davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-23

ried on his endless game and the slaves
of Mammon toiled through eternity their
endless task; whilst all the magnidcence
on earth paled before that which now
met his view.
He soon perceived that he was among
old acquaintance, whom he knew to be
dead /; and each, he observed, was pur-
suing the object, whatever it was, that
had formerly engrossed him ; when find
ing himself relieved from the presence of
his unwelcome conductor, he ventured
70 address his former friend, Miss D.,
whom be saw sitting, as had been her
wont on earth, absorbed ut loo--request-
inc her to rest from the game, and intro
duce him to the pleasures of the place,
which appeared to him to be very un-
like what he had expected, and indeed
| extremely agreeable. But with cry
of agony she answered that there was no
rest in hell that they must ever toll on
at those pleasures; and innumerable
voices echoed through the interminable
vaults ''There is no rest in hell!'
whilst throwing open their vest, each
disclosed in his bosom an ever-burning
flame. These, they said, were the pleas
ures of hell; their choice on earth was
now their inevitable doom. In the
midst of the horror this scene inspired,
| his conductor returned, and at his ear
nest entreaty, restored him again to
earth but as he quilted him, he said,
Remember, in o year and day we
meet again"
At this crisis of his dream, the sleeper
awoke, feverish and i'll; and whether
from the effect of his dream or Of his
preceding orgies, be was so unwell as to
be obliged to keep his bed for several
days, during which period he had time
for many serious reflections, which ter
minated in o resolution to abandon the
club and bis licentious companions alto
gether.
He was no sooner well, however, than
they 6ocked around him, bent on recov-
erins so valuable o member of their So
ciety; and having wrung from him a
confession of the cause of his detection,
which, as may be supposed, appeared to
them ridiculous, they soon contrived to
make him ashamed of his good resolu-
tons. He joined them again, resumed
his former course of life, and when the
annual saturnalia came round, he found
himself with glass in his hand at the
table; when the president, arising to
make the accustomed speech, began with
saying, Gentlemen. this being leap
year, it is q year and day stree our
last anniversary etc. The word struck
upon the young mans ears like knell
but ashamed to expose his weakness to
the jeers of his companions, he sat out
the feast, plying himself with wineever
more literally than usual, in order tc
drown his intrusive thoughts, till, in the
gloom of winters morning, he mounted
his horse to ride home. Some hours af:
terward the horse was found grazing by
the roadside. about halfway between
the city and Mr. BIS house, whilst few
yards off lay the corpse of his master.
Now, as ! have said in Introducing this
story, it is no fiction; the circumstance
happened as here related. An account Of
it was published at the time, but the
copies were bought up by the family,
Two or three, however, were preserved,
and the narrative has been reprinted.
Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-23

Ii was morning In the garden
Life stirred among the trees,
Where low love whispers answered
To the wooing OF the breeze.
And the birds were singing mathis,
Not voice was out Of tune,
And the dew lay on the roses
That crowned the month Of June.
And away there in the distance
Sbone vision Of the sea,
And / plucked rose for Molly
As she crossed the lawn to me.
o the glory of the sunshine
O the murmur Of the hives
As we stood there once, together
In the morning Of our liyhs.
And the subtle, sanity fragrance
Possessed me unawares,
That floats about maiden
Just risen from her prayers.
-, !
And the parrot bowed his tpp.knot
Toher finger from the pegch,
Az she softly hummed the hymn tune,
We had sung last night az church.
Then half ashamed, mntt$red
Here's rose for you, bit see,
Deep in my clumsy finger
The thorn remains with ne F"
Straight from her housewife dainty,
She brought aneedle bright,
And sought the cruel mischief out,
with skillful finger ii<ht
Molly, still see you,
As you there beside me stbod,
In girlish, simple beauty
God knows that you were good
And hear yOu softly saying,
DO hurt you does It sinartl'
And could not make an answer
For the beating of my heart
The silent hills stood watch ing IA
That sunlit, summer morn,
When from my aching fngdr
You drew away the thorn
All little witch, you haunt ID me
Thro' many q lonesome day.
When / wandered from our garden
With pilgrim feet away,
And by and by, in evil hout,
asked you once again,
70 pluck a thorn from out roy heart,
And ease my bosom spair.
And you would not, or yon could not,
But you turned with tearB away,
And the dream of manhood faded
For ever and for aye
The time OF flowers Is over,
The rain falls cold and chill,
The mist comes creeping sally
Der every sunlit hill.
Yet can suffer for your 90, e,
Since better may not he,
If you may keep the rose, d bar,
The thorn may hide with me,
-sTewpk Bo
Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-23

