davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16
The House.Sparrow,s Life.

The sparrow is an autocrat, especially
addicted to divorcing his partner on the
smallest pretext. / have elsewhere
chronicled two small dramas in spar
row life which 1 watched from be-
ginning to end. The actors in the first
were pair living in hole in a maple
tree before my window. For some un-
discoverable reason the graceless head
OF the household decided to make a
change in his domestic arrangements,
and to begin by divorce. In that case
the female had the advantage, since
the home was not an open nest, but
castle. She had possession, and kept
it for two days, in spite of violent
vituperation and the most threatening
manner. In this case, also, observed
that she never talked back" INDUCED
in unseemly scolding, or assumed the
offensive in any way. She appeared
Indifferent to his opinions, but enough
attached to her home to endure his
annoyances for two days before she
tired of the controversy, when at last
she accepted her fate and departed. 1
saw HIM bring home the bride, as CO.
quettish young thing as can be
iLutst, ihcu, CooA hcI ny many WIGS W
examine the snug house, follow her
about, and finally irduce her to take
up her residence with him.
The other case was of trouble on the
other side. A cock sparrow lost one
leg, and his mate, who had nestlings to
feed, attempted to divorce him.
Several birds appeared upon the scene,
evident aspirants for the soon to-be-
vacant place. But the little fellow,
though evidently suffering so greatly
that several times he appeared to be
dying, never failed TO revive and attack
with fury every pretender, and after a
day or two of this conflict was able to
resume his duties as assistant provider
for the little one, when his spouse
amiably kissed and made up" All
through the trouble she never display
ed temper. She refused him admission
into the honeysuckle vine, where the
nest was; but she would come out and
alight near him on the window-sill, talk
to him calmly, reproach him, evidently,
reminding him of the babies to feed
and he not able to help. To these re-
marks he made little reply.
| AS said, the sparrow is q domestic
tyrant, brooking no opposition. have
never observed case in which the hen
had her own way. He is so great q
bully, so self-willed and violent, that,
whatever the cause of disagreement, he
holds out with logged obstinacy till he
gets his will. In one case there was
difference of opinion as to the site for a
nest; he wishing to occupy an empty
cottage of mans providing, while she,
with finer instinct, had decided upon a
charming crotch in an evergreen tree.
At first she opposed him strongly,
scattering the material he brought,
throwing the choicest bits to the winds,
while he stormed and scolded and
brought more. In the intervals be-
tween thwarting his plans she would
accumulate materials in the chosen
tree. He scorned to touch them; he
] simply ignored her designs, and pro-
ceeded with obstinacy almost sublime
to bring and bring and bring till she
was worn out, gave up and accepted
the cottage at last. -Oiue Thorne
| Miller. IN Atlantic
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16

Rip-So Hot was IN angular dame
OF the province OF Yang XII funR,
With tent er as wal m as her peppery name.
And. with her neiRhbors. . desthless fame
Kept green by her tireless tongue.
Late and early, early and late,
Her strident voice was hcsrd
Taving the air without rebate
With no soft tone to mitigate
The sting of her gentiest word
Rat-Tan-Y Yah was her only SON
Rattan his name TO- short
No more gwen 10 frolic aud fun.
And mischievous tricks than many one
or the festive Mclean sort.
But every day the peevish dame
Would tan her onsprfBRs hide
With torturesome Instrument, much the
In frs v keenness, and now in name.
Asher tender JOY and Iride
Rat Tan Yah yelled with might and main
In time with his mothers tongue.
And he tailed for every mark OF cane
But not on his brow-with yawp OF pain
That echoed throughout hi fung
About the age of twelve or so
Rattan h d waxen tough.
And answered not the cutting blow
With howl OF rain. or yawp or WOO;
He had howled and yawped enough
In silence for three doiesome years
He took his daily score,
But neither with cries, nor yells, nor tears
So by tradition the fact appears
Would hint of the pain he bore.
One summer day Dame Rip-So-Hot
Seemed lacking in vocal vim.
Rattan took note that she did not
Pepper his ears with the red-hot shot
She used to pelt al him,
And no more beat his parchment hide
In time with her tireless tongue;
But silently moped by the fireside
From early morn till eventide;
And there was peace in Yang KisYung.
Rattan in a corner sat alone,
Anu wiped his weeping eyes.
What is II ais my precious SOM
Said the dame in strangely gentle tone
II was hard TO recognize.
Il weep because. alas, / fear
That you are growing weak.
Your hand HIS lost, o mother, dear
Its cunning, and the neighbors near
Can hardly hear you speak.
Again he wept, and begged that she
Would try her voice once more,
And let the bamboo whistle tree,
So that both voice and cane might be
In concert as before.
With this rare show OF filial love
Rattan surprised the dame,
Who. quick her gratitude to prove,
With voice like that of cooling dove.
Gave to the switch his name.
Because the youngster kissed the rod.
AS seldom mortais do.
China reveres him as a god
This tricky, sharp, bamboozling fraud
And his hateful namesake, too.
-Netc York Clipper.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16
scratching a Guy on a Glib Fake. -

