davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

CARBoLIc ACID.-A few drops Of carbolic
acid in pint of water will cleanse house
plants from lice in very short time. If
mosquitoes or other blood-suckers infest
our sleeping rooms at night we uncork a
bottle of pennyroyal, and these insects
leave in great haste, nor will they return so
long as the air in the room is loaded with
the fumes of that aromatic herb. If rats
enter in the cellar, little powdered potash
thrown into their holes or mixed with meal
and scattered in their runways, never fails
to drive them away.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Mr.. Spurgeon says he would rather be
hanged than write out sermon. He once
remarked to a visitor: If had a month
given me to prepare a sermon, would
spend thirty days and twenty-three hours
in something else, and in the last hour I
would make the sermon" At the close OF
one of his most eloquent discourses he said
to an interviewer: "The text was given TO
me by one of my deacons, who died YES.
terday, and requested in his last moments
that | would preach from it. At 6 this
morning / sat down to think out the dis.
course. spent an hour upon the text and
could make nothing out of it. never
could preach from other peoples texts. /
said this in my dispair to my wife, who
told me to try again. I tried again with
the same result. 'Well,' said Mrs. s., 20
into the pulpit and the sermon will come
to you.' | followed the advice, and you
know the result"
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

AN ECONOMICAL CHARACTER.-Amos Fish,
who died in Albany last week, leaving
property worth $4,000, once described his
manner of life to friend thus: "I buy a
shank of beef from the butcher, which
costs me ten cents. My wife makes
enough soup from this to do US one meal +:
then the meat cut from it afterward makes
two more meals, or one days food for ten
cents. 1 split the bones and get the mar
row for cooking purposes, and my wife
finds sufficient fuel in the bone itself to do
considerable cooking. Then in an iron
box | save the ashes, which use for man.
uring few plants that bring me six cents
each" Yet when extra taxes were put
upon his property he very rarely, if ever,
demanded more rent from tenants than
what they had been paying. He married
a widow, who had two children and little
money. He offered to borrow the money
and to allow her seven per oentum. His
wife accepted the proposition, and he was
in charge of the property for a long time.
One day he forced a settlement with her,
bringing in bin for her own and child
rend's board, and leaving her in debt to
him.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

The DIFFERENCE.-A woman will take
the smallest drawer in a bureau for her
own private use, and will pack away in it
bright bits of boxes, Of all shapes and sizes.
dainty bits Of ribbon and scraps of lace.
foamy rufiies, velvet things for the neck,
bundles of old letters, pieces of jewelry,
handkerchiefs, fans, things that no man
knows the name of, all sorts of fresh look
ing little traps that you couldn't catalogue
In column, and in any hour, in the day
or night, she can go to that drawer and
pick out any article she wants without dis.
turbing anything else. Whereas, a man,
having the biggest, deepest, and widest
drawer assigned to him, will chuck into it
three socks, a collar-box, an old nektie,
two handkerchiefs, a pipe, pair of sus.
penders, and to save his soul he can't shut
that drawer without leaving more ends of
things sticking out than there are in it,
and it always looks as if it had been packed
by hydraulic press.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

HEALTHFULNEss OF LEMoNs.--When
people feel the need of an acid, if they
would let vinegar alone and use lemons or
sour apples, they would feel just as well
satisfied and receive no injury. And a
good suggestion may not come amiss as a
good plan, when lemons are cheap in the
market. A person should in these times
purchase few dozen at once and prepare
them for use in the warm days of summer
when acids, especially citric and malic OF
acids of lemons and ripe fruits are SO crate.
ful and useful. Press your hand on the
lemon and roll it briskly on the table to
make 1t squeeze more easily, then press
the juice into bowl or tumbler (never
into TIM; strain out all the seeds, as
they give bad taste. A few minutes
boiling is sufficient. Put pound of white
sugar to pint of juice, boil three minutes
bottle it, and your lemonade is ready. Put
a tablespoonful of this lemon syrup in a
glass of water and you have cooling
healthful drink.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

TASTE IN DREss.-Is there anything more
absurd than that which prescribes the same
sort and style of dress for all individuals of
certain class? Why should tall ladies
and short ones, thin women and stout ones.
dark complexioned and blonde girls, all be
required to wear clothes cut and made in
the same style, and of materials of the same
fabric and colors? That dress or bonnet
that is becoming to aud adorns a.tall, thin
girl, is not only not fitted for short, stout
female figure, but positively makes the
wearer unattractive. Why not allow a
degree of individuality in dress, and let
each person exercise individual taste and
judgment in wearing the style and material
OF dress that are most becoming to each ?
The tyranny of fashion is not greater than
its absurdity in this matter, and the in.
dividual who will inaugurate revolution
in public sentiment that will abolish or
mitigate the ridiculous rules that now force
people of the most widely different figures,
sizes and complexions, into garments of
uniform cut and color, will achieve distinc.
ton as genuine reformer, and also confer
a great benefit on civilized society.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

WINTER OATs.-Down South they have
new variety of oats which they call
" Winter Oats" They are sown in Sep.
tember, make excellent fall pasture, stand
the winter well and produce very largely
yielding more than twice as much as
northern, springsown oats. They grow
and stand the winter well in Tennessee.
Those who have grown them in the South
declare they will flourish anywhere on the
Peninsula.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08
Unsuccessful Writers.

