davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
Odd stories from Paris.

gentleman, spending the season in
Trouville (Our Newport carried down
with him his pet dog, Fabio, and
amused himself by registering his favor
ties name next after his own ON
FabiO." Every mail has brought letters
to NJ. Fabio." One was from a wine
merchant soliciting the honor to furnish
NJ. Fabio's vault; another from tailor
begging NJ. FabiO's custom a third from
carriage maker; this from q curate
begging money 10 repair the village
church; q handful from secretaries of
charitable societies; one from a Spanish
Ariadne, which begins " At last the list
of visitors to IrOuville has reached nv
hands and revealed to me your hiding
place. Monsieur Let me ioin You
there and 80 prove the love you promised
me should be eternal ~ my own is no
perhdiOus love-" and so ON, on. on for
four pages; the epistle was signed with
name and address. FabiO's master cut
oha lock Of hair from the dog back and
sent IL 20 the address given.
An English girl attracted the atten-
ton Of the secret policemen on duty
around the moOrcd balloon She had n
passion for ascensions u never rose
once that 10 did not take her up. odd
She never quilted the balloon uatil IL
was put 10 bed for the night. Odder.
Then she went of with n distinguished
looking gentleman with q wooden leg.
although during the day she did not say
one word 10 him and kept as far from
him ~ possible oldest Day before
yesterday two ladies complained that
they had lost their purses in midair.
Neither the English girl nor the wooden
leg staid to sec the balloon put 10 bed.
On the contrary, the instant tho com
plant was made they retired They
moved Oft faster than usual, and when
the first corner was turned went i'm
double-quick time Haltr cried the
police 20 What for you make me Ia
halt your The contents OF the wooden
legs pockets explained Twenty purse.
and six hundred dollars i'm gold
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
KINGWOOD PRESTON CoUNTY,W.YA. SATURDAY. NJ

Nobody shall hurt you Joe" said
Helen, tenderly.
His wandering eyes rested on her
again, softened, and filled with tears.
Nou's the only one that's ever
spoke kind to me in this world" he
said, slowly.
Then the silence about grew deeper ::
bird twittered overhead, and the boy
lay dead ON the grass.
Poor Joe, He hadn't half a chance
i'm this world" said the Squire, turning
away. Your good words seem to have
been kind of help To him, Nelly. A
person never knows how far kindness or
unkindness is going TO act ON human he
ings,' he continued, feeling that he
ought To draw some sort of n moral from
this sudden death
But Will and Harry did not need any
such lesson when they looked upon the
dead face at their feet They had not
Thought TO be cruel; they had not
thought at all They had trampled on
poor Joe's feelings as though he had had
no feeling, aud now the result of their
last cruel act was before them. 1t
seemed to them almost as if they were
murderers
The shadow of that childish dead
face went with these two boys in after
years and could never be forgotten.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
The Boy who was Always Thirsty.
Huntington Hawke,


Moreover, saw the boy who wanted
drink; a restless, questioning, uneasy,
thirsty boy. He let the window fall on
his fingers before the train had gone "A
mile. He stood out on the platform un-
I'll he was incrusted two inches deep
with ashes and dust aud cinders. He
went TO the water cooler and got drink (;
then he came back and told his mother
he was hot and went and got another
drink. lie drank about four times per
mile, seldom oftener. unless he was
seized with a sudden, uncomfortable
spasm of thirst. If he was drinking,
and somebody else came after Il drink,
the boy would suddenly seize the cup he
had just set down and refill it, and
drink as though he had wrapped his
stomach in.thc desert of Sahara, glaring
suspiciously over the top of the cup at
the waiting passenger as he drank
When he was in his seat he watched the
aisle narrowly, and if nc saw any pas
senger get up and move toward the water
cooler ne would jump up and race for it,
If he got there first he would drink and
snore over the cup until the thirsty trav-
cler forgot what he went down there
after. People began to wonder how
A'hNh tiiN bol Ns1 HdNktl lOIt anu III ne
wasn't rather straining his capacity .
The remotest hint or suggestion was
sufficient TO send him to the cooler
When the train ran over creek, the
water made him think Of his thirst.
When it ratified over long stretch of
dry prairie, the absence of water drove
him mad. ! was afraid the supply of
water would give out before the boy was
filled up, and he was a rather small boy,
too. Hisinterior circumference, think,
must have inclosed an area double IN
extent TO that inclosed by the exterior
belt. Near Waseca we ran nearly mile
without the boy making stop at the
tank. ] grew very nervous now, for
was fearful that during such an unheard-
OF abstinence from water his pumps
would run dry, rust out, and he might
blow up. So leaned over the edge of
the seat and said carelessly-
BY George, but Pm thirsty. | won
der if there is any water on this car"
You want to understand me now as re-
cordiDg very plainly, and without any
mental reservation, the fact that the
boys mother, sitting beside him, was no
fool. Her eyes snapped when she heard
my careless and innocent remark, she took
III every syllable OF it, and she turned on
me in flash with, wish you would
mind your own business, and leave my
boy alone"
low, mOcking murmur Of applause
went through the car, little of it for
the indignant mother, some Of it for the
charity boy, but most Of il for me. She
suppressed yours very successfully, but
was too late. Long before she finished
that brief sentence her boy was down at
the water cooler holding his eyes tight
shut 10 keep the water from running out
of them, while he flooded his system as
though he had taken a contract TO keep
up perennial Baptist revival inside Of
himself.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
rHE RAINBow's rREAsrHE.
ny JoBS BorIK o'RxILLY.

