davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
An Old Lady Under Fire.

Captain Mitchelrs mother was the
most timid woman ever saw, said an
officer. We had to cross a pontoon
bridge and it was thought best that we
should dismount and cross on foot, and
it fell to my lot to escort old Mrs.
Mitchell over. No sooner had we started
than Federal battery not far off opened
fire upon us The soldiers on the oppo-
site side of the river, protected by the
high railroad embankment, became
quite frantic at our danger, and kept
screaming to us to Run, run, ladies, for
Gods sake, run, and get over herep
All of this was lost upon old Mrs.
Mitchell. She could not hear what
they said for the roar of the cannon
aiding, to which she had not been accus-
toned Neither did she know that we
were under fire. Though the balls were
splashing in the water on each side of us,
she did not notice them, and no one felt
called upon to draw her attention to the
fact. She objected to running, pre-
ferring to walk; so, taking her by the
hand, we ambled along. Half way across
we passed soldier on guard, whereupon
she stopped to ask him if there was any
danger there. He was a stolid-looking
fellow, but he fairly gaped at her; lam
cuage failed him. Before be could find
his tongue l hurried her on, declaring
that 1T was against orders to speak to
the guard For l knew that if she ever
discovered the danger she was in her
knees would give way under her and
would have the pleasure of carrying her
the rest of the way. At last we reached
the other bank and were under cover of
the railroad embankment. Then the
officer in charge of the pontoon came up
to speak to us. He was an old friend
Mrs. Mitchell had not seen for years,
and she greeted HIM cordially: How do
you do, Captain Harros2 l am so glad
TO see you. How is your wife2' She is
very we'll, said the astcnished Captain,
looking first at the old lady and then
involuntarily at shell flying overhead.
And your sisters, how are theyT Very
we'll, l thank you, he said, politely,
not to be outdone in GOODNESS. And
our friends the Turner's have you seen
them lately2 He gazed at her in aston
ishment The forest trees around were
being riddled by shot and shell, but she
was so busy talking about her neighbors
she did not notice them.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
Capacity Of the Krupp Works.

In the Essen works in Germany, there
are ,553 big ovens, 439 steam boilers,
40 steam engines representing to-
gather IS, 500 horse power, 1,622 ma
chine tools, 50 steam hammers, 81 roll
ing trains Involving daily consump-
ton of 3, 100 tons of coal and coke by
the 1, GAS furnaces, whose draught is
through chimneys of which one is $50
feet high, with diameter of 30 feet at
the bottom. The daily consumption of
water-brought from the Ruhr by an
aqueduct-is "a, 700 cubic meters.
There are 1, IT'S steel lamps, and u cubic
meters of gas have been used annually,
though this quantity has just been di-
minished by the introduction of electric
lights. The work ceases only on Sun
day and on two or three holidays. The
production is enormous. When the
Emperor William visited the place in
1885, Mr.. Krupp caused to be set be-
fore him the production of a single day
], 500 rails, 100 wheel tires, 1870 axles,
$50 railway wheels, 430 railway wedges,
/, 200 bombshells. The daily capacity
of the works is much more: 2,700
rails two and half miles,, $50 tires,
$50 axles, $50 wheels, 1000 wedges,
1900 bombshells. In a month they
can produce $50 field pieces, 30 8. finch
cannon, IS 9.33-inch cannon, s 11-inch
cannon, 1 ID. inch gun-the weight of
the last being 81 short tons, its length
% feet inches. 1t is one thing to read
these figures on paper, decidedly an
other to travel among the objects they
represent, and witness their extent,
their vomitings of flame, their harm
essed immensely, and to hear their
voice.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
FOUND HIM ON THE CHAIN GANG.
Convict Barton Visited and Wept Over by
Young a nd Beautiful Lady.

