davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

Inc next two months new very

Inc next two months new very
swiftly. The bachelor had grown
bolder and had come to call, but the
lively widow did the most of the talk
ing and he replied in broken monosyl-
tables.
The weather was still bright and
pleasant, and there had been no biz
yards, no snow. That was remark
able" too, for it was nearly holiday
time.
Then came Xmas, such queer, quiet
day with not even letter from Priscil-
Ia. But even then there was genuine
regret il her heart when Mrs. Drake
began to pack her belongings prepara-
tory TO going back to the states She
was in better health and spirits than
ever before, and she had a quarter Sec
ton of land of her own and she had
made some pleasant friends. On the
whole it had paid well.
1t was New Years eve and she was
tc leave the next morning. She put on
an extra lump of coal and set the
lighted lamp in the window She
tAought it might cheer some one, you
know, and it did: it shone way out on
the path and lit the way for the bach
elor as he came hurrying across the
fields
As he came into the little room, bare
of all the pretty little articles which
had made it so cheerful and homelike,
his heart gave a thump to think that it
would so SION be empty and deserted,
and he resolved to say what was on his
mind at once.
But the words would not come; he
could only open the parcel which he
had brought and take out-guess what!
The tattered remnants of cambria
Mother Hubbard.
As the widow gave a little squeal of
surprise, he said, with stately bow
81 have bring zc-zc chemise of
madame, which re wind brings to me
so long ago" And with an impetuous
motion he tore open his coat and there
over his heart lay the folded pink rib
bon which had been at the throat of the
gown.
Somehow after that he didn't need
words, for the widows dark head rested
on the ribbon and both his arms were
about her.
Now there is something irresistibly
funny about the courtship of middle
aged lovers. Young lovers are interest
ing enough, and old lovers are pathet-
ically grotesque, but when two COM
mon-place people in middle life fall in
love with each other | defy them to
behave 50 that they are above ridicule.
So we VIII draw the curtain here,
when tell you that after her lover had
gone the widow whispered to Tom: $50
romantic, isn't it? But how absurd to
call it chenise." The widow returned
to her old homo and to Priscilla; and it
has leaked out that she is wearing a
ring with Happy New Year" engraved
inside, so the neighbOrs believe that the
wedding is to come off on an anniver-
sary of that day.
But have told all that am going to,
now, and if you really want to know il
they are married, just look among the
marriage notices on New Years day.
MARIE MORE MARSH.
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

too. AS rule the more thought that is
bestowed upon the subject the more
elaborate and lengthy the set of resolu-
tions become. That's going in the wrong
direction. A more useful kind of study
is that which discrlminates, prunes and
discards the superfuities. Don't resolve
too much. If you do you will fail to
keep your resolutions and that will
tend to weaken your faith in yourself
Ii you are particularly fond of an after.
dinner cigar and resolve to dispense
with it, that is one Of the resolutions
that discriminating resolyer would
prune out. because there is next to no
possibility OF its being kept more than
three days at the utmost There are
some resolutions that are easier to
keep, and to these the prudent man will
eonfine himself. Resolve that if you sit
down suddenly on the icy sidewalks, or
pound your thunih with hammer, yn,.
viii make few cursorv --1n.rts. bo-
osuse /" Is .. resolution that vou will
surely keep Resolve that in any case
you will read this paper; that is an
ether that you can't help keeping Res
eIntlons that are kept are a source of
satisfaction, says the Boston Globe, and
the KIND that are made every New
Years Gay and never kept are foun-
tam OF more or less poignant regret.
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

Drake can see in that there furrin-
speal1in' westerner | can't see. But
there's no question but what the we'd
din's to come off sometime soon, an
her tellin' me to fetch these here close
that belonged to number one out an
air 'em is to my mind sure sign she's
goin' to dispose of 'em an get 'em
out the way before number two comes
along.
Her first's been under the sod these
ten year an she's mourned him long
enough, the land knows. | amt in no
way against widows marryin' an tryin'
it again if they like; but do say it 'ud
be more seemly to choose a man O. her
own Yankee stock than one O. frog
eatin French descent"
And the hired girl gave the vest which
she was shaking a jerk which sent
one of the buttons halfway across the
yard.
1t certainly did look as though there
was to be a wedding at Widow
brakes before long, and the neighbors
whispered that there was a little ro-
nance connected with it, And so there
was, but they never could have guessed
what it was about, neither could you If
you were to try for a month-so 1 am
going to tell you all about it.
The Widow Drake was plump, we'll
preserved little body, with fresh rosy
checks and bright blue eyes and the
smoothest of brown hair without a
thread of silver in it. She was not
young, but nobody would have guessed
that she was forty, and as woman is
only as old as she looks, she kept her
own counsel and let people speak of her
as being thirty-hve
Her husband had left her a neat little
home and enough money to keep her
comfortably without any care beyond a
few little economies now and then, in
the shape of dyed gown or a recon-
structed bonnet.
Her life was calm and uneventful:
too uneventful, by half, she thought, as
she sat in the twilight stroking the
| great Maltese cat which was her COM
| panion and cOntidant.
Priscilla, the maid of all work, was a
woman of too mature an age to be
| called a girl in any other sense than a
| hired girl" and she chose that title of
her own free will. She had lived with
| Mrs. Drake during her brief married
! life, and the widow had kept her ever
since because she dreaded being alone
in the house. But Priscilla was neither
sympathetic nor responsive, and Tom,
| the Maltese cat, was much more apt to
agree with the Widows opinions, so it
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

the cabinet organ at donation party,
having forgotten to do it in the haste of
my toilet preparations: "0ne good turn
deserves another"
like to turn over a new leaf once in
awhile | get SO tired of the old one
1t is SO stained, and blotted and discol-
ored- It is torn in so many places and
it Is written SO full of mistakes and
failures.
There are the se5 little ''X'' marks
which indicate the days during the
past year upon which was needlessly
cross and irritable. There are a half
dozen near the top of the page marked
"XH-" That was while we were NOV
ing into The new house and getting set
tied. Then there's the entry January
2, where / began smoking again, and
379, 4T2 little dots, like 6y speeks almost.
which mark the number Of times /
have kicked" about things during the
past year
It's 4 poor. dirty, miserable, badly
kept, altogether too faithful record It
is interlined and criss-crossed, but it
isn't illegi5le- Every entry stands out
bold and clear, and can't erase a sim
gle one Of them can only turn the
sorry-loclEing chronicle out of sight end
begin with a clean. fresh. new page
on the other leaf
CHARLES NEwTog HOOP.
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

NO.. 80.

to sin in its unaduiterated state, and the
latter meaning an instrument in which
carpenters torture two-by-fours and the
like and lather them previous to doing
a job of plane shaving. The phrase is
double action. The terms may be
transposed and they get there just the
same.)
Last year I resolved that | would re-
trench in household expenses, and so
agreed to give my wife certain amount
of money every week and let her pro-
vide for the table. That is the amount
was certain the first week, but my wife
says that after that it was frequently
decidedly uncertain. She hadn't had
much experience but she did nobly.
She said one day that she wished I
would give her the name of some great
wholesale grocer, name that would
be a synonym for the choicest of every
thing. SO that when dealers asked her
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

what brand of an article she wanted,
she wouldn't be at loss and display
her ignorance.
told her to always ask for II. K.
Cooper's goods. (That isn't the name
gave her at all, but that name will do.
! don't propose to give advertising
worth S14 per agate line for nothing)
The plan worked delightfully."-. When
she would inquire for some good olives,
an8 the clerk would ask her supercil-
iously what brand she preferred. she
would remark, as pert as you please:
"H. K. Cooper's, if you have them"
Nine cases out of ten they didn't have
anything so good, but the salesman
would treat her with the greatest con-
siderati0n because she appeared to be
up in the business pretty, well herself,
and not try to work off any old shop
worn pickles or last years yeast cakes
on her.
But, alas! one day she went into a
meat market and in her most imperious
voice said: Il would like some liver"
''What sort, MADAME"
"Why, l supposed that liver was all
alike"
''Oli, no. We sell several varieties. :"
WELL" answered Marie in despera-
ton, ''you may give me II. X. Cooper's. ="
And this is true story and worthy
of all people to be believed.
AS near as | can find out, Adam was
the first man to turn over a new leaf
have a suspicion, though, that he
turned over a good many before he got
his winters supply of clothing all made
up. Adam must have reversed his cuffs
on Wednesday, and that was, of course,
turning of leaves AS man once
said to me, facetiously, when he discov-
cred me trying to reverse my cuffs
without attracting attention, behind
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

was to him that she whispered, upon
this evening in June. that she had half
a mind to go west and take up claim.
And Tom purred his approval and the
widow went on and poured into his ear
4 scheme which had been working in
her mind for several days.
OF course every one said that she must
be crazy. Odd, over-thrifty and VEN
turesome were the mildest of the ad-
ectives which were applied to this
harmless little woman, who was simply
tired of TIE dull life which she was liv-
ing and who knew of no other way OF
making cllange which would benefit
her health and mind and her purse as
well.
And that is how it happened that this
woman, who seemed far too dainty for
such life, was living away out on a
Dakota claim, in snug little shanty of
pine boards, banked with sods, AID in
the midst of the crudest of surround
ngs.
1t was the first of July when she filed
her claim and it was required that there
should be a six months residence upon
it. Everybody said that she never
would stay half the time; but she smiled
and strolxed old Tom.
1t wasn't so bad, after all, she
thought. There were plenty of neigh.
bors-not very near, to be sure-bui
half mile seems so much nearer in
that clear atmosphere which transmits
light and sound so marvelously.
Each morning she heard the shril
vocal salute of the two schoolma'am
who lived on the claim next hers; and
from her own door she would call bach
q hearty ''halloo-o," which always
brought smile to the faces Of those
ancient danes.
And then, out there everybody wa.
SO kind to everybody else, and some
body was always offering to bring one.
mail or ones groceries from the quee,
! low hut which served as general stnra
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
4 NEW YEARS WISH.

wish you d happy New YearI May roses strsw
your way,
And paths be glad and peaceful on which you
start to-day.
May golden shafts of sunshine bring just .
little rain,
And gracious gifts OF pleasure hold just shade
of pain.
For skies are fairer which the clouds may
sometimes overcast
And pleasures are the best which come when
grief and pain are past.
And II among your roses the ivy is entWined
Your heart will beat the nearer to the heart Of
all mankind
wish you happy New YesrI Ahi who could
wish you less;
May all the tender charities that heal ana
soothe and bless
Be scattered at your feet like flowers, and may
you eer impart
To all the weary souls Of men the Joy within
your heart
For hearts that hold no love know not the Joy
1t is to live;
Our lives are measured by the joys which We
to others give.
May charity and kindness your life and mine
Undue.
My Joys shall be the brighter for the joys
wish TO you.
Chicago Herald
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

post Office, machine shop and dwelling
in one.
Of course the bill of fare was apt to
be little monotonous. There was
great deal of salt pork and bacon and
dried fish. but there were lots of timed
vegetables and canned fruit from home
to help out; and, really, it wasn't at ali
what one would fancy from the doleful
tales one hears of the suffering in new
countries.
Then there were papers and maya
zines and letters from dear ones. Only
there was one trouble. The widow had
no dear ones. She was so alone. And
little jealous feeling would come in
spite of her when the two old maids
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
GOOD RESOLUTIONS.
The Kind to which the Prudent Man
viii Condne Himself

HOSE who in.
t e n d to try
once more the
oft-tried expe.t
ment of making
New Years res.
olutions b a We
not much time
to lose. Such
re S olutions, if
they are by any
possibility to be
kept, require a
good deal of
S t u d y before
hand. 1t must
be the r i G ht
Lind ~ eta,l1
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
New Year,a Preaents.

