davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-06
SECRETARY's RKrORT.

The Sunday School union was organized
in 1910 by the general conference, and
hartered by the New York legislature in
both the years 1852 and 1874. Since its Or
ganization 40, 900 schools have been helped
at an expense of $4,000. 1t began its for
eign work in 1S47, in connection with the
Methodist foreign missions, and has spent
about $4,000 in China, South America, Lii
IBERIA, Germany, Bulgaria, India, Denmark,
Norway, Sweden and Mexico. In these for
eign schools, which number 1,102, are 81,
493 scholars. In 1888 it aided S31 schools
located in every state and territory of the
Union. According to the report of 1888
there were in the Methodist Episcopal church
p, 453 Sunday schools, 229, sos officers and
teachers, and 1,796, 034 scholars, and in 1882
there were so, 1913 conversions reported.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
" StOneWall" JacksOn's Climb After
PersimmOnS.

A Pittsburg PENN Chronicle writer
says: While IN Lexington, Va, last
June, at the unveiling of Valentines
Recumbent statue of General r. e. Lee,
material for sketches of the career of
among his co-laborers prior TO and dur
ing the war An old associate professor
of Jackson's, who served on his staff in
the earlier part of the war, and whose in
timacy was almost as strclg as that Of
brotherhood, related to me the fol lowing
anecdote of jackson. And the story
was corroborated by Lieutenant George G.
Junkin, now living at Christiansburg,
Va, and at that time an aid to Jackson
and one of the actors in the amusing
little drama:
In December, 1861, while on the march
back from Dam No. on the Chesapeake
and Ohio clnal to Winchester, and
while riding at some distance in advance
of his staff in company with the afore-
mentioned old friend, jackson espied in
a field alongside the road a p2rsimmon
tree heavily laden with, at that season
of the year, its delicious fruit. Turning
to the relator of the episode jackson,
suddenly changing the topic under dis
cussion, and with unwonted warmth of
manner asked: "Colonel, are you fond
of persimmons3" "Well, general, l
can't say l am particularly partial to
them. l occasionally eat a few when
they are handy" replied the colonel.
"Well, colonel, " rejoined Jackson, with
increasing warmth, 81 am passionately
fond of them, and feel great desire for
some of those remarkably fine ones on
that tree over there" By this time the
staff were approaching and the colonel
suggested to the general, who was in the
act of dismounting, that he send some
of the young men for supply of
the fruit, but Jackson persisted
in going himself, saying he felt they
would be enjoyed the more did he pluck
them with his own hands, and hastily
dismounting he crossed the fence, refus-
ing the kindly offer of help from young
Junkin, who had procured a rail from
the fence to put against the tree to assist
in climbing Striding over to the tree,
he removed his sword-belt and, with his
long-legged cavalry boots on, clambered
laboriously up its limbless trunk, while
the staff stood off quietly snickering at
seeing their usually saturnine commander
hugging and climbing the tree like a
schoolboy. But he soon grasped the
lower limbs and was ensconsed in a posi-
tion where he ate to safety. When the
attempt was made to return to terra frma,
however, his legs hampered by the rid
ing boots and spurs, became entangled,
and young Junkin had to come to the
rescue with his rail to aid the general in
his descent. By this time the snicker-
ing of the quiet and demure old colonel
and his young comrades had grown to
the proportions of loud guffaw, and
the general himself joined heartily in
the laughter as he comprehended the lu-
dicrous predicament in which he had
placed himself.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
Strange Case of Literary Theft.

