davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25
A Woman Still.

A Chicago paper publishes the following
story in its police reports: a young woman,
with draggled dress and flushed face, with
her hair loose over her shoulders, and a
drunken leer in her eyes, followed a burly
police officer into the Central Station, Just
as the clock was on the stroke of midnight.
"What is the matter here ~ queried the
lieutenant, looking up as the ill.mated
couple came trooping in.
"Same old charge" said the officer,
"she's been raising Cain around the hay
market"
"You bet your boots I.have," said the
girl, with hoarse laugh that showed there
was whisky behind it. 81 just give 'em as
good us they sent"
They were leading her into the recording
room, when she stopped at the door open
ing into the police captains office.
"Whose kid (baby) is thatl' she asked
"That? Oh, one that was picked up on
the street-lost by somebody"
Lost is he? Well, I've found him
Let me alone, will your
She pulled away from the officer, and il
a moment was on the lounge with the chile
in her arms, her painted cheeks presse,
close to the tear,stains left on the little fel
! lows face when he had cried himself t.
sleep. Her hair hung in vail before them
and hid the guilty and innocent alike from
sight.
81 had one like you once" she murmuret
after the hush of a moment, but he died
That was so long ago that thought ha;
forgotten it-there has been so much hap
pening since-so much wish to God hat
never happened"
A moment longer and she looked up-a
sober as n mother by the hearth stone.
"May take him in the cell with me ?
she asked, in low and gentle voice.
They said she might, and the poor fol
saken woman sat down on the stone benc
with the sleeping child held close to he
bosom. The tears that fell from her eye
were ms balm to her bruised heart, and tn
little one lifted her soul to purer height
than it had known for many, many wear
days in the past.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25
One View of Mission Schools.

DR.. j. G. Holland, in his popular story
entitled "Nicholas Minturn," in ScriJncr for
May, says:
eff | show some earnestness in this mat
ter" said Tim Spencer, "you must forgive
me, for you have told me to speak, and
have been so besought and badgered that
must tell you just how strongly feel about
it, heard good deal of good preaching
in the early part of my life. If am not Il
good man, have myself to blame for it,
of late years | haven't been able to own a
seat in any church, and ! have stayed at
home. have a theory that a church ought
to be the house of God, where men and
women of all grades and all circumstances
can meet on an even footing. None but
the Catholics have such church here, and
I'm not a Catholic. SO and my children
have no place to go to, and we have our
choice between heathensm and pauperism,
and | haven't hesitated to choose the for
mer. A heather may maintain his self
respect a confirmed and willing pauper,
never Let man, woman or child once
get the impression that they are to be sup
ported by people outside of the family-let
them be once willing and greedy to grasp
| for benefactions that will relieve them from
want and work-and they are lost
81 don't see what that has to do with
misson-schools," interjccted Miss Coates
"Ill tell you what it has to do with
them," said Tim. "You bring my children
first into direct association with paupers
More than half of your schools are made
up of the children of people who care moth
ing whatever for the schools, except what
they can get out of them. The children
are taught at home to select for their teach
! orc fnp ,nnssilln thnsa tuh 1
and generous. They even divide their chill
dren among different schools in order t.
secure their ends. They send them t
school to get them clothed, and to opel
channels of sympathy and bcnevolenc,
toward themselves. They take advantage
of your interest to push their own selfsl
schemes. They even assume the attitud
Of those who grant favor, and they eXpec
to get some tangible return for it. The,
lend their children to you for considera
ton"
am afraid this is partly true" Mis-
Coates responded.
"True? | know it's true" said Tim
"and you teachers play directly into thei
hands. You don't intend to do it, hut yo
do it; and you do something worse thai
this. You foster the spirit of dependence
1t is part Of the business of your churc
,, to support mission, and it is the policy G
your church to keep it dependent upon yol
You do not even try to develop your mi:
sion into selfsupporting church. Yo
find your children mainly paupers, and yo
!; keep them so, and once year you marc
! the whole brood over to your big churc
and show them-not as part of the childre
J of your church, but as a separate and allie
l brood, with which the real children of tn
church have nothing in common. You d
not attempt to give them any practical idC
I of their responsibilities in connection wit
Christian work, and when they leave yo
they go without single impulse to tal
care of themselves"
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25
The Invention of Punctuation.