Mad dogs are reported in many par
ishes of Louisiana. Three are said to have
been killed between Opelcusas and Grand
Coteau during the past two weeks.
Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-04-23

| lane that lett down 10 tne Slen. IL
was with heavy sigh he turned to
his writing desk, and, lighing cigar,
was soon busily engaged in cutting
the leaves of new book-so busily,
in fact, that more than once the keen
knife ran through the middle instead
of the edge of the leaf. But then he
had taken the knife from the lunch
table in the adjoining room, and it
happened to- be somewhat pointed and
unusually sharp.
He had been seated but short time
when he heard hurried steps ascend
ing the terrace, and in moment
Paul Crosswell dashed into the room.
His face was CHASTITY pale, and he
trembled so violently that he could
not stand, but sank into the nearest
chair.
"Elise y
Gracious heavens has anything
happened to her y
Great beads ofperspiration gathered
upon Will Vane's pale forehead.
"Where is Elise Speak, man,
|
speak y And he shook the frightened
Crosswell violently.
But so completely had fear taken
possession of the man that he could
but gasp:
elise! The glen y
Casting Crosswell from him, Will
dashed from the house, and was soon
tearing along the lane which led to the
glen. He had gone but q short dis
lance into the gloomy pine covert
when a spectacle met his gaze that
was well calculated to try hestr0ngest
nerves. A few yards distant, hall
kneeling upon the ground, with hel
hands clasped upon her breast, was
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-04-06

In the streets of Lahore, according to an
Anglo-Indian contemporary, the popular
amusement Of late has bee q satrical repre-
%sentation Of the Afghan war. A performing
monkey is ordered by his master to show how
the British marched into Afghanistan. The
monkey came Jumping along, dressed up for
the occasion in all the bravery Of red coat,
yellow trousers, plumed hat, and an old toy
gun. He strutted about to g lively accom-
paniment on the tem-toms and ever and anon
would make q rush with his gun at any IN
fortunate who happened to come in his way,
stroking a x pair Of false mustaches, and look
ing fercely around upon the rabble.
Orders were then given to show how the
British had come back from Cabul. The
monkey Invested himself Of his gorgeous uni
form, and snatching up a dirty old rag, came
forward once more, with slow and totteriDg
steps. Covering his face with the rag, he
skulked along until he got behind the shelter.
The roars Of laughter which greeted this sug-
gestive little comedy were we'll deserved.
When the monkey-like trick of invading AT
ghanistan was resolved upon, the ignomini-
Gus sequel Of an inevitable withdrawal was
plainly f%orseen, and, indeed, announced by
the late government. The laughter of the
Lahore rabble enabled us to estimate the pres
tige which we have gained by that madcap
enterprise.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-04-06
THE LAST STRUGGLE,

saw a CHASTITY spectacle last night.
On the gray edge of dawn, where stars had set,
Old Age and Death like bitter sworn foes met,
And, hand to hand, fought out the dreadful fight,
Death, clothed III all his majesty and might,
Stood, awful in his silent strength, and let
His foe (who, long since done with pleasure, yet
Chung to the poor prize, Life) in frenzied fright
Beat on his armored breast and thrust him back
With corded hands, whose shriveled fnger-tips
He gave such pressure that he left them black;
Then, STOPPING down, he touched with his cold lips
Eyes that first rolled, then stared, then set in rage,
And Death, the victor, smiled Ger vanquished Age.
The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-04-06

