davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
The Christian Name.

Who has not felt like smiling with pleased
sympathy, when seeing two grave divines,
dignified aud courtly, clothed upon with the
honor due to their years and services, meet
ing one another with almost boyhood's glad
ness, and addressing each other by the old
boyish names. Doctor, professor, to the rest
of the world, but here is one who sees the
former Sam or Tom under the thoughtful
and chastened face, and recognizes the lad
who tripped in his verbs in the scholar whose
fame has filed a continent. 1t is always
beautiful to me to look on when two or three
elderly ladies, grandmothers, and all but
worshiped by their children's children,
come together, and are Abby, and Susan,
and Jessie to each other, as they were fifty
wears ago. When Prince Albert died,
friend said to me- The poor, poor Queen
There will be nobody, now, who can call her
Victoria - and the thought emphasized her
solitude. Perhaps you have never noticed
how hard it is to begin this sort of intimacy
with friends made in the later decades of
life. Why do | say, later After the adop-
tion of her married name, or after an un-
married lady has assumed the dignity OF
aunt to half-dozen growing youngsters, the
Mrs. or Miss as is proper, becomes the ap-
pellative by which she. is always known.
Try it for yourself, dear sister, II you nap
pen this summer to meet some very congenial
woman, some one whom you are drawn to by
an irresistible attraction during the leisure
of summer enjoyment. You become very
well acquainted, after only few days to-
gether, aud you find common interests, mu-
tual friends, pursuits and aims, which are
equally priced and esteemed by both. You
plan future correspondence and future visits,
Tor il will not do, says one, and the other
endorses it, for US to lose the privilege of
meeting often hereafter. Now, try to be
Jennie and Fannie TO each other as your
daughters already are in their breezy way,
and YOU will discover the awkwardness, the
impcssibility, and, had almost said, the
unftness of such an attempt. The day for
that is over, for it belonged to morning and
spring, aud you are in summer time and the
afternoon.-M Sdngster.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
The Two Roads.

1t was New Years night An aged man
was standing at the window. He raised his
ewes towards the deep blue sky, where the
stars were floating like white lilies on the
surface of clear, calm lake. Then he cast
them on the earth, where few more helpless
beings than himself were moving towards
their inevitable goal-the tomb. Already
he had passed sixty of the stages that lead
10 it, and he had brought from his journey
nothing but errors and remorse. His health
was destroyed, his mind unfinished his heart
sorrowful, aud his old age devoid of comfort.
The days of his youth rose up in vision
before him, and he reached the solemn mo-
ment when his father had placed him at the
entrance of two roads, one leading into a
peaceful, sunny land, covered with a fertile
harvest, and resounding with soft; sweet
songs while the other conducted the wan
derer into deep, dark cave, whence there
was no issue, where poison flowed instead of
water, and wheie serpents hissed and crawled.
He looked towards the sky, and then cried
out, in his anguish "Oh, youth, return
Oh, my father, place me once more at the
cross-way of life, that may choose the better
road p But the days of his youth had passed
away, and his parents were with the departed.
He saw wandering lights float over dark
marshes, and then disappear. "Such," he
said, "were the days of my wasted lifel"
He saw star shoot from heaven, and van
ish in darkness athwart the church-yard.
Behold an emblem of myself !" he ex-
claimed and the sharp arrows of unavailing
remorse struck him TO the heart. Then he
remembered his early companions, who had
entered life with him, but who, having trod
the paths of virtue and industry, were now
happy and honored on this New Years
night. The clock in the high church tower
struck, and the sound, falling on his ear, re-
called many tokens of the love of his parents
for him, their erring son the lessons they
had taught him the prayers they had offered
up in his behalf. Overwhelmed with shame
| and grief, he dared no longer look toward
that heaven where they dwelt. His dark
ened eyes dropped tears, and, with one de-
spairing effort, he cried aloud, Come back,
my early days Come back !" And his
youth did return ; for all this had been a
dream, visiting his slumbers on New Years
night. He was still young his errors only
were no dream. He thanked God fervently
that the time was still his own that he had
not yet entered the deep, dark cavern, but
that he was free to tread the road leading to
the peaceful land where sunny harvest'
wave. Ye who linger on the threshold o.
life, doubling which path to choose, remem
ber that when years shall be passed, anC
your feet shall stumble on the dark noun
tain, you will cry bitterly, but cry in vain
"Oh, youth, return Oh, give me back IN,
early days P'-Jedn Paul Richter.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
ImprOvidence.

