davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
4 "Reminiscences of Gram.

During the last administration OF
Grant there chanced to be young man
in one Of the departments, who, like so
many others then and now, had entered
on that horrible declivity which begins
with the gilded tipphng- and ends
who shall say where? He was a capa-
ble clerk, and his sprees and shortcom-
ings were condoned for the sake Of the
memory of his honored father, Senator
But the road was sure and, IN
time, with n discharge in his pocket and
drunkard's record behind him, step by
step he passed the down grade of dissi-
patton, until wife, children and friends
cut loose, and the quoDdam gentleman
slept in the parks and lived on charity.
He was abandoned by all-all save the
angel of mercy lowering near, though
unseen. A temperance-reform move
ment claimed him as n troshy. and he
began the upward struggle. Wife and
children came back; but who believes IN
reformed drUnkard % It was
struggle for years to find bread for the
little ones, but he fought bravely, and,
disappointing those who looked for his
failure, he held on, and even saved 9th
ers from going over the precipice. Pres
ident Grant, who bad known his father,
heard of his struggle and sent for him.
Congratulating him on his reform, he
said
81 want to help you; what can I do?"
i" want work, was the reply.
90 You shall have 1t. Where would
you prefer to go-in new scenes or old %
The young man said 50 Send me- sir
where | left blackened record. 1t may
encourage others if l regain good name,
and l would he more useful IN my
former position.
The President wrote a note to the
Secretary of that department and hand
ed it to the young man, who left, but ere
long returned with an anxious face
1.-The Secretary sent out word that my
application would go on file. ?"
The President, with an iron-clad ex-
Iletive, said "You can't put your wife
and children on file, can you?" Writing
another note and handing it to him, he
said Give this in person and bring
me an answer" Armed with this miss
i've he confronted the awful presence be-
yond the baize doors and met an impa-
tient refusal.
"What shall tell the President ?" he
calmly inquired.
"That there are no vacancies.
When this was delivered at the White
House the imperturbable Grant, biting
the end of a cigar, seized red-ink pen
and wrote across his former note "Make
a vacancy, or / will y
Take that and bring his answer"
Yet again did the young man return
unsuccessful. The President obtained
temporary employment for his friend,
taking him in person to another depart
ment, and awaited the Cabinet meeting
the following day. Here the President
seemed as quietly imperturbable as a
sphynx. AS the members left the room
the President followed Secretary - to
the door, and said +" By the way, Mr.
Secretary, who would you recommend
for your successor ?" The astonished
gentleman replied, and, passing to an
other department, wrote hasty resig-
nation and sent it in. He was relieved
of his portfolio the following day
WASHINGTON Republic.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
The Uses of Slang.

Is "slang" always reprehensible
Let us consider what slang IS. The
word only marks a relative condition,
like the words dirt " and tweed.
Aristotle long ago told us nlat dirt was
merely matter misplaced, and Prof.
Gray, asked to define a weed, said ga
flower IN the wrong spot So slang Is
merely a common word in unfamiliar
relations word plucked up by the
roots and planted ia q new spot. a cor
respondent writes us as follows; Ed
itor of AJolrc,cs' american QWeen:
Is IT slang n say Not if l know my
self -? Answer Not # it he said seri-
ously, though II would. perhaps he bet
ter 10 say something else John Milton
said, Not if am acquainted with my
sell. Considerable so-called slang is
classic. " Escaped with the skin of ny
teeth Is from job. The phrase "he is
n brick" is from P.utarch-that historian
telling of n King of Sparta who hoasted
that has army was the only wall of the
city, "arl every man is a brica. We
call an honest citizen "a square man,
iatt itte Greeas, 2,HO0 yoars ago, dc
-scfibed the same sort of person as "tet.
ragonos la fuur eornrrsd man. Web
~.cr d fines slang Ia bc "low, vulgar,
mneaniug language definition quite
too sweeping. II is often low, some
times yUlcar, ut very seldom unmean-
ing. Onlthc contrary, slang, being al
ways metaphoIical language, Is general-
~ compact and lis meaning very clear.
lis use may have originated with Gyp-
sizes, or criminals in need of a disguise
tor their spccch but il is not tho less
true that good many of the most use
ful words III the language were original
ly slang, now adopted INTO the fun tel
iowslip Of lngual purity. The use OF
the word ''mob" was denounced by Adj
olson and Swift (bcth of whom used
some Slang of their own, but we should
scarcely know what to do without 1T.
We do not, by any means, advise the
young to use slang indiscrimlnately
they had better err in the other dIrec-
ton. At tine Same time, slang has a
useful junction TO perform 1t is the
great feeder Of vigorous expression the
reservoir from which languages draw
strength and keep from getting enfce-
hled. As enlightenment brings culture
at the expense of virility, so languages
always tend to diffuseness and feeble
ness-a tendency which slang inclines
TO counteract So the use of slang,
while sometimes n nuisance and some
times disgusting, has an important office
in keeping languages alive and their
veins full of the blood of youth.-Au-
dI'ctCS american Quecn.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
Iand.nmnir- in England.

