davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1880-10-28
THE REGISTRY AT ST. LOUIS AND CHICAGO.

st. Louis, Oct 27.-The Regls lster OF voters
of This city made hnh report this evening, from
which 1t appears that 6S334 names were registered
or these the Board oi Revision struck of 1851 leaving
56j77 legal rcgsratIOn OF Lbe CITY The Regis
ter estimates tat L5OO0 voters not registered.
CHICAGO Oct. 27.-Ihe registration returns FOR Cook
County fuy made up yet. but II IS known that
they VIII foo; the unprecedented total OF between
-g md
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
The Alphabet.

The Greeks themselves believed that the
old Phenician colony in Beotian Thebes was
the source and centre from which the alphabet
was spread throughout the country Kadmus,
"the Eastern for such is the meaning of his
name, was its mythical inventor, though later
legends told how the crafty Palamedes and the
poet Simonides subsequently added fresh let
ters But these legends are all the fables OF
the literary age; the kernel of truth they con-
tain is the fact that the Greek alphabet came
from PhGnicia. 1t is fact, indeed, to which
the word alphabet itself still bears Witness al
phabet, or alpha, beta, the two first letters of
the alphabet, are both, as we have seen, PhG-
nician words. Like the Phenicians before
them the Greeks repaid the benefit they had
received by handing on their alphabet to ma
tions still further West The Greek colonies
in Sicily and Southern Italy, being mostly of
Doric descent, brought with them the Doric al
phabet, and accordingly the natives of South
ern Italy, when they first began to WRITE used
the Doric alphabet of their Greek neighbors.
Hence it is that the Latins and ourselves after
them attach a tail to the letter r, which was
wanting in the old alphabet of Ph9niCia;
hence, too, we have inherited from the Ro-
mans the letter Q, which had been lost in all
the Greek al phabets except those of Dorian Or
igin On the other hand, the Etruscans, that
mysterious people of Northern Italy, who exer-
cised so profound an influence upon the infant
civilization of Rome, learned the art of mold
ing and decorating vases from the potters of
Athens, and since the latter were in the habit
of inscribing the names of the gods and heroes
they depicted above the representations of
them the Etruscans learned at the same time
the old Attic or Ionic alphabet. We need only
place the alphabets of Etruria and Athens side
by side to be convinced of this fact. r, for in
stance. is represented in both by the tailless p;
we look in vain in both for a @, and the two
distinct symbols that once stood for the guttur-
ais and are ama.gamated into one. Alpha
bets, like words, if rightly questioned, can be
made to tell their own history as well as that
of the people who employed theni.-Prof. Say
ce Lecture in Nature.
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
The Greenback Conclave.

The august statesmen who compose the
Greenback State Committee and the dstin-
guished gentlemen who edit Greenback
newspapers in Maine will meet here Friday.
The ostensible object of the gathering is to
fix the date of holding the State convention,
but the fact that the editors have been sum-
moned TO take part indicates that something
more than this is to be accomplished. The
probability is that the conference intends to
map out the campaign. and degrade the State
convention into mere ratification meeting.
Whatever decisions it reaches the editors
will be sent home with instructions to induce
the rank and file of the party toacquiescein,
and Of course they will obey orders.
The conference will certainly not meet
under cheering circumstances. The Spring
elections have shown that the party which it
represents is in hopeless minority and
the members of the conference themselves
will come to the meeting weighed down
with the obloquy arising from participa-
ton in, or defense of, the fraudulent count.
The average Greenbacker, however, has as
great capacity for being jolly under adverse
circumstances as Mark Tapley, so there is
no reason for supposing that the gathering
will be lugubrious one.
The most important questions to be set
tied are the issues best calculated to galvan-
ize the Greenback corpse into life. And on
this point there are likely to be as many
opinions as members of the conference.
Fogg has already indicated his preference
for campaign in which the war cry shall
be ''Down with the Supreme Court and up
with the Constitutional government" mean
ing the fraudulent government which he
and his fellow tabulators attempted to set
up. Solon Chase who has more regard for
the honesty of the people wants to make the
fight on the currency. The war of the con-
tending factions is likely to be very animated
and perhaps bitter. 1t is not improbable
that Fogg may bring down the Auburn pu-
gilist whom he recommended to Gov. Gar
celon to enforce his arguments if his voice
is not sufficiently powerful, in which case
Solon's cowhide boots may be called into ac-
tive service. What the conference decides
ON is of course of no great CONSCIENCE to the
general public, but it is always amusing to
watch the proceedings of men who are labor
ing under the mistaken impression that the
fate of millions are in their hands. For
this reason the meeting on Friday will be
interesting. The pity is that it is not to be
held in large hall where it can be gener-
ally observed.
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
Dot Telephone.
Il Shtands Leedle Off und Yells Vunce
More.

