davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
Curious Idol Worship in China.

A LETTER from Hangchow says: A
curious display of idol worship is be-
ing nightly enacted not far from this
city. 1t is not easy to determine to what
sect it belongs, for, though held in
Taoist temple, no priest of either that or
any other takes part in the ceremony.
1t is entirely carried out by the people
themselves, and being in the seventh
moon, when the names of the departed
receive so much attention from their
living relatives, it may be correct tn
consider it a part of ancestral worship.
At the beginning of the moon proclama-
tons were posted all over the city an
nouncing the commencement of this
strange ceremony, and calling on the
people to come up and pay their taxes
or duties to Yuh-whang Shung-ti, 81 lord
of the world and savior of men, as
they do to their earthly Emperor. Each
night, from the LIST to the 10th of the
seventh moon, this parody on royalty is
carried out, and delegates from various
districts bring strings of paper sycee,
which is weighed with the greatest care,
as if it were real silver, entered in the
account books of an official, and at a
proper time in the ceremony is sent up
to the spirits, through fire. An idea of
the quantity of paper money consumed
may be formed from the price received
for the ashes, which realizes total for
this half month at 16 cash an OF. of not
less than $50.
The real business of the evening COM
mences after dusk. The procession,
which goes out of the village in order to
return escorting the spirit of the EN-
peror, begins to form. Each man car
ries lantern, with the name OF his dis
trict or society painted on it. The main
temple and all the lesser ones are bril-
liantly lighted up with rows of lanterns
of red cloth, and some place large
refectors behind candles, the effect of
which is very pleasing. Theatrical
dresses of the most gorgeous colors, and
heavy with gold lace, pass along in
groups; boys dressed in red cloth and
gold tinsel hats, men bearing swords,
spears, and battle-axes, and bands OF
musicians, go to make up this unique
procession. The center of all this is the
Emperor's chair, carried by twelve
bearers, containing his tablet; man on
each side, carrying large white feather
fans, shield it from the public gaze, but
waving to and fro as if tanning a living
person.
After long interval, the big drum
gave forth a booming sound, and the
idol Yuh-whang Shung-ti, wearing 0
most gorgeous dress, appeared and was
| placed on a raised nlatform undor q
rich canopy. All Immediately fell pros
trate on the ground, and for while 81
lence reigned supreme; presently the
master of ceremonies took his place, anC
the bearers of cards of those gods who
by their rank, are allowed to pay theil
respects to his Majesty Gas officials ar,
with the real Emperor) began to arrive
A few feet from the throne they knel
and respectfully presented their card
which was received by an official, whC
announced, in loud voice, the nam,
and rank of the sender, the court must
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
An Irish Gathering.

The crowd that gathers whenever a
land meeting is held in Ireland seems
strange enough to English eyes. AS a
correspondent of the Pail Mall Gazette
pictures the scene, the old-fashioned
tail-coat with brass buttons, knee
breaches, and CATERS, is sometimes
deserted, and reminds spectators of
Irish melodrama. The number Of
women is singularly large. With bare
feet and bare heads they stand for hours,
even when the rain is pouring, listening
eagerly to the speeches, and cheering
every strong point. There is no marked
prevalence of one type of feature or
complexion. Auburn tresses float in
the wind beside raven locks. When the
rain batters down with exceptional Sc
verify, under the stimulus of a squall,
the shawl is raised from the neck over
the head, and comfort seems to be So.
cured. There is little beauty, but a
fair amount of comeliness and that soft
ness and smoothness of skin nearly uni.
versally found in damp climates. The
manners of the crowd are quite admir-
able; no loud talking or coarse joking
or offensive laughter can be heard any
where. Those who imagine that a
Land League meeting is necessarily .
scene of revolutionary frenzy and demo.
cratic orgie should attend one or two,
and their fears will be dispelled.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08

prairie maiden, is matter OF severe
speculation.
According to prairie law, it is disrep-
utable in white man to aban lon his
dusky wife until she has grown too old
to work for him. Then he NAV send
her back to her tribe if he so elect. She
may not desert the husband for another
white man, but she may leave him for
an Indian who wants to marry her, pro-
vided she have no children. If squaw
desires to abandon her husband, the
Indian of her choice must pay back the
price originally paid to her mother. He
may abate no jot or title, and it is in
such payment that the divorce is per-
fected. She then becomes single
woman, free to marry, but she can not
live in the vicinity inhabited by her hus-
band. She must move away with her
new venture. Such divorces are not in
frequent. 1t is difficult thing for the
squaw to perfectly adapt herself to her
white husband. He may be of the kind
lest disposition, but his ways are net
her ways, and though she struggle with
all her strength to draw closer to him
and try to make her existence a part of
his, she can not make him one of her
kind, and she drifts away from him.
The birth of children directs her
thoughts into a new channel and lessons
the chasm between them, but without
them he has but little hope of keeping
her to himself. Sooner or later she
will find her affinity.-COr. Brooklyn,
EdGLe,
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08