At present land is n luxury. 10 III
possession certain social advantages arr
attached A vast amount of the land IN
England be3onGs to- no one III existence.
BY tho will of some one who is dead, II
/, the property of some one who IS not
born. The LIE tenant. whether he cares
tor country life, whether he has the
means to Keep mp an establishment, and
whether he IS overlurdened with settle
mems ana mortgages. is compelled to
own a large house, with a large garden
and large pleasure grounds attached to
it. As IN many instances he is indiffer-
ent to his heir, and in still more frequent
cases has to save to provide portion
for bis daughters and younger sons, he
lays out nothing on the estate, and is
unable, by the tenure under which he
occupies IT, to give such long leases as
would induce occupants to turn it to the
best use. Habit, moreover, had often
led the owner TO impose numerous re-
strictiye clauses IN the leases that he does
grant, which cripple the energies of the
tenant, and keep him under the tutelage
Of exploded fallacies.
An occupIer who wishes to buv land
has. therefore, to pay for it more than it
worth, end, beside this, he has to ex-
pend comparatively enormous sum
among lawyers for acquiring it. The
result of all this Is that land has accumu-
lated to scandalous extent in the hands
of some families, that in others it is a
curse to the possessor, that the occupier
is not his own master. and that it is al
most Impossible for any yeoman, wishing
to become possessor of small farm, to
purchase one, unless he be ready to paw
a'fancy value for it.-Lonolon Truth.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
GEMS OF THOUGHT.

SELF-REsPEcT is the first step in all re-
formation.
Want of good sense Is the worst of
poverty.
IMPAT1ENcE dries the blood sooner than
age or. sorrow.
SPEAKING without thinking is shooting
without taking aim.
THERE is IN every human countenance
either history or q prophecy.
ANGER causes us often to condemn in
one what we approve of in another.
1T is right to be content with what
we have. but never with what we are.
OK eagIc-wings immortal scandals ny.
White virtuous actions are but born, and die
IS trifies, infinitely clearer than in
great deeds, actual character is dis
played.
/ WOUND no one 's'feelinss unnecessarily )
there are thoFns enough. IN the path of
human life.
A COOP constitution is like money
box-iis full value is never known until
it has been broken.
A Man is great just in proportion to
his superiority to the condition of life in
which he is placed.
To keep on repenting for past sins is
easy enough. 1t is the beginning to do
better that is difficult.
No one can have failed to observe the
power of a true life upon all with whom
| 1t comes in contact.
WHO Ia powerful? He who can con-
troll his passion Who Is rich? He who
is contented with what he has.
He who can contemplate his past and
! not receive many warnings from it, must
/ have had a remarkably stupid existence.
Any one may do q casual act of good
| nature, but a continuation of them shows
/ it is part of the temperament.
One of the most efrectual ways of
/ pleasing and of making ones self loved
is to be cheerful; Joy softens more hearts
than tears.
BAD habits are the thistIes of the
heart, and every indulgence of them is
q seed from which will spring new crop
of weeds.
ALE will die from neglect sooner
than IN any other way. The only reason
why some lies grows so large Is that
everybody pets and feeds them.
FALsEHooD, like poison, viii generally
be rejected when administered alone,
but when blended with wholesome in
gradients may be swallowed unperceived.
THERE is among men such intense af-
fectation that they often boast of defects
which they have not, more willingly
than of qualities which they have
george Sand.
HOMES are like harps, of which one is
finely carved and bright with gliding but
ill-turned and larring the air with its
discords: while another is old and plain
and worn. but from its chords float
strains that are a feast of music.
LOVER, daughter. sister, wife, mother,
grandmother-in those six words lies
what the human heart contains of the
sweetest, the most ecstatic, the most
sacred, the purest and the most ineffable.
You find yourself refreshed by the
presence of cheerful people. Why not
make earnest effort to confer that pleas
ure on others? You will find half the
battle is gained if you never allow your
self to say anything that sounds gloomy.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
How Bret Harte Obtained Buns.

