davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25
Homemade Opinion.

A Western engineer tells the following sto-
ry, which happened in his own experience;
Once the train stopped to get wood and wa
ter at a small station in Indiana. While this
operation was going on, observed two green
looking chaps in homespun curiousy inspect
ing the locomotive and occasionally giving
vent to expressions of astonishment. Finally
one of them looked up and said;
STRANGER, are this a locomotive p
Certainly it is" replied "Did you nev-
er see one before ?"
"No haven't never seen one. Me nd Bill
came TO the station tonight on purpose.
Them's b'iler, amt it ?"
eyes"
''Wha d. yer call that yer in p
''This is the cab"
"And this big wheel? 2"
THAT'S the driving wheel"
"And that big thing on the top is the Chin
bly,, s'pose."
''Precisely."
"Be you the engneer-the man what runs
the maohine?"
81 am"
After cycling me closely for moment, the
man said to his mate;
81 say, Bill, it don't take much of a man to
| be an engineer !"
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25

The difference between Noah ark and Joan
of Arc-one was made of gopher wood, the
other Maid of Orleans
An ant is said to live only one summer
Perhaps this is the reason why old Solomon
advised the sluggard to interview this inter
esting insect.
If we could only follow the Irishman's ad-
vice we should be wiser and sadder, il not
better men. When drilling an awkward squad,
his patience thoroughly exhausted, he cried
out. "Do ye call that pr's'nt arms ? Hivens !
just step out here, now, and take look at
yerselves."
An elderly man in Boston is 80 polite and
loving that when he is dining with the young
lady of his heart he puts syrup on his bald
head to attract the flies and prevent them
from annoying her.
The Hebrew is not entirely devoid of wit.
He is generally serious, but he sometimes CON
descends to snap whip in FOOLS face. An
impertinent fellow once took occasion to say
to one of the despised race abraham,
they hang Jews and donkeys in Poland. y
''Ish dat so replied the Hebrew ''den iti
mighty lucky dat neither you nor l is dere,
isn't itY"
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25
The Original Uncle Tom.
MRS. STOWE SETTLES THE PACT THAT TUE
WAS NO SUCH PERSON.

MRS. STOWE SETTLES THE FACT THAT THERE
WAS NO SUCH PERSON.
From the indianapolis Times.l
1t has long been rumored, and by many be-
lieyed, that the author Of "Uncle Toms Cab
in drew the character Of Uncle Tom from an
old negro who formerly lived here and whom
she met during her visits to her brother. Rev
Henry Ward Beecher, while he resided in this
city. To verify this story, the editor of the
Times wrote TO Mrs. Stowe, asking for the
facts in regard to the origin of the character
of Uncle Tom. The following is her reply
SAoo, July 27, 1882
Dear Sir: In reply to your inquiries, |
will say that the character OF Uncle Tom was
not the biography Of any one man. The first
suggestion of it came to me while in Walnut
Hills, o. l wrote letters for my colored cook
to her husband, slave in Kentucky. She
told me he was so faithful that his master
trusted him to come alone and unmatched to
Cincinnati to market his farm produce Now
this, according to the laws Of Ohio, gave the
man his freedom since if any master sent
or brought his slave into Ohio, he became
free de fdctO. But she said her husband had
given his word as a Christian TO his master
that he would not take advantage of the law,
his master promising him his freedom.
Whether he ever got it or not do not know.
It was some four or five years later, when the
Fugitive Slave law made me desirous of show
ing what slavery was, that | conceived the
plan of writing the history of a faithful Chris
tian slave. After had begun the story got
at the nti-slavery rooms in Boston, the auto
biography of Josiah Henson, and introduced
some of It's most striking incidents into my
story. The good people of England gave my
| simple, good friend Josiah enthusiastic well
come as the Uncle Tom of the story though
he was alive and well and likely long to live,
while the Uncle Tom of the story was buried
| in a martyrs grave. So much in reply to
your inquiries. l trust this plain statement
may prevent my answering any more letters
on this subject. Truly yours,
II. b. Stowe.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25

