davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
The Paradise Of Babiess.

ONE of the first problems presented to
foreign teacher in Japan is the reason
of the great apparent happiness and
light heartedness of Japan children. One
may walk for hours through the streets
of Toxic, and scarcely ever hear a child's
cry of distress. Four principal causes
of this superiority of the children
of Japan over those of other nations
have been suggested by an English lady
resident here. They are so we'll worthy
of the attention of teachers at home that
l reproduce them here. They are:
/. The style of clothing, loose and yet
warm, is far more comfortable than the
dress of our children. 2. Japanese
children are much more out in the open
air and sunshine. 3. The absence of
furniture and, therefore, the absence of
peatedly-given instructions "not to
touch" The thick, soft mating, form
ing at once the carpet and the beds of all
Japanese houses, and the raised Intel,
on which the child may Chamber as it
grows strong, constitute the very beau
ideal of an infants play ground. 4.
Children are much petted, without being
capriciously thwarted. A child is not
cutfed one moment and INDUCED the
next, as is too frequently the case at
home. To these four most suggestive
reasons l would add fifth, which is,
that Japanese character is so constituted
as to bring their elders into much
stronger sympathy with the little ones
than is the case in busy, bustling,
money-making England 1t has been
well said that "Japan is Paradise of
babies" for you may see old and young
together playing at battledoor and shut
tlecock in the streets, while on HOLIDAYS
the national amusement of men, women,
and children is flying huge paper kites
Puppet-shows and masquerades also
have their votaries in thousands, from
among both sexes and all ages. 1t oc-
CURED to me, therefore, that it might be
profitable to me as an educator, whose
lines are cast among this strange people,
to investigate the nature and value of
the amusements and sports in vogue
here, and | think that the results of these
investigations may not be uninteresting
or devoid of suggestion to my fellow
teachers at home.
The young Japanese are well provided
with games and amusements of an in
tellectual nature, and for the account
of these am much indebted to paper
by Prof. Griffis, read before the Asiatic
Society of Japan in 1874. found that
some dissected maps which, brought out
here excited much interest and attention,
and some experiments with Buffers arith-
metical cubes showed that there was
great aptitude for notions of form. Some
success has also attended, " class match"
which we have held, from which it would
appear that the boys have the powerof re.
tentiveness largely developed, but that
they have little or no idea of generaliza.
ton or abstraction. They seem quick at
grasping some part of truth; but i'm
patient of learning anything Except
Words thoroughly, and yet to recognize
their deficiencies when pushed into
corner by cross-examination; this de-
pendence on words is easily accounted
for when one knows their system of ma
tional education, an outline of which
hope TO send home before long; in the
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08

THIS is one of those pleasant exercises
we have brought down from our English
ancestors. Will somebody be kind enough
barrel solemnly reading the Riot act to
mob of railroad men? Perhaps, as a
stroke of genius, it wasn't bad notion,
after all Nothing could possibly put
the crowd into better humor or excite
more inextinguishable laughter. Seri-
ously, nobody ever did read the Riot act.
There are three or four of them, no
doubt There was one in Mary's
reign, and another later, and then the
Riot act by George, or in the reign of
George l., which is much the same Per
haps there was one much earlier than
either, and they are solemn, musty old
acts, and any railroad engineer ought to
fall on his knees and uncover his head in
the hoary presence. No doubt they would
if any Sheriff ever did actually discharge
his duty and read all the Riot acts. AS
nobody ever saw the Riot act, or knows
where it is, and the pursuit of stray
act through the volumes of reports and
statistics is trifie troublesome during a
vigorously conducted riot, the Sheriff
generally gets hold of the spelling book
as the first thing in the way, and reads
the story about the old man, the boy, the
apple-tree, the grass and the stones, and,
taking the cue, the mob generally try to
keep even and reply to his grass with
stones. We knew one Sheriff to read
Mary Had Little Lamb" in the First
Reader, and the mob broke up in tears
and great disorder. Another Sheriff read
the genealogical chapter of Matthew
with great effect. The light was dim, he
was not a irst-rate scholard," and he
read hesitatingly and incorrectly: "Abra-
ham begot Isaac, and Isaac begot Jacob,
and Jacob begot Judas and his brethren"
The crowd thought he was interlarding
the Riot act with some emphatic profan-
ity expressing his own views on the sub
ject, and in ten lines they had all dis
persed except one fellow who had omitted
the profanity and gone to sleep under
the genealogy. The Riot act is very
ancient and solemn, and, if actually read,
no doubt very terrible, instrument
Nashville (Tenn.) american.
THE story may not be true, in spite of
its inherent probability, but it is said
that not long since resident of Niagara
Falls fell off the bridge at Goat Island,
and was instantly swept to the brink of
the awful gulf below. There he man
aged to get hold of rock, and held on
for half an hour. A sympathizing crowd
rushed into the house and grounds near
by, where the mans wife was Historically
watching the struggles of her unfortu-
nate husband, as that spot afforded the
best view; whereupon, from the force of
habit, the distracted woman Immediately
revived sufficiently to charge and collect
a dollar apiece from the crowd for the
privilege of viewing the catastrophe
from her premises.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
How a NewsbOy Saved a Bank.