An Atlanta, Ca, letter says: Barton.
the young convict, is in the chain gang.
A handsome young lady alighted from
train at the Union Depot and asked
the Waterman to direct her to a quiet
boarding house, which he did. She
looked sad and detected, and was evil
IDENTIFY much distressed. About noon
the same lady appeared at the county
jail. She wore heavy black silk and a
handsome sealskin cloak. Her face was
covered with heavy veil, and brilliant
diamonds glittered on her fingers.
Turnkey Pool received the lady.
''Can 1 see Mr.. Barton 2" she asked.
Barton Oh, he is the young man
who was arrested at the Kimball.
Sorry, ma'am, but he is on the chain
gang"
''Chain gang ~ cried the woman.
''Oh, my God '' and then she tainted
Mr.. Pool called physician, and after
some time she revived. She rested a
few minutes and then asked:
''Where is the chain gang 2"
''Out on the edge of the town." an
swered Mr.. Pool.
''Can see him if I go out 2'
ooh, yes" replied the keeper.
The lady entered her hack, ordered
the driver to take her to the chain gang
in a hurry, and was soon at the camp.
Barton was on the works. He was
chained and wearing stripes. He had
pick in his hand, and was digging
away into the dirt The carriage drove
up and the driver asked the superin-
tendent to see the lady. He walked up
to the hack and raised his lat.
"Can | see Mr. Barton 2" the lady
asked before the superintendent had
time to speak.
eyes" answered the astonished SUI
perintendent. Then he turned about
and called aloud, ''Barton, come here"
Barton dropped his pick, looked up
and, seeing the carriage, hung his head
and remained motionless. He hesitated
for a moment, then, with his chains
clanking about his legs, he walked up
to the carriage. AS he approached the
lady got out.
Then those about the convict wit
messed scene that they will never for
get. The lady wept and Barton cried.
At first neither could speak. Finally
they talked, but no one heard what was
said. No one wanted to hear it. The
lasted fifteen minutes,
when the lady shook hands with Barton
and, re-entering her carriage, was
driven away, while Barton walked back
to the works, seized his pick and went
to digging again.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
A Successful Economist.

1t is really worth while for the wage
worker to save, although the process
has become so questionable among
men of fixed incomes that to follow It
is regarded almost as mark of eccen-
tricity. The path to influence and in
dependence for the toiler begins and
steadily follows on the line of small
economies applied in daily life. Ten
years ago, in a Pennsylvania manufac-
turing town, a machinist went home
one evening and said to his wife: 81
am tired of this work for others, and
We'll turn over new leaf. | get So
day. Now, we will put away $40
week. and live on the rest If we can't
live on it We'll starve on it." He car
ried out his determination. In two
years he had 81 900 in bank. With this
he began business for himself in small
way, capital was attracted by his en-
ergy, and now he is at the head of one
of the largest manufacturing concerns in
his section, rich, prosperous and re-
spected. What this man did was moth
ing of supreme difficulty. A strong,
resolute will and a fixed purpose were
all that were need after his determine
ton became fixed. Why should not
such an example attract the attention
of other wage workers, equally able and
of like mental qualities2 1t is only tho
beginning that costs; after that the
task of selfelevation becomes easier
with each day.-Philadelphia Record.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
RAILROAD MEN AND GHOSTS.
Engineers and FIremeR Who Have Pro.
tected Themselves-A Spectre.

The ghost at Greycourt, that has al
most turned the hair of some OF the
engineers and firemen white from excess
s!ve fright, is still a matter of discus
sion that is hard to solve. Several OF
them have almost declined to take
their positions on any of the trains that
keep them at Greycourt after dark. Mr..
Goodale, who runs the $50 a. m. train
from Newburg, had scarcely recovered
from his fright this morning, while the
fireman and brakeman were still shak-
ing with nervousness. All of them
tried to appear brave, but at the Erie
depot, when carman came along wear
ing a white smock- frock they all
turned tail and fed. The ghost Is re-
ported to have been seen for the first
time at Greycourt on Sunday night last,
but the fact is that the agent there had
heard it tapping on the window Tor
some evenings previous, and was really
too much frightened to tell very much
about it. 1t is said by way of explana-
ton, that the ghost was only fellow
who was "a little off, ;" and had acct
dentally placed himself in such posi-
ton that he resembled ''spectre from
the grave" but this has been proven to
be false. It is real live ghost that
hangs around on the telegraph wire, on
the water spouts and the cornices of
the depot; that dances in front of the
cowcatcher of every train that stops at
the station, and seems to- throw out
halo of blue light, with perfume OF
birthstone, that tickles the nostrils. All
the employees of the Erie road running
from Newburg have been to the fortune
teller's and secured amulets and charms
to save them from injury by the ghost.
One prominent conductor went to
Chinese laundry on Golden street and
secured seven layers, printed on slips
of paper in the Chinese language, be-
sides borrowing policeman's club and
pair of handouts from the police sta
ton. This ghost evidently means bust
ness, and it would not be surprising if
it visited Newburg In the meantime
all connected with the Erie road are
taking deep draughts of lavender and
valer1an to quiet their nerves, though
they are pale Observation-Disclosures
burg Daily Neaos.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
The Shooting of Ellsworth.

