davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-15
Presence OF Mind.


A great diplomatist, who had spent many years
in the service ofhis country with more than COM
mon opportunities for forming a correct judg-
ment, once declared that among all the remark
able men with whom he had been acquainted,
he never met above one or two who possessed
presence of mind. Presence of mind is the
maintenance of the judgment under circum-
stances of panic OF emergency which call for
immediate action. That the faculty of doing
the right thing at the right moment is entirely
Independent of merely animal or. as it may be
called, constitutional courage, is shown by its
occasional manifestation by those in whom the
latter quality is largely tempered with discre-
ton. Jones Of Maryland asserts. indeed, that
the truest courage is always mixed with crcum-
spectiOn; while Addison points out that the
courage which grows simply from constitution
very often fOrsakes a man just at the moment
when he has occasion for it. Napoleon also re-
fers TO this distinction when he says: ~ have
very rarely met with the Observation-Disclosures
Ing courage mean unprepared courage, that
which is necessary on an unexpected occasion,
and which i'm spite of the most unforeseen events
leaves full freedom Of judgment and decision"
As wit pierces the ordinary current of CONVEX
satiOn, SO does presence of mind i'm the form of
flash of ratlocination, illuminate catastrophe
or a panic. The phrases, ''having your
wits about you" and ''not losing your
head" which are the ordinary yernacu-
lar equivalents for presence of mind, show, i'm
idCt, ehis cACcptIonai quaHty 10 De essentially
wit In action. There is an old tradition which
recounts how when William the COnquerOr
landed for the first time on English soil he
slipped and fell on his face. Divining by some
swift intuition that his followers might regard
this as an ill omen he rose with each hand full Of
earth and exclaimed: ''Thus do / take posses
sion Of England! grasp 1t with both hands,"
To this readiness the quality Of wit can hardly
be denied but it was practical wit as well, and
is therefore properly regarded as one of the
typical instances Of presence Of mind.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-15
I IST OF LETTERS REMAINING IN THE
IL WASHINGTON CITY POST OFFICE
SATURDAY, JULY Is. 1882.

To obtain any Of these Letters the applicant mus
call for ADVERTISED LETTERS" and give the date Of
this list.
If not called for within one month they viii be SEN
70 the Dead Letter Office.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-15
AN ARKANSAS CHARMER,

From the Union County Times.
Mr.. Black. who resides in HiIlsboro' Ark
exhibits control and influence over the reptile
family astonishiagly mysterious. In the woods
creeks. or wherever he finds q snake. it matters
not Of what type of deadly poison aud venom ii
may be, he succeeds In capturing it alive AID
suffering as little from the clasp Of its fangs as
| if it We're an ordinary pin scratch. He handles
and fOndles them about his person with as much
| Indifference as if they were SO many harmless
| toys. He will allow the largest rattlesnake tC
| deliberately strike and bury its tangs into his
| flesh. and apparently suffer no inconvenience OF
! serious consequences from the tragic risk. BY
q certain weed or growth of vegetation he claims
| to destroy the effect of the bite. When bitten
| he chews and swallows the juice Of the weed
| which acts like charm.
Old Friends.
The old. old friends!
Some changed; some buried; some gone out o.
sight;
Some enemies, and in this worlds swift fight
NO time TO make amends.
| The old, old friends
Where are they? Three are lying in one grave;
And one from the far-cn world On the daily wave
No loving message sends.
The old dear friends!
One passes daily; and one wears mask;
Another long estranged cares not to ask
Where causeleSs anger ends.
The dear old friends
SO many and so fond in days OF youth!
| Alas that Faith can be divorced from Truth,
When love ia severance ends.
The old, old friends!
They hover round me still in evening shades:
Surely they shall return when sunlight fades
And life on God depends. w. j. LINTON.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-15