AND now let me tell you how Didley,"
the newsboy, stopped a panic. 1t was
soon after the failure of the Bank of
Pennsylvania, and public confidence in
all moneyed institutions was badly
shaken. Savings funds especially felt
the shock. Well, rumor had gone
about the Savings Fund then located in
the building at the southeast corner of
Third and Chestnut streets, where the
Western Union Telegraph office is now
situated. The depositors were mostly
Germans, in small amounts. Didley had
told me he had $500 deposited there,
and so when rush was made on the
bank l called on the President as news
paper man to make inquiries. Dudley
hadn't got down town yet, but some of
the newsboys started for his house to
notify him, while others gathered in the
crowd. All were as much interested as
himself in his finances. A failure of the
bank meant stoppage of theater tickets.
l soon learned that the Savings Fund
was in condition to go through if the
rush was checked.
"But we can't stand this panic I'll
see that Didley sha'n't lose cent, if
have to pay it out of my own pocket, "
said the President. This touched me,
and resolved to help him. "Ill send
Dudley over here when he arrives"
suggested to the President, land when he
comes you give him full liberty to look
a. the books, etc, as you have given me.
Then trust to his tact" found Dudley
waiting for me at the office, and told him
the facts. Over he walked, with the
careless air of a capitalist, through the
crowd into the bank, followed by yell
ing mass of newsboys.
81 want to see the President" de.
manded Dudley.
am here; what can do for you,
Mr.. -" calling him by his proper
name)?
well, Mr.. President, I want to knew
the exact state of affairs. / have $500
deposited here, and can't afford to lose
it. But l don't want to trouble you by
drawing it out if it is safe. ask you,
on your word of honor, is it safer"
81 assure you that it is, on my word of
honor. But as you have acted so gentle
manly, walk in and examine the books"
With one of his little hands thrust
under his short coat tails and the other
placed on his breast, Didley walked into
the Directors room with all the style of
a Rothschild The rush for money was
temporarily stopped by the crowd gazing
on this little man.
Soon Dudley emerged, his face show
ing evident satisfaction. "Did you get
your money!" was the salutation of the
crowd of boys, as he reached the step.
Why should get my money? don't
scare like those Dutchmen," he an
swered. "This banks all safe" "Three
cheers for the bank" "Three cheers for
Dudley" went up from hundreds of
youthful throats. The older folks stood
awe stricken. The confidence of the
newsboys asserted itself among them
and by noon the panic was stopped, and
the crowd had disappeared. The Presi-
dent told me afterward that Dudley had
saved the bank, as continuance of the
rush would have embarrassed them
beyond redemption, before they had time
to dispose of their assets at a proper
price. Philadelph ia Record.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
Her s. Chrome"

The Chief of Police was visitedrs~stAS--
day by sharp-nosed, keen-eyed %oniaL
who carried chrome, 10x14 in size, in
her hand, and who placed it before him
and asked:
Are you a judge of chromios and oil
paintings?"
well, l can tell what suits me-" he
replied.
Can you tell one from the other?"
Yes, m"
" And what do you call this?"
"That is chrome" He wanted to say
that it was the worst one he ever saw,
but he didn't.
Now you are sure, are you?" she
asked.
Certainly am"
Well, that makes me feel a good
deal better. bought that yesterday of
all agentfor chronic, and he had scarce
ly left the house when some of the neigh
bors came in and said he'd swindled me,
and that it was nothing but an oil paint
ing. l thought I'd bring it down and
get your opinion; and you say it's a
chronic, do your"
81 do"
" All right-thanks. I've always been
an enthusiastic patron of art, and if that
man had got four dollars out of me on
false pretenses it would have kind O. set
me up against the old masters. If the
neighbors stick to it that this isn't a
chronic I'll tell 'em to come and ask
you" -DetrOit Free Press.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
CalifOrnia's Woman Walker.

