davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
THE FRUIT SUPPLY,

Many persons who own small lots or
large farms, appreciate in some measure
the value and luxury of fine fruit, and
plant trees or make small paintings of
small fruits, but without any estimate OF
the quantities required for family sup
ply. They occasionally have good
feast, but more frequently have to go
without. Not only should continued sue
cession be provided, consisting of varie-
ties and kinds which ripen in the differ
emit months, but sufficient quantity at
forded for daily use. Beginning with
the earliest ripening fruits, the straw
berries, the planting should be large
enough to feed all the mem bers of the
family with what they want. We may
suppose there are six in the family, and
that each one will use half pint daily
on the table Eve have known some who
would dispose of more than quartz; this
would be more than ten quarts week, or
about two bushels during the strawberry
season. Ii successive ripeners are planted,
an equal quantity should be provided
for, to meet accidental deficiencies or &C.
cidents, and as much more for copious
feeders. Under the best culture, eight
bushels will require thirteen square rods,
yielding at the rate of 100 bushels an
acre-a larger plantation than many de-
vote to this excellent and wholesome
fruit. Similar estimates may be made
with raspberries, grapes, pears, and ap-
pies. There ID nothing better for feed
ing family and maintaining it's health,
than an ample supply of fruit, both fresh
and cooked, and owners should be will
ing to make free provision. Nothing
shows more strongly the efficiency Of
fruit in maintaining health, than the fact
that em;grants to newly settled countries
get rid of most of their sickness as soon
as their fruit paintings begin to bear.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
WHY HE HADN'T,

Some of the problems of life may be
easily answered, if we can content our
selves with a practical solution. Facts
may be less satisfactory, on the surface,
than spread-eagle oratory, but they will
sometimes persist in thrusting themselves
forward.
"Why haven't 1 six-hundred acre
farm as we'll as that man riding by in his
carriage?" yelled a red-nosed anarchist
orator, as he glared at the crowd.
"Becsuserhe saved six hundred dollars,
and bought his farm when it cost one
dollar an acre, and you poured your six
hundred dollars down your throat" re-
sponded a man on the back seat, and
the orator asked no more conundrums.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
WORK-BASKET,

A most ordinary looking little basket
may be so adorned as to embellish a
beautifully furnished room, and the
handsomest room looks more home like
and comfortable if woman's ork-bask-
ct is in view. A plain wicker basket may
be painted white with the ready mixed
paint that comes put up in convenient
little tins, a few lines Of gold paint may
be brushed on in lines around the bot
tom and the edges of the basket, or the
cover and the handles, and the basket is
ready for the clever needle-woman who is
to beautify the interior. The shape of
the basket and the lining required should
be first cut out in canton-hannel and
silk. The canton flannel must first be
held in place with a few long stitches
taken just inside the edge of the basket,
and the silk to cover it must then be
sewn in place over the canton flannel,
holding the silk on the wrong side, SO
that when turned in place all the stitches
are concealed. A piece of card board the
shape of the bottom of the basket should
be covered with piece of the same silk,
which should have been previously quilt
ed. This piece of cardboard (Which
should fit the basket quite tightly must
now be pushed down in place, covering
the raw edges of the silk used to cover
the sides. Make pockets around the
sides Of the basket, fssten a small pin
cushion in one corner, and in the oppo-
site corner needle-case. Line the inside
OF the top with pasteboaid covered with
quilted silk, like the bottom; stitch band
across, fastened 80 as to make places to
hold scissors, crochet needle, ETC., and
fasten the top lining in with glue or in
visible stitches. Tie bows of ribbon to
the handles of the basket. Silk cord to
match the bow may be used to tie the
cover to the basket to keep it closed. The
most effective colors to use with white
and-gold basket would be either pale
pink or light blue.-Honae Decoration.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
GEN. OoRDON,S DEATH.

A special funeral service in commemo-
ration of General Gordon's death was
held recently in London. Rev. II. Wal
Ter, an old personal friend of General
Gordon, preached the sermon, and during
the discourse read the sworn testimony
of one of the loyal sergeants who was
present at General Gordon's death, which
was communicated to Lieutenant Cor
don, nephew of the late general. This
was to the effect that when Gordon heard
the rebels in the town he said, at is all
finished; to-day Gordon will be killed"
and went down stairs, followed by the
four sergeants, who took their rifles with
them. He took a chair and sat down on
the right of the palace door, the four
sergeants standing on his left. All at
once sheik galloped up with some Ba-
garee Arabs. The sergeants were on the
point of firing, when Gordon, seizing one
of the rifles said, mo need of rifles to-
day, Gordon is to be killed" The sheik
told Gordon that he had been ordered
by the mahdi TO bring him alive. Cor
don refused to go, saying he would die
where he was, adding that no harm was
to be done to the four sergesnts, who had
not fred on the rebels. The sheik repeat
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
LOUISA M. ALCOTT.