There are a great many substitutes for to-
bacco. We know of a man in the country
who smokes hams.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-16

| shocked. Mr.. A has embezzled $4,000
Every one is astonished. "He was such
a good man." they say. Yes, so he was
to all appearance, but within his heart
the seed of dishonesty, long since let in,
has terminated and matured. Effect has
followed cause. But the cause being hid
from our eyes until the effect is consu-
mated, we are surprised. We exclaim
How have the righteous fallenl" Mr..
A stood high in the church; he was
always regarded as an upright, godly
man. But now he has ruined himself
and has become stumbling block, for
his former brethren say, "Whom now
shall we trust" and the outside world
laugh and jeer, eve told you so. This
thing they call Christianity is only n.y.
pocrisy. The only difference is some are
found out and some are not. They are
all whited sepulchres" "How strange
that Harry Jones should be so abandoned.
Such a good boy he was. A brilliant
young man, we looked forward to the
time when he would be one of the lights
of the church" ALL you did not see
the seeds of lust and intemperance that
Harry allowed to grow in his heart, day
by day; nor did you see him secretly
nourish them. No, you did not know of
these things until the wall was over
thrown. Now there is no wall. He has
lost self-respect and become careless of
the opinion of others.
But why should 1 mention other ex-
amples? Reader this is true picture.
Is there sin you secretly cherish? Pluck
it up by the roots. Already it is caus-
ing all your good impulses to come to
naught; already it begins to keep the
light of divine truth out of your heart;
already your moral sense is 80 obscured
that you are not able to distinguish be-
tween good and evil as you once were.
Think not that you can live with it and
cherish it in secret. One day, it may be
soon, it will reveal itself to your sorrow
and shame.
Does it seem strange that 1 say moth
ing about your being unable by your own
strength to uproot this sin which so easily
besets you? If 1 have made this omis
sion it is because know you are well
aware that you have no power to do SO
IN your own strength. Sad experience
has taught you this. But let me ask you
to try once more, not in your own strength,
OUT III dis ana let me say to you, you
will succeed; for when He commands his
servant, with the command he gives the
strength to fulfil the command. Remem-
Der the miracle performed on the man
with the withered hand The Master
says, "Stretch forth thine hand" What
power has the man to obey? How can
he stretch forth hand that is withered !?
But he does obey. He trys to stretch it
forth. He succeeds "and the hand is
whole even as the other" Even so will
1T be with you. Obey the command and
you will find to power given with the
command. N. R.N
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-16
Later Years the Best Years

To man of middle life existence is
no longer dream, but reality. He
has not much to look forward to, for the
character of his life is generally fixed by
that time. His profession, his home. his
occupation will be for the most part what
they are now He will make few new
acqualntances-no new friends 1t is
the solemn thought connected with mid
die age that lifes last business is begun
in earnest; and it is then, midway be-
tween the cradle and the grave, that a.
man begins to look back and marvel with
a kind of remorseful feeling that he let
the days Of youth go by SO half enjoyed.
1t is the pensive autumn feeling-it is
the sensation of half sadness that we ex-
perience when the longest day of the
year is past, and every day that follows
is shorter, and the lights fainter, and the
feebler shadows tell that nature is hast
ening with gigantic footsteps to her
winter grave. So does man look back
upon his youth. When the first gray
hairs become visible-when the unwei-
come truth fastens itself upon the mind
that man is no longer going up the hill.
but down, and that the sun is always
westing, he look back on things behind.
Now, this is a natural feeling, but is it
the high Christian tone of feeling? We
may assuredly answer, No. We who
have an inheritance incorruptible and
undefled, and that fadeth not away.
what have we to do with things past?
When we were children, we thought as
children. But now there lies before us
manhood, with earnest work, and then
old age, and then the grave, and then
home.
And so manhood in the Christian life
is better thing than boyhood, because
it is q ripe thing; and old age ought to
be brighter and calmer and more
serene thing than manhood. There is O.
second youth for man, better and holier
than his first, if he will look on, and not
back. There is peculiar simplicity of
heart and touching singleness of pur-
pose in Christian old age which has
ripened gradually, and not fitfully. 1t
is then that to the wisdom Of the serpent
is added the harmlessness of the dove.
1t is then that to frmness Of manhood is
joined almost the gentleness of woman
hood. 1t is then that the somewhat
austere and sour character of growing
strength, moral, and intellectual, m ell
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-16
For the Central Presbyterian.
Home Missions.
A Plea for ORGANIZATION.
BY REV. RICHARD M'ILwA1NE.


