davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
The Turpitude of Church Choirs.

In no sphere ofhuman effort is greater
progress shown than in the pulpit. But,
as we bear witness to the fact, a dull
pang of regret abates our Joy in CON
templating the peccant Of humors of
church choirs.
The pews feel many a qualm of con-
science under the fire of the pulpit.
Sin cannot perk itself shame-faced on
the cushion of repose in the highest
seat in the synagogue But who ever
knew Il church choir to cry pcccavi?
The theological sword thrusts at sim
ners in the pews and the arrows Of elo.
quence that tiy over their heads never
hit the choiristers. They tickle them
selves with the straws Of c%onceit. They
u an invisible coat of mail, and,
under a barricadc of hymn-books S. eat
sugar plums and crack jokes US if each
in turn had slipped on the ring of Gy-
gcs. The mar with bullying eyes and
a bald head, who plays a fantasy on
Crock Of Ages" on the cornet, fears no
moral c%astigation from the pulpit for
flirting with the soprano. He holds it
at disadvantage, In mockery o f the
preachers meek stare of reproof, he
causes the diamond on his little finoer
to twinkle in his eyes, as if it had
caught a ray of celestial light while
triple-tonguing the last cadenza with
ali air OF 'sarcastico-benigant superb
ority.' He knows it is not the sermon
that draws, but the cornet.
While the organist is holding a sus-
picious tcte-o-tcle behind a sheet of
music with a choir girl. who meets him
half way with a fan Of paacock-1cathers
the tenor surreptitously writes a note
on the tly-leaf Of hymn-book and
pokes it in the %contralto's muf. The
moral torpor Of the the basso, who sits
with folded legs reading a SUNDAY
newspaper, is acontemptuous comment
OH the evangelizing power of the pul-
pit. Then the second tenor is %conynIs-
ed with a fit OF laughter in WATCHING ,
fly tickle the bald pate of a deacon be'
low. 1t seems % if the Evil Ono had
been metamorphoscd into an insect
and was making a rival pulpit of the
bare patch on the deacon's crown
Usage has so consecreted the lnv;t;oo
of church cholrs, that MISSIONARIES mn.t
ever regard them as sterile fields tor
labor. 'of
II. V. S.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
IPORTlERES
Room Draperies Which Every Year Gain
in Popularity.

Room Draperiss Which Every Year Gain
in Popularity.
Each year portieres gain in popular
ity. They are not only graceful and
pretty additions to the drapery of a
room OF hall, but they are so very use
ful that people who are 10th to follow
the Ito them) "new-fangled IDEAS"
sts.s -eady to speak a word in their
favor. There is an almost endless va
riety of material to use for this pur-
pose, but those who must contrive and
economic are glad of hints about these
things. A comparatively cheap horse
blanket, if a good color is selected,
makes a very nice drapery and is far
handsomer than the Canton flannel so
much used, that really does not
look very we'll, and invariably
collects all dust of a room.
A dark gray or brown blanket will last
much longer, a frieze can be added of
large blocks of dark, rich, contrasting
colors of cloth, plush or velyeteen.
These tackled on with ornamental
STITCHES yer the bright stripes of tho
blanket, give . really excellent effect,
and your drapery has a nice look that
a lighter material can not have. The
extensive Mexican blankets are hand
some enough without adding any bor-
ders. the bright colors making them
yerv effective in an otherwise darkly
inished room. Coarse bagging tackled
eve bright red wall paper and jap
anese mating il q UNIQUE idea tor wall
Observation-Disclosures Monthly.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
Pl1H AND POINT.
Better have method in your mad
ness than madness in your method.