81 was a fireman myself in those
days" said Captain Brownell, of the
Ellsworth Zouaves, land when the call
for troops was made I ran away from
home and joined the regiment which
Ellsworth organized in New York. The
regiment went to Washington, where
we remained in camp about a month.
Trouble then arose at Alexandria, Va,
and Colonel Ellsworth requested that
his zouaves be sent to quell the dis urb-
ance. President Lincoln consented,
and the regiment dropped down the
river to Alexandria. Landing at the
foot of Cameron street, Colonel Els
worth, accompanied by Chaplain Dodge,
two New York correspondents, and a
squad of five men, including myself,
started uptown with the intention of
visiting the telegraph office. 1t was
about five o'clock in the morning. AS
we rounded the corner of King and
Royal streets, rebel flag was seen
waving from the top of the Marshall
House. This attracted Ellsworth's at
tention, and, crossing the street, he en-
tered the barroom of the hotel and in
quired for the proprietor. A man be-
hind the counter gruffiy answered that
he was not in. Ellsworth and his es-
cort then assembled the stairs, and the
rebel flag was hauled down.
''On our way back to the barroom 1
saw man at the foot of the stairs, who
afterward proved to be Jackson, the
landlord. He had a double barreled
shotgun in his hand, and evidently
meant mischief. When Colonel Els
worth approached jackson raised the
gun as if to shoot. 1 sprang forward
and knocked the gun down with my
own rifle, but in a second he raised the
weapon again and pulled the trigger.
The heavy load struck Ellsworth di-
rectly above the heart, and he fell dead
upon the floor, exclaiming, MY God p
Jackson raised his gun again, but be-
fore he could fire the other barrel
shot him dead in his tracks" Captain
Brownell here went to clothes press
in one corner of the room and took out
two guns, which he exhibited to the
reporter. One was the shotgun which
Jackson used to kill Ellsworth, and the
other the weapon with which Jackson
was slain. Then, opening the drawer
in his desk, he produced number of
souvenirs, including a medal presented
to him by Congress, a dagger, with a
carved ivory handle. presented by citi-
zens of Boston, and the firemen's belt
which he wore on the day when Els
worth was killed.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
A Little Call.

Mrs. Gauleton, who lives on the east
fork of Hominy Creek, has returned
from Washington city, whittier she
went few days ago. Having seen it
stated that any one could call on the
wife of Cabinet officer, Mrs. Gauleton
called on one. The old lady took out
her knitting and settled herself back
for season of enjoyable conversation.
The Mrs. Cabinet was astonished.
81 would have brought you a few
aigs," said Mrs, Gauleton, "but the fact
is we have had such pore luck with the
chickens that aigs air scarce. The gaps
was awful this last spring and it did
seem that all the chickens would die.
Let me know when the time comes and
I'll go out and help you git dinner.
Now don't say word, for i know how
you're bothered. If You don't mind
I'll light my pipe. 1 have smoked SO
long that KANT very well git along
without it now. Now do sit still and
not bother yourself on my account"
Mrs Gauleton remained all day, and
might have remained all night but for a
very suggestive remark made by Mrs.
Cabinet. The old lady when asked
how she liked Washington. said: ooh.
the town is all right, but my lands!
SIGH folksl They don't know how to
entertain body. "-Arkansaa 7raveler.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
AS FRENCHY AS 1T CAN BE.
The Plot Of q Play which has taken New
York by Storm.

