davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
A Fortified Girl.

The Cincinnati Commercial says:-A
young lady living in the vicinity of
North East, named Lizzie Patterson, has
been relieved from q life OF suffering,
which for fifteen years had not an al
leviating circumstance. When girl at
the age of ten she was stricken with
rheumatism. A season of treatment at
the hands of the most skilled physicians
failed to relieve the sufferer. At the age
of fifteen her muscles became so rigid
that the power of locomotion was entirely
DESTROYED. Since then she was confined
to her bed and chair, and was unable to
do herself the slightest service. Five
years ago the muscle became SO hard
that the Joints of the lower limbs could
not work. The fibrous tissues of the
arms and hands were next affected, SO
that they were entirely useless and soon
like the lower limbs were no semblance
to the human anatomy. A year ago
the muscles controlling the head and
neck were contorted so as to draw the
head out of shape. The muscle i'll the face
then hardened and closed the lower jaw
so tight that teeth had to be removed in
order to make an aperture through which
food could be introduced.
To give the patient even a moderate
amount of food required three hours
work, during which time the effort at
swallowing cF1sed excruciating pain.
Vomiting and suffocation finally caused
death. Miss Patterson was twenty
years of age and at the time of her death
She was actually petrified with disease.
The case is exciting great interest in the
medical profession,
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Ball Dresses.

Embroidered tulIe is the fabric for ball
dresses, says Harper's Bazar, and is
shown in all delicate tints of cream,
rose, or blue, with detached sprays Of
flowers wrought in dark floss or with gilt
or silver threads, and sometimes with
both, and also veined with fine arrasene.
French modistes use faille under tulle.
but the preference here is for satin, as its
lustre enhances the beauty of the thin
tulle, and in many cases the corsage is
of the satin alone, or else there is a
bertha of tulle at the top. The low cor
sage of tulle dresses is decidedly round,
being round at the top and round at the
waist line, where Swiss belt or a sash
of some kind completes it. One pretty
bodice has the tulle put on in folds at
the top of the low corsage and crossed
to the waist in surplice fashion rows of
dasies, or single row of larger roses,
pass around the neck, and the short
skirt has a border of these flowers
massed at the foot this is seen in plain
white tulle over pale green or blue satin,
and recalls the simple dresses worn by
debutantes ten or fifteen years ago. The
short skirts are made in ballet style,
with hounce after hounce of tulle, each
tapping over that below it for the front
breadths, while the back is in waterfall
pleats of double Lyons tulle, falling
straight from the waist to the foot.
Embroidered null and plain null
trimmed with Valenciennes lace are still
worn by young girls, but the fancy now
is for silken frlFics, such'as silk-muslin
or Chambery gauze. There are also
fewer white wool dresses worn this sea-
son, as these were general wear for after
moons in the summer there are, how
ever, some fine embroidered nuns veil
ings that are as effective as China Grape
when trimmed with the point Espagnol
laceS
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
THE SQUIRES ADVENTURE.
Real Life Story of Horse Buying in the
Metropolis.


