davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
A Sleeping Car Incident.

A strange event occurred on the st.
Louis and Southeastern through passen-
ger train. recently, at a. point near
Opdyke. In the sleeper wer@a man and
his wife, ticketed through to Nashville,
Tenn, from Austin, Texas. The man
was noticed by the train employees to
suddenly leave his bunk, and in an ex-
cited manner call upon his wife to follow
him. She did SO, the man leading the
way, and apparently desiring to leave
the train. The employees asked him
what the difficulty was, but he appeared
very much excited, and drawing O re-
volver, declared that he would protect
himself at all hazards, and began to
make motions as if he intended to shoot.
He drew a large dirk knife and began
hourishing it about in threatening
manner. The fellow continued to fume
and fret, and tinally, observing favor
able opportunity, at one bound disap-
pearcd through an open window, his wife
following as soon as possible. (The train
had in the meantime been stopped.
The fellow ran off in the woods rs fast as
his legs could carry him, leaving his
wife near the track considerably bruised
up and hurt from her jump through the
window and descent of steep embank-
ment
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
MISPLACED Confidence.

The other day little weazen faced
man, wearing $3.50 suit of clothes,
went to one of the big hotels in San
Francisco, and registering his name as
from Texas, asked for room and Ii
breakfast was on the table.
The Olympian clerk gazed at him
scornfully for moment, and languidly
remarked:
"Any baggage?"
"No," replied the guest.
"In that case" said the clerk, "the
rules of the house compel me to insist OH
payment in advance.
livery we'll, said the guest, without
hesitating or appearing offended, take
two days board out of this, and from a
wad of greenbacks as big as his arm he
produced 500 note.
"I beg your pardon" stammered the
abashed clerk, "but we are so often
taken in, and your face not being familiar
to me; T.
"No offense," cheerfully answered the
guest; "business is business and rules
are rules. 1t does look little odd to be
without baggage, but us cattle dealers
amt much on style, and"-
That's all right, colonel" said the
clerk. "Put up your money; we know
q gentleman when we see him. jim,
show the gentleman to JAG. Call for the
best room in the house, general" J."
Tue old man slowed away al ample
breakfast, got the clerk to give him
small bills for fifty, and asked where
Billy Coolbaugh, the banker, had his
office, inquired when they had dinner,
desired the clerk to tell Mr.. Farwill, if
he called, that he would be back at two
o'clock, then went, aud hasn't been seen
since. The clerk subsequently discov-
cred that the $50 was bad. The sad
event las cast q gloom over the hotel
Office.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
An Indian Lovers Revenge,

The Victoria Colonist furnishes the
following account of an Indian lovers
wooing and subsequent murder of his
inamorata: GA savage belonging toone
of the tribes near Barclay sound, on the
west coast of Vancouver island, became
enamored of an Indian woman recently,
but paid his addresses in vain. Her
friends objected to the match because the
number of blankets cast at her feet was
deemed insufficient to secure her atfec-
tion. The Indian hunted, tisled and
stole to procure the number Of blankets
the maiden had set as the price of her
charms. But as often as he reached the
fixed number as often did the tickle
dusky ol.. advance the figure, till at
length the savage gave up the struggle
in despair and sought her love no more.
His affection, in fact, seems to have
turned to hate, for, meeting her in the
bush near the village about month
ago, he set upon her with knife, with
which he killed her. He then cut OFF
the head, cut off the arms and legs, and
mutilated the body, scattering the limbs
and pieces through the woods. The
murderer openly lefcs punishment and
glories in the bloody deed"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
A Stern Warming.

