davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12

In the Senate, on the 5th, the vice-P -Presi-
dent announced as the Special Committee
on Yellow Fever Investigation Messrs.
Harris, Matthews. L mar, Paddock, Con-
over, Garland and Eustis. Mr.. Morrill, sub
mitted resolution calling upon the
Secretary of the Treasury for informa-
ton as to the amount of depos-
its in the Treasury to the credit of the
Freedman's Saving and Trust Company
whether the interest should be allowed
thereon as the expenses to settle the affairs
of that company, and what legislation is ne
cessary to close up the aft .irs of the COM
pany and have the Commissioners retire.
Agreed to. Mr.. Ferry submitted the fol-
lowing: Resolved, That the President be
requested to transmit to the Sena any in
formation which may have been received
by the departments concerning postal and
commercial intercourse between the United
States and South American countries, to-
gether with any recommendation desirable
to be submitted or measures to be
adopted for facilitating and improving such
intercourse" Agreed to. The following
changes in the standing committees were
made by unanimous consent: Mr.. Eaton
to retire from the Committee on Appropria-
tions; Mr.. Wallace to take his place. Mr..
Morgan to retire from the Committee on
Patents; Mr.. Eaton to take his place. Mr..
Wallace to retire from the Com.
mitee on Foreign Relations; Mr..
Morgan to take his place. ..... In the House,
Mr.. Cox, fir m the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, reported back a resolution calling
on the President for all esprndence be-
tween the United States and the German
Empire relative to the expulsion of Julius
Baumer, citizen of Chicago, from the Ger
man Empire. Adopted. Mr.. Garfield, from
the Committee on Rules, reported a concur
rent resolution for the appointment of a yell
low Fever Commission, which was adopted.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12
The Missing Word,

The Moline Qll.) Dispatch says that
the Peoria Transcript has an editorial
deserving of more attention than it will
receive, we venture to say, on the subject
of want in our language which should
be supplied. The want is a pronoun in
the singular number and common gender,
third person. Without this the litter
ate, and many who would not like to be
considered so, constantly blunder, and
scholars resort to all manner of circum-
locution. Thus: "If any person tres
passes on these premises, d. suffer pen
atty" Who shall7 The illiterate will
say "they." But nothing can be more
absurd unless it be the word " he," which
the scholar would use if forced into such
a sentence: But, as we were saying, the
scholar will avoid it by some circumlo-
cutiop. Of this the Transcript gives a
good example: Let every brother or
sister examine himself or herself, and,
looking into his or her heart, find out
his or her besetting sin and resolutely
cast it from him or her." A good sug-
gestion was made by somebody over a
year ago on this subject-so good that
we believe now as we did then that moth
ing more is necessary than for good
writer's like these Transcript people to
adopt it, and the thing is done. Our ad-
yocacy of the new pronoun then sub
jected us to good-natured sarcasm, but
that matters not. Ridicule is the ordeal
through which every step Of progress is
made. The suggestion was simply nom.
"e," pos. "es," obj. Gem" The use will
be readily seen, thus: If anybody
trespasses on these premises "e" shall
suffer the penalty of les" trangressions.
It will not be we'll for Gem" Nothing
is needed but use to make "E" Just as
good pronoun for the third person as
II is for the first; and it will hardly be
denied that the various cases, as given
above, are etymologically good and har.
monious. In this light let us examine
the sentence quoted above, as an ex.
ample of circumlocution. Let every
brother and sister examine "emself, u
and looking into "es" heart, find out
"es" besetting sin, and resolutely cast
| it from Gem"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12
"Think Again, I Pray You."-Anec.
dOte of Victoria.

