davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
Are We Growing Better?

There is no doubt but what the
churches are growing, and it cannot be
denied that the gospel is being preach
ed to more people than at any former
period of the worlds history but it is
not certain that, with all the superior
advantages which this age enjoys, the
world is getting any better.
If one will take the time to glance
over the world and see what influence,
control men, he will be astonished pei.
haps at finding that even the so called
Christian people are, everywhere
"walking in the counsel of the ungod
ly.n Th9 ball room the card table, the
saloon, the theatre, the race track, the
circus, which to the Christians of the
earlier days of the present century
were considered sinful things, are
more or less visited by protesting
Christians everywhere, and such is the
low standard of the church that it is 6
rare thing for one to be excommunica
ted, especially if he has stiff bank
account and possesses influence in the
community.
There never was time when so ma
ny revolving crimes were committed as
at present; and what makes it so fear
full, to the contemplative mind, is the
fact that, especially in the larges cities
the officers of the law are not unfre'
quently controlled by the most vicious
elements of society, to the extent, IN
some instances, of putting the quiet
and orderly portion of the community
in the mower and under the control oil
that vicious elemeut.
To our mind the church of God is in
the midst of great peril, and unless
there is a speedy return to those bolder
methods which in all ages have over
come the wickedness OF the wicked,
spirituality, in the church, Will ere
long be thing of the past.
There is no danger but what the
church will be strong numerically. IL
was so in the days of our Lord, yet it
was the church of that day that cried
ont "Crucify Him! Cruelty Him ~
The church in these days, just as it
was in those, is very popular. 1t is re-
spectacle to belong to the church.
People get into good society by joining
the church, and when they JOIN they
want fine edifice in which TO meet,
and an eloquent preacher to tell them
all about the sciences and the arts, and
quote from the old poets and orators of
I've ancient days" and now and then,
by way of diversion, to pitch into Nor
monisn and cannibalism.
We have good preachers, but is it not
TO be feared that, instead of leading the
people to Il higher life, the people--the
worldly-minded, theatre-going, ball
going, circus-going saloon going peo-
ple-are leading the preachers down to
their level, and compelling them to
walk in the counsel of the ungodly? ?
Reader, what do you think of the signs
of the times?
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
Seeing Faults.

How easy it's for us to see the good
side of our own faults, and the bad side
Of faults that are not CURSOR that we
do not suppose to be ours If we have
toadmit that we are close-fisted, we con-
sole ourselves with the thought that
that is better than to be spendthrift.
If we see that we are unable to be wise
Iy frugal with our means, we say that
at all events we are not miserly. If
we find that we are lacking in a readi-
ness to speak hearty words of praise
where they are due, we are careful to
have it understood that we are not
given to flattery, and that it is always
better to say too little than too much
by way Of praise to any person. If
our impulse is to multiply inconsider-
ate words Of admiration and of ap-
proval whenever an occasion offers, we
think that that at least is preferable to
holding back from out-spoken COM
mendation, when that is in order.
And so tits all along the scale of faults
and folies. This is perfectly natural /;
and it is as wrong as it is natural.
The last thing that any one of us
ought to do is to emphasize the better
side of his own lack. It may. do for
others to do this in our behalf; but it
is not the thing for us to do. Our way
ought rather to be that Of bringing in
to prominence the better side of faults
to which we are not ourselves prone,
and the worst side of those to which
we are addicted. If we are close-fisted,
we ought to feel that it would be a
great deal better to be thoughtlessly
generous than to be mean. If we are
too open-handed, we ought. to confess
that over-frugality is vast improve
ment on recklessness in outlay. If
we are stinted in our words of praise,
we owe it to our better nature to say
that there is less excuse for this fault
than for that of profuse flattery. If
we are inclined to be fatterers, it Is
our duty to insist that saying nothing
is better than saying too much. This
way would at least tend to correction
of our faults, as the others way surely
tends to confirm them. But better
way than either of these two would be
to recognize the truth that between
two evils one ought to choose-neither.
If it be Scylla on the one hand and
Charybdis on the other, the safer course
is in mid-channel.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
1t Cannot Last Forever.

