davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28

The NeaU York AdUocdtc has been
asked to either defend or oppose the
closing of churches for vacation in the
summer, and replies:
AS to closing the churches, we not
only cannot defend it, but declare it to
be sin in the sight of God, and dis
graceful to those who do it. There are
but few Methodist churches that have
thus far done anything of the kind,
and then generally when repairs were
to be made upon the building.
The AdUocate, however, favors vaca-
ton for pastors
AS to vacations, they are necessary
for earnest, active and energetic pas
tors. The hardest work Of the minis
ter is neither the preparation nor the
preaching of sermons, nor both COM
bined; it is the strain upon his sympa-
thies in visiting the sick, burying the
dead, bearing the burdens of whole
congregation. being continually, day
and night, at their call in hours of sor-
row, and being faithful in his ministry
and yet preserving the peace. To keep
an ordinary church in a state of har-
mony requires the wisdom of a sage,
the seif-control of philosopher, the
piety of Il saint, and the sympathy of
a mother; and all these things wear
out the nerves. Only the life of a ply
sician can be compared with it, and
he never goes until he is sent for
while the minister who postpones till
then will often find the evils beyond
repair when he arrives.
As to the length of vacations, the
tendency is to make them too long for
| the good of churches or for the highest
good of ministers, morally, spiritually,
or physically. 1t is well for every
church to offer its ministers few weeks
vacation. 1t will make him better and
do them no harm; but let the Sabbath
services, the prayer-meetings, and the
Sabbath-schools be maintained, and let
arrangements he made by the church,
with the cooperation of the pastor, to
secure pastoral work. Then there will
be no occasion to criticise adversely
the pastors when they 60 out, as our
Lord did INTO Il "desert place to rest
lawhile." -. ....
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
Our Summer BOarderS.

Flies, although quite familiar in
sects, are yet very interesting, if we
only take the time and trouble to ex-
anime them closely.
What boy and girl has not often
wondered how fly can walk with
such apparent ease on the smooth sur
face of the window-pane, or even on
the ceiling? The reason is simple.
If you will observe Musca-for such is
the name given by naturalists to the
fy-you will see that he is continually
rubbing his feet together. Now if you
closely examine Musca's foot-and he
possesses six of these useful append
ages-you will find at the last joint
pair of minute claws. Under each of
these claws is to be found sort of
cushion. It was formerly supposed
that these cushions, or pads, wese cup
shaped, and that the fly was able to
walk uron smooth surfaces by press
ing the air out from under them. Re
cent Investigations, however, have
brought to light the fact that this
theory is false, and that the pads are
covered with a multitude of knobbed
hairs, each of which excludes sticky
substance, which enables them to ad-
here to glass or other smooth surfaces.
Here, also, we find the explanation
of Musca's gymnastic exercises-parti-
cles of this adhesive fluid have become
dry, and impede his progress and he
is trying to rid himself Of them.
Musca's eyes are, perhaps, his most
wonderful parts. Apparently they are
but two, but with the aid of strong
microscope we find that each of them
is composed of several thousand of the
most minute eyes, each having a little
nerve of its own. In addition to these
there are three seemingly super1uous
eyes on the back of the head.
After long and careful observation it
has been found that the senses of
smell and hearing are located in the
antenna, or the two little "horns" at
tached to the head.
About May the laying commences, q
single fly depositing several hundred
eggs. These eggs hatch, pass through
many changes, and at last become per-
feet flies, many of which, in turn. pro-
duce eggs. The easiest way to be rid
of the immense swarms of summer
flies is to destroy the spring mothers.
In the same way it is easier to strangle
bad habit than fight down all the
wrong actions which arise from it.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
A Sp0tIess Character.

There is side to the International
Sunday-School Lessons for July that
makes them a suitable subject for dis
cussion in the household column.
The character of Samuel seems to be
absolutely spotless; and yet from ear
ly boynood he was intimated assoclat-
ed with the wicked sons of Eli. Their
evil example was ever before him.
His parents he saw once a year, posi-
bly three times, at the three special
feasts of the Israelites. Where did he
get the training, the principle, the
Standards that made it possible for him
to say at the end of his judicial career
tBehold, here am witness against
me before the Lord, and before His an
ointed whose OK have I taken? or
whose ass have I taken? or whom
have I defrauded? or of whose hand
have I received any bribe. to blind
mine eyes Herewith ? and I will re-
store it to you. And they said, Thou
hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed
US, neither hast thou taken aught OF
any mans hand"
It cannot be doubted that the state OF
Hannah's mind before the birth OF
Samuel, and her entire conservation OF
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
In Time OF Need.