In SAFE HANDs.-A lady who was anxious
to send two little girls down to Elberon the
other day brought them to Pier No. and
asked one Of the officers of the boat il it con-
nected with "the 2:3O train at Sandy Hook
for Long Branch" She was answered in the
affirmative but being uneasy about the safe
conduct of her little charges, whom she ex-
planned she was not to accompany, she asked,
fare you quite sure ?" A short, stout, rud-
dy.faced man who was standing near by turn
ed at this, threw away a half-smoked cigar,
and answered for the boats officer: Eyes,
madam" he said, 'this is the boat" She
looked up at the speaker, a stranger, and was
about TO thank him when he added, Il am
going TO the end of the route and l will see
that the children are safe" The lady looked
at him so searchingly and possibly so suspi-
ciously that he flushed up for a moment and
said, 20, I'll take good care of them if you
will trust them to me. am General Grant. "
$50 you are :" exclaimed the lady as she rec
oguized the face which painting and photog.
raphy have made so familiar for the last
twenty years. She gladly placed the girls in
such distinguished care, and was equally
grateful and amused to see the General and
his little charges in conversation on the dech
of the boat as it moved off.-N. Y. Tribune
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25

them we watched the happy sober faces in
the room. Always some one, sometimes a
dozen, eating and drinking at the small clean
tables that filed the room. A good deal of
loud talking, but no uproar all good natured,
all decent. Ingersoll said that in the warm
weather many families went there for their
dinners to save the heat and expense of n fire
in their small houses, and that II was quite
the custom for men at work In the neighbor-
ing factory to 60 there for their meals instead
Of bringing them from home. We looked in
to another room, built within year, where
we're books and newspapers and games, and
where they have penny readings, and singing
meetings, and lectures in the evenings, and
sewing school for girls and women in the af-
ternoon. l assure you it was quite exciting
to hear and see. Ingersoll knew half the peo-
pie that came in, and was evidently we'll
known and very popular"
"How is all this paid for ?" asked. Give
cent dinners can't go very far toward it, and
though Ingersoll may be able to afford the
luxury of supporting such place, it's of no
value as an example il it's not somewhere
near selfsupporting. People can't stay at
home always, and do without greenhouses
and barns as a permanent thing-at least,
they don't want to-"
"Since the first year this concern has not
only paid its own expenses, but it has given
Finnegan a good living, and enabled him to
make the addition spoke of, and to keep the
place repaired and refreshed and attractive.
You must get the figures from Ingersoll"
"Well' | said this all sounds very charm
ing and delightful but what has been the tf-
feet of it on the drinking? That's the main
point, after all, you know, Washburn."
81 asked Ingersol that and he referred me
to one of the selectmen for my answer. That
official assured me that intemperance had
been graduly diminishing, till there is not to-
day one-quarter Of what there was before
that room and shop were taken by Finnegan
and he said that fact of still greater impor-
tance is that there has grown up in that neigh
borhood strong public opinion in favor OF
temperance, and that false swearing on the
witness stand during liquor trials, and refusals
to testify to sales, have become the exception
instead of being the rule, as they were FIVE
years ago."
We rose from the table at which during
this conversation we had been engaged in re-
ducing order to chaos, and as 1 got into my
coat and took up my hat, "Washburn," said 1,
'it seems to me that Ingersoll has turned up
trumps."
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25

THE Cans WRETCHED LIFE. Most wretch
ed indeed must be the life of the Ozar, If
even a 1.-THE of the stories related by usually
Trustworthy st. Petersburg correspondents
may be credited. In the harbor at Peterhot
all the vessels have, it is said, frequently been
alarmed and searched three times in single
night, while the Imperial yachts are constant
ly kept with anchors weighed and steam up
to facilitate the instantaneous flight of the
Romanof family if occasion demanded. Aud
the belief is current that the Czar has order
cd all his movable property, of every sort, to
be moved and safely lodged in some foreign
land Meanwhile the Boyar aristocracy, zeal
GUS adherents 10 the RomRnof throne un-
oeasiney urge the necessity of immediate
coronation. This ceremony, they say, would
allay the uneasiness in the provinces, stop
disaffection in the army and navy, and great
ly add to the Emperor's prestige among the
masses, who will regard his authority as bav-
ing thus received the stamp of Divine reoogni-
ton. So impressed is Alexander by these
arguments, il is said, that he is secretly pre-
pairing for sudden coronation, either in the
Kasan Cathedral st. Petersburg, or in the
Palace Chapel Peterhof, the announcements
regarding coronation at Moscow being
made merely TO throw the Nihilists on the
track The reception OF almost endless graf
ulatory deputatons after the coronation is
also a source of terror TO the Gear, and It Ii
reported that these will bo postponed until
safe place and time can be found.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25

