davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
JEFFERsON's SON.
An Old MuIattO and His Strange Story,

Indianapolis Journal
A few days ago a reporter Of the
Journal ascertaincd that a colored
man in the employ of DR.. w. C..
Thompson was possessed of a history
at once strange and interesting, and,
with a view Of as~certaining the facts
connected with this person, sought the
doctor out. "Yes," said he, in re
spouse to the reporters question, II
have in my employ an aged colored
man. whom / have no doubt is the son
of Thomas Jefferson. third President
of the United States. He has fire.
q%uently told me Of his reasons for be-
lieving himself such, and | make no
doubt whatever Of the truth Of his
statements. | have known him for a
number of years, and would believe
the word of Robert Jefferson as readi-
~ as / would the oath of any man.
He lives at No. 1856 Minerva street.
and will be pleased to see you. Give
him a call, and hear what he has to
say"
Shortly after the hour of noon yes
terday the reporter found himself on
the corner of North and Minerva
streets, and turning to his left south
ward looked for the number to which
he had been directed. The second
house south Of North street proved to
be the one for which he sought.
Large evergreen trees cast their shad-
ows on the front of the house, a two.
story frame. simple in architecture
and neat in appearance. He Knocked
at the door and after a moment s pause
the summons was answered by a col.
ored man rather below the medium
hight, apparently sixty years of ago
dark mulatto in color, and with fiaiI
straight and black.
Does Mr.. Jefferson reside here 2
"He does"
"Andis this he?"
1T is. Won't you come in p an,
the reporter entered.
Tho door opened into a parlor, OF
=. the floor Of which was a carpet o
modest design, and which was wei
furnished. Everything presented
s%crupulously neat and clean appear
anoe, from the different articles q
furniture to the central object of at
traction, their quaint. looki ing propric
tor, Mr.. Jefferson himself. The re
porter made known his GRAND as h
3 seated himself on the sofa and watche
4 the effect of the announcement on tn
Y old gentleman. He at first appeare
T. surprised, and answered after som
hesitation, " Yes, | believe | am til
: son of Thomas Jefferson. | hay
every reason TO believe him to be m
d father and no reason to think to til
contrary" After some persuasion 0
the part of the interviewer. the oil
gentleman continued il is a shol
c story and easily told. Ny mother wa
IS a slave girl, a tall and handsome VIZ
S, man, belonging to Mr.. Christian, {
lie CharlostOwn, Va. Thomas Jofferso
D, and my mothers master were war;
" personal friends and frequently "a
changed visits, MIR. Jefferson passin
D a good deal Of his time in Charleston
5 and at Mr., Christians house. NJ
mother was one Of the housemaid.
Iy and had the care Of Mr.. Jefferson
,r apartments during the time he passe
. at her masters house. Her nan
e was Mile BEDFORD, and she W,
said to be q very pretty woman IN h,
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
The Conntess Aotress.

