davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-10-23
THE HERBERT PARTY.

The Horace Herbert dramatic company have
engaged the Opera House for all of next week,
beginning on Tuesday evening This is not the
Florence Herbert" party, but one made up
largely from that company Of last season. This
company is under the management Of Horace
Herbert and includes John w. Burton and Frank
Cotton CcOmedians), Harry Wentworth, Marion
Bent, Annie Burton, Cecil Cotton, dc, all of
whom have PLAYED here with the Florence Her
bert or Burton companies in addition TO which
is Woodyatrs cornet band. The company has
been playing to good business this season, and at
Strcator tthc last mention we nave seen made Of
them, they gave entire satisfaction. On Tues
day night the drama "Roscdale; or the Rifle
Ball" new play here, will be given, with Bur
ton and Cotton ''starred" in the cast. During
intermissons Mr.. Spence and Miss Sartcle give
musical specialtes. 4 new bill given each night
The admission will be the popular prices Of %
and - cents.
The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-10-23

Gentleman and Armstrong spoke at Ransom
on Thursday evening TO fine audience.
AT FARM RIDGE.
Gentleman and Armstrong spoke at Farm
Ridge Seminary on Tuesday evening last. The
meeting was the largest held in the town this
year.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
WHAT CAME OF ADVERTISING FOR A
WIFE.

A Melbourne widower, with something
of a family and goodly bank &C
count, advertised for a wife, over
a fictitious signature. Several answers
were received, among which was one
that particularly pleased him. The
chirography was delicate and graceful, the
language chaste, and the signature, like his
own, fictitious. After brief and mutually
agreeable correspondence, time and place
were agreed upon for meeting. At the
time appointed the gentleman was waiting
in private parlor at certain fashionable
hotel, and shortly afterward lady en-
tered, thickly yelled. She came in tremb-
ling, and did not venture to look up until
the voice of the gentleman, in respectful
greeting, fell upon her ear, at which she
started convulsively, raised her eyes to the
face of her swain, and then uttered a sup
pressed cry-a cry, the tone of which
struck upon the gentleman's ear with a
sound not unfamiliar. He lifted the vail
and looked upon the scared face of his own
daughter, whom he. had supposed indus
tripusly pursuing her studies at school
in town some distance Westward from
Melbourne. The young lady has since
been installed as housekeeper in the
paternal mansion, and her papa is moi
likely to advertise for a wife again until
his daughter is married.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
THE SPARE BED.

When I 60 to the country to visit my
relatives, writes M. Quad, the spare bed
rises up before my imagination days before
I start, and / shiver as remember how cold
and grave-like the sheets are. I put off the
visit as long as possible, solely on account
of that spare bed. Idon't like to tell them
that had rather sleep on a picket fence
than to enter that spare room and creep in
to that spare bed, and so they know nothing
of my sufferings.
The spare bed is always as near mile
and half from the rest Of the beds as it
can be located. It's either upstairs at the
head of the hall, or off in the parlor. The
parlor curtains have not been raised for
weeks; everything is as prim as an old
maids bonnet, and the bed is as square and
true as if it had been made up to carpen-
ter's rule.
No matter whether it be summer or win
ter, the bed is like ice, and it sinks down
in way to make one shiver. The sheets
are slippery clean, the pillow-sips rustic
like shrouds, and one dare not stretch his
leg down for fear of kicking against tomb
stone.
One sinks down until he is lost in the
hollow, and foot byfoot the prime bedposts
vanish from sight. He is worn out and
sleepy, but he knows that the rest of the
family are so far away that no one could
hear him if he should shout for an hour,
and this makes him nervous. He wonders
if anyone ever died in that room, and
straightway he sees faces of dead persons,
hears strange noises, and presently feels a
chill galloping up and down his back.
Did anyone everpass a comfortable night
in a spare bed ? nomatter how many quilts
and spreads covered him he could not get
warm, and if he accidently fell asleep it
it was to awake with a start, under the i'm
preston that dead man was pulling his
nose. It will be days and weeks before he
RECEIVERS from the impression, and yet he
must suffer in silence, because the spare
bed was assigned to him in token of esteem
and affection.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
CAR WHEELS IN ENGLAND.

