davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
A YOUNG TEMPERANCE LECTURER.
A Child's Simple Question Causes n
Drunkard to Reform.

Child's Simple Question Causes n
Drunkard to Reform.
Toledo Blade.l
One of the best and most effective temper
ance lectures ever heard of was delivered
down in South Washington last week. A
bookkeeper for one of the largest hardware
firms in the city has oeen drinking very
heavily OF late, and his spree eliminated on
Friday night, when he turned his wife and
child out of doors. They remained at a
neighbor's house all night, and of course
the entire region round about was discussing
the matter with the volubility which is Gus
tomary on such occasions The next morn
ing as the now sober husband was leaving
his house to go to work, he was met at the gate
by the 4-year-old offspring of his next-door
neighbor. Looking right up into the red
face of the sot, the younger said: "Mr.
-, did you get drunk last night, and
push Mrs, - and Charlie into the street,"
For a moment there was silence, and the
two or three bystanders who heard the
childish query, expected the man to swear
at the little one. Then the great big, i'll
smelling, but penitent drunkard, stopped
down, picked up the child and kissed him
on the forehead eyes," he said, and his
voice was broken, his eyes filled to over
flowing with tears, II was drunk, and was
a brute, but, God helping me, I never will
be again. He sought his wife and child.
sec ured forgiveness, signed total ab-
stinence pledge, and now bids fair to be
good citizen. On the mantel in his parlor
he yesterday placed an elaborately execu-
ted and beautifully framed copy of that
we'll known passage of scriptures: "And a
little child shall lead them"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
Ever Containing to Conquer.

The Rev. DR.. r. 8. Storrs. in a recent notable
utterance on 1.-THE Power of the Gospel in our
National History" shows that despite the
manifold and formidable opposition, Christi
anity has gone on cohquering and to conquer.
He says: Tits remarkable, memorable that
the Gospel of Christ has larger and wider hold
in this country now. proportionately to the
population, than 1t had 100 years ago; in spite
of the fact that we began with distinctly
skeptical tone in our most distinguished public
men, that we have been engaged in wide and
eager political discussion, from the first hour
to the present. that we have had an enormous
material work to do. that there has been this
immense accumulation of wealth and of
all means OF pleasure in the country, that we
have had the civil war to carry through to its
conclusion, that we have been receiving
multitudinous populations from all the earth,
heathen and Christian. piling themselves upon
us until they have seemed to overshadow
and practically overwhelm the original
germ of the English. Dutch. German, and
Swedish population here. 1t is. indeed, a re-
markable result. 1t shows that the Gospel of
Christ is the mightiest moral force on the face
of the earth. Men may not accept it. They
may say. "Oh, it IS the religion of the man in
the pulpit. He believes IL, perhaps; at any
rate he teaches it; but it is nothing to u.s."
skeptical sneers at it. Men of the world may
say, Il don't believe it at all, and therefore I
don't go to church, or care anything about It,"
But no man can read the philosophy of the
history of this country in the last hundred
years without admitting that here, in the Cos
pei as here proclaimed, is the nightest moral
force which exists on the earth. You may call
it fancy, or fiction, or fable, if you choose;
no matter. 1t is the grandest force that has
ever yet appealed to an aspiring. intelligent.
energetic and courageous people; and the
demonstration of it is in the history Of this
hundred years.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
Not an Excuse for Neglect.

Smallness of endowment is no excuse for
neglect Everyone is born with certain
amount Of latent capacity. The purpose of
the discipline of life is to develop and school
this capacity and direct it to wise uses. No
matter whether our natural powers be greater
or less, we are to make the most and best Of
what we have In the parable of the talents
Jesus represents the man who, having received
but one talent, went and buried it, as being
condemned by his Lord. Why? Not because
of the slenderness of his bestowment, but
because he did not as the others did. trade
with it and improve it. 'Tis suggestive
lesson, applicable always and everywhere. Our
capital is health. time, opportunity, culture
whatever gift we possess. These gifts are not
to be neglected. They are sacred trust.
Upon our use or abuse of them depends our
Characteristic essential and immortal part of
u.s. When we waste or even fail to use our
capital we lay up a loss. When we dedicate it
to God and to the help of man we assure for
ourselves honor here and happiness forever.
Good old Herbert was right when he sang:
A servant with this clause
Makes drudgery divine;
Who sweeps a room as for Gods laws,
Makes that and th' action fine.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
BOARDED BY A SWORDFISH.
Vessels Crew Nearly Frightened to Death
by an Ocean Monster.

