davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
Strength OF Character.

Strength of character consists of two
things-power Of will and power of self-re-
straint. 1t requires two things, therefore,
to its existence-strong feelings and strong
command over them. Now it is here we
make great mistake-we mistake strong
feelings for strong character. A man who
bears all before him, before whose frown do
mestics tremble, and whose bursts of fury
make the children of the household quake
because he has his will obeyed and his
own way in all things-we call him strong
man. The truth is, that he is the weak
man it is his passions that are strong; he,
mastered by them, is weak. You must
measure the strength of a man by the power
of those which subdue him. Aud hence
composure is very often the highest result
of strength. Did we ever see man receive
a iiagrant insult and only grow little pale
aud quietly reply That is man spiritually
strong. Or did we ever see man in an
guish stand as If carved out of a solid
rock, mastering himself2 Or one bearing
a hopeless daily trial remain silent, and
never tell the world what cankered his home
peace That is strength. lie who with
strong passions remains chaste he who,
keenly sensitive, with manly powers of in
dignation in him, can be provoked and yet
restrain himself and forgive-these are the
strong men, the spiritual heroes.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
The Vermont Farmer.

Mr.. Thayer (who under the circumstances
made very creditable paper of the Farmer
has sold it to Mr.. George II. Richmond.
The latter has secured the services of Pro-
fessor Charles Dole OF Lewis College as
agricultural editor. We believe the pro-
fessor's experience in the newspaper busi-
ness is not very large, but he is an intelli.
gent man, good farmer and good writer,
and we shall expect to see him make some
thing of the Farmer which we shall all take
a pride in. The successful publication of
an agricultural paper in Vermont is diff
cult problem, chiefly because of the two
very different classes of men and women to
whom it must appeal for patronage. One
would prefer a small paper devoted strictly
to agricultural subjects, and sold at dollar
a year. The other class want what amounts
to general newspaper (but want it cheap)
with tolerably large agricultural de-
partment," perhaps, but certainly as much
news as local paper, extensive market re-
ports, considerable amount of miscellany,
etc. There are hardly enough serious bust
ness farmers in the state to support paper
of the first kind. There are enough, per-
haps, all counted; but too many of them
have no state pride, and prefer to spend
their money on papers printed in the cities.
Some of these are excellent, but they are
not for Vermont what strong support
would make home agricultural paper A
patient, persevering man with sufficient cap
ital might in time make tolerable success
OF such a paper, but the same money and
work put into something easier would pay
better. As for what may be called the slop-
shop" style Of agricultural paper, it enters
into immediate competition with all the
local papers in field where they have
every advantage, both for news and adver-
tising. The local papers are all hostile to
such paper, and show it languidly or bit
terly according as it drags or succeeds. It's
expenses will always be greater and its
profits from the same expenditure less than
those of its local rivals, and only great
energey and personal popularity in its con-
ductor will establish it on paying basis.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
Is Infldelity Spreadingl

There is a general but rather vague i'm
preston abroad that infidelity in its various
forms is making rapid headway in this coun-
try and in England. A good deal of noise
is made about it, certainly, and were we to
judge solely by the loud boasts of infdel
writers and speakers, we should fear there
were some grounds for alarm. But when
we consider who the men are that make
these confident declarations respecting the
decline of the "old faith" we do not feel
disposed to worry unduly. Those who have
lost their own hold upon the truth naturally
imagine everybody else to have done the
same. They report their own narrow expe-
rience, and that of the few loose thinkers
with whom they are in sympathy, as that of
all intelligent men. OF the convictions aud
feelings of the millions of sober, thoughtful,
God-fearing men and women who cherish
"the old faith" and who cling to the Bible
as the very word of God. they have scarcely
any knowledge Yet the number of these
undoubting believers is increasing with a
rapidity beside which the growth of inf
delty is like the movement of sluggish
stream to the rapids of Niagara.-Selecied.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
Too True.

