davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

aged, handsome stately lady entered
the parlor, and gazing with considerable
dignity at her visitor said:
'NWhat is your business with me,
sir?"
LET me shut the door, ma'am," he
said, and quickly stepping behind the
lady, closed the door. 81 think we
have met before, ma'am," he said in q
firm but respectful tone.
''Sirr' the lady exclaimed, in offend
ing accents.
II am sure we have met before,
nla'am," the man said. .-
''You are mistaken, sir" the lady re-
piled, utterly mistaken, sir ; you will
oblige me by quitting the house imme-
diately."
"You forgot last night. ma'an, in the
vault" the man said in q low tone. ts
The cheek Of the lady evidently
blanched, and she gave a gasp for
breath. Instantly recovering herself,
she said
''I don't understand you, sir. You
are laboring under a mistake"
"Well, I may be-" the gentleman re.
piled, "that's a fact; hut my impression
is that saw you last night in the vault
when you were trying to remove the
ring from the finger of what you sup
posed to be corpse"
The lady had sunk into chair, and
was deadly pale. By % powerful effort
she overcame her momentary weakness,
and said in strong tones: II don't know,
sir, what you speak Of You are either
lsboring under a mistake or you are a
Iunatic:"
"Do you happen to have dress like
this, ma am" the man asked, drawing
from his pocket the piece which he had
cut from the dress Of the occupant Of
the vault the night before,
| The lady's lips grew white and dry.
She tried to speak, but her tongue
cleaved to her mouth, and utterance
was impossible.
Il am reasonable, madam" the man
said. g know your secret, but Will
keep it if you will make it worth my
while"
"How..much do you require ?" the lady
asked, acquiring the power of speech
by great effort.
Twenty pounds down will satisfy
me for the present" the man said. land
more at another time, when [ n eed it. "
The money was paid, and within a
month the man returned and demand
ed more. The lady evidently revealed
the story of her disgrace and crime to
her husband, for he paid the money,
and soon after resigned his living and
retired to England.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12
LacOnics.
New York Times.

The King of Zululand is said to have
recently addressed note to q British
officer in South Africa, as follows: eek
cellency-First came the missionary;
next the Consul; now the army, Getty
wayo." This brief letter recalls some
short speeches and curt correspondence,
which will doubtless be delightful read
ing In these times of long harrangues at
Albany and Washington. A western
judge once upon a time addressed the
Grand Jury in these words: "Gentle-
men, the weather is extremely hot; I
am very old; you know your duty-per-
form it." Another American Judge
once interviewed in an odd way to pre-
vent q waste of words. He was sitting
in Chambers, and seeing from the pile
Of papers in the lawyers hands that a
certain case was likely to be long one,
he asked: "What is the amount in
question: 1.-TWO dollars, your Honor"
said the plaintiffs counsel. "Ill pay
It," said the judge, handing over the
money; "call the next case" An Eng
lish Judge was more patient. He list
ened for couple Of days to the argu-
ments of counsel as to the construction
OF an act, and finally observed, when
they were done: "Brothers, that act
was repealed year ago." One morn
ing q woman was shown into DR.. Aber-
nethey's room. Before be could speak
she barred her arm saying, Burn"
ga poultice," said the doctor. Next day
she called again, showed her arm, and
said "Better'' continue the poul-
tice," the response. A few days af-
terward she came again, then she said:
"Well; your fee?" 'Nothing,' said the
great physician; "you are the most SEN
sible woman I ever saw" Lord Berke-
ley, wishing to apprise the Duke ofDor-
Set of his changed condition, wrote:
Dear Dorset: have just been mar
ried, and am the happiest dog alive.
Berkely." The answer came; "Dear
Berkely: Every dog has his day. Dor
set" The editor Of Chicago newspa-
per. wanting the details of terrible in
undation in Connecticut, telegraphed to
a correspondent at Hartford: ''Send
full particulars Of the flood" The re-
ply came quickly, "You will find them
in Genesis"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

tons in the good city of Paris. The
name of the one was Thackeray that of
the other Tennyson. They put up at
the same hotel and were on terms of
personal friendship. One day Thackeray
went out, leaving Tennyson in his sitting
room. Anxious for the latter's comfort,
for it was winter, "ne laissez pas sortir
le feu," quoth ThackeraY in his own
detestable French, to the servant in at
tendance. After two hours stroll he
returned to find the whole hotel in
commotion. The landlord, looking
peremtory notices to quit, informed
Thackeray that ';the madam" was grow
ing dangerous, and insisted on being let
out. He must send to the Commissary
of Police without further delay.
Thackeray asked for an explanation.
"Ne laissez pas sortir lie fou" was the
impression his language had conveyed
to the servant!
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12
Millions Divided by Lot.
St. Louis GlObe-Democrat.