Yes, you may do without your Bibles.
in the heyday of prosperity; when the
sun shines, and the birds sing, and not
a breath ruffies the surface of your
Summer sea. You may then, possibly,
afford to rest satisfied with barren the
oretic views, or the chill Of the skeptic
creed-to regard the Sacred Oracles as
the effete record Of q by-gone economy
-antiquated sophistries some viii
ings of Palestine peasants and f1sher-i
men, which with the supersH Htion: OF an,
after age has palmed upon q too credrl-a
lous world. But wait till the sly Isl
clouded, and the wind means, and the
hurricane of trial is let loose 81 and
where are you without these discreditr;
ed pages then, 2 Nopoetry, no philoso-
phy, can hush the SORROWS and satisfy
the warnings Of the crushed and
broken spirit as that Book Of books has
done. When no other panacea is OF
any avail, it has put courage into
fainting hearts, and peace into troub-ll
led hearts, and hope into sdespairing
hearts. Greece and RomeI Socrates
Cicero, and Plato You have, we al
low, served us heirs to golden naxinns'
beautiful fantasies, which read pleas
ingly in the sunshine, lulled BY the.
ripples Of the brook and the music OF
the groveAlife all ecstasy and rapture:
But for the soul which in its hour OF.
bitter desolation. craYes for realities;
commend me to the Psalms Of David,
and the promises of Isaiah above all;
to the living, loving baim-words OF
Him who said, "Come unto me, all!ye
that labor and are heavy laden ana y
will give you rest. Every other
world oracle is a Delphic one. 1t is.
either dumb, or Its utterances are per-
picking, dubious, misleading. Bnt3 t
tThyS testimonies are very sure.
"The Word Of the Lord is tried"
'gThis is my comfort in mine afiiction,
for Thy Word hath quickened me W
"Read, read the Bible, 2 said William
Wilberforce on his death bed.
Through all my perplexities and Gus,
tress 1 never read any other book, and
| I never feel the want of any other.
~. r. Macduf, ID. D.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
APOLOGIES.

Everybody knows that window
panes will grow dingy, that dust will
accumulate, that the faces of little
children, like their clothes, have a
natural affinity for dust, that all
clothes will wear out, that paint is
sure to be finger.marked, and that it is
simply impossible to keep every thing
in perfect order all the time. In spite
of this, we are continually apologizing
for omissions, negligences, and errors,
that cannot be avoided and which
would not be noticed, perhaps, if at
teDtion were not called to them by ILL
timed apologies.
It is refreshing to 60 into the houses
of our friends and see things a little
topsy-turvy, and be assured by what
we see that we are all mortal, and only
what is common has happened to US ;
that just when company came onr
hostess has nothing cooked that chill
dren usually quiet and orderly, when
animated by the presence of visitors
show off to the greatest possible dis
advantage; and thus that other people
have their trials as we'll as we ours,
and that the difference between these
and those is quite trivial. On the 9th
er hand, it is really depressing to come
across woman who always, under all
circumstances and on all occasions, is
ready for company, on whose ceilings
spiders never hang their webs, behind
whose furniture dust never hides,
whose closets and drawers and trunks,
being thrown wide open at any mo-
ment, reveal only orderly interiors.
Let the language be changed little
if such woman could be found it
would be diseouraging to persons OF
ordinary feelings. While she had
been polishing her silver, notching her
shelf paper, fiuting her pillow-shams,
adjusting the position of easy chairs
and sofas, and brushing away the last
suggestion of dust from the mantle
piece, possibly it might appear that
She had not the time to glance at the
latest discoveries in science, to enjoy
the last new poems in our magazines
to become posted as to the latest polit-
cial and social events here and abroad.
Should she apologize for this? By no
means. Let her be happy, if thus it
must be, with her perfect housekeep-
ing, and let her sister, who loves some
thing else better than painful domes-
tic neatness, rejoice without envy IN
that something better. 1t is much the
wiser and nobler way to pass those
things for which apologies are general
ly made in silence, and to lead, if pos
sible, the minds of visitors not toward
but away from those things which
suggest apologies. The habitual apol-
ogist is Invariably weak in mind or
body, and frequently in both.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
A. Your Children {, saved.