In a New York letter to the Indianap-
oils Times we find the following curious
story Brain-stealing is carried on in
various ways, and dead men are generally
the most convenient prey. One of the
saddest cases of this sort came to my
notice short time since, and as it has
flavor of romance about it it merits
notice. Knowing for many years by
reputation certain writer of plays and
newspaper stories, chance threw her in
tete-a-tete with me, and her supreme
ignorance of the very themes on which
she had won her reputation as writer,
surprised and disappointed me. Mention
ing the fact to an intimate friend of hers,
| learned the following romantic truth:
Twenty years ago she was a mature and
handsome woman, residing with her
parents in x. They were respect
able Hebrew family and made their
living keeping boarders Among their
guests was young foreigner, full
of ambition for literary fame. He con-
sumed the midnight oil translating
from his native tongue plays and other
miscellaneous articles-"his dreams of
youth"-and with the pride of a
martyr consented to accept obscurity in
a strange land for the time being, until
he should fight the rude battle, knowing
that genius always has to struggle for
recognition, but it vanquishes at last.
Alas! the young man fell ill and was ten
derly nursed by the lady in question.
The hand of death was on the young ex-
lie, and his heart warm with gratitude
toward the woman who showed him so
much sympathy "That | may not die
unknown" said he, "and unread, take
all my plays, manuscripts, ETC., sell them
and keep the proceeds as a weak token
of my gratitude for your attention" So
saying, he died The fair Jewess did ac-
cept all, did sell and did win in America
reputation as the author of all the dead
man left, declaring them her own pro-
ductions, and as such they have been re-
ceived by the public, both on the stage
and in the arena of journalism, with
praise and censure. Yet any one of an
average knowledge of life meeting this
lady would question her ability and ask
how came she to be so well known, when
she has not single quality to Justify
the reputation she bears. 1t is not even
an honest accident to have won repu-
tation under such circumstances. but it
is nevertheless truthful statement.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
SELECT SIFTINGS.

The bay leaf was formerly supposed to
protect the wearer from thunder.
The word noddy was applied to a
fool becase he mods when he should
speak.
1t is estimated that 1,000,0 900 wild
ducks have been killed IN the parish of
Richland, La, this season.
1t is possible that Russia will have to
give up the Christmas tree, for the gov
ernment finds that the destruction of fir
trees is coming to be serious matter for
the forests.
A shower of white sulphurous ashes
has caused great CONSERVATION at Queens
town, South Africa 1t lasted but a few
minutes, and the sun shone throughout
its duration.
In Elizabeth's time the gentry dined at
eleven, the common people at noon. In
the fourteenth century ten and eleven
o'clock in the morning were the fashion
able dining hours, and five in the evening
the supper hour.
There are only five genuine signatures
of Shakespeare known to be in existence.
One is in the London library, the other
in the British museum, one attached to
his will at Doctors Common, and two in
possession of private collectors.
AS late as the time of Edward VI, q
runaway or any one who lived in idleness
three days was liable to be brought be-
fore two justices of the peace marked V
with hot iron and made the slave for
two years of any one who would buy.
The year 1900 will not be leap year,
although it is divisible by four without
a remainder. In order to make a calen.
dar and solar time agree as nearly as they
can be got for many years to come, the
Gregorian calendar drops three leap years
out of every four centuries, and these
omissions are upon such leap years as
will not divide by 400 without a remain
der, although they can be divided evenly
by four. The year 1900 was leap year,
but 1900 and 1900 were not, and 1900
will not be.
Gold and silver were used as money as
long ago as two thousand years before
Christ, but it was a long time subsequent
to this that the first money was actually
coined. Coins were probably used as
early as the eighth century B. c. Before
this time the metals were used in the
shape of wedges or bars. No one knows
certainly who was the inventor of coined
money. Pheron, king of Argos, is said
to have issued coined money 800 years
B. G. The Eubeans had coins about
the same time. Herodotus ascribes the
invention to the Lydians, bat his author
ity is not conclusive. The oldest coins
extant, and probably the first ever made,
are from Asia Minor. A gold slater of
Miletus, Greek city of Asia Minor, is
probably some of the first coined money.
The coin is stamped on one side with a
deep indention, on the reverse is a rude
picture of lions head. A die was evi-
IDENTITY used, and the lump of metal put
in it, and punch struck with hammer
drove the metal into the die and left the
rude mark of the coin on the diverse Of
the coin.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
A Cure for Drunkenness.

