davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
SOUTHERN AND WESTERN CROPS.


The New York Tribune in a recent article
calls attention TO the fact that the West is now
reapfng the advantages which always result
from a Investigation Of agricultural products
while the greater part of the South is suffer
ing from the evils which attend an almost
exclusive devotion to the cultivation Of one
staple.
The agricultural report for December shows
that the aggregate value Of wheat, corn and
oats of the present year exceeds that of the
same crops for last year by at least $500, 000,-
900. and the larger proportion of this enor-
nous difference will find its way into the
hands of the Western farmers. These farmers
are fortunately situated as a general rule. be-
cause even when their grain crops are selling
at very low prices they are able to derive II
profit at least from corn and oats in feeding
stock which always command fair returns.
tn very rare that the Western farmers do
not secure some margin above cost on at least
one crop OF one form of production.
In the greater number of the Southern
States on the other hand the principal re-
lance is placed on cotton, cotton being al
most the exclusive crop. When its price de-
clines 10 a very low point. there is a marked
depression in the planting interest. because
there is no product TO fall back upon. Low
prices do not always discourage the planting
of large crops of cotton simply because there
is no crop to form ssubstitute.
Although there has been such an enormous
falling on in the amount Of the
crop Of cotton for the present
year rs compared with tho crop of
last year, nevertheless there is no indication
of any advance in value. On tho contrary.
tho price of tho present year IS materially
lower than il was last year, and there is little
prospect of any notable increase until short
crops for several years have reduced the sup
! ply on hand In the meanwhile the cotton
States must suffer from the lack OF diversf-
cation in their agricultural industries
IL is too much TO expect any change in this
system for many years. There seems 10 be q
fascination in the production Of staples like
| tobacco and cotton which diverts the atten-
ton Of their producers from all other crops.
From the time when tobacco and cotton were
! first cultivated IN large quantities there has
! been the Same complaint, TINT time and money
were expended on them TO the exclusion Of all
other products. II has been difficult to excite
the exclusive interest OF the tobacco and cot
ton planter in other crops until either his
lands have been worn out or the prices Tell for
q succession Of years below the cost of pro-
| duction.
Tobacco and cotton ara more or less specu-
latye crops and in this probably lies the Sc
eret of the sssiduity with which they are cul-
tiyated in spite of all Heterogeneous.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20

one who Is out Of bis place In business that
hs di.lilss or who il compelled to keep
company that Is distasteful to him Is an ugly
duck TO oil about him. They don't appre-
cia.a him. They don't SEQ what no is tit for
II they suspect him Of merit they Will ra'hef
prefer 10 brand him a. fool. Ana tho uh.
thinking. heartless crowd will peck at him and
persecute him aud mortify him to death. Then
the poor fellow thinks they know him better
than he knows himself. and he can't do d
thing exactly as it ought to be done. Every
body is smarter than he and nothing that he
saws or does that is not foolish or wrong. On,
how miserable an ugly duck can be Ana
there are many ugly ducks IN the highest
snheres and on the lowest levels on the lake
and IN the puddle.
Natural selection. the everlasting fitness OF
things, aptness and congeniality ere the aoso-
Lutte and necessary condition OF healthy de-
velopment, smooth working and happiness
The disorders. dIscontents, failures, dole
fnl regrets and disgusts Of life como FOR
the most part of our being misplaced and mis-
euided-not following our natural oents ana
inclinations. How many fairly successful
merchants are there whom chance and strong
sense of duty have brought to competency
yet fall into their ruts, almost IKE drsy
horses Then business is dreary plodding.
They fell into. their callings without any love
for them. and jog along through life sadly
patiently, submissively, but conscious
that they are out Of place. and
in the best view OF il that life has been only
a respectable failure, and that there has been
no life. Change only words and names. and
the same remarks are applicable to men N all
pursuits. And the old age of retirement IS
spent in dreaming of the underlined ideal
the hearts desire that they have missed. The
ugly ducks did not manage to get home. And
so they passed their lives as cranks and oddl-
ties-eccentrics.
If il is miserable with men, how must II be
with the other sex Little children whose
loves and affections have budded and expand
ed in tho high: and warmth of loving
home. what have they 70 do with the sensa-
tionsl, spectacular, heartless world; And yet
how often are these dear ones from mere
desire to please an ambitious father. mother,
brother in the glazing pomp OF dress made
TO take part with the mad world, They can't
be ugly ducks but they are exiles from home
unhappy in the midst Of frolic and most
likely wall-howers. By the rivers OF Babylon
they sit down and weep.
1t is an easy thing to add to the number OF
these unfortunstes. Over and over again the
very features that make a noble nature un-
adjustable TO the commonplace is some noble
quality.
The whole story was told long ago. The
catacornered rock that no workman could
turn to account. in the way. when the work
was done graced the apex Of the pyramid.
The stone which the builders rejected became
the head of the corner. And 1t is enough for
the disciple to be as his Master and the ser.
want as his Lord. The Almighty has made
everything beautiful in its place.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
CYRUS w. tIELD AND HIS SON.

