davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
They Improve With Age.

Having occasion the other day TO
search for some copies OF daily news
papers of certain date in 1915. | was
not surprised to find that at the offices
of the newspapers could buy no cop
les. Not one OF the great dailies could
furnish 4 copy of the date which |
needed. but | was referred in every
case to a man named Robert Budd. for
merlv boot-black who made a bust
ness of dealing in back numbers of
newspapers. l found him, and in half
an hour had the papers.
Budds history, or rather that of his
business, is peculiar. He is coal
black negro, with an intelligent face
and remarkable faculty for estimating
the value of his wares. Although he
has regular price-list, his prices vary
according to what he thinks NAV be
the value of the paper to the would-be
buyer. Some months ago there was =
law case which required the present
ment in court either of certain newspa-
pers or of a certified copy of an article
covering several pages in small type.
Budd was the only man in the city who
could furnish the paper; he asked 800
for it, although il was not ten years
old, and had originally cost him but =
cents, and the sum was paid, for the
certified copy would have cost still
more.
Five years ago Budd had boot
backing stand on Broadway, near
Thirtieth street, and at the same time
sold old newspapers. He was struck
with the number of demands made up
OH him for copies of newspapers two or
three days, or a week. or even Il month,
old, and he had the idea of adding to
his business that of old newspapers.
That there is a demand for old news
papers is simply shown by the business
he has built up. At present he Occu-
pies large cellar, the walls of which
are lined with newspapers tied up in
bundles, each bundle containing the
copies of one month of each year.
There is {. tag attached to each bundle
giving the month and year.
As he still keeps up his newspaper
stand he of course gets his papers ut
cost price, and when a person really
wants a paper there is fine chance
for profit. Every day Budd puts away
twenty copies of Tie RPrdld. twenty
copies of The San, ten of The u Orid.
Times, and Tribune each. and five cop
les of each of the evening newspapers.
His schedule of prices is supposed To
be as follows: For papers three DAYS
old. double the price; for papers Il
week old. 10 cents; for papers a month
old. % cents; for papers year old. 81;
for papers more than a year old. 81. -
additional for every year. But. as
said before. this schedule is no guid,.
in case Budd discovers that the paper
is OF great Importance. Soon after h,.
began business he bought up complete
tiles OF several newspapers. running
back in some eases To 1850 That he
finds the business a profitable one may
be inferred from his ability TO keep two
assistants at work.
The number Of persons who wish to
buy back copies of the newspapers is
larger than most people might suppose.
In course OF an half an hour, duriu"
which 1 searched through IN old IiIr.
five persons came into Budd's place
and bought papers varying in age from
2 days to E years.-APtc HareH NeuS
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
Durable Timber.

One of the properties conducive to
durability in timber is its odoriferous-
neSs-wOodS which are so being chiefly
the most durable. The close and com
pact woods, which make the most char
coal, are more permanent than open
and porous qualities. The chestnut
has rather more carbonaceous matter
than oak, and therefore, by reason of
it, is more durable. The Buihltn0
NeUS says experiment has, however,
shown the error of relying too much OH
these broad theories. One writer al
lddes to an experiment made to deter
mine the comparative durability of
wood. Pianks of trees one and one
half inches thick, of from thirty to
furty-live years growth. were exposed
To the weather ten wears. Cedar and
chestnut were perfectly sound, spruce
and tir sound. larch sound in heart,
silver tir in decay. Scotch fir decayed,
beech sound. walnut in decay, syca-
more much decayed. birch quite rotten.
We must accept even these facts with
caution. The question whether the
planks had been cut the same length of
time, how they had been dried or sea-
soned, and the position they had occu-
pied are pertinent to the inquiry. The
saline wood often shows varying de-
grees Ot durability. owing to the po-
sition OF the tree. Ii grown in moist
and shady parts the wood is inferior to
that which grows in an exposed station
open 10 the sun and air. Some timber
is more durable in wet ground OF i'm
mersed in water, such are elm, beech,
alder. while Others, such as ash, oak.
and tir. are more durable in dry situa-
tionH. The increase in strength due to
seasoning OF different woods is given
IS follows: White pine y per cent;
elm. l?.3 per cent; oak. 26.6 per cent;
ash. 44.a per cenL; beech, Gig per
cent
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23

