davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27

Years ago, Illinois war poor, and bur
dened with debt of $7,0O0,OOO. A
large part Of the Indebtedness had been
created in order to carry out a system
OF internal improvements. The people,
finding it difficult to pay their taxes,
talked loudly of reputation. A con-
vention met at Springfield, the capital
of the State, to voice the popular feel
ing. The repudiating ordinance was
prepared. It would have been adopted
but for the interference OF one man.
The incident is thus described by the
New Orleans Times:
The convention met, and the re-
pudiation ordinance was prepared. II
was about being adopted, when Stephen
A. Douglas, who was sick at his hotel,
asked to be taken into the convention.
He was carried on mattress, and, lying
on his back-rfo for he was too i'll TO SIT up
he wrote the following resolution.
which he offered as a substitute for the
reputation ordinance:
RESOLVED, That Illinois will he honest, al
though she never pays cent
The resolution took like wildfire. II
touched the honest sentiment of every
member of the convention. It was
adopted with the widest enthusiasm.
1t dealt death-blow to the Reputation
sentiment throughout the State.
The canal bonds Immediately ad-
vanced in value, and in short time
were l,Jted at par. Telegrams were
received from New York that Illinois
could have all the money she wanted.
What was the result? Capital and
emigration flowed into the State, and
Illinois is to-day one of the most pros
porous States in the Union.
She has more miles of railway than
any of the other States. Her broad
prairies are one great grain field, and
are dotted with hundreds OF thousands
of peaceful, happy homes. Thriving
cities and beautiful villages are found
everywhere within her borders.
This is what honesty has done for
Illinois. What would reputation have
done?
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
A Babe I'm the woods.

The Burlington (vt) Free Press
contains distressing account Of little
girl'swanderings and death in the for
ests about Ripton. Two little girls, the
daughters Of Mr.. J. e. Goodyear, were
sent on an errand to neighbor's house
half mile away. Returning, one Of
them went by the road, and the other
took q foot-path through the woods.
Julia, who had gone by the road, re-
turned home safely, but the other,
Bertha, ,svho was only 8 years old, did
not appear, and her mother, becoming
anxious, started at once in search of her
daughter. Soon finding that the little
girl had wandered from the path, she
gave an alarm, and small body of men
that constantly received accessions
formed skirmish line and the forest
was thoroughly searched for about a
mile and half with no success, ex-
cept the finding of the girls trucks at
two widely separated points. All the
logging-roads with which the forest
abounded were closely examined, when
darkness put an end to the searching
for few hours. Reinforcements hav-
ing arrived. force of over hundred
men followed the roads by lantern-ight
for an hour or two, when, that failing, a
halt was ordered until daybreak, when
some $50 men pushed on, determined to
find the little one. They found tracks
following the North branch OF Middle
bury river, which flows through some
steep hills in a rough, rocky chasm that
would appal any but the strongest nerve
from undertaking its descent. For
some mile and half further the girl
was tracked, in which distance she
crossed the branch twice, and, having
reached the junction Of the stream with
the South fork, she again crossed the
stream, clambered up high, almost
perpendicular reck, and, overcome by
the excessive exertions Of the past few
hours, lost her hold and fell thirty feet
to the rocks and river below, crushing
in small portion Of the skull in the
upper part Of her forehead. She was
apparently instantly killed.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
ga small.TaiI Movement. !"