There is prescription in use in Eng.
land for the cure of drunkenness, by
which thousands are said to have been
enabled to recover themselves. The
recipe came into notoriety by the efforts
of the commander of a steamship He
had fallen into such habitual drunken
ness that his most earnest efforts to re-
claim himself proved unavailing. AT
last he sought the advice of an eminent
physician, which he followed faithfully
for several months, and at the end of that
time he had lost all desire for liquor
although he had been for many years led
captive by most debasing appetite.
The recipe, which he afterward pub
lished, and by which so many other
drunkards have been assisted to reform,
is as follows: Sulphate of iron, twenty
grains; magnesa, forty grains; pepper
mint, forty-four drachms; spirits of nut
meg four drachms. Dose, one table
spoonful twice day.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
HILDA'S STORY.

/ have friend who lives in Dakota,
and raises in that remarkable territory
some of the finest wheat that is raised in
the world. Part of the winter of 1882 he
spent in the East, and often came to my
rooms, where we enjoyed many pleas
ant hour together. During these inter-
views / learned many interesting facts
connected with the everyday experiences
of settlers in the West.
One incident in his frontier life amused
me very much, and | will repeat it, as
nearly as possible in his own words,
for the benefit of the Companion readers
"My next neighbors," he said, "are a
young Norwegian and his wife. The
man, whose name is Pete Nelson, is about
thirty years old; tall, broad-shouldered
and -natured. His wife, Hilda, is
several years younger, bright, smiling
woman, and full of life.
Sometimes. after work for the day
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
Hunting Fish With Dogs.

Captain Mayne Reid, in 81. Nicholas,
gives the following interesting descrip-
ton of peculiar Fuegian manner of fish
ing: By this, the four canoes have ar
rived at the entrance to the inlet, and are
forming in line across it at equal dis
tances from one another, as if to bar the
way against anything that may attempt
to pass outward. Just such is their de-
sign; the fish being what they purpose
enfilading.
Soon the sh-hunters, having com,
pleted their "cordon" and dropped the
dogs overheard, come on up the cove,
the women plying the paddles, the men
with javelins upraised, ready for dart
ing. The little foxy dogs swim abreast
of and between the canoes, driving the
fish before them-as sheep-dogs drive
sheep-one or another diving under
at intervals, to intercept such as
attempt to escape outward. For
in the translucent water they can see
the fish far ahead, and, trained
to the work, they keep guard against a
break from these through the inclosing
line. Soon the fish are forced up to the
inner end OF the cove, Wherelt is shoalest /:
and then the work of slaughter com
mences. The dusky fishermen, standing
in the canoes and bending over, now to
this side, now that, plunge down their
spears and izgigs, rarely failing to bring
up fish of one sort or another; the
struggling victim shaken off into the
bottom of the canoe, there gets its death
blow from the boys.
For nearly an hour the curious aquatic
chase is carried on; not in silence, but
amid chorus of deafening notes.-the
shouts of the savages and the barking
and yelping of their dogs mingling with
the shrieking of the sea-birds overhead.
And thrice is the cove "drawn by the
canoes, which are taken back to its
mouth, the line reformed, and the pro-
cess repeated till good supply of the fish
best worth catching has been secured.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
Animated Frozen Fish.

The american Angler vouches for the
following fish story: A fish dealer in
Salineville, Ohio, received box of
frozen fish from Cleveland, during ono
of-the recent billiards.. They were so
hard and brittle that they had to be
handled with great care to keep them
from breaking to pieces. He sold one
to an old lady who took it home and put
it in bucket of cold water to thaw OUT
gradually. During the night she heard
something splashlng around in the
kitchen. Supposing it was the cat trying
to get the fish, she jumped out of bed,
seized the broom and rushed to the scene.i
She found the fish Topping in the pan. AS
near as could be learned this fish had
lain out in the cold two nights before
being packed, and had been out of the
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
HUMOR OF THE DAY.
The golden age-Coinage.

