davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
"The Way of a. Serpent on a Reck." !"

The movement of snake in climbing
a perpendicular surface, as l have OBJ
served it., is vermicular, undulating
motion, not spiral but straight up the
face of the surface. Il have seensa black
snake thus glide up beech tree with
that easy, careless grace of movement
which is characteristic of that snake
when moving over horizontal surfaces.
The bark of the beech affords few ine-
qualities into which the edges of the
gastroslegal bands could be thrust claw
fashion, and L have no doubt that at
mospheric pressure is the force that
holds the snake against such surfaces in
climbing, sucker fashion, as the boy lifts
the brick with the piece of wet leather
/ once knew black snake to ascend O
stucco wall to the second-story window,
and another [ saw go up to the caves of
a carriage house to the swallows nest
straight up the up-and-down boards. 1
have seen them glide from tree to tree
and leap down from near the top of large
trees, but never saw one descend by
climbing down smooth, perpendicular
surface. have no doubt of their abili-
ty to do so, however. do not believe
that this power is enjoyed by the cop
perhead or rattlesnake, or anyvenomous
sort with which 1 am familiar, they be-
ing heavy and sluggish in their move
ments. / have seen them go up on
leaning trees and crawl into the foliage
of bushes, however. - Forest and
Stream :.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22

room, where the old lady rummaged in
the drawer of a little bureau and
brought out an old-fashioned daguerreo-
type.
"See, child" she said. "Does this
look like any one you know ?"
cit looks like mother" cried Nina,
''only-only not so DID,"
'It is enough" said the old gentle
man. "Child, God has sent you. I am
not Santa Claus. I am only an old toy
maker, working here in Weehawken-
in strange country to which came
from my fatherland. But, my dear, I
am your grandfather, and this is your
grandmother. We came to America to
look for our daughter when we heard
she was widow, but we could not find
her. Now we are about to go and take
care of her. We will go with you.
And again say, God bless you."
So in few moments Nina and her
grandparents were on the way across
the ferry.
1t was late in the afternoon when they
climbed the stairs of the tenement
house. Then the old couple waited out
side in the entry, and Nina went into
the poor, half-furnished room and found
little Biddy Flynn still waiting patiently.
'What happened We, Mina?" she
asked. "The mother has been fretting
for you" ..a...
"Ohl my child! I am nearly fright
ened to death !" sobbed the poor
woman.
''Motherl" cried Nina. ooh, mother!
I went to Germany to find Santa Claus
for needed HIM ever SO much. But
1t was not. in Germany, and I did not
find him; fbut-oh, mother-I found
grandmother and grandfather instead p'
''Mother Father /" cried the sick
woman; and the next instant they
rushed in and embraced her.
So Nina had merry Christmas after
all; and you may be sure that her
mother got well, and that Santa Claus
did not forsake her. Cincinnati Sat,.r-
dan NiQbt.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
Which was the Enemy2

