davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
, 1884-05-17

49, kCN'A'OA
Was pat. Thinking it was slow fever
from which | was suffering, / always
looked for this drink, and it nearly
cost me- my lie. Moral never drink
anything, or eat any food, from the
Negro yard Of any estate you are on,
nor ever leave your water goglets
outside your window; for INTO mine,
after | was too weak to 90 obnck and
get my beverage, the poison was put.
The description giyenby the man, who
Years afterwards, when he was
thought to he dy ing, confessed having
employed the obeahman was this =
The man after receiving the money
agreed upon, besides Il fowl, some
rice and rum, took some cIny and
made an image to represent me, stick
ing into it Old nails and pins. He
then killed the fowl, and with its
blood besprirkled the image, With
the rice lie made a sort Of wall Of cir
cumvallation around it. S~prinkling
some Of the rum on the Image he set
fire to it. This was supposed to re-
present my death, burial and future
state. (The latter | hope l shall es-
cape). With weird and strange in
carnations / was doomed. Calling
for a vial Of water, he placed it in
the circle enclosed by the wall Of
rice; and of course, by a trick of
preStjdi9itation, for the vial Of water,
me of poison was easily substituted
and the contents of the bottle were to
be administered as he directed. And
thus the superstitious Negro, seeing
the effect it had on me, and believing
it was only water, anne to dread the
power Of the Obeah man, as we'll he
might. In cases of sickness, the Gre
oleS, instead of calling in a proper
medical man, prefer to call in an Obeah
man. He charges a large sum, adj
ministers a large dose of powerful
medicine extracted from the medicinal
plants so numerous in the interior OF
this colony; throws the patient into
a deep sleep, and then by an act Of
juggIery pro 'uces to the astonished
and frightened relatives, aquantity OF
old rusty nails, glass, spIinters, a dead
frog or snake, and tells them that has
hern the cause of the illness. And as
he, the Obeah man, a cure, so can
he crush with his vengeance any who
offendS him. 1t is easy to understand
how terribly afraid of his power the
ignorant bysIanders become. He will
then administer to the patient ano-
Their strong oosc of vegetable, or
"bush" medicine, as it is called, to act
as u purga,ive, and as the creole con-
stitution is strong, AMI these medicine
men really have some knowledge OF
the properties of the medicines they
administer. the patient usually does
cover. 1t is no wonder that, to
such an ignorant and naturally super
stitious race, Obeah should be the
dread thing i, is. Often in passing "
provision dam, you will Sc a bottle
filled with some fluid hanging on a
plantain tree with a fine bunch OF
pIantains on it. Although the con-
tents may be plain water, you may
be sure no Negro thief will go near 1t.
Sometimes drivers, men OF intelll'
gencp, or engineers, who are smart
enough at their work, and i'll every
, 1884-05-17
O6e0h an Den1erGrd.
From the Arg0Sy

Obeahmen, who in days past eXercjs-
ed almost absolute sway over their
forefathers. And, in truth, these Obe-
1ahmen are extremely dangerous, slow
poison being their silent yet deadly
weapon. Many a white man has gone
down to an untimely grave through
the agency of these dread priests Of
obeah. myself, was once doomed,
and for over six months | was i'll such
a deplorable state of health, that |
still shudder at the recollection. The
deadly slow poison was administered;
| began to feel languid and weak
purging came on, and continual maui
sea, without actual vomiting, until at
last I was reduced to u skeleton. The
doctors not being able TO account
for my illness, ordered me to Barba-
dos. The medical men there dis
covered that | was suffering from poi
son, they administered mtidoteS, and
| was saved. Years afterwards n
of the men at whose mStigation | was
practiced upon made Il full comics
sion. | had become obnoxious to
two Of the head men on the estate,
and they wanted me removed. | had
detected them defrauding The task
gangs employed under them, and re-
ported them TO the manager, who,
after that, adopted The system OF pay
ING the task gangs, like the estates
people, from the pay LIST. And l
would advise the adoption of the same
plan on all estates. 1t makes the Ia
bourers stick to one estate, and pre-
vents (what is too common) the drlv-
ers ~defraud;ng them and putting the
blame ON the estate authorities, thus
giving the estate Il bad name. AS
have said, the drivers whom had de-
tccted and reported employed an
obeah mar from Berbice TO work his
spell ON me. A sum of money was
paid to him, and Il fowl was given to
him; also some rice and a bottle OF
rum. He then, having with him the
requisite paraphcrnaIia, in a bag made
of the skin of a tiger OF wild cat,
commenced operations. | may men
ton that in my usual rounds in the
Negro yard, [ had noticed a strange
man and enquired who he was, when
one of the drivers said he was a rela-
ton of his wife from Berbice. 1t was
my habit to drink every morning. as
[ passed the Negro yard, a cup OF
fresh cocoanut toddy, this was pro-
cured by cutting off II bunch of young
cocoanuts, and applying to the wound
in the tree a gouby or c%alah"sh, into
which the sap which would have gone
to sustain the %cocoanuts, drops
While perfectly fresh it is a very MIC
drink. and one which old Creoles
claim to he a preventative oil fever
l can vouch for It's efficacy in kidney
diseases. When fermented 1t be-
comes a strong intoxicating drink
After a time the extraction of the sap
in this way destroys The trees: The
Government has now put proh'blt've
tax on the liquor. and thus stopped
it's manufacture. The drivers wife
used to get it for me from the Madras
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21
A Bodice for "Vyash-Dresses."

That known as the ''Kendal7 bodice is to be
recommended, with the future contingency of
the washing-tub This style is a favorite with a
popular actress. from whom the name is derived,
and will suit those who do not find an ordinary
full bodice becoming becoming. The fronts are
made to fit the figure, but q length of the ma
terial is set in fixed pleats IN the shoulder seams
an inch or two below the neck band. These
lengths, arranged in fat folds. are crossed over
the chest and may terminate in any manner
found the most becoming. This style is easily
adapted to the figure; for while it can be made
to fit so closely on the one hand as not to in
crease the size, on the other it may be arranged
to add considerable fullness. A bodice so made
is easily ironed, and a few fiat pleats down the
center of the back and closely gathered at the
belt, obviate the appearance of dragging and
seams awry, too frequently noticeable on a
bodice which has been laundered-a process
never failing to disclose itself, no matter how
scientifically performed.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21

the same criticism holds good. There seemed to
be the same extraordinary lack of life and
animation, and an utter lack of color in their
faces. City women, of thirty-fve or there
about, are usually at the height of their beauty.
At the same age, women who dwell in the
country seem to have given up all hope OF any
thing further in life and to have resigned them
selves to old age. hard work and ill-health.
The country children, too, were raw-boned, color
less, slipsbod and angular, and lily compared
with the fat and chubby youngsters who tumbled
about them and made the halls ring with their
laughter and jolity. The children from out of
town are overawed as a rule. They are fright
ened by the size of things, and feel nervous at
seeing so many strangers. They wander about,
hand in hand, looking curiously and with more
OF less awe at the overdressed children who rim
up and down the avenues under the care of their
nurses, and sit in open-mouthed astonishment at
the theaters. l have often wondered, by the
way, why it is that countrymen visiting New
York, particularly when accompanied by their
wives, never allow themselves to exhibit any
emotion,
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21
spanish Hotel servants.

july Ati1nblC.
The demeanor of the servants at the Grand
Hotel de Paris teaches a wholesome lesson to
those who find cause of complaint on this head
in American hotels. There are two in the dining
room, a man and a maid, the latter a most slat-
ternly person, who dressed her hair eiaborateiy
every afternoon and stuck a flower in it, without
changing her soiled apron; next morning the
apron was still more soiled. the hair was rough,
and the flower was faded but still there. The
waiter was trimmer, spoke a little French,
and was called Ell Chico on account of his stat
ure, like Boabdil, the last of the Moorish
kings. This pair used to present themselves a
quarter of an hour after the bell sounded for a
meal, and lean on either side of a large arched
doorway communicating with the pantry, which
opened into the kitchen, and amuse themselves
with our impatience, as the food was not served
for another fifteen minutes The b~oarders, who
were apparently officers in garrison, lawyers,
and men of business, who messed there and
lodged elsewhere, would demonstrate good
humoredly at first, and then grum-
bic, The servants leaning lea against Ssj the
ironically congratulated them on their appetite,
and inquired if they would have their food now
or wait until they got it, with similar facetia.
Once during the midday breakfast, which cor
responds to luncheon in England and America,
a burst of military music and the measured
tramp of feet announced that soldiers were pass
ing. The servants Immediately set down the
dishes they were serving, ran to the window,
threw it open, and stepped upon the balcony.
where they remained, talking, laughing, and
looking at the regiment until it was
out of sight. The meeker spirited of
the guests joined them, following them back into
the room when they deigned to return. Before
the repast was over the drums v ere heard again;
out rushed the servants a second time; nobody
else stirred, and a gloom fell en- the company;
bnt it did not in the least disturb the cheerful
ness of the couple on the balcony, who came
back at their own pleasure and chatted gaily
with each other, as nobody else would speak to
them. This was my introduction to tie extraor-
binary democracy of manners which prevails
throughout the most aristocratic and top-lofty
society in the old world.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21
John Bright in the House of Commons.