me SOluen dge-COIudSe'
A good tit-A fit OF laughter
Elm locked in slumber,n murmury
the prison bird in his sleep.
The most appropriate pastry for FREQ
lunch counter-Spongc cake.
The grocer who sells twelve ounces for
a pound depends on his winning weigh.
-Picayune.
Iowa is said to be out of debt. She
ought to change her name then.-PhiIa-
deipAia Call.
If you want to put money in sound
investment buy telegraph stock.-Phila-
delphiG Chronicle.
Artificial cork has been invented, and
we shall soon hear of adulterated life
preservers.- .-Lo,oel Courier.
Batter is the name of tenor singer in
a New York church choir. He is occa-
sionally put out by the first bass.-StateS-
man.
"Hello" is mighty small word, but
the patent on the machine through which,
it is said, is worth $25, 900, 00O.-Topek0
Lance.
There are 16, 1923 Quakers in Indiana.
So many broad -brirumed hats must be
quite protection to the soil in dry
weather. Burlington Free Press.
The greatest oleomargarine fraud yet
perpetrated is the labelling the buckets
with ferocious billy goat 10 indicate
genuine butter.-Atlantr Constitution.
care you trying to button your shoes?"
asked the wife of fat man who was
grunting as he struggled to fasten the
recreant buttons. "Nor' he sarcastically
growled; "cant you see Pm combing my
hair?"
When the judge says, ~ sentence you
for life" the grammarian and the pris-
oner look upon it quite differently. The
one thinks If very hrief sentence. the
other thinks it couldn't well be longer
Boston Times.
The curiosity of a child of five had
been aroused by seeing amagnifying glass.
''How many times does it magnify9"
asked gentleman, thinking to puzzle
him. GAS many times as you look
through it." was the quick reply.
When the farmer with a cry awoke
At five in the morn. and heard the stroke
OF the bell as it gan to ring,
He jumped from bel with agility,
And exclaimed with huge hilamty,
"Oh, this is an early springp'
-NelU York Journal,
The critics are poking fun at maga-
zine article for saying "man is our
brother" OF course he is. You wouldn't
call him your sister, would you3 If the
article said: "Man is our sister, the
critics would have reason for kicking
PeekS Sun.
A Detroit river fisherman says that the
pike of the straits is a very destructive
fish. One that was recently speared had
swallowed another pike and that pike had
swallowed perch. The trouble with the
whole business is about swallowing the
stOry,-Picayatne.
A LEAP-YEAR VICTIM.
"Now, Charley, my darling, pray thee
Just give me a moment of bliss;
I'm going, look kindly upon me,
And give me dear, parting kiss"
"Don't do it, you'll rumple my collar,
You'll muss up my hair and mustache-l
I'll tell my mamma-yes, I'll holler;
You horrid girl, don't be so rash"
Oil City Derrick.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
Definitions.

A rich joke--the one I played on
Brown.
A foolish and witless piece of folly
the one that Brown played on me.
An obstinate cuss-the man who will
not yield to me.
Proper and self-respecting firmness-
my refusal to yield to him.
A well-trained child-the one that be-
longs to me.
An ill.mannered brat-the one that be,
longs to my neighbor.
A crank-the man whose views do not
coincide with my own.
A very intelligent perscn--the man
who agrees with me in everything Life.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21

Mangin, the celebrated black-lead
pencil maker of Paris, is dead. He drove
every day in an open carriage, attended,
by a servant, to his stands either by the
Place Vendome or on the Place de la.
Bourse. His servant handed him case,
from which he took large portraits of
himself and medals with descriptions of
his pencils, which he hung on either side
Of him. He then replaced his round hat
with magnificent FURNISHED helmet,
mounted with brilliant plumes. For his
overcoat he donned a costly velvet tunic
with gold fringes He then drew up
pair of polished steel gauntlets upon his
hands, covered his breast with brilliant
cuirass, and placed richly-mounted
sword at his side. His servant then put
on a velvet robe and helmet, and struck
up tune on an organ mounted in gold.
To the crhwds gathered around he then
exclaimed: 81 am Mangin, the great
charlatan of Francel Years ago | hired
a modest shop in the Rue Rivoi, but
could not sell pencils enough to pay my
rent. Now, attracted by my sweeping
crest, my waving plumes, my din and
glitter, sell millions of pencils" This
was true. His pencils were the very best.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
THE WISE BELLS.

