davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
lsHrters.

A writer in the Chicago Tribune
gives some interesting facts concern
ing garters:
Until very recently ladies' garters
have been simply regarded as neces-
sary adjunct to the toilet. But since
the aesthetic wave has swept over the
land, causing poppies and lilies to BIOS
som on copper kettles and tin caddies,
and panels of sunaowers and holly
hooks to spring up before washstands,
defunct wardrobes, and all the eye
sores usually relegated to cellars and
garrets, the rubber garter has also
been touched up with the pencil of
beauty and grace, and to-day will
stand comparison with many Of the
novelties designed for love-tokens. A
pair Of bridal carriers which the per-
fumed clerk took out of a red satin
lined crystal box was made of white
silk boiling cloth with filagree silver
butterflies for clasps. Only S26.
These were not to be considered when
another case was opened showing a
band of silver net run with tiny clus-
tiers of forget-me-nots wrought in
pearls and turquoises. An English
novelty of white plush was embellish-
ed with the word Happiness" scrolled
in silver script On the other "Pros-
perity" was written. This pair was
marked s2S, but the dealer offered the
bauble for $50 to the bachelor scribe
for his interest in the stock. 1t is
the custom now for young women
to embroider bands Of silk velvet or
velvet in some fine floral vine and have
them mounted, marking the buckles to
uit the occasion.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
When Women Ruled.

The sixteenth and seventeenth an
nual reports of the trustees of the Pea
body Museum of American Archaolo-
gy and Ethnology make a noticeable
volume. The most entertaining arti-
Gle is that by Lucien Carr on the So
cial and political position of women in
early times among the Indian tribes
east of the Mississippi and south of
the st. Lawrence and the great lakes.
Among other things Mrs. Carr says:
In matters of war the man was the
oretically free to do as he pleased, but
practically he was not so, for the ma
tron of his household might forbid his
departure, and she could order him to
90 out on the warpath, even when he
preferred peace. In her hands was
the fate of prisoners; she could adopt
them into the family or order them to
be burned, and in the latter case no
one could save them. When a chief
died the matron of his household ap-
pointed his successor, and women
could depose chief whom 6hey dis
liked.
1t was woman who transmitted no.
bility of blood, and inheritance, and
who perpetuated the family. They
possessed all authority, were the own
ers Of land, the soul Of the councils,
and the arbiters of peace and
war. They had the care Of the treas
ury and of all social and family mat
tiers. Men were only the representa-
tives of woman, to act for her in those
affairs in which it was not becoming
for her to act for herself. These
tribes, In which women held all the
power and influence which the
women's rights party asks for women
to-day were only partially civilized
they were in the state that Morgan
calls the middle stages Of barbalism.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
The JutlCiOug Wife,

A judicious wife is always nipping
off from her husbands moral nature
little twigs that are gro wing in wrong
directions She keeps him in shape
by continual pruning. The wisest
things man commonly does are those
which his wife counsels him to do. A
wife is a grand wielder of the moral
pruning-knife. If Johnson's wife had
lived there would have been no hoard
ingup of orange peel, no touching all
the posts in walking along the streets,
no eating and drinking with disgust
ing voracity. If Oliver G oldsmith had
been married he never would have
worn that memorable and ridiculous
coat. Whenever you find man whom
you know little about, oddly dressed,
and talking absurdly, or exhibiting
eccentricity of manner, you may be
sure that he is not married man, for
the corners are rounded off-the little
shoots pared away-in married
men.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
Buddhism.

In Ernest Remains latest work,
New Studies in Religious History"
he alludes thus to Buddhism: "a
doctrine which assigns to life as its
supreme end nothingness; doctrine
which proclaims that the elimination
of perfection is the humiliation of
life; one in which man is represented
as the highest term of creation; in
which the idea of Supreme Being
appears only at late period, is such
an extraordinary phenomenon that our
mind can only conceive its possibility
with some difficulty. And still such 8
doctrine exists
To make the paradox complete, this
doctrine, apparently the most DESPAIR
ing that has ever been protested, has
inspired prodigals of devotion in the
most various races; the church of
Nihilism has remained to our days,
without any notable schism, the most
compact religious body in the East.
This is certainly most extraordinary
fact in the history of the human mind.
Strange in its destiny, Buddhism is still
more so in its philosophy, its doctrine
in the legend of its founder, in the odd
style of its sacred books.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27

have been studying the habits of the
interesting crab to some extent this
summer and have decided that he has
the most charms for me when he is
boiled. He may not be so handsome in
the cold, calm repose of death as he is
when in motion, but he is more docile.
cannot have perfect confidence in crab
until he is dead. Therefore, ! do not
make myself entirely free with him until
he has been brought to perfect state Of
docility and submissiveness, which re.
quircs about twenty minutes, more OF
less, in boiling water. Then | can trust
him.
My confidence in the crab in motion
was weakened by little episode of last
summer had stolen out, one bright
and joyous morning, with piece of
spring chicken of the crop of 10, to per.
suade few crabs from their damp aud
quiet lair. l caught very fine large one
"a loader in crab cOnventions-and had
him in my basket before he fully realized
that his feelings were being trihed with,
and he was about to have a change of
scene. Then took the basket well back
from the water, and with gay snatch Of
song, such as indulge in sometimes when
feel sure that no person is near with
shotgun, l threw my line out again.
While was waiting for another bite,
/ heard an unfamiliar sound in my rear,
and upon looking around saw my big
crab going with great impetuosity to,
ward the shore. He had not been salts
fed with his change of scene, and had
upset the basket and made dash for
liberty and salt water When a crab
makes dash for liberty, he travels side
ways and in a great hurry. | realized
that | had no time to loose if | would
save the only crab l had, and rushed
after him, and in the hurry of the mo-
mcnt forgot one of the interesting Gus
toms of the crab family. refer to their
cordial, though rather rude way, OF
shaking hands.
Just as attempted to turn him from
his course he looked up at me in an in.
quiring sort of way, and grasped my
hand like an old acquaintance. had
never before shaken hands with a crab,
and was greatly surprised at the
amount of vim this particular crab
threw into the operation. did not
expect so strong grasp from 50 small
an arm. And this crab seemed to want
to shake bands all day. lie evidently
did not understand that my time was
precious, and that was anxious to break
off the interview at once. A friend of
mine finally cana and separated u.s. or,
suppose, the crab would have insisted
upon going home with me, holding my
hand just like an old acquaintance. That
is the only time in my evcntful career
that ever shook hands with a crab, and
l am not asking for any more of that
sort of social civility.-Scott Way, in
PlLck
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
Washington Monument in a Storm,

One of the stone masons at work on
the Washington monument told a re-
porter that the summit Of the monu-
ment is terrible place to be during a
thunder storm. He had seen the
lightning flashing about, above and
below him, while the thunder peals
almost knocked him from his feet.
81 have SEEM" he said, "a great flash
of lightning blaze and crackle among
the ironwork above my head, and then
follow the girders through the inside
to the ground, brilliantly Illuminating
the dark interior for an instant and
filling the air with q strong sulphur
Gus SMELL"
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
Tho Promotion of the Sexes.

One who has been examining the
figures says that the United States
census brings out the fact that the
males outnumber the females in an
increasing ratio. In 1870 native born
females were in excess of the males
by 1883. In 1880 the males of
American birth were 300,66S more
than the females. The excess Of for
eign males over females was 5Sl, lS9
as against 446,6j7 in 1870. This dis
proportion among the foreigners is in
telliglble enough, as there are always
more male than female emigrants
AS regards the native population,
the solution of the problem is proba-
bly, that for some time after the war
there was an artificial preponderance
of females owing to the diminution of
the male population by about half a
million of soldiers, who persisted in the
struggle, and that with the growth of
a new generation the ordinary proper
ton between the sexes has been re-
established.
The general lule in other countries
is that there are more males born than
females, and any local superfluity of
females is either to be accounted for
by the emigration of males, or the
larger proportion of the sterner sex
who die prematurely from war, or the
accidents attendant upon masculine
employment
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
Balance In Character.

