davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
WhY the Sanoans Won't Work


Mr.. August Godfrey, director of the
German Commercial and Plantation
society of the South Sea islands, who is
now in this country on his way to Ger
many, gives an amusing explanation of
the fact that the Samoans won't work,
and the company's laborers have to be
and New Britain islands. 'sThe Samo-
ans do nothing most of the time" says
Mr.. Godfrey, land when they are tired
of that, they get up fight. The young
fellows see that the stock of pigs and
yams is a plentiful one, and then they
begin talking politics, take down their
rifles, and declare war. The last cam
paign between the king and anti-king
parties lasted five months, and resulted
in three persons being killed by acci-
dent. Bless you, they never fight for
viciousness, but just for the fun of the
thing. They dig deep trenches about
two miles apart, and in these shelter
ing bitches keep popping away at ev-
erything that looks like head. Then,
when the pigs and yams are exhausted,
they conclude it's about time for the
war to end, yell out that the sport is
over, and go home. The Samoans can
not be said to rank among the most
useful of mankind, but they live in q
paradise. There is land to cultivate
that will yield q fortune by cultivation,
but it takes another fortune to wait for
the second to accrue. MY interests are
centered there, so that l speak advis-
edly when say that admirable field as
it is for the commercial capitalist, Sam
ona can not yet be considered the prom
ised land for the settler''
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
Fanny Kemhle's Mother.

In Fanny Kemble's "reminiscences she
speaks thus of her mother: The little
French fairy was eagerly seized upon
by admiring fine ladies and gentlemen,
and snatched up into their society,
where she was fondled, and petted, and
played with, passing whole days in Mrs.
Fitzherberts drawing-room and many
a half-hour on the knees of her royal
and disloyal husband, the prince regent,
one of whose favorite jokes was to
place my mother under huge glass
bell, made to cover large groupe of
precious Dresden china, where her tiny
figure and flashing face produced even
a more beautiful effect than the costly
work of art whose crystal covering was
made her temporary cage. 1 have Of
ten heard my mother refer to this sea-
son of her childhood's favoritism with
the fine folk of that day, one of her
most vivid impressions of which was the
extraordinary beauty of person and roy
al charms of manner and department of
the prince of Wales, and-his enormous
appetite; enormous, perhaps, after all,
only by comparison with her own,
which he used to pity, saying frequent
ly, when she declined the delicacies that
he pressed upon her: "Why, you poor
child! Heaven has not blessed you with
an appetite"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
Pastimes for Ladies of Leisure.

Can you guess, asks correspondent
of the Cincinnati Enquirer, what is the
newest fashionable diversion for young
women of wealth and leisurep Dress
ing live dolls. That is to say, they
make toys of little girls-sisters, nieces,
cousins, anything in the shape of lit
tie girl will do, if she be comely. This
has suddenly become a rage in certain
circles. know an only daughter who,
having no little girl relative, uses the s.
year-old offspring of one of her papa s
poor tenants, pretty little chit, on
whom she places costly costumes with
all the ardor of a fresh pursuit. The
child is as cute as possible in Kate
Greenaway garments, and my lady
takes delight in dressing her after some
quaint picture. Two or three after
moons week she is arrayed in some
thing novel and taken out for a walk or
drive. Of course that will not last long,
and the child will soon be returned to
calico. 1t is not right for rich women
to divert themselves in any such way,
nor is there any excuse for it, now that
it is fashionable to do art needle-work.
Some ingenious girls of my acquaint-
ance are making their own capes, muffs,
and cuffs by sewing together fancy
feathers from the wings and breasts of
native birds, which they fasten to thin
silk or muslin, line with satin and edge
with a border of feathers, arranged as a
fringe. Decorating with feathers, in
fact, is greatly in vogue for amusement.
Some are wearing collars and small
muffs of dark velvet, bordered with
their own hands with feathers, those of
ducks, pheasants, peacocks, ETC., being
employed. The plumage intended for
trimming hats and bonnets is also pur-
chased and taken to pieces to fancifully
decorate other articles of Wear
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
Wages of Farm Laborers.