The New York Herald tells how the
purchasers of horses in that city are
swirdled, by relating little incident in
real life. 1t says
Squire Brown, of Saugerties, attends
sale at reputable horse dealers in
New York and does not find what he
wants. While he is hesitating as to
what to do he is accosted by man who
offers to show him stable where he can
get good horses. The squire accom-
panies him to a stable and is introduced
to third party, who appears to be in
charge. This man exhibits four good
looking horses, and Brown pays $275
down for them after he is assured that
the animals are sound, kind and gentle.
Brown asks for references, and the pro-
prietor refers him to Tom Collins,
Cortlandt street furniture dealer Gin his
mind), who he says can be found at that
moment in stable in the Bowery.
Brown goes there, and, sure enough,
meets Collins, who speaks of the pro-
prietor in the highest terms. This is
enough for Squire Brown. He buys the
horses and a set of double harness be-
sides. AS they are concluding the bar
gain well-dressed stranger enters and
announces that he has come to pay for
the horse his friend selected the day be-
fore. He explains that he and his friend
are horse dealers. The proprietor is
overcome at the information and says:
"My dear friend, I am sorry, but l can
not let you have the horse. 1t was left
to me by my father and in his will he
forbade me to sell it to horse dealer.
He wanted some private person to have
it who would treat it kindly"
The proprietor then retires, and the
stranger explains how distressed he is
because he cannot buy the horse. The
squire thereupon has an idea. He asks
the distressed stranger why he does not
get some one to buy the horse for him
and turn it over to him afterward. The
stranger is delighted at the suggestion.
He claps the squire on the back and
cries: Splendid. I'd be willing to pay
S25 to the man who would do it. "
Squire Brown receives $3.50 from the
stranger, but the proprietor, upon his
return. refuses to sell the horse to
Brown, saying: "This won't do. That
is not your own money. Hand him
back his money and pay me with your
own. That will clear my conscience,
and YOU can fix it afterward between
you"
Squire Brown thinks the plan all
right, returns the $3.50 to the stranger
and parts with $3.50 of his own money,
the stranger disappearing in the mean
time He gets receipt for his $3.50.
Then he begins to suspect that all is not
right and demands back his money. The
proprietor will not return it. Brown
goes for policeman and the proprietor
goes through back window. The
squire then exercises the four horses he
has bought. Two are balky, another is
wind broken and the fourth is vicious.
They are turned over to the Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Amin ais.
The squire returns to Saugerties 1926
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
BOycOtting a Restaurant.

The Methodist Book Concern owns q
big, handsome building in Broadway,
where denominational journals and books
are published, and where the magnates
of the Church have their headquarters.
Bishops, missionaries, pastors, editors
and influential laymen meet there, for
mally and informally. Close by is a
restaurant where the food and prices
range high. But the traditional plain
ness of Methodism does not seem to call
for abstemiousness in victuals, and for
many years this restaurant has been the
favorite eating place for the leaders of
that denomination. At times of the an
nual meetings of the various commit
tees as many-as fifty to hundred of
these clergymen have taken their dinners
in the fashionable eating house. The
last General Conference appointed two
negroes on the Book Committee. One
of them is in attendance. He went with
some of his fellow churchmen to dine.
He is portly, well-dressed benign man,
but his color is almost jet. The French
waiter called the attention of the head
waiter to him, and then the proprietor
was called.
81 am sorry to say that we cannot
entertain you," said the porter to the
negro.
"Then none of us will eat here" said
DR.. Buckley.
The whole party retired. They passed
a resolution to boycott the establish
ment. The gourmets of the Methodist
Book Concern have in consequence
divided their patronage among the other
restaurants in the neighborhood. 1t IS
IL sore trial to their stomachs, but their
hearts are involved in the issue.-
Cbic00O Herald
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Killed by a Meteor.

According to news dispatch, Julius;
Rabble, farmer near Somerset, IN the !
State of Kentucky, met death the other
day in form in which it has come to-
very few persons in the history of the
world. A meteoric stone falling from
the sky is said to have passed through
his body like cannon shot. 1t IS ONLY
in comparatively recent times that he
possibility of such an accident has b aer
fully recognized by men OF science. f'of-
merly the stories of stones falling 1 rom
the sky, which have been part OF the
folk lore of almost every people from
time immemorial, were looked up IN as
mere inventions or the result of ulgar
credulity. But many well authf mtica-
ted instances of the fall OF NJ eteoric
masses upon the earth are now re corded,
and so the account of the me- inner OF
Farmer Rabble's death is not in itself
improbable.
Astronomers know that millions of
meteorites plunge int the atmosphere
from outer space, with. speed many
times greater than that of cannon ball,
every day, but most of them are small,
and very few reach the ground before
being consumed by the enormous heat
produced in their passage through the
air. The chance, therefore, of person
being hit by meteoric stone Is exceed
ingly slight. Yet such cases have oc-
Cured. Humboldt records two or three
which appear to be authentic, az there
are few instances of buildings being
hit by meteorites.
Superstition confers sort of dis inc
ton upon persons killed by bolt of
lightning, and under the same system
of discrimination man killed by a me-
teor should be regarded as still more
clearly the special target of the gods.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Very AbSent-Minded.

