davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

were its consequences, the act itself
was only the simplest and briefest for
mality. It could in no wise be made
sensational or dramatic. Those char
acteristics attached, if at all, only to
the long past decisions and announce
ments Of July % and September % of
the previous year. Those dates had
witnessed the mental conflict and the
moral victory. No ceremony was at
tempted or made Of this final official
signing. The afternoon was we'll adj
vanced when Mr.. Lincoln went back
from his New Years greetings, with his
right hand 50 fatigued that it was an
effort to hold the pen. There was no
special convocation Of the Cabinet or
Of prominent officials. Those who
were IN the house came to the execu-
tive Office merely from the personal inn
pulse of curiosity. joined to momentary
convenience. His signature was at
tached to one of the greatest and most
benefcent military. DEGREES of history
in the presence of less than dozen
persons, after which it was carried to
the Department Of State to be attested
by the great seal and deposited among
the official archives. "-Nicolay and
Hays History, Cents.ry Maqazine.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
Wasting Natures Gifts.

Stories come to us from various
quarters that the natural gas is giving
out. The probability is there are ex-
aggerations in the reports to this effect,
but that the intelligence is in part we'll
founded there is reason to believe.
There has been something amounting
almost to infatuation in the public pas
sion for finding this gas and then burn
ing it as display. There never has
been more startling and destructive
profligacy than that exhibited in this
State and the State of Indiana in re-
spect to this, one of the most wonder
full of the ample resources of nature
with which this land was endowed.
There are half dozen counties in this
State and Indiana where gas has been
recently found, and the people seem
delighted to have the glare Of its con-
sumption flashing against the sun by
day and lighting up the country by
night. It may be vain thought. but
it seems something should be done in
the way of legislation to check this
hideous destruction of the ideal fuel.
1t is as bad as the desolation of forests
and the poisoning of the streams, and
the washing away of the soil through
in cultivation, and it ought
to be more impressive because the pro-
cesses of destruction are conspicuous.
Commercial.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
The Delights Of Housekeeping.

Has housekeeping itself lost half its
charm since the dear old homely days
Of our grandmothers, or have women
SO changed, so advanced with the
progress of the age" that they can
no longer delight in the simple pleas
ures of home and housekeeping? Some
such question naturally evolves itself
in ones mind, says Chicago Herald
writer, after a visit, be it only to have
supper, in real oldfashioned house,
where the touch of the mistress pres
ence is perceptible from the parlor to
the kitchen, from the bunch of sweet
smelling posies on the mantel to the
pile of crisp Cookies" on the sideboard.
This presence is just as much an actu-
atty in busting and in cakemaking, in
preserving and in curtain hanging, in
dainty sweet-smelling linen, in biscuits,
or in shining tea-cups as in the female
figure, bright and sweet, clean and neat,
that stands at the door, hands out
stretching in welcome. It is time some
body made a protest against city houses.
They, more than anything else, initiate
against real housekeeping. Where the
kitchen is a clean, bright, pleasant
room, with nice, big window, it serves
as an absolute trap to lure the mistress
in. There is certain to be good house,
keeping as far as the culinary depart
ment goes, especially when it is not
too much out of the way of daily steps
to reach the kitchen door. But what
do city people know of nice, bright,
neat Kitchens? Their houses are all
up and down stairs, the kitchen is a
mere apology down in the basement,
the stairs are steep and dark, and cook
herself has not light and sunshine
enough to keep her cheerful, or per-
haps their houses are too big and too
grand for dear, delightful everyday
housekeeping, and the kitchen is pre-
sided over by domineering female, at
high wages, who won't have the mis-
tress pokin' about" Besides, it is en-
tered through the buffers pantry, and
a grim dragon, with austere stateliness,
guards the way, and stares at madame
if she enters his domain into cooks be-
yond.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

from the top, the second ten inches
from that, the third twelve inches from
mat, and consequently eight inches
from the bottom.
In the center line of your batten,
pore with a gimlet carefully and truly
at right angles to the surface hole
Just large enough for the screw to slip
through up to its head.
Lay that batten on each of the four
others in turn, and bore all the holes
at the same intervals. If at any time
you wish to alter the intervals, you
nave only to bore fresh holes; but al
ways have all five sticks together when
you bore them, and measure one from
the other. In this way only can you
get your shelves to stand fair and
square.
When you have all your holes bored,
give everything final smooth down,
and proceed to put things together.
Screw up one end first, then screw up
me other, and then fit in the back
piece to prevent the shelves from col
!apsing.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
Signing the Emancipation Proclamation.

