davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
Fifty Years Ago.

Fifty years ago A. g., mother with eleven
children, who, like Solomon's "virtuous
woman" spun wool and fax and clothed her
own household, was in the habit of walking
over three miles to attend religious worship
at the house of God. In time OF especial
awakening, at church conference meeting,
she met sister, equally devoted, from a dis
tant part of the town, and they talked to-
gether of the Lords work among their
neighbors and friends, till their hearts
burned within them, as did the hearts Of the
disciples that journeyed to Emmaus. Their
discourse led them TO mention prosperous,
influential man with large family, who
made himself prominent in connection with
the revival by his bold opposition to the
work, and his open avowal of sentiments Of
inidelity. His conduct corresponded with
his belief, he was considered altogether the
"hardest man in town." After dwelling
few moments on the incalculable power Of
influence such man was sure to exert,
whether for good or evil, they both stimuli
taneously said, " Let us pray for him. Is any
thing too hard for the Almighty 2" Then
they separated not knowing when they
should meet again, for each had large fam
lily to care for, and abundant home duties
which, in those days, il was deemed sin 10
neglect A. Y. has pointed out 10 the writer
a large rock by the highway, where, weary
with her long homewsrd journey on foot,
she sat down 10 rest, and unmindful of time
or place, became lost in supplication for the
infdel father, till the evening shadows gath
cred in the woods about her, while her whole
heart was still crying, with the tenacity Of
Jacobs faith, " will not let thee go till
thou bless" Four weeks passed aud the
sisters met again in the church conference,
to hear this same violent opposer confess
Christ before men, and acknowledge himself
brand plucked from the burning" This
happened fifty years ago, and that once
blasphemous man." has long since partaken
of the inheritance of the saints in light, but
his twelve children, all devoted Christians,
are scattered through several New England
towns, and are still exertng wide influence
for good In view of these far-reaching re-
suits, who can estimate the Significance Of
the agreement of those two sisters, touching
the "one thing" they asked, which was done
for them of the Father in heaven. But
none, says critical friend, pray with the
expectation of such results nowadays. Why
not? Our God is the "sams yesterday, to
day and forever" and his "hand is moi
shortened that it can not save neither hi:
ear heavy that it can not hear."-Mornins
| Star
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
General Burnside's Religion.

Rev. Mr.. Woodbury. said in his address
at the funeral of General Burnside: " There
was, withal in General Burnside's ch aracter
a deep religious element. 1t may not have
often come to the surface, certainly not in
any ostentatious way, but it lay within him,
his safeguard from many an ill, his encour-
agement in many difficult duty and his
support in many a sore and trying expert
ence. 1t was my privilege to see somewhat
of this innermost life of his, whether more
than others do not now say, but We have
had in former days many a conversation in
camp beneath the light of the stars and in
the early dawn on very high themes, and
was instructed and helped by the clearness
of his thought and the purity of his spirit
Many time has he kneeled in prayer be-
side me in our quarters before entering to
rest at night, and in later years, doubt not
there have been hours of secret silent devo-
tion when he humbly and sincerely sought
the help of God. In letter which he wrote
to me on assuming the command of the
army of the Potomac find these words :
You know how much feel any response
bility placed upon me, and can readily i'm
agine how much of my time is occupied
with this enormous command. You will
remember that when | was with you in the
field with comparatively small command,
felt that could do nothing Of myself, and
then felt more than ever in my life the
need OF an entire reliance upon an all-wise
Creator. But now the responsibility is SO
great that at times | tremble at the thought
of assuming that am able to exercise SO
large command. Yet when think that
have made no assumption, that | have
stunned the responsibility, and only accepted
when | was ordered to do it, and when il
would have been disloyal and unfriendly to
our government not to do it, and then | take
courage and approach our Heavenly Father
with freedom and trustfulness, conf lent
that if can act honestly and industriously,
constantly asking his protection and assist
ance, all will be well, no matter how dark
everything now seems to me-"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
A Little Deed OF Kindness.