In speaking.of compliments one day,
Bret Harte IN be would give the history
of the gs& Aeompliment which he
hins ,~eEed since he had
attainedsc S.,inction as an author.
One time, W. he had occasion to take
the trip fronA 'an Francisco to Oregon,
he reached the boat just as 1t was about
to move Off and without having made
any previous application for statercom
accommodation on board. Fortunate in
being assured of his destination at least,
which it was necessary he should gain
without detention on a required day, he
proceeded immediately.to the ticket-of-
fee on the boat, and inquired of the
agent there if he could obtain a berth
fUr the night The agent on this occasion
was rather curt. gruff fellow, who
made it his special pride to give ali IN
formation 10 anxious or inquiring pas
sengers in about as disagreeable man
rer rs men IN his position can very well
assume under such circumstances.
"Ihere are no staterooms for any one
all sold, said this Cerberus.
Il must have one. returned the au-
thor Of The Luck Of Roaring Camp
perhaps that may assist me IN obtain
ing what | want, aud he HANDED the
agent his visiting
There is no berth here for Bret iarte
or any other man" was the rough an
swcr, and the card was handed back.
BE you the man as writ The Luck
of Roaring Campr Be You Bret Harte?
exclaimed voice behind the writer of
that celebrated story.
Bret Harte turned and perceived
a tough looking miner, with pistols peep
ing out Of his belt, awaiting his reply.
Il have the honor of having written
it, said ne politely
The miner took the card from Harte,
looked at it a moment. crumpled it up,
and then, Suddenly extending his hand,
said with gusto:
Give it ter me, yer son of gun, re-
terrIng. of course, to Harte's own hand;
Il have a state-room with two hunks IN
it; you shall have one, and I'll shoot the
man who's in the other if you say so, so
that we may have the rooms to ourselves"
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
A Question in Philosophy.

"Where ignorance is bliss It's folly to
be wise" so thinks, apparently, the
Pougbkeepsie Press 1t published the
following with all the confidence of inno-
cency: "* The train was going
at the rate of forty miles an hour when
the parallel rod of the engine broke;
striking the ground it threw the forward
driving wheels from the track. The jar
was so great as to throw the fireman,
who was feeding the fire, up IN the air
such distance as to allow the train to
pass under him" 1t is an old axiom in
natural philosophy and con firmed by all
the feats of circus equestrians that a
body thrown from a moving horse or
train would carry its impetus and return
from where it was elected. So, accord
ing to this, the fireman thrown from the
train must have been sent to such Won
derful height that upper currents of air
retarded his forward progress. Kings
ton IN " freeman
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
The Golden Opportunity Slipped from
Her.

A dairyman in Floyd County, Ind.
having settled it to his own satisfaction
that a certain widow whom he was sup
rlviug with milk would make him an ex-
cellent wife, rang his bell in front of her
house. and when she came out with her
pan addressed her as follows: 81 want
a wife. / have a good dairy of fifteen
good cows. We rise at three o'clock in
the morning: we have rye coffee for
breakfast. with skinned milk, but no
sugar for seasoning. You need not get
up 30 early, and you may have cream in
Your coffee. We have bean soup once
week; we have boiled cabbage once a
week. and kraut once week. We oc-
cas;onallv have some bacon. But we do
not use butter, for it is too expensive,
and use lard in its place. We work hard
and live saving. L have told you all,
and would like to marry you" The
widow thanked him, said she preferred
her own table, and told him he would
better propose to his next customer.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
piscoseries by Accident.