Better have method in your mad
ness than madness in your method.
1.-THE earth is the Lords and the
~fullness thereof" People who want
the earth should make a note OF this
| Boston Courier.
II a praying machine were invented
many would use it if it did not take too
much time from their business to wind
it up whitehall Times
How fond the world is of that
which is in anywiso new! Thousands OF
people will buy the revised Old Iesta.
ment who haven't opened the covers OF
their King James version in years.
PiMsJmrgh (Pa.) Commercial Gazette.
-.How shall I get a valuable cyclo-
pndia frcep" asks a subscriber. There
are a good many ways, but unless he
can get given to him he had better
90 without it. 1t is not safe to steal
less than ST., 200, 900 nowadays.-M y.
SIN.
I amt got nuthin' ergin er pusson
| whit | kes ter war rings an shiny pins,
| but | doan think dat such pussons cher
'complishes much good till arter da
draps dat sorter foolishness. De tree
haster shake off de bright bloom fore
| de fruit am gwineter come.-A1Gdmsaw
Irarcler.
No, Miss Mamie, they are not
| called grass widows because they are
green, for they are as far removed
| from the verdant state as the North
| Pole is from the South Pole. Any man
] who picks up q grass widow, thinking
her q dew-laden refreshing bunch OF
green grass, burns his fingers awfully,
if not more so.-Brooklym Times.
"A rural photographer had a young
lady sit for her picture, who, at a sub
sequent visit to examine the proof. was
not pleased at the result, and remarked
that she Ibid not like it at all, land
that she thought it "a perfectly hor-
rid" The artist, looking attentive!;;
at the young lady, remarked: 81 know
what sot before me-"
"A t~en-year-old Rochester boy ..
the cars coming to Troy, the other day,
became hungry about eleven O'Clock,
and began an attack upon the bounti-
full lunch hat had been prepared for
him, A gentleman who sat behind him
was moved to remark: ''My boy, if you
eat much now you won't have any ap-
petite for your dinner" To which the
smart little fellow replied: '.Well, l
guess if l haven't any appetite l shan't
want any dinner" The gentleman
had no more to say.-7roy Times.
Don't say "cawn't' for can't 1t
don't sound nice.-Montezunaa ga. J
Record. And don't you say ''don't''
for doesn't. 1t isn't good grammar
Chicago Eueming Jourmal And don't
you, Mr.. Critic, talk about "good
grammar" The sentence is either
grammatical or ungrammatical. Gram
maj is neither good or bad.-Jack-
somviue Ill., Journal. ''Neither good
or bad" is neither good nor bad gram
mar, Mr.. Critic of Critic s. 1t is just
no grammar at all-Chscago Journal.
Now you've did it, amt you.-WaSh-
ington Hatchet.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

THE RACE.
Figures Showing Its Great Increase-The
Time Coming When Negroes Will BE in
A MURDERED INNoCENT.

Figures Showing Its Great Increase-The
Time Coming When Negroes Will BE in
the Majority.
CINCINNATI, O., May 27.-At the session
of the Presbyterian General Assembly Mon
day Rev. r. II. Allen, Secretary of the
Freedmen's Aid Society, made a strong
speech following the presentation of the re-
port of that society. To illustrate his re-
marks he had hung Oh the wall back of the
platform a map twenty feet long by
twelve feet wide, showing the ratio of
black to white population in the
Southern States. 1t was a very start
ling map, and, when explained by the
earnest speaker, made a strong impression.
Here are a few of his significant facts:
Twenty years ago, at the close Of the war,
there were in the Southern States 3,947, 600
colored people and now there are more
than 1000, 600. Then there were in Missis-
sippi 22O, 900 negroes, and now $50, 600.
Then there were in Georgia 1874, %O0Onegroes,
now 725. 900. Then there We're in South
Carolina 400, 900, and now more than
600, OO0. Five hundred colored babies are
born in the United States every day. The
colored population of the United States
doubles every twenty years; the white
population only once in thirty-five years.
Eight years will not have passed before the
negroes will be in a numerical majority in
some of the Southern States. At the
present rate of increase, in 1885 there
will be 96, 0O0, 900 wAite people in the
United States, and 1872, oOO, 600 colored peo-
pie. In South Carolina he has bought
and paid for 270.O 900 acres of land,
which he cultivates. In the South
he pays taxes on more than SOL
600, 900 Of property. He is editing, printing
and publishing LOG newspapers. And yet
of the 1000, 600 coloped people of this coun-
try more than 100000 can not read nor
write.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
FOR YOUNG GIRLS.
IL Little Girls From Eight to Twelve
Years Old Are Wearing.

