davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-16
From the French OF Henry GreviIle,
NIKITA, THE MISER.

Nikita Vlassief' was born in the reign
of Catherine of Russia, who died in
1896, but his memory went no further
back than the war Of 1872 The Russian
peasant has very little memory for past
events, unless indeed he gives up farm
labor, and expands his intelligence by
trading.
What possible "reminiscences can man
have who never saw any change except
the changes of the seasons, for whom all
other things remain the same as they
were on the day he was born?
There are, however, two dates which
have made deep impression on the Rus
sian peasants mind; one is February 9
(19), 1861, the date Of the emancipation
of the serfs throughout the empire, the
other is 1912, the date of the French in
vasion.
Nikita was serf on very large estate
in the Government of Smolensk. His
life till 1912 had been passed in the usual
monotony. He had been married, had
half dozen children, had lost three
of them, his stalwart form was getting
somewhat bowed by scanty food, and by
hard labor he paid his dues regularly to
his master in days work or in kind, and
cot tipsy no oftener than his neighbors,
when a rumor got abroad that the Mus
selmen were attacking Holy Russia.
By" Musselmen'' the Russian peasants
meant call foreigners" at that day, and
even now ia distant provinces Of the
empire it is more than likely that he still
calls every stranger Musselman or
pagan, so strong is the impression left by
three centuries of struggle with the
Turks upon the national memory. No
newspaper ever circulated on the estate
of great proprietor-why should it?
since nobody on the estate could read ex-
cept the proprietor himself, the parish
priest, or the family chaplain.
But love of country needs no book
learning to nourish it. When news
came of the French invasion, every erea-
ture who could carry arms shouldered
his scythe, his fork, or pickaxe, and
made ready for the enemy.
The route of the advancing host did
not pass near Nikita's village, the inhab-
itants of which grOwled at the dlsap-
pointmentE and sullenly waited for their
turn. They had not long to wait.
When the first snow came the French
army was in full retreat from Moscow.
and this time the line of march was not
20 we'll preserved. The main body in
dec, followed its route, but many col
nmn lost its way, and 50 surely as any
party ATTEMPTED a short cut it never re-
Joined its regiment.
The peasants had laid plans how they
would hide in ambush, in woods, ravines
and brushwood, to defend their country
The country wanted no defending now.
but they were eager to ayenge her.
Forty years later Nikita, who had for
gotten the incidents of his wedding, and
the ages of his children, distinctly recol
Iected all that happened at that day. :.
CT came down on them," he woule
growl under his breath, with his grey
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-16

ders. After sleeping quietly for four
very weak, having forgotten all that had
taken place in his delirium.
For three days he did not find out the
dreadful loss that had befallen him.
His frightened family took good care
not to tell him that his precious lilac
paper was no more. But by degrees his
usual gestures and his usual thoughts
came back to him. He fingered the
little bag that still hung round his neck,
and-horror of horrors!-there was
nothing therel
"The wretches! o the rascalsr he
cried furiously. "They have robbed
me! They have robbed mew
They sent for the priest, who, after
detailing several times over what had
taken place in his presence, at last sue
ceeded in convincing the old man that
he had, literally and metaphorically,
swallowed up his fortune.
Good has been pleased to punish you
for your hard-heartedness to your own
family" he said, for he felt it was his
duty to speak plainly. "The rest of
your life must now be passed in poverty.
Accept it my poor fellow, as the punish
ment of your pride. Receive thankfully
henceforth your daily bread from the
hands of those dutiful children you
have treated so unkindly. You will find
your loss will make no difference in their
treatment. You have been always
wrong in supposing they had interested
motives for being kind to you. Repent
of your uncharitableness, and ask God
to pardon you"
From that time forth, for many weeks,
Nikita never uttered a single word; he
seemed to be always in kind of stupor
They carried him daily into the open air,
for he was unable to walk He would
sit for hours in the sunshine cit was then
the height of summer) patting the little
bag upon his breast, not seeming to no
tice anything around him. He had a
good appetite, however, and his strength
returned. One day, by the help of a
staff, he crawled out by himself to his
favorite seat in the sunshine.
BE off now, be off, all of your he
cried to his children and grandchildren.
Be off and let me alone. I don't want
you any more. [ am we'll now"
These were the first words he had
spoken since his misfortune.
They thought he was all right again,
and went their ways, for it was harvest
time, and every hand was wanted to reap,
or rake, Or bind.
Towards nightfall his daughter, who
always came home a little before the
rest to prepare their meal, came in sight
of the cottage. She did not see him
seated on his bench She hurried for
ward. Her heart beat with a vague
fear. She entered the dwelling. He
was not there. She ran into the village
Nobody had seen him. She then hurried
to meet her husband and her brothers.
They came in haste, but could not find
him.
At last, as one of them was taking the
horse into the stable, he found he could
not open the door. He pushed harder
something heavy swung against it with
a thud.
Nikita had hung himself to the great
beam Just inside the stable. His right
hand was stifened over the empty bag,
which, even in death, he was pressing to
his bosom.
He had not long survived the loss of
his dear piece Of lilac paper.-LitteWs
Liuing Age
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-16
StOneWaIl jackson and His Sister.

