davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
VAIN SEARCH FOR EXCLUSIVE STYLES
A Woman Who Didn't want to Be Conn
mon and Protested.

20, dear!" she gasped, as she threw
herself into a chair and flung her
bundles on the floor. 20, dear, I'll
never wear this horrid old gray dress
again!"
"Why, what's the matter?" said the
head of the family, soothingly. 81 am
sure you only bought the thing last
week."
"Yes, know"
"And isn't the house filed with
ment, the remains of the dressmaker's
tidinessP"
swell, it's like this" said the woman,
bursting into tears, "when I was out
shopping today saw colored woman
with a dress just like mine. Do you
suppose am going to stand thatp"
why notP" snorted the head of the
house.
20, you have no notion of such
things. You never were a woman in
your life. If you had been you
wouldn't ask such silly questions. I
really believe that my dressmaker told
me fib about that pattern and style.
She gave me to understand that mine
was the only piece of this pattern in
new 1Ork.
"What difference does it make, any
wayP"
"ARd saw a woman with hat like
mine, too; and nearly died when I
got into street car and saw horrid,
red-haired country girl with shoes just
like mine; and then I fairly tainted
when I waltzed up to the bargain
counter and observed that the sales
lady wore bow pin just like mine;
and I nearly fell fiat in heap when I
took soda water and noticed that .
servant girl next to me had on terra
Gotta gloves the exact shade of mine;
! and l nearly swooned when I came
down the street and ran plump into 3
fat lady carrying pair of twins, and
didn't each twin have on a bonnet like
my darling child's. my Willie boy. I
tell you it isn't right. l want to be
unlike other people, do. Like all
women, hate to have on things that
every body has and that are common y
II will tell you," said the husband,
meekly, "Maria, if you wish to have
exclusive styles, take my advice: wear
pair of rubber boots, sou'wester. a
tablecloth for cloak, and a dress
made of horse hair mattress in
side out. You will then have nothing
in common with the rest of your tribe.
If it is a go. say so at once, and I will
leave for Canada tomorrow so as to
give you full swing to your hearts
content"-M Y AdUertiser.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
That Borrowed Money.

It was on State street car and they
were talking so that everybody could
hear every word they said. Il never
would have believed it." said No. /.
"No, nor L." echoed No. 2. "if it had
happened to anyone else. You see, he
goes in such good society, and her hus-
band, being the head of such large
concern 1 had no hesitancy whatever
about loaning her the money; and to
think she has passed me twice and
never said a word about it. think she
is actually dishonest and-dear me,
here she is getting in this very car. !"
and both ladies got very red as a
quiet, refned-looking woman made
her way to where they were sitting.
"Ah, my dear Mrs. b." smiled the
newcomer; "you are just the person
am looking for. | do want to thank
you for that generous loan and to tell
you how glad was that l met your
husband that very evening and could
so speedily return it. received q
pretty scolding when I arrived home
for going out with so little, and do
hope your helping me out didn't incon-
venience you"
mot in the least" glibly answered
Mrs. B., who had SO recently been on
tenterhooks regarding the self-same
loan. ''You need not have been in
such hurry to return it. 1t was q
matter of so little consequence"
Here the first two alighted and the
passengers were left to wonder what
would happen to that forgetful hus
band.-Chicdqo Dispatch.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
Rice Made Him Strong.

"While they dwarf their trees and
shrubbery," says writer in the Phil
adelphia Times, "the japanese have
made a race of giant men-a race of
wrestlers. These wrestlers often weigh
200, 800 and 400 pounds. At the I'M
perial hotel in Toxic they brought their
champion wrestler to my room. He
was prodigious in size and as fat and
fair as baby. He was Hercules in
strength, but looked like an oVergrown
cherub of Correggio.
@'What do ye eat?' l asked.
nothing but rice
".Why not eat meat?'
"'Meat is weakening. Beef is 70 pei
cent water. Rice is 80 per cent food.
ate lean beefsteak once, and my
strength left me. The other man ate
rice and threw me down.
"My courier said: This wrestler is
the Sullivan of Japan. No one car
throw him."
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
TIE BOSTON WOMAN.
Her characteristics Set Forth in Detail
by Critic Of Her Own Sex.


