davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05

giveth this womea to be married to thi
mah?" there wss no response.
Don't make no difference, remarked
herpself."
Then came the ring. business, which
was little puzzling.
SCOT ringr
The bridegroom was fumbling in his
pocket for it, while the old man was
making very sighting remarks about
him.
"Now give it to iae. IfI'd been goin'
to get as purity gal as that, think I'd
got better loekin' ring than that. Now
it has to go on de third finger of de left
hand" consulting his directions. "Know
which your left hand is? Now, take off
dat are glove. I'm guins to do dis ere
job up right if it takes all night"
At last the ceremony was finished and
the prescribed prayer read, and then the
preacher launched into one of his
own. He raved and stamped and tore
round generally, and told how "de Lord
Jesus went down into the Jording and
was baptized, and OATS de way we ought
all to do, brother-ren; and Satan took
him off into de wilderness, brother rem;
and dats de way he'll do wild us, brother.
rem" And so on to an indefinite length,
until the brother-ring and the cistern all
got excited, and joined with amens, and
signs and groans and snatches of songs,
until the visitors began to fear that their
long walk home would be in darkness.
But at last the storm died down and the
preacher stopped suddenly and ordered
the bridegroom to salute the bride, and
then there was lull.
"Why don't you all come up and kiss
the bride?" he said: GIVE seen forty or
fifty of yer kissin' round here some
times"
But they still hesitated; so the white
folks walked over, shook hands and Of
fered congratulations, and walked out,
and that started the assemblage to the
front, and they doubtless had plenty Of
kissing and good wishes. Our party
was aching for good laugh at the nov
city of the ceremony as it proceeded,
but the dignified and softer countenances
of the actors and audience held us in
check until we had started on our home
ward tramp under the heightened shad-
ows of the live oaks. Every member of
the party voted that it was better than
week of Sara Bernhardt or whole sea-
son of Barnum's circus N. o. Letter
in the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05
Manageable Women.

One of the great social problems OF the
day is to explain why there are go many
manageable women who never
get married. Some say that it is owing
to an excess in numbers of women over
men, in consequence of which there are
not husbands enough to go round. This,
however, is disproved by statistics. Take
the world through, and the figures show
that there are as many men in it as there
are women. Others attribute 1t to the
expensiveness of modern life. Men do
not marry because, it is said, they can
not afford to. But the fact is that no
man who truly loved q woman ever hes
itated to become engaged to her and
eventually marry her because of poverty.
There are cold blooded men, with no
idea of any feeling for woman stronger
than languid admiration, who may be
deferred from assuming what they re-
gard as q burden in the shape Of a wife,
unless assured of liberal income, but
most are not SO calculating. Others,
again. attribute the evil to women's fas-
tidiousness. They expect too much in q
husband. and while waiting for an i'm
possible shadow, let the substance slip
| through their fingers. This 10 libel ON
the sex. As rule they are more fastid-
ious than men are, and are just as sus.
ceptible as men to that enchantment OF
love which invests its object with every
perfection and covers up every fault. SO
lar a. men and women themselves are
concerned, they are as prone to marriage
now - in any yeriod Of the worlds his
tory. Nevertheless, there are women who
are waiting for Husbands and not getting
them. They are pretty, they are accom-
plished, they are sensible, and under pro,
per training they would make excellent
wives and mothers; but they never get
chance. What seems 70 be needed 10
more thorough method Of bringing me!
and women into social contact with sael
other.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05
slowly Dying.