~soe..s.o
"Mr. Lincoln took the various manu-
script notes and memoranda which his
Cabinet advisers brought him on the
3lst of December, 1862, and during
that afternoon and the following morn
ing with his own hand carefully re-
wrote the entire body of the draft of
the proclamation. The blanks left to
designate fractional parts Of States he
filled according to latest official advices
Of military limits; and in the closing
paragraph suggested by Chase he
added, after the words warranted by
the Constitution his own important
qualifying correction, upon military
necessity
cit is q custom in the Executive
Mansion to hold, on New Years Day,
an official and public reception, begin
ming at II o'clock in the morning, which
keeps the President at his post in the
Blue Room until 2 in the afternoon.
The hour for this reception came be-
fore Mr.. Lincoln had entirely finished
revising the engrossed copy of the
proclamation, and he was compelled to
hurry away from his Office to friendly
handshaking and festal greeting with
the rapidly arriving official and diplo-
matte guests. The rigid laws of Ell
quette held him to this duty for the
space Of three hours. Had actual ne
cessity required it, he could, Of course,
left such mere social occupation at any
moment; but the President saw no oc
casion for precipitancy. On the other
hand, hess)obably deemed it wise that
the con;ys en Of this momentous ex-
ecutiy<y S.1ould be attended by every
circumstance OF deliberatiou. Vast as
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
Popping the Question.

1t was seven long years since Jonas
Harris had begun to keep company
with Miss Hannah Bell, and yet, in all
that time. he had not mustered courage
to propose certain important ques.
ton. His house was lonely enough te
be vacated, and still Jones could moi
bring himself to speak the decisive
words. Many time he had walked ur
to her door with the courage of lion.
only to find himself a very mouse when
she appeared.
He had never failed in dropping in
to cheer her loneliness on Christmas
evening, and this year he presented
himself as usual. The hearth was
swept, the fire burned brightly, an6
Miss Hannah was adorned with smiles
and red bow.
Conversation went serenely on for al
hour or so, and then when they both
sat pairing red-cheeked apples, with
great contentment, Jones began to call
upon his recollections.
cts good many years, amt it.
Hannah, since you and first sot here
together?"
LES, SOO1l llldd y.
IT wonder if I shall be settin' here
this time another year,"
"Maybe I sha'nt be at home. Per-
haps I shall go out to spend the even
ing myself" said Miss Hannah,
briskly.
This was a blow, indeed, and Jones
felt it.
"Where?" he gasped.
ooh, [ don't know" she returned,
beginning to quarter her apple. Il
might be out to tea-over to your house,
for instance"
"But there wouldn't be anybody
over there to get supper for YOU"
"NIavbe I could get it myself
$50 YOU could so you could!" cried
Jonas, his eyes beginning to sparkle.
"But there wouldn't be anybody to
cook the pies and cakes beforehand. F"
"Mavbe could cook EN-"
At that moment Jonas plate fell be-
tween his knees to the earth and broke
in two, but neither Of them noticed it.
Hannah" cried he, with the pent-up
emphasis of seven long years, could
you bring yourself to think of gettln'
married?"
A slow smile curved her lips; surely
she had been given abundant time for
consideration.
"Maybe I could" she returned, de-
murely. and Jonas has admired himself
to this day for leading up to the subject
so cleverly.
A WARM wave makes cold day for a
coal-dealer.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