| From the Detroit Free Press
what was gwine to remark" began the
! old man as he took an undissolved troche from
his mouth and placed it on corner Of his desk,
was to de effect dat it am none OF our
b;Zness what cur nayburs do, onless dey frou
stones at our dog or toss DER oyster-cans ODER
our fences. One great cause OF so much
unhappiness arises from de fack dat sartan
people want to know all about sartin odder
J people. Frinstance, Dea Turner's wife
runs ober to my house an tells nv wife dat
| Elder DOrker's wife has got new bonnet
dat neber cost less dan S12. De elder am
worllin' on a straight salary of IS per week.
an he has a wife and TO chili'en. How kin he
save up Sl2 on SIGH salary as dat? How did
| his wife git dat bonnet? An what cheek fur
| poo woman who can't set table for seven nor
ride on de street kyar once a week to fam out
| in dat manner. De wimmin sot dar' an talk
| an wonder an gid mad an want ter pull har
| an slip out an go to pulln' weeds in de gar
| den. LIS nobody's biZness how she got dat
| bonnet an yit some folks feel sick bekase they
| can't find out.
| My ole woman goes down town to buy three
towels with a red bo'der, spool OF No. 90 white
! thread. an half yard of linen to make me
| some cuffs. She am as pleasant as June
| maWnin' when she starts out but when she re-
| turns dar am hull cyclone in her left eye. She
pens me up in cO'ner an demands to know
| how de gals who stan behind de sto' counters
u
an washin and dress In silks and satins |
can't tell, an de less | know bout it de madden
she gifts, an bime-by dar Gums climax an
somebody gifts hurt If gal kin make TO dol
lars week go furder dan kin make twenty.
OATS none o my bizness or yo' bzness.
'De Odder day my ole woman cum home from
Jedge Blanks an said dat de jedges hired gal
| had gin 'em notice that she was about to 90 to
de kentry on her annual six weeks vacation.
Mrs. Gardner was hOppin' mad, but was as
cool as red-hot crOwba'. Why shouldn't
hired gal want to go to de kentry an have
rest from breakn dishes an kickin' tinwar'
aroun' de kitchen? 1t improves her complex
| shun braces up her form. shapes her feet and
| often results in her marryin' millionaire. III
| de jedge an his family can't afford to 60 dat's
muffin to do wild de servant.
Mrs. Kernul Dash was akin my ole woman
| only las mite if she couldn't hunt her up seam
stress who'd be kind an obleegin' 'nuff to do
few days work at II shillin's day. She won't
| git one. Dis am de season when de poo, over
| worked an half-paid seamstress packs her trunk,
draws her money from de bank. an hies to de
! sea-shore to secure de benefits of de ozone an
| saltwater bathin'. AFTER dey reech Long Branch
| it am hard to tell one of 'em from de wife of
banker or broker. but OATS none of our bizness
Let yer naybur save, squander keep sober. git
| drunk, Far good clOze or ole clOZe--it's muffin
| to you Let us now eXtrcate ourselves upon de
! reg lar order of biZness."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-07-15

The ss:ii Taking t'rOy;sioi, for tF,c IN
penses OF tire Dis4rSgs Government
During the Present E'iScT,i Eear-g-oyy
the >ssu tpprDpriatss: - spps9tione;i
AIEsol,s <hc yarios:. G'ss.,lic Works. Es2-
.sitSLfi0Hs T.ati sETiCes, Ac.-tstbcr E4cy-
isiafio=s Embodied ia s5lt. Act.
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20
The Washington Monument,

Progress of the work--The Signal Office Station
The white, tall, plain shaft of the
Washington monument is foot by foot
daily rising skyward, and its compile
ton, in due course of time, is now as
sured, says the Washington Post. 1t is
already a landmark visible from any
part of Washington, and the inhabi-
tants, after n generation of ridicule, are
beginning to be proud of it. Apart
from its unique character rs an archi-
tectural wonder, modern science pro-
poses to utilize it for the public benefit.
The signal Office expects to have per-
manent station at its summit, and its
officers say that observations of the air
and atmospheric movements taken at
an altitude of $50 feet will be of great
value. Observations are taken, ofcourse,
at far greater attitudes than this, but
the gradual slope of even the most
precipilous mountains and the presence
of large masses of rock near the obser-
yatory create surface currents, even on
mountain heights, and interfere with
the study of phenomena of the higher
levels of the atmosphere. 1t has often
been proposed to institute series of
experiments by means of captive bal
looms, but the expense of such work
prevented the plans being carried out
AT the time Of the centennial it was
proposed to erect skeleton tower to
the height of 1000 feet in Paramount
park. Had this been done the signal
officers would have utilized the observ-
atory for the benefit of meteorological
science, but the tower stopped at 800
feet. The signal officers say it would
not be impracticable to build tower
1000 feet high or even higher and that
the erection of such q tower would be
of great service. The monument is now
300 feet high. The original design con-
templated height of 500 feet, but ut
meeting of the commissioners two
years ago, when it was decided to re-
sumo work, it was voted TO make the
monument the loftest artificial struct-
ure IN the world The commissioners
examined the heights of all the noted
monuments, towers, pagodas, spires,
buildings, and ilag-poles, and found
that to safely distance all rivalry
height of $50 feet would be necessary.
IL was therefore determined TO complete
the shafts on this plan, and the draw
ings were modified to that end. What
was the surprise and qualification of the
commissioners to find subsequently that
the new proportions of the shaft Us now
adopted were exactly those Of an Egyp.
tan obelisk.
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20
1.-THE Mockinr Bird"