Many Christian, probably, is desirous TO
do something for the Lord, but his circum-
stances seem to offer him no opportunity
whatever. A life on the prairie, where the
homes stand half a mile apart, and only five
or six of them in the circle of good days
walk, is certainly place where opportuni-
ties for Christian work are somewhat linn
tied. But the following incident shows
that even there the kind heart will find OPP
portunity TO scatter seeds of kindness 1t
was during the last harvest on the south
western prairie of Minnesota, that a farmer,
after having harvested his own crop, had to
help his father, living over mile away
The whole family, father, mother two little
children and the hired man, had to drive
over early in the morning, before the wife
had time to clear the table, make the beds
or do any house work whatever Returning
home late in the evening, all this had TO be
done, so that it was always late at night be-
fore the tired housewife could 60 to rest.
Much had to be left undone for want of
time and strength. The Sabbath drew near.
Ga Saturday afternoon two of the neighbor-
ing ladies mounted their horses, rode over to
that home, gain ID entrance through a trap
door, and went TO work clearing the table,
washing dishes, making bread, sweeping
rooms, in short, giving the house a general
Saturdays overhauling Then they started
the fire and had good supper ready when
in the evening the family came home. OF
course, the whole was complete surprise
TO them, and the good housewife could not
keep back the tears at such q proof OF
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
MuslIns, and How They are Made.

IL Is frequently said that English and
French muslins now produced by machinery
rival in fneness of texture and beauty Of
finish those woven in the East. But it is
not true. native woman with her fingers
and spindles alone and native man with
his toes and bamboo loom alone will spin a
thread and finish piece Of muslin which
cannot, by the application of the most deli
cate machinery, be produced outside of
India. There Is one quality of Decca mus
lin, for example, which is termed "woven
air." II is made only for kings daughters.
So short is the staple of the raw material,
and so brittle its fbres, that il must be spun
by woman under twenty-five, and before
the dew has left the grass in the morning.
As substitute for natural moisture, the
evaporation of water from a shallow pan is
sometimes used, but the quality of the work
in that case is inferior. Aud yet, though
the most delicate and finest Of fabrics, a
piece four yards in length by one yard in
width, weighing less than one ounce avoir-
dupois often, 1t is exceedingly durable, and
will wash. Since the disappearance of many
of the native rulers of India, this evening
dew" as it is also called, is not largely
made but as there are those who will pay
ten and twelve dollars yard for 1t, the art
is not likely to be lost. The professional
story-telers of the east, swaying their bodies
to the cadences of their voice, will tell you
in rhythmical Hindostanee of the anger of
Aurungzsbe with his daughter because her
arms could be seen through the seven jahmas
she had on; and of the weaver who was
banished from Decca because his COW,
unable from its fineness to see the piece Of
Abrovan which was spread upon the herb
age, ate up six yards.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
Montreal Horticultural.

The annual show of this energetic society
the week after our state fair was real
triumph. The displays of rare and beauti-
full plants, of cut flowers, of garden yeget-
ables and of fruits were all Of the highest
merit and in unstinted profusion. We were
glad to notice in attendance great mum.
Der of Vermonters, and we trust that the
people OF the northern parts of our state, in
particular, will continue TO make much of
an exhibition at which more is to be learned,
horticulturally, than can be taught them
anywhere else on the continent. The mag
nifcent display of hardy apples, and of out
door grapes (the latter embracing nearly a
hundred varieties, including all the best
new sorts) was worth travelling a much
longer way TO see. Vermont was honorsd
by the selection of a majority of committee
OF judges on fruits from her territory. The
Province OF Quebec is making rapid progress
in fruit growing, and is already exporting
large quantities to Europe. Much Of this is
due 10 the work of the Montreal society,
and yet these results have but begun to be
seen.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
Too Early.