Among the officers Of the brilliant
court of the grand monarch OF France,
Louis XIV, was the Marquis Hugh de
Vernicourt This marquis was OF an
ancient family, very wealthy, and had
proved himself a brave and ethclen5 cap,
tain on more than one hard fought
field. In his sober moments, though
inclined to be naughty and overbearlng,
he could yet be gentleman; but when
the fumes of the wine cup had seized
his brain, which was far too often the
case, he was turbulent and quarrelsome.
and his duels were numerous, so that III
time it came to pass that his companions
feared and dreaded him. Feeling secure
in his lordly estate, his high nobility ex-
emptinc him from certain penalties
which might have rested upon one OF
lower degree, he pursued his reckless
and iuebriate course for q time un-
checked.
At length in O hostile encounter, the
marquis slew gentleman OF the royal
Guard. whose friends made much COM
plaint. Do Vernicourt appeared before
the king, and pleaded in extenuatlon that
he was much heated at the time, and
begged the royal pardon. The pardon
was granted, with the addition OF severe
reprimand, and caution for the future.
But the caution availed little. Ere long
aftcrward the troublesome marquis quar-
relied with gentleman of the cardinals
household, the result of which was an
other fatal sword thrust.
Once more the nobleman was sum-
moned before the king, and his old ex.
cuse was offered, and again he lmplored
the royal pardon.
"Hugh de Vcrnicourt," said Louis,
"thou art pardoned." -.
The marquis would have expressed his
thanks, but the king stopped him.
"Hold, Sir Hugh. We wish not tor
thy thanks; for know that thou art not
the only one to whom we have extended
our royal pardon. We have caused
pardon to be prepared in blank, and
have placed it in the hands of our trns,ty
minister of police. 1t is for the man Who
shall kill thee y -,
The caution proved sufficient to the
onl desired,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
Advice TO JOkers.

Always let your Jokes be we'l-timed.
Any time will do for good joke, but no
time will do for bad one. Any place
will fit, provided the joke itself be fitting,
but it never fits if joke be out OF its
place. You cannot order joke as you
would cont or pair OF boots. In con-
cocting jokes, as in making pudding,
each person employs similar materials,
but the quality of the di'h IS entirely
depcudent on the skill of the artist. The
uttercr of good joke is useful mem
Der of society, but the maker of a bad
one is n more despicablc character than
tue veriest coiner by profession.
A Joke from gentleman Is an act OF
charity an ,,ncharitable joke is an I'M
gentlcmanly net. The retort courteous
is the touchstone of good feeling the
reply clurlish-the proof of co!d-hcaded
stupidity.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
Thoughts for Saturday Night.

Hard words mostly flow from soft
hands.
He who lives to no purpose lives to o
bad purpose.
He that despiseth small things shall
fall little by little.
Severity breeds fear, but roughness
engenders hate.
He is the greatest who chooses to do
right ut all times.
Better give shilling than lend and
lose half a crown.
The drunkard hath fools tongue and
traitors heart.
All things are in fate, yet all things are
not decreed by faith.
We may be as good as we please, if we
please to be good.
Reprove thy friend privately, COM
mend him publicly.
Riches, though they may reward vir-
tues, cannot ca.;se them.
The cultivation of the heart should be
like that of q garden, where we prune
and weed before we begin to plant.
Never speak evil of any one. Be chari-
table in thought, and give even the worst
people the benefit Of doubt.
We should give as we would receive,
cheerfully, quickly, and without hesita-
tion; for there is no grace in a benefit
that sticks to the fingers.
The true motive of our actions, like
the reed pipes of an organ, are usually
concealed; but the gilded and hollow
pretext is pompously placed in the front
for show.
Our sight is the most perfect and most
delightful of all our senses; it fills the
mind with the largest variety OF ideas,
converses with its objects Mt the greatest
distance, and continues the longest in
action without being jired or satiated
with its proper enioyments.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
Items Of Interest.

