davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28

Then came the signal to start, and
the next instant the complicated ma
| chincrv was set in motion, but SO gem
tie was the start made that scarcely a
| person on the train realized that they
| were undc.. way until the cars had
drawn out of the depot.
Gradually the speed was increased
until they were running upon their
regular time.
The superintendent could not refrain
from casting several glanccs of approx
al ut Baxter as he noticed how deity
the stranger handled his Iron horse. :"
As they drew near the junction short
distance from L, the regular engineer
reached for the whistle cord to sound
the usual blast, but he found the hand
of his substitute there before him, who
said to him with kindly smile: You
see know the road
Truly you do" replied the superin-
tendent, land although l am taking
great chances think will let you go
on with the train while Baxter and
will return by the accommodation"
As Baxter was about to step out Of
the cab when the engine stopped ut
l., he grasped the hand of the
stranger, and said with deep feeling in
his voice:
''Oh, sir, you have done me great
favor tonight, and rest assured if it
ever lies in my power shall repay it. >
Don't mention it." was the hearty
rejoinder. Hurry home to your wife,
and don't worry about the train; every
thing will be all right.
Accordingly the superintendent and
Baxter returned to their homes on the
way train; but the former felt by no
means easy in his own mind and re-
manned in his Office until midnight.
when he received dispatch from the
end Of the line saying that train No. IS
had arrived all right and on time.
As the official seated himself at his
desk the following morning his eyes
rested upon a note from the president
of the entire system, stating that he
would arrive on the 2:l5 train and
wished to see him on important bust
ness.
The hands on the clock in the super
intendents Office were resting at
quarter past that hour when Baxter
entered.
well, began the official, as he rec
ognized his caller, ''are you going to
shirk another trip to-nighto'
mo. sir: my wife is much easier and
shall be at my post. / came up to
thank you for letting me of last
night"
''Oh, it's turned out all right, I'm
thankful to say. But ~
He would have gone further had not
the door opened and two gentlemen en-
tered. One was the president, who,
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28

A story, familiar perhaps to the read
ers of the Companion, is told Of Mrs.
Bingham, a woman of high social posi-
ton in Washington in the carly part Of
this century. She once invited rough
western farmer to dine with her. The
guest was dazzled by the splendors and
gay company, and while trying ner.
vously to appear at his ease, broke one
of set Of costly Sevres cups. lie sat
staring at her, speechless with dismay.
Mrs. bingham laughed. 'Ah, that
ridiculous china! 1t breaks with a
BREATH" and taking up one of the cups
as she spoke, she carclessly crushed it
in her hand, and dropped the fragments
upon the table. The color came again
to her guests face, and he finished his
dinner completely at his ease. ''Give
to your guest" says the Irish proverb,
1.-The best in your larder, the best in
your head, and the best in your heart -
Youths Companion.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28

makes believe that he is the band n
Barnum's circus, and we all enjoy il
very much.
Sometimes when Hector is taking q
nap in front of the library fire / 60 soft
~ up and crawl up on his back and
curl down to a nap myself. Hector is
nice and soft and warm and seems to
like it. One day when was sleeping
on Hector's back Ralph came in and
laid down upon the mat, put his head
on Hector, and he went to sleep, too; so
there we were, all three of us, asleep
together, and when my mistress came
in and found us there, heard her say
she would like very much to have our
pictures taken.
My master said he would get his cam
era, and he brought in the funniest look
ing box with long yellow legs and then
put his bead under a cloth. When he
did that / felt a little nervous and
moved little, and then Hector woke
up and he moved, and that woke Ralph
up. So when master got his head out
from under the cloth there was nothing
pretty to take a picture of.
About the funniest thing that ever
happened to me was last fall, when the
house was being painted. Ralph got
a brush somewhere and before / knew
it he had his arm around my neck and
was daubing my face all over with that
white paint, and on my black fur It
didn't look pretty at all. got away,
and for two or three days / was too
ashamed of myself to 60 upstairs, so I
stayed in the basement with cook.
had a funny thing happen one day
when cook was out. was hungry and
thought l would just help myself to
milk, SO into the pantry and onto the
shelf l went, and what do you think!
Just as looked over the side of the pan
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
Breaking Il to Him GENTLY.

