davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
Music of the Oyster.

All through the night / heard a short,
swapping sound coming from the wigs
of the bushes, but in the darkness ! was
unable to ascertain the cause. II was
not confined to any one bush, but ex-
tended along the whole distance. There
was no regularity about it, but 1t fell
upon the ear at intervals, like the patter-
ing of the first large rain drops that
precede a heavy shower; but no rain
drops ever made so loud A noise, even
when falling upon the shingle roof OF a
country barn. fell asleep trying to
make out the cause, and was awakened
by the continued snap, snap, which dis
turbed nv slumbers. l knew it could
not be the day breaking, because II was
not near the morning hour. But when
morning did come, and the sound had
not ceased, I discovered that 1T arose
from the oysters that were actually
growing on the bushes, every twig OF
which held along its length a cluster OF
from ten to twenty oysters about two
inches long by an inch and a half wide.
l thought it was a strange country where
the bushes bore such fruit as that. The
branches Of the bushes were submerged
st iiigm WaJcI, anu tue JOunS vysS0AS
grew upon them until their weight broke
of the branches and they fell into the
soft, muddy bottom. 1t was the sudden
closing of thin shells which produced the
sound. Some naturalists have said the
oyster can be educated; but this was the
first time / was ever an auditor of an
oyster concert-Hecicaa Letter.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
Grantley' sle said, in a trembling
voice, whas sit? What ails Won ,

" Grantley sIe said, in trembling
voice, =" whas sit? What ails YOU
Tell me :"
It's only eha I'm a fool, mother, - he
answered.
But-GrantRy, what about ,"
He lifted up hs young, worn face then,
and answered
Mother a9af you know? It's about
Ann Burdock }t's been very hard to
bear, but if she does marry any one else
-I-shall kiil nyself, | think. Life
doesn't seem worth having"
Life doesn't Gem worth having, if
you can't have Am the mother said,
in a puzzled souof way. "But why,
what is there inhr ?'
What there nyer Is in more than
one woman to asy man, mother" said
Grantley. s.
Somehow, fsa the far-away years of
youth, a mensf came back to his mother
that helped Northumberland him.
She felt thttaAellsd done very Ill, and
if cQnfessIsIs nOld 10 any good. she
would even coiess. At least, if she could
not quite do that, she would let him
know the truth abot Ann.
" Grantley, dear sue faltered, you
you had quarrel ~
" Yes" he answered.
" But if she had written to beg your
pardon you'd have forgiven herr"
She almost hoped that he would say
q" No that sbe need not 90 on.
But he answered
"Yes-but he never wrote. ."
"I think she did, Grantley." said the
mother. II know she did. I--I-an
acciden. happened to the letter. lit
got burnt but Pm sure it was an apology.
Indeed, saw few words, but didn't
think y,u cared 50. You see tit fell
into the fire"
VII, did YOU not tell me before %
cried Gnntley.
Well l somehow didn't like, was
all the mother could say. And why
lon't you go and ask her about it, and
zee what it was >"
Poor Mrs. Webb, when her son, after
many questions, had taken her advice,
.ried bitterly. She might have felt
wen worse had she heard what Ann was
aging.
The story had teen told, a reconcilia-
ion Elected, 4 declaration made to The
fleet that Mr.. MilIet had never been
3yed. And then Ann Burdock said,
With laugh
But, Grantley, your mother burnt
hat letter on purpose. only a man
ould believe the story you've told me.
he did not want me for a daughter-iu-
aw. owe her no grudge-remember
hat, and doa't tell her what l say"
Granlley never dill. And old Mrs
Webb has often been heard TO say that
INN Burdock has turned out better than
ould have been expected.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
The Water We Drink.