People who do not get on in the world
often fail to realize how much waste is in
volved in habits of needless expense that
seem very trivial Lord Derby recently
gave to English workingmen an Impressive
lesson on this subject. They would of
course all like to be landowners. Estimat-
ing the value of an acre of fertile land at
sixty pounds, the price OF a square yard OF
land would be about three pence. 81 won
der" said Lord Derby, " how many work
ingmen consider that when they order three
penny worth of beer or spirits they are swal-
lowing down a square yard of good agricul-
tural land |" AS land is much cheaper in
this country, it requires'a waste of even less
than six cents TO do away with yard of it.
A succession of such little improyidences
soon swallow small farm which might af-
ford the owner a comfortable and independ-
ent living, The principle applies not only
to drink, but 10 tobacco and finery, and every
form of needless or foolish expenditure.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
A Fathers Letter.


The following admirable letter was writ
ten by the late Baron Anderson to his son,
who had left home for his first experience
at boarding school al will sit down and
write to you tonight before / go TO sleep,
that may talk with my darling boy in i'm
agination at least, though | cannot see his
dear face. | was very sorry TO part with
you last Wednesday, but as it is for your
good, must submit to it, and your letter
to-day makes me sure you will be happy in
your new mode of life very soon. It must
seem at first strange to you, and you will
often think Of home. should be sorry that
you did not, but in a little while, If you are
good boy-and | feel sure you will be 80
you will find school happy place. hear
you are diligent and obliging That gives
me great pleasure, for | set much more
store by diligence than by what people call
talent or genius. A diligent boy is sure TO
do well, and if to it he adds talent, he does
excellently. But the merit is in making a
good use of the talent entrusted to you. II
the servant in the gospel had had ten talents
instead of one, and had hid them in a nap.
kin, his lord would have equally thought
him unworthy of reward. 1t was the dill
| gent servant who was rewarded. I shall be
very glad If, when you write to me, you will
tell me how you spend your time, and what
lessons you are learning, what companions
you have, which Of them you like best, what
games you play at, and all such like things
A letter should be all about ones self, anc
ones own thoughts, and should be just as 4
you were sitting down to talk to me.
think of you every day, morning and even
ing in particular, and please myself in think
ing that when papa and mamma are pray
ing for their dear boy, he may be doing SO
too, for them. There is a story Of two Low
ers who agreed at the same hour to go AM
look at the moon every moonlight night
and that was tie between them, for the
felt then as if they were together How
much better is it to be looking, not to tn
thing created, but to God himself That i
indeed to be together really to be prayin
all of us at once to him is to be, as it were
united through him forever, and to make
beginning of heaven on earth. My ow
dear boy will remember this, and we sha
not be separated then, but every day b
together in spirit, if not in bodily presence
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
For the Yer
Walk More.