better than |. and Paul will love You
better than he has ever done me- Only
don't tell him that am going. Elsie
She was too delicate to say why. tut
Elsie understood.
So. in tears and silence. all was made
ready, and. when Paul was absent,
Judith hurriedly kissed the pale Elsie
and drove away.
Amidst all the bitterness of depart
urr. she found one raw of comfort-the
sense OF freedom FROM bondage Her
last weeks had been weeks of terror
She had seen the fate fa>tapproaching.
and. magnetiZed by PauIs strong will
had been powerless to escape.
As she said this to herself. she me-
chauically drew away her dress from
the vacant seat where gentleman had
placed himself beside her He bent
forward and looked in her face. 1t
was Paul.
You see you can't escape me, Ju-
dith," he said, under his breath; 'syou
might have known that / would have
followed you to the Antipodes. Further
disguise is useless. Fate has united us
again, and Fate itself shall not sepa-
rate us.
Three days after El>ie's poor loving
heart was crushed into a lifelong sor-
row.
A most hurried letter from Paul said
TO her what he had said to Judith, and
built up great chasn between her and
them forever.
Let us not condemn them, but pray,
rather: LEAD us not into temptation"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
An Honest Dog.

Have You room for one more dog
story which resembles one lately re-
ported in 4 French journal? \ few
years since ! was sitting inside tie door
of shop To escape from the rain whii.
waiting for Il trap 10 take me 10 the
railway station in the old EtruScan
city of Frreutino. Presently an i'll
bred doc of the pnintel. kind came and
sat down in front of me. looking up in
my face. and wagginy li, tail to attract
my attention. w hat does that do"
WANT asked of a bystundrr. Sig
more he answered, che wants YOU to
give him soldi TO 90 and buy you a
cigar villa. 1 gave the dog the coin.
aud lac presently returned bringing a
cigar. hich he held cro-swise in his
mouth until took ii from him. Sent
again audt again. he brought me three
OF four more cigars from the tobacco
shop. A lrh1th the do~'s l,.mranor
changed, und he "lIr vent to his impa-
tiencr hy two-or three Inm whines.
Nv hal d;a-S he want now | asked.
''He wants you 10 give him two solid to
go To the baker and buy bread for
himself" gave him a 2-soldi piece,
and in Il few minutes the dog returned
with small loaf OF bread. which he
laid ut my feet. al the same time gaz-
ing wiStfuily in my face. ''He won't
take ii until You give him leave said
the hystander. | gave the requisite
permission. and the dear animal seized
the loaf and disappeared with it in his
mouth. and did not again make his APP
pearancc before left the city. He
always does like this. said the stand
erS-by, whenever he sees a strangerin
Ferentino. - LOHti1H Spectator.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
Beware of Progress.

while dis am die ai9e of progress.
said Brother Gardner. rs he rose up
with Il force of GNp pounds tn the square
inch. ''dn not progress too fast. Dar
am sich thing IL putin too much
sugar in sweetcake.
''Frin~iaHcc. prngress has carried ns
past de pint wEar' we kin stuff ole hats
an coats in dc winderS in place OF
broken paneS. but doan' jump 10 lie
couclushun dat Won has got 10 run in
debt fur lace curtains 10 keep up wild
de times.
Progress has car ied-u past de pint
whar men believe in ghosts an COB
lins. but dOan' emagine dat YOU am
called upon To show Yer Sm3rtneSS by
ridicuIin, any of de onsartin passages
in Ge Bible.
progress has carried lis past de pint
whar reliGun fOrbidS 4 man to enjoy
hiSself. but doan' feel called upon to
W ar Yer hoofs oil in lancin'. or to get
so used TO 4 pack of keerds dat you
shuttle Yer knife an fork as soon as You
sOt down ut de table.
Progress has carried us past de pint
OF bilin 'taters wild de hides on, but
dey has got to be paid for all de same.
an you mustn't Judge of mans char
acter by HARM him order Saratoga
chips. ..-......-
Progress no longer permits our sons
to w ar out our ole cloze. but when you
ketch Il young man hoein' con with
broadcloth on his legs an paste dia-
mond in his billed shirt you kin make
up yer mind dat Injun meal am gwine
to take a raise of fifty cents on a hun
dred.
Progress demands dat our chill en-
be eddecated, but bekase yer boys can
figger cube root an yer gals chatter
French, doan' miss de chances TO rarn
de fIISt 4 good trade, an de second de
art of bakin' bread an cookin' bacon"
-DctrOU Free Press.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
A Harvest of Switches.