According to Washington cores
pendent an old attache of the White
House relates the following incident:
THE first time The Mocking Bird was
ever played, believe, was by the Ma
rine Band 1t was during Buchanan's
term, and his niece, Miss Harriet Lane.
presided with II grace rarely equallcd AT
The White House. The leader of the
band had requested Miss Lane to allow
him to dedicate the piece to her, and
she had consented, inviting large COM
pany to listen TO the first rendition. The
band leader, following the programme,
first presented Miss Lane with :" card,
and ,hc ,..s,,Ipllon, TO YOU The
COMPOSITION was played In splendid
style. and | have never heard Il since
but what that scene was recalled. / can
see Miss Lane bow her acknowledgements
again and again. and almost hear the
murmur of applause from tho assem-.
blage. The flavor OF that evening
hung about the baud concerts for many
day"
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20
Yenged,

"Stop that horse-car"
II was a balmy afternoon in August,
all the world seemed wrapped in man
tie of lovelness. The wind was signing
through lawn and garden in drowsy
fashion, and the flowers that lined the
graveled walks of Boastcltf Castle
seemed to be reckoning with loving
hands to the Lady Esmerelda as she sat
in graceful poise on velvet-covered
JaateWland gazed in a languid dreamy,
no-washing-to.be-do done 4 for = three days
manner upon the pageant of nature that
was passing before her eyes.
But when the voice of one she knew,
one she had loved with a deathless ten
derness in the halcyon days gone by,
came floating to her on the scented
breath of the morning, n thrill passed
through her, and the eyes, eratwhile 50
listless, cleaned with the baeful fires
of revenge. Looking eagerly across the
croquet-ground she saw Pizarro McGin-
ness, the man who had scorned her
love, coming across lots on a run, while
far in advance, and now almost opposit
Coastcliif Castle, was horse-car. The
girl smiled grimly to herself
stop that car" shouted Pizarro
again.
The smile had faded from the pretty
face now, but no look of pity took its
place. "Divil stop will he get from
me-" she murmured, and went into the
house.
In a few moments there was rap at
the door. Esmereda answered it, and
found Pizarro there.
you have blighted my life, false wo-
man, he said. II had job way out
on Blue Island avenue, and now shall
lose it because you would not stop the
car"
- vuis. asnvu uuu giii,
kicking the dog Off tho front steps MS she
spoke.
Yes" replied tho man, you h@ve
utterly blasted all my prospects"
Then" said Esmerolda, u look OF
holy calm and peaceful Joy stealing over
her face, "the Mulcaheys arc avenged"
Chicago Tribune.
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20
Egyptian Soldiers.

Colonel Dye has much to say con-
corning the fighting capacity of the fall
lahin, and seeing that he speaks from
experience, gained both in the barrack
and the field, his structures possess at
thepresent moment more than ordinary
value. His estimate of the Egyptian
peasants soldierly aptitude is very low.
Through gifted with a wonderful power
of physical endurance, and docile and
a good campaigner, the fellah is neith-
or combative nor intelligent, has not
spark ofpatriotism, dislikes and distrusts
his officers, and hates soldering with so
intense hatred that, in order to avoid
it, he will often cut off one Of his fingers
or put out one of his eyes. When Col.
Dye was in Egypt the artillery, us well
~ the cavalry, consisted exclusively of
fe1ahin. The gunners were taken from
n class superior to that which supplied
recruits to the other arms of the SER
vice. The officers, moreover, were bet
ter instructed than their brethren of tho
line, an advantage which they owed to
the exertions of the commandment of the
artillery school, highly educated
French officer. To the teaching of this
Frenchman probably the stout defense
made recently by the forts at Alexan-
dria is in some measure due. A great
drawback to the efficiency of the fellah
a. fighting man is the shortness of his
sight, resulting from ophthalmia So
defective is the vision of Egyptian sol.
diers, says Col. Dye, that hardly any of
them can see further through rifle
sight than few rods. The eyes of the
black soldiers are better. Under the
same conditions he can mark 80 to 40
per cent more hits than his Egyptian
comrade. This superior shooting may,
however, be in part due to the negroes
greater nerve, confidence and eagerness
to excel The black regiments, being
differed exclusively by Egyptians, are
in no way better organized than the
other regiments; albeit, the negroes being
Injured from childhood to war and the
chase, they make far better fighting
material than the fellahn. With the
exception of a few who have risen from
the ranks, the higher officers are the de-
scendants of Turkish fathers and Cir
cassian mothers. They are generally
sufficiently brave, but cruel, avaricious,
corrupt and fearfully immoral, mentally
inert and physically lazy. The younger
regimental and staff officers are, for The
most part, the sons of pashas and beys
in government service, trained in the
military schools established by Ismail.
They are inferior, morally and physic-
ally to the men they command.
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20