There may be wrong way of coming at
right ends. A great many quarrels in
churches might be avoided if this particular
kind of wrong-1oing were kept clear of. A
man sees something going on in the church,
or something proposed, which he is sure is
not right, and which is not really right and
he at once concludes that it is right for him
to do anything he can, and in every way he
can, to oppose or hinder it. So he proceeds
to resist or to protest and to denounce, and
to do it openly and without much care as to
the words he uses or the methods he pur-
sues, and without much thought of the feel
ings of those whose wrong doings he is re-
sisting. He thinks all the while that be-
cause they are certainly in the wrong he
must certainly be in the right. But this
does not follow. He is bound not only to
oppose evil, but to oppose it in the way OF
goodness; that is, in the spirit of Christian
carefulness and love- If he does not, though
the evil may have been on the other side to
begin with, yet it may turn out in the end
that the worst things in the whole business
were in the steps taken to get rid of the
evil. A man, we have said, may make all
this mischief, and we might add, so may
woman,
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
John y. c. Abbott on His Deathbed.


1t is four years since the death of Mr.. Alb
bott, one of the most popular of American
writers. lie had been for some time lying
on a sick bed from which he was never to
rise. While lying there, awaiting the sum
mons TO another world, he wrote thus TO a
friend: Your kind letter of the 9th has
just been brought me. | am pillowed upon
a sick and dying bed, with little tablet in
my hands. can, without much difficulty
pencil lines to my friends. | suffer very
little pain. My mind, it seems to me, was
never more clear and joyous. The physi-
clans assure me that am liable at any mo-
ment to die. am happy. do not see how
any one can be more happy out of heaven.
am expecting every hour that a group of
loving angels will come and say TO me
Brother, God has sent us to convey you to
heaven-the chariot is waiting All the in
firmities OF flesh and sin will vanish from
body and soul. | shall be the congenial COM
panion with the angels in that most wonder
full Of all conceivable journeys from earth 10
heaven. have several times taken the
tour of Europe. And there was great
Joy in seeing the wonders of the old world.
bat there were sorrows too, the discom
forts of travel, the need of economy the
mind burdened with those earthly cares
which never upon earth can be laid aside
But when the angelic summons comes |
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
Ivy In the House.

Perhaps everybody knows everything
about the ivy, but have been so very sue
cessful with mine that would like to have
my experience avail for others il they need
it. / have been bolder with mine than most
people, for have barred the roots, then potted
II often. II is now nearly four years old and
has seven stalks, some OF them FIVE and six
yards long. 1t is the smallleaved variety,
with white, strongly marked veins. 1t seems
never to have stopped growing, and one
stalk only has lost any leaves; the leaves are
close together and abundant. have put a
small place for it, and resolved that would
not shift 1t from smaller to larger pots as
many do, but give it plenty of fresh food in
smalish pot. bare the roots, sometimes
wash them, every spring and fall, and refill
the pot, which is seven inches in diameter,
with quite rich earth. 1t stands beside a
south window in winter, where il gets no d-
rect rays of the sun except in the afternoon I;
in summer, in a northwest piazza The heat
Of the room in winter is from a coal stove
in an ordinary living-room. keep the earth
quite, moist all the time, as | think that
suits most vines. have never seen an in
sect upon it.-Pick's Magazine.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08