The play Fernando" which is ex-
citing such a sensation has romance
enough in 1t to make half a dozen ordi-
nary plays. Victorien Sardou wrote
fernando" sixteen years ago, and sew
eral adaptations were Immediately used
on the stage in this country. In the
original girl was an inmate of Paris
gambling house. She was the personal
property of its keeper and the companion
of vicious persons. She was taken away
by kindly woman of title, of whose
home she became lovable inmate, and
there an irreproachable young man
wooed and married her. She wrote a
letter to him on the wedding day con-
Tossing her past, but the communication
miscarried, and so he was ignorant of
his brides history, while she believed
he knew and condoned it. Then came
the disclosure of the truth, with his
resentful modification, her willingness
to quit the happiness that she thought
she had gained, and finally reconcile
alton. In the English versions attempts
were made to lessen the offensiveness of
the story and to make the heroine accept
able to American taste by depicting her
as innocent in the gambling resort, kept
there by her wicked mother, on sale but
not yet sold. These alterations weak
ened the dramatic interest, because they
robbed the bridegroom of reasonable
grievance. At Wallack's Theatre new
treatment was given to the piece. This
time the scenes of Fe1mQnde's earlier life
were omitted altogether, and the action
began at her introduction into the home
of wealth and refinement, where she
found husband. 1t was here told that
only her mother, not she, had been an
outcast. As in the original French, the
man Tilted an affianced bride to take the
new sweetheart, and it was the deserted
woman, outraged and revengeful, who
thwarted the other in her purpose of
confession before marriage, in order
that his happiness might come, like her
own, to disaster.
In the third act detective was intro
duced to disclose that the husbands
father, whose death was an old mystery,
had been murdered in the same gaming
establishment in which Fe3mande's
mother had been the decoy and mistress,
and where the girl had been reared The
Mortified husband thereupon cast off his
bride, and the woman formerly betrothed
to him gloated over his misery; but she
relented under argument, and the pitiful
sight of the wife gone singularly mad
for few minutes. Then the husband
forgave and happiness was achieved.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
A Badly-Fed Senator.

Everybody who has seen Mr. William
NJ. Evarts, of New York, says a Wash
inton correspondent, will remember his
cadaverous appearance, for, although a
man above the medium in height, he
will not weigh to exceed 10 pounds.
One of the Senate doorkeepers says q
few days ago a solid, substantial-lookina
farmer, from the interior of New York
State, seated himself in the gentlemen
gallery and asked to have Mr.. EvartS
pointed out to him. 1t was at the houl
of noon, and only few members were
in the chamber. Pretty soon Dan Voor-
kees emerged from the cloak room and
strobe majestically to his seat.
lis that Evartsf" exclaimed the old
man, enthusiastically
"No," said the doorkeeper, ''that is
Mr.. Voorhees,, of Indiana"
When General Logan, few minutes
later, entered the chamber and de-
posted an armful of books upon his
desk, the old man clutched the door
keeper excitedly and said:
"That's him-that's the great Mr.
Evarts, amt it?'
Again the doork eeper explained his
error When Mr.. Evarts did enter, the
old man looked at him long and earn
estly.
''By Goshn' said he, in commiserat-
ing tone, 'T'll bet he boards"
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
Detained on the Road.

"When 1 lived in Kansas" said q
Detroiter, who was telling stories in an
insurance office few days ago, 81 in
sured my house with an agent against
fire. Along came another agent who
insured against lightning, and l took
that in. In few days a chap called
on me who insured against cyclones,
and struck a bargain with him. The
next caller insured against water spouts
and explosions and thought l might
as well encourage him"
GA house couldn't be much safer than
that, " remarked one of the listeners.
"And yet l lost it inside of six
months"
GLOW could it be?''
"Well, there came freshet in the
river and house, barn, fences, haystacks
and all went sailing down stream. The
agent who insured against freshets got
there just one day too late. Free
Press,
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
The Human Race.