The article on Modjeska in the
March number of Scribner's Maya
zine contains a few interesting points
in her biography not heretofore clearly
known. In 1861 Modieska, accompa-
MED by her husband, weary of her
triumphs on the stage, and longing tor
a quiet life, determined upon coming
to America. Her fancy had pictured
a country home in California as the
best assurance Of a blissful, peaceful
life. Accordingly she sailed from
Hamburg and reached America BY
way of Philadelphia, thence to San
Francisco by Pacific mail steamer
and Panama, what could be better
than a rancheria in Southern Califor-
mia? Quick, then Cattle for a dairy
and creamy milk, fowls for new-laid
eggs, and, above all things, mustangs
for wild rides across the bare
stretches of the western slopes -
These were evidently children off for a
good holiday. The arcadia of her
fancy is rudely disturbed by the real
ity. The Inconvenience of the life
do not please the artist. She under
takes the task of mastering "a strange
language, and u~nheralded, although
the favOrite Of the obscure Polish
capital, she enters upon a career, re-
markable under the circumstances for
her instant and continuous success.
Helena Benda was born in Cracow, in
1874, married to G.. S. Modieska, in
1860, and to Count Charles Bozenta
Chiapowski in 1868. She LETT the
stage on an indefinite leave of absence
in 1876. She had been acting since
1861, when she made her appearance
in the small town of Bochnia. She
travelled with her two brothers, actors.
In 1865 she became installed as the
leading actress in Cracow in 1865
she was welcomed as the boast o.
Poland, to the Warsaw stage. Their
it was she began q memorable work
She was engaged for life, and during
her career on the Warsaw stage
introduced to the Poles the highes
characters Of tragedy. Shakespeare
Corneille, Goethe, Schiller, Hugo
MoretO, were interpreted in a name
to enchant the public. So that whel
she retired from the stage the inhabi
tants were tumultuous in their publi
demonstrations Of affection, Tho pres
was full Of regrets at her departur
from her native land. Modieska ha
some German and SOM Hungarian
blood in her veins. Her husband i
more purely Polish. His great incl
is that General Cblapowskf who wa
aid-de-camp to Napoleon, and com
manded a wing of the French arm
on the march to Moscow, The write
in Scribner is fairly discriminating !
his account of Modieska's charms a
, an actress, but he gives inordinat
, praise to her p~ersonation Of Juliet
in Romeo and Juliet. Modieska is a
every disadvantage in English yers,
r The chaTmof Shakespeare Romeo an
! Juliet lies to a very great extent in tn
mclodious lines. Failing to repeG
those lines with requisite warmth (
e passion in the voice, no physical eS
h preston, no graces of person in NOV,
ment can fill out the character. Bt
in society plays and in all personatioI
where tho eye may find employment
, the purely physical, she isunsurpasse,
The writer says that her Cleopatra
is perhaps the greatest part in her r.
portory. This charactey aud othp
| are yet to be given IA Che America
public.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
WIT AND HUMOR

Birds arc not noted for courage, but
many Of them die game.
A Kentucky paper boasts Of a soci-
ETY. editor who has no peer outside
the lunatic asylum
Go to thy aunt, thou sluggard, and
it she is worth money, consider her
ways.-[N. Y. Express.
1t requires wonderful insight to keep
your conscientious scruples and your
liver symptoms separate.
A country blacksmith, out West,
put up a notice mo bosses shodded
Sunday except sickness and death"
An accountant who visited Bunker
Hill monument last summer says it is
the longest column he ever footed up.
One thing our modern dairyman
cannot do, though much they might
desire it, viz; Water the milk in the
%cocoanut. ~LSyracuse Standard.
Housekeepers have to thank the
Bridgeport Standard for a new and
warranted recipe to remove paint from
a wall; Back up against it before it
gets dry"
A son of one of the Siamese twins is
achieving high honors in an Eastern
college. Why shouldn't he rise? His
father was we'll connected II Toronto
Gazette.
A Waterbury factory turns out
1900 pins a minute. And yet the
men who live right around the fac
tory when they want a pin have tC
search an hour.
Con this head, said the lecturer.
there is nothing left to be desired
The bald headed man in the front row
Immediately rose to call to order
Boston Transcript.
A Chinaman never swears when he
gets mad because there are no =" cusi
words in his dictionary. He simply
upsets his washtub, kicks the bottom
out, kicks a dog, and feels better.
To preserve a good joke-put it il
an almanac or rent it out by the yea
to circus clowns and negro minstrels
In this way specimens have been KEEP
for fifteen or twenty years.
These are terrible hard times. 1
is an actual fact that there are il
Philadelphia several families who ar,
too poor to pay So for an opera ticket
-[Philadelrhia Chronicle Herald.
An Irish soldier, who had fought il
the Bull Run, when asked if he hat
r%etreated and made good his escape, q
Others did on that famous occasion
replied "Be jabers, those that didn'
run are there yet"
An exchange says ALEX, NJ. w
Ball, author of Rock Me to Sleep
Mother, died a few days ago. For
~tunately several other authors of tn.
same poem are yet alive, so that tn
supply is not yet exhausted.
A Rhode Islander has walkel
twenty-five miles in four hours
twenty-five minutes and thirty-eigh
seconds, and the Boston Post says h
was somewhat hindered, too, " b
having to turn the corners of tn
State"
Scene in a Police Court: "Prisonei
how many barrels of potatoes did 70.
say you stole?' Seven, yer honor
three yesterday and two to-day.
Well, but that's only FIVE" Och
sure I'm going for the others when
git out of this %
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
A CONTRADICTION IN PERSON.
Az Illinois Woman Buries a Man She
SuppOses to be Her Husband.