faith. One presume that is not often
crossed by either, yet Old Trim cannot hear
Judge Thos. Hileman DETAINED when he is
confident there is not more honorable and
honest man in the state than is Thomas
Hileman. We don't wish to stand by as a
mute and hear Judge Hileman denounced
for another mans sins, and the denouncer
guilty OF perjury. Judge Hileman's honor
cannot be furnished, and he who says it
can and is and brings up this bank failure
for proof must have peculiar way of
viewing human affairs and would better
ask himself, "Did give into the assessor
the money had in bank2n We are not
electoneering for votes for Judge Hile
man, we are only vindicahng his character
on general principles in periodical out
side of his county and one read by many of
his friends. But why say more, his whole
official lite vindicates him, common sense
and honesty vindicate him, and that is
enough. We once knew man in Indiana,
Campbellte who got mad in church
meeting and jumped up and said
81 tell you bretheren there never was
church in such h--ll of a fix as ours.
There is work to be done and it needs to
be done quickly or our church is too dead
to skim This reminds US Of political
party in Union county, they have fallen out
and got things In h IL OF fix. indie
pendents are in the field for all the county
offices, running against the regular nomi-
nees. We don't know what the final result
will be, but venture to predict that some Of
them will be beat. All the candidates are
good fellows and it does seem a pity that
they are spending so much for whisky with
which to buy votes, aud then be left. We
are sorry to write that whisky is the lever
that lifts too many votes into ballot boxes
in Union County. Union county is all
right IN her crop department, every thlng
in the crop line is complete success and
all the people are joyous except those who
lest their money by Wizards failure. Fail
ure we must call it until it be proven to the
| contrary.
We hope it may learn people a good les
son one that will cause them to live on the
proceeds OF their labor. Let them eat their
eggs and butter, and not give it all fol-
sugar, coffee and sour molasses, and loose
their money by depositing in bank anc
never paying any taxes on it. We must be
INDUCED in good laugh over what many
call an awful calamity that is this bank
failure. tits blessing and right smart
one at that. OLD TRIM.
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20
CHURCHES.

/NAlRO BAPTIST Corner Tenth aud Poplar
| J streets; preaching hrs' and third sundays IN
each month II a m. and 7:SO , IA; prayer meet
ing Thursday, 7:50p. m. sunday scnool' S;3o an
''1 Rev. 4. j. HESS, Pastor
CHURCH OF THE REDEEaER-i EpiscopaD
\ Fourteenth street; Sunday I:Da m, hoIy
Eucharist; e:30 O. IN. Sunday school II uo a. u.
Morning Prayers; 500 p. M, Evening Prayers r.
f. Davenport, s r. b. Rector
t,iRST MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Z Preaching nj 1890 g. H., p. m, and I:So ~
Sahhsth school at 1880 y. IN Rev 7. j. ehofes'
pa tor
, urHERAN- Thirteenth street; eeryites SAP
l. bath 1850 a. m; Sunday schoo Up N. rev
Hnappe, pastor
KTuUDIST Cor. Eightr and walnut streets
vi Preaching Sabbath II 90 a. N. and 80 p u
SUNDAY School at 800 p. IN Rev. j. A. scsrfe'''
eriur
uKEsBYTERlAN Eighth street; preschiAF on
1 sabbath ct loo a.. IN and 1880 p. m; prayer
meeting Wednesday at 1880 p. IN; sunday achsoi
stgp. n. Rev y. Y George, pastor.
"a JOSEPH s., Roman Catholic Corner Cross
= and Walnut streets; services sabbath lO;T d
n : Sunday School Al 2 p. m. Vesper p N. ser
uces every day st a IN. Rev. O'Hara' frest'
OF PATRICK S. Roman Catholic Corner Ninth
y stree, Gnd Washington avenue; services Sao,
oath and 10 q. 70. Yespers p IL sundsy sehoo1
Z p. N. services ever iay AZ a N. Rev MaatefSoi
priest.
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20
STAGES OF THE RIVER.

