davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
What Killed the Oyster.

Pick up that oyster shell, Do you
see little hole IN the hard roof Of
the oysters house? That explains
why there is a shell but no oyster.
A little creature called welk, living
in spiral shell, dropped one day
on the roof of the oysters house.
"The little innocents," some one has
called the whelk. The little vii
lains," ar oyster would call them,
for the welk has an auger, and bOres
and bores and bores until he reach
es the oyster itself, And the poor
oyster finds he is going up through
his own roof. He goes up but he
never comes down.
A writer speaks of noticing on
the shores of Brittany the holes in
the oyster bored by its enemy, both
burglar and murderer, | should call
him.
"A little sin, little SIM cries
boy who may have been caught say
ing a profane word, or strolliug with
a bah associate, or reading n bad
book, or slipping a glass of beer.
Don't make too much of 1t" he
says.
Young friend, that is the whelk
on the oysters back. You have
given the tempter a chance to use
his auger, and he will bore and bore
till he reaches the center of all NOR
al worth in the soul, and draws your
very life away.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
4 Play with Animals IN 1t.

"The Black Venus spectacular
play, by Adolph Belot, which was
first produced at the theater on
Chatelet, Paris, is in preparation at
Niblo's Garden, and will be pre-
sented by the Kiralfy Brothers on
Monday, January 10 The princi-
pal spectacle will be a representa-
ton of the march of a caravan
through the desert of Sahara, in
which thirty horses, cage of tigers,
twelve camels, four zebras. two
"holy cows" twenty-four goats, Il
pack of hounds, and Oxen, besides
four hundred persons, will march
across the stage. The arrange
ments for the accommodation Of the
animals are now in progress and in
volve many changes in the stage
the cellar and the sub-cellar, of the
theatre. The sub-cellar, which is
sevcnty-fve by ITO feet in size, has
been cleared out to make room for
the stabling Of the camels, zebras,
cows and goats, and for the cage OF
tigers. The cellar will be used for
the horses, mules, oxen and other
animals. To get the animals on
and off the stage inclined ways have
been built. For the cage Of tigers
a great hatchway has been opened
In tho rear Of the stage, and by
pulley elevator the beasts will be
lifted to the stage level.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
Ne efireside,
Talk Over What you Read.

Nearly forty years experience as
teacher has shown me how little /
truly know of a subject until / be-
gan to explain it or teach it. Let
any young person try the expert
ment of giving in conversation,
briefly and connectedly, and in the
simplest language, the chief points
of any book or article he has read,
and he will at once see what / mean.
The gaps that are likely to appear
in the knowledge that he felt was
his own will no doubt be very sur
prising. know of no training su
perior to this in utilizing ones read
ing. in strengthening the memory,
and in forming habits Of clear, con
neeted statement. 1t will doubtless
teach other things than those | have
mentioned, which the persons who
honestly make the experiment will
find out for themselves. Children
who read can be encouraged to give,
in a family way, the interesting
parts of the books thcv have read,
with great advantage to all concern
ed. More than one youth | know
has laid the foundation Of intellec-
tual tastes in a Southern family,
where hearty encouragement was
given to children and adults in their
attempts TO sketch the lectures they
have heard the evening previous.
The same thing was done with
hooks.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
Rternitv ALWAYS Present.

The lines of our 'ife stretch far
ther than we think. We lay our
plans for the future, and they prove
10 be tracks that never end. All
our paths go out into the unseen
world. As you look across the
street, the line If your vision is
terminated by some building. You
can see nothing beyond. II that
building were away, you could see
other buildings and streets; and if
these, too, were gone, the line Of
your vision would shoot off beyond
the stars till it had reached the ut
most verge of the great universe.
So the hopes of this early life-its
plans and schemes and busy con.
trivings-are all endless lines that
reach INTO an endless eternity.
Within the little circle of yourself.
the plans you make for tomorrow,
the wishes and hopes you entertain
for the coming months and years,
yOu NAV not see or realize how far
your favorite purposes stretch off
into this distance. Do you ever
think how they touch on the margin
of an endless future? Do you never
see how all earthly things are en-
bosomed in an always present eter-
nifty. The issue of every purpose is
there; the end of every plan is there;
the result of every deed is there; no
path will end this side.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
Women and Ladies'.