A petite figure, built for endurance,
five feet two inches in height; shoulders
higher and squarer than those generally
seen on a woman, well-formed bust,
hips not so broad as usual, head large
and well formed, with clear, colorless
complexion, eyes blush gray, and hair
dark brown. Such are the chief out
| lines of Kate Lawrence, the new candi
date for pedestrian fame. She is thirty
years of age, and has lived here for the
last eight years, working at dressmaking
She tired some fifteen months since of
working at her needle with no prospect
| for the future. Sick, too, she got the
idea that walking would help her health,
and after consultation with we'll
known professor of athletics she deter
mined to make the effort to,beat Miss Won
Hillern. Her first walk in the way of
self-training was to the Ocean House and
back, twenty-five miles. This stint she
kept up for several weeks, and then she
started on the road to San Mateo, thirty
miles distant Her next walk was on the
railroad to Santa Clara, 40 miles. These
walks were commenced at four q. m. In
few days she started for San Jose, SO
miles, a walk she accomplished easily in
an ordinary day. Shortly afterward
Horticultural Hall was engaged, and she
walked against time, rs miles in "a hours
The walk was actually accomplished
in 10 hours, SO minutes, 43 miles being
walked in her stockings, the shoes having
hurt her feet. Having accomplished this
Kate Lawrence determined to try again.
She started to walk so miles in 10 hours,
and accomplished it in IA hours 10 min
utes. During this walk she made two
different miles in ten minutes for each.
Since these walks in Horticultural Hall
Mrs. Lawrence has walked daily to and
from the city to the Cliff House, doing
this sixteen miles in three hours for
months past before breakfast, and then
doing her regular days work in addition.
She has improved in health under the
steady exercise and the regimen neces
sary until her health is perfect.-San
Francisco Post.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
One OF Louis NapOleon's Adventures.

In the year 1884 the fall election in
New York had been preceded by cam
paign of unusual excitement. The great
Democratic leader, William L. Marcy,
was the candidate of his party for Gov
ernor. 1t was expected that there would
be lively times on the day of election
in the city of New York, and several
Hartford merchants arranged to 90 down
together to see the fun, and, at the same
time, take advantage of the trip to pur-
chase goods. They arrived in the city
by boat on the morning of election, and
took rooms at the New York Hotel.
Among the number were David Clark
and A. S. Porter. The whole party Wis
tied some of the voting precincts and
saw the "fun," which included many
street fights and minor rows.
During the afternoon Mr.. Clark and
MIR. Porter were looking over newspapers
in the reading-room of the hotel, and
were seated apart. At one end of the
room was the bar. While Mr. Clark
was busily engaged in reading his at
tention was attracted by loud voices,
among which he recognized Mr. Porter's,
and, looking up, saw three young fell
lows somewhat excitedly engaged in con-
versation with Mr.. Porter. He went at
once to learn the cause of the debate, and
found that the strangers were demanding
that Mr.. Porter should pay for bottle
of wine which they alleged he had lost
on bet. OF course he had made no bet
and the fellows were attempting to i'm
pose upon him. Mr.. Clark was then a
spare man not as portly as he is now
but was muscular and strong and was a
dangerous subject in a rough and tum-
BILE. When he heard the spokesman of
the party of three declare that unless
Porter paid the wine every bone in his
body should be broken he stepped up to
the fellow and said: "You try that
once, and I'll take every one of you sim
gly and throw you out of that window"
pointing to window not far up from
the floor. The clustering young man
looked at the tall form before him, and,
seeing two sledge hammer fists and long
arms ready for business, took the hint
to depart, and his companions went with
him.
Mr.. Clark was considerably interested
in the episode, and before he left New
York learned that the fellow he had
talked with was Louis Napoleon, who
was then leading fast and reckless life
in the metropolis. When he saw the
man again it was in 1857, but under diff.
ferent circumstances. 1t was in Paris,
and the youth had become the Emperor
of the French, and Mr.. Clark did not
think it advisable to introduce himself
as the person who twenty-odd years be-
fore showed fight in New York Hart
ford COurdnt
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
The Fly.

THE saying goes: Flies come in
cherry time" Rule-they will now
hold high carnival, in despite of boys,
birds and hy-paper until the cold north
wind in the late fall forces them away
until another cherry. time comes. Every
body cries "alas!" and again "alas"
that the sweet morning hours in which
ones sleep is more sweet because, per-
haps, of the dear, malicious thought that
so many others must then be awake and
at work, are now divided into poor, inn
patient segments by the buzz and pounce
and tickle of the assiduous enemy. Now
is the time when one must choose be-
tween excluding the air, with the light
which is indispensable to Mr.. Fly's &C.
tivity, or else one must suffer his attacks
until he has succeeded in accomplishing
his diabOlical purpose of awakening the
sleeper. He will follow his victim to
meals, and will taste in advance all the
dainties of the table with that filthy pro-
boscis of his, lately where, who knows?
Nay, moreover, he will trample over
them with feet never washed. He will
seek his human prey when the sun has
conspired with the task of mans every
day labor to lay upon the faces of men
the salt moisture and excretory debris of
perspiration, to gall his victim in the
very moments when most sensitive. 1t
will be no comfort to the average man
to think that all the fly asks at such
times is meat and drink, which he finds
in such admirable intermixture upon the
dripping human brow. Let him forage
elsewhere; no noble scientific devotion or
self-denial shall prevent the average
man from slapping his life out if Mr..
Fly can only be once hit-this if" is a
fatal one-for the agility and elusiveness
of the fly is his most Satanic attribute.
Could men but destroy all human and ami
NAL and circumstantial things that an
noy them, they would be as happy as the
accomplished violinist Nero. But to bear
and helplessly suffer is, together with
much adversely, what makes men all sad
en- y gray before their time; and the fly
"a small part of the cause for this.
1.-THE "small boy" or man, either,
no has sacrificed his hair to the
70 win gifts FROM the god of
ease. Long hair is a
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
Lemons a Cure for CONSUMPTION.

