davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

a Washington corresp 6pde nk3tei@ this
Characteristic story of President Arthur
The president is pretty apt to know
when any OF the families dependent upon
his household are in trouble. 1t is char
acteristIc of him that he expresses the
sympathy he always feels in some tangr
BILE way. Last winter, according TO the
story that came TO me the other day, the
wife of one of the colored men at the
white house was -gIieveously ILL The
president heard of III and saw thai she
had all the comforts she required. He
saw that She had some flowers every day
as soon as he learned that she had the
southern passion for flowers. For some
reason he did not give the gardener a
formal order to see that she had one of
those formal and exceedingly stiff white
house boquets every day. He contented
himself by sending few choice flowers
from his own desk every afternoon. one
day, when he was pressed for time by
more congressman than usual he forgot
the flowers. Evening came and with ii q
state dinner party. AS he sat at the head
of the table, in the middle of the dinner,
the president remembered the sick wom-
an and his own forgetfulness. Quietly
gathering out mass of flowers before
him on the table some of the finest, he
called servant, instructed him, and the
poor woman soon had the flowers she
was longing for.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
The News in Brief.

| Henry Watering, dry goods dealer a
Watertown, Wis, has made assignment
\ sho@storm followed by heavy rain
made residents of st John IN. b miserable
| Reports from Vienna and Trieste sn,
| the Count de Chambord is in a dying condi
ton,
The Illinois State Medical society /.
holding its thirty-third annual convention a
| Peoria
General Josiah Gorgas, chief of or
| dinance in the rebel army, died at Tuscaloosa
Ala, aged Is.
Thomas Walsh. the brutal wife muir
| derer has been sentenced to thirty-fve year,
| Imprisonment
There are 80,3S9 Odd Fellows in
Pennsylvania The grand lodge is now il
| session at Harrisburg.
A grain of corn lodging in the throat
of jeremiah Hess little daughter at Canton
Ohio, choked her to death.
Sir John A. Macdonald, the Can
adian premier, is alleged to have been threat
ened by New York dynamiters.
In the cushion carom tournament DAILY
beat Wallace in spirited game and in the
evening Sexton defeated Carter.
Salmi Morse has received a license
for his theatrical temple at New York, but no
Passion Play" can be produced
Fire at Harrodsburg, KY, destroyed
twenty-four houses and the Presbyterian
church, making total loss of $4,000.
At Washington, Col. J. Condor
Smith, of Chicago, and Miss Swearingen, sis
ter OF Mrs. Justice Field, were married.
Governor Hamilton, of Illinois, has
issued his proclamation for the due observance
OF memorial day ON Wednesday, May 80
The pottery works of Stevens Broth
ers Il Co, in Baldwin county, Ga, burned,
causing loss of s20,0 Iney will be re-
built
While attempting to save his child
rem, John Payson was consumed in his burn
ing house at Bracebridge, Ont His ten year
old boy also persisted
At Amity, Ark, Prof. r.. NJ. Burke
dismissed his pupils and then committed sui
eide, caused, it is stated, by the unhappy ter
mination of q love affair
The question of pool-selling on the
Washington races has been compromised by
the District commissioners permitting it on the
track, but forbid it in the hotels.
Washington, the French ambassador,
has dined With Emperor William, later had a
cordial interview with Bismarck, and on the
whole has been treated with great distinction at
Berlin.
A graphic paper on the great Chicago
fire of 1871 was read before the Historical So
ciety of Chicago by the Hon E. c. I.arned
who put the number of lives lost in the same
Mt 300 at least
Hallstones fell at Mound City, ILL.,,
measuring nine inches in circumference and
weighing 615 ounces. At Lafayette, Ind, the
stones were as large as eggs, and knocked
down horse and its rider
A treaty Of peace has been signed be-
tween Chill and Peru, the latter country ceding
Iacna and africa for ten years At the end OF
mat period the people of the two provinces
shall vote as to which country they desire to be
The cyclone of Monday evening, be-
sides wrecking two churches and the town
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
Ravages OF the Storm.

