davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
a DECAYlNG SECTION.
Barren and Uninhabitable Wastes of I'll
South.


One of the most interesting facts that
have been brought out by recent inves-
LEGATIONS of the United States geologi-
cal survey in the southern states. but
at the same time fact that bodies Sc
rious i'll to that region, is in connec-
ton with what are known as 1.-The
abandoned fields that is, the fields
that formerly were under high state
of cultivation under the old system of
slave labor, but which have now for
years lain barren, and by the action of
the elements are being rapidly con-
verified into deserts, of much the same
sort as those of the Montana and Da-
liota bad lands"
The extent of these regions as esti-
mated by the field parties of the sur
vey is alarming, some of them aggre-
eating from four thousand to ten thou
sand square miles in area. What is
worse, the destruction has in many
places progressed 50 far that the land
may be considered utterly useless for
purposes of cultivation for many years
to come, and only prompt measures
will prevent other thousands of miles
following in the track of these which
have already been laid waste.
The most serious feature of the case
is that in these new formed eastern
bad lands there is present an element
of destruction to the soil that is lack
ing in the west. There the barren soil
that has no protecting cover of. vegeta-
ton to hold it nodded into the form of
smooth rolling hills has been slowly
carved and chiselled through thousands
of years by the scanty rains of the
| region, the harder portions of the soft.
| friabie rocks maintaining their shape
| and standing up in many places in
grotesque sculpturing familiar in the
solitary buttes of the open plains of
| the clustered statuary of the Garden
| of the Gods. But in the east the rains
are copious, and at some seasons of
| long duration. This torrent of water.
when once taking hold of the soil
where the vegetable mantle has been
| removed plays havoc in a single sea-
son, such as in the arid west centuries
would hardly accomplish.
| This description is said to apply par
| ticularly to the northeastern corner of
Mississippi and to much of eastern
Tennessee and Kentucky. In southern
Mississippi, along the Bayou Pierre
and the Big Black, the ravages of the
rains on the waste land are said to be
| even worse. The fields are running
into CULTS and breaks, and the whole
face of the country is being carried
away, The plantations, mansions and
| quarters are being undermined, and
entire villages, once the home of
wealth and luxury, are being swept
away at the rate of acres each year.
The only check that is suggested for
this destruction is that mentioned in
the report of Prof. Nat Shaler, of the
survey, on the same region. 1t is the
| planting of willows, or other swift
growing bushes and trees in thick-set
burrows, so that they may hold in
check the rush of the water during
the rains and, acting as breaks to the
shifting soil, help once more to build
mp the region that is now each year
being cut into more and more barren
/ and uninhabitable wastes Washing.
! ington Post.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19

The number of deaths in the temper
ance section in these 81 years is thus
seen to be 1901 fewer than the Eek
pectations of deaths by the actuaries'
tables, which all life insurance COM
panies use, while in the general Sec
ton they were but 1863 fewer. Out of
the total number of expected deaths
only roo per cent. died in the temper
ance section and 97.9 in the general
section. That is the temperance Sec
ton has the advantage by 81 per cent.
1t is gratifying to know that these
figures do not stand alone. Their sub
stantial correctness is verified by the
experience of American life insurance
companies The Etna Life, of Hart
ford, long ago refused to insure the
lives of persons who habitually use
intoXicants, and considers beer-drink-
ers quite as undesirable risks as those
who use distilled spirits; and the same
thing is true of many of the other lead
ing companies of both the United States
and Great Britain.
These are facts which can not be too
strongly impressed upon the minds of
the rising generation. Once let it be a
fully-recognized fact that indulgence
in liquors, even in moderation, tends to
shorten life, and every sensible man
will shun intoxicants as he shuns any
other poison. A mere legal enactment
will not make men non-drinkers; but
when they are convinced that drinking
means slow suicide, with the possible
loss of health, wealth, good name,
friends and all else that makes ex-
istence dear, that makes life worth liv-
ing, and certainly every man who is
worthy to live will abstain entirely
from every form of stimulation. The
more men who can be convinced of
these evils the stronger will be the
effort to abolish the traffic, shut up the
saloons and pulverize the rum power
Toledo Blade.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19

