davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
StBrt NIGHT,

" 4 mother sends the following aC-
count of the way in which the little ones
of her own and a neighbor's family are
amused and cultivated, which will be of
Interest to large number of our readers:
1t is quite easy for grewn people to
amuse and entertain themselves and each
other during the long winter evenings,
but 4 more difficult task for children.
10 be sure they have blind mans buff,
magic music, ferteits, parlor croquet, and
similar games, but a friend and | have
hit upon plan which has proven very
felicitOus in many ways, and which our
children like very much indeed Every
Week we have one evening that is called
"story night" On this evening each
person present tells story, made up for
the OCCASION or cleaned from readings.
Tie Youngest members open the enter
tainment, then the next older, and 50 on
till the fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles,
and visitors, if any are present tell a
story. Lately, since the children have
been in school, they frequently select
poems from their reading books and re-
cite them With appropriate emphasis and
gesture, or write out story and read it.
The evening spent in this way is quite
the pleaSantest one of the whole week,
and looked forward to with anticipative
preparation by every member Of the two
lamilies. If any one chooses to sing q
song, or play an instrumental piece on
the piano or organ, that is gladly ac-
cepted in lieu of story; but no one is
exempt from contributing something to
the common fund of entertainment. 1t
is wonderful the improvement manifest
in the ability OF the younger ones, and
the elder ones, too, in narrating events
and handling characters. We manage
the affair in such a way that there is no
feeling of embarrassment with even the
youngest, aud as everybody must take a
part, each is kindly and forbcariug in
and ready to be amused and
entertained by all the Tribune.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
captain EADS' SUCCESS.


! n
cOmpiiAhed Pact.
At last the official survey has been
made, Which detlafes that at least twenty
feet of water for width of two hundred
feet throughout the entire length Of the
ictties is 10 le found. A certificate has
been given by general Comstock, United
States engineer in charge, 10 vapt,..,, ,s.n
Eads in proof Of this fact, and captain
Eads has left for Washington to claim
his first installment OF 100000.
In accordance with the provisions of
the last section Of the Grant auth0riz-
ing the construction,of the jettieB," it is
expected that the warrant of the secre
tary of war upon the secretary of tie
treasury will be paid to captain Eads in
five per cent. bonds, which the act or
grant authorizes the secretary of the
treasury to issue for that purpose, Gun.
les5 tie Johgfess IF the United states
shall have previously provided for the
payment Of the same by the necessary
appropriations of money" As no ap
preparation of money has been made AMI
will not now be made, the bonds should
be issued, aud no doubt will be, as tie
whole matter is now N the hands of the
secretary Of war, alone.
A navigabIe depth OF twenty feet, with,
out regard to depth of channel, has long
been secured by means of the ietties
full year in advance Of the time limited
in the grant The channel is broad,
straight and open, 50 that vessels may
sail in without a pilot. A remarkable
illustration Of tie value Of the iettes, as
harbor and road stead, IN time of
rough weather, was seen while the mem
bers Of the congressional committee were
at Port Eads few days ago The
steamship Rappahannock, having been
caught out iii astorm, sighted the iettiCs,
and had already put into her furnaces
the last pound OF coal, She was without
sails and must have been wrecked had
she not got safely into the jetties without
finding a bar General Hurlbut certi-
ties this fact to the secretary of war as
having occurred under his own obserya-
tioF,
Inc auxiliary works at the head Of the
pass-fourteep miles from the jetties -
are, with the aid of three dredgeboats,
producing fine broad channel through
the obstinate bar at that point Already
there are more than nineteen feet clear
in the channel there at low water which
is now seventy feet in width. The
dredges are now rapidly cutting it down
to twenty-tour feet, and with the first
rise in the river the pass will be thrown
open to commerce. Vessels of twenty.
two feet draught may then enter this
port with safety
The jettes are an accomplished TACT,
and deep water has been obtained -
AcW orleans TiUey.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
MeXican Border DepredatiOns.