Temperance for years. Now with biz
hand on the latch; then stepping back
to indulge his appetite. Oh, the posi-.
bilities of these days of indecision!
Shall he enter and be saved, or 90 by
with the great company of young men
who have turned their feet into the wav
of intemperanceP Ten years from now.
when the mother of this young man. in
her country home, shall hear of the
ruined character of her boy, what aeonv
of soul will be hers!
There is middle-aged man, with a
wife and children any man can be happv
with. He has watched that gate for
years, with the wrecks of men who
have made home wretched, to warn
him. He knows the Christian life il
the only safe path. But he leaves piety
to his wife, and the religious instruction
of his children to the Sundav-school
teacher, while he gives himself to
worldly greed, and becomes hard
listed, INSCRIPTIONS man. There is an
old man. He has got so far away from
the gate of Desire to be Christian that
God is not in his thoughts. Yet occa-
sionally he looks back to linger in feel.
ing. God has not lost His hold of the
old sinner. May be when infrmity
presses hard, and the grave is near, he
will hear the sweet voice, within the
gate of Eternal Love.
There is great company around
some of these gates. Men with many
doubts, they would find easy to believe
if they would only live rig ht. There
are some who have been trying to
move the two posts of the gate-love
to God and love to man. Some of them
do not like the God-post. They are
trying to get through by helping their
fellow-men. The other class do not
like the man-post to the gate. They
want to 60 through on profession Of
religion. How many have come up to
the gate, fingered around it, and wist.
fully looked through. What hopes and
fears; what signs, tears and regrets are
piled up around this gate! What men,
cries of grace, and faithfulness Of
Christian friends, cluster around this
gate! How can the thousands of intem-
perate, of dishonest, of irreligious men
and women be influenced to pass OH
through these gates? This is the great
question for the Church to answer to-
day. Who is sufficient for these things?
Golden Rule.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
A Sermon Tested.

If doubling hearers would put in
practice the suggestion of the preacher
their unbelief would often vanish, as in
the following incident
81 heard a sermon once from ven
cradle itinerant preacher, on benevo-
lence. thought the effort very lean,
but one thing impressed me little
Co. said he, and do something after
l have done preaching. Have to say
when [ come back, four weeks hence,
that you have done something, and my
word and Gods word for it, you will be
a better and happier man l knew a
poor widow living on the edge of some
woods about mile from my home.
Her husband had been dead two or
three years, and with three helpless
little girls she had q hard conflict with
poverty. | had often spoken kindly to
her, and thought my duty ended when
the words were uttered; but when the
sermon of the old white-headed preacher
was done, the resolution was to go and
do something. The next day l visited
the cellar and measured out a bushel OF
potatoes, bushel of apples and vari-
ETY. of other things, and having put
them into wagon, started for the cot
tage of the widow. A load of wood for
which l paid three dollars preceded me.
An hours drive brought both loads in
front of the house, and when my ex-
PLANTATION was given there were wet eyes
and warmer hearts in the parties. The
widow wept for Joy, and the children
Joined in, while | finding my feelings
too much for my strength, had to give
way also to tears. The act was one
that gave me new spiritual start, and
when the preacher came back L thought
the discourse one of the most eloquent
l had ever listened to. The change
was in myself, not in him or his preach
ingn H EH
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
Masked Blessings.

