davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
Gifts at BaDtiSm.

Gifts to infants ON their baptism are
of ancient origin. Formerly the spon-
sors generally offered gilt spoons to the
child. These spoons were called apostle
spoons, because the figures of the IL
apostles were carved at the top of the
handles. Rich sponsors gave the COM
plete set of 10, while for those who were
not so opulent four was considered the
proper number, and poor sponsors would
content themselves with Offering one
In the latter case the handle of the spoon
generally exhibited the figure Of any
saint in honor of whom the child receiv-
ed its name. 1t is in allusion to this
custom that, when Cranmer processes
himself to be unworthy Of being spon-
sor to the young princess, Shakespeare
makes the king reply:
'Come, come. my lord, you'd spare your
spoons"
The mug or spoon and fork Offering
of the present day appears as a very
debased survival Of really beautiful
christening Offering. g.-Westminster Re-
view.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
Speaking French.

A Tennessee chaplain, the Rev. j. b
McNeilly, says that at Port Hudson his
regiment was encamped next to the
Thirtieth Louisiana, which was made
up of French speaking men. The French
language, naturally enough, was a mys-
terry to most of the rural Tennesseeans.
One night all hands were IN the
trenches. Farragut's fleet was In the
river, and an attack by land was also
expected. The Tennessee boys, who We're
close to the boys from Louisiana, no.
ticed that the frogs in the numerous
ponds were croaking necessarily in a
kind Of low, continuous chatter.
''Hark, boysp' said one fellow.
''These frogs have been camped SO long
by the Thirtieth Louisiana that they ire
all talking Frenchr'
At another time some Of the men
were lounging by the riverside when
they heard some French speaking wom-
en-, who were engaged in washing, talk
ing to each other.
Suddenly one Of the boys called to an
other, who was noted for his slowness
Of speech:
'Come here quick, Sam, and hear
this woman talk! She can give just one
flutter of her tongue and say more in a
minute than you can in week. -
Youth Companion.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
Reformed Geometry.

Almost 100 years ago two men set
out from Virginia to visit the Scioto
valley, of the beauty and fertility OF
which they had heard alluring reports.
On the third night they reached Clarks-
burg, where they put up with a man
who appeared to be honest, but old fash
ioned and illiterate.
"Can you tell us how far it is to Ma
rietta and what sort Of a road we shall
find?" asked one of the travellers.
YES" answered the host; ''that is
exactly what can do, for l was appoint
ed one of the viewers to lay out the
road and have just returned from the
performance of that duty"
'"That is fortunate. What do you call
the distance?'
"Well, the distance on straight line,
which we first ran, was 70 miles, but on
our way back we discovered and mark
ed another line which was much near
er."
The two travellers had each spent some
years in the study Of surveying and were
more or less amused at the idea of a
line shorter than a straight line be-
tween two given points.
However, tLe next morning they took
the route which their informant had
pronounced the shorter, and true enough
they found his statement correct, fol
the crooked road went round the hills,
while the straight one went over them,
and the distance round was less than
the distance over. Youth S Companion.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

Persons who sympathize with the
afflicted will rejoice with d. E. Carr of
1885 Harrison street Kansas City. He is
an old sufferer from infammatory rheu-
matism. but has not heretofore been
troubled in this climate. Last winter
he went up into Wisconsin, and in conse
quence has had another attack. at came
upon me again very acute and sayere,
he said "My joints swelle1 and became
iniamad; sore to touch or almost to look
at. Upon the urgent request of my
mother-iu-law I tried Chamberlain's Pain
Balm to reduce the swelling aud ease the
pain. and to my agreeable surprise, it
did both. 1 have used three ffty-cent
bottles and believe it to be the finest
thing for rheumatism, pains and swell
lings extant. For sale by E. T. Luther.
druggist.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
When There Were No Plumbers.

