davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03

Stevenson was very i'll at one time
when in the postoffice department, hav-
ing dangerous abscess in the ear.
Fearing to lance il, the physician de-
cided to apply leeches, and a little old
Swedish cupper was found who had
stock, warranted unused and hungry.
He was queer acting little fellow, one
of the kind who can pever transact
business without due ceremony, and as
he gyrated about the sickroom getting
his leeches ready he acted not unlike
one of them. Stevenson was in a sort
of doze when he opened his eye and
chanced to see the queer little man
maneuvering about the bed. He looked
at the surgeon quizzically and asked:
doctor, which do you put on first, the
big one or the little ones?"
AS good illustration of his ready
facility for conveying his meaning by
illustration, one day when he had writ
ten and signed an order relative to OBJ
serving holidays on certain day, he
used the word "employees, spelling
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03

Evidently the London Statist appre-
ciates us. ''The American people, it
says, -''are descended from, economi-
cally the most effective race in the
world. They settled in the states,
taking with them highly developed
civilization and ha bits of law and order
confirmed through many generations
They have half continent at their
command, there is even vet a vast
amount of unoccupied soil, there is a
diversified climate, there are resources
almost lilnitless, and there is absolute
ly no enemy they have cause to fear
Except to maintain internal order they
are free at this moment to disband the
army and navy, certain that no foreign
foe will attack them. The world has
never seen people SO happily circum-
stanced, with such marvellous oppo tu-
mites for progress and improvement" :"
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
SHE DID ALL THAT SHE COULD,
But There Was One Thing She Had to-
Leave for Him to Do.

"lf," he murmured, as he gazed up
into her eyes Uhey were sittin q on the
front steps)-"if | had only little
more money to count OH" Then
he stopped.
"What would you do?" she asked.
Deem her not bold gentle reader, ex-
claims the Washington Star The
summer, she felt, was over; soon the
cold winds would put~a stop to these
front-step sentimentals. No fellow
would propose in the winter time with
pa and ma in the sitting-room, listen
ing to everything, and she felt she
must jog him little.
He turned little pale and asked if
her pa was dealing at the same grocery
as last year.
"1es, he is; what would you do?"
Il would have home of my own.
| would, there" This seemed like
business.
How much have you got?" she said,
and her voice sounded firm.
Fifteen dollars week" He hung
his head.
"How much do you give week for
your room?"
Five dollars"
Stuff; we can get room plenty
good enough for both of US and
pantry to cook in for that. How much
do your meals cost?"
Five dollars week"
"Pooh; we gan both live for that,
cooking at home. What do YOU do
with the other $5?"
Well, II smoke, you know
well, you can quit that right of
anyhow; you don't spend $5 week on
smoking?"
No; oh, no. Of course there are
expenses; other fellows and SUCH
-"We1l, YOU can stop those, too.
What else2"
Il try t0 save Il littlen.
THAT is talking. How, much have
you sayed?'
Eleven dollars and half"
"Ihat's plenty for the minister and
moving and something to spare for a
necktie or something for you to stand
up in. Well2"
We'll, Mary?'
go ahead; / can't do everything,
you know. You've GOT to ask me-"
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03

tlon. Stevenson was born stones
throw from Lincoln's birthplace and
both in early life acquired the habit of
pointing a moral by quaint illustra-
ton. This trait is a very marked one
In Stevenson S character. 1t is said
that when he was in the postoffice de-
partment, where the crush of people
and the rush of work, combined with
the trying summers of Washington,
would try man S patience to the ut
most, he was never seen in i'll temper,
and would often get others into good
humor by timely yarn. If he had
occasion to offer a rebukc he had
neat way of making his feelings known
without injuring another's self-esteen.
On one occasion, just as the depart
ment was closing and when Stevenson
still had a good batch of work un-
finished, reporter, a newcomer in
Washington, strolled languidly in,
ostensibly in quest Of news The
general glanced up from the papers on
which he was engaged and said there
was none. The youth pulled an even
ing paper from his pocket, seated HIM
self on the sofa, lit fresh cigar and
began reading sundry items aloud for
Stevenson's benefit, making running
comments at the same time as to An
sons fatal error in sending such bat
terry in on the 5th and whether or not
the Guttcnburgs were still being pulled
to any great extent. When his perfecto
was burned out the young man sud-
denly arose and said: "Well, general,
think I'll have to be going now, as I've
got some important business to attend
to-
Stevenson looked up and said quiet
ly: "By the way, Mr.. Jones, of course
you know Governor Vance? / just
to think of what happened
to him once. You know when he was
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
TALES TOLD BY ADLAI.
STEVENSON'S EXPERIENCE WITH A
WASHINGTON REPORTER,
prompt at All Times With Appropriate
and Humorous Anecdote-Yarn About
Joe Blackburn.