ton" erect and silent, until the EN-
nerar salutes them and gives them the
sign to dispense.
The French journalists laugh at this
display OF what they call German
corporalism which converts nursery
into barracks" But those who are
beginning to have keen sense of the
beauty and salutary influence of disci-
pine see no harm in the boys paying
this triding mark of respect. They
probably enjoy it, and it certainly does
them good thus to recognize the pres
ence Of their father and Emperor.
We know, alas! too we'll, what hap
pens when no etiquette is observed.
The New York papers described some
time ago the behavior of 600 newsboys
who were taken on days excursion in
o steamboat about the beautiful waters
OF New York harbor.
Neither the generosity of their bene-
factors nor the loveliness OF the scenes
through which they sailed had the
slightest civilizing effect upon them.
A mania seized them to do mischief.
They rushed about the boat in gangs,
broke into the dining-room, and seized
the provisions, of which some got
three OF four portions while others got
none.
They pelted the reporters with sand
wiches and finally threw overheard
every movable thing. chairs, benches,
hats, tenders, gratings, crockery-and
kept up pandemonium all the rest of
the day.
Here are two extremes. We prefer
the one that gives much pleasure and
no pain, that does some good and no
harm, We prefer any kind of civiliza-
ton to any kind OF barbarism.
The Boys Own Portable Bookcase.
Take three pieces of board of equal
length and width for your shelves
any length or width will do, and any
wood, For example, let US take three
pieces of well-planed pine, yard long
and five inches wide.
For the uprights, take five battens,
say yard long, an inch thick, and an
inch wide. Let them be well-planed
and quite smooth, and in this instance
let them be of pine.
Now cut five notches in one of your
shelves of this shape, in this position:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
Ungainly Man.

Man is an ungainly creature at the
best. His head is an irregular spheroid;
his eyes are not alike or of equal eff
ficiency; his whiskers won't grow uni
formly. One shoulder is higher than
the other, one hand or foot larger than
the other-and this on opposite sides
his hips (if he has any are unequal in
shape. The calves Of his legs are not
twins in anything but age, and without
his tailor, halter, and bootmaker he is
q very sorry-looking animal. AS for
women-well, this article is not writ
ten to discuss their physical crooked
ness. If it was it would not be half
the length that it is.-Saqo Francisco
ChrO9licle
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

is reached by step ladder. The bath
room is fitted with closet, tub, and
bowl; the two latter fixtures being
supplied with not and cold water. The
wide verandas and covered balcony
make this very desirable house, af-
fording shade at all hours of the day.
This plan can be modified to suit any
Especial requirements.
! The plans for the second house are
thus technically described: Size of
structure-Front, 10 feet; extreme
width at dining-room, 81 feet inches;
side, 40 feet. Height of stories-Gel-
lar, feet inches; first story, feet
inches; second story, 8 feet 10 inches
attic, feet 6 inches. Materials
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
Catch Questi

1t is always delight to schoolbov
to PROFOUND to his teacher catch cues.
tions" in mathematics that the teacher
cannot answer. Usually these catch
questions. or propositions, are Of little
Importance, and the object of them ia
simply to elicit absurd replies from
those to whom they are put. TemD7e
Bar gives several such questions. O few
OF which are new, and the others "a
odd as the hills" but new, probably.
to some schoolboys and girls. "
II goose weighs ten pounds and a
half its own weight, what is the weight
OF the goose? Who has not been
tempted to reply on the instant, fifteen
pounds ?-the correct answer being. of
course, twenty ponds. Indeed It is
astonishing what very simple query
Will sometimes catch wise man nap
ping; even the following have been
known to succeed:
How many days would it take to cut
up piece of cloth fifty yards long, one
yard being cut off every day?
A snail climbing up q post twenty
feet high, ascen is five feet every day.
and slips down four feet every night.
How long will the snail take to reach
the top of the post.
A wise man having o window one
yard high and one yard wide, and re-
curing more light, enlarged his win
dow to twice its former size; vet the
window was still only one yard high
and one yard wide. How was this
done?
This is catch question in geometry,
as the preceding were catch questions
in arithmetic. The window was dia-
mond-shaped at first, and was after
ward made square.
AS to the former two, perhaps it is
scarcely necessary seriously to point
out that the answer to the first is not
fifty days but forty-nine; and, to the
second, not twenty days but sixteen
since the snail who gains one foot each
day for fifteen days, climbs on the six
teenth day to the top of the pole and
there remains.
A man walks around pole on the
top of which is monkey. As the man
moves, the monkey turns on the top of
the pole so as still to keep face to face
with the man. Query: When the man
has gone round the pole, has he or has
he not gone round the monkey?
The answer which will occur at first
sight to most persons is that the man
has not gone round the monkey since
he has never been behind it. The cor
rect answer, however, as decided by
knowledge, in the pages of which this
momentous question has been argued,
is that the man has gone round the
monkey in going round the pole.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
MRobin Adair.o