VERY thick and opaque the mask
sometimes appears. Hardly a trace of
the real features is seen looking through
it. The apostles, occasionally, were
panic-struck by their richest blessings.
They cry out in alarm at what seems to
be a CHASTITY goblin of the deep, when
the gladdening 1t is l; be not afraid!'
rebukes their fears and restores their
courage. They draw back timidly
from the offered hand of Saul, and soon
find what loving lips they were that had
breathed threatenings and slaughter.
And we are often as blind and timid as
they. For how often are the sorrows
we dread the sweetest of all possible
gifts of God! A good man begins to
lose fortune and men commiserate him
as running down." while angels con-
graduate him as running up the shining
way to the Gates of Pearl. You can
never know the nature of what seems a
calamity till it has spent its force and
revealed its hidden use. In the canton
of Bern, in the Swiss Oberland, rushes
mountain stream toward the valley as
the villages below. But, leaping from
a sheer precipice of nearly nine hun
bred feet in height, it is caught in the
clutch of the winds and sifted in fine.
soft spray, whose benignant baptism
covers the fields with perpetual green.
Many sorrow, Christian brother, may
be such a torrent to you. 1t may re-
fresh your withered graces. 1t may
bedew you with meekness, patience,
Observation-Disclosures. In the grand
and glorious vocation of building, as
Christ shall help you, perfected Chris
tian character, it may do what no
dazzle of prosperity will ever effect
And when in the life to come your eyes
open to see all things in their true val
ues, you may cry in grateful ecstacy,
"Thank God for my griefs aud afflic-
tionsr'-AdUdnce
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
Lingering Around the Gate.

To SOME this gate is honesty, to 9th
ers it is temperance. To some it is a
call to face society with thin ward
robe, yet hold their self-respect; to 9TH
ers it is a conviction that they ought to
live Christian life. Yet it is a gate
around which thousands linger and
never pass through. There is boy
whose mother is very faithful in her
counsel, and tender in her watchful-
ness. When he goes out, her heart
goes with him. When he comes in, her
eyes looks interrogation points at him.
He loves his mother, and is happy in
doing things toplease her. But he does
not keep out of the society of bad boys,
and by the time he is of age, if he has
not entered into the gate of good habits,
only fingered around it, he is in great
danger OF becoming bad man.
There is young man of promise. He
has good stuff in him. He ought to
make man of great usefulness in the
world. He has stood at the gate Of
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
Religious.
HYMN FOR THE NEW YEAR.

"THoU shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and
receive me to glory"
Lord, by Thy counsel guide
My footsteps every day,
And take my trem bling hand
In Thine, and lead the way;
So shall Thy presence light and cheer,
My pilgrim path through all the year.
The future is unseen
To every eye but Thine;
The road is all uutried
To weary feet like mine:
fain would leave it all with Thee:
Thou knowest what is best for me.
I travel not alone,
Through this bewildering maze,
The children of the King
Are with me all my days:
Let this my heart with strength endue,
Till glory breaks upon my view.
How soon will life be gone,
And all my years be past;
Oh may my work be done,
When Jesus comes at last,
To bid US lay the sandals down,
And take the everlasting crown.
Then through the coming year.
Thy counsel be my guide,
bid adieu to anxious fear,
With Jesus at my side,
And all things needful promised here,
And Heaven and glory certain there.
Req. w. Stott.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
A FASHIONABLE Galveston woman

A FASHIONABLE Galveston woman
wanted to impress her husband with
her housekeeping abilities; so, when
the cook left, she went down into tho
kitchen and cooked breakfast, and she
made an awful mess of it. They sat
down to the table, and her husband
noticed that she had rag on her
finger, so he asked what was the matter.
" l burned it while frying the steak"
she replied. "Well, any woman who
would put such breakfast as this or
the table ought to be burned at the
stake" replied the brute.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08

Mr.. PUGH, the new United States
Senator-elect from Alabama,fs sixty-one
years of age, and is known in the South
as man of exceptional ability. He was
left an orphan when eleven years old,
and while still youth he carried from
tier mail two days in the week to earn
money to pay his school expenses the
rest of the time.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08
International Sunday-SchOOl Lessons.

