davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
Pickin. Up,

One of the time-consumlng cares o1
every house-keeper may be described
under the general head Of picking up.
She picks up after her husband, aftei
her girls, after the babies in the nur.
sery. The latter strew the nursery
floor with their blocks, toys, and pic
ture books; about one baby in a hun
dred are being taught TO put its little
properties away when done with them,
while the other ninety-nine are dill
gently instructed at all early age in the
art of being waited upon by their ell
ders. Girls come in from their pleas
ant excursions here and there, flushed,
dimpled, sweet as the rose that laughs
in the hedge; but sweet as they look,
they are thoughtless beyond belief III
the matter of making work for their
mothers. A parasol on the piano, a
pair Of gloves on the muslc-fach, a nat
on the top of u cabinet, wrap thrown
carelessly on the back of an easy chair,
and the young woman drifts languidly
into the dining-room, quite obllvlous
that it will take mamma or the maid
good quarter of an hour to "tidy" the
apartment which they have set aWry.
Doubtless their intention is to carry
their things to the proper places them
selves, after a period of rest, but she
who procrastinates in such an affair is
lost. In putting away ones outdoor
clothing, ones letters, ones books, ii
is the first moment of decision which
counts, the primary indecision which
is fatal. What the young person lazl-
ly or thoughtlessly imposes Oh some
body who is older, and by reason OF
her added years less able to bear the
strain, may be just the traditional
straw, beyond which strength and Wig
or will endure no more.
For the good man of the house we
have always the most elastic liberation,
yet We think that too often he binds u
burdent on the shoulders of his wife
which frets her unwarrantably, though
she makes no sign of complaint. "My
husbands progress through the
house." said matron recently, is
marked by litter of hats, coats, slip
pers, newspapers, pamphlets, books,
boots, corEscrews, inkstands, reports,
collars, handkerchiefs, etc. He is for
ever saying, "Dear, do you remember
where you put such or such q thing OF
mine?" and wondering why his wife
has so inconvenient habit of clearing
things up.
1t needs only a glance to show that
if every body were of one mind about
putting articles at once where they be-
long, picking up would be reduced to a
minimum, and one labor of the house
wife greatly simplified.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
A Secret.

BY LIZZIE NJ. HADLEf.
"Ill tell you something" says little Bell,
"If you're certain, sure, you'll never tell.
"Well then," whispers the little maid,
any papa, a great big mans afraid"
"Oh, isn't that funny enough ?" laughed Sue
Your papa's afraid, and mine Is, too."
"Not of bears or tigers or bumble.bees;
It's something thousand times worse thar
these.
IT'S terrible thing, that goes up and down
Through every city, village and town.
And my papa says he almost knows
That things will be ruined wherever 1t goes.
Yes, isn't 1t dreadfulg" says Belle. with sigh
sit will swear, and papa says, steal and lie.
1 'spect 1t has horns and cloven feet;
AndSue! what do you s'pose 1t Will eat"
Then closer together drew each little maid
Looking about as If half afraid.
They might see this thing with cloven feet;
And find it liked little girls to eat.
And then they fancied they heard 1t roar,
AS 1t gobbled them up and cried for more,
ooh, it's nsme," cries Belle, "is 80 dreadful
too;
Does your papa call it Republican, sue7"
Sue shakes her head "Oh, it can't be that.
For my papa calls 1t a Democrat"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27

We can appear at our worst without
special effort; but in order to appear
to advantage we must struggle inces-
sanity against temptation. The ugly
side of our nature, craving expression
no less than our good side, sneaks into
our activities whenever we are off our
guard. 1t is constantly seeking a
vent. With some Of us, it comes out
when we sit behind a writing-table ;
with others of us, when we rise in the
pulpit, or in the superintendent's
desk; with yet others of us, when we
are confronted by unexpected visitors
or difficulties, or when we run anew
against confirmed and ever-recurring
faults in our subordinates, or When we
open the door Of home, or gather about
the dinner-table. What poison this
ugly side can put into print, or into
talk, or into debate, or into teaching or
preaching! What causes it can frus-
trate! What humiliation it will even
tually bring upon US i! If, indeed, we
could keep this side of our personality
out of our dealings with others, what
d worldful of good and of happiness
would be restored to the very circle in
which we move!
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27