CINCINNATI. May 16.-Reports have
been received of the ravages of Monday nights
storm in Indiana and Ohio, showing that the
cyclone swept across twelve miles in length
about six miles north of Connersville, Ind
with path few rods wide, striking the little
village of Waterloo, and destroying every
house but three in it, and doing great damage
to farms IN its path, but injuring nobody
The fine iron bridge over Whitewater river
whirled to pieces.
In the southern part of Wayne county, much
damage was done to farms; houses were I'M
rooted, and one or two people slightly in
iured
The same storm passed through Preble
county, O., unroofing houses and barns, and
doing damage estimated at $40, 600
Further east, at Germantown and Miami5-
burg, there was a severe hailstorm doing i'm
mense damage to vegetation The fruit is al
most wholly destroyed.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
AN UNIQUE SCHOOL.
Teaching the Young IDEA How Not to
Shoot

Yes said the schoolmaster at Rus
tiers Gs:lct, as he rolled "a fresh corn
husk cigaro, 1.-The history of this school
would no doubt prove interesting from
a newspaper point of view. It's most
startling incidents, however, seem COM
monplace and tame to frontiersman
This school was started five wears ago,
and / am the fourth teacher / have
been here two years. About six years
ago Mr.. Robinson, great sheep man
from the lower country, located in the
gulch, and established a ranch here
Many of his herders had families, and,
being a man of influence and wealth, he
had no difficulty in establishing public
school and he built this house. The
teacher hung his hat up on the floor in
one corner and shelved his books in an
other The pupils brought sheep-skins
to sit upon, and every night rolled them
up with their books and piled the lot up
in the two unOccupied corners. Well,
after Mr. Robinson, the wealthy sheep
man | spoke of, had completed his
school house he looked about for
teacher, and finally secured the services
of an old fellow-an ex-stage driver,
who could barely read and write. This
country was full of Indians then, and
the teacher and larger pupils went arm
ed. He took his meals at Robinson's
house. but slept here on the mud floor.
HE had a weakness for post whisky, and
got drunk on the slightest provocation
One Sunday. while he was lying there
before the schooi-room fire in a drunken
stupor, wandering Apache happened
IN and carried away the schoolmaster'
scalp as an educational trophy. This
catastrophe caused the school TO close,
and it remained without teacher about
six months
One day a very pretty aud lady like
young woman rode up to Robinson's
ranch and asked for that gentleman.
he invited her in and she made known
her business. She was school teacher
and anxious to take charge of the Rust
ier.ssGnlch school She gave her name
as Miss Emma Graham and entered up
on her duties the next day after her en-
gagemeGt Miss Graham was about Is
years OF age Il 1biason had son a
year older. There were Indians in tn,
country still, and it fell to young JacL
Robinson's lot to escort the pretty
schoolmarm to and from the schoo
house. He rather liked it, and being 8
good-looking fellow and trifle NOR
polished than ranchmen's sons usually
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

Herbert Spencers says Americans are SC
driven by business cares that they never
stop to leisurely examine anything
Guess he never saw sfivesor six hundred
busy Americans standing around for two
hours watching three men raising an
office safe to fourthstory window
Philadelphia Neaos.
An interesting experiment in photo
graphing by the electric light was made
at midnight on Tuesday in Madison
Square Theater, New York, when the
stage was lighted by thirty arc lights and
the company was successfully photo
graphed in four ''sittings" on about a
dozen plates. The plates were developed,
and were very satisfactory in every way
proving that photography can be success
fully accomplished In the darkest day OF
night by the aid of the electric light.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

People who keep pet bears had Bet
ter keep an eye on them. At Downer's
Landing in Massachusetts year or two
ago a number of bears were confined in a
sunken pit having in the centre a pole
upon which the beasts climbed. This pole
came some feet above the level or the
ground surrounding the pit, and one
particular bear was observed day after
day to climb to the top of the pole and
there to remain for some time measuring
with his eyes the distance between him
self and the edge of the pit. The keeper
was warned that the animal would make
the leap he so carefully and frequently
estimated, land when he does" the gen
neman speaking said, che will succeed
He wont jump until he is sure of him
self And at length, alter months
hesitation, Bruin did leap, and did reach
the edge of the pit. Fortunately the
keeper was at hand. and selling the pole
he was able to pry the brute over into
his den again, else the consequences
might have been serious.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
BISHOP BoWMAN's sPIRITUALrsM.
From the St. Louis Republican