A boy, bright-eyed and fair-faced, was
found in the street by Frank Halls, a
celebrated Dutch painter. There was
something in the lads face that at
tracted the lonely artist, and he took
him to his lodging, and to his studio
and, in the end, resolved to make a
painter of him. The boy knew no name
only Hans-so Halls called him Hans
Finding, and went at the work of teach
ing him. The boy proved an apt pupil,
but as he progressed in art, and in
creased in years, his works took on a
strange character for one SO young.
They were of drinking houses, and
drinking scenes; pot-companions, smok-
ing, drinking and carousing-all painted
with a truthfulness and vividness that
was wonderful. The drawing was per-
feet and the handling of colors unex-
celled. And SO he went on, until his
works adorned every wine shop ana cafe
In ile city where he painted.
:. Esisaling went ilF for u short
HE and merry one. "tBegone dull
care, and give me fun and frolic." In
his cups he was a genial companion,
keen, witty and brimming with humor !;
and he was continually humming the
old songs that praised the cup, and set
Bacchus on the throne.
And so he went on to the age of thir-
ty; and then his merry life seemed to
have come to an end. He had drank SO
much-so deeply-and so long, that
his life was burned literally drowned
out of him Bloated, haggard, and
disfigured; eyes bloodshot; his once
deft hand now palsied; his breath weak
and labored; and still he strove to be
cheerful.
"Give me wine !" he cried, to his
physician.
"No, no, it must be water, Hsns."
"Must it All well, I'll try to love
my enemy!" And he took the water in
his hand, but could not hold it. His
physician had to carry it to his lips.
Half an hour later the physician arose
to take his leave. Before going, he
stood by the bedside, and took the
young mans hand.
"Hans Il am going away for time,
as l have others to visit. Now, look
you want to leave a solemn question
for you to answer There is bottle of
wine and there a fagon of pure water.
Which is the enemy? Dear boyl If
you will solve this problem as hope
you will, you shall be saved-not for a
merry life; but for usefull Ii you
shall decide in behalf of the foul fiend,
no power can save you"
And the physician went away. When
he returned he found the young painter
in tears.
doctor / Save me Save me ! And
will be useful man -
He had decided that the bright wine
was his enemy; and he would have no
more of it. The good physician saved
him. and Hans Finding lived many
years, a comfort to himself an orna-
ment to society; and grand contribu-
tor 10 the world of art.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
Guiteau's Defense.

What the defense in the Guiteau trial
has gained by putting the assassin upon
the witness stand it is not easy to see,
unless the object was to give the medi-
cal experts an opportunity to study him
for fine points in the science of detect
ing insanity not perceptible to laymen.
He lost his temper under Judge Por-
ter's cross-examination, but never his
shrewdness. He was worried by ques-
tions concerning his blasphemous Gin
spiration" theory, but was not once
drawn from his persistent adherence to
it. In short, neither in the direct ex-
animation, which brought out the story
of his miserable career, nor in the cross
questioning, which might well havelbeen
counted on by his counsel to irritate
him into the display of crazy symptoms,
did he show any lack of natural reason
ing powers.
But, on the other hand, it must be
admitted that nothing was brought out
to show that the 'inspiration" plea is
subterfuge to hide the real motive of
Guiteau's crime. Probably in his NOR
bid egotism and lack of sound moral
sense he really believed he was the in
strument of higher power. That
notion he imbibed in the Oneida Com
mun1ty, and it seems to have stuck to
him ever since. 1t by no means follows,
however, that he is to be absolved from
accountability because he fancied that
when he wanted to do thing the Deity
was impelling him to do it. Upon such
a plea the Thugs of India would escape
punishment. When they run amuck"
and kill or MAIN all that come in their
way, they no doubt honestly believe
their murderous frenzy to be a religious
impulse. Accepting Guiteau's own ex-
planation of the crime, he Is no better
than Thug,-N Y. Tri6ane.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
st. Nicholas and st. Kasian.

The duty of helping and befriending
the unfortunate is sometimes taught in
these parallels at the expense of the
good character of certain of the saints.
Thus, in one of the stories, peasant is
driving along heavy road one autumn
day, when his cart sticks fast in the
mire. Just then st. Kasian comes by.
"Help me, brother, to get my cant
out of the mud" says the peasant.
"Get along with you p replies st.
Kasian. "Do you suppose I've got
leisure to be dawdling here with you ?"
Presently st. Nicholas comes that
way. The peasant addresses the same
request to him; and he stops and gives
the required assistance. ere
When the two saints arrive in
heaven, the Lord asks them where they
have been.
81 have been on earth," replies st.
Kasian "and happened to pass by a
moujik whose cart had stuck in the
mud. He cried out to me, saying
Help me to get my cart ont 7 But 1
was not going to spoil my heavenly
apparel"
81 have been on the earth," says st.
Nicholas, whose clothes were all COW
cred with mud. "I went along the
same road, and 1 helped the moujik to
get his cart free"
Then the Lord says : Listen,
Kasian Because thou did not assist
the moujik, therefore shall men honor
thee by thanksgiving only once every
four years. But to thee, Nicholas, be-
cause thou did assist the moujik to set
free his cart, shall men twice every year
offer up Thanksgiving"
"Ever since that time" says the
story, sit has been customary to offer
prayers and thanksgiving to Nicholas
twice year, but to Kasian only once
every leap-year."
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22