1t was supposed that the division Of
the Bailey estate was made by lottery
for the first time in this state. It ap-
pears, however, that one of the largest
estates in Missouri was partitioned IN
1863-64, under the direction Of Mr..
Britton A. Hill, counsellor for the estate
of Peter Lindell, the real estate alone
being valued at about sc, 100000. There
were ten heirs. The est ate was actu-
rately surveyed, numbered and plated,
and each lot was appraised. The COM
missioners then divided the lots into
ten equal shares, and each share was
bound in a volume with its plats and
streets and descriptive calls. On the
day of the allotment, IN 1864, the heirs
met in the unfinished room in the sec
ond story at the southeast corner of
the first Lindell Hotel. The ten num-
bers of the shares were written on the
respective shares from one to ten by the
counsellor: the ten numbers were writ
ten on ten square pieces of paper and
placed in another hat. All being ready
a crippled boy beggar, passing in Wash
ington avenue, was called IN, bind
folded under protest, and directed to
draw one paper from each hat, thus
designating the heir and the number OF
the Share. and to continue until the
drawing of lots was completed. The
bow was given ten gold half eagles.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

FURTHER proceedings, it is said, are
about to be commenced III the French
courts with a view to enable the Mar
ouise de Caux to annul her marriage.
In French law divorce is not recognized,
under any circumstances; but a mar
rage may be declared null aud void,
if any irregularity can be proved in the
manner in which the marriage was
celebrated. Several. such Irregularities
will be sought to be proved in the case
of Nine. Patti, and although no single
one of them by itself might be sufficient,
several flaws taken together may have
the necessary weight with the French
courts.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

There is a tender charm about a long
summer day, restful place on the mis-
ty hills, soft, material benson about
the serene Indian summer; but for an
ethereally beatifc scene of nature, none
of these can hold candle to the ex-
preston of the modest young man who
yesterday, for the first time, rolled, IN a
new buggy, his initial baby down town.
Courier Journal.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12
THE CHAMBER OVER THE GATE.
BY HENRY W. LoNGFELLov-.

Il il SO far from thee
Thou canst no longer see
In the Chamber over the Gate
That old man deSolate.
Weeping and walling sore
For his son, who is no more?
. Absatom, my son!
Is it so long ago
That cry OF human woe
From the walled city came.
Calling on his dear name,
That 1t has died away
In the distance of to-days
o Absalom, my son.
There is no far nor near,
There is neither there nor here.
There is neither soon or late,
In that Chamber over the Gate,
Nor any long ago
To that Cry OF imam woe,
o Absalom, my son.
From the ages that are past
The voice comes like blast,
Over seas that wreck and drown,
over tumoit OF traffic and town;
And from ages yet to be
Come the echoes back to me,
. AbsalOm, my son!
Somewhere at eyey nour
The watchmen on the tower
Looks forth, and sees the fleet
Approach of the hurrying feet
OF messengers that bear
The tIdings of despair,
. Absalom, my son!
He goes forth from the door,
Who shall return no more.
With him our JOY departs;
The light goes out in our hearts;
In the Chamber over the Gate
We sit discOnSolate,
o Absalom, my son!
That is common grief
Brjngeth but slight relief;
Ours is the bitterest loss,
Ours is the heaviest cross;
And forever the cry will be
= Wonld God had died for Thee,
o Absalom, my son!'
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

9 CETEWAYo's crown was made by the
regimental tailor of the Seventy-ffth; it
is of red velvet, profusely ornamented
with officers collar badges, and made
something like beefeater's cap. with
two very lone ear-faps that come down
to the waist. 1t is further adorned with
long red ostrich feather. The feather
was given by one of the officers wives,
whose brother, Captain Shepstone, was
among those. killed on the 21st Of
January. sa go !
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

The Prince of Wales, who has always
had passion for foreign wags and who
has takan of late more strongly than
ever to American notions, has set the
fashion at his clubs of making bets.
not in sovereign nor in guineas, as is
the custom among tbs smaller colonial
clubs even on this side of the water,
but in dollars.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12
Josh Billings asks and answers as fol