One of the saddest sights we ever saw
was that of o man, aged about fifty-ive
years, who stopped at the Kendall House,
in Evergreen, one night recently. On
the 10th day of last August, about noon,
while herding cattle ON the Texas plains
he fell asleep, and while in this condi-
ton he was bitten ON the left arm, Just
above the wrist, by rattlesnake. He
was at the time a great way from any
town or village, and by the time he
reached a physician the poison had per-
meated his entire system. From that
very moment he began to die, and to
look at him you can ut once see that
upon him the king of Terrors" has al
ready set his seal and has only granted
him q respite for while, but the days OF
that respite are full Of torture, and no
doubt the poor, unhappy victim longs
for the end to come. Last Saturday
night he was suffering indescribable tor
ture. In his agony he called upon the
great God and upon feeble man to give
him relief, but not o moment was he
free from pain that was 90 terrible that
language cannot describe 1t. His body
is now full of the most loathsome scabs,
from which the poison continues to
exude. His death is only question Of
time and when it does come it will be to
him happy radiance from suffering
Conecuh (Ala.) Star.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05
Ancestry.

When Ben Franklin, a grimy young
printer, was carrying his forms through
the street one day, he met a young fel:
low of his own age, the son OF an aristo-
cratic family, who was so poor as to
want meal.
Franklin offered to find work for him
in neighboring shop, but received
naughty rebuff
1.-The G-'s are not fallen SO low as
to become mechanics"
When Franklin was Minister to France
this man died a pauper in the Philadel-
phia almshouse.
Family pride of another kind was
shown by sturdy farmer in Congress,
who, when an attempt was made to buy
his vote on a certain question replied
"Sir, every one of my kin in the old
graveyard at home would rise, If
should touch that money! I would not
dare to do it,"
In countries where social rank, estate
and title all solid realities, descend in an
unbroken line, there is some apology for
family pride, and even in America, 1t is
natural for o man to take keen interest
in those whose blood he inherits. AS
long as the knowledge that his ancestors
have been truthful, honest. manly men.
helpers in Gods world, makes him more
anxious to be himself honest, independ-
ent and useful, family pride is help in
his life.
But when AS is more often the case, we
see family dawdle weakly through life,
unwilling to engage in trade or honest
work, justifying their right to be alive
by their far off kinship to some titled or
rich dead man, pride of birth is only
hindrance, and is vulgar and absurd
pretense.
Honor and fame from NO condition rise,
Act we'll your part there all the honor lies.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05

A Texas Judge who had two trAmps
before him said to them: "Now, one
Of you make tracks for the border, and
the other try 10 catch him." They
caught ct the idea and put in their best
licks.
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05

assure him that IL was SO, ne cOulu not
understand why he believed 30 firmly
that his wife and George Way we're on
board the Hero with him. He had not
seen them, he had not heard them speak;
and yet that subtle, indescribable some
thing-call it new sense or what you
will-had felt and recognized their pres
ence.
The steamer glided out into the stream
and went sailing smoothly forward, its
great lights making shining path on
the waters. The cloud which had been
lying in the south was rising and now
covered half the sky, an occasional CLEAN
of lightning darling from it. The wind
was rising, too, sweeping across the deck
in strong, steady gusts. Leaning upon
the deck railing Harry Vane watched the
rising tempest. He saw that the cloud
had u reddish tinge and that it still hung
low. Something like fear thrilled
through his heart, not for himself-he
was past that-bnt for the woman whom
he had loved, sy.'still loved. II he were
wrong-if she were still at homo and not
in the steamer-at home, alone, how
dreadful IL would be for her; again, il
she were in the Hero, IL . great danger
came to them, how might il fare with
her?
These thoughts we're FISHING through
his mind whsn the tempest came in IL
full fury. The bo~e VS. csught mp from
its course, - . plsything y taken In th1
hand Of . child, then dashed forward,
No sound vas hsasd, no Shrek nor cry
nothing bat ths nd soss a ths windi
The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-05