What Little Girls From Eight to Twelve
Years Old Are Wearing.
Girls from eight to twelve years OF
age now wear the Gretchen dresses
that were first used merely by their
little sisters. These are very pretty
when made of striped muslins or ging-
hams, with high neck, long sleeves,
and a pleated white muslin front of
about six inches in breadth down the
middle of the plain waist; across these
muslin pleats are straps of the dress
material sewed on one side and but
toned on the opposite side. There are
also many low Gretchen waists worn
over a separate guimpe of muslin that
has lengthwise tucks and insertion as
Tar as it is visible above the low neck.
This is prettily made in the substantial
goods called cram stripes" with inch
wide stripes of white twill alternating
with stripes of blue or buff or
maroon-color. The plain waist
fastened behind has a round low
neck with a scant frill of embroidery
three inches wide sewed around it to
fall carclcssly owe on the waist; a sim
liar frill is gathered around the arm
hole; there is no sleeve. The skirt is
OF three straight brcadths of this goods
(Which is nearly a yard wide), and is
finished at the foot with a lem four
incher deep. 1t is gathered simply to
the Wstst. and has no belt, but meielya
sash ct the goods. eight inches wide,
sewed to the under-arm seams and tied
behind; this sash is cut across the
goods. and its length is from selvedgo
to selvedge.
For 'one-piece'' dresses, as they arc
called, for girls from seven to twelve
years, the newest design cuts off tbs
skirt entirely, and pleats or gathers it
10 the waist at the waist line. THERE'S
then a sloped jacket-likc front closing
at the throat and sloping open thence
below the hips, where it crosses
squarely, and forms the under-arm.
pieces and side form OF
the back. This Jacket piece on
striped gingham and p;que dresses has
an embroidered edging upon it, and
there are rows of insertion down the
front of the waist that appears under
the jacket, while the back of the waist
has three box pleats in it. The front
OF the waist fastens on the left side
Under the jacket, and there is a deep
round collar of the insertion and edg,,
ing; Narrow stripes of ginghan OF
pink with white, blue and white. or
else two shades of red or blue, makeup
prett!ly in this way.
Blue flannel and also red flannel
dresses are made for girls country ana
travelling suits. They are similarly
shaped to the dresses just described,
and they are also made with kilt skirts
and sailor blouses.--Harpcr'S Bazar"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

IHE Canadian authorities do not seem
to quite know what to do with the cap
tured rebel, Riel. There ale conflicting
opinions as to what tribunal has juris-
diction in his case. Certain elements
of the Canadian population, the Orange
men particularly, are clamoring for the
captive's death. The French Canadians.
whom the Government is DESTROYS of
conciliating;, are so far in sympathy
with Riel that his execution would pro-
woke among them q bitter and ~rcsentful
dissatisfaction.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
The desk at which the President sits

The desk at which the President sits
was presented to the United States by
Queen Victoria during the Hayes adj
'ministration, and vas formerly a part
tof the Arctic relief vessel Resolution,
which went in search of Sir. John
Franklin. After numerous encounters
with the ice in the Polar regions, the
Resolution became disabled and was
found drifting helplessly by a United
States man-of-war.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

The falling off of nearly n hundred
thousand in the immigration recorded
at our ports for the first ten months of
the fiscal year, as compared with the
figures of the same period last year,
should be considered as a blessing. With
the large number of persons out of em-
ployment or working at low wages dur
ing the existing business depression,
fresh additions to the ranks of our
working people are undesirable.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

THE Postofice Department officials
say it is not an uncommon thing for
postmasters to refuse to recognize the
commission of their successors as Ar
thority for them to give up their offices,
and it quite frequently happens that it
becomes necessary for the department
to issue a mandamus to get the old Of
ficer out of the way of the new one.
These fights only occur over the smaller
Offices some Of which do not pay $10o
q year.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

PROF. REILLY says the seventeen
year ~locusts, whose visit he has predict
ed, are harmless to growing crops, and
do no injury except to the twigs of for
est and fruit trees. The ordinary To-
Gust. which is so destructive to growing
crops, has jaws which cut, while the
seventeen-yea species, more properly
called the cicada, has only a beak,
through which he sucks his nourish-
ment.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

/ THERE is q poor prospect for the
growing wheat crop on the southern
edge of the winter wheat belt, where
farmers can least afford to suffer loss.
Unless all reports have been much ex-
.aggerated, this will be a terribly hard
year for the people of the Virginia val
'leys and oil the wheat districts of Ken.
lucky aud Tennessee. In Virginia less
than half of last years crop is expected.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
NOT A BLAMED WORD.