corns will be more troublesome, rheumatic
pains more intense, and the places where
broken limbs have united will ache.
90 Days of the week II the sun sets
clear on Friday night, it will rain before Mon
day night II the first Sunday in the month
be stormy, all other Sundays in that month
will be stormy. But others say that only tho
other Sundays will be stormy. Important
business or agricultural operations should
never be commenced on Friday or Saturday.
"When there are three days cold, expect
three days colder" The first three dog days
rule the other dog days-that is, If they are
rainy, the others will be, and if they are dry,
so will the others be.
21. The months. A thaw may always be
expected in January.
%. The seasons. II the spring is wet and
cold the autumn will be hot and dry.
23. Other sayings. can signs fail in a dry
time"
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25
And

FMneu tue uOuhey DloNs nlh uOTug
Ts time to house your hay and corn"
When in winter pigs rub against the side Of
their pen, it is a sure sign of a thaw.
a. Birds. Before rain, cuekoos sing, ducks
aud other fowl pick up and oil their feathers,
guinea fowls are noisy, owls boot, peacocks
squall, quails whistle, crows cav, swallows
hy low, aud waterfowl scream and plunge
into the water. If birds flock together in
September, it betokens a coming storm. If
crows are seen flying south in the fall, it is a
sign of colder weather. if north, it will be
warmer. If wild geese come from the north
early in the fall, it signifies an early winter )
when they go north in the spring, it is sign
that the winter is broken. The Phoebe bird,
or pewee, sings before warm weather
Is. Fish. Fish bite best before rain.
lG. Reptiles. Frogs and tree toads peep
before rain II a leech is kept in glass jar
partly filled with water, while it lies curled up
| In the bottom of the jar there will be fair
weather but before rain, wind or snow II
will be agtated and rise TO the surface, and II
it comes entirely out of the water you may
expect thunder.
il. Insects. Before rain ants are bustlinG
and active, and will carry their eggs from
place to place bees are busy, but do not &c
far from their hives orickets sing and try tC
get into the house flies are very annoying
and bite sharper than usual spiders spiI
gossamer webs in the air. If ants clear thei
holes and pile the dust high before IL A. NJ
it will be fair the rest of the day.
Is. Trees and plants. If the leaves of ma
Piles and other trees turn up 30 as to show
their under side, it is a sign of rain. Dande
lions, tulips aud other flowers close up befor'
rain.
10. Various objects. When smoke beat
down from the chimney, it signifies a storm
When it goes straight up it is an indication
of fair weather. II bells, steam whistles AM
other sounds are heard more distinctly thai
usual, rain is neaV. Before rain, tables ma
be heard to crack, violin strings will break
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25

is the only Iron preparation that
does not color the teeth, and win not
cause headache or constipation, as
other Iron preparations will.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25
"Great clouds like an old mares tail
Make great ships carry low sail.

8. Frost. White frost on three successive
nights indicates thaw. II the ice cracks
much, you may expect the frost will continue.
.. Snow. When there are black clouds in
the north, there will be snow. II on a fair
day in winter a white bank appears low down
in the south, it is a sure indication Of snow
very soon. If snow falls in large flakes, and
they increase in size, there will be a thsw.
10. Rain. II rain commences before day
light, it will stop before 8 A. NJ. II it begins
about noon, il will continue through the Rf-
ternoon; if not till P NJ, it will rain all
night. II it commences after 9 =. NJ, it will
rain the next day. II it clears off in the
night it will rain the next day.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-08-25
"When the donkey blows his horn,
'Tis time to house your hay and corn.'

"when the ass begins TO bray,
We surely shall have rain that day.
Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-02
THE NEW rREsCH MINISTRY.

