davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

Following is an extract from private letter
from Miss Clara Pierce of Londonderry, who
is a missionary teacher of the Presbyterian
Home Missions in Utah:
MOUNT PLEASANT, UTAH, Aug 81, 81
spent a week camping in the
canon with a party of twenty of our teachers
aud preachers. Having been absent SO long
from my post, l returned home before the
breaking up of camp, so as to care for the
work here while my co-laborers should 90 to
the meeting of the presbytery. We shall
open our school soon, with an addition to our
teaching force of young lady from New
York, who will teach music and relieve me of
the care of the primary folks. We
are rejoicing in the prospect of fine bell for
our chapel. 1t is now on the way, and we
are preparing tower for its reception. This
will be the first bell in San Pete county, though
our neighbors at Mont are to have one when
their new chapel is completed in October
We also need and expect soon to have an ad-
ditional room built to the chapel. have
some fears as TO the size of the school when
we open, as Mormon opposition is just now
more determined, il possible, than ever be-
fore but the children will come in gradually
Sometimes circumstances seem to bar all way
to further progress but hitherto all obstacles
have been surmOunted, and while the work is
for right and in Gods hands, we do not de-
spair nor ever yield to discouragement.
wish that the people of our country were
awake to the fact that Utah is but nominaly
part of the United States. Our work is to
Christianize Utah; but if in the future our
government would avoid serious trouble from
this source, it must begin the work of Amer-
canizing her never lose an opportunity of
teaching my pupils loyalty, To-day's daily
inspires us with fresh hope that our pres-
dents life may yet be spared us. 1t is often
iusnuated here that he was stricken down as
judgment for thinking to act against Nor
monism.
Have you taken your vacation wish it
were possible for you to spend it in these
mountains, There is nothing like them.
do not believe with the poet that persons are
often led Through nature up to natures
God !" but l do believe, that, to one who is
already in communion with that God, these
wonderful exhibitions of His power and glory
do speak with voice of no uncertain sound.
While in the mountains am continually re-
minded Of that grand old hymn of the Wal
denses, For the strength of the hills we
praise Thee o God"
l have recently formed an acquaintance
with Rev. Mr.. Leonard, the new superinten-
dent of Congregational missions in Utah, but
only slight. He is pleasant gentleman, but
not yet well acquainted with work here.
CLARA PIERCE.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30
rre.,asn, Ar,hur,. nlr.hrIsee.

The New York Sun hag had n correspond
ent up at Fairfield, Vt, looking up the birth
place of President Arthur. Fairfield is not
lime town" exactly, but adjoins st. Albans,
with two towns between it and Canada.
There are number of old men and women
who remember William Arthur, the school
master, who married Malvina Stone of Dun
ham, Canada, became Baptist minister, and
was settled a few years in Fairfield, where he
had taught school. "Uncle Jack" Baker and
"Uncle Rastus" Chandler remember how he
used TO take them out sleigh riding and coast
ing and what "beautiful penman" he was.
Arthur was an Irishman, a graduate of Bel
fast college, and of ioyial and attractive
character, like his son, highly popular with
his pupils and parish. Here is one sketch of
him -
81 met him." said Mr.. soule, who now
lives at Fairfield Centre, "when they had
great disputation here. Lefevre the Uni
versalist, was one side, and Champlin, a
Methodist, and Arthur spoke against him.
Arthur was n smart talking man and a smart
ish acting man, and they had great time of
it talking out there But Arthur told me af-
terward Lefevre had almost convinced him.
He had girl named Regina, who used to be
spouling Bible verses all the time that's the
way she took exercise. He had boy while
he lived here. My friend, DIR. Chester Abel,
tOlu me tne DOy WAS 10 30 named uttef nun.
/ supposed, on that account that the vice.
presidents name was Chester Abel Arthur,
and was surprised to hear that he called him
self Chester Allan Arthur"
This discrepancy is noted by all the observ-
ers, but arose from the fact that VIM. Arthur
gave his son the middle name of Allan be-
cause that was the name of his own father,
and Chester after the name Of the physician
who was present when he was born. "Ches-
ter Allan Arthur" it was recorded in the fam
lily Bible. Dr. @. l.. Case of Brandon, who
was boy Of nine and played with the Ar
thur girls remembered when Chester was
born and was told afterward that ELDER Ar
thur danced up and down the room for joy"
but Regina was much disappointed because
the boy was not big enough TO play with i'm
mediately. DIR. Case saw Rev. William Ar
thur afterward in life and heard him speak of
his boy with natural pride when ne was in
Union college and again after he became col
lector of New York. There is large mass
Of testimony from living persons, old account
books and other sources TO the main fact that
William Arthur lived at Fairfield in 1880 and
that there was born his son Chester A, Octo-
Der .. The theory that Mr.. Arthur was q
subsequent boy, born while his mother was
at her father-in-law's in Canada, seems to be
without foundation. Nothing is left Of the
log house in which the President was born
but the cellar. Since the days Of the great
Virginians, how many presidents have been
born in log houses
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30
GnrnaIh,a LIfe.