The return of long wraps to favor is
one of the accomplished things this
spring, though the spring is not the
season when the long wrap enjoys the
greatest popularity.
The small bonnet promises to be still
smaller, if that were possible. A great
many round hats in turban shape, the
new Amazon shape and other styles OF
medium size suitable for city streets
will be more generally worn than ever
before.
Ribbons of the chief color of the
lawn or sheer cotton which they trim
will be popular garniture for cotton
dresses. Ecru and white lace in differ
ent widths are again used ON these
gowns.
A novelty of the season is the impor.
tation of cotton gowns with the trim
mings already made up and the skirt
finished, ready to put on the belt, but
as these colt ms cost from twenty dol
lars to thirty dollars a dress pattern in
material that sells at thirty-fve cents
a yard, they cannot be reclzoned as eco
nomical Observation-Disclosures Press.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
FACTS AND FINDINGS.

HAVE you ever noticed how long il
takes a moderate drinker to find out
that he has any bad habits?
THE city of New York last year paid
four million dollars for schools It's
drink BILL" by which we infer is
meant the amount paid by its citizens
for Intoxicating liquors, was fifteen
times al sGrge, or sixty million dollars.
One dollar was expended to cultivate
the higher qualities of men; fifteen
were spent to debilitate and destroy
them, and develop the lower and baser
qualities.
TWENTY million dollars was spent in
strong drink in Australia last year,
giving employment to less than ten
actual production. Had that vast sum
of money been spent in other trades it
would have employed twenty five
thousand men at three pounds per
week for five years and twenty weeks;
so, completely solving the problem of
the unemployed.
The horrors and degradation pro-
duced by the drink traffic are not to be
measured by any ordinary calculation
of it's first cost, nor are its depredations
to be judged only by it's effects on the
business interests of the community.
Its awful results are more injurious as
narcotic on the moral sensibilities of
the people; and when conscience is
blunted, the anchor of our civilization
is gone.-W. Jennings Demorest.
THE board of managers of the chill
drens home of Montclair, n. j., re-
Gently instructed their secretary to re-
turn check for twenty-five dollars,
one-half the receipts of saloon in that
place on New Years day, donated to
the home by the saloon proprietor. 1t
was voted as the sense of the board
that the association could not ac-
cord that recognition to the business of
saloon keeping which the acceptance
of part of days receipts would inn
ply"
A CHICAGO paper states that 1854
English sparrows were killed by sew
enty-two bounty hunters in Il certain
town, the largest number captured by
any one person, being one hundred
and sixty-two. These were taken by
a little girl, the hapless innocents hav-
ing made themselves drunk by feeding
on refuse from the brewery of the
! child's father. Think of the curse on
the land when Gods creatures can not
feed with safety! No wonder is il
that Cody men and women await with
patient eagerness the day when
Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited,
''and there shall be NO more curse"
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19

twenty-seven years of the existence of
that organization, and shey demon
strate most forcibly the advantage
that persons who abstain totally from
all intoXicants have over moderate
drinkers in increased length of life.
The company was founded on a CO.
operative basis in 1910, to give total
abstainers the benefits of life insur-
ance. In 1S47 non-abstainers were ad-
mitted, but kept in separate section.
The two sections, the Temperance"
and the General" are independent of
each other, each appropriating its own
profits.
At the date of the last report there
were 1000 members in the temperance
section, and $4,000 in the general sec
ton. The number of expected deaths
in the temperance section during 1892,
based on the usual life insurance fig
ures, were 327, with policies aggre-
eating $50, S4S. The actual number Of
deaths, however, was only 240 the poll
cies aggregating e51, 4S4.
In the general section, which includes
moderate drinkers, the number of
deaths to be expected, according to the
tables, was 3S7, for sos, 24O, while the
actual number of deaths was 1872, with
claims of e134, 246.
The comparison shows that there
were 81 deaths fewer in the temperance
section than were anticipated, while in
the general section there were 35 more
than were expected. The mortality
in the first was only 70 per cent. of
the number of deaths due according to
the tables, while in the second the
mortality of 100 per cent. The fol-
lowing table gives the results for 81
years.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
Preserving Timber From Insects.

Experiments made in France have
shown that the reason the sap-wood in
timber is worm-eaten is because of the
existence of starch in it. 1t is the
starch that the insects are after, and
they do not attack the hard wood be-
cause it contains no starch. The eX-
perimenters have devised method of
preserving timber from such attacks
In the spring they cut ring through
the bark around the upper end of the
trunk, and suppress all buds that are
developed there. By autumn the
starch has disappeared from the sap
woof and the tree is ready to be felled.
Timber thus prepared, it is said, does
not become worm-eaten.-Yo Com
panion.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
PUNGENT PARAGRAPHS.

