davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
MYSTERIES of q Dead Letter Office.

Mr.. Charles Hughes lectrred in
Washington recently on the " Mysteries
of the Dead Letter Office" Mr.. Hughes
was for some time clerk in the dead
letter Office, and relates some interest
ing experiences connected with the de-
livery of dead letters. About 10, 900 are
opened daily and the money contained
in these amounts to about $81, 600 a
month. An interesting case WAS where
gentleman travelling on business sent
letter containing 81, 800 to his wife at
home. By some unaccountable neglect
he sealed the envelope and deposited it
in the mail without any address what
ever. After tho letter was opened at
the dead letter Office we found that he
had written but few lines, announcing
his determination to 60 further south,
not mentioning any probable destina-
tion, and signing the name George. "
There was no clue to trace the wife and
but slight one to find the writer. After
a long search "George was discovered
on the hotel register, the only person out
of thirty.two of the same name who had
merely signed his name without saying
where he was from, or whittier going.
Another case somewhat similar, was the
following: A letter was written, dated
Astor house, New York, signed "Chaun.
cey," inclosing 81, 900 to lady as re-
muneration for the care with which she
had treated his parents. The letter
stated he was going to Europe. The
letter was misdirected, and was opened
at the dead letter Office. The postmaster
of New York was instructed to make
inquiries at the Astor house for Chaun-
cey, who, after some trouble, was found,
and the money returned to him the very
afternoon he left for Europe. The fol-
lowing are some of the singular super
scriptions on dead letters "Please
hand to my mother, and oblige Mary =
"Sal, if you want to hear from your DO,
you had better come and get this let
ter ;" " In this letter there is 800 for
Bob, and send it this way 80 that the
postmaster won't steal it )" "postmas-
ters, please deliver this to the young
lady living in the first house beyond the
wallet factory, that wears black dress
and sack, white straw hat, and brown
face.trimmings now don't make mis-
take" Several letters are received ad-
dressed to the evil one, Santa Claus, and
other like personages. Often these let
ters, with their foolish superscriptions,
contain money.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
A Whole Family Murdered.

One of the most cruel murders ever
perpetrated occurred at Vincennes, Ind,
one night, not long ago. The farm
where the murder occurred is situated
about four miles east of the city and
about 200 yards from the Evansville
railroad. A dense forest OF scrub oak is
near the house on two sides, north and
west, the land on the south and east
being cultivated. The house is quaint
old structure, and was occupied by John
D. Vacelot, with his family-a wife and
two sons. These were the victims.
Pierre Provost, the hired man, who was
arrested lived also in the house. The
house consists OF three rooms.
The two boys-Frank, sixteen years,
and John, fourteen years old-were
found in bed in one room. Their heads
were horribly mangled by repeated
blows from an axe. In the door con-
Meeting this room with one occupied by
Vacelot and his wife, lay the old man,
covered with cuts and bruises, there
being nine gashes on his head and three
on his arms and breast. He was evi-
IDENTITY coming into the room to see what
was the matter when he was attacked.
On the bed lay his wife, with her head
horribly mutiIated and her throat cut,
the jugular vein being severed: Three
axes were found smeared with blood,
only one, however, showing marks OF
use. Provost claimed to have escaped
through a window. but examination
shows the window fastened down and
cobwebs across on the outside. He also
stated that blow Was struck at him
with an axe he jumped out. The sill of
the window shows blow from an axe,
but an indentation on the low rail of the
window-sash shows conclusively that the
blow was struck with the window closed.
The sight in the house was sickening
and horrible in the extreme. The floor
was covered with blood the walls and
ceiling were spattered with it, and the
bed.clothes were literally soaked in
blood. Vacelot was IN old Frenchman
of quiet ways, and well known as an up
right, honest farmer. he was fifty-tve
years old, and his wife was about fifty.
No cause was assigned for the deed, save
that Vacelot had just received about
500 as the proceeds of sale of cattle,
which was supposed to be in his house.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
Choate's Conversation.