There is very little pure water used.
That which comes from the clouds has
the best claim to be so regarded, but that
IS contaminated by impurities in the air
as !, descends. Clear water is not neces-
sarily pure water. All water from springs
aud wells contains minerals in solution
the latter having but a meager supply
and outgo is usually more strongly i'm
nregnated than natural fountains with
flowing inIets and outlets. The purest
water is found where solid rock, as OF
granite, forms the bed over which it runs.
But waters of springs and transparent
rivers, even when filtered, are never
pure. Waters of average purity en-
ployed for domestic purposes are said, on
authority of Johnson, to hold in solution
from twenty to thirty grains of solid
matter The water of the river Jordan
contains seventy-three grains, and
that supplied by the various
companies OF the city of London
has from nineteen and One-half to forty
grains. The impurities that make water
Injurious to health are organic matters,
such as are abundantly supplied by
barnvards. drains and cemeteries, where
the decay of 9nimal and vegetable sub
stances is going on. Some families who
live on farms, and who fancy they are
drinking the best OF water, are, in fact,
cons antly imbibiDg poison that will
appear perhaps in the dreaded form OF
diphtheris, or typhoid fever. The char
acter of the impurities is important. 1t
is claimed that certain degree of hard
ness of lime, improves the water for all
domestic uses, except washing, and
water from the chalk districts in Eurepe
is preferred to softer water. 1T is also
stated that conscripts for the French
army who were reared in hard wstel
districts werelalIer and stronger in bone
than those who we're reared in places
where there was no lime in the water
Scientific AmericGn.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
How American Women Abuse
Their Husbands.

DIR. Theodore Christlieb, the German
" evangelical whose sweetness and light
so took captive the rest of the evangeli-
Gals at the alliance meeting in New York
some years ago, has found a serious blot
upon our civilization in the great repub-
lie. As Col. Higginson tells the story in
the Woman's Journal, Prof Christli9b,
confided to a recent American visitor
that he had great fears for the future of
our notien because the esprit of Christ
was not here. Pressed TO explain his
meaning. he did not cite any of those
financial or social scandals that make us
uneasy, but precisely declared that on
more than one occasion he heard an
American married woman say TO her
husband, dear, will you bring me my
shawl? and the husband had brought
it =" and futher. that he has seen man
come home and find his wife sitting in
the best chair in the parlor, and not only
did she not rise to get his dressing gown
and slippers, but she did not rise at all,
and let him find his own chair as we'll as
other comforts These were the things
that this profound professor, named after
the Glove of Christ" found to evidence
dangerous lack of that article in the
United States. 1t is hard to overesti-
mate the value of this well-weighed
criticism from so eminent source, based,
as it is, on undefable facts. The female
in this country has unquestionably ar
rived at a degree of individualism which
places her in many things on level
with men. She cannot be depended upon
to get out of bed at four O'Clock of 8
winter morning to make Ere and get
breakfast, while her lord and master
takes beauty nap, with Anything like
the certainty that she once could. She
won't eat up the chickens gizzard while
there's any breast left-no, nor afterwarc
either. She objects to fiji her husband
pipe and "start" it with few gentle
puff, rs any professors spouse ought to
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
Childhood's misconceptions.

In the October nun4er of the 4 tIantic
Monthly Mrs. Edward Ashley Walker,
writing of the curious misconceptions Of
childhood, tells the following amusing
story: One of twin sisters used to de-
light in relating an instance in which her
mate contrived to "wrest," to her own
"undoing," stanza of Pope's Universal
PRAYER. which both had learned by note
In the pillow fights with which happy
day began, little II noticed that,
although they were equally matched IN
valor aud dexterity, the most formicao.e
missile at hand, namely, the bolster, vas
never under any provocation of opportu-
nity or direct need used by her sister
After accepting this advantage as long as
her macuanimity would allow, she at
last called NJ attention to her over
sight of this superior ordinance. NJ
only shook her head with potentious sg-
ni6cance. Whea A---insistcd upon
explanation it came in curdling whis-
per. heard with bated breath On
but don't dare touch that J Don't you
remember what that verse says?
Let not this weak. uuknowing hand
Presame thy b lister (bolts to) throw,
And deal damnation 70 nd the land
~, oh ft,.1y fhvf ia
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
Origin of the Human Race.