l. II. ILbNOllYI III July &Subulys
The massive, well-set head, the lofty brow, the
white hair, the clear blue eye, as Saxon in its
expression as the language of the speaker, have
Immediately arrested the attention of all specta-
tors. Yet, in the House of Commons, the visitor
may have failed to recognize Immediately the
voice and the presence of its greatest orator.
Slow, low, and distinct in his commencement,
he has appeared to be suffering from a nervous
hesitation, which those who have never heard
him previously might doubt whether he would
succeed in overcoming. But in five minutes all
apprehensions on this score have disappeared. The
popular chamber is crowded, for, with the speed
of electricity. the news that bright is up has
run the round of Hobbies, library and smoking
room. Never has there been associated in the
same speaker an. in the same speech merit so
sustained with excellence so rare. Mr.. Bright
has spoken, no doubt, not infrequently, below
himself, but when he has spoken at his best, or at
anything like his best, he has been at his best
throughout. His eloquence may be compared to
the glow of a clear fire steadily burning almost
at a white heat. There is nothing itful or spas
modic about it. The solemn and the sportive are
interviewer as naturally as the serious and
comic scenes in one of Shakspeares master
pieces. Mr., Bright has probably coined as
many concise and adhesive phrases as Disraeli
himself. 1t is he who invented the words
fancy franchise" who first employed the cave
of Adullum" as a metaphor for the refuge of
the disaffected, and who compared the Adullam-
ties thet lselves to the Scotch terrier, of which it
was difficult to say what portion formed the
head and what the tail. His humor has always
been of the quiet, cutting, and sarcastic style.
He likened Mr.. Disraeli0 to 'the man who was
not a Cabinet Minister, but only a mountebank,
and who set up a stall and offered the country
people pills that were very good against earth
quakes." He likened Lord Derby's profession
about reform to ''the sort of feast that
a Spanish host sets before the guest, consisting
of a little meat and a great deal of tablecloth.H
The remark of a peer, when Mr.. Bright was
once absent from Parliam emit through illness,
that providence, in punishment of the manner
in which he had abused his talents, had in
hicted upon him a disease of the brain, ELECTED
from him on his return to the house of Com
mons the retort, 'It may be so, but in any case
it will be some consolation to the friends and
the family of the noble lord to know that the
disease is one which even Providence could not
infiict upon him Nor could anything be bet
ter than his criticism of Sir Charles Adderley,
now Lord Norton, when that gentleman had
made some statement from which Mr.. Bright
dissented: II hope he thought he was speaking
the truth; but he is rather a dull man and liable
70 make blunderS"
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21
Health in Country and City.
Excursion Notes in Brooklyn Eagle.

Excursion Notes In brooklyn Eagle
The men from the country were nearly all
alike. 1t is a fact that there was not a healthy
or rudy looking face among them. Such a
thing as a full, red cheek or a firm, elastic step
was not to be seen. The faces were lined
heavily and utterly without color. There was
not a man among them who held his head up or
whose carriage was erect, and some of their
shoulders were so round that it amounted to a
deformity. They shambled about. instead
of walking. When the trinity built, compact
and rudy city men moved in among them
the contrast was striking. Robust and
well rounded merchants, with red cheeks, care
fully-trimmed whiskers, and bright eyes, moved
about chatting pleasantly, and laughing fire.
ouently. The color in the faces of the city men
was almost always healthy, and they always
held themselves like soldiers, With the women
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21
"Coach WHIST a Game.