From the ST. Louis Republican.
In conversation yesterday afternoon
Bishop Bowman said:
Il am not believer IN modern Shirt
ualism and do not believe that spirits IN
set chairs and move tables, but | can saw
that have never been able to account for
many remarkable experiences | have had
during my life, under different circnm
stances. We are much nearer the spirif
world than we think, perhaps, and the
spirits of the departed dead, | believe.
have a certain influence over our minds
When vOyaging on the Red Sea made it
practice to pray every night and morn
ing for my wife. from whom was absent
and who at the time was an invalid One
evening | knelt down as usual and tried
to pray for her, but | found | could not
do it, This worried me very much, but |
attributed my incapacity to pray for her
to nervousness. as / had preached a ser
mon to the passengers on board that
afternoon. On the following morning I
again tried to pray for Mrs Bowman. ex-
periencing the same difficulty that pre-
vented me from accomplishing my pur-
pose on the evening previous. | wonder
ed what had happened. Was / losing nv
senses7 At length the thought occurred
to me: Your wife may be dead But this
L considered improbable, as had recei we'd
a letter few days before, stating that she
was much better than she had been for
long time. However, | was anxions To
reach a point where | could exnect tn |
receive additional tidings relative to
her condition, Finally, on my arrival at
Rome, l found letter awaiting me, con
veyIng the news that Mrs Bowman had |
dled on The same evening that l found |
fnVT al y, Ia
aging over the Red Sea. This experience
L was never able to account for vet I |
shall never forget it. About the same
time my daughter had another extraordi
nary experience, but it was not similar to
mine. When IN Paris she would shut her
eyes and could then see her mothers face
distinctly. On the evening of her moth
ers death she attempted to do this and
was so terrified at not seeing the face as
usual That she ran out of the room into |
another apartment. She felt that some
thing had happened, but her many friends
told her that her fears were IMAGINARY
Subsequently she received news that her
mother had died about the time she fonnd
1t impossible to see her face with her ewes
closed. In this house (referring to his
residence, where the conversation took
piace) about this time last year I was
my slch at the point OF death, the ply
slcIans being unable to predict whether
would live or die Then had some vorv
happy visions, as / stated in a sermon
delivered recently in the Music Hall at
Boston"
In them the bishop was transported to
the threshold of the spirit world. where
he saw and converscd with the spirit of
his deceased daughter, who told him his
wife was waiting for him in heaven.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
Why He PAID

They were talking about gas and com.
pairing gas bills, and finally the bald-head
ed man laid aside his paper and exclaimed
Well, had only two burners going in
my office for an honr each evening durino
January, and my gas bill for the month
was ST.
Monstrousi Highway robbery Worse
tnan pocket-pickingP' exclaimed as many
oliterent voices, and some one asked what
he did about it.
Why, paid it, he replied
on did Didn't you know it was q
downright swindle?"
Yes, thought it pretty steep, but
you see L m stakeholder in the company
and anxious for dividend = Val Stree
Neaes
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
inc ;naaTniis1ea rentle.Sens with ladies of their


tingnished gentlamens with ladies' of then
families.
OF the Society of the Army of the Potomac,
there were about 7c0 men IN line; these, to-
gether with various organizations composing
an escort OF about :, 500 men passed in review.
Along the limo of march was = liberal display
of bunting and much enthusiasm. 1t was the
first representative gathering of the Army of
the Potomac III Washington since the war, and
the soldier of twenty years ago marched
past the stand, many of them
gray -aaired sand bearded, and bowed
with the weight of intervening years, it re-
called the review of 1865, when the army of
the Potomac marched up the avenue and
passed i'll review before the president, I00UDO
strong In procession were many well known
and familiar faces and there constant
interchange of recognition between passing
veterans and those upon the stand Att
O'Clock the escort dismissed at
the Riggs house, the point from which the
procession started, anu the Society of the Army
of the Potomac marched to the White House
and paid their respects 10 the president, who
received them in the east room and greeted
each member as he was presented TO him
This afternoon the business meetings of the
different corps held at their several
headquarters, and at O'clock the general bus
mess meeting of the society began at the
National theatre.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