The new French ministry have assumed
their functions, and Gambetta now sits in the
legislative hall as a private member. The
policy announced by the new ministry to the
chambers met with warm applause and a
conciliatory tone was assumed that, if pre-
served, may make the administration success
full. 1t is gratifying to see that the inten-
ton is to carry ont necessary changes in the
direction of liberty. Public meetings are to
be less restrained, and the press is to have
more freedom. Evidently some caution is
observed here, the meaning of which is that
the French are very liable to abuse privileges
of this kind. They will break out as sense
lessly as Guiteau in Judge Cox's court, go the
old system of repression, as Louis Napoleon
carried it out, is relaxed by degrees for the
same reason that a man who has been stary-
ing is not allowed to eat as much as he
can when be at length obtains
food. The difficulty with the French, and
with all who are trained under arbitrary gov
ernment is that they cannot remember they
are free to do as they please only to the
extent permitted by the rights of their neigh
bors to do as they also please. Even among
ourselves it is common to fud persons who,
while loudly pleading their own right, ne
elect their neighbours right, which they have
no right to restrict A revision of the con-
stitution is not refused by the ministers, bat
it Is deferred until the term OF the present
legislators is expiring. The present men,
bers have but just been elected, and it was
manifestly hard of Gambetta to ask mem
bers to revise the constitution when, after
any new system had been agreed upon, it
would have been necessary to elect new
Legislators and senator's in conformity with
the changes made. 1t was impolitic of
Gambetta not to take this fact into consider
alton before proposing, at so early date to
change the manner of choosing both repre-
sentatives and senators. The reforms in
the departments OF the judiciary and the
military, that Gambetta proposed, will be
carried out, and efforts will be made to settle |
tariff matters. This refers to the treaty now |
arranging with England. about which there |
are serious difficulties, as France has the mis- |
fortune to be afflicted with the protective |
system, and there will be no little curiosity
to know what attitude the new ministry will
take with reference to the British demands
which, hitherto, France has not been dis
posed to concede. One aphorism occurring
in the minister's address is valuable here as
we'll as in France. "Natiol.s do not live by |
politics, but by business" 1t is by acting
upon that principle that the South is so
rapidly advancing; it is by neglecting it that
the New York legislature, although con-
vened one month, has not yet organized,
and business is neglected while politicians
dispute
Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-02

per cent. ,. A reduction Of %, S55 in the
arrests Cor punishable drunkenness in Ire
land, or about twenty per cent. 3. 4 reduc-
ton in the arrests for Sunday drunkenness
for the whole of Ireland from 4555 in 1878
the last year OF Sunday opening 10 1922 in
1901. 1. A reduction in the arrests Tor
Sunday drunkenness 10 the five ex-
ernpied cities from 2522 in 1878 10
1863 in 1901, a. the result Of shorten
log the period Of opening on Sundays by
two hours only" In 1879, for the first time
during six year,, there was decrease Of
police ofeDses. The decrease was 1880
cases, SOP Of which were OF cases of pun
ish able drunkenness; the rest were princi-
psliy Of cases OF assault usually the result
Of drunkenness. In 1880 the decrease
mounted to 1884 cases. The act oil par
lament of which the above are the results,
wss for short period, and was passed for
the sake of experiment. Parliament will
he called upon, in view of the gratifying re-
sulis, to renew the act and perhaps it may
be extended 20 as to require early closing on
Saturday nights, period when intempersnce
RACES with unusual violence. Whatever
may be thought about the temperance move
ment of the prohibitionists, no good citizen
fails to disapprove of drunkards and their
habits, and Of the indefensible custom of
Sunday drunkenness. Should our local
authority carry out the suppression talked
of, our Monday mornings Police Court will
soon reveal the effects of the measure.
Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-02

JOHN BULL cannot altogether forgive the
United States for demonstrating to the world
that a country can prosper and administer
the laws without being governed by king,
or plundered by an aristocracy. The London
Times has seized the occasion of Guiteau's
trial to vent little British gall. 1t says
the American people enjoyed u sensation in
Gar6eld's death, made the crime a jest and
the trial farce, after all of which their
right to hang Guiteau is doubtful. The
Saturday Rerieu works away in the same
strain: Guiteau is typical American, and
he and his crime are directly traceable to
democracy. The scandal OF the trial is
directly connected with democratic politics
and society. The shooting of the president
is the result of a hundred years OF democ-
racy, and the democratic helot may be
thanked for imparting an instructive lesson.
The reader may not be angry on account Of
these polite utterances; they do not express
British sentiment, but are outpourings of
British tory spite, the viper gnawing the file.
Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-02