1t is not easy to reproduce in print
the pleasing effect of good story. It
is like trying to convey, by whistling,
the rare melody that has thrilled one,
or telling friend of delightful glass
OF VINE recently enjoyed.
whether or not the staple products
OF the blue grass country have anything
to do with powers of humorous narra-
ton 1T is certain that Kentucky has
produced many gentlemen of excep-
tlonal note as raconteurs.
Colonel Breckenridge has a delight
full manner of reminiscencing, and is
delightful conversationalist as we'll as
an orator. Jim Mckenzie, who said of
Cleveland in nominating him at st.
Louis that he had the executive ability
OF dynamite cartridge, is filed to the
top OF feet of Drawn with laugh
able anecdotes, and never loses an op-
portunity to exchange an old one for
new. His cousin, Whig Ewing, of the
Iroquois club, is fully his equal; and
his other cousin, the vice president
elect, proves his birthplace by the
genuine evidence of story telling
There may be something about Chris
tian county that inclines it's citizens to
make their meaning clear by indirec-
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
ACCORDING TO SHAKESPEARE.
Queer Ceremony Performed in Northern
Colorado by an Old Time Pioneer.

queer Ceremony Performed in Northern
Colorado by an Old Time Pioneer.
Six of the old-timers of Northern
Colorado had assembled one evening
not long ago, and as they sat about
"the round table," they exchanged
"reminiscences of the early days when
they served tlieir apprenticeship as the
pioneers of the valley of Cache la
Poudre
Bill Sherwood was relating some of
his experiences Suddenly raising his
shaggy head, he asked in an animated
tone, "Did 1 ever tell you about the
first couple ever married in the Poudre
valley?" Receiving the proper encour-
agement, Mr.. Sherwood began:
"You remember that when came to
this country in 1861 was accompanied
by my brother Jesse. Jesse was club
judge or judge of the miners court,
for some time, and it was his business
to settle all disputes as to land, and
also to perform marriage ceremonies
A young Frenchman by the name of
Louis Sears, had been to our cabin two
or three times looking for the Judge,
and had each time failed to find him.
The last time the fellow came, he came
to me and said, Can you marry some
body?' l said that thought I could.
Well said Louis, 4 marry somebody
today, Christmas. New Year ahead
too far. l get married today l told
him all right, that l would be along in
about half an hour, but Louis was not
going to risk being fooled by the
priest, as he called me, SO he chung to
me closer than brother, not letting me
out of his sight.
81 thought | ought to dress up, as
the suit | had on-the one I wore when
| first came to the valley--was looking
pretty shabby, so I began to overhaul
my wardrobe. | had one other suit,
black one, with a single breasted
cutaway coat. l had been growing
tleshier the past year, SO it was with
some difficulty that | got into the
clothes, but after struggle managed
to squeeze in, and Louis signified his
approval Of my personal appearance.
Then we started up the river for the
scene of the wedding.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
PRACTICAL WOMAN'S RIGHTS,
A Lesson in Street-Car Etiquet Taught
by a Boston Wc1nan.