The sudden fluctuations in the condition OK
Cyrus W. Field. in response to the successive
steps which have been taken in connection
with his SON. Edward NJ Field, throw very
pathetic light upon bis pride Of character
When it was announced that the younger
Field was so disordered in his intellect that
he had been removed to an insane asylum
the mind of the father seemed to recover
somewhat from the shock which il had I'M
dergone. and his health. which was stated by
his physicians to be desperate. showed q
marked improvement. az if he had found re-
lief in the thought that the mental unrespon-
sibility of his son diminished the weight Of
disgrace which his acts had cast upon the
family name.
When later Edward Field was arrested
upon the order of the district attorney Of
New York. and an exposure of bis defalcations
became certain. the theory of insanity being
no longer allowed, Cyrus w. Field, the father,
suffered relapse. from which there is no
prospect Of his rallylng.
The stain which the impending investiga-
ton Of the conduct of the younger Field will
indict upon the reputation of the Field name
is more than the father cen bear The dis
grace was almost lntolerable when the sup
posed insanity of Edward Field paliated it.
This partial alienation Of the dshonor of his
conduct is now withdrawn and the aged father
has only the unmitigated villainy of fay-
ored and trusted son to contemplate. This
last stroke has apparently gone home. as Mr.
Field is reported now t. be on his death-bed.
The feeling Of Mr. Field is so natural that
all men can sympathize with it. his sensitive
ness appealing to every ono who has a spark
Of personal or family pride in his breast.
II reflects honor upon Mr. Field and upon
humanity. In his last hour, we seem to see
him sinking in unspeakable sorrow to the
/ grave, while ne raises his arm 10 shut out the
sight of world which had been darkened for
/ him by the shame Of his son.
If we look at it in the light Of an impartial
spectator, it is plain that no great name
which has been made great by the use
full achievements Of father can
10 really disgraced in the opinion
Of the world by tho evil deeds OF
his SON In the eye of history. the name is
the man who gave it its lustre. and his
worthless or even criminal sons cannot dim
that lustre, for it is the heritage. not OF a
single family, but of mankind They are for
gotten, while the name is immortal.
The name Of the Fields. although not Of the
first order Of celebrity, is universally honored
in this country aud it will be remembered for
many generations with respect and admira-
ton when the record Of Edward Field shall
have been blotted from the minds OF men.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
UGLY DUCKS.

Hans Andersen's story Of the Ugly Duck
is tolerably familiar. The infant swan with
its long neck and odd-lookins head and gen.
eral awkwardness was too much for the man.
ners OF the pretty ducklings. They couldn't
help quacking at it aud prosecuting the IN
lucky thing. And the poor little creature
felt so badly that it would 90 of to itself,
and led a very, very sad life of it, But it
went on growing, and oil its ugliness turned
to grace and beauty and at last it found its
element. its congensi companions and its
life.
Anybody can preach sermon on that text
Cinderella is almost another illustration of
the Same idea, but not exactly.
The world ID oil full Of ugly ducks. Any
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20

WE published last Thursday morning q
spirited address to the women Of Virginia
from Mrs. John Paul and Mrs John S. Wise
urging their organization and concert OF &C
ton for the proper representation Of Virginia
at the Worlds Columbian Exposition to be
held in Chicago in 1893.
No people On earth know better than those
of Virginia and the South generally what
women can do when they have their hearts
enlisted in any cause. Yirginis's place should
not be unoccupied in the Chicago Exposi-
ton. II is too much the custom OF our
Atlantic seaboard people to reflect rather
than act This is case in which action is
required. Ii is plain case OF what ought to
be done
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
3 TEE pew Speaker Of the House of Repre-
sentatiyes is d Crlspmas gift from Georgia