1t appears from an investigation made
into the rate of wages for farm labor by
the statistician of the department of ag-
riculture that since the year 1879 there
has been an increase amounting to "a
per cent. in the eastern states. In the
four years from 1875 to 1879, however,
there was great decline, because of the
great number of artisans who had taken
to farm labor in consequence of the de-
depression in manufactures. This seri-
OuSly depressed the rate of farm wages.
Since 1879 the increase in the western
states has been IA per cent and in the
southern 13. Wages generally declined
gradually from 1866 to 1875, but very
rapidly from that date until 1879, when
an equally rapid rise began. There was
one exception to this rule in the south,
when, between 1866 and 1869. in conse-
quence of the high price of cotton, wages
advanced. The south exhibits the least
f1uctuation in the rate of wages, this
being attributed to the Improvement in
quality and efficiency of labor. For ex-
ample, the average rate of wages per
month was $16 when cotton was 80 cts.
per pound. and $15.33 1-3 when cotton
was II cents per pound. Statistics
prove that the districts of high wages
are also those of large production and
net profit in agriculture. The average
rates of wages at present obtaining are:
In the eastern states, $26.61; middle,
$22.24; southern, $15; western $26.63,
and California, S38.25. Although these
indicate a considerable recovery since
1875, there is still decline of 20 per
cent. from the inflated rates which i'm
mediately followed the civil war.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
He Wanted to Keep Him from Running
Into Debt.

Besides carrying on his regular bus
mess as a merchant, Nose Schaumburg
is in the habit of accommodating with
cash the fast young men of Austin, who
frequently run short. A few days ago
Hostetter McGinnis, as he had frequent
ly done before, called on Nose for a
small loan, which was granted cheerful
ly, on, however, exceedingly exorbitant
terms, Nose deducting the interest from
the money advanced before he paid it
over to Hostetter McGinnis.
"Why do you take the interest out be-
fore you give me the money? You never
did that before, and have always paid
YOU back principal and interest. l am
one of your regular customers, and you
ought to have confidence in me by
this time," said McGinnis, Indignantly.
''Dot ish so, Mr. McGinnis, you has
done a great deal of bishness NIT me and
dot ish de reason dakes mine interest
oud before 1 Igives you dot money vat
vas left over"
81 don't understand YOU"
sVell, will exblain. De more bish-
ness transactions l has nit a young
man, de less able he is to pay me pack.
De more deals NIT him, de smaller pc
comes his paying ability, de fewer his
resources. AS you vas an old customer
of mine, you can not have much proper
ties left, so projects myself py taking
dot interest oud pefore hands you dot
principal over / wants to keep you
from running yourself into debt, as
does most of dose Austin young shen-
tlemens, " GdteeSt0R Nelcs
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
A Peculiar Formation.
a Movable Mountain in Nevada---A Curious
Freak of Nature.

Freak of Nature.
In the eastern part of Churchill Coun-
ty, on the road from Wadsworth to
Grantsville, and about sixty-tive miles
from the former place, the Reno Gazette
tells us, is sand dune, which is re-
markable alike for its peculiar forma-
ton and moving propensities. AS far
around as the eye can reach is vast
wilderness of greasewood and stunted
sagebrush, with here and there abrupt
mountain ridges, or q shara, rocky
peak. The dune, or sand mountain
ridge, which is about four miles in
length, and covers probably mile of
greasewood in width, perhaps, formed
by She heavy winds which prevail in
that section, blowing across these des-
erts. through natural opening in a
small range of mountains, and deposit
ing the small particles of sand that
were picked up in heap where the
winds course is disturbed and an eddy
formed.
In the whole dune, which is from
100 to 400 feet in height, and contains
millions of tons of sand, it is impossible
to find a particle much larger than a
pin head. 1t is so fine that if an ordi-
nary barley sack he filled and placed in
a moving wagon, the jolting of the We
hicle would empty the sack, and yet it
has no form of dust in it, and is as clean
as any sea beach sand. The mountain
is so solid as to give q musical sound
when trod upon, and oftentimes bird
lighting on it, or large lizard running
across the bottom, will start large
quantity of the sand to sliding, which
makes noise resembling the vibration
of telegraph wires with hard wind
blowing, but SO much louder that it is
often heard at a distance of six or seven
miles, and is deafening to a person
standing within short distance of the
sliding sand.
A peculiar feature of the dune is that
it is not stationary, but rolls slowly
eastward, the wind gathering it up on
the west end, and carrying it along the
ridge until it is again deposited at the
eastern end. Mr.. Monroe, the well
known surveyor, having heard of the
rambling habits of this mammoth sand
heap, quite a number of years ago took
careful bearings on it while sectionizing
government lands in that vicinity.
Several years later he visited the place,
and found that the dune had moved
something over q mile
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
Oandor.

