davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
Novel Insurance.

The Maiden Assurance Society is a
somewhat singular business institution
in Denmark, which perhaps might be
made to flourish in this country. The
nobleman-for the association is pecu-
liarly for this class-as soon as a female
child is born to him, enrolls her name
in certain association OF noble families,
and pays certain sum, and thereafter
a fixed annual amount, to the society.
When she has reached the age of-we
belicye-twenty-one she becomes en-
titled to fixed income and to an ele-
CANT suite of apartments in Il large build
ing of the association, with gardens and
park about it, inhabited by other young
or older nobler ladies, who have thus
become members. IF her father dies in
her youth, and she desires it, she has
shelter in this building. and at the fixed
time her income. When she dies or
marries, all this right to incomes lapses,
and the money paid in swells the en-
dowment of the association. Her father
may pay for twenty years, and then
her marriage cut off all advantage OF the
insurance. But this very chance must en-.
able the company to charge lower annual
premiums, and make the burden less on
the father insuring. He has at any rate
the pleasant feeling that his small annual
payments are insuring his daughters
future and giving her a comfortable
home and income after he has gone. It
is obvious that the chances for marriage
among a given number of women can be
calculated as those of DEATH. The plan
has worked well for generations. in
Copenhagen. The possession of an
"apartment-house by the association
in some pretty suburb of New York,
would certainly add to the attractiveness
of the plan, and would only be a portion
of tile assets of the company. A single
ady, at the death of her father. or when
she is of age, would thus find herself in
possession of pleasant suite of rooms
with respectable companions, and in the
enjoyment of small fixed income. The
class who now suffer most from the con-
vulsions of business-single and unpro-
tected women of well-to-do families
would thus be sheltered and cared for.
Fathers who could not spare capital for
their daughters could thus devote some
portions Of annual income which would
secure their future. We commend the
Danish plan to our insurance companies.
ALBANY (ME.) Journal.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
Bread from Turnfps.

In 1890. during famine in England.
very good, wholesome. white bread was
made from boiled turnips. The moisture
was pressed out'of the turnips and they
were then kneaded withan equal quanti-
ty of wheaton flour. 4 During the siege
of Paris, the bread served out constituted
a very coarse and mixed article, and by
analysis it was found to be composed of
one-eighth wheat, four-eighths potatoes,
beans, peas, oats and rye, two-eighths
water and the remaining eighth straw,
hulls OF grain and the skins of vegetable
products. In'Sweden and Norway beech
sawdust lis sometimes converted into
bread. Rice bread used in the East IS
raised with difficulty unless the dough IS
mixed with acids. Bread is made OF
the roots of the water. lilyin Sweden; OF
peanuts mixed with wheat flour, IN
Spain; of chestnuts roasted and ground,
in southern France; Of the bread tree
fruit. the sweet potato, the banana and
the almond, in Africa: of roots in part,
in Brazil. In times Of famine men, have
met the exigency by the use OF bread
made from acorns, pumpkins. roots'
wood. hay, straw and nuts.--A'nfr1c0"
MOnhN. ". 30
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
Mesmerism in China.

To the priests of Tao is due the dis
covery of kang-fu and its application rs
means of healing the sick. All COM
plants are held to be equally amenable
to its power, though not all persons :;
professors of the art stating plainly that
kang-tu can exercise no influence
over others than those who have faith.
The method is as follows: A Taoist
priest, known for his skill in the art. is
requested to attend at the house of Il sick
person for the purpose of administering
kang,fu and accordingly after arranging
the sum for his services and securing part
of it in advance, he proceeds to fit
up within the patients room an altar. for
the burning incense and joss-paper and
for worship generally. Muttered in
carnations follow as the priest walks
slowly and with prescribed steps round
and round the room. By-and-bye he ap-
proaches the sick man and partly raises
him, or turns him on his back OF side,
or lifts up leg or arm, or gently sham
poos him, the object being all the time
to bring the sick mans mind into rapport
with his own. When the priest thinks
he has accomplished this, he commands
the patient to perspire, or to become
cool, or gives instructions for the rcgu-
lation of pulse and heart, in each case
according to what he conceives to be the
exigencies of the disease. The whole
scene is rendered impressive as possible
by silence, and by darkening the room,
with the exception of one oil lamp, by
the light Of which is dimly visible the
silhouette of the robed priest waving his
long sleeves in the air. The imaginative
faculty of the sick man is thus excited ;
and hence, perhaps, the reason why
even in these days of prohibition China
men may still be found ready to declare
that they GENERALLY, however, their
friends and relatives) have derived un-
doubted benefits from well-timed ad-
ministration of hu'ag.fu. All my own
attempts to be present at such a scene
have hitherto proved unsuccessful; and
the above account is gathered chiefly
from conversation, aided by a few stray
hints cleaned from Taoist pamphlets
which contained allusions to the subject
That something akin to mesmerism is
even now practiced in China appears to
be beyond all doubt.-Fraser's Mag
dyt,ac.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
The HTim Finnegan' Mines.