tFrom the Albany Evening Journall
We have often dwet upon the main fea-
lures Of Garfeld's biography, but there is 80
much Of genuine manlness and encourage
ment in it, that the people never tire Of the
story. The turning points in his life are ire.
sstibly recalled to-day. We first think Of
him as a baby, fifty years ago, in that Cuyahoga
county log.oabin where he was born The
date was 18th November, 1881. He was the
youngest Of four children. His father was
poor even for that place and time. james
knew no comforts for twenty-five years. His
childhood and youth was work, work, work.
As soon as he was old enough TO handle an
axe or hoe he was put 10 work upon the farm,
and his early education was picked up in q
little district school, where he learned TO read,
write and cipher in the intervals Of his labor.
His first regular wages were earned by work.
ing in a potash factory owned by neighbor.
At seventeen he obtained job at wood-out-
ting near the Lake Erie shore, and the sight
Of the water inspired him with desire to be
sailor lie found employment on a canal
boat meantime finding opportunity to study,
and narrowly escaped drowning Acting on
the belief that Providence must have spared
his life in order that he might become OF
some service, he concluded to go TO school
and make man Of himself. His mother gave
him $17 and with this money he got through
one term of school. In the summer he work.
ed for day wages in the hay and harvest fields,
and helped to build farmhouse for his
mother. Returning TO the academy in the
fall, he boarded himself at a cost of 81 cents
per week, but, finding the fare hardly good
enough for health, increased his expenses to 5C
cents per week. He taught school in the
winter, and the next spring went back TO the
academy and supported himself by working
for a carpenter mornings and evenings and
Saturdays. Finally he went TO Hiram, and
in 1852 to Williams, graduating at the age OF
25, by dint of hard physical as well as menta
work aud starting back home with debt Of
$3.50. He soon became distinguished as a
teacher, and in 1858 married one Of his pu
pills, Lucreta Rudolph. When the Kansas
agitation commenced, his political pulses be
gan to beat. In 1858 he was elected to the
state senate. Meantime he had zealously
studied law, and in 1861 was admitted to the
supreme court He took the field in the
same year, and in 1868, was made Major
General for important services. Meantime
at the period when it seemed as If the wal
was about to close, he had been elected tC
| Congress. Ever since then his conspicuous
abilities have made him prominent figure a
Washington.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

While Garfield was in camp after the battle
of Shiloh, he refused TO deliver up fugitive
slave who had sought refuge from a brutal
master. Receiving mandatory order from
his division commander to hunt out and de-
liver up the slave to his master, Gen. Garfield
took the order, and, at the risk Of court mar
tial, wrote the following endorsement: Il
respectfully but positively decline to allow my
command to search for or deliver up any fugi-
tive slaves. conceive that they are here for
quite another purpose. The command is
open, and no obstacles will be placed in the
way of the search" demonstrated with and
the possibility of court martial urged he
replied: "The matter may as well be tested
first as last. Right is right and do not pro.
pose to mince matters at all. My soldiers are
here for far other purposes than hunting and
returning fugitive slaves My people on the
Western Reserve of Ohio did not send myself
and my boys down here to do that kind of
business, and they will back me up in my ac-
tion." This was the first instance in which a
Union officer refused to return a fugitive
slave, but the principle of Garfeld's action
was affirmed by the war department and en-
bodied in general order.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