Why is all this fuss and this stir about
walkingP Ten thousand persons gathered
TO see woman leave the track who had
walked some hundreds of miles. Why don't
we have washing matches, and cooking
matches, and sewing matches, for women :
They might be of benefit; but walking for
wager, why, any woman who keeps house
and does her work alone walks as far as the
best of them in year. II is claimed that
women will be induced to walk more by this
walking mania, and will be made more
healthy by it; and the coming generation
will have better legs and backs. Why, bless
you, dear man reader, just follow your wife
about for a day when she is busy, and see if
you do not get tired. In the morning. she
walks up stairs to dress the children, walks
to the pantry and back, to the cellar and
back, to the woodshed, and up stairs again,
half dozen times each. Then she goes out
OH the street and walks a mile or two, and
comes home and walks again, to get dinner.
She walks some more in putting things to
rights, and goes up stairs two or three times
more to hunt for some stray book or paper
for you. Then she goes out to see friend
and they walk an hour or so. She comes
home, gets supper, goes to the pantry to SCI
bread, to the cellar for yeast to put in it, tt
the back buttery for eggs, to the cellar fo
the potatoes for breakfast, then up stairs t.
put the children to bed. She comes down
and just then Tommy wants some water, 81
she walks up stairs again to carry it. The
she must walk into the parlor to see callers
and when on the point of being exhausted
the baby will not go to sleep, so she mus
walk the room half the night with him, anc
after a few hours rest, get up and go a
over it again. Sure enough, why don
women walk
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
Comfort for Fat People.


Without doubt it is unpleasant to be ex-
cessively obese, but the morbid dread of fat
which has in recent years become fashion
able has no foundation in physiological fact.
Fat answers two purposes it acts as non
conducting envelope for the body, and pro-
tects it from too rapid loss of heat, and it
serves as store of fuel. In the course of
exhausting diseases, it not unfrequently hap
pens that the life of patient may be pro-
longed until the reserve of fat is exhausted
and then he dies of inanition. Fat supplies
the material of the heating process on
which vitality mainly depends. In great
excess it is inconvenient; but the external
laying-on of fat is no certain measure Of the
internal development of adipose tissue
much less does tendency to grow fat i'm
ply, or even suggest, a tendency to what is
known as fatty degeneration" It is time
to speak out on this point, as the most alb.
surd notions seem to prevail. Again, it is
not true that special forms of food deter.
mine fat. That is an old and exploded no.
tion. Some organs will make fat, let them
be fed on the leanest and scantiest and least
saccharine descriptions of food while 9TH
ers will not be fattened, let them be led on
the most fattening of diets. The matter is
one in regard to which it is supremely de-
sirable and polite TO be natural, adapting
the food taken to the requirements of health
rather than substance. Simple food, suffi-
cient exercise and regular habits, with mod
eratisn in the use Of stimulants, compose
the maxim of a safe and healthy way of
life.-The Lancet, London.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
Settlement by Husband on Wife.

The New York court of appeals h as just
decided an interesting case, involving hus-
bands right TO make settlement of a suita-
BILE amount upon his wife, from his property,
if he has no dishonest purpose in view. A
husband in prosperous circumstances and
financially unembarrassed, owned real estate
which sold for 200, and unproduotive
personal property worth between $4,000 and
$4,000. lie purchased dwelling-house for
$4,000, and procured the deed TO be exc
cuted in his wife's name He paid on the
purchase $40, 900 from moneys obtained from
the sale of real estate, leaving the balance
on mortgage upon the property conveyed to
his wife. He at the time owed not TO ex.
ceed s276SlS. He used the balance of the
moneys realized from the sale of his real es-
tate, in paying for stock and fixtures for a
new place of business he had hired, in his
business, and in the purchase of some lots in
village adjoining the city in which he re-
sided. lie afterward paid in full every debt
which he had contracted before the title to
the property purchased was vested in his
wife. The purchase of the house was made
openly and without any concealment. The
deed thereof vas Immediately placed upon
record. There was, then, no prospect or
probability of financial disaster and it did
not appear that subsequent embarrassment
and final insolvency, in which the husband
became involved, were contemplated or ex-
pected when the conveyance was made TO
his wife. For three years he continued
prosperous, in good credit and standing
financially, in pursuit of his previous busi-
ness, and without having any extraordinary
or unusual risks. lie engaged in no specu-
lation except the purchase of the village lots
named, in which he disposed of some Of his
unproductive personal property at large
price, and which lots brought nearly four
iifths of their purchase price upon an exc
oution sale. He became insolvent from re-
verses without intent to defraud, and with
out fault except want of foresight. In an
action by judgment creditor OF the hus-
band, whose debt was contracted more than
three years after the conveyance TO the wife,
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05