I've word Of comfort for You
Who on life $ rugged road
Are toling meath the burden
or q heavy, hopeless load;
II will make your heart grow lighter,
Whatever be your wrong,
And give you strength 10 bear IT.,
If you take these words along,
And say when clouds of darkness
Around your pathway hover,
"The sun is shining just beyond.
It cannot last forever
Just try then when You arc wearicd
BY each petty care and strife,
By each little aggravation
OF your common daily life;
When angry words arc rising.
That you can scarcely smother,
And everything seems "twiSted up,
And tied in knots to bother,
You'll find these words are like knife,
Each twisted knot TO sever;
Then Straighten ont each tangle with
sit cannot last forever
Or if some great disaster
Like n cyclone sweep your sky,
And stunned and helpless with the shocj
Beneath the wreck You lie,
Remember that no storm comes
But has clearing day;
The darkest night a morning,
An end the longest way:
Then take these words to cheer you,
You'll find them like n lever
To raise your sinking spirits up.
"It cannot last forever"
LILA NJ. ALENASDEE.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
He Killed Him.

Mr.. J. r. Gilmore relates that on
one occasion, during the civil war, ne
was riding in railway train, and hac
fallen half asleep, when somebody laio
a hand on his shoulder ana salo
"Don't want ter 'sturb yer, stranger
but there aint nary mother STUN
place in the whole kear." The speak
er was u man of about 40 years, whose
strange clothing at once attracted MT
Gilnore's attention--the gray uniform
of Confederate officer, and III tne
coat, lust over the heart, u round mole
scorched ut the edges and stained Will
blood. He proved to be Union
scout. :.
GLOW could you manage to live
with such hole there ?" asked Mr.
Gilmore.
"Oh, I warn't inside of lem just
then, though / warrant he war Il likely
feller, that war. I orient ter "a done
hit. but / he'd ter. This war be-"
He took out of his pocket a small
miniature. 1t was Il plain circlet OF
gold attached to piece of blue ribbon
One side of the rim was slightly clip
ped, and the upper portion Of the ivo
nv was stained with blood but enough
of it was unohscured to show me the
features of a young man, with Il full
frank, manly face.
With feeling akin to horror, was
handing the picture back to the scout
when, in low, stammering tones, he
said 'Tother side, sir. LUX III
'tother side"
I turned it over and saw the portrait
of young woman, scarcely more than
seventeen, most beautiful and cngaS
ing face.
With intense loathing turned upon
the scout, and exclaimed: "And you
killed that man?"
ayes, sir, God forgive me! T done
hit. But | couldn't holp hit. He had
ne down: he'd cut me thar" turning
up his sleeve and showing dccr
wound in his arm. cam thar" remov'
ing the bandage and displaying Il long
cash back Of his ear.
ellis arm wuS riz ter strike agin; IN
another minnie he'd hev cluv my
brain. / seed hit, sir, an fired. God
forgive me, I fired I wouldn't "a
done hit cf I'd knowed thet," and Inc
looked down upon the face of the
sweet young girl. and the moisture
came into his eyes. "I'd hev shot i'm
somcwhar but yere, somewhar but
ycre ~ and laying his hand over the
rent in his coat, he groaned as if nc
felt the wound.
With that blood stained miniature
in my hand, and listening to the brolI'
en- words of that ignorant scout, real
lied the horrible barbarity of war
Yo,ttHs Companion.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
The Summit of Perfection.