An unpopular club-The policeman's.
Do not aspire to send your javelin be-
yond the sun. ..
Advice to young men about to settle
dovn. Settle up first.
Gossip is the putting of two and two
together and making five of them.
A pretty Tennessee girl has patented
combined harrow and stalk-cutter.
Most girls, however, prefer to harrow in
the old way.
A Japanese student newly arrived in
this country thought we were all doctors,
because everybody took his hand and
asked after his health.
We can console ourselves for not hay
ing great talents, as we console ourselves
for not having great place. We can be
above both in our hearts.
A little boy came to his mother re-
Gently and said: Mamma, I should
think if I was made of dust, I should
get muddy inside when drink"
The fashions in gentlemen's clothing
rarely ever vary. We have it from good
authority that the style this season will
be pair Of pants, vest and coat, as
usual.
A French artist who took part in the
destruction of the Column Vendome in
Paris, during the reign OF the Commune,
has been sentenced to pay fine OF
$4,000.
The season fast approaches when the
Young man with finances to cover just
two plates of ice cream awaits breath
lessly the answer to: "Will you have
some cake?"
A box of grasshoppers' eggs from the
United States to the editor of Canada
newspaper Matched out the other day in
drawer into which they were put for
safe keeping.
The practice of stealing hymn books
is said to prevail to IN alarming extent
in some of the fashionable churches in
New York which are most frequented
by strangers.
In Philadelphia court, the other day,
man named Moisten was defended by
lawyer named Goforth. It is no unusual
thing to see lawyer and his client Go
forth and Moisten.
"The name of new novel is 1.-The
Wrongful Heir; or, The Mystery at the
Falls" It must be companion to that
charming romance. entitled "The False
Hair; or, The Mysterious Waterfall"
The following advertisement recently
anneared in New Haven journal "Any
person having five to fifty loads Of
manure to dispose of will please send
word or drop it through the post-office."
Oregon has new expedient for keep
ing her citizens sober. Every man who
drinks is obliged to take. out a license
costing S.. 1t is penal otfense for any
liouor dealer to sell q drink to an un
licensed person.
A New Hampshire paper relates that
at Newton in that State, mad dog, after
having been wounded, took refuge IN
barn, where some Of the hay became
soaked with his blood. The hay was fed
to horse, which went mad.
A mocking bird entered a Methodist
church at Jackson, Tenn, and after
circling around the room, lit on the rail-
ing of the altar, where it sat in attentive
silence till the close Of the sermon, when
it warbled some of it's sweetest notes and
sailed away.
A portly gentleman crowded himself
into horse chr next young man, who
said: "Perlaps you would not crowd
in here if YOU knew I had just had the
smallpox. "Oh, that's nothing" was
the reply; "for this is the first time I
have been out since I had it myself"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
An English Dukes Curious Bets.

A curious form of wager was once hit
upon by Old O. familiar sobriquet by
which the Duke Of Queensberry was COM
monty known to the sporting world. The
duke was famous for eccentricities in the
betting way. The match he made. to
drive carriage nineteen miles in one
hour without changing either of the
thoroughbred horses with which he
started, made a sensation OF the time,
and the actual achievement of this feat was
perhaps as remarkable rs anything Of the
kind in the annals Of coaching. But the
wager to which reference was made was
of more original character than this,
and at time of day when railways were
not thought Of, was certainly an indica-
ton of no little inventive talent. He
made bet that he would have letter
conveyed fifty miles within an hour. In
order to do this, he caused the manu-
script to be inclosed in o cricket ball,
stationed expert cricketers at intervals
over q certain distance, and the missive,
being thrown from one to the other, was
delivered at the end of the journey, with
in the stipulated time. A very good
story is told of this nobleman by which
he very neatly checkmated the vagaries
of certain spectators who secretly Offer
ed his grace's jockey a large sum Of
money to lose certain race. The Jockey
appeared to entertain the proposal, but
quietly carried information of it to his
employer, who at once told him to take
the money, and that he would bear him
harmless. The money WAS taken, aud
books were made accordingly, but, to the
horror of the enterprising blackegs,
the duke himself appeared on the scene
as the horses came to the post, and
quickly divesting himself of q great coat,
was found to be in riding attire. "This
is very nice horse" said his grace.
II think I will ride myself" And he
did it, anl won without struggle.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
A Bison Vanquisled by a Bull.

