davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
Japan and Christianity.

IT would be hasty to leap to the con-
clusion that Japan will become rapidly
Christianized. Christianity is q word
of terror to nine-tenths of the people.
A resident told me that an excellent
servant he had from the country used
to fly past the door like an arrow il
the family knelt at prayer; they were
weaving . charm, she thought, that
would bewitch her; and . native gen.
tleman mentioned, as If it had been al
most beyond hope, that the people in
the country were ceasing to speak Of
Christianity as witchcraft, and were
expressing curiosity to learn what it
was. Centuries Of denunciation have
inspired q terror that is slow to abate.
Nor are the people religious people.
Their temples are poorly attended and
their demeanor Is little reverent /; but
they have . regard for their priest, and
with the priest it is question of life
or death. Christianity finds the priest
hood an implacable and by no means
q contemplate foe. The young men
who have been in Christian countries
seldom profess Christianity on their re-
turn, and some of them are distinctly
hostile, and have adopted the negative
criticism that they found in Europe.
There is not much of what at first
sight seems to favor the missionary
that is really on his side. 1t is all the
more striking to notice what has been
done, the churches that have been
formed, their energy and faith, their
independence and missionary spirit,
and the interest with which . whole
village will sometimes listen to the
new doctrine; to speak with individual
Christians and find them 30 intelligent
and 80 firm in their convictions, to
learn that the church members are
themselves the best missionaries, and
to observe the class that constitutes the
bulk of the Christian people.-Good
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
Possibly q True Strawberry Story.

A YOUNG man on Sheldon street
drew his modest weekly stipend yester-
day, and, all unmindful of the fact
that he had his board to pay, and that
his tailor's bill was hanging over his
head like the sword of Damocles, in
vited his sweetheart to 90 out with him
and have some strawberries and
cream. Her cousin from Aurora is
visiting her, and. in moment of RASH
ness, the young man invited her to
make one of the party. They went to
the restaurant and ordered supply of
the fruit that gripes but not inebriates,
and the waiter, observing that the
young mans watch-chain was of mas
sive eighteen-carat gold, and that his
diamond-pin seemed of pure luster,
promptly complied with the order,
and soon the innocent folk were de-
vouring the berries and prattling like
the antediluvians just before the
storm-signal went up and Noah hauled
in the gang plank. /" 1t would be too
bad, Mr.. Smith, said the young lady
from Aurora, elf you were to be man
damused, or capiased, or whatever it
is, for these beautiful berries; don't
you think it would have been wiser If
you had invested this money in buying
. set of parlor furniture for when you
60 housekeeping; you can get q
real nice set Of eight pieces for
one hundred and fifteen dollars"
." Oh, that's all humbug," said the
young man. lightly; "the papers make
up these things and think they're
funny" Nevertheless, his manly
brow paled, and it was with visible
effort that he invited his companions
to repeat the dose. They readily con-
sented, and, with an Indifferent af-
fectation of reckless gayety, he cried
aloud, Hi, there; set 'em up again!'
And once again they said
they would, since he pressed them. :
The waiter brought q check,
which, with great delicacy, he laid
upon the table face downward, and
the party moved toward the door.
Hating at the cashiers desk, the
young man, without looking at the
awful figures it bore, placed the check
before the official, and with it q fifty
dollar bill. +" Is this all you havef''
said the cashier. "All but some small
change; how much is itP'' One dol
lar and thirty-five cents, sir,' replied
the cashier, IS and I don't like to strip
myself of change if you have any
smaller BILL" NoTE.-This item did
not exactly turn out as the reader ex-
pected it would, but-(D, it is some
thing novel in the history of straw
berry items; (2), it gives the restau-
rateur q chance, and (S), it exhibits
the advantages and economy of Chi
cago as q summer resort. Chicago
Tribune.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
A Child's Heart.

