davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
An Easy Going King.

"He1e is a good story of the late King of Italy, I'll Re Galantuomo, as his sub- iects liked to call him. Going to the theatre one night in gray coat, the King observed that the daughter of the Emperor of Russia and the Princess Margherita were in the house. He must pay visit to the foreign Princess, and it was too late to return to the Qu1- rinal to change his dress. ( l am all black but the coat, he said to his at- tendants; if some one would lend me coat! He espied 8 young marquis, one of his aides -de-camp, near, and sent for h1m. The coat was quickly ex- changed, but a white tie was still want ing. The marquis offered his; but Vic tor Emmanuel, seeing one of his ser wants at the door of the box with fresher one, walked up to him and sl' lentlv took off his tie and fastened 1t on himself, then brushing his hair at the glass he said, Do I look King of Italy? This familiarity, ill which he occasion ally indulged, did not involve loss o1 dignity, for he knew how to check any undue presumption. Once Roman noble, whose sympathies were rather with the old regime than the new, said II wonder Your Majesty drives in the Corso we Roman princes do not go. And we, King of Italy, go,' replied Victor Emmanuel, with stately dignity which he could assume when occasion l reduired."
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
Old HickOry's Bluff Way.

The Hartford Post tells this story :: Long years after the capture of Stony Point, when Andrew Jackson was Pres ident, visitor at the White House re- marked that the Postmaster in his town (who "held over'') was an enemy to the President-had even been heard to call him ".. scouudrel"-a urged the re- mOval of the ill hammered officer.
 "What sort of person IS he?' 1n- quired the President.
 The visitor admitted that the Post master was an aged and honorable man and incidentally remarked that he was one of the survivors of the battle O. Stony Point.
 "What p said the President, rising from his chair, '' Was he really witt Anthony Wayne at Stony Point ?"
 "He certainly was" replied tn visitor.
 "Well, then," said Old Hickory, "b, the Eternal he has perfect right t call me a scoundrel every day in tn week, and to be Postmaster during hi natural Ife."
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
Caught by a Clam.

The shell of the giant clam of the h. dian Ocean is not unfrequently used as fonts to contain holy water in Roman Catholic cathedrals. Some of them are four feet in diameter. The following anecdote, told in an English journal, relates how one of these clans caught 8 man:
 On one occasion, a sailor belonging to H. s. Magpie jumped overheard upon 8 reef of coral, having about three feet of water over it. He put his foot in large open conch shell, like monster oyster, which closed upon the poor fellows foot, and although several men who went to his assistance tried their best, they could not get the monster shell open again, ol remove it from the reef.
 As the tide began to rise, there was no time to be lost, so at last they agreed to get some large crowbars from the ship, and by degrees the shell was bro ken into pieces, and the poor mans foo released, which, however, was so terribly injured that it had to be amputated b. the surgeon of the ship when he we taken on board.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
Two Ambitious Women.

It seems but few years ago when Louis Napoleon was seated on the throne of France, apparently firmly. His wife, the Empress Eugenie, greatly admired in youth for her remarkable beauty, rejoiced in the prospect of the perpetuation of the dynasty through their only son. Of ali women in the world there was scarcely one the meas ure of whose ambition could be said to be more completely filled than that of the Empress Eugenie.
 Louis Napoleon was not content with the maintenance of his power at home. He sought to establish in imperial form the power of the Latin race on the American continent. There was another woman in Europe whose ambition was greater than that of Eugenie, and it WAS ungratifed. This was Carlotta, wife of the Archduke Maximilian, Of Austria. So when the Emperor Of the French sought ruler to be placed upon the throne in Mexico he found Maximilian, prompted by his restless and aspiring wife, ready for the venture.
 We all know how cruelty Louis Ma poleon neglected the Archduke after he had once set him up; how ignominiously the attempt to maintain an empire fell how Maximilian, after nlockery of a trial before Court M artial composed oi inferior officers, was shot. Then the intellect of the ambitious Carlotta went out, and she, poor creature, was con signed to madhouse.
 Soon after followed the downfall O Louis Napoleon, hastened by his rasl experiment in Mexico; he himself died powerless, in exile i; and finally his bloo' becomes extinct in the death, at tn hands of common negroes in South Af rica, of his son and heir. Eugenie i left as miserable as Carlotta. Itis fat they little anticipated.
 How little any of us know what tbitte things may be in store for us !-Ledger
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
A Good Story Spoiled.