Josh Billings asks and answers as fol-
lows: "What is an editor? An editors
business is to write out editorials, grind
out poetry, sort manuscripts, keep
mighty big waste basket, steal matter,
fife other peoples battles, take white
beans and apple sass for pay. when he
can get it, work nineteen hours out Of
twenty four, and be scolded by every
BODY" as1s
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

THIRTEEN dukes, one of them royal
duke, dined with Lord Beaconsfield at
his Parliam entary dinner on the 10Th
of February, and two these, the Dukes
Of Sutherland and Norfolk, seceders
from the Liberal party. The Duke of
Westminster was the only duke who
.dined on the same day with the Liberal
leader, Earl Granville-though the Con-
servative Duke of Rutland abstained
from the Premier's banquet, perhaps
because he has not recovered from the
shock of Dizzy's cruel remark about
making himself a duke-"What? make
myself a duke? why, Rutland's a duke!"
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12

THERE are nearly twice as many
Greeks in Turkey as in Greece.
Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-03-12
The Lemm;ng of Norway and the Sici.
liam Quail.
New York Times.

1t Is curious to notice how human in
genulty Is called upon to explain pecu-
liar facts in natural history. There is
the lemmng, that ugly rodent of Scan
dinavia. which every few years, urged
onward by resistless instinct, seeks
death by endeavoring to swim from the
coast Of Norway to some unknown land
in the far northwest. The explanation
given fer the movement Of the lemming
Is, that IN past ages there was conti-
nent or chain of islands stretching west
from Norway, and that hundreds of
thousands OF years ago the primitive
lemming went that way in search of
food, and that the descendants are ever
looking for the same road We have
had lately introduced into the United
States the small Sicilian quail, and &C
cllmatlOn societies are awaiting anx-
iously the result of their experiments.
In the Old World, the flight of this quail
in its season of migration, presents some
remarkable facts. With other birds, the
quail seems to have regular routes of
transit. One is from a point west of Glib
raltar, the second by Tunis to Sardinia.
near Cape Spartivento, thence to Corsica,
and on to the Gulf of Genoa. The third
track is from Tripoli, by way Of Malta and
Sicily, to Italy, and the last by way of
Egypt to Cyrus, and thence to Asia
Minor. Now, the question is: Why do
the birds in some cases take the very
longest way round, flying over broad
expenses of water? Why do they take
precise routes? Naturalists reply as
follows: In the diluvial period the Med
iterranean had not it's present form, but
was double salt lake. There was land
from Spain to Africa, kind of long
dixie, holding back the Atlantic Ocean.
Italy was then supposed to have extend
ed itself with Sicily to the African coast,
with possibly channels for the sea.
Perhaps the feeder to the Mediterranean
lakes came from the Red Sea. Gradu-
ally the land sank, the water sought its
level, and italy, Spain and Africa we're
divided. The birds, thousands of years
ago, followed in their migration the land
in their flight north Or south. Then, as
the ground lowered, birds flew over the
marshes and lagunes, until the time
came when there was nothing but the
broad expanse Of waters. Though
myriads of ages ago the land has gone,
the Sicilian quail follows the same
routes. It will be som ewhat interest
ing for the ornithologist to study the
future movements of the Sicilian quail
in this country, and speculate in what
direction he will turn his flight. Per-
haps some millions of years hence
erudite papers will be written on the
migration Of these very birds, and wise
deductions be entered into as to the
gradual rise or fall Of the American
CONTINENT in 90 4esaa~ ez zaa as
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-06-19

A NEW SALUTE.-At the celebration
Of Queen VIctoria's sixtieth birthday in
Canada, the 'feu de jOie' salute was
given, being the FIRST time ever per-
formed in This country. The different
regiments needed constant drilling to
bring them up TO the required profcien-
cy in firing it, As . single mistake rem
ders the performance ridiculous, Who'll
ly spelling its effect. The salute is
fred in England only on the queens
birthday. The firing Of the salute be-
gins on the right Of the front rank Of
men, each piece being discharged sep
arateIy. and in such quick succession
that there is IN unbroken ere running
like electricity along the line. When
the firing reaches the leff Of the front
rank Il returns up the rear rank from
left to right. The effect Is pleasing
when the salute is properly given. Each
man stands with hIs piece to his shOul-
der, the hammer cooked, and his finger
upon the trigger. As the piece next to
him exPlOdes, he 6res, and 50 each man
IN turn along both ranks expIOdes his
piece. Each man is guided by the click
Of the hammer falling on the piece 10
right or lelf, in the front or rear rank,
as his position happens to be. Shculd
there be single miS6re, the whole had
better not have been attempted, as moth
ing more demoralizing can be guessed.
The royal salute. as praeticed in-ahe
presence Of royalty, involves also The
firing OF fourteen heavy guns in rapid
succession. The whole salute usually
leaves . heavy cloud Of smoke. which
hangs GOr sonse time, vaElSsg The scene.
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-06-19