by an Oce0n monster
Lewiston JournRl.l
He was sailor and talked of sworGfsh.
MANY years ago." said he, "swordfish
were a rarity. To-day l read in the paper
of vessel arriving at Portland with 20, 900
pounds of swordfsh. Ever had any expert
ence with them, Captain?'
eyes, once. I'll give it to you," and he
continued: blue water got distasteful to
me, once on time. A hard rub in q gale
on long trip around the Cape and lone
some welcome home made ME sick. / got
out of it. Couldn't keep out, though, SO I
took one of these bobtail schooners for a
load of Pictou coal in the early days when
those coal mines were first extensively
opened up at Pictou. She was despisable
craft after what had been having, and 1
didn't hold far off the coast, and we was a
running through Casco Bay. 1t was dark
but starlit, and 1 got tired o. the deck and
so l called up the mate and turned in be-
low. l had been down about an hour when
1 woke"
Up on deckwas thumpin', and rappin'
and crashin'
'Hollo, Cap'n!" came back the answer.
"some blanked kind of a craft has boarded
u.s."
Call the hands!'' yelled 1, as I slipped
into my clothes and hunted here and there
After awhile I got on deck and SO did a
light, and there right in the middle of the
deck lay sword6sh half as long as our
craft, as it seemed to me. How his ewes
shone. They looked like two junk bottles
and stuck way out of his head. Everybody
stood back. Gimme room" said !, and I
grabbed a capstan bar and moved along to
his side. His old eyes glared at me as Istood
at one side and drew back the bar. was
strong in those days, but didn't know nv
prey. 1 let him have one right between the
eyes with blow that would have killed an
OK. In an instant the air was full of sword
fish. In two seconds he had cleared that
deck of men who scrambled every way, as
that monster darted here and there, crash
ing and tearing and ripping. When he came
to halt we attacked him again, and for ten
minutes there was the liveliest little fight
between fish and man that I ever saw or
heard Of He tore everything, but we laid
him out. In the side of the house was a
huge hole where he had boarded us, the
sword having stuck through my cabin. He
had tried to jump over US in the night; pos
sibly taking US for big whale
"Wehad sword-fsh boiled; baked; broiled;
fried; stewed; steamed, smothered until 1
can't see a piece without it makes me
weary"
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
Some Interesting Statistics.

The Year Book of the Congregational Church
will probably be published this month. The
returns being all in, the following summary of
the statistics is made public: Number of
churches, 1859; number of new churches. 254:
gam IN number 165; number of members, 45-
COS; added on confession, 25.99i; added by let
ter, 1902; added, total. 45,036; removed by
death, 1905: removed, total, H,417; increase,
1904: baptisms, adult, l2o39; baptisms. infant,
$685. families, 3O3932: Sunday schools. men,
bers, 5S0,672 sunday schools, gain. &,9Sl; Sun
day schools, average attendance. 35l, ,242; Sun
day schools, members Joined church, A,074;
Sunday schools, benevolent contributions.
Sl35, ,294; benevolent contributions of the
churches, S2,2O5, ,563; benevolent gain. Sll0,07S,
of which for foreign missions. S340, ,426; for
education, SAC, ,h33: for church building. S1l3,-
G72; for home missions. S446.g15; for A. NJ. A,
Sl57, 1856; for Sunday schools. So, 479: for new
West, S45S17; for ministerial aid sl12, 7O5: for
other objects. S795S90; charitable legacies,
paid, $56l, ,9l0; home expenditures decrease,
SlO0 O91.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01