The Home Farm says of the show of fruit
at the recent state fair at Lewiston, Maine,
what is equally applicable to the fruit show
at our state fair, as follows The display
of fruit at the late state fair was arranged
in the galleries of city hall, aud in the num-
Der of plates shown, some six hundred, was
quite surprise to those who had expected
to see a small exhibit. But the collection
suffered from a close examination or in
other words, while in regard to numbers it
looked attractively, little study showed
much immature and half-grown fruit, and
produced a too bad feeling that it should
have been gathered so early. Our season is
some two weeks late, and the exhibition
coming so very early rendered it impossi
BILE for any satisfactory display of winter
varieties to be made; so that the strength
of the exhibition was confined to the early
varieties Of which many cultivators think
we are already growing too many. Where
winter varieties were put in to fill collec-
tion or to make up number of plates, it
was in some instances hard to identify
them-they lacked color, maturity aud de-
velopment of characteristics TO such an ex-
tent that one would have sometimes been
puzzled to identify varieties but for the
labels"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
The Land Problem at the South.

The fertile region of which Clarksville,
Tenn, is the center, is said to have suffered
so severely from drought this season that
crops are almost an entire failure, and much
suffering and even actual starvation must
ensue unless public aid is given. Bread
riots are threatened and million dollars is
named as the sum which will be needed to
furnish bread for the starving in the state
of Tennessee. The publication of these
facts leads the New York Times to remark
as follows
"The poorer negroes and whites who are
threatened with famine in Tennessee are tenant
farmers. They work parcels OF land which be-
long to some large proprietor, who, with his
family and domestic servants, expects to be sup
ported out Of the proceeds OF land cultivated by
others Here we have, In fact. precisely the state
Of affairs which is destroying English agriculture
and reducing Irish peasant farmers to starvation.
The land that one man cultvates Is required TO
support two men, and when drought OF other
cause OF failure comes, the tenant must receive
charity or starve. The Illinois and Indiana and
Iowa farmers who own their little farms OF forty
or eighty or one hundred and sixty acres prosper
and even grow rich They have money In bank,
a loss Of profit for the time being. They are al
most never without the means Of living through
year of crop failure, because their land has only
its eultyators to support and their industry pays
no tribute TO proprietor. In the South, a region
even more capable OF fruitfulness the case IL diff
ferent. The farmer planter lives still In the great
house, and lives more or less extrayaganty too.
lie does not think of cutivating the soil himself
or Of sending his sons afeld lie hires hands, OF
| he lets out his land 10 tenants. In either case
his support and that OF his family Ia placed as a
burden, a tax upon the product OF the land The
| crops grown In his fields must support him, and
| out OF what remains the men who cultivate those
crops, may get living II they can. In good years
they can In bad years they cannot, and In the
absence OF accumulated resources they are des-
ttute."
We wish the New York Times, or any of
the other city papers that know everything
aud turn up their noses at the ideas Of coun-
try people, would tell us the exact difference
between these renting landowners who are
"supported out OF the proceeds of land cul
tivated by others and the New York folks
for instance, who live in luxury and accumu
late wealth by handling" the agricultural
products of the country. Why should they
live 10 much better than the farmers whose
crops they handle 7 Are they more usefu
or necessary 10 the world We don't see
but they are in the same boat with the land
owning gentry in this particular. They taxi
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
What Faith Is.