The N. Y. Egening Post has an article on
the complaints of the authors of rejected
manuscripts, which complaints, it adds,
amount to this, that in the opinion of the
authors of manuscripts which the editors
do not want, those manuscripts are better
than the ones which are accepted, and that
there are many of the unsuccessful writers
who need the money which their writings
would bring them if they were accepted.
The Post continues:
:" In both of its heads this complaint is,
OF course, ridiculous, because in both it
overlooks the most important fact con-
nectedwith literary work-the fact, namely,
that whatever degree Of sentiment there
may be in the minds of writers with re.
spect to their work, the sale and publica-
ton of literary wares is as strictly com.
mercial matter as the sale of soap is.
Every competent magazine editor knows
whether or not an article is likely to help
the sale Of his magazine, and he governs
himself accordingly in every case. To sup.
pose that he is guided by any other rule is
to suppose that he is fool. He cannot
buy articles merely because their authors
need the money, any more than he can 90
about buying dry goods which he does not
need, merely because their owners wish to
sell them. This matter ought to be plainly
understood by the persons who now mis-.
undapSfopd ~ 10 Al o,r,, cou,,z,.. M
ought to learn that if they can write what
the public wants to read there will be a
market for their wares, while if they cannot
do this, however excellent their literary
productions may be, they would do better
to abandon the business for which they are
unfit, and seek work Of some other kind.
No man can afford to publish newspaper
or magazine for the fun of the thing,
and no publisher of newspaper or magazine
can afford to purchase any manuscript
which he does not want.
"The mistake in this case is the same
as that which is made in many others.
The persons who complain persistently re-
gard their cases as isolated or nearly
isolated ones, which might be dealt with
by little generosity. In fact, however
every magazine editor picks the articles
which he uses out of five or six or ten
times their number, and if every article
sent to him was thoroughly good he must
nevertheless return the greater part Of
them, simply for want of space in which to
print them.''
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

"Young person" applicant for house
maids "situation'')-"M May l ask, sir, if
you keep boy?" Old gent-"A boyl No.
Why?' Young person." Oh, to clean
boots and knives, carry up Goals and
"Old gent-A-may l ask-can you play
the piano?" Young person (dubiously)-
" No, sir" Old gent-"Ah, then, I'm
afraid you won't-that is, we shall not suit
you. l and my wife always carry up the
Goals and wash the dishes, and all that sort
of thing. All we want is some one to play
the piano !'-Puach.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

The Boy ORAToR.-Harry Shannon, the
boy orator, who is now about seven wears
old, gave several entertainments in Balti.
more last week. The Bee saws of him
4" He realized in the highest degree the
encomiums passed upon him in other cities
and elected the heartiest applause. 1t
should be remembered that this wonderful
boy is comparatively an infant in years
that he has, except when rendering his
pieces, all the characteristics of a child F.:
that he cannot read and never received the
least training. He is possessed of a gift
simply inexplicable, which some have pro
nounced 'inspiration,' but which is really
an unfathomable mystery. With all his
great intelligence his powers are incompre.
hensible to himself or to his parents. He
only knows that when he hears a speech or
poem read to him, no matter now great
length, he has it instantly memorized, and
that he can render it with all the EXPIRES.
sion, gesticulation and tone of voice as if he
were the author OF it. Wendell Phillips.
Mr.. Evarts, Mr.. Beecher, DR.. Talmage and
other eminent orators, have given it as
their opinion that Master Shannon is the
most wonderful intellectual prodigy the
world has ever known, and certify their
amazement at the accuracy not only in
text, but manner ofexpression in his render
ing of their productions"
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Oh, who would die in Summer when the
trees are clothed in green; when the June
bug warbles sweetly, and the granger poles
the bean; when the melon and the collie
hand in hand together go, filling youths
and lovely maidens with their sweetness
and their woe; when ice cream, and
worms, and picnics reign suprcmcly thro'
the day, and the devil-and the doctor-at
the midnight are to pay; when the house
fly spoils our victuals and mosquitoes spoil
our sleep-we would think no more of
dying than we would of stealing sheep
And we wouldn't steal a sheep-oh, no (?)
-Mcdfom IFts) NcacS.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Another triumph of American industry
Europe beaten in field where the world
thought her secure. For year our brew.
ers have been exporting large and con.
stantly-growing quantity of beer to all parts
OF the planet, and special variety Of
bottled beer is now being sent from this
port to Australia, Mexico, South America,
Calcutta, South Africa, the East Indies,
China and Japan. Everywhere it is said
to be given the preference of English and
Scotch ales and European beers, and a
trade in the article seems to have been
firmly established.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