chief Consul OF the Geneva bicycle fra
ternity.
Then came delightful trip by steamer on
the placid and picturesque Lake Leman,
which brought us to the historic castle of
CLillon, where we spent couple of hours
inspecting the interior of that venerable
pile, including the dark cellar in which
Bonivard passed SO many weary years of
imprisonment. Mr.. Higgins, whose
kodiak" is seldom idle, used this oppor-
tunity to jump into a small boat and obtain
capital photograph of the cas- lie from the
water-side.
TWO THINGS RATHER HIGH.
We wheeled that night. via Villeneuvs to
Aigle, where we lodged, moving on next
morning to Chateau d'Oex At Gambullez,
where we halted for lunch. the aubergiste
gravely informed us that his house was To-
Gated 8, 900 feet above the sea level, which,
when we came to see our bill, was evidently
intended as preliminary explanation of
the corresponding height attained by his
prices. At Chateau d'Oex, we had beau
tiful view OF the moon rising above the
mountains, and after good nights rest ar
rived at Thun next day in time for lunch
The road thence along the lake shore, plen-
tifully interspersed with tunnels, was novel
anu eAITemSIv picturesque, anu VIC iSdSHS0
the Jungtrau Hotel, at Interlaken, with ap-
petites that made mine host open his eyes
wide with surprise.
Thence we went into Lauterbrunnen, WIS.,
tied the two cascades, and ascended the
mountains by a walk Of 213 hours to Muir
rem, remaining there over Sunday. The
day was rainy-the first unpleasant weather
we had encountered since leaving Oxford
six weeks beforehand the party gladly
availed themselves of the opportunity to re-
main indoors, reading, entering up their
notebooks, and writing letters to their friends
at home.
To morrow night we shall pass at the Falls
of the Rhine. and thence 60 on through the
Black Forest, to Strasburg, Baden Baden.
Heidelberg, Wiesbaden, Coblenz, Cologne
and Rotterdam, at which latter point our
party will break up, some taking ship for
home. and others proceeding to different
destinations on the Continent or in the Brit
ish Islands. E. A. ELwELL.
Manager of the Cyclists Touring Club.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
STRANGE ACTIONS OF ANIMALS.
They Seem Able to ForeteIl the Coming OF
an Earthquake.

They Seem Able to ForeteIl the Coming Of
an Earthquake.
Youths Companion.l
The lower animals are said to be greatly
terrified by earthquakes, and their excite
ment beforehand is sometimes sufficient to
foretell the event. No doubt they know
well enough that something terrible is tax
ing place. Prof. Milne, student of vol
canic phenomena, has recently given vari-
Gus instances Of their behavior at such
times. During the Toxic earthquake of
1880 cats ran about the houses trying to es-
cape; foxes barked, and horses attempted to
kick down the boards confning them in
their stables. In the Lisbon earthquake of
1749 roach and other fish in canal showed
signs of confusion and fright, and fish have
been known, after an earthquake, to rise to
the surface dead and dying.
Most interesting of all are the observa-
tions showing that animals are disturbed
just before shock. So well-known is this
fact that, Tor while after the great Gala
brian earthquake, the neighing OF horse
or the cackle of a goose was sufficient to
send the terrified inhabitants flying from
their houses, in expectation OF another
shock. Ponies have been known to prance
about their stalls, pheasants to scream, and
frogs to cease croaking, short time before
the earth trembled. The Japanese say that
moles show their agitation by burrowing.
Birds hide their heads beneath their wings,
and behave in an unusual manner. Some
times immense focks of sea-birds fly inland,
as if alarmed by an oceanic disturbance.
Before the shock of 1885, in Chilli, all the
dogs are said to have escaped from the city
of Talcahuano.
The most probable explanation of this ap-
parent foreknowledge is that animals are
sensitive to the slight tremors which pre-
cede nearly all earthquakes. Moreover, in
volcanic districts poisonous gases sometimes
emanate from the ground, and animals are
presumed to be unpleasantly affected by
tbop,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
AN ACTOR OF LONG AGO.
Talk With Tragedian Who Went on the
Stage in 1914


Philadelphia Inquirer.l
"I was on the stage in 1884,
Thus spoke Edwin s. Connor, the aged
tragedian.
As the great, deep, stage voice rolled
slowly forth those words the reporter felt
like young sapling in the presence of an
overtowering oak of humanity. 1t was not
alone the voice that rolled. A grand old
head rolled on its axis above splendid
form, erect and tall. The eyes rolled slowly,
and had that f1ity of expression acquired
by gazing at far distant wonders in the
field of thought. Heavy brows knitted
a great cloud of countenance. giving shade
to mental sight of things far off. The
capacious, square forehead bulged with wis
dom at the temples Many clear-cut lines
marked out the features of the face, chiseled
there, it seemed, by sculptors, those great
dramatists whose noblest characters, acted
by the famed tragedian, had left their i'm
press on this face before the readers eye. It
was face that sparkled with the light of
humor The corners of the mouth curying
upward, told of virtuous living and think
ing. In planetary volume this charac-
ter seemed to roll on around the orbit of its
oU years, the age OF EQWln .. COnnOr. such
would have been the impression of anyone
as the venerable tragedian fixed his vision
on his childhood days in Philadelphia, and
said: 81 was on the stage in 1874"
Sitting IN comfortable chair at the st.
Elmo Hotel yesterday Mr.. Connor went on
with interesting "reminiscences, fresh humor,
and now and then an anecdote, as bright as
the thousands he used to relate from the
fund that made him famous for his story
telling.
''It was down at the theater at Fourth
and South streets, now turned into a dis
tillery. 1t was in The Desolate Island
There was monkey in the play. The
monkey had great deal to do with child.
was that child"
This was the beginning of the actors stage
life. He aftervard acted the greatest as
we'll as the least of nearly all the characters
in the classic dramas of his century, and was
noted for a versatility that could portray
Richelieu and minstrel song and dance parts
with equal ease.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
FED BY HIS FELINE FRIEND,
How a Hungry Dog Got His Dinner With.
out Stealing 1t.