A CORRESPONDENT of an English med
ical journal furnishes the following reci-
pc as new cure for consumption: Put
dozen whole lemons in cold water and
boil until soft (not too soft, roll and
squeeze until the juice is all extracted,
sweeten the juice enough to be palatable,
then drink. Use as many as dozen
day. Should they cause pain or loose
ness of the bowels lessen the quantity
and use five or six day until better,
then begin and use dozen again. By
the time you have used five or six dozen
you will begin to gain strength and have
an appetite. Of course as you get better
you need not use so many. Follow these
directions and we know that you will
never regret it if there is any help for
you. Only keep it up faithfully" We
know of two cases that were given up by
the physicians, and were in the last
stages of consumption, yet both were
cured by using lemons according to the
directions we have stated. One lady in
particular was bedridden and very low;
had tried everything that money could
procure, but all in vain, when, to please
a friend, she was finally persuaded to
use the lemons. She began to use them
in February, and in April she weighed
140 pounds. She is well woman to-
day, and likely to live as long as any of
Telegraph.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08

meantime some idea of it may be gained
by reading Prof. Griffis' account of the
following games, all of them played by
means of cards.
6 In one of these large square sheet
of paper is laid on the floor. On this
card are the names and pictures of the
fifty three post stations between Yedo
CTokio) and Kioto. AT the place Kioto
are put few coins or a pile of cakes, or
some such prizes, and the game is
played with dice. Each throw advances
the player toward the goal, and the one
arriving first obtains the prize. The
lroha Garuta are small cards, each con-
tanning proverb. The proverb is
printed upon one card and the picture
illustrating it upon another. The
children range themselves in a circle
and the cards are shuffled and dealt.
One is appointed to be the reader.
Looking at his cards, he reads the
proverb. The player who has the
picture corresponding to the proverb calls
out, and the match is made. Those who
are rid of their cards first win the game.
The one holding the last card is the
loser. If he be boy, he has his face
marked curiously with ink If a girl,
she has paper or wisp of straw
stuck in her hair"
Other games of the same nature are
the Haiku Min 1oshiu Garuta, the Kukiu
Garuta, the Genji Garuta and the Chi
Garuta, which all consist of cards on
which are written parts of verses or
stanZas. One person reads out the por-
ton on his card, and the one having the
card containing the remainder of that
stanza must produce it. These games
test how far the children have learned
their recitations. Some of the cards are
written with Japanese characters, others
with Chinese, and the reward of being
allowed to take part in these games
(which are usually played during the
New Year holidays is held out to back
ward pupils to induce them to study
hard. After stating the useful and ben
eticial effects of the games he has been
describing, Mr.. Griffis says: 1.-THE
study of the subject leads one to respect
more highly the Japanese people for be-
ing such atfectionate fathers and mothers,
and for having such natural and docile
children. The character of the children's
plays and their encouragement by the
parents has, think, much to do with
that frankness, affection and obedience
on the side of the children, and that
kindness and sympathy on that of the
parents, which are so noticeable in
Japan, and which is one of the good
points of Japanese hfe and character. -
London iSDectltOr
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-09-08
Bound to the Track.

An old German named John Schmezig,
scarcely able to walk from illness, might
have been seen on our streets on Friday
last begging for bread. He is sixty.five
years of age and is slowly recovering
from protracted spell of sickness.
The old man reached Cairo on Friday,
after a trip of $50 miles, every foot of
which was made on foot, notwlthstand.
ing his feeble condition. He started
with ten dollars in his pocket and made
his journey on foot, in the hope that on
his arrival in Cairo he would have money
enough left to pay his pas sage to Troy,
Ind, near which place he hoped to find
a brother. At point on the Illinois
Central Railroad, few miles below Du-
Quoin, he met II couple of negro men
who halted him, roughly threw him to the
ground, and proceeded to rob him. He
had seven Of the ten dollars, and this