davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
Mr.. Vanderbilt and his Architect.

Mr.. Vanderbilt never gave q thought
to an artists or al architects. rcpu-
tation. He couldn't understand why a
man should complain of a change in his
plans which would injurc him. so long
as the owner and employer paid for it.
When the plans for his big house were
in course. of preparation he was urged
by his architect to prepare for a larger
dining room Than he was contemplate
ing.
"Why," said the man of art, ''you
can't give b%anQucts in such a ROOM"
"Oh, hang banquets. Pm not going
to give any"
"But you must A man can't live in
such a house as vol are building with
out giving large entertainments"
"Wcll, if I give any," said Wander
bilt, I'll give them in the picture gall
ery."
The picture gallery adjoined the
dining room, so the buffers pantry was
arranged to open into both rooms. But
one morning, when the walls of the
great house had gone up two stories, Mr..
Vanderbilt made his appearance in his
architects Office. Hunt was building
William KS house, and was giving the
young man a noble banquet hall, thirty
feet high, and splendid, with carving.
"Why, my sons dining rooms going
to be bigger han mine" shouted the
excited millionaire, wiping the per
SEPARATION from his brow. ~ can't have
that anyhow" he continued.
81 thought this was all settled. I
thought"
ooh, no matter about that. I won't
have my sons dining room bigger than
mine. How much will it cost to change
mine and make it bigger"
"a good deal" answered the archi-
tect. There will have to be new foun-
d%ations, the walls that are up will have
to he taken down. and"
"What do care for that2 How much
will it cost?"
The architect made some figures. and
told Mr.. Vanderbilt that it would cost
$50. 900.
"Well, go on and do it," was the an
swer.
But the architect objected. Hc told
Mr.. Vanderbilt that to tear down the
walls would hurt his reputation. People
would think that there had been a de-
feet in his plans. The CrTsus heard this
in opcn-mouthcd establishment, and
when the architect at last asked:
"What will the sidewalk committee
say2" answered:
"What is that to you7" Don't I pay
for it2"-Bost0n Post.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
Bob BurGettes' Sermon.

Two hundred as able-bodied tramps
rs ever lodged in a police station on a
cold night rendered Bob Burdettc, the
funny man of the Brooklyn Eagle, a re-
ccption ut the lecture room of the
Sunday Breakfast Association, on
Twelfth street, above Race, one cvenlnr
recently.
Heard about the Prodical Son2 OF
course you have. You were all of you
prodicals, only you haven't gone back to
the old man yet. The prodigal was
gallus young chap. His father was
mayor of the town, l believe. When he
ven out of town he had a Saratoga full
of store cloths, q high hat, a cane, a
shirt that buttoncd behind. two-button-
ed lemon colored kid gloves and IA dia-
mond. And he had u stocking full of
money.
The prodigal had a good time-a
right down uproarious good time
drunk every night and a head on him in
the morning. Didn't know what to dc
with his money. His friends did
though.
They always find out. There had tc
comeithat dreadful fifteen minutes when d
mar goes though his cloths and finds
not n red. Then the barkeeper threw
him out. When that prodigal boy foot
cd it back in his old straw hat rim, a gun
ming sack and nothing but stone bruises
on his feet: he arranged a pretty little
speech for the old man. He didn't want
to get into the parlor. He wanted a soft
berth in the kitchen. But before he
got near enough for the dogs to bark at
him the old man saw him and he set
things up handsomely. He put his own
cloths on him, put a bloodstonc ring on
his finger and put tiddlers in the cor
ner.
Nov turn your backs upon the husks
and the swine, my friends, and come
home to the old man-come home to
your friends"
Under the. genial influence of Mr..
Burdette's sermon a dozen of his hearers
signed the pledge.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
His Own Stitches.