A party of some five or six gentlemen were seated one night in the cool veranda of @ Singapore bugalow, enjoying Man fila cheroots and other Eastern solaces. Among them was a sea captain of the old school and a major of the then East India Company's Madras army. Local and home topics being exhausted, per sonal adventures came on the carpet. Says the skipper
 "You chaps of the army are wild, larky set. Me and my mate came foul of lot of you once at Rupees Hotel, Madras, what time my craft was laying on these rough, surfy roads, fifteen years ago come next sou'-west monsoon. We had all messed together, and I'm afraid had got rather more than three sheets in the wind, had aboard more than we could carry; so out wo nsils for a spree; and what do you think we does? We seizes and ties lubber with lanyard, dig a hole in the beach, shoves him in chock- a-block up to his neck, then backs astern, and watches the salt spray washing over his figure head. A rare good lark; but 1t nearly killed him"
 "Well, indeed that's odd!" exclaimed the major" marvellous! Of that very party I, then lieutenant, was one. l had come down from Arcot, where my old regiment was, and was wasting my time, my health and my money ill Madras Yes, recollect it all as If 1t were yesterday-the dinner, the sallying out, the burial. I remember, too, one of us putting that part into doggerel verse, one stanza of which ran some thing like thls:
 '"We buried the skipper quite close to the sea;
 And how loudly the old salt did below, For his neck and his head and his sota topee
 Were all we left out of the fellow"
 The sea-faring man had been rude in his cups, told us we were only locals, had no military rank west of the Cape of Good Hope, were only nigger officers, and had otherwise riled us; so, as our friend opposite has just told you, we turned him into the shingle, and didn't care a pice if he never got out again Stay! stay! The fellows name and the name of his ship, which I had long for gotten, have suddenly occurred to me. Yes! Mayne Brace-Captain Mayne Brace, of the Smiling Sue-that's it!'
 The company, bar two, burst into a roar of laughter. The silent ones were the major and the skipper. The former did not understand the joke; the latter understood it but too we'll. Mayne Brace was his own name, and the Smiling Sue, his craft. was at that moment at anchor in the harbor hard by. Never for moment dreaming that one of the prac tical jokers could be present, the cap tain told as his "good stery'' qOhot hao actually been done to himaseG. H' never told it again.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09

"No. My love for you died years ago; it could never come to life again. "Renee, Renee!" he cried, in voice of passionate pain, and the girl knew if she wished revenge On Lester Sinclair most truly she had it now.
 My love died years ago." she re- peated, more gently, half plying his pain. "No, Lester, it can never be-" Victor Gray merely went up to change his business suit and speak few words to his sister, and in less than an hour he joined Renee again.
 As he entered the room he saw she held portrait in her hand.
 S,arcely conscious of what he was doing, he went forward.
 "How you love that man, Renee, " he said, bitterly,
 The proud dark face flushed.
 stWhat man Pl' sire asked, coldly,
 "Pardou nc, Renee, was rude; l scarcely knew what said. You are not angry, Renee"
 The girl was silent for moment i; then she crossed over to him.
 eff you mean Lester Sinclair, she said, "you are wrong, Victor. This morning he asked me to be his wife, and I refused him"
 "You refused himl Why, Renee P
 "I love him no longer" she said.
 Was Victor Gray blind? Looking on the lovely, flushed face, listening to the tremulous volce, coulo he not understand
 The lovely dark eyes were raised to his face.
 He bent his stately head. .
 "Renee, my darling, you love me he said.
 The next moment he held her Tn h1s arms and kissed the sweet, red lips.
 "Say you love me, Renee nave only said it yet myself" he said.
 A smile lowered round her lips.
 "And no one at all said that you loved me, Victor"
 "Loved you, Renee! think must have loved you all my lifelong before you smiled on Lester Sinclair.
 "That is past," she said, gently "1t was only 8 girls first wild love dream but to you, Victor"
 "You have given whnt ?'
 "My last, my best, my puEest love- Are you content, Victor 2"
 And as he bent and kissed her aga1n all shadows fled from Renee Courtland s face. Her heart had made it's choice, and it rested in peace in the light o1 Victor Gray's loyal love.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
Living in Hopes.