It was between and Z O'Clock in the
evening and the fremont street car
was crowded, says the Boston Herald.
A good many OF the passengers were
workingmen, and those fortunate
enough to have seat, even if it was a
very narrow one, seemed to lose half
the pleasure Of it in watching the door
open every time the car stopped. 1t
reached Eliot street, however, without
an invasion Of the fair sex. Then five
six Of them got on board. The M a.
rity of the newcomers were young
.ad pretty and of that type who seem
10 make special study of the best
methods for making the male patrons
of street cars feel uneasy, if they hap
pen to be sitting.
One of the arrivals, however, was q
notwithstanding woman whose every
feature indicated that she had "a will
of her own" She might have been
taken at first sight for prominent
member of a woman's rights society,
but those who formed this opinion of
her when she entered the car felt
ashamed of themselves few minutes
later.
Several of the girls had selected the
seats they meant to have when they
ogled their present occupants out Of
them, and one young man with care
worn look, who knew he was victim,
but did not want to give up the battle,
decided to compromise rather than
acknowledge his defeat. He got up
and offered his seat to the mot herly-
looking woman.
Instead of quietly dropping into the
vac2pcy, as is usual in such cases, the
woman turned and said:
"NN, thank you, sir. I am as well
able to stand as you are: you had bet
ter keep your seat" Then, warming
up to the subject, she continued: 81 can
not understand this nonsense of CIV
ing up everything to women, as if
they were poor, weak creatures, I'M
able to stand. Here is car full of
men, who have been working hard all
day and want rest on their way home,
but they are supposed to give up their
seats to lot of young girls who have
nothing to do but saunter through the
stores all day long, and have not fore
sight enough to 90 home before the
cars become crowded. | think it
simply ridiculous. 1t is a good while
since | have been on street car al
this time of the day, and I propose, so
far as | am concerned, to leave the
seats to those who have the best right
to them"
Ths young man looked confused, q
mum Der of the older men shook their
heads approvingly, others looked on in
wonder, and the girls, for whose bene-
tit the remarks were apparently made,
seemed undecided whether to giggle
Or pout. They cast longing glances at
the vacant seat, but not one of them
had the courage to drop into it.
The car stopped; a young woman
got On board. She looked at the deep
red cushion, then at the girls who
were hanging on the straps. and
seemed unable to understand it. A
smile went around the car and for sew
eral blocks there was a vacant seat in
q crowded electric.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
A Hard One to Answer,

The long-haired caller in the editorial
roosl was indignant.
"Poets are born, sir, " he said TO the
eminently practical editor.
"Of course they are" responded the
editor suavely, you didn't imagine /
thought they were hatched, did you?"
II mean, sir, they are born; born, sir.
do you understand"
Il think do" and the editor rubbed
his chin refiectiyeiy, but why are
they?"
That was the straw that fractured
the spinal column of the camel and the
poet stallzed out of the den. Detroit
Free Press.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
A KEEN EDGE.
The Strange Scene Witnessed in a Con-
stantinople Street.

stantinople Street.
During the Turko- Russian war,
correspondent was among the loungers
who had stood in a Constantinople
street to watch the march-past of
regiment of Zeibecks. When they
were all gone, there came by an old
hoja, holy man, dressed in green robe
and caftan, and wearing yellow slip
pers-self-proclaimed as one who had
made the pilgrimage to Mecca. He
was followed by very small donkey,
laden with panniers. On the foot
walk stood Circassian, who had been
dourishing in the air, while the troops
went by, formidable-looking yat-
aghan. This man was now standing,
with an admiring crowd about him,
licking the back of his wrist and shaw
ing off the hair that grew there by
way of showing off the edge and tenn
per of his weapon. 1t must have been
set as finely as razor, and,
like razor, it was broadbacled and
finely beveled. Just as the old hoja
went by, and the placid little donkey
followed at his heels, the Circassian
stepped into the horse-road, gave the
weapon braggadocio swing, and at a
single blow cleanly divided the head
of the poor little ass from the body.
The head fell plump; but for a second
Or two the body stood, spouting vivid
streak of scarlet from the neck, and
then toppled over. The old greenclad
l. I
crowd, saw the blood-stained sword
waving behind him, understood at i.
glance what had happened, and fed as
fast as his yellow pantohes would
carry him.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
THE DoWNY COUCH OF TO-DAY.
The Bed Itself Is All Right, but Few
Know How to Prepare for It.