Some one recently made public the
remark that if the whole human race
were divided into families of five per-
sons each, the State of Texas is large
enough to supply half an acre of land
to each family. The statement sur
prised some people, and not few of
them declared hastily, without perform
ing the necessary calculations, that it
could not be true.
But it is true. There are supposed to
be about fourteen hundred million per-
sons living on the globe. A half acre
to each family of five would require one
acre for ten persons, or one hundred and
forty million acres in all. The area of
Texas is more than two hundred and
sixty-two thousand square miles, or
nearly one hundred and Lightweight
million acres. Consequently there
would be a surplus of almost twenty
eight millions left over after every fami-
ly was provided for, which would be
sufficient for four or five times the pres
ent population of the United States.
Not many people realize how little
space would be needed to accommodate
the whole human race, assembled in one
place. Suppose we were to fancy every
human being forming one of vast con-
gregation, seated in 1,400, 900, 600
easy chairs, each occupying square
yard of ground space.
AS there are nearly three million one
hundred thousand square yards in a
square mile, that number represents the
size of the congregation that could be
seated upon it under the conditions
named, and the whole human family
could be gathered on a tract of four
hundred and ffty-two square miles-or
twenty-one and quarter miles each
way.
p Less than two ffths of the area of the
little State of Rhode Island would suf-
fee to give comfortable seating room to
the whole human race. One twelfth of
the area of Rhode Island would be
enough to afford standing room-as peo-
pie stand in crowd, without crushing
to every man, woman and child on
the face of the globe Youths Com
q1O71jO77
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
The Coolest Man.

''The coolest man I ever knew was
old Victor de st. Hilaire, the colonel of
an infantry regiment that saw some ser
vice in Algeria" said Colonel Henri
Dubois, one of party of French Off
GERS, who, having halted to take look
at Siam on their way home from the
Tonquin war, had come to dine with US
on board of a British gunboat which had
somehow found its way up the Mei-Nam
River.
'I've known men," he continued,
''who managed to put on great show
of GOODNESS in time of danger, though
they were really very much excited; but
there was no putting on with st. Hilaire
it came as natural to him as eating
his dinner. All his hairbreadth escapes
(and he had had so many that he could
hardly count them HIMSELF had left him
as cool as before, and it really seemed
as if dangers passed him by because he
would not condescend to notice that
they were there at all. Once his men
mutinied, and two of them clapped
their bayonets to his breast as if to run
him through; but the colonel only
smiled, and said, as quietly as ever:
BE careful my lads; you might hurt
me-
''Now it happened that in Colonel St.
Hilaire's regiment there was a peppery
young sub lieutenant who was as hot as
the colonel was cool. With him it was
always Gas you English say "a word and
a blow, and the blow first He had
fought so many duels that the soldiers
used to call HIM Sudden Death, and to
say that the best way to end the war
would be for him to challenge the enc
my's whole army, man by man. Well,
one day this lieutenant had committed
some fault, for which the colonel gave
him such ss2lding that the young fell
,ows hot e9s.aps bear se v i nag
out pistol i fred right at St. Hi
laire's face, SO close that the muzzle al
most touched him. But the pistol
missed fire and the colonel said, quite
coolly, 'Forty-eight hours arrest for
not keeping your arms in proper order"
"And was that all the lieutenant
got2" asked dozen voices at once, in
undisguised amazement.
''That was all and l can tell you that
he thought it was quite enough-Hal
general, good evening. was just tell
ing these gentlemen how you once put
me under arrest for not having my pis-
tolls in working order. "-Haoper'S Maya
cine.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-03-18
A Good Wife for Somebody.

The Elmird Advertiser says In the
western part of the city is young
woman from near Stockholm, Sweden,
who wears clothing all of her own
making, including the spinning of the
thread, coloring it and weaving it into
cloth. Her linen handkerchiefs are also
of her own spinning and weaving. and
are as fine as are usually purchased at
the stores in Elmira. She is employed
as second girl, and is learning the art of
American cookery. Though in Ameri-
ca but year she has acquired quite a
mastery over the rudimentary English,
and when three years, the time she fixed
to remain in America, are up, she will
go back quite accomplished in Ameri-
can ways. She is young lady Of
musical tastes.