A NOBLE SCHooL.-Mrs. Sharp Ia
missionary sent out by the Woman's
Foreign Missionary Society of the
Methodist Episcopal church, said one
day to her little negro scholars in West
Africa:
IA poor Congo woman wants me to
take her little girl"
"Take her take herW exclaimed all
the children in chorus.
"But / do not feel as if could feed
more than I now have" she answered
They thought while and then the
eldest said, If we could work and earn
something, we could buy her food"
eyes, but know of no one who has
any work you could do"
After some talk in Kroo, one of them
said, "Take her, cook the same as now
and we will all give her part off each
ones plate till she have plenty, only
take her and teach her about God"
What made it the more touching was
that none had more than they really
wanted for themselves, and that Other
tribes very much dislike Congo people
yet they were all willing gladly to di'
vide what they had with even Congo
child.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
The Believers Victory.

How is it achieved? Not by doubt
ing the plain revelation God has given
us, for it has been forcibly said, "DOubt
cramps energy. 1t is not so far as s
man doubts, but so far as he believes
that he can achieve or perfect any
thing. Only so far as a man believes
strongly, nightly, can he act cheer
fully, or do anything that is worth do.
ing" IF thou canst believe, all
things are possible to him that believ.
eth," said the infallible Teacher.
Many a one will say, ~ have long
desired to possess this overcoming
faith, but something seems to obstrucl
the way" 1t is useless repetition OIL
words to urge upon such persons "Be.
lieve," "believe," "that is all you have
to do" They cannot believe, and SC
gain the victory, without more cor.
rect view of their own hearts. 1t j.
often the case that spiritual victory is
withheld because the heart cannot be
entrusted with the spoils of conquest.
AS Mr.. Spurgeon says, ut behooves us
to lay all our laurels at Jehovah's feet,
each one of US saying, BY my God
have I wrought this valiant deed.
The trophies of our conflicts we here.
by dedicate to the God of battles, and
ascribe to Him all glory and strength
Let Him see that we are ready to take
to ourselves credit for any victory we
may gain over the world, the flesh
and the devil, and so to boast of oui
own prowess or skill, and the princi.
Piles, both of love and of rectitude,
compel Him to deny the believing
spirits to our souls. Victory over oul
foes comes only through faith that i
unostentatious and unselfish, and
without any thought of merit, contin'
ually falls PROSTATE at the mercy seat
1t is not necessary in order to possess
such a faith that there must be long
period of preliminary training. Moth
ing is required but a just view of our.
selves of the fact that all we are, OF
ever can bc spiritually, is of grace
and exists irrespective of personal
merit. This view may he the abiding
conviction of a soul at q very early pc
riod of religious experience. 1t is fol
this reason, among others, that all new
converts should he scriptually taught
not committing the fatal error of rest
ing in a present emotional religion
without giving attention to the foun'
dations Of their faith.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
A Sharp Thrust.

Some men who pass for very respect
able citizens, and who really are not
without good qualities, have habit OF
not only finding fault with their wives
at every least provocation, but OF do
ing it in terms such as no gentleman
would think of applying to any LADY
except his own wife, or possibly his
own sister.
There is a story that such man
came home from the shop one night,
and found his wife much excited over
the outrageous behavior OF tramp.
He had begged for something to. eat,
and not liking what the woman gave
him, had abused her in the rudest
terms.
"Johnny," said the man, thorough.
lv indignant, "when you heard that
cowardly rascal abusing your mother,
why didn't you run at once. 70 the
store and let me know? I would have
made short work of him. Didn't you
hear?" :,
"Yes, pa, heard. 1 was out in the
barn and heard what he said about the
victuals but"
"But what?"
"Why, pa, I thought it was you
scolding mother. He used the very
same words you do when the dinner
doesn't suit you. didn't think any
body else would dare talk to mother IN
that way"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
The Emotional Should not be Stifled.