There are nowadays cleanly springs
and hair mattresses piled high in
place of the old feather beds, and as to
stiff white bed covers, pillow slips and
shams, false sheets and Valenciennes
trimming. monogrammed and ruffied
tineries, there is truce. They were
so slippery, so troublesome, and SO
false withal that the beds that have
known them shall know them no more
forever. They had always to be un-
pinned and anhooked before the sleep
er could enter his bed. and they were
the torment of the housemaid. They
entailed degree of washing and IRON
ing that was endless, and vet many a
young housekeeper thought them in
dispensable. The idea has gone put
completely.
The bed now is made up with it's
fresh linen sheets, its clean blankets,
and its Marseilles quilt, with square or
long pillows, as the sleeper fancies,
with bolster in plain linen sheath.
Then over the whole is thrown a light
lace cover lined with liberty silk.
This may be as expensive or as cheap
as the owner wishes. Spreads of satin
may be used. covered with Chinese
mbroidery or with patchwork de-
signs. One light and easily aired
drapery succeeds the four or five pieces
of unmanageable linen. If the bed
has a tester and curtains of silk FOR
chintz the bed covering should match
in tint. and in a very pretty bedroom
the walls should be covered with chintz
OF silk.
TIE bed itself is distinctly as 1T
should be- but there are comparatively
few who know how to 90 to bed
What is the correct method to pur-
sue in preparing for a trip into dream
land. for there is right as we'll as a
wrong way? The business of disrob-
ing should be so systematized that at
cluded in the process will become
after awhile second nature. There is
something more to be done, let ME
assure you, besides putting your hair
up in curl papers and dabbling bit
of cold cream on your face if you would
wake up in the morning looking as
fresh as a rose. In the first place, do
not put off these importont prepara-
tions until you are so heavily lidded
that you are ready to omit everything
belonging to the toilet.
And now for the first step. Early
in the evening your sleeping apart
ment should be thoroughly aired by
dropping the window from the top and
raising it at the bottom.
Ten minutes will be quite sufficient
for clearing the atmosphere. Now
close the windows and allow the room
to become thoroughly warmed, that
you may not eXperince a chill while
taking a rub down. Prepare a big
bowl of tepid water. into which YOU
sprinkle a small quantity of ammonia
ans boraX. Take a Turkish towel,
which is much better than a sponge,
wiring it out as dry as possible, and,
graspng corner in each hand, give
the spine a vigorous rubbing. Have
at hand another Turkish towel, and.
as you bathe the body in sections, dry
as quickly as possible. How your
smooth, white skin will glow as you
start into action the sluggish circula-
tiOn.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03

governor of North Carolina, shortly
after the war? One day an old woman
came into his office at Raleigh. when
he was hard at work on matters of
pressing Importance, and said she must
see the governor at once. She had
come good many miles from up in
the mountains to get pension for the
loss of her husband. Wen, of course
the governor told her kindly all about
the difficulties in the way. how the
government was not granting pensions
to those on the wrong side, and that
the state was in no condition to do it,
and when he had explained everything
fully he turned about in his chair and
went to work again. The old lady,
however, had come to stay and spend
the day with the governor, and she
took out her ball of yarn and began to
knit the unfinished toe of an immense
red stocking. All the time when the
governor was hard at work, with his
back turned toward her, she kept talk
ing on about all the latest gossip
how the new schoolmaster got the
best of Jedge Hoke in discussing John
Brown. Along about dark she got up
abruptly and said, in sort of injured
tone, to the governor: Wall, Mr..
nothing to do but sit here jowrin with
you all day, but reckon I've got some
work to do efsyou hain't. Good even
i'm
"Yes, sir, the governor told me that
actually took place in his office in
Raleigh, Mr.. Jones'"
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
THE LADY AND HER CAT.
Be Surprised the Agent and Was as
handsome as Big.

Handsome as Big.
"Kindly assist me with this basket
carefully, please!'
The speaker, large, handsome
woman, had just entered the depot.
Diamonds bobbed plavfully in her ears,
made Worth weep for Joy.
Passenger Agent Cummings prompt
ly took the basket. It was of medium
size, richly trimmed with satin and
decorated with vari-colored ribbons.
The contents were covered by q quilt
beautifully decorated with neeGlework.
1t weighed in all nearly forty pounds.
Mr.. Cummings was amazed that wo-
man of her evident wealth should be
carrying such a h avy burden.
Suddenly he felt a strange jolting in
the basket. The quilt was heaving up
and down Mr., Cummings thought Of
babies, dogs, snakes, chickens and mud
turtles all in less than a second. 1t
was with a feeling Of relief that he de-
posted the mysterious bundle on a seat
by the side of the woman.
Come, Dick" she said, pleasantly
Instantly the qui went up with a
volcanic burst, and out popped, like a
whislzered Jacil-in-the-b box, a huge
gray cat. 1t was uhc largest that Mr.,
Cummings had ever seen. Dick stood
nea< y eighteen inches high, and was
long and broad in proportion. His
weight exceeded thirtyfve pounds.
After showing him proudly the lady
snapped her fingers and the huge cat
jumped back into the basket.
Dick is the Goliath of his race He
wore about his neck a richly orna-
mented gold band bearing a medal
from the recent Paris cat show.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
hearers.