The Presidential canvass of 1840, In
which Gen. Harrison and President Van
Buren, were opposing candidates, was
distinguished by an intense popular en-
thusiasm. 1t was an oratorical and
musical campaign. Every village had
its dozen of speakers and its score OF
vocalists. An amusing anecdote of that
election gives modern illustration OF
the old fable of the lion put to fight by
the braying of jackass.
A speaker was discoursing at mass
meeting in Western Virginia upon the
merits of Gen. Harrison as a military
commander. Suddenly, o tall, gaunt man
arose, and, in shrill voice that pierced
through the crowd, called out:
"Misterl mister! / want to ak ques-
tionp
at shall be happy to answer any ques-
ton, if ! can," replied the orator.
"We are told, fellow-citizens," said the
quaint man, addressing the crowd, shat
Gineral Harrison is mighty great Cine
raj; but say he's one of the meanest
sort of Ginerals. We are told that he
defended himself bravely at Fort Meigs ;
but tell you that on that occasion, he
was guilty of the Small Tail Mouemeaat,
and I challenge the speaker to deny itl'
II don't know, my friend" replied tho
orator, "what you mean by the Small
Tail Movement.
"I'll tell you," said the quaint man.
"Tve got it here in black and white.
Here is 'Quinshaw's History Of the
United States '"-holding up the book
land I'll read what it says: At this
critical moment, Gen. Harrison executed
a novel movement Does the gentle
man deny that statement?"
"No; go on"
"Well, he executed a nOUel move
ment' Now here's Johnson's Diction'
ary taking a small book out OF hit
pocket -"and it says, NovEL--a small
talel' This was the kind of movement
Gineral Harrison was guilty of. Now
I'm no soger, and don't know much oi
milentary tic-tacks-but this l do say
man who, in the face of an enemy, il
guilty of a SmallTail Movement il
not a fit man to be President Of thu
United States, and he shan't have my
vote"
And he didn't, nor the vote of tina
village.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
A Man Ia Handle a Mob.

A mob like pluck, and, before it has
tasted blood, can generally be managed
by the display of a little tirmness. For
instance, John Parham, Sheriff and
iailer at Forest City, Ark, had in his
official keeping one DR.. Gray, charged
with rape. The indignant citizens OF
Forest City sent mob to the lailer,
demanding that the doctor should be
peacefully delivered to them, in order
that they might rid the world of the
nuisance. Instead of complying with
this request, John Parham informed
the lynchers that, sooner than
do such thing, he would die
at his post. When the issue,
said he, "is death or the aban-
donment of sworn duty, prefer
DEATH" The mob respected this firm
ness, and quietly dispensed, while Par
ham carried his prisoner to another
county Jail where the public sentiment
was not in such an excited condition
Here is a lesson to all persons holding
official situations. A mob has no cour'
age until it discovers that it is feared.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27

An eminent surgeon who does not
wish his name to be published related
the following anecdote to q few friends
who were dining with him the other
day: -.
from complaint which was declared to
be mortal He came to me and asked
me il I could save him. / told him !
would do my best, and was successful
in the operation I had 10 perform on
him. When completely recovered he
came to me, told me that ] had saved
his life, and that his gratitude would be
eternal Then he asked me to what
amount he was indebted TO me.
"'Ysu owe me 8, 1000 francs," lrepied.
"'Three thousand francsl That Is
yery heavy sum. Would you not be
satisties with half OF itp'
"Tf that is all you value your life at,
/ don't see that can claim more. fou
ought TO know said l.
SAnd he only gave me 1900 francs :
Boston Herald.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
John Sherman's First Financial Move

Gen. Sherman said, the other day, of
his brother, the Secretary: After
some years employment in the i'm
provement of the Muskingum, under
Gen. Curtis, John was taken into the
office of our brother Charles at Mans
field, to help about the Office and make
himself as useful as he could. John
continued there until one day in his
Dist year he asked Charles for $50.
Charles was alarmed. What could this
boy mean by asking for this large sum
John proceeded to explain that he
wanted to go to Columbus to be ad-
mitted to the bar. This was still a
greater surprise. The boy had never
asked his brother to train him for the
law, nor did he appear to be training
himself. So Charles said to him, You
cannot be admitted to the bar without
knowing some law John insisted that
he knew more law than some others
who had passed an examination, and
that he was determined, il he could
raise the money. But why do you
want SO large sum? was the reply
John explained that in the first place
he must have respectable clothing, and
that the balance would be required for
hotel and travelling expenses. The
elder brother assented the clothes were
ordered and on the very day that John
was 81 he presented himself before the
proper authorities at Columbus, and
passed very flattering examination
On returning to Mansfield he notified
Charles that he was going to Iowa tc
practice law. The latter demonstrated
on the ground that there was room
enough in Mansfield for them both, and
that, too, in his own Office. This re
suited in articles of copartnership, anc
the painting of John Shermans name
on the sign as an attorney-at-law.'
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
Two Bright Boys.