The Church, as a whole, seems cor
daily agreed that her Home Mission
work must be more vigorously prose
cuted. Almost without exception, the
Presbyteries are reaching forth to sup
ply their destitutions, and the oppor-
tunities for upbuilding and extension
were never more abundant. The chief
difficulty, confronting them all, is the
want OF means. They have relied almost
exclusively for funds on the annual col
lection; and experience has proved that
this source of supply is inadequate.
While it has been and must continue the
main dependence, it never has, and un-
der the best circumstances, perhaps never
will yield enough to meet the wants of
the work: Some arrangement is needed
to keep the wants of this great enterprise
al the time near to the sympathies and
pockets of the Church.
What has been found true of Foreign
Missions is also eminently so of the Home
work. The former finds it necessary to
employ missionary societies, Sunday
Schools. the monthly concert, and the
Iabors of returned missionaries, besides
special appeals for specific objects; and
perhaps not far from one-half of all its
funds were last year derived from these
sources. If the annual collection alone
had been trusted to, the result would
have been painful. Just so it is with
the Home work and the time has come
when, besides the more liberal and gene
raj support of the churches at the annual
collection, we must organize in it's behalf
and thus open perpetual sources of sup
ply the supplement the stated gifts of
Gods people. If this is not done, the
work must continue to lag; the Church
remain weak and dissatisfied; and com
parative failure attach to the enterprises.
Home Mission Bands.
We believe that Home Mission Band
ought to be organized in every church,
where it can be done without interfering
with other existing effort, whose object
1T shall be to promote the extension, de-
velopment, and strengthening of the Cos
pei in our own land, and to raise funds
for this purpose. A few such associa-
tons already exist and are doing valua-
bic service, but they need to be multi
piled until they are found in every
church strong enough to support one
The effect Of such action will be good in
many ways. In the first place, it will
call the attention of the churches to the
immense work in the evangelization of
our own country and the upbuilding Of
the Church, which remains to be done
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-16

This will create and extend interest in
the welfare of God s cause, and iuforma-
ton about its wants will be souobt for
md considered and improved. Such as
'oclations will also tend to communicate
The zeal, earnestness and piety of the
more active members in each congrepa-
Jlon to Its less interested communicates.
ma thus missionary spirit will be ex-
clted In continually charging number.
Another consequence will be increas-
ed prayer and Christian work. A con-
5lderation Of the wants of the whole
Church and efforts to repair its wastes
will lead to sympathy with the destitu-
tons just at hand and to efforts to relieve
them. Again, much valuable pecuniary
AID will be brought together for the sup
port OF our feeble congregations and to-
ward sending the gospel to unoccupied
places. Ii such mission bands could be
established in only three or four hundred
OF our nearly two thousand congreea-
tlons, what an impulse would be given
to Christian work! Instead of anxiety
and encouragement, true hopefulness
would be felt through all our borders,
and the cheerful influence of the centres
OF light and zeal would gladden. the
whole Church. A complete transforms
ton would at once be wrought in our de-
nomlnational prospects, The voice of
the taulthnder would then be hushed.
The heart of the respondent would be
cheered. Our poor churches would re-
Joice. Our brethren in missionary fields
would be fired with new energy. Our
Church would be put in the hie way of
successfully prosecuting her work, and
we would not look in vain for the ONT
pouring. of the divine Spirit on efforts
undertaken for his glory.
Surely such objects as these ought to
STIR our Christian people 1t ought not
to be difficult to organize such a band
Tor such a purpose. 1t will not take
many to begin. An earnest Christian
man or woman, whose heart is touched
with desire to do good, can easily find
sympathy with one or more kindred
spirits, and when this is done, the band
ma has been formed and ready for work.
The object will then be to get as many
to unite with it as practicable and to
proceed under simple constitution and
organization and to accomplish as large
results as possible.
There are very few pastors or sessions
who will not give their cordial sanction
and assistance to such movement. No
congregation can be found in which such
an effort will not prove a blessing in
many, ways. Only let those who can do
SO, take the initiative and go to work in
earnest and the result is not doubtful.
The writer of this will be glad to CORES
pond and advise with any persons who
wish to do something in this way. 1t is,
and has for many years been, his convic-
ton that if our Home Mission work is
ever to flourish and real missionary
spirit to pervade the Church, it must be
through the institution of such agen-
cles In our congregations; and in view
of the heavy responsibility resting upon
our Zion and the stupendous conse-
quences depending on our present efforts,
he is emboldened to call upon his breth-
rem in the ministry and churches to lend
their help in the use of this means.
The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-11-16

