davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
A shadow that Would Not Ont.

When, in the early days of July, John
Abbott was brought from the steaming
depths of the Union, his head crushed by
3 falling wallplate, he was laid on the
floor of the office and medical aid sum-
moned to minister to his wants, although
it was plain that he must die.
Next morning Superintendent Rooney
noticed where the dying man had been
placed that his outline lay like shadow
on the floor. He ordered the janitor to
clean the boards which was done. Before
Rooney went to dinner the shadow reap
peared. He ordered the floor thoroughly
scrubbed and went to his family.
The next morning the floor showed
that vigorous application of soap and
brush had been made and the floor was
white and clean. But during the day
that shadow returned and at night there
it lay as though the man was still waiting
death on that floor.
Next day Rooney ordered tho floor
painted. With the coming of the paint
pot the shadow vanished, but after day
or two returned and once more hmned
itself on that Office floor. Rooney then
again sent for the painter and had a
second and heavy coat of paint put on,
not only where the shadow lay but over
the entire floor
This was his last command of "Out,
damned spot" but it would not out. In
a few days there it was again, and with
each day it grew more and more distinct.
Even strangers at length began to notice
it and to comment on its resemblance to
human form.
Its presence at length became intolera.
BILE and Rooney had all the boards of the
floor on which this heavy and terrible
shadow rested taken out and replaced
with new. The paint brush then follow
ed, and now that outlined figure from the
floor has disappeared. Gold Hill Neacs.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
How She Kept an Expense Account.

'sMy dear fellow" said Lavender, 'it's
all very nice about economizing, and
keeping right rigid account OF expenses
and all that sort Of thing, but I've tried
it. Two weeks ago stopped on my way
home, Saturday light, and 1 bought just
the gayest little Russia-leather, cream
laid paper account book you ever saw,
and silver pencil to match it. said to
my wife, after supper; My dear, it
seems to me that it costs us lot of
money to keep house
s'She sighed and said: Il know it
does, Lavvy, but I'm sure can't help it.
I'm just as economical as l can be. /
don't spend half as much money for
candy AZ you do for cigars
81 never take any notice of personali-
ties, so sailed right ahead. L believe,
my dear, that if we were to keep strict
account of everything we spend we could
tell just where to cut down. I've bought
you little account book, and every
Monday morning I'll give you some
money, and You can set it down on one
side, and then, during the week, you can
set down on the other side everything
you spend; and then, on Saturday night,
we can go over it and see Just where the
money goes, and how we can boil things
down little
'sWell, sir, she was just delighted
thought it was a first rate plan, and the
pocket account book was lovely. Well,
the next Saturday night we got through
supper, and she brought out the account
book as proud as possible, and handed it
over for inspection. On one side was,
Received from Lavvy S20.' That was
all right. Then I looked on the other
page, and what do you think was there?
Spent it ALL Then / laughed, and, of
course, we gave up the account book on
the spot, by mutual consent. Yes, sir,
I've been there, and know what domes-
tic economy means, I tell you.'
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
A Quarterback Chat.

81 must tell you, said skipper, as he
took fresh cigar, "about Stiles, ship
mate of mine on one of my early voy
ages. Stiles was simple-hearted,
transparent young fellow, and, when we
sailed, had been spayin' attention to a
young lady, whom he had reason to think
did not fully reeiprocate his ardent feel
ings. At all events, the parting on her
side was not SO affectienate as ne could
wish, and he was impressed with the be-
lief that she only kept him as standby,
in default of better offer.
I don't believe Stiles would say
with despondent shake of his head, 7
don't believe Ann Jones''ll II have me any
how
when we had been out few months,
and had met with fair success, Stiles
tone was modified. The burden of his
monologue changed to-"Well, don no
but what Ann Jones II have me after
all.
"With thousand barrels under matches,
he became still more hopeful. Chance
is pretty good for Ann JONES' he would
say. Pretty good now
'sAt fifteen hundred barrels, he had
assumed self-satisfed manner, and thus
soliloquized, i guess there's no danger
but what Ann Jones II have me now.
AT two thousand barrels-sAnn Jones
II be glad enough to get me now,
know
when we cut the last whale that was
to fill the Rose, and squared away for
home, Stiles threw his hat in the air,
with yell of triumph-'I'll be blowed if
I'll have Ann Jones, anyhowr
ssAnd he didn't
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
The, iould lire ma Staf.