A few minutes after IL o'clock Friday
morning Mrs. Garfield, accompanied by her
son Harry, her daughter Mollie, Col. and Mrs.
Rockwell and daughter, Gen. Swain, and
Attorney General and Mrs. MacVeagh, drove
TO the Senate wing of the Capitol, and, re-
pairing to the Presidents room, sent for Col.
Bright who was informed that Mrs Gar
field desired TO look for the last time on
the face of her deceased husband. Col.
Bright Immediately proceededto the Rotunda
and after informing the guard of honor of
Mrs. Gartield's desire, directed that all per-
sons should leave that the four doors lead
ing to the Rotunda should be closed, and
that the guard should retire to the outside
and remain there until Mrs. Garfield had per-
formed her mission of love. The four en-
frances having been thus closed and guarded,
Col. Bright caused the lid of the coffin to be
removed and then escorted Mrs. Garfield TO
the Rotunda, which she entered alone through
the north door. Not living soul was in the
vast circular room except herself. She was
alone with her dead, and what occurred dur
ing the 20 minutes she remained there no one
can tell. When she left she took with her
some of the flowers that surrounded the cof-
fin, and was escorted back to the Presidents
room by Col. Bright At exactly ~ O'Clock
Gen. Swain and Col. Rockwell, the two life
long friends and faithful nurses of the late
President throughout his long and terrible
suffering, repaired to the Rotunda and, clos
ing the lid of the coffin, locked it, and direct
ed that it should never again be opened.
This was done by direction of Mrs. Garfield.
1t was just 20 weeks ago at noon that Gen.
Garfield was inaugurated President Of the
United States, and il was deemed fitting that
his career should close with his c0ffin-lid in
the Capitol where it was substantially begun,
shaped and rounded. After this sad service
had been performed, Mrs. Garfield and those
who accompanied her left the Capitol and did
not return for the funeral services, driving
directly from the residence of Attorney-Gen-
eral MacVeagh to the railroad station few
minutes before the time appointed for the de-
parture of the funeral train.
Among the remarkable incidents of FRI
day in connection with the lying in state Of
the body of the late President was a visit to
the Rotunda from ex-Presidents Grant and
Hayes after having witnessed the swearing
in of President Arthur by the Chief Justice.
The two ex- Presidents moved quietly and
sadly to the side of the coffin and, taking a
place in the line of visitors, gazed for min
ute on the face of their successor, and then,
arm-in-arm, silently retraced their steps to
the Senate wing of the Capitol
The change in the appearance of the re-
mains became so apparent on Thursday af-
ternoon that, at the request of Mrs. Garfield
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

LIPPINCoTT's MAGAZINE for October opens
with a paper on Grand Traverse Bay, by
Maurice Thompson, whose description, aided
by fine illustrations, of this most attractive
spot, with its beautiful lake scenery, splendid
trout-fshng, and cheapness of living, will be
likely to send many pleasure in that
direction next summer well-written ac-
count of Cordova, with its relics of Moorish
grandeur, by S. p. Scott, and q most enter
tanning paper on the Sacred Baboons" of
India, forming the seventh chapter of DIR. Os-
walds geological Curiosities," are also care
fully illustrated. my Journey with King, "
by Louise Coffin Jones, "A Day in the North
Woods" by Ward Bachelor, and Young
America in old England, by j. Magruder,
are lively and well-constructed sketches.
There are several short stories in the num-
ber, and the poems and editorial departments
are up to the usual high standard of the mag
azine
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

CONVICTED ON HIS OWN TESTIMONY. There
was a dramatic incident in Troy, N. Y,
courtroom, the other day. King and Ham
ilton, two conviets in Dannemora prison,
quarrelled, soon after the shooting of Presi-
dent Garfield, over the fitness of Vice-Presi-
dent Arthur to succeed TO the Presidency.
King became so much excited that when at
length Hamilton made some strong remarks
adverse to the Vice President, King struck
him upon the head with an axe, and then
struck second blow, killing him on the spot.
Last week King, who was under sentence to
imprisonment for life for previous murder,
was brought TO trial for this murder. About
an hour and half only suffioed for the testi-
mony and arguments and the jury then re-
tired to deliberate. They were absent con-
siderable time, and at length returned and
asked the Judge to give explanations of the
difference between the first and second de-
grees of murder, thus indicating that some of
the jury were inclined TO verdict of murder
in the second degree only. AS the judge was
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