Lord Fountainhall, in 1874, says that
there are no plumbers in Scotland, be-
cause there is no need for them. Happy
simplicity Of our ancestors! Now every
man should be his own plumber. No
man should be allowed to marry till he
has passed an examination in plain and
fancy plumbing. Few know what to do
if the pipes are frozen or If the gas me-
ter is frozen. If you are practicing with
a pistol, however, and casually cut gas
pipe, we do know what to do. Exhibit
soap! Fill up the orifice with soap. This
accident is, it must be admitted, less
frequent than sudden flood. Saturday
Review.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
ShakesDeare's Cats.

Shakespeare makes frequent refer
ences to the cat in his plays. Lady Mac
beth taunts her husband when he hangs
back from the murder with:
Letting dare not wait upon would,
Like the poor cat + the adage,
alluding to that animals fondness for
fsh-''What cats averse to fish?"-but
its unwillingness to wet its feet in
catching them.
Falstaff seizes upon another feature of
the animals character, so detested by
all wakeful sleepers in towns: 'Sblood!
am as melancholy as glib catW When
Mercutio longs for a fray with Tybalt,
he accosts him: Good king Of cats, /
would have nothing but one of your nine
lives. That / mean 10 make bold withal,
and, as you shall use me hereafter, dry
beat the rest of the eight" and there
upon receives that celebrated scratch"
which was mot so deep as awell nor so
wide as a church door. New York
Sun
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
Mlill3>J3|

Chairman Ladd of the state house COM
mission is anxious to hear an expression
of opinion from the public as TO what
material would be most advantageous in
the construction of the new capitol. As
this is to be the most serious problem in
the work of prearrangement, the chair
man considers that public opinion should
be known.-Pruvidence Telegram.
Public opinion in this portion of the
state favors Westerly granite. There
ought to be no division of sentiment In
this matter. Rhode Island should pat
rcnize Rhode Island industry, and all the
more 80, when it excels.-Westerly Tri-
bune.
Coxey's lieutenants have been guilty of
walking on the grass at the nations cap
itol. Next time they will probably "keep
in de middle of de road. d."-Attleboro Sun.
Coxey ought to be arrested for cruelty
to children. His youngest child is afflicted
with the terrible name Of Legal Tender.
Legal Tender Coxey leaves Amos Cottle
entirely out of the running.-Webste
Eagle
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
LUCK IN ODD NUMBERS.
superstitions of Modern Gamblers Whit
Are "as Old as the Hills"

euperstitions of Modern Gamblers Which
Are "as Old as the Hills"
If there is one activs principle that
enters into gambling, it is superstition,
and for almost every man that hunts the
elusive dollar over the desolate waste of
the green baize cloth, or on the race
track, or in any of the other multitude
nous ways or places that one may lay
siege to alluring fortune there is a sep
arate fancy.
Jack Mcdonald, one of the best known
bookmakers of America, believes that
he is most successful in those years
which are indicated by odd numbers,
and if you are doubtful Of the truth of
it he will offer you figures to prove it.
"Carley B." as Bookmaker Woolf is
best known, has steadfast belief in
49," and after he has selected horse
to bet upon he will place an extra heavy
wager ON him if he discovers that he is
numbered ''3" on the programme.
Several superstitious betting men at
the Morris park races a few years ago
noticed the coincidence that the thir-
June 13, and they straightway sought
out horse numbered "13" on the card.
They found one and bet upon him, and
to make the coincidence most strange
he won.
That this belief in luck as applied to
certain numbers is as old as our philoso-
ply is shown by the fact that centuries
before the Christian era the Pythagorens
and Platonists, who represented all
movements and phenomena of nature by
numbers, invented the science of arith-
nomancy, consisting of the use of magic
al squares and applying occult powers
to numbers. On the combinations of GER
tain numbers depended systems Of divi-
nation, and particular virtues were as
cribed to numbers accordingly as they
were odd Or even.
"There's luck in odd numbers" is a
saying as old as the hills. AS ancient a
writer as Virgil says the gods themselves
;teemed the numbers odd, for in the
Ghth eclogue he wrote:
Around his waxen image first wind
Three woolen fllets of three colors joined;
Thrice round his thrice devoted head,
Which round the sacred altar thrice is led
Unequal numbers please the gods.
The Chinese have similar ideas. With
them heaven is odd and earth even, and
the numbers 1, 3, 8, z, 8 belong to heav-
en-, while the even digits are of the
earth earthly.
So it is little cause for wonder that
our modern gamblers stick to their be-
lief that fortune abounds in odd num-
bers only. York Herald.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
- - - 49, - ---~---~-----
I'M A HAUNTED HOUSE.
Rosina volses' Story Of Her Family's Isols-
tion In Crowded London.