Bhrdette tells about his trip on the
sound, on the way to Nantucket. Says
be: It is summer time; and the stars, the
eternal, changeless, beautiful stars. Just
sit down minute and let me tell you
about those stars. Very near us at two
young people. They sat up and looked
at the stars, and they didn't care for any
solitary thing, any nearer to this earth.
"Mortimer.-his name appeared to be
Mortimer, though I couldn't learn
whether it was his front name or his after
name Mortimer dear she said, s'if
we could only live apart from this busy
and sordid, unsympathetic world, in one
of yon glittering orbs Of golden radiance,
living apart from all else, only for each
other. forgetting the base things of
earthly life, the coarse greed Of the
world and its animal instincts, that would
be our heaven, would it not, dear?'
And Mortimer he said that it would.
his voice trembled with earnestness,
"my own darling Ethel, through all the
soft radiance Of the day and all the
| shimmering tenderness of night. our
lives would pass away in an exalted at
/ 1uOspuSfos hOOsc tito httcc-QoIn Wulbo "a
earthly mortals, and far beyond the
chattering crowd that lives but for to.
day, our lives refined beyond the COM
i mon KEN
And just then the man with the gong
!, came out. Mortimer, he made q grab
at the back of Ethels hand and plunged
| for the cabin door. Down the stairs they
rushed, collared couple of chairs at the
| Axl~ L. -. X II
the action without skirmishing. I am q
man of coarse mold and an earthborn
appetite myself, and wouldn't live in u
| star so long as i could find good hotel
in America, butgong, long before could
get seats at the table for my family, Nor
timer and Ethel had eaten two blue fish,
q little rare beefstaak, some corn bread, q
plate of hot cakes, two boiled eggs and o
bunch of onions, and the waiter had gone
ont to toast them some cheese.
! l have, during my wanderings, met
| several people who wanted to live in q
star, where earth born people with ami
NAL appetites couldn't trouble them, and
/ always found the safest place for an
earth born man, when the star born soul
| started for the dinner table, was behind
| a large rock. Distrust the aspiring NOR
tai who lives in plain so elevated that
! he requires the use of telescope when
he wants to look down at the rest of us.
And if he ever wants board at your hum
BILE table charge him SIS week and feed
him lots of soup, or you'll lose money on
him.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
A Tribate to Woman.


The following beautiful tribute to
woman was written several years ago. II
occurs in tale of touching interest en-
titled Broken Heart" Its author DIR. F.
J. Stratton:
Oh, the priceless value of the love of a
pure woman! Gold can not purchase a
gem SO precious! Titles and honor con-
fer upon the heart no such serene happi-
ness. In our darkest moments. when
disappointment and ingratitude, with
corroding care gathering thick around
and even the gaunt form of poverty men
aces with his skeleton fingers, it CLEANS
around the soul with an angels smile.
Time cannot mar its brilliancy; distance
but strengthens its influence; bolts and
bars cannot limit its progress; it fellows
the prisoner into his dark cell, and
sweetens the home morsel that appeases
his hunger, and in the silence of mid
night it plays around his heart, and in
his dreams he folds to his bosom the
form of her who loves on still, though
the world has turned coldly from him.
The couch made by the hand of the
loved one is soft to the weary limbs of
the sick sufferer, and the potion admin
istered by the same hand loses half its
bitterness, The pillow carefully adjusted
by her brings repose to the fevered brain
and her words of kind encouragement
survive the sinking spirit. 1t would al
most seem that God, compassionating
woman's first great frailty, had planted
this jewel in her breast, whose heaven
like influence should cast into forgetful
ness mans remembrance of the fall, by
building up in his heart another Eden
where perennial flowers forever bloom
and crystal waters gush from exhaustless
fountains.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
Ths gllss fsstsrs.