A far-West study in nomenclature is
given by the Salt Lake Tribune. A
Stranger asks miner why a series OF
nineteen claims have the name of lin
Finnegan." The reply, in the vernacu-
lar, explains the phenomenon: Well:
stranger, it was at Prescott, an me an
Tuscan Jake was playing a game OF cur
sock, jes' for the drinks, you know, when
in comes one of them crazy, bloodthlrsty
bloodhounds that turns loose in mining
camps sometimes, ripped out his slX-
shooter and shot the barkeeper dead
then, turning on me an Tuscan Jake
said: Now, either of you move an inch |!
an III blow the top of your heads OFT !
We knowd he'd do it. There was the
barkeeper dead, an thar was the pistol
pointed right at us. It was fearful; we
darsn't take full breath. Jake's feel
in's worked on him SO powerfully that
lie couldn't keep still; he hitched round
q little. Quick as lightning q bullet
laid him at my feet. The sweat stood
on nv face like cobblestones. even
wished he would shoot me an have 1t
over with. Jes' then pistol flashed
behind the wild beast, an he fell dead
in his boots. Tim Finnegan had got too
much whisky early in the evenln'' an,
stretched out on some barrels IN the
corner an went to sleep. The shots tha5
killed the barkeeper an Jake walked
him; an bein' sobered by his nap, ,!de, he'
unbeknownst to me an the murderer,
easily an gradually drew his pistol an
sent the bloodhound to kingdom come;
I Rugged an kissed Tim, an I've named
the Claims after him; an if ! die before
nv wife-Tim's bachelor-1 want you
to be named Mrs. Tim Finnegan."
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
Wise Sayings from Don QuixOte.

Beauty IN q modest woman Is HrG Oh
sharp sword ut distance; neither
doth the one burn nor the other wound
those that come not too close to them.
Keep your mouth shut and your eyes
open.
The absent feel and fear every i'll.
Selfpraise depreciates.
The dead to the bier, the living to
good cheer.
All women, let them be ever 50
homely, are pleased to hear themselves
celebrated for their beauty.
Squires and knights errant are subject
to much hunger and i'll luck.
Liberality may be carried too far in
those who have children to inherit from
them.
Virtue is always more prosecuted
by the wicked than beloved by the
righteous.
Every one is the son of his own works.
Honesty is not for the mouth of m ass.
No paddock, bolts or bars can secure
maiden so well rs her own reserve,
Wit and humor belong to geniu
alone.
The wittiest person in a comedy is he
who plays the fool.
There is no book so bad but that some
thing good may be found in it.
We cannot all be friars, and various
are the paths by which God conducts the
good to heaven.
Covetousness bursts the bag.
1t is easy to undertake, but more diff
cult to finish the thing.
The term is equally applicable to all
ranks, whoever is ignorant is vulgar.
By the streets of "By-and-bye" one ar
rives at the house of Never" . &.
Between the Eyes" and No. of a
woman would not undertake to thrust
the point of pin.
Patience and shuttle the cards.
A soldier had better smell gunpowder
than musk.
Other mems pains are easily borne.
A bad cloak often covers a good
drinker.
Pray devoutly and hammer on stoutly
When a thing is once begun it is
almost finished.
Lay bridge of silver for flying
enemy.
The jest that gives pain is no jest.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
premiums for Farmers Boys.

