davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24

Madame ?" I demanded, "Madame, "
he answered, sswent out nearly three
hours ago, saying that she wanted to
make few purchases, and would be
back in little while. On no account,
she said, was her brother, who had suf-
fered terribly from NAL de maer in
crossing, to be disturbed. MADAME"
he added, :" has not yet returned.''
Gone three hours agoi Her brother
Nal de qner What could it all mean !?
As I sat down, utterly bewildered, my
arm pressed against the little box in my
pocket. Mechanically glanced at my
finger. The ring was no longer there
My heart turned sick within me.
sank down and buried my face in my
hands. The waiter thought T was ill,
and ran to fetch some cognac. I saw
it all now. had allowed myself to be
swindled, and by common adven-
turess.
At o'clock next morning [ stood be-
fore my father, miserable, haegard,
wo-begone wretch. [ told my tale, but
as 1 did SO could not keep down my
tears tears of mingled shame and vex-
alton. He listened tome with curious,
Cyu1Cdl ShAll0s w uCu uhQ zone lie
went to his bureau and opened q
drawer. "Setyour mind at rest, Ned"
he said. "Here's the ring, safe and
sound !"
I could only stare at him in open
mouthed astonishment. "When Madame
with the ring in her possession, left you
asleep, she was just in time to catch the
afternoon boat back TO Dover. The
ring was in my hands again before 10
o'clock last night"
"But-but," I stammered out, 81
don't understand. When she had once
got the ring in her possession, why did
she bring it back to you?"
"Because she was paid to dose. Be-
cause she was hired by me, through the
agency of private inquiry office, to act
as she did act. Madame by profession
is not thief, but thief catcher. You
had grown SO self. conceited of late,
Master Ned, you had got such mighty
tall opinion of yourself and your abili-
ties, that thought it would do you no
harm to take you down peg or two.
I hope have succeeded in convincing
you that there are people in the world
quite as clever, Or it may be clevereI,
than certain young nincompoop of
one and twenty. If you profit by my
lesson my money will have been we'll
spent
An hour or two later I said: "But
wasn't it rather risky thing to do with
a ring worth 9500!
My father winked at me with the
solemnity of a Judge. "My dear Ned,
what do you take your old dad for !?
The diamonds were nothing but paste. 3"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
Senator Nye and Secretary Stanton.
From the Virginia New Chronicle.

From the Virginia (Nev.) Chronicle.
Nye went to Secretary Stanton once
to make petition for some dead sold ier' 8
orphans. 1t was in the darkest days Of
the war. Stanton said: 81 have not
time, Mr.. Nye, to see what you want"
" Suppose you take time, Mr.. Secre-
tary." "You are unreasonable, Mr..
Nye, in pressing such q thing at this
time" said Stanton. "Permit me to
say that you are the unreasonable
man." answered Nye. off you were
not United States Senator, 1 should say
that you were very impairment" said
Stanton, haughtily. off you were not
a Secretary of War should be tempted
to say that you were trying to make a
damned fool of yourself" replied the
old Gray Eagle with his eyes blazing.
Stanton looked at him moment, and
then softening, said: "Maybe I am,
Jim-who knows-come inside and tell
me all about it," "Now, Ned, my boy,
you are growing sensible" and the
business was quickly arranged,
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
A Brave Young Lad.


My grandfather was born among he
hills of New Hampshire, where the
spent the first eighteen years Of his life.
And many interesting and amusing In
cidents were crowded into these years,
one of which, my dear young readers,
[ shall relate for your diversion.
From his cradle he had learned to
believe that proving wolves and prowl-
ing bears lived somewhere among those
hills, and yet up to the age of fourteen
he had seen nothing but the picture Of
a wild animal. He lived in hopes,
however, of some day exercising that
boldness and bravery which were
among his characteristics. For, with
this shadow ever hanging over him, he
had educated himself to the highest
standard of courage and intrepidity,
also studying the habits and natures Of
various animals.
There were none he dreaded so
much as the catamount. When I say
dreaded, I do not wish it to be inferred
that he would try to avoid them; on
the contrary, he was ever on the alert
to try to find them. 1t was their cat
like, stealthy, treacherous nature that
he despised. He would much rather
have paM-to-paw tussle las he termed
it, with a bear. But "beggars must
not be choosers." Although giving lit
tie credence to the exaggerated stories
of the neighborhood, there was a
shadow of reason for believing that
catamounts or panthers inhabited those
regions. Once or twice, while engaged
in doing his evening chores at the barn,
he had heard asyell or squat in the dis.
lance, which he well knew was foreign
to the barn-yards Of that locality, and
which at once suggested these animals.
The nearest settlement to his fathers
home was some six miles distant,
reached only by two roads-the main
road winding along the base of the
mountain: the other narrow one
which cut through it, making the dis
lance shorter. 1t was seldom patron
lied, however, on account of its Wild
ness, the steep ascents on either side
looking very suspicious and forbidding
Returning from the mill late one af-
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.
The Minuet.