A GooD THINa.-A means of getting
rid of mutilated currency has been dis
covered in the st. Louis churches,
where the coins are dropped in the col
lector's box. Prominent ministers there
are reported as saying that the effort to
pass mutilated money has been produc-
tive of more profit to the church than
when all sorts of silver bric-a-b brac was
passable. a man now who holds a
punctured half dollar, after essaying to
pass it off for merchandise and being
unsuccessful, finally resorts to the col
lection box, and, with the shortsighted-
ness peculiar to roguery, he drops a
half dollar or quarter where formerly
anickel or dime sufficed. The money,
when it accumulates, is sent to the
United States mint, where it is received
as bullion, entailing loss of five per
cent.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
What the Drunkard Suffers.
A STARTLING PICTURE BY TA1MAaE.


God only knows what the drunkard
suffers. Pain files on every nerve, and
travels every muscle, and gnaws on
every bone, and stings with every poi
son, and pulls with every torture. What
reptiles era wi over his shivering limbs
I What specifics stand by his midnight
pillow What groans tear the air |!
Talk of the rack, talk of the funeral
pyre, talk of the Juggernaut he suffers
them all at once. See the attendants
stand back from that ward in the hospi-
tai where the inebriates are dying.
They cannot stand it. The keepers
come through to say: "Hrsh up, nowl
stop making this noise. Be still You
are disturbing all the other patients.
Keep still, nowP' Then the keepers
pass on, and after they get past, then
the poor creatures wiring their hands
and say. . coal Heip, neIp yIve
me rum, give me rumi o Godl Help |!
Take the devils off mel God! O
God' And they shrek, and they bias
pheme, and they cry for help, and then
hey ask the keepers to slay them, say
ing: "Stab me, strangle me, smother
me o God Help, help Rum
Give me rum o God Helpw They
tear out their hair by the handful, and
they bite their nails into the quick.
"Oh! God," they say, ''helpl Oh I
God, help help helpr' This is no
fancy picture. 1t is transpiring in
hospital at this moment. 1t went on
last night while you slept, and more
than that, that is the death some of you
will die unless you stop. I see it COM
ing. God help you to stop before you
go so far you, cannot stop. = ts-
Rum plaques a man also in the loss
of his home. I do not care how
much he loves his wife and children, if
this habit gets the mastery of him-this
habit of strong drink-he will do the
most outrageous things. If need be, in
order to get strong drink, he would sell
them all into everlasting captivity.
There are hundreds and thousands of
homes in New York and Brooklyn that
have been utterly blasted by it. / am
speaking of no abstraction. Is there
anything so disastrous to man for this
ife and for the life to come? Do you
tell me that a. man can be happy when
he knows he is breaking his wife's
heart and clothing his children with
rags There are little children in the
streets to-day, bare-footed, unkempt, un-
combed, want written in every patch o.
their faded dress and on every wrinkle
of their prematurely- old countenances,
who would have been in the house OF
God this morning as we'll clad as you,
had it not been that strong drink drove
their parents into penury and then intJ
the grave. o, rum ! rum thou de
spoiler of homes, thou foe of God, thou
recruiting officer of the pit I hato
thee I hate thee l.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
High School LOve-Letters.