Richfeld IN. " Letter.
About twelve young ladies and gentlemen
hired the tallyho yesterday for the twelve mile
drive to Otsego Lake. Before starting they
agreed to play coach whist en- route, the side
losing to pay the whole bill. This is an entirely
new game and is very exciting, although simple.
1t will probably become very popular at all other
summer resorts. 1t is played as follows: Those
who ride on the right hand side watch for points
and call them out as they see them, and of
course those on the left do the same. When a
cow was actually passed on the right side,
those on that side would call, "A cow,
Is" At the same time, the coach would pass a
bull on the left side, those on that side would
call: "a bull, 25." The following is the value
of the points; A cow, Is; a bull, 24 a hen, :;
15; sheep. so; I a dog, IS; hogs each, 10; 9 cat, 50;
each, 5; ducks, each, 5; mule, 50; jackass, IS.
A cat in the window is the game, and although
just as the rights" had neared the lake, and
just $50 behind, a cat was seen in a window in a
cottage on the right-hand side, and, of course,
those on the right won the game. and the "lefts"
had to pay the whole bill. The story that one
of those on the right had hired the farmer to tie
the cat in the window proves, after thorough in
vestigation, to be untrue.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21
THE STREET BABY,
written for the Indianapolis journal.
f. W. NELSON.

Written for the Indianapolis journal.
He has a green pear to play with. he learned
himself to talk, twisting his mouth into queer
shapes, saying 'muggledahly boo boo meaning
his mothers darling and a good boy. His mother
often calls where's that babyF' and he answers
''ayeeay," for here he is" He makes a noise
like a bee in a blossom at the grocery door, say
ing ''gimmin dsum dandy" Groceryman does
not understand that the baby wants some straw
berries. He roars ''untikattingt" meaning that
he wants a string. "Ahn gar!" he says for 1--WE
got it" finding one. He likes to thread door
key-hoIes with strings. He is in the habit of
wiping his nose on his shoes after having taken
out the shoe-strings to play with. Once he had
a doughnut man with a puff on its stomach
that made it look like Santa Claus. Somebody
bit off the puff. The baby howled so a fat
woman next door rushed out and gave him a
licking. Well, we'll, we all have our ups and
downs. The street baby is not bored by the
maxims about the uncertainty of things, and the
danger of waste, and idleness, and the dreadful
ness of being self-conceited, as most children are.
He plays soldier in the street, shouting, Chick
a-bom- bowl which means, 'I1l shoot you!
Bangl" He plays with the big girls. What
shakings he gets! They play they are mothers
and the boys are robbers coming to steal their
babies, and they fight the robbers. They also
play they are out riding in carriages, and dressed
in white satin, slippers, and feathers, and silk.
The street baby has a homemade wagon with
slab wheels. ''Your'n's wobblyer'n mine,' says
another little wagon owner, to him. perhaps
you don't think this Interestingly The street
baby watches marble playing with its shout of
"Knuckle down! knunckle tight and closet and
learns the fetch worship among the boys who
spit on a marble to make it lucky, and call a
smooth. round stone a lucky-stone, and spit on
it and throw it behind them for luck. And he
goes to an urchin baseball club, where bats and
balls are so heavy that the owners knees trem-
BILE and backs bend.
The street baby grows smart. He will not
take his mothers hand when they are out walk
ing; says he wants to swing his hand. He wants
to fight; says "Jonchy chuch mel when anyone
reaches for him to cuff him. and snaps his fin
gers, and blows with his mouth, and makes faces
at folks, with his chin thrust out. He plays in
the fire, and when caught at it, makes believe to
be reading the letters on the stove hearth, and
says ''b, o, "" as if spelling to himself. OF a
chilly night last week, being warmly dressed, his
hot supper caused his head and face to be beaded
with sweat, and he poked his hair uneasily with
his hands, and then said to his mother, opening
his big round eyes, LES eat ow doors!"
MARY DEAN.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21
SUMNER STYLES.