ST had curious experience not long
ago." says the superintendent of one of
the departments of London Diapers.
ga fashionably dressed lady came in
early, and in the course of her bargain
ing put her parasol on the counter near
large feather buster which one of the
clerks had been using. After making
some purchases the lady caught up the
buster instead of her pitrasol, and went
out hurriedly. As soon as L discovered
the mistake L sent boy after her with
the parasol, but did not overtake her I'M
til she had made quite journey. In
fact, she fourished that dust.,r along the
street, fiourished it about as she went
into another shop, and put it down on
the counter, still under the impression
that it was her parasol. Whe n her pur-
chases in the second shop were made,
she turned to pick up her pa rasol, and
seeing the buster, asked for her parasol.
The clerk explained that she had not
brought any parasol in, but had come in
carrying that buster. She was supreme
ly indignant at such an intima ton, and
was delivering the young man a sharp
lecture on the subject when in came our
para sol and an explanation. She was so
overcome that she had to be sent home
in a carriage"
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Building Air Castles.

Bob Burdette, known as the HaaOkeye
man, still makes his headquarters at
Ardmore, Pa, where few months ago
his afflicted wife died and where, subse-
quently, he fell down a flight of steps
in the night and broke his collar bone.
A newspaper correspondent says: I was
with the Burdettes three summers ago
at Nantucket, where Mrs. Burdette
hoped to get rid of the rheumatism
which wrenched her frame and of W hich
she finally died. To see the merry boy
rise from his desk when he was pok ing
kindly fun at all creation, wrap his W. ife
III blanket, carry her in his arms dow n
to the dining room, set her up almos t
helpless in her chair, put at her back
the pillow and under her feet the warm
soapstone which the maid had brought,
and then sit at her side and hold to her
patient lips the coffee cup which her
own hand could not raise, and to do all
with thoughtful joyousness, gay ten
derness, always looking forward to the
time when she would be well and he and
she and ''the prince" as he called their
boy, would go to Europe-it was enough
to cure anybody's dyspepsia and scatter
the clouds around any cynic's head.
am glad it was my privilege to see the
11icture
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
The Laplander at Home.

The mountain Lapps have learned to
drink coffee and wear stout Norwegian
cloth, but they set as much store by the
reindeer as ever. A poor family will
have fifty and upward in a flock, the
middle classes three hundred to seven
hundred and the richest one thousand
or more. The reindeer is as much be-
loved by the Lapp as his pig by the
Irishman. The Lapp will whisper to
his reindeer when Harvesting him to his
sleigh and will tell him where he is to go,
and declares he understands him. The
reindeer is much like stag, only small
er; all the people, animals and trees in
Lapland are very diminutive, the men
are mostly under five feet high and the
women under four feet nine inches, so
great are the rigors of the climate in
this as in all countries under the arctic
circle, and the cows, sheep and goats
are all small in proportion. In summer
the reindeer feed upon grass and give
excellent milk in the winter they feed
upon moss, which they scratch up under
great depths of snow with marvellous in
stinct. When winter approaches num-
bers are killed and the flesh is dried and
smoked to provide food when the ground
is covered with snow, and but few birds,
like ptarmigan, cartridges and caper-
cailzie, are met with. The flesh is very
nutritious, and after a course Of grass
feeding it is surprising how soon the
reindeer become fat and plump. The
skin makes their dresses and boots, the
sinews their thread and fishing lines,
and the horns their spoons and domestic
utensils. The utensils are not all of
horn the Lapps have always some
kettles of copper and iron, and some
times also bowls of wood and tin, or
ven of silver among the rich ones.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Where Women Start the Fires.