Where the toot cf the rainbow meets the deld.
And the grass resplendent glows,
The earth will x splendid treasure yield.
As the olden story goes.
IN crystal cup are the diamonds piled
for him who can swiftly chase
over torrent and prcCip.ce Wild,
To hnd the rsinbOw's wsndei ing base
There were two in the held at work one day.
I~o brothers. who blithely sung,
when across their valley deep winding way
he glorious arch wa, huug,
And one saw nSught but sigu of rain.
Aud one feared for hts sheay cs unbound
Ana one Is away, over mountain and plain,
I'LL the mystical treasure Is found.
Through forest and stream ia a blisslul dream
The rainbow lJIed him on;
With sirens guile II loitcred awhile,
heu leagues away was gone
Over brake and bter he followed feet;
The people sCofied as he passed;
But in Thirst aud heat, aud with wounded feet,
We closed on the prize at last.
II Is closer and clossr-he wins the race
One strain for the goal in sight
Its radiance falls on his ycarning face
The blended colors uuitc--
lie laves his brow in the iris beam
tie reaches--Ah, woe! the sound
From the misty gulf where he ends his dream
And the crystal cup is found
lis the ole, old story. One man will read
His lesson OF toll in the sky;
While another Is blind % the present need
But sees with the spirits eye.
1ou may grind their souls in tho self-same mill
You may bind them heart aud brow:
But the poet will follow the rainbow still
And his brother will follow the plow
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
How RaisIns are Prepared.

\ strip of land bordering the Medi.
terraucau, somewhat less than one hun
dred miles in length and i'm width not
exceeding five ur six, is the ralsin-pro.
ducing territory Of Spain. Beyond these
boundaries the Muscatel grape, from
which the raisin is principally produced,
may grow and thrive abundantly, but
the fruit must go To- the wine market or
the wine press. When the grapes begin
To ripen in August the farmer carefully
inspects the fruit rs IL lies on the warm
dry soil, and one 10y one clips the clus.
ters rs they reach perfection. In almost
all vineyards slants of masonry are pre-
pared, looking like unglazcd hot beds
and covered with fine pebbles, on which
the fruit is exposed To dry. But the
small proprietor prefers not 10 carry his
grapes SO far. IL is better. he thinks, to
deposit them nearer at hand, where
there is less danger of bruising, aud
where bees and wasps are in less danger
of finding them. Day by day the cut
branches are examined and turned, till
they are sufficiently cured to be borne
To the house, usually on the hill top,
and there deposited in'the empty wine
press, till enough have been collected
for the trimmers and packers To begin
their work, Az this stage piles of rough
dried raisins are brought forth from the
wine press and heaped on boards. One
by one the lunches are carefully in
spected, those of the first quality being
trimmed of all irregularities and impcr.
feet berries and deposited in piles by
themselves; so in turn are treated those
of the second quality, while the clip.
pings and inferior fruit are received into
baskets Mt the feet of the trimmcrs and
reserved for home consumption. A
quantity of small wooden trays are now
brought forward. In these papers are
laid 40 as to lap over and cover the
raisins, deposited even in the trays,
which are then subjected to heavy
pressure in a rude press. They are then
dropped into the boxes for market.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16