The Minuet.
BY MRS. MAPEs DODGE.
Grandma told me all about it,
Told me, SO | couldn't doubt it,
How she danced-my grandma danced
Long ago.
How she held her pretty head,
How her dainty skirt she spread,
How she turned her little toes
Smiling little human rOse!-
Long ago.
Grandma's hair was bright and sunny;
Dlmpled cheeks, tOO-ah, how funnyl
Really quite q pretty girl,
Long ago.
Bless her! why, she wears q cap,
Grandma does, and takes nap
Every single day; and yet
Grandma danced the minuet
Long ago.
Now she sits there rocking, rocking,
Always knitting Graandpa's stocking
every girl was taught to knit,
Long agO).
Yet her figure is so neat,
And her way so staid and sweet,
[ can almost see her now
Bending to her partners bow,
Long ago.
Grandma saws our modern jumping,
Hopping rushing, whirling, humping,
Would have shocked the gentle folk
Long ago.
Motley moved with stately grace,
Everything in proper place,
Gliding slowly forward, then
Slowly courtseying back again,
Long ago.
Modern ways are quite alarming,
Grandma says; but boys were charming
Girls and boys, mean of course
Long ago.
Bravely modest, grandly shy
What If all of us should try
Just to feel like those who met
In the graceful ninuet
Long ago?
With the minuet in fashion,
Who could fly into passion?
All would wear the calm they wore
Long ago.
In time to come, if, perchance,
Should tell my grandchild of our dance.
shoul d really like to say,
"We did it, dear, in some such way,
Long ago."
st. Nicholas
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
Sacred Animals.

An English officer lately put up at
the Oak bungalow, near the sacred lake
of Posh, Rajpootana, India, which
swarms with alligators who are fed and
worshipped by the natives. About
midnight the sentry raised an alarm
because one Of the dangerous reptiles
had crept up to the bungalow. Puzzled
by the noise the alligator crept into a
bedroom, and the officer killed it with
pistols. Next morning the population
was furious, and the Englishman mar
rowly escaped with his life. When,
many years ago, the officers shot
sacred peacocks in sport, and got killed
in return, Sir Charles Napier issued 81
laconic order: If officers will shoot
peacocks, Belochees will shoot officers. .
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
Power Of a Little Child.
San Francisco Post.


Yesterday afternoon two men engag-
ed in an angry dispute on the street,
during which one shook his fist beneath
the others nose, and appeared to have
worked himself into 8 fever heat of
passion. Just then little girl almost
an infant, who had been going by, but
stopped, apparently paralyzed by tie
mans fury, moved quite close to him,
and looked up into his face inquired,
"What makes you SO tross, mister ?"
It was so unexpected that the man
evidently felt a complete revolution of
feeling. Gradually his countenance
cleared and finally was lit up with a
smile as he patted the little peace
makers head, and remarked as he
moved away, ignoring the other man
altogether, 81 guess you're right, little
net"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
How to be a Gentleman.
From the Parish Visitor.