Editor-Mr Plumduff, you may make
. little change in your column to-mor-
row morning II takes up too much
space. Cut it down one-half.
Mr.. Plumduff-Ycs, sir.
"Then the other half won't need any
special heading. Remove the head
ing"
"Yes. SIR"
'And it needn't be loaded Run 1t In
solid"
:Yes, SIR"
''That will make it take up about q
third Of column"
"Ycs SIR"
"And then it can go in any part OF
the paper wherever there is room for
It."
ayes. sir"
"And II there isn't room It can be left
out"
"Y-yes, SIR" ......
"And it hardly seems worth while to
keep it going, does it7"
"N-no. SIR"
"You are right, Mr.. Plumduff. Your
resignation is accepted" Chicago
Tribune.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28

THERE IS NO USE TALKING. BAXTER -
was well covered with age, and handed
1t to the superintendent
This mas reference to yourself,
presume" said the official, glancing
over it. but it bears a somewhat
antiquated date"
Every true, and for that reason /
value it highly. But if was a good
man then l am doubly SO now, for ]
have had all those years of expert
ence."
You do not know the road"
'Oh, yes, ! do. sir. Every foot OF
It,"
"Well, il you can convince me that
you are capable of taking charge of the
locomotive will let Baxter lay off this
trip" was the reluctant answer.
Then the only way that I see t.
arrange the matter is for you and youl
engineer to take ride in the cab al
far as l.. That is fifteen miles
and there you can meet the accommo
dation returning here. think that in
that short run can prove to you that
understand the business"
Just at that instant the two-minute
bell struck.
well, well, get aboard, and We'll
see what you can do" and the three
men climbed into the cab.
"You must lend me your overalls and
jumper" said the stranger to the en-.
ginecr,. ''for do not care to spoil q
good suit of clothes"
''Oh, certainly" replied Baxter, who
that he had not uttered word.
After drawing The clothes on, the
new engineer grasped the throttle with
his left Land. thrust his head out of the
window and said: ''Now we are
Eeady."
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
THE MOUSE IN THE PAN.

there was mouse in the milk swim.
ming away as fast as he could, but he
couldn't get out. I thought l would let
him stay there little while, and after
had drank the milk would eat him,
too. So began to drink the milk, and
it grew lower and lower in the pan, and
the first thing knew jump went the
little mouse out OF the pan, across the
shelf into his hole! Jumped after him.
but he was too smart for me.
don't like boys-that is, big boys.
Big boys are always throwing stones
and things and always saying ''scat"
until you almost jump out of your skin
when you see one coming.
wish had time to tell you more OF
the good times that have, but to tell
the truth have an invitation to cat
party tonight over in Tommy Watkins
house, and must get on a new Egyptian
red ribbon and wax my mustache. Some
day I'll tell you about the party-that
is, if we have good time, and guess
we will. Good-by.-Ralph Amos Cat
Teddy, in N. Y. World.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28

the other hand, float an egg in the Jar
B, filed with water strongly impreg.
mated with salt. and endeavor to make
it sink to the bottomi This is an i'm.
possibility, for the egg. in spite of every
effort, will rise to the surface. Here
the density Of the salt water is greater
than that of the egg. This experiment
demonstrates how much easier It is TO
float in salt than in fresh water. Aided
by the tests Of the two glass jars, pour
q certain quantity OF the water in jar
A and Of the water in jar Is into jar {.
and. after little adjustment, you will
obtain by this mixture liquid having
the exact density Of the egg. The egg
now will not be compelled to descend
to the bottom, as in the pure water. or
float on the surface. as in the water
strongly sailed, but, as shown in our
illustration. C. will remain suspended
half way, and you can make it rise or
fall by either q pinch Of salt or intro
ducing little fresh water.-Once a
Week
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28