A very aged converted gypsy woman;
in London used to say to me, He's
INV son, Mr.. Vanderkiste, though he;
is sixty years old.n Old or young,
your children are your children. And
are they all converted? Pray on for
them until they are. How awful TO be;
the parent of lost soul Yet more
awful should it prove thus through
any neglect or misconduct on your
part, in example, or precept, or prayer;
Teach by precept continually, ahG
these words which 1 command tnee'
this day shall be in thine heart. AND
thou shall teach them diligently unto
thy children, and shalt talk Of them
when thou sittest in thine house,
(Deut. viz Teach by pious example
also. The one will not do without the
other. tt-l5 -
A Prime Minister of England, better
known for his politics than for his pie.
ty. once said Whatever good advice
YOU may give your children, II the pa.
rents pursue bad course depend upon
it the children will follow the example
instead of the precept. There are few
principles of human nature stronger
than that of imitation There must
be no crooked and sly ways, which 9
goddess world regards as cleverness and
management. Getting children ION"
in life, getting daughters "well mar. ar
ried," as the phrases run. are SAD nm.
ORANGES to piety in families. No dust
blinds the like eye gold-dust: Parents,
be warned! There is no real agettng
on" and nothing is really WELL that
wanders from the circle Of true piety.
Gracious Lord, thy holy word de-
clares that children are given TO oe
''trained up" for glory. Blessed be thy
name for the multitude of pious pa
rents who have seen their dear chill:
dren brought to the ways of true pissy
by their precept, their example, and
their prayers. Grant by thy Spirit u to
every 1isgyd pa1ens nrayer eneie for children may
abound more and more for Christ's
sake. Amen!, ~.
Rev. r. W. Nanderkiste.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
Training Children to Sense of Duty.

With all the modern improveme
in methods of dealing with children,
and these improvements are many and
great, lit is important to bear it mind
that judicious discipline has animport-
ant part in the wise training of the
young. Discipline is not everytllin 3
in the sphere of child-training; but
discipline is much, in the sphere.
Formerly, discipline was the great
feature, if not, indeed, the only feat
ure, in the training of children. There
was time when children were not al
lowed to sit in the presence of their
parents, or to speak to them unless
they We're first spoken to, or to have a
place with their parents at the home
table or in the church pew when the
approved mode of teaching was a pri-
mitive and very simple one. They
told a child to learn (; and If he did
not, they beat him." The school-days
of children were then spoken of as
"when they under the rod" Even
the occasional celebration of holy
day did not bring unalloyed delight to
the little ones; as, for. instance, ION
|Innocents' Day, an old custom of our
ancestors was to fog the poor children
in their beds, not as q punishment,
but to impress on their minds the
murder of the innocents.n :.
But all this is in the long past. For
la century or more the progress OF in
terest in and attention to the children
has been steady and rapid. And now
the best talent of the world is laid un-
der contribution for little ones. Child
rem need to learn how to do things
which they do not want to do, when
those things ought to be done. Old
people haveto do great many things
from sense of duty. Unless children
are trained to recognize duty as more
binding than inclination, they will
suffer all their lives through from
their lack of discipline in this direc-
tion.
Children ought to be trained to get
up in the morning at a proper hour,
for some other reason than that this is
to be t'the maddest, merriest day in all
the glad new year, They ought to
learn to go to bed at fitting time,
whether they are sleepy or not.
and quantity of their food, ought to be
regulated by some other standard than
their inclinations. In their daily life
there must be place for tasks as tasks
for times of study under the pressure
Of stern duty, in the effort to train
them to do their right work properly.
1t is not enough to have children learn
only lessons which they enjoy, and this
at times and by methods which are pc
culiarly pleasing to them. President
Porter, of Yale, said, in substance, that
the chef advantage of the college cur
riculum is, that it trains young man
to do what he ought to do, when he
ought to do it, whether he wants to do
lit or not. Any course of training for q
young person that fails to accomplish
thus much, is part of sadly imperfect
system.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28

In China, for certain crimes 4 large
square board, having written on it the
mans offense, is fastened around the
criminals neck SO that it can be read
by every passer-by. 1t is called can
g,se. A shoemaker became Chris
tian, and was willing to suffer shame
that he might win the attention. Of his
fellow countrymen. He made himself
u cangue, wrote on it the Ten Com
madments and some verses from the
Gospel, and started through his native
province. The people gathered around
him to read the story of his crime, and
read instead the Word of God. He
then in his own simple way told them
the story of the cross. He laborcd fol-
five years, when the missionaries
heard of his work and came to his
help. How many young preachers i'll
our churches are willing to wear the
cungue for Christs sake?
Missionary Reporter.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
Concord.