Several seedy-looking men were
standing about in an auction room on
South Clark street. The auctioneer
was rafting away in that glib monotone
which CRATES so harshly upon the ears.
These men were not looking at the
auctioneer's wares, nor even paying at
tention to his rigmarole. They were
gazing out of the door. Soon coun-
tryman entered, and then change
came upon the scene. Every man be-
gan to look at the goods as il he were
bent on purchasing. What does this
job pay your" inquired a reporter of
one of the seedy looking stool-pigeons.
"Nothin' but our grub" he said, sadly Z;
business amt what it used to be. I've
seen the time when man could get his
grub, four beers day, and quarter
to boot for standin' round one o these
shops all day. Now it's nothin' but a
free lunch grab twice n day. Times is
hard, stranger. y Chicago Herald.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16
Keeping Flowers Fresh.

All that is necessary to keep flowers
fresh is to keep them moist and cool.
Instead of dipping flowers in water,
they should simply be wrapped up in a
wet newspaper, which will keep them
far fresher over night A wet towel or
napkin is too heavy, and will crush the
blooms too much; besides, it would al
low the moisture to evaporste too east
ly. Boston florists pack rosebuds in
wet paper, and send them as far West
as Chicago. or even st. Louis, where
they are taken out even fresher than
when they came off the BUSH boston
Bndnef
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16

Dillenburg. Henry OF Nassau, the
governor Of Charles ", to whom more
than to al others he owed the imperial
crown, acquired by marriage the vast
possessions of the house Of Chalons-
Orange; and through his son Rene his
vast estates and titles were bequeathed
to his cousin William of Nassau, a lad
eleven years of age, who thus became
Prince OF Orange. A count in Ger
many, he was prince in France, and
heir to score of titles, dukedoms. coan-
ties, and baronies, in the Netherlands.
" T. He0ek, in Harper's Mag
dzine
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16
CandOr!

Mistress Catching tho butler helping
himself to a glass of "34' port)--
james sim surprised"
Mr.. James-So am 1, mu'ml j
thought you was out!'
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16

PURPOSES, however wise, without
plans, cannot be relied on for good re-
suits.
The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-07-16

A GREAT many people prefer Sec
ond glass to second thought.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
Newton ON EngersOlI.

The subject of Mr., Newton's ser
mon Sraday in All Souls Church
was doubt" In the course of it he
said "There is a cheap and nasty
doubt which goes through the land
denouncing a hireling ministry on
Sunday night at 90 cents admission,
and 81 for reserved seats, announcing
with great flourish of very brazen
trumpets the novel discoveries in
BIBLICAL criticism known to scholars
a generation ago, but oyerthowing
only the studies OF church history
carried on in the intervals of proies-
sional duties not the most honorable,
and seeming to say, III the Almighty
had called me in at the creation |
could have given him some valuable
points'
"Chronic doubt is often dilettan-
teish, shallow, frivolous, intolerart,
and uncandid OF all which we need
to beware. There is, however, Sc
rious, earnest doubt, sorely perplexed
in our epoch of transition, sincerely
trying to build up better faith
through it's very questioning of what
seems no longer befieyable.
"There is an answer to every doubt.
There is no doubt which touches the
essentials of faith to-day which can
not be sufficiently answered if men
will only think long and hard enough
and read wide and deep enough,
What you want is not less light, but
more light. Push your doubts out Of
the shadow into light, Then you
win find in what you thought a devil
an angel to lead you to a higher life
This is the real hope Of the Church
Out of it is to come the Christianity
OF the future.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
Men Who Want to BE Editors.
[Blakesley HAIL.