tablished and cemented in blood when the
contest with slavery ended. But Mr.. Atkin-
son believes that enlightened self interest is
sufficient to make corporations honest, just,
and full of public spirit. We would sup
pose, too, that enlightened self interest would
liberalize the government Of Russia, did we
not see the new czar sitting with grim de-
termination upon the safety valve in imita-
tion Of jeff Davis, but with far more per-
sonal risk than ever environed the official
head of the Shareholders confederation.
We freely grant that all legislation with
view to the control of railroads by the
state so far enacted has been Of the crudest
character. II strictly enforced for any
length of time, it would doubtless have
worked much injury all around. We will
go farther, and say that the proper regula-
tion of corporations by legislation is proba-
bly, the most difficult of all governmental
problems. But, if it must be finally decided
to be impossible, the alternative is clearly
not the transfer of authority to a govern
ment of corporation bosses, but the utter
abolshment of the cooperative system, and
the division of its work between the lawful
government and unprivileged capital with
unlimited liability. To this complexion
must it come at last, unless the corporations
will submit to such regulation as the best
wisdom Of our legislatures is able to devise,
for the public protection against the NARROW
selishness and greed OF irresponsible cap
ital, as illustrated in the career of great cor
poration princess living and dead. While
we are ready TO concede all that Mr.. Atkin-
son charges against the character of the So
called anti-railrosd laws, there is neverthe-
less way in which they have indirectly
worked much good. 1t has quickened the
Intelligent self-interest upon which Mr..
Atkinson so implicitly relies, by fear OF
consequences. Even good boy is kept
from yielding to temptation by the whole
some memory of former Aagellation, and the
equally wholesome fear of more in prospect
as the consequence of misdoing The fact
that the fagellating parent was not wholly
iudicious in his method is minor consid-
Grafton. There is no punishment after death
for the artificial and soulless body known
as corporation. But it is vulnerable in its
pockets. Here lies our only safety in deal
ing with the monsters we have made, aud
are experimenting with. They have done
good work for us, but they must be caused
to understand that they work always over a
nitro-glycerine mine of popular wrath, the
day and the hour of whose explosion, or the
amount of jar necessary to set it off, nobody
can safely calculate.
We should be glad to refer more at length
to some of the other papers in this excellent
volume. But we cannot, and we therefore
conclude with the information for our read.
ers that its two hundred and sixty large oc.
tavo pages, in paper cover, will be sent to
them for seventy-hve cents, and that nc
reading farmer can make a better invest
ment. Address j. II. Reall, secretary, l27
Water street, New York.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08

shall be an heir of Cod He will provide
the chariot and meet all the expenses. All
care, imperfection, pain will be gone. The
escort will be glorious, angels loving me
with a brothers love, and God will have
made me worthy Of their love. We shall
pass Sirius, the Pleiades, Orion, and frma-
ments, or as Herschel calls them, other uni
verses Of uuimaginable splendor. And then
we shall enter heaven All its glories will
burst upon our enraptured view. Angels
and arcbangels, cherubim and seraphim will
gather around us with their congratulations.
We shall see God, his throne, The splendor
of his court, understand all the mysteries OF
his being, and enter upon blessings incon-
ceivable forever and forever All this ]
believe, my dear friend, as fully as believe
in my own existence. And i may enter
upon this enjoyment before night shall
darken around me. In the religion OF the
Son of God and in the atonement he has
made for my many sins, | find all that my
soul Graves. | am indeed happy. But writ
ing these lines has exhausted me. ! hope
to meet you in heaven. Then we will clasp
hands and lovingly refer to this correspond
ence. Yours affectionately,
JoHN s. c. ABBorT.
Fair Haven, Conn, March 8, 1877"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
Another Scripture Problem.

Set down first, the number of men who
went to seek Elijah when he was carried up
into heaven. Multiply this by the days
during which Jobs friends sat by him with
out speaking when they came t, comfort
him. Multiply again by the days in which
Jericho was compassed by the Israelites.
Subtract the number of men whom Samson
killed with the jaw-bone. Divide by the num-
Der Of stones which David carried with him
when he went to kill Goliath. Subtract the
years of the Babylonish captivity. Add the
number of furlongs between Bethany and
Jerusalem. Add the age that the Psalmist
said is generally the limit of the life of man
in this world. Multiply the number of
Jacobs sons by the years in which Solomon
was building the temple, and subtract from
the above product. Add the years in which
the Israelites were, for their sins, obliged to
wander in the wilderness. Subtract one
from this, and we have the number of chap
ters in the New Testament.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
A Beautiful Old Age.