Howsomdever-Did old Duste dis
tribute any New Years presents?
Dashhard Poore-Yes, he distributed
various portions of mems outfittings.
He gave Charley the sack, he collared
Harry and cuffed him, and he gave me a
boot. Only pants were left for Billy
jewelers. Circular.
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
THE NEW YEAR ooMgTH.

And With Il Come Good Resolutions and
Other fsothersoae Things.
Ever since a long time ago, New
Years day, the Ist of January. has been
the day upon which ] swear of. Not
swear often, but swear that henceforth
will off with some pernicious habit
which is slowly but surely weaving its
--its-its-its-its unseen network Of
of-of-of-of vice about me. Vice
given its own way too long will soon
hold a person like a vice. lNote:-This
is q play upon words which Just
thought of. The former vice referring
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

Host (aside to caller)-Whaffor yo'
put sugar in dat bullion soup an den
spit hit out on de fc'?
Caller-Keep yo' hands off. A man
dat hain't got no mo- sense dan to offer
gemnen from de souf sech stuff as
dat in CT teacup, serves ter have hit
spit on de fio'. Doan yo' tech me, mig
pahi-TeNaS Siftinrs
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

a - = - b - - 80
S b e t 90 K a
clothespin from
llcr mouth and
carefully fast
ened a pair Of
trousers of an
cient cut and
ample proper
tions to tn 9
clot h e S line,
when it comes
to widows, l
own 'em to be
beyond my un-
ders t an din.
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
EInstic IIeSnInfinn.

we have knocked the stufang out of
the Christmas turkey and are ALREADY
iDg the strain on New Years resolu-
eion whlcA viii stretch a mile before it
viii tear an inch. Dallas News.
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
= uitch m the Procramm..

Dashaway-I understand that you
were around 10 Miss Palisades last
night. Did you see the old year out to-
gether2
Cleverton-No. wanted to, but
Miss Paiisade saw me out frst--Jurv
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
Keeping On Old cnstnm.

Going to swear of drinking and
smolSir = this New Year's?'' "of course,
| have ways done it and I'm not go
ing to quit now. I'm firm believer in
keeping up old customs. ~ Philadelphia
Times
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

=. Dung man. you've got
: over a new leaf this yeari
Young Seadds tmodestly)-Tbapk
you. sir: would you mind starting my
fresh page in the ledger with an ad-
vance of two ohundred?-Puck.
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

California has over 100, 900 mem-
bers In her state alliance. and has only
been really in the work about one year.
--Great West,
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
A Failing Out.

.Oh. prithee, Ethel let me know
Wny thus you have dismissed meF'
- stooa. sir meath the mfstletoe
Last night (weepsl, you never (weepsD
kissed mer'
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
WIDU .g BRAKES BEAU.
Why He Looks Forward Impa-
tiently to New Years Day.

a. e EELL!" said the
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30

A New Years Poem.
Bills, bills, bills bills,
Bills, bills, bills,
Bills. bills, bills, bills,
Bills, bills, bills.
-Someryille Journal.
Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-12-30
l,os1 A WEEK.

The above figures repre-
sent the average weekly
circulation Of the Index"
for the month Of October.
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-15
PERSONAL.

