davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

A STORY ABOUT MISUNDERSTANDING
the career of the Army of the Potomac,
when Mcclellan was executing some of his
marvellous movements. the division to
which General Hancock's brigade elong-
ed, was on the march with Hancock's
brigade in 'front.' followed by the Vermont
brigade under General Brooks. Hancock
decided to encamp in grove to one side
Of the line of march, and riding ahead
found a road which led by rather round
ebout way. He led his troops onward
with all the precision dear to the profess
sional soldier. While General Brooks,
who also had covetous eye upon the
same grove for his men, ordered the fences
torn down and took the Vermont boys
''across lots" to the spot, where they were
comfortably engaged in preparing their
coffee and breaking up their bareback with
stones into pieces 10 fit their mouths.
when Hancock's brigade appeared. having
marched around nearly mile out Of the
way in the hot sun. When he SAW how
he had been outgeneraled, he rode up 10
Brooks and let fly a stunning volley of
choice oaths, ordered him 10 take his men
out of the grove. Brooks smiled kind of
a sweet smile as he glanced over his men
and said: "Oh. drive 'em out; oh it,
drive 'em out yourself" Hancock looked
at the Vermont boys and concluded not to
drive them out. He rode away peppering
the air of Virginia with superb swear
words, and his brigade encamped in the
b""~ing sunshine. Hancock always di s.
liked Vermont soldiers after Inat, aud tho
latter cordially reciprocated the feeling.
1t is not probable that they have so far
forgotten it that many of them will now
vote for him.-MiddIebury Register.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

LIVE UP TO THE MorroEs.-There is
no use in putting up the motto God bless
our home," if the father is a rough old
bear, anu tue spiIit of disnnurtssy and
rudeness is taught by parents to children,
and by the older to the younger. There
is no use in putting up the motto The
Lord will provide" while the father is
shiftless, the mother is shiftless, the boys
refuse TO work, and the girls busy them
selves over gewgaws and finery. There
is no use in putting up the motto, The
greatest of these is charity" while the
tongue of the bitter wags in the
family, and silly gossip is dispensed at the
tea-table. There is no use in placing con-
spicuously the motto The liberal man
deviseth liberal things" while the money
chinks in the pockets OF the 'head of the
household groaning to get out and sec
the light of day, and there are dollars and
dimes for wine and tobacco and other
luxuries, but possibly not one cent for the
church. In bow many homes are these
notices standiug-let US say, hanging
sarcasms, which serves to point jest and
adorn satire The beauty of quiet lives
of trustful. hopeful. free-handed, free
hearted. charitable lives, is one of surpass
ing loveliness, and those lives shed theil
own incompatible fragrance. and tn,
world knows where to find them. AnC
they still remain fresh and fadeless wheI
the celors of the pigment and the CLOS
have faded, and the very frames have rot
tel away in their joints.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

A year ago the postmaster general
issued an order directing that an actual
count he made the first seven days of
November. 1879, and annually thereafter.
of the number of letters and postal
cards and packages of miscellaneous
matter deposited for mailing in all
the post offices, the number of newspapers
and periodicals mailed during that time to
subscribers and news agents to be obtained
from the publishers the consolidation of
the entire returns of this count has Just
been completed. The first week in Nov
ember was chosen for the count because it
was thought the business of that week
would be as near as possible fair aver
age upon which TO estimate the annual
work of the postal service. Multiplying
the results of the count by 81. it is esti
mated that the domestic postal business of
the last fiscal year was as follows; letters
in plain envelopes, 467 900 000 card or
request, do 365, ,000, 900; official penalty,
do, sc, 900 600; total letters, 1863 100000; /;
postal cards, 276.0O0, 900; newspapers,
subscribers and news agent 695, 100000 ;
magazines to subscribers and news agents
5000, 900; books, circulars and miscella-
ncous printed matter, 0oD,OtU,OOOi articles
of merchandise, 22,000, 00O-a grand total
of 2,2l5, 100000. This count does not
include mail received from foreign
countries The states in which the
largest amount of mail matter origi-
mated are New York. $50 J.000,0O0; Penn,
sylvania, 200 100000; Ohio, 1863 100000;
Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin
followed in order named. More than 50
per cent OF the entire matter originated
in the so principal cities of the United
States. These are the first reliable statis-
tics ever obtained of the number of letters,
etc. passing through the mail.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

Copper is widely diffused over the face
of the earth, and man has for many ages
adapted it to his wants. 1t WAS one OF
the most important articles of commerce
of the Phenicians, who derived a large
supuly from the mines of Nubis-that at
one time supplied the whole Of the known
world-and combined with it the tin
obtained from the islands of Great Britain.
II WAS used by some of the northern ma
tions of Europe in the fabrication OF
weapons, at a period and under circum-
stances when steel appeared to be more
precious than gold. This has been
illustrated in Denmark by the opening OF
many scandinavian tumuli of very remote
ages, from which have been collected
specimens of knives, daggers, swords and
implements of industry. These relics are
preserved in the museum of Copenhagen.
There are tools of various kinds. formed
of flint or other hard substances, in shape
resembling our axes, chisels hammers
and knives, the blades of which are OF
gold, while an edge of iron is attached for
the purpose of cutting. Some OF these
tools are formed principally of copper,
with edge of iron; aud in many of the
implements the proluse application oi
copper and gold. when contrasted wlto
the parsimony evident in the use OF iron
seems to prove that at that unknown
period, and among the unknown people
who raised these tumuli, gold, rs well as
copper. was = much more common pro
duct than iron.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

"Why. of course it is" answered Mrs.
Hurst. Didn't you know?'
mo, did not know" Hlla said. But
OF course it makes no difference whose
house it is.
"Who are you?" Judge Harrison asked,
hoarsely. as the light foot crossed the
threshold.
81 AM the nurse from St. Francescss.
They call me Hilda.
"Hilds whats
Never mind my other name" said the
Young girl. with gentle authority that
had come to her with months of practice
at the weary sick beds "They call me
Hilda; and you are no. to talk aud excite
Yourself"
DO you know you are running great
risk?'
1T is my business to run risks"
Three weeks elapsed. The crisis of the
disease was past. The old man, weakened
indeed, and sadly disigured. was able
once more 10 sit up in his easy chair; and
Hilda. who had watched over him with Il
vigilance and tenderness which he fully
appreciated, was Arranging fresh flowers
in vase on the table. "Hilda,' said he
slowly, where has my granddaughter
Marian been all this timer"
"She went away, sir, when you were
first taken i'll. She was afraid of the dis.
ease"
And she left me?"
And left you, sir"
There was ingratitude!" he muttered,
hoarsely. And when is she coming
back?,
Hilda laid down her roses, and looked
with pathetic, feeling eyes 1T him.
"She will not come back at all. sir" she
answered. I'VE dare not tell you before,
but but her flight was in vain. She died
Of small pox last week.
The old man turned away with a smoth-
cred groan.
"Hilda," said he. "you will stay with
me? You will not leave me alone? Nay,
do not speak. | know who YOU are.
recognized your name when you first
came. You have looked at me with your
fathers eyes many time since. Hllda,
think God has sent you to me-"
"Oh, grandpaps" and Hilda knelt
weeping beside his chair, scarcely able to
believe that his loving arms were around
her neck; his tears dropped on her brow.
"Oh, dear gran lpapa! | have So longed
for some one to love for some one to love
mem
And good little DR.. Hooper was well
satisfied with the result of IIllda's expert
ment at earning her own living.
Heaven manages these things better
than we do, y thought he, as he remember
ed his attempt at softening Judge Harri-
sons flinty heart more than II year before.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

: ABBOTT SNUGGLISG.-Who would have
imagined that dog had been made SER
viceabe as traveller, and thus earned
for his master upward of hundred thou.
sand crowns7 And yet, an incident like
this happened upward of thirty years
ago.
One of those industrious beings who
know how to make n chaldron OF Goals
out of a billet of wood, determined in
extreme poverty, to engage In trade. He
! preferred that kind of merchandise which
occupied the least space, and was calcu.
lated to yield the greatest profit. He
borrowed a small sum of money from a
friend, and repairing to Flanders. be there
/ bought pieces OF lace, which without any
danger, he smuggled into France in the
/ following manner:
| He trained an active spaniel to his pur
| pose. He caused him to be shaved. and
procured for him the skin of another dog,
of the same hair and the sans shape. He
He then rolled the lace around the body of
the dog. and put over it the garment of
the stranger so adroit. that it was impos-
sible to discover the trick The lace
being thus arranged in his pedestrian
bandbox, he would say to his doeile mes
senger. Forward, my friend At these
words the dog would start. and pass bold.
ly through the gates of Malines and
Valenciennes in the face of the vigilant
officers placed there to prevent smuggling
Having passed the bounds, he would wait
for his master ut little distance in the
open country. There they mutually car
essed aud feasted. and the merchant
placed his package in place OF security,
renewing his occupation as necessity
required.
Such was the success of the smuggler
that in five or six years he smtssed II
handsome fortune and kept his carriage.
i Envy pursues the prosperous; mischiev-
Gus neighbor betrayed the lace merchant,
and notwithstanding his efforts TO disguise
his dog, he was suspected, watched and
discovered.
How far does the cunning of some
animals extend Did the spies of the
custom house expect him at one gate, he
saw them at distance, and instantly
went toward the other. Were the gates
shut against him, he overcame every OBJ
stacle-some times he leaped over the
wall, at others passed secretly behind a
carriage, or running between the legs of
travellers, he would thus accomplish his
aim. One day. however, while swimming
Il stream near Malines, he WAS shot and,
died in the water. There was then about
five thousand crowns worth Of lace, the
loss of which did not atfl ct the master,
but he was inconsolable for the loss OF
his faithful dog.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

A MOUSE ON A SPREE.-A mouse re-
Gently intruded itself into lady's cham
Der. and found upon her toilet table a
small vial of whisky, which it is but fair
to say, the lady used for the benefit of her
crimps. The vial was stoppered with a
paper cork. which, Of course, was satu-
rated with the whisky. The mouse nib
bled off the top o: the cork, and finally
succeeded in drawing it, and then regaled
itself with what the paper had absorbed.
Under the stimulus thus secured it had
made its presence in the room very evil
dent, and careful search for it was
promptly instituted. 1t was soon discov-
cred in drawer Of a bureau, stretched at
full length on a comfor table bed. dead
drunk. When it was removed and thrown
upon the ground, the shock restored it to
partial consciousness and to q staggering
effort at locomotion. Moral: 1t is not safe
even 10 smell the cork on awhisky bottle.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01
TERMS FOR ADVERTISING.

A SOLEMN JAUST.-Mr. Chowder, Mrs.
Chowder and four little Chowders went
OF on the excursion to Sugar Island. Il
had been the talk Of the family for q
week. Each child had been taken into
the bath room and washed, secured and
sandpapered down. Each had received
twelve lectures on the art of behaving
himself or herself after getting aboard
the boat, Each one had been told about
fifty times what to reply if old Mrs. Clam
shell felt gracious enough to ask after
their health or il that bad Brown boy had
one of his streaks on and msde up faces
ut them. Every time the subject came I'D
Mrs. Chowder called silence and said:
Now you children pay strict attention
to what say. You can't have anv ice
cream or lemonade or peanuts. You can't
run up and down on the boat You must
not make racket. You must not ask
your father for pennies. You must not
keep talking to me. If Henry or
William as ks to 60 fishing or 90 in
swimming they will get whipping. II
Lucy or Jennie sits down on the grass |
shall punish them
The six sat in a solemn row as the boat
started out. Mr.. Chowder had one eve
H ~ "OJo duh tue OtueT Squlnteu down
the river. Mrs. Ch)wder had one eve on
the two girls and the other flashing at u
boy who had harvest apples 10 sen, and
who was trying to get near them. Chow.
der had his mind made up that if one of
the boys attempted to fiud out what a
steamboat was like, or hnted at fruits or
refreshments, or desired to mingle with
other boys, he would squech him on the
spot; and Mrs. Chowder was fully deter
mined to let her pinchers be felt the
instant either OF the girls forgot her dig
nifty and wrinkled her stifiiy starched
dress.
Two or three hundred children romped
over the island, playing tag" picked up
pebbles, climbed trees and raced after
grasshoppers. but Chowder sat on a log
and talked politics, Mrs Chowder sat on u
camp stool and talked of the poor heather,
and the young Chowders sat on the edge
of il plank seat and kept their mouths in
proper pucker to reply yes, ml'am' to
every old grub hoe who asked if they
were having an awful good time. When
they returned in the evening not hat had
been lost-not button gone-not shoe
string broken-not a particle of starch
missing. They had that solemn pucker
and Chowder and his vile had that same
parental dignity. Not one had even the
faintest trace of a smile when newsboy
standing at the gang plank shouted out:
"Here a family who've been off to
bury their dead grandmother-make way
for the mourners!"
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

The Rev. Leonard Bacon, Jr.. has been
trying for some time. in letters of the
Free Lance sort, to disparagc the opera
tion of prohibition in Maine That
intoxicating liquors can be obtained in
some parts of Maine is true. That it can
not be obtained in most ports of the state,
to be used as beverage, is also true.
That the law against rumselling is en-
forced in Maine better than most criminal
laws in New York is fact. We have
travelled thousands of miles in Maine at
different times during the past twenty
years. much of it quite recently, by canoe,
on foot, and in public conveyances. We
have spent weeks in Portland and othel
large towns. and thoroughly looked into
the matter, and testify that if the sale @
rum and the use Of it were AS restricted
throughout the country as they are ir
Maine. rs q whole crime, disorder, do
mestic unhappiness, and poverty woulc
not be more than one.third as great a
they are. Still we recommend the pro
hibitionists of Maine to give special at
tention 10 Bangor IcIte
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01
THE HOUsEIN THE MEADOW

1t stands in a sunny meadow,
The house 50 NOISY aud brown,
With its cum irous old stone chimneys.
Aud the gray roof sloping down.
The trees fold their green arms round it,
The trees a century old;
And the winds so chanting through them.
And the sunbeams drop their gold
The cowslips spring in the marshes
The roses bloom on the hill.
And beside the brook in the pasture
The herds go feeding at will
Within, in the wide old kitchen.
The old folks sit in the sun,
That creeps through the sheltering woodbine,
Till the day is almost done.
Their children have gone aud left them;
They sit in the SUI alone;
And the Did sifs's ears are failing
And she harks to the well known tone
That won her heart in her sirlhood,
That has sOothed her in many a care.
And praises her uOE for the brightness
Her old face used to wear.
She thinks again of her bridal
How, dressed in her robe Of white,
She stood BY her gay young lover
In the mornings rosy light.
o, the morning is rosy as ever,
But tue rose from her cheek is fed;
And the sunshine still is golden,
But it falls on a sIiyerei head.
And the slrlhol nd dreams, once vanished.
Come back in her wiuter-time,
Till her feeble pulses trembe
With tue thrill of the spring times prime
And looking forth from the window,
She thinks how the trees have grown
Siuce, clad in her bridal whitsaoss,
SL-s crossed the old door-stone.
Though dimn,d her eyes bright azure,
Aud iimmei her hairs young gold,
The love in nee sIrlhooi plishted
Has Lever grown dim or old.
They sat in peace in tn sunshine
Till the day was almost done,
And then, at its close, an angel
Stole over the threshold stone
He folded their hands together
He touched their eyelids with balm.
And their asst breath h)atel outward,
Like the close Of solemn psalm.
Like a bridal pair they traversed
The unseen, mystical road,
That leads to the Beautiful City,
Whose builder and maker is God.
Perhaps in that miracle country
They will give her lost youth back.
Aud the flowers Of the vanished springtime
viii bloom in the spirits track.
One drsusht from the living waters
Snsll call back his mluhooi's prime:
And ernai years shall measure
The love that outlasted time.
But the shapes that they left behind them.
The wrinkles and silver hair
Made holy to US by the kisses
The angel had printed there
We will hide away meath the willows,
When the day is low in the west,
Where the sunbeams cannot hnd them,
Nor the winds disturb their rest
And wen suffer no telltale tombstone.
With its age and date to rise
Ger the two who are old no LONGER.
In the Fathers house in the skies.
Louise Chandler Houit
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