How can we attain to it? Observation
teaches that not all who live their three
score and ten years grow old beauti-
fully. The disappointments of life; the sor-
rows, cares and infirmities; the sins and
temptations have much to do in shaping
our dispositions and tempers in old age.
We grow Jealous and fretful, complaining
and petulant, we nurse imaginary sights,
we do not make it as pleasant as we might
for the home circle and so increase the cares
of those in the strength of years. These
things ought not to be so, and especially not
if our life is a professedly Christian one.
We call autumn the most beautiful time of
the year. Then the trees are bending be-
meath their load of golden fruit, and the
fields are waving with yellow grain, then
the burrows on the hillside are bursting with
their buried treasure and everything tells of
an abundant reward for springs sowing
and summers showers; thus it should be
with these lives of ours. Our later years
ought to be the time when the rich fruitage
of our days should fall in abundant harvests
to bless the race. God so intended it. The
example of such life in community is
worth more than sermon or precept. stood
once over the open coffin of such man and
as | heard his pastor of more than a score of
years speak OF his worth, thought had
rather have such an expression of love fall
from the lips OF my pastor when | was gone
than to have the honor free people lavish
upon the chief executive of their choice. The
inspiration followed me for many day. As
old age came to this man it only brought
an increase of loveliness in life. Noble in
character, pious in heart, humble in daily
walk, devoted to the church, and at the close
of Gods holy day in the house of prayer,
just as his lips had given utterance to his
love for the Master he had tried to serve SO
many years, the summons came and he
gladly went hence. One of the saints long
to see in the New Jerusalem is this old dea-
con. As his pastor truly said Descon-
with his customary forethought has left you
no task but that of soothing your own sor-
rows, not his. He was planted in the house
of the Lord and brought forth fruit in old
age" As the bright sunshine breaks forth
from the stormy cloud so those who were
gathered around his precious dust could but
smile amid their tears and sing songs Of tri-
umph and victory. May the Inspiration of
such life come to bless each one who reads
these lines. How shall we attain to a beau
tiful old age2 II you have not already found
the answer to these thoughts you may
find 1t in the words, We reap as we SOW"
Goldsmith pictures in verse the old age of a
man thus;
But as he moves to meet his latter end.
Angels around befrendlng virtues friendi
Sinks TO the grave with unperceiyed decay,
While resignation gently slopes the way;
And all his propects Frightening to the last
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08

ANEcDoTR OF BIsHoP AMEs.-Of the
late Bishop Ames the following anecdote is
related While presiding over certain con-
ference in the west, member began IT,
rade against universities, education, etc.,
thanking God that he had never been cor
rupted by contact with college. After
proceeding thus for few minutes, the
bishop interrupted him with the question,
"Do understand that the brother thanks
God for his ignorance p "Well, yes," was
the answer; "you can put 1t that way, if
you want to-" "Well, all have to say"
said the bishop, in his sweet, musical tones,
sis that the brother has great deal to
thank God for"
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
A Talk About House. Work.

Girls whose parents can afford to keep
servants get the impression sometimes that
il is quite out Of the question for them to
engage in any kind of household work, some
even leave the care Of their own room TO the
charge of hired help. Such girls seem to
ms the embodiment of lsziness. There is
no reason why every girl should not under
stand the running Of household machinery,
50 that if any time mother was sick and un-
able to oversee the unusual arrangements,
her daughter might be able to take her place,
managing satisfactorily. 1t is false no
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
Illustrations Of the Life Of the Christian.