Chief-Justicc Mansfield said to ,
friend, who, having been appointed
Governor Of West India island, com
planned that be would have to sit as 4,
judge, decide according to your com
nonsense, but don't give your reasons
for l have noticed that your iudgmcn,
is generally right, but your reasons ar,
usually wrong" Mr.. Webster once il
conversation went further than Lore
Mansfield. He insisted that a witness
might give valuable testimony. and yc'
be unable to support it by agood reason
In support Of his assertion, he tolG
this anecdotc.
In Ii case of great Importance, a tailor
whose evidence would decide the yer
dict, affirmed that he had made the coat
which had been produced in court, fol
thc prisoner. The prisoners counsc
tried to create a doubt as to the idcntit,
of the coat, and asked the sailor how b,
knew it was the same coat.
"Why, know it by my stitches, O.
course"
care your stitches longer than thos,
of other tailors?"
"Oh, no."
care they shortcr?"
"No, not a bit shorter"
"Any thing peculiar about them?"
81 don't believe there is"
GLOW dare you, then, swear that the.
are yours?"
The witness was silent for n moment
the question seemed to have pcrplcxct
him,-and then, throwing up his hands
he exclaimed
"Mcrcy on us! AS if I didn't know
my own stitches"
The jury believed him and his tcsti
mony convicted the prisoner.
Mr.. Webster insisted that the iur,
were right, and said 1.-The fact is, W,
continually build IL judgement upol
details too fine for distinct c%ognizance
And these nice shades arc trustworthy
though we can give no good account O
them"
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
The Right Spirit.

We do not doubt that the following
touching little story is quite true.
There is Il lesson and a moral in it for
boys and girls disposed to shirk ever
the light duties imposed upon them in
the way of ''chores" and errands.
Think of this courageous little fellow tax
ing upon himself the responsibilities of
the head of a family, and so manfully
dischar&ing them!
0 yes, have all kinds of tenants
said a kind faced old gentleman; ''but
the one / like best is a child not moro
than ten years Of age. A few years ago
l got a chance to buy q pcicc of land
over on the West Side, and did so. ]
noticed that tchre was an old coop of a
house on it, bnt paid no attention to it.
After Il while a man came to me and
wanted to know il l would rent it to
him.
"'What do you want it forg' said I.
"'To live in he replied.
"'Well,' l said, you can have it.
Pay me what you think it is worth to
| you.'
"The first month he brought two doll
ars and the second month a little boy,
who said he was the mans son, came
4 OllttI altCT lluC i saw INC
man once in a while, but in the course
of time the boy paid the rent regularly,
sometimes two dollars ard sometimes
three dollars. One day l asked the boy
what had become Of his father.
coles dead, SIR was the rcplbv.
"HIs hat SOP said 1. How long
sincc?'
""More'n a year. he answered.
81 took his money. but l made IN
my mind that l would go ovcr and in.
vestigate, and the next day I drove over
there. The old shed looked quite dc.
cent. I knocked at the door, and q
little girl let me in. l asked for hcl
/ mother.
"'Whcrc is shcY' said I.
"'Wc don't know, sir. She went
away after my father died, and we've
seen her SINCE
'Just then a little girl about three
years old came in, and I learned that
these three children had been keeping
house together for a year and a half,
the boy supporting his two little sisters
by backing boots and selling news.
papers, and the elder girl managing tho
house and taking care of the baby.
''The ScXt time the boy came with
the rent I said! 'My boy, you are a
little man! You keep right on as you
have begun, and you will never be- sorry.
Keep your little sisters together, and
ncver leave them. Now look ut this.
81 showed him a ledger in which
had entered up all the money that he
had paved me for rent. and told him it
was all his with interest. You kec,
right on says I, and I'll be your ban
kcr, anu when this amounts to n little
more Ill sec that you get a house some
where of your own That's the kind OF
tenant to have. Chicago Herald.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
SOCIALISM IN
A View ofthe Question ms It looks to the
London Times.

In Berlin itself there is no sensible de.
cline from tho extraordinary height
reachcd by the Social Democratic move
mcnt Mt the time of the general elections
last autumn, and the seeds her sown
continue to grow with luXuriant strength.
Within the last year the police have had
to dissolve meetings and issue inter
diets in 1T5 cases. On several occasions
violent resistance was offered, md the
numerous strikes which have lately &C.
cured In the capita! are in a great
measures traccable to the influence &C.
quircd by the Social Democrats in trade
unions and other ~workingmcn's so.
cictics. To the initiative Of these clubs
also are due the country excursions
which degcncratcd into disorderly de.
monstrations, marked by u display OF
rcd flags and flowers, rs we'll as by the
singing Of the "Marseillaisc of Labor
and other forbidden caticles. The Rebel,
q violent print, published monthly in
London, also finds its way in considerable
numbers to Berlin.
In Hamburg and Atlone, which are
still under the minor state of scigc, there
has been no pcrccpiblc diminution OF
the ocial-Dcmocratic movement, which
is guided by an administrative organic.
alton that detics the detective power Of
the police: and here the doctrines OF
the Social Democrat fall upon fertile
ground.
1t is the same in Licpslc, where the
arbitrary police powers conferred by tho
minor state of scigc clause cannot yet b.
dispensed with. In the period between
the general Imperial election of 1875
n 1884 the number of Socialist vote
returned by the city of Lcipsic itscl.
had been nearly doubled, while in thu
industrial district around the figures had
risen from about II. 200 to 10, 600.
And the Saxon Government has reason
to believe that the majority of these
Socialists incline less to the moderate
section Of the party than to that which
aims at realizing its ideal reforms b,
revolutionary force. Shortly before the
trial of the Nidcrwald Ilynamitards last
winter before the Supreme Court Of tn,
empire, the police authorities discovered
hat Anarchist cmissarics were on then
way to Lcipsic, with intent to free thci,
Dartisans, Reinsdor & Co., by blowing
down the walls of their prison; Will,
the Fieihet circulated fearful threat,
against the Judges who tried and sen,
fenced the Rudcshcim ruffians. AS the
seat therefore of the Supreme Court o:
the Empire. L.eipsic still requires to be
protected by the minor state of seig,
from the pcrils of a movement which, il
spite Of all that has been done to stam1
1t out and render il innocuous, still
shows no decided signs of abatlng.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
Eggs are Eggs.