Many times when the soul is in deep
waters it is Jesus who has brought It
there, and has gone down with It into
the dark sea, just to teach the lesson
of clinging to Him. How quickly the
thought comes home in such straits, ITO
whom else shall we gol" The vanity Of
human helpers is seen is such hours, as it
never can be in the days Of smooth, roll
ing prosperity.
The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-04-29
HERE AND THERE.

New York News: Important to
Observation-Disclosures.
In the bright lexicon of Stanley Mat
thews, there is no such word as fail.
1t is believed that Chila will annex
Peru. This would let out the old man
Christisncy.
Chicago Inter Ocean: We will see
whether the people of Kansas on the LEI
of May enforce the law against the jug
gernaut.
London is fighting inferior plays
Can't Minnie Palmer's Boarding
School" be Induced to visit the British
metropolis?
A crafty member of the Texas legisla
ture got a bill passed unanimously by
simply addressing that august body al
any Fellow Statesmen"
The indianapolis Herald calls atten
tion to the fact that the very day Dalzell
an Ohio man, refused an Office the great
earthquake at Scio occurred.
The culpable lack of proper sanitary
precautions in New York is bearing III
legitimate fruit. The untimely death o.
Louis Penna, of that city, is announced
at the age Of 102 years.
The next time the newspapers kill
John Kelley they should take the pre-
caution TO turn him over to LIE MoynC
for cremation. The Tammany "boss'
has an aversion to remaining buried thai
has occasioned the public great many
of unpleasant surprises.
The cabinetmakers In the Pullman
car works at Detroit, numbering two
hundred and forty. have struck for high
er wages. Here is an opportunity fol
the gentlemen who were thrown out o.
employment when President Garfield
chose his cOunsellors, to collar a job.
Contrary to general superstition, LORD
Beacsnsfield leaves q fair fortune, al
though the exact amount will not appeal
in the will. His wife brought him gOoC
property, and he made something out o.
his books. Then that romantic old lady
Mrs. Willyams, left him Gao. 900 on con
dition that she should be buried beside
him at Hughenden. Mrs. Willyams Il
| hurled in the same vault as his wife.
The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-04-29
The Mississtppi Flood.

HASNIBAL, Mo-, April 25.-The Sny
leyee broke at three O'Clock this morn
ing, at point about mile and one-haif
above East Hannibal. The creyasse is a
hundred and thirty feet wide, and still
cutting. Below the break and above
East Hannibal there are several weak
points liable to go at any moment. Up
to this time the loss of ice at this city IS
%, 600 tons. The river is nineteen feet
and one inch above low water mark, and
is still rising very slowly.
MISNEaPoLIs, April 25.-Specials to
the Evening Journal from points along
the Mississippi states that the flood has
apparently reached its hight, and is above
anything ever known. At Montcvidia
several houses have been washed away,
together with the wagon bridge, and the
railroad bridge is only held in its posi-
tion by the cables. An elevator is under
water, and considerable grain is dam
aged Other disasters are reported from
al: along the river, and the damage will
be immense.