SHERRILI, the Yale sprinter, will speak fol
the Townsend prize of 800 at the Yale Law
School commencement.
LADY PAUNcEForE, wife of the British minis
ter in Washington, is a great pedestrian. and
takes her daily CONSTITUTIONAL regularly be
| fore noon.
SPEAKER BARRETT Of the Massachusetts, legis
lature and Boston Advertiser is thought to have
fair chance for the republican gubernatorial
nomination this year
j. E. BOYD, the ousted governor of Nebraska,
looks like a clergyman with his black frock
coat, low-cut vest and white tle His cheeks
are rudy with health.
Gov. CAMPBELL of Ohio finds further opposi-
ton TO his denomination from the insurance
men of the state on account of the unpopularity
Of his commissioner of insurance.
SIR MoRELL MACKENZIE, the distinguished
British physician, is a slender and active man of
SO. He began life as a clerk in store, but be-
fore he was 30 he had become an authority on
diseases of the throat.
MARIE VALERIE. the Archduchess of Austria,
has entered into competition with Carmen
Sylvia Of Roumania. in the literary field, and
written drama called Elm Goldstuck," which
Will be presented soon.
REAR ADMIRAL A. E. K. BENHAM, who for two
navy yard, has relinquished the post to Rear
Admiral John Irwin, whom the navy depart
ment had named as his successor.
SAYS the Philadelphia LEDGER: prof. Cleve-
lend Able has been appointed to make up the
forecasts for the weather bureau, and Prof
Marvin will have the verification OF them Prof
Marvin has corpulent snecure."
TOILET SYNeE, who was an attache of the
British legation at Washington from 1851 to
1853. is dead. While attRche at Washington he
married a daughter of Col. Wainwright. He
was friend of Thackeray, and wrote several
novels and sketches.
GEORGE W. CHILDs, the Philadelphia philan-
thropist and newspaper proprietor, has offered
to place on exhibition at the Chicago worlds
fair his private collection of souvenirs and
works of art. The collection is a remarkable
one and would be an object of interest any
where
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER has sent an auto
graph copy Of THE Kansas migrants Song"
to the Kansas State Historical Society The
venerable poet, who is nearly "a years old,
pathetically writes: My sight has failed so
much that fear my writing will bs unreliable.
l would not have tried to copy anything for any
other purpose"
BIsMARcK's election to the Reichstag seems to
have given him courage, O quality the emperor
has been trying to deprive him Of The prince
now declares that he will write his memoirs as
best pleaseth him, and print them during his
lifetime. so that he may be on hand to defend
if any one should be SO foolish as to attack them
This has the true ring of the Iron Chancellor.
QUEEN WILHELMINA of Holland made her first
appearance in public life last week by going
through number of functions in Amsterdam,
which, to 1S-yearold sovereign, must have
been perfectly bewildering. In the simplest Of
white frocks, with a broad. black sash, she
moved about so composedly that one would
have imagined she had been doing nothing else
but taking partin court ceremonialB from her
cradle
The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-15
Church and Creed.

Nearly every day we hear Of another dis
tinguished. minister who has been added to
the already long list Of those who have
lately announced a degree of dissent from
some part of the creeds Of their respective
denominations which amounts almost to the
rejection Of it. Then comes a general church
leaving which usually results in great deal
more of sensationalism than satisfaction to
either party coaosrned. 1t only serves to
set the ministry In general and the public to
thinking about the points at issue and
generally eventuates in a strongly partisan
sentiment in favor of the dissenting divine.
and possibly another minister with the en-
couragement of so conspicuous an example
may venture to ponder that Independent
line of thought in a way that he never dared
do before until he becomes convinced that
his distinguished co-worker was entirely
right Then comes a repetition Of the same
scenes and experiences.
Eternal punishment appears to be tho
vital doctrinal point on which there 10 SO
much diversity of opinion. Every one must
admit that it is really a very important
point in religions. Without the prospect of
eternal punishment staring them in the face
it is perfectly safe TO assert that the mem
bership Of the various churches would fall
away very considerably. How many of us
would take the trouble to be good if we
were not afraid of the ultimate consequences
of being wicked
With the hereafter Invested of the terrors
of eternal punishment the churches might
as well close their doors and the clergy turn
to other avocations for livelihood Verify
then would their occupation be completely
gone. So it will be seen that firmly
established general belief 10 eternal punish
ment is absolutely essential to the very
existence of the church or any system of
religion. Man is a superstItious animal and
can only be completely subiugated and con-
trolled through his fears of the supernatural.
Whatever the attractive theory may be,
nearly all religion really has the great
strength Of its basis IN fear rather than in
that all-pervading love that the good min
listers like to discourse upon.
Naturally the worldly eagerly grasp at SO
comfortable and pleasant belief as that
which divests the mysteries of eternity of
any terrors for them. But the ministry of
the various creeds of the world cannot
afford to allow any such belief to become
established. They must make common
cause against it. II they did not the
churches would not be likely to continue In
a very prosperous condition.