A friend and neighbor has son who
is so quick at repartee that it is little
dangerous to cross swords with him.
He was out riding with bis father the
other day, when, noting the name OF
street, he asked if it was named for Mr..
B, well-known but not altogether
popular citizen. "By no MEANS" said
the father; cit is not named for him, but
for his father, who was very popular and
very much esteemed" The boy said
nothing so his father, who thought he
saw a chance tc preach a little sermon,
continued: cts very apt to be so. A
boy has father whom everybody loves
and respects for his good qualities and
abilities, but in too many cases the boy
doesn't amount to anything" Said the
boy after a pause. "Your father was
very much esteemed, wasn't he, sir?"
A story comes to Causeur OF an Incl
dent in a school in Southampton, En-
gland, some years since. The boys
were being examined in the history OF
England, and the answers we're mainly
dates of events more or less important
in the history of the British empire.
Among the pupils was the son OF an
American sea- Captain, bright speci'
men of young America. Being ques-
toned concerning dates in English his
tory, he manifested an Ignorance border
ing on stupidity. The teacher, whose
patience was exhausted, exclaimed
What | Don't you remember single
date that marks an important event in
the history of England2" why, yes
sir" answered the boy, Il do know one
"Well, out with it," said the teacher
"The Fourth of July, 1776." There
was decided sensation.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
Preaching In America.

The preaching of the time in this
country is as good as the people are
willing to hear. Neither in the church
nor out Of it is there any considerable
demand for better preaching. Where
there is most intelligence or culture the
chief desire in regard to preaching is
that it shall be entertaining, and thus
suited to attract many hearers who will
help to pay the expenses Of the church.
Under the voluntary SYSTEM" as it is
called, which prevails here, it would be
very difficult to give the people any
kind of preaching which they do not
want. The persons who need to be
taught, guided and instructed thus fix
the standard and determine almost
wholly the character of the teaching
which they are to receive. This is an
incidental effect of the dominion Of the
masses, Of our universal-suffrage ar
rangement of society. In very few Of
the churches or congregations in this
country can there be any continuous or
habitual religious teaching which the
people do not approve. The standard,
or ideal, as to preaching is usually
higher among ministers than among
hearers, and many clergymen maintain
constant struggle against the injurious
tendencies of the popular taste, and try
to create in the minds OF their hearers
an appetite for the higher and more
spiritual qualities in religious teaching.
But the preaching of the country, like
nearly everything else in our national
life, is likely to become more and more
completely representative Of the culture,
taste, morality, and entire character OF
the people who compose the churches.
If this is the tendency, the character CT
the preaching will not thereby be
elevated or improved.-Atlantic.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
The First Baby in California.

T. was on the Fourth of July, and
Downieyille celebrated. The stars and
stripes fioated from a peeled and lofty
pine, and the chorus of the anvil had
re-echoed through the hills. The house
was crowded with the miners; poet,
reader and orator had performed their
parts. and the recently organized brass
band was giving in boisterous resonance
some national anthem, when, suddenly,
there burst out the feeble wall OF an
infant; first low, then swelling out in
all the defiant strength of his baby
lungs. The band put forth it's loudest
strains; the baby, melted to renewed
exertion, redoubled its vigor.
It was nip and tuck between the
band and the baby. The young mother
did her best to divert the child ana
hush him, when from the audience there
up-rose a brawny miner, and, shaking
his fist at the musicians, he cried
"Hush that blamed band, and give the
babv a chancel" The band stopped
it's playing, and never did stalwart men
listen to sweeter music than those ex'
lies from home and women, as they
drank in the tones Of the wailing child
There were tears in many an eye. Inc
child was hushed upon its mothers
breast, and at the word there went uI
three rousing cheers for the first baby
of the Northern Sierras.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27