The South Bend Qnd.) Tribune, in
a recent issue, says:
Mr.. Josiah Hill, employed at the
lower Studebakcr shop, has been a
resident of this place for two years.
A few months before coming here he
was the victim of one ofthe most won
derful cases of mistaken identity on
record. Mn. Hill and his family lived
at No. q Grant place, Chicago, and
he followed his trade of gardening in
Evanston and adjoining villages. He
had formerly resided in Evanston, and
was known by nearly every person in
the village. On Sunday morning,
June IL, 1876, a man wasrun over aud
killed at Evanston by an incoming
railroad train. The corpse was at
once identified as that of Mr.. Josiah
Hill, the gardener. Word was sent to
his family, consisting of a wife and a
daughter, aged sixteen, and they went
to Evanston to care for the body of
the unfortunate husband and father.
The wife wept, and in her almost in
consOlable grief frantically caressed
the dead one. The inquest was held
and there was no lack of evil
dence concerning the dead mans
identity. In fact there was so much
unimpeachable evidence establishing
the identity that it was never once
mentioned. When the inquest was
over the wife. took charge of the re.
mains, and on Tuesday, the day APP
pointed for the funeral, the body was
borne to the grave amid the lamenta-
tons of a large circle of friends and
acquaintance. That, apparently, was.
the end of Mr.. Josiah Hill on this
earth. On the jury at the inquest was
Mr.. Kearney, deputy sheriff of Cook
county, who among others present at
the time, knew Mr.. Hill very well, and
swore to the identity. On Tuesday,
the day of the funeral, he made an
official trip to Winnetka, a place about
five miles distant from Evanston, and
was frightened out of his senses at
seeing what he at first took to be Mr..
Hills ghost at work in a garden,
setting out celery plants. He finally
hailed the object, and was somewhat
treasured when he heard Mr.. Hills
voice return he. salutation. Still,
he could not disabuse his mind
of the idea that it was Hills ghost.
Mr.. Hill thought the mar was
crazy at first, and upon listening to a
subsequent explanation concluded
that his surmise was correct, and all
the way back to Chicago, to which
city he returned with Sheriff Kearney.
he regretted the untimely fate of his
friends brain. But judge of his sur
prise and astonishment upon entering
his own home to see his wife scream
and faint before what she took to be
an apparition. Sheriff Kearney as
sured her that it was her own hus-
band. and that he found him working
in a garden at Winnetka, and the
party she had Just buried, and whose
identity they had all sworn to. must
be somebody else. Mrs. Hill had
never doubted the identity of the
dead man for an instant. Her hus-
band had left her only a few days be-
fore to do some work at Evanston and
Winnctka. Indeed, it was some time
before either her or her disconsolate
daughter could be convinced that
their husband and father was still
alive. To this day it is a mystery who
the man was that was killed.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
Negroes fOr the States Of Indiana
and Ohio.

Atlanta Constitution.
If the schemes work properly. as
planned, another hegira will shortly
begin from Alabama and lower Ten
nessee to Ohio and Indiana. The in
centives to this movement will be
strong and very seductive to the
blacks. Cincinnati in Ohio, and In
dianapolis, the home of Morton, in
Indiana, will be the points of destina-
ton, and it is expected that the rail
roads will make rates to put in the
power Of thousands to 90 to those
places. What they will do when thew
get there is an Indifferent question to
the organizers Of the exodus. A still
holder, yet embryo, portion of the
scheme is to decimate the negro popu,
lation Of the Carolinas by shipping
cargOes of them to New York and
Boston on the pretense of high wages
as dock hands, drivers and porters,
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
Profits Of Southern Cotton Nan
ufncture,