Official information received shows
that the reported outrages committed on
American citizens resident in Me Sico
and especially in the vicinity of Mata-
nlOras, are ih the main correct The
government has now under consider.
alton the measures to be taken to secure
the proper redress, aud has ordered
thorough investigation of all the Circum.
stances attending these outrages. As
soon as more definite intelligence shall
have been received, the subject will be
promptly taken mp Ger consideration and
measures instituted to secure proper re-
dress. The United States steamer EiO
Bravo and several armed steam launches
are now patrolling Tie Rio Grande. A
considerable force Of United States troops
is also patrolling the country along the
river above and below Londo The
class of outrage> latelycompained Of are,
however, committed ON Mexican soil aud
therefore out Of the reach Of the naval
and military forces.
The president in apeaking on this sub
lect says in consequence Of the unsettled
conditionof Ne Xico, and apparently there
beng no regular organized government
to administer the affairs Of the country.
that the question of indemnity and re-
dress is difficult one to deal with. lie
seems to think that the disposition Of
those who are at the head of affairs would
not he untayorable to making ample re
dress and to put a stop to these arbitrary
proceedings but their ability to execute
under the present status of affairs is
doubtful lie said that these troubles
on the Mexican borders were almost co.
incident with our earliest intercourse
with the Mexican government, and much
OF our diplomatic correspondence has
been on the subject Of claims growing
out of depredations along the border.
He believes that these depredations are
melted by lawless persons who have for.
ieited their claims to magnanimity by
their lawless acts of rapine and murder.
From his expression it was inferred that
the main point was the protection of the
lives and property Of American citizens,
whether on American or Mexican soil.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
TEE EAST.

a plot for the escape the NTollie
Maguires confined in jail at Itsyille, Pa.
las been frustrated. James BOe and Hugh
NcGhee, under sentence Of de h, had made
Extensive preparations for escaa, the former
having already raised the hoong under his
bed.
New York World: Thedecision of
The Massachusetts supreme ourt that Is.
raelites residing in the state aust be held
amenah.e to its laws reguatin Sabbath OBJ.
servance, is without doubt lcal. Hebrew
citizens find themselves at a dadvantage in
these matters, being compeIledby conscience
70 keep one Sabbath and bylw or custom
to observe another.
Hannah Elbering, ExQimaux Joo's
wife, who was here with Cap Hall, our in.
repid arctic explorer, on tc occasion of
his last visit home, died on te Slst of De
cember at Croton, Conn, whre she had re-
sided for several years past Hannah had
learned to speak English funtly, and was
much esteemed by her neihbors, though
she never could bring hcrsclto the full en-
loyment Of the Friday evening ,eying.cir:
cles ID which she was eXpecte to move.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20

We enter upon 1877 with this backing
in our favor. 1t comprises several facts;
(I 1t is reasonable to assume that the
process Of wedding out in.olvent firms
has been weIlnigh completed; for al
though the failures of the first nine
months were Unprecedented in number
and amount, yet during the last quarter
there has been a marked abatement, and
it is very generally taken for granted
that, in the nature of the case, this
declension will be continued.
(2) The clearing out of a large number
of firms who, for the most part, have
been competing for business in an il
legitimate way, leaves the better chance
for those who remain.
(S) We have had generally good crops
during the past year.
(4) Prices of merchandise, after pro-
tracted and very severe decline, appear
to have touched bottom. At least it
may be said for the general range of
articles that not only are they no longer
declining, but, on the contrary, show
decided stcadiness and in some cases an
upward tendency. This is important
not only as implying that the reactionary
tendency that set in with the panic has
about exhausted itself, but also because
it leaves basis Tor confidence in hand
ling commodities. 1t may be that the
process of decline has not yet eliminated
in respect to real estate, and the same
may be true in respect to a class of pro
duets least essential in the general cor.
sumption OF the country this remains to
he tested; but in respect to the more
staple articles which constitute the bulk
of cur commerce, this position may be
maintained with apparent safety.
(5) As rule, the fall in wages appears
TO have reached the lowest point OF dc.
preston; this at least may be infer.
red from the fact that, for SOME months
past, We have ceased to witness reduc.
tions Of this kind. The importance Of
this fact is that a basis has been reached
upon which commodities can be pro
duced cheaply enough to meet the di-
minished purchasing ability of the com.
munity which is one of the first con
ditions precedent to a revival of pro-
duCtive operations.
(6) Stocks of merchandise are generally
in very low condition. Even if this
were not commonly reported to be the
case, we might safely infer il ~ an in.
evitable consequence of the state of
things existing for the last three years,
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20

