davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

DOT PAUSED ON THE LITTLE BRIDGE.
the Christmas night sky and its golden
stars. Soon the silver tongued bells in
the little church would ring forth their
pseans proclaiming the anniversary Of the
birth of the Saviour and their music
die away across the snow.
Dot had thus far followed the tracks Of
Jobs footsteps, which were easily recog-
nizable in the moonlight, for but few per-
sons had travelled the road since the last
snowfall All the farmers drove to town
in teams Now she missed the traces she
was following, but she soon found the
place where he jumped the fence.
When Job awoke from his cramped po-
siti0n and gazed about him he was some
what nonplussed. At first his memory was
not equal to an explanation OF how he
came there: but only for second did he
fail to recollect, for something stirred in
his heart and brought tears to his eyes
when the bells began to ring and the soft,
sweet chimes came to him across the snow.
And softer and sweeter than the Christ
mas chimes was the cheek of velvet that
was pressed close to his own plain face,
and softer and sweeter still were the tones
of the voice that whispered in his ear:
merry Christmas, my lovep'
When the village pastor was reused
from his warm bed to listen to their story,
had finished, he exclaimed:
t'I'u du ct! l'll du ct eff ct costs mer pas
sonshlpr'
And he married them then and there
Ezra Flint awoke on Christmas morning
and found himself poor man, indeed.
The papers Dot placed in the casket were
her. mothers will and the title deeds to
the property left her by the will. over
which, now that she was of age and mar
ried, her father had no further control.
They constituted the largest portion Of her
fathers alleged wealth, and, coupled with
the loss of his daughters respect, left
him poverty stricken in mind and pocket
alike.
If Job had opened the little parcel he
had thrust in his pocket without examin-
ing, he would have found a nice muffler
and pair Of warm mittens, and pinned to
the scarf was a Christmas card with two
hearts pierced with an arrow printed on
its face. The letter given him in the road
by the farmer was an offer of professors
seat in neighboring college, but Dot ir-
sisted that he should still continue to be
the "Old Gog'' of the village, and any
summer you take q notion to visit Cider
burg you are liable to find painfully
homely man teaching his scholars outside
the school-house beneath the shade trees.
A handsome young woman, whom he calls
q Christmas present, is his assistant and
1 doubt it there is q pedagogue in the world
whose scholars entertain q deeper and
truer affection for him than do the pupils
Of the homeiy schoolmaster with the iron
bound spectacles-"O Cog"
BURT ARNOLD
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20
Tongue-Tangiing Phrases.

The popularity Of Peter Piper's celebrat-
ed peck of picked peppers viii probably
never wane as a snare to catch the tongue
that would fain be agile: but that test
has formidable rivals. The following
short sentences, as their Euthors maintain.
do wonders in battling the ordinary power
of speech:
Gaze on the gay E1a> brigade
The sea ceaseth, and it suffceth Us.
Say, should sach q shapely sash shabby
stitches showa
Strange strategic statistics
Give Grimes Jim's gilt gig-whip.
Sarah in a shawl shoveled soft saoW
softly.
A cup of coffee In copper coHee-pot
Smiths spirit flask split Philips sixeA
sisters fifth squirrels sknlL-BoltimSs
Nesca
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

voiume she. saw her aanae IN Job's haudA
writing. She opened the work and road
the inscription on the dy-leaf. For mo
mont she hesitated, then opened the letter
and quickly read its morttfying contents.
One moments pause and she had de-
cided.
Hastily showing the letter In her pocket,
she ran upstairs and returned with jew
elry casket that had belonged to her
mother; then. after examining q number
OF deeds and papers, one OF which looked
like . will she inciosed them in the casl1et
and locked it.
An hour later she was vending her way
down the moonlit road along which Job
had Travelled in the direction OF the haunt
ed house.
1t took q man OF grit to ride down the
road on such cold night. and what pluck
must woman possess to WALK
Dot paused on the little bridge where
Job had stood, and, like Job, she unused on
the grandeur Of the scene, the sweet,
white world that lay under the canopy Of
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

friend him by giving him even . comely
countenance. He was positively 60 home
ly as to be comical when his features were
relaxed from the smile he wore while his
patience was being taxed by the thick
headed urchins Of the village school
He was the principal in a school where
there were no assistant teachers, There
were twenty-five scholars in the school,
but they could be divided INTO almost as
many classes as individuals. This was
owing to Jobs kindness of heart. for he
believed in advancing his pupils in proper
ton to their ability to learn. In conse-
uuence the school hours oftentimes proved
10 be too short to hear all the classes.
He was well beloved by his "family. !"
=,s he termed them, although, without any
feeding of disrespect, they were apt to
mention him behind his back as 'Old
Gr.n Whether this title originated
through his wearing pair Of iron-bowed
classes such az country folk term "gog-
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

Can you tell me what is the n.4
ter with this new horse of mine NJ
nrotter. What are the symptoms
Oumiey!" why, he has a h.h;+ =
stopping at every spring or wav.,s.
poo. ne comes to-" That exnl.;.s
Itself, my dear fellow. He's OF '. 49,
sPr1ng-halt. OF coursen
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

HE Christmas Eve
that brought hap
piness to the greater
number of homes in
Cidcrburg brought
to Job Pippin moth.
ing more than a
long, uncomfortable
journey through the
snow and q bitter
disappointment
Job Pippin was
not q handsome
man. Nature had
neglected to be-
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20
OLD COG.
Els Christmas Present and How
He Obtained It.

Written for this paper.1
1~Betuty pales before the grandeur OF true
nobility OF soul even as the twinkling stars are
<p0tshohe by She sun at noonday''l
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20
OLD BrRNAM.

R MIIHH broad and white
A%AGW Beneath the Chris
TNr6 Ill The old stone mansio
~k> Above the town stco
dark and still.
Save but one single light,
That through the grated window cleaned,
Where, all alone, Old Byrnam dreamed
Behind his bolts and bars.
The carol-sngers going by s&
flushed all their noisy glee
TIL we'll beyond the Byrnam farm
HALF fearful OF some hateful charm
Within the evil eye
OF this old man. who lonely safe, y
No guest, no friend within his gate,
The Christmas tide to see.
These careless singers could not know
The thoughts that filed the brain
Of Byrnam. AS the freight falls
. I'm ftful flashes on the walls,
What fancies come and go,
Dr. mother, home and boyhood days,
When love was law, and life was praise,
And memory was not pain.
Again he hears the Ginning bells,
AS in the long ago;
We hears the sweet old story read
Or Chrst-child, in His manger bed;
A joyous singer tells
Or wonders in the Heavens when
The angels sang: GOOD will to men,
And peace in rivers fow.'
Clark! what was thatf breath OF Air.
A creak o; door or tree,
Breaks in upon Old Byrnams dream,
And makes his dark eyes fash and CLEAN:
None knew the garden stair
But Ethel" to himself he said;
- And Ethel-Ah. my Ethers deadl
Forever dead to me.
81 can not break divided hearts,
And she was all my own
Till came that stranger from the town,
With hair and eyes of velvet brown"
Again old Byrnam starts: ~
- Now I must look to locks and keys;
Who comesr' he called. The garden trees
Fierce dashed the walls OF stone.
Within the doorway's curtained gloom
A little child he sew,
All clothed in white with golden head,
- Are you the Christ-childr' Byrnam said.
In silence cross the room,
Straight to his knee the vision came:
I'm little Byrnam, that's my name,
And you're my grandpapa."
Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-12-20