We want few private words with
the boys. The truth is we have 8 gr eat
idea of boys. We used to think men
were made of boys. We begin to
think now that those were old-fashion-
ed notions, that they are all out of
date. We look around and see a great
many persons grown up, with mems
clothes on; who are called men. But
they act and behave SO that we feel GER
tain that they were never made out of
boys. If they had been, they would
know how to behave better. Where
they came from we do not know But
what we wish to put into the ears of
the boys is this-be 8 gentleman. In
this country every boy may grow up
to be gentleman if he will. 1t is not
necessary that he should become rich
and most boys think it is-nor is it
necessary that he should become great
scholar, nor that he should become q
distinguished man.
But some impatient ones are asking.
How Can We become gentlemen How
can a boy go asout making one !?
Can he work for it? Yes, he can.
And the harder he works in the right
way, the better Can he study for it j.?
Yes, he can. But he must study
with his eyes and his ears. Read
ing books and newspapers is not
enough. He must think and feel as
as we'll as speak and act. Can he buy
it? No, he cannot. Money will buy a
great many things, but it will not buy
what makes a gentleman. If you have
money, you can go to a shop and buy
clothes. But hat, coat, pants, and boot
do not make gentleman. They make
fop, and sometimes they come near
making fool. Money will buy dogs
and horses, but how many dogs and
horses do you think it will take to
make gentleman? Let no boy, there
fore, think he is to be made a gentle
man by the clothes he wears, the horse
he rides, the stick he carries, the dog
that trots after him, the house he lives
in or the money he spends. Not one
or all of these things do it-and yet
every boy may be gentleman. He
may wear all old hat, cheap clothes,
have horse, live in poor house and
spend but little money, and still be a
gentleman. But how? By being true,
manly and honorable. By keeping
himself neat and respectable. By
being civil and courteous. By respect
ing himself and respecting others. By
doing the best he knows how. And
finally, and above all, by fearing God
and keeping His commandments.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24

A GRAND pageant occurred on the oc-
casion of the proclamation of Queen
Victoria as Empress of India, at Delhi,
on New Years day. One hundred
elephants were in the procession, and
after the proclamation was read, the
royal standard of England was unfurl-
ed amid an imperial salute Of 1O1 guns.
At the very moment Of making the
proclamation at Delhi, the Queen was
proclaimed Empress in every camp
and civil station, and an imperial salute
was fired from every Fort and battery
in the empire.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
TO AMERICA.
BY MARTIN f, TUPPER

BY MARTIN F. TUPPER.
Great and understanding Nation!
Bear with one whose humble pen
Sends this hearty commentator
Flying through the mouth OF men:
Not in vain presumptuous daring,
But with gratitude sincere
AS your thousand bounties sharing
This Centennial happy year.
None need doubt my faithful fitness
Thus to judge, and so to speak,
As true and honest witness,
Mindful, though his words be weak,
Since may not tell out strongly
All the best feel and see,
Lest suspicion, sneering wrongly,
Find a hatterer in me.
Five and twenty years have vanished
Since hailed you once before,
And my memory holds unbanished
How you greeted me of yore
Even now some few surround me
Though that quarter century's fled
And their love has newly crowned me
With old blessings on my head.
Thanks to you, dear old and new friends,
Each and all my praise receive,
Everywhere know you true friends
And your cordial words believe;
As brother greets brother
Still our generous fe elings blend,
And we look on one another
Each with each as on his friend.
Noble People now returning
Absent thus SO many a year,
With what ken, not undiscerning,
Can judge your great career?
How does Rip Van Wrinkle find YOU
Worse or better then of yore?
FEnging all your faults behind you?
Forcing all your best before?
Yes as in that old Dutch story,
You have grown both great and good:
Truly, Pregi ess is your glory,
Winning all that mortals coul d:
Truly rising better, wiser,
For Universities and woes,
Gathering good from each adviser.
War and peace, and friends and foes.
Temperance, morals, courteous bearing,
And the hand to help all round,
Each another's burden sharing,-
Generous traits like these abound;
Energetic, self confding,
And religious and sincere,
Patient, dutsOus, law ABIDING
Men like these are common here!
Gods good will your country blessing,
Helps your works of human will,
Wondrous cities, each possessing
Every type of art and skill;
While the wilderness rejoices,
Showing Edens on the earth,
With the shout of freemen's voices,
Woman's song and childhood's mirth.
Since your Pilgrim Fathers landed
Some of mine sailed with them tool.
Giant-hearted, giant handed,
We still fight life's battles through,
Till the Universal Empire
Of Cur Anglo Saxon race
Builds us deeper, broader, higher,
Kings and priests in every place!
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24

MANY servant who beats his mas
ter's coat loves to fancy that the master
is inside of it.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
JeffersOn'S Opinion.

