounces put on lengthwise instead
of across. The founces were very full,
standing straight out at the back, the
skirt was pulled back very tight and
covered with long blue tulle overskirt
edged with silver fringe and adorned at
the hip with wreath of berries and ivy.
Pearls and coral we're the jewels worn.
Another lady wore dress of navy blue
velvet and salmon colored silk, with a
train composed in equal parts of velvet
and silk, and trimmed with silver and
velvet leaves. The sleeves were shirred
between bands of velvet, and were cut
short to the elbows and trimmed with
point applique and tulle. A dress of
flesh colored silk and maroon velvet and
one of black net over black silk, the
train inserted into the skirt, which was
tied back very tightly SO as to show q
little pocket, male of moss leaves and
roses and suppofted by two strings of
roses, were two OF the handsomest in
the hall, Another dress, which was
much admired, was of white tarletan
over white glacb silk, one side very
tightly shirred, hnd the other trimmed
with number ol little founces extend
ing back to long train formed of -four
large bouillions Of tarletan. The corsage,
cut low, was trimmed with Spanish
blonde and danask and blush roses,
worn in bunch in 'front.' A dress,
known as malteau de cnur, of sap
phire blue faille and velvet, trimmed
with velvet foliage and plated trllle,
covered with a lace founce, was worn
by lady in one of the front boxes.
Most of the dresses we're worn with high
necks and very long trains, the latter
thrown gracefully over the arm while
their wearers we're dancing.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
Living I'm Cities.

| At the late annual meeting of the
American Social Science Convention,
the committee on social economy in
their report made the following state
ment:
In general terms it may be said that
there were in 1870, when the last ma
tional census was taken, about sixty
cities in the United States with popu-
lation exceeding $4,000, of which seven
New York, Philadelphia, Brooklyn,
st. Louis, Chicago, Baltimore, and Bos-
ton-had each population exceeding
250,0 and seven more-Cincinnati,
New Orleans, San Francisco, Washing
ton, Newark, Buffalo, and Louisville
had population of more than 100, 900
each. The aggregate population of the
first-named seven, then somewhat ex-
ceeded 5000, 900, New York alone con-
tanning 942, ,292. The aggregate popu-
lation of the second groupo seven cities
did not quite reach 100000, Cincin-
natl, the largest, containing 1852 in
habitants. The remaining cities Of the
sixty had an aggregate population of
about 100000, so that the whole urban
population of the United States dwelling
in towns of more than 25, 600 people was
not far from 6,200,00 or nearly one
sixth part of the whole population of the
United States. So rapid is the increase
of our urban population, however, that
in the year 1875 the eight cities contain
ing more than n quarter of q million in
habitants each have an aggregate popu-
lation of not less than 1000, 600; the ten
or twelve cities containing more than
100000 inhabitants each have an aggre-
gate population of more than 1,500, 600,
and the seventy OF eighty cities ranking
above the $4,000 standard have prob
ably more than 5000, 600 inhabitants, or
nearly one-fifth of the whole present
population of the United States. Ten
years hence it is probable that the Uni
ted States will have hundred cities
larger than Boston was at the beginning
of the century, and that nearly fourth
part of all our people will dwell in such
cities. Hence the great and growing
importance of the question we are now
consideripg-the ownership, situation,
and quality of the homes in which so
many millions of our people arc to live
and where their children are to be
brought up. Shall they be tenement
houses like those of New York and Bos-
ton, in which SO many of the industrial
classes now dwell, or shall they be small
er houses in better localities owned by
the occupants, like the humble homes
of Chicago, Philadelphia, Syracuse, De-
troit, Worcester, and SO many of the
smaller American cities
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
Autumn Blossoms.