Qittin to business, and his tongue is hung
in the middle and he's got lots to say.
And he said it. At last he came to the
ceremony. He had somewhere got the
directions for the marriage service OF the
Episcopal Church, vi ich he read in his
slow hating way.
Then he told them to "rise and take
holt Of hands"
.'Now stand closter together, and act
like We loved one another. Now hold up
yer head, Miss B; yer amt ashamed
what yer dom reckon. Now Mr.. g..
you take holt of her right hand and
squeeze it hard"
Then he began the ceremony word
at time, the bridegroom repeating after
him. When he came to with all my
worldly goods 1 thee endow, the old man
chuckled as he said: -.
"Guess you can easy DO dat; twon !
take morn dollar and half"
Then to the bride, Nov, yeu talk at.
ter me-" But she didn't talk loud
enough, and had TO 60 over 1t two or
three times, until she reached the proper
tone. When 1t come TO ''love. honor
and obey" the preacher dropped in an
other side remark, which showed his
appreciation Of the case. He said, hall
loosely:
Whsn he question vas asksd. "whe
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20
The Small Boys Explanation.

Angelica had invited her "best young
man" to the evening meal. Everything
had passed off harmoniously until An
gelica's seven-year-o brother broke
the blissful silence by exclaiming
"Oh, mai yer oughter seen Mr..
Lighted the other night, when he called
to take Angie to the drill he looked SO
nice, sitting long side of her with his
arm"
Erred !" screamed the maiden, whose
face began to assume the color of
well-done crab-quickly placing her
hand over the boys mouth.
eyer oughter seen him." continued
the persistent informant after gaining
his breath, and the embarrassed girls
hand was removed; she had his
arm"
"Freddie!" shouted the mother, as in
her frantic attempt to reach the boys
auricular appendage she upset the con-
tents of the teapot in Mr.. Lighted's
lap, making numerous Prussian war
maps over his new lavendar pantaloons
81 was just goin' to say" the half
frightened boy pleaded, betweena cry
and an injured whine, she had his
arm"
"You boy!" thundered the father,
''away to the wood-shed."
And the boy made for the nearest exit,
exclaimed as he waltzed, 81 was only
goin' to say Mr.. Lighted had his army
clothes on, and I'll leave it to him if he
didn't"
And the boy was permitted to return,
and the remainder of the meal was spent
in explanations from the family in re-
gard to the number of times Freddie
had to be ''talked to" for using his
finger for ladle.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20

Europe, continental and insular, con-
sumes two millions of matches daily
Assuming that each several act of igni-
ton occupies the brief period in one
secondhand we have reason to believe
it is rarely performed in shorter time
it will be obvious to every ready reck-
oner that five hundred and fifty-five
thousand hours of each successive day
are spent by the inhabitants of Europe
in striking matches. There is food for
much speculation in the fact that
Europeans dispose of nearly sixty-four
years per day in scraping tiny sticks,
tipped with some infammable compost
ton. It is also interesting to learn that
four hundred thousand cubic yards of
timber and four hundred and twenty
thousand pounds weight of phosphorus
are in annual request for the manufac-
ture of the seven hundred and thirty
thousand millions of matches used up
by Europe in year.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20
Not Always a Remedy.

There was group of gentlemen sit
ting in drug store last Sunday morn
ing discussing smallpox. Gilhooly was
there, too. The doctor had just re-
marked what blessing science was,
and how the lives of so many thousands
and tens of thousands of human beings
had been saved by vaccination alone;
that vaccination never failed to save a
mans life.
''That may all be so," remarked Gil
hooly, "but in the case Of my uncle, his
life was saved by his not being vaccin-
ated. He lived in California, and the
smallpox was very bad, and all that
saved his life was his refusal to get vac
cinated. If he had got vaccinated it
would have cost him his life."
'That must have been very singular
case. I wish you would give me the
precise date" said the doctor, taking
out his notebook.
''Not at all. He was in Jail, and the
vigilants broke in and took him out OF
Jail, and were about to hang him to
tree, when they discovered he was all
broken out with the smallpox. They
scattered like covey of partridges.
The further proceedings were suspended
instead of my uncle, and his life was
saved. Now, you will acknowledge,
doctor, that if he had been vaccinated
he could not possibly have taken the
smallpox, and if he had not had the
smallpox at the time he would certainly
have lost his life; so in this case, at
least, you will admit that vaccination
would have cost him his life."
The doctor wanted to discuss the
question, but was defeated on a strict
party vote.-1erds lSiftings.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20
Indignant Postal Cerk.