beginning TO answer the question Of the jury
the prisoner started to his feet and interposed
this extraordinary protest
Your Honor aud gentlemen of the jury,
this was not a murder in the second degree.
II was deliberate and premeditated murder.
1 know that I have done wrong, that ought
to confess the truth, and that ought to be
hanged" Here the prisoners counsel tried
in vain TO silence him. NO" continued
King, II have done wrong. 1t is my duty
to confess It, aud cannot help doing 80.
cannot keep still. plead guilty TO murder
in the first degree. IL was fifteen minutes
from the time struck the first blow with the
axe until l struck him the second time and
all this time kept thinking will finish this
man. II this is not preineditated murder,
what is III l have already killed two men.
What is my life to me? The life of either of
these two men whom have killed is worth
dozen of mine"
As the prisoner closed the Judge remarked
that this confession left no need for an ex-
PLANTATION a verdict Of murder in the first
degree was returned and King was sentenced
to be hung Nov 4th next.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

ADVISED TO HEDGE.-Two friends were dis
cussing the merits of their acquaintanees.
One said "Talk about mean men, now
there's old Strassberger. Hes the hardest,
driest, meanest old Shylock that ever lived.
That man whyw And there he stopped as
if words couldn't do justice to the subject.
you're mistaken" said his friend. "Hes
not so bad even the devil isn't so black as
he is painted. Now, I'll bet you so 1 can
borrow $50 of him before night"
'Done ?" and the money was put up. On
posted the sanguine bookmaker to his intend
ed victim.
''Stassberger, my boy, how are you ?" and
he slapped him on the back of a faded coat,
''vell, was all right. Vot's de madder
NIT your"
''Look here, old fellow, made a little bet
about you just now-ha, but it's a capital
joke"
'Um :" said Strassberger. we'll"
''Yes, 1 Just bet SO with Smithy that
could borrow $50 of you to-day"
"Feefty tollar!"
''Yes, that was the amount.
"And you bet ten ?"
That's what put up"
"Vell, now, look here, my friend, Gin a
low Whisper, you go straight away and
hedge. = Virginia city Chronicle.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

ARIZONA Is THE HOTTEST REGION on the
globe During the summer the mercury
ranges from 10Go to 1902 Fahrenheit. The
latter altitude is seldom reached elsewhere
than in the vicinity of Yuma. In the noun
tains the heat is always four or five degrees
less than on the mesas But the strength Of
the heat is greatly exaggerated. A heat of
Sc in the vicinity of New York, with the hu-
mid atmosphere which generally prevails
there, is far more oppressive than 110' in Ar
izona, where the atmosphere is as dry as a
bone. Mechanics work in the middle of the
day with as much ease as in the East. Sun
stroke is unknown and dogs never 60 mad.
The nights are always cool and pleasant.
Owing TO the extraordinary changes of tenn
perature between morn and midnight the
climate is not favorable to those afflicted with
pulmonary complaints, and a large proper
tion Of the deaths which occur are due to dis
eases of that class. 1t is popularly supposed
that lawlessness is rampant in the territories,
aud unfortunately there is too much ground
for the impression but there could not be a
greater mistake in regard to Arizona. The
Cowboys" confne their exploits to one part
of the territory. Their headquarters are in
the extreme southeast, and they seldom ven
ture far from their base, or, if they do, be-
have with propriety. The gang is nearly
broken up, and will disappear before the in
roads of civilization. The rest of the terrific
ry is well governed, and the laws administer
ed with fidelity. Tuscon is a model city iu
all things relating to crime, as are Prescott,
Phoenix and Florence. Tombstone, the
headquarters of the rough mining element, is
singularly free from the fragrant violations oi
law and decency which are too apt to charac-
terize the daily life Of mining towns.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30
From the Pinch Of Poverty 90 the
Presidency.