Faith exists in various degrees, according
to the amount of knowledge or other cause.
Sometimes faith is little more than simple
clinging to Christ; sense of dependence,
and willingness to depend. When you
are down at the seaside, you will see the
limpet sticking to the rock; our little
friend, the limpet, does not know much, but
he clings. He cannot tell us much about
what he is clinging to, he is not acquainted
with the geological formation of the rock,
but he clings. He has found something to
cling to, that is his little bit of knowledge,
and he uses it by clinging to the rock of his
salvation; it is the limpet's life to cling.
Thousands of Gods people have no more
faith than this they know enough to cling
to Jesus with all their heart and soul, and
this suffices. God gives to his people the
propensity to cling. Look at the sweetpea
which grows in your garden. Perhaps it
has fallen down upon the gravel walk. Lift
it up against the laurel or the trellis, or put
a stick near it, and it catches hold directly,
because there are little hooks ready prepared
with which it grasps anything which comes
in its way it was meant to grow upwards,
and so it is provided with tendrils. Every
child of God has his tendrils about him
thoughts and desires and hopes, with which
he hooks on to Christ and the promises.
Though this is very simple sort of faith,
it is very complete and effectual form of
it, and, in fact, it is the heart of all faith,
and that to which we are often driven when
we are in deep trouble, or when sickly OF
depressed in spirit. We can cling when we
can do nothing else, and that is the very
soul of faith. Another form of faith is
this, in which man depends upon another
from a knowledge of the superiority of that
other, and follows him. A blind man trusts
himself with his guide because he knows
that his friend can see, and trusting, he
walks where his guide conducts him. Thi:
is as good an image of faith as well can be
we know that Jesus has about him merit
and power, and blessing which we do not
possess, and therefore we gladly trust our
selves to him, and he never betrays our con-
fidence.-Rev. C. II. Spurgeon.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
agricultural lrparfrenf.
t. II. BosKINs. Agricultural Editor.

Season Of mists and mellow frulifulnessi
Close bosom-frend Of the maturing sun,
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
with fruit the vines that round the thatc rum
To bend with apples the inossed cottage-trees,
And hll all fruit with rpeness to the corej
To swell the gourd and plump the hazel shells
with sweet kernel; to act budding more
And still more, later flowers for the bees.
Until they think warm days will never cease;
For summer has o'er-brimmed their clammy cells
who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store2
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless granary floor,
Thy hair soft-fted by the wlnnowing wind,
Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,
Drowsed with the fume Of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swarth and all ts twned flowers;
And sometimes like cleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across brook;
or by cider-press, with patient look
Thou watchest the last oozings. hours by hours.
Where the songs OF spring2 Ay, where are they
Think not Of them--thou hast thy music too,
While barred clouds bloom the soft dyiug day
And touch the stubble-plans with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnais mourn
Among the river-swallows, borne aloft
Or sinking "a the light wind lives or dies;
And fnll-grown lambs loud beat from hilly bourni
Tedge-crickets sing, and now, with treble soft, :
The redbreast whistles from garden croft,
And gathering swallows twtter in the skies.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
Ihf 1reside.
A MOTHERS CRY.

what does the mother-bird do, wonder,
When dear little nesting IA torn from the nest2
Does she and under sunlight and starlight
with breaking heart In her mother breast2
Does she beat her wings DER her empty cradle,
Swinging 40 drearily TO and fro2
Does she listen and cry for the chrp Of her darlng7
Poor little mother bird, know-I knowi
For my brdIng Ia gone and iis nest Ia empty;
cry and cry for II. night and day.
For my pretty bird, with ts soft wings folded
Folded and carried 80 far awayi
Yes, know God Is good, and know his angels
WIN cherish my baby, and sing It TO rest;
And know IL will sleep just As safely and sweetly
As ever II did on its own mothers breast.
But what shall I do when the days are dreary2
And what shall do when the nights 80 ong2
Can hold to my bosom a vanishing shadow,
And comfort my heart with a broken song2
Thou God, art good; hear my prayer for my baby;
In thy beautiful heaven there are mothers know.
who do not forget TO watch the cradles
OF dear little motherless babies below;
Bid one OF them take my sweet babe in her bosom
when she comes to brood over her own broken nest,
And bid her in dreams lay IT gently beside me.
In my poor empty arms, on my desoate breast
-CiereidHd Herald
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05

Christian, neighborly interest. The whole
was done chiefly to enable the woman TO go
to the preaching service in the little school.
house the next day, which otherwise she
would not have been able TO do. Need say
that she came Verify, whatsoever ye
have done unto the least Of these my breth-
rem, ye have done IL unto me-
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
MONTPELIER VT, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1881

too much because they can, and they can
because nobody seems to know how to him
der them. The only known remedy is to
make big row, as the Irish have done.
But will that really succeed
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
Iime gables.
CENTRAL VERMONT RAILROAD LINEi
Commencing on Monday, IDLY rs, 1881.
Trains goipo South and East