About three months previous to my
arrival at Fort Union, says prairie
hunter, and in the height of the buffalo
breeding season, when the bulls are
sometimes very fierce, Joe was taking
the Fort Union bull with o cart into a
point on the river above the fort, in
order to draw home load of wood which
had been previously cut and piled ready
for transportation the day before, when
very large old bison bull stood right in
the cart track paving up the earth and
roaring ready to dispute the passage
with him. On q nearer approach, in
stead of flying at the sight of the man
that accompanied the cart, the bison
made o headlong charge. Joe had
hardly time to remove his bulls head
stall and escape up tree, being utterly
unable to assist his four-footed friend,
whom he left to his own resources.
Bison and bull, now in mortal combat,
met midway with shock that made
the earth tremble. Our previously do
cile gentle animal suddenly became
transformed into q furious beast, spring
ing from side to side, whirling round as
the buffalo attempted to take him in
flank, alternately upsetting and righting
the cart again which he banged from
side to side and whirled about as if it
had been o bandbox. Joe, safe ont OF
harms way, looked from the tree at his
champions proceedings, at first deplor-
ing the apparent disadvantage he labored
under, from being harnessed to a cart ;
but when the fight had lasted long and
furious, and it was evident that both
combatants had determined that one or
the other of them must fall, his eyes
were open to the value of the protection
afforded by the harness, especially by the
thick, strong shafts of the cart against the
short horns of the bison, who, although
he bore him over and over again down
on his launches, could not wound him
severely. On the other hand, the long,
sharp horns of the brave Fort Union
bull began to tell on the furrowed side
of his antagonist until the final charge
brought the bison, with furious bound,
dead under our hero's feet, whose long,
fine drawn horn was driven deep into
his adversary's heart. With a cheer
that made the whole woods ring again,
down clambered Joe, and while triumph
antly caressing carefully examined his
chivalrous companion, who, although
bruised and blown and covered with
foam, had escaped uninjured.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
The Latest Cat Story.

The Elmira Gazette says: We are told
on Trustworthy authority that gentle
man of this city living in the lower part
of town, recently went to the woods and
finding a nest of young squErels brought
them to the house, whele there were two
felines each having " litter " of kittens.
One of the tabbies took her own legiti-
mate children and putting them in the
nest of the other (by whom tlley were
taken care of as though they had been
her own flesh and blood), went to the
place where the three squirrels were, an'l
took them one by one to her own nursery
and since has been nursing and caring
for them az Il mother.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
Turkish TaliSnans.

A Partisan manufacturer has received
an order from Turkey for large num-
ber of white shirts upon which extracts
from the Koran are to be printed in sky
blue letters. Upon a number of white
WOODEN undershirts is to be stamped the
signature OF Mohammed. The articles
are intended for distribution to Turkish
soldiers when upon especially dangerous
duty, to stimulate their courage under
the impression that they are talismans.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06

the scene, tells me that he saw sharks
and alligators rise on the crest of the
waves and fight like dogs.
Many of the killed floated belly up
ward, and were afterward rocked ashore
by the waves. For days their bodies
drifted to the beach. The dead alliga-
tors had lost their legs and tails. The
sharks in some cases were nearly bitten
into two pieces. The current of the gulf
stream strewed the shore as far north as
Cape Malabar with their carcasses.
Clouds of buzzards, and even the Ba-
hama vultures were drawn to the beach
by the ofal. Mr.. Paine fancies that the
sharks we're tc O active for the alligators,
but others say that the percentage of
bodies on the beach indicated that the
weight of metal was in favor of the iron.
clad rentilas
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
How He Got Some Cider.

The other day lodger at the johnson
House, in Gardiner, Me-, got mp Ill the
morning nwfully thirsty, and approach
ing the landlord, sail he must have
drink of cider. He was assured he could
not buy it in the city. Can get it by
the gallon, can't II" he said. He was
told he could. So he went up to store
and inquired if they had any cider to
"sell by the gallon" He was tnlI they
had. He wanted to try it, and drew n
pint lipper full and drank it. He said
lie thought it was too hard for mlnce
pies" and threw dime on the counter
and left.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
He Threw It into the Fire.

A wealthy German banker, not having
been able to find sufficiently uncommon
and expensive toy, presented his little
grandson on his birthday with IL bank
note of considerable value. Soon after
ward the little fellows mother was hor-
rifed ON entering the nursery to find
him crying bitterly. "What is the
matter, darlins?' she asked. " Has
not grandpa given you anything?"
Yes-yes," was the so'bing reply.
"Tell me what, my dear Why he
gave me that ugly piece of paper that L
lave lust thrown into 'hi fire
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
War i'll the East.