7 What we have to say might as well
be put under the heading "Discord." J"
How should we know concord but by
discord, and gicd versGs 80
Some people are by nature harmon
ious, even tempered, serene; but q
great many more are by nature full of
discord and inharmony. They have
aspirations, ambitions, longings, Inn
pulses, that they don't know what to
do with. They have internal tossings.
distrusts, conflicts; and being thus at
odds with themselves, it Is easy for
them to become at odds with others.
Such unfortunates may train themsel-
yes by the aid of philosophy and re-
ligion to keep the peace with themsel-
YES and with others. In dealing with
such people it is well to remember that
the bale of pail measures no more ly-
ing down than when standing up. 1t
is otter nearer around the base of a
mountain than over the top. If our
vis-a-vis is cross-eyed, do we not look
at the straight eye, if we can tell
which it is, and ignore the crossed
one? The business of the oculist, to
be sure, is with the eye that needs
Strengthening; but ours Is not with it,
unless we are called to the work of an
oculist. ... .-
A highly organized nature is sure to
be sensitive, and will often under pres
sure take on abnormal conditions.
We need to know what pressure has
caused these conditions in order to
deal wisely with the case. While wait
ing to know what is best to do, it is al
ways safe to be gentle, kindly, patient,
forbearing. A secret grief may be
gnawing at the heart of the patient,
or bitter disappointment may have
overtaken him, or an incioline disease
may be showing itself in his unhappy
condition.
Many children are made fretful and
peevish by unwholesome and insult
able food, or by irregular meals and in
sufficient sleep. Punishment inf1ict-
ed for faults thus induced is mere cruel
ty. It is true child should be taught
to resrain himself and not give way to
peevishness, but in this, as in many
other cases, an ounce Of prevention IS
worth pound of cure.
One peace maker in jarring faml-
ly can accomplish great good. If each
member of the family knows of one
who will be lenient, kind, obliging,
unselfish, this leaven will work lln-
til the whole lump is leavened. The
peace maker will bear contradiction,
will wait for time and circumstance to
vindicale his ways; will reconcile jar
ring elements, will combine opposing
forces, will harmonize conflicting IN
terests, and by direct and indirect mea-
sures bring about harmony. How
much are such "children of God"
needed in some families!
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28

POCKET MONEY FOR CHILDREN
Children delight in having money OF
their own to Keep or to sepnd as they
choose, and if allowed or required to
earn such spending money they soon
learn to appreciate its value. With a
timely hint now and then, they will
not recklessly invest their nickles, but
with happy, praiseworthy independ-
ence will insist on furnishing their
own pennies for Sunday school and
paying for their jackb knives and fish
hooks and marbles and sand paper and
patent pencils, or doll equipments,
and whatever else weights boy's pock-
ct, and is dear to little girls heart.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28
Faithful.

small sail boat. 1t lay in an inlet on
the New Jersey coast, and had been
hired from them for the season by q
stranger from New York.
"Come along, Bob ~ said one of the
boys, "It's all right now. Well be toe
late for the ball match if we don't
start at once" H..
Bob had taken down some OF the
old ropes, and had rigged the boat
with new ones. The halyards he had
not yet examined.
"They are all right" urged his COM
panion, trying them-"strong enough
to last for years."
"No, I'll put in new halyards;
promised to make a thorough job Of
it.u
"Then you'll miss the game. I'm
offw :.
Tom ran across the field Bob hest
tated as he looked after him. 1t was
sharp disappointment to miss the
game. The old halyards were worn,
but they were still stout. -,
"They'n stand this summer well
enough p' muttered Bob. .'.
Then, with a quick, decisive move,
ment, he cut them, and proceeded
to put in new ropes. '"I'll make the
lob thorough" he said.
/ That very evening the New York
gentleman took party of his friends
out for sail, among them several val
liable to the community, and whose
death would have been a calamity
When they were mile from land, q
fierce squall struck the boat. They
steered toward the shore. The boat
was carrying too much sail for such q
wind.
.If your gaf gives way, we are
gone ~ said physician in the party
in low voice.
ut all depends on the halyards.
They are new. But there is terrific
strain on them"
Every eye in the boat was upon
the short knotted ropes. They creak'
ed ominously; but they bore the strain
and in a short time the boat was drlv.
en- on the beach. Bob's stout bits o1
new rope had saved the lives OF all on
board.
MANY years ago poor German emf.
grant woman sat with her children in
the waiting-room of an eastern station
A lady passing to train, struck by
her look of misery, stopped a moment
to speak with her. The story was
soon told. Her husband had been bur.
led at sea. She was going to Iowa,
and "it was hard to enter q strange
world alone with her babies"
The stranger had but one instant
She pressed little money into the
poor creatures hand. "Alone ?" she
said; "why, Jesus is with you! He
never will leave you alone"
Ten years afterward the woman
said: ''That word gave me courage
for all my life. When 1 was a child, !
knew Christ, and loved Him. / had
forgotten Him. That chance word
brought me back to Him. 1t kept me
strong and happy through all my
troubles" ,.,
Bob's faithfulness in doing "thor
ough job" and the good lady's kind
ness to wayfarer, would have been
comparatively little to their credll
could they have forseseen the moment
Gus consequences of their actions
Who would not be particular about a
rope if he knew beyond a question
that human lives would hang upon it
within twenty-four hours? The tru'
ly faithful souls are those who do theil
duty, as those two did, no matter how
unimportant it may seem in itself OF
how remote and uncertain in It's re-
suits Youths Companion
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28

A little girl was once asked, "What
ia reconciliation After a moments
thoughtful pause, she replied, SECOND
friendship"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-28

The first coach in England was bull
in 1865, for the Earl OF Rutland. F..