lthas just ttranspired thatacob Behne
ayoung well.to.do farmer, livlr in Colum.
oia county, Illinois, who died cry suddenly
New Years day, was poisord by his wife
whom he married two yearsago and with
whom he lived uuhappily. Mrs. Bchnc is
under arrest, and much excament preyails
in the community.
joseph DeBell, of Noavay county.
To-, while visitnga relativtnoor Flemipcs'
'"is, become insane lew ngfs since, and,
iesVl'er IN mad, forced hs way into the
ocuFoom oil Misses Amanii Hughes and
fanny fIeming' The young Rdies escaped
through a back door, and their night
clothes ran through the snow neighbor,s
q hall mile away. DeBell atmpted to fol.
low but was captured aud pt under guard
70 await transportation home
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
4 Texan's Wonderful Traces.

A Texan, visiting his old home in In
diana, gathered around him some OF the
citizens and entertained them with his
experiences in the "Lone Star" state
One incident told by him is as follows;
"You'd hardly believe, now, what |
am going to tell. In Texas we use raw
hide straps, or thongs, for traces and in
wet weather they do sire ch amazingly.
Why, often in damp weather, at home,
I've hitched up two horses and drove
down the hill from my house into the
creek bottom for sled load Of wood.
| have loaded the wood and many times
driven back home and unhitched the
horses and the sled would not be in
sight"
How did you get the wood home,
them" asked an inquisitive bystander.
ooh, Just tied the ends of the traces
together and threw them over a POST,
went knocking about my work and waited
till the sun shone out. Sometimes it
would he more than two hours before
that sled load of wood would get home,
but you'd see her crawling up the hill at
last, gradually approaching as the raw
hide traces shrunk up into their proper
lengths, Yes, Texas is great country,
YOU bet
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20

Nor docs this rule apply TO mere mer,
camille stocks. In all the household
and wardrobes of the country there is a
comparative exhaustion Of accumulated
supplies. In our productive establish
ments, factories, workshops, etc, there
his been three years of p0stpohement Of
renovatidi5 ahd fhplacemehts; of ma
chimes, tools and instruments; and sD al
our railroads also the old appliances have
been used, as far as possible, in lieu Of
introducing few ones. This process Of
using the old instead Of procuring the
new cannot well be carried much f&rthev
There comes a point at which necessity
compe!s replacement that point is being
reached and once it, demands begin to
be responded to, a very important
stimulus to all kinds of industry must
resIilt-NftG York Baiktia,
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
The Paris Exposition.

A good deal of anxiety, not loudly ex-
pressed but very evident nevertheless, is
manifested respecting the success of the
exhibition of 1878. Not only has Ger
many testified her refusal to take Off
cially any part therein, but Italy has not
yet signalized any intention OF partici.
pating, As to the United States, pre-
sumo that congress will indulge more
in speech making respecting it than APP
preparations. As to the French them
selves, they grumble heartily over the
near approach Of another exhibition,
when, as they say, they have made no
particular progress in any form of art or
industry since the last one, and will have
nothing new to show Trade is very bad
in Paris jusJ now, the exports having
fallen off greatly, and the usual influx Of
winter visitors having failed to arrive.
House agents, trados.people and hotel
keepers all complain that there are ne-
ther Russians nor Americans here this
season, and the prevalence of the yellow
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
MISCELLANEOUS.