1t is q rather peculiar thing, by the
way, that every man on earth believes
that he can run a newspaper, The ed
itor of every prominent journal receives
bushels of letters every week from un
grammatical and illiterate people telling
him exactly what to do with his paper.
Every man who attends q play in New
York knows more about it than the pro-
fessional critic who writes his opinions
for the following days paper, and the
politician does not live who could not
give the shrewdest newspaper man
points concerning the attitude Of any
particular journal during q political
campaign. Aside from this every whip
per snapper who stands behind coun-
ter criticizes with shallow-pated viru-
lence the editorials he reads in his morn
ing paper, and do not believe there is o
man in any business whatsoever
in town, who is not thor
oughly convinced that if every
other means of gaining livelihood
should fall he could step into news
paper Office and make O distinguished
success as writer. Nothing proves
this more thoroughly than a glance at
the applicants for positions as reporters
on the New York press.
The managing editor Of big daily
here, told me a short time since that he
had an average Of three calls every day
the year round, for positions on his
paper. "They come, " he said, from
men who have studied law and can get
nothing to do, who have graduated as
physicians and are starving Yer pa
tients, who have failed in business, who
are fresh from college and who have
been broken down in various walks of
life. Not one of them has a shadow OF
doubt but that he will make a clever
writer, and yet the majority of them
have had no experience whatever il
newspaper Offices and prove by THEN
maudlin and mushy ideas how thor
oughly out of place they would be as
reporters. Bless your soul, you cant
convince them that they are wrong
They consider you an enemy forever,
after you have refused to accept theil
services,
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
A Very strange statement.

Fannie B. Wards Mexico Letter.
They tell us that here and all along
the southern coasts of Mexico, people
have a habit of inoeulating themselves
with the virus of the rattlesnake or
adder, which renders them forever
afterwards absolutely safe from the
bite or sting of any reptile, however
poisonous. The truth Of the statement
! cannot vouch for, but will tell the
tale as twas told to me-" The person
to be thus vaccinated is pricked with
the fang of the serpent, on the tongue,
in both arms, and on various parts of
the body, and the venom is thoroughly
introduced into the wounds. Imme-
diatoly an eruption comes out, which
continues a few days, accompanied by
fever, after which the skin flakes off in
scales something as in leprosy.
But now comes the unbelievable part
Of the story. Not only can an inoc-
ulated person handle the most poisonous
serpents with impunity making them
come at will, fondling and caressing
them-but the bite of these persons
themselves is considered as fatal as that
of a rattlesnakel The reader is scarcely
expected to- swallow this; but, never
theIess, we have the testimony Of several
gentlemen, both Mexican and American
whose word is unimpeachablo-on othc'
subjects.
A well-known merchant of TampicG
(English) tells me that ne has been
yainly endeayoring to make up his mind
to submit to the operation as he is
obliged to be travelling up and down
the coast great deal, and is, therefore,
in constant danger Tie is always ac-
companied on these expeditions by his
servant, an inoculated negro, and when
he receives q bite or sting, the servant
Immediately cures him by sucking the
wound. lie says that this negro, not
long since, cured white boy who had
been bitten by an inoculated young In-
dian, with whom he had been fighting,
and who exhibited every symptom OF
having been bitten by ar adder, and
would undoubtedly have died without
this timely assistance.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
Cheap Fuel for Dakota.
Dakota Farmer.

lDakolA FARMER
A correspondent after having tried
Fturf," coal, wood, and sunhowers,
has settled upon tue last named as
the cheapest and best fuel for trecless
Dakota He says; II grow one arc of
them every year, and have plenty Of
fuel for one stove the whole year round,
and use SOL o in another stove Lesides.
\ plant them in hills the same as corn
only three seeds to the hilD, and cult
.Yate the same as corn. cut them when
the leader or top flower is ripe, let the n
lay on the ground two or three days. in
that time | cut Off all the seed heads,
which are put into an open shed with a
il20r in it, the same as q corn crib; the
stalks are then hauled home and packed
in common shed with good roof on.
''When cut in the right time, the
stalks when dry are as hard as oak, and
make a good, hot fire, while the seed
heads with the seed in, make better
fire than the best hard coal. The seed
bong very rich in oil it will warm bet
ter and burn longer, bushol for bushel,
than hard coal The Sunhower is very
hard on land, the piece of ground Sc
loctcd to plant on should be highly en-
richcd with manures In the great
steppes (prairie) region in the interior Of
Russia and in Tartary, where the
winters are more severe than here in
Dakota, the sun1owers are, and haSe
been for centuries past, the only kind of
fuel used"
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
Hot Water for Colds.
[Medieal Journal !

DR.. George R. Shepherd, Of Hartford,
Conn, says, in respect to the use of hot
water as a remedial agent in the treat
ment Of inflammation of the mucous
membranes, Il have used hot water as a
gargle for the past six or eight years,
In acute pharyngitis and tonsillits,
and in coryza, or cold in the head if
properly used in the commencement of
the attack, it constitutes one of the
most effective remedies, being fre-
quently promptly curative To be of
service it sho'1J be used in considerable
quantity (a hsaf a pint or pint at a
time9, and just as hot as the throat will
tolerate. [ have seen many cases of
acute dicease thus aborted, and can
commend the method with great conf
dcnee
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
Extracts from EngersolI.

Many persons paid $2 seat to hear
Col, Robert G. Ingersoll's new lecture,
(Which Way?" at the Academy Of
Music last night Many others paid
$3.50. The poorest seats in the par
Quet brought 81, and no seat in the
house sold for less than IS cents. The
house was crammed. A full report Of
the lecture would fill page. Follow
ing are some OF the sentehces:
Nearly everybody insists that belief
is an exceedingly essential thing; that
no one can be good or kind OF gener-
Gus or loving or charitable or just
without belief. Yet some of the worst
men who have ever lived have been
believers in God, and some of the best
men have been and are unbelievers.
II was a belief in God that made the
Jews kill Christ. The men who made
the Inquisition were believers. The
Devil was believer in God, but it
seems to have had little effect upon
his moral character.
Are ministers any better than any
body else? l will give you an easy
one. Compare them with lawyers
Did yeu ever know of a poor, weak
wretch going into a town and asking
where he could find a Presbyterian
deacon? Are ministers, as class
better than railroad engineers? ]
would rather trust myself with a good
railroad engineer and bad preacher
than with a good preacher and bad
engineer.
Man has been ignorant enough tC
pray for impossible things. Possibly
the frogs believe that their croaking
brings on Spring! We can't tell how
far the frog idea has got.
/ heard chaplain once pray Goo
to give Congress wisdom, 1t seems t
me that the most orthodox ministe
in the world ought to know that hi
prayers have no effect. If you ge
anything somebody has got to worl
for it.
The great men used to be Christians
because they got burned if they wer,
not Christians. Now that we have go
a little liberty men are speaking out
Compare the miracles of the Bibl
with the miracles of modern science
The miracles Of God are small an'
contemplate compared with the mira
cles of man.
Theology wants US to receive al
with open mouths, like robins, taking
in worms ard shingle nails, it make
no difference.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
Condiments md indigestion.
Nv. NJ. Williams in Popular Science Mont

Nv. M. Williams in Popular Science Monthlyl
Cayenne pepper may bo selected as q
typical example of a condiment property
50 called Mustard is food and con.
diment combined; this is the case with
some others. Cuwy-powders are mix
lures OF very potent condiments with
more or less farinaceous materials, and
sulphur compounds, which, like the oil
of mustard, Of onions, garlic, etc, may
have a certain amount of nutritiye
value.
The nero condimenU IS stimulating
drug that does los work directly upon
the inner lining of the stomach by OK
citing il to increased abnormal activity.
A dyspeptie may obtain immediate re-
lief by using cayenne pepper Among
the advertised patent medicire5 is a pill
bearing the very ominous name Of it's
compounder, the active consti sent of
which is cayenne Great relief and
temporary comfort are commonly ob-
tanned by using it as "dinner-pill." A." Ii
thus used only rs temporary remedy for
an acute and temporary, or exceptional,
attack OF Indigestion, all is well, but the
cayenne, whether taken in pills or
busted over the food or stewed with it
in curries or any othei wise, is one of the
most cruel of slow p)isons when taken
habitually. ThousanG5 of poor wretches
are crawling misenbly toward their
graves, tho victims ct the multitude Of
maladieS Of both mnd and body that
are connected with chronic, incurablo
dyspepsia, all brought about by tie
habtual use Of cayenne and its condi-
mental cousins.
Tho usual history of these victims is
that they began by overlooking, took tn
oondm3nt to force the stomach to do
more than its healthful amount Of work,
using but little at first. Then the stom-
ach became tolerant of this little, and
demanded more; then more, and more,
and more, until at last inflammation, ulcer
alton, torpidity, and finally the death of
the digestive powers, accompanied with
all that long train of miseries to which
have referred
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
The Lightning Cash-Boy.
[Chieago News


A white and tottering old man leaned
against the 5-cent counter in toy
store.
A middle-aged man streaked with gray
approached him. .
"Ah, said the old man, .extending
his wrinkled hand, cit seems to me- /
have seen your face somewhere Be-
fore"
Are you the spruce young man who
bought ~ cents worth of goods here
ands had cents change coming to
your
81 am he was that spruce young
man" replied the white old man, fee.
bly,.
'Isthought SC" aid the middle-aged
mans "Here is your change. / am the
cashshoy.
"Ah, lid NOT expect you back SO
soon, " and the-6ld man hobbled out.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
sleeplng-Roonls.
iDr. j. II. Iiauaford.l

! am glad that the old idea that it is
hcalthful to sleep in cold rooms is be-
coming obsolete. Cold air is not nee
essarily puro air. If there is no fire in
the sleeping room, we must secure what
warmth we can by sealing up the room
as nearly hermetically as possible, AM
then piling on the bed-clothes OF
course the air in such room must nee
essafily be very impure before morning
An open fire is the best possible ven
tilator, but if that is not possible, a
stove is the next best thing, 1t is not nee
essary to keep a fire in a sleeping-room
all day, but have one started at night,
and then let it 20 oat in the morning as
soon as the chamber work is done.
With fire in the room the windows
can be opened, when you retire, enough
! to secure pure air, and each one can
make his toilet in his own room, instead
of all rushing half dressed to the kitchen
to wash and comb there, which is not
an especially desirable accompaniment
to the cooking of breakfast.
Save in blankets and comforters, save
by less elaborate and more digestible
cooking, but do not try to save by sleep
ing in a cold room. We need the
warmth of fire more at night, when
sleeping, than at any other time for
then the vitality Of the body is lower.
Nearly one third Of all our lives is
passed in our sleeping rooms and yet
many people seem TO think that any
room is good enough to intended as
medicine, to cool and thin the blood,
which has become thick and carbonizel
during the cold weather, when the
carbons are particularly used.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
A Homely Story With a Moral.

A story is told of an old-fashioned
farmer who had an old ak and saw
stolen from his shed. at first he was
disconsolate, as he had the tools in use
nearly fifteen years, but necessity
Obliged him to purchase new ones in
their place. He was so much surprised
at the case with which the new tools
worked that, of his own accord, no
agent urging, he went to a hardware
store and purchased a new kit of tools
and threw the others away lie had
lost more valuable time in working with
poor tools than would buy new ones
Twice over.
The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-01-17
Young VAR. Blaine, EAe ank BOt-
1Ie. amta the HsostOn Dntae.

Mr.. James G. Blaine, Jr., was the
hero OF little side show at the Parker
House the other night, He was en-
gagged in an animated conyersatien
with number Of dudes when one of
them made an exceedingly offensive
remark concerning Mr. Blaine's faith
er. Young Mr. Blaine did ifet stop
to argue the question. Selling awell-
filled ink bottle that was near AZ
hand Ire flung it at the dude W 0 had
offered tho insult. The interference
OF outsiders; alone prevented further
trouble. The sympathy OF the spec
totors was with the son of his faith
or