When We use the understanding in
our spiritual Investigations III a way
to depreciate religious emotion, serious
consequences are sure to follow. Love
warm aud demonstrative, is the truesl
manifestation of vital godliness. Joy
in the Lord-a joy that expresses itsell
in a genuine manner--is always in
keeping with the best type of religion.
Peace in the soul-the peace of God
is one of the chief qualities of holy
character. All these belong to the
emotional part of our nature, and
when that is lightly esteemed, increase
in these heavenly graces is impossible.
Our age is one OF marked intellectu-
al activity. The training of our
yoath, especially in the higher grades
of instruction, is conducted with this
constantly in view. Our students are
warned that they will rank low in life,
if unprepared to grapple with abstruse
problems, or to combat successfully
with naughty scepticism. But is this,
after ell, the highest preparation? We
think not. To develop moral sensibil-
tiles, grow in~breadth of holy sympa-
thy and open the hidden springs OF
the soul Godward-this is culture Of a
kind it is this that will quail
ify the coming generation for high
achievement.
We plead not for mental sluggish
ness. Mind, with all its wondrous
is Gods gift. Let all prop
er stimulus come to it. Its far-reach-
ing possibilities have never yet been
But the danger is, rather,
in bestowing upon the intellectual a
disproportionate attention; overlook
ing the care of the emotional nature
in the strife for high rank in scholastic
honors.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
The Buttermilk Diet.

The. writer of this article took the
pains to look up the man who claimed
so much for buttermilk. He proved to
be a noted d. D., and a hard working
editor in New York City. He told me
that the buttermilk had done wonders
for him. He drank from two TO four
quarts every day. Occasionally he ate
small piece of dry bread. Nothing
else passed his lips except the butter
milk. At the end of the first week the
infiarn nation of his stomach subsidized
and for the first time in,many months S
he slept all night. At the end of the
fourth week he considered himself well,
though he continued to drink some
buttermilk every day. He told me
that while on the bultermilk diet he
was st his desk every day and did not
lose pound. TO avoid temptation he
kept away from the table. He also
stated that his physician informed him
that he had cured large number of
dyspeptics with the same prescription
after everything else had failed. Other
physicians Of his acquaintance had re-
sorted to the same "heroicn treatment
with like results. He mentioned the
fact that a number Of prominent ply
sicians in Brooklyn had put their pa
tients who were troubled with a low
fever every day (occasioned mostly by
weak stomachs) on the bultermilk diet
with splendid results. Since the
above conversation I have heard of q
number of dyspeptics who have been
helped and cured on the same line. |
have tried it myself and speak with
confidence. Patients who have an eX-
cess of acid in their systems may not
be benefited by its use, but the great
majority who are troubled with ordi-
nary dyspepsia, torpid liver, and coll
sequent "biliousness" will be greatly
helped if not cured.
The philosophy is simple. While
butterrnilk is inferior to skinned milk
in nutritive properties, it is still val
liable article Of food. It is already
sourea and in partially digested con-
dition so that the stomach has little to
do in taking care of it. Besides this il
furnishes its own ''juices" in q large
measure so that the digestive appara-
tus is excused from much of the trouble,
In a word, the Tactic acid seems to meet
want. AS food and medicine it is
simple and within the reach of all.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
Birth Rate In Different Sections.

The well known fact that the birth
rate has been decreasing steadily In.
New England for years past leads the
New York Herald to inquire. SIS Ma
ternity Failing?' In several OF the
New England States the native popu-
lation is hardly holding its own. The
old blood in that region has already
become very rare and is falling into,
smaller proportions constantly. There;
is remarkable disparity between the.
birth rate in New England and the
South. The highest rate in the union
is found in Arkansas, and the lowest in
New Hampshire. In Arkansas there
are born annually to every 1000 women
between Is and 30 years of age
1889 children, while in New Hamp-
shire to the same class are born only;
TIC, or about one-third as many as in
Arkansas. The six States with the.
highest birth rate are all in what is
called the South. they are Arkansas,
Texas, Mississippi, South Carolin, Ten:
nessee and ALBANIA. The combined
population of Arkansas and Texas is-
barely half that of the six New Eng
land States, and yet these two Southern
States give to the country an annual
average of 99,s52 babies against 91,134
in the six New England States of twice
the population. OF the total annual
births in this country the South, With
only about one-third the population Of
the country, furnished 708,810, while
the two-thirds of the population north
of Mason and Dixon's line are glad
dened annually by only S95, 112 babies.
The number, of births annually to
every 1000 people in New England is
.22.1, while in the South 1t is 3s.7. In
New York State the number is 25!7 on
the 1000. In England the rate is
34.2; in Sweden 30.2; in Switzland
31.3 and in Belgium 80. The South is
not only by far the most prolific part
of this country but the birth rate in
these States is greater than any civil.
lized country on the globe. When the
census of 1880 WIS completed there was
much surprise that the South, without
the aid of immigration, had gained q
greater proportion of population than
any section ofthe country. A full and
fair count in the census Of next year,
we are confident, will show similar
proportionate growth in the South.
tits true that the negroes increase
very rapidly, but statistics will
show the annual increase of white
births alone in the South can not be-:
matched by the North or West.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
Acknowledging Faults.

There is one means of preserving
Peace, harmony, and goodwill in oul
social relations which, although very
simple, very just, and manifestly very
effective, is perhaps more frequently
stunned and disliked than any other.
1t is the frank admission of having
been in the wrong. Nothing 50 quick
| ly disarms resentment, calms lrrlta-
ton, melts away cold displeasure,
turns anger into tenderness, and
changes Il defiant attitude to one OF
sympathy, as this candid confession,
and yet few words are more rarely ut
tered. The simple avowal of the truth,
without excuse or palliation-"l was
wrong" or ~ was mistaken" or 81
regret having said or done as L did,
is worth thousand elaborate attempts
at explanation, which are generally
unbelieved, unaccepted, and give rise
to argument instead Of reconciliation.
The person thus addressed undergoes
an immediate change of sentiment to-
wards him who speaks. He no longer
desires to prove or to emphasize the
error or the offense; he rather inclines
to ignore it, to excuse it, and to ques.
ton whether he, too, may not nave
been equally to blame. And the sym.
pathy thus established unltes those ID
friendly concord who might otherwise
be always at enmity.
Of course, the primary element IN
any such aVowal is its absolute truth
fulness. TO utter such words for the
mere sake of conciliation, without feel
ing that they express the reality,
would react for evil, like any other
falsity. Sometimes children are re-
auired to do this, and it is always an
act of injustice. Unless they can De
brought to feel that they have been IN
the wrong, they should not even be al
lowed to say so. No good Can ever
come to child or man by insin cerity
Rut when once convinced of error
when confession to self has been made
the confession to the one who has
been wronged is debt which justice
demands, and which magnanimity
will hasten to pay. Very lOften it Is
the only reparation that it is possible
to make. There is no hesitation as to
the duty of restoring what has been
borrowed, or making good any proper
ty of our neighbours that we may have
injured; yet, if we have hurt his feel
ings, or injured his good name, or in
any way taken some drops out of his
cup of happiness which cannot be re-
stored, is it too much for us to confess
the wrong and to express whatever re-
gret we truly feel? Is there not some
thing mean and ungenerous, as well as
unjust, in the spirit that refuses to
make the only possible atonement?
And yet how common is such q refus-
all
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27