The following extract is from an
article in Haroer's Magazine on Rufus
Ohoate, the celebrated lawyer and once
United States senator from Massachui
setts :, One of the charms OF Mr..
Choate's conversation wes his habit Of
exaggeration. To attend the perforne-;
ance of Mozart's "Don Giovanni . was
like listening, he said, to 10, 600 fotssts
of birds. He knew that no e1aggeratim
in mere words could adequately express
the delight thata sympathetic mind feelg
in coming into vital acquaintance with 2,
work Of transcendent genius in any de-
partment Of literature and the fine arts:
Ten thousand birds would be small
testimony to the melodies OF Mozart !;
but 1O, 600 forests OF birds is a compar1-'
son which indicates the rapture OF won:
der and admiration which Mozart mas.
terpiece e1cltes in all souls capable o.
feeling it's beauty. With this tendency
to verbal exaggeration Choate bad thai
instantaneous humorous recol fronse1s
travagant assertion characteristic ol
ardent natures whose sense OF the ludf-l
crous is quick as their sense OF the
beautiful and the sublime. 8. ".Interprap
TO me the libretto," !" he said to bis datgh-,
ter. "lest I dilate at the wrong emo
ton" Sydney Smith never said any
thing bette than that. 81
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
Among the Maine Indians.

I found the governor or chief of the
Passamaquoddy tribe at the house of
one of his people, where had been in
vited to dine. T was ushered into the
dining. room by small papoose, who
took it upon himself to lead me to the
governor without first obtaining his per-
mission, and came upon the party un
awares. 7 cannot say but what the
governor was just little chagrined at
my intrusion, but he hastily rose from
the seat which he occupied on the floor
and gave me cordial welcome. The
"cloth "was laid upon the floor, though
table was in the room. and six of these
dusky people we're sitting around enjoy
ing their repast. Gov. Solomon Fran
els is now chief OF his tribe. He is
eighty one years of age, and his position
entities him to a further annuity Of fifty
dollars, which he considers a very small
sum. inasmuch rs his father many years
ago received $3.50 for occupying the same
position. he is chosen by his people,
with life term of Office, and bis duties
are to maintain order and quietude
among the Indians under his jurisdic-
ton. His son, an intelligent youth of
about twenty years, was given me as a
guide, with instructions to conduct me
to those families where correct idea OF
the characteristics and manners OF the
people might be observed.
He led me to the cleanly looking
dwelling of Lewis Francis, who was
then on q porpoise expedition, but his
squaw. white woman of very respecta
bic family connections, was busily
engaged in preparing dinner. This
woman is possessed of more than ordi
nary intelligence, with flashing eyes and
a proud bearing. Her twenty-three
years of married life and association
with his tribe seems not to have had the
effect of destroying the refinement and
teachings of her early youth. She speaks
the Indian tongue Auently, and is an
adept in the finest branch OF basket
making. She appears to be happy and
satisfied, and when I asked her If she
ever had cause to regret her marriage,
her quivering lip and subdued manner
betokened her answer, and III the words
OF the fair Desdemona, she could have
said |:
"The heavens forbid
But that our loves and comforts should increase
Even as our days do grow
She is the mother of eight children,
all girls but one, and fine looking, the
Indian blood being scarcely perceptible.
The wife assured me that her affection
for her husband and children was such
that she would willingly risk her life to
save them from danger. She experienced
very little difference in her mode OF
living from that which she had been
accustomed in her earlier life. It is
true she had married without the con
sent of her parents, but this offense had
long since been condoned and family
visits exchanged, and her father dying
recently, bequeathed to her fifty acres
of land Immediately adjoining their
village Correspondence Baltimore Sun.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
Ancient Wonders.