DRIVING A FLOCK OF PoRPoIsEs ASHORE
ranged in the rear Of the beasts, SO as
to cover the flock, and rowed quietly
after them. They were bound in for
the very bottom of the cove, where
there were preaching" cod and large
shoals of capcl;sa. Sometimes they
started up and swan madly forward,
the rowers having all they could do to
keep up with them; again, they would
turn about, jump out of the water and
fight sham battles, turning the sea into
foam.
The strand was not more than fifty
or sixty yards distant, and the water
was rapidly growing shallow. There
were no fish in there, and the porpoises
SWAN along slowly, as if under protest.
Sometimes they stopped and turned,
but the boats had drawn up closer and
closer, till the men might almost touch
the animals with their oars; and there
was nothing for the herd to do appar-
emily but go on. Lying motionless
along the sand were old men, women
and children waiting for the ''bcach-
ing" When the flock got SO near the
shore that there was little more than
water enough to float the lead.
ers. they hesitated, turned and made
up their minds, in spite Of the large
black things floating before them, to
return to deep water. Then the leader
of the pursuing party gave signal, to
which every oar and throat responded.
The boats charged the flock, shouting,
beating the water with their oars, and
throwing overheard ringing grapnels.
Terror and confusion seized the por-
poises. They plunged hither and thith.
or, most of them, however, making
straight for the beach. Some of them
dived to go out under the boats, but the
fishermen prodded them with long boat
hooks, or terrified them with the ring
ing grapnels. Not more than half a
dozen escaped. The rest went aground
on the sand, tumbling and sprawling
about in the most helpless and clumsy
fashion where they were quickly des-
patched by the people on shore. The
fishermen allowed their cod nets to
stand, and worked all night and the
next day stripping the skins and blubbcr
off the roundheads. They aftcrward
rendered out the oil in huge pots set
upon the beach. The carcasses yielded
nearly five hundred gallons Of oil, which
,, afterward fetched about Sai0.-Edmund
Collins. in Harper's Young People.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
Give and Take.

The following story may not be true.
Indeed, it probably is not; but we may
say that If it were true, it would teach
a lesson as we'll as excite a smile. We
find the story in New York paper.
When Jay Gould arrived in Boston a
few days ago, he was confronted by a
youngster with an unusually dirty face.
who shouted: "Mornen' paper. only two
cents!"
The millionaire bought paper. and
gave the boy five-cent piece, saying;
keep the change, and buy q cake OF
soap to wash your face with"
The newsboy counted out three cents
and dropped them in Mr.. 0oulds hand.
keep your change" said the boy
''and buy book on politeness."
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28


SON."
stepping quickly forward, said. in a
CHEEKY voice:
''Ah, good afternoon, Mr.. Curtis: al
low me to introduce Mr.. Donaldson.
the gentleman whom the directors have
elected to superscde me in Office
As the superintendent arose from his
chair to acknowledge the introduction,
he almost tainted with surprise, for
there before him stood the substitute
who, the night before, had run the en-
CINE in place of the regular driver.
''Why-why-is it possible?" he STAN
mered.
"Yes, indeed, Mr.. Curtis replied the
new president. II am the one who
drew on the overalls last night for the
first time in ten years. but you see
had not forgotten how to run the ma
chine. l overheard your conversation
with this poor man here" turning to
Baxter. Il pitied him in his dilemma
and resolved to assist him. If you had
refused to allow me to act as his sub
stitute should have made known my
identity then and there, and requested
you even to let the fireman take his
place, rather than to keep the faithful
engineer away from the bedside of his
wife.
And you, SIR" continued the kind
hearted railroad magnate to Baxter,
may lay off for a few days. We will
find some one to take your place until
= =.
tbs, there is one thing should suggest
before we proceed to other business, and
that is, from this out treat your men
kindly"
This was lesson that the arbitrary
| superintendent never forgot.-Bostor
Globe.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
"ukpER THE H'ARTHSTANE."

Brother you bear your sorrow
with patience that passcth praise,
The los Of worldly possessions
Just nc your latter days.
How do you hear it.' the neighbor prayed.
There's love meath the h'arthstanc." the OLE
man said.
oh love Is good. / grant you.
When seasoned enough with gold
But lcvc in ]. col ay.'-hc shock his head
lis rhyming that will not holdN
Love only can never lift your load
or sorro. and labor on LIES late road"
.tAy ay." the old man answered,
His white head sturdily raised
"When ye b ac lived q my lifctame.
Yen cry: The Lord be praised
Whether o good or Ill shall fa
II love meath the h'arthsfane suryiveth az"
But you and your wife," urged the neighbor-
Your children under the sod"
mae under the sod" the old man cried,
Good ncighbor-gane TO Cod
An what b ae we to do wi pain
When love still glories the aud h'arthstaner
Your faith Is past my knowing"'
The neignbor murmured low,
A spirit OF awe and wonder
TN his face. as he rose to 60.
"Ah. friend the Old man answer made,
..Loye meath the h'arthsfane Is naugh
afraid.'
jean X. Ludlum, in N. Y. Ledger.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28