There is no particular reason why a tramp should wear 8 polished white shirt, but they had one at Detroit with shirt so terribly in want of soap suds bath that the oldest men on the force gathered around the fellow and declared that they never saw anything like 1t under the blue canopy of heaven. When asked how long he had worn 1t without washing, the man seemed hurt and replied:
 "Give fellow a chance, won't you ? You see, I had this shirt on seven months ago when broke my arm. l couldn't get it off then, of course"
 "But your arm got well, !" protested one of the officers.
 "Yes, it got we'll, and then my sister died"
 "What of that ?''
 "Why, she made this 'ere shirt with her own blessed hands, and l kinder felt as if it was my duty to wear 1t in mem ory of her for awhile. I'm 8 hard look ing pill, I know, but loved my sister Poor Sarah She's up there where they don't need clean shirts and never have their hair cut"
 "Well, haven't you worn it long enough to ease your sisters spirit ?' Gentlemen, I should have got thi' shirt washed some time this week, bu last night I lost my dog-an anima which had stuck to me for over thre' years"
 And what had the dog to do with it 1?
 eff I should get washed up an' cleaned up and seer, to be somebody and should come across that dog, he'' look at my hair, give one sniff at m, clothes, anu then he'd turn tail and keel up the search until he fell in his tracks I don't want to go back on my own dog dol? I don't want to play any COT tamptible trick on canine which ha turned to and eaten shingle nails and ol oyster cans when he was on the tram and I couldn't git nothing for myself br shelled GOTH. How I'd look going bac on a dog which never laid down besiG me at night without hunting around see where could pick up turnips f' breakfast
 , After you find your dog you cf l wash up," suggested an officer. t "Well, I shall live in hopes" was u l dubious reply. "Life is but a spa e you know. We cometh up like Howe d and are cut down, and tell you I'm n d going to run any risks or take a
 chances for the sake of having a cle
 shirt to spit tobacco julce on !'
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
Some Curious Ways.

Some women have curious ways of hiding their money. The Cincinnati
 Commercial says: Mrs. Hansen put fifty dollars in the oven of her stove one night to keep 1t safe. Next morning,
 after breakfast, the national debt had been diminished exactly that much. A student of the curious would find 1t in- teresting to note the places in which women hide their money. One excellent and frugal dame used to tuck her little savings away under corner of her car- pet. The tiny roll of greenbacks grew latter and latter in the course of year or two, when, the day after 1t counted $250, the house took fire, burned to the ground, and again the national debt was diminished by little roll of woman s pin-money. There was that other lady, too, who used sometimes to hide her diamond rings between two tea-cups in the kitchen cupboard, sometimes behind certain brick in the cellar, and again divers other places of safety for hei j3welry also, the only trouble being that she had so many hiding places she oo, casionally forgot where she last put hel precious things, and about every three months would fancy she had been rob
 bed, and the house would be turned in
 side out, and all therein be made un
 comfortable until the missing gem would be found carefully tucked away in tE folds of the bottom towel of the pile il
 the left hand corner Of the lower drawe . in the clothes press at the east end C l the dining room.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
A Joke Returned.

The Palmyra Enterprise, published in Jefferson county, Wisconsin, relates this now dog etory-and @ pretty good one.
 A gentleman connected with the Uni ted States lake survey, in this city, was engaged one day on the skirt of wood in Indiana. Near him, sleeping lazily in the sun, lay his faithful dog, Tiger. Thinking to have some fun with the dog, he gave @ shout and a jump into the thicket as if all the game ever protected by game laws from marauding hunters was thrashing through the bushes.
 As he expected, Tiger came bounding and barking to the fray, and soon de- tecting the trick that was played upon him, sneaked back to his lair and lay down again.
 The surveyor resumed his duties, anG was hard at work for two or three hours, when, all at once, the dog rose from his sleep, set his ears and eyes in direction of the wood, gave bark and made rush to the forest depths.
 The surveyor followed the noble brute to tree up which he was sending ca nine congratulations to the prey; bu when the surveyor came and began anx iously to scan the boughs for the hiding ing game Tiger gave 8 satisfied Al Wooh P bestowed glance of contemp at the surveyor, and striking dignitie gait stalked back to his couch with tn appearance of dog that had square up all accounts with the lake survey, an had left nothing due on either side.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
A Mothers Care.
HOW SHE TRIES TO MAKE EVERYTHING
 HAPPY AT HOME.