THEN AND Now.-When Lafayette made
his farewell visit to America, says Josiah
Quincy, he declared that nothing struck
him more than the simplicity of life and the
absence of accumulated capital. "What do
you think" said he, ais the question which
these revolutionary soldiers, to whom was
introduced, almost invariably asked me ?
1t is this What do you do for living p
And sometimes the inquiry comes What
was your fathers business p Now, every
body is working for living in America
that is, pursuing some money'getting trade
or profession-and the people do not under
stand how it can be otherwise in the older
countries" Now we have as gilded an aris-
tocracy as any of the old countries,-and as
corrupt. Who can say that this is not an
age of progress
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05

A SERIOUS QUEsTIoN.-lsi it not wonder
full that with the vast improvements in ma
chinery for tilling the soil, aud with the in
calculable increase in facilities for tfanspor-
tation, it is still hard work to raise enough
to feed the world Thousands 60 to bed at
night hungry, and starvation is a thing of
everyday occurrence. The worlds granaries
are emptied every year; no seven years
stock of food for seven years of famine come
in these latter days. Is the world any bet
ter fed than it was fifty years ago? Does
not the increase of population, in connec-
ton with the impoverishment of the soil
more than keep pace with the little high
farming and the opening of fresh lands in
new regions, that we see and read about
If the answer be yes, where then is the
man who dare predict the condition of the
toiling masses in the year l9002
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
Gentle Mothers.
My mother dear, my mother dear,
NV gentle, gentle mother.


thought / was singing my boy to sleep
with the little ballad of which the above is
the chorus but the blue eyes opened, aud
quiet voice said, "Mamma, you amt always
gentle" In self-justifcation replied, "But,
you know, darling, mamma has to scold you
when you're naughty" "Yes'm." The argu-
ment dropped; so did the little head upon
my bosom. did not finish the song, nor
have sung it since. Tenderly tucking in
the little truth-teller, reproached myself for
deserving his remark, and greatly questioned
the truth of my answer. Do mothers ever
have to scod ? Has scolding any legitimate
place in the family government How is
the word defined "Railing with clamor
uttering rebuke in rude and boisterous Ian
guage." Is this helpful adjunct to parental
authority? Why do Christian parents
sometimes scoldP For two reasons, as it
seems to us. First, the lack of self-control
second, from habit Children are often ter
ribly trying, and loud and angry tones seem
a safety.valve for our stirred tempers. Be
sides, we feel that gentleness alone can never
safely steer the family bark over life's
troubled sea. Force, frmness, decision,
sternness, even severity, are often necessary
A suitable degree Of these is not incompati-
BILE with gentleness. 1t is not synonym
for weakness. The gentleness that makes
one great comes from subdued strength
SsIecfed
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05

REFINEMENT.-As regards farmers being
refined, it is to be hoped that they will be-
certain class, only refined in wickedness
When man has clean hands and pure
heart and works in harmony with nature,
and eats the bread that grows on his own
land, with thankfulness, it makes no differ
euce whether he eats with fork, knife or
a spoon. Some one said, "let me make the
songs of country, and | care not who
makes the laws" But the law-abiding farm
ers are the power behind the poets, who
make the country worth singing about
Correspondence Of Country Gentleman.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
Care OF WOrk-HOrses.

Most horses cut off by short illness during
the working part of their lives, says an Eng
lish stock journal, are found to have died
of some form Of inflammation of the bowels
or lungs, mostly the former, brought on by
injudicious feeding or watering, just before
or Just after hard work. The horse has often
been called tender animal because of his
liability to sudden attacks of illness, but it
should be constantly borne in mind that no
other animal is subject or liable to such
harsh treatment as the horse, none so fire.
quently overworked, so irregularly fed and
so abused and illtreated generally. Horses
that are properly cared for, regularly fed
and watered, and not worked nor driver. b?'
yond their powers of endurance, are rare.y
sick and more rarely die of acute disease
Under the present hard treatment, the ma
jority of horses are not worth much after
they become fifteen or sixteen years of age
when they should be in their prime at that
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
Selerf MisftHanp.