The Boston woman is distinct type
of feminine character. She differs
from her American sisters almost as
much as if she belonged to another
race or lived in different planet, says
writer in the Boston Globe.
She possesses more than ordinary
business capacity. To turn money
seems to be want in her nature and
this desire of gain never subsidies.
In other countries when women get
married they usually retire from busi-
ness life and give the struggling ones
who are single a chance; but the Bos-
ton woman does no such thing. 1t is
surprising to see the number of wom-
en- in stores with wedding rings on
their fingers.
She is the most easy-going, matter
of-fact business person I ever saw.
She never hurries or disturbs her.
self to suit anyone else, but she be-
lieTes that everyone should hurry to
suit her.
She never takes a step of Importance
without due consideration, and if an
undertaking fails the failure cannot
be attributed to lack of foretheught.
An injury she rarely forgets. If you
have had the misfortune to incur her
displeasure, 60 and drown yourself,
because if she can help it you will
never taste another happy moment.
She is sometimes prone to condemn
person for a mere trife, and at other
times she overlooks very serious
faults.
She takes all the fattery you care
to give her.
In nothing does she pride herself
more than her so-ealled infuence-es-
pecially social. If yea wish to gain
access to her heart, be sure to tell her
of your unbounded confidence in her
Influence.
Her courage in asking for anything
she wants, 90 matter how absurd the
request m, be, never fails.
No one has clearer insight into her
own interests than our Boston woman.
Her talent for finding means of using
people is truly extraordinary. Why,
actually believe that while you are be-
ing introduced to her she is saying:
81 wonder what use can put you to. "
will not say that this habit is gen.
eral or that it is confined exclusively
to Boston women, because that would
be unjust.
With all her foibles there is some
thing noble about her. / admire her
for her candor. her sincerity to her
friends.
If Boston woman does not like you,
she is not slow. in making you aware
of the fact. Her attitude toward her
| friends is admirable. Her belief in
their integrity, nothing happier.
The courage and perseverance OF
Boston women are proverbial. If she
has an end to attain she will go
through "ire and water" to attain it.
And as for trying to make her change
her opinion, why, it would be easier tc
move mountain. Boston women are
not exactly pretty, but they are pleas.
ing in appearance. They show good
taste in dress.
A Boston woman reveals herself, nc
matter where she goes, by the manner
in which she raises her dress crossing
the street. Instead of catching the
folds little below the waist and gen
tly raising them, she grasps the whole
concern and pulls it to the right.
This process is extremely ungrace-
full, but it is such an ordinary sight
here that few notice it.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
'There'sa life on the ocean wave.
And a home on the rolling deep,
Where the pollywogs wiggle their tails.
And the tears roll down my cheek.
Man a Strong Creature.

He is strong creature.
He can wear a stiff linen shirt and
button the buttons with his fingers
without breaking it where a woman
has to call glove buttoner into SER
vice.
He can tie a four-in-hand scarf so
that it shows it has been tied, is not
ready-made, and yet it is perfectly
even, writes Bah in the St. Louis Re-
pat6ltc.
He can put the links in his cuffs
without licking the backs of the but
tonholes.
He can keep his cuffs clean for day
without holding his hands as if he
were afraid something were going to
touch them.
He can find more fault and upset 8
household and make more women cry
than any other animal.
He is gifted with greater knowledge
about everything than an encyclopedias
and is more willing to disseminate it
than book agent.
He believes in himself implicitly, and
that's the reason he gets the better OF
everything feminine.
He is man and he thinks that's an
excuse for every folly he commits.
And really, between you and me,
don't know but it is. / haven't real
spirit. am what the suffering people
call "down-trodden worm"-but then
l was built that way, and you can't
change your spots, can you?
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
A BALLooNIsT,s ADVENTURE.
What Happened When He Came Down
on Bear.