. Mr.. Stillman B. Allen, of York county,
Maine, believes that much good might
be done by taking more account OF boys
labor on farms, and sets a practical ex-
ample by offering series of premiums
to the boys of his county, for individual
efforts in farming. Thus, to the boy
(under sixteen) who shall raise the most
Indian corn on one-eighth of an acre OF
a premium of 800. To the boy who
shall raise the next largest quantity, $50,
and to the five boys who shall raise the
next largest quantity. $40 each.
The conditions are easy, and the
awards are to be made by the president
of the county agricultural society. AT
the end ue the season each contestant
will have to make and sign a full re,
port, giving the shape, description, and
location of land, when planted, when
and how many times hoed, when stalks
were topped, if at all, when, harvested,
and how much is raised, and, as nearly
as can be estimated, the value ofmanure,
and the number Of days labor spent
upon the crop, excluding the huskng,
when he may have all the help he wants
from the boys and girls in the neighbor-
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
Sod Fences.

A Louisiana paper says that Mr..
Joseph Jefferson has been fencing his
orange-grove plantation in that State in
novel and effective way. He begins
by erecting, for each side Of his fence,
sods three feet in width, divided into
five layers, at an angle of seventy-five
degrees. The soil from beneath the sod
exactly fills the space between the erected
sods, leaving three-foot ditch on each
side. On the top Of this sod-and-soil
fence, which is four and a half feet at the
base and three feet high, he plants cut
tings of the Mccartney rose, which are
protected by a panel of boards. This
fence, while within the reach of any map
who will shoulder his spade and work,
possesses the advantages of m impassa-
BILE barrier, Of permanence, of not need
ing repairs, of drainage and of being q
most beautiful ornament. Mr.. Jefferson
will soon have inclosed section of his
plantation containing $500 acres, and at
one-half the cost of stake fence. 1t is
thought that this most economical and
useful fence will ultimately be generally
adopted in the Southern States.-Scie'a-
tiic Anaerican -
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
English Industrial Statistics.

The entire working population of the
kingdom is put down at $4,000, 900, out
of a total of "a ,O09, 900; and, allowing for
shrinkages of S150,OOO,OO0 in the wages
of the textile and iron industries during
the last year, the earnings of the working
classes are reckoned to average about Ss
per family of five persons each week. OF
the 24,O0O,OOO dependant on industrial
occupations, 1l,5O0,OOO are declared to be
actual earners. Of Il total Of 81, SIS, ,0Oo,-
600 given us the earnings of 4 full years
employment, it is noticeable that $685.
600 women earned 1855, 100000 against
Sl,95O, 100000 earned by 1921, 900 men
The l,849, 900 women en- gagged in domcsti>
service earned 1886, 100000 against S24o,-
OOO, 900 earned by 100000 engaged in
other kinds of labor. The workers of
both sexes under twenty years of age
earned 1906, 100000, or well nigh one
seventh as much as the adults. In the
industries that are at present most de-
pressed, 4,239. 900 laborers are employed.
-New Ynrk Mercantile Journal.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
The Modern Age.

A striking characteristic Of this age is
the parallel movement of scientific and
mechanical inquiry and invention and
the development of a taste for the fine
arts. With the refined nations Of an.
tiquity, whilst art was dedicated to
temples or public edifices to comnemo-
rate some event of national or religious
import, the common comforts OF lndl-
vidual life were not promoted by any
mechanical skill. BY 1t has been reserved
for our modern times to show the slngu-
lar and refreshing spectacle Of invention.
signalized by every form Of utility, from
locomotive to an improved cooking
stove, marching side byisidc with musi-
cal societies, art galleries. schools OF de-
coratiye art, expositi0ns in which the
ornamental takes rank with the purely
practical, lecture seasons, gymnasiums,
archery clubs and a hundred other chan
nels of intellectual activity which en-
brace the domain of taste, as well as OF
mere convenience and use. ~
The great worlds fairs and lesser exhl-
bitions on local scale, proclaim the ad-
vnnces made in physical science, in in
ventive skill, in popular intelligence and
in commercial and social intercourse. 1t
is, however, equally significant that in
towns that have but just emerged from
the wilderness, the compositions OF
Schubert and Schumann are familiar, and
the arts of design are being successfully
introduced, >. There is roundness and
fullness in this, phase of modern develop
ment which distinguishes our time from y !.
that of Pericles and equally from that ot
Angelo and Raphael. Mere material
comforts were never SO aided by human
genius and skill as now, but let 1t be said
to the credit of the busy toilers Of this
century, that they do not dwarf them
selves to the worship of pure utility.
The architecture Of many of the public
buildings in this gay city Of Cincinnati,
and the ornamental appointments OF the
interiors of these buildings, tell an elo--
quent story to him who will note and
ponder. And even in the humblest dwell
ling, some chrome or musical Instrument,
statuette, ornamental fabric or vase OF
flowers may reveal the presence of the
spirit, which in this singular and stirring
age keeps even pace with the genius OF
modern invention. .... ..,,,, ,..,t
;" In the United States the prodigious de-
velopment ofrailroad facilities is bringing
to the rural towns and districts many OF
the arts, pleasures, ornaments and gs-j
thethic tastes of the cities. Out Of this
remarkable comb bination Of the useful and
the ornamental. in this modem time,
some special results must yet follow.
Human education has always heretofore
been one-sided. The Vivacity, variety
and multi-colored aspects of the modem
life are full of meaning, and when these
various elements of the new social, indi-s
vidual and publiclife are fused into some
settled form or type, we shall have COM
munitieswhich cannot be studied OF es-}
timated by any of the conditions which
have hitherto guided historians .alp'd. and !.
critics.
The new times must be Judged upon
new data and postuhtes-Csn Csnctenats
Saturday, Night. 3: : So, :,1nd ~s9acnG
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
The Old, Old Story.
The pastors little daughter

