davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
TY,6 Dreary Dark Ages.
[Dlackwood,s Magazine ]

=
Tie Fathers Of the printing trade &C
cepted a grave responsibility In exciting
q world that Was intellectually tranquil
To US, looking back upon; item out OF
the light, those so-caifed ,"dark ages"
seem sufficiently dreary. In the inter;
yais of those active occupations which
are scarcely suited to our quieter
modern tastes-feutls, fighting, fire-rais-
ing, rapinc, rapes, etc.-it. appears to us
that time must have dragged along very
heavily. In reality, to the mass Of those
who knew no better, those times of uni
versal ignorance and torpidity must have
been at least negatively agreeable. With
the rare exception of some solitary stu
dent, of some scheming churchman, or
some statesman in advance of his age,
We may take it for granted that nobody
thought very deeply. There was no
wear and tear of the mental 6bcrs, and,
consequently, there were mono of those
painful brain and nerve diseases that
fill our asylums, and arc transmitted by
descent. So the stomach had q siailaS
immunity from strain, anc the unim-
paired digestion was never troubled by
abstrusc thought or far-fetched ankle
tics-which, by the gay, was a most
benefccnt provision of Providence,
when we remember the medieval cuisine,
and the habits of fcasting among the rich
and idle. What passed for thought with
society generally was the mechanical
action of a languid brain working in the
narrowest circles Of its immediate inter
est and cures. Concern with future
state was the special care of clergy; the
church had settled the dogmas which
the dcvout had only to receive. 1t is
mex, to impossible nowadays to realize
the condition of the noblcmen or county
squire. unable to read or to write. who
CROPPED his way from the cradle to the
grave ih the profoundcst mental dark.
ness. He never troubled his head about
foreign polirics, unless he were person
ally summoned to serve beyond the seas.
or wien some strOlling wayfarcr, like
W;!Frid of Ivanhoc, brought news Of the
wars in France or Palestine. Nor did
he concern himself much more about
domestic broils, unless they seemed
likely to cost him histhead, or bring him
some addition to his domains. Such
conversation as there was over the heavy
banqueting; beyond remarks: on the
cooking Of the joints and the quality of
the heady liquors, turned generally on
matters manorial or parochial The
guests grew excited over the encroach-
ment of some neighbor on the rights of
free-forestIy, the latest deed of audacity
of the. nearest band of outlaws, a radon
the droyes of swine, or "a murrain in, the
hcrtlg tof cattle. = Men were forced to
drink hard and long after supper, since
there was nothing. else to, be done, and
so the Eeavy brains became slowly sod
den, and still more insensible to intel
lectual stimulants. : r.- ,...
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
A Typical Western Outlaw.

Barker, the Cherokee desperate, who
was hunted down and killed near Mus
kogee, in the Indian Territory, recently,
stood at the head of the list of Western
outlaws. He was of white skin, though
his blood was tainted, and he claimed
Cherokee citizenship Hewas six feet
tall, straight as an arrow, and of stout
frame. Twenty-eight years Of crime
(for his lie was full of it from the
cradlc) ha,i stamped tiercely upon his
Indian features the marks Of the dare
devil who expected to die with his boots
on and with the whistle of bullets in his
ear His first crime was that of'whole-
sale cattle stealing. So imperfect are
the laws Of the Indian Territory that
Barker and his men rode with free boots
and boldly for many years. Triplet, a
half-brecd Cherokee; Scogdpn, the Mex
ican, and Mason, the Texan, were his
licutenants. Men were waylaid, MUIR
dered, and robbed by them time and
again. 1t is said that every citizen Of
the Cherokee country carried special
bullet in his pocket for Barker. The
eliminating atrocity Of the band came
about on the morning Of the Cd of
August last, when they galloped into the
village of 'Caneyvillc, Kansas, and in
broad daylight sacked the place, driving
the residents, men, women and children,
like a flock of sheep, out into the woods.
Two men who resisted were shot through
the heart. A few days ago ten Chero-
bees and two white men caught the out.
laws in ambuscade. Scogden and
Mason escaped, the twelve rifles crack.
ing for Barkers benefit. Barker fell and
offered resistance with the only limt
that was uninjured, the left leg. Hi:
right leg and both arms were broken and
all three limbs were amputated shortly
before his death. Triplet 'crawled of
through q corn field, but limping into
the house of his mother at Vinita on the
following day, laid down at her feet and
died.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
Let Them Alone.