Louisa M. Alcott, the subject of the fol-
lowing sketch, died recently OF brain
fever, two days after the death Of her
aged father, the venerable Bronson AL
colt. Both were widely known authors
and greatly esteemed, and their deaths
occurring in such close proximity has at
tracted much attention:
Louisa M. Alcott was born in German
town, Pa, Nov. 90, 1882. She was "liter-
airy" almost from babyhood, and wrote
fairy stories in her youth, but her first
book was not published until 1855. 1t
was written when she was only sixteen
years of age. Her first full grown story
brought her just five dollars from Gled-
sons Pictorial when the writer was
nineteen. The next year she wrote the
story of "The Rival Prima Donnas." The
next few years OF Miss Alcott's life we're
filled with burdens that we're bravery
carried. Writing for sensational publ
cations, teaching, even sewing we're her
means Of support. She worked SO glad
ly and persistently that even before her
real success came she was able to do
much in the way of help and comfort for
the "people at home"
In 1862 Miss Alcott went South to
nurse in the Soldiers Hospital. From
this duty che was taken home, herself
stricken with the fever. 81 was never ill.,"
she said once to Mrs. Moulton, "until
after that hospital experience, and have
never been we'll since"
In 1865 "Hospital Sketches" was pub
lished; before that "Moods," tragic
love story. In 1868 Miss Alcott wrote
"Little Women" the great success of
her life. In six months or a little
more she was famous, and her hard work
was over. After that time she was
abroad number of times, wrote much,
and received probably 100000 in money,
with much honor.
Most of Miss Alcott's work was done
in Boston. Her custom was to leave her
home and to take a room in the metropo-
lis of New England when she had liter
airy project to carry out.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
GENIUS.

Almost everybody would be glad to be
a genius, as he understands the term
genius" And most men think of a &C.
MUS as one who is born with such pow
ers and capacities as enable him to ac-
complish great deal with very little et-
fort. Yet, as matter of fact, the "genius"
who makes his mark in the world, in any
department of thought or of action, is a
man who works great deal harder than
other men. According to the elder Presi-
dent Dwight, "genius may be"generally
and accurately defined to be the power Of
making mental efforts" and a more re-
cent writer has defined genius as the Ca
pacity for an endless amount of work."
Button said, "Genius is patience" Men
may, indeed, work hard without accom-
plishing much; but men do not accom-
plish much without working hard.
Hence he who wants to be, or to seem, a
genius, will stand a better chance Of
comprising his desire by downright per-
sistent hard work than by any other
conceivable method. = Sunday-School
Times.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
WEBSTER AS A FARMER.

To the end of his long and busy life,
Daniel Webster retained the love Of the
country and Of farming which he acquir-
ed In his childhood. 1t was always with
JOY that he returned from the scenes of
public labors and triumphs to his cosy
home at Marshfield and his we'll titled
fields at Franklin. The quiet pusuits Of
the farm; the planting of his crops; the
rearing of his cattle, his sheep, his pigs
and hens; the improvements in cultivat-
ing land, and the care of his horses,-all
terested the great statesman fully as
keenly as graver questions of state, and
oratorical victories at the Capitol.
One day, he asked his son Fletcher and
a friend who was visiting him to go out
with him to the barn and see his cattle.
He fed them with delight, and turning to
his companions with smile, said {:
II like this. had rather be here than
in the Senate. 1t is better company"
When at Washington, engaged in alb
sorbinR duties as Senator or Secretary of
State, he seldom let a day pass without
writing to his farm-overseers at Marsh
field and Franklin, telling them just
what to plant and what to plough, what
horses to buy, and what cattle to sell.
Webster discovered the value of kelp, or
sea-weed, as rich manure for land, and
brought it into general use in his neigh
borhood. He was probably as skillful
farmer as lived in New England, and
showed the same wisdom in this as in
public affairs
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
A STORY OF JONATHAN ED
NyADnc
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.