1t is q good thing to be at the top,
but in religion the bottom is the Top.
Humility is perfection. The valley Is
the highest point. But this summit is
not found i'm sweet frames, strong pro-
fessions, nor rapturous heights. Per
fection has a unique test, it is found in
all out of the way place. Friends do
not test it, but our foes do; enemies
all us in scaling these blessed
heights. He who is not strong
enough, not brave enough, not good
enough to have enemies will scarcely
rise to this lofty enlinence. Summon
your bitterest foes, the one who hates
you, curses you, despitefully uses anu
persecutes you, and as you, look on
him and think of all his meanness,
how do you feel and act toward him
This is the test. This is the divinity
and incompatible excellence of our
holy religion. Our enemies become
the ladder by which we mount to THIS
heavenly summit.
"Love your enemies, bless them that
curse YOU, do good to them that hate
YOU and pray for them which despite
fnlly use you, and persecute you.
This is the highest point. This Is
the Law. This is perfection. The
perfection of humility, the perfection
of love, God-like and divine.
The Western Presbyterian has the
following good-humored hit: "Onr
GOOD friends of the Seventh Day Bap-
list persuasion are in Il dilemma. One
of their doctrines is that only 1000
souls will be saved. But their body
has grown much that now their own
communicates number 100000. They
will either have to purge their rolls, or
apply to some legislative power, as one
of our colleges has recently done, for Il
change of charter that the unexpected
returns may be utilized"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
Teach Girls to Think.

Said mother 10 me one day
"What preliminary course Of study
would you advise Il young lady to pur-
sue who anticipates learning some bus
incss or profession ~ I answered:
LET her study everything which
will teach her how 10 think. Good
and the intelligence that
comes from Il mind that has been not
merely cr;unned with knowledge, but
developed, are the qualities most high
ly priced, and unfortunately most
difficult 70 find not only in women,
but in men. This, doubtless, Is due in
great measure to our imperfect system
of education"
Teachers of stcnography find this
the greatest difficulty to contend with
in preparing their pupils for positions.
While there are very few who cannot
learn how to write shorthand, two
thirds of those who take up this study
are obliged to abandon it because their
reasoning powers, and consequently
|! Judgment, have not been sufficiently
trained to enable them to read their
notes intelligently. This same lack of
Judgment is met within every depart
ment of business. So much is this the
case, people have sometimes been led
to the fallacious conclusion that men
will succeed better in business if they
start life with little or no education.
The trouble is, that people have not
been educated too much for business,
but that they have been educated in
the wrong way.
Mary F. Seymour, in Business Wo-
n07e'S Journal.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24

The mind wants steadylng ana set-
ting right many times day. 1t re-
sembles compass placed on q rickety
table-the least stir of the table makes
the needle swing round and point un-
true. Let it settle till it points Alright.
Be perfectly silent for few moments,
thinking about Jesus !; there is almost
O divine force in silence. Drop the
thing that worries, that excites, that
interests, that thwarts you; let 1t fall
like sediment to the bottom, until
the soul is no longer turbid, and say,
secretly: "Grant, beseech thee, mer-
ciful Lord, to thy faithful servant par
don and peace that I may be cleans
ed from all my sins, and serve tnee
with quiet mind ~
He who desiras to become spiritual
man must not be ever taking note OF
others, and, above all, Of their sins,
lest he fall into wrath and bitterness,
and Judging spirit towards his neigh
| bors. o children, this works such
great mischief in mans soul as 1t is
miserable to think of; wherefore, as
YOU love God, shun this evil temper,
and. turn your eyes full upon your
selves, and see if you cannot discover
the same fault in yourselves, either IN
times past or nowadays.
SToCK1NGs.-If a lining of firm
cloth is sewed inside the heels OF stock
ings when they are new, or when they
begin to show signs of wear, they Will
last much longer than if this is omit
ted. Rather better than lining them
with cloth is running them up and
down with double yarn of darning cot
ton. Stockings defended in this way
require little attention each week when
they come from the laundry. Show
this to your wife. ...... .-
THE CHECK REIN.-If you care for
the comfort of your horses take or all
the check-reins and destroy them.
Nature knows how horse ought to
hold his head. The check-rein is tor
ture and barbarism. No matter what
else you forget about horse, remem-
Der this. You can't forget it anyway
and even if you keep on the check-
rein after this you will never look at 1t
without knowing that you are doing a
cruel thing.
BOILED ToNGUE.-A tongue which
has not been dried will require very
little soaking, but if dried it should be
soaked in water for several hours; then
put into cold water and boiled gently
until broom straw will readily pierce
it. Then remove it from the kettle and
off the skin. A tongue requires from
three to four hours slow simmering
according to it's size. =.
A Good way to arrange fruit In a
dish for an ornamental piece, is to seta
glass tumbler in the centre of the dish,
around and over it put thick layer OF
moss; then not nearly 80 much fruit
will be required, and 1t can be arranged
very handsomely.
To have cheese-cloth curtains retain
their creamy look, put little strong
coffee or saffron tea into the water in
which they are rinsed lace can be CIV
en- the same creamy hue by the same
process.
Sir Peter Lely made it rule never
to look at bad picture, having found
by experience that whenever ne dlo 30,
his pencil took Il hint from it. Apply
this to bad books and bad company.
Never mix wood ashes with manure
of any kind. but apply it to the land
separate and alone.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24