Never try to rob any one of his good
opinion of himself. is the most cruel
thing you can do. Moreover, it is by no
means doing what you would be done
by. Crush q woman's self-csteem, and
you make her cross-graincd and snappish.
Do the same to a man, and you only
make him morose. You may mean to
create q sweet, humble creature, but
you'll never doit. The people who think
best of themselves are apt to be best.
Women grow pretty in believing they
are so, and fine qualities often crop out
after one has been told she has them. 1t
only grati6es momentary spite to force
your own unfavorable opinion Of him
deep into another's mind. Itnever did
any good. Ahl if this world, full of
ugly people, and awkward people, OF
silly people, and vain people, knew their
own Deficiencies, what q sitting in
sackcloth and ashes we should have9 The
greatest of all things that man can
possess is satisfactory identity. If that
which he calls ~" pleases him, it is well
with him; otherwise, he is utterly
wretched. Let your fellow-beings alone;
hold no truthful mirrors before. their
eyes, unless with pure intention to up
root sin. So may a mirror without
flaw never be prepared for you. In those
things which we can not help, may we
ever be blind to our own shortcomings.
We are neither ugly, nor awkward, nor
uninteresting to ourselves, if we do not
know it. A fool may have the wisdom
of Solomon in his own conceit. Let him
be, and the path to the grave will be
easier forhim to tread; you will be worse,
he no better. Leave every man as much
self-esteem as his conscience will allow
him to cherish. 1t may be pleasure to
enlighten people as to their faults of
mind and person, but it is certainly not
q duty.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
A Visit to a JapaneSe House.

When you 60 to japanese house,
there is no bell to ring, no knocker on
the door, and no person to receive you;
YOU sing aloud, ~ ask to be heard"
when q servant opens the door and bows
down to the floor, and then listens to
you. You tell the servant what you
want, and she leads you into the house.
There are 10 chairs to sit on, nor are
there any stools or sofas, but you sit on
the floor with your limbs doubled up
under you as the taiiors sit. forgot to
tell you that you have to take off your
boots or shoes before entering. After
you sit down, the servant brings you
pipe and some tobacco to smoke, also tea
and cake, and tells you that the master
is busy and cannot see you Immediately.
After awhile the master comes in and
you make profound bow to each other.
He then asks you to his study, which is
well furnished. On one side is a door
which swings on hinges, or can be pushed
back to the right or left. The walls are
not white, but either gray or brown, the
same as the ceiling, which is low and
made of wood. In the corner of the
room is rack, covered with a silk
spread. Pictures hang on the wall, but
they are not framed but trimmed with
silk and fancy paper, which can be rolled
up and put away. The study fronts on
the garden, and you can inhale the fra
GRANGE of flowers. There is no parti-
ton between the study and the garden,
except sashes filled with transparent
paper, which appears most beautiful at
night; but in case Of storm they have
a canvas which they draw over this and
make it secure. Then the master intro
duces you to his wife. He does not call
her Mrs, but simply says she is my wife.
She is dressed splendidly. Her hair is
arranged in something the same way as
the American lady dresses hers. She
asks you to sit in high seat and orders
tea and cake. She will ask you if you
are married, how many children you
have, etc. The American ladies are just
as inquisitive. By her side sits her
daughter and son on the floor, without
cushions. The young lady is dressed
very much like her mother, and if you
ask her to play, she will get an instru-
mcnt something like 4 guitar, and play
and sing. Her brother never gives his
parents any trouble, and never asks any
questions. 49,.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
AuecGOte Of Judge Cleary.
TNgy Yo:I, D.spG.ch.

Some years ago had case to argue
before the eccentric Judge Clcary, of
Kentucky. While waiting for my case
to come up, listened to the trial Of q
brawny ruttlan, who was accused of steal
ing two mules. He had been caught
riding one and leading the other and
though both the animals bore their real
owners brands, he swore that they had
been foaIed on his farm and raised by
him. Every point Of evidence was
against him, but he sworc lie was inno-
cent with enough oaths to scare an over
land tcamstcr. The jury rendered a
verdict Of guilty without leaving their
seats. Judge Cieary asked him:
''Havc you anything to say why judg-
ment should not be pronounced on you:
"Ycs, havcn
"What is it, '-
II am Innocent, and l hope God may
strike me dead if I am mott"
The Judge paused & moment. Then
he said, quietly:
GAS Che Almighty he's not seen prope,
to comply with your request, the SEN
teace Of the court IS" and he wen.
on to pronounce it.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
Living With Nature.