In the days Of our fathers there
we're such things TO be met with -
men and women; hut now they are
all gope and in their places a race
Of gentlemen and ladies, or, To be
still more refined a race of ladies
and gentleman" has sprung mp.
Women and girls are among the
things that were. Bu. "ladies" are
found everywhere. Miss Mortineau
wished TO see the women wards in a
prison in Tennessee and was an
swered by the warden: 1--WE have
no ladies at present. madam,
Now, so far the ladies were concern
ed. it was very well that none of
them were in prison, but then 1t
sounds little odd-ladies in pris-
on! 1t would seem bad enough
for women to go to such a place
A lecturer, discussing upon the
characteristics of women illustrated
ladies. Who were last at the cross:
Ladies. Who were the last at the
sepulchref Ladies. On this mod
ern improvement we have heard OF
one extra touch to marriage cere-
mony, performed by an exquisite
divine up to all modern refinement.
When he had thrown the silken
chain of Hymen around the happy
couple be concluded by saying, 81
now pronounce you husband and
lady" The audience stuffed their
handkerchiefs into their mouths
and got out of the room as quickly
as possible, to take breath.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
Brains and Business.

Men of practical talent are no"
sought for in country and city
They are wanted everywhere and
will be called for hereafter more
than ever. Where are these men te
come from, these thousands of Ma
ior Generals in commerce. Now Is
the time to train young men fol
business pursuits, for the great ave,
nues to wealth and distinction and
power which wealth confers.
We are preparing young men Tor
the army at West Point, for the ma
w at Newport, for the learned pro-
LESSONS at various universities
This is well. But where onels wan
ted as a graduate of these instltu'
tions a thousand are wanted in the
great army of business. Parents
as YOU value the happiness OF your
sons, give this matter a careful con
sideration, thorough business ed
ucatlon will ever be a blessing to
your children.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
Show at Funerals.

One would think that if there is
an occasion above all others when
show and ostentation should be
avoided the funeral of a loved one
gives it. Yet very few people would
seem satisfied with the simple posies
placed upon the coffin of the de-
ceased child by the hand Of sincere
affection If there he no wyeaths
ana crowns and crosses in all the
most expensive flowers ofthe season
there is a suspicion of slight to say
nothing of the accounts in the pa
pers, which cost so much wear and
tear Of conscience to the tOlerably
honest reporter. Flowers are no
longer humble offerings of love.
The baskets Of ticketed flowers on
the collins of many nowadays indi
cate only pride which Is not proud
enough to withstand the demands
of fashion, or a vanity which is sat
isfied with dong a little more in the
way of extravaganza than neigh
Dor. Even our grief is made a
cause for display.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
IndOlence.

1t is the worst enemy, says Bish-
op Huntington, that the Church has
to encounter. Men sleep around its
altar. Life has no significance,
eternity no awfulness, enjoyment no
obligations, bereavement no solem-
II ty, suffering no prophetic suggcs-
tions of hereafter, holiness no en-
rapturng beauty, but they stretch
on their beds of ease and sleep amid
the most stirring revelations of
providence. Where the Church lives
and holds the truth of Christ, not
as the mortuary of a buried bene-
factor, but as present inspiration,
it never will suffer it's members to
sit idly with folded hands, locking
lazily out on white fields of harvest
where 10 reaper's sickle rings
against the wheat, but will send
them forth to work with an impulse
that no disappointment can palsy,
no misgivings keep back.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
The Great Eastern's New Work

The Great Eastern steamship has
been definitely chartered for ten
years to carry dead meat to the
United Kingdom from the Ameri-
can steamboard for the River Plate.
1t is calculated that from Texas or
the Argetine Provinces beef of prime
quality can be laid down in England
at pence per pound. The promo
ters of this bold scheme intend to
slaughter the cattle on board of the
great ship as received from day to
day, and for this purpose they have
secured the services Of trained
butchers from the slaughter houses
of Chicago. The dressed meat will
be stored in refrigerators, and it is
estimated that 10000 to $4,000 car
cass of beef, all hung-equal to g.
600 or 1000 tons Of meat-will be
| shipped each voyage. The result
of this enterprise, if successful. will
have far wider bearing than ap
pears at first sight. 1t will be
watched with much interest by the
public, no doubt, for, notwithstan-
ding the large importers of fresh
meat we are receiving retail prices
still rule very high. But it will al.
so break down the "ring" which
while reaping immense profits, keeps
almost at famine prices one of the
first food requisites of the people.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
Killing the Democratic Party.