81 know what you're going to say, she said,
And she stood up, looking uncommonly tall:
"Y ou are going to speak of the hectic fall
And say you're sorry the summers dead,
And no other summer was like it. you know,
And can imagine what made it so,
Now aren't you, honestly?' YES said.
II know what you're soing to say, she said;
You are going to ask if forget
That day in June when the woods, were wet,
And you carried me"-here she dropped her
head
''Over the creek; you are going to say,
Do 1 remember that horrid day.
Now aren't you, honestly!' eyes, said.
81 know what you're going to say" she said:
You are going to say that since that time
You have rather tended to run to rhyme,
And'-her clear glance fell and her cheek,
grew red
"Apd have noticed your tone was queer
Why, everybody has seen it here!
Now aren't you, honestly?' ''Yes,' said
II know what you're going to say" said:
noyed;
And I'm short of tact-you will say, de-
And I'm clumsy and awkward, and call me
Ted,
And bear abuse like dear old lamb,
And you'll have me, anyway, just as am.
Now aren't you, honestly?' "Ye-es,' she said.
-Harper'S
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
Gusts of Wind at Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe, in California, is subject
to terrible gusts of wind, which rush
down the surrounding gorges of the
mountains. Not long since party were
fishing from pier in the lake when
their attention was attracted by great
roaring, and they deserted regular cy-
clone approaching. Before the hurri-
cane came, long, unbroken wave at
least fifteen feet in height. Knowing
that this would sweep the whole line of
the pier, all present beat hasty retreat
to the shore. When at q safe distance
they turned to gaze upon the scene.
While thus employed they were startled
by a tremendous roaring to the north
ward, and moment afterward cy-
clone from that direction struck the
lake. This sent before it huge wave,
which had soon attained the height of
that coming from the southwark. In a
few minutes the two waves came to-
gether. When they struck, column
of water and spray was sent into the air
at least one hundred feet. The collision
of the two waves was followed by re-
port that sounded like heavy clap of
thunder. A moment after this grand
shock of the waters five or six huge wa
ter-spouts made their appearance. all
within an area of three or four miles.
and carried great columns of waller and
spray to the height of several hundred
feet. After about fifteen minutes OF
the elemental warfare the lake became
calm.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14

