davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-05-22
D. M. KEY,
POHtmnster- General.

pRoposALs FOR FuEI.
QUARTRRMAsTER's OFFICE.
II. s. MARINE CORPS,
WASHINGTON, April 20, 1870.
Sealed proposals, IN duplicate, will be received
at this Office until IL o'clock noon OF THURSDAY,
the 18th day of June next, for supplying wood and
coal to the United States Marines at one more Of
the following stations, nom LIST July 1870 to SOh
June 1880;
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
Tightening Hard Work.

There are many things in ones every.
day work which will be done in differ
ent ways by different people. Some get
over great deal easily and in short
time, and this is termed by practical
people the "knack" of doing things;
and by others common sense. We are
not sure but some would say it was sci.
ence. Be this as it may. it is a very good
thing to have. Here is man trying to
split log. He drives in his axe from
the top OF the chunk downwards, and
keeps on driving with all his force and
very often gives it up in disgust. An
other takes the axe, sets the piece up
with narrow end downwards, and with
one short, easy stroke the pieces fly
apart as easily as if the log was piece
of cheese. And now we notice another
kink which, simple as it is, will be a
blessing to the boy who has to do the
wood-splitting. After the pieces have
been sawed into fireplace lengths in
order to split, it is often the question
how best to make the pieces stand up
or lie, while they are operated on. Many
toe has been cut while stesdying the
block, and many an eye has been
blackened by the flying pieces! This
genius gets aihollow trunk, about half
the depth of the piece to be split, and
sets said piece upright in the trunk.
Thus they are split. but cannot fall
down, and the splitter can keep on
splitting till the whole is as small az
(thick) match wood, and never stop to
pick up one single piece.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
The InundatlOn Of the 70.

The Pc, having its source in Pied
mont in two springs 5000 feet above
the level of the sea, flows in winding
and irregular course for about 450
miles across the whole breadth of
Northern Italy, entering the Adriatic
by delta. About fifty towns of con-
siderable size are situated on its banks
or those of it's tributaries. Boats can
ascend to within sixtymiles of its source.
but the current is so rapid as to render
navigation difficult. Destructive foods
are liable to happen at all seasons, and
the fat country along its lower course
renders artificial embankments neces-
sary; A terrible inundation took place
on the early morning of the 4th of June
last, in the district between Borgofran-
CO and Bonizzo, whereby hundreds of
families have been literally washed out
of their houses and homes. The river
gave no warning note to the many
guardians who watch by its banks, but
with SUDDEN leap it burst its bounds,
bearing desolation on the crest of its
seething waters. The damage done to
crops and property is estimated at
runious figure. Prompt provision was
made by Parliament for the temporary
relief of thesufferers. Ed.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
Mr.. Whittier's Poetry.

It is not given to many poets to know
what they do best, and the few who
possess that knowledge are seldom con-
tent to be guided by it. The weakness
of modern poets-or one of their weak
nesses-is the desire to write long
poems, as if poetry were measured by
quantity and not quality. Another
weakness is q studied avoidance OF sim
pie everyday themes. Mr.. Whittier
has mistaken his powers as little as any
American poet, but he has not always
cultivated them wisely, or he would
have written ten narrative poems where
he has written one. use the word
narrative in large sense as covering q
large class of poems Of which story
telling is the chief motive, and which
directly appeal to the human sympa-
thies Of their readers. Such q poem
Ito draw an illustration from Mr.. Whit
tier) is the touching ballad of "Cassan-
dra Southwick." Another is Barclay
of Ury." Mr.. Whittier is the first
American poet, I believe, who was
deeply impressed by the inspiration of
subjects like these, and they have am
ply rewarded the poetic pains he has
bestowed upon them. am not sure,
indeed, that his fame will not ultimate
ly rest upon some three or four of them.
Say upon Maud Muller" "Skipper
Ireson's Ride" and Telling the Bees"
They had no prototypes in American
poetry, and if they have had success
sors, these successors have come from
the pen of Mr.. Whittier, who is never
SO much himself as when writing nara
tive and legendary stories.
Mr.. Whittier is one of the few Amer
ican poets who have succeeded in OBJ.
tanning the SURFACES of the reading
public and of the literary class. Men
Of letters respect his work for its sim
cerity, simplicity, and downright man.
illness, and average readers Of poetry
respect it because they can understand
it. There is not q grown man and
woman in the land who does not readily
enter into the aspiration and discomfort
of Maud Muller" and into the glow
ing patriotism of Barbara Frietchie."
Whether the incident which is the in.
more than doubtful nevertheless, the
poem is one that the world will not
willingly let die. The reputation of
such poems is immediate and perma-
ment, and beyond criticism, favorable
or otherwise; the touch of nature in
them is beyond all art. Ishould never
think of comparing Barbara Fret
chic" with Bryants so Mother of
Mighty Race" but I am sure that it has
a thousand readers where Bryant's
poem has one. Bryant seldom reached
the hearts Of his countrymen, but his
best poems appealed to what was loft
lest in their intellects.--Richard Henry
Stoddard, in tile Midsummer Holiday
Scribner.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
A Man of Esthetic Tastes.