1t was killed when John Adams
beat Jefferson in 1907.
1t was killed in 1924, when An
drew Jackson was defeated by the
coalition between the friends OF
John Quincy Adams and Henry
Clay.
1t was killed in 1S40 by the
Hard Cider Campaign" of Gen.
Harrison.
1t was killed by the election of
A braham Lincoln in 1860.
1t was killed by the reelection
of Lincoln in 1864.
1t was killed by the election of
Grant in 1868.
1t was killed "very dead" by the
reelection Of Grant in 1872.
1t was killed by the counting
out" process in 1880.
1t had a popular majority in the
Worth and West in the election OF
1880.
1t numbers over three millions
of voters in the North and West,
and nearly million in the South
Its members cannot be bought
or intimidated: their faith is found
ed upon the eternal principles OF
justice, liberty and equality.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
Without an E,

It is we'll known that the lette
sc" is used more than any othe
letter in the English alphabet
Each Of the following veraes con
tains every letter in the alphabe
except the letter ''e":
az ioyial swain should not complain
OF any buxum fair,
Who mocks his pain and thinksit gain,
To quiz his awkward air,
Quixotic hoyswho look for joys,
Quixotic hazard run;
A lass annoys with trivial toys,
Opposing man for fun,
A jovial awain may rack his brain,
And tax his fancy's might;
To quiz is vain, for It's most plain,
That what say is right"
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13

declared to be exclusively State In
stitution, and that such an issue
could have been decided only by
the independent assent of each
State. Some OF them, he added,
would have accepted such terms at
that time, but others would have
have declined it, and peace was
therefore. impossible on that basis
DAVIS HOPEFUL OF THE SOUTH.
Mr.. Davis discussed the present
attitude and future prospects ofthe
South with manifest interest and
great candor. While he is not and
cannot be factor in attaining any
desired political results for the
South, he shares the hopes express
ed by the great mass Of the more in
tslligent Southern people, that all
the difficult problems will yet be
wisely solved by gradual advance
ment and final harmony of races
and sections. He was unreserved in
expressing the belief that a civil
service in the South that would in
sure fidelity to government and peo-
pie could not fail to end partisan or
sectional issues between the South
and the Garfield administration
and unite both North and South in
the promotion of the material inter
ests of the whole country. His
discussion of the relations OF the
two sections under the present po-
litieal aspect was thoroughly phi
losophical and statesman like, and,
while he will remain the one ad-
Judged stranger to the Republic, he
hopes yet 10 see the South prosper
ous in common with = prosperous
North, aud the scars Of war aud
the bitterness Of sectional dispute
heaIsd forever. Next 10 the South
ern Slave Confederacy he believes a
free Union the best government for
the Republic.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
The PASSIONS.

Lace or beaded sleeves are on all
dressy basques.
Changeable pushes are used for
bonnets and strings.
Bows on your dress skirt, if you
like, but they must have six loops
and two ends.
Colored underskirts are worn al
together this winter.
The most elaborate trains do not
measure more than from seventy to
seventy-five inches.
New and handsome hosiery is OF
pure silk in dark shades, for stree,
wear, and pale, spiritulle colors fol
evening.
Some very original dresses have
been imported, in which a yellow
green like bronze is the prevailing
color of the satin brocade
Chenille capes, reaching only t.
or just below the waist, with hoods
attached, are the most fashionable
opera cloaks in Paris at present.
Novel scarf pins represent dimln
utive oysters and Holsters, minia-
ture newspapers, letter envelopes
and pearl bootjacks, inlaid viii
mock rubies.
Little children we:r small fancy
shawls laid over the shoulder scar
fashion, crossed in front and fasten
ed at the side, a la Highlander
A novelty in bonnet trimmings II
a set crown piece, front band ant
ornament of cut steel wrought OF
black jet. Over black the effect il
especially pleasing.
Ladies who are willing to admi
that they are elderly, now use feath
er fans, but those of painted sill
are the thing for the young an,
those who wish to be though
young.
Red, white and yellow ale th
colors which have so far been see
most at day and evening reception
this winter, and the same colors ap
pear IN dresses preparing for tn
holidays
The richest and most efectiv
hoods are Of black velvet, or sill
densely covered with sparklg jet or
namentssand appliques and finisbe
at, the point of the hood in tn
back with handsome iet cords an
pendants.
A japanese hat, turned into
basket, with the crown holding
blue satin cushion and having f1l
pockets of blue satin all around th
crown for silk, hosses. etc, is yer
pretty. The brim droops and
decorated with daises and design
worked in crewel.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
BROOKHAVEN, MISS. THURSDAY JANUARY 13, 1881.