The New York Journal Of Commerce says
that two of the largest silk mills in Patter-
son, New Jersey, have received an order
from Paris for the manufacture of certain
description of silk goods. This is probably
the first order received from Europe for
American silks, and comes from the nation
which, having made a speciality of the
manufacture, stands in the first rank as a
producer of manufactured silks.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Parson Jedediah Dewey, who preached a
war sermon the Sunday before the battle
of Bennington, was the first pastor of the
first church in Vermont. His strict theo-
logical views sometimes brought him into
contact with Col. Ethen Allen, the hero of
Ticonderoga, who lived in Bennington
some years. Preaching on the charac-
ter of God one Sunday, Col. Allen rose in
his prominent pew and disputed one of the
Parsons statements. Pointing at the dis
turber, Mr.. Dewey retorted: "Sit down,
thou bold blasphemer, and listen to the
Word of God" During the Thanksgiving
service for the surrender of Ticonderoga,
Mr.. Dewey had been ascribing the glory of
the victory to the Lord rather more sweep
ingly than was agreeable to Allen, who
called out in the midst of prayer, "Please
mention to the Lord about my being
therer'
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

When little Henry Augustus was re-
primanded by his father for khrowing
stones at another boy, and tolIkzhat he
might be hanged some day if he was not a
better boy, the lad said he didn't care il
he would be, for then the papers would
print my portrait, and the girls would send
me flowers in Jail, and I'd go to heaven,
and that ID be bully" The inference is
plain that Henry Augustus reads the daily
papers.-NoTistosca Herald.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08
A Sermon to Girls on Cooking.

Cooking classes have been popular
among fashionable young ladies of late
years. But there is no cooking class quite
equals in its opportunity for excellent in
formation that which you may find at home.
Presuming that l am talking to girl who
has just left school, advise you to make
use of your leisure in taking lessons from
your mother. There is an absolute splendid
feeling of independence in knowing how to
make perfectly light, sweet, substantial
bread. Then try your hand at biscuits,
mullins, corn bread, toast, and all the
different forms into which breadstuffs may
be blended. Toast seems a simple thing
enough, but it is so i'll made that it does
not deserve the name. Cruel, necessity
of the sick room, is often hopeless mys-
terry to women who have the vagrant idea
of how it is evolved from the raw material.
Alter you have mastered the bread ques.
ton, try meats and vegetables. Any
bright girl who can comprehend an equa.
ton, or formulate a syllogism, can over
come the difficulties which beset her when
learning to cook. Lucent syrups, golden
cake, delicately Drowned bread, quivering
jellies, melting creams, and the whole set
of material things glorifed, because made
for loves sake, and for the good of ones
dear ones are fit expressions for any
woman. The charm of this accomplish.
ment lies in the fact that it imparts to its
owner a gratifying sense of power; il
bestows on her, too, the power of blessing
and resting Of those she loves best.
Wherever the cook goes she takes her
welcome along. One may tire of the
sweetest singing, of the loveliest poetry, oi
the finest painting, of the most witty con.
versation, but of good cooking never. Yet
l would be sorry to have you be contented
to be only cook, only a domestic
machine. That is not my meaning or in
tention. BE artist, poet, inventor, and vel
bred women; be the most and best that
you can, and add, as matter of course
ability to keep house we'll and ia do all
that good housekeeping includes.--,S. s
Times.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

CHINESE COMMUNICATIONS who dine
with the Chinese are surprised at the per.
fection to which they have carried their
cooking. During a recent Chinese banquet
at San Francisco an orange was laid at the
plate OF each guest. The orange itself
seemed like any other orange, but on being
cut open was found to contain within the
rind five kinds of delicate jellies. One was
at first puzzled to explain how the jellies
got in, and giving up that chain of reHec.
ton, was in worse quandary TO know how
the pulpy part Of the orange was cut out
Colored eggs were also served, in the inside
OF which were found nuts, jellies, meats
and confectionery. When one of the
Americans present asked the interpreter tc
explain this legerdemain Of cookery, he ex
panded his mouth in a hearty laugh, and
shook his head and said, Mclean man
heap smart, why he not findee OUT
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