A young lady recently out of colleg
obtained an appointment this fall a
teacher in High School at vigorou
frontier town in Michigan. After al
experience of two months she has givel
the result of her observations. Tw,
months is not long for an experience.
Let us remember, however, that tn
first impressions of newcomer have {
value as real as the ripe experience of al
old stager. ..~aa
She had adopted the theory that the
chief duty of teacher is to make the
studies interesting, and she threw her
self with enthusias m into the work.
The theory may be erroneous. We
think it is. She toiled on, however, in
good faith, sugaring all her pills OF
knowledge in the most ingenious man.
ner, and taking upon herself the trou-
BILE which belongs of right to the stu
dent, not the teacher. In spite of all
her efforts, she found that some of her
pupils would not or could not be inter-
ested. 'A
At length, by mingling freely with
the boys and girls out of school, she
obtained fash of light upon the cause
of this listless Indifference. A pink
tinted, gilt-edged note fell into her
hands. 1t proved to be a warm and
tender love-letter from a girl of fifteen
to boy of seventeen, both being men,
bers of the school. Pursuing her in
quiries, she discovered that exchanging
love-letters was one of the ordinary
amusements of the scholars, not only in
the higher classes, but even in the pri-
mary departments, where the children
were only seven or eight years of age.
She found, in short, state of things
similar to that of a High School in
Ohio, of which the principal compla-
Gently remarked: "Half my scholars
are in love with the other half"
There is something here both for
parents and teachers to reflect upon.
The young lady who reports these facts
attributes the precocity of her pupils in
part to the over-crowding of the schools
and the check put upon the free growth
of the children by too long confinement
every day in conditions that stimulate
development-iust as the bearing of a
pear tree is hastened by putting liga-
ture around its trunk.
Is it quite certain, too, that the ming
ling of the sexes in high schools, or in
any schools, is as free from objection as
has been claimed ?-Ledger.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22

AN UNFAIL1NG REMEDY. The follow
ing prescription is said by a scientific
journal of Venezuela to be an unfalling
remedy for inebriety: Take three
brown backed frogs, cut them up fine
aud macerate them for ten days in alco-
hol. This extract is to be administered
to the patient in half-ounoe doses three
times day for two weeks and then in
diminished quantity. The effect is to
destroy all love of alcohol or its com,
pounds for ever after" The mixture
might DO termed q frog cocktail,
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
WOrrisOme, hut not Serious.

A Michigan backwoodsman, young
and handsome, but untutored and rude,
has married the accomplished daughter
of wealthy tourist, and taken her to
his cabin in the forest, where he chops
wood for living. Her father, unable to
recover her by law, since she was old
enough to legally choose husband for
herself, has sensibly taken board at a
Milwaukee hotel, where he is now
patiently waiting for the girl to vol
unfairly return. 81 may be delayed
three months he says, "but l don't
believe it viii be as many weeks. These
little incidents OF travel are worTIsome,
jet sotyssy sssieus.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22

A STRANGE VERDIor.-In the case
of Edward Maxwell, who was dragged
out of court room by lynchers at
Durand, Wis, the moose killing him
before the mob got him to tree, a
Coroner's jury has declared that he
''fell from the court house steps aud
broke his neck"
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22

MISTAKEN. Farley Hicks thought he
saw his daughter walking with for
hidden lover on dark night. He stole
up behind the pair with a club, broke
the young mans skull, and knocked the
girl down, before discovering that they
were moi the persons he had taken them
for,
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22

CAUGHT in a strange place: 'Friands, "
once said clergyman to number of
people who had entered his church for
the purpose of getting out of the rain,
'I have often heard of the church being
used as cloak for ones sins, but this
is the first time I ever heard of its being
used as an umbrella. ."-HarU0rd Lam
a1nOa1
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
THE CODE.

Trustee Pullback arose to secure in
formation. He wanted to know if
honor compelled a colored man to ac-
cept challenge to fight duel. If not,
what would honor compel him to do in
case an enemy halted at his gate and
dared him to come out of his house and
get mashed.
''Honor am a Gurus thing, Brudder
Pullback," replied the President. "In
case you are better shot dan your
inemy it am honorable to meet him on
de field an kill him. If you think he
will be sartain to kill you it am honor
able to excuse yourself on de ground of
having game leg. If I made an imemy
an he Gums along to my cabin an spits
on his hands and hops up and down an
calls fur me to come out an be pulver-
lied, Ize gwine to consider befo' I go
out. If I am purity sartin dat I kin
wollop him Ize gwine to feel honor
bound to rush out and break his nose.
If he looms up like sidehill, an if he
pears to hev lots of science, lie gwine
to send my ole woman out dar to tell
him dat if he doan fly outer dat she'll
hab de hull purleece force an put him
whar de calves can't bite him."
THE CLOSE.
The Librarian was instructed to here
after close the library at ten o'clock p.
m. sharp, it having been found that all
who remained after that hour began to
chew plug tobacco and dispute on rei-
gion.
The Janitor reported three new holes
in the bottom of the stove and another
crack in the side, and committee of
three was appointed to examine the
structure and see if it could be made to
last q few months more by filling the
holes with clay and painting the stove
pipe.
There being no further business of
national Importance, Elder Toots was
awakened and the meeting adjourned.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22