Trains Going South and East.
Leave Montpelier at 05 and II. 80 A. NJ, 7OOP
NJ, and 11.00 P. NJ
MaI-From Ogdenaburg Albans and Burlington leaves
Montpelier at s05 A. NJ, for Boston, via Concord
Express-From Montreal, ". Abans Burlington, Rut-
land, etc. leaves Montpelier at Has A. NJ for Boston
and New York.
Mixed Train-eaves ~. Abana At 32O p NJ, Burlington
Mi.lO ?. NJ, Montpelier at 100 ?. NJ, for Nolhaeld.
bans and Burlington, leaves Montpelier at H. p NJ
for Boston via Lowell Fltchburg, Springfield, New
York and intermediate points.
Trains Gotng North aud Vest
Leave Montpelier at 20 A. NJ. q 05 A. NJ, 10. 20 A.
NJ, 1856 p NJ. and go =. NJ
Day Express-Leayes Boston via Ftchburg at 500 IN,
via Lowell at s5 A. NJ, New London ~ 800 A. ~,
Springfield At 500 A. NJ, Montpelier at 3b5 p ~, for
Burlington, Rutland, st. Albans, Montreal ogdensbure
and the west.
Accommodation Train-Leaves Northneld at $50 A..
NJ Montpelier ut sO5 A. NJ, for Burlington, Rutland,
ST. Albane, st. Johns, Rouses Point and Ogdensburg.
Mixed-Leavee W. X. Junction at SIS NJ, Norhhed at
1920 a. Montpelier at 1880 A. NJ for Burlington st..
Albans and Rchford.
Accommodation Train-Leaves White River juno
ton at 2l0 Montpelier at $50 for Burlington,
ST. Albans and Montreal.
Night Express-Leaves Boston via Lowell at 100 n.
via fitchburg al 500 NJ, New York at 400 P.
sprngield at 500 Pm Montpelier At 52O AN, for Bur
lngton, st. AlbanA, Montreal and 0gdbg and the West
Trains Montpelier Barre at 1925 A. M and 1850
N. and 40 P. N. Returning leave Barre at S.25 A.
NJ, $50 P. NJ. and 800. Pm.
Sleeping Night Express running
between Montreal Boston, and Montreal and Spring
press between Boston and Montreal and New York and
through tickets for Chicago and the West for sale at the
principal stations y. W. HOBART, General sup't.
w.F. SMITH, General Passenger Agent.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05

JoHs T, SCHNEIDER OF Syracuse, New York,
soldier in the late war, has just cut out bullet
which WAS shot into his hip in 1862, The wound
had been dressed daily for twenty years.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
Mew advertisements.
WeiDeM Meyer

WEI DE MEYERS CATARRH
Cure, n Constitutional Antidote for
this tcrrible malady, by Absorption.
The most important Discovery
since Vaccination. Other remedies
may relieve Catarrh, this cures at
any stage before consumption sets In.
One package generally suffices.
Delivered by Druggists, or by ID. d.
Dewey g. Co., 1872 Fulton St.. N. Y.
s1.OO complete. Treatise and re-
marlxable statements by the cured,
mailed free.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
MONTPELIER WELLS RIVER r.. r..
cWew e7drerfisemsnfs

Farmers Mutual.
The annual meeting of the Farmers Mutual Fire In
Company, the choice board of Directors
the ensuing and the transaction of any other legal
business will lie held the Office Of said company In Mont
pele Wednesday, Ocnher 18th, 1851. uclDck
the afternoon JOSEPH POLAND. Secr.tdrU.
September ~, 1881. lO-l2
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05

Mr.. Albert Chapman of Middlebury, Sec
retary of the Vermont Merino Sheep Breed
ers' Association, writes as follows on the
above subject to the Country Gentleman:
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05

We cut the following from the Ne@ Eng
land Farmer, being part of an article copied
from Dr. Nichols Boston Journal Of Chem
fstry: