davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18
H Bootblacks.

Warm hearts are sometimes found
under ragged jackets, says a New York
paper, as is shown by the following in.
cident:
A kit is a box of tools or whatever
outfit is needed in any particular branch
of business.
It surprised the sinners and news
boys around the p~ostofice the other
day to see Little Tim" coming among
them in a quiet way and hear him say,
"Boys. I want to sell my kit. Here's
two brushes, q hull box of blacking, a
good, stout box and the count goes for
two shillings."
Coin away, Tim?" inquired one.
10. not Not ,zsetly, b8 y but }5st ! n want a quar-
"Goin' on 'skursion ?" asked another.
"Not to-day, but I must have a quar-
ter" he answered.
One of the lads passed over the
change and took the kit and Tim
walked straight to the counting-room
OF Q daily paper, put down the money,
and said: 81 guess I kin write if O
give me a pencil"
With slow moving fingers he wrote a
death notice. It went into the paper
almost as he wrote it, but you might
not have seen it. He wrote:
"Died-Litul Ted-of scarlet fever;
gone up to heaven. left one brother" =
Was it your brother?" asked the
cashier.
Tim tried to brace up, .,ut he
couldn't. The big tears came up, his
chin quivered and he pointed to the
counter and gasped: II had to sell
my kit to do it, but he had his arms
around my neck when he d-died."
He hurried away home; but the news
went to the boys, and they gathered
into a group and talked. Tim had not
been home an hour before q barefoot
boy left the kit on the doorstep, and in
the box was a bouquet of flowers, which
had been purchased in the market by
pennies contributed by the crowd Of
ragged, but big-hearted boys. Did
God ever make a heart which would
not respond if the right chords were
touched?
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18
A Good Manager.

A bare-headed woman, with a faded
and ragged dress, solicited aims the
other evening of a gentleman who was
crossing the City Hall Park. He came
to a halt and asked:
"Is it for drink"
"No, sir; it's for food"
"But I don't know how you live. I
have to practice economy in order to
have money in my pocket. You may
be recklessly extravagant for all /
know. How much money have you
spent to-day?
swell, sir, I've made Z cents run five
OF us on cold potatoes so far; and if |
can get 3 more we'll top off with bread
and water before We go to bed. Might
leave out the bread, sir, if I can find a
bit of tar somewhere to thicken up the
water and deceive the children. Can
you draw it any finer than that, sir?"
The mar held out dime as he passed
by.-New York Sun.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18
"The Society of Anrols -

Some time ago a midwife of Warsaw,
okubllnskaya by name, was brought
to justice, with several of her coadiu.
tors, for the crime of killing illegiti-
mate children. The woman and her
helpers called themselves "The Society
OF Angels" and engaged in the atrocious
work OF "dispatching the little ones to
heaven" OF course for a certain consid.
Grafton paid them by the unfortunate
mothers or their friends. This fact
aroused a discussion in all the Russian
papers on the fate of illegitimate chill
dren in that country. The mortality Of
such waits was found to be over eighty
per cent, V e among those in the GOV.
eminent asylums in St. PETERSBURG and
Moscow. Those asylums keep the
children only tor a short time, and
send them to villages to be raised in
the families of peasants. There thew
Ole IN large numbers. But the number
OF such children as are "dispatchedn
directly by professional murderers like
skublinskaya a hardly be estimated
Only about three weeks g a similar
Society of Angels" was discovered in
Wilma. The fate of the unfortunate il.
fants has raised the question as to the
causes tor the prevalence of such a
crime. The papers hint, as broadly az
the st%rictness of t~he'sensor of the nross
allows, that the cruel laws with refer.
ence to waits are at the bottom Of the
whole trouble. An illegitimate child
in Russia, if it yer grows up, has no
standing before the law. No mottar
what his abilities or virtues if bv chamea
or by natural endowment he hannans W
be possessed of any, there is no hone
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

Placed her safely in the sled;
Wrapped her we'll in robes q blankets-
Fer the night was bitter cold
Walked beside the patient oxen,
Like a stalwart knight of old,
Hopin' he might reach the tavern
Ere the sleepin' girl awoke.
But the motion must hev reused her,
Fer she soon sat up an spoke.
where am I? O. where am II"
An she Civ q frightened scream.
"Who brings me here at midnight
Or is 1t but q dreadful dream"
When he reached old Halfway Taverl
Calm loudly to mine host,
ave passed Lone Rock at midnight,
n I've surely caught the ghost!
So come forth, good landlord Ezekiel,
Do he quick, and bring your wife,
Here's a ghost who needs her 'tention,
Would you save the crittsr's life 2"
once again from top to lotion
Hallway Tavern's lighted up,
While old Zeke and all bis helpers
Pass around the foalninycup;
Fer a weddin is in progress
An there is no lack Of cheer.
Toms the groom-the ghosts beside him
But he SHOWS no sign offear.
The inn is full of STRANGERS,
Who hev come from miles around.
10 see the fun and heef the story
How the purity bride was found.
k rafters echo
10 the sound OF dancing feet;
Tom clasps close the LOVELY specter
Never yet was bride 50 SWEET"
Thus he whispers, Annie, darling,
Just one year ago tonight
Since, upon the snowy summit
Ot Lone Rock dizzy height,
l lost my heart, but gained o treasur
Fer more precious than my life
you little thought, good Ezekiel,
1 should make your ghost my wife!
Now, TOMS children's children
A .goodly number he can boast
Listen while their grandsire tells them
How he caught the purity ghost;
Grandma, listens, too, intently,
While the old-time dimples peep,
As she adds, "Ah, yes, my darlings, .
Twas the last time I walked in NV leepl
HARVEY. Wis.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18
He Wanted a Wound.

-
Wounded?
No. Nor have ever seer the time
when l wished to be.
Did any one?
Yes, indeed.
l have known volunteers who never
gave a thought to rank or promotion:
who served we'll and fought we'll with,
seemingly, no other ambition than to
carry home with them some ugly scar
in a conspicuous place. recall o re.
markable case of this kind.
Johnnie was q young and rosy recruit
in a Kentucky regiment, brave in action
and a fayorite in camp. He often ey.
pressed a wish that the war might not
end until he had received his scar.
One day in 1863. while tho nr,ay NJ
Gen. RosencranzIw was resting at Muir.
freesboro, Tenn, recruiting from the
effects of Stone River, the company to
which Johnnie belonged was ordered
out as guard to a wagon train that was
pulling out on q foraging expedition. Our
line of march a along the Shelbyville
turnpipe. where we found some we'll
filled corn-cribs. While the wagons
were being loaded, Johnnie's company
took up a position across the turnpipe,
about a mile in advance, while other
companies guarded the other a-
proaches.
The enemy was not long in discover.
ing our object and attacking our posi-.
tions, which we had strengthened by
rail and log barricade, During these
attacks Johnnie persisted in needlessly
exposing himself, in the hope that he
might be wounded. At the moment Of
one of the f~iercest efforts to dislodge
us, Johnnie mounted the barricade and
yelled derisively at the enemy, but in
shorter time than it requires to write it
he leaped to the ground, with one hand
clasping the side of his neck. and
danced with glee.
Wounded!
When the enemy withdrew, and the
wound was examined, it was found to DO
so slight that no hopes of q scar could
be entertained. Tears and profanity
followed, and Johnnie finished the war
unsecured.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

LONDON Industries says that "a
very common impression is that Hong
Kong is only a mercantile emporium OF
center for the distribution of merchan
disc all over China and neighboring
countries. It is, however developing
into an industrial center of consider.
able importance. It has now three
large sugar r%etineries, which have
practically monopolized the trade Of re-
fined sugar in China and Japan. There
are factories for icemaking and rope
making; there is also a company which
has a large establishment for supplying
bricks and cement"
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

ana no prospect for him to do anv
in the world or for himself. ny n.y. good
will not recognize him as a ma me law
society, and he is tossed about anu q
feted until he finds his way into saa but
gang of criminals passing their Some
q mine in the Ural mountains ives IN
of these facts it is no wonder that ~ vles
mothers regard it as a benefit for s Mal
children to be dispatched to i ha, .heis
before they grow up to live in ;cn eaven'
and suffering on earth, and that sannn la!
like Skublinskaya should be fon ndeels'
have no scruples to help sinful mo.s Who
Kidding themselves of their childr"'aners
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

In the happy days to come, electric
ity will break up the present factory
system and enable the home worker
once more to compete on living terms
with great aggregations Of capital.
Great steam engines will undoubtedly
become generally the sources of power
in large cities, and will send out the
electric wire in every corner the town.
helping the sewing woman at her ma.
chine, the weaver at his pattern loom.
the mechanic at his engine lathe, Civ
ing every house the mechanical aids
needed in the kitchen, the laundry, the
elevator, and at the same time giving
and possibly heat, in liberal
quantity and intensity.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18
1HAvE known men to carry about I'm.

IHAvE known men to carry about I'm.
meaning relics in my time, but Joe
Casper, a member of the indianapolis
Council, has a watch-charm which is
enough to give some people the horrors,
says a Vandalia conductor. Several
years ago he had two Of his toes ampu-
tated, and he preserved them in alco-
hol. The bottle was accidentally
broken, and Joe threw the toes into a
pox in his garnet. Not long since he
ran across the toes and found they were
mummifed completely. Though greatly
shrunken, their forms were still per-
feet. He had them mounted in gold
in unique designs, and now wears them
as pendants to his watch chain. and
claims that the strange charm has
brought him good luck.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

open an abscess which had developed
near the supposed break. On an incis-
ion being made, a. large-sized darning
needle was found, the point Of which
penetrated the bone. The needle was
removed and the young lady is rapidly
recovering. She has been lame since
childhood, and it is supposed the needle
entered the foot then and gradually
worked. up to where it was found.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

STANDS the rock, on which, It's rumored
a tal! figure, clothed in white.
may De seen to stand and beckon.
In the watches of the night.
IT'S a lonely place in summer
WITH the sunlight breaking thronpb
Inc tall pines clustered round it
Shuttln' out the landward view.
But AZ night It's lark and gruesome-
en- tne bravest shun the spot:
Just The place for ghostly revel.
or TO match some DEVILS plot.
lis the witching hour of midnight.
dnanond-decked the wintry skies
me lonely road along the river
IN the deepest shadow lies,
An q sluness, deep an solemn
As the hush of death is there,
Inc snow lies white, u%ntrodden.
save for foot Of deer or bear.
But The silence Hoon is broken
By the slow and measured tread
Of four big, brown-eyed oxen,
FASTENED to the teAmster's sled,
1tls Iom, the brave young fellow.
"no mas w the ghost to lay,
And as his patient oxen
Slowly plod the frozen q
WITH wondering eyes he scans the eunmit
" Lone Rocks snowy crest
6es, there stands thet tall White fgeer.
Oo)ect OF their eager Quest. 90
dc gazes but q moment on it.
Ihen leaps softly tothe ground.
scales the rock, n stands beside IT,
lurns the tigger slowly round,
An! cries he. "at last I have Won.
anano more Tricks you'll play
" Sne teamsfcrs. O, the cowardsi
ana he drew the sheet away.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

How LONG will q human body remain
in the earth before it decays until it
cannot be distinguished from the sur
rounding clays is a question as yet IN
decided by the sci e%ntists. Much de.
ponds upon the character of the soil
and the different elements of which
it is composed. In countries abound
ing in limestone, or, again, in regions
thoroughly saturated with alkaline
waters, human flesh will retain a natu-
raj color and frmness for an indefinite
period of time. The boys of Ireland
have yielded up bodies fresh and natu-
raj as life that had been buried in their
Shiny depths for centuries. It is said to
be an historical fact that the bodies of
three Roman soldiers were found in a
peat bog on the Emerald Isle, in the
year 1869 A. D., fresh and life-like, al
though they had been buried almost
sixteen centuries.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

IT is calculated that for SIS, 900
Wordsworth's old home, Dove Cot
tage," could be acquired and put in
perfect order, and q vigorous e fort has
been made in England to procure sub
scriptions for this purpose. The COM
mittee lately organized propose to
make of the place a permanent Words
worth Memorial, managing and main
tanning it in the n carried out in
the Shakespeare trust at Stratford.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

A FAMOUS physician says that bread
should never be eaten with fish, be-
cause the presence of the former during
mastication often prevents the detec-
ton Of homes in the food until one is
fairly lodged in the throat. Bread is
never served with fish at his own table.
o does he allow the members of his
family ever to eat them together. In
eight cases out of ten death from the
Judgment of bones in the throat, he
delares. the accident has been made
possible by the presence of bread in
the mouth while fish was eaten.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

WHILE boring for water near Bowl
ing Green, KY, Ebenezer Cathcart
struck a well Of fragrant oil. 1t is so
clear as to be nearly transparent, of a
beautiful pale pink color, and, while
entirely odorless when cold. if heated
emits q most delicious odor, resembling
somewhat altar Of roses. An expert
ment was tried with a small quantity
to test its burning properties, when it
vas found to burn slowly but steadily,
giving a soft, clear flame, shedding a
faint r%ose-co)ored light, and filling the
air with a penetrating fragrance.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

WAKEMAN HoLBERroN, of New York,
has completed a book that consists of a
single copy that never will be dupli-
Gated. 1t is one of 1O1 quarto pages of
limitation parchment, with every word
an illustration of the story of the au-
thor's experiences with rod and gun on
lake and in field and camp, done with
his pen or brush. It was prepared by
MI. Holberton for his children.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

The most aristocratic society of wom-
en- in this country is the recently
formed Colonial Danes of America"
composed of women who are descen-
dants in their own persons Of some
citizen who established his residents in
America prior to 1776, and rendered
worthy service in the building up of
our country. The objects Of the soci-
ETY. are social, patriotic and historical.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18
An they drew together closer.
Round the backlog's cheerful blaze,
While Tom. the tall young teamster,
Stared about him in amaze.

stared 0 him i'll amaze,
He smiled at their looks of terror,
And cried, what do you mean?
What tale is this yer tellin'?
Where may the ghost be seen?"
IAN, Tom, you doubt the story!"
Cried Zeke, the worthy host;
But pass Lone Rock at midnight
An you'll surely see the ghost!"
Come, tell me all about it'll
What has his ghostship done?
Who's playin' tricks upon you,
Jest to see you brave men run?"
THERE'S never a trick about it,"
Eek gravely shook his head,
lis some poor, lone, lost sperit
Can't rest easy 'mong the deadl
1And you needn't talk of NJ
Fer the GIosceU ulhn hrOunu
Couldn't face tibet toll white figger,
An before it stand his groundl"
Then o peal Of merry laughter
Rang throughout the oaken bar,
which made hts listeners shudder,
And offended landlord Parr.
alll tell you what, good Ezekiel,
I'm comm back next week;
III pass Lone Rock ut midnight.
An h ghosts acquaintance seek!r
Then spake again the silent youngste
.Oh, that will be great fun;
For, despite his bonsted courage.
We shell see this brave mar runln
But Tom, the merry teamster,
With his spirit undismayed,
Vowed that be it man or devil,
They should see the specter laid.
On the banks of Susquehanna,
Where the river makes O bend
And the darksome forest branchea
Cross the water shadows send,
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

SOME statistician has figured out
that for the annual nourishment of 49,
BOO, 600 COWS and 10000, 900 horses
there is needed 80, 600, 900 tons of hay,
80, O0O, 900 bushels of ccrnmeal, the
same of oatmeal, 275, 600, 900 bushels of
oats, 100000 bushels of bran and 3d.
600, 600 bushels of corn, at a cost of
$3.50, 600. 900.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

4 STONE coffin in a tomb in Canter-
bury Cathedral on being opened was
found to contain the body of an ancient
archbishop, fully vested. 1t is thought
to be that of Cardinal Stephen Lang
ton, who sided with the barons.in extort-
ing Magma Charta fom King John. Al
though buriedislx centuries ago, the
features were still perfect and the
vestments quite sound.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