Harry Deardorf, a young son of a
prominent manufacturer of Springfield, O.,
tas been arrested for robbng the mails of
$1,000 or $1,000. Deardorf was not IN need
but was induced to do wrong, it is said, by
an ardent desire to please young lady who
is now missing,
The debts Of most of the states, as re-
ported in the annual messages of their re-
sPectve governors, are gradually lesseniug
every year, and the debts of most of the
large cities are steadily on the increase. The
debt of Philadelphia may be set down as
the unknown quantity" steadily approach
ing some seventy millions, while that Of the
city Of New York begins the present wear,
after dcductiug the sinking fund, at little
less than one hundred and twenty millions
of dollars
The Cincinnati Commercial gives what
purports to be list of the suicides in the
United States for the year 1876. The follow.
lowing is the summary:
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
Engenie and the POpe.

Eugenie. the dethroned empress Of
France, has been visiting the vatican
and receiving the coincidence and conso-
lation of the holy father. Though suf-
fering from illness, the pope consented to
receive the empress At an hour named
by herself, and when she called attended
by her son and lady in waiting, her
party was received by cardinal Simeont
and other prelates of the household with
regal honors. Through lines of the pa
pal guard, formally drawn up, the party
were conducted into the pope's library.
Alone he received Eugene in an adjoin-
ing apartment, and remained in celloquy
with her for nearly two hours. The
Others of the party were then admitted,
and after some further conversation with
the pope the visitors withdrew into the
vatican library and examined its curl
osites. 1t is said that upon seeing the
pope Eugene fell on her knees and wept
bitterly, and it was only upon the earnest
entreaty Of his holiness that she per-
mitted herself to be raised by cardinal
Bonaparte and the prince imperial.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
4 Cause for the Falling Bridge.

a correspondent of the Chicago Inter
Ocean is responsible for the following
theory of the disaster: There is one fact
that seems to be overlooked among the
possible causes given for the recent rail
road disaster, and that one is atmospheric
pressure. We are all familiar with the
fact that a storm is announced by fall
ing of the column Of mercury in the
barometer, The more severe the storm
the more rapid and the greater the fall.
A bridge tested by six locomotives when
the barometer marked thirty-one degrees
might not show the least strain, but
when the barometric column had fallen
three inches, to twenty eight, might give
way and rrecipitate the whole into the
abyss. During severe storms the pres
sure of the atmosphere is even greater.
Then, if we take into account the fact
that the wind blows in a circle toward
the storm center we can understand how
the atmospheric pressure may be yery
great at that center Then, if the storm
Is a snow STORM, and passing up a valley,
the weight of the atmosphere must I've
very great indeed. Now add to all this
the fact of moving heavy train directly
against this storm, and we have Il scien-
tifc explanation of the circumstance of
the Ashtabula bridge falling on that par.
ticular night, Under such circumstances
that train should have been divided.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20

ptr3 phns for the nrch Of Russian army
corpsBoming via Rumania. 1t is consider
ell IN Belgrade thashe conference has mis-,
CARED, aud a speey declaration OF war by
RIiia is expected
! dispatch frol pera says that should
fr porte persist upholdlug the constitu-
II the only amissable solution Of the
question at issue, iermany will threaten to
etire immediatel from The conference; and
nless The porte gives a definite reply to
ne European proposals. within certain
lumber Of hour the ambassadors of six
overs will Immediately leave.
Diaz is reported to be carrying every
ming before him n Mexico, fhe ambitious
glesias doubtless, wishes he had remained
iuietIy on the bench, as his followers are
locblngto Diaz. Diaz's regent general, Men.
iez tul,blooded Indian, has issued q prov.
amation for another election, hut as nodo!y
but Diazists eau he candidates, it is evident
hat biaa and Mendc4 will count themselves
H. Poor LerdO Is said to have fled to Aca-
'uIco, Of the massacre fame, and thence em-
0arked fol San Francisco, where he has
many ardent admirers.
1t now appears that Russia is trying to
awl out Of her difficulty with Turkey.
zen lgnatieh, the Russian representative,
las sent confidential communication to
ildbot nasha, urging the acceptance of Ger.
ain points of the conference proposals, and
indicating the means Of evading Others. lie
dyised the acceptance Of an international
with oOnsultive powers onlyand
hggeoted the appointment Of officers of in
.ruction instead of the establishment Of
'reign gensdarmere, and the appointment
Bulgarian ms teed Of European gov.
rnor Of Bulgaria. lie guaranteed Russias
sent to the proposals thus modified, and
onied in the course Of his letter that Rus.
a had melted Servia to make war.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
FLORENCE, THE ACTOR.
tanaht ma sshi Place, RRt Helped o.
ny an Indignant old Gentleman.

