davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-02-05

light. To lie on a blanket, under tree,
or on the piazza, and bury her chubby
fists in his silky coat, to Chamber over his
shoulders, to lead him along by the ear
while riding in her little carriage, to
tyrannize over him in hundred pretty
ways-these were the daily occupations
of which she never tired. She learned
to stand on her feet and to take her first
steps by clinging to his neck, and his
name was the first word she ever spoke.
1t seemed as though he could hear her
piping voice as if by magic. II he was
on the place at all, whether within hear
ing or not, she had only to call "Det,
Det!" and presently he would come
bounding in.
One evening, late in August, we were
all assembled, as usual after supper, on
the piazza and the lawn in front of the
house, enjoying the long twilight. The
servants were downstairs, getting their
supper, and Jet was left alone with the
baby in the sitting-room, which opens
on to the piazza by long windows.
Baby had gone to sleep in the dark, and
Jet was lying beside her cradle. 1t was
calm night; there was not breath
stirring, but the "fresh SALT of the sea
was in the air and the heat of the day
was done. The young folk were singing
softly together some gentle refrain when
terrible shrek broke upon us, and the
nurse-girl rushed out through the hall,
her clothing in blaze, and the flame
streaming above her head. To roll her
on the grass and smother the blaze with
our coats was the work of an instant.
Then arose another cry, never to be for
gotten by those who heard IL: the ago.
nized prayer and lament of mother
for her child. The sitting-room was
full of fire. The girl had brought up a
lighted lamp, after supper, and dropped
it on the floor as she entered the room.
The cradle was in the corner of the
room furthest from the door. Mr.. War
rem dashed in at the window, and made
one leap to the cradle. He found Jet
couched upon it, covering the baby with
his body.
How they got out we could not CON-
prehend. 1t was all over in the twink
ling of an eye, and Mr.. Warren and the
dog were lying on the grass beside the
mother, who was almost fainting, with
the baby safe and sound in her lap. The
little thing was nearly suffocated, but
recovered after few minutes in the
open air, and took no harm from the
fire.
The sitting-room was burned out, but
we succeeded in stopping the flames
there and saving the house. Mr.. War
ren's face and hands were badly
burned, and the nurse-girl was seri-
ously, but not dangerously, injured. Jet
was severely scorched, but after caring
for him rs best we could that night, we
thought he would come round again in
few days. Next morning, however,
he was missing, and even to baby's call,
d" Det, Det!" he made no answer. AZ
ter long search we found him under
the piazza, stone dead.
Jet is buried on the hillside, where
the arbutus blooms early in the spring.
We have placed a water-worn bowlder
from the shore over his grave, and on
the stone are carved, in deep letters,
only the words, "a Faithful Friend"
John v. Sears, in So. Nicholas for
February.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-02-05

A WHITE whale 40 feet in length has
been captured in Charleston Harbor, af-
ter an all days chase back and forth
between Fort Sumter and the inner
shores of the bay. Steamers, tug
boats and row-boats joined in the pur-
suit, which was watched by large
crowd from the wharves. The whale
made desperate efforts to escape, was
frequently surrounded and wounded,
and expired at sunset.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-02-05

THE thrifty man will always put
something away for rainy day, even
if it is nothing but stolen umbrella.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-02-05

IT now seems as if $40 bonnets were
simply medium ON which to show off
800 feathers.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
Decliyity of Rivers.

A very slight declivity sufiices to give
the running motion of the water. Three
inches per mile in a smooth, straight
channel gives velocity of about three
miles an hour. The Ganges, which
gathers the waters of the Himalaya
mountains, the loftiest in the world, is,
ut 1900 miles from its mouth, only
about 800 feet above the level of the seat
and to fall these 800 feet in the long
course the water requires more than a
month. The great river Magdalena, in
South America, running for 1000 miles
between two ridges of the Andes, falls
only 500 feet in all that distance; above
the commencement OF the 1000 miles it
is seen descending in rapids and catar-
acts from the mountains. The gigantic
Rio de Ia Plata has so gentle 3 descent
to the ocean that, in Paraguay, l,50O
miles from its mouth. large ships are
seen which have sailed against the cur
rent all the way by the force of the
wind alone-that is to say, which, on
the beautiful inclined plane of the
stream, have been gradually lifted by
the soft wind, and even against the cur
rent, to the elevation greater than that
of our lofticst spires.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
The Judges Judged.