Queen Victoria was not twenty years
of age when she ascended the throne
Coming into possession of power with a
heart fresh, tender and pure, and with
all her instincts inclined to mercy, we
may be sure that she found many things
| that tried her strength and resolution to
the utmost. On bright, beautiful
morning the young Queen was waited
upon at her palace of Windsor by the
Duke of Wellington, who had brought
| from London various papers requiring
| her signature to render them operative
| One of them was a sentence of a court
martial, pronounced against a soldier of
| the line-that sentence that he be shot
dead!
The Queen looked upon the paper,
and then looked upon the wondrous
beauties that nature had spread to her
view.
"What has this man done?" she
asked.
The Duke looked at the paper and re-
piled:
cay, my royal mistress, that man I
fear is incorrigble. He has deserted
three times"
"And can you not say anything in
his behalf, my lord?'
| Wellington shook his head.
go! think again, pray you'll"
Seeing that her Majesty was so deeply
moved, and feeling sure she would not
have the man shot in anyevent, he finally
confessed that the man was brave, and
gallant, and really good soldier.
But" he added, think of the intiu-
ence."
Infuencep cried Victoria, her eyes
flashing, and her bosom heaving with
strong emotion:
"Let it be ours to WELD influence. |
will try mercy in this mans case, and
l charge you, your Grace, to let me
know the result. A good soldier, you
said. o! l thank you for that. And
you may tell him that your good word
saved him."
Then she took the paper aud wrote
with bold, firm hand across the DARK
page the bright, saving word, " Par
donedi"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12
The Name and the Origin Of Cats.

One of the most singular proofs, says
the London Daily he,cs, of the foreign
importation and perhaps of the late ar
rival in Europe of the Cat is to be found
in its various names. 1t is said that
none OF them came from the old Aryan
source from which most of our language
is derived. Most of them, like the fami-
liar chat, are connected with the late
Latin catus, which took the place of the
earlier felis, when cats drove out the
former foes of rats and mice.
1t seems to follow that cats came into
the West with the Romans, but whence
did the Romans get the name and The
animal? M. Picket traces the name to
the Syriac cato, and the Arabic qitt, out
of which by an easy and natural pro-
cess we make kitten. Qitt and cato, how
ever, are not the primitive native forms
of the cats long descended title, and we
must go from Syria to Africa to find
gada, hadiska, and kaddiska. As for the
ancient Egyptian "mau," that is merely
the NEW cat and the pussy NEW :"
of English nurseries. Here, then, in
Egypt is native onomatopeic name of
the cat, such as any human being might
give it when he first heard the peevish,
prolonged note OF i.syoice.
The Indian names of the cat are not
very old, and they are easily explained.
The cat is the horse-wolf," the "rat-
eater (though snakes are the ratters of
some districts), and the L" foe of MICE"
The most endearing title of the cat
comes from the land whence the most
pleasing specimens of the race are also
derived. The Persian cat, wild or tame,
is puschak," which the Afghans pro-
nounce "pisjek," and the Lithuanians, as
old an Aryan-speaking race as any in
Europe, "puije." The English "puss "
in the long run is derived from San
scrit word for tail" !" there is curious
coincidence between the word used by
Herodotus for the Egyptian cat, "the
creature with waving tall" and the
term found in Persian, Lithuanian, and
English.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12

NEARLY six thousand of the descend
ants of the old Six Nations of Central
New York are at Forestville, Wis, on a
government reservation. The United
States agent in charge of this reserya-
tion reports that nearly two thousand of
these six thousand can read and write (;
that they have twenty-nine day and two
manual labor schools; and that they
cultivate their land so diligently that
they pay all the expenses of their living.
They are reported as advancing in
church discipline, growing in temper
ance and making rapid progress toward
a complete civilization. They are not
the old Iroquois in spirit or courage or
adventure; but they may yet play a
part in civilization quite as worthy CT
their lineage as that of the warriors who
burned and ravaged up and down the
Mohawk Valley during the Revolution.
One popular delusion respecting them
that they are rapidly dying out-has
been quite thoroughly eradicated from
the public mind. If to those of the Six
Nations who are on this reservation we
add the Canadian descendants of the
famous confederacy, we have number
nearly if not quite as large as the total
census of the Iroquois at the time when
they were the masters and the conquerors
of the continent
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12