"StonewalP' Jackson and his sister
were orphan children, and were brought
up together until he went to West Point.
Like most orphan children, they were
unusually attached to each other. She
married and settled in Beverly, w. Va,
where her husband carried on large
farm or plantation. Her brother, the
General, frequently visited her, and dur
ing these visits he would invariably go
to the quarters of the slaves for the pur-
pose Of exhorting them on the subject
of religion. Frequently the soldier
would be seen on his knees in the midst
of the children of Africa, offering earnest
prayers for their salvation. When the
war broke out the brother espoused the
cause Of the South and became the great
est of all Confederate generals, with a
worldwide reputation for consummate
military ability, and laid down his life
on the bloody field Of Chancelloryille.
The sister, in spite of the opposition of
her brother, uninfuenced by his brilliant
achievements and the opposition of her
husband and her relatives. sided with
the cause of the Union and remained
true to that cause to the end of the war.
So great was the feeling engendered
against her that she eventually separated
from her husband and moved to Spring
field, Ohio, and resided with daughter
who had married Union officer.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-16
A Duck Captured by an Oyster.
Michaels Md.) Corn

Capt Jno. I. Ford brought to the
Coraet office, an oyster, between the
shells of which was firmly fastened the
bill of a fisherman or pheasant duck
The duck while feeding had evidently
inserted his bill into the open mouth OF
an oyster, which shut down on it and
held it fast The duck came to the sur
face, dragging with him the oyster,
which was so large and heavy the duck
could not keep its head above water. Ia
this condition they were found by Mr..
Edward Hunt, who caught the duck, but
could not get the oyster loose. So he
cut the ducks head off, and the bill and
head will remain held by the oyster till
it is opened.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-16
A JAR OF HONEY.

BY RICHARD NJ. STODDARp.
1here is a hive in my garden,
Such as one sometimes sees
In dear old country places
Close by the orchard trees
house full of little people
Swarming with busy bees
You may have seen them often.
But never any like these.
There are flowers in my garden.
That are good enough for me.
But not for these nice small folk,
Though once they used to be;
So they have found out others,
To which at will they fee;
They are sometimes as long absent
/ think. they cross the sea.
They all come back to my garden.
Wherever they have been
Back to my hive and my garden.
And its mysterious queen,
Hank you can hear them singing;
At work in the cells unseen;
They are singing, and making honey
You don't know what | mean?
Ii you knew more of poets,
And how their poems grew,
You would understand my beehive,
And its swarm of fancies too;
How they fly to other mems gardens,
And steal as other mems do
They have stolen this jar of honey.
Which, Lady, I offer to you.
Hampers Weekly.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-16