81 guess haf to gif up mine telephone al
ready" said an old citizen of Gratiot avenue
yesterday. as he entered the office of the com
pany with very long face.
"Why, what's the matter now?"
'Oh! everytings. 1 got dat telephone in
mine house so as | could speak nit der boys in
der saloon down town, and nit my relations in
Springwells, but haf togif itup 1 never
have so much troubles
"How?'
"Vhell, my poy Shon, in der saloon, he rings
der pell und calls me oop and says an old trent
of mine WANTS to see how she works. Dot ish
all right / say: 'Hollo! und he say, Come
closer goes closer und helloes again. Den
he says: 'Sthand leedle off, | shtands
leedle offrund yells vunce more, und he says:
'Shpeak louder yells louder. 1t goes dot
wha ten minutes, und den he says: Go to Tex
rs, you old DutchmaEsv You see?"
eyes"
"Und den mine broder in Springwells he
rings de bell und calls me oop, and says how /
vhas dis eafenings L says l vhas feeling like
some colts, und he says, who WANTS TO puy
some goats?' L says, 'Colts-co,ts-coltsv und
he answers, 'Oh, coats. / thought you said
goatsp When goes to ask him if he feels pet
ter, hears voice crying out, 'Vhot Dutch
mans is dot on dis line?' Den somepody an
swers, Il doan't know, but ! likes to punch his
headtp You see?''
eyes"
''Vhell sometimes my vhife WANTS to snheak
nit me when am down in der saloon. She
rings mine pell und says, 'Hello!' like dun
der. Den der Central Office tells me TO go
aheadt, und den tells me to holdt on, und den
tells mine vhife dot / am gone avhay l yells
oudt dot ish not so, und somepody says. How
can L talk il dot old Dutchmans doan' keep
sthill?' You see?''
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
The Boy Internal.
Together With the Fool Mother Who
Travel on All Railroad Trains


81 hope nothing will happen to that boy,''
the cross passenger remarked, anxiously, as
we were speeding northward from London.
The boy in question was about seven years
old. He was entertaining the passengerS by
running up and down the aisle, shouting like
Comanche Indian. He would run to the rear
door, kick the panels and shout "Ho!'' Then
he would run to the forward door, kick it and
yell 'Hay!" When this performance began to
grow maddening with the monotony, the boy
would lend it a little variety by pausing to look
into some passengers face, while at the same
time he would strike at him and sariek, "I'll
kill youw 1t was very interesting and we all
loved the infant. Now and then his mother
would say: Sammy, Sammy dear, you mustn't
strike the gentleman; perhaps the gentleman
doesn't like it," And then the gentleman
would lie like Trojan, and say: ooh yes, he
didn't mind it; he liked little bows" And SO
we were all worried and nervous for fear the
child might get hurt. We fairly grew wild with
anxiety. He stopped at my seat, snatched the
lap tablet out of my hands and roared "Gimmy
that penci!'' and when his mother said,
"Why, Sammy, / am afraid you disturb the
gentleman" Sammy yelled, "I'll kill him!"
l was so anxious about him that watched him
all the way down the aisle to see if he wouldn't
fall and break his neck. So we all sat and
watched him, with concern written all over
our faces. The boy snatehed an apple away
from the fat passenger, kicked the cross pas
senger's vaise, made faces at the sad passen-
ger, and hit the man on the wood box twice
with stick. Once, and only once, he made
an offer to slap the woman who talks bass,
but she glared down at him with a croak that
made his hair stand end, and he avoided
her during the rest of the trip. At last, just
as he was rushing up to the forward door to
kick it the irhpetuous brakeman banged it
open to announce a station. 1t cracked that
boy on the head with the knob, and the boy
acted very much as he would have acted had
he been shot with catapult and it took all
the ice water in the cooler to cool off his head,
and the boy was etfectually quieted down.
And it was really pleasant to see the wearied
look of anxious concern pass off the passengers
faces, after the brakeman dropped the boy.
The cross passengers grim face relaxed like
May morning, the fat passenger winked at the
man ON the wood box, who was still rubbing
his knuckles with an air of tender interest, the
sad passenger hummed o merry little air, and
the woman who talks bass gave a cheerful
croak that was interpreted to mean laughter.
-Four passengers, whose names could not learn,
gave the astonished brakeman so cents apiece.
The boy with his head sSathed up in wet hand
kerchiefs remained comparatively quiet.
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
Irish Landlordism.