notifications in the custom laws, especially
recommending specific duties instead Of
Gd vdlorem, wherever practicable. Other
recommendations are made as to matters in
this branch of the revenue service, espe-
cially to those in reference to sugars.
Our foreign commerce appears, by the
report, to be in most assuring state. The
exports of agricultural products alone were
greater for the last fiscal year than our en-
tire imports of foreign merchandise.
The internal revenue shows falling off
for 1878, as against 1877, of over seven mil
lions of dollars; of which the greater part
is in the collections on spirits. The needs
of the puclic service are su h as to require
that internal revenue taxes should not be re-
duced; besides, changes are claimed to be
disturbing to the course of business.
There has been reduction of tonnage in
United States vessels, though the construc-
tion of vessels has increased thirty-three
per cent.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12
Dog Sagacity.

Here is the last dog story: A gentle
man was the fortunate owner of two
dogs" one an honest old Newfound-
lander, and the other little black-and-
tan terrier. One cold night last winter
a friend who happened to be at the
gentleman's house, heard the little dog
the cause. "I'll tell you," said the gen.
tleman; "both dogs occupy the same
house, and the big dog, on the principle
that might makes right, takes the inside.
But here's a piece of canine strategy.
The little fellow runs into the yard and
barks, till the fellow comes out to see
what's the matter, when the black-and-
tam takes the opportunity to slip into
the kennel, and 80 secure the snug in
side berth. Strange to say, as often as
this trick has been played on the big
dog, he seems to grow no wiser, but is
sold every time"
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12

THE last survivor of Napoleon's ex
pedition to Egypt has just died at the
1nvalides. This veteran, Darcy by
name, who had almost attained his hun
dredth year, was fond of relating how he
was ON duty in Egypt on the day the
murderer of Kleber was executed.
Kleber was assassinated at Cairo in June,
1900, by a fanatic named Soleyman,
who, after having been condemned to
death, had his right hand burned off and
was then impaled. Tortured by thirst,
he called for something to drink, and
Darcy, touched with compassion, gave
him a glass of water. Darcy had been
for more than half a century at the In
valides, which now contains very few
old soldiers.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12
An Editor Sketches Bismarck.

An American journalist, Colonel
Forney, who has conversed with the
great German statesman, says that Bis
marck is a most fascinating person.
Such is the charm of his conversation
and manner that, when he chooses to
unbend, few persons can resist the in
huence of his magnetism. The jour-
nalist thus sketches the Chancellor:
In his own house he yields unresist-
ingly to domestic influences. But he is
eminently a public character. Never
conspicuous in the streets, for obvious
reasons, and less so now than ever, he
dominates the whole empire. He hates
praise, and resents censure. lie is a
law unto himself and others. While
the great European Congress, called by
himself, sat in Berlin, he was its mas
ter and its President. He asked little
for Germany, but he parceled out the
spoils to others. He so became the ar
bitter of Europe, as he is to-day the die
tator of Germany.
All German parties admit that he has
rendered incredible services to his coun.
try; but nobody knows it better than
himself. He is fatalist, and naturally
| asserts by his acts, if not by his words
his supreme infallibility. But he does
not try to be cautious in his language
He is candor itself-often to the verge
OF insolence; and there is hardly day
that he does not speak scornfully Of
some of the characters in the recent Eu
ropean Congress, and of living and dead
| European statesmen.
Such man might have figured in the
feudal era. He is the anachronism ot
this age of progress. Acting on the stage
twenty years ago, he would have beer
regarded as another Charles the Bold OF
Duke of Alva. AS a real person, it is
simple question of time, unless he mod
crates his policy. whether he will fall b!
the bullet or the bowl. He is the maj
of destiny, and evidently accepts hi
mission and knows his danger.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12
Beau Nash and John Wesley.