A correspondent writes from Vera
Cruz as follows: The harbor may be rs
smooth as glass, as il very often Is; the
guards asleep against the gate-posts !;
everything burning up under the sun.
In considerably less than ten minutes
everything is changed. A Whit Of cool
air strikes the soldiers and wakes them
up, and they see the storm coming : a
little black cloud, growing larger every
minute. Almost before they have time
to slam the Custom House gates the
wind is blowing furiously, and the air
is full of sand, most Of which goes into
peoples eyes. The harbor is full of
big waves, and the ships are tossing
around as IL they were in mid-ocean.
Every steamer gets up full head OF
steam 80 that she can put TO sea in case
Of her cables breaking, as they some
times do. Small fishing vessels within
sight Of land do not dare TO try TO get
in, but put out into the gulf. The
water becomes almost as white as milk,
from the stirring Of the coral sand on
the bottom, and in few minutes the
waves are breaking over the top OF the
Custom House, fifty feet high, washing
its roof. Sometimes they come with
such force that when they strike the
solid wall of the Custom House they
shoot up into the air 100 feet or more ;
and the Vera Cruzans, instead of getting
in the strongest draught they can find
and enjoying good breeze from our
Northern country, like sensible people,
wiring their hands in dismay and say,
"WhAt wretched weather" Tor Spanish
words to that effect). The northers
often last three or four days, and cool
off the whole country, even up on the
table lands and all the way over to the
Pacific coast, where the natives seem 20
consider themselves in great danger Of
freezing to death.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27

HorKr RUNNERS work on the Europe
In plan.
AN anonymous article "A baby before
IFS christened.
A CmcAao preacher advertises that
his sermons never exceed twenty min
utes In length.
Why is modern ladys capillary
adornment like modern advertising3
It's q big puff Of hair (afair).
AN exchange inquiries, @Does hanging
prevent murderp" 1t certainly does.
Who ever heard Of man committing
murder after he was hangedG
A RUSSIAN physician, struck by the
commonness OF near sight among liter
ary men, proposes TO print books with
white ink on black paper as remedy.
THE Indians Of Nevada make what
they consider q delicious bread from
dried grasshoppers mashed with pima
nuts or cracked wheat and made into q
kind Of -four.
SENTIMENT from lady's album: "A
woman looks upon her husband as q
charming being during two months Of
her life-the month before she marries
him and the month after she buries
him"
ROBERT LANCASTER, Stone county
(Ark.) murderer, after killing man in
Arkansas, another in Kansas, and shoot
ing himself through the leg 30 badly
that it had to be amputated, is to be
hung for his crimes.
A YOUNG man made his appearance
at Deadwood in pair Of white trousers.
He was promptly escorted to the cars,
put on board of them, and an in
junction placed upon him never to re-
visit the place. @We can stand billed
shirt, you know" miner exclaimed,
shut when it comes to wearin' billed
drawers, we just make 'em git up and
git"
JACK SINGLETON, colored, was ar
raigned in Charleston, s. O., on the
charge of beating his wife. It being
proven to the satisfaction Of the court
that Jacob had exercised his authority
with no indication of malice or ill-wil,
Justice Chisholm dismissed the case
holding that husband had the right to
chastise his wife for her correction.
STRANGE things will occasionally hap
pen. A deaf mute, aged 7, residing at
Lancaster, Pa, and who had never ut
tered sound, was run over by wagon.
He was not seriously injured, and the
| singular fact is that when he found him
self under the feet of the horses he
cried out Justify. His parents now
hope he will recover his speech.
JOHN BoTToMLEY,a a wealthy paper man
ufacturer OF Lee, Mass, has for many
| years been noted for violent outbreaks
Of temper. Ordinarily he was dignified
in department., but Whenever he got
angry he committed some breach of de-
corum. A short time ago an old man
offended him, and he used chance
weapon so recklessly that his victim was
nearly killed. He now goes to prison
for five years.
BANK of England notes are very sim
ple-looking pieces of paper, compared
with the elaborately. engraved bills Of
this country. It would seem that the
Bank OF England notes could be easily
counterfeited; yet this is rarely done.
No two OF them are exactly alike. The
printing is done by a method known
only to the inventor, and the paper is
manufactured by process which has
been in charge OF the Portal family fol
200 years. No notes are ever reissued
after being paid back into the bank, bui
are periodically destroyed. A seven
years collection of these notes on one
occasion aggregated $l5, 600, 100000.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
Buried Alive.