Would you like to know very much
what I've got in this bag?' inquired Il
bald-headed skater on Prospect Park
lake.
I'm rather curious. " the .j0tlrHai
reporter admitted. I've noticed you
skating around generally in the wake
of Il pretty girl, and once in a while
you pick something from the ice and
place it in the bag
We'll, if YOU don't repeat what |
say, I'll tell YOU. might Is we'll, for
YOU would find ont for Yourself. / sup
pose.
We'll. to commence with. times are
hard. / am out of a job and | must
make living. I've noticed that pretty
girls generally wear nicer hair than
plain ones. Pretty girls like to skate,
but because girl pretty is no reason
why she should be exempt from col
lisi0ns or other little accidents which
make her sit down on the ice when she.
doesn't want tO.
Whats that got to do with the
bag?"
Everything. When a. girl falls
she's liable to lose some of her false
hair. Ii she does, she's too excited to
notice the fact or ashamed to pick up
the switch. glide along. pick up the
hair, and ram it into the bag. There )
always a market for good hair See
the pOint?H
"Yes. see; but are you never de-
tected?"
"Very seldom. | only work at
night, and girl nine times out OF ten
is never going to ask for her false hair
when her best young man is with her.
But there's q collision: I'm off
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
What Water Will Cure.

Uncle Zack Baker. of Benton county,
is interested in a mineral spring. He
has not attempted TO Introduce bill
offering the spring rs an amendment to
the constitution, piece of legislation,
though, which may be expected of
him:
What is the wafer good for?" asked
the Speaker of the House.
Good for everything. 1t will cure
any case of yaller janders in the world.
Tell You what's fact. A feller came
along some time ago with waller dog
He was the vallerist dog ever saw.
but he fell in that spring. and when he
came out he WAS Is white aS Il sheet -
How is il for rneumiti>n?"
ON tell you what 4 fact. DO YOU
know vOung ALI Wilson, --
IL think so. -
well, All had the rheumatic 50 bad
that he had Ii carry one !rg on his
shonlder He drank that water for
three weeks and can now jump ten
rail fence.
"Will it cure lying"
"Nill it? Tell Won what S fact A
Little Rock newspaper man Came up
there some time ago. and now can al
most believe half of what he saws. -
irEujtada, TTdrritr
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
Lord Hertford and Lord Steyne.

The letters of Lord Hertford to Mr..
Croker show him to have been a shrewd
man of the world but they do not in
the least Justify the accusations against
Mir. Croker Lord Hertford when
Lord Yarmouth was member of the
House of Commons, and it was prob
ably there the intimacy with Mr.. Crok-
or commenced. On Lord YarmOuth's
succession to the title in 1922 it appears
the management of the estates was con-
iided to Mr.. Croker There is the fol-
lowing description OF Lord Hertford in
TdRity Far; The candles lighted up
Lofd Steyne's shining bald head, which
was fringed with red hair. He had
thick bushy eyebrows, with little twink
ling bloodshot eyes, surrounded by q
thousand wrinkles. His Jaw was un-
derhung, and when he laughed two
white buck teeth protruded themselves
and glistened savagely in the midst of
the grin. He had been dining with
royal personages and wore his Garter
and ribbon. A stout man was his lord
ship, broad-chested and bowlegged, but
proud of the firmness of his foot and
ankle. and always caressing his Garter
knee" Thomas Moore was verv Sc
we're on the color of Lord Yarmouth's
hair, but this did not occasion much
uncasiness, for one day as Lord Var
mouth won large stake at cards he
gathered up the money, exclaiming:
Aud Yarmouth's red whiskers grew
redder with Joy" Lord Hertford was
renowned for the fetcs with which he
entertained the great world, and for the
magnificent shooting which he gave to
his friends at Sudbourne, in Suffolk,
but ut the same time he was anxious to
save siNpence. lone day when he was
out of Parliament he came all the way
from Seymour place to the Admiralty
for Il frank to his servant in the country.
1t was the depth of Autumn, and there
were no peers or members in town, so
that he was obliged to come to me,
and the object of his letter was to give
orders for the reception of i party of
friends which cost him at least t5OO-
here he saved SiNpencc; and if he had
been tired would have got into hack
ney coach and paid half a crown fare
| in order to get this said frank There
is characteristic story told of him.
! When the Thistlewood cOnspirators had
been hanged. somebody who had wit
messed the execution went to Lord
Hertford to give an account of the
! proceedings; among other things he
mentioned that one OF the prisoners
| had PRAYED fervrntly on the sraii"ld.
Lord Herlford said: ''He did quite
right to hedge--you should never throw
away chance. " Ttnh!e Bar.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
Ten Thousand Dollars foi. e. Drink.