II killed a grizzly bear once, my
SELF" said the balloonist, calmly, as
the Californian finished particularly
blood-curdling tale.
We urged him to tell the story, and
at last, his modesty being satisfied, he
spoke as follows:
Il started from Denver for the Pa
cific coast in a small balloon few
wears ago. 1t was during the warmest
part of the summer, and l anticipated
delightful journey in midair, across
the Rockies.
"I cut the ropes at o'clock in the
morning. An ascent of perhaps half
mile brought me to current OF air
! which set steadily to the westward,
At noon I was many miles from Dem
yer.
81 approached high plateau, and
the air became so rare that 1t would
no longer sustain my balloon, and |
landed without difficulty at the brink
of an immense canon.
"a little whirlwind struck the bal
loon; it reared, twisted, and collapsed,
leaving me helpless and alone in the
wild mountains.
81 looked down the chasm. The
midday sun threw his rays clear to
the bottom, and l could see tiny
thread of water far beneath. 1t looked
like vein of silver.
"a large stone lay near. toppled it
off and timed its fall-one, two, three,
five, ten seconds, and the water splash
ed, but the sound never reached me.
"Some noise caused me to turn
about A big grizzly was shufhing to-
ward me. His awkward and comical
appearance made me laugh and the
sound of laughter caused him to stop.
He stood up his full height and looked
at me in amazement.
"Drawing my small revolver be-
gan to shoot at him. Then he got
mad and made grand holiday rush.
"A parachute lay in the little car,
and L seized it and sprang far out into
the chasm just as hereached the place
where had stood.
"In his blind rage he went over the
precipice. One moment he seemed to
pause, casting a look of reproach and
silent malediction toward me. Their
he shot down out of sight.
81 followed him slowly and found
him lying half submerged on the brink
of the silver stream.
with some difficulty got him ou
into the deeper current, for found
that what seemed but throb of wa
ter was in reality a considerable
stream.
Il climbed on his huge body, and
using my parachute for sail, we spec
merrily down the canon.
"Just at nightfall we emerged int
a more open country, and l moved
my craft long enough to cut from hi
juicy loin steak, which 1 broiled OF
the bank.
"All night I journeyed through
mighty forest and gloomy gorge.
"At day break came to a small
town, where the railroad touches th
Grand River. jumped into th
stream and swan ashore.
"My mute preserver spun around il
the water. / looked at him sadly
The memory of last nights suppe
came to my mind; felt that l love'
him. A transitory glow of gratefu
triumph shone for moment in hi
filmy eyes; then the waters closed owe
him, and he sank from sight foreve
more in the bosom of the deep.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
Something of a Confidence Game.

"See here!" yelled the wrathful man,
as he took off his hat and showed a
head as bald as campaign lie.
"Yes, see," said the druggist. "Did
you ever try my unparalleled capillary
renovatorP"
"'That's just what I did," answered
the bald-headed man, in tones of wrath,
"and here's the result"
The druggist mused moment.
at works that way sometimes" he
said. "The hair grows so fast, you see,
that it pulls itself out by the roots.
Now, if you will only strengthen your
scalp by using a few bottles of my
acmeistical scalp balm"
At this point they clinched.-Ias-
dian dDOLiS Journal
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
ABRAHAM LINCOLN AS A POET.
How He Played a Cornstalk Fiddle ana
Sang While Others Danced.

"I noticed some time ago an article
in the Globe Democrat in regard to
some doggerel rhyme written by Lin
coin when he was a boy" said Maj.
Charles BRADSHAW to St. Louis Globe
Democrat man. 81 knew Lincoln very
well in his fiatboating days. He was
always writing doggerel. and his ac-
quaintances supposed that he would
ultimately go for poet, as viii
Carleton would say. / remember
once spending an evening at the house
of a farmer in Sangamon county named
Hicks. old man Hicks as he was
called, had three or four buxom daugh-
ters. and the future president was
great favorite with them. He came
in during the evening, accompanied by
two other young men almost as un-
gainly as himself. We had apples and
cider, gingerbread and honey. Now,
said old man Hicks, if we had i'd
die we could have dance Abe sug-
gested that one of the girls might fur
nish the music by whistling, but this
did not meet with her approval Pretty
soon we missed Abe, as they all G 1lled
him. In a few minutes he returned
with two big cornstalks. Everybody
was on the qui vive, but not word
could they get out of Abe. He sat
down by the fire place, took out his
| jack-knife and went to work. In ten
minutes he had tcornstalk fiddle con-
structed and called out: Choose your
partners We were soon on the floor;
Abe played the squeaky instrument
and sang while we danced. He sang
whatever chanced to come into his
mind, improvising number OF verses
of personal character, much to the
amusement of the party. One verse l
remember was this:
''There's life on the ocean wave.
And a home on the rolling deep,
Where the pollywogs wiggle their tails,
| And the tears roll down my cheek
sold man Hicks beat time on the
| hearthstone with the tongs, and we
had really delightful dance. After
| it was over old man Hicks called out:
Them as dance must pay the fiddler.
Gals, you all owes Abe kiss Abe
dropped his fiddle as though it had be-
come suddenly hot, crossed his long
| legs, put his bow on his knee, his chin
in his hands and drawled: Mr.. Hicks,
what did I ever do to you?'"
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15