Among the tribes of Africa the care of
the fire is entrusted to the Oldest unmar-
ried daughter of the chief, or, ifshe has
no such daughter, to the maiden neares';
related to him. If, by an aocide.ss es
misfortune, it is extinguished, it Inu st
not be relit from another fire, but M Ist
be made anew from the beginning. for
this purpose two straight sticks of any
readily burning wood are taken. A hol-
low is made in one of the sticks. in
which the sharpened end of the other
one may be twirled, and some punk or
half rotten wood is put in a grove cut to
hold it, to serve as finder. This stick is
held to the ground by the knees, while
the other one is turned rapidly back and
forth between the open hands. When
a spark appears, it is directed upon the
finder, which is then readily blown into
a flame. Thus, it is not the rubbed
stick, but the finder, that gives the
flame. The natives dislike this work
very much, and when ON a Journey if
they had no other fire appara Gus they
take an ignited stick with them. the fire
of which they skillfully keep glowing
for long time.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Making a SOlace for Henry.

found friend at work making a
floor mat on the old carpet plan.
She was cutting the material into strips,
braiding it, and then sewing it into form.
The stuff being thus utilized was dis
carded hosiery. The fabric was silk, the
colors bright and varied, and the effect
as good as such patchwork permits.
What are you going to do with n"
asked.
''I'l give it to Henry" she replied.
Henry is her best beau. She blushed
trife, as girls are usually able to do
when speaking of something particularly
delicate and sentimental in connection
with their lovers; and at the same time
brought to an end the strip which began
at the top of the stocking aud ran yard
or so to utilitarian-darned spot at the
toe.
81 suppose he won't know what the
thing is actually made Of" I remarked.
She dropped her scissors and lower
jaw, and gazed on me in mute astonish-
ment.
"Not tell him that the rug is COM
posed of my stockings p she at length
exclaimed. 'Bless your heart, that's the
charm of the thing. When he puts on
his smoking cap and jacket, lies back in
his easy chair, and rests his slippered
foot on this mat, won't it be a solace ?"
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Away Went the Bill.

One Of the Rothschilds was once upon a
time playing cards, when one of the
play ers, noted miser, let fall a small
piece of money, and insisted upon stop
ping the game while he took the candle
and looked for it. Whereupon the great
banker, taking a bank note from his
pocket, lit it and handing it to the mis-
erly player, babe him hunt for his money
with that. A Connecticut shoemaker, the
other day, carelessly laid down S. bill,
that one of his customers had handed
him, on his bench by his side. Getting
ready to light the gas, he picked up a
piece of paper, twisted it into a taper,
used it and threw away the unburnt rem
nant When his daughter called his
attention to the fact that his taper was
his So bill, the resemblance to a Roths-
child did not mske him feel like one;
but he hastened to forward the 'charred
remainder for redemption to the United
States Treasury, with sworn affidavit
10 the circumstance. The swearing
came very easy to him.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Driving Out American Wheat.

Mr.. M. J. Cramer, United States Con-
sui General at Berne, reports to- the
Secretary of State that Russian wheat
is now driving American wheat out of
the markets Of Switz 9rland and South
Germany. 1.-THE Russian wheat dealers"
he says, "strain every nerve to supply
the markets of central and southwestern
Europe. They are supported in their
endeavor by the low cost of transporta-
ton, both by railway and by sea and
river steamers, in consequence of which
Russian wheat is offered at very low
price. These circumstances cause
constant increase i'll the export of wheat
from Russia into Italy, South Germany,
and Switzerland, via Genoa, Marseilles,
Antwerp. and Rotterdam, so that this
country is now almost entirely supplied
with Russian wheat" If American
wheat is to regain command of these
markets, both It's price and the cost of
its transportation, Mr.. Cramer says,
must be reduced.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
lie Forgot to Ask.