Nineveh was fourteen miles long,
eight miles wide, and forty'si1 miles
around, with wall one hundred feet
high, and thick enough for three charl-
OTIS abreast. 49,,
Babylon was fifty miles within the
walls, which were seventy.hve Iest
thick and one hundred feet high, wlta wtl
one hundred brazen gates.
The themple of Diana, at Epnesns.
was four hundred and twenty iees 70 tns
support of the roof-it was one hundred
years in building. .s...., .s.s.
The largest of the pyramids was four
hundred and eight-one feet in heient,
and eight hundred and ffty-three on
the sides. The base covered eleven
acres. The stones are about sixty 1eet
in length, and the layers are two a nun, ndo
dred and eight. It employed 5oe'ooo
men in building. .,-.o
The labyrinth Of Egypt contains tnfee
hundred chambers and twelve hailss
Thebes, in Egypt, presents .rulns
twenty.seven miles around, and con, on
tained $4,000 citizens and 4oq'tue
The temple of Delphos was so rich N
donations that it was plundel ed OF sou,
600 600, and the Emperor Nero carried
away from it two hundred stat9es.
The walls we're thirteen miles afouAa'
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
The Clean Newspaper.

There is a growing feeling in every
healthy community against the jour-
nails which make it their special object
to minister to perverted taste by seek
ing out and serving up in q seductive
form disgusting scandals and licentious
revelations. There is good reason to
believe that the clean newspaper is
more highly priced to-day than it was
four or FIVE years ago. It is also safe
to predict that as people in all ranks of
life, who protect their own at least
from contamination, become more con-
scious of the pernici' us influence of q
certain class of journals, called enter
prising because they are ambitious to
serve up dirty scandals, they will be
careful to see that the journals they
permit to be read in the family circle
are OF the class that never forget the
proprieties of life. Already men and
women of refinement and healthy
morals have had their attention called
10 the pernicious influence of bad
literature, and have made commend
able efforts to counteract the same by
causing sound literature to be publish
ed and sold at popular prices. These
efforts are working silent but sure
revolution. The best authors are more
generally read to day tkan ut any pre-.
vious time. The sickly sentimental
story paper and wild ranger and pirate
story book are slowly yielding the field
to worthier claimants. To the praise
of the decent newspaper, it may be said
that where it has place in the family
and has been read for years by young
and old, it has developed such healthy
tone and such a discriminating taste
that the literature of the slums has no
admirers. Fortunately, the number OF
such families is increasing in the land,
and as they increase, the journal that
devotes itself to sickening revelations of
immortality will be compelled to find its
supporters solely among those classes
that practice vice Or crime or are am
bilious to learn to follow such ways
Boston Herald.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

A young bride, momentarily expecting
the return of her husband, was handed
telegraphic dispatch, which so excited
her that, without having strength to
break the envelop, she tainted away.
Upon recovering she found her husband
seated beside her. "Oh, Alick !" were
her first words, II thought you had
fallen down and cut your throat with one
of those horrid standing collars,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
The Young Tramp.

Hello, thar, stranger! Whar you from?
Come in and make yerself ter hum!
We're common folks, amt much on style
Come in and stop little while;
'Twont do no harm ter rest yer some.
Youngster, yer pale, and don't look well
What way frum Bosting? Naow, dew tell
Why, that's hundred mile or so;
What started yer Id like ter know
On sich tramp; got goods ter sell:
No home, no friends? Naow that's too bad
Wall, cheer up boy and don be sad
Wife see what yer can find to eat,
And put the coffee on ter heat
Well d1 yer up all right, my lad.
Willing ter work, can't get job,
And not penny iu yer fob:
Wall, naow, that's rough, I dew declare?
What, tears Come youDgster, can't bear
Ter see yer take on so, and sob.
How came yer so bad Off, my con?
Father was killed? 'Sho' whar? Bull Run !
Why, I was in that scrimmage, lad,
And got used up. too, pretty bad;
shsn't forgit old 'si1ty-one.
So yer were left in Bosting, hey?
A baby when he went away
Those Bosting boys were plucky, wife,
Yer know one Of 'em saved my life
Else I would not be here to-day.
Twas when the " Black Horse Cavalcade"
Swept down on our small brigade,
Igot the shot that made me lame,
When down on me trooper came,
And this ere chap struck up his blade.
Poor feller! He was stricken dead;
Rhe troopers saber cleaved his head.
Joe Billings was my comrades name,
He was Bosting boy, and game!
almost wished I'd died, instead.
Why, lad what makes yer tremble sot
Your father! what, my comrade, Joe2
And you his son? Csme ter my heart!
My home is yours III try, in part,
To pay his boy the debt owe.
&C. F. Adams, IN Detroit Free PIE IS.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
A poet in Good Words says "Let I