In everyday talk Rosina Vokes was
altogether and bewitchingly the Rosina
we knew across the footlghts- same
big, honest eyes, the same drolly stac-
cato speech, the same tossing Of that
fluffy name Of shining hair, and the mat
ter Of her speech was quite as flayorsome
as any lines her playwrights ever set
down for her speaking. 1t is pity she
never told across the footlights for ali
the world to hear the story she once told
to favored few. The Vokes family, she
said, had returned to London from a
provincial tour, and intending to remain
for the season decided to hire house in
preference to taking lodgings. They
looked upon it as miraculous luck to find
ahouse in an eminently agreeable neigh
borhood at phenomenally low rent
They soon found out the reason. A par
ticularly shocking murder had been
committed in the house few years be.
fore, and since then it had stood unten-
anted, its evil reputation intensifying
with every night its dark windows
gloomed upon the else cheerful street.
"But it was lovely, comfortable
house." said Rosina, land we didn' t
mind its story bit-in fact, we thought
it rather distinguished than otherwise,
and, as for spooks, we'd all played 'em
too often in Christmas pantomimes to
hold 'em in any especial awe. Besides
we never saw any-nothing, give you
my word, more fearsome than black
beetle ever crossed our paths in that ma
hgned house. But for all that a M e
uncomfortable three months our happy
go lucky family never spent. The nei sh-
bors gave the house a bad name and
hanged it. They took the attitude that
any one willing to live in murder
stained house was simply an accessory
after the fact. My dears, never shall
forget the first morning called ON the
local butcher with a plea for chops.
Send them to 343 - street, piped /
cheerily. The butcher turned duskily
pale. He edged behind his block. He
glowered at me over it, Three forty
three, you said, NUM- he gasped. Man
alive, yesl' said /. We live there, and
we're not ghosts, or we shouldn't need
chopsP
"Well, the long and short Of it was
we could get nothing sent that wasn't
ordered at high noon, and then the
butchers boy had way of firing up the
things from the bottom of the STEP
didn t want to come within grabbing dis
tance of the door apparently. That was
hard ON the provisions, especially the
eggs No milkman would deliver milk
in the gray of the morning, not he! We
had subsequently to bring it home III a
can. When the water pipes burst, we had
to sop 'em up with our stockings, while
the boys secured London for a plumber
rash enough to cross our fated threshold.
We lived like Robinson Crusoes on a
densely populated island. 1t was borne
in upon us ut last that it was pity so
much wholesome terror should 60 to
waste. So the last few days of our stay
there we took to burning blue lights
at midnight in the area window and
emitting hollow groans from the front
cellar. fancy our landlord reaped the
results of this light minded conduct. We
never inquired boston Transcript.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
Robert Louis Stevenson's Home.

