davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29

CANT dresses there, and Carrie in her cid blue
one did really feel very much alone. Yet
she went cheerily through the evening, help
ing with the charades and the music, helping
in a dozen quiet little ways that nobody
knew about, and yet trying to keep out of
notice as much as possible.
Cousin Helen played and sang, and did
both very nicely, while Carrie only played
accompaniment for others to sing.
Later in the evening there was a whisper
ing between two of the city cousins, and
presently it became known that Mr.. Ames,
who was Uncle Towards college friend, was
a wonderful singer, and would entertain the
company if anybody could be found who
would play for him.
II wish he would sing The storm king for
us" said Aunt Alice; sit is the most wonder
full thing! / would like to have mother hear
1t. Helen, couldn't you play for him?'
u! No, indeed. His music is all awfully
hard, and he is awfully particular; and that
piece [ don't know, anyway"
But Aunt Alice was determined that her
mother sheuldh hear The storm king" She
talked with Mr.. Ames, and then she moved
among the guests, trying to find one who was
willing to play the accompaniment. Not a
cousin could be found; they were all afraid
OF the great singer and the diffieult-looking
music, At last the girl in the blue dress
grew ashamed of herself.
"4Aun Alice, l will play it," she said. COM
ing out OF the corner.
YOU SAID Aunt Alice, in surprise, for
Carrie was oneof the youngest of the cousins.
DO you know it%'
mo, ma'ani, 1 don't know it; but 1 can
play from the notes"
Then did Helen ook at her young cousin
in respectful establishment.
Can you play pieces that you do not
know" she asked her.
"Why, yes" said Carrie, laughing, tif
they are not very hard. / ought to. 1 have
taken lessons for three years.
well, l have taken lessons for five years,
and can't do it."
Carrie is very faithful with her practic-
ing" said Carries mother.
And Carrie played the accompaniment,
which really vas difficult, and played it so
we'll that Mr.. Ames, the great singer, told
her be had never had a player who pleased
him so well.
And don't you think she forgot all about
her blue dress until her attention was called
to it in a very strange way.
"She not only plays remarkably well.' -
said Mr.. Ames to his wife, 'but she is the
best-dressed young girl in the ROOM"
Yes" said Mrs. Ames, II noticed that;
all the rest of the young people are over
dressed. She must have a sensible mother"
They did not know that Carrie stood Just
behind them and heard it all. But really
think itdid her good; just as honest com
pliments often do good. 1t made her realize
that there were two sides to the question OF
fine dresses.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
The Origin of the Potato.

'Husbandry in Colony Times," Century.
The potato, originally a South American
plant, was introduced to Virginia by Sir
John Harvey i'll 1929, though it was I'M
known in some counties in England a hun
red and fifty years later. In Pennsylvania,
potatoes are mentioned very soon after the
advent of the Quakers; they were not among
New York products in 1896, but i'll 1875 we
are told of II, 600 bushels grown on one
sixteen-aere patch in this province. Pota-
toes were served, perhaps as an exotic rarity,
at a Harvard installation dinner in 1907; but
the plant was only brought into culture in
New England at the arrival of the Presby-
terrain immigrants from Ireland in Ills.
Five bushels were accounted a large crop of
potatoes for a Connecticut farmer, for it was
held that If a man ate them every day he
could not live beyond sever years.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
DECOLLETTE DRESSES.
What Is Said of the Prevailing Style in Fash
ionabIe Circles.

New York Fashion Journal.
An old club man said: 1.-THE present fash
ion of low-cut dresses is, 1 think, carried to
an indecent and disgraceful extreme. I can
not but consider it demoralizing to young
men and girls to attend our balls and mingle
with and observe women whose charms are
wholly uncovered. | know by personal ex-
perienee when l have heard young men in
this club talk the day after a Delmonico ball
that the husbands and relatives of some of
the ladies they discuss could have no posi-
BILE ground for ~resenting their imputations
did they hear them. And yet believe these
ladies to be pure, good women otherwise,
and in the majority of cases, excellent wives
and mother. They do not stop to think
how greatly, in yielding to an indulgence in
q foolish fashion, they aid in lowering the
moral tone of the community. 1t seems to
go from bad to worse every year. and | do
not see where it will stop, unless we boldly
adopt the entire customs of the French Di-
rectory. The dowagers are the worst, think,
and there are two or three conspicuous ex-
amples who display their charms, bedecked
with diamonds. at opera, theater and ball,
who ought, for the sake of public decency,
to be suppressed"
A fashionable dressmaker was asked re-
garding the matter, and said: The fashion
is certainly this year for slightly lower cut
dresses than usual. but it is largely an indi-
vidual matter after all. Some of our most
lady-like and most demure-looking custom
ers order the lowest cut dresses, especially ii
they nave handsome necks, bosoms and arms.
The general rule is, in the case OF a debu-
tante, to so cut an evening dress as to just
suggest the contour; for an older society girl
we allow the bosom to be we'll defined, and
for a matron or chaperone there is no partic-
ular or decided limit. How are the dresses
supported by mere arm straps? Well, these
are made to fit so tightly that the dress can
not slip, but if these should happen to break
well, disastrous consequences might follow.
The whole matter, after all, is a good test as
to whether a lady is modest or ~immodest, but
I do not wonder that some of the dresses this
year have raised an outcry."
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29