The wife of a certain suburban was
that nuisance among good cooks-a per
petual borrower. One day it was a cup
full of sugar; the next, a box of blucing
and the cloths wringer, and so on. And
she wasn't half as good at returning rs she
was at borrowing. One day in the
midst of her cooking not an egg was to
be found. Over she went to one of her
neighbors, a widow of small means, and
borrowed the two or three eggs she hap
pened to have in the house. Several
weeks elapsed, when one forenoon she
appeared in the widows kitchen with
three eggs IN a paper bag.
"Good morning, Mrs. s. l have come
to return something you let me have the
other day. I had boiled eggs for break
fast this morning and these arc three !
had left over. Eggs are eggs you
know.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
Wives and Wives.

Considerable light is being thrown
from Chicago upon the wives of that
city and their capacities. One reporter
pays q tribute to ''good" wives and
shows that thcle is at least one sphere of
woman's usefulness that is not overdonc.
The reporter started out with the COM
mendable purpose of finding out on
wages the artisan could live and
lay up something for q rainy dav. He
had not gone far before he found that
it was not a question of wages, but of
wives. A stained glass workman, who
earns $35 a week and has n wife and
o children saves nothing. 'It costs
me $50 amonth for rent and SEQ a week
to set my table. We live we'll but save
nothing, " he said. It needs no reporter
to tell us that that man is an American.
we live well but save nothing" is as
trustworthy for identification as his
family tree would be. A German chair
make on $12 u week also had four chill.
dren. His family have lots to eat and
MS children h We never been sick a
Day. In the five years since his mar
rage this man has almost paid for a
SlooO house and lot, and now that he
pays no house rent he lays aside SIS a
week. A timer earning sic. so q week,
with two children, saves So of it; q man
on SSl a week, with nine children and
q brothcr-in-law to support, has paid
Tor a house since his marriage; and a
carpenter earning SD u day supports
three children and saves SO a week.
But every one of these men chantcd the
praises of "a good wife" Most of them
knew little about their expenses, except
That they carried home their money on
Saturday night and cannot tell where
the savings come from. The man who
llves well but saves nothing naturally
SAID nothing about his wlfe.-Sprinq-
feM Republican.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
Wholesale Cheek Painting.
The Albany Argus SAYS:

The Albany argus says:
Eleven young women stood in a row
behind the scenes on a stage devoted to
well-known burlesque entertainment.
The eleven were a chorus. Their fca-
lures averaged pretty. The eleven were
aot employed on account of talent, fol-
hey were little more than f%igurantes,
nd so the manager had only insisted
that they should be young and comely.
When l saw them they had lust
emerged from their dressing room, and
we're within ten minutes to appear be-
lore an audience, They looked well,
except that their countenances were
CHASTITY white.
"What on earth's the matter with
HEMP? Il asked. "Stage fright?"
Not much" was the reply. "You
couldn't scare them with an audience of
Booths and 1rvings. They've rot had
:heir bloom put on yet. Here is their
painter. Watch him"
The girls ranged themselves facing a
strong light. A man with a pallet and
several brushes went up to the one at
the end of the line. She stopped her
tongue, and shut her saucy mouth, and
hcld her face exprcssionlcssly still.
ne artist dabblcd a brush in the
,mutch of black paint on the pallet and
acftly shaped her eyebrows and trimmed
her eyelids. Then he took up a brush
tul of red, spotted her checks, and COW
cred her lips. Stepping back a pace, he
yazed critically at his job. The girl
grinned so sud and mcchanically
hat I got the impression that she had
gone daft, but that was quite in the
way CT professional duty. and vas in
tended to show how she wonld look
when she smiled at the audience, so
that he could see how to outline the red
If her lips. This he did with a few
'apid strokes. Finally he rubbed the
color on her cheeks until it blended
satisfactorily with the white ground
work, gave her q critical examination
from a dozen feet, and she was ready
for exhibition. She thereupon dropped
IF the end of the line, and the same OBJ
.~ration, varied only as the difference OF
The subject required, was repeated on
The next girl. The mans movements
we're wondc. fully quick and dcxterous,
md the eleventh charmer was finished
n a spacerof time that may as we'll be
called a jiffy.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
Where She Wished to be Buried.