He wore his hair long, like poet or
lunatic, and his nose cleaned like an
electric light. He had been arrested
for stealing flowers from windows, and
some of the stolen plants found in his
possession were placed on the judges
bench.
~ would like to make statement,
if yonr honor please" said he, after the
evidence was all in, the theft. fixed
squarely upon him. II admit my
guilt, took this fair, frail heliotrope
also this stately geranium and this
magnificent yellow rose," and he bent
over the flowers and drank in the per-
fume of each.
Yes, took Them" he continued.
after pause, during which he plucked
sprig from the heliotrope and leaf
from the geranium and fastened them
in his buttonhole. &C. took them be-
cause l was starving--not starving for
food, your honor, but at sight of these
beautiful flowers my soul hungered to
possess them. I know it was wrong,
but l couldn't help it. have an eye,
an ear, heart for the beautiful. My
soul craved it and my hand took it."
Weren't you here once before for
stealing ?" asked the judge.
"I-I believe I was. In an unlucky
moment my ear caught the sweet notes
of Mrs. Jones' canary. It seemed that
every time I passed the house the bird
was pouring forth its soul in song. 1
was entranced with the melody"
:" And so one day you reached in the
window with pole, lifted the cage
from its hook and walked of with it ?"
Yes, judge. I did and, to tell the
truth, l never felt such perfect happi-
ness and contentment as felt that day,
when l had the golden-throated song
ster in my possession and could claim
it as my own, as it were. My tastes are
aesthetic to a degree"
You sold the bird and cage after.
ward for twenty cents and drink of
whisky, I believer"
L must admit that you are again
correct, judge"
And you were breaking for the same
doggery this time, with these flowers in
your arms, if mistake not ?"
once more are you correct, dear
Judge but please remember my weak.
ness for the beautiful in nature. and
temper justice with mercy"
six months, said the court, gruffiy.
The prisoner moved off, remarking,
" l have long been apprehensive that
my aesthetic tastes would lead me into
dangerous Places" and then, pausing
on the threshold, he took one long, lin
gering look at the flowers, and said:
If l only could take the heliotrope
and that pale-yellow rose with me, my
Incarceration would be esteemed q
blessing rather than q bane. "-Cincia-
natl Enquirer.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
Age for Legal Marriages..

There is considerable variation in the
different European States in the AGE al
which legal marriage can be con.
tracted. In Austria the age OF dis.
erection is fourteen years. In Hungary
each religious sect makes its own req.
ulations-marriages being regarded as
entirely ecclesiastical affairs. Russians
can contract marriages at the age of
eighteen in cases of females. The Ital.
ian law fixes the age at eighteen and fif-
teen respectively. In Turkey there is
no general law. The French and Bel.
gian codes allow marriages of young
men at eighteen and girls at fifteen
years, but the powers of dispensation in
special cases are reserved. In Greece,
Spain and Portugal, parties of fourte en-
and twelve years can contract binding
marriage, but in the latter country the
consent OF the parents is necessary. Ac-
cording to the amended paragraph OF
the new civil-marriage bill, the state OF
wedlock cannot be entered upon under
twenty and sixteen years respectively,
though the existing laws of Prussia and
Saxony permitted marriages at earlier
periods. There is such dissimilarity
in the Swiss laws, every Canton having
a regulation of its own. In some of
them the consent of the parents is nee.
essary up to twenty-five years. The in
fuence of climate upon the tempera.
ment and constitution is allowed in the
southern nations. where maturity is
reached at a much earlier period than
among the northern nations.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
Antipathy to Rice and Kittens.