An indignant head clerk in the Balti-
more postoffice wants the newspapers to
convey to the public his emphatic protest
againt the latest popular mania-con-
fined as yet to sentimental writer's of
billet namely, the sticking Of
postage stamps upon unusual and out
of-the-way parts of envelopes. There is,
it seems, "postage-stamp code" of
Irritation, and each position of stamp
expresses some particular sentiment.
Now the law allows the stamp to be
put anywhere on the envelope the
sender may please. But its position is
matter of Importance to the cancelling
clerks. "As long," says the Baltimore
official Gas the stamps are in the ortho-
dox place-the upper right hand corner
they can work away like bees, and get
through quickly, because the motion
from the ink-psd to the envelope is a
continuous one but just as soon as they
have to hunt around over the letter to
find where the stamp is wafered, why,
they can't get along near so fast. Please
hint through your paper that every let
ter that comes here not stamped with a
single stamp on the right hand upper
corner we use to make paper chickens
out Of"
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20
VIRGINIA ITEMS.

The City Council of Lynchburg has
ratified contract with the Richmond
and Allegheny Railroad Company,
which provides that in consideration of
the company building stone dam
across the entire breadth of the river
above the city, so as to have it always
amply supplied with water, the latter
agrees to cancel debt due it of $50, 900,
and to grant the right-of-way through
Jefferson street.
There is about to be an old California
40 gold boom in Buckingham. 1t is
reported that irresponsible parties have
been digging for and getting nuggets
and working up "tailings" too proftably
for the interest of the owners of the
gold diggings.
The annual state fair of Virginia will
be opened this year on the 18th of Oc-
tober, and will continue eleven days.
The Danville Times reports the pros
pect for tobacco as being very gloomy,
saying that the draught has very Sc
riously affected the crop generally-par-
ticularly the early planting.
L uo tOtti uuHpef VI JcISOuo dSScbocu
with capitation tax in 1880 was,
| White, 1877, 1876 colored, LA, 1913. The
total amount of income assessed in the
state for 1880 was So, 322, AGO in 1879 it
was $2, 943, 1884.
At Big Lick, Roanoke county, the
JUNCTION of the Norfolk and Western,
he New Ri yer and the Shenandoah Val
ey roads, coal depot on a large scale
to be established. Arrangements
have also been completed for putting
up extensive iron works at the same
place-the necessary arrangements hav-
ing already been made.
The iron and steel works now being
erected at Goshen, Rockbridge county,
by an English, joint-stock corporation,
styled the Iron and Steel Works Associ-
alton of Virginia, will be, perhaps, the
most extensive in the country.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20
The Wedding Finger.

There are few objects among the pro-
ductions of art contemplated with such
lively interest by ladies, after certain
age, as the weddipg-ring; this has been
the theme for poets of every caliber-
for geniuses of every wing, from the
dabbling duckling to the soaring eagle.
The mouldy antiquary can tell the
origin of the custom with which it is
connected, and perchance why the ring
was round, and account for many cir
cumstances concerning the ceremonies
of the circlet, on the most conclusive
evidence, amounting to absolute conjec-
tural demonstrations. Amidst all that
has been said and written in reference
to the ring, I believe the part engaged
in that mystic matter, the taper resi-
dence of this ornament has been neg
lected. Now this is rather curious, and
there are facts which belong to the
ring finger which render it in peculiar
manner an appropriate emblem of
matrimonial union. 1t is the only fin
ger where two principal nerves belong
to two distinct trunks; the thumb is
supplied with its principal nerves from
the radial nerve, as is also the forefn-
ger, the middle finger, and the thumb
side of the ring finger, while the ulnar
nerve furnishes the little finger and the
other side of the ring finger at the point
or extremity of which real union takes
place. It seems as if it were intended
by nature to be the matrimonial finger.
That the side of the ring finger next to
the little finger is supplied by the ulnar
nerve is frequently proved by common
accident, that of striking the elbow
against the edge of chair, door, or
any narrow hard substance the ulnar
nerve is then frequently struck, and
thrilling sensation is then felt in the
little finger, and on the same side of
the ring finger, but not on the other
side of it.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20
ITEMS OF INTEREST.