An effort is being made, thus far without
success, to introduce into England the
chilled-iron car wheel, cast in one piece,
such as have general acceptance and use in
America.
The most popular car wheel there is one
similar to our locomotive driving wheel,
with steel tire riveted on with four or
eight bolts, an inch in diameter. OF this
class Of wheel 100000 are in use. Expert
ence has shown that these tires will travel
10000 miles on steel rails and not wear
one inch, and that continued running Of
100 miles will not more than warm the tire.
Of the 5000 pair Of these wheels running
on the Great Western, very few were found
defective or prod uced accidents. Tires
have been run for twenty years. and start
ing at an inch and half thickness, have
worn down to seven-eighths of an inch and
are still serviceable.
The introduction of system of fastening
tires by wedges, as invented several years
since by the master mechanic of the Boston
and Providence Railway, is being adopted
by one or two roads, while new wheel,
consisting of sixty mine pieces, has been
adopted by the Southeastern Railway.
There are $4,000 passenger coaches on the
railways in Great Britain, of which only
1000 have six wheels. The rest have four
wheels. There are 1Ss,sOO goods or mer-
chandise cars, which all have six wheels.
Frost is the chief cause for railway acct
dents in that country, the tires being the
especial anxiety. The rivets, being of
wrought iron, are more quickly affected
than the steel tire, and occasionally snap,
letting the tire run loose. In the winter of
1872, when the frosts in England were
very severe, wooden wheels were adopted
on all fast through trains, and yet, with all
the severe tests in our American variable
climate with chilled iron wheels, the Eng
lish mechanics fail to recognize their SER
yiceableness.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
Sealing Letters.

A Dutch journal gives the following
information about the different methods
which have been used in sealing let
tiers:
For long period ordinary. beeswax
was the only material employed. Toward
the middle of the sixteenth century this
was replaced by sealing-wax, introduced
from India. By degrees this came into
general use.
The oldest book in which there is men
ton of sealing-wax is a treatise of one
Garsias de Orta on Anomalies and
Simples, published in 1868; and the first
letter known to have been sealed with
wax is said to have been written to Fred
erick Count Palatine, by French gentle
man, sent on mission to the Court OF
. Weimar.
Waters made their appearance some
where about the same time. Adhesive
envelopes were invented and first used
in England about 1848. 1t seems very
strange that so simple device was not
thought of before.
By slow degrees the most conservative
abandoned sealing-wax and waters; but
they were long retained In those strong
holds of conservatism, the English Gov
eminent offices. Sealing-wax-makers'
occupation is now nearly gone.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
A TENNESSEE CAVE.

The Great Eastanalle Cave, which ex-
tends under the eminence southeast of
Athens, known as Cleage's Ridge, is liter
ally filed with water which found its way
down the gorge. No one in our day mas
ever ventured far into the dark and mystic
rious depths of the great cavern, and little
is known Of it further than. an old tradition,
now fading away, that party of De Soto's
men who crossed the Hiawasse at the Sa-
wanna Ford, where a great battle was
fought, were pursued by the Indians and
took refuge in it-only to be walled up and
left to lingering death. Had the vast
body of water now gathered in the Easta-
MALE Cave been added to the creek when
at its highest recently, we are apprehen-
sive that it would have been "good bye,
john with several who live in the lower
level of the town
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23

earthly reason why your farm shouldn't
look as well as mine. IF I've SAID any,
thing to hurt your feelings, deacon, do
hope you'll overlook it. Why, you're all
twisted up in that yarn; will untangle
it."
The delay In unwinding the yarn from
the deacon's feet, gave Miss Kezia good
chance to make few further remarks to
him.
"One word more, deacon. Have you
heard anything about those Western
landsa"
The deacon wished he was anywhere
out of the range of those merciless black
eyes. Ct th-thinkI hev hearn tell
suthin' about EN-" he replied. looking
very meek.
IT thought sol" exclaimed Miss Kez1a,
sayagely. "Well, deacon, those lands
rightfully belong to my niece, Mary; I
only hold them as her guardian"
The deacon began to look upon his re-
,ection as blessing in disguise, for with
out the Western lands Miss Kezia's
attractions seemed tame compared with
those of mild, blue eyed, buxom Widow
Hill. II can trust toye never to mention
this9'' he asked timidly.
I shall never speak of it. Now, fol-
low my advice, deacon. make sure Of
Betsy Hill before another week goes by.
You have my wishes. See to that at
once"
"Thank We, thank ye; don't mind If I
dew.n
The good woman followed her crest
fallen visitor to the door. AS sudden
gust OF cold air put out the light, she
said, "The air Is swapping tonight; have
frost, eh, deacon2"
And the discomftted deacon felt that
he had been nipped by something sharp
er than trost.-LipDinc0tt Mag.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
THE PATTER OF THE SINGLE.