Last month the centenary of the pun
ishment by order of Frederick the Great
of the judges of the miller Arnold, in
1877, was celebrated at Berlin. The
miller in question was the proprietor of
4 water-mill in the Neumark, and had
got into financial difficulties owing, it
is said, to the water Of a stream which
ran by his mill having been diverted by
n neighboring landowner, Baron Won
Gersdorf, for the purpose Of making Il
fish pond OH the estate. An action for
compensation was accordingly brought
by the miller against the baron, but the
judges, Ransleben, Friedel and Cram,
decided against him. Frederick the
Great, on being informed of this de-
cision, sentenced the judges to a months
Imprisonment in the fortress of Span
dau, and published a decree notifying
the sentence in the Berlin papers. In
this decree it was stated that "prince
and peasant are alike before the law" ="
and that similar punishment would be,
inflicted on any other judges fho
should deliver SC unrighteouTd SEN
tence."
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
In the Stocks.

Lord Camden once presided ut trial
in which charge was brought against
magistrate for false Imprisonment and
for setting the plaintiff in the stocks.
The counsel for the magistrate in his re-
ply said the charges were trifling, par
ticularly that of setting in the stocks,
which verybody knew was no punish
ment at all. The chiefjustice rose, and
leaning over the bench, said in whis-
per: Brother, were you ever in the
stocksp" "In the stocks, my lord; no,
never" "Then I have been,' returned
his lordship, land assure it is no such
trife as you represent" His lordship's
knowledge of the stocks arose from the
following circumstance: When he was
on visit 10 Lord Dacre, his brother-ir-
law, at Alveley, ID Essex, lie walked out
one day with gentleman remarkable
for his absence of mind. When they
had reached q hill ut some distance from
the house his lordship sat down on the
parish stocks, which stood by the road
side, and after some time he asked his
companion to open them as lie wished
to know what the punishment was.
This being done, the absent-minded
gentleman took q book from his pocket
and sauntered about until he forgot
both the Judge and his situation, and
returned to Lord Dacre's house. When
the judge was tired of the experiment he
had so rashly made, lie found himself
unable to open the stocks, and asked q
countryman, who passed by chance, to
assist him. mo, no, old gentleman"
was the rustic's response, "you was not
set there for nothing" Lord Camden
protested his innocence, but in vain, and
he was left to mediate for some time
on his foolish experiment, until some o.
Lord Dacre's servants happening to pass
that way, released him.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
RATES. RIVAL.

81 started my boy at the foundation
of living; Imade him farmer"
Uncle RATE Lawrence, wise old man
that he was, looked supremely satisfied,
but young Rafe, as his nephew was
called, sat silent, with gloomy brow.
he was two-and-twenty, and, poor fel-
low! deep in his first trouble.
Ofcourse, it was heart affair. Of
course, such an ardent, manly, wide
awake young fellow was in love, and it
was his sweetheart who was making
him wretched!
Meeta Thompson was the prettiest
girl of the neighborhood-pretty, with
the darkest of blue eyes and the most
bewitching of curled lashes; and I
think she never passed man, young or
old, who didn't turn to look after her
bushes and dipples. Out of all her
beaux, Rafe Lawrence had seemed, for
8 year yast, to be her favorite. Indeed,
he sgas sure Of i ;su1dad she not said !,
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
A Central American Wedding.