1t is not unfrequently the case that
person having an antipathy to any par
ticular thing knows when it is present,
even though it may be concealed. We
know lady who had formerly an in
tense antipathy to rice. She could not
eat it in any form. Her friends thought
1t mere whim, and one Of them, at
whose house she was visiting, deter
mined to prove to her that she was
whimsical.
Accordingly, the hostess had spoon.
full of rice cooked in the soup. But be-
fore serving it at dinner, every particle
OF rice was strained from it. The guest,
being served. tasted the soup, and ex-
claimed, ooh, there's rice in this |"
left the table. Her nausea was such as
to alarm her friend.
A singular fact may be stated in con.
nection with this incident. The lady is
a missionary to Burmah. and her autip-
athy to rice often caused her to pass
many hungry hours. For in her mis-
sionary tours in the jungle, it would
often happen that there was nothing but
rice to eat. The native Christians, who
erieved at her sntipathy, and the priva-
tions it brought, would frequently
pray:
30 Lord. give mamma (their pet
name for their beloved missionary .
new stomach"
Several years ago, the mamma"
finding that she had no sensation of re.
pugnance when rice was on the table,
was tempted TO eat few grains. To
hor ar rpriao ~ orookoI mn nouaoo Che
now eats. rice without difficulty, and can
make her dinner on it if necessary. She
has new stomach"
Rev. DR.. Blatchford, who preached
in Bridgeport, Conn. at the beginning
of this century, had q horror of cats and
kittens. So delicate was his clairvoy-
ance that he could detect the presence
of cat in the room, NO matter how
closely concealed.
Once when dining with o friend, he
suddenly dropped his knife and fork.
Seeing the action, and the doctor pale
with horror, the friend asked, in
great excitement:
What is the matter ?"
cit is cat r.
Impossible We shut up the cat
and kittens as soon as you came in"
II say" replied the doctor, with the
emphasis of frightened man, there
is cat in this room T.
A search was made, and kitten was
found slumbering in the cradle, under
the clothes, and nesting beside the
baby
There are more things in heaven and earth.
Horatio,
Than are dreamed Of in our philosophy.
-COmpanion.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
Detroit Currency.

blow W winds, is the cry out West.
- Contentment is better than riches.
Int YOU may be ever so content and
you'll want cash just the same.
One pailful of hot water will clear a
corner of loafers quicker than four pc
licemen, and the expense is nothing.
The New York Mail thinks New York
had better give its $l3, 900, 900 court
house to any one who will tear it down.
The fop and his dog-cart, at Saratoga,
help to keep the bootblacks from get
ting homesick. Nothing was made in
vain.
The Boston Pest regards O bucket of
water and q sponge the best weapons to
hunt tramps with. They run from 'em
every time.
Not one person in hundred can tell
new flour from old except by observing
that the cooks hairpins stick tighter to
the new biscuits.
Gen. Longstreet not only knows how
to keep hotel, but he is making money
out OF that one in Atlanta. He gives
everybody front room.
Says the Augusta Chronicle: "Sena.
tor Hill has had his hair cut and his
face clean shaven. He looks like a
bridegroom or President of an ecclesi-
astical seminary
The first time that David Davis ever
realized his fairness was when he was a
bow of fourteen. The other boys all
crawled through the fence and left him
alone with mad steer.
A Western man who has been there,
writes: Watkins elena charming
and awfully romantic place where you
can tumble down and break your neck
at 50 so day."
. , Half of the fun of going barefooted
is to get q stone. bruise on each heel,
and the boy with good, big stone
bruise always has the sympathy of his
mother when sent on an errand.
When man cuts his hand off to avoid
going into the Russian army they take
him in all the same and make him do
all the sentinel duty, while able-bodied
soldiers get chance to sleep.
Canadian papers complain that the
finny tribe are growing scarce in those
waters, and that member of Parlia.
ment is now forced to take a Jug along
to fill mp the intervals between bites. !"
When Jim Currie murdered Porter
he killed an unarmed man but he will
doubtless be able to show, by witnesses
who were not there, that he did it in
self-defense.- New Orleans Picayune.
The Clipper, of Warrenton, Ga, says
that a prominent gentleman has found
cheap method for entertaining COM
pany at big meetings. He recommends
as the first round, while appetites are
good, green corn, cucumbers and ic 9
lemonade. After that, he says, it re-.
quires only small amount of laudanum
as chief dessert"
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
Working Ones Passage.