| have read in the Rig Veda another
account of the same transaction. The
Supreme Brshma made man and woman
and placed them on the island of Ceylon.
There was little strip of land uniting
the island TO the main land, and they
were told they could 60 where they
pleased, but must not leave the island.
Then the Supreme Brahma said it is very
desirable that they should have a court
ship, and what courtship that was.
No prospective father in-law or mother
.in-law, no neighbors. They fell in love
with each othar, for, said the Brahma, it
is my desire that they should love before
marriage. When / read this, I said if
any one of these stories turns out to be
true, | will believe this one. But the
man became restless. He reelected
the words of Horace Greeley about going
west, and went to the west OF the island,
where he saw a most beautiful vision on
the rain land. He told Eva he was
ss.s-ss.s.ssssas-akaalz kaaha. Ike -p,a11aa.
said. " Let we'll enough alone" But he
would not, but took her on his back and
carried her TO the main land. When he
,rrived there the mirage was dispelled,
AID there was nothing but rocks and
desdation. When the Brahma was
abou. to punish them, the man said,
"Curs me !Sld not her, for it was my
fault" That's the kind of man you
want to start a world with! But the
woman asked 10 share the mans punish
ment, and the Supreme Brahma spared
them both. To tell you the truth /
really wish from the bottom Of my heart
that the Brahminical story was true.
Honor bright, don't you believe It is
true ?-From Colonel IngersoPs NewLec-
mn
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
Keep Pegging Away.

A farmer friend had occasion to write
the local editor of this paper note the
other day. In closing his note he asked,
Urb, can you tell me the way out OF
the present hard times?"
Of course, we can. Keep pegging
away-live within your income, and save
little for a rainy day--sell your surplus
stock and grsin-if you can't get your
price take what you can get; take the
money and pay your honest debts !;
and if you owe no debts, put the money
at interest and don't go on credit any
more; work steadily and be economical
--make no bad or fool trades, and the
first thing you know you will be
sitting up cross-legged, with peace and
plenty. Now, we've told you the way
out, and if you don't go, it is your own
fault.-Dawson Ga.) Journal.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07


There Is also a specific tax, one-half to
be paid when license is granted and the
other at the end of six months, the
amount OF which il regulated by the
amount realized from the liquor register.
1t is fixed for the first year in towns of
1000 and less, at fifty dollars and over
at one hundred dollars; after that it
will be determined by the register. 1t is
made the duty of the revenue commits
sioners to visit each establishment
monthly and examine the register and see
if same is in order, and also to make
a record of the number of drinks of
wine, alcoholic and malt licIors regis
tered as sold during the month also the
amount sold by retail dealers according
to the manner specified, and certify the
same to the auditor of accounts, and the
treasurer of the county or corporation
for the purpose of collecting the tax.
Druggists are required to take cut a re-
tail dealers license and subjected to all
the duties and penalties of other retail
dealers.
The penalties affixed for all violations
of the act are very severe, extending in
nearly all cases to imprisonment in addi-
tion to heavy fines. The Mofiett register
is the one adopted for use in Virginia
and accomplishes the desired purpose.
The law has proved very successful,
yielding 10 the state heavy revenue,
and keeps the entire business of distilling,
manufacturing or selling any kind of
liquors, under the control of the courts,
in a systematic manner.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
DREAMING Ar roRLscORE.

She sits in the gathering twilight
Is her weil-woru Tocking-chaiT.
With the snow OF life's lone vinter
Ia the meshes Of her hair;
She dreams OF the little children
Who lett her long ago.
Aud listens Tor their footsteps
With the longing mother know.
She hears them coming, coming!
And her heart is all elate
At the patter of little footsteps,
Down by the garden gate,
The clatter of Childrens vsices
Comes merrily 10 her ears,
And she cries, in her quivering treble,
Z" Ou are la'e, my little dears!'
And then, they sre here beside her
As the had them long ago
Susie and Ben, ana Mary.
And Euthie, and little joe
And her heart throts high with rapture
As each fond kiss is given,
And the Right is tillel with music
Sweet ss her dreams OF Heaven.
sad wonderful things they tell her.
A nest in the apple-iroe;
And the robin gave them q scolding
r or climbing up to see
wee white lamb in the pasture
a wild rose on the hill
And such great ripe strawberry
As Sue found by the mill
She listens to all their prattle,
Her heart abrim with rest
She's queen in little kingdom,
Zach child royal guest
Queen His an empty titfei
More than queen ia she:
Mother Of young immOTtais
Who gather at her knee.
She brings their welcome supper,
And they sit down at her feet
Tired, and hungry, and happy,
And she laughs 10 see them eat.
Then she sInooths the yellow tangles
with mothers patient hand,
While she tells SONS wonderful story
OF the children's fairY-lsnd.
1henehe little knotted shoe-sirlngs
Are patiently united,
And the cbildren IN thsiI night-sovns
kneel at their mothers side.
Their voices are low and sleepy
Ire their simple prayers are said,
And the goodnight kiss Is given
By each waiting little bed.
Then quiet comes about her,
Solemu and still and deep,
And she says in her dreamy fanCJes,
The children are fast aslcep;''
es, last asleep, poor mother,
20 their beds so low and green,
Daisies and clover blossom
Each face aud sky between,
-Ebea Z. ResJord, in Christian linton
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
GRAVE AND GAY