When the angry passion gathering in my
mothers face see,
And she leads me in the bedroom-gentiy lays
me on her knee;
Then know that will catch it, and my flesh
in fancy itches,
AS listen to the patter of the shinlge on my
breeches.
Every Jingle of the single has an echo and a
sting,
Aad thousand burning fancies into active
being spring,
And q thousand bees and hornets meath my
coat-tails seem to swarm
AS listen to the patler OF the shingle-oh!
so warm!
In splutter comes my father, who i supposed
had gone,
To survey the situation, and to bid her lay it
To see her bending DER me as listen to the
; strain
played by her and by the Single in wild and
weird refrain. HJa
In sudden irtermission, which appears my
only chance,
say: "Strike gently mother. or you'll split
my sunday pants"
She stops moment, draws her breath, the
single holds alOft,
And says: ~ had not thought of that-my
son, just take them off,"
Holy Moses! and the angels. cast your pity
ing glances down;
And thou, o family doctor, put good soft
poultice on!
And may l with fools and ounces everlasting
ly commingle
If ever say another word when mother holds
the single.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23

An Indian, who had been smoking, started
at a deliberate walk toward the fort. The
whites were in no mood for trifing, and, as
the warrior knew the risk he ran, they
opened upon him. Nevertheless, he CON
tinued steadily forward until within nearly &
hundred feet, when he dropped dead.
Maxwell suspected he was a medicine
man, who wished to show his brother war.
riors that no bullets could injure him,
though it was not at all improbable that il
may have been an aboriginal method of sui.
eide. 20
1t looked as if but the one recourse re-
manned to the Indians, and that was to hold
the pioneers where they were until hunger
and thirst should accomplish that which the
warriors themselves were unable to do.
They made no more charges of the des-
perate nature described, but, lying down in
| the grass, kept up an unremitting watch for
shot at the brave defenders.
The appearance of head or hand was
sure to bring dozen bullets whistling
around the intrenchments, and it certainly
is wonderful that none of the whites were
killed.
But the emigrants were equally yigilant,
and they did telling work. One savage be-
came somewhat careless of exposure, and
Maxwell himself bored him clean through
with bullet. Another, upon pony, was
| fired at, but the animal was killed, and fell
SO suddenly that it was all his rider could do
to Chamber out of danger
The great peril of the party was from the
want of water. They could not get along
without this, and passage was dug under
the breastworks, and one of the men sue
ceeded in crawling out, and, with the assist
ance of cover, got supply from the creek,
and returned without detection Another
gathered lot of wood, both exploits, of
course, being done by night.
In the morning the besieged built fire,
and tent was put up, proceedings which
must have astonished the Indians not lit
tie.
At any rate, they were SO Infatuated that
they opened a spiteful fusilade against the
fire, which was kept up for half an hour,
but did no damage whatever.
They continued circling about the fort,
firing into, or rather at, it, but in such de-
sultory manner that Maxwell was sure their
ammunition was giving out.
At noon, on the third day, they drew of,
one of their number calling:
Good-by! We go now!"
"Who'are you? ?" shouted Maxwell.
"Sioux and Nez Perces," was the an
swer.
There was reason to believe that the saw
ages were actually departing, but the whites
dared not venture out. It would certainly
be mourning great risk, which was un-
necessary
On the fourth day, Colonel Baker, of the
Second Cavalry, with strong force, was
seen approaching the fort, under the guild
ance of the runner who had stolen out on
the first night from the fort.
The Indians did not modest them, and the
colonel conducted the little party back to
Tongue River, where they stayed until fully
recovered from the excitement of one of the
most heroic defences known in the history of
the frontier.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
An Old Lady Who Was Game to the
Last