"Well, suppose must make the
sacrifice and marry you, Richard dear, F"
the young lady answered demurely.
"If for nothing else in tho world but to
preserve you from manufacturing such
heroines as your first one was before ]
redeemed her."
Richard smiled.
"You are not very mplimentary
Miss Paschall," he said, "but / am glad
to get you upon any terms. y Wa0erls
MAGAZINE.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
How to Get Even.

Little Dot-"I never saw any one
so stuck up as Oracle Globetrotte is
now"
Little Dick-"She's just back from
Europe"
Little Dot = "Yes, and she had
a party last night and didn't invite
me-"
Little Dick-"Um! If was you I'd
have an anti-cholera tea and not invite
her."-Street & SMITHS Good NesUs.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
Reward for Insubordination.

The American appreciation of inde-
pendence and pluck is illustrated by
the following story, says the N. I.
Tribune, the scene of which was laid
in the office of the superintendent of
motive power of one of the big trunk
lines. The official was tired and out of
sorts. A friend had just come in for a
chat with him, when the Office boy
brought word that one of the engineers
of the road wished to see his superior.
This increased the superintendent's
vexation and he snappily told the boy
to show the caller in. The engineer
was a good-looking man of middle
age, evidently dressed in his Sunday
clothes.
"Mr. -" he said abruptly, "you
told me that if l would take the repair
train out for one trip you would put
me back on my regular run. I've made
three trips now, and I'm tired OF it. !
never get chance to see my family.
1 should think you could put some un-
married man, who hasn't been with
the road as long as have on the train
and give me back my regular job.
The superintendent was exasperated
and he said sharply: you'll keep on
running that repair train until gel
ready to take you of. F."
The workman drew himself up and
said firmly but respectfully: Il don't
make another trip on that train. l an
going home. When you want me tc
90 on my regular train send for me.
And with this he walked out of the
room.
The superintendent's companion
heard the mutinous words with sur
prise and said: 81 suppose you'll dis
charge him at once?"
Discharge him!" was the reply
"Not much. We haven't better maj
on the road than he. If he had sub
mitted to my tyranny then | nigh
have discharged him. He will go Oh
] his rannlar train tO-mOrrOW."
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
Brought 1t on Himself.

"Teacher says that the ground
freezes six hundred feet deep in ST.
beria," said Mr.. Haicede's son, with a
superior air "You didn't know that,
did youP" :,
mo, didn't, son." replied the old
man, sam I'm mighty glad you told me.
You've jist reminded me that l want
YOU to stay home an dig that later
hole tomorrow. An while you're at il
you kin be thankful you amt in ST.
IBERIA. indianapolis Journal.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15

The imperial cholera commission in
Germany announces its discovery that
wine-claret or hock-will kill the ba-
ella of cholera in few minutes. Tea
will kill them in an hour.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15