Few persons are possessed of per
fectly balanced nature. Availability is
apt to be allied with weakness; a
vigorous, pushing character is often
impulsive, harsh and unjust A re-
Elective mind is slow to act; prompt
mind is often wrong. So through all
the elements of character. All the
qualities that go to make up perfect
moral nature rarely appear in
one person. The physical and
intellectual do not precisely con-
form; the mental and moral are
not evenly balanced. There are
those possessed of stronger moral than
mental natures. They constitute the
spasmodic, impulsive element in
society. There are others whose in
tellects so absolutely control their
moral natures, that nothing is admit
ted that cannot be reasoned out salts
factorily. There are persons whose
strong animal natures dominate all
else, and both mind and spirit are sub
servient.
10 regulate all these parts SO as to
attain a fair degree of equality is the
right step toward securing what may
be called balance in character.-Phtla-
delphio Call.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
A Queens Vow.

Queen Isabella, daughter Of Philip
H., who hourished in the twelfth
century, vowed not to change her linen
till the city of Ostend had been taken
by her soldiers. The difficulties that
sometimes interfere with military en-
terprises evidently did not occur to the
lady at the time she made her vow,
but unfortunately the seige lasted
three years, and so singularly truthful
was her majesty's character that she
kept her oath to the last. To testify
their regard for her persistency the
ladies of the court adopted a dingy
yellow collar for their ruffs and stock
ings, which they christened J. Isebeau.
This was the origin of the tint known
as ecru, which comes up to the top
waves in fashions occasionally, and
would perhaps be less in favor were it
remembered that it was originally
made to resemble, as far as possible,
very dirty linen.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
Beasts Before the Law.

Beasts were often condemned to be
burned alive; and, strangely enough, it
was in the latter part Of the seven
tenth century, an age of comparative
enlightenment, that this cruel penalty
was most frequently inflicted. Occa-
sionally merciful judge adher-
ed to the letter of the law by sentenc-
ing the culprlt to be slightly singed,
and then to be strangled before being
burned. Sometimes they were con-
demned to be buried alive. Such was
the fate suffered by two pigs, in 1456,
ION the Vigil of the Holy Virgin" at
Openheim, on the Rhine, for killing
child. Animals were even put to the
rack in order to extort confession. 1t
is not to be supposed that the judge
had the slightest expectation that any
confession would be made; he wished
simply to observe all forms prescribed
by the law, and to set in motion the
whole machinery Of justice before pro-
nouncing judgment. "The question"
which in such cases would seem to
be only wanton and superfous act
of cruelty, was nevertheless an i'm
portant element in determining the
final decision, since the death sentence
could be committed into Punishment
provided the criminal had not confess
ed under torture. The use of the rack
was therefore a means Of escaping the
gallows Appeals were sometimes
made to higher tribunals, and the
judgment of the lower courts annulled
or modified. In one instance sow
and q she-ass were condemned to be
hanged; on appeal and after anew
trial they were sentenced to be simply
knocked on head. In another instance
an appeal led to the acquittal of the
ccused.-Atlontic Monthly.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
The True Meaning of G. o. d.

A man who had not been long in
this country was employed as domes-
tic in a family, and upon one occasion
he was sent to the express office to OBJ
tain a package. He was about to
leave with it when the clerk called his
attention to the three letters c. 0. d.
Pat had no idea what the letters
meant, but he cleverly guessed at
them.
ats all right" he said; "the ovid
mans good for the money"
"But you know what these letters
say, Pat?"
"Indade do. Call On Dad. It's as
plain as me nose on your face"
There is almost pathetic truth in
the understanding conveyed in this
old story. Many man is bounded to
death by the unreasonable calls made
upon him by the members of his fami-
ly who are educated up to this very
end by himself, at first in that fond,
slavish spirit of indulgence which the
American father displays towards his
offspring, as if 1t was some kind of an
unthinking mechanical pet, and after
wards on the unfailing principle that
they who SOW the wind will reap the
whirlwind.
Call on dad.
Business is dull, notes must be met,
but appearances must be kept up.
Mrs. Shoddy is going to the seashore.
"our girls" must go, tho money 10 TO
come out of dad"
At first he refuses firmly, but as one
reason after another is brought to bear
on him like a battering-ram of persua-
sion, he gives way. New bonnets and
dresses are bought, railway journeys
expenses betrayed, and that Is only the
beginning. Incidental expenses are
always the straws that break the pa
tient camel's back. They accumulate
in heaps, stacks, and at last rise to the
dignity Of monument, under which
lies a pale, peaceful man, mo longer pur.
sued by the legend: "Call on Dad
Detroit Free Press.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
Echoes,