The profits Of the Langley Cotton
Factory, at Graniteyille, S. c., for the
year 1878, we're $50,99l. During the
year two dividends of feyr per cent.
each were declared, and the company
has now ia its credit a surplus Of
Slal, SIS The production of the mill
for the year was 12,GS3 pieces, 2,073,-
5S3 pounds, or 6,2l6,364 yards Of cloth,
Cotton consumed during the year
1873, 1921 bales, with an average
weight Of 100 pounds-2,520,43
pounds. 1t is questionable whether
there is a single cotton mill in the
North of similar capacity thai oau
make as favorable a showing either in
regard to profit or product.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
Was This the queen or Disraeli,

Last year tho Warld noted tho
strange omission Of Mr.. Gladstone's
namo from the list Of the invited TO a
state banquet at Windsor. Ono would
have thought that on the more solemn
occasion Of tho royal wedding tho
blqndor would not have heep repeated,
but il was. II is evidently wished in
high quarters that the people should
we'll know that Mr.. Gladstone is oStr9-
cizod. wonder whether this mark
Of lofty diSapproval will prevent their
boing moved by his oloquenco, aud
perhaps, in their anger, from de.
handing tha. no shall BIO consul
Nv. GiadstoRc's public and Official
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07

services commenced under the late
king, aud, as recent memoirs show,
William ~ welcomed his first parlia-
mcntary success, promptly reported to
the king by the generous minister 10
whom the young orator was opposed.
IL is AZ years since he first became
a membor of parliament-45 since
he first accepted Office. He was a
secretary of state before Lord Gran
vile had even become master OF the
Buckhounds. Besides the present in
cumbent, he is the only living man
who has served the office of first min
lister of the crown. Whatever may be
thought Of Mr.. Gladstone as a states
man, his name is imperishably con-
neoted with the history of the reign of
which, VIC may add, in famous words,
The has been a great part 1t is a
pity that no place was found for such
a man at last Thursdays celebration.
Courts and courtiers arc much de-
ceived if they think that their houts
can do him harm. What is to be re-
GREETED is that the good and polite
ways of the earlier reign should be
getting more and more neglected. II
is within a stones throw Of the costly
mausoleum, in the chapel which ad-
joins the one just taken from Wolsey
in order to be made monumental OF
a later and purer fame, that this offence
against the healthy traditions of the
Albertine epoch has been perpetrated.
The country will regret to see the
court giving way to feelings of fretful
spite and eat-like vindictiveness.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07

ysung days, although a dark mulatto
in color. | was born in the month Of
March, 1903, at Charlcstown, and am
consequently so%vcnty-six years old at
the present time. lean remember my
masters house and grounds very well,
and have myself seen Thomas Jeffer-
son. My mother and all of her people
always told me that he was my father,
and | have no reason to doubt them.
My mother was then unmarried, and
Mr.. Chrisman himself said my name
was Jefferson, and he gave me the
name | now bear. that of Robert JEFF
ferson. Those are my reasons for
believing myself his son. | suppose |
am really his offspring. | came to
Madison, Indiana, in 1854, and re-
moved here the year following. l
built this house, then the only one
anywhere near here, except an old
farm house. | saved what money |
could and educated my two daughters.
One of them married a st. Louis man,
the proprietor of Robinson's Tonso-
rial Parlor,' in that city. He died a
short time ago and she sold his shop
for 81, 900, going to live with her sis
ter, Mrs. Smith, who lives with her
husband in Pana, Illinois. My wife
died five years ago and since that time
| have lived alone"
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
Departure Of lie PatngOnIaI
EXcursiOn,

NupN'lle Nhlohlele' zi.l
The Patagopian excursion Of Col.
Henry Tudor departed about 3 O'Clock
Yesterday evening, having boon de-.
tanned by some shopping, etc. They
were given another grand ovation on
their departure, a large crowd Assem-.
bling IN front Of tho Lamar House Il
see them start, They have certainly
created quite a furoro in this commu
nifty, and our people will watch with
much interest news Of their progress.
They will make q short hall at Adj.
ems, lecture there Thursday night
and expect to reach Chattanooga
about the 9TH.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07