ny Aat AfFNtENAhA Vih NFutlFhlAA n
A relative OF the vell-snown come
dian, William j. Florence, tells the iol
lowing:
Many years ago, while Florence was
Under an engagement at the Winter Gar
dFn theatre, New York, he formed the
acQuaintaace of 2 young girl who played
minor partsin the drama then represented.
One day after rehearsal he invited her tc
dinner at a Broadway restaurant. Both
5ete hungry and they ordered plenti,
full supply Of fCod When their appe-
tites we're satisfied, Florence called Tor
the bill, and to his utter dismay discov-
cred that he had no money. In chang
ing his clothing in the morning, he neg
lected to take the money from biz dis
carded pantaIoons, lie told the girl Of
the fix he was In, and asked her for a
loan. Mortified and chagrined, she an
swercd that all she had was Just sufficient
to pay her fare home Then the actor
called the restaurant keeper and told him
the truth about the money. The quick
" excited man rayed and st0rmed at
Florencc, saving that he had resolved
not to be. swindled by any one, and that
he should send for the police.
Atthistime short, stOutold gentleman
stepped up to the proprietor and firmly
said:
+" How dare you speak to gentleman
III the way you have done?" His mis-
take is a perfectly betural one, and such
as might occur to any man ] am
ashamed of you! III dine no more in
your house, nor permit my friends to do
so in the future. Here, take this!" and
the old Gentleman took ffty-dollar
note from a fat wallet and banded it to
the discomfted landlord, saying, ode
duct the amount Of the young mans bill
and return me the change"
The proprietors apologies were un-
needed He handed the old gentleman
$3.50, and again essayed apologies
When in the strset tloreGce handed
his bene actor his professional card aud
address, adding that he should certainly
reimburse him The old gentleman's in.
digiatiaH quickly passed away, and be
ginning to smile, hf said
Chats all right, Young man I've
been trying to pass that counterfeit
bank note all day"
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-01-20
Josh billings on the AlIlgatOr.

The alligator is an original kritter of
the old block, and az ugly to kentem-
plate az a congo darkey They are resi-
dents Of Florida, and grow twelve feet
nine inches and then halt. Their teeth
are all tushes, and their mouth IL az full
of them az buzz saw IL. Their eyes
are sot up and down in their he'd like Il
Chinaman's; and they hay an appytight
equal to eighteen distrikt school masters.
They are the krokodiles of America, and
lay eggs az easy az a hen duz, but don't
kackle when they cum oph from the nest d.
They are CRATE kowards, but amt afrade
ov yung pork or little turkeys, anG kan
eat all the time or 60 without eatiu' as
long az a gold fish kan The alligator
waz made for some useful purpose, but
like the musketeef, the bedbug and the
cockroaCh, their usefulness has been
katephully hid from us. You kan shoot
a hundred alligators a day on the St
Johns river, but you kant bag one, and
there amt emmy more game in them than
there IL in rotten log, They are long
lived, and liy, if mimory serves me right,
four thousand years, and their CRATE
strength lies in their tales. They hiss
when they are angry like a tea kettle,
and want az much room to turn round
in az a fore and aft schooner.