The pastors little daughter
Sits smiling in the sun,
Beside her on the old stone bench
The story-book just done,
And lurking in her wine-brown eye,
A story just begun,
For yondcr, pruning the apple trees,
Behold the farmers son.
Slowly adown the pathway
The pastor comes and goes,
And settles with his long, lean hand
The glasses on his nose.
Bore ever dry, brown branch before
So beautiful rose?
All, he thinks his blossom only bud,
Though he watches it as it blows.
Is it the story Of Moses
In his rush-wrapped cradle found,
Or OF Joseph and his brethren
He thinks as he glances round.
"You have finished your volume, Amy,
Is it something scnptural and sound p
And his little daughter bushes and starts
And her book falls to the ground.
Go on with your walk, good pastor,
You do not yourself deceive;
has been scriptural story
Since Adam first kissed Eve.
And never blush, little lassie,
The tale was written above,
No other so speaks Of Heaven
As the old, old story of love.
London Reader.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14

A correspondent at HarTodsburg, the
oldest town in Kentucky-the first cabin
was built there in l774, by Capt. James
Harrod, after whom it was named-has
been inquiring into the murderous record
of the immediate vicinity during the last
seventeen years, and has found that
forty-three homicides have been com
mitted there, and only two persons sent
to prison for their crimes. Some OF the
tragedies have been barbarous in the eX-
treme. Mrs. Tilford, a widow with
seven children, having inherited her hus-
bands estate, married again, one Scott, a
Younger person than herself He deliber.
ately provided himself with Il small
arsenal, and set about exterminating his
wife's offspring. He killed three out
right, and wounded others. The motive
was plainly to enjoy the property. alone
with his wife; but the jury found him
insane. 1t was held that an act so dia-
bolical could not be done by a man IN
sound mind. Scott afterward went to
Texas and married again. One DaVen-
port, deputy sheriff, had a writ for the
arrest of Isaiah Gabbard, who. armed
himself, and with friend sailed out in
quest of the sheriff, and shot him and
Ills brother dead. The murderers were
acquitted. Later, a certain Henry Noel,
having heard that Gabbard had threat
ened lis life, hunted him down, and find
ing him unarmed, put two bullets through
his heart. Noel was not even tried.
Timoleon Bosley was shot dead while
coming out of church, by James Lawson
who had an old grudge against him. No
punishment followed any of these mur-
ders. In several instances, where men
ofno social position exercised the privi-
lere of the commonwealth by shooting
somebody, the shooters were hanged by
mobs.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
New Yo..k Fashions