In Central America is country called
Towka, and without doubt the Tow
kans, whatever else they may be, are
the jolliest people in the world at a
wedding. They appear to be such an
ignorant race as to be unable to keep
record of the age of their children, ex-
cept in a manner somewhat similar to
that adopted by Robinson Crusoe with
his notched psst for an almanac. The
Towkans, however, do not notch their
children. They hang round their necks
at birth a string with one bead on, and
at the expiration oil year they add an
other bead, and so en-, the main object
being seemingly that there may be no
mistake when the young people arrive
at marriageable age. When a girl
numbers fifteen beads she is marriage
able, but the young man must possess q
necklace of twenty before he is reckoned
capable of taking on himself 80 serious
responsibility. But the wedding
feast is the thing.
The invited guests assemble on what
answers to our village green, and set in
their midst is a canoe, the property of
the bridegroom, brimming with palm
wine, sweetened with honey, and thick
ened with crushed plantains. The
drinking cups are calabashes, which are
sci floating in the fragrant liquor, and
seated round it, the company fall to-a
mark of politeness being to drink out of
as many calabashes that have been
drank out of by somebody else. as possi-
BILE. 1t should be mentioned, however.
to the Towkan's credit, that his bride is
not present at this tremendous drinking
bout, or, rather, boat. She remains in
her parents hut, and when her intended
has finished with the calabashes he
takes his whistle of bamboo and his
"tom-tom," which is q hollow little
log, tied over at each end with bits OF
leather, and, seating himself at the door
of the dwelling of lis parents-in-law in
prospective, he commences to bang and
tootle sweet music, until the heart of
the tender creature within is softened,
and they let him in.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26

Strawberry Cottags----.-1
"Do you attach any suspicionl to the
young man who has just left yoa?" he
asked old Larry.
"Oh, MOI" in amaze. "He was a
perfect gentleman, paid his board regu-
lar, and is engaged to my daughter"
"Ah, well, I only inquired" said the
detective. "Some one who knew the
premises evidently has taken the prop
erty."
Then he got Meeta's confidence.
Meeta had just received letter. Mr..
Pinkton proposed her coming to New
York, where they would be married.
"Umph!" said the detective. BOLD,
that" under his breath.
He, too, went to New York. In three
days came telegram for Mr.. Larry
Thompson:
1.-The property has been recovered.
Mr.. Clarence Pinkton, alias Francois
Lagrange, alias Jim Bump, is the guilty
party. He has been committed to Jail.
Will have his trial in few weeks, and
will probably be sent up for several
years. JOHN SHARP"
Thus Rates. rival was disposed of. 1t
was bitter, bitter Lesson for Meeta.
How could / think anything wrong
of him?" she asked timidly of Uncle
Rafe, who regarded her grimly. "He
had such gentlemanly manners, and then
he paid his board so honorably."
Ellis board for five weeks, at three
dollars per week, amounted to fifteen
dollars-just the price of the spoons.
The other property was worth over five
hundred dollars-quite paying specu-
lation for your lost lover, Meeta."
well, my heart isn't broken" af-
firmed the girl, stoutly.
$50 you have some backbone, after
all, Miss Meeta! I did think you weren't
good enough for Rafe, but perhaps you'll
grow wiser as you grow older. Blythe
way, my girl, would you respect my
boy any more if he were always bowling
and grimacing like French monkey?"
NO." sobbed Meeta.
And you think he is most as good as
city gentleman, after all, perhapsP"
ooh, n thousand times better, Uncle
Rafe"
And so Rafe came to his own again,
and Meeta is proud to be an honest far
mer's wife.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
A Bonanza King on Paris Beats.