1t is well known that some OF the In
dian tribes of America have a habit of
killing horses when their chiefs and
medicine men die; and in some in
stances the departing braves wives have
been dispatched to bear them company
to the happy hunting-grounds. When
the cebrated Ute chief, Walker, died,
in the northern part of the Territory, a
good many years ago, a whole band of
horses were slain by his warriors; but
heretofore no one had supposed that
the Indians of this section had interest
enough in the future life to prepare an
escort for their departing braves. The
death of buck near Toquerville short
time ago showed that the old chief who
begs biscuits at that settlement is
blooded. He forthwith decided to kill
a squaw to accompany his favorite war
rior, btt the squaw, getting hint of
her intended funeral, hid herself so
effectually that no clew could be got of
her whereabouts. As the time allowed
for the sacrifice was rapidly passing, the
old chief, in order not to be defeated,
selected 3-year-old papoose, which he
took from its mother, and buried in
the grave Of the deceased. The head
of the child was left projecting above
the ground, SO that it could breathe, but
he allowed no one to 60 near it, till
Bishop Bringhurst, discovering the
commotion in the tribe, traced out the
cause and saved the life of the child,
after it had been in the situation de-
scribed two or three days. The mother
of the child was afraid to tell what had
happened, though she was observed to
be grief-stricken. The Toquerville
people thought seriously of burying the
old Lamanite with his head the other
way, but he insisted that the religion OF
the Piutes required him to do what
he had done.-Silper ReeffNeu.) Miner
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27

TEA.TAsTERs are well aware of the
dangers to which they are subject, and
few Of them can carry on the business
for many years without running their
health. Moderate draughts OF tea may
produce an agreeable exhilaration OF
mind and body, with no noticeable re-
action; but the effects of its excessive
use are declared by doctors to be palpi-
tation of the heart, an absence OF ex.
hilaration, severe headache, dimness OF
vision, and dullness and confusion OF
mind. Gases of severe neuralgia are
frequently the result of ovef-much tea
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
Coast. Resorts UnfavorabIe for Invalids.

An English medical writer has re-
Gently asserted that the practice, long
so common, of sending invalids to the
seaside, at least in their convalescence,
would fall into disfavor If physicians
more clearly recognized the perils and
inconveniences to which they are ex-
posed. Apart from all other considera-
tions, there is the ever-changeful Gil
mate, which scarcely maintains tenn
hours in succession on the coast, where
Il is affected by the alienation OF sea
and shore influences. In fact, accord
inc to this writer, invalids fare better
in the country districts than on the
coast. and the superior claims OF "sef
al air" , are, he thinks, not overwhelming
when tbe drawbacks Of incessant change
Of temperature, ETC., are taken into &C
count.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
+. MOTHER's DIARY.
., Baby on the floor,

p.hy on tina floor.
|ycnlngl papy 20 sardsr,
Making Tor 'ne iu asSa Il snaexa.
|hnlghl seen lanaar,p
Biby on = .,nset and gone.
| Nd he spoois npse a.o Ale
Chrs draw ,,is nv III st,uug across
|Hrnessea su's .ss one smile
ought 70 mas s,,r,s smooth. ewes blue
|Iprcn ciean, isnn. . cbarms will dwindleil.
How lnese .' e,b;nhMdon't Won
Nj ratne' '.ina,avp
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27

"WHY are you like crazy man, my
dearP" asked a wife, seating herself
beside her husband. Don't know.
replied the husband; II give it up
WHY replied the wife, hitching close
up to him, and putting on one OF hel
sweetest smiles, i am your other self
and YOU are beside yourself"
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27
Railroad yelocipede.

A novelty in the matter Of railroad
inventions is what may be very
properly termed railroad veloci-
pede. Its weight is about 100 pounds,
and il is destined solely for the use Of the
supervisor of the road, to enable him to
travel from point to point for inspec-
ton or other purposes. The vehicle
has three wheels, two Of which run on
one rail Of the track and one on the
other. II has seat for one man,
though il might well carry two. IL is
very easily operated, and is run on al
most the exact principle Of the ordinary
yelocipede. With strong, muscular
man to move il, it will make speed OF
fifteen or eighteen miles an hour.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27

aONE-rH1Rp of the voting population
of Kentucky cannot read The ticket
they vote, and 100000 children in the
State are growing up IN Ignorance OF
tbe mere elements Of the English Ian
guage," says the Louisville (Ky) Co'1''
ier-JomYldl.
Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-09-27

A PART Of the consumptive hospital
nj Brompton, London, is called the
Nightingale Wing, having been buill
from the proceeds Of concert by Jenny
Lind. A new wing has just been added
On the site Of Tom Moore's old home.