OUR recent article on Virginia scholars
was not intended. it is almost unnecessary TO
say. as any reflection upon the work which is
being done by our professors OF English in
our Virginia colleges and universities. We
have a very just appreciation Of this work
and are not, We believe inaccurately in.
formed as 20 the extent TO which il has been
carried The substance of our wish was sim
ply that in all of our colleges and universe
ties the chair of English. disassociated from
the chair Of history, should DO placed in
length II not In scope of instruction upon pre-
cisely the same footing as the chair of attn or
Mathematics. That 1t is not 40 in every case
now Is due not TO any deficiency in ability or
learning on the part OF tho instructors but 10
slack OF interest in the subject by the great
oooy OF students rs compared with other sub
Isc's which are Improperly considered 10 DO of
more Importance. 1t is gratifying to observe
that this lack Of interest is being modified as
time passes on, d fact which is to be attributed
70 the more aggressive scholarship OF the man
VINO are conducting tho English course. in
our colleges and universities at the present
time.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20

One Of the feasts celebrated by the ortho-
dox Jews is the east OF the Lights or dedi-
cation This feast will commence on Friday
night next. and continue for eight days. and
is in commemoration Of the rededication Of
the temple following the triumph OF Judas
Maccabeus over An,iochus. Is. &. 1863, when
lie marched into Jerusalem unopposed with
his troops and gladly and solemnly relishtsd
the extingushed lights of the temple
On their entrance into the temple a single
can Of holy oil was found left, and this lasted
eight days. until other oil could DO made
hence the eight day feast.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
DOLLS: DOLLS {!

We have complete variety Of Dolls.
snall-sized Dressed Dolls at Sc; patent
Unbreakable Dolls. Bisque Jointed Dolls
OPEN and close their eyes, 2,c.; Large
Dressed Dolls at 75c., and better FRENCh
Dolls in largest size at $3.50.
Our store will be open every night until
Christmas.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20

MILLINERY, FANCY GOODS, &c.
HOLIDAY WARES
AT
Kaufman & Co.'S,
COR. FOURTH and BROAD OTS
We show a very handsome variety oil
Christmas Goods which are specially adapt
ed for just such present as You would iiAe
En- pn.ta

Christmas Goods which are specially ADAPT
ed for just such present IS You would hAe
TO make.
You are invited to come and inspect our
display OF these ornamental 81 wen as use
full presents, which are marked III plain ny
ures and consist of the newest designs IN
ALBUMS. wORK-BAsKETS. FRAMES
FOR CABINET PHOTOS, PLUSH Oasis
with Toilet Fittings. OXIDlzED CASLs
with Smokers Fittings, MOROCCO CAoLe
with Manicure Fittings, PLUSH AND OAh
CASES with complete SHAVING OUTFIT
WORK BOXES. PORTABLE WRITING
DESKS. LEATHER WRITlNG-POhIt u
LIOs. LEATHER CASES with Toilet mt
tings for travelling purposes hlsh-
HOLDERS. JEWEL CASES, GLOVE AND
HANDKERCHIEF BOXES, PERFUME
CASES AND SETS, FANCY CUT-GLAsS
BOTTLES, OAK AND WALNUT W
RIGHT SMOKING SETS, SILVER sMOk-
ING SETS. MOUCHIoR CASEs.DREssEh
TIDES. LACE SITS, PAPER-HANGEHS.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
$500 Reward i!

WE @ill pay the above reward for any OF fsves
Complaint, Dyspepsia, Sick Headache, Indigestion Coo
spaton or Costireness ne cannot euro with Wests
Vegetable Liver Pills. when tho directions are strictly
complied with. They are purely Vegetable. and nevet
fail 10 give Subtraction Sugar Coated. Large boIeG
containing % Pills. y cenn. Beware OF counterfeiH
tnd limitations. Tho genuine manufactured only "
III John C. WEST COMPANY. CHICAGO. ILL
Sold 10y f. P. REEtL & 90, 0l2 Last Marshall
street Richmond. Va. "a 2-f. su.wiy
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20

uANcHEsTER BUREAU. TWELFTH AND
HULL STREETS.
Branch ONCE: Iios Decatur Street
THE MANCHESTER CALCULATION or
rur TIMES is NOW GREATER THAN ALL
THE OTHER RICHMOND PAPERS COM
BINED.
THE CIRCULATION OF THE TIMES Is
Jaeger THAN EVER BEFORE IN IFS
HISTORY. AND Is STEADILY
INo.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20
SUNDAY. DECEMBER 20, 1891.
TWELVE PAGES.