FOURTH QUARTER, $780,
Dec. 26-Lesson Selected by the School
FIRST QUARTER, 1881.
Jan. 2-Zacharias and Elizabeth Luke 1: SIT
Jan. 9-The Song of Mary. Luke /: 46-45
Jan. 16-The Prophecy of Zacha-
rias ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Luke L: 67-79
Jan. 23-The Birth of Jesus. :. Luke 2: $40
Jan. 30-Simon and the Child Je-
sus ............. Luke 2: 25-35
Feb. 6-The Boyhood of Jesus. Luke 2: 40-52
Feb. 13-The Preaching of John
the Baptist. ..............L Luke 8: 7-18
Feb. 20-,rhe Preaching of Jesus. Luke 4: l42l
Feb. 27-Christ Healing the Sick. Luke 5: 1925
Mar. 8-Witness of Jesus to John Luke Z: 1928
Mar. 13-The Sinners Friend. -. Luke Z: $3.50
Mar. 20-Review of the Lessons.
Mar. 27-t rea ching the Kingdom Luke 8: l. 8
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-08

GENERAL MCCLELLAN has received
gift of the fint-lock pistol carried by
Winfield Scott during the Mexican War
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07
NATU 2E'S TRIUMPH.
Frazier's Root Bitters.

Frazisr's Root Bitters.
IF you are weak or lauguid, use
Frazer's Bitters.
If Jour flesh is fabby aud your com
pexion sallaw. use Frazier's Btters
If you live 10 a malarial district, use
Frazier's Bitters.
If worn down with the care Of children.
use Frazier's Bitter's
Ii you have got the blues, use Fraeier' s
BitteTs,
If you kept late hours and lived con-
trary to the laws of health, use lFrazier' s
Root Bitter's
IF you need toping up, take Frazier's s
Root Bitters.
IF you have abused instead of used
natures eifts, use Frazer's Bitters.
If you feel old before your time, use
Frazier's Bitters.
II life has become a burden and you
have gloomy forbodys. use Frszier's
Bitters.
IF your hands trembIe and your eyes
have grown dim, Frszier's Root Bitters
will make you feel young again. Sold
by ali druggists everywhere at the low
price $l00 per bottle FS Henry Co,
Sole Proprietors, CleaveIand, o,
For sale by McCabe & Wheaton.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07
a Wonderful Discovery.

For the speedy cure of Consumption
and all diseases that lead to it, such
as stubborn Coughs, neglected Colds,
Bronchitis, Hay Fever, Asthma, pain
In the side aud chest, dry hacking
cough, tickling in the throat, Hoarse-
ness, Sore Throat, and all chronic or
lingering diseases of the throat and
lungs, DR.. king's New Discovery has
no equal and has established for itself
q Worldwide reputation. Many lead
ing physicians recommend and use it
in their practice. The formula from
which it is prepared is highly recon-
mended by all medical journals. The
clergy and the press have complement
ted it IN the most glowing terms. Go
to your druggist and get trial bottle
free of cost, or a regular size for 81. 90.
For sale by G, Speidel.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07
SKIN DISEASE,
Great Suffering for Sixteen Years. 4
Wonderful Cure by the Cuticura
Remedies

Messrs. WEEKS q POTTER: GentIemen.-CUTI
OURA REMEDIES have dhne me power OF good.
have been afflicted with skin disease for sixteen
years Some days 1t troubled me more than Others
but at night the Itching nearly drove me wild.
would scratch untf the blood woald run down
my limbs.
have had several physicians. Some said they
could cure me, bat others said zot.
will say that before used the CnTIcuAA REM
DTgs was in fearful state, and had gi3en up all
hope of ever having any relief.
But. like drowning man gFasping at a straw, /
thought / would try the CUTIcURA REMEDIES
about which | had read much.
They have performed wonderful cure for me,
and of my own free will and accord I recommend
them. Yours truly,
s. A STEELE.
6s W. VAN BUREN ST., CHICAGO, Ill,
March Z, 1879.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07
FIRES.
The Burning of the PennsyI-
vania Insane Asylum.
a Disastrous confagration at cinoin-
natl Yesterday Morning.