Mrs. Enright was put out of her
house In Philadelphia. The Elevated
Railway Company had beaten her In the
courts, and received authority to pull
down her house. She determined to as
sert her rights as an American woman
and property owner. She refused to-
move her household goods, and defied
the contractor and his men. She would
not allow the men to enter by the front
door, so they were forced to mount to
the roof by the next house. They
knocked down the chimney, tore down
the roof, and cleared the way to the
front room on the third story, which
was occupied by Mrs. Enright and her
daughter. This was the first days
work, and the woman sat In her rock
ing-chair from morn to eve, looking
grim and very mad; but she would not
bulge. The next day work was resumed.
and by noon the third story was cleared
away. After dinner the men battered
down the front door, tore out the WIN
dow-sashes, and reduced the woodwork
on the first floor to bare walls. Mean
while Mrs. Enright and her daughter
sat in their rocking chairs on the second
floor, front, and held the fort. The
second floor, back, was then invaded,
and the kitchen utensils and other fur
niture were piled up on the sidewalk.
But the garrison still held out, faithful
unto death. The second floor, front,
was next attacked; the rear PARTITION
was demolished, the flooring above was
removed, and the front wall was top
pied over brick upon brick. But the
women would not surrender. Mrs. En-
right sat in her rockingham, knitting
at the rate of forty stockings an hour
and receiving the moral support of her
daughter and their sympathetic neigh
bors. The fight was watched with in
terest from the street, and the garrison
was loudly cheered by the bystanders.
But the enemy was ruthless. The stove,
the bedstead, the table and the trunks
were carried into the streets. The walls
and ceiling were down. There was
nothing on the second floor but the five
chairs and their contents. Mrs. En-
right was asked to take herself off. She
would not budge-no, never! nor man
nor brute should push her out The
workmen began to tear up the floor.
Then the garrison gave in. Mrs. En-
right retreated with her friends to the
stairway and looked for dray. She
spoke not word. She had done what
she could. She was crushed.-Er-
chQlOe.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
Saved by q Bear.

A Kentucky hunter, named Downing,
was once saved from an Indians attack
by bear. He and his friend Yates,
while hunting for stray horse, were sur
prised by the Indians. Downing, hav-
ing fired and missed, ran for his life,
followed by his companion. In leaping
a deep gully, Yates cleared it; but Down
ing, striking his breast against the oppo-
site brink, fell to the bottom. The In
dams crossed, and, without appearing to
notice him, continued their pursuit
Recovering his strength, Downing
walked slowly along the gully, until it
became too shallow to conceal him.
Just then and there he saw one of the In
dams, and the Indian saw him. AS the
hunter had neglected to reload his rife,
he threw it away and took to his legs.
The Indian pursued and gained on him
rapidly.
The fight led to a large fallen tree
which, roots and all, laid stretched across
the path. Downing took one side of the
tree and the Indian the other. Just as
the savage arrived at the roots he en-
countered she-bear sucking her cubs.
She sprang upon him. The Indian
yelled and stabbed with his knife; the
bear growled and Rugged. Downing,
not waiting to see which would beat III
that bear-fght, though his sympathies
were with the bear, ran off as fast as his
weary legs could carry him.
He reached the fort in safety, and
found Yates reposing after his hot flight
The next morning party went out, but
no trace of bear or Indian could be dis
covered.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
THE POINTS OF LAW.

"You see, boss, dar's a niger ibin' up
my way who orter be token car of, said an
old darkey to the captain at the Central Sta
ton yesterday.
whats he been doing now?"
"Waal, sab, las fall lent him my ak,
and when wanted it back he braced right
up an tole me that possession was nine pints
o. law, and refused to give it up"
eyes"
WAL, de odder day I sent de ole woman
ober and she borrowed his buck-saw, an
when julius cum for it I tole him jist like he
answered me, and stood on my dignity"
"Wen?"
81 had nine points O. law, didn't I?"
eyes"
can how many pints am de law COM
posed off,"
~ don't know exactly"
"Well, OATS what bodders me, fur dat
niger saw dem nine pints, shet up dis lef'
eye for me, pitched de ole woman over a
barl and walked off wild his saw an nv
snow-shovel to boot! If had nine pints
he mus hev had ober twenty, and chen den
de did't half let himself outin
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
a Parable.