The other day q curious old woman,
having a bundle in her hand, and walk
ing with painful effort, sat down on a
curb-step, up Woodward avenue, to
rest. She was curious because her gar
ments were neat and clean, though
threadbare, and curious because smile
crossed her wrinkled face as children
passed her. 1t might have been this
smile that attracted q group of three
little ones, the eldest about nine. They
stood in q row in front of the old
woman, saying never a word, but
watching her face. The smile bright
ened, fingered, and then suddenly faded
away, and q corner of her old calico
apron went up to wipe away q tear.
Then the eldest child stepped forward
and asked:
care you sorry because you haven't
got any childrenr'
"I-I had children once, but they are
all d-deadr' whispered the woman, a
sob in her throat.
"rm awful sorry said the little
girl as her own chin quivered. "Pd
give you one of my little brothers here,
but you see haven't got but two, and
1 don't Believe I'd like to spare one"
"God bless you, child-bless you for
ever!' sobbed the old woman, and fol-
q full minute her face was buried in hel
apron.
"But I'll tell you what I'll do" Sc
riously continued the child. "You
may kiss us all once, and if little Der
isn't afraid you may kiss him fOul
times, for he's just as sweet as candyr
Pedestrians who saw three we'll
dressed children put their arms arouni
that strange old woman's neck and kis
her were greatly puzzled. They didn'
know the hearts of children, and the,
didn't hear the woman's words as sh'
rose to go:
ooh, children, I'm only a poor oil,
woman, believing I'd nothing to iv'
for, but you've given me lighter hear
than I've had for ten long years!'-
Detroit Free Press.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15

A JOKE is told on q certain gentle
man, which IL too good to be lost. Our
friend, who shall be nameless, pur-
chased . pair of pants . few days ago,
which, upon being tried on at home, he
found to be too long. That night he
remarked to his wife that he wished
her to take of about an inch from each
leg, which would make them the de-
sired length. Being fond, AZ q good
many wives are, of teasing her hus-
band, she told him ..aat-footed'' that
she shouldn't do anything Of the kind,
and he retired finally, without having
obtained promise from her that she
would attend to the matter. Soon after
he had left for his room, however, she,
as q matter Of course, clipped off the
superfluous inch a. she had been asked
to do. The family is composed of six
female members, in addition to the
..good man." and it chanced that each
one of the five, who were in adjoining
rooms, including the mother Of our
friend, heard the dispute between man
and wife about the pants, and after the
latter had taken of the required inch
and retired, the old lady, desiring to
keep peace in the family" and not
knowing what her daughter.in-law had
done, cautiously slipped into the room
and cut OF another inch. In this way
did each of the i've ladies', unknown to
the others, and al with the praise-
worthy object of preventing any misun-
derstanding between the married couple,
clipped an inch from the legs Of the gpu-
<1ne.n>us. <x,os.aora Tho An110v3nSp xv,r,vn
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15

-s.Ah. dear! times are growingworse
and worse with u.s." said q Cincinnati
wife ON Sunday morning, as she seated
herself at her frugal Easter meal.
"What is it, MaryH asked her hus-
band, looking with anxious face; "has
anything occurred to specially remind
you Of our povertys" Eyes, James,"
said his wife, with faltering voice; 1--WE
are to-day reduced to the extremity Of
celebrating the feast of Easter over .
dish Of soft-boiled china nest-eggs,"
and she sorrowfully passed up the
plate. The husband took one in silence,
while the scalding tears coursed down
over his wan cheeks and dropped into
the gravy. The eggs were his own
weddinr present to his wife over fifteen
years ago. incinnoti Esqssrer.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15

great way-much further than q man
could make one hundred and fifty 90.
She will also make calculations about
the expenditure of the weekly sum;
will lay by certain amount toward
buying such and such supplies III
quantities; will learn that there is no
economy in buying soap by the bar,
starch or sugar by the pound. She
will systematic her. affairs, keep her
books-a day-book and ledger-and
exhibit her well-kept accounts with
pride and delight. The very fact that
the expenditure of the money belongs
TO her will sweeten her life, give new
zest to her occupations and make her q
happy and more contented wife. To
most women the idea of asking for
money is abhorrent. They put It off
from day to day, the dread of it is so
great. They will wear expensive
clothes in the kitchen rather than ask
for the money needful for the purchase
of q plain calico dress. The subject of
money supplies in the home opens a
wide field Of thought to the husband.
Will he cultivate it? Many wives of
the middle class have been accustomed
10 earn tnelr own support, 10 purchase
their own wardrobes before they were
married. But after marriage all is
changed; they must ask for what they
require rather than have it paid to
them quarterly. At first their wants
are few, or all supplied; but one or
two years alters their outlook and it
becomes very dfeary. Can the hus-
band understand this? / trow not.
He viii tell you, MY wife has all she
asks for never dreaming how many
days it requires to summon her courage
to ask for necessities. An utterly
false statement exclaims some one;
there's no woman afraid to ask for
what one needsr May ask you to in
quire of your own wife how she feels
on such occasions. Unless she is afraid
to speak the truth, your eyes may be
opened somewhat"
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
THE MARKETS.