little garden, where, under some trees
that screened them from observation,
we found bench and rude table.
'Will you wait here?'' he asked, and
touching his hat, went away.
We'll" 1 cried, ''if this don't beat
everything! What does it mean?"
:'It means that he has found out who
we are said Baby, dejectedly. 81 wish
we had not ceme."
"Never mind,n l said, ,consolingly;''i sit
is an adventure, anyhow. A little more
than we bargained for-that is ALL
just then back came ''our MASTER"
carrying a tray which he deposited on
the table before US.
Our astonished eyes took in wine,
milk, q cold chicken, fresh butter, and
slices of homemade bread.
'Mrs. Lester he said, turning to
Baby, ''will you forgive me for recog-
nizing you? But it was almost neces-
sary. The men might have been rude,
and it is better that you should 90 home
now"
"You are wondering, 1 dare say, how
l came to know you, but l have seen
you quite often driving around the
country with your friend. My name is
Roger Carlyle
Baby laughed till the tears ran down
her cheeks.
''Mr. Carlyle" she said, Il am inf
nitely obliged to you. We saw the sign
yesterday at Rossville, and thought we
would come for the fun of the thing.
But l had no idea we were to have such
an adventure. | have an idea that you
are masquerading yourself"
''Well, l am," he acknowledged. 81
am acting to-day for my uncle, who
owns the place. But will you not eat
something? You must be hungry"
We were starving, and did full justice
to the nice luncheon. While we were
eating he went to the inn for the horse
and brought him round to us.
''Good-bye," said Baby, as he gave
her the rein; ''and be sure you come
and see us. Mr. Lester will be glad to
thank you.'
He laughed and promised.
"Oh, Baby" l said, when we were
well on our way; ''what q scraper'
"Pshawn' returned Baby; sit was
plenty of fun. Nevertheless, we will
not do it again.
AS the half-past five train came in,
two irreproachably-dressed young la
dies sat in pony-phaeton waiting for
Harry Lester.
We told him all about it after dinner,
and, though he scolded, he had to
laugh, particularly when we donned our
costumes to.give him an idea of the
effect.
One good thing came out of it all
our friendship with Roger Carlyle.
hn hoI
and gave Harry q very ludicrous ac-
count of our proceedings.
Did it ever lead to more than friend
ship?
How curious you are! Perhaps.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
The Are of tha CAT.

A member of the Hartford county bar,
in relating some "reminiscences of tho
court in times gone by, told of q case
wherein one of the famous advocates of
that time had badgered and crowded a
witness until he lost his temper. The
witness incidentally said something
about a cat, and the crafty lawyer seized
upon this as means of still further
worrying the witness.
"How old was the cat?" asked the at
torney.
81 don't know" was the answer.
'How old do you think she wasp
''It was a Tom-cat."
81 didn't ask about the sex of the cat,
1 asked how old it was"
"You asked how old she was.'
'.Well, how old was that catp''
81 told you 1 didn't know"
"Well, how old do you thinkP''
.'Oh, can't tell.''
"You can't tell how old you think
she was.n
81 tell you, 1 don't know"
"Now,n said the attorney, II want a
plain answer to plain question. How
old do you think that cat WASP"
The witness looked straight at the at
torney, whose shining bald head was
the most prominent feature of his fig
ure, and calmly said, ''Oh, can't guess
how old the cat was, but she was old
enough to be hald-headed."
The lawyers ruddy face assumed q
deeper hue, the spectators and men,
bers of the bar Uttered, and even the
stern features of the court relaxed into
a smile at the answer which ended that
line of cross-questioning.-HarJor
Times.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
Billy Arp on PEOPLE and Things,

Every body, big and little and old
and young, are always hankering after
some new thing, or something that
somebody else has got, or something
they can't get; and it's pity, it is, for
when they get it they are no happier,
for happiness comes from contentment
and willingness to enjoy whatyou have
got, instead of what you haven't got.
Happiness is like religion. 1t amt away
off yonder but it is right at us, if we will
only see it and take hold of it. My lit
tie chap is now in the goat age, and is
begging me for a dollar to buy goat
with to work in his little wagon, and so
reckon will have to let him have it,
for l remember that a long time ago
was in the goat age myself, but now
am sorter approaching my dotage, and
would not have goat under any con-
sideration. The office-seekers have their
age too, and reckon it's a forage, for
they want TO get their living easy, with
out working for it, and forage on the
public. Politics is pretty hot up our
way, and one can hear awful hard sto-
ries told on candidates. One of 'em
complained to Cole the other day be-
cause they beat him for the Legislature
and said they told lies on him-and Cole
said, ''Well, maybe you've heard it
wrong, for folks will purvarecate and
varygate and exaggerate powerful, and
it won't do to believe more than half
people say, and not more than quarter
of what you say YOURSELF - Jesse! Cole
is a curious case. He looked at calf
of mine the other day, and asked me
what kind of an animal it was / told
him its father was full Jersey and its
mother half Jersey and he pondered a
moment and said, ''Well that makes the
calf Jersey and half, don't it,
Squirrel" He is very good on additions,
but very poor on averages. atlanta
Constitution
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
Oo-0peration at Harvard.