Robert. Ingerscll says there is quiet
about the life of a farmer, and hope Of
serene old age that no business or profess
sion can promise. A professional man is
doomed sometimes to feel that his pow
ers are waning. He is doomed to see
younger and stronger men pass him in
the race for life. He looks forward to
an old age ofintellectual mediocrity. He
will be last where once he was first. But
the farmer goes as it were, into partner
ship with nature-he lives with trees
and Gowers-he breathcs the sweet air
of the fields There is no constant
frightful strain upon the mind. His
nights are filled with sleep, and rest. He
watches his focks and herds as they feed
upon the green and billy slopes. He
hears the pleasant rain fall upon the
waving corn, and the trees he planted in
his youth rustic above him as he plants
others for the children yet to be.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
S0ciety in i,arliameN.


AuOtlicc incidental feature Of the
House, which Immediately strikes An
American, is the number of dress suits
scattered over the room-thc men who
have been to dinner or are going, for
"soc:cty" here is always distinctly rep
resented in Parliament. l suppose We
might say that in our country it is not
only represented in Congress, but posi-
lively excluded and DISTINGUISHED. Here,
however, politics are really fashionable.
Under Cue English system not only has
"the individuar 4 certain representa-
ton, but also all that he has been able
to add to.himself of moral or intellectual
worth or even material wealth. The
AmcricaE gentleman in politics, on the
contrary. has only the same quality and
force as the American blackguard-one
vote. The American scholar in politics
has only the same quality and force as
the American hoodlum-one vote. The
American millionaire in politics has only
the same quality and force as the Amer
ican communist-onc vote,
The bottom reason why the American
gentleman, the American scholar, the
American property holder does not go
into politics, aud is so unfrequently seen
in Washington, is because education,
cultivation and property as such are not
represented in our suffrage system, and
there is no constituency, therefore, to
send these men. We represent only the
"individual,' and, consequently, as q
rule, "individuals' go into politics, and
''individuals" are sent to Washington.
The dre,s-coatS, l may say concluding
this paragraph, arc this year mainly on
the government side, although the Mar
quis of Harrington, the leader of the op-
positions. frequently addresses the House
In full dime: costume. Still. liberalism
in son,> way sc"n,> 10 laad strongly to
sac: coat and felt hat, and ready made
,lrtIiD,. -
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
/" "BROWNIE.r
In Reply 10 VIII Cdrlson's dead Student"
BY OWEN y. WILSON.

Your letter tells me Brown i, dead-"old Brownis!"
The boys gone to his long account7 Sad tidins''
loved the fellow, brother like: stanch friend WI
he too. .- o.
The last to leave one in lurchthe first TO dare and
do.
And can scarce imagine as read your letter, Ted,
That shIouded, eotinei sepulchred, "od Brownies"
lying dead.
IT'S Just two years ago to-day parted-he and 1:
He held my hand and faltcrng spoke: "God bless
you, Jack! Good-by!
Pll meet you in the years 10 come when l. like you,
The proud distinction OF a name-when college days
arc DONE"
He told me OF the hopes lie had, the high ambitious
That shed around his life their bright but too deu
sye beams.
He wore picture next his heart. All! Ted! that
glrlish face
Comes up before my vision now in all its pictured
grace.
A loveiier never saw and Ihave wandered where :
The daughters Of the Orient are deemed diVinely
fair.
"she's waiting has waited long for .me"-he
often said
God help the poor young heart whose dreams rest
now where lies the dead.
Ihoar his merry, careless shout ring out upon the
air,
And catch the echo Of his laugh that held no note Of
care. tH. 90. T..i % '.
And hurrying footsteps seem to sound upon echoins
floor.
lift my eyes and Brownie stands within the open
door
For am dreaming Ted, old boy, Of those past happy
days
When You and and Brownie strayed along familiar
ways. ...
The river winding thro' the glen wkere:n the days
In many a heated contest, Ted, we've piled the
friendly oar.
Imagination pictures now. Do you recall the day,
When Brownie led from start to cloe and bore the
prize away? .,
The boating cup. Twas nobly won. You have II
now-and he,
Poor boyl has rowed his last race here. Old fellow,
can it be
That faithful earnest heart is stlled7 that we shall
not know here
Again the clasp Of that strong hand In friendship
warm and dear;
Aye! can it be that life once bright with hopes eu-
gent beams
Is lost to aspirations high and Loves ambitious
Thu,in the morn-tide Of success in manAoOds waken-
ing years,
Hopes brilliant sun oft sets beyond rising mist Of
tears.
Yet, my fancy cannot picture as read your letter,
Our comrade shrouded cofined-"Old Brownie''
lying dead
Quincy Modern 4roo.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
A Ouickened Conscience.