Little minds rejoice over the errors
Of men Of genius, as the owl rejoices at
an eclipse.
-" N9 ma'am," said grocer to an
applicant for credit, 81 wouldn't even
trust my own feelings"
The only safety from apothecary
poisoning lies in employing no doctor
who writes Latin prescriptions.
Fancy rules over two-thirds of the
universe, the past and the future, while
reality is confined in the present.
Some there are who gaze intently
into the we'll of truth, but only in hope
OF seeing their own image reflected there.
. 1t has been remarked of a Chicago
couple, "Two souls with but single
thought-hoy to get rid of each other"
Some connoisseurs would give hun
dred pounds for the head of beggar, in
painting, who would threaten the living
mendicant with the prison.
In Wisconsin, the average wealth
of each person is s769.9O; in Michigan,
$G07 Al in Iowa, $GOl.O3; in Kansas,
$51S.36; in Texas, $lO430.
Good sense Is the body of poetic ge-
MUS; fancy, its drapery; motion, its life
and magnetism, the soul that is every
where, forming all into one graceful and
intelligent whole.
90" say, missus won't you come and
teach us7 We're going TO bounce our
teacher he's too slow" Thus did some
Brooklyn Sunday school scholars request
a lady to take charge Of them.
English is the court language Of
Germany. 1t is proud moment when
n - nrur iu.sssy yass-nss-tsa-.-
is saluted with Dot WAS pooty
schplentit morning, amt it ?"
Falstaff answered by the New York
CommercialAdvertiser whats honor"
asks Falstaff. That's easy. ANY woman
who sits behind another woman inchurch
can tell whats on her in two minutes. g..
"A new York jeweler has a splendid
opal ring which has been sold nine times
as an engagement ring, and as many
times exchanged, on account of the
general belief that the opal is unlucky.
Are these soaps all one scent -
inquired lady of a Juvenile salesman.
q No, ma'am, they are all ten cents"
replied the innocent youngster.
An exchange wants TO know how
the Turks happened to learn to fight 80
well. Why man, most of the Turkish
officers have over half dozen wives.
One of the Kentucky minstrels Is
sitting for his care in character. Opera
tor" Now, sir, look pleasant--smile a
little" Minstrel smiles. 90 that will
never do. It's too wide for the instru-
ment."
..Itis far easier to feign respect when
we do not feel it, than TO express itwhen
we actually do; for which reason frank,
straightforward people appear hyopcriti'
cal to suspicious ones. The very tear OF
seeming deceitful makes US seem so.
Tpe heart OF a great man surrounded
by poverty and trammeled by depend
ence, n like an egg in a nest built among
briars. 1t must either curdle into bit
terness, or il it take lie and mount
struggle through thorns for the ascent
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07

She opens her husbands Letters on the
same ground that ne opens hers. A man
has no right here to whip his wife, or %
harness her TO a plow, as the German TAR
mers do. In fact, it's getting SO IN our
country that a wife has almost as many
rights as a husband, and the convection
is slowly gaining ground that marriage ls
a matter of mutual service and attention.
We owe Prof. Christlieb something Tor
bringing this to our notice. lie may
have stopped Us on the brink Of pfsei'
pice. rs 1t were .-Spr!nqfela Replt6ltcaII.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07

A lady took passage in the mail train
at Pittsburg, Monday, with Greensburg
as her destination When the train
reached that station the conductor
thought she was sleeping, aud, taking
her by the shoulder, shook her, at the
same time remarking: Madam, this is
your place to get off" No answer was
returned, and upon examining more
closely he found that she was dead
Philadelphia Ledger.
During the year ending September
30th, 165 new oranges have been or
ganized and located in thirty-one states
as follows: Alabama, 3; Arkansas. /;
California, 10; Florida, 3; Georgia. >;
Illinois, Z; Indiana, l; Kansas, 2; Ioqisi
ana, 3; Maine, 2; Maryland. 8; Massa-
chussetts, /; Michigan, ,; Minnesota, ,;
Missouri, s; Nebraska, ,; New Hamp-
shire, (; New York, z; North Carolina,
); Ohio. is; Oregon l; q pennsylvania, %;
South Carolina, ,; Tennessee, 6; Texas,
II; Vermont, 5; Virginia, Is; West Vir-
ginia, s; Idaho, /; Arizona, l.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
le following explanation ar