NOT SuperSCIllOuS, ana ne feared neither
COLLINS, spirits nor spooks. So when some
strange feeling impelled him to jump the
fence wade knee-deep through the snow
and enter the ruin, he was not frightened
at the noise made by some animal that
made its escape rather than resent the in
trusion.
He walked through the several rooms on
the ground floor, then explored the second
story, where he sat upon some broken tim
bers and buried his face in his hands. The
loose shingles tapped as the angry wind
scuff1ed over the dismantled roof and the
dangling timbers creaked in mournful
feelings Of the intruder.
Hours passed, but he needed not time.
In his sheltered position he felt no cold !;
he was partially stunned by an almost
double shock He had figured out Dots
embarrassment to be an unintentional be-
trayal of her regard for him and the re-
turn of his Christmas Offering to imply q
silent rejection of his unspoken love. To
him it was like getting to the gate Of par
adise just in time to have it slammed in
his face. He brooded until he fell asleep.
Meanwhile something uncommon took
place at the house of the hard hearted
Mayor" something that upset the plans
he had laid for twenty years past
When Job Pipiin let the volume Of
poems drop from his hand and departed
without saying goodnight" he left
Dorothy Flint equally as speeches. as
himself.
Il was some little time before she TO
covered sufficient composure to gather the
letter, the book and it's wrapper from the
floor. Her eyes brimmed with tears as
she brought them to the comfortable. In
spreading the wrapper to envelop the
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
Through the Rift.

A young man had made himslf a
home on a new farm, situated away
from neighbors. At the bend 10 the
wood road be had cut little opening.
visible from the house, that wife and
baby might see him, on his way, be-
fore he quite reached them. This
clearing was called by them 1.-The open
place" The little one often ran to
the door, during papa's absence, to
see "if papa was tumin' by de open
place"
One day the husband and father
was stricken down with fever. The
little one was carried to auntie's
house, out of dangers way, and did
not return until after the dear, brave
papa was carried to the "Rsst that
remaineth for the people of God. "
When the child returned to the sor-
rowing mother, he was
told that papa had gone to
heaven, but would come for his
little boy some day. He often looked
and longed for his father The fatal
fever attacked the boy. Just as the
setting sun tinged all the sky, the
darling, who had lain for days uncon-
scious, suddenly opened his eyes and
said: Mamma, papa is tumin' by the
open place" He reached his arms
up towards the bright apparition.
which unquickened eyes could not
see. and sank back lifeless.-Detroit
Free Press.
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
Clouds of Moths.

The city of Reading, Pa, had re-
markable visitation of moths on the
evening of August |. Myriads OF
them infested the air, resembling at
a distance snow storm. They were
first noticed flying around the elec-
trio lights about s o'clock, and gradu-
ally increased t. such numbers as to
obscure the brilliancy of the lights.
Passengers on the street cars, as they
passed under the lamps. We're cover
ed with the insects, aud handker-
chiefs, hats, and fans were piled Wig
orously to keep them OF. Fires
We're built under the lights and heaps
of the moths were burned. Penn st
saloon men were compelled to close
their front doors to keep out the pests
which were attracted to the bir
rooms by the bright lights. The
doors al windows OF dwelling
houses had also to be closed to keep
them out. Local savants pronounc-
ed them cotton moths, and they evil
IDENTIFY came from the South. They
are said to precede hot wave, and a
decided rise in the temperature is
predicted.
At Easton, Pa. butterflies by the
thousands flew around the sixty-four
electric lights, lit on the carbons aud
then dropped dead in the globes.
When the men who renew the carbon
visited the lights, they found on an
average two quarts of dead butterflies
on each globe, total of four bushels.
besides the lot that had fallen on the
ground during the night.
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
Earth Worms Causing Trich-
ina.

1t is not uncommon occurrence
that parasite inhabits different ami
mails at different stages of its growth.
This is the case with the small thread
worm, Syngamus trachealis, which
infests the windpipe of the pheasant,
peacock, turkey, duck and other
fowls, and often occasions considera-
BILE damage. Mr.. Walker, of Frank
linville, N. Y, has recently made
investigations on this subject. He
finds that the intermediate host of the
embryo syngamus is the common
earth worm, which in places visited
by birds has been found to be beset
with these parasites. They are swal-
lowed by the birds along with the
worms. and perforating the 9sopha-
gus, find their way into the respira-
tory organs. Daring, or Immediate
ly after, this migration the syngamus
attains sexual maturity and attaches
itself to the trachea. This happens
in six or seven days after it has been
swallowed. In seven days it's eggs
are produced, which are coughed up
by the bird and reach the ground,
where the embryo emerges in about
three weeks. 1t is swallowed by q
worm and remains in its intestinal ca
nal until devoured by a bird. The
best method to check this disease is
to moisten the soil with brine, which
kills both the worms and the embryo
syngami which they contain. Birds
which have died of this disease should
be destroyed by fre.-New York
Star.
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
NOah'S Ark Wood.

Within a radious of sixty miles OF
Nashville, Tenn. there is said to be
found tree that is said to be the
shittim wood of ark fame Celebrat-
ed botanists from all over the country
have examined the trees and agree
that they grow nowhere else on the
globe. They have decided that it is
the shittim wood of which Noah's
ark was constructed, mention OF
which is made several times in the
Bible. The tree is medium sized.
with very dark. smooth bark, and the
wood is of bright gold color. In
early spring the tress are laden with
long, white blossoms. closely resem-
bling great ostrich plumes. There
seems to be no doubt about the iden-
tity of these trees, and it is remarka-
BILE that they are found only in this
small area and so few at that,
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
TRY 1T YOURSELF,

"It is of no use to argue the question,
I am neither stubborn nor opinionated, |
haYe simply had lesson that will last life
time"
"Look here, Jackl you are like some old
bachelor who has been Tilted by one wo-
man, and goes about declaring all women are
false"
"Not at all my brother Charles died of
Bright's disease, brought on by using one of
these socalled blood purifiers kind
you see attractively advertised in every nook
and corner. 1t contained iodide of potassium,
drug useful in extreme cases when eau
tiously given under u doctors supervision,
but death.dealing to all who take 1t in guam
tity. If your brother had died under such
circumstances, you would hate patent medi-
cines as do"
81 do dislike the name of that miscalled
blood purifier for have heard first class
physicians say it is the cause of half the cas-
es of Brights disease in the country, and it is
strange the proprietors have not been prose-
cuted for selling it. But was recommend
ing Vinegar Bitters and that does not con
tain any mineral, narcotic or other hurtful
drug"
ooh, nobody supposes that old woman's
remedy will hurt anybody; the question is
will 1t cure anything? I'd US soon think of
taking some of my grandmother's herb tea -
"You would be better off, Jack, if you had
some of that tea to tone up your system now,
instead of taking glass of brandy to make
you sleep one night, and perhaps bottle of
| beer the next"
"Is this temperance lecture, Phil?"
"Eo, it is Vinegar Bitters lecture. I've
| taken the medicine more or less for fifteen
years, and look the world over, you will not
| find healthier man than | am"
/ ,e oil tu1
and new style Vinegar Bitters; are they diff.
| ferent?"
| eyes, the old style looks like coffee with
| milk in it, the new style like coffee without
milk. The man who made the old style for
| twenty years-a practical chemist-made q
| milder, pleasapter, preparation, adding to il
| here, aud taking from it there until he pro-
dueed, my wife says, the finest medicine ever
made. 1t cured her of constipation, and il
cures the children of hives and all the little
ailments they ever have. If my wife thinks
| they have worms, she doses them with old
style. We always have both kinds in the
house, and together they keep the doctol
away"
Sand you insist that the proof of the pud
ding"
"Is the eating-precsely. Jack, get &
bottle of the old style Vinegar Bitters-mer
think, prefer old style usually-try it, anG
you will then be like an old bachelor who
after railing against women for years, fall!
in love with a good woman at last. You viii
say there are good and bad patent medicines
but Vinegar Bitters is the best of the lot"
"All right, Phil. to please you, Pll try i
and report results"
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
a Cure for L.aZineSS.