How was it that I came to be an old
bachelor Not because of hating
women, am sure, for liked them
very much, and never could have spoken
to one rudely or discourteously for NV
life. AS nearly as know, it was in this
wise:
My father died, leaving a family of
children, wife, and an old father and
mother, of whom only myself was able
to earn shilling. He had never saved
anything.
So, after the first great grief, when we
had Gained down and were able to Iool,
matters quietly in the face, there was
wretched sort of prospect for us. l was
only an accountant, and had a Young
fellows habit of wasting my small salary
in "a thousand different. ways. [ had
been ''paying attention." too, to Elsie
Hall, who, young and childish as she
was, had a way that some girls do have
of leading their admirers into extraya-
gance. OF all the trials of that never
to-be-forgotten time, 1 think the greatest
was appearing niggardly III those baby
blue eyes. Ibid not mind wearing plain
suits, discarding kid glovesan and renounc.
ing the opera; but not to lay those bou-
quets, and books, and music, and dainty
bits of jewelry, and multitudinous trifes
at Elsie's feet, was very terrible ordeal.
1 passedit, thought; and if ever man had
reason to be thankful had, for the ac.
quisitive little beauty Tilted me in
month for Tom Tandem, who was rich
and lavish of gifts, and who ran away
from her after marriage of ten months.
I worked day and night, and managed
to keep the wolf from the door.
Sometimes used to think how well
it was for Elsie that she had not really
loved me, for she could have had moth
ing but dismal prospect of wearing out
her youth in dreary, hopeless engage
ment to one too poor to marry. That
was until Tom ran of. Then I thought
1T would have been even better for her
to have shared our humble home and
poor fare and the love could have
given her than to be deserted SO. And
pitied her, as if she had not proved
herself heartless. But 1 never went
near her, of course; and 1 never even
spoke OF her to my mother.
grew no younger all this while, and |
every year seemed to add five to NV |
looks. 1 had never been very handsome |
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
Limited Assets.

The most complete failure on record
is recorded of a man in Hatfield whose
liabilities are some $21, 900. Several of
his creditors proved their claims tho
other day. The assignee visited the
place to inventory his property, and
found only sixteen spring chickens and
an old wagon. Fearful that the chickens
might take to their wings and fly away,
he at once sold them for seventy cents
each; and being in for the whole job he
bargained the old wagon for s. making
total assets of $16.20 to offset $21, ZOO.
AS the expenses of settling he estate
will be about 800, the remainder, be-
sides the $16.20, will be assessed upon
those creditors who were so unfortunate
as to prove their claims.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
How Robberies are Carried Out.

The New York Tribune has the follow
ing: The other day III Hartford, Conn. :,
banking house was robbed in broad
daylight of some 81, 100 in cash and a
large amount of valuable securities.
The sufferers kept to themselves the fact
of the robbery, and quietly went to work
to recover so much of the stolen proper
ty as they could. 1t is now said that
shortly after the robbery a well-known
attorney of New York city, of some
prominence as a politician, put himself
in communication with the victims of
the robbery for the purpose of negotia-
ting settlement between them and GER
tain clients of his who had possession of
the securities and the cash, the object
being to arrange for the return of the
securities upon payment Of stipulated
sum. The negotiations ended in the
payment of 81, $50 in addition to the
81, 100 cash proceeds of the robbery,
and the return to the bank of the securi-
ties stolen. So that as the mat er stands,
these clients of the attorney, having
planned and carried out their little en-
terprise, and found themselves in
possession, among other proceeds Of the
could not use and which were of no
value except to the owner, went immedi-
ately to their attorney, and informing
him of all the facts employed him to
whatl Well, to the unprofessional mind
it looks very much as though they en-
ployod him to finish up the work they
had only partly done, to secure for them
not only immunity for the olfense but
81, 250 additional profits from the rob.
berry. That is the way it appears to the
unprofessional mind, but we are aware
that the relation of counsel and client is
not thoroughly apprehended by the
average layman. They :" retained the
legal gentleman then as their counsel
and attorney.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
Came Back.

Newport is excited over a curious
matrimonial complication. Some forty
years agoA three-day-old bride suddenly
anu mysteriously disappeared. Some
time after she returned, announced that
she had obtained a divorce, and again
vanished. Nearly half century goes
by, and the husband has now family
and is rich. The other day, after forty
years of silence, she put in an appear
ance and asked for her husband, claim
ing that her story about divorce was a
falsehood. The matter will probably
come before the courts.
The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-01-27
Not to be Sold.

The Pail Mall Gazette, of London,
has special telegram from Copenhagen
as follows: I am authorized to contra
dict the report of the proposed sale of
the island of st. Thomas, in the West
Indies, to Germany. The idea was moot
ed in 1873 OF exchanging st. Thomas for
North Schleswig, but was dismissed as
impracticable.