THE FOLLOWING Is THE LIST OF LET
i tiers remaining unclaimed in the Indianapolis
postOtice, on Saturday, Dee. 20. 1888.
Persons will please call for advertised
letters and give the date of this LIST.
LADIES LIST.
A-Anderson, Miss May; Alexander, Mary.
C-Campbe1l. MISS Cora B.; eastman Hanna:
Clarke, Miss Nellie L.
D-Dailey, Miss Flora; Dickson, Mrs. j. Mir;
Dukes, Mrs. Tabitha.
E-EmerY, Mrs. s. NJ.
FLETCHER, Mrs. Thomas.
H-Hornbaker, Mrs. Martha E.; Hellens,
MrS.C {.
J-Jinkin.M Miss Efie; Jedder, Miss Kittie; John,
Miss r. j.
M-Marquet. Mary; Miller, Miss Nettie; Mat
thews, Miss Ellen.
P-Pugh, Miss Lizzie.
R-Reed, Mrs. Lizzie; Reisner. Mrs. Liza. "a
S-Smitb, Miss Dell; Sanuels, Mrs. Katie:
Steel, Mrs. Chester; Sitter, Miss Emma.
U-Ulnphry, Mrs. Jenett.
W-Wilson,, Mrs. Mary; Wright, Mrs. Sally
Ann (2); Wright, Della.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
Do Oxen Kneel on Christmas Eve.

the BOOK OF christmas.
In the southwest of England there is a
notion that oxen are to be found kneeling
in theirstalls at midnight of Christmas, as
if in alteration of the nativity; an idea which
Brand supposes to have originated from rep
reservations by early painters of the event
itself. TIL writer mentions a Cornish peas
ant who told him 1790) OF his having with
others watched oxen in their stalls on the
eve of old Christmas day. AT II
o'clock at night the two oldest oxen fell
Upon their knees, and, as he expressed it, in
the idiom of the country, mad "a moan
like Christian creatures" To those who
regard the ~analogies of the human mind, an
anecdote related by Mr.. Howison in his
sketches of Upper Canada" is full of inter
midnight, creeping along in the stiffness of
a beautiful Christmas eve. The Indian
made signals to him to be silent, and, when
questioned as to his reason, replied: "Me
watch to Sc the deer kneel; this is Christmas
night, and all the deer fall upon their knees
to the Great Spirit and look up"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
What Did She Mean?n
Louisville Courier-J ournal.

LOUIbFIII5 VUUTIUI-J Ut
An excellent story is told about a young
man whose attentions to a young lady be-
came the subject of comment. She was his
companion in his daily rides, and apparently
they both enjoyed the pfopinquity. Sud
denly the rides ceased, and the young fellow
was asked the reason. He replied that she
had called him a jackass, and that he would
not ask any girl to ride with him after that.
The lady's friends were shocked, and asked
for particulars. This was his explanations:
you see we had been so much together that
1 gave ont in topics for conversation, and
when l took her out last | couldn't think of
anything but the weather, and I said, 4 be-
lieve it is going to rain; felt a drop on my
ear She looked at me. and carelessly said,
That rain is a half mile off, Now, did not
that mean 1 was a jackass with long ears? I
have never been near her since"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
FASHION NOTES.