A poet in Good Words says "Let us
slumber on forever and forever" That
is all easy enough to say, but when an
alarm clock is pounding itself to pieces
just over your head, and the milkman is
singing peal that would waken the
dead, any kind of slumber seems to be
about nine miles the other side of eter-
nifty. We would therefore move to
amend the bill by substituting for the
words "forever and forever" the clause,
Gas long as we can without missing
breakfast and the nine o'clock car. -
Burlington Ha.ekeye. ,z.s:i.s. ,ss..
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

In a gambling room in Nevada the
janitor, on opening the place in the
morning, found q man sitting dead at a
table, with cards still in his hands He
had been shot atpoker, by his adversary,
who had fed.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

In some English coalpits it is found
necessary to force down $50, 900 cubic
feet of fresh air every minute to supply
the needs of the workmen. :
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

A. T. Stewart once said: :"He who
invests one dollar in business should
invest one dollar in advertising that
business" How many men are there
in this city who began ten years ago in
a small shop on 81, 900 of capital and
who are no better off to-day, and who
have never spent SIS in advertising. -
NeW York Mercantile Journal.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27
TIMELY TOPICS.

Raitaa and Burraburra, two islands OF
the Society group, have completely
burst up, and large number of people
have been drowned.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

q small shop on 81 900 OF capital and
who are no better off to-day, and who
have never spent SIS in advertising. -
NesO York Mercantile Journal.
The prevailing hats and bonnets in
Paris are quite study for an entomo-
logist. Swarms of bees and other in
sects are settling on some of the hats.
Arrows and lizards are giving way to
small ornaments of holly leaves, with
pearls for berries. Owls heads OF va
rious sizes, some very large. and gilded
caterpillars, are largely used to confine
bows on hats al!;l bonnets.
A female elephant in the Philadelphia
Geological garden was greatly fright
ened by the recent gale, and when she
cut one of her feet on the glass Of bro
ken window her terror was complete.
She sat on her launches. held up her
wounded foot, and beloved loud and
long. When the keeper entered, her
male companion had his trunk wound
round the foot, as though trying to COM
fort her.
A prize of $500 for an essay on hydro
phopia, its nature, prevention and treat
ment, having been offered by Mr.. Stan
ford, M. P, to be awarded by the Royal
College of Physicians of London, the
Marquis of Salisbury has instructed the
British minister at Washington to bring
the matter to the attention of the de-
partment of State, that the necessary
publicity may be given to it in this
country.
A Cincinnati firm has issued circu-
lar relative to the peanut crop, which is
of interest. The Tennessee crop for the
year ending September 80, 1878, was
305, 900 bushels, against 5000 for the
year previous in Virginia the crop was
4O5, 600, against 100000 last year, and
in North Carolina it was only 81, 900,
against 125, 1000 in 1877. The growing
CROP. e., for 187S-79-is estimated at
400, 900 bushels for Tennessee, 800,0
for Virginia, and 10000 for North
Carolina. The North Carolina crop
promises to be about the same as to
quality as last year. A new feature with
this crop is the largely increased amount
shelled, one estimate being that one
fifth of the crop was taken in this way.
Absolutely latest: The black pony Of
Mr.. T. H. Shipp, of Midway, Ky, has
just died at the age Of thirty three.
Mrs. Richard Evans. OF Tangier island,
Va, has had the same tom-cat for forty
one years, and it is still alive and lively.
Mr.. Lake, of San Jose, Cal. and his
dog recently undertook to catch bur-
glar at night. They set out in different
directions and met in hallway. The
dog sprang from under table, intend
ing to seize Mr.. Lake, who, believing
that he was attacked by robber, hastily
fred several shots. A light was brought,
and the wounded dog, recognizing his
master, crawled to his feet and died.
An eighteen-year-old father and SEVEN
teen-year.old mother in Grove county,
KY, are the parents of twins, boy and
a girl. Mercer county, KY, fills the
mighty trump of sounding fame With a
thirteen pound sweet potato.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