 A writer m the Boston IT. anscriao says: My mother was, indeed, in many particulars, an example for her sex an example too valuable to be altogether lost. I will sketch for study one or two of the agreeable features in her char acter. When I was living alone with her used occasionally to go out to din- ner in the neighborhood, and afterward to walk home late, sometimes very late. By the way, will remark that have never felt my mind so vigorous as fre- uuently whea walking home in the cuun- try after dinner party. The excite ment of company and good cheer, height ened by exercise in the refreshing cool of the night, produces an effect on the spirits, according to my experience, un- equaled at any other time; and it seems to be something the same with horses, which never go with such alacrlty as when returning home after good feed and in company at night. But to re- sume-at whatever hour l arrived l always found my mother sitting up for me alone. Not a word of reproach, not 8 question. If it happened to be cold or damp was greeted with cheerful fire, by which she had been sitting, reading or netting, as her eyes would permit, and with a color on her check at seventy-which would have done no discredit to a girl at eighteen. She had always the supper tray ready, but not brought in, so as neither to tempt me If I did not want anything nor to disappoint me if I did. When man throws him. self into 8 chair, after the fatigues of the day, he generally feels for a period a strong propensity to silence, any inter- ruption of which has rather tendency to irritate. I observed that my mother had always great tact in discovering the first symptoms of revival, till which she would quietly go on with her own occu- patton, and then inquire if I had had an agreeable party, and put such questions as showed a gratifying interest, equally removed from worrying curiosity and disheartening indifference. I recom- mend the same course generally to female consideration and adoption. If, from any engagement, I wished to breakfast earlier than usual-however early, she was always ready, and without taking any credit for her readiness. If l was down before the hour was almost sure to find her seated at table t; or, if the morning was fine, walking composedly before the windows, with breakfast pre- pared.
 If desired to have 8 particular din ner, it was served up just as l asked to1 it, no alteration, no additional dish, witt the very unphilosophical remark, Yol have no occasion to eat it unless yoU like" She seemed to be aware tha needless variety causes a distraction destructive of perfect contentment and that temptation resisted, as we'll a temptation yielded to, produces, thougl in an inferior degree, digestive derange ment. I will mention only one othe trait, and that is, that though she wa unremitting in her care and attentlo when any of her family were ill, yet he own indispositions she always conceale as long as she could, for it seemed give her pain to be the cause of tn least Interruption to the pleasure those she loved.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
THE SA FEC UARD.

A baby crept to his fathers knee,
 And was lifted up and lulled to rest Till his blue eyes closed, so tired was he; And his little head fell peacefully At ease on the ready shoulder there, While the baby hand so soft and fair
 Lay like shield on his fathers breast. Of old twas said when men drew near
 To fierce temptation of deadly strife, And lost their way in maze of fear, Or periled their souls for worldly gear, By an unknown way an angel hand Would lead them out of the dangerous lanc Into the light of a nobler life. The story is true for the world to-day;
 We sec no white-robed angel mild; But out of the dark and perilous way, Where men and women forget to pray, Into the peace of a purer m nd They arc led by a gentle, shielding mana,
 The hand of little helpless child.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
Pooling a Chief.