''You may not believe it, but | once
paid $1,000 for drink of whisky"
said Il corporation duty at the arsenal
i'm the mess room the other day. The
talk had turned to war prices and some
pretty steep figures were mentioned.
No one believed the corporal and all
laughed. But the corporal braced up
and said:
"When left Petersburg in 'G5 l had
$40, 200 in Confederate scrip. 1t was
rs cold aS blaZes and 4 fellcr got warm
thinking of whisky. | was hard up
for a drink. and as had been reading
a paper on the delicious liquor. my
mind wandered to it. Before | had
gone far | met 4 travelling whisky Sa-
loon on wheels. lcs, i Sutler. YOU
know. That's what We called them.
hadn't cent except the scrip, but
just went up and says:
''Sutler, have You any good whisky"
That have saws he. We'll, if YOU
will give me good drink. says L, III
give you $1,000 Well. YOU should
have seen him smile. He knew it was
gag, but just to see the thing out he
filled me cup full of tanglefoot. which
drank with 4 relish, you bet. Then L
gave him $4,000. | offered the other
$40 600. but he had been there
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
The Artist'S Secret.

The artists work was done. the sweet. proud
lace.
The queenly head, the form OF iissnme grace
The tender eyes seemed almost lifC-iIke,
while
The lips were curved. as if about 10 smile.
He laid his brushes AMI his palette by.
" I is perfect n,w." he said, - will not Try
10 alter cen shadow or color there,
Tis Lady Cna's own sweet self, divinely fair
She will come here for the last time to-day,
To view he finished work. perhaps will pay
A tribute 10 my skill. and then Will go
With careless farewell word away and never
know
That have dared to love her, though as far
Beneath her . the moth beneath the star.
But will hide my secret no sign shall tell
The agony il costs my heart TO say farewell,
A soft sigh told him he was not s!One.
A warm. white hand was laid upon his own.
Turning he found Lady Una at his side;
She had learned the secret he had sworn to
hide.
Close to his face she bent her Queenly head.
Like stars her dark eyes glistened as she said: :
Say not farewell, for that would break my
heart;
] love you Kenneth, must we ever part:''
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23

Ii was hoped that The papers of Wen
dell Phillips would De left in such con-
dniOn that valuable memoirs of his life
aud times could be published. but this
is doubtful; and there seems little pros
pect OF any fall edition of Phillips
speeches ami letters. The life of Garri-
son, which his sons are preparing. is
understood to be so far advanced that
portions of it will soon appear in one of
the magazines. 1t will be an extensive
work. giving much of the anti-slavery
history which Mr.. Garrison helped to
make but did not live to write out.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
eDster'S Ewes.

Mr. Allen. i'll his article on Daniel
Webster in the last G,ufHrg. " rites 4
correspondent 10 Ihe Boston -IdcrrtiStr.
mentions his great, soft eyes. aS be-
ing peculiarly attractive to children.
This reminds me of an incident which
may perhaps show that those eyes had
sometimes diHrrent effect Mr. Web
ster was oncn spending the summer in
town near Boston. anG, rs Was his Gus
tom. attended church regularly, both
morning ami afternoon. On one occa-
sion it fell to the lot of an unfiedged
youth TO try his wings in that pulpit.
lie rose. as was natural. with some
Irepidation, to begin the service. This
trepidation gradually increased, till to-
ward the close of the hymn he faltered
l5rrcrpIiblv. and as he sat down 10y the
minister of the parish, he whispered:
doctor. / don't know to whom those
eyes belong which are directly facing
me, but they are quite too much for
me and 1 can not preach" MIR. Web
ster was responsible for an extempor-
aneOuS discourse that morning.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23