Midhat Pasha escaped the executioner
and goes into exile, where he will live
and, perhaps, die unwept unhonored
and unhung.
Mrs. Dominis, sister of King Kala-
kua, and the wife of an American ship
master at Hawaii, acts as regent of, the
kingdom in her brothers absence.
The Fenians are aiming carving
knife at the very heart of Old England
they try to keep the Prince of Wales
from enjoying his dinners.
Eighty thousand acres of Arkansas
land have been bought by the Catholic
Colonization Society. The aim is to in
duce Irishmen to become farmers.
Senator Wade Hampton has written
to General Raum that be hopes that the
men who recently have defed the Fed
eral authority in South Carolina will be
arrested.
There are seventeen important arte-
sian wells in Philadelphia, mostly at
manufacturing places. The deepest is
$50 feet, and the amount of water drawn
from them is large.
President Garfield's two elder sons
will not be obliged to go through the
Williams College entrance examination
next month. They will enter on Cor
tifcate from their tutor.
The Smithsonian Institute has secured
the turtle which has been the object of
he curious for the last few days in New
York. 1t died Saturday, and its weight
has been ascertained at 2,084 pounds.
Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-08-20
A RICE FOR A WIFE.

Did you ever ride mule? I don't
mean civilized creature accustomed to
good society, but wild steed of the
plains Brought up on the grass and
rattlesnakes, and accustomed to cavort
regardless of the constitution as amend
ed, or the rights of man. Mules are
pretty much alike the world over, only
the Texas mule is little more so.
rode one the other day, and I'm go
ing to try to tell you about it, 1t won't
be very well written, because my right
arm has been in a sling, and T have
more bruises than bones. You see
fell in love with girl-deep as a forty
foot well-I mean my love, not the girl
she isn't deep bit-and as my luck
would have it, another fellow fell about
the same distance at the same time.
He's not bad looking chap, and
wears store clothes on week days. He
parts his hair in the middle, and oils it
up with bergamot and cinnamon. He
has his name printed on pieces of paste
board and drops them around promiscu-
olsly for fear people might forget that
A. Brown was about. had to acknowl-
edge the fact that between this fellow
and myself, in the affections of the di-
vine Araminta, it was nip and tuck, with
the dog little ahead.
l put on my best clothes one day and
walked over to the gals house, intend
ing to move on her works, and have the
little thing settled without further de-
bate. Ny rival was there, and seemed
to have on his best clothes. That didn't
amount to much, for I knew that at ten
o'clock, six hours after my arrival, he'd
have to wend his winding way home,
for the old lady he boarded with didn't
allow irregular hours.
If he got to his frugal couch, or rather
the house containing it, he might skin
his knuckles and kick his boots of, but
he wouldn't get in after that hour, and
the haymow is not very pleasant bed
room in flea time. But was soon re-
lieyed of all anxiety. We had diver
sion that broke up the sitting.
Araminta is possessed of little
brothsr-I hate girls brothers If they
are little they play tricks on you, and if
they are big they borrow your money,
get drunk, and insult you with impu-
nifty, knowing that you are in love with
the sister and won't resent an insult.
While we were talking in small way,
and looking volumes of love at the girl
and wrath at each other, we heard a
fearful yell in the garden patch, and
running out, found little brother on the
ground in active commissions. He had
been trying to eat his way through the
melon patch. 1t was a disgusting fail
nre, for he could not have bursted open
and gone into the contents of more than
ten or twelve.