there since the war; So we formed II
line, and Fred made flank movement,
meaning to take the enemy in the rear;
but when he heard Fred coming. he
charged on our line, and Toddles ran
away, but Max and | retreated in good
order, and formed again behind rock.
and began to shell him with green ap
pies. lie stopped to eat the apples, and
meanwhile Fred completed his flank
movement, and falling upon the enc.
my's rear, whacked Il violently with a
stick, waving his dag all the time, and
shouting: "Yield, caitiffl Yield. craven
hound!" Il tell him that nowadays peo-
pie don't say those things in war. but
he always says that Roland and Bay
ard did. and that what suited them will
suit him.
Well. the enemy turned suddenly on
Fred and drove him back against the
cannon; but by that time he had ad.
vanced again, and Toddles was blowing
tho bugle as hard as he could, which
seemed to disconcert the enemy. Fred
took flying leap from the cannon
right over his back. and, putting him.
self at our head. rallied as for q grand
charge. We rushed forward, driving
the enemy before us. A panic seized
him, and he fed in disorder; we pursued
him as far as the fence, and he got
through hole and escaped, but not be.
fore we each had good whack at him
1t was a glorious victory. Fred made us
. speech afterward from the cannon
and we all waved our-wcll. whatever
we had to wave. and vowed to slay the
invader If he ever dared to show his
nose on our side Of the fence again. All.
yes! it was q splendid fight
''Who was the enemy2" Why. didn't
! say? Farmer Thurston's pig, of counsel
ST. Nicholas.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
THE AGE OF DECAY.
A Brief Commentary ON the Varying
RODS Of Human Life.

A Brief Commentary ON the Varying Pc
ri0ds Of Human Life.
Birth, growth, maturity, decay, death
such is the normal history of man.
The three periods Of life should sus-
tain a certain proportion to each other:
Twenty years of growth, sixty years of
maturity, twenty years Of decay. This
is what might be counted upon as the
ordinary course of human life, but for
the fact that we labor uuder load of
ancestral transgression of physical and
moral law, supplemented and intensi-
fed by our own personal delinquencies
and follies.
How pleasant is the picture! Twenty
years of happy childhood and youth,
sixty years of intellectual progress and
achievement, with domestic and social
joys, and then twenty years of slow, al
most unconscious decay, characterized
by serenity of mind, pleasing men,
cries, and joyous anticipations OF q
grander life beyond the grave.
Sadly different is human existence
as we see it. We look with wonder
upon Gladstone, past eighty, still Wig.
orous in body and mind, still strong
and wise to lead the great liberal party
of England. We accept threescore and
ten as LIES natural limit, and expect
only labor and sorrow if this limit is
passed.
We are doomed, we think, by our in
heritance; and to some extent this is
true. But we should remember the
law of rccuperation. The torn flesh
heals: the broken bone reunites. Dis
eases tend toward recovery. The weary
toiler rises from sleep strong for new
labors. The wise physician bases his
hopes upon this law.
And this tendency of nature to heal
herself may be greatly assisted by care
full and intelligent living, SO that it is
always possible that the man of unfor-
tunate ancestry may secure for himself
good old age, and start his posterity
upon an ascending plane.
Do what we will, however, life must
have its end. When the age of decay is
reached, hidden changes are going on.
the elimination of which is the last
great change. The muscles shrink; the
brain shrivels; the nerves lose their
sensibility and active power; the ar
teries. perhaps, become chalky or fatty;
the heart is weakened; the circula-
ton enfeebled; and at last the end
comes.
During this final period, then, we
must take things calmly; avoid ex-
cesses Of all kinds; guard against ex-
posures to cold; keep up a degree of
mental activity; cultivate checrfulness,
and look forward with hope.-Youth's
Companion.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
A Stroke OF Luck.

Doodles-Just had a tremendous piece
of luck.
Noodles-As how?
Doodles-Why, l met Snyder. and he
struck me for two dollars.
Noodles-Well?
Doodles-Why, l hadn't q cent Say,
can you lend me five dollars?
Noodles-No: I'm in the same good
luck.-Harper's Bazaar.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
MIN e.