BY HENRY WADSWoRTH LONGFELLOW.
How much of my young heart, 0 Spain,
Went out to thee in days of wore!
What dreams romantic filled my brain,
And summoned back to life again
The Paladins of Charlemain,
The Cid Campeador!
And shapes more shadowy than these,
In the dim twilight half revealed:
Ph9nician galleys on the seas,
The Roman camps like hives of bees,
The Goth uplifting from his knees
Pelayo on his shield.
1t these memories perchance,
From annals OF remoteSt cid,
That lent the colors of romance
To every trivial circumstance,
And changed the form and countenance
OF all that beheld.
Old towns whose history lies hid
In monkish chronicles of rhyme
Burgos, the birthplace of the Cid,
Zamora and Valladolid,
Toledo built and walled amid
The wars of Wambas time:
The long, straight line of the highway,
The distant town that seems so near,
The peasants in the fields, that stay
Their toll to cross themselves and pray,
When from the belfry at midday
The Angelus they hear;
The crosses in the mountain pass
Mules gay with taSSelS, the loud din
OF muleteers, the tethered ass
That crops the dusty waySide grass
And cavaliers with spurs Of brass
Alighting at the inn;
White hamlets hidden in fields of wheat,
White cities slumbering by the sea,
White sunshine flooding square and street,
Dark mOuntain-ranges at whose feet
The river-beds are dry with heat,
All was a dream to me.
Yet something sombre and severe
Ger the enchanted landscape reigned;
A terror in the atmosphere
AS if King Philip listened near,
Or TOrquemeda, the auStere, ...
His ghOstly sway maintained.
The softer Andulusian skies
DiSpelled the sadness and the gloom;
There Cadiz by the seaside lies, ..-.
And Seville's orange orchards rise,
Making the land paradise
OF beauty and OF bloom.
There Cordova is hidden among
The PALM the olive and the vine;
Gem of the south, by poets sung,
And in whose Mosque Almanzor hung
As lamps the bells that once had rung
AT Compostellas shrine.
But over all the rest supreme,
The star of stars, the cynosure,
The artists and the poets theme,
The young mans vision, the old mans dream
Granada by its winding stream, es~- gs.%F-.
The city OF the Moor!
And there the Alhambra still recalls
Aladdin's palace of delight;
Allah il Allah. through its halls
Whispers the fountain as it falls;
The Darro darts beneath its walls,
The hills with snow are white.
All yes, the hills are white with snow,
And cold with frosts that bite and freeze;
But in the happy vale below
The orange and pomegranate grow,
And waits of air toss to and fro
The poisoning almond trees.
The Vega cleft by the Xenil,
The fascination and allure
OF the sweet landscape chain the will.
The traveller fingers the hill,
His parted lips are breathing still
The last sigh OF the Moor.
How like a ruin overgrown
With flowers that hide the rents of time
Stands now the Past that have known;
Castles in Spain, not built of stone,
But of white summer cloud, and blown
Into this little mist OF rhyme!
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-16
A Black Hills Character.

Nancy Jane is a Black Hills eharac-
ter, who reminds one strongly Of Bret
Harte's herOines AS she sits astride her
horse, there is nothing in her attire to
distinguish her sex, save her small, neat
ly-ftting CATERS, and sweeping, raven
locks. She wears q buckskin broad
brimmed Spanish hat. She comes from
Virginia City (Neyada) family OF respect
ability and intelligence. Downing male
attire in the mining regions, where no
restraints were placed upon such freaks,
she 'stook the road,' and has ever since
been nomadic in her habits-now with a
hunting party, and then in a mining
stampede, again moving with a freight
ing train, and it is said she has rendered
service as a scout. She has had ex-
perience as a stage-driying, and can draw
the reins over six horses, and handles a
revolver with the dexterity and fires it as
accurately as a ranger. She is still IN
early womanhood, and her rough and
dissipated career has not altogether
"swept away the lines where beauty
fingers"
A YOUNG lady who went to a circus IN
Richmond, Va, recently, felt something
winding itself around her waist. 1t
was not the arm of the gentleman who
accompanied her. 1t was only snake
a large gray snake that had escaped from
one Of the side-shows. She put her hand
in her sleeve felt the serpents head, and
shrieked. Those who sat beside her I'M
coiled the snake and killed 1t.
WHEN you see a tomcat with glaring
eyeballs. and back hair erect, come
scratching out like lightning from under
fence, and second afterwards hear a
brickbat strike the fence on the inside,
the process of a posteriori reasoning is
no+ q diff omit one
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-01-05
- Nasby has held war meeting at the

Nasty has held a war meeting at the
"Corners," but the resolutions prepared by
the ex-postmaster, declaring Tor secession,
were refused passage. Bigler was oppos-
ed TO them. He wanted 10 know who
W ould pay the Southern claims If the South
again seeded. The South couldn't, and
there would be no North 10 do 1t. Then
in case the South sets up government,
with Mr.. Tlden as its head, there would be
such a rush of hungry office seekers from
the North, such multitude of hungry
strangers within their gate 3, that no South
ern patriot would have any prospect what
ever. When Bigler had enforced these
points, the enthusiasm cooled down and
each patriot glided from the house.
The long threatened strike OF locomo-
tive engineers on the Grand Trunk rail-
way in Canada orcurred Friday night. Six
hundred of the engineers from Isabel Pond
west stopped work as nearly at the same
as possible, and left their engines just
where they happened 10 be. With this
strike and with the road badly block ed
with snow, tho company will have its
hands full TO keep its business moving
without temporary interruption. The
distance over which the strike prevails is
HOO miles. The engineers between Port
land and Island Pond did not join IN the
strike. The cause of the strike was the
discharge of about $50 engineers by the
Withdrawal of portion OF the Train ser
vice, and a reduction in the wages OF those
who were retained.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-01-05