PEoPIE LOVE truth, but invite the.lie
to dinner, Russian.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
JrsT De SAME.


The Committee on Science and Phil
osophy, through their Chairman, Judge
Cahoots, reported as follows:
"Dis committee has made faithful
inwestlgashun of d. assurshun dat de
world am gradually slantin' ober, an
it has been unable to diskiver wheder
de statement am true or false. In dis
emergency we recommend dat every
body pay up his debts, put on a clean
shirt, and be ready to slide down hill
when de hour arrows.
Gas to de prediekshun dat a comet
will strike de airth widln de next five
Vars we can't dispute IT. but we am of
de opinyun dat about two minits after
de collishun takes rlace de comet will
wish it hadn't Dis committee will bet
two TO one ON de airth ebery time.
GAS to de staterent dat de world am
comm to an eand OF. de I'd day of Feb
ruary, dis COMMITTEES neither assents nor
disputes, but if any mem Der OF dis club
has chance ON de lot OBJ dat month to
buy seben dollar dog fur fifty cents,
we advise hin. to tslEs 90 slskS,"
The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-05-27
THE RIRLE Room.

New York Herald: The revised Test
ament Is by all odds the most successful
new book ever published in the United
States. The people have waited impa-
tiently for certain new histories and nov
els from time to time and ordered i'm
mense quantities; but never before did
orders for . single book amount 20 q
hundred and seventy-ive thousand cop
les in single day and truckmen and re-
tail dealers hOck before daylight to the
publishers warehouse and fight for places
The book seems in demand everywhere
even In Wall street several hundred cop
les were sold, for the brokers were nat
urally anxious TO learn whether the fate
OF extortioners, as defined in the old
edition Of the book, had been mitigated
to any extent by the committee OF Re
vision. Free thinkers and politicians
were in hot haste 70 buy, for there had
been . rumor abroad that hell was sup.
pressed by the new edition. People
who are certain In their own
minds that they are going %
heaven risked the price Of book In OF
der TO learn whether the descriptions In
the Book or Revelation had been made
any more definite. Meanwhile modern
authors are In despair. What chance Il
there for . new novel when the leading
literary attraction OF the day can b
bought ct the price Of the cheapest pi
rated reprintf Such . day IN the pub
fishing business never was known beIor'
and never will be again, for there Is bu
one author who can command in I'd
vance the attention and money OF al
classes Of the people.
The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-05-27

Chicago Tribune: Mr.. Conkling put
his whole political future on the hazard
Of the die. No man could predict with
certainty the consequence of the step
which he took Monday. II might make
him or mar him. There was no doubt
floating through his mind the idea that
by one splendid stroke OF policy he
might arouse the synlpathies OF Repub-
licans all over the country, and become
4 conspicuous candidate for the presi-
dency in 1884. His brother Frederick
said as much In an interview printed In
New York the day after the resignation.
We may imagine Mr.. COnkling reason
ing thus: 1.-The American people admire
pluck. The audacious man wins In pol
iIics. 1 will throw myself on the sym.
pathies Of the people" He sadly mis-
calculated. For the people, with their
hard common sense, said: This is not
courage. It is insincerity. It il run.
ming away from danger and striking de.
feat 1t is throwing up the command OF
an army on the eve of battle. 1t is the
sacrifice of q cause TO a wounded per
sonAl vanity" Who can enlist again
under the banner Of such a leader? II
Napoleon had resigned on the eve Of
Waterloo or Lee the night before Gettys
burg, they would have been in military
history what Roscoe COnkling is likely
to be in the political history Of OuI
| times