Punctuation is peculiar to the modern
languages of Europe. 1t was wholly un-
known to the Greeks and Romans; and
the languages of the East, although they
have certain marks or signs to indicate
tones, have no regular system of punctua-
ton. The Romans and the Greeks also, it
is true, had certain points, which, like
those Of the languages of the East, were
confined to the delivery and pronouncia-
ton of words; but the pauses were in
dicated by breaking up the written matter
into lines or paragraphs, not by marks
resembling those i'll the modern system Of
punctuation. Hence, in the responses of
the ancient oracles, which were generally
written down by the priests and delivered
to the inquirers, the ambiguity, doubtless
intentional, which the want Of punctuation
involved, saved the credit of the oracle
whether the expected event was favorable
or unfavorable. As an instance of this
kind, may be cited that remarkable re-
sponse, which was given on well-known
occasion, when the oracle was consulted
with regard to the success of a certain
military expedition: "Ibis ct redibis
nunquam peribis in bello." Written, as it
was, without being pointed, it might be
translated either, "Thou shalt 90, and
shalt never return, thou shalt perish in
battles" or, "Thou shalt go and return,
thou shalt never perish in battle" The
correct translation of it altogether depends
on the placing of a comma after the word
,,unq,tam or after rc{JiS. The invention of
the modern system Of punctuation has
been attributed to the Alcxandrian gram
marian Aristophanes, after whom it was
improved by succeeding grammarians; but
it was so entirely lost in the time Of Char
lcmagne that he found it necessary to have
it restored by Warnefried and Alcuin. 1t
consisted, at first. of only one point, used
in three ways, and sometimes Of stroke
formed in several ways. But, as no more
particular rules were followed in the use oil
| these signs, punctuation was exceedingly
uncertain until the end of the fifteenth
centuary, when the learned Venetian
printers, the Manutii, increased the number
of the signs, and established some fixed
rules for their application. These were SC
generally adopted, that we consider the
Manutii as the inventors of the present
method Of punctuation; and although
modern grammarians have introduced
some improvements, nothing but few
particular rules have been added since
their timc.-Frcema,,'g Jo,unol.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

We find the following item in many of
our exchanges: Miss Cora Dickinson, a
young girl of twenty-five, arrived in Paris
the other day from South America. Her
life has thus far been a checkered one. At
the age of fifteen, tired of the monotony
of home, she ran away from her fathers
house with large sum of money. She cut
her hair short and donned boys garb.
After becoming in succession a cabin boy,
clerk, and a horse dealer, she turned up
in Buenos Ayres, where she entered the
army, still disguised. She distinguished
herself in the service, and became a
colonel. Some months ago at meeting of
officers, she quarrelled with one of those
present. A duel followed and she killed
her adversary. On examining the dead
mans papers, she found that she had
killed her oldest brother, who had left
home when she was two years of age.
Horrorstricken, she threw herself at the
bishops feet, who promised to intercede
with her father.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

Mr.. Ruslin certainly practices what he
breaches. He says that his father left him
100000, besides great deal of real
estate and many valuable pictures. His
mother also left him $lS5,000. lie gave
$4,000 to his poor relations-O, most ex-
cellent man sold the pictures, bought
Brentwood, assisted young relation in
business at cost of $4,000, spent another
$4,000 on harness and stables, and has
given $4,000 to st. Georges Company
besides having spent $350,0O0 variously
lie is at present worth $270,000, and an
nounces that he intends to give his valua
BILE Marybone property to St. Georges
Company, his Herne Hill estate to hi:
cousin, and the $90,000swhich will remain
to him he will invest and live and die upon
its interest,
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

ANOTHER CHILD ABDUCTION CASE IN Phil
ADELPHIA.-In Philadelphia on Wednesday,
the llth inst, Mary Masterson, seven years
DID, residing with her grandmother, Mrs.
Ann White, at No. G30 Charles street was
kidnapped by a woman giving her name as
Fannie Brown, who is about tifty-five years
old. Neither the friends of the child nor
the police, who were notified of the abduc-
ton just after its occurrence, have sue
ceeded in ascertaining the whereabouts of
the woman or of the little girl. Mary was
one of three children, the other two being
boys, residing with Mrs. White. Their
mother is not living, and their father,
Patrick, has for some time been residing in
Conshohocken. Fannie Brown, the abduc-
tress, is described as of medium height,
wrinkled in the face, with an abundance of
brownish hair, knotted behind and re-
sembling a wig, and, at the time when she
took away the child wearing an old knit
ted hood and a dingy waterproof cloak.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25
A Man Who Had one of Washing
toms Old Shirts to Sell.