She was a.rcmarkably sensible young
iaoy who made the request of her friends
mat after her decease she should not be
bnrled ny the side Of brook, where bab-
nllng lovers would wake her from her
.'ireams; nor in any grand cemetry,
"nere sight-seers, coming over epitaphs,
might distract her, but be laid away to
lake her last sleep under the counter of
come merchant who did o advertise in
ne newspapers. There, she said, was to
De found peace surprising oil under
standing-a depth of quiet slumber, on
which neither the sound of the buosant
'oot OF youth nor the weary shuttle of
"a age would ever intrude.-ADany
(Ga.) News.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
Making Use or Congrcssmen.

Some strange requests arc made Mt tho
hands of members of Congress says i.
Washington letter. For instance. Gen.
Tom Brown, Of Indiana, opened hi.
package of letters ut his desk in thu
House of Representatives. The vcr,
first ono was from Il woman living il
Poscy County, Ind. She first declared
that she was n good Democrat. Their
came the statement that her husbunt
about seven years ago ran away from her.
Wouldn't Gen. Brown he good enough
TO step over to tho Census Office ami
hunt him upt' Tho next le,tcr va.
from q constnven: who asked HLr Browne
to write n letter 10 the American Min.
lister at Rome 20 get him = !talIar
queen bee,
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
TOLD OF A MOONLIGHTER,
Death Of One ofthe Adventures who Dclct
tho Roberts Torpedo Monopoly.

A cheap pine coffin and an obscure lot
in Pottcr's Field of Bradford Pa, form
the last resting place of William Mcneil,
one of the famous well shooters of the
Oil regions. When death came it over.
too him in an obscure alley, within
two PAGES of the door of a rum hole.
Liquor killed him. The body was
found by the proprietor of the groggcry,
who stumbled over it in the dark, and
was by hin turned over to the pooI
authorities.
Alter the war was over Mcneil, in
company with hundreds of other
honorably discharged soldiers, drifted
into Pitholc the booming capitol of oil
dom. He worked as drillcr about the
wells until the birth of the Roberts tor
pcdo monopoly, and her became one of
h first of an adventurous circle of
spirits who fought it. In those days it
was unlawful to explode nitro-glyccrine
in wells without Robcrts's consent.
Despite the law the hardy moonlighters,
rs the opposition we'll shooters were
called, fourishcd. Hundreds of men
grew rich out of the illegal traffic,
although Mcneil, who led n wild career.
was not II of them. He had many
thrilling escapes from death. On one
occasion three of his companions were
blown out of the world. The three men
were unloading the stuff from the shoot
crs' wagon, Mcneil being ut the well.
about two rods away. Mcneil heard a
terrible noise and tainted. When he re-
gained his senses he found himself in q
clump Of undcrbrush eighty feet from
the we'll. Scattered through the tree
tops were shrcds of flesh and clothing.
In the earth was q great hole. Close by
lay a discmbowclca horse A rubber
boot with a portion of a foot in it and
an car were picked up the day after fully
Il half mile distant from the scene of
the disaster. One Of the men had prob.
ably dropped one of the cans of nitro
glvccrinc. Aside from q few bruises
Mcneil was unin iurcd.
After this he married a rich widow
who happened to possess an oil farm,
and for Il few years lived n life of respect
ability. The marriage was not Il happy
one, however, and he took to dirk.
Mrs. Mcneil became disguised. and
one day when her husband was in town
on n spree she packed up her dunnagc.
took the four children. and disappeared
from McNcll's life forever. She went
to Kansas City, where she died a few
years later.
Mcneil went back to moonlighting.
When under the influence of liquor he
was Il man to steer clear Of. Among
other stories told of him, it is related
that he oncc boarded train ut Hickory.
cn route to Oil City. His last cent had
been spent for whiskcv at Hickory
station. When the conductor demanded
his fare Mcneil laughed and consigned
him to a place which has no existence in.
Bob Ingcrsoll's religion.
.'1ll put you off the t%rain," angrily
said the conductor, as he bcckoncd to,
his brakeman.
NAV, you WON'T" sneercd Mcneil,
waving Il tin can in the air which re-
scmblcd an ovcrfat rocket without the
stick.
"Grcat Scott! Glyccrincw shouted
the conductor. In thirty seconds the car
was cleared, and Mcneil monopolized
the entire coach until the train reached
Oil City.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02
A CHILD AND A WASP.
His Mother Tells tho Nurse to Let Him
Have 1t and He Gets II