"My pretty Polly will have a gloomy
day of it, fear" said her father when
he kissed her good-by. "It is raining
in torrents"
"Oh, that.is delightful" said Polly;
II shall have good, quiet, lazy,
dreamy day of it, just such a day as
one should have after an episode with
ghost"
Though the rain battered smoothly
upon the windows, the warmth and
glow within were conducive of day
dreaming. Polly soon found the
hours of idleness growing long and
tedious.
81 shall try for the hundredth time,
she said at last, "to see if l can open
the little door which l am sure leads
to my ghost"
Polly was light and graceful and
agile. so to scramble from the back OF
the big chair to the top of the book
case was but the work of a moment.
The little door which was sunken in
the wall above was of black oak, richly
carved. Polly searched it closely tc
see if she could find any possible way
to open it. Suddenly almost by chance
her fingers touched little spot in the
eye of one of the carved griffins, 8
spring clicked and the door flew oper
in her face.
Polly gave scream and sat down
upon the top of the bookcase. She
waited a moment; no sign, no sound
resulted from her successful effort, anC
she stood up and peered through the
doorway.
Gradually as her eyes became &C
customed to the semi-darkness she be
gan to distinguish the objects in the
little room beyond. There was LITTLE
case of books, large square table anc
one chair, big and cosy and comfort
able-looking.
Polly's father had always called he
a "plucky girl" and now she hesitateC
only moment, then stepped VI
through the opening into the room be
yond.
1t was very small room she founC
when she had gotten in and the onl.
door that led from it was locked. Th
books on the shelves were old ant
rusty looking.
They belong to dead generation,
said Polly.
On the table were papers, sheet afte
: sheet of manuscript, pencils, pens an
ink. The chair stood before the tabl
as if some one had just been writin!
and upon the hearth were fresh EN-
bers.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15
POLLY PAScHALL'S GHOST.

Pretty Polly Paschan sat bolt up
right, her red-brown curls falling in
rich confusion about her white throat,
her brown eyes as wide as if she had
not been in bed and asleep for hours.
The lamp was turned low, as she had
left it, and shone with a dim, soft
radiance over all the richly furnished
room.
Polly stared about her. The chairs.
the tables, the little quantity carved
stand by the window, and which held
her precious pilgrim bottle, were all
just as she had left them. What
could the noise have been? Suddenly
her eyes fell upon the little square
door in the wall high above the book
case.
"My ghost at last!" cried Polly, clasp
ing her pretty little palms together.
She waited moment in breathless
silence, but hearing no repetition of
the noise which had awakened her,
she sprang out of bed, put on her
slippers and dressing gown, threw some
bits of wood upon the still glowing en-
bers, and turning out the lamp, sat
down before the fire to await the ghost
whose coming she had been expecting
for To-! these many days.
The Paschalls, father, mother, and
daughter, had moved into their
present abode to await the erection OF
their own house, and upon the very
first day of their coming Polly had
spied the little "secret door," as she
called it, and selected this for her
room.
"Just think of the possibilities for a
romance" she said TO her father, and
he had gotten upon the house-cleaner'
stepladder and found the door fastened
hard and fast.
at is all safe," he said.
"Oh,I I want it to be safe from mortal
hands," Polly said; "but ghosts stand
not back for bolts and bars"
"If it is ghost you want" said hel
father, you may get it. This house
belongs to one of the oldest and al
one time the wealthiest families in the
state. 1t has stood here for years and
has known many changes, and I pre-.
sumo it could tell many stories and
perhaps give up a good many ghosts
| rented it from sweet-faced. good.
looking old lady, who lives somehow
and somewhere in those dark apart
ments next door to US. / think she i!
the only surviving member of tht
noble family whose glory and wealth
have departed. No, believe she tolC
me there was boy, her grandson
who is working at-she told me wha
he does but / don't remember"
"How interestingly exclaimed Polly
II am sure shall find ghost"
But so many uneventful months hat
passed since she ensconced herself il
the rooms that she had almost forgot
ten to expact ghost until tonight
when noise as of slippered feet walk
ing over hard, bare floor hat
awakened her.
She sat for a long time, her eye
fixed upon the little door, expectin,
every moment that ghostly ham
would undo the hidden lock and
ghostly form would emerge from tn
darkness beyond. But = her maiC
found her still sitting and fast aslee
the next morning when she came in t
awaken her.
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15

An advertisement appears in west
ern paper which reads thus: "If
George William Brown, who deserted
his poor wife and babe twenty-five
years ago, will return. the aforesaid
babe will knock the stuffing out of
him."
The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1893-02-15

The Greek pike was twenty-four feet
long.