Mr.. Mckinley offered resolution setting
apart Monday, the 9th of February, for
memorial services upon the late President
| Garfield. Adopted.
Mr.. Hill introduced bill reducing the
postage on letters and sealed packages to two
cents for half an ounce or under, four cents
for over half an ounce and under two ounces,
and for each additional two ounces or frac-
! ton thereof two cents. Referred.
Bills for the erection of public buildings
| at Louisville, Minneapolis and St. Joseph,
Missouri, were referred to committee of the
whole.
The House then went into com mittee of
the whole, Mr.. Calkins in the chair, on the
| postofhce appropriation bill.
! Mr.. Caswell explained the provisions of
| the bill. The amount appropriated was S43,-
529, 800, only $751;, 57S of which would come
out of the general fund in the treasury,
since the estimated revenue of the postoffice
department amounted to S42,741 ,722. The
Committee on Appropriations had cut down
the estimates Of the department in several
particulars, the principal reduction being in
the refusal TO appropriate more than $4,000
Tor the purpose OF extending the free letter
carrier system. The department asked for
Sl50,000.
At the conclusion of Mr.. CaswelPs re-
marks three-hour debate followed.
Mr.. Springer, referring to the appropria-
ton of s., 100000 for inland transportation
by star routes, stated that he would at the
proper time, offer TO that clause the follow
ing amendment: provided, that no part
thereof shall be paid to any contractor or
sub-contractor for any service, or claim for
service, performed which was not embraced
in the original contract, and no service shall
be expedited or increased beyond the origi-
nal contract and no contract shall be en-
lArged, or modified, or released, until after
the advertisement OF sub-letting thereof in
the same manner as the original contract was
advertised and let but no new contract shall
release any contractor from his liability to
his sureties in the original contract"
Mr.. Hooker Miss. gave notice that he
would at the proper time offer an amend
ment limiting the power Of the postmaster
general to discontinue mail service ON steam
boats There have been discontinuances of
service by steamboats, on the Mississippi
river and its tributaries which amounted to
the almost absolute inhibition of mail ser
vice.
Mr.. Holman Ind. gave notice of an
amendment which he proposed to offer, and
which provides that railroad companies
whose railroads were constructed in whole
or in part by land grants made by Congress
on condition that mails should be trans
ported over the roads at such prices as Con-
gress should direct, shall receive only Fifty
per cent. of the compensation paid to rail
roads who did not receive aid for CORE
spending postal service.
Mr.. Williams Wis. advocated an in
crease in the appropriation for the compen-
sation of railway postoffice clerks and route
agents and to increase the salaries of those
persons.
General debate having closed, the commit
tee, without further action, rose, and the
House soon adjourned.
Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-02
CHICAGO MARKETS.
wheat and Corn Actiye-Oats IsuII and
Lewer-ProvfsfOusA Active.

chicago, February Wheat was active,
with sharp fluctuations. Gables were dull,
but New York was higher. Early in the ses-
zion prices were strong under "bull" move
ment and advanced 1f@1sc. A good many
outside buying orders were received which
helped the boom. Large offerings, however,
soon broke the market &c. but the close was
little better and ranged ia &c above yesier-
day. Sales were made at 81 303(91 32g Feb
ruary, 81 32@1 $50 March, 81 364@l1 973
May. On call there were sales of ,235, 900
bushels, but there was no change in closing
prices.
Corn was active early on speculative ac-
count, and prices advanced s@4c, followed
by decline of ss, the closing being just a
shade below yesterday. Sales were made at
605@61sc March, 66f@663c May.
Oats were dull and lower, but not much
more than nominal Sales were made at
4156242sc March, 45i@454c April.
Pork opened active and advanced 25G335c,
but afterward declined 20@25c, ruling steady
at the close. Sales were made at SIS 5749
1s So March, SIS 77!@19 05 April.
Lard, with free offerings and active
demand, first advanced 59l0c, and then iell
back to the first prices, closing at inside
prices. Sales were made at II $50 IL AZ &c
March, 11.50@11.573c April.