1t is often said in America, in defense Of the
Irish landlord, that the Irish peasant, having
worked the soil for generations, seems to have
imbibed the absurd notion that the land is his
own property. This idea is not so absurd as it
seems; for in point of fact, everywhere-not
here and there-the tenant leased year by year
wet, spongy, worthless bogs, and has made
them fertile at his own sole expense, and just
as fast as he improves this marsh his rent is
raised by the absentee landlord. Surely labor
such as this has its rights as we'll as capital!
Everywhere L have heard from parish priests
and others equally well informed that this cru
ell practice is universal. 1t is not always the
landlord who is to blame, 1t is often his agent.
There are good landlords as there were good
shareholders; but agents and overseers nullifed
their goodness when they were absentees. 1t is
the system that is radically wrong. 1t para
lyzes industry, it abolishes prudence, it enco1r-
ages thriftlessness. Dozens of trustworthy men
have told me that as soon as a tenant. more
ambitious than his neighbors, whitewashes his
cottage, or gets decent dress for his wife, or
is exceptionally Industrious and improves his
holding, the rent is raised in nine cases out of
ten and despair takes the place of hope. These
statements in every case have been supported
by scores of instances in which the name of the
tenant, the name of the lal,,i lord and the loca-
ton of the holding was given, as well as the
ratio of increase of rent. No race in the world
could flourish under such system. Landlords
have admitted the truth of this indictment.
Lord Dunally said, as late as September last,
in public letter, 1.-The power of imposing an
arbitrary tax which we landlords enjoy is, if
abused, just as intolerable as the same power
when exercised by Cromwell" "The absentee
landlord, he adds, throws on other people
duties which he ought to discharge; he absorbs
his portion of the produce of the land, for
which he makes no return in any way; and it
is we'll if the mischief is confined to that which
he causes during his lifetime, aud if his family
are not brought up in similar condition of ef-
feminacy in the males and nonentity in the fe-
males. james Redpath, in New York Tri-
htrna
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
How Grant Got His West Point
AppOintment

An Ohio member of Congress says that Gen.
eral Grant once gave him the following account
OF his admission to West Point: "When was
boy, living in Georgetown, ILL.,, my mother
ran out of butter one morning, and needing
some before it could be had at the store, she
sent over to the next door neighbours to borrow
some. 1 was just as well acquainted there as
was at home almost and opened the door and
went in without knocking, and Just as went
in one of the folks, the old gentleman, be-
leve, was reading letter from son who was
in West Point didn't want to disturb them
while they were reading the letter, and stood
there and heard what was read. Well, the son
SAID in this letter that he had been found-that
is, he had failed to pass examination, and he
would have to come home, and he had sent the
letter one mail ahead, so that the surprise at
his return might not be so great. When they
got through borrowed the butter and took it
home and then rushed down to Thomas l..
Hamar's offce-he was our Congressman then
and l asked him if he wouldn't send me to
West Point He told me that he couldn't send
me until this other boy got through, and that
wouldn't be for three years yet. But, Uamar,'
said I, suppose this boy should fail to pass ex-
animation, and should be sent home, will you
send me then"
wen, Oiy, odlu nc, guess IL ut Cdu pass
there'd be no use of you trying it,
But want you to promise that you will send
me- said /.
All right said he, If he can't get through
promise to let you try.
During the day Hamar heard about the 9TH
er fellow, and the next day l went and asked
If he had heard the news. He said he had,
and after laughing at me for the way / had
got him to make the promise, he said it was all
right, should go. Well | went, and because
81
made me General of the Army of the United
States"
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