81 don't think I've got any remarks
that =" the man began to say, when
he was cut short by a loud, cheerful
voice shouting:
"Say, Bill; if you han't got anything
special to talk about wish you would
give me about fifteen minutes of your
time just to let me say to these good
people that | am candidate for their
suffrages, and to show some reasons
why -"
"Hold on!" said the desperado
1Sheriff, who is that man?"
"That's Blackburn.
"What Blackburn? Joe Black kburn?"
ayes.
Il thought SO. Give him time Give
him all of it. But go ahead and hang
me first and make Blackburn talk af-
terWard.n -
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
Facts About Crude Perfumes.

Musk in the raw looks a good deal
like axle grease. and smells worse.
The popular notion that the musk of
commerce is obtained from the musk
rat is mistake. Negroes in the South
do obtain a somewhat similar perfume
from the muskrat, but most of the sup
ply comes from the musk deer, Great
ure that is carefully reared in India
for the sake of the secretion. The
secretion is shipped in the crude state,
and is used not only in the manufact-
ure of the liquid perfume sold as musk,
but also in very small quantities to
give strength aud staying power to
many perfumes made from the essen
tial oils of flowers. Curiously enough,
the blossoms of two native plants have
a noticeable musky odor.
One is the small, yellow blossom of
a creeping vine known as the musk
plant. Its odor is marked, and is
counterfeited in the commercial per-
fume called musk. The other is the
blood root. The pure white blossom
of that early spring plant has dis
tinct though delicate musky odor. A
bean known as the musk bean is
cheap substitute for animal musk.
Civet is greasy and intensely strong
secretion of the animal Of that name.
AS sold by the dealers in essential oils,
it is yellow in color, and of about the
consistency of honey. Like musk, it is
not used at its full strength, but is
diluted and dissolved in alcohol or used
as an auxiliary to other perfumes.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
Couldn't Lose IA. Woman.

The poet Whittier had many admir-
ers among women, and this admira-
ton frequently took personal form.
One day, the poets sister, in her slow,
quaker fashion. was describing these
attentions: "Thee has no idea" she
said, "of the time Greenleaf spends in
trying to lose these people on the
streets. Sometimes he comes home
and says, We'll, sister, had hard work
to lose him, but have Lost him." To
this Whittier pathetically added: "But
can never lose her. london Figaro.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
Original Theory OF Education.

Count de Lesseps has always had
theories on the education of children.
Part of his success in the Suez canal
was due to the help of Abbas Pasha,
who had been a pupil of the count.
Aebas was Very fat and luxury-lov-
ing boy, but with more than ordinary
intelligence. At the end of the first
month of De Lesseps' direction of his
education his tutor with some pride
brought in. the boys reports. do not
bring me reports of LESSONS" De Les
seps said, "but his weight. / desire
you to weigh him at the beginning Of
every month. If he has gained in
flesh punish him. And see that it
does not happen again.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03
She WAS ReaS onable.

A modest and small-sized man occu-
pied a seat on an electric car. A ro-
bust woman, who clung to a strap di-
rectly in front of him, looked at him
reproachfully now and then till he
could stand it no longer. Finally he
said to her: ''Madam,I would cheerful
ly give up my place to you, but in my
judgment you are not able to sit We're
| am sitting" She said it was all right,
and cheesfully waited till somebody
got up and made it possible for the
slim man to move along.
The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-03-03

buy the whisky for the crowd, which
| did. The wedding banquet consist
ed Of dried apples, corn, biscuit, and
whisky.
After it was served old Blake and [
drew up the marriage settlement. and
| found it was my duty to have it re-
corded and to pay for the recording
The following We're the terms of the
settlement, as expressed by the old
man: If Louis don't act right, my girl
have his twenty head of horses. If my
girl don't act right, Louis he say, Go
away.
After the wedding estimated the
expense of the occasion to me, and
found that it was something in the
neighborhood of SIS. Louis Sears and
his wife went from this valley to Mon
tana, and for all know they may be
there yet.