Mr.. Mackay, the horny-handed miner
who is endea7oring to pull through tn
present hard winter on an income o
about $4,000 day, came up to US be
hind the scenes at the Bush Stree
theater, the other evening, and gave III
the following little personal reminis
ccnce, which he assured us, with tear
in his eyes, had never been printed:
We had been speaking of mining men
and Mr.. Mackay said: Talking o
beats, my boy, those in this country
don't compare in skill or audaeity with
the Partisan variety. The first time
visited that city my coming was men
toned in the French papers, and also
the fact that my apartments had been
engaged at the Hotel Anglais. (Mr.
Mackay speaks French like a guide.
book-that is, The same kind.) When
arrived at the station was, therefore,
not surprised to have fine looking man
walk up, ask my name, and request me
to be seated in a carriage ready to be
driven to the hotel. This person saw to
my baggage, rode upon the box, and es'
corted me to the hotel register, which
signed, my conductor in the meantime
carefully holding blotting-pad over the
name Of the hotel at the top of the page.
When turned away he said:
"'I trust, Mr.. Mackay. you will find
the Hotel Grande to your liking
"'But I don't wish to stop here !
said, much annoyed. 1T is the Hotel
Anglais at which 1 am expected !:
"'Is it possible?' said the stranger.
"A thousand pardors. I was not aware
that you had preference. How stupid
of me;' and, quickly recalling the coupe,
he transferred myself and effects to my
proper destination"
"Where, upon examination, you dis
covered your trunk had been rifed by
his accomplice, the driverP" we said, in
the hope of heading him off, for Mac is
terribly long-winded, as veal know.
Nothing of the kind, smarty," con-
tinued Mackay, who was beginning to
get irritated by our persistent yawning.
1.-THE baggage was all right, but six
months after that I received from the
proprietor of the Hotel Grande the most
terrific bill for FIVE months board, wines
and extras that you ever saw. You see
the rascal had gone back to that hotel
passed himself off for me and lived there
after on the fat of the land-giving wine
parties every night. Whenever the bill
would be sent in he would put it off on
some excuse or other, until suspicious
were excited, when the landlord sent the
register around to the Nevada banks
Paris agency and had my signature
identified. That made matters all right
again until the fellow LETT, when he
actually had the gall to direct that the
bill be sent to my address over here for
collection. Now, what do you think OF
that?"
And the wing against which we were
doing sliding back just then, we picked
ourselves up again. and said, "Strangest
thing ever heard"-S1n Francisco Post.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
well see-we'll see about that

| We'll see-we'll see about that
Humph!--such a fellow as you are
breaking your heart for a doll! Bnt it's
the way of the world-the way Of tht
world" grumbled Uncle Rafe to him
self, for his nephew had strolled away
to brood his sorrow unmolested. He
knew t;lat he was his uncle's idol-that
the old man, having brought him up
after his own heart, thought nothing
on earth or in the heavens above the
earth, too good for him; but it seemed
out of the question to entertain q
thought that Uncle Rates. ready espou-
sal of his cause would win him back
Meeta again. So the cloud was not
lifted by the old mans sympathy.
Right across the broad turnpike, do
posite Hillhome, was Meeta's home.
Strawberry Cottage. If she had the
most practical of mothers, she had the
weakest of fathers. Old Larry Thomp-
sor was much Hattered by the attention
which Meeta elected from the city gen
tleman, his boarder. Perhaps he would
even take Meeta away to live in style
and be a city lady. Nothing would
have pleased him so much.
eff he asks ye, Meeta-if he asks ye,
be sure ye accept him." he said repeat
edly to the blushing girl.
That Mr.. Clarence Pinkton had
reached the village hotel one day by the
New York express, that he had applied
to him for board, aud been taken into
his family without question, on the
strength of his pleasing exterior and fine
manners, were the facts of the gentle
mans residence in t5e neighborhood.
More than this of him he knew moth
ing; yet the silly old man, who was
nearly in his dotage, would readily have
given him his darling daughter, the child
of his old age, so flattered and blinded
was he by his guests air of superior ity
and tales of his own Importance.
But the summer OF Rates. trouble had
gone at last. The evening of Mr.. Pink
tons departure had come. He had pro-
posed to Meeta with many fattering
promises, and she had accepted him,
and, promising to return soon, he left
Lakeville for New York.
He was off at daylight, one morning,
by the first train, which passed the
village at six o'clock, so that he left
Strawberry Cottage after the confusion
of an early and hurried breakfast. But
the event of his departure from the
household was followed by another, far
more exciting. The family had been
robbed!
During the night the sacred best room
had been entered, and large mum ber
of valuables removed. Two gold
watches; pair Of silver candlesticks; /;
some brilliants, also set in silver, which
had been heirlooms in the family, and a
box containing miscellaneous articles
of jewelry, had been taken from a
closet in the apartment. Or further
examination for loss. several pieces OF
valuable old china and dozen of heavy
silver spoons were found missing from
the china closet.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26