NEW YORK, May 5.-Flour-White
Wheat Extra, s455@525. wheat-No. 2,
Chicago Spring, e1.Olx@1.03; No. sMilwau.
kee, $1.O0@l.05. Oats-Western Mixed, IS
@33kc. Corn-Western Mixed, 431<(044e.
Pork - Mess s9.1231f@lo.1O. Lard-s6.2s1<
Cattle-98.75@l0.25 for Good to Extra.
sheep-$A 371<. gs-sS45@s.5o.
EAST LIBERTY, Pa-Cattle - Best,
S525@5.40; medium, s4.5O@a00. Hogs
Workers, 9a6O13. Is; Philadelphias, $4,000
40. Sheep-$32505.50
BALTMORE, Md.-Cattle-Best quail
ity, $4.s7<@5.62k; medium, $a.1215@4.O0.
Hogs Good, $h0005.50. Sheep-Good,
S4.OO@5.50.
Wheat - No. 2 Spring
closed Ut 92,S@921fc cash; 92s(@921<c fol
May; 95093Hc for June. Corn closed at
SS1<c for No. . cash; S33<c for May; 34sSc fol-
June. Oats-No. 2, 4JSc, cash; seller May,
AXc. Rye-No. 2, 4SHc. Barley-No. 2,
cash, 69@70c. Mess Pork-&9.S q 9.3o
cash. Lard-s5.9o @ 595, cash. Butter
Good to Fancy, 1S@l9c. Eggs-9@91<c
Cattle-Extra Beeves. sAS5@alO; Choice,
H50@O; Good, e40@A4O; Medium
Grades, sas50I15; Butchers' Stock. SAT-
@400; Stock Cattle, e275@as5 Hogs
Good to Choice, ea15@a70. Sheep-Poo,
to Choice, $a5005H.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
A Cake Dodge.

THERE is man with cake doing q
thriving business in Michigan. The
papers throughout the State are expos
ing him and in short time, no doubt,
he will be compelled to seek pastures
new. He comes in town to start q
bakery and brings q sample of his work
along in the shape of q large and ele-
gantly frosted cake. Some hitch takes
place about the lease of the bake-shop,
and he concludes to rattle off the cake.
The rattle takes place; the splendid
cake is won and perhaps kept on exhi-
bition for day or two Then it is cut
up, or q party is arranged to assist in
its consumption. When they attempt
to cut up the cake then comes the fun.
They find it 10 made of wood, tasttully
frosted. In olden times they asked for
bread and were given . stone; but in
this State they asked for cake and were
given wood. This cake dodge has been
successfully played in many OF the
Michigan towns and will probably be
tried in others, but now that the papers
have taken up tho swindle, our cake
man will no doubt strike for some other
State. Look out for him. Fix it 50
that his cake will be dough instead of
wood.-Detroit Free Press.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
FOREIGN GOSSIP.