FRENCH STYLEs.-The choicest novel
ties for spring and summer. toilettes are
brought over by the modiste who re-
mains latest in Paris. These belong al
most entirely to the styles of Louis XIV.
and Louis XVI, though the vests, the
abots and the puffed sleeves are copied
from the fashions of earlier reigns. The
special feature Of the latest importations
is the use of gay figured colored goods of
very light weight, such as foulards, cot
ton sateen and the semi transparent wool
fabric formerly called mousseline de
laine. This fine wool'is more sheer and
light than that known as French bunt-
ing, and instead of being confined to sin
gle colors, it is now shown with white
cream, pearl, or Sevres blue grounds
strewn with small palm leaves or with
flowers. These figured delaines are used
for short suits and for house dresses,
wllile the plain colors, especially the
cream tints, appear in evening dresses
combined with satin, moire and bro
caded silks. Another novelty is Indienne
Grape, a lustrous gauze thinner than
tissue-paper, and especially prett! in
cream white made up over silk, and
trimmed with the lightest quality OF
Breton lace. In cotton dresses the same
pretty Pompadour figures are preserved,
even in the pale chintz calicoes, and the
design of making is us elaborate rs for
the foulards and delaines. o..
The Pompadollr styles are chosen for
the gay youthful dresses that will be
worn at summer resorts. These have
overdresses very bunchily draped, q
great deal of shirred trimming and lace,
with fichus, jabots and puffed sleeves.
When the dress is short costume, the
skirt is decidedly short, showing the foot
as high as the instep, and escaping the
ground entirelyy When demi-train is
used for the house. the front and first
side -breadths are as short as those of
street suits. o.. .-
NEW HosIERY.-At the furnishing
houses new hosiery for the summer IS
made of the fine Sea Island cotton in
cream and ecru tints, embroidered on
the instep, or else up each side, in quaint
| ly combined colors, such as pale blue
with olive green, red with yellow, and
pink with deep red one of the fancies of
the season is polka dots Of embroidery in
color all over the instep of the Balbrig-
gan stocking. Black thread stockings
are also shown, and it is said will be
worn all summer; they are embroidered
with pale blue, ltmon-color, pink or red.
The ecru Balbriggans are deepened in
color until they are almost as dark rs old
gold, and have black vines wrought up
each side. g .-'- -.,..' .a.g- :.
UsTLEs.-The small bustles used all
along for trained and demi-trained skirts
are now commended by fashionable
modistes for supporting the panier dra-
peries of short suits. These bustles,
however, are offered with the caution
chat thew must be very small, as the
bouhtant effect is more stylish when it is
produced by the voluminous punched
up draperies of the overdress. The i'm
ported bustles are of muslin with some
curled whalebones run in castings, and
these are confined to the middle of the
back, beginning just below the waist line.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
Words of Wisdom.

Surely half the world must be blind
they can see nothing unless 1t giitters.
He who gives up the smallest part, OF
a secret has the rest no longer IN MS
power.
It is not what you have in your chest,
but what you have in your heart, that
makes you rich,
The word knowledge, strictly EN-
ployed, implies three things, viz, TRUTH
proof and conviction.
There is nothing lower than hypocrisy.
To profess friendship and act enmlty Is
a sure proof of total depravity.
The best kind of revenge rs that which
;s aiken by him whoiis so generous that
he refuses to take any revenge at all.
It NAV serve a. a:comfort to us in all
our calamitics and affections that ne
that loses anything and gets wisdom by
it is gamer by the loss,
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14
FOR THE FAIR SEX.

The True Baby Land.
How many miles to Baby Land?
Any one can tell;
It you stray .s- a.
From the way,
Comes an awful YELL
What can you see in Baby Landl
Squigming little race, - -,
Feet and fist l'"." .
.ar All atwist, .. a.. -
Seldom n clean hce:
What do you do IN Baby Land!
,r Wake and fret and cry, .
Collie and hives -
.. ... Make our lives
YEARLY pass by. b.
What do they say in Baby Land!
Only one sound there
Wah, wah, wah, -
Wah, wah, wah, ..
Greets one everywhere. :.
Who is queen in Baby Land? -,
Mother, worn and thin,
Tired of sound,
Hunts around,
Finds q wicked pin.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-14

The gallant who, when a young lady
stenped on his foot while dancing and
asked pardon, said, Don't mention it:
a dainty little foot like that wouldn't
hurt a daisy" not only told the truth,
hut doubtless felt more comfortable than
the boor who, when his foot was steppe!d!
on. roared out, "That's right; climb all
over ME with your great, clumsy hoofs. "
Boston Transcript.