We have always thought Wesley's
rencontre with Beau Nash at Bath a
fair illustration of his quiet and almost
obscurely sarcastic method of quite suf-
fciently confounding troublesome per-
son. Preaching in the open air at Bath,
the King of Bath, the Master of the
Ceremonies, Nash, was 80 unwise as to
attempt to put down the apostolic man.
Nash's character was bad; it was that
of an idle, heartless, licentious dangler
on the skirts of high society. He ap-
peared in the crowd, and authoritative1y
asked Wesley by what right he dared to
stand there.
The congregation was not wholly of
the poor; there were a number of fash
ionable and noble persons present, and
among them many with whom this at
tack had been prearranged, and who
expected to see the discontinue of the
Methodist by the courtly and fashion
able old dandy.
Wesley replied to the question simply
and quietly that he stood there by the
authority of Jesus Christ, conveyed to
him by the present Archbishop of Can
terbury, when he laid hands on me and
said, Take thou authority to preach the
gospelp"
Nash began to hustle aud to be tur-
bulent. and he exclaimed
"This is contrary to Act of Parlia.
ment; this is conventicle."
"Sir," said Wesley, the Act you re.
fer to applies to seditious meetings
here is no sedition, no shadow of Sc.
dition; the meeting is not, therefore,
contrary to the Act"
Nash stormed, "I say it is; besides
your preaching frightens people out ot
their wits"
"sir," said Wesley, "give me leave
to ask, Did you ever hear me preach p
"No."
How, then, can you judge of wha
you have never heard %
:" Sir, by common report"
Common report is not enough" sale
Wesley; "again, give me leave to asl
is your name not Nashp'
"My name is Nash"
And the reader must imagine Yves
ley's thin, clear, piercing voice, cutting
through the crowd
Sir, dare not judge of you by com
mon report"
There does not seem much in it, bu
the effect was overwhelming.
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12
Secretary Sherman's Report.

The Secresarv of the Treasury, in his re-
port, says that he regards the progress to-
wards the resumption of specie payments
as having been most satisfactory, and finds no
difficulty in the way of the successful fulfill
ment of the law. He says that the steps to-
wards it have been accompanied by Gin
creased business and confidence" He ac-
cepts the theory that the redeemability of
greenbacks makes them receivable for Gus
tom duties, and evidently acquiesces in.
even if not approves, the theory of the legis-
lation which provides a permanent place
for greenbacks in the currency of the coun-
try. The act of Congress providing it
seemed, as he estimates, to have been in
Difference to a popular sentiment Never
theless, he argues the value of National
bank circulations as we'll as of that system
of banking generally, for reasons that he
specifically states.
The issue of gold certificates will be stop
ped on the 1st of January, because green
backs will practically stand in their stead,
but for the convenience of depositors he will
provide greenbacks of large denomina.
tions.
AS to silver he proposes that its coinage
shall be limited or its weight increased TO
the parity of gold, thus recognizing the gold
measure in bullion in England as the stand.
| ard. He argues that such an issue of small
| legaltenders be maintained as will be popu.
lar, claiming that people should have their
preference He states that much the largest
proportion of the Government bonds are
| now held in this country-Only about 5000,
10000 being abroad.
The National banking system is referred
| to approvingly, with no Recommendation OF
important changes.
In referring to the coinage question, the
Secretary notices the trouble about the
trade dollar coinage, giving its history
stating that that coin was made solely fol
the convenience of merchants in the China
trade, and that they can only be treated a.
bullion, the Governments relation to theil
coinage being only mechanical. He sug
gests no remedy.
He recommends that the Pacific Rail
roads, which are debtors to the Govern
ment and which have been arbitrary as t.
rates of transportation to a degree almos
of prohibition, should be provided by legis
latiOn with equitable scales of rates.
The work of engraving and printing j
spoken of with appreciation.
The method of adjusting the disbursin
business for the District of Columbia are re
lated, and seem to be in the direction O
greater efficiency and safety.
Legislation as to methods of adjustin
claims that go to the Treasury Department
in all variety of classes and styles is ask e.
for, and suggestion made that ther
be specific limit placed upon the life O
claims, so that there shall be a finality il
the decisions made to govern the Depart
ment. He also recommends that an in
portant class of claims which have hithert
been acted upon by the Department uude
existing laws, should be adjudicated by tn
Court of Claims.
J Arguments are made in favor of som
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12