| DANvILLE, Pa, March 6.-The mair
| building of the State Hospital for the In.
sane. at this place caught FIRE last night il
an unoccupied ward of the east wing which
was being repainted. The condition oil
the roads was such that assistance from
this place. mile and half distant, could
not be rendered until the fire had gained
great headway. A steam fire engine be-
longing to this borough was dragged
through the deep snow by six horses, but
soon after going into service it was rendered
useless by the breaking of some machinery.
Assistance was teiegraphed for from
different towns in tho vicinity but before il
could be furnished the whole wing and the
main building was destroyed, portion of
the latter having been blown up for the
purpose OF saving the west wing.
UNDER CONTROL.
At about o'clock this morning the fire
was thought to be under control, but it
again broke out and this afternoon reached
the west wing, The hospital was sup
piled with water from a large reservoir,
but ID was impossible to get sufficient force
on it to be available, Nearly SEQ patients
were in the institution, all of whom were
removed without confusion or loss Of life
to detached buildings in the rear Of the
main building,
Az the time the FIRE was discovered the
inmates were in the hospital chapel at
evening service and this circumstance
assisted in keeping the uniortunates under
control and together. Most of them will
be distributed to the other State institu-
tions until some arrangement can be made
for their care here.
THE COST.
h,,Sl a. &
ton for some eleven years. and cost the
State about 100000. It was a substan-
tial structure, built of stone, lI40 feet front
with a center building and three sections
on either side, covering an area of one
and three quarter acres. The fire showed
the faulty construction Of the roof, in not
having fire walls above the roof and
between the different sections, as the fire
spread nearly the length of the building
along the roof The origin Of the frs is
unknown. There is insurance OF about
$3.50, 900 on the hospital and furniture.
AT CINCINNATI.
CINCINNATI, March 6.-This morning
an alarm called the FIRE department to the
burning building of j. A Fay 4 Co, 9
manufactory of wood working machinery,
southwest corner of Front and John
streets. The building was brick, 140 feet
long, l25 wide and five stories high, 1t
was worth, with stock and machinery,
$250,OO0. The start of the fire is attrib-
uted to spontaneous combustion, Loss by
fire and water is estimated at $l50,OO0
Insurance $97, 900
FIRES
CINCINNATI, March 1.-The Times
Star special from Springfield Ohio. says
fire broke out in Wilson's building, west
Main street, this morning. consuming
that building and damssiDg keiger's
building en- the west. The entire loss
is $l2, 600, Insurance. about 81 900; Ches.
Nupgan, saloon keeper lost 81 900. No
Insurance.
The Nasnperchor and Seventh Rsgi-
ment, o. N g lost about 81 500 worth of
property.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07
Old medfofd.

Nothing is Superior to the old genuin.
Mediord Rum from Daniel Lawrence
Son, Boston. They keep only strictly
pure article. For sale by all first class
dealers in Rock Island. Inquire fol
Daniel Lawrence 4 Sons genuine Ole
Medford.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07

mo cure, no Pay. we authorize our
Agents to guarantee that our Medicine if
taken according 10 directions, will relieve
constipation aad the diseases incident to
a torpid liver and if any one will show by
positive proof that it has not produced
what We guarantee, they ara entitled TO q
resurn of their money. provided they take
the genuine Simmons Liver Regulator by
tho directions
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07
and. Illinois. Monday. r. 1881.
Natures EIuice-way.

The kidneys are natures sluice way tc
wash out the debris of our constantly
changing bodies. II they do not work
properly the trouble is felt everywhere,
Then be wise and as soon as you see signs
of disorder get package. of Kidney Wort
and take it faithfully. 1t will clean the
sluics way of sand. gravel or slime aud
purify the whole system. Druggist sell it
both liquid and dry. and it is equally etfc-
lent either way.-Independent.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07

HUM0RS OF THE BLOOD, SKIN
AND SCALP,

CUTIcURA REsoLvESr is the most powerful
Blood Purifier and Liver StiTnulent ever com
pounded In forty minutes after taking the first
dose ii may he detected in the saliva, blood,
sweat, and urine showing that 1t had entered the
blood and been distributed throughout the entire
system. In its passage through the circulating
futs II meets with the corrupt particles Of matter
which foster and maintain disease, with which it
chemically unites, destroying and gradually elm
mating them from the system.
Hence its power to brever expel scrofuous
Caneerous, and Canker Humors, which unchecked
fill the body with foul corru ptions, and rot out
the delicate machinery of life.
CUTIoURA, the great external remedy for all HUI
nors OF the Scalp and Skin, Ulcers Sores and Dis
charging WouGds, is the most soothing and heal
Ing OF outward applications. 1t speedily destroys
fungus and parasite growths, restores the oil
glands and tahes healthy condition. and cures
when assisted bF the OUrCaRA SOAP, diseases of
the Skin and Scalp which have been the torture Of
life time
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-07

LYDIA f. PIEKHAMs VEaKrABLE
COMPOUND revives the droopipg spirits;
invigorates and harmonizes the organic
functions; gives elasticity and frmDess to
the step, restores the natural lustre to ths
eye, and plants on the pale cheek of beauty
the fresh roses OF life's spring and early
sumner time