The following explanation appears in
the Rome Sentinel TIE Fifth ward
gentleman who left church so suddenly
last Sunday was not sick, as his friends
feared at the time. That forenoon, lust
before service, he visited his barn to see
that his horse had been properly cared
for, and finding new-laid egg he put it
In his coat-skirt pocket. The recollec-
ton that the egg was still in his pocket
prompted him to steal away from the
congregation to make investigations, and
we regret to say that his worst fears were
realized.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07

Mistress (on coming home from the
seaside)-" Why, Jane, what's become of
the bullfnch % Jane" Well, you see
Nm, it didn't sing much and looked
droopin' ike, SO cook put it out of its
misery, an 'ad it stuffed for my at 7
Punch.
The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
And deal damnation 70 nd the ian
On each l judge thy foe.

According to Rev. Joseph Cook,
every mans face is phosphe resent in It's
glow in proportion az he is good. But
there il a glow which comes not OF good
meas. and neither Of PHOSPHORUS.
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-24
Alexauoria 6axttte
MONDAY EVENING, deer. "a.

The CosT OF MARRIAaE.-It is really sur.
prising that any young man can muster courage
to enter upon the bonds of matrimony just now,
for weddings have come to be such pompous
and costly affairs that only the sons ana
daughters Of millionaires can be supposed 10
have the cash capital necessary to foot the 6lll'
One loving papa gives his daug liter ntty tnCu.
sand dollar necklace, friend presents lne
daughter of another millionaire with necklace
worth twenty five thousand dollars. and OF
course the other wedding paraphernalia must
correspond. It is very unusual thing now LOT
people of any pretensions to be content to stan
up in the good old fashioned family psarlor ana
have the nup.al knot tied. The church ana ine
big organ, the artistic choir, the gorgeously-
arrsyed bride and bridesmaids, the ela6orstey
gotten up groom and groomsman, the diamond
rings, the big fec to the parson, the cost OF car
riage hire tie set-out a. the receptions, and Inc
countless other costly things pertaining TO-
fashionable wedding, are enough to appal Inc
heart of any young man who has not prihceiS
income
The girls love it dearly. Next to being mar
ried themselves, is the delight OF seeing other
people noosed. They will crowd the biggest
church in the city at any time to see fashion
able wedding, and return to their home IN costa
ces, their foolish little hearts wondering Wnetner
when they 70 to the altar there Will be as many
witnesses, whether the gifts will be as magnln :
cent the bridal outfit ss superb and the wedding
tonr as widely extended. But how is it with tho
Young men-poor fellows?
Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-24

All trains daily on ain line.
The EXPRESS SOUTH bound connects at
Lynchburg for the Wet and Southwest and
at Danville for tho South, South East and South
West. ., O.
The MAIL south bound con nects with 9. u
o. East and West, and at Lynchburg tor the
South and South West; at Manassas for Stras'
burg, except Sunday.
For WARRENTON 10 a. M. daily.
GORDONSVILLE LOCAL leaves Alexan-
dria 40 a. M, and arrives at Gordonsville 90
p. m. daily, except Sunday. Leaves Gordons,
Vile 4 40 9. M, and arrives st Alexandria 40
p. m. daily, except Saturday and Sn9day' lava
Washington daily, except Sunday, at 8 10 q. m.
and Alexandria 40 a. m. Returning, leave
Strasburg 90 a. m and arrive at Alexandria
at Is p. m.
North bound trains make close connections
| with BALTIC. s. Ohio and Bait. s. Potomac trains
to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, and
| TO all points North and Northwest.
The Express train has SLEEPING CARS
through, without change. between New York
and Lynchburg, and between Washington and
New Orleans.
Through tickets to the South and West.
s. SPENC GER, Sdpt. Transp'n.
| J. M BROADUS, &. T.>x.. nov II