In 1872 when there was a prospect Of
war between Russia and Turkey,
Thomas jeff erson wrote to John Adams
as follows: cit seems that the canni-
balls of Europe are going to eat one
another again. / hope we shall prove
how much happier for man the Quaker
policy is, and that the life Of the feeder
is better than that Of the fighter. Let
the latter be our Office, and let us milk
the COW while Russia holds her by the
horns and Turkey by the tail"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24

WHY is it that at II o'clock P. M, a
man will go to the cupboard and collar
q piece of chicken or q fragment of
steak that he shifted at in lofty disdain
and wouldn't touch at the table, and
will gnaw and pick and snore over it.
until every bone is as white and glisten-
ing as an ivory sleeve button? We
can't tell, unless it is an indication of
the same perversity that leads him,
when the bone is finished, to stand be-
fore the towel rack and wi pc his greasy
fingers on his coat tails.-Burknqto1a
HGavkeYe.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
a Remarkable tombstone.
From the Sheffield eng Telegraph.


All day Sunday a large number Of
people visited Wadsley Churchyard to
inspect tombstone which has recently
been erected to the memory Of Benja-
min Keeton. The characteristic of
the tombstone is that Immediately after
the words In afectionate remem-
brance off," and before "Benjamin
Keeton," there is engraved in very bold
relief, a set of stumps six inches across,
with balls on, the stumps being a foot
high; cricket bat, which is across the
stumps, the bottom of the bat resting
on the ground, the bat being eighteen
inches high, and the handle appearing
as if it were wrapped with the orthodox
waxed thread. The Vicar and the
church wardens, as soon as they saw
the stone, communicated with the
widow of the deceased, and required
her to remove it in three days. The
widow of the deceased says there has
been nothing irregular, and she has no
intention either to remove or deface
the stone. On the other hand, the Of
fcers of the church say that the put
ting up of the stone was trespass, as
the stone got into the churchyard sur
reptitiously. Keeton was profess
sienal crlcketer.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-01-24
Horrors Of Solitary Confinement.

Thirteen years ago Thomas Nary was
sentenced to the penitentiary for life,
for murder. He has recently became
insane On account, it is said, of long
confinement. He has been in the
prison longer than any other convict.
Few men are able to bear protracted
imprisonment. Solitary confinement
for year would cause nine out of ten
to go mad or die Of mental depression.
Hence the laws of Tennessee provide
that no convict shall undergo solitary
confinement for more than thirty days
as punishment for obstinate conduct.
AS rule convicts are confined for bad
conduct only about twenty-four hours,
and in extreme cases forty-eight hours.
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-02-17
IN Actor Wish. F;:iGi!rd.


Claude nurra1~'i~. ;Ir ac.ur. - %
PLAYED his last rnlc - >:c;ju "a ....
Brooklyn fire, WAS possessed Il son.c
$4,000 worth of personal property, be-
sides a pleasant home in Nr-'cLr~.sr
county, in which hr had placed hi
parents. The fact reminds III" Of a
chapter in hi; life which has not Lccn
in print, and which explain til" stories
Let ahoat regarding h. engagement,
the broken hearted fancrc. etc. Mr.
Burroughs Was some tine previously
engaged 10 tie charming daughter Of
lady living on West TcnIh street.
He at last came to the conclusion
which many Young men reach, thar he
could not afford to marry He frankly
talked the matter over with The ~
lady, to Wbom he was warmly attach
cG, and She agreed with him. Yet
they remained III" iirucst fri, !, and
he visited her as before. though the
engagement was broken cn When
the company 70 which Mr. Burroughs
belonged was Obliged 10 90 To Bru. h
lvn, he often expressed TO the yoHnE
lady his aversion to 'going tO siberia" )"
IL tie play people call it. Tuesday,
The day Of The fire 30 'a'a. to him, he
wrote her note. in which be cx-
pressed wish that the old IhcHIre
would burn up The papers Of
Wednesday morning brought the
young lady news that lis viii had
been fulfilled 1t was not then sup
posed. however, that any lives Lad
been lost. She at once replied, re-
calling TO the actor I'll. Wi-h. nrd sem
the ans Ner by messenger 80 Tie ..'lrl
where he lad been BOARDING. 81"
then entered on round &c >rr";i"g
The clerk at he h.tel hnaa iug Mr..
Burroughs fate. returned tie message
TO the sender's hon e. She heari
nothing on the street about the loss o.!
life, and at noon entered IA restaurant
to lunch While there Lester Wal
lack entered with VI. Montague. SEQ
ing her, and knowing her Intimate
relations with Mr. Burroughs, lL"v
offered her words Of c0ndoIencc. /
single question was ausw'red. aud
the lady swooned. She reached home
TO lind there her note, anl 10 have the
.o-s of Il lover, in whose interest she
bad sacrificed her hope, made certain
People who bun, for sp, cial coinei-
dences in every thing have good op-
portuniiy in this wish So speedily
satisfied
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-02-17
Widows.