AS TO the dispute between two Car
penter Readers" i'm regard to "doors,"
we will remark briefly that "Thomas"
is correct the savage has no door to
his dwelling. Even when he has ceased
TO burrow in the ground like a rabbit or
a wild dog, and has advan ccd TO the dig
nifty Of hut, a kraal, hunting.lodge,
a canoe turned keel upward, or any one
of thO$e edifices i'm resemblance between
wasp's nest or a dirt-pie, i'm which IL is
the delight OF the chief aud warrior to
dwell, to dance, 20 howl, To paint him
self, and to eat his foes, he never rises
10 the possession Of door The early
Greeks and Romans had dooTways, but
no doors. Noah's ark, the ridiculous
toy-shop fgment notwithstanding, could
have had no door. Mordecai sat in the
gate; but Haman's door is nowhere
mentioned. The old painters, who rep
resent Dives, take care TO show you an
opening into the street, but no door /,
and through the entrance you sec Lar
arus lying, and the dogs licking his
sores. The mouths Of caves and sep
ulchers in oriental countries, where the
dead were buried, were closed with huge
stones. IL was reserved for our age of
funeral furnishers and cemetery cOmpa-
MES 20 build q mausOleum over rdear
brother departed, with door with
panels, and knobs, and nails, and cary.
ings, wanting only knockcr or door
bell 10 have every thing i'm common
with the door Of a very desirable man
sion. The parthenon had no door the
great temples Of Nineveh and Babylon,
Of Ephesus and Egypt, had no doors.
skins and linen wells, tapestries and cur.
tains Of silk, we're hung across the door.
ways then-as, in the East, they are
nOw--tO insure privacy 20 those within
GAIA had gates, and so had Somnauth
but the door, the dOOrknockcr, the
brass-pIate, the bells that flank it for
visitors and servants, the iron chain, tho
latch-key, the top and bottom bolts
these are the inventions of modern
times, the oH.shOots Of modern civiliza-
ton
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
General Cambronnc.

There was young corporal in the gar
rlson OF Nantes in the year l795. He
was spirited young fellow, barely
twenty; but young though he was, he
had already learnt To drink to excess,
according To the too-frequent custom of
the day.
Brave and eNcitable, wine was bad
master for him; and one day, i'm mo.
ment of intoNication, he was tempted To
strike an officer who was giving him an
order
Death was the punishment of such an
oilense,. and 70 death the lad was con-
dcmncd
The colonel of his regiment, remem-
bering the intelligence and bravery of
the young criminal, spared no pains TO
obtain remission of the sentence; at
first with no success, but finally ham
pered with certain condition that the
prisoner should never again in his life
be found intoxicated.
The colonel at once proceeded TO the
military prison and summoned Cam
i" You are in trouble, corporal" he
" True, colonel; and | forfeit my
life for my folly" returned the young
1T may be so," quoth the colonel,
shortly.
May bo2" demanded Cambronne.
lou are aware of the strictness of
martial law, colonel; expect no par
don ! have only 10 die"
But suppose | bring you pardon
on one condition ?"
fIbn 1ali. o,,,.. 1.
tion2 Let me hear il, colonel would
do much 10 save life and honor"
You mustnevcr again get drunk"
Oh, colonel that is impossiblew
impossible boy with death as an
alternative2 You will be shot to-mor-
row othorwisc-think of thatW
do think of it. But never To get
drunk again! must never let one drop
OF wine touch my lipsl See you, colonel,
Cambronne and the bottle love one an
other so well, that when once they get
together it is all up with sobricty, No,
no! dare not promise never to get
drunk"
But, unhappy boy could you not
promise never TO touch wine?'
" Not drop, colonelT'
" Not drop"
All, that is n weighty matter, col
onel Let me reflect. Never to touch
wine not a single drop all my lifep
The young soldier paused; then
looked up.
But, colonel, if | promise, what
guarantee will you have that shall keep
my promise|
" Your word of honor" said the
oihcer. know you; you will not fail
me"
A light came into the'young fellows
eyes.
" Then promise" he said solemnly.
90 God hears me. ], Cambronne, swear
that never to my dying day shall drop
of wine touch these lips"
The next day the Corporal Cam
bronze resumed his place in his regi-
ment.
Twenty-Five years after he was Gen
eral CambrOnne, man of note, re-
spected and beloved.
Dining one day in Paris with his old
colonel, many brothers-in.arms being
present, he was offered glass of rare
old wine by his former commanding
officer Cambronne drew back.
My word of honor, colonel have
you forgotten that?" he asked, ex-
citedly. and Nantes-the prison
my vow?' he continued, striking the
table. 4" Never, sir, from that day to
this has drop of wine passed my fps.
J swore IL, and ! have kept my word:
and shall keep it, God helping, To the
end"
Once more, not without reason, did
the. good old colonel thank God that he
had been able TO preserve such man for
France.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
Grains Of Gold.