ing the cnarge. Inc SolutSrS SCarI-
ed and bent eagerly forward to lis
ten; and then arose q shout that
shook the air. y
"He's alive, comrades! our Pierre's
alive after all, and beating his drum
still like brave lad"
"But we must save him, lads, or
he'll freeze to death down there.
He mast be saved"
"He shall be" broke in a deep
voice from behind, and the General
himself was seen standing On the
brink of the precipics, throwing off
his cloak.
"Ho, no, General" cried the gren-
adiers with one voice; "you must not
run such risk as that. Let one of
us go instead" .
"My soldiers are my children" )"
answered Mcdonald quietly, "and
no father grudges his own life to
save his son. Quick now boys!
cast loose the drag-rope of that
cannon yonder, loop it under my
arms and lower me down"
The soldiers knew better than to
make any more objections, and the
next moment the General was
swinging in mid-air, down, till ne
vanished at last fnto the cold, dark
depths below.
Landing safely atslast at the foot
of the preclpice, Gen. Mcdonald
looked anxiously around in search
of Pierre. But the beating of the
drum had ceased and he had moth
ling to guide him..
"Pierrep shouted he, as loud as
he could, .where are you, my boyY'
"Here, General answered weak
voice, 80 faint thatshe could barely
distinguished it.
and there, sure enough, was the
little fellow half buried in hugh
mound of soft snow which alone
had saved him from being dashed
to pieces against the'rocks.
"All right new, my brave boy
said the General cheerily. Put
your arms around my neck, and
hold on tight"
The child tried to obey, but hi;
stitened fingers had lost all theil
strength; and even when Mcdonald
himself clasped the small, weak
arms about his neck their hole
gave way directly. What was tc
be done?
A few minutes more. and the mum
bing cold of the dismal place woulc
make the rescuer rs powerlesS a:
him whom he came to..rescue. Tear
ing off his sash, and knot,ing Oh,
end of it to the rope, General Nc
Donald bound Pierre and hilnsel
firmly together with the other, ant
then gave the order to draw up
And when the two came swinging
up into daylight once more, cheel
upon cheer rang out. rolling fai
back along the line till the yer,
mountains themselves seemed to b'
rejoicing.
We've been under fire and un-
der snow together" said Nc Donald
chaing the boys cold hands tender
Ily land nothing shall part us tive
after this, so long as we both live.
And the General kept his word
Years later when the gfeat war
were all over, there might be seer
walking in the gardens of quie
country house in the South Q
France STOPPING, white-haired ole
gentleman, who had once been tn
famous General and illustriou
Marshal Mcdonald. He Leaned
for support upon the arm of a tall
handsome young officer, who hat
once been little Pierre, the drum
mer.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
STORY OF A DRUMMER BOY