"JUsT LAKE. A BoY r'-Every well
regulated family should have q boy
about fourteen years old, Iawn-mow.
er, and grass enough to set the boy TO
work for half an hour after school. Il
10 an interesting study 20 see boy
showing . lawn mower around. OF
comes coat, vest and hat as he goes out,
and he vlvidIy realizes that President
Hayes got his FIRST start by cutting half
an acre of grass before breakfast-and il
vas cut mighty poorly at that. NObOy
can strike bee-Iine with Q grass NOW
er. He starts out 10 DO il, bat he sees
boy on stills up the street and he stops
to rest. He has just started OF agsin
when be sees boy with b@l down The
street, and IL IL also time 10 oil The now
er. He has just braced himself for
new eGost when : strpy dog cOmeslEOar
ting along. and e 10 that boys duty TO
watch that dog out Of sight. He turns
and shoves the mower along Tor about
ten feet and then he must have drink
or water. 1.-THE old gent Is at home Q
boy can drink gallon Of wafer and get
back TO his work in about twenty min
utes, but all depends on circumstances.
If he gets back he stands and wonders
whetheritis 9 Fighto Ieft-handed now
er, and why IL wasn't rugged to run IL
self. 49,
Ifa rap on the window sdmonishes
the boy that proeTsstinatiOn j. the thief
oI time, he buckles right down 20 busi-
ness and Tushes the mower over four
brick-bats, . hoop and several coal
clinkers, and then comes IN examination
Of the knives. Let . boy get in the
shade with a good brace for his back,
and he cen examine . alawn-mower from
basement 10 garrett in about bali N
hour. Al the end Of The second cut
across the sward il is . boys duty 10
scan The heavens and see if any kites
are up. - t3Gfa aaie@ ~ RI
A good boy can do this iaasbOst &c
teen mInHtess and be can pat IN ten
more looking across the street a . white
washed fence and a cat BY this time
be feels hungry, and when be has h1nied
che house over Coz cake IL - high time
10 20 arOund the corner and see il that
Smith boy has Got that bird trap fnish-
ed.-~-DefyOif Free Press. .s5fa
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-06-19

BIhps AxD CItILIxATToS.-There IS
{ large series Of Ihe smaller birds Of four
wOOa-lands ana psstries which have
been decidedly benefited by the advent
OT white men here. Of but one SORT Of
quadruped, the Geld mace. can this be
also said. II Is commonly observed that
aImoss 10 suhall birds ere seen in the
depths Of Iosest. but that they become
abundant ss one approaches The neigh
borhocd Of settlements. Travellers
through Siberia know that they are
coming near village wheh tlley -.
gin 10 hear The voices Of birds. which
are totally sbseht from the Intervening
s0litudes. Every OFnithOlogist has
proved these facts in bis own experience.
and explorers who go TO uniAhahitea
and primeval regions have learned not
to expect there the chorus that greets
their ears from the great army Of sOng-
sters i'm pOPulOus countries.
The song birds, the small denixens OF
our summer groves, pastures and mead
Ows, seem, then, to recognize the pres
ence ot mans civilization Is blessing,
and have taken advantage Of Il, both
from love OF human society and for moro
solid and PrOsaic reasons. The settle
ment Of 9 eountry implies the telling OF
forests. the letting in upon the ground
Of light and warmth, the propagation Of
seed-bearing cereals, weeds and grasses
enormously in excess Of q natural state
Of things. the destruction Of noxlous
quadrupeds and reptiles, and the intro
duction Of horses and cattle. Each Of
these alterations Of nature Except in
some cases-the woOdPeckers, for in
stance) is n direct benefit to the little
birds. pa
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-06-19
GrrrnAI rArIon,a Irprrrrprrcr