On hot day in July, 1850, i herds.
man was moving his cattle to q ranch
farther north, near Helena, Texas, and;
while passing down the banks Of d
stream, other cattle that were grazing in
the valley became mixed with his herd.
and some of them failed to be separated.
The next day about noon . band of
mounted rangers" overlook the herds
man and demanded their cattle, which
they said had been stolen. It was before
the day of law and court houses in Texas,
and one had better kill five men than
steal mule worth FIVE dollars, and the
herdsman knew it. He tried to explain,
but they told him to s'cut it short. He
offered to turn over all the cattle not his
own, but they laughed at the PROPOSE
tion, and limited that they usually confis-
Gated the whole herd, and left the thief
hanging on a tree as warning to others
in like cases. The poor fellow was COM
pletely overcome. The Texans consulted
apart for few moments, and then told
him If he had any explanations to make,
or business matters to attend to, they
would allow him ten minutes time. He
turned to the rough faces and COM
menced:
"How many of you have wives?"
Two or three nodded.
"How many of you have children?'
They nodded again.
s'Then / know who / am talking to,
and you'll hear me- and he continued;
"I never stole any cattle. I have
lived in these parts about three years. I
came from New Hampshire. I failed in
the fall Of 1847, during the panic.
have been saving. have no home here
my family remain in the East, and go
from place to place. These clothes I
wear are rough, and am hard looking
customer; but this is hard country.
Days seem like months to me, and
months like years. Married men, you
know that. But for the letters from home
| there he pulled ont handful OF well.
worn envelopes and letters from his
wife1 should get discouraged have
paid part of my debts. Here are the re-
ceipts," and he unfolded the letter of nc.
acknowledgements. expected to sell out
and go home in November. Here is my
little girls picture" He kissed it ten
derly, and continued:
Now, men, if you have decided to kill
me for what l am innocent of, send these
home, and send as much Us you can from
the cattle when I'm dead. Can't you
send half the value? My family will
need it..
Hold on, now; stop right thar" said
a rough ranger. Now, / say, boys" ht
continued, q say, let hiln go. Give III
your hand, old boy; them letters ant
that picture did the business. You cal
go free, but you re lucky, mind ye!"
"We'll do more than that. said mai
with big heart, and carrying the Gus
tomary revolvers and bowie knive in hi
belt; Let $ buy the cattle, and let hin
go home!"
They did, and when the money wa
paid over, and the man about to start, h.
was too weak to stand. The long strail
of hopes and fears, and the sudden de
liverance from death, had combined Il
render him helpless as child. He sanl
to the ground completely overcome.
An hour later, however, he left ol
| horseback for the nearest staging route
and as the rangers shook hands and bad
him goodbye, they looked the happies
band of men in all Texas.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
Oatmeal as an Article Of Diet.

It is surprising how enormously the
consumption of oatmeal has increased in
our cities within the past few years; but
we suspect that its merits as cheap and
highly nutritious food are not SO gener-
ally appreciated in the country. Every
one knows how generally it is eaten in
Scotland, and in some parts of England
it is equally popular as an article of diet.
A correspondent of an English exchange
says: In West Cumberland, Westmore-
land and North Lancashire, especially in
the rural parts, it forms the staple of our
food, not only amongst the laboring
classes, but also in the families of trades
men and the well-to-do; the children of
most of them have porridge at least once
a day. For the past forty years have
made my breakfast of a pint of oatmeal
porridge, with very rare exceptions, and
and nothing else, fasting for hours after
ward. If, however, / take any other
form of breakfast, find myself very
hungry before the next meal, which is
never the case when have had my por-
ridge. / feel assured thatif the laborers
of the southern counties, with their chill
dren, would but take basin of oatmeal
and mild porridge night and morning,
with such other food as they can procure
in the interval, we should have o much
stronger and healthier race of men and
women than now exist A few years ago
I had Devonshire girl living with me
as servant. The girl was willing enough
to work, but had not the stamina to per-
form it. This, I found, on questioning
her, arose from the deficient and ill-ad-
vised diet on which she had been reared.
She shortly began to take her porridge
night and morning, and this, with a daily
midday meal of meat, enabled her to
perform her duties with ease.
GRATITUDE OF ELEpHANTs.-A story
comes from Tenbury, England, where a
menagerie has been paying visit, which
illustrates the we'll known character of
the elephant for humane feelings in a re-
markable degree. Among the animals
was a fine female elephant, called Lizzie,
which was attacked with violent fit of
collie and suffered intensely. A local
chemist, whose success as an animal doc
tor is well known, treated Lizzie and
saved the animals life. On the process
sion passing the chemists shop ON FRI
day. the elephant Immediately recognized
her benefactor, who was standing at the
door of his shop, and on going to him,
gracefully placed iher trunk in his hand.
The chemist visited the exhibition at
night and met with an unexpected re-
ception from bis former patient Gently
seizing the doctor" with her trunk, the
elephant encircled him with it to the
terror of the audience, who expected to
see him crushed todeath but Lizzie had
no such intention, and after having thus
demonstrated her gratitude by acts more
eloquent than words, she released the
doctor from her embrace and proceeded
with her appointed task That elephant
seems to possess holier sense of graft
tude than some people do.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
Hot Weather sympathy.