In 1880 the Belgians intend to cele-
brate, with all becoming pomp and GER
emony, the fiftieth anniversary of the
independent existence of Belgium as a
Kingdom.
A LONDON newspaper furnishes the
curious and surprising statement that
1885 out Of 5,241 shares in q new
brewery company in Sheffield ale held
by English clergymen.
The Cremation Society of England,
joint stock affair, has received a
check. Sec'y Cross, of the Home Of
flee, recently announced, in the House
of Commons, that he will not sanction
the proceedings of the company until
they are approved by Parliament. En-
glish medical and legal circles object
to cremation because it destroys evil
dence of the cause Of death.
LYNCH law appears to be an institu-
ton to the taste of the Russians, if we
may judge by the following incident:
A peasant of the Village of Rushitsce-
wo stole q COW from . neighborimg To-
cality, but was caught. The owner Of
the animal assembled his friends, and
they commenced by soundly whipping
the criminal, and then, having bound
him securely, broke his frontteeth with
hammer. It seems the latter form Of
punishment 30 pleased the people that
they have resolved to apply It TO all the
robbers they catch.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY Paris stu
dents gave II. de Cassagnac . dinner,
at which he predicted that the return
of the Empire was nearer 1T hand than
most people imagined. He quoted the
following words uled BY the Prince Im-
perial in recent conversation with
him: IS The misfortune of my father
was that he mistrrsted his health, and,
alas! he was only too right. He then
desired to hasten everything; he wished
to play two reigns ct onOe-his own,
which Wa the reign Of authority, and
mine, which might have been the lib
eral reign. He lost both, and I am,
therefore, obliged 70, recommence the
despotic reign, and leave the liberal
reign to my successor, II events permit
him to carry It out. " '-
TENNIEL's cartoon in Psssch, OF April
8, is remarkably effective. Tho Minis
ters are sitting on. appsentices' stools
and devouring hot pies. Lord Bea-
consfield has Turkey. In his lap and ev-
identity finds it3 q muck % he can
stomach; Lord Cranbrook III blowing
hot and cold on Aghandstan; Sir Nj
chael Hicks Beach has burned his fin
gers over Zululsud; and Lord Salis-
bury glances meditatively q Rcumelia
and Cyprus. In the doorway stands
the waiter, Sir Stafford Northcote, with
napkin cr6Ss 'his arm and another hot
pie, Burnah, stsaning n his hands.
Master Ben3amip looks up uneasily, -
one who should say. "rm in for . bad
collie already" and mutters, :" Thank
you, no more at prssentl We've quite
- much - Ne can xAAnaEe, thank
your
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15

The new mileage, therefore, was in
1873 "a per cent. more than in 1877,
163 per cent. more than in 1876, SO per
cent. more than in 1875 and 81 per cent.
more than in 1874, yet not 40 per cent.
of what was built in 1872.
Poor's Manual reported 79,2O8 miles
in the United States at the beginning
of 1878; adding the above mileage, we
have $1,000 miles at the end of that
year. The Manual, however, does not
usually include roads not opened for
business, though track may have been
laid on them, and SO its statements of
additions each year never agree with
ours, which aim to include all new road
on which the track was laid within the
year, whether opened for business or
not, and sometimes it is not for months
afterward.
The revised statement has the names
of 1852 railroad companies, which give
them an average length of 10 miles.
The number of narrow-gauge roads
Gall feet but one, which was feet 6
inches) was So, and their aggregate
length 900 miles, being 34.4 per cent.
of the whole, against 796 miles, or 34.6
per cent. of the whole, in 1877. In
Ohio 1344 miles out of 1924 were of g.
feet gauge; in Texas, 80 miles out of
$50; in Pennsylvania, Sc miles out of
1877; in Indiana, 494 out of "a; in Col
or ado, 864 out of 1874.
We said in commenting on the table
published Jan. 8 that the prospect for
construction in 1879 seemed good. At
this time it seems better. Several lines
of considerable len 9Th are in in prog
ress, a tolerable number of short lines
have already been prepared for, and
we know that some great companies,
which, have done nothing as yet, con-
template making additions of branches,
which by the way, formed the greater
part of the new construction in the
Northwest last year. 1t must be re-
membered that but little work can be
done in the winter, and the record of
mileage completed down to this date is
an indication.of the amount of road
bed made ready the previous year
rather than of projects undertaken in
the current year. Still we have up to
date reports of 391 miles completed
this year, as against 267 in 1877 and 269
in 1876, notwithstanding the fact that the
/ WlulCI XC(G-C was tCIy 1uuCu
favorable for railroad building than the
past one has been. And as compare
lively little new work is begun until
the frost "is out of the ground,"
so that great many projects, for
which all the calculations are made,
lie dormant until the harvest, and de-
pend upon its result for their immc-
date realization. An excellent harvest
in Minnesota, for instance, would be
almost sure to bring a large immigra-
ton to the western part of that State,
and thus give demand for and
justify the immediate completion of
certain lines through the now unoccu-
pied prairies which otherwise might as
as well wait; and if begun after har-
vest, great many miles can be COM
pleted before winter. Gazette.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
THE NEW WORLD.