Grace Greenwood tells a story of the
great theologian, Jonathan Edwards, as
follows: Mr.. Edwards having preached
for country parson. found to his dismay
ON Monday morning that there was no
man or boy about the premises to bring
up his horse. On his confessing that he
knew little about such things, his hostess,
son hospitable cares intent" went to the
pasture, caught and bridled the clerical
steed. and led it up to the gate. Then
as she was about to put on the saddle,
the minister came out, and CALAMITY pro-
tested against her performing any further
groom service, saying he thought that he
could manage the rest for himself. SO
she went about her household affairs.
The good man was long time wrestling
with the mysteries of that saddle; but,
just as the lady was going to his assist
ance, he came in to get his saddle-bags
and take his leave. "Ah, Mr.. Edwards,
how have you succeeded?" she asked.
every well, madam, thank you," he re-
piled, "but it was unusual employment
for me, and | was a little awkward. 1
had some difficulty in properly adjusting
the straps and buckles, and there Is still
a superhuous piece OF leather, the office
of which cannot divine. But it hangs
over the neck of the animal, and will not
incommode me at ALL The lady some
what curious stepped to the gate, to find
that Mr.. Edwards had put on the saddle
back end foremost, and the superfuous
piece of leather was the orupper.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
1.-THE old melodious lays
THE AGE OF ENVY.

We do not know the circumstances
under which Solomon was led to declare,
"Better is dinner Of herbs where love is
than stalled OK and hatred Herewith"
They were probably of domestic nature,
but if he were now living he would
find reason for his proverb in the rela-
tions of the different members of our
body polite to each other. 1t is beyond
question that, SO far as provision for
their physical and mental wants are con-
oerned, poor people are great deal bet
ter off than they ever were before. No
one who has any acquaintance with the
details of the life of the inhabitants OF this
country in the early part of the century
will deny that the hsrdships Of middle
class family then we're greater than those
of the family of sober and well-behaved
laborer now, or that the luxuries of the
one have become the necessaries of the
other. But it is questionable whether
our ancestors were not happier over their
herbs than we with our stalled oxen. The
poor are 80 much exercised with the fear
or enraged with the conviction, that they
are not getting their fair share of the
good things Of this life that they cannot
enjoy what they do get, while the well-to-
do are anxious lest the tide of discon-
tent may rise 80 high as to sweep away
the banquet altogether. Few persons
would deny that it would be pleasanter
world to live in if there were less wealth,
provided there were also less grumbling,
envy and contention.-NeaU York Nation.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
THE CARE OF THE EARS.


Never put anything into the ear for the re-
lief of toothache.
Never wear cotton in the ears if they are dis
charging pus.
Never attempt to apply poultice to the in.
side of the canal of the ear.
Never use anything but syringe and warm
water for clearing the ears from pus.
Never strike or box child's ears; this has
been known to rupture the drum and cause
incurable deafness.
Never wet the hair if you have any tenden-
cy to deafness; wear an oiled silk cap when
bathing and refrain from diving.
Never scratch the ears with anything but
the finger tips if they itch. Do not use the
head of a pin, hairpins, pencil tips. or any
thing of that nature.
Never let the feet become cold and damp, or
sit with the back toward window, as these
things tend to aggravate any existing hardness
of hearing.
Never put milk, fat, or any oily substance
into the ear for the relief of pain, for they
soon become rancid and tend to tncite intlam-
nation. Simple warm water will answer the
purpose better than anything else.
Never be alarmed If living insect enters
the ear. Pouring warm water into the canal
will drown it, when it will generally come to
the surface and can be easily removed by the
fingers. few pufs of smoke blown into
the ear will Supply the insect.
Never NEEDLE with the ear If foreign body,
such as a bead, button or seed enters it; leave
it absolutely alone, but have physician
attend to 1t. More damage has been done by
injudioious attempts at the extraction of
foreign body than could ever come from its
presence in the ear.
-HedIth and Homo.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
ANNIE LAURIE.
BY ELIZABETH STUART PHELPS.
From Harper's Magazine.]

From Harper's Magazine.
The cutlery of the coming tide was
pealing in It had the resonance of a
heavy sea; one could hear it a mile fur
Their into the town than one expected,
and felt sense Of surprise at the depth
of the tone. The ocean was quite gray.
The sky seemed rather to take than to
give the univ ersal color which hung upon
the village and the headland, and gath
cred against the breakwater with force
and an Importance that made the i'm
preston of a waste of sadness; as if
the world had filed up and brimmed
over with it, and had gone into gray as
people go into mourning; that being the
easiest way of recognizing what there
was nothing to be said about. The
effect was heightened by the prevailing
tones of the granite which filed the
landscape. The great quarries in the
background gsped into gray earth;
the cars which rolled or trundled by
were loaded with massive grayness; 80
the sloops that lay at anchor in the little
artificial harbors; the wharves were piled
with gray paving, regularly disposed,
making rectangular outlines against the
sky, which hung close, like a curtain
OF shade darker than the stone against
it. Derricks, lifting gray blocks, cut
the gray air on either side of the street,
dor
the hammers of the paving cutters.
Granite houses presented their unre-
lenting faces to the severe harmony OF
the scenery; and the breakwster itself,
a solemn gray figure like a sarcophagus,
stretched drearily out into the disturbed
sea.
There was no fog. The face of the
ocean was distinctly to be seen turrowed
with black wrinkles. Against the break
water the surf leaped high, tongues of
white flame licked the edge of the great
granite dixie and blszed up. The day
was so gray that these dszzled the eye
like the sunlight for which they were
the substitute. The rocks, wet with an
immense sweep Of spray, glittered; they
had not been frosted for some days, but
now the night was turning cold. 1t was
the oath of December, and in Stone
port.
Stoneport lies far down the index fin
ger of the Massachusetts coast, and has
a right to its climate. God and the fish.
ermen know what that if. Paralyzed
with the weather, the long arm of the
Cape stretches into midwinter, and bears
the cold like dead flesh. When a gen
tie mood, like that of this Christmas
week comes to Stoneport in winter the
people lift their eyes to the breakwater,
glance at the bows of the boats to see
which way the wind points, look TO their
little piles of coal, cut lasting for their
windows, get out the children's wooden
tippets, and say, This is weather.
breeder; wish your father was ashore"
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24