1t is minister. He is quite
preached out. He wants rest this
hot weather. Let us send him to the
Adirondacks, to the White Mount
aims, to Europe. Good. We will
Close the church. Stop preaching
Let him go and cool off. FAREWELL
1t is the rest of us. We are quite
tagged out. 1t is hot weather. We
want rest. We want to go to the
Adirondacks, to the White Mountains
Will somebody send us? All in the
affirmative say "Aye." Negative,
aEo.''
"Noi Mol Mol
The noes have it.
1t is judge. Salary, $40, 900.
Poor man. He's quite overworked.
Sat on his bench thirty days last
year. Isn't it sad? How nnmerci-
fully the public do work their paid
servants. Send him off OF course.
Let him cool off.
ALI in the affirmative say 'Aye."
"Ayel Ayel Ayel.l |"
It is salesman or a woman in o
store. Such people work fifteen
hours day. Give them rest2
Send them to tho Adirondacks, to the
White Mountains, to Europe?
No. Can't think of it. Business is
business. Sympathy depends on the
amount of salary person gets.
All in favor of the fitteen-hour
worked clerk going for ten weeks to
fish with the Rev. Mr. -, say
"Aye"
Contrary minded2
"Nol Noll Mol I"
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21
Il Rpaeh Iranslatiuii.

4 young lady moving tn the most 81
aited social circles OF Galveston, after
much toll and practice at. the piano
learned to play with considerable dextef-
lty piece entitled Picnic Polka. 1t
is something after the style OF the ceIe-
brated Battle of Prague" III which the
listener can readily distinguish the roar
of artillery, the rattle Of musketry, the
shouts of the soldiers and the groans of
the dying. In the "Picnic Polka the
noise of the wind among the trees and
the joyous carols OF the birds are repro
duced, the finale being q thunder shower
which disturbed the sylvan jewellers. 1t
happens that . country cousin is IN town
Just now, and the young lady thought
she would play the piece to him and
hear his comment. He is plain, SIM
pie minded youth, and although he is
not very bright, is very appreciative.
She told him what the piece was and
then proceeded to give him the Picnic
Polka" The first notes are rather slow
and hesitating, the idea sought to be
conveyed being the solemn solitude OF
the forest. through which the gentle
zephyr mot heifer) sighs. After she got
through with this preface, she asked him
If he did not almost imagine himself in a
lodge in some vast wilderness. He re-
piled that he thought all that slowness
meant the delay in getting off. Said he,
There is always some darned fellow
that oversleeps himself and keeps every
body else waiting"
She did not care to discuss the point
with the ignorant fellow, SO to conceal
her emotions, she once more let herself
ont on the piano. The bird whistled as
il his throat would split, the cuckoo filed
the sylvan bowers with his repeated cry,
while eyer and anon the mournful cooing
| of the dove interrupted the matin song
| Of the lark.
.'There, now, / guess you know what
that sounds like" she said as she
paused.
.You mean that stootle, tootle, tootle
chug, chug, chug?' You just bet / un-
derstand that. Many is the time at q
| picnic I've heard it from the mouth of a
demiiohn or the bunghole of a beei
keg.
! Her first impulse was to hurl the piano
stool at him, but it passed off, and once
more she went for the piano as if it was
the young mans head and was insured
for double its value. The thunder
| growled, the lightning flashed from hel
eyes), and the first heavy drops are
heard upon the leaves. She banged and
mauled the keys at fearful rate; pea
after peal of deafening thunder perturbed
the atmosphere and re-echoed in still
louder reverbations until it wound up in
one appalling clap as grand finale
Then turning to the awe struck youth
she said:
''I suppose You have heard something
like that before?"
Eyes, that's what the fellow with the
linen pants SAID when he sat down on the
custard pie. !"
The audience found himself alone, bu
he picked up his hat and sauntered ou
into the street, densely unconscious tha
he had said anything out of the way
GaIcestoR Ne,cs.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21