Cold is antagonistic to health, in
ducing coughs and other dangerous
bronchial diseases, which quickly
yield to the soothing yet positive inau-
eRee Of DR.. Bulls Cough Syrup.
| Price DC.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07

Little pigs in gold aud silver arc
now worn by everybody in Vienna as
iewelry. Pins, charms, bracelets,
stick handles everything is for the
moment porcine. The court began.
and the rest Of the world naturally
followed the lead. The fashion has
come from Germany, and was intro
duced to commemorate the happy es-
cape Of the Emperor William from
all the risks and dangers he has lately
run, aud his "schweins gluck,' or
pigs luck-meaniog splendid luck
as the German phrase goes, ia coming
cut Of il all so well.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
The Russian Plague y Huge
Scare

A correspondent Of the New York
Tribune writes from Saratov, Russia,
whittier he went in search of the
plague, ~suspecting that its ravages
were greatly exaggerated, that he has
been unable ia hear Of any sickness in
the city or find the graves Of the thou
sands who were reported TO have died
Of the epidemic, Of the 5000 in
habitants in the province of Astra-
khan hdt 3l0 were victims of the
plague, and on March >, the date OF
his letter, no case had been reported
for sixteen days. He says tho villagers
objected strongly 10 General Melli-
kof's Qgders to clean the towns, be-
cause they use the dirt as fuel and
regarded it as their property. Plague
or no plague, however, no found trade
utterly stagnant.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07

Mr.. Jcrvis MeEntco, the delightful
and poetic landscape paintOG Ia paint
ing a series Of twelve strlking portraits
of his frioud, Edwin Booth, in the
characters for which the actor is "a,
nous.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
Towns Whose Charters Have
Been Repealed.

Nashville American, 4th.l
The charters of the following named
towns were repealed by the legisla-
ture:
Maryyille. Blount county.
Woodbury., Cannon county.
Elizabethton, Carter county.
GainsbOro, jackson county.
Greenville, Greene county.
Maynardsville, Union county.
Savannah, Hardin county.
Bethel Springs, MeNairy county.
COokeville, Putnam county.
cambridge, jefferson county.
Jonesboro, Washington county.
Lafayette, Macon county.
Hartsville, Sumner county.
Sparta, White cOunty.
Liberty. DeKalb county.
Statesville, Wilson county.
Sevieryille. Sewer county.
Memphis, Shelby county.
Coal Greek, Anderson county.
Cleveland, Bradley county.
Carthage, Smith county.
ROgerville, Hawkins county.
Gardner, Weakley county.
Saltillo, Hardin county.
johnson city, Washington county
Madisonville, Monroe county.
Brownsville, Haywood county.
Tazewell, Claiborne county.
Newport, Cooke county.
Pikeyille, Bledsoe county.
New Middleton, Smith county.
Purdy, McNairy county.
Chapel Hill, Marshall county.
With the exception Of Memphi
and Brownsville the charters Of al
these towns were repealed that the,
might take advantage Of the law pro
hibiting the sale Of intoxicatin
liquors within four miles of cduca
tional institutions.
The house originated 1856 bills an.
the senate 1903 bills, making a total q
259 laws that have gone into effect.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07

Stephen A. Douglas, son Of the de-
ceased statesman, has left North Car
DINA for Chicago, where he will remain
aud practice law.
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07

Margaret and Arthur, Duke and
Duchess OF Copnaugbt, have cost
England a pretty penny II Is 70
ported that the price Of fitting up
anew the royal yacht Osborne for the
bridal "trip is about 100000,
Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-07
IOrTERY.
AFAENRTn "OPPORTUNITY No

This Institution was regularly incorporated
by the legislature Of the State for Educational
and Charitable purposes, in 1868, o the
term of Twenty-Five Years, To- which
contract tho inviolable filth Of the State is
pledged. with 9 capital Of 1900, 900, to which
y has aimee added o reserve fund of $50, 900.
lts grand Single Number Distributors will
take place monthly on the second Tuesday,
IT. MEYER S9ALEs OR POsTPoNEs. Look at The
following distribution