! hear The wAing Of the sad night winds
see the cleaning Of the waves upon the sandsi
think how wide and deep the water lies between,
And toward you reach my hands,
My helpless hands that cannot clasp thine own,
SO wide, so deep, the water lies beiweeni
The ocean, with It's mocking silver crests
Kissed by the moonbeams sheen.
/ cannot but be sad so much love,
SO much long, dear little heart, for thee,-
To think that other eyes, Tonight, may win
The smiles you kept for me.
I send you kisses DER the tossing waves
Kisses that can outsail the swiftest shipe;
But they are driven back by fickle winds,
And never reach your lips.
But II knew, tonight. you thought Of me,
And could around me feel your love unseen,
think, dear heart, should not mind 40 much
The moaning waves between.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
The Come Girrlf.


safe TO the fold the Shepherd leads
His little lambs At close OF day,
And thus my darlings come to me.
At last grown tired OF their play;
And while the twilight shadows fall
Der hill and meadow from above,
draw my little lainbklns safe
Within the fold OF home and love.
o drowsy eyes Of blue and brown
noddlng heads I understand;
IT'S time two little travellers start,
with mothers aid, for " slumberlandi"
80 fold the dresses snug away,
And free the restless, dainty feet
From shoe and stocking Thus at last,
My little lambs, refreshed and sweet,
And robed in white, before me kneel
With folded hands. o Father, thou
Who art the Shepherd OF thy nock,
Bow down thine ear and listen now
To each low, childish prayer that these,
My children, offer up TO thee.
Halow the twilight hour, o Lord,
That bring them thus before my knee.
And 30 through all these silent hours
which lie between the night and day,
They shall not fear. since from the fold
Thy love will drive all foes away.
Sleep, little ones, o, sweetly sleep,
TIL morning sunbeams gather fast
And safe from cumberland you come
Back to your mothers knee at last.
-Wuardted Christian Weekly
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05

THE COUNTRY GENTLRMAN.--To the pro-
gressive and intelligent farmer this standard
agricultural journal needs no commenda-
ton. No one can pick up single copy OF
it without being struck with the variety and
excellence of all its departments. There
are few farmers who could not derive knowl'
edge enough from the study of one issue OF
paper like this to much more than pay for
years subscription. 1t ought to have ten
thousand readers in Vermont. Send to Luz
ther Tucker & Sons, Albany, New York, for
specimen copy.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05

to set aside the conveyance, the court de
cided that such conveyance was not fradu-
lent as to creditors. There was no evidence
TO show fraudulent purpose in making it,
and the settlement upon the wife was not
unsuitable or disproportionate to his means,
and such settlement the law will protect.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05

COPPER wire and copper straps are often
very convenient and of much use in repair
ing tools, doors, CRATES and parts of build
ings. Copper wire is about as easily han
died as twine, and is more unyielding and
durable Its iexibility gives it great ad-
vantage over iron wire, and it does not rust.
Copper straps for mailing are better than
leather on one hand and hoop iron on the
other. Copper tacks are good for mending
old harness, as they are easily clinched.
Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-01-05
AarirnltmaI leparfirfnf.
SOMEHOW OR OTHER.

Life IL a burden for every mans shoulder
None may escape from ts trouble and care;
Miss IL In YOUTH and twill come when weef older,
And a. us as close az the garments we wear.
sorfow comes into Que lives uninvtedi
Robbsng our hearts Of their treasures Of song
Lowers grow cold and friendships are sighted,
Yet somehow or other we worry along.
Everyday toll Ia everyday blessing,
though poverty's cottage and crust we may sharei
Weak Ia the back on which burdens are pressing,
but stout the heart that is strengthened by prayer
somehow other the pathway grows brighter,
just When we mourn there are none to befriend
Hope In the heart makes the burden seem lighter
And, somehow or other, we get to the end.