The man who loses his balance
easily hasn't much to lose Young
Mems Era.
"A man who puts off his enjoyment
too long will find it mislaid by the
time he gets to it.-Siftings.
HAS Footlight made anything out
of his play?' Jerusalem, yes; he
picked up a barrel of cabbage after the
| first performance Inter Ocean.
Subscriber Ito editor -''How's the
newspaper business now?'' Editor
| Splendid! just got $50 out of he rail-
road for cutting off my left leg."-At-
lanta Constitution.
Pm on to your little game" ex-
| claimed the customer who had been
given sparrow on toast when he asked
for quail -YonElers Statesman.
-Judge-''Have you seen the pris-
oner at the bar before?" Witness
Have l? Well, rather. Had a couple
of drinks with him last night. BUT
falo Courier.
AT what time in life do you con-
| slider man in his primer ''When he
is neither young enough nor old enough
to want to write poetry. "-Washingt
Star.
| Mrs. Tall1alot-"This is an age of
freedom for women They are break
ing all their bonds" Mr.. Talkalot-
'Yes, particularly the bonds of matri-
mony. IN. Y. Herald.
Did your late boarder succeed in
removing all his effects?" Il should
say not" rejoined the landlady. 81
don't suppose l can ever get the cigar
cite smell out % the curtains" DE
troit Tribune.
$50 you think Plotter is going to
| join the medical profession?" Yes"
rs he studying for it?'' Yes; he has
selected three acres of ground that he
is going to plant in watermelons."-
Inter Ocean.
| John" said Maud, ''do you know
the height of sweetness?" ''Well," said
John, sizing her up, Il should say
about five feet, four inches" That
was the beginning of the engagement.
-Harper's Bazaar.
-''All things come to him who
waits" murmured the philosophical
white-aproned attendant as an exag-
gerated specimen of genus pride drifted
| into the dining room and took seat
at his table.-Buffalo Courier.
Probably He Underestimated. Mr.
Chugwater lover his morning paper)-
| ''Here's an account of fire that was
| put out in time to save nearly half
a million lives" Mrs. Chugwater-
"Mercy! Where was it?'' Mr. Chug-
water-''Seasideh hotel. Chicago Trib-
une.
AS Token. Chicago" remarked
the drummer from New York, lis going
to show where she stands on the Shaks-
peare-Bacon controversy by erecting a
monument to the distinguished au-
thor" What is the design" "a
bronze ham. Detroit Free Press.
1t will never do to have women
serve on the jury. They might get to
talking about the fashions in the jury
room some day, and in that case Judge,
counsel and prisoner might die of old
age before the verdict was brought in.
l-Somerville Journal.
-Hicks-''They tell me that Gargle
is missing Have you any idea of the
cause of his absconding." Wicks-'No;
| guess there was no particular cause.
Gargle was always sensitive man,
and probably he got an idea into his
head that if he didn't make missing
man of himself folks would think him
eccentric. boston Transcript.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
Mistakes of Nervous Singers.

The effects of nervousness are varied
and amusing. One young mezzo-so-
prano was prevented just in time from
walking on to the platform in huge
pair of fur-lined overshoes, which were
put on above her slippers and which
contrasted comically with her dainty
gown. Another songstress, who was
gifted with good verbal memory, was
singing without a note. During a
rather elaborate symphony, preceding
the second verse of her song, she
CHANGED idly to glance at the book of
words which she was holding Con-
fusion followed. She could not link
the melody with the poem. 1t was a
terrible moment, butt she stepped
swiftly to the piano, glanced at the &C
companist's copy and finished her song
con amore! 1t appeared, on inspection,
that by printers error two lines of
her song had been left out of the book
of works. This had confused her and
was the cause of her failure to blend
words and music together.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
WHEN MY LADY SLEEPS.
| The Gown She Wears Is Much BeribbOned
and Profusely Trimmed With Lace.