IN a sunny Sabbath morning,
Forth two messengers we're sped,
That the bells be set a-ringing;
One TO say, in chime and singing,
A fair maiden is to wed;
One to soy, with knell and moaning,
A fair maiden lieth deal
By mischance the stupid servants
Went not whittier they were bade;
But each where was sent the other,
One said; ''Ring the bells right glad
For bridal" Said the other:
''For the dead ring slow and sad.n
So it chance1 that at the bridal,
All turned pale to hear the bell;
While the gladstone wedding Ginning
Mid the dirge discordant fell;
But the angels hearing, whispered,
'In the chimes and in the knells:
Wisdom, more than man could teach ye,
Did you speak to-day, Oh, bellsn
Mile G. RomeroH in the Continent.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21

laugh too, cause 1 feel sure he shall
come again.
"'And the next day he come. And
he say to my farder to tell me to marry
him. So that's all, she said, simply, in
conclusion.
"Pete nodded and smiled yes, he
said, we all two own land now. y
Youths Companion.
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21
DAVE briggs.

Dave briggs he was railroad man,
A common kind O chap;
He didn't go a cent on style,
He wouldn't give rapp
Fur them as put on dudy clos
AM hifalutin' ar's
An tho't 'emselves some higher up
Than Him upon the S airs.
He wore yaller flannel shirt
That made him look immense,
With that ar diomon' pin O. his
That cost him fifty cents.
Thar wuzn't much in railroadn'
He tho't he didn't know.
He wuz the brakeman O. train
Upon the B. & o.
But after all he had some streaks
o. common sense ia him,
A little cream inside his pan
That want too thin to skim.
I've seen him tipsy ez a top,
I've seen him goin' wild,
I've seen him jump an resk his life
To save leetle child!
One dark December night the track
Got drifted in with snow,
That threw the engine down a bank
A hundred feet below;
An up on end an all about
In every sort o style,
The busted freight cars got emseIyes
Uncoupled in a pile
The engineer an fireman both
He'd left the track to stay,
An underneath the smashed caboo7e
The dead conductor lay.
But Dave, he heard the crash in time,
lie jumped with all his might,
An In a snow bank, on his heal,
Ker chug! he chanced to lightl
He hung to his old lantern tight,
He got upon his feet;
Thar in the dark he stood alone,
The wreck waz jist complete.
The snow it beat agin his face,
A bitin' blizzard blew,
The wind jist howled an screamed an, roero
An chilled him thro' an thro'.
1t froze the clos upon his back
Ez stiff as any shad,
tell you twas the proper time
Fur all the sand he hal!
Yis, Dave he had level head.
Eff he wasn't much on dress.
lie bounded back along the track
To save the night express.
de heard the rumble of the train
just ez it hove in sight
Around the corner, sudden gust
U wind blew out his light
An thar he stood, the wreck behind.
The comm train before,
A hurryin' on to sudden death
A hundred lives or more.
There big an bright before his eyes
He saw the headlight gleam;
lie heard the rattlin' O the wheels.
The sissin' O the steam.
An leapin' from the railroad track,
Ez past the engine flew,
Into the cab with all his might
Dave briggs his lantern threw.
1t struck the startled engineer,
1t fell upon the floor,
1t rolled along into the light
Before the fire-box door.
He read the letters "B. & or
Upon the shattered glass,
He stopped the train before he struck
The pile he couldn't pass!
An Dave, he went to work next day
Jist ez he alwuz had;
He didn't go aloafn' round,
Nor git the bi s-head bail
The city papers put him in
An laid the praise on thick
But, sho! for all the fuss they made
Dave didn't care stick.
He still is brakein' on the road,
He wars that yaller shirt,
A leetle wuss for use, perhaps,
An ruther dark with dirt.
He traded off that damon pin,
Ez sure as you were born,
An got cluster damon ring2
Humph! damon in horn.
Eugene j. Hall, in Chicaqo Inter- Oceo
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21

Hugh j. levitt is director in twenty
railroad companies, Samuel Sloan in TWEEN
ty-three, Jay Gould in twenty-four,
George B. Roberts in twenty-slx, Angus
tus Schell in twenty eight Sidney Dillon
in thirty-six and Frederick l., Ames in
fifty-two
Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21

The late Lord Hertford was one of the
few persons privileged to make jokes in
the queens presence, and he often caused
her to indulge in hearty laugh.