There are in this world" quoth
Goethe, $50 few voices and SO many
echoes" and it is one of the most dis
couraging signs which can be observed
of any time, that 1t is an age of echoes
There are so few men in this world
who have the intellectual power of
thinking for themselves good, honest,
original thoughts; and It is by far so
much easier TO echo the idea, the mo-
tives and the conduct of others, that we
have got in our day to be largely mere
echoes of echoes, or echoes again Of
these echoes of echoes. Tradition
mocks some old fashion, which In turn
mimicked something lying further
back, until the best of us hardly find
temerity to claim originality for our
most fincere thought or action.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27

81 have q severe bruise on my arm,
doctor, and would like to have you give
the something to heal it" said Sam simp
son, who always has got something the
matter with him.
Gan right said tho doctor, hurricdly
wlis:no a prescription, "sond this TO the
apothecary az Qua" Don't lose min
ute's time. Rum"
"Then you think the wound is dan
gerous," said the patient.
"No. am afraid it will completely
heal up before | have chance
to apply tho salve and enter up o
charge of two dollars against you"
SVtingS.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
CLIPPINGS FOR THE CURIOUS.

The heart of a Greenland whale Is O
yard In diameter.
Pigeons have double crop. In the
crop of the common fowl, vegetable
food is detained sixteen hours, or
twice as long as animal food.
From recently published tables it
appears that the average time of sick
ness among males Is about nine days
in each of the working years. in
women it Is triae more.
1t is difficult to drown an insect as
the water cannot enter the pores of
the skin, but If a drop of oil be applied
to the abdomen it falls dead at once,
being suffocated,
Small boys who continually ask
questions will probably be pleased to
learn that a monkey-wr wrench is named
for tits inventor, John Moncky, an
English mechanic.
The principle gateway of Allahabad
is thickly studded with horse-shoes,
supposed to be the offerings of travel,
lers.
The Maiden Castle is a famous earth
work near Monkton, in England, of
great antiquity, supposed to belong to
a period earlier even than that of the
Britons and Romans. The works are
a mile in extent, and in some portions
sixty feet high, 1t had four stone
gateways, and occupied the summit of
a hill.
In President Lincoln's last inaugur.
al address occurs the following instance
of involuntary rhyme:
Fondly do we hope,
Fervent y do we pray,
That this mighty scourge OF war
May speedily pass away;
Yet if it be Gods will
That il continue until
And here the rhyme ceases. Cicero's
prose shows, in places, similar instan-
ces of involuntary rhyme.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
LADIES' DEPARTMENT.


Women are beginning to abolish the
earring as one Of their personal adorn-
ments, although 1t will take a long
time to wholly Danish this favorite but
barbarous ornament. The recent as-
thetic movement in dress, which intro
duced, along with its absurdities, some
truly sensible IDEAS, has much to do In
educating women to better standard
of taste regarding personal adorn-
ments. The most exclusively fashion
able women do not now wear earrings
in the day time, and only those with
Jewels or rare stones in the evening.
Finally, they may be discarded alto
gether, and the money spent for dia-
monds in this direction will be invested
In brooches, pendants and bracelets
Hartford Times.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
PEARLS OF THOUGHT.