Some India shawls are made Of hundreds
of pieces, some SO small as to be only an
eighth of an inch square, others OF various
sizes, none larger than square half-yard.
Each piece, even the smallest, forms com
plete bit of the pat; s and the right side,
being the nAder one Vn 1000 ~. ,|., - "
it is woven, is not seen BY the weaver until
the piece is finished. The pieces are all so
beautifully joined together that IL is impossi-
BILE to find the joining. How often we are
" discouraged because of the way" because
we can only see the wrong side of the pat
tern our daily life is weaving. We forget
"the Lord knoweth them that are his" and
that 81 all things work together for good to
them that love God" And should we not
try to remember also, that though our place
in the work may be small one, the great
fabric, the church of God, would be incom-
plete If that place were not filled There is
another point of similarity each thread is
bleached thoroughly white before redyed
for the shawl and we, also, before becom-
ing part of the church must be washed
and made white in the blood Of the Lamb,
ct that he might present it to himself a
glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle,
or any such thing" but that it should be
holy and without blemish.
81 know the hand that guiding through the shadow
And know that all betidIng me is meted out Alright.
know that the thorny path tread ruled BY golden
And know that the darker fe tangled thread the richer
British Eudnqelist.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
agricultural Deparf,rent.
MY wINDow-Ivy.

over my window the ivy climbs,
Its roots are In homely jars;
But all day long II looks at the sun,
And At night II looks at the stars.
The dust Of the room may dim Its green,
But call TO the breezy air:
"Come In, come in, good friend Of minel
And make my window fair"
SO the ivy thrives from morn TO morn,
Its leaves all turned to the light;
And IT gladdens my soul with its tender green,
And teaches me day and night.
What thoughiny lot Is In lowly place.
And my spirit behind the bars7
All the long day may look at the sun,
And at night look out at the stars.
What though the dust Of earth would dlmT
There's glorious outer air
That will sweep through my soul II I let It in,
And make II fresh and fair.
Dear God let me grow from day to day
ClnHng and sunny and bright
Though planted In shade, thy window Is near,
And my leaves may turn to the light.
Mrs.. Mary Aapes Dodge.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
Mnra1 and Reliaions.
For the Vermont watchman.
THE LESSON IN THE DARK.


For months bird Of song was Gagged
Where cen the sunlight never came;
Anda curtain, dark, was drawn around,
which made the day and night the same.
But minstrel near, with voice and harp,
Sang many melody, clear and sweet,
And oheered the prisoners gloomy day,
TIL every note the bird would repeat,
And when the warbler these had learned,
In the prison twas no longer night
The curtain was at once withdrawn.
And songs were caroled in the light.
Thus human life ia but veil
To hide the immortal soul OF man,
That II may be attuned to ding
To the melody Of God's own plan.
And when the lesson has been learned,
When the fieshly curtain falls away,
II will forever sing the song
In the light Of an endless day.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08
Ths Vonrf Girrls.
For the Vermont watchman.
THE SINGERS.


nj 4. MINERVA BoYoE.
20. where ia my dear boy to-night7"
A fond mother sang soft and low,
with love welling up In her heart,
None but fond mother can know.
"Is he cared for and happy as when
rocked him child, long ago2
May the angels watch over my boy,
My darling, my JOY,
My curly-haired boy,
wherever his footsteps may CO."
20, where is my dear boy to-night9"
A maiden sat singing one day,
Meath showers Of apple-bioom white,
The light wind was sitting away;
is he Joyous and happy a. when
We roamed DER the hills long ago2
o, strangers be kind to my boy,
My sweet love and Joy,
My curiy-halred boy,
As he wanders from home to and fro"
Sweet singers, may God bless your boy.
And keep him from sorrow and sin;
May storm-clouds neer darken his way.
Nor temptation hls life enter in.
o, strangers, be kind while ye may,
For ye know not how soon ye may weep
For yqur own darling birds, far away
From the home neat ye ever would keep,
4rr Speak kind to the boys,
q. The brave, noble boys
Sometime sweet reward thou wilt reap.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-06-08

" But as he moves TO meet his latter end,
Angels around befnendlng virtues friendi
sinks 10 the grave with unperceiyed decay,
While resignation gently slopes the way;
And all his propects Frightening To the last,
Ills heaven commences ere the world be past.