ONE of the speakers at the recent
meeting of the British Association is re-
ported to have said, That animals may
possess the moral sense in a rudimen-
tary form, was illustrated by striking
anecdote of Skye-terrier, who having
stolen a outlet off the table and keptit
in his possession for a few minutes, was
impelled by pure sense of remorse to
bring it back uneaten." That does look
like conscience; but a lady, hearing the
anecdote. quietly asked, "Might it not
be that the outlet had toe much pepper
on il? ?''
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12
FOREIGN SUMMAR 7.

The MARQUIS of Lorne and the Princess
Louise were received with the highest hon
ors on their arrival at Halifax. The Mar
ouis made an address indicating his policy
as Governor General.
THE British Parliament assembled on
the 5th, and the Queens speech was read
before the House of Lords. It was un-
usually brief. 1t was devoid of any def
mite statement as to the future Afghan
policy of the Government or means of
raising supplies for war. 1t contained no
programme for domestic legislation. This
omission is considered to indicate speedy
dissolution of Parliament. The speech
mentions, with satisfaction, the settlement
of the fisheries question, and expresses
hope that negotiations now in progress
will remove all causes of future dispute.
THE reply of the Ameer of Afghanistan
to the Viceroy of India's ultimatum has
been received by the Indian Government.
1t is dated the 10th of November, but not
having reached Dakka before the 30th of the
month, it is believed in official quarters to
have been rewritten after the news of the
capture of Ali Musjid. The Ameer criti-
cises the professed friendly intentions of
the British Government, and alludes to its
action in the past, and especially is inter-
cession in behalf of Yakoob Khan, as
contradictory of such intentions. The
Ameer explains that his refusal to receive
Gen. Sir Neville Chamberlain's mission was
not intended to be hostile, but arose from
| fear of the loss of his independence, an ap-
prehension which was confirmed by an al
lusion in the ultimatum to the protection
given to the Keyberees, who had been en-
gagged in escorting the mission. The Ameer
declares no enmity exists between Afghan
istan and the British Government; that he
desires to resume the former friendly re-
lations, and, finally, that he will not resist
the visit of a small temporary mission.
| GENERAL ROBERTS telegraphs from Pie
war Khotal, under date of the Sd, as follows
During the night of December the Afghan
position was turned by flank march over
Spengwai Pass. We surprised the enemy
at daybreak of the I'd, when the Seventy.
second Highlanders and the Fifth Goorhas
galla1tly drove the Afghans from several
positions. They afterwards endeaVored
to reach Peiwar Khotal, but an assault could
not be delivered on that side. We then
threatened the enemy in the rear, and at
tackled and carried Peiwar Khotal about foul
| O'Clock in the afternoon. The enemy had
on the previous evening, received a re-
enforcement of four regiments. They
fought desperately. Their artillery waE
we'll served. Their defeat, how
ever, was complete. We captured eighteen
guns and large quantity of ammunition
Our loss was moderate, considering the
number of our opponents and the Difficult
nature of the country. Major Anderson. o.
the pioneers, was killed. Gen. Cobbe ant
Lieut.. Munro, of the Seventy-second High
landers, were wounded. Our men behaved
admirably. We shall move toward Shutal
Garden Pass Thurday, the 5th inst.''
The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-12-12

HACKETT once played Rip Van VIM
kle in Dublin. In the scene after the
sleep of " twenty years." where Rip re-
appears in the village and finds the sign
on the village tavern changed from
George III, he puts his hands over his
eyes to shade them from the sun, and
asks: Whose picture is that?" "Why,
don't you know? That is George Wash
ington, the father of his country"
"The applause that followed" says
Hackett, was 80 terrific and long con
tinued, and had such an effect upon me,
that could not play after that"