John DanfOrth known as Major
John, was character of whom the
Connecticut papers are now telling an
ecdotes, DanfOrth being under the sod
His chief oddity MAS his spread-eagle
patriotism, copied from that OF Jona-
than Brooks. who. clad in red clothes
of continental cut. used To mount Cor
tons heights, New London, and de-
liver an Grafton to wondering urchins
and grazing cows. One day when there
was n real meeting at the grove. Dan
forth got up to make an address. Soon
after he had begun the quick-witted
president of the day sprang 10 his feet
and shouted: "Ihree cheers for Maj.
Danfnrth. who has just finished his
great speech The major stood be-
Wildcred amidst cannonaie of APP
plause and finally sat down like . man
IN the maZeS of dream.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23

One OF the latest wrinkles in photo
grapLy is to bs taken lat home sur
rounded by the household bric-a-brac
syysass9 !Ss The Sssss.ea. r.xg
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23

In the New York Custom House Bar
mum took an oath that his white sle-
phant is worth 5000 600.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23

Robinson (at the window -Hullo!
There goes that woman Browns SO
dead sweet oni Mrs. r. Crushing up
with excitement) = Where? - who? =
where? What, Mdt-in the gray
Why. George, how ridiculous you arel
That's his wifet Robinson-Exactly,
my dearSPuaGh. y
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
GEO l. FLRcHIlD BRO = y. r.. SMITH.
c7KPs6Sx
1887 ts gn SPRING. 1885

"Prices arc lower than ever before known
in the history of the Carpet Trade
Taking advantage of above fact, purchased
when prices were at very lowest notch.
Choice Spring styles in all leading makes,
to add to an assortment ALREADY THE
LARGEST ever shown in this market, includ-
inn
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23

Time passed ON. and old Branthwaite
died Then Judith began 10 look and
sait for something. II conid not have
been Paul; for, though she heard OF
hinf often, prospering and famous, IN
the xreat city, she had never seen him
or received any token that he remem-
bered her existence.
Still she waited. There never came
knock or quick step up the walk.
but it brought flush to her cheek.
She never peered in the little post
office without an unacknoWiedged hope
warm at heart.
| She was fond Of meeting FargHaaE
The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-06-04
The Afiiiction of Money.

You have observed the suicide OF q
broker named Kane, | believe. The
only Importance Of Kane's life or death
TO me is the revival it brings up of his
father-in-law. Several years ago, in
Washington City, | saw keen little
man who made shoes at Poughkeepsie,
n. Y, and had accumulated a consid-
cradle amount of money in that busi-
ness. He was nominally a Democrat
but his money obtained him the Re-
publican support. While at Washing
ton he was generally against the Dem
ocratic party on the sly. / knew him
a little and studied him with moderate
interest, and it was apparent to me
that he was designing TO have me write
a speech for him, something which [
never did for any Congressman, and
my bashfulness, and the old fellows
bashfulness, as studied by an outsider
would have matched almost anv court
snip in comedy. l think he never
made his big speech, though he per-
haps got permission to have it printed.
He would take his creature comforts,
and yet was exceedingly particular
about the purity of those nearest to
him. On one occasion the old man
came in from Scotchy kind of spree
which he sometimes indulged in, and
pointing with his thumb to the next
door to him, he said: Gentlemen,
now be particulars; / have offspring in
there" " | had forgotten all about this
poor old man, with his several hundred
thousand dollars, until | saw the other
day that his son-in-law had banished
his wife from his presence, and then
cut his throat with carying-knife; so
it occurred to me that nothing had
saved myself and my friends except
our failure to make the same amount
of money. To a fool money is a great
atfiiction. The fool is sure to do some
thing wrong with money. He will
either go and gamble or go and make
another family, or break somebody's
family, or keep fast horse and break
his neck. You endow fool and you
equip tire-balloon to go where it
pleases. Gath, IN Boston Globe