Among the passengers on the St.
Louis express OH the Erie Railway, be-
tween Port Jervis and Jersey City, Fri
day morning, was Il very much over
dressed woman, accompanied by n bright
looking Irish nurse girl, who had charge
of a self-willcd, %tryannical two-year old
boy, of whom the ovcr-dressed woman
was plainly the mother. The mother
occupied a seat by herself. The nurse
and child were in the scat Immediately
in front of her. The child gave such
frequent exhibitions of temper and kept
the car flied with such vicious yclls and
shrieks, that there was a general feeling
of savage indignation among the pass
engers. Although he time and again
spat in his nurses face, and scratched
her hands until the blood came, and tore
at her hair and bonnet, she bore with
him patiently. The indignation of the
passengers was made the greater because
the child's mother made no effort to cor
rect or quiet him, but, on the contrary,
sharply chided the nurse whenever she
manifested any tirmncss. Whatever the
boy yelrcd for, the mothers cry was,
uniformly,
.'Lct him have it, Mary.
BY the time the train passed Turner's
the feelings of the passengers had been
wrought up to the boiling point. The
remark was made audibly here and there
''that it would be worth paying for to
have the young one chuckcd out of the
window" The hopcful's mother was not
moved by the very evident annoyance
the passengers felt, and at last fixed her
self down in her seat for ii comfortable
nap. The child had just slapped the
nurses face for the hundrcdth time and
was preparing for a fresh attack, when
a wasp anne from somewhere IN the car
and flew against the window of the
nurses scat. The boy ut once made n
dive for the wasp as it struggled upward
on the glass. The nurse quickly caught
his hand and said to him coaxingly:
'Harry mustn't touch! Bug will bite
Harry!"
Harry gave a savage yell and began to
kick and slap the nurse. The mother
awoke from her nap. She heard her
sons screams and without lifting her
head or opening her eyes she cried out
sharply to the nurse;
"Why will you tease that child so,
Mary? Let him have it at once"
Mary let go of Harry. She settled
back in her seat with an air of resigna-
tIou, OuI IlcIc was u SpaTklc IN ncr eye.
The boy clutched ut the wasp and finally
caughtit. The yell hat followed caused
Joy to the entire car, for every eye was
on the boy. The mother awoke
again.
MARY" she cried, "let him have it?"
Mary turned calmly in her seat, and
with a wicked twinkle in her eye said:
"Sure, he's got it, num-"
This brought the car down. Every
one in it reared. The child's mother
rose up in her seat with a jerk. When
she learned what the matter was she
pulled her boy over the back of the seat
and awoke some sympathy for him by
laying him across her knee and warming
him nicely. In ten minutes he was as
quiet and meek as a lamb, and he never
opened his head again until the train
reached Jersey City.-N. ?. Sun.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02

THE vast extent Of British commerce
is indicated by the fact that no day
passes without some English vessel be-
ing lost with all its crew. Indeed, the
statistics for the month of November
show a much greater average loss than
this, for during its thirty days no fewer
than seventy-four ships with ell hands
pcrished. This constitutes a tremen-
dous toll, but, having the carrying trade
of the world chiefly in her hands, Brit
annia is able to bear the strain.
The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-02

A New HAYES boy recently. "for
fun" inserted an advertisement in ailo-
cal paper for q husband. 4. Western
farmer answered il, and the young man
wrote at length, describing himself as a
handsome. middIe-agvd ~oms:N. with a
long bank account. The grange, came
on last week to see the ~nrnan He is
now after the young MIA with a ,mt for
fraud md loss of time and money.