TIE JANUARY WIDE AWAKE begins the
year with pretty new cover, and with an
uncommonly fine table of contents. The
frontispiece is an engraving Of tho "Madon-
ma di San Sislo" and is accompanied by a
poem by Mrs. l.. C. Wilton entitled
"Christnias.' The other poems in The
number are under The Snow" by Mary
+. q. Wyeth; "About a Magician" some
very foe verses by Mrs. Piali, The "Maid-
Ell and the Year - 1.-The Adventures of
Miliiades Peterkin Paul" 10y john Brown
john; "a Christmas Story" by Rosa Ora
ham, and "Children's Faces" by Edgar
Fawcetl. Tue stories are 1.-TWO Days Be-
fore Christmas" by Hannah II. Hudson, a
very pleasant tale Of childish misadven.
turo "What Happened to the Baby" by
Margaret EytinGe, accompanied by one of
Sol Eytinge's pictures; "A Child in Flor
!" "Lirs Travels in Santa Claus
Land" by Ellis Tow "A Confederate
Christmas Tree" Ivy Mrs. NJ. p. Handy
"Ponto's Christmas" by Liule Floy, and
the serials. There are other good things In
the number, not the least Of which are the
editorial departments. This magazine
promises 10 he very valuable and attract
i've To the young folks during the year.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-01-05

OBITUARY.-The New York Tribune of
the 18th ult., has the following notice of the
death OF native and former resident of
this county, who was well known TO many
Of our readers:
David Crawford, one of the firm OF
Clark, Dodge & Co., bankers, of No. 81
Wall-st., died at his residence, No. 25 East
Twenty th-st., at 11:30 a. NJ. yesterday,
at the age or A years. He was well known
in financial circles, though not a member
of the Stock Exchange. Mr.. Crawford
was born in Putney, VT, on Dec. II, 1882.
He was son OF Brigade Majo. and Capt
David Crawford, one of the staff of Gen.
Scott during the war of 1912. Mr.. Craw-
ford first entered business in Boston in the
employ of the firm of j. w. Clark & Co.
On account of i'll health he left Boston and
went South in 1857, aud on his return in
1853, entered the firm Of Clark, Dodge &
Co. He has been director OF the New
York Central and the Chicago, Rock Island
aud Pacific railroads, and was one of the
organizers and most active directors of the
Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad. In
1867 he married OF daughter of Peter
Townsend Of this city, and leaves wife
and live childron. Mr.. Crawford had boon
complaining for some time, but no great
anxiety was felt about his condition until a
week ago, when he was taken seriously i'll
with erysipells in the head, from The effect
of which he died."
The Herald of the 9Th refers to Mr..
Crawford's funeral as follows: 1.-The fun
eral services at DR.. Halls church over the
remains of the late David Crawford were
yesterday attended by large body of our
most influential citizens. Few men have
lett behind them more afIectionale memo
ries or will be more deeply missed by
those who appreciated his sterling quail
ties of mi nd and heart. His loss has cast a
gloom over the Union Club, of which he
was for many years a governor"
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-01-05

INVENTORS are justly proud of the grand
display Of machinery. manufactures and
designs made by the United States at the
Centennial Exposition. The past thirty
years have been replele with great mechan-
ical triumphs for America in the way OF
borsaving machinery, musical inslrn-
ments, watches, ETC., and to the fertile
minds who have conceived these benefits
humanity owes more thai simple honor
able recognition. The patent office is de-
signed tD secure the inventor full prOtec-
ton in his particular field, but il Is OF the
utmost importance that he should have the
services and advice of an experienced So
licilor in securing his letters patent, that
no flaw or conflicting claim shall rob him
of his well. earned reward. Mr.. II. ii. Ed
dy, of Boston, who for more Than thirty
years has been in active practice, will he
found such an one, and has the highest
record for ability, Integrity and success in
| all matters connected with procuring pat
ents, trade marks and designs.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-01-05
VERMONT ITEMS.