The red Russian sun had set,
But warm tint lngeredyet
And suffused the heights of Kharizanlinkskol,
As fair maid clasped his neck,
And she softly whispered "Tscheck-
ernigvenski, 1 am proud of thee, my boy
He took off his soldier hat.
And again she whispered: "That
Havelock I made most beautifully on you sits,
And your iocket is from Stchuk,
And your o;irt from Tscherkashplack,
And your >;osies are marked Lowell, Massa-
cl!usetts ="
"Dear Skinskishki I" murmured he,
"Wilt thou sure remember me,
And the same affectionate devotion have
When I'm fighting on the slope
Of Kgneifikowsumpskop,
Or crossing the Ekaterinoslay?"
"Ah, Tscheckkie, boy" she sighed,
Gam not to be thy bride?
Nothin never can dissever ME from thee.
Would that to-day could ride off
At thy side to Kameskidoff,
Or the army at Prayolavhopperskae."
And he asked: "My love my own.
Wilt be true when thourt alone?
And she laid her little lily hand in his;
"Wilt be true as yondcr star
While I'm lighting for the czar
At Osmanjik or Phillipopols?"
And she answered: "Here swears
You may wander anywheres
will never smile on any other love
Not the prince Of Solienhorsk,
Or of Observation-Disclosures,
Or the baron Of Zirpoukwiamzahov."
Then she swooned and lay as dead,
While he grabbed his gun and fled
To join his general, Nepokotichitski,
Farewell, thou peerless damscl!
80 to Dschcsairvemsel-
But first 90 to Getadrinkowhitski ~
He was bravest of the brave.
And as leader of the Sclave
He won colonels badge and saved his bacon
And he telegraphei "Skinskishki
Sweetheart Darling Though twas risky
Djbtubrichktiomagdebig is stormed and
taken -
She'd another lover then,
Spite of all her oaths, and when
T.. message came she sat upon his knee
: ,hann ourshmingenhausen,
Eorn in nSchwartzeburgh-Kniph
And she married him and had familec.
And the next winter, every morn
To the birds she flung some corn
And she fed the very ravens that had wheeled
Over warning southern zones
And had picked poor Tscheckkie's bones
On the B;elowkourokino battlefield.
W. 4. CrotW.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
The sanrrinary incubation of military

desDotisms on multitudinous millions OF
passive and unchroniclcd scrfs presents
a somber canopy, but We know of noth-
ing so we'll calculated to take the vim
out of married man rs for his wife to
ask him to beat that old carpet hanging
on the line, just rs he has got started for
his office in the city, with only three
minutes to catch the cars.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06

A school teacher in Fort Wayne. In: l.,
fills the mouths of offending pupils with
cayenne pepper. Possibly to max" them
smart
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06

When You see n tramp bolting his
weakly meal you are comfortel with the
reflection that beyond peradventure
-four is going down.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-06-06
Faith.

And so beside the silent sea
wait the muffled oar;
No harm from Him can como to me
On ocean or on shore.
know not where His islands Lift
Their fronded palms in air;
only know I cannot drift
Beyond His love and care.
The daily gazette., 1877-12-19
.THEHUDsoN RIVER TUNNEL.

The Hndson river tunnel between
New FORK and Jersey City, which was
begun three years ago and interrupt
ed by litigation, has been cleared of
embarrassments, and work is to bere
sumed. The scheme was projected
in 1873 by a number of California
capitalists, as the result of vexation
at delay in Jersey City from an ice
embargo. A stock company with
O,00O.0 900 capital was formed, and
work was begun at once. lnlunct-
ions were soon served by the Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western
Railroad and the Hoboken Land and
Improvement Company, but these in
cumbrances have been removed after
expensive litigation. The work is to
be begun on the New Jersey shore,
where shaft 65 feet deep is to be
sunk, and the tunnel then pushed out
into the river. The workingmen are
to be followed as they advance by
massive wooden plug, and the air is
to be supplied by an engine above
the current also whisking out the
disengaged earth through a pipe.
The tunnel will be about two miles
long, 26 feet wide and "a high, con-
structed of the best brick and cement,
and will be about Is feet below the
rivers bed. Work is to be carried
on at both ends at once, the two par
ties meeting in the center, and about
500 men will be employed when the
work is fairly under headway. The
railroad through the tunnel will con
meet with all the railroads .termina-
ting in Jersey City and Hoboken,
there will be a double track and the
tunnel will be lighted with gas. The
undertaking will be completed in
about three years, and the company
intend, if profits are encouraging to
continue the tunnel under New
York and the bed of the East river
to Brooklyn.