On the 29th ult., q fire broke out in
the residence of Mr.. Butler, at Grand Rap
ids, Mich, while Mrs. B. was absent at
neighbours, next door, leaving two little
girls, one three years and the other eight
months old, in the house alone. The fire was
discovered too late to rescue the children, and
their bodies were burned beyond recognition.
The mother has become crazed by the fearful
affection.
THE Colored Peoples N National Board
Of Immigration OF st. Louis received inform
alton, on the 10Th ult., that several thousand
negroes were then at different places along
the banks Of the Mississippi River, below
Memphis, either ready to start North as soon
as transportation could be procured, or were
preparing to leave their homes for st. Louis
and beyond. 1t was said the steamers refused
to take them on board, and the whites refused
to sell them provisions.
The house of John L. Keogh, at
Carbon Hill, Pa, was destroyed by fire, on
the morning OF the 29th ult., and son, aged
eleven years, and daughter, OF thirteen, were
burned to death, and younger child, aged
five, was so badly injured that its recovery
was doubtful. Mr.. Kcogh had his face and
hands terribly burned in his endeavors to res
cue bis children.
The Select Committee of the Ma
tional House of Representatives on the
Cause Of the Present Depression of Labor
held . meeting on the 10Th ult., at which the
members present expressed the opinion that,
II sufficient funds could be obtained for the
purpose, it would be Advisable to visit Gan
Francisco for the purpose of taking testi-
timony.
Two MEN entered the Workingmen's
Savings Bank Of Allegheny City, Pa, at noon,
on the both ult., while to Cashier, g. L. Wal
ter, was alone in the bauk, and one of them
pointed . revolver At Walter aud threatened
to kill him II he moved. The Cashier grabbed
the revolver and succeeded in getting posses-
zion Of 1t. The other robber, who had been
stationed at the door, then came forward with
cooked revolver, and the two men jumped
over the counter and attempted to seize Q
package containing $4,000 in bills, but Wal
ter fired ut them three times and drove them
back over the counter. They then ran out,
followed BY the plucky Cashier. They sue
cecded In getting away with about el.500.
Ex-CoNGREssMAN Z. l.. COBB, Of
North Carolina, died, at Elizabeth City, in
that State, on the 3Oth ult.
AT Chicago, on the evening Of the
10th ult, Mrs. Ellen Norris was severely and
probably fatally burned, while attempting "a
kindle the kitchen 6re BY the use Of kerosene.
The trial Of Col. Thomas Buford for
the murder Of Judge Elliott, of the Kentucky
Court Of Appeals, has been postponed until
the third Monday in May.
The public-debt statement for April
makes the following exhibit: Total debt lin.
Guiding interest), e2,475.5s7,S7x Cash in
Treasury, el48. 167, 156. Debt less amount in
Treasury, e2os7, 19o. 2la increase during the
month. el9o6a Decrease since June 80,
1873, o8,0o66lk
Mr.. THEoDoRE B. WEsE1, Q Nom.
Dor OF The Wholesale boot and shoe firm Of
George W. Weber d Co., Of Chicago, waa
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15
Wives Rights to tho Family Purse.

The Cossstry Gestlensas thinks that
"n every man would pay his wife .
weekly sum for housekeeping, cloth
ing, ETC., he would find that in nine
cases out Of ten Encouragement Of the
fund would increase not only his COM
tort but that Of the whole house." and
it says: "H she il equal to the task Of
being . wife and . mother, she IL
also equal to the task Of sup
plying and paying for the. daily
necessities Of the home. II she II head
manager che win talo pride and pleas.
use In making one hundred cents 60
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15

1T certainly betokened q very
cloudy matrimonial life, and yet the
poor widows remark was quaint
enough to make . smile. When her
friend condoled with her she heaved
deep sigh and murmured, Well,
there Is one consolation, at any rate.
1 know where poor John is now O.
nights, and that is something I could
never find out before. "-N. r.. Herald.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15

What il the difference between q
conjecture and . man who boards his
pelfp One II . surmiss, and the other
Il missr.-CAtoago Commercial I'D.
Vestiser.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-05-15

TIE Chinese are beginning to make
nee of milk in their country. Hereto
fore they have avoided it entirely, also
cheese and butter.