STAGES OF THE RIVER.
The river marked by the gauge last
evening at this port, 16 feet 10 inches and
rising.
Pittsburg, Sept 1916 p. m River feet
0 inches and falling.
Cincinnati, Sept 1916 p. m. River Is
feet inches and falling.
Louisville, Sept 1916 p. m.-Risng.
Nashville, Sept. 1916 pm. River feet
inches and falling.
ST. Louis, Sept 1916 p. IN. River 0 feet
inches and falling.
RIVER ITEMS.
Yesterday was another hot day added to
the list of scorchers for September.
The Ste. Geneveive passed down for
Memphis last night with good trip.
Next week the Morgan and Golden Rule
will leave Cincinnati for New Orleans.
The John A. Scudder from St. Louis had
an immense trip and departed last night
for New Orleans.
The Andy Baum of the Memphis and
Ohio river packet line will lay over one
trip at Cincinnati.
The Big 0. line have amlcably adjusted
their little difference and are again pulling
together in the traces.
Capt Will Hambleton and Capt Davis of
Mound City were down on a flying visit
yesterday, and returned home on the COM
modious packet A. b. Stafford.
The Gus Fowler had a fine trip yester-
| day, and is due here again this evening at
o'clock with another one, leaving on her
return for Paducah at 8. p. m.
The tow boats, Henry Lourey, My Choice
and Oakland-all arrived here last evening
at 3 80 o'clock with several barges and
loaded with wheat for New Orleans.
The U. P. Schenck will report here this
evening for New Orleans. Capt. j. l..
Carter. master. The Schenck will receive
some freight here and leave for the lower
Mississippi tomorrow morning.
The Vint. Shinkle will report here to-
morrow morning on her route to Cincinnati
Remember her excursion rates to the Gin
cinnati Exposition, round trip from Cairo
is only $1,000. See W. f, Lambdin and
get your tickets.
The Cons Millar from Cincinnati is due
here early this morning for Memphis. Capt.
c. b. Russell her old chief after a severe
spell of sickness is again at his post. Pas
sengers going south by river can secure
tickets from W. F. Lambdn, agent, otfic e
7o Ohio levee.
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20
DONGOLA Letter.
DoNGoLA, Sept. Is, 1SS

DoNGoLA, Sept. IS, 1882.
Three very important events for Union
county in her history for the year 1882 are
now in the misty past, viz; the meeting of
the Southern Illinois Far association, cir.
cult court and The Union county fair at
Jonesborough. Each in its turn ia said to
have been complete success. The next
most important event will not come off till
Tuesday after the first Monday in Novem-
ber
The Willard bank suspension is still the
chief topic Of conversation among those
who lost their money, also among their
friends. The calamity, if such it can be
called, has been the cause of an unprec.
edented number of men offering themselves
as candidates for the Office of county judge.
Let me see one, two, three, FOUR five yes,
that is the number in the racr for the office
of county judge, al they are all indepon'
dent but one. All are good fellows, and
oh what pity that4 of the 8 are spend
ing their money for nothing; but such are
human affairs. The poor fellows who in
the grand total had over one hundred thou
sand dollars in Wizards bank and lost It
none of Il evo~ - 49, "'.o' -
hoohs-are doing their best to make the
honorable Thomas Hileman appear rs u
villain and canniver at Wizards crime II
crime It be to borrow money and then
fail Now, there is wide gulf between
Thos. Hileman's and Old Trims political
The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-09-20

Browns IRON BrTTERs
is one of the very few tonic
medicines that are not COM
posed mostly Of alcohol or
whiskey, thus becoming a
fruitful source of intemper-
!ance by promoting a desire
for rum.
Browns IRON BITrERs
is guaranteed to be a nom
intoxicating stimulant, and
it will, in nearly every case,
take the place of all liquor,
and at the same time abso-
lutely kill the desire for
whiskey and other intoxi-
eating beverages.
Rev. G. w. RICE, editor OF
the AMeUcnu Christian Re-
a9flv, says of Browns Iron
Bltters:
Gin, o., Nov. 10, 1881.
Gents The foolish vast
ing OF vital force in business,
pleasure, and vicious imdul.
gence OF our people, makes
your preparation necessity;
and if applied, will save han.
dreds who resort 70 sa,
for temporary recup -IstYn NJ
Browns IRON Buffers
has been thoroughly tested
for dyspepsia, indigestion,
biliousness, weakness, debil-
ity, overwork, rheumatism,
neuralgia, consumption,
liver complaints, kidney
troubles, &c, and it never
fails to render speedy and
permanent relief