QuEEF MARGARET AT NAPLES. Queen
Margaret is in Naples at the palace of
Capodimonte, and story is related oil
her which explains the secret of her pop
ularity among the people. A favorits
eatable with the Neapolitans is the pizzs,
sort of cake beaten fiat in a round
form, and seasoned with various condi-
ments. The Queen sent for pizzainolo,
who is famous for bis skill in making
these cakes, as she said ssshe wanted to
eat like the poor people. The man
went to the palace, was received, aud
having shown list of thirty Ave varie-
ties of pizza, was sent to the royal
kitchen to make the kind which the
Queen had selected. He made eight,
which were the ideals of their kind, and
the little Prince and his mother found
them excellent, but TO eat as the poor
people in Naples eat that is often not
all, and is more than could be expected
But she has visited the poor quarter Of
Naples, and sympathizes with the misery
she sees there.
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21

The SUNDAY SCHOOL SysTEM.-Robert
Raikes' biographer, Alfred Gregory,
states that the Sunday school system, Of
which he was the founder, may be said
to have originated in the Gloucester iails,
one of which consisted of apart of ..Glou-
cester castle, portion built in the
reign Of William the Conqueror Long
before John Howard began his work for
the improvement of prisons, Raikes had
been laboring among the inmates of the
castle, the condition of which was most
wretched, and had been accustomed there
to teach gospel truths. These philan-
thropie labors led directly, Mr.. Gregory
says, to the Sunday school work. He
gives letter from Raikes in which
Raikes remarks that the utility of the
Sunday school work was first suggested
to him ''by group of miserable little
wretehes whom / observed one day in
the streets where many people employed
in the pin manufactory reside" He was
told that if he were to pass through that
street on Sunday it would shock him
indeed ''to see the crowds of children
who were spending that sacred day in
noise and riot, to the extreme annoyance
of all decent people," He Immediately
determined to make some little effort to
remedy the evil. "Having found four
persons" he says, ''who had been accus-
toned to instruct children in reading, I
engaged to pay the sum required for re-
ceiving and instrueting such children as
] should send to them every Sunday. The
children were to come soon after 10 in
the morning and stay till II they were
then to go home and return at 1, and after
reading lesson they were to be con-
Quoted to church. After church they
were to be employed in repeating the
catechism until half after 5, and then to
be dismissed with an injunction to go
home without making noise, and by no
means to play in the Streets" The fisrt
school was opened at Gloucester in July
1870
The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-08-21

South AMERICAN GLACIERS. let
ters recently received in England from
Mr.. Whymper, we learn that his last as
cents in Ecuador have been those OF
Cayambe, Saraurcu and Cotocachi. He
has found very extensive glaciers on all
these mountains, besides having previ-
ously discovered others on Chimborazo,
Sincholagua, Antisana, Cotopaxi, Him
liza, Barahuairazo and Quihndana. How
little is at present known of the Andes Of
Ecuador may be judged from the fact
that in the edition of Encyclopaedia
Britannica now appearing, in the article
on Ecuador it is stated that the crater OF
the mountain Altar Is remarkable as con-
tanning "the bed of the only real glacier
known to exist in the Ecuadorian Andes. .
Mr.. Whymper says that there are no gla-
ciers upon Corazon, Imbabura, or Pin
chincha, but that among those upon the
mountains which we have enumerated
above there are many glaciers which are
as large as the largest Alpine ones, and
that the upper 1000 feet Of Cayambe,
Antisana and Chimborazo are almost
completely enveloped by them. - Pail
Mali Gazette.