The New Haven Neaos tells this cleo
ton story: A good story was told at the
ScovilIe house in Waterbury during the
settlement of number of election bets.
During the Polk campaign much inter-
est was taken in Waterbury in the re-
suit, and party strife ran high between
Wings and Democrats. Waterbury was
only little village at that time and it
had no railway communications. 1t was
also before the days of the telegraph.
and number of the politicians made up
purse and hired Colonel Richard We'll
ton, proprietor of the New Haven stage
line, to make special trip to New Haven
and get the returns.
The crowd waited anxiously on the
tavern steps all through tine afternoon of
the day of Colonel Welton's trip and
when he came in sight with his horses
smoking from their long drive, he stood
up in his wagon and called to the expect
ant crowd:
''New York's gone 5000"
'For whom?" arose on every side.
The colonel jumped from his wagon.
hcsitated moment, scratched his head
and then blurted out: "Well, 1 swan. I
forgot to ask"
The feelings of the politicians can be
better imagined than described.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Over the Coffin of Their Boy.
A MARRIED COUPLES RECONCILIATION
AFTER AN EsTRANGEMENT OF TWENTY
YEARS,

A pathetic story of the reconciliation
OF man and wife after an arrangement
OF many years was made public in Phil
adelphia recently. The reunion of the
couple occurred over the body of their
son, to whose funeral the father had
been summoned without his wife's
knowledge. Andrew Entrekin was called
to Albany through telegram inform
ing him of the death of his son, who
had been killed by railway train, and
fastened to that city. Although aware
that his wife, from whom he had long
been separated, was living in Albany,
he had made no inquiry about her.
They resided in New York when the
separation, growing out of jealousy on
his part, took place, the mother taking
the son and the father the daughter.
This was about twenty years ago and
during that period they had never met,
although Mrs. Entrekin received regular
remittances from her husband, but
never accompanied by q line. After
gazing at the pallid face of the corpse
the father kissed the lips, and bending
down, gave way to the grief he could
not repress. Mrs. Entrekin stood sup
ported by her friends, crying hysterical-
ly, and after kissing the face of the dead
boy, sobbed aloud. AS she raised her
head her eyes met those of her husband.
The mourners withdrew and the under
taker closed the door quietly. Instantly
the wife rushed into her husbands
arms; he met her advances in the same
spirit and a reconciliation followed.
Mrs. Entrekin accompanied her husband
to Philadelphia after the funeral.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Petrified Wood.

The petrifed wood which is SO abund-
ant in the United States Territories of
Arizona, Wyoming and the Rocky
Mountain regions is rapidly becoming
utilized by the practical American. In
San Francisco there is now a factory
for cutting and polishing these petrifac,
tions into matelpieces, tiles, tablets and
other architectural parts for which
marble or slate is commonly used.
Petrified wool is said to be susso ptible
Of finer polish than marble. or even
onyx, the latter of which it is driving
from the market. The raw material en-
ployed comes mostly from the forests of
petriied wood along the line of the At
lantic and Pacific Railway. Several
other companies have also been formed
TO obtain concessions of different Dor.
sions of these forests. Biologists will
regret the destruction of such interest.
ing primeval remains, and some steps
ought to be taken to preserve certain
tracts in their original state.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-25
Cost OF Living in Washington.

Rates for living were never higher in
Washington than they are now. The
hotels have put their prices up ever
since the season has opened. Office
seekers coming ere this winter should
purchase return tickets and bring plenty
of money with them. A Senator who
has to live upon his salary went to one
of the uptown hotels recently and asked
for rates for himself, wife and daughter.
He wanted sitting-room and two bed
rooms. The amiable hotel proprietor
said he could accommodate him with the
room and board desired upon the fifth
floor fer $40 a week. "But that is
more than my salary" ST can't help
that" said the landlord. "We have no
trouble in getting those figures" This
same Senator tried for rooms in a fash
ionable fiat and found that on the top
floor he could get four small rooms for
$3.50 a month. This did not include
board. Room rents have also gone up.
Seventy-tive and one hundred dollars are
common monthly prices charged for two
ordinarily furnished rooms in uptown
localities