"Vailima, which is Samoan for ''fne
waters" is the name which the Steven
sons have given to their beautiful home
in Apia Four miles from the beach and
600 feet above the sea level a clearing
was made among the trees, and the
house, rambling two story structure,
painted dark gray and with red roof,
was erected. Roomy and comfortable
porches encircle both stories of the
house, and from the upner, looking north
ward, can be seen the fine waters" of
the Pacific At the back are the green
slopes of the Apian mountains. There is
no driveway to ''Vailima" from the
town, the house being accessible only to
foot passengers or to those mounted on
thesure footed native horses. s.-Ladies'
Home Journal.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

We offer One Hundred Dollars Reward
for any case of Catarrh that cannot be
cured by Halls Catarrh Cure.
F. j. CHENEY & Co., Props, Toledo. O..
We the undersigned have known F. j.
Cheney for the last 10 years, and believe
him perfectly honorable in all business
transaction and financially able to carry
out any obligation made by their firm.
WEST 4 TRUAx. Wholesale Druggists,
Toledo. O. WALDING, KINNAN & MARVIN
Wholesale Druggists. Toledo. o.
Halls Cattarrh Cure is taken internally
acting directly upon the blood and mu'
cous surfaces of the system. Price 75c-
per bottle. Sold by all Druggists.
Testimonials free.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
Widows Pensions In virginia.

Numbers of persons are applying to
the auditor of public accounts to get
state pensions for widows of Confeder-
ate soldiers. All of these do not under
stand that these pensions are only given
to widows (remaining unmarried whose
husbands lost their lives during the
war;.
Widows whose husbands have died
"since the war; are not entitled to PEN
sions under the existing law.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
Japan and Foreigners.

In the last century there was Japa-
nese law providing that no ship or ma
tive should leave Japan under pain OF
forfeiture or death; that any one return.
ing from foreign country should be
killed; that no one should purchase any
thing from foreigner, and that any
person bringing letter from abroad
should die, together with all his family.
Chicago Tribune
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
EnSinPSS.

"Say, old man, want to talk bust.
ness to you a few minutes. F"
Certainly; go ahead"
could you lend me $25 without in.
convenience"
Eyes, think could"
''Thanks I'll return it shortly"
''What security will you give?"
"Why-er-I-didn't think any nee.
essary."
''Oh, probably I misunderstood you.
thought you said you wanted to talk
business s"--Indianapolis Sentinel
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
LOVE-.

Sudden upon my night there woke
The trouble of the dawn.
Out Of the east the red light broke
To broaden on and on.
My days are tuned to finer chords
And Lit by higher suns.
Through all my thoughts and all my
words
A purer purpose runs.
No matter If my hands attain
The golden crown or cross;
Only to love is such gain
That losing is not loss.
And thus, whatever fate betide
OF rapture or of pain.
II storm or sun the future hide,
My love is not in vain.
So only thanks are on my lips,
And through my love / see
My earliest dreams. like freighted ships,
Come sailing home TO me.
John Hay.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

board outside the door, Beef Stake 20
cents"
Boys on the street got tired last week
of asking "who beat" of people whose de-
jected looks told that they bad been to
Adelaide Park; so they would mildlv in
quire. "how much were they licked,
bossr'
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

III the city of Providence was TO use the
Boston Herald for it's legal advertising,
it would be working on the same princi-
pie a. did the Johnston town council when
it bestowed the town advertising on the
Providence News.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

The recent accident on the New York
and New Englsnd r. R., near this place,
emphasizes the fact that eternal vigi-
lencs is the price of an exemption from
occur snces of this kind.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

The Pawtucket base ball team seems
to be getting it in the neck" to use a
sporting term quite as badly as the Prov
idence Grays. Well. "misery likes COM
Danv"
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

The hammer of the tariff tinker is still
heard in the land. If there ever was
country legislated to death this great and
glorious republic is the one.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

According to the Olneyville correspon-
dent of the Providence Telegram. there
is to be a big fight over the Johnston
town clerkship in June.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

Breckinridge expects to be returned to
Congress. He evidently has as poor
an opinion of his district as the country
has of him.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