-
| How the Tender Feelings of a Bright
Young Man Were Trampled Upon hy .,
Designing Young Woman.
The Auditor ofState, hearing some one
enter the ROOM, looked UP and bcheld
a mar who looked rs though he and
melancholy had long been compan-
Ions.
Good morning." said the Auditor,
s'Only t%olerable."
He sat down and had, during a half
hour. maintained an unbroken silence,
when the Auditor said:
"Have you any business with mc?"
..Not in particular"
AGAIN lie settled down into deep Sic
lence. The Auditor became impatient.
..What can l do for you?"
.Hah!'
.What can l do for you" repeated
the Auditor.
.lNcll, if you were in my place what
would you do?"
81 don't know, l am sure"
"navcn't heard anything about me,
theng
'1NOlIllIlS.
..Not a blamed word?"
s.Not a word"
"Well, I'll tell you. I live out about
twenty miles from here. I'm the
Teller that killed the big rattlesnake.
Now: you have heard of me, haven't
your
NO"
mot a blamed wofd?"
'tNot a word"
.sThat's strange. Well, some time
AGO l fell in love with Nat Parsons
daughter. You've heard of that, I
reckon:?"
mo"
"Not a blamed wor,:"
"Not q word"
"Well, Nat he want agin the affair"
..Wasn't, eh?:" said the Auditor, be-
coming amused.
NO. When I asked him he lowed
that he didn't care, jes' SO ! waited till
he got through plantin' corn, for Sock
that's her name-can kiver more
corn with a hoe than any ma in the
ncirhborhood. / hadn't said anything
to the girl all this time, thinkin' that [
would wait. Well, when l spoke TO her
about it she lowed that it suited her
well enough. Concluded to git mar
ried in town by a Jestice of the Peace,
so this mornin' We sot out an come to
town. l got my license an bou' her a
lot of apples an eatin' truck an sweet
stuff. left her at the 'Squire's Office
while I went to the wagon yard after
our horses, 1ntendin' that as soon as we
| was married we would ride. Well, sir,
when | came back she had dun married
Ike Jacobs. You know him. don't
you?"
'No."
you've heard of him, haven'tyou?"
."No, never heard of him"
"Not a blamed word?'
"Not a word"
"Well, he is a little bit the ugliest
an good for nuthin' man ! ever seed.
The State of Arkansaw can't show up
such another Teller. Why, sir, he let
Darb Andrews fling him down. You've
hearn O. Darb?"
mo"
"Not a planned word"
"Not a word?"
''Wcll now, if you was in my place
what would you do?"
81 wouldn't do anything
"Not a blamed thing?"
"No.'
81 tell you, cap'n. 1t want so much
that l. love the girl, but that I need
her."
"Need her, eh?"
eyes. I've got ten acres of new
ground that l want to put in corn. 1t
is SO rough that it can't be kivered 'cept
with a hoe. That gal a kiver it IN
three days. It's awful to be disap-
pointed SO early in life. Well, don't
say anything about it,
81 won't.n
"Not a blamed word?'
"Not a word"
"Well, goodbye. Grief has tuck
possession OF me ."--Ark0nsuw 1rau-
eier.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

The United States have now a COM
mission composed of presumably intelli-
gent and well-meaning gentlemen, who
are travelling through the South Ameri-
can republics for the purpose of collect
ing information which may lead to the
better establishment of commercial re-
United States.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

In response to q demand for his sur
render, Dumont, the Canadian rebel
and Lieutenant of Riel, invites General
Middleton to go to thc-Dickens. No
doubt General Middleton will now go
for Mr.. Dumont with a Gattling gun.
Such language to an officer and a gen.
tlcman is not to be tolerated.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
One secret of the decline of tn,

One secret of the decline of the
Southern cotton-mills, which the New
Orleans Picayune admits and deplores,
is that there was too great a ''boom'
in these enterprises. Those that were
earliest in the field made heavy divi-
dends, which induced others to crowd
in until the production Of the coarser
grades of goods, to which these mills
are chiefly devoted, was pushed beyond
the demands of the market.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

If the Russians knew any point at
which the Gladstone Government would
Eight, they would probably avoid it; but
as the case now stands they evidently
propose to see how much Asiatic terri
tory they can gobble without running
into a British bayonet.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

A TOLEDO editor has been tarred and
feathered for writing ascurrilous attack
upon the characters of several respect
able citizens, and Arkansas City reporter
has cleaned out the town council for
making violent objections to his reports.
This is the difference between the Ohio
editor and the Western reporter.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