The Gown She Wears Is Much Beribboned
and Profusely Trimmed With Lace.
The new night-robes are victims of
the lace craze, like all else which per-
tains to my lady's wardrobe. They
are gay with ribbons, too, and many
are pretty and elaborate enough to
appear as tea-gowns.
The night-robe in best taste is white
A dainty and not too dressy gown is
made of sheer cambria, with a deep
yoke of Torchon lace. This is outlined
with rutfie of cambria edged with
the lace, so that the whole appears
much like sailor collar. 1t is fas-
tened in front with narrow white
MORE ribbons. The full sleeves are
also tied with little bow at the wrist,
and finished with deep fall of lace
Night-gowns of nainsook are trimmed
deliberately with Valenciennes lace.
Many of the gowns have the lace in
sertion arranged to simulate Bolero
Jacket. The lace frills which outline
it make the effect soft and pretty.
White embroidery with a colored
edge is much in favor for the less ex-
pensive night-gowns, and coarse, en-
broidered yokes are finished with head
ing through which narrow ribbons are
run. A rather eccentric novelty, and
one which presumably will not be well
coined with fervent joy, is the gown of
delicately tinted chambray, trimmed
with ecru insertion and lace.-N. Y.
World. ---.ssse
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
THE DATE OF CREATION.
DR.. John Lightfoot's Theological Demon
stration OF the Very Day and Hour.


stration OF the Very bay and Hour.
In the seventeenth century DR.. John
Lightfoot, vice chancellor of the Uni
versity of Cambridge, the great rab-
binical scholar Of his time, attempted
to reconcile the two accounts in Gene
sis by saying that of the clean sort OF
beasts there were seven of every kind
created, three couples for breeding and
the odd one for Adams sacrifice on
his fall which God foresaw;" that of
unclean beasts only one couple was
created; and finally, that heaven and
earth. center and circumference, were
created all together, in the same in
slant, and the clouds full of water"
and that this work took place and
man was created by the Trinity on Oc-
tober %, 1904 b. c., at 9 o'clock in the
morning" Here was, indeed, tri-
umph of Lactantius' method the re-
rult of a thousand years of Biblical
study and theological thought since
Bede, in the eighth century, and Vim
cent de Beauvais, in the thirteenth,
had declared that creation must have
taken place in the spring. Yet, alas!
within two centuries after Lightfoots
great theological demonstration as to
the exact hour of crea ton, it was dis
covered that at that hour an exceed
ingly cultivated people, enjoying all
the fruits of a highly developed civil
ization, had long been swarming in
the great cities of Egypt, ard that
other nations hardly less advanced
had at that time reached high devel-
opment in Asia Andrew d. White, L.
II. D., in The Popular Science Monthly.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
A Psychological Experience.

Professor-Did you ever have any
psychological experiences?
Mrs. Eyeglass-Indeed l did-a most
remarkable one.
"Prophetic?"
"Yes'
81 should greatly like to hear it."
zone night l dreamed that the sky
suddenly blazed with light; the heav-
ems were filed with thronging host,
trumpet sounded, the dead rose from
their graves, and then voice shouted:
Something terrible is going to hap
pen"
"Well?"
"Well, the very next day our cook
left IN. Y. Weekly.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19

The young man came rushing into
the house of his best girl as the rain
came pouring down,
"Wow," exclaimed the small brother,
meeting him at the door. ''sister don't
know what she's talking about"
"Why, what did she say?"
''She said tn other day when you
was here that you didn't know enough
to come in out of the wet. detroit
Free Press
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19
SHORTENS LIFE.

The Full Effects of Drink shown by In
surance Reports.
We find in an English newspaper a
discussion of the report of the United
Kingdom Temperance and General
Provident Intuition" a life insurance
company. The figures given cover
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19

Johnny-''My story book says the
wild hog is one of the most pugnacious
animals in the world.
TOMMY don't care what youl
book says The royal bengal tagger is
more'n ten times pugnastier," Chi
cage Tribune.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-19

Potato Fritters. One pint of
cooked potato cubes, one-half pint of
milk, two eggs, season with salt and
pepper; stir in flour enough to make u
stiff batter and fry in boiling lard the
same as corn fritters. Farm and Fire,
side
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-16
BACHELORS BUTTONS.