Valuable discoveries have been made
and valuable inventlons suggested by the
yer;esf accidents. An alchemist. while
seeking TO discover mixture of earths
that v01ld make the most durable cru-
cibles one day found that he had made
porcelain. The power of lenses. AS ap-
plied to the telescope, was discovered by
q vatchmaker's apprentice. While hold
ing spectacle-glasse between his thumb
and finger, he WAS startled at the sud
denly enlarged appearance Of n neigh
boring church epire. The art of etching
upon glass was discovered by Nurem-
burg class-cntter By accident a few
droDs Of aqua FORTS fell upon his spec
tacles. He neticed that the glass be-
came corrod6d and softened where the
acid touchedit. That was hint enough.
He drew figures upon glass with varnish,
applied thel elcorroding fluid, then cut
away sile = around the drawing.
When the yanIsi1 was removed tho
figures Appeared raised upon q dark
ground. Mezzotintowed it's invention
to the simple accidentof the gun barrel
of n sentry becoming rssted with dew.
The swaying to and fro oh, q chandelier
IN cathedral suggested toGalileo. the
application of the pendulum. The art
of lithographing was perfected through
suggestions made by accident. A poor
musician was curious to know whether
music could not be etched upon stone
os well rs upon copper. After he had
prepared his slab his mother asked him
to make memorandum of such clothes
as she proposed to send away to be
washed. Not having pen, ink and paper
convenient, he wrote the list on the
stone with the etching preparation, IN
tending TO make q copy OF 1t at leisure.
A few days later, When about to clean
the stone, he wondered what effect aqua
fortis would have upon 1t. He applied
the acid, and in few minutes saw the
writing standing out in relief. The next
step necessary was simply to ink the
stone and take off an impression. Ihe
composition of which printing rollers
are made was discovered by Salopian
printer. Not being able to find the pelt-
ball, he linked the type with piece of
soft glue which had fallen out OF n glue
pot. 1t was such an excellent substi-
tute that, after mixing molasses with
the glue to give the proper consistency,
the old pelt-ball was entirely discarded.
The shop of Dublin tobacconist by the
name of Lundy was destroyed by fire.
While he was gazing dolefully into the
smoldering ruins he noticed that his
poorer neighbors were gathering the
snuff from the canisters He tested the
snuff for himself, and discovered that
the fire had largely improved its pun
gency aroma. 1t was hint worth prot
iting by. He secured another shop,
/ built lot of ovens, subjected the snuff
to a heating process, gave the brand a
/ particular name, and in few years be-
/ came rich through an accident which he
at first thought had completely ruined
/ him. HOOnSOcket Patriot
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
Rnnnet Monday in Glasgow.

In wears gone by, Buchanan street,
Glasgow, on the Monday after the Sac
rament, was sight worth seeing, for
new summer or winter bonnets, as the
case might be, together with new or
altered dresses, were there in profusion,
and all of their wearers thought them
selves the bellies of the street. But the
glory of those times is departed, and
nothing is to be seen but business men
rushing to and fro. 1t cannot be said
that the absence of the ladies is caused
by lack of new bonnets, for the ap-
p.srance of the churches one Sunday
showed that they kept up at least the
tradition of wearing such articles either
in new or renovated condition. Proba-
bly, the somewhat threatening aspect Of
the weather on the Monday following
may have deferred the fair; creatures
from exhibiting their grandeur but the
fact remains that the institution so far
rs Glasgow is concerned, is now more of
the past than of the present.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
Deyotces Enjoying Exquisite Pain.

In one of the bazaars, says letter
IRON India, we saw some fakirs and dew
otees. One of these remarkable fellows
had vowed to lie upon bed of upright
nalls for twenty-six years, and of these
he had accomplished sixteen when we.
saw him. His body was attenuated and
full OF sores resembling leprous spots
we asked him for one of the nails which
pierced his miserable body. He took
one from the foot of the bed, refusing In
every instance to part with any of those
winch gave him the most exquisite pain
Another miserable devotee was holding
a Hover pot at arms length Judge OF
my surprise when he told me he had
held 1t there for five years. Another
STOOD with arm uplifted, aud no power to
lower 1t or move muscle, the member
being dried, stiff, and dead. while the
long fnger-nails, like birds claws, pen
etrated the flesh on his wrist All of
tnese fellows looked mouldy and sad
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
Evolution in Plants.