A HISTORIAN who is compiling the
letters, messages, speeches, etc, of
President Lincoln for publication has
finished a search of the records Of the
executive Office of Ohio. But one au-
tograph letter was found. It is dated
April %, 1864, and accepts the offers OF
the Governors of Indiana, Illinois,
Iowa and Wisconsin to furnish $4,000
troops for 100 days service.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

The most celebrated modern library
is the Bibliotheque Imperiale of Paris.
1t was commenced in the middle of the
fourteenth century with ten volumes,
and has been augmented by subsequent
kings to the enormous number of L.
100, 600 printed volumes, $50, 600 manu-
scrips, 100000 maps, 300, 600 pam
phlets, 100000 %engravings and 100000
numismatic specimens.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

Two YOUNG men in Iowa dressed up
as ghosts and made a call at the house
of q man who had always said that he
believed he should drop dead at the
sight of a spook. Queerly enough how
ever, the effect was quite contrary, and
he pitched into the boys and hammered
them almost to death before he discov-
cred hat they were flesh and blood.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

But the sight that met his vision
Caused his manly flesh to creep.
Not q ghost. nor yet . trickster,
But q maiden, fast asleep!
For q minnit poor Tom trembled,
Half inclined to leave the field;
He, who feared no man nor devil
Ali his courage seemed to yield
Before this ,white-robed girlfsh hgger,
With her dark, disheyeled hair;
With her midnight eyes wide open,
And her purity feet all bare.
Calling back his recreant courage.
Down the snowy rocks he sped,
Clasping close the lovely specter.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

The first steamboat on the Missis-
sippi River was the New Orleans, built
ut Pittsburg in 1911 by Nicholas J.
Roosevelt, from plans furnished by
Robert Fulton.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18
His Logic was Sound.

Among the queer characters who
lived down in Carolina during recon-
struction days." writes the story-teller'
was an old man named Nathan. d.
used to come to town about twice
month and get stone.blind drunk
When he became so drunk that it was
impossible for him to get any drunker,
the boys would load him into his car
and start his old team of oxe along
the road toward his home. The oxen
would mosey along straight home ana
return Nathan to the bosom OF np
family. One warm day during tne
summer Nathan got drunk, as usasl;
was loaded into his cart, as he laa
been a dozen times before, and n'
oxen We're started home. Somewne'HI
along the road the coupling'pln ieu l
out. letting the box of the cart in'
down and leaving it lying upon .ns
road, but the steady old oxen VIEW
right along just as if nothing had nup
pened. just about shutdown q PaHy
coming along the road found rS or
Nathan fast asleep in his cart: lpe ea
shook him until he sat up and iooh's
around in q drunken way. Pulllng
bottle of 'moonshine' out of his pocA''
he took a big drink and then said:
sZis ish too many for me; Az p
Nathan or am I somebody elsh' II
I'm Nathan I've lost spair oxen
ant Nathan I've found er cart
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

Miss KELLY, of New Westminster,
b. c., imagined that she had broken
her leg by a sudden movement of her
limb. Doctors were called in and
could discover no break, but decided to
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

JUST before starting out for a drive
in Forest Park, Mr.. Valentine Setting,
a st. Louis jeweler, induced his wife to
put his savings, $4,000, in her stocking.
This sum was the accumulation Of
years, and he had little faith in banks,
and feared to leave it in the house dur
ing his absence. During the ride, the
money felt uncomfortable in Mrs. Set
ting's stocking, and she took out the
package and placed it at the bottom Of
a paper bag containing oranges, and
which she carried in her hands. As
they passed through the park, the
couple ate the oranges, and when the
last one was gone, threw the bag away,
losing sight of the fact that il contained
all the money they had in the world.
They did not discover their loss until
late in the evening, and all attempts to
find the package proved unavailing.
Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-07-18

THERE are in the world three k Ea1'.
of things-the valuable, the non' - =
able and the invaluable; and IL oor
long time before we decide ~ an.
minds which of them we have been "
deavoring to obtain.