In the old days of canal-voyaging,
captains of boats were not infrequent-
~ asked to give o wayfarer lift. The
man was asked if he was willing to work
his passage. If he said eyes," he was
put to driving the horses. In Europe,
it seems, q similar custom is practised
on paying stage-passengers.
In the Pyrenees, there is . stage-line
between two villages, one on each side
of q mountain sixteen thousand feet
high. After the coach has proceeded
little distance and reached the steep
part Of the ascent, the conductor begs
the passengers to get out so as TO ease
the horses they are even requested to
push behind and help the poor animals
to drag the huge vehicle up hill.
When at last the summit is reached,
each traveller, wiping from his forehead
drops of sweat as big as kidney-beans,
congratulates himself on the breezy
ride down the steep slopes of the de-
scent which awaits him.
There is where he fools himself, for
the conductor, with sweet smile, begs
the gentlemen to be kind enough to
hang on to the coach behind, and act
the part of Westinghouse air-brake, or
else the horses may be injured.
In this manner the terminus of the
line is reached, the passengers having
pushed the coach all the way up one
side OF the mountain, and held it back
all the way down the other.
In spite of this, there is rush for
places on the stage daily, as there has
been for half century.-Youth's
COmDanion.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
Power of Music.

Many of us, most of us. have aspira-
tions and emotions for the expression
of which in words it is as il he were
voiceless and dumb, but which find full
and ready expression in music; even
though, have sometimes thought, the
words which we freight with them
might be NEE jargon. Under the right
circumstances, and given only touch,
q tone, a sudden remembrance, any
thing to unlock the emotions, and the
song goes forth, telling for everyl in.
dividual singer different story. Per-
haps this is most noticeable in the midst
of sympathetic numbers, as in the
crowds who used to meet together and
sing out all their secret feelings in the
strange, unreal light of the Chicago
Tabernacle. I shall never forget a face
which I saw there one stormy winter
afternoon; one viii h touched me more
than any other of the many expressive
faces which I used to see there full of
emotion day after day. 1t was only an
everyday face, that of q worn old wo-
man dressed in deep mourning; and,
with family and friendly groups on
every side of her, seeming so alone in
her loneliness and old age. Was there
anything in the words of the song, in
the singing of which she joined with
her tremulous tones, which could fifty
express the emotion that filled face and
voice? The song was only one of the
most commonplace of the many changes
rung on the dear old themes, yet the
words came to my ear freighted with
her loneliness and yearning until I
longed to place gently my own in rhe
poor, tired, empty hands. If haply
mine could in any measure fill their
emptiness; to say word which might
brighten the poor, withered old face, so
utterly pathetic in its far. off look of
longing. Such q strangely far-away
look it was, as if the yearning eyes had
sent their gaze over the ocean in search
of the lost ones, to where, msyhap,
their graves were made in "the Old
County," and failing to find them
there had gone straight on into the
heave My land.
Did she find them? Who knows !?
But the song whose musical strains
gave voice that day to her longings for
the dear, dead faces, will always be to her
in very truth "sacred song" To one
heart, at least, a cool critical analysis of
its composition would be sacrilege. To
one or another of us perhaps this would
be true in regard to every one of the
familiar old songs. It is too late; we
could not criticise them if we would.
Love is blind, and we love them every
one!-Sunday afternoon.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
The Fathers Of the Church.