DFwin, in showing that there waI
evolution in plants as well as in animals,
points out that there are certain species
which decoy insects into the folds of
their leaves aud crush them, actually
feeding on the insects, while q. plant In
India will masticate n beefsteak, a rabbit,
or n chicken. These plants. being in
wild state, of course are eiieminate, but
if cultivated couldbe brought to wonder
fol proportions physically. If carefully
tended, and given all the food and drink
they required, with a horizontal bar to
practice on, there would seem to be no
reason why they should not Join tur-
ner society and might carry Oh a prize
ola silver water pitcher AIr.i Darwin
claims that all plants aie ferocfous to a
degree, and only need to Ire denied their
en- tomary sustenancc aud tempted with
animal life IN order to have their SAVAGE
natures developed aud hfought7te light
Some wealthy people. f,Alowers Of Oar
wins school, nrc already making expert
ments in this direction, aud it IS possible
that the day is not far distant Ehea the
traveller, who is forced 10 travel through
Rlonely wood, & III find himself suddenly
confronted by n murderoas band OF
cncumbors, and he will b. forced to
yield If the wealthy saTGlts pursue
their experiments to the fullest possible
extent il may be no unusual sight, some
time in the next century or thereafter, to
see carrot arrsrigned IN court ON q
charge of stabbing a parsnip. IA a row
in n saloon, over o game of hifeen- ban
pool. When the savage nature of plants
shall become fully developed, what a
terrible revenge may he expected from
the cornstalk upon the descendants OF
all those who are now connecting ITS
name with LIE Due. the Agricultural
Commissioner. in his effort 70 make II
the sugar-producing shrub of the coun-
try. We trust, however, that the corn
stalk will not bear malice, and viii be
generous and let by cones be by cones.
Men In those days will doubtless have
trouble enough driving away maraudlne
bands of tomatoes, and their allies, tho
onions, without giving unnecessary OF
fense TO plants of other varieties. We
see now how it is that President Hayes
has always made pet of the pumpkin,
and sought to curry favor with the
Hubbard squash. He was making him
self solid with these vegetables. Ihls Is
also proved by his appointment OF sc
many Ohio men TO Office. He fears the
time when their ferocious natures viii
be developed. believing that he will live
thousand years, as is shown by the
way he takes care of his money. lie
desires TO get along peaceably and agree
ably with all, and would not Tor the
world stain his hands with the Julce OF
the beet, or chop red cabbage INTO som
krout. .-Peck's Sun.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
Rich Old RncleInrs.

Considering the social nature of our
race. and the great facilities offered these
men for marriage, the question might be
raised, why they remained in such a con
dition. They say, h. Sever, that old
Peter Goelet felt too poor. and was al
ways waiting for better times. He in
herited an estate worth 5000, 600, and he
saw it increase to ten times that amount
but he never escaped from the thralldom
of that poverty which was so early fea-
ture in his character James LenoX's
case is said to have been different. He
was naturally retiring and had an aver
sion to society. He never sought friend
ship and never had a companion. He
was a born student, and his love of rare
books became a passion. There Is n ira
dition, however, that in early life he felt
the power of female attraction, but the
course of true love- as usual, did not run
smooth. The result was a life OF philan-
tropy and millions given III benefactOns,
concluding with the LenOx Institute.
Alexander Stuart was plain looking
man. and to many his appearance was
rather repulsive. He grew up in the
sugar refinery, and remained devoted to
il until he became au old man. He
gave away a great deal of money, and
was in this respect highly useful. His
brother Robert married but Alexander
never followed the example. He be-
queathed his entire estate to his brother,
who is now the richest sugar refner on
this continent. Though an excellent
business man, Robert L. Stuart has al
ways cultivated literature, and has one
of the best private libraries il the city
NeU York Cor. Cincinnati Gazette.
The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11

With the Chinese, the lily is the ma
tional flower, and many superstitions at
tach TO it. Should it blossom upon New
Years day it is regarded as most happy
omen, presaging the best of luck to the
fortunate owner of the plant For this
reason good deal of care is bestowed
upon the Ely by the Cinnamon, in the
hope that it may put forth its flower
upon the morning of the anniversary.
The Chinese lily is different from any
other variety. 1t is grown by placing
the bulb on bits of window glass, stone
and China, and giving it liberal sup
ply of water. The flower is white, with
a gold colored center, something be-
tween daisy and a narcissus- Its fra
GRANGE is delightful.