Boston Courier.I
One dog story always leads to another,
and he who has told one is as a matter of
course expected to follow it up with sec
ond. Therefore to the story told last week
the editor is constrained by immemorial
custom to add the following:
A lady who has a superb tawny st. Ber-
nard relates that at one period in his career
Bruno had warm attachment for black
cat. Puss was accustomed to sleep upon
the dogs great yellow head, and the pair
are described as looking very picturesque
together.
On one occasion the cook was more than
usually busy, and having boiled the dogs
dinner and set it to cool, she forgot to give
it to him. Poor hungry Bruno bore it in
silence for some time, and even went to the
unusual length of begging little for his
delayed dinner, but all to no avail. At
length the cook went out of the kitchen,
leaving the pot of meat on the stool. A SER
want who was in the next room saw Bruno
go up to it, put his nose over the edge, and
whine hungrily, but without attempting to
take anything out. He evidently struggled
with himself but he finally conquered the
temptation, and retired to the other side of
the room, where he lay down all alert to
watch for the coming again of the cook.
The black cat, who had seen all this, evil
IDENTIFY thought that the time had now come
for her to interfere. She jumped upon the
stool where the pot of meat was sitting,
fished out big bone, and carrying it across
the kitchen, dropped it at Bruno's feet. The
dog evidently felt that to hesitate any lon-
ger would be flying in the face of Provi-
dence, and be tell upon the bone ravenously,
while puss, with the most evident conscious
ness of having done clever thing, rubbed
herself purring against his great tawny
sides
All this the servant saw, and in due time
did report, to credit alike of the reputation
of the dog and of the cat,
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
A TERRIER BROUGHT TO TERMS.
A Story That Proves That a Dog Can Rea.
son and Remember.

Story That Proves That Dog Gan hea.
son and Remember.
Youths Companion.l
Mrs. E. Picton had Skye terrier, which
manifested a strong aversion to being
washed. In time this aversion increased to
such degree that the servants refused to
perform the ablutions, being afraid to do so
on account of the ferocity evinced by the
dog on such occasions. Mrs. Picton herself
was unwilling to undertake the Office, for
though the animal was passionately at
tached to his Mistress such was his hor-
ror of the bath that even she was not safe.
Threats, beating and starving were
of no avail. He was determined; he would
not take a bath.
At last hit upon new device. With
out curtailing his liberty in any way, gave
him to understand, by taking no notice Of
him, that he had offended me. He was
usually the companion of my walks, but
now refused to let him accompany me. On
returning home, I took no notice of his de-
monstrative welcome, and if ne came look
ing up at me Tor caresses when I was en-
gagged either in reading or needlework. I
deliberately turned nv head aside. This
state of things continued for week or len
days, and the poor animal looked wretched
and forlorn. There was evidently conflict
going on within him, which told visibly on
his outward appearance.
Then one morning he crept quietly up to
me, and gave me a look which said as
plainly as words could have done, 81 can
stand it no longer; L submit" And submit
he did, quietly and patiently, to one of the
roughest ablutions 1t had ever been his lot
to experience. After the washing was over,
he bounded to me with joyous bark and
veg of his tail, saying Enthusiastically, 81
know all is right now" He took, as of
right, his place by my side when went out
to walk, and retained from that time his
usual joyous demeanor.
When the time for the next bath came
round, the old spirit of obstinacy revived,
but single look at my averted countenance
was sufficient for him, and he again SUBJ
mitted without murmur. Why should we
hesitate to ascribe reasoning faculty to an
animal in which struggle between op-
posing desires could thus be carried on for
days together?
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
One Of the Fine Arts.