built house for quiet and dim peace,
place whereto when weary might go,
To sit alone, and let the pent tears flow,
And feel little while their bitter ease.
built my house, ringed it round with trees,
And often when the sun and winds were low
sat and unused there, while there seemed t.
grow
a rest begotten of dear memories.
But strange unholy shapes with snake-wreathet
broWS
Did throng my refuge and deile my grove.
So now no more about that house move
Still it looks peaceful through its shadowine
boUghs;
But voices from within the calm disprove.
What say you, then-shall not burn my house?
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23

Friendship does not consist in words, in
great dinners or unmeaning smiles. Show
me the man who will break his last loaf with
. me. and I vii call that man friend
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23

WHEN child in small Bavarian vii
lage was being catechised by priest,
and asked how many things are neces-
sary in service of baptism, he prompt
ly replied "Three, father" "Ah,
you stupid, replied the holy man, 81
thought everybody knew that two were
absolutely necessary; first, water, and
second, the Bible. Now, young sir,
won't you tell me what are the three 2"
The boy looked up with bland smile,
and answered: envy father, the three
are, first, water second, the Bible and
third. baby"
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23
posed of? y
BE A MAN.

Foolish spending is the father of poverty.
Do not be ashamed of work. Work for the
wages you can get, but work for half price
rather than be idle. Be your own master
and do not let fashion or society swallow
up your individuality-hat, coat, and boots.
Compel your selfish body to spare some
thing for profits saved. Be stingy to your
necessities. See that you are proud Let
your pride be of the right kind. Be too
proud to be lazy too proud to give up
without conquering every difficulty; too
proud to wear coat you cannot afford to
buy; too proud to be in company you can.
not keep up with in expenses; too proud to
Lie or steel or cheat; too proud to be
StinUu
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23

Mrs. TRAsK, the widow of George Trask,
continues her husbands warfare against
the use of tobacco, and has just finished a
tract, which was notcompleted at his death,
addressed to Mr.. Sturgeon, the famous
English preacher, protesting against smok-
ing cigars, habit the reverend gentleman
INDUCES in.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23

The greatest friend of truth is time !;
her greatest enemy is prejudice and her
constant companion is humility.
Eight hundred paper mills in the
United States produce annually S70,00o,OOO
IL stock.
Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-05-23

Zia'S table "YOu're fOrehanded woman,
Miss Kezia; I'm man of prominence
and influence in the community; it seems
to me that it would be a good thing if
we could walk hand-in-hand through
this vale of tears. Providence seems to
pint its finger that way" The deacon
was thinking at that very moment of the
money he would save by putting thrifty
manager like Miss Kezia in the place of
his inefficient, wasteful hired woman.
Miss Kezla was dumfounded. She
dropped her knitting, and the ball of
yarn rolled across the floor. Mercy"
she finally gasped.
"I'll make We a frst-rate husband, and
veil make me good wife. We've been
members of the same church for thirty
years or more, and as we've been mem
bers of the spiritooaJ family, we'll now
be members of the same human fam
ily."
Miss Kezia Strengthened herself up in
her high backed chair and drew in her
chin, while her voice rang out shrill and
clear: ~ rather guess it'll take two
toymake bargain"
| A second look at her aged admirer,
who was edging up to her with sheep
ish shipper, exasperated the good woman
beyond control. 1.-THE old fooll" she said,
wrathfully.
The color came into the deacon's thin
cheeks, and he started to his feet, looking
anxiously toward the door, as If medltat-
ing a hasty retreat. But the yarn was
wound around his boots, and he was
forced to remain.
Miss Kezia likewise rose and folding
her hands primly in front of her, remarked
grimly:
"When you first began your talking I
hadn't the least idea what you were driv-
ing at. I thaught you were limiting
about Betsy Hill, and wanted to
take me into your confidence. l never
dreamed you meant me. Why, l sup
pose every one in town knew that I
wouldn't give up my freedom for the
best man living. Betsy Hill is pious,
likely woman; she'll make good home
for you, and she needs home herself"
The deacon looked completely wither-
ed, and Miss Kezia continued: eff you
will step around little llvelier, deacon,
and PICK up the stones on your lots and
put them in good fences, and NOW down
some Of them pesky weeds. there's no