A late reverend gentleman, who
resided in Yorkshire, and was as well
known for his eccentricity as his tai
ents, one day sent his son, lazy lad
about twelve years, to catch the
horse. The lad went sauntering
along with grain Of corn i'm one
hand and bride in the other, drag
giDg the reius along the ground.
Thomas" said the father, calling
after him in a very solemn tone of
voice, come here, Thomas, / want
to say a word to you before you go.r
The lad returned, and the parson
proceeded:
You know, Thomas. that / gave
you great deal of counsel. You
know that | have taught you, before
closiag your eyes. TO say. Now /
lay me down to Sleep etc, besides o.
good many other things in the way
of explanation and advice. But this
is the last opportunity | may ever
have of speaking to you, / couldn't
let it pass without giving you my
parting charge Be a good boy and
always say that pretty prayer before
going to sleep"
As he said this ia q very sad and
solemn manner the poor boy began to-
be frightened, an burst into tears
with this exclamation:
"You will never see me again, pagr
"No. for | will probably die before
you get back with the horse"
This quickened Thomas's ideas, and
gathering up the reins, he ran aud
caught the horse in less time that he
had ever done before.
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
The Fastest Railroad Train I'm
the World.

Competition between two of the
great English lines OF railroad has re-
Gently taken the form of cutting down
the running time. The London and
North Western and the Great North
ern, striving against each other for
the traffic between London and Edin-
burg, have reduced the running time
bet ween these points to eight hours.
By the first named road the distance In
40l miles. by the other IL In 39T. For
the entire distance the schedule lin
slightly exceeded by the short B.&O.
between Baltimore and Washington,
40 miles in As minutes. But the
length of the trip removes it from the
comparison On the northwestern
road one rur without, halt of
l5S miles in three hours is o part of
the trip. This exceeds the run from
Fort Wayne to Chicago by IL miles
To realize what this speed means, 1t
may be compared with the trip from
New York to Chicago by the Penn
svlvania Railroad The same speed
would reduce the time between these
points 10 a little over eighteen and
one. half hours. 1t has been suggest
ed that an afternoon train should
leave New York and should reach
Chicago in time for business the next
day. The above proves the practica-
bility of such project.
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
Novel Constitutional Point.

One of the oldest points ever rails
ed under the Fourteenth amend
ment to the federal constitution has
been decided by Pennsylvania
court.
A statute of the State originally en-
acted in the last century, and in effect
re enacted as lately as 1867, provides
that licenses to peddle shall be grant
ed only to such persons IS may be
"by reason of some physical disabili-
ty unable to gain Il livelihood by la
bor." This bars able bodied men from
peddling - in short, makes good
health and physical soundness dis
qualification for following a specified
calling.
The Court of Quarter Sessions in
Beaver county declares that the Leg
islature has no right to pass such an
act: that the law makes discrimina-
tion in the matter of employment
and business, which is violation of
the equal rights guaranteed to all per-
sons by the Fourteenth amendment.
"If, says Judge Wickham, the Leg
islature can determine that the pos,
session of average health and sound
ness of body shall be & bar to exercis-
ing the calling Of travelling merchant,
it can also make some physical defect
the badge of every calling, and may
enact, for instance, that only confirm
ed dyspeptics shall keep dry goods
stores; that grocer must have chron-
ic rheumatism, blacksmith but one
leg, a milliner no teeth, physician
no hair; that lawyer must have the
asthma and a barber must be dumb"
"To concede to the legislature" the
Court concludes, "the power to arbi-
trarily exclude from any honest call
ing all men who are in a normal bod
lily condition would be to break down
one of the safeguards thrown around
the citizen by the Fourteenth amend
ment to the constitution of the Unit
ed States and by the constitution of
our own State"
Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-09-07
Approaching Fall.

Fall is coming on fast. The plain
tive drone of the katydid fills the
twilight with sad suggestions of the
dying season. The birds will soon
be mastering in armies for the south :
ern cline. The harvest is gathered,
and the fall will soon be here. The
robin will soon wink you a goodbye,
and the ed-winged black bird will
flap you an adieu. The cricket will
chirp his song on the hearth and the
cat will purr beside the first sugges-
tion of the early fall FIRE The plume
of the golden rod are lighting the
roadside with splendid color The
bass fisher gets out his rods and lines
and awaits the frosty mornings. The
The most glorious season is here, full
of the suggestions of completeness.
Watch the seasons, they have the
eloquence of silent work and the in
spiration of Immortality. All things
change but nothing dies.