One cold December morning about
eighty years ago, party of tourists
were crossing the Alps-and a pref
| ty large party too, for there were
several thousands of them alto
gether.
In fact, these tourists were moth
ling less than a French army and
q very hard time they seemed to be
having of it.
Trying work, certainly, even for
the strongest men, to wade for miles
through knee deep snow in this
bitter frost and biting wind, along
these narrow, slippery mountain
paths, with precipices hundreds Of
feet deep all around them.
But there was one among them
who seemed quite to enjoy the rough
marching, and tramped along thro'
the deep snow and cold gray mist
as merrily as if he were going to a
picnic.
This was little drummer-boy OF
ten years old, whose fresh, rosy
face looked very bright and pretty
among the grim, SCARED visages of
the old soldiers.
When the cutting wind whirled a
shower of snow in his face, he dash
ed it away with a cherry laugh,
and awoke all the echos with the
lively rattle Of the drum, and it
seemed as as the huge black rocks
around were all singing in chorus.
"Bravo, Pelit Tambour" Cittle
drummer) cried tall man in a
shabby gray cloak, who was march
ling at the head of the line. "Bravo,
Pierre, my boy With such music
as that one could march all the
way to Moscow
The boy smiled, and raised his
hand to his cap in salute, for this
rough-,looking man was no other
than the General himself, "Fighting
Mcdonald" one of the bravest sol
diers in France.
| Long live our General" shouted
la hoarse voice, and the cheer tlring
from mouth to mouth, rolled along
the mountains like q peel of thun-
der.
! But it's echo had scared died
away when the silence was again
Ibroken by another sound of very
different kinda strange, uncanny
lsort of whispering, far away up the
|great white mountain side. Moment
lby moment 1t grew louder and
harsher, till at length 1t swelled in
to a deep, hOarse roar.
"On y0nr face lads" shouted the
General; lit is an avalanche!
But before his men had time to
obey the ruin WAS upon them. FOL
a moment all was dark as night
aud when the rush had passed, many
of the brave fellows, who had been
standing on the path were .nowhert
to be seen. They Lad been carried
down over the precipice, and eithel
killed or bufisd alive in the snow
When it was seen what had hap
pensd, one cry arose from ever
mouth. -
"Where is our Pierreg Where 1
our little drummer?
Where, indced2 Look whicl
vay they would nothing was to .
seen of their poor little favorite
and when thsy shouted his nam
. there was no answer.
But all at once far below ther
arose the faint roll of drum beat
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13
1iferaay.
Death Of the Old Year.

Death Of the Old Year.
On couch
OF crimson lying,
Quoth monarch
81 am dying
Failing, fading from you"
And sable shadow falling,
Shadow dark but not appalling,
Wells silver light from view;
And the Old Year
Whispers low,
II must go,
Death is creeping
Hush! no weeping
With the morning comes the New"
"Ah, it's all too bleak and cold here
For waning, waning Old Year;
Let another
Younger brother
Have my room;
l would go;
Sorrow Danish,
Let me vanish,
Not in gloom,
Not in woe,
But in halo bright and golden
To my tomb
In the dim, reeeding olden
Long AGO"
"Out of darkness, out of night,
On the morrow
When Aurora
Floods the east with purple light,
Then a monarch,
Blithe and bold,
(Of the New Year,
Clad in gold,
viii have come
Come to reign
And the old
With his train,
Days of Pleasure,
Nights of PAIN
Will have gone,
Gliding on
Never fast)
To his comrades,
In the past
In the dead, retrieveless Past"
ooh, the sorrow,
I have brought you;
MAY it die with me tonight;
And if Evil
have taught you,
May it fail in Virtues sight.
'If the buds OF sweetest flowers
have only known,
Nav the New Years genial showers
Make them fully blown"
II Of good desires,
have sown the seeds,
Ere the New Years life expires
Nav they blossom into deeds.
Not unworthy thy possessing,
Take the crown,
And with my blessing,
New Year, it is thine;
All my treasure,
Without measure,
To thee, Future, | consign,
am dying,
But one moment more Is mine;
And departing,
may see,
In the rising light. and clear,
Troops OF cOurtiers
In their glee;
Hither winging,
Pleasure bringing;
They are angels
Angels-guardian OF the coming year'
Listen! hear the footballs
On the floor,
'Tis the sovereign and the angels
Ope the door;
Bid them welcome,
Let not death start tear;
Greet with gladness,
Not with sadness,
Angels guardian Of the coming year.
Hark! the clock is striking;
IT'S thesignal
/ must die
Twelve o'clock!
Goodbye;
Goodbye!
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13

"Gentlemen," said John Kelly in
his last public speech, "trust nc
man who parts bis hair In the mid
Idle.' This was aimed at the sor
lof Peter Cooper, who is the Mayor
Iof New York and who appointed
another man than Kelley for Comp
ttroller.
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13

OF all human frailties there are
none so base as ingratitude, none so
infamous as to return evil fer good
Ito debase the purest friendship
extended to us by lifelong friends,
The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-01-13

Mr.. Robert Burdette, of the Bur
lington Hawkeye, will visit Wash
ington during the session. He is
the most devoted Of husbands, and
his invalid wife has some hopes of
recovering under his kind care
When he is with her he permits no
one else to attend her. but carries
her about in his arms like an infant.