QUESTIONS OF THE HoUR.-If General
Hancock expects the suffrages of the peo-
pie Of Iowa. will he at once promptly and
without preverication, stand up and an
swer the following questions? The people
of the HIUbcye state demand it, the
country expects it, and the general will
either answer or admit by his silence or
evasion that his candidature is n hollow
farce:
|. Who killed Cock Robin?
., Where were you when the light
went out?
3 Have you heard Pinafore," and if
so, how many?
4, Did you and Wade Hampton and
Ben Hill agree as hsrmoniously in politics
eighteen years ago as you do now?
5. If not, who has changed, yourself
or Ben?
6. Who made the world, Robert In.
gersoll or Joseph Cook'
z. What becomes Of all the pins?
8. Who was the original Garfield man?
8. Do you believe in the first term?
10. Who was the inventor of seasick-
ness, and do you believe in an international
copyright for the protection Of the same?
IL. bOCS luo eaLAc SOat ouLlahA OAcO-
margarine?
y. Analyze the following sentence and
parse tie first twenty-three words:
" Whittier. o children, hast thou as much
cheerfully weepest so distance that evening
at sunrise?"
49, Write in colloquial French the fol.
lowing exercise: Where is the black cat
of the widowed husband of my Aunt
Maria's son Tom?" No. but have the
red hen of the blld-headed uncle of my
mother-iu-l laws fat sister BILL"
IA. Have you such a thing as a five
dollar bill about your clothes?
l5. Who do you think would be a
good man for a quiet little consulate on
the Mediterranean coast?
p S. You may answer this one pri-
vately by mail, if you pleaSe.-BurIinglon
LAY HaWkeVe.
Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-09-01

FRENCH IDEAS OF AMERICA.-A lady
correspondent writes as follows: What
queer ideas you Americans have over
thcrel" said French woman to me as
We stood one day waiting for our glasses
to be filled at one of the springs of Vichy
" Such a droll people! But is it really
true that you may grow the potato (sweet
potato) by wetting a common potato vine
with molasses and water?' Heugh!
those miserable, radical Americans, said
an imperialist one day in my hearing;
they plant their dead fathers and mothers
in their vegetable gardens. that thus their
beans and asparagus may have more
nOurishing properties"
Your American mothers seem to us
mad" said Frenchmau. They often
permit their daughters TO 60 away on
travelling excursions of week at a time
with their tiances. OF CO urse it is true,
for | read it in the Figaro" What
would your men do if your American
lade> did not provide spittoons in their
drawing rooms? Do you believe they
would really spit upon the floor?" said
another. The only American woman |
ever saw had great beard said stout
Auvergne. Il saw her in show the
year | went to Lyons. | thought all
American women were like that. But
am sure you are as pretty French
woman" she added, patronizingly.
1t was in that same village, forty miles
from railway, and in so secluded
mountain nook that it was the site of
Trappist monastery, that we were followed
by every inhabitant of the village, as
walked with my French com panion
through the main street.
LOOK at the American they cried to
each other. she's painted to look like a
French womanm | had not an atom of
powder on my face, and had travelled
fourteen mile, since morning in an open
carriage under IN August sun. That
was as red as dahia was only proof
that my natural coffee color lay deep
under layers of cosmetics. For did not
all those Auvergnats know we'll that all
Americans are negroes?