Ignorance is II subject for pity, nor
laughter.
II is good To he deaf when the slandercr
begins to talk.
prOsy man is like the clack of mill
when it is empty.
Anger always hurts us more than the
one we get mad at.
Read not books alone, but men and
be careful to read thyself.
The credit that is got by lie lasts
only Till the truth comes out.
We are only really alive when we en-
JOY the good will of others.
Keep aloof from sadness, for sadnc ~
ia the sickness of the soul.
A cheerful face tx nearly as good for a
patient AZ healthy weather.
Our acts make or mar us; we are the
children Of our own deeds.
Tomorrow il the day on which lazy
folks work and fools reform.
The best sort of revenge is not to be
like him who does the injury.
Applause il the spur of noble minds,
the end and aim of weak ones.
Don't judge n man by the clothes he
wears; for God made one, and the tailor
the other.
scholars are frequently to be met
with who are ignorant Of nothing save
their own ignorance.
To know how to listen is a great art !;
it is TO know how to gain instruction
from every one.
Abuse is the penalty levied on the
bond Of praise, and can be rendered eff
fective only when noticed.
Don't Judge n man by his failure in
life, for many man fails because he is
too honest TO succeed.
He who accustoms himself TO buy su.
perHuities may, before long, be Obliged
to sell his necessaries.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
CRUEL KITTY.
4 DlrrY ny JOHN nRoueuAN.


Oral murther, murther, Kitty, dear
I'm wastin' all away;
BY raisOn OF your cruelty,
My brains has gone asthray.
They tell the sunlight has the strength
For 10 make the sinses hy:
So my poor head was emptied
By the bright beams Of your eye
Ora what's the use i'm life at all
Since you have served me TOT
i have no heart for work or play,
Lie down, stand up. OF go.
Just Ike young tree hreathod ON
by warm but blightiu' air,
Your smile has stole all hope away,
And left me hut despair.
Ora would some fairy change mo
To a purity bird or flower,
That my kitty's hands might tend me
Every day and every hour.
For her dear eyes to look on mo
I'd bc some iifeloss thiuC
More gladly than, away iTum them,
TO be mighty king.
And when you die Ia like 20 be
Transformed into q stone,
With outside smooth aud shinin',
But vita heart COwld A. your own:
That might stand and guard your grave
When calmly there YOU rest
And bear my darlin' Kitty's name
Engraved upon my breast.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16

LIFE is rather too cheap for comfort
out in Illinois The records show that
within the last twenty years three hun.
dred and fourteen murderers have been
sent TO the State prison-ninety of them
for life and the remainder for from one
TO twenty-five years. One hundred have
been pardoned, sixty-two have been re-.
leased i'm other ways, twenty-one have
died or gone 10 the asylum for the in
sane. and one hundred and thirty.one
are still in prison Three years and six
months, il is estimated, is the average
term for a convicted murder in Illinois.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
UE WOULDN'T MAKE his WILL.