1nes her on the Newport strand.
When skies we're SIT and blue,
And led her by the lily haad
The rolling ssa into.
We watched the moon serenaly Hood
The waves with airy pearl,
Aud she was mine. the blushing bud
That is--my Summer girl
She sent her card when back in town
My heart was full OF song.
When In her Japanese tea gown
She poured the sweet Oolong
And when October dyed the wood,
And male The leaflets curl.
She then was mine. though not for good
She was my Autumn girl.
When Winter came in orders gray
And snow began 10 fail,
took her To the matinee
And to the charity ball.
In ccstacy to music gay
About the room we'd whfrl,
And she was mine-that is 10 say
She was my Winter girl.
And when the Spring. all gold and green,
Hung roses on the tree,
met her At st. Augustine
Once more beside the sea.
We watched suggestive orange bloom.
Along the hrcezes swirl.
She was amid these Spring perfumes
Ny owncst-Spring time girl.
Oh, still she Is my girl when soring
is rich With flower and bird,
And when the Summers on the wing,
And Autumns wall is heard.
And when old snariing Winter his
White banner doth unfurl.
For keeps. to tell the truth, she Is
My a,l-the.y ear-round girl.
D,,nlr
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
An Apt Reply.

A certain queen OF Hanover once upon
time when travelling stopped at an
inn called 1.-THE Golden Goose" She
remained two days to rest herself and
retinue, and receive such entertainment
as was needed, and for the same was
charged three hundred thalers.
On her departure the landlord be.
sought her with obsequious Difference
to favor him with her patronage on her
return.
IL you desire that, mein lieber mann,
replied her majesty. you must not
again take me for your sign.
Bazaar.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28

Six skulls of Oliver Cromwell are
or exhibition in various museums in
England. A visitor to museum in
Liverpool, on being shown q rather
small skull, said to be that of the pro-
tector, remarked to the exhibitor: II
saw the skull of Cromwell in Birming-
ham; and this looks rather small to
have belonged to a great man." ''Oh,
the one you saw was Cromwell's skull
when he was man. This belonged to
him when he was only boy"
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
A GLORIOUS VICTORY.
How Dand Of vaiorous Yonng ElghtcI
Routed the EneMy.

Routed the EneMy.
The FIRST heard OF il was when Fred
came rushing into the house after break.
fast. The enemy" he cried THE
enemy is upon us!' 'Whcre?" cried the
others Of us. jumping up. I'm the bat
tlcfcld. Of counsel" he said; and he
seized his flag and rushed out again.
We all followed as quickly as we could
! put on the helmet. and Max took the
drum, and we let Toddlcs have the
bugle this time because he'd just tum-
blcd down; and he had the hearth
broom, too, so he was all right. We
ran into the field and found that the
enemy had taken up strong position
behind the old cannon. lOrrs is q real
battlefield, you know. and has been
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
L.atller.

Tom-It has always seemed funny to
me that people should consider politics
50 dirty. Politics ought to be the clean
est of all things.
Dick-Why SO?
Tom-Recausc it consumes so much
soap.-Chicago Times.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
Conclusive Evidence.

Customer-You say this is real an
tique?
Bric-a-Brac Dealer-It's one of the
finest pieces Of work by one Of the best
ancient masters Of the present day
jewelers. Circular.
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
Tit for Tat.
Reporters Definitions.

Prominent Citizen-The janitor of the
fat in which the couple lived.
Pretty Girl-the unmarried woman in
the case.
Petite - Weighing less than $50
pounds.
Brunette-Any woman hot blonde.
Blonde-Any woman not brunette.
Dull Thud-Anything falling without
rebound Except salary.
Holocaust-A fire attended by fatal
results to human or animal life.
finder Box-The building in which
the fire occurred Syn, rattle-trap.)--
Life,
The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-05-28
A Matter of Money.

"My daughter will receive five thou
sand dollars on the day she marrie'
you," said a Texas father to a sutton fol
his daughters hand. "She will receive
Ave hundred dollars and the rest from
time to time as my circumstances justi
~ it."
"That's all right, my dear sir" re-
piled the youth. but hadn't we better
wait with the marrying until we ge
everything together? Texas Siftings.