The principles of Quakerism, if they
had always predominated in America,
would have prevented all Indian wars;
and all other wars. The great work OF
the Quakers now, to which they are
called in the providence of God, is not
the temperance cause, nor missionary
work in Pagan lands; but i'll unceas'
ingly and vigorously, in all meekness
of spirit, laboring to convert the
Church universal into the principles Of
Christ, as taught by Him in His Ser
mon on the Mount, so that Christians
and Christian nations shall al once be-
gin to learn war no more, and stop the
dishonor that rests on them by their
barbarous and hellish mutual slaugh
ter. J. n.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27
The Weap0ns of Peace.

The weapons that we WELD to-day
Are mighty in the press and pen;
We do not seek our foes to slay,
But only ask the rights Of men.
No burning town or widows tears
Spring fr0m the triumph Of our cause;
But peace and love in coming years,
Equal, just and righteous laws.
With earnest faith hope and wait,
The coming Of that promised time;
When truth and love shall conquer hate,
And reign supreme through every cline.
The race shall henr that song again,
Which rang through Bethlehem's starli
sky;
Sweet peace on earth, goodwill to men,
And glory to our God on high.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27

The best supplement of religion is
common-sense. After having resolved
to fulfill the highest possibilities OF oul
nature, the wisest course lies IN at,
tempting to reach the mental and
physical condition which render noble
living possible. :.
A serene old lady, whose daily liv-
ing was like noble music, was once
asked by a moody young girl how she
could exercise self-cOmmand without
one apparent failure. -,
"My dear,n said she, "the first secret
of decent living is in the help and sup
port we receive from above; the sec
ond lies in taking care of ourselves
When find am more than usually
sensitive to the worries Of life, l take
halt-an-hour alone and read pleasant
book, or even take q nap. If the
Chariot wheels jar in the gates l say
to myself. Come, come, Martha We
must stop to oil upp
"When l was girl, had quarre
with my best friend, and all because
had been up half the night before, ano
didn't know enough to take nap be
fore finding fault with her !'
"But l should grow selfish if
watched my moods in that way" sale
her little friend, discouraged.
80, bless you, it must be done will
discretion Regard your mind anC
body as delicate and complicated ma
chimes which must be kept in order
You wouldn't expect your watch tt
keep time if bread crumb had lodged
among the wheels why should yor
demand gentleness and patience O
this human mechanism if you DOM
exert yourself to see that it is kept in
repair? ..
IT once had fit of the deepest indi
go blues, which yielded to an orange
eaten in q bright little room. The
orange was so sweet, and the sunlight
so dazzling, that l couldn't resist the
conviction gradually stealing in OH me
that this is indeed the "best of all pos
sible worlds
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27

Regarding white streaks in butter,
a correspondent says: "Recently we
became convinced that by letting the
cream rise until the milk became sour
and firm the butter will be MICS and
yellow, out if part of the cream be
taken off while the milk is sweet ana
churned with the sour cream, the but
ter will have white streaks every
time."
Moderation is little stream which
flows softly, but freshens everything
along its course.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27

TO make jests of sacred things re-
quires no high order of ability, and is
no mark of superior wit. Such
achievements are within the compass
of the faculties of fool. No man of
culture and prudence would do it,. 1t
degrades religion in the minds OF the
ungodly. 1t destroys conviction in
the minds of those who are not far
from the kingdom of God. wounds
the feelings of those who love the
cause and the Word of God. 1t dead
ems the religious sensibilities OF those
who indulge in it.
A foreign lady, 10 whom the Englieh
language was somewhat strange, while
in this country recently, was invite;
to partake of some oysters. 20, thank
you" she replied, "a little of the juic e
none of the beasts"
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-27

Father O'Conner, a converted priest
living in New York, is said to have been
the means of the conversion of eight
hundred Catholics during the past five
years.
The Lowndesville IS. c. advertiser
has been suspended.