The world forgives with difficulty
the fact that one can be happy with
out it.
Reason is the torch of friendship,
judgment its guide, tenderness It's
ailment.
DO you wish a portrait that Is not
hattercd? Ask a woman to make one
Of her rival.
The attainment of our greatest de-
sires Is often the source of our great
est sorrows.
Our years, our debts, and our enc
mics are always more numerous than
we imagine.
Open rebuke are for magistrates and
courts of justice. Private rebukes are
for friends, where all the witnesses of
the offenders bushes are blind and
deaf and dumb.
If you have built castles In the air,
your work need not be lost. That Is
where they should be; but put founda-
tions under them.
A false friend Is like a shadow on a
dial; it appears in clear weather but
vanishes as soon as a cloud approaches.
Nothing makes the world seem 80
spacious as to have friends at dis
lance; they make the ATTITUDES and
longitudes.
Good taste rejects excessive nicely;
it treats little things as little things,
and is not hurt by them.
A man can frequently polish his
boots with better grace than he can
polish his manners.
The beggar Is the only man in the
universe who is not obliged to study
appearances.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
INTERESTING EDUCATIONAL sThTIsTIcs.

From the catalogue just issued by the New
sns'sac Conservatory Of Music, Boston, we
learn that this institution had in attendance
during the year just closed, 1871 students
Nearly every State in the Union was repre-
senied; the Pacific coast sent IL, the North
western States Minnesota, Wisconsin, anI
lowa,-4S Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan
~ The Southern States were well repre-
sGnted, Missouri leading with ID, closely fol
lowed by Texas, 49, New York State sen,
the largest quota Of any outside of New Eng
land, iIS. The British Provinces sent 81
pupils, England, 3, and the Sandwich Islands,
I. The New England States were the best
represented, Massachusetts alone contributing
I,I9S,-a salient point in favor Of this edu
catlonal institution, and its reputation at
home. The Fall Term begins September
II, and parents or students intending to
avail themselves Of the advantages offered
may obtain full particulars at once, by adj
dressing the New England Conservatory Of
Music, Boston.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27

An English paper says that during
the introduction of cholera into St.
Petersburg in 1882 highly respect
able firm of iron founders employing
five hundred men, informed them all
those who would not take teaspoon
full of powdered charcoal on entering
the works in the morning must leave
their employ. What was the conse-
quence? They did not lose a single
man, while myriads were dying around
than
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
SIT Might Blnye Eern,o

"The moon is waning" Elfrida said,
sitting little closer to Ethelred to keep
off the malaria.
EYES," said old Sir Marmaladc, her
sire, who crossed the piazza at that mo-
ment, land the swain is incoming. Haw,
hay, haww
And he was gone. Ethelrcd shudder
ed AVID drew Elfrida to his side until she
had to breathe in her mind. "Thank
heaven he said, earnestly, "that the
moon is not waxing. tremble to think
wha: a joke it might have SUGGESTED to
him."
The Brooklyn Eagle man stole softly
stay and died before she answered.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27

A correspondent of the New York
World says that at a sheep ranch in
Montana q lamb, which had been bit
ten by rattlesnake, was cured by the
of baking Soda 1t is also
usual in that vicinity to apply the same
remedy to horses, and is usually fol
lowed by complete cure. Whiskey is
reserved for human beings.
Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-08-27
You Can't Make $500 ny Reading This,


even if you have chronic nasal catarrh in its
worst stages, for although this amount of re-
ward has for many years been offered by the
propretors of DR.. Sage's Catarrh Remedy for
any case of catarrh they cannot cure, yet not
withstanding that thousands use the Remedy
they are seldom called upon o pay the reward,
and when they have been so called upon they
have universally found that the failure to cure
was wholly due to some overlooked complica-
ton, usually easily removed by slight modi-
tcation of the treatment. Therefore, if this
should meet the eye of anybody who has made
faithful trial of this great and world famed
Remedy without receiving a perfect and per-
mdnenf cure therefrom, that personwill do well
to either call or write to the proprietors, the
Worlds Dspensary Medical Association, of
Buffalo, N. Y, giving all the particulars and
symptoms in the case, BY return mail they
will get good advice free of all COSTS