OXFORD DEMOCRAT: Fogg says every
member Of the Council and all the clerks are
willing to testify thatthe names of the towns
of Buckfield and Brownfeld were in the
body of the returns when they came back to
he Secretary's Office. Early in the season,
Mr.. Bisbee was allowed to see the Oxford
County returns. He came from this view at
Augusta to the Fryeburg Court. He had
copies of returns with errors and discrepall-
cies minuted thereon. He showed these pa
pers to few persons, among whom was the
publisher of this paper. We then noted
that the return from Buckfield had not the
name of the town in its body and could only
be distinguished by the f;i1g. The case
was freely discussed, because the error
would affect the result in this county. Lat
er, as the conspiracy developed, Mr.. Far
rington saw the returns, called a Council
lor's attention to the error, and made a pub
lie announcement of the defectinthis paper
The Clerk of Buckfield testified that the
name of the town was not written by him,
but that.jt was put in after it left him. If
the Council and clerks expect to swear down
this testimony they are all as great knaves
and fools as Fogg-the which we doubt.
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
fE4s SchofielFs theory that Cadet Whit
al 7Sutilated his 0wn person. because he

A&E4s SchofelFs theory that Cadet Whit
takf hutilated his own person. because he
was behind in his studies, reminds the Hon.
John 7. Harris, of Virginia, of a fight in
his district between the bully of the COM
munity and small, inoffensve man, from
some trivial cause. The two clinched, and
then rolled around upon the floor, and
finally got under one of those old-fashioned
bedsteads with frills, excluding themselves
from the view Of the bystanders, when arose
the cry of "murder, murderp' The bed
then was rolled from over them, and it was
found that the big bully had his ear bitten
off. He, however, picked it up, shook it in
the face of his diminutive antagonist and
said: ''You have bitten off my ear, and
under our laws are guilty of mayhem, and
I'll send you to the penitentiary." Where
upon the other responded: ''You're liar;
you BIT it off yourself
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

GROEsBECK, mentioned as a possible
Democratic candidate for the Presidency,
has weakness fer cockighting. A lady
once observed him looking eagerly through
fence at something inside the inclosure.
She asked him what was going ON there?
He replied, "Well, madam, you have caught
me, and will have to confess my weakness.
Two Of my roosters were having a set-to;
and have never outgrown my boyish fancy
for cock-fighting." This propensity will
prove high recommendation in the eyes of
large part of the Democratic party.
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

: BURMAH must be a pleasant place to live
in. The other day the King was taken sick
and an astrologer who was consulted pre-
scribed the sacrifice of seven hundred men.
women and children. According to the lat
est despatch this number of persons was
buried alive under the palace. Perhaps the
British Government might with profit let
Russia alone long enough to look after this
monster
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

THE Boston Post is lecturing the Charles
ton News and Courier because it advises the
Democrats to bolt Tilden. II remarks that
the country has paid dear enough for, and
the Democratic party has borne enough
from, South Carolina dictation to last for one
generation, at least. But how is the Demo-
cratic party to get along without South Car
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
Ottawa Etiquette.
Lorne and Louise Too Airy for the Cana
dianS.
Letter To the n. Y. World. ]

Letter to the N Y. Word.l
The new rules of etiquette and the regula-
ton governing interviews with the marquis
have aroused feeling both in parliament and
the country. The newspapers, Tory and Lib
eral alike, never cease failing poor Major de
Winton, whose business is to see that the new
order of things is upheld to the letter; but as
''it is required in stewards that man be
found faithful the major is simply doing his
duty and the fault lies not with him but with
the regulations. In Lord Dufferin's time pub
lie men had the freest access to Rideau hall.
Now member Of parliament or deputation
desirous of having an interview with the gov
ernor general on public business is compelled
to state the object of the visit in writing
This note is carried to the marquis, who sends
back an answer by Major de Winton Then
the latter fixes day and an hour for the in
terview without consulting the convenience of
the visitor, who may have travelled a thousand
miles for the purpose. In many cases, how
ever, the major, ON learning the nature of the
mission, brusquely tells him that 'his excel
lency is engaged with affairs of state and will
not be at liberty for some time," and then
hands him over to an attendant who passes
him ON to another who delivers him to q third,
who bows him out. This is so unlike the
treatment accorded even to the humblest call
er, during the Dufferln regime that the people
scarcely know what to say of it.; indeed, the
changes that have occurred here of late in the
etiquette, in the manner of doing business
with the representative of the crown, and in
the titles of his advisers, almost pass the public
understanding. When titles were abolished
during the revolution, Mirabeau grumbled at
being called "Citizen Riquetti," and said the
change had puzzled all Europe; and the New
Brunswicker who has been wont to call S. l..
Smith "Sam" and A. j. Smith "Big Smith,"
is staggered on his arrival here on hearing
them addressed as Sir Albert and Sir Leonard
while Nova Scotians cannot bring themselves
to speak of plain DR.. Upper as Sir Charles
nor do Ontarians care to greet Alec Campbell
that was by his new name, Sir Alexander
| The upshot of Major de Winton's regulations
| will be brisk newspaper war and perhaps a
| fight in parliament. Already M. Bechard, q
Rouge member, has given notice of resolu-
| ton aiming toreduce the governor general's
salary from $4,000 to $50, 600, and to cut down
the pay of his staff; and several members have
| openly expressed their determination to make
| thorough examination of the Rideau hall
| accounts for repairs, fuel, soap, furnishings,
etc,
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