Robert Adair was young Irishman,
known in London in the early part of
the last century az "the fashionable
lrishman." He was brought up as
surgeon, but at on early period went
to England to push his fortunes. Near
Holyhead, perceiving carriage over
turned, he ran to render assistance.
The occupant was q lady of fashion,
who, hearing that Adair was a sur
geon, invited him to accompany her
to London. On arriving at her house
she gave Adair fee Of one hundred
guineas and general invitation to
call. 1t was during one of these visits
that he met Lady Caroline Keppel,
daug hter Of the second Earl of Al
bemarle and of Lady Anne Lennox,
daughter of the first Duke of Rich
mond. Lady Caroline, at the first
sight of the Irish surgeon, fell desper-
ately in love with him, and her emo
tions were SO violent and so sudden as
to attract the attention of the whole
company. Everything was done to
divert her mind from love-travels,
suitors and amusements of all kinds
but in vain. Finally the parents, see
ing their daughters health yielding to
the strain, consented to the marriage.
When Lady Caroline was taken from
London to Bath, that she might be
separated from her lover, she wrote, it
is said, the song Of robin Affair."" and
set it to a plaintive Irish tune she had
heard him sing. Her married life was
short, but happy; she died of con-
sumption after giving birth to three
children. On her death-bed she re-
quested Adair to wear mourning as
long as he lived, and he scrupulously
did so, except on the Kings and
Queens birthdays, when his duty to
his sovereign required him to appear
at court in full dress. He never mar
ried again, though he had many offers.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
Plumbing.

"shall we have plumbing in the
house, or shall we not?" is the question
that arises to perplex the mind Of every
thoughtful man who undertakes to
build for himself and his family a
dwelling that shall be in the highest
sense home.
There are great advantages and at
fractions in having every possible con-
venience and trouble-saving appliance
within doors; yet, on the other hand,
their introduction is often the intro
,duction of disease. Their costliness
looms up in frightful proportions, with
visions of endless "bills for repairs. :"
The wise man thinks of these things,
and the more he thinks the more per-
picked does he become. To such we
would say, you can have the plumbing
without danger to health, at small
original outlay, and with no repair
hills. Il it is designed and put in prop
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
HINTS ABOUT HOUSES.
SUGGESTIONS TO PEOPLE WHO CON.
TEMPLATE BUILDING.

Instructions ~ to How to Build Thorn
Sanitary Plumbing and Drainage ut
Small Outlay.
The first design presented in our
house-building article this week is Of
an exceedingly pretty house that can
be erected for $2,75O. The materials
are: Foundation, stone; first story,
clapboarding; second story, roofs, and
side gables, shingles; front gables,
timber construction. The special
features of this house are: Cellar un-
der the whole house. Open fireplaces
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

Foundations, s-inch brick walls; first
story, clapboards; second story, shin
giles; roof, shingles; the cost, $2.6S1. 40,
complete, including plumbing and gas
fitting and a $35 wood mantel in the
.parlor. The special features include a
cellar under the parlor, hall and din
ing room; cellar bottom is cemented.
The whole frame is sheathed with lum-
Der and papered Sliding doors con-
meet parlor and dining-room. The hall
and parlor are connected by a cur
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
8 s