The murderof the Morris family so!ms
likely to remain a mystery, unless the
murderer, prompted. by remorse, shall
some day reveal it. A man in England
recently gave himself upas the murderer
of woman in Essex while the family
was away at church, Sunday, June q,
1857. For twenty-five years he has
wandered over the world, having been IN
every county in Ems land, and sailed to
various parts of the globe as far as India.
He did this, too, in the face of 5000 re-
ward offered for his detection and OF his
notoriety for horse-stcaling, for which
crime he had just served 4 term in prison;
Hefeels happier since his surrender. II
of which goes to prove that murder may,
rather than will, '"'out."
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
Np& q Hotel WAS Opened.

The fremont House. Boston, the
oldest of the great hotels in the country,
has iu;t completed is first half century.
Wurn i; was c"n,;,!rtcI It's managers
were afraid 10 run the risk or opening so
expensive an institution. The Boston
JoV.Mat thus tells the curious way IN
which the problem was solved: 4
Why don't you open the houseT
That question occupied Boston, and the
answer was: eve will s0on" There
was fear Of going overheard in that late
season. Every dss-since the grand dim
nc,s were served, the. anxiety in regard
to opening the hotel increased, the fear
growing gradually. less every day. On
the 10th Of OctoberM Stetson was busy
aad wondering WIN the doors
could not be flung wide open. In
uhedicaCe to orders visitors Of ali sorts
were refused admission. the time ha 7ing
been occupied with curious people. At
12 o'clock trunk was flung down on the
hoor of the rotunda. The owner was ill.,
formed that he could not be allowed to
rema;n. "You must 60 somewhere
else" The fat porter looked grimly at
the intrudcr, then at the officer with a
quiet wrinkle on hisfaee, but the order
was pc.cmptory and did not allow enter
'taiumcns So the visitor begged to be-
permitted to wait until rested after his
long ride. When rested he would take
up his baggage and seek 4 place to tarry
at. Ills manner, and inviting words,
rather wun the attention of the officer,
and secured finally the privilege going
to room to "wash and dress" That
done, Then, if you have cook; why
can't au old lawyer like myself get some
thing to cat?' A repasf> followed, after
which he came to the front of the office,
paid tae bill, and wondetea Why the
doors were shut to travel. He looked
at the wine list, and after running it over \
said, How much OF this splendid en-
umeration have you sold"'' None, yet.
The house is not OPEN Well, sir,
take memorandum from the half bot
tie Of porter to the end Of the summing
up. even to MontevuS At ST. per bottle"
1t was done. "Charge it to me- ,"I
don't know you, sir" Well where Is
your book of arriyals?' Here" He
dipped his pen into the ink and wrote:
Nathaniel Srarle. Providence, r. ]"
The officer had heard of the lawyer, and
thought The incident encouraging for the
proprietor. Mr.. Scarlc then said: LET
me sleep here tonight" Yes, yes"
said S.ctson, and thcncslIing for Abbot,
the head porter, gave the order. Fling
the doors open; We begin business now"
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
Prices at Leadyille.