THE Kennebec Journal urges the Trus-
tees of the Maine Agricultural Society TO 10
cate the State Fair in Augusta for the next
five years. 1t urges number of consider
ations in favor of this course among which
is that "our city being the capital of the
State is more visited by the people than any
other city.H This may be true in the winter
time, but agricultural fairs are not held in
the winter
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

CAP'N CHAsE's knowledge of the count is
as defective as DR.. Garcelon's. He couldn't
seem to remember when he was on the wit
ness stand yesterday whether the Republi-
can candidates for county officers in this
county had a majority when the vote of
Portl nd was counted or not. 1t would be
pleasure to. find tabulator with good
memory
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

THE North Star accuses the PRESS of pub
fishing a sander on EX-Gov. Garcelon's
professional reputation. knowing that it was
lie. When the editor of that paper clears
himself from he charge of conniving at for
gerry, erasure and substtutions of returns to
count i'll fraudulent Legislature his accu-
sations may be worth answering.
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

After telegraph pole had fallen on Sa-
vannah negros head, he threw up his hands
and shouted, "Don't hit me again with yer
club, Mr.. Policeman. 1t wasn't me that stole
the chickens. 1t was Deacon Henry" Then
he looked, saw what hit him and walked off
saying, "Golly, Use in luck dis mornin'. 1
'spected dat de policeman had me shual, dat
time
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

CINCINNATI Commercial: 1t is not speak
ing blindly to say that Illinois is far more
likely to cast majority of her votes for
Blaine in the National Convention than it is
TO join Pennsylvania and New York in the
Grant matter.
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
STATE OF MAINE,
A PROCLAMATI
By the advice and consent of the Executive Coun-
ell, I hereby appoint
Thursday, the Fifteenth day of April,

to be kept throughout the State as day of
Public Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer.
This custom has come down to us from our faith
ers. On this day they sought forgiveness of sins,
and carried all their wants to God in prayer Let
us with sins numerous, wants as great, ana bur-
dens heavy, ask, they did forgiveness and help
from the only true source. Let us ask God for wis
dom for honesty of purpose, for peace and plenty.
for State and national prosperity for the Of
every effort in behalf of free government and let
us humble ourselves before Him and acknowledge
His providence in all the events of life.
Given at the Council Chamber, at Augusta this
thirty first day of March, in the year of Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty. and of the
Independence Of the United States Of America
the one hundred and fourth
DANIEL f. DAVIS.
By the Governor,
SUMNER j. CHADBoURNE, Secretary of State
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14
THE PRESS.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, APRIL IA.

We do not read anonymous letters and communi-
cations The name and address of the writer are in
all cases Indispensable not necessarily for publics
tion but as guaranty of good faith.
We cannot undertake to return or preserve COM
muulcatlons tnat are not used
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

TILDEN goes right on gathering in the
delegations just as if he hadn't declined
The Louisiana Congressman have now gone
home in great scare lest Tilden shall steal
that State away from Hancock.
The Portland daily press., 1880-04-14

EVERY regular attaehe of the PRESS is furnished
with Card certificate signed by Stanley Pullen
Editor All railway, steamboat and hotel managers
will confer favor upon US by demanding credentials
OF every person claiming to represent our journal