" You're getting old and weak, papa;
Tho doctors say you're ill, !"
Thus spoke the dutcous son. ~ think
You'd better make your viii"
The father from his easy chair
Glanced at his thoughtful boy,
Aud q On his face the look that stole
Was not VI pride or iov.
Not " know myself, my SON
folks think mo sane" hc seid,
" And I'll do naught 90 mcke them call
Me crazy when lm dead"
--Netc Iork S,ia.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
Steam as a Light Reflector.
Engineering and Mining Journal. J

As everything pertaining 10 the i'm
provement Of the methods and parapher-
MALTA Of illumination is at the present
time looked upon with special interest,
we reproduce for the benefit of our
readers an account Of recent patent
granted in Germany to Herr l.. Bran
dan, OF Berlin, in which he proposes 20
utilize the emissiye properties Of steam
for Illuminating purposes. I'm describ-
ing his plan the patentee refers 10 the
fact that steam in condensing forms
dense white yapOrs, which possess the
property, when exposed to an intense
source Of light, of partly rejecting and
partly absorbing and subsequently emit
ting it, as the clouds behave toward the
sunlight, difiusing a mild and uniform
brightness. In adapting his system TO
overhead and side lights, Herr Brandau
employs an apparatus consisting essen
tally Of glass chamber, into which
steam is admitted, passage way for its
exit being alsO provided. This is then
Illuminated directly or with the aid Of
mirrors by the source Of light.
Novel ~ IL may seem, the plan ap-
pears to us to have decided merit, and
il is not impossible that the idea Of
Herr Brandau may contain in IL the
elements necessary for the successful
moderation and diffusion Of the blind
ing brilliancy Of the electric light,
which has i'm most situations proved 10
be q serious drawback TO its usefulness.
The high absorptive and emissive
properties Of water vapors, both for heat
and light, are well known physical facts
and the commonplace allusiOn 10 the
sudden CLEAN Of brightness that follows
the escape Of clouds of steam, especially
noticeable when the sunlight is hidden,
will serve as a familiar example Of n
principle that Herr Brandau proposes
TO turn to useful account
IN report to headquarters in Wash
ington, a Secret Service operative in the
West mentions n case in which a little
girl unwittinely caused the arrest Of her
father for cOunterfeiting. On her way
10 school q few mornings ago she stop
ped at q cOnfectioner's to buy five cents
worth of candy She handed the pro.
prietor nickel lie examined il and
said he did not think il was good. "Oh
] know 10 vs., she exclaimed, innocently
because papa made &c. Papa make'
lots just like that"
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16

JUST as the mosquito has chimed his
last hymn and passed from earth, the
chestnut worm arrives on the scene and
commences to get in his work.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16

" GIVE us liberty, or give us death"
is q good political sentiment, but the
hummer element in politics make it,
" give us whisky, or give us beer"
I" Yes she replied, as she turned away
her face, 81 think q whisky store
must be burning down and you swallowed
some OF the smoke"
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16
Nothing Like Being in STYLE.

In San Augustine County, Texas,
when q gentleman desires TO escort
lady 10 church, he writes her as follows: /:
" Compliments Of Mr.. - TO Miss
-: ] respectfully solicit the pleasure
OF escorting your corporal system across
the alluvial landscape that lies between
your fathers hospitable domicile and
the sanctuary Of God, there to hear the
expounding Of the Scriptures"
The maiden replies: / will with
pleasure allow you the exquisite beati-
tude Of escorting my corporal system
over the space of ground intervening be-
tween my parental domicile and the edi-
fec Of divine worship when the diurnal
orb Of day shall have sought his last
resting place behind the occidental
hills"
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16

a NOTORIOUS Algerine bandit No
hammed-ben-Amer, has just met his fate
After series Of atrOciOus crimes he had
taken refuge in Tunis. ON an applica-
tlOn Of the government his extradition
was granted but while being conducted
~ the frontier he made his escape from
the escort and took 20 the mountains.
Having committed some more murders.
he sent word 10 q chief, ST Mustafa, that
he had sworn 10 kill him The latter
took his precautions, and posted bands
Of trusty men at the outlets Of the passes
from the mountains After few days
watching the ruflian approached one Of
The posts with two Of his companions.
and was preparing to force passage
when one Of the Arabs shot him dead
The men who were with him took to
fight.
West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1878-11-16

THERE is said to be p terrestrial globe
in the Jesuitic Library Of the Lyons
Museum, France, which Is one hundred
and seventy years old, containing in
great detail, the curious system of Afri-
can lakes and rivers, which the English
and American travellers have lately re-
discovered. An inscription near the
north pole, states that IL was made in
the year 1901 The globe has created n
great sensation among geographical
savants and amateurs.--a 10 shows that
Africa was explored long previous tothe
dates generally assigned