Rev. EDWARD B. Pa YNE,of Leominster
Mass, told his hearers one Sunday night,
that much of the antipathy of ministers
toward the Sunday newspapers, grew out
OF their fear that their influence would
wane and their hearers decrease in the
ratio that the readers of these papers in
creased. He stated one fact that is
worthy of attention. "They have repeat
eddy called upon religious people to boy
colt Sunday newspapers" said he, "but
the futility of all this is shown from the
fact that all the while the number of pa
pers putting forth a Sunday issue and
the circulation of the editions has stead
lily increased.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
The Anne Page.
OUR OWN POETS.
For THE UNIvERsALIsT.
INCOMPLETENESS.
BY ELIZABETH CAKES SMITH.

The sweetest face hath never brought
Its fairest look. The deepest thought
Is never into language wrought;
The poet in his highest flight
Sees ranged beyond him height Ger height
Visions that mock his utmost might.
And beauty born of finest art
Slips from the limner's hand apart,
And leaves him aching at the heart;
And music borne by echo back,
Pines on solitary track,
Till faint hearts sigh alas, alack.
Our onward lights forever shine,
Conquered by no unworthy pine.
We royal amaranths may Irvine,
Hungering with an inward sense,
We know not, ask not, how nor whence,
But take our conservation thence.
The great God knocks upon the door
Ready to run our chalice DER,
If but the heart will ask for more.
The wine press must alone be trod-
The burning ploughshare passed unshod;
There is no rock of help but God.
N. C.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-03-24
MR.. LOWELL'S BOYHoOD.

Mr.. W. FL. Riding, writing in the Cos
mopolitan, gives an interesting account
of "Ihe Boyhood of James Russell Low
ell" from which we take the following
passages: "LowelIs home was at Elm
wood, about a mile away from Harvard
Square, and it was in this roomy man.
sion that he was born on Feb. %, 1919.
His father was q Unitarian clergyman,
and he was descended from a long line
of prosperous people, who had originally
come to America from Bristol, England.
The city of Lowell was named after one
OF them, and another was the founder of
the Lowell Institute in Boston, an edu-
cational establishment to which he left
two hundred and fifty thousand dollars
by will written while he was on the
summit Of the Great Pyramid. The house
is still screened from the his hway by the
giant trees around it, though the jingle
of the horse-csrs and the rumble of pass
ing carriages and carts now jar upon it's
quiet; but when the poet was boy it was
in solitude, and the only noises were the
cries of the birds which thronged the
garden. He was fond of birds as the
reader can we'll believe who knows an
essay Of his called "My Garden Acquaint-
ance," and the feathered visitors who
came to Elmwood and gossiped in it's
cavernous shades were always treated as
welcome guests. There we're robins, cat
birds, bluejays, orioles, bobolinks, black
the friendship of the inmates of the
house with unwonted confidence, and
would sometimes fly through the hall or
the library. But though the boy had 80
much interest in them; he never "oolo-
gized" them, and if they would not come
near enough for him to observe them he
brought them closer with an opera glass.
"a much better weapon, as he says, than
gun. No school can ever do as much
for sensitive boy as the influence and
example of parents Of scholarly tastes,
with whom the habit of reading is as
regular as eating or sleeping. Lowell's
father was scholar, and his mother, as
we'll, was person of liberal culture and
literary capacity, who, as soon as her
children could read. opened to them the
treasures of English literature
'The old melodious lays
Which softly melt the ages through,
The songs of Sponsors golden days.
Arcadian Sidney's silvery phrase"
Chsucer, Shakespeare and Milton were
familiar to them at an age when most
children were reciting nursery rhymes;
and in James Russell Lowell who was
the youngest OF them, the influence of
these masters struck with deeper root
than in the others, bringing forth in