Pierre Lorillard is still ''pungrr" on
the race tracks and not usually success
full one.
William Waldorf Astor has been elected
member of tho Marlborough club Of Lon
don on the proposal of the Prince Of Wales
Chester Alan Arthur, son of the late ex-
President Arthur, has returned to New
York after an absence of several years in
Paris and London.
The Leicester (England) Post describes
ambassador Bayard as n fine speaker, with
an eloquence which can discuss nothing
and make it interesting"
Mayor Carter Harrison's grandfather,
Robert Carter Harrison, was born at Cliff
ton, Cumberland county, Va, and was first
cousin to Thomas Jefferson.
Lord I.orne receives Sc 900 year rs gov
ernor and constable of Windsor castle. Alb
solutely his only duty in this sinecure is
to sign receipt for his salary every quarter
Sir Charles Gavan Duffy, who is nearly
50 years old, is rs enthusiastic on Irish af-
fairs rs ever, and he is said to possess al
most as much vitality rs he did 40 years
ago.
Governor Northen of Georgia Is an old
schooltcachcr, and the ruling passion urges
him to spend n good deal of his time at
tending school institutes and commence
mentS.
Lewis Stuyvesant Chanler Of the New
York bar is said to devote his talents exclu-
sively to hunting up and defending poor
unfortunates charged with criminal Of
lenses and who are unable to pay counsel
fees
Captain a. G. Thomson, commodore OF
fhaf l1.,l l.
by the king of Denmark, is of middle age
with n curling brown beard He is rather
below the medium stature, but sailor all
over, and Il popular one at that.
A remarkable character Of Bcruardston,
Mass, is Arnold Scott. II blind letter carrier
e. years old whose cyesight was lost AZ
years ago. He has n long route, which he
traverses twice day and rarely makes u
mistake in the delivery of letters.
man of thrift is Peter Hanes who lives
in little clearing in the state of Washing
ton. Chased by bear he ran to neigh
bors, and when the neighbor, a Mrs. Nc
Coy, bowled over the bear with her rifle
Peter promptly claimed the hide as discoy-
erer
G. ~. Spreckcls of Philadelphia is a son
of tho millionaire sugar king of San Fran
cisco and Honolulu. He is young gentle
man of elegant leisure who has small for
tune for pocket money. He entertains lib
orally, travels extensively and is widely in
formed.
John Varyan of Indiana, probably the
oldest legislator In the world, is the author
OF the first law en.b.in. married women in
Indiana to hold property and make u will
He is 81, but i'll full possession of his bodily
and mental health. He has voted for IS
presidential candidates.
1t is not generally known that brother
survives Edwin Booth. He is Dr. Joseph
A. Booth, who was born In Baltimore and
studied medicine at the South Carolina
Medical college at Charleston. He is at
present practicing his profession and lee
turing on surgery in New York.
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-16
PULPIT AND PEW.

Rev. Frank DE Witt Talmage, son of the
noted Brooklyn preacher. has been ordained
by the Presbyterians.
Rev DIR. James II. Ecob, pastor Of the
Second Presbyterian church of Albany, has
withdrawn from the church. He is sup
porter of DIR. Briggs
The English Presbyterian church recently
decided to raise during the next five years
$3.50, 600 for building new churches in differ
ent parts of England.
The movement inaugurated in Baltimore
for the erection of an Episcopal cathedral
In Washington is enthusiastically seconded
at the national capital and is likely to DO a
success
There is reported to be much complaint
In England ut the poverty of the clergy
The $3.50 benelices in England and Wales
afford yearly income of less than 81, coo to
the incumbents.
The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-16
THE OLD HOMESTEAD.
1t Meets With Proper Recognition as a
Play of the Right Sort

1t Meets With Proper Recognition as a
Play of the Right Sort
Denman Thompson's masterpiece,
"The Old Homestead" will long remain
a favorite with the theatre going public.
1t was received as such by large and
brilliant audience at the Academy of
Music last whore it appeared with Odell
Williams in the loading role, Joshua
Whitcomb. The piece goes goes directly
to the heart Of every listener, and the
forcible temperance sermon worked out
in its quaint and homely way impresses
itself upon one no less forcibly than if
uttered from the pulpit OF tho lecture
platform.
1t is play devoid OF Objectionable
features to the most fas.idious minds,
and pictures real, honest human nature
az portrayed on the old fashioned New
England farm as few plays have done
and will do in the future.
The singing of The Old Homes toad"
quartette and chorus is of tho best and
Is deserving of recognition anywhere
However old the play may be it is al
ways sure of good audience when it
comes to Roanoke.