A ilapidated-looking stranger came into
the office, yesterday morning, and with an
air of profound mystery conhded to us the
information that he was quite wealthy, and
great collector of centennial relics but
being temporarily embarrassed and away
from home, he wished to dispose of a shirt
that Washington had once worn, for S4.75.
He showed us the shirt, but as it appeared
to have been the only one that Washing
ton ever had and that he had worn it with
great assiduity for a couple of hundred
years, we hesitated about investing. The
man said:
"You won't give $4.75 for shirt that
was once worn by the Father of his
Country?"
We said no at least not unless he could
bring us the affidavit of Col. Tom Gresham,
of Lexington, Ca, to show that the Father
of his Country washed his neck twice dur
ing the Revolutionary War, and that the
tint on the neck band of the relic was
caused by its being used as a washer for the
| lynch-pin of a continental cannon.
"You can stand there" the man said,
" and look at this priceless bit of linen,
venerable with dust of ages and the darken.
ing stains of Times indelible pencil and
not feel your heart burn and throb and
your eyes grow dim and misty with the
memory of Valley Forge and Lundy's lane
and the Battle of the File? You can stand
there and refuse to give $4.75 for this sacred
emblem?'
We blushed, and felt very much dis
concerted, but the truth was strong within
us, and we managed to indicate that W.
would even refuse to give much create
sum for it,
"Then," he said "wiIl you lend me fft!
cents on it, and keep it for me until sent
you draft for $35 from New York ?"
We had to say that we would not accep
the trust. He tucked the sacred emblem
, under his arm and closed his eyes for
moment and then lifted his hands t
; heaven.
"My rebuke is just" he said solemnly
, "and am rightly rebuffed and insulteC
, l trampled my manhood and honor an
| convictions in the dust when offered thi
talsman of liberty to alien hands for bas
dross. l goj | may starvej | may die j
: the streets but never will part or offer I
n part with this again / will die with it i
9 my clinging arms, and when am dead yo
= will find Washington written on my beart
D He went. We watched him disappea
{ down the stairs and then he went to tn
t alley window and saw him go back into q
e adjacent wood-shed, where he peeled h
e closely. .buttoned coat and inserted himse
g 4 into the talisman OF liberty. And he VIZ
). seen no more.-GeOrgia paper.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25
TIME TO ME.

Time to me this truth has taught,
'Tis truth that's worth revealing;
More offend from want of thought,
Than from any want of feeling.
Ifadvice we would convey,
There's time we should convey it;
If fwe've but a word to say,
There's time in which to say it!
Many beauteous flower decays,
Though we tend it e'er so much:
Something secret ON it preys,
Which no human aid can touch!
So, in many loving breast,
Lies some canker-grief concealed,
That, if touch'd is more oppressed,
Left unto itself-is healed.
oft, unknowingly the tongue
Touches on a chord so aching,
That word, or accent wrong,
Pains the heart almost to breaking.
Many tear of wounded pride,
Many fault of human blindness,
Had been smoothed, or turn'd aside,
BY quiet voice of kindness!
Time to me this truth hath taught,
'Tis truth that's worth revealing;
More offend from want of thought,
Than from any want of feeling.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25
WHOLE NO. 1,l41.

lie WANTED A CERTIFICATE.-They had q
quarrel on Sunday evening. lie got mad
and swore he'd leave her. Then She got
veXed and told him he could do as he
pleased. He left. That night he came
around again. lie asked to see her alone.
She readily complied. She was all of a
tremOr. Her heart went out to him in a
gush Of sympathetic love. She stood ready
to throw both arms around his neck and
cry out in her joy. There was not much
color in his face, and his voice was husky.
He said:
81 have been with you six months,
Matilda, and | tried in all that time to do
what was right" He paused an instance to
recover his voice which was faltering
rapidly, while her trembling increased. 81
know that have got considerable temper,
and that do not control it always as ought
But | have tried to be faithful to you, tried
to do everything that | thought would
tend to make you happy. And feeling that
| have, | called to night to see if you
wouldn't be kind enough to give me sort
of testimonial to this effect, so that
could show it to any other young lady /
might want to 60 with. 1t might help
me-"
lie looked at her axiously. All the
color left her in flash. She made great
effort to swallow something which threat
ened to sutIoCate her. Then she spoke:
"You get out Of this house as quick a>
you can, you miserable whclp, or my father
| shall kick you out.
He left without the testimonial.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