Suspicious. There are many suspi-
cions that need crushing in the bud.
We fancy our friend is cool to us |; we
imagine some one has sighted us we
suspect our neighbor of having spoken
ill of us. Most likely we are mistaken,
and, in any case, we could never prof-
tably search into the matter. Our trust
in our friend or our own self-respecs
should lead us to put away such
thoughts, to abandon such suspicious.
Some one has perhaps dropped pois-
onous word of scandal into our ears
let us Danish itfrom our thoughts with
scorn. Circumstances may tend to
cast suspicion on one whom we honor
let US continue to trnst him in our
heart of hearts. We may fear that
some one has committed afault, which,
however, does not concern us in the
least, and in which we are not called
upon to interfere-let US expel the
idea as an unwelcome intruder. b 4:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24

In the education of colt or Il filly,
the same care is needed as that of Il
child. The disposition should be stud
led, and defects eradicated by kind yet
firm treatment. At present, If foal
is of a lively temperament, it is at once
/ put down as vicious, and If either or
| its parents have showed what is mis-
called vice, the result of mistaken
brutality in their education, then the
foal's liveliness is put down as heredl-
tary vice, and a prolonged course of
harsh conduct and beating is deemed
necessary to effect a cure. If, on the
other hand, the young animal is OF q
slow and heavy nature, it is erroneous
ly supposed to be the result OF vicious
sullenness, and the same treatment as
i'm the case Of the lively foal is under
taken-harsh treatment and beating
to bring them into so-called suhjection.
In each case this cruel discipline had
| Just the opposite effect to that sought
land hence we have sadly too many
kicking, biting, jibbing and boltlng
horses. In place of having horses
which entertain affection for man we
have them in constant fear Of man,
ever expectant of blow, and their
worst actions, often leading up to acci,
dent or death, are too often the result
of this fear; possibly some movement
of the driver not connected with them
being misconstrued into the intention
to infiict a blow. In the breaking
and education of all young animals
firmness should blend with kindness
but never with harshness or brutality.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24

I knew little boy whose heart was
touched by sermon on the words,
aBehold, I stand at the door, and
Knock Ny mother said to him when
she noticed that he was anxious:
"Robert, what would you say to any
one who knocked at the door of your
heart, if you wished him to come in?'
He answered: "Td say, Come
in.'"
She then said to him: "Then say
to the Lord Jesus. Come ill., "
The next morning there. was q
brightness and joy about Roberts face
that made my father ask:
"Robcrt, what makes you look SC
glad and joyful to-day?"
He replied, joyfully: Il awoke in
the night, and 1 felt that Jesus Christ
was still knocking at the door of my
heart for admittance into it. l said
to Him, Lord Jesus, come in!
think He has come into my heart. /
feel happier this morning than l ever
was in all my life. How ungrateful
and wicked in me to keep Him wait
ing outside so longW-Sclectcd.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24

When Phillips Brooks rose last Sun
day to give out his text, II was in a
prison, and We came unto me-" Il little
fellow, five or six years old looked up
anXiously into his grandma's face, as
he exclaimed in hoarse whisper,
plainly audible to those in the ada
cent seats, "Grndma. was Mr.. Brooks
ever really in prison."
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24