The latest charms take the shape of cow-bells
Blue and red combinations are seen every
where.
A lawn skirt should be worn under swiss or
null dresses.
Ladies are having shirred pokes made to match
their summer dresses.
The high-crowned hat with narrow brim and
the small eapote remain the popular choice.
Black kid slippers, black silk stockings and
black silk mitts OF gloves are worn with white
dresses.
Pleats are very popular in all their varieties
of knife, box, side, kilt, accordion, shell and or
gan, or fluted ~pleating.
Fashion this season is imperative on but two
points-a perfect fit and originality; given these,
anything else is allowable.
The new styles call for more material than
formerly, because it is absolutely essential to
graceful draperies that they should be long and
full
White roses, full blown, with long-stemmed
buds dropping from the snowy cluster, will be
the fashionable eorsage bouquet with full even
ing dress this summer.
The pointed girdle worn this summer is fin
ished behind with a sash-bow with two short
ends. These girdles are made of black velvet,
to wear with white muslin waists and velvet col
lar and cuffs to accompany them.
Trained skirts, or adjustable trains, worn over
or added to round skirts, are increasing in num-
Der every day. They are, however, worn ex-
clusiveiy indoors, or for eeremonious toilets at
weddings, receptions, and formal dinners.
The Terry style of drapery, viz, a long, round
overskirt, caught up carelessly on one side by
being drawn through a loop of ribbon, is becom-
ing very popular with slender women, on whom
it is effective. Stout women will wisely avoid
it.
A pretty fashion with slender young ladies is
that of making the basque to lap halfway across
the left side of the front, instead of buttoning it
down the middle; the tanned edge is finished
with a full lace frill, and sometimes this edge is
cut in seallops.
Small crochet or beaded buttons are used on
handsome dresses, lasting buttons on cloth suits,
small pearl or ivory on cheaper fabrics. Fancy
buttons are no longer fashionable. still so many
may be had in the bargain baskets of our large
stores for half or quarter price that a great many
of them are worn all the same.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21

The most celebrated vampire case, perhaps,
and the latest, happened in 1s49 In that year
the cemeteries of Paris were entered, graves
broken open, and corpses rudely tossed upon the
ground The greatest alarm was felt as the
horrible depredations continued. The s~trietest
watch failed to detect their author. Physicians
who were called to examine the wounds and mu-
~tilations infineted on the corpses declared the
depradatots could NOT be, as was first supposed,
resurrectionists. A man-trap was set in
Pere la Chase, and a heavy bomb con-
eealed beneath it. One night the sentinel
posted about the cemetery heard the bomb eX-
plode. They entered, but beyond a few drops
of blood and some fragments of military cloth
ing found no trace of the vampire. Next day it be-
came known that Sergeant Bertrand, a soldier,
was dangerously wounded. He was arrested.
On his court-marshal, of which Colonel Man
solcn was president, Bertram confessed to having
committed all the horrible violations of graves,
but could not explain why he did it. He was
controlled by a gSeateP power, he said. Like de
Ritz, this man was frank, gay and gentle. He
was sentenced to twelve months Imprisonment,
and a counsel of physicians appointed to examine
his mind.
The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-21
Vegetarian Diet.


81 james : Oa1ette.
A moderate success is apparently being
achieved by the siX-penny dinner, without fish,
flesh or fowl, which the vegetarian society offers
TO hungry humanity at the Health Exhibition;
but even the ''savories" will hardly convert the
typical Englishman to the dietetic creed of Pro-
fessor Newman 1t may be interesting on this
subject to recall a passage in one of Mr.. Herbert
Spencer's essays: ut has been for years n we'll
established fact, he says, that an English navy
eating largely Of flesh, is far more efficient than
a continental NAVY living on farinaeeous food
so much more efficient, that the English
contractors for continental railways
found it pay to take their laborers
with them. That difference of diet and not diff
ference of race caused this superiority has been
of late distinctly shown. For it has turned out
that when the continental naVvies live in the
same style as their English competitors, they
presently rise more or less nearly to to a par
with them in efficiency. And to this fact let us
here add the converse one, to which we can give
personal testimony, based upon SIX months ex-
p~erience of vegetarianism, that abstinence of
meat entails diminished energy of both body
and mind 1t is fair to remember that Pro
fessor Newman's personal experience has been
the reverse of Mr.. Herbert Spencer's; so that
wise men differ. Meanwhile, there is innocent
pleasure in a mutton-chop."