The Rural New Yorker, in an ou,burst OF
admiration or alteration, exclTims:
Winter kept apples, seasoned wine, cload
ed meersliauru, a vase around winch tie
scent Of the rose sill fingers. all have rare.
ripe. evanescent favor tina, sugsests GGt can
moi express the charm Of the widow
young widow is perhaps the mo.t Interesting
object in nature-or i'll ar. She represents
expe.:ence without It's wrinkles or gray hairs
She has maucnly beauty and maiden'y free
dom combined. She is griet with laughing
eve, so. row in a house of festivity, silver
moon in a sable cloud. She is too sweet fer
anything. Like all good ihing-. she can only
be created at q great sacrifice Mrs Browning
says that man must be pretty thoroughly
spu,ied before he can leave widow. Ills
black swan-lhis mountui phGniX-riscs only
out o. the funeral urn that holds the ashes OF
a husbands heart. Let us wipe away the
briney tears and proceed. Poets, statesmen.
heroes and philosophers have each fell the
nndefnable influence of wIiowhood. IT.,
quality Is not strained; i, falls alike upon the
Iust aud the unlust Edward P.anragene,
married the widow Elizabeth Gray, though
he knew she brought civil war for her dowry.
George Washington, Napoleon Bolaparie,
John Wesley, Tony Weller, Ben Disraeli and
all the boys married widows. Henry VIII
was so fond Of them that he took two, and
King David was "a pleased with Abigail. the
wife OF Nabal that he turned taih>heba into
widow on purpose 10 marry her. "heh
Judeth ceased her cogit.t,ons over the late
lsmeuied Manassas of Be;hull.,, puts oil her
moaning and adorns herself in brave attire
to set ont ior the camp Of H"oforues, we feel
ins,incuvey thai she will come back with h'S
heart his c,owp or his head, WHICHEVER she
goes for. When the old widow Naoma coun.
selled the young widow Ruth how to lay
snnres in the harvest field OF her klnsman
and spread her net on the threshing floor, We
know at once that the wealthy ba'chcioI
Boaz might as well order the wedding gar
meuts. Alien Ramsey wrote song telling
how to woo n widow He might as wei
have left Sections how To get struck with
lightning
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-02-17
Covering Strawh rries.

see it recommended by one Of
YOUR correspondents TO cover the beds
with straw This | find is common
practice; but it is. not a sale Que.
Under heavy SNOW, lying late, the
plants are pretty sure 10 get. hurt, 1t
not killed. by smotbering. Now, a
safe practice, even under the heaviest
SHOWS, is TO cover with bemlock
boughs. First put some If the finer
branches on, so as to prevent the wind
from striking the plants, followed by
heavier limbs which serve to keep the
snow from pressing too heavily. This
will afford sufficient space and air TO
the plants under the heaviest pressure.
a plant requiring but little air for its
slight growth during the winter.
There is no mistake about the ever
greens; the smaller boughs will keep
off the driving winds, which are
killing ones, and the heavy branches
form brace against the snow, also
keeping the smaller ones in place.
The larger ones, where the wind
drives sharply, ought to have their
butts fastened, either pushed into the
ground slantingly or a weight put on
them. l presume other evergreens
beside hemlock, will answer
Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-02-17
A Cure for Stammerins.

A Canada journal contains a letter
from q correspondent who Processes TO
have been stamme,er from child
hood almost to manhood, and vile
wishes to give other sufferers the berc-
fit of the treatment by which he was
cured . lie SAYS: Go into a room
where you will be- quiet aud alone, get
some book that will interest hut not
excite YOU, and sit down aud read two
hours aloud to yourself, keeping your
teeth together. Do tie sane thing
every two or three days, Or oroe =
week if very tircsoIne. always taking
care to read slowly and distinctly,
moving lne lips but not the teeth.
Then, when convcrsiug with Others,
try to speak as slowle ausl distinctly
as possible, and make up your mind
that you will not stammer. | tried
his remedy. and ~ead for two hours
aloud wi b my tee n together. The
first -esult was TO make ny tongue
and Jaws ache-ibat is. while | was
reading,-and he next 20 make HE
ell as If something bad | enel nv
talking apparatus, for | could speak
with less difficulty imnediately. The
change was so great that everyone
who knew me remarked it. / repeated
the remedy every five or six days for
a month, aod then at longer in ervals
until cured"