Daisied meadows. field Of clover,
Grasses juicy, fresh and sweet; 81
In day the wild bees hover 81
Over many fragrant heap
Windows all the meads do cover, s q
Blossoms fall, and farmers reap !;
In month, and all Is over ssSs-
Stored away for winters keep. q
Dor1 Reod GooSYnle. In ScTibneT.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

The champion long-nosed man resides 9
at Sacramento. It's owner was at break
fast, when friend seated on the oppo-
site side of the table, knowing him to bes
little ear-sighted, remarked, There's
a fly on the end of your nose. Is q
there2" responded the owner OF the
horn of plenty. 81 didn't know 1t. 4
Just please scarce him of you're near.ss
er to him than I am |"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-27

ment feeling more eXclteu anu moie Joy-
fully hopeful. Presently the action OF
swallowing became more decided; she
felt feeble hutter at the heart, and
before long the eyes gradually opened
and closed again; but the breathing
became quietly regular and the mother
was satisfied that now no one would
dispute the fact; 80 she called her house.
hold round her, and proved to them the
joyful fact that her child was restored to
her. and that no funeral procession
would leave the house that day. Before
long the child fully recovered. The
fruit-knife with it's two blades is to this
day the most precious heirloom in the
family possessions.
"The recovered one lived to form q
deep attachment to her cousin (the
rescued boy of the first story, possibly
from the fact of the strange similarity
in their early history; but his affections
were already engaged by the young lady
whose story We are now going to relate,
the facts of which resemble somewhat
those already told. This young person
was no longer child when death SEEM
ed to claim her, but had reached the age
of eighteen or nineteen. She had been
suffering from an infectious and danger
ous fever, and when the crisis arrived,
instead of rallying, she, to all appear
ance, died. It was the custom Of the
district in which she lived to dress mar
.iageable girls as brides after death,
and to bury them in their bridal cos.
tune. The young lady in question Was
Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1878-02-01
Old 81 On He'll.
lvrou III. A,i.n,. coa.,i,u,ioa.i

IYrom the Atlanta constitution.l
While they were resting from work at
noon yesterday, Amos said:
81 hsah'd or white man resdin' in
do paper dis moruin' dat foxes wus
'batin' nov whudder dere wus emmy
hell or notf'
.shueksl' said old 81: ''you'ss got
dat wrong eend fo'mast. shor'
"No. sah. dat wux what he rel in de
papsrr' -
"whuddsr dsrs wuz emmy hsll'" re-
peated 81.
eyes. sab: whuddsr. when er man
give cut up hysr. he went ter hell. or
Jess dissolved ter dus aginl'
"Lookis hsah! ! don't want no
sputs wid nobody. but ef emmy man
come fsolin' round ne wild dat sort
Of skriptur. he's gwins ter hsah nae
git up yandsr inter shouiin' tonssf
said 81.
"why IL datg''
"Kaiss taint gwine ter do |! Yer Jess
make . niger belebe dar ant no heah
artsr, an see what yer comes for.
Ebery sscon' house'll bs or coaIt hous'
an lie houses 'twixt emil bs jale
houses. Hits moughiy hard ter keep
'sm strate now. wid do Sheriff an bofs'
fore dar eyes -
"Dsn you'ss on do side oh de iah
an birthstone -
"You'ss right. honey! FL you tink
youss gwine ter lssbe dis world ter
play snow ball somswar you'ss 'rong.
bars . warm place Jess bsyant hsah for
de managers OBJ lie Freedman Bank an
chickinliftsrs ginrully. else Use gwine
ter swap my hin.book for er pack or
kyards T.