A visitor at a private lunatic asylum
which he had previously visited, seeing a
distinguished looking man sitting moodily
alone, went up and said to him, "How do
you do? l think have seen you before.
May l ask your name?' "My namer' re-
turned the man fiercely, 81 am Alex
ander the Greatr' "Why," said the visitor,
who suddenly remembered having already
had a discussion with the man, "the last
time was here you were St. Paul?' AYES,
of course" the man rejoined quickly, "but
that was by the first wife"
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

A certain bishop was one day rebuking
one of his clergy for fox,hunting. "My
lord," was the olergyman's answer, "every
man must have some relaxation. / assure
you l never go to balls" "Oh," said the
bishop, 81 perceive you allude to my having
been to the Duchess of SIS party, but /
give you my word, never was in the same
room as the dancers ~ any lord" re.
sponded the clergyman, "my horse and !
are getting old, and we are never in the
same field as the hounds"
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

Bald-headed gentleman in the parquet
to young lady in the dress circle, during an
affecting passage in the play, :" respect
your emotion, ma am, but you are shedding
tears on my head"
The bill introduced in the Missouri
Legislature establishing the whipping post
for the punishment of certain otfenseS, was
defeated by bare majority; 5S to 81.
DR.. Holland says that man with good
heart can be satisfied to live on crusts.
The Doctor gets salary of $4,000 per year,
and probably refers to upper crusts.
Newburvport, Mass, has thirteen hun
dred more women than men. 1t is small
place, and a wedding there creates almost
as much sadness as a funeral,
The wife of Postmaster General Key has
placid face and dark hair plainly dressed.
Her gowns are exceedingly simple, and she
wears very few ornaments.
The Albany journal reminds Ben Wade
that he once came out against Lincoln.
Just as he now does against Hayes.
James Gordon Bennett has purchased a
large residence in Paris, and purposes re-
naming abroad for several years.
Ex.President Grant has bought hun
dred acres of land in Florida and will raise
oranges.
Beauregard is in New Orleans, very poor,
and with no prospect of bettering his con-
dition.
The order of "The Patrons of Hus-
bandry" is declining west and south.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25
A GREAT SECRET.

My friend, here's q secret
By which you may thrive;
1 am fifty years old,
And my wife fortyfive.
a queen among beauties,
The wedding guests said.
When we went to the church
With the priest, and were wed.
That's thirty long years past,
And l can avOw,
She was no more a beauty
To me, then, than now.
For still we are lovers,
AS am alive,
Though I, sir, am fifty,
And she's fOrty-five!
And here's the full secret,
That saves us from strife;
! kept her a s1OeethcGrt,
In making her Witc!
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

A CHURCH INcIDENT.-An amusing incl
dent recently occurred at church in Con-
necticut. The clergyman desired to call
the attention of the congregation to the
fact that, it being the last Sunday in the
month, he would administer the right Of
baptism to children. Previous to having
entered the pulpit he received from one Of
the elders, who, by the way, was quite
deaf, a notice to the effect that, as the chill
dred would be present that afternoon, and
he had the new Sunday School books ready
for distribution, he would have them
ready to sell to all who desired them. After
the service the clergyman began the notice
of the baptismal service thus: "All those
having children, and desiring to have them
baptized will bring them this afternoon" "
At this point the deaf elder. hearing the
name of children, supposed it was some
thing in reference to his books and rising,
said: "And all those having none. and
desiring them, will be supplied by ME for
the sum of twenty-five cents EACH"
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

DoN'T HURRY, GIRLs.-One of the crying
evils of these times is the tendency and dis
position of girls to get through girlhood
hurriedly and get into womanhood, or
rather into young ladyhood, without wait
ing to enjoy the beautiful season of girl
hood. Speaking on this point, Bishop
Morris says: Wait patiently, my children,
through the whole limit of your girlhood.
Go not after womanhood; let it come to
you. Keep out of public view. Cultivate
retirement and modesty. The cares and
responsibilities of life will come soon
enough. When they come you will meet
them, | trust, as true women should. But
oh, be not so unwise as to throw away your
girlhood. Rob not yourself of this beauti.
full season, which, wisely spent, will bright.
en- all your future life."
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