Trains are becoming to stout women.
Rubies are more precious han diamonds.
Both oblong and square paper are fashion
able,
Dotted face wells are in high fashionable
favor.
For indoor toilets, lace is preferred to linen
collars.
Velvet flowers are the favorite garniture
for Partisan bonnets.
Gloves in all shades of brown and tan are
worn with all sorts OF dresses.
Children's dresses are all made loose about
the waists, in the late revived English styles.
English girls are wearing patent leather
shoes, With uppers made of pale yellow kid.
Fichus, labots and scarfs are worn with
house dresses. They are attached to narrow
velvet dog collars,
Velvet is used for everything in Paris
dresses, cloaks, bonnets, and even the trim
ming of these bonnets.
Softly-puffed crowns and killed brims are
the features OF some of the newest round hats
and bonnets of black velvet.
The small muff of velvet, lace, plush, fur,
and even cloth matching the eapote in shade
and material, is the latest fancy.
In exclusive stationery we have the paleo-
graphic, resembling old parchment. 1t bids
fair to be a ~favorite among lovers of the an
tique.
There is quite a revival of vests, plastrons
and chemisettes for tightening and bright
ening up dark toilets. Thus, it is very fash
ionable to wear a high-necked plastron of
dainty cream lace or fine embroidery over an
under one of bright-colored silk or satin,
with a dark silk dress.
louise vests of satin complete the jackets
of the rough-surface bison cloth dresses.
One piece of satin from selvage to selvage is
taken in gathers at the top, and is sewed to
the front of the sacque to pass under the
turned-over collar and fall loosely on the
front, hiding the buttons that fasten the
jacket. A rubber cord is drawn through the
hem at the bottom.
New walking-dresses from Paris show the
short skirts covered with ruffles, cut into
vandykes at the edges and bound or faced
with satin or velvet. Above this is a very
long apron overskirt caught up high at the
sides with buckles or wide ottoman ribbons.
The overskirt IS not trimmed. but simply
hemmed. The edges of the bodice are cut to
match those OF the 1ounces.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
: Girl in Blue.


Mrs. Alden, in Pansy.
There she sits in her elegant new morn
ing dress, nothing in the world to do but
amuse herself, and 1 must stain my hands
know what all, for her dinner! A dress with
a train, and she only sixteen! Only two
years and a few months older than 1 ami!
How would | look in a train? [ never ex-
pect to have such an elegant dress as she has
on this minute, and it is only her morning
dress. Tonight she will wear that lovely
garnet silk, trimmed with white lace. Think
of me in my old blue flannel! 1t is every
thing l have to wear. l don't see why there
should be such a difference between cousinsl
I wish Helen had stayed in New York. Why
she wanted to come to the country in the
winter is more than 1 can understand. She
isn't homesick a bit. | Just believe PHI stay
at home tonight. Almost all the girls will
wear new dresses, and my old one will look
older than ever beside Helen's grand one"
Carrie" called that young lady's mother,
and Carrie went to the kitchen.
There she gave her hands to the potatoes,
and her thoughts to the discouragements
around her. At last she spoke some of them
aloud:
Mother, 1 don't believe I'll go tonight,
after ALL"
Not go to Kate's Christmas party! Why,
what has happened? Is the child sick?"
Nom, Pm not sick; only discouraged. I
DON'T want 10 go ana wear Unat ola blue
dress, and that's the truth. | shall look diff
ferent from any of the Others, and seeing me
with Helen will make everybody notice it
more"
my child, Helen's father it worth a mil.
lion, and your father isn't worth a thousand
dollars besides what it takes to support his
family"
~ know it, ma'am. I'm not finding fault;
only l don't want to go to be locke at, that's
aii.h
The mother looked very sober, and some
thing besides the steam that puffed out of
the pudding dish made her eyes moist. Car
RE split a large potato savagely in two and
looked gloomy. Then the mother said,
speaking low:
won't you disappoint a good many peo-
pie tonight, daughter? Isn't Kate depend
ing on you to help with the charades and
the lnusic?"
II can't help it, mother. People mustn't
depend on me. Most every girl but me has
a new dress for tonight, and l can't be 60
ing there Just to help other people nave a
good time when l know | shall be feeling
mortified all the evening""
"Can'tyoul Why, daughter, even Christ
pleased not himself"
After that not another word was said in
that kitchen for nearly an hour. Carrie fin
ished the potatoes and ran away. Where she
went or what she did mother did not know;
but when she came to set the table her face
was pleasant to look at, and she stopped on
her way to the pantry to kiss her mother.
Pm going, motherie; and Tl have as nice
a time as l can, and not grumble a bit"
She looked very pretty in her blue dress,
with its deep low collar and nice ribbons in
her hair. AT least her mother thought so,
though hen Helen came down in all the
glory of her garnet silk and gold bracelets,
there was certainly a difference.
1t was a sort of family Christmas gather
ing. to which the city aunts and uncles and.
cousins had come; and there were some ele-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29