The Republicans will have a majority
in the United States Senate till March
4, 1887. Logan will be sworn in at tho
next meeting of Congress, and the Sen
ate will then stand forty-two Republic
can to thirty-four Democrats. Sixteen
Republicans and nine Democrats go out
in 1887.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

ME-. GEO. M. LArnRoP, of Michigan,
the new Russian Minister, was y class
mate at the Cambridge Law School of
James Russell Lowell, William M.
Evarts, W. w. Story, Rufus King and
Z. lockwood Hoar.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

THE product of maple sugar in the,
United States was, in 1910, 53,50S, sos.
pounds; in 1850, 39.337,316 pounds; in.
1860, 52,S9s, 275 pounds, in 1870, 3d.,
s12,1O1 pounds, and in 1880, so. 944, AS
pounds.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19
TO

All communications for this paper should be accom-"
panied by the name of the author; not necessarily ior
publication, but as an evidence of good faith on the
part OF the writer. Write only on one side of the pa.
per. Be particularly careful in giving Y names mes. and e aatea
er names are often difficult to deciphcr, because OF the
carcless manner in which they arc written.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

An inmate of a Vermont jail swal-
lowed %forty-elght pennies the other day
hoping they would produce death.
But the odd suicidal attempt did not
succeed.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-06-19

Two Kentucky Fire-Bugs Como to q
Sudden End at the Hands of a Furi-
Gus Mob-Fatal Quarrel Between Two
Brothers-An Ohioan Kills His Daugh-
ter's Slanderer.
A MURDERED INNOCENT.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, May 27.-The
Ncws' Manila (Rush County, Ind.) special
says: monday night William Riley cut
the throat of his seven-year-old daughter,
BERTHE, and then cut his own throat. Their
dead bodies wsre found in bed yester.
morning. Riley and his wife separated
two months ago while living in
this city, and Mrs. Riley returned to her
parents, taking her child with her. Riley
followed a few days ago and kidnapped the
girl, taking her to the residence Of John
Holbrook, q n%eighbor, where he had gone
to work. Mrs. Riley had begun suit to Sc
cure possession of BERTHE, and the case was
to come up yesterday"
TAKEN FROM JAIL BY MASKED MEN.
LOUISVILLE, KY, May 27.-Shortly aft
er midnight yesterday, i'll response to a
rap on the door, Tailor Blewett, at Frank
lin, KY, opened it to find a number of pis-
tolls thrust into his face by a mob of seven
lS-lSt VI OllC uullU1Cu llldShCu lllCil3 uC>
handing the keys to the Jail, which Were
turned over to them. They took from thu
Jail Jerry Taylor and We Hicks, who were
confined, charged with burning James
Wheeler's barn and residence last month,
in which Wheeler's wife and three chill
dren came near losing their lives. They
placed the prisoners on horses and started
for the country. 1t is supposed they will
be found hanging to a limb. Taylor had
made full confession, and had given a
minute detail of the burning, duplicating
Hicks, and strong circumstances corroborate
his statements. All was done very quickly.
The mob left town quietly; and yesterday
morning the bodies of the two ~incendiaries
were found hanging from the limbs of a
tree near Mitchellville Station, Tenn, just
across the Kentucky line. Hicks also made
a confession, and said that the two were
guilty. Great excitement prevails at
Franklin, KY, and hundreds of people Wis
tied the scene of hanging, where the two
men still bangle from the tree.
F%RATR1cIDE.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, May GA
private telegram from Asheville, n. c.,
announces a shocking fratsicide near that
place. Charles and John York, sons of a
prominent citizen, We're out IN a spree and
got into a quarrel over a trivial matter.
Charles York drew a large knife and
plunged it into his brothers breast seven
times, killing him instantly. The murderer
is in Jail.
KILLED HIS DAUGHTERS sLANDERER.
EAST LIVERPOOL, o., May 27.-At nine
o'clock last night Angus Bratt, a prominent
citizen of this place, shot and killed jeff c.
Davis, of Youngstown, o. Davis, it is said,
slandered Bratt's daughter. He wa stop
ping at the Commercial Hotel, and Bratt
entered his room and, drawing a revolver,
fired five shots at him, each shot taking eff
feet in some part of Davis body. He died
almost instantly. Bratt surrendered HIM
self and was locked up.