That is to say, two an inch wide and
an inch deep at each end, and one an
inch wide and an inch deep in the CEN
ter. The notches are made by cutting
two sides with saw and chiseling out
the third, or chipping it out with q
pocket-knife-or, indeed, they can be
done entirely with a knife. In doing
it either way, be careful that the size
is correct and the sides smooth and
vertical.
You now want fifteen two-inch screws
OF three-sixteenths in diameter.
One of your battens is to go at the
back to steady your shelves, the other
four are to 60 at the ends as uprights.
Mark on one of your battens the dis
tances at which you wish the shelves to
come. As you have a yard to deal
with, say the first comes at six inches
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

in parlor and dining-room, range in
kitchen. The large entrance Z hall
opens directly into the parlor and din
ing-room. These rooms are connected
by sliding doors, by which arrange
ment the three rooms can be thrown
into one, forming grand apartment
for social gatherings. The kitchen is
so situated that one can pass from it to
the cellar or any other part of the
house without entering adjoining
rooms. There is ample closet-room
and good store-room in the attic, which
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

not yet seven years old,
are already subjected
to military etiquette,
says the Youths Com
pa,aion. AS soon as
their father enters q
room in which they are
playing Prince Will
lam, the eldest, assumes
the command, and cries
out in the tone of a cor
roral drilling a squad:
"IN RANK !"
The three little fell
lows arrange t h g III
selves accordingly in
the order of their ages,
and stand Z" at atten-
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
Light.Weight Motors.

--.ne electric motors made by M.
Trouve for aeronautical experiments
are remarkable for their ightness.
One-made of albumen, except the
magnet-weighs but little more
than three ounces, and develops one
fortieth of horsepower, lifting itself
seventy-two feet in one second. Con-
structed on the same scale one-horse
motor would weigh less than eight
poupds.-Arkansaa Traveller.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

Plain pine never looks we'll Of itself
~ should be vanished, or stained wal
nut and varnish, or else BACKED. For
black, mix together vegetable black
and gold size till the mixture is thick
as cream. Half pint of gold size viii
sumce for the shelves we have de-
scrbed, and about one gill Of the
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

~ civ wee little treasure,
= :. ,,rec;ous it is for all that
!. b..n ms me my cont every morning,
- ~, - nnds both my mi.tens and hat.
A., ~, oyershoes always are ready.
- hats relief you know.
~ Kiss me before so.
And when come home in the evening
she's waiting Tor me Al the gate;
And then, if don't come early,
rs papa, why are you 30 late?'
'rne papers are always handy,
Nv slippers are close by my chair;
/. never takes very long to guess
Who it was put them there.
TITS only a wee little treasure,
With sunny golden hair,
Two blue eyes bewitching,
And dimpled face so fair;
The image OF her mother,
she is to me most dear,
And if were to lose her
Life would indeed be drear.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

tanned opening. Hall closet under the
stairs. The stairs are of hardwood and
of pretty design. If another bedroom
lis required on the second floor the
front room can be divided. Two good
rooms and hall are finished in the
attic; storage room besides. This house
was built by contract near Chicago for
less than our estimate.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19
To Check Coughing.

Coughing and sneezing can be stop
ped by pressing on the lips in the
neighborhood of the nose Pressing in
the neighborhood of the ear, or press
ing very hard on the top of the mouth,
inside, is also means of stopping
coughing. The will has immense power
also.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

SECOND love may not be best, but
second thoughts generally are, and the
man who thinks twice usually decides
not to fall in love.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

HIS advice is in
striking contrast
with the prevalent
mode Of charitable
transactions. The
correct thing in
tn 9 present en-
lightened age of
the world is care
fully to record all
such in black and
white. for the sd-
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-04-19

PHILADELPHIA is filling up with Chi
namen. they are principally engaged
in the iron business.