citation is incorporated under the avs of the
State, and has 1916 of a building fund. Two
hundred and ninety-eight meetings were held
during the past year, with an attendance of
25,529, The membership is 2S5.
The Union City association woul have
been in its new building by this time if the
weather had permitted. 1t is a gem in its
way, and will be dedicated free from debt,
owing chiefly to the generosity of James
Mooreman, of Winchester.
The Connersviile association is more pros
porous than for any time during the past
three years. The members are determined
to have a building of their own that will be
both 2 credit and ornament to the city.
At a recent conference in the interest of
the local work in Evansville, attended by
Jno. Y. Farwell and |. e. Brown, of Chicago,
James Bowron, of Nashville, W. e. Watkins,
of New York, and l.. w. Munhall, of Indian
apolis, q young mems fund was started to
give the association a permanent home.
About $4,000 have been secured, and this
sum will be increased to $4,000, which will
place the association in good quarters. This
association is holding gospel meetings for
young men only; evening classes in German,
eloeution and music; has q lecture course,
a course of medical talks on the laws of
health to young men, and one of the best
free reading rooms in the State; also doing a
great deal of other work.
There are thirteen college associations in
the State. nearly all of which are doing ex-
cellent work. One of the professors in De
PAW University, at Greencastle, said: ''The
Y. NJ. c. A. in this university is doing a
glorious work this year."
The associations in the State support
eighteen public free reading-rooms. The
associations in Evansville, Richmond, South
Bend, Elkhart, Laporte, Peru, Muncie, Win
chester, Union City, Hartford City, and at
two or three other points, are conducting
popular lecture-courses this season.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
Advantages of a French Acadenician.

January century.
The academy has no action now on poll
tics. Its action on literature. as I have
shown, is becoming remote. Life is too busy
under the republic for academlcians to at
tend faithfully to the task, enjoined in the
statutes, of compiling a dictionary. Littre,
it may be said, left the iilustrious company
nothing to do. There are social advantages
in being one OF the Forty. An academician's
wife finds it easy to obtain good matches for
her daughters, although their portions are
small. The bookseller, also, is more ready
to enter into terms with a novelist, dramatist.
or historian who is of the academy, provided
he is not fossilized, or that his works have
currency. But if an author is in the way to
become a fossil, the right to don the palm
embroidered coat hastens the change. The
literary man does not keep so fresh in
as out of the academy. Legouve and Migner
have been exceptions. Renan has visibly
gone dow since he obtained a chair.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
~PuGNACIOUs BIRDS.
Feathered Creatures That Know How to Hold
Their Own in a Fight.

Their Own in a Fight.
There's a bird ~ said a collector, "that /
shot in South America last year. that has
more fight in it to the square inch than any
animal living. 1t is called the Southern Car
acara, and is a falcon. The first time l ever
saw them we were lying in the harbor of the
Falkland islands. l was sitting on the quar-
ter deck with the quartermaster, when one
of these falcons darted in between us, and,
Selling the q~uartermaster's shiny. hat in its
talons, flew away. My companion seized q
gun, fired at long range, and made the bird
drop the hat; but before it reached the water
another bird had it, and it was soon high in
air and out of sight.
They seemed to be attracted by anything
bright. and it was almost impossible to keep
anything hanging OIL the ship. They would
tear the pennant into shreds and peck at the
gilt balls on the mast, I watched one one
day darting at some small fishes. The next
moment it disappeared unde water sudden
ly, then came up screaming and Tapping its
wings, only to go down again, and then l
saw that it had been nabbed by a small man
eater; so they get their deserts sometimes.
I've seen four or five standing about a
rabbit hole with their eyes fixed on it, ready
to grab the animal as soon as it came out.
Mr.. Darwin saw one dart at his dog while it
was lying alongside CT him asleep. He said
it was Impossible to hang any food or meat
about the ship without placing a guard over
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
State Y. M. G. A. Items.