Richard Croker, Grand Sachem of Tam
mary Hall has resigned. 1t is too early
for New York to rejoice however, for it
may be a case Of jumping from the fry
ing pan into the fire"
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

The Franklin Sentinel has come out as
a semi-weekly. The people of the place
are to he congratulated; they can't have
too much of good thing.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

The Pawtucket Tribune Is using the
Congressional Record for wrappers The
Tribune would get rich where other
papers would starve.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

1t is said that the News pays a COM
mission on legal advertising. Why not
offer as premium for snch business the
volume entitled Boom your own Town"
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

The town pump in Johnston though
dead, still may be able to pour cold water
on the political aspirations of certain can
didates at the June election.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

The General Assembly is still with US.
It looks as though it was trying to make
up in quantity what it lacks in quality.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

Swift's Industrial Army expected big
lift from the Yale students at New Haven,
but it got badly disappointed.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

Chief Childs' recent raid on the Provi-
dence policy shops was as light and pass
ing "a q summer shower.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

Senator Murphy of New York seems to
be able to collar and cuff his party about
as he pleases.
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

The Olneyville Business Mems Associa-
tion seems TO have ''gOne where the
woodbine twineth."
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11

Texas treasury is empty. Why not
sell some landf
The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1894-05-11
THE SICK HEALED; The WEAK
MADE STRONG.

If you are sick or debilited, do not be
discouraged. Compound Oxygen has
wrought many wonderful cures and has
given strenth TO thousands. We know
this to be true from our own experience
of twenty-five years. and we are ready to
furnish abundant proof. 1t is worth your
while to examine the evidence, which you
can do by writing TO us. We will send
you, free of charge, our book of two
hundred pages with numerous testi-
monials and records of surprising cures
of asthma, bronchitis, catarrh, con-
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and other forms of disease and debility.
Home treatment is sent out by express,
to be used at home. Office treatment is
administered here. Consultation free.
Our great success has given rise TO many
limitations. As there is but one genuine
Compound Oxygen, avoid disappoint-
ments and loss of money by sending to
DrS. Starkey & Palen,
1929 Arch Street, Philadelphia, Pa.
Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-14

because unsold stocks decreased l0So
tons. The actual consumption thus indi-
catcd-about 100, 400 tons-is only tniru
smaller than that OF year ago, out
some furnaces and works nave pee"
stopped since April 1st on account .. e''
strike OF ConneIlsville coke-worksrs,
which again bears fruit In bloodshed ana
destruction Of property. Severai iarse
sales OF Bessemer iron are reported at
$i0.s5 at Plttsburg. and considerable safes
of No. I foundry at sii there. At Cnichso
trade has fallen OF on account OF inc
strike m building trades.
New wool has begun to come forwaru.
and as the yield Is expected to be greatly
reduced, prices are slightly hrmer, WIN
large purchases for speculation.
The money market has changed very
little. but 100000 In gold goes TO Paris
to-day to purchase Spanish coin. to be
paid for Cuban sugar. and the exports
OF merchandise have fallen below last
years. The Treasury RECEIPTS for GUS
toms in April are AZ per cent. less than
last year, with the internal receipts some-
what smaller. The Treasury deficit has
been s2OO0O 900 for the month thus far,
besides interest payments, indicating a
deficit of $4,000 0O0 for the month. Bank
ers deny the reports that further bond
issues are under discussion, but gold ex-
ports. with deficient receipts, may quickly
change the situation. No change Is seen
In commercial loans, and the large In
crease reported by banks Is mainly due to
stock transactions.
The most cheering sign Is the decrease
In important commercial failures, for
though one mortgage-loan concern has
failed, with liabilities of s5.5l0,0oo the liza
bllities in all commercial failures for the
first week OF April were only 2,lso,s60 OF
which $500 5s7 were OF manufacturing, and
$1.22s 240 OF trading concerns.
The failures this week have been 2is
against lS7 last year, and 81 in Canada,
against p last year.