The Hines Memorial Committee will meet"
The Electric Light Committee Of the Conn
Gil will meet-The House Committee on Pub
lie Property met.--Both houses OF the 0eneral
Assembly we're in session and important matters
were iransacied.-The Norfolk Ferry bill was
ed.--The State Apportionment bill was
psssed.--A meeting Of the Virginia HISTORICAL
Society was held.-The State Deb. Commits
sioners met.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20

IYSCBBURGH BUREAU. NO. 1913 MAIN
STREET.
The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-20

Prominent Democrats say that ex-President
Cleveland viii make no effort TO obtain the
Presidential nomination.--Mr. Mills has de-
clined the second place on the Ways and Means
Comrnittee--rhe policy OF the managers Of
the present House is to consolidate the appro-
priation bills in the hands OF tho regular Appro-
Driation Committee,
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-23
LOSS.

The pathway of my life since thou artgone.
Seems like a dusty and exposed highroad
Who's upward stretching, weary length
.r, is sOwed
With rough, uneven places. The bright
sun
Streams pitilessly down; shade there is
none.
Bewildered, dazed, instinctively I turn
Thy help to claim All! have / yet to learn
What all men know-that 1 must walk
alone? s.
And though am q woman in my years.
Whom Others turn to for the help l seek,
STILLS my troubled heart full of vague
fears
And desolate distress; sobs from RE break
feat.
Left wandering in an unknown public
street. .r
The Spectator.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-23
ABOUT WRITING STORIES.
A Few Valuable Hints to Story
Writer'S,

= VoAAoolS THUS ~ oLOTy
Writers.
Now that SO many people amuse
themselves by writing novels, a few
hints concerning the methods to be
observed are quite in order. The
first requisite of course, is to make
your characters as unlike real men
and women as possible. The heroine,
If not really beautiful, must possess a
charm of expression which instantly
fascinates all who behold it. The ad-
vantage of this description is that
III out of ten of your readers will
think that it fits themselves, and will
be pleased. accordingly. She must
have several lovers, all handsome and
desirable IN every way, and marry the
most desirable among them; this, as
everyone knows, is what the flesh and
blood girl always does--which ex-
plans why marriage is not a fail
ure. ~. .-r .
II an artist is introduced, give him
long hair and knickerbockers. Elderly
aunts are always maiden" and eccen-
trlc. Be sur to describe a charac-
ter of gentle birth as a coarse, bad
man OF a dwelling idiot; it is not to
be expected, that generations of Gull
ture can produce q gentleman; on the
contrary, he must spring from the
poorer class, and though not ire
p%roachful in the matter of personal
cleanliness, in true nobility of soul
towers over the minlon of fortune,
whom he disdains as an efeminate
knight Of the bath.
A detective is always outdone in his
own line OF business by an ameteur in
the same. A diary is an excellent
vehicle for conveying discriminating in
formation which otherwise could not
possibly have been discovered. Docu-
ments, when intended to be destroyed,
are torn up, never burnt; how could
they subsequently be pieced together?
A Will is made to be altered, left
about, or lost-if irretrievably, then
see that a subsequent and more
equitable will is discovered. Fire only
breaks out when girls are desired to
appear in deshabille. See, therefore,
that the fire never occurs during the
daytime.
Ears should always be shell-like;
feet, dainty; eyes violet for heroine,
brown for honesty, grey for cruelty.
The hair may be any color. II false,
1T denotes bad morals. In the ease Of
a woman, it is either gathered care
lessly into a knot" drawn back from
the forehead or "braided at the
back It is always done simply"
and nothing but a ''single rose" is
ever worn in it. For description OF
hero, give a portrait of yourself as
you think you / AS for the scene
of action, if q cottage, it must nestle
and don't forget the honeysuckle. A
country house should be Elizabethan,
q castle feudal, and a suburban resi-
dence picturesque.
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-23