The Punch and Judy idea is over 2, 900 years old. The Celestial Emperor Kao Tsu (B. c. 206) was shut up in the City of Pen-teug by an army of barbarous Huns. With his Majesty was states man; Chen Ping, who, happening to know that the wife of the besieging chiefthin was very jealous woman, de- vised a scheme. He caused the portrait of very beautiful girl to be forwarded to her, with message that if her hus. band would permit the Emperor to go forth unharmed, the young lady should become his property. The chieftain's wife never mentioned the portrait to her husband, but at once began to persuade him to raise the siege, which, in fact, he would have done forthwith had he not been privately informed of the picaure and warned at the same time that the whole affair was simply ruse. There upon he sent to say that it would be necessary for him first of all to have 8 glimpse of this beauty in the flesh :; and later on he repaired by agreement to the foot of the city wall, where he beheld the young lady moving about and sur
 rounded hy number of attend ants His suspicious being thus allayed, he gave orders to open 8 passage through his lines to the Emperor Kao Tsu and suite, who promptly made the best of their way out. At the same time the Hun chieftain entered the city and pro- ceeded to the spot on the wall where the young lady was awaiting him, still sur rounded by her handmaids; but on ar irving there he found that the beauty and her attendants were simply 8 set of wooden puppets which had been dressed up for the occasion and were worked by a concealed arrangement of springs.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
AFTER THE WEDDING.

All alone in my room at last!
 wonder how far they have travelled now; They'll be very far when the night is past, And SO would Tiff I knew but how. How calm she was with her saint-like face! Her eyes are violet, mine are blue How careless am with my mothers lace! Her hands are whiter and softer, too. They have gone to the city beyond the hill; They must never come back to this place
 again.
 I'm almost afraid to sit here so still. If it would but thunder, and tighten, and
 rain.
 Oh, no! for some one may not be at rest Some one, perhaps, is travelling tonight. hope that the moon may shine instead, And heaven be starry and earth all bright. It is only one summer that she's been here It has been my home for seventeen years! And seventeen summers of happy bloom Fall dead tonight in a rain of tears. It dark, all dark in the midnight shades. Father in heaven, may have rest, One hour of rest for this aching head, For this throbbing heart in my weary breast loved him more than she understands. For him prayed for my soul in truth For him I am kneeling with lifted hands, To lay at his feet my shattered youth. I loved, and love, I love him still; More than father. mother, or life. My hope of hopes was to bear bis name, My heaven of heavens to be his wife! His wife the name that angels breathe, The words shall not crimson my cheek with
 shame,
 Twoul1 have been my glory the name to
 wreath
 In the princely heart from winch it came. And the kiss gave to the bride tonight His bride till life and light grow dim God only knows how pressed her lips, That the kiss to her might be given to him
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09
The Pulse.

Many erroneous impressions prevail about the pulse as indicative of health or disease, a common notion bains that it's beatings are much more regular and uniform than they really are. Ere ouency varies with age. In the newborn infant the beatings are from 13O to l4O to the minute; in the second year, from 100 to 115; from the seventh to the fourteenth year, from 80 to 90; from the fourteenth to the twenty first year, from 75 to 85; from the twenty-frst to the sixtieth year, from 70 to 75. After that period the pulse is generally thought to decline, but medical authorities differ radically on this point, having expressed the most contradictory opinions. Young persons are often found whose pulses are below 60, and there have been many instances of pulses habitually reaching 100, or not exceeding 40, without appar- ent disease. Sex, especially in adults, influences the pulse, which in women 1s from 10 to 14 beats to the minute more rapid than in men of the same age
 Muscular exertion, even position, mate rially affects the pulse. Its average frequency in healthy men of 27 is, wher standing, 81; when sitting, Fl; whe1 lying, 66, per minute; in women of the same age in the same positions, 91, 84 and 79. In sleep the pulse is in genera considerably slower than during wake
 fulness. In certain diseases, such a' acute dropsy of the brain, for example -there may be 150, even 200, beats ; il other kinds of disease, such as apoplex, and some organic affections of the heart there may be no more than 20 to 30 t. the minute. Thus, one of the common est diagnostic signs is liable to deceiv
 the most experienced practitioners.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09

Only they who carry sincerity to the highest point, in whom there remains not single hairs breadth of hypocrisy, can see the hidden springs of things.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09

How rapidly man loses all interest in politics and national finance when he shuts the door on his own thumb.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09

There is a man in Texas who for fifty years has paid his newspaper sub' scription in advance.
Connecticut western news., 1879-07-09

A work of heart-The circulation of the blood.