[From the New York Times.l
Abram Garfield had not proceeded far in
the work of clearing away the forest that sur
rounded his home, and this child of his the
dead President of whose greatness he was
never to know, had only reached the second
year of his age, when the broad breasted
man, just fairly into his stern life-battle, was
stricken down Of an autumn day with an ILL
ness of which he died. He was buried near
the log cabin in the corner of a field from
which a few weeks before he had harvested
wheat. Winter came all too swiftly on for
the weak and widowed mother. That winter
was unusually long and bitterly cold for the
bereaved little household, for 1t was not only
in grief and poor, but seriously in debt. or
the farm, 80 acres were sold outright, and
sternly the heroic mother and her children
went TO work to pay the debt that remained
on the rest. Thomas, tho older boy, hired a
horse and followed the plow, and of the moth
or it is said that she split the rails with
which a fence was built. Two years had pass
ed before they could get for James a pair of
shoes in which to 60 out of the house an d
walk TO the school house in the village a Ion g
mile away.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

A QUEER KNo.-The most curious of liv-
ing monarchs is King Louis Of Bavaria. Not
a little has been written about his love of
music and alteration of Herr Wagner, but his
strangest peculiarity-his extreme dislike of
all human society-does not seem to have re-
ceved the same amount of attention. In his
country palace in the Bavarian highland, he
passes his days and nights without seeing
solitary person. All the out-of-door work
about the large estate is done at night or
early in the morning. and, some hours before
the king is up. the laborers are miles away,
and the great gates of the park are securely
locked. The whole service in the palace in
is carried on in such way that he can see no
one. His meals are brought into the room
by means of a mechanical apparatus, and,
when he dictates TO his private secretary let
ters upon official business, a thick curtain
separates the two. But perhaps the most Gu
rious contriyance for gaining solitude is a
subterranean lake. This has existed from
the earliest times in deep mountain cave,
near where King Louis palace stands, but by
his orders it has been enlarged, and is brill
iantly lighted, either by gas or electricity.
There is also a steam machine, concealed
from view, which agitates the water SO as to
produce the effect of the wind blowing up
waves. Upon this sheltered expanse King
Louis spends hours of each day, floating in a
gilded, swan-shaped boat. No one is allowed
within summoning distance, as his majesty
found, when one day the steam machine
overworked, and lashed the water into stormy
pillows. On that occasion the swan-shaped
boat was upset, and King Louis narrowly es-
capped losing his life. 1t should in extenua-
ton, be said of him that, in business of state,
he shows a remarkable aptitude, which goes
to explain the leniency of his subjects in
bearing with his idiosyncrasies.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

The curious fact is stated that during the
war, or just before, Gen. Garfield and three
other gentlemen-Rev. DIR. Errett, Rev. Har-
rison Jones of Cleveland, and DIR. j. p. Rob
inson warm personal friends-made a COM
pact, by the terms of which, when any one of
the four died, the survivors we're to attend the
funeral and take some public part in the cere-
monies. Gen Garfield is the first 10 pass
away. DIR. Power, hearing Of the compact,
telegraphed an invitation to DIR. Errett to
come to Washington and take part in the fu-
neral. He did so, and also delivered the fune-
raj address at Cleveland. DR.. Robinson acted
as president of the day at Cleveland, and the
Rev. Mr.. Jones, who was chaplain of Gar
fields old Ohio regiment, made the remarks
at the grave.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

Gen. Garfield was President only six months
and fifteen days, three years. five months and
a half of the presidential term remaining for
Gen. Arthur's incumbency. All the Presi-
dents who have died in office have died in the
early part of the term. Gen. Tayler lived six
teen months after his Inauguration, leaving
two-thirds of the term to be filled by Mr.
Fillmore. Abraham Lincoln was assassinat-
ed one month and eleven days after his sec
ond Inauguration, and Andrew johnson there
fore held the Office three years, ten months
and half. Gen. Harrison's term of power
was the briefest of all. He died just one
month after his Inauguration day Tyler was
three years, eleven months in office.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-30

A READING UNION FOR YoUNa Folks is in
augurated in the October number of WIDE
AWAKE. Law papers for young citizens,
magma charta stories, health and strength pa
pers, musical biographies, a series about the
ocean, articles telling how to do things, the
wise blackbird's page, and varied explora-
tions in natural history, form an attractive
miscellany for the first years course. This
departure is named in honor of Ohautauqua,
Chautauqua Young Folks Reading Union,
&c. Y. f. r. u" Edward Everett Hale has
a capital article in the number, To-day, "
No. Y, giving many valuable hints to the
young folks who are making stamp collec-
tiOns