The Indianapolis association has extended
a call to Mr.. O. H. Palmer, general secretary
of the South Benz Association, to be its gen
eral secretary. He Will likely accept.
The Hanover College Association is very
much at home in its new building, and doing
a good work. By the way, it is the only
building owned by a college Young Mems
Christian Association.
About 81, 200 have been pledged to the
work in New Albany. Those who are inter
ested are among the best and most-infu-
entail citizens. The pastors have unani-
mously voted to aid all they can. A general
secretary will be employed at once, and the
work placed upon a frst-elass basis.
The boys branch of the Richmond asso.
citation is the largest in the State. This asso-
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
GENTLEMEN's LIST.

A-Appleton, +. l.; Altvater, O.. E.
B-Brown,. Arthur b.; Ballinger, Michael c.:
Bangs, ELMER; Bently, j. E.; Burnett, Charlea
NJ; Bonenberger, Louis; Balm, j, r.; Barton,
Louis.
C-Caplinger, Sam; Christian, Allen, f. W.
D-Davis, John.
Eddy, Captain u. 8. NJ; Ewing, E. C.
F-Fisher, Michael; Eye, Thomas; Fairbanks,
Charles.
G-Galloup, II. II. W.; Gray, 8. D.
H-Hammond, Samuel; Hail, Levitt H.; Huff
man, Frank: Hedlam, Charles; Hanohett, c. H.:
Hustin, j. B.; Hall, DR.. W. F.; Hawk, Charles:
Lorenzo; Hall, DR.. w. C.; Harvey, Chris; Hainee,
A. L.
thinks, VIM. G.; Johnson, r. W.
K-Kleinham, Frederic; Kane, George; Knapp,
Thomas 81; Kelsey. C. s.
L-Langdon, w. H.; Luce, VIM; Lantis, ]. AS
Leake, Frank.
M-Martin, DR.. David (eolored); Miller, VIM;
Marrow, Femis; Morton. N. J.
Mc-McAfee, James; Mcintyre, Charles B.
N-Nutter, Huitt ii.
P-Pursell, John; Peatz, L. A.: Patterson, j. E.
R-Ross, j. N; Rolfe, VIM; Ryhn, Wayne.
S-Seward, Walter; Smith, Joe Anderson;
Shanks, Charles; Stewart, Walt R.; Sampson,
Louis A.; Scott, J, J.; Smith, Ben. L.; SearIe,
Henry Martin.
Thomas, Mr.; Tipps, Tim; Tucker, Prof.,
Thompson, ". j.; Tolle, Lewis W.
W-Wheeler, ]. c.; White, c. e. Wilson, A. H.S
Wise, Thomas 81; Wills, il.
FIRMS.
Dale, Barnes e Morse.
Brown 81 0hrenstein.
]. A. WILDMAN. P. NJ.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
The Shirt Must Go.

New York Morning Journal.
The new paper shirt bosom just issued by
an uptown furnishing goods man, fillsa long
felt want, and no man need button his coat
up to his neck now, except for warmth,
These bosoms are composed of six layers,
the top one to be torn off when soiled. BY
great care one of these pads will last six
weeks, and as they only cost five cents apiece
they will be appreciated by poor men. An
extra gloss bosom for ten cents is put up in
the same style for use on special occasions,
and these will find ready purchasers in the
upper middle classes. The bosoms are self
fastening and adjusting, and are adapted to
quick dressing. 1t looks as though the shirt
will have to go next summer.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
The Rage for White Toilets.

New York Evening Post.
Fashionable mcdistes declare that not in
years has the demand upon them for elegant
white toilets been SO great as during the pres
ent season. White silk tulles over princesse
slips of white or tinted satin surah, are very
favorite toilets, and from these simple styles
extend a bewildering variety of modes and
materials formed of the "hueless nue." which.
are rich and beautiful beyond compare. Re-
ceptIon dresses and toilets designed expressly
for New Years day are shown, which are tri-
umphs of artistic skill and rare beauty. One
dress just completed and sent to Washington
has a corsage and train of very rich white bro
caded velvet. The skirt is of pearl white satin,
embroidered over the entire front with flower
buds and ferns, all in pearls and crystals, and
caught up as it meets the train at the left
side with a long garland of pure white roses
and foliage. For ball dresses are imported
fine white silk nets, dotted with white silk
chenille pompons about the size of a silver
five-cent piece. The effect of this d~iaphanous
material, made up over white silk, is very
charming and girlish-looking. Opera dol
mans and circulars are made of white velvet,
trimmed with white ziblinette, with opera
hats to match, and for bridemaids' wear are
shown some very pretty close-ftting French
white felts, smooth and soft as velvet, trim
med with white feather trimmings, white
silver-powdered aigrettes, and large buckles
of old paste.