GENERAL TAYLoR'a IEDEPENDEEcI.
The recent death Of the celebrated
Gen. Dick Taylor. son Of President Tay.
Tor, who served In the Confederate
army, and subsequently passed much
time in England. where. on account oi
his great ability and social graees, he
became q favorite among The nobility,
recalls many incidents connected with
his strange career.
II 10 related Of him that during the
Derby races the Prince Of Wales took
him 10 his own (ihe prince's) stand,
and a. they we're ascending the stair the
Duke Of Edinburgh came hastily up and
said
"0h Walesi do yoa know Forester
is booked 30 win %
"Oh, yes" sad the prince. "the gen.
eral and I have just been 10 the bet
ting-stand and lasd fifty guiaeas each on
him."
Turning 10 Taylor. the duke said:
"Now. wou't you please go 10 the
stand and lay ffty guineas for me on
him !"
pardon me, your highness." said
Taylor; "the stand il quite - near 10
you as 10 me" - z
II an 50 glad you told Edinbsrgh
that" sand the prince. "What . deal
Of cheek he has 10 be asking my guest
10 lay his bets for him =
Tsylor had sincere respect Tor the
prince. and . hearty contempt Sor The
Duke Of Edinburgh, whom he snubbe3
on nose than one occasion. Apart
from the personal character ofihe Dnks,
he was only seeond soa Of q queen,
while Taylor was The oaly son Of ; real
President Of the United States.
= IL.
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-06-19

YES He CouzD.-"New bonnet. new
bOnnet-twelve dollars foE : new bOns
neii'' exclaimed Mr. Slick the other
evening as bis wife suggested . change
from The Winter styles. -.
"Yes, oDly twelve dOllars," !" she hum-
BY replied. a s -
'sTwelve dollars for bonnet Is, .
confoanded outrage and I know i r. Be
went on. '.Why. can buy two silk
bats Tor that money and bare soma
strawberry change lafli Ia desd
swindle TO ask s12 for bonnet"
"WelI, i can't do any better, Mr..
Slick. That's the price and must pay
or 60 without" 81 -
"Yoa dOn't know how 10 5ny-that's
what ails yOu," he grOwled. "I1l bet
money I can buy a e12 bonnet fOr %.
It's all in knowing how to handle the
statesmen" -. 81
81 wish you'd try IT," she suggested.
81 will-by Georgel will ! III
bring yOu up new bonnet in the morn
ing, and I'll get il ten dollars cheaper
than you dare TO-" vr
Mr.. Slick was as good as his word.
He went into a millinery store next
forenoon with his eye-teeth all sharp
ened, and with the idea in bis mind that
every bonnet IN the store was priced
exactly twelve dollars. He looked
around q little, selected q bonnet that
pleased him, and pointing his cane al Il
and calling up has deepest voice, he in
quired:
care you asking twelve dollars fOr
that bonneti..' ~ -tt e-
The woman flushed, looked from the
bonnet to the man, and was trying to
reply. when be said:
These are not the times for Outra-
geous prices, and all buyers realize il.
I'll give you eight dollars for that bon
net and not cent more" ',.
"That--that bonnetr' 49, - -trl1
Eight dollars and no more p he in'
terrupted. and she put The article in .
box and took his money.
"What'd ! tell my wife, eh 7" he
whispered, rs he went out. "I tell you
it takes q man to buy goods. no matteF
whether It's fence posts or paper cam
brio I"
When he sat down at home and took
the cover of the box and held up the
bonnet, Mrs. Slick inquired:
Chow much did she charge your"
Eight dollars, madam. while you
would have paid twelve !" ,.t-h
"Richard 7" she said. rs she tired 10
laugh all over at once, 81 was with the
lady next door when she ordered that
bonnet for her cook. and The price was
TO be four dollars p .
He held up his finger, counted three
fves out Of his wallet and left them on
char for her. -..
Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-06-19

LEAP YEAR.-The earth makes the
circuit Of the sun in 365 days 5 hours
and 4s minutes 49.O62 seconds. This
is called the solar year. The civil year
Is ordinarily S65 days. the excess (5h.
4sm. 4S.O62s.) amounting in four years
to very nearly . day. Accordingly
each fourth year rs given S66 days.
But this, counts little too much. the ex-
cess amounting in a century 10 nearly
day. So. instead Of calling the even
hundred years leap years, they are made
ordinary years of 365 days. This aP-
proximate correction involves an error
Of little over one fourth OF day every
century, which is nearly set right by
counting each 4OOth year as leap year.
BY these leap years and intercalated
days levery fourth year except the hun
dreds not divisible by 1907 the civil and
solar years are closely recOnciIed, the
object being. to make :he seasons per-
manently accord with The calendar. By
making further correction Of one day
every 4OOth year, counting each 4OOth
year as not leap year-the error i 50
small that 81 800 years must eIaPse be-
fore il WILL amount to full day. -t