Daniel Walker, of Charleston, aged so,
was frozen to death in the road the other
morning while on the way 10 his barn.
"A cabinet maker, Nahum Parker, died
at Middlebury, Tue other day, in whose
shop in that village stephen A. Douglas
served his apprenticeship.
Tho next quarterly convention OF the
Vermont State Spiritualist Association will
be held at Cuttingsville, Friday, Saturday,
and Sunday, January 8, o and 9Th, at Todd's
Hall.
On Thursday morning last, Simeon
Giddings, OF Watervile, went into the
room of Vernon Wiley, an insane young
man, to get him up, and received severe
blow over his left eye, but Wiley was Sc
cured without doing further injury, and
taken TO Brattleboro the same day.
Thomas Baker of South Burlington,
who was so badly burned about two weeks
ago Ivy falling into scaldng tub while
bulchefiug hogs, is now in very low con-
duion, and there seems TO he no hope of
his recovery.
The water question In Woodstock is
becoming serious. Wells and cisterns are
extremely low and people are looking for
ward TO tue long winter upon which we
have just entered, with good deal OF
anxiety.
Rev. Il. d. Hopkins, the alleged dis
honest insurance agent, has returned from
Canada TO ST. Johnsbury in company with
an officer who went after him. He was in
duced to return without the rormality Of an
eXtradition.
The Congregational church at Chelsea,
upon which extensive repairs have been
made the past summer, was dedicated last
week. Tho services were conducted by
President Buck ham of the University OF
Vermont. The church is now In inside
construction ont of the finest in the State.
The time of redemption on the fore
closure upon the Montpelier and Wells
River railroad expired Saturday, and tho
road has passed into the hands of the bond
holders. 1t is rumored that new compa-
ny has been organized.
A Slight accident occurred Monday af-
ternoon on the Rutland railroad at Heald-
willie. The mail train for Boston, from Rut-
land, was waiting for orders at Healdvnle,
when it was run into by large snow
plough which was following. No one on
the train was injured, but several of the
employees on the plough were slightly in
jured. The passenger coach was damaged
considerably.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-01-05
DEathR.

In Dummerston, Dec. 27, Mrs. Mary o. Allyn, aged
81
In West Halifax, Dec. Is, OF pneumonia, Geo. W.
Jepson, aged 81.
In sa1tons River, Dec. 20, Harvey Wood, aged II.
In Weston, Dec. IL, Sarah, wife Of stephen Austin,
aged 49,
In winchester, N. H., Dec. as, DR.. AlonEo Chaplin,
formerly missionary physician at the Sandwich Is
lands.
In northampton, Mass, Dec. Il, Mary o., wife Of
Waldo Prouty and daughter Of the late j. Henry Bar
rett Of Brateboro aged 20 years 10 months 20 days
In Hinsdale, N. H., Jan. l, Debora wife Of Ransel
Barrett formerly Of Brattleboro, aged 50. Jan. 2,
Arms Elmore, aged 90.
In Fayetteville, Dec 8, 1876, Mr. Hubbard T. Chase,
aged rs years. Mr.. Chase was born In Townshend,
June a. 1901. He spent most Of his life in Andover
where he owned farm and brought up large family
He was an industrious, Woodworking man, good
husband aud father, valuable citizen, true and
faithful friend. Eight children yet survive to mourn
their loss and sustain and comfort their aged mother
who is yet spared to them. The children, though
widely scattered in our land, most of them visited
their paternal home last spring, and celebrated the
golden wedding Of their honored parents That was
a happy, joyful meeting, but so soon sorrow tsAda
upon the heels Of Joy.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-01-05

Miss Fanny Il. Townsley and Miss
Buck have concluded eleven days meet
ings with the Congregational church in
Williamstown. The effort results in the
hopeful conversion of between fifty aud
sixty, many OF whom are heads of fami-
lies and from important positions in socie-
ty. One convert is over so years old sew
eral have been reclaimed from drink and
profanity. Christians are aroused, more
especially the sisters. Tho interest began
with the work, and the best of the wine
came the last day of the feast. Whatever
opinion person entertains about female
preachers, he cannot speak against these
sisters or their work to this people with
out seeing his judgment of divine truth
less esteemed.
For compensation tho ladies depended
on the free-wil offerings Of our people,
and received one hundred dollars.
They commence meetings in Shushan,
Dec. 3lst. J.P.D.
WiTllamstown, Dec. 30, 1876.