Four hundred Harvard professors and
students formed a cooperative society
nine months ago, and opened store
where books, sporting articles, station
cry, fuel, pictures and clothing were
either kept in stock or sold by sample
The price for everything was5 per cent
above the wholesale cost, and members
only could buy, but on no other terms
than cash down. They also paid 50 a
year. The experiment has thus far
been highly satisfactory, and no reason
for failure in the future is apparent
There is no capital at risk, the per
cent. and yearly dues cover the ex-
penses, and the members, now increas-
ed to 636, get their supplies at an aver
age of 20 per cent. less than they would
have to pay elsewhere. A novel branch
of the business is the sale of second
hand books and furniture, by which
students get pay for their discarded
things instead of throwing them away.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
She Thought She Would Change the
C1hinnf

Always" said papa, as he drank his
coffee and enjoyed his morning beef
steak, always, children, change the
subject when anything unpleasant has
been said. 1t is both wise and polite. :"
That evening on his return from bus
mess he found his carnation bed despoil-
ed, and the tiny imprint of slippered feet
silently bearing witness to the small
thief
Mabel" he said to her, "did you
pick my flowers?''
Papa" said Mabel, "did you see a
monkey in townp"
'Nsver mind that. Did you pick my
fowers?''
Papa, what did gran'ma send me?"
'Mabel, what do you mean? Did you
pick my fowersp Answer me yes or
no."
"Yes, papa, did; but I'd fout I'd
change the subject" - Philadelphia
Quiz.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
A Good Thing For The Jurors

Tom Fitch is a man of infinite re-
sources. Over in Cochise county they tell
an anecdote about him which possesses
peculiar interest. When his tax suit
against the Southern Pacific railroad
was up, Tom stoutly advised the in
dictment of Crocker for alleged perjury.
The ground taken for the Indictment
was Crocker's affidavit that the railroad
property in Cochise county was only
worth $4,000 a mile.
But" urged the foreman of the
grand jury, whats the use of it? We
can never convict him."
'.But we can indict him and bring
him here for trial." protested Mr.. Fitch:
''But he'll get clear" replied the fore
man; ''what can you accomplish by ite''
Tom looked the foreman squarely in
the face, and hitching his chair little
closer to the listening jury, he replied
conlidentially. We'll make twelve men
in Cochise county comfortable fo7 life. :"
That settled it.-Arizona Star.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-14
Darling Nellie GRAY"

There are few persons in the South
who have not heard and admired that
charming negro melody, Darling Mel
lie Gray" and at one time it stood in
the same rank with ''Old Kentucky
Home" ''The Old Folks at Home" and
others of that class. 1t is less known
now, but in certain Southern sections
Nellie Gray is as household words, and
in every list of plantation songs it has
an honored place. But to come to my
story. Twas talking the other day to
musically-inclined gentleman, whose
practice on the violin in a room near
my own keeps me constantly striving
to be Christian and not to do any
thing of a riOtous or violent nature,
when we mentioned the old song Incl
dentally, and he told me the author was
his cousin, and that it and its author
had q little history.
The song writer was B. r. Handy, OF
Westerville, O.,who was also painter,
musician and poet. When he was
about 20 years of age, he sometimes
jotted down melodies which struck him,
and on one occasion the notes of ''Nel-
lie Gray" went on paper, and he after
ward wrote the words. He had never
published any music, and this was put
aside where he could use it as the fancy
struck him.
One night at little company at his
home, the song, among others, was
sung, and a gentleman present, being
struck by the air, made some inquiry
about it, and the facts were given him.
He at once asked the young composer
what it was worth, and Mr.. Handy, not
being posted, put the figure at S5, and
the trade was made. The new owner
set about having it published, and when
it appeared it struck the popular taste
and over 100000 copies were sold. An
other case of the history of composers
repeating itself, or rather of one story,
with the names changed, being narra-
ted Of manY.-Cincinaaati Letter.