The Richmond (Va.) Wig tells of a sad
case of a reverse of fortune to young lady
Of that city, who was worth 100000 year
ago, but married a man who squandered
her property and has left her and gone to
Europe. She is now penniless, peddling
small articles in the streets for livelihood,
and is not yet eighteen years of age.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

There is to be reform in watering,place
correspondence. A gentleman sends from
Rockbridge Alum Springs to the Rich
mond Enquirer this startling announce
ment: "My journalistict ideas are not
advanced enough to consider ladies' fea-
lures, names and millinery legitimate sub
Jects for newspaper comment" The Eagai-
rcr falls into line behind its correspondent
"No true lady can possibly be gratified at a
microscopic exhibit Of her panier, pleat-
ings, folds, frills and futings. The society
which tolerates such a senseless and i'll
judged intrusion Of an impudcnt scribbler
is sired by shoddy and bred by brass
A curious world will now keep Its eye on
the Richmond public to see whether it will
take the other papers.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Cape May has its romance. A married
woman living in one of the cottages near
the Stockton House being aggrieved at
something in her husbands conduct, at
tempted to commit suicide the other morn.
ing by drowing in the surf. She was
rescued by gentleman who suspected her
purpose.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Of about $50 applicants for admission to
the freshman class this year at Harvard,
about one-fifth were unsuccessful, and
three-fourths of the remainder had one or
more conditions.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

gone, and she was not to see her again.
perhaps for years and years! She had
found this parting bitter thing to bear
but in her heart of hearts she had con-
sented, since she knew that the Father who
had adopted her child would indeed be
good to her, and that in His house she
would be happy and holy, and free from
both poverty and sorrow.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

John White, poor young man living
in Quincy, ILL.,, has just discovered papers
that show that he is the owner of a valua-
BILE square in the city of Springfield, ILL.,,
worth some 100000.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

If the Gar just wishes to perfectly
annihilate the Turks he should arm his
soldiers with "frearms supposed to be
empty" They do more damage now-a-
days than any other weapon.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Let Turks delight to howl and fight, for
It's their nature to; let Bear and Lion
growl and bite, for madness made them so.
But, Yankees, you should never let your
angry passions rise; don't quarrel; trade,
work hard, lie low and forward the sup
plies
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

In London the Jews have heard of
Judge Hilton and have been stirred to
wrath. A Hebrew clothier has put out a
painted sign, "No orders received from
Americans unless prepaid"
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

The Detroit newsboys are still on strike.
Their ring-leader, lad of Is years, was
arrested last week, and fined 81. Twenty
newsboys contributed five cents apiece and
released him.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

A tourist in search of natural curiosties
in Oneida county, coming to small stream,
looked over his memorandum and asked a
Dutchman near by if "this was Alder
Creek?" Yaw," was the reply, "dis vas
all der creek vat knows about yust round
herew
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Spirits turpentine has been found to be
both preventive and a cure of hog
cholera. 1t is given in teaspoonful doses
three times day, in swill, to cure, and
once day as preventive. Perhaps it
will also cure chicken cholera.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Illinois hung a man in 1869 for murder,
and now discovers that it wasn't the criminal
at all. No great harm done, however, as
he owned up to borrowing lawn mower
and keeping it for his trouble.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

The Winson mansionon Blackstone Square.
Boston, which was sold year or more ago
for $4,000, when taxed for $65,OOG has
just been offered again at auction, and
knocked down at $4,000 to the mortgage.
1t cost $4,000.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

In Missouri there are large areas ofwheat
standing unharvested for want of reapers,
and the farmers are paying two dollars and
a half per day for laborers.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Andrew jackson was accused of bad
spelling, but John Randolph defended him
by declaring that "a man must be fool
who could not spell words more ways than
one"
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

The following is told of grave-digger in
a cathedral town in the North of England
One day, while gathering in" the remains
of an aged parishcr, he observed some
women weeping by the grave side. Turn
ing around, he sharply demanded of them !:
" What are ye crying for? If ye dinna
bring 'em at so, when wad We bring 'em p
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

" Mamma" asked little Whitehaller,
lis our old hen going to be sent away for
the SUMMER" ~ guess not, my son. she
replied; :" but why do you ask such ques-
tion?' Because heard pa tell our hired
girl that they would have such sweet
time when he sent his old hen away for the
summer"
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

The vacant cottages at Newport are
Deing rented Tor less than one-third Of the
price at first asked by the real estate
agents.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Two Of the summer Hotels at Plymouth,
Mass, have not been opened al all this
year owing to lack of patronage.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

A woman worked six months in an East
Boston shipyard in mems clothes before
she was detected. She drank whisky and
smoked like a little man.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Mrs. Hickman, of Hickman, KY, has had
five pairs of twins.-Bah. San.
Smyrna times., 1877-08-08

Gone, but not Borrowed
umbrellas.