in the wonderful power of endurance
shown by that animal. Not the least
wonderful exploit credited to pussy is
the following: In 1880, when the
Washington monument had reached
q height OF one hundred and sixty
feet, an adventurous and patriotic
cat had assembled the interior Of the
shaft by means Of the ropes and tub
ing.
When the workmen arrived at the
upper landing the next morning, and
began to prepare for the days work,
pussy took fright, and springingto the
outer edge, took a "header" Of n
hundred and sixty feet to the hard
earth below.
In the descent, which was watched
closely by two score of men, the cat
spread herself out like a flying squirrel,
and alighted on all tours. After turn
ing over on the ground a few times n
a dazed manner, sh~eprepared to leave
the grounds, and had proceeded al
most beyond the shadow ofthe monu-
ment when dog belonging to one Of
the workmen bounced upon her and
killed her, she, of course, not being in
her best running trim after perform
Ing such an extraordinary feat.
One OF the men procured the body
OF the dead cat, smoothed out her
silky coat, and turned it over to a,
representative of the Smithsonian
Institution, who mounted the skin
and placed it under a glass case.
The label on the case tells this won.
derful story in a few words: '1This
cat, on September 23, 1880, jumped
from the top of Washington's Monu-
ment, and ived."-Companion.
Keep the Passions in Check.
An old mar was once walking with
a little boy. They came across four
shrubs. The old man said to his
youthful companions: q
"Pull up the least one."
He obeyed with ease. .
"Now the next"
lie ODeyed, but 1T did not come SO
easily.
"And the third"
1t took all his strength to move it's
roots, but he succeeded.
"Now the fourth" .
In vain the lad put forth all hi
strength. He only made the leaves
tremble; he could not 10 the roots.
They had gone strongly into the earth
and no effort could dislodge them.
Then the wise old man said to the
ardent youth:
"This my son, is just what happens
with u passions. When they are
young and weak, n may, by a little
watchfulness over self and the help of
a little self denial, easily tear them
up; but if we let them cast their roots
deep into out souls, there is no hui
man power can uproot them. For
this reason, my child, watch we'll over
the first movements of your soul, and
study, by acts of virtue, to keep your
passions well in check"
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-23
Moral Backbone,

Without a stiff moral backbone a.
sound condition of the mental organi-
cation is impossible. Yet this essen
tlal element of mental stability is
rather rare. Weakness of the moral
spine is in fact much more common
than disease of the material vertebre.
It is a. sad disability, and works an
infnity OF mischief. Those who are
afflicted by it only wrong themselves
through its influence. but also inficts
serious evils upon society. They lend
money, which in some cases they can
i'll spare, to persons whom it does not
benefit; become security for people
they do not know, and are mulcted in
the amount of the guarantee; recon-
mend as worthy of the confidence of
other men in whom they have no
confidence themselves, and are dis
honored by the conduct of their pro-
teges; bestow places on individuals
they do not esteem; live in a. manner
which neither their conscience nor
their tastes approves, and all this be-
cause they have not strength enough
in their moral spines to bear up
against the pressure of importantly
and temptation. Where there Is q
natural tendency to this kind of
weakness it should be checked in early
life, for it rapidly grows worse by in
diligence. "He has had an ill educa-
tion," said the elder Brutus, "who
has not been taught to deny" A per-
emptory negative at the right time
has saved many m~ultitudes from per-
dition. A weak assent at the wrong
time has been the ruin of millions.
Every Boy Has The Same Chance.
1t is not necessary that g. boy who
learns a trade should follow it all his
life. Senator Palmer of Illinois was q
country blacksmith once. President
Lincoln was raised on a farm and
split rails. President Garfield drove
mules on a canal. Jay Gould vas
asurveyor's assistant. JohnD. Rookie
Teller was a bookkeeper. Erastus
Corning, too lame to do hard labor,
commenced as a shop boy in Albany.
When he applied for employment first
he was asked: "Well, my little boy,
what can you do?" 'Can do what I
am bid" was the answer. That Sc.
cured him a place. Ex-Gov. Stone OF
Iowa was a cabinetmaker, at which
trade the late Hon. Stephen A. Doug
las also worked in his youth. Large
numbers of prominent men now liv-
ing have risen from humble life by dint
OF industry, without which talent is as
useless as q gold coin on a barren
island. Work alone makes men bright,
and it does not depend on the kind Of
work you have to do whether you rise
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-23
HIS Welded WIFE,
HAKSPEARE saws

HAKSPEARE says
something about
worms, Or it may be
giants, or beetles,
turning if you tread
on them too severly.
The safest plan is
never to tread ON q
The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-07-23

Pussy's Wonderful Leap.
The old saying, "a cat has nine
lives" has q good foundation of fact