Coincidence is fine art. The best school in
which to study it is sympathy. Its golden rule
is, put yourself in his place. Often, silence is
the most expressive and comforting form of
coincidence. After the battle Of Leipzig. which
decided the overthrow of Bonaparte's power,
he was sitting at a window in Freiburg, his head
resting on his arm. in utter despair. Berthier,
Marshal and Vice Constable of France, sat op-
posite to him in similar state. Neither spoke;
and officers who entered were silently ordered,
by wave of the hand, to leave the room.
There are griefs which are too deep for utter
ance. Speech is felt to be as impertinent as
would be the chatter Of a magpie over a coffin.
And so as Whittier sings:
With silence only as their benediction,
Gods angels come,
Where, in the shadow Of great afiiction,
The soul sits dumb.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
CAESARS PROUD BOAST.
His Wife Overheard il and His Pride Had a
Great Fall.

Scottish Americana
A Scotch minister was sorely kept under
by his "better hall" who placed him and
his friends on very short allowance. On one
occasion he had visit from an old acquaint-
ance and after patiently waiting for his wife's
departure she at length. as he thought, re-
tired for the night. She had no sooner left
than the hen-pecked husband exultingly ex-
claimed, "I am determined to be Caesar in
my own housed" and at the same time rang
the bell and ordered refreshments.
Just as be and his friend were beginning
to enjoy themselves ''my lady" (who had
overheard her unfortunate lords boastful
ejaculation) popped her head in at the door
and said firmly, Caesar, come to bedP'
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
Pu.rinx Money Iu,o a Good Work.

The Rocky Mountain Christian Advocate
gives full account of the contribution by Mrs.
Bishop Warren Of $4,000 to found a school of
theology in connection with the Denver Uni
versity. and Of further gift of $4,000 from her
SON. w. 8. 1if. for the erection of q suitable
building for the school. Such giving is worthy
of all praise, and, besides founding school of
theology for the Central West, the example
ought to be a stimulus for other loyal and
wealthy Methodists to do as these have done.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01

q
It is sometimes said that women are lacking
in individuality. Certain thinkers, Coleridge
among the rest. have stoutIy maintained that
this is their crowning charm, as tastelessness
proves the purity of water, or as transparency
shows the quality OF glass. The difficulty with
this statement Is that it is not true. For there
are all kinds and degrees Of feminine, Just as
there is of Observation-Disclosures. What an exam
pie Of variety of individuality in and all the way
between the extremes marked by Miriam beat
ing her timbrels, and Cleopatra applying the
wasp; Cornelia showing her jewels, and Jezebe1
in her rage; Madame Guyon rapt
in God. and Lucretia Borgia raging
the thronef and Florence Nightingale
sweetening the Grimean war with phflanthro-
pic deeds. DIR. Alger has well asked what
group of msn can be brought together more
sharply contrasted in diversity of traits and
destiny than such women as Eve in Eden,
Mary at the Cross, Rebecca beside the well
curb, Ruth among the corn, Joan of Arc in bat
tie, Perpetua-F + smiling on the lions in the
amphi-theater. Pocahontas under the shadow
vent, Madame Roland on the scaffold, De Stael
sceptered with pen. and Mrs Fry lavishing
her existence upon outcasts? Yet these dis
similar women were ornaments of their sex
and time. Their diversity is beyond calcula-
ton. The difference between men and women
does not lie along the. line of individuality. We
cannot say that individuality is plus quality
in the one and minus in the other. The diff
ference is to be sought, rather, in intellectual
two parts of one whole. 1t takes both to make
either. He is strongest in reason and she in
sentiment. She thinks best through his head,
and he feels best through her heart.
Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE MUSIC.
A Disappointed Listener Refuses to Pay the
Musician Cent.
Detroit Free Press.I

Musician a Cent.
Detroit Free Press.I
The Italian who runs the peanut stand at
the corner of Woodward avenue and Con-
gress street was turning his peanut roaster
the other afternoon with slow and measured
hand when an old woman came to halt and
carefully observed the operation. After
scrutinizing the roaster from every side she
finally gave it up and remarked:
mo, sir; you don't get cent out of me
for no such music as thatl Why, can't.
catch half of any OF the tunes, and it smells
as if something was burning insidel"