Some racy stories are yet extant in
Virginia and Pennsylvania of the old
Methodist aud Presbyterian clergymen,
who, when the country was first set
tied, used to wander up and down the
wilderness, like Elijah, preaching and
warning the ungodly.
One of the most noted was Lorenzo
Dow, VINO, it is said, once followed o
robber into the forest. arrested him
single-handed, brought him into "meet-
ing," set him in front of the pulpit,
and preached the terrors of the judg-
ment to him until the poor wretch fell
on his knees aud confessed where he
had hidden the booty.
On another occasion, Dow had a pub
lie argument with man who protested
infidelity. The good old preacher s
righteous rage waxed hotter and hotter,
until, exclaiming, Vengeance is the
Lords, but He chooses his instruments"
he ieaped from the pulpit, and then
and there gave the astonished scoffer q
sound thrashing.
Another godly old man was troubled
with most vicious, scurrilous wife.
He bore her revilings meekly for years,
until, one day, finding the COW dead in
the barnyard, o way of escape suggested
itself to him. He brought her out,
placed her at the head of the COW, and
he stood at its feet.
~ promised to bear with you, Peg
gy, till death us did part" he said.
"Now I'm free!" and he walked away,
never to return.
A diary kept by one of these print
tive pastors is still extant, and is Gu
rious record of humble, unfinching
faith in God in petty trials. Cannot
60 to Synod without hat" is one en-
try. "Have no hat at all. Mentioned
it in my prayer tonight. 80 did
wife"
A week later he writes, "Have no hat
yet, although I have spoken to the Lord
about it every day. Must 60 bare
headed. and humble my vanity" How
ever the next day he writes, Reed 81
from Joseph Wight. Bought hat. I
am thankful to him who sent it,"
These men were ignorant, probably,
but they made up in sincerity and zeal
what they lacked in education. They
had, too, shrewdness. experience and
virtue, and were usually the advisers,
the sense-carriers." to use a homely
term, for large districts of country.
"The minister" settled many dis
pute, quoted many a domestic feud
which now would end in o lawsuit or
q divorce.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12
The Silk CrOp.

An exchange says: Our American la.
dies should lay in good supply of silks
while prices are reasonable, pro.
viding the reports that come to us
regarding the European crop are true.
America is not yet prominent enough
in the industry Of silk production to be
taken into account in the grand total.
Asia Minor, Syria, Spain and even
France have ceased to have the i'm.
pertance in silk production that they
once had, and manufacturers, therefore,
now depend for their supply on Italy
and the far East. The Indian crop ex.
ceeds the French fourfold, and yields
about $4,000 bales when it turns out
well. The average import from China
to Europe falls short of that amount
nearly 5000 bales. A failure in the
italian crop, therefore means to o con-
siderable extent failure in the Euro
pean and American supplies. It is said
that not only in Italy, but also in France
and Spain, the frosts have fatally in
jured the cocoon, and vegetation has
been left in o bad state for the support
of the silk-worm. These are rather
ominous reports, and without going
into the statistics of the affair we can
see a scarcity in the supply of the GOV
eted fabric in the future. 1t has never
been demonstrated how far silk culture
can be carried in America, and perhaps
the reduction in the supply abroad may
be the very stimulus needed to start up
the industry to more respectful proper
tons here.
Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-12

Boys land perhaps girls, too). let's
all determine never to grumble again
about the world in which we live. Sup
pose we had dwelled in New Haven
colony just two hundred years ago. In
1869 they had a law which said that
"whosoever shall inveigle or draw the
affections Of any Made or Made. servant
either to himself or ito others, without
first gaining the consent of her parents,
shall pay the plantation for the first
offense 4Os, the second a, for the third
shall be imprisoned or corporally pun.
ished. "-L0uisgiiie Cowier-Jou'udl.