The unloved lover returned once more;
In yellow satin the lady came
AND met him at the door
Hast thou heard, dark Edith laughed h
Poor Hugh hath craped theesmanva essay?
Soon would i have been4oo late for him
His iow-born wills to say
i struck blade where lay his hearts love,
And voice tor thee have / left him none
"nen tnou and are one!' -ssz-y-zr.
Fearless across the wide country
: Rode the dark Lady e 18th of Merle;
She looked at the heaalands soft with haze
ana the moor's mists of pearl.
The moon il struggled to see her pass
Through its half-lit wells or driving gray:
hut mOonbeams were slower than the steed
That Edith rode away
Oh, what was her guerion aud her haste
While cried the far screech-owI in the tree
And &c her heart crept its note so lone
Beating TREMENDOUSLY?
About her a black scarf foated thin
and over her cheek the mist fell cold,
And shuddered the moon between its riffs
Of dark clouds silvery fold.
oh. white FIRE of the nightly sky
When burns the moons wonder wide and far,
And every cloud illumed with flame
Engulfs Is shaken star!
Bright as comes morning from the hill
There comes face to her lovers eyes;
Her love she tells, ami he dying smiles,-
And smiles yet in the skies
He Is dead, and closer breathe the mists:
He is dead, the owiet means remote;
lie is buried, ana the moon draws near,
To gaze and hide and float.
Fearless within the churchyarC's spell
The white-browed lady doth stand and sigh;
She loves the mist and the grave and the
moon,
And the owls quivering cry.
Rose hawthorne Lathrop, in May Century
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
ILLINOIS K.c-islatsAre.

SPRINGFIELD, May 16.-Today the
senate passed Coughs militia bill, and de
feated the motion to reconsider the vote bt
which the bill taxing the gross earnings of ex-
press companies failed
Mr. Bridges anti-railroad pool bill was re-
committed to the Judiciary committee
The house to-day passed resolution to paw
Il. W Hakeman for the forty acres of land,
which he had granted to the state normal
school, and then again got into a dead lock on
the high license bill This was finally broken
and the Wiilonghby amendment, as amended
adopted
Mr.. Gregg then moved an amendment to the
title of the bill, and Mr.. Harper moved the
previous question. This brought about another
deadlock, which in the house Is still un
broken, the anti license men not voting
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

The venerable Bishop Peck. of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, is confined
TO his house at Syracuse, and much of
the time to his bed, but is enjoying in
perfect peace the twilight of happy old
age, expecting soon TO pass away Bishop
Peck has recently given all his property
to Syracuse University, preferring to dis
pose of 1t thus by his own act during his
lifetime than to leave 1t by his will. He
recently said to a friend who visited him.
have an ambition to die without any
tning' FOR | am going to where shall
nave infinite riches of kind that will
things" -
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
THE VETERANS.
Proclamation of the Governor OF
Illinois Fixing the Date of
Decoration Day.