Scientific men in Mexico are begin
ming to study the meteorological phc-
nomena which are believed to he due to
the building of railways in the country.
Recent serious damage done by wash
outs on the northern section of the
Mexican Central road was due to water
spouts bursting on the track, and it is
a curious fact that waterSpouts seem to
be attracted by the iron track and tele-
graph wires. Residents of the interior
say that an electric current runs along
the track, which makes 4 convenient
avenue for storms, and recently, in
building the Guadalaiara branch of
the Mexican Central, it has been noted
by the engineers that as fast rs the con-
struction advances rain follows. They
hold that this is due to the large uUan-
tity of steel rails on flat cars, which are
carried forward as fast as the work of
construction permits. The most no
ticeable fact is that the country is dry
in advance of the construction trains,
and also behind them for many miles.
Rains beat down, as described, in buck
etfuls, just where the steel rails are, but
only in circles few miles in diameter
He is a careful man, and docs not
like to be unprcpared for possible emer-
gencies. While in a strange hotel in
the provinces, few months ago, he
discovered, just before extingushing
the light in his room, that there were
only four matches in the MATCHBOX
"If I awake at night" he thought,
"and these matches are wet. what shall
l do?n Whereupon he tested them
one by one, blew them out in turn, aud
TRANQUILITY laid him down to rest.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24
From Oregon comes this little item

From Oregon comes this little item,
which NAV be called "Childish Rea-
soninw on Il Childish Doctrine ~
The following was told ne by a
friend the other day: Her little sister,
of four or five summers, who vas Wis
iting her, has lived much alone with
father and mother in the big wood
has learned to talk to herself, and has
an extensive imagination. She had
evidently heard some one talk on
"Christium Science" Her sister hap
pencd to overhear this bit of her
"thinking out aloud"
II see Il great big black dog-O, a
beautiful dog! And sec ! There is Il
lot of little dogs running after him
just as hard as they can. But, then,
he don't mind il; they don't hurt him,
because he is Il christian Science day."
Let us live better today than we did
yesterday.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24

Truth is beautiful as well as safe and
mighty. In the incident related be-
low, Il hoy twelve years old, with only
truth as Il weapon, conquered Il smart
and shrewd lawyer who was fighting
for Il bad cause.
"Truth is the highest thing man
may keep" and the noblest child OF
man is he who keeps the truth ever be-
tween his lips.
Walter was the important witness in
a law suit. One Of the lawyers, after
cross questioning him severely, said,-
"Y0ur father has been talking to
you and telling you how to testify,
hasen't hep"
"Yes," said the boy. -,
"Now," said the lawyer, "just tell
us how your father told you to testi-
'"Well," said the boy, modestly, ''fa-
thcr told me that the lawyers would
try and tanglc me in my testimony
but, if / would Just be careful and tell
the truth, ] could tell the same thing
every time."
The lawyer didn't try to tangle up
that boy any more.-Ecchd'gc.
The world loves to laugh and just as
the week ends the German portion OF
Europe is convulscd over the following
paragraph, which narrates. it is said,
an actual occurrence. "Trichina is still
greatly dreaded by Germans. The lat
est case is an odd one. A peasant was
arrested for not having his pigs cNanl-
incd before selling their pork. 'Oh,
he said, but that's not necessary. /
have a perfectly certain method of
settling my pigs' condition. Under
fear of punishment, he stated that his
pastor was always hungry, so he makes
up the first sausage from each pig for
him aud sends it as Il present. I
know he cats it at once. Then after 4
week go and inquire about his health.
If he is well can safely sell the pork,
and can save examination fees too "
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-07-24

In the midst of many correctional
and local church interests, the super
annuatcd preachers are liable to be
neglected. They have claim on the
Church second to no other. There is
no organized society with secretaries
and agents to champion their cause
and keep the facts which would call
forth liberal contributions before the
Church. Bnt their silence and their
need are eloquent. Let one day be de-
voted to the veterans, not merely for
the sake of the memory to he collected
and the want to be relieved and the
comfort to bc impaired, but to inspire
the Church with the spirit of Chris
tian heroism i'm which these self-dcny-
ing pioneers toiled. We have entered
into their IabnlN. Let us also enter i'll
to sympathy with them.