ee1sed such excitement in Hui
sulting in the mortal wounding dtA
lar editor by baron, is fair specimen Of
the practice which, though now cops
fined chiefly to France and Austria,
was once universal, viz, the fighting OF
political duels. Three generations ago
every public party had its Paul De
Cassagnac. Within the memory OF
many men still living, a young member
of the Irish parliament, asking a veteran
how he should achieve success there,
was answered, Always have your
pistol ready" This was no figure Of
speech. Warren Hastings, at time
when his fall would probably have in
volved that of British India, risked his
life in a duel with Sir Philip Francis
whom he shot through the body, while
himself escaping unhurt. The ,DuiH
of Wellington's meeting with Lord
Winchilsea in Battersea Fields, when
the iron duke disdainfully fired in the
air, has found place in history, as has
also Alexander Hamilton's fatal ELL
counter with Aaron Burr. Daniel
O'Connell "killed his man." and ws!s
himself wounded more than once. A
very singular case of this kind marked
the later life of the famous Irish orator,
Henry Grattan, who disabled parlia-
mentary opponent in duel. A friend of
the latter came to condole with him,
and inveighed against his adversary in
no measured terms. "Hush," said the
invalid; "there's little fellow in that
chair yonder who wouldn't be pleased
to hear you" The little fellow" in
question was no other than Grat.an
himself, who, having watched for three
nights by his antagonists bedside, had
Just fallen asleep from sheer cxhaus-
ton.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26

Three nine and twelve-year. old boys
of Hannibal, Mo-, started on foot for
Leadville with the purpose of stalking
out mining claim and scalping few
Indians. They had five cents between
them, which was invested in cake at
the first town. They reached Bear
Greek station, six miles distant, hungry
and wet to the skin, and concluded 10
return home for g. warming, which was
administered with parental care about
midnight.
The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1880-02-26
A Winter Long Ago.

A winter Long ago.
Hark! tits the ring OF merry sleigh bells!
Over the hills and down through the dells
With the speed OF the hind or the bounding
deer,
Onward they go, with ringing cheer
Where the light falls whitest,
Where the stars shine brightest,
Where the snow lies cleanest,
Where the frost bites keenest.
Over the hills and down through the dells,
List to the ring OF the tinkling bells!
See where the flash of the glittering steel
Follows the track OF the coursing heel,
On rivers OF glass, in the dancing light.
Where eyes OF lovers are sparkling bright;
Wh&e the ice grows strongest,
Where the moon stays longest,
Where the hearts beat lghtest,
Where the eyes shine brightest;
There is the track of the coursing heel
Lit by the fash of the FURNISHED steel!
hear them again, as the years 20 past,
Blithesome and gay in the winters blast;
The clattering footsteps come and go,
With swift, light tread on the glistmpg
snow;
Where the heart is boldest,
Where the love is oSest,
Where the fate is newest,
Where the trust is truest,
They come again, in the wintry blast,
And sing of days-the days that are past. q.
And the white cottage down under the hill,
The light in the window guiding still;
AS turn me back from the giddy whirl,
To stop and look for shining curl;
Where the throng is thickest,
Where the heartbeat quickest,
Where the love holds strongest t
Where the days seem longest
All! never again, as guide to me,
VIII flashing light in that window be!