STATE OF ILLINOIS, EXECUTIVE De-
PARTMENT, sPRNGFIELD, May 10, 1885,
Whereas, prompted by impulses of loyal de-
votion to the welfare and perpetuity of our
country as now represented by preserved
union of the states, and moved by feelings of
profound gratitude to the soldier heroes
who defended the union against the
assaults of armed treason, and hallowed
Its soil with their blood; and
desiring to forever hold their brave deeds in
grateful memory, the patriotic people of our
country have by common consent adopted the
custom of setting apart one day of the year to
be devoted to the commemoration of the noble
lives and deaths aof those gallant soldiers:
and,
Whereas, The Legislature of our state has
recognized the fitness OF this custom by Great
ing the 3Oth day of May legal holiday.
Therefore, l. John M. Hamilton, governor
Of the state of Illinois, do hereby cali upon the
whole people of the state TO observe Wednes-
day, May 3oth INST, as Memorial day, and re-
quest them ON that day to lay aside their ordi-
nary business pursuits and joining together in
their several localities, celebrate the day in the
true spirit which suggested the beautiful Gus
tom, thus renewing in the hearts of
the sleeping heroes, and recalling
for the benefit of fhe present and rising gener-
atoms the impressive lessons of the memorable
struggle for liberty and union which claimed
the sacrifice of SO many noble lives.
In Testimony therefore hereto set nv hand
and cause the great seal of the state TO be
affixed Done at the city of Springfield the
day and year above written
ISignedl JOHN M HAmrrToN
THE AUGUST REUNION.
CHICAGO, May l6.-The state execu
'lve committee of the Grand Army of the Re-
public met at O'Clock in parlor of the Grand
Pacific. to make arrangements for tho annual
soldiers and sailors reunion to be held next
August Gen. McNulta, of Bloomington. pre-
sided, and after some opening remarks by the
chair, a communication in the form of a
number of resolutions, setting forth the
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
Army of the Potomac.

<AH AuSptckOuS DGy at the National
Capftaa---The Pr0cessTon-- business
Meeting or the society.
WASHINGTON, May 16.-Despite the
lowering clouds and threatening weather of
yesterday, to-day has proved most suspicious
for the opening ceremonies of the reunion of
the Army::of the Potomac. The streets through
which the procession passed were thronged
with spectators. The column moved shortly
before noon, and after marching through sev-
eral OF the avenues, passed In review before
the stand erected upon the pavement opposite
the White House
Shortly before II o'clock the president was
notified of the approach of the procession, and
with members of his cabinet and other invited
guests, proceeded across the lawn to the stand
which was approached by flight of steps
from within the White House grounds. Upon
the stand were the president Secretaries Linz
coin and Teller. Attorney General Brewster.
Postmaster General Gresham, Justice Field
General Sherman and staff the diplomatic
and large number of other dis
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
The Thompson Trial.

CINCINNATI May 16.-The Times
Star. Harrodsburg. Ky, special says: Judge
Denny spoke on behalf of the commonwealth
in the Thompson trial this morning, and was
followed by Hon William Blackburn for the
defence. The case VIII go to the jury at 4 p.
M Applause was suppressed several times
by The COURT dnring Dennx.s spoech .
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17
Little Rock Items.

LITTLE Rock. Ark, May 16-The
train robbers and murderers of Conductor
Cain, who were sentenced TO be executed on
the 22d of June, were brought to the. penlten-
tiary here yesterday, for safety.
Robert NJ. Bell, suicided with morphine in
Arkadelphia, Monday last
Professor A NJ Burke of Amity Clarke
county, suicided Monday. with poison
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

Captain W w Busch, of Lockport,
New York. who was the first man to en-
list in response to President Lincoln's call
for rs, 900 men to serve 90 days, issued
April Is, 1861, has been presented with
gold badge foot in length, in testi-
mony of the fact cited above.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

The national board of health has in
formed the local authorities at Memphis
thai after June 1st, next, they will have
to bear the expenses of the quarantine
stations, on the Mississippi river, between
New Orleans and Memphis.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

The house of Mrs. Dana Geyer, at
Wheeling, w. v, was robbed some time
ago of diamonds and jewelry valued at
$1,000, and last Saturday the lady re-
ceived most of the property back through
a drop letter in the postoffiee
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

DIES MONIES, Iowa, May 16.-Gen
B. M. Prentiss is in the city, and in CONVEX
sation on the battle of Shiloh, stated that his
command surrendered at $50 p m. on thai
day by his watch, another officers watch max
ing it few minutes later He saws time viii
vindicate his Iowa brigade and establish the
correctness of his statement His home is now
at Bethany, No.
The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-05-17

LOUISVILLE, Ky, May 16-The Dem
ocratic state convention met at noon and elect
cd Hon Isaac Caldwell, of Louisville, tempo
airy chairman, and appointed committees Oh
organization, resolutions and credentials and
took a recess until ,: 80 y. m