The cost of living at Leadville, says
correspondence of the Chicago Inter- ocean,
is now much less than it was six months
and year ago. Very good accommoda-
tions may be had at the second-class
hotels for SO per week, while many OF
the restaurants furnish a fair meal tor
twenty-five cents. If persons are dis
posed to economic, they can rent COM
Portable log cabin, or a small frame house,
at from SIS to $40 per month, and either
board at private boarding houses or take
their meals at restaurants. Men say
that they live here quite comfortably IN
this way at from 81 to $5 per week. -.
To give an idea of the cost of some OF
the commodities here, l will mention
the following: Riding pony, saddle and
bride, So per day; hay, $50 to $40 per
ton now-two weeks since it was going
at S120 per ton; cabbage, turnips, Deets,
potatoes, ETC., five cents per pound at
iobbinr prices, and ut retail from six and
a half to seven cents; -four retails at 50
per hundred pounds; lumber, native, at
S25 per thousand, and Chicago at SOC;
corn and oats, at from three to three
and half cents per pound. Rents are
very high. Small storc-rooms in frame
buildings run at not less than $500 per
month, Offices at from $50 to 500, while
the Thcater Comique, occupying COM
paratively small building on State street,
pays monthly rental of 81 300. Busl.
ness lots range very high. The owner OF
lot corner of State and Harrison
avenues is almost daily importuned to
take $500 for it, but persistently de-
clincs, while q day or two since one
half interest in lot on Harrison avenue,
near Chestnut street, sold for $4,000.
Residence lots are yet comparatively
cheap, speculation in them not having
commenced to any great extent.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
Freaks Of Lightning.

A singular accident occurred at Beth
lchem, Ind, last Sabbath. Rev. G. p.
Walker and L. G. Taylor rode into the
churchyard and hitched their horses un-
der a small tree, and started for the
church door. When not more than
twenty feet from the horses, bolt of
lightning struck the tree, killing three
horses and injuring another. Strange
to relate, the sky above was perfectly
clear. There was cloud in the west,
but it seemed too far away to do any
damage. Another strange feature is. that
q tall tree standing not more than ten
feet away, was missed. The church,
stecplc, also, was only few steps away.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25

THE pedometer may become terror
to husbands, when all the ladies find out
the success ofa shrewd Boston wife, who
quietly attached one of these tell-tales to
her husband when he started to $50
down to the Office and post UP the
books" On his return she discovered
that he had done fifteen miles of walk
ing-around billiard table. He "'lost"
the faithful reporter the next day.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
Greatness.

IT'S noted of some scholars, like
Swift and Gibbon and Donne, that they
pretended to vices which they had not,
SO much did they hate hypocrisy. vii.
liam Blake, the artirt frankly says: 81
never knew bad man in whom there was
notsomethirgvery good" Bret Harte has
pleased himself with noting and record.
Ing the sudden virtue blazing in the wild
reprobates of the ranches and mines of
California. Men are ennobled by morals
and intellect; but these two elements
know each other and always beacon to
each other until at last they meet in
the man, if he is to be truly great.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
A Decayed American Industry.

Before the advent of cheap cotton the
nroduction and manufacture of flax
were important industries in this coun'
In 1910, when the population OF the
country was but little more than 7,O0O,-
600, there were produced in the United
States over 2l,OOO,O0O yards of tlazen
cloth made in families. At the present
time, when the population Of the coun.
try is believed to be 5O,000,OOO, the total
annual production of flax and linen
fabrics is probably not over 5000, 900
yards, and not yard of fine linen Ia
made in the country
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25
LITTLE four wears old who gathers

A LITTLE four years old who gathers
her ideas of harmony from the street
musicians lifted her great wondering
eyes to her mother the other day and
asked: "Does angels all have harpsT
w think they do," was the reply.
E'Doesn't any little girl angels have to
pass tac hat?" "Why, no, my dear; why
do ask such foolish questionsT "Be-
cause if can't have harpI don't want
to be an angel. shouldn't feel good
enough to pass the hat up to God. >
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25

SARATOGA is gradually gaining ON
Niagara as a resort for bridal parties.
It really looks as if Niagara would soon
be left entirely to the indians and the
hack drivers, who have killed it for tho
rest of the world.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25

K1ssEs.-Two cups of sugar, three
eggs butter the size of an egg, one cup
Of sour cream, q tcaspoonful each OF
soda and cream-tartar, 4 little salt and
nutmeg, drop it on tins, and sprinkle
sugar on before baking.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-12-25

EIGHT masked robbers stopped train
in the West the other day. AS the train
contained an excursion of editors, the
only loss was q loss of time to the robbers.