Horne Tooke having challenged Wilkes,
who was then Sheriff of London and Mid
dle-sex, received the following laconic
reply I" Sir, do not think it my business
TO cut the throat of every desperate that
may be tired of his life; but as | am at
present High Sheriff of London, it may
happen that shall shortly haye TO attend
you in my official capacity, in which case
will answer for II that you shall have nc
ground to complain of my endeavors to
serve you.n
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

As eX-President Gen. Grant is said to be
an exceedingly difficult person to "inter-
view" When reporter takes out his
paper and pencil the General shuts his lips
tightly and begins to occupy himself with
his correspondence. But when the repor-
ter's impliments disappear, and he takes off
his business expression, the man OF war
begins to talk, apparently without sus
pecting that the man of journalism has q
memory and an Imagination.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

There was wedding at Stoke Church,
in!e,Venport, England, on April 4, and every
ssling went nicely until the curate asked
,or 70, the ring. The bridegroom fumbled in
ms pockets, and finally said that the bride
nad 1t. The bride said that it was no such
snlng. He turned his pockets inside out
and she hers; he scolded her for being
careless, and she answered back with fine
euge OF irony; they went down the aisle
s9gether to look for it, and asked the peo-
ple IN the church if they had a ring to
spare and meanwhile the service was sus-
pended and the curate in the chancel
vailed Tor their return. The clerk had a
a s.hali ring attached to his watch-guard on
winch hung locket, and he offered to lend
70 the unhappy couple. It was very
ss'laii, out so was the brides finger, and the
Two young people were made man and wife.
A,ser they were married the missing link
nas found, Where? In the bowl Of a
'0oacOo pipe In the bridegroom's pocket.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

The Boston Traveller tells the following
on the authority of an auctioneer "a year
or more ago he had for sale o lot of
homeopathic medicine. All these medi.
cines were dumped into one pile and
disposed of in one lot, there being various
kinds of medicines in the mass. A board
ing house keeper bought the lot, and, some
days after the purchase, the auctioneer
asked her, What did you do with that
homeopathic medicine, Mrs. --P She
replied: Il thought could use it, and it
was cheap, and so | crushed it under the
roller and then filed my sugar bowls with
it. The boarders seemed to like it, and
especially when powdered over pies.'n
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

DR.. Peabody Of Harvard says that the
schools of so years ago did more for citizens
than those Of the present, but that was due
largely to materials on which they worked.
Teachers were not so accomplished as now,
but they were Jealous, gave much extra
time, and zealously impaired what they
knew. Hours of study were not begrudged
by pupils and teachers, nor denounced by
physicians. The defects in schools to-day
were: First, material coming from homes
where reading is a lost art, and no culture
exists; second graded schools worked dis,
advantageously for better scholars, who
were kept back for worse, though this
might be necessary evils third, form
alisms Of movement, language, and postures.
lie suggested some means of betterng the
products of schools. Grammar as taught
from books was quite useless. Too many
dates and details were insisted on. There
should be more faithful tuition in the
moral principles, elements Of government,
and political economy. lie proposes that
the State should educate some scientific OIL
collegiate pupils, as it did for the military
or naval service.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

ONE LIFE, ONE AIM.-A wife said to her
husband, who was scolding her, "However
cross you may be, there is not couple who
live in greater unanimity than you and | :;
for we always desire the same thing-you
want to be master, and so do H.
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

1t was at a party the other evening.
There was q lull in the conversation, which
made the host, who was inexperienced in
party matters, somewhat nervous. With a
view to relief he asked mountaineering
man, who was set like packing box up in
one corner, if he was married. No, | am
bachelor stiffly replied the somber man.
"Ah!" observed the host, warming up with
the subject, allow long have you been
bachelor?n There was another lull in the
conversation,
Smyrna times., 1877-04-25

A woman recently entered a store in
Connecticut and sat down in front of an
iron safe to warm her feet. After sitting
some 20 or 80 minutes, she remarked that
she "never did like them kind of stoves
they don't throw out scarcely any heat,
those gas-burners DON'T