davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
Miss Mehetabel lad taken from the

Miss Mehetabel lad taken from the
upper bureau drawer in the spare bed
room that very morning sundry knitted
tides and mats, together with a pair of
highly-colored and embroidered pillow
shams that never saw the light except
ing upon state occasions. These, with
a huge beaded pincushion, purchased
by Miss Mehetabers grandmother from
n genuine Indian princess, and which
now rested primly upon the old-fash-
toned dresser, showed that the occasion
in her eyes was one of great and I'M
usual interest.
In the snug pantry all was in readi.
ness. There were rows of mince and
pumpkin pies, tender and toothsome;
dainty preserves and jellies all ready to
''set on" while from the oven of the
bright little range in the kitchen pro-
ceeded savory odors wondrously sug.
gestive.
Miss Mehetabel herself was arrayed
IN her best brown Eerino, carefully pro-
tccted by neat white apron. She had
hesitated in making her toilet between
the ordinary gold breast-pin to fasten
her linen collars and a pale green rib
bon bow with white lace at the ends,
which had been her one piece of extrav-
agance at Cousin Emily's wedding.
1T isn't out of lleepin' with this occa-
sion," she murmured softly to herself
st last, as the balance turned in favor
of the latter. 1T brightens me up q
Bit" and she carefully pinned it on and
adjusted the ends. Thanksgiving
only comes once a year at best, and such
one as this but once or twice in a life.
time"
There was a sudden knock at the
front door. In walked the preacher and
his family, followed by Mrs. Ellis and
her little flock, made as presentable as
their scanty means would allow.
All was excitement and merry talk,
and soon the quiet house rang with the
happy laughter of children.
Dinner was dispatched by and by, and
what n dinner it was, to be cure never
&c be forgotten by certain empty little
stomachs.
The great matter was talked over aft
er dinner, when they were cozily seat
ed in the snug parlor. 1t was not all
news to Mrs. Ellis, for she had received
Il gentle hint from the little pastor S
wife a few days before, and had decided,
like the brave, sensible woman she was,
to hide the pain of the parting in her
own heart and think only of the best in :
terests of her bright little girl
1t was all settled at last, and the chill
dren were called in for a parting hymn
and prayer, AS they knelt together in
the gray winter twilight a deep, quiet
Joy stole into the desolate heart of Me-
hetabel Brown.
She drew closer to her the little form
that knelt beside her, and whispered
softly to herself amid her falling tears:
"He setteth the solitary in families."-
Emma Searles Ulrich, in Union Signal
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28

never got to bed till near midnight,
and l like to never closed my eyes to
sleep a wink the whole night. Indy
come home next day with nervous
headache that lasted her until Sunday
mornin', and she wouldn't have gone out
then only it was communion. But,
poor girl, she's sleepin' quiet enough
under the snow this winter" and Miss
NLehetabel drew long sigh and brushed
aside another tear.
''As was sayin', Mis- Williams, what
with all these changes, to say nothin'
of the belfry BLOWN off the meetin'
house and maxim it look so sort O.
squatty, this has ben the longest,
dreariest year of all my life. To be
sure | amt got anything to complain of
so far as creature comforts is con-
cerned," glancing approvingly around
the tidy kitchen, and through the open
door at the spotless dimity curtains of
the best room. But l don't seem to
have no livin' soul to take an interest
in, and nobody to take an interest in me,
eXceptin' Rover and the parrot, and they
are both like to die of old age most any
day.
II amt got no heart to eat nor work.
1t used to be so coy like when Indy
and me was here together, she settin'
on one side of the table and me the
other. 1 always poured the tea and she
dished the sauce. Indy was good
company-sort O. cheerful like, even
after she took that hacl1in' cough that
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
proved the death O. her, as I always

proved the death O. her, as l always
said it would if it lasted long enough.
eve was only two old maids, Indy
and me, but we was happy and comfort
able. What with the weekly prayer
meetin' rollin' round so often; the mite
society and the quarterly meetin' com
in off once in three months, and the
presidin' elder stoppin' with us on ac-
count of the preacher always happenin'
to have so many children and bein'
sca'ce O. spare beds, we hadn't much
time to be lonesome.
But it's all changed now Lindy's
gone. 1 turn sort o sick and faint
when l think of Thanksgivin' comm
on, and l settin' here and eatin' turkey
and cranberry sauce all by myself, and
Miss Mehetabel, under pretense of
rinsing her potatoes, walked to the sink
and dried her fast-filling eyes on the
snowy towel.
"Mr. Williams and I have thought
and talked it all over, Mehetabel," said
the little pastors wife, who had sat half
smiling, half sweeping, but at the same
time busily stitching away on child's
apron during Miss Mehetabel's lengthy
discourse. 1--WE both think you ought
not to live here alone as you have been
doing, when there are hundreds of
destitute children who need just such
love and care as you are able to give. A
child would be great blessing in your
lonely home. Have you ever thought
of this, Mehetabel?
Strange! BUT do you know 1 was
thinkin' about that very thing only
yesterday. AS l was goin' down to the
grocery store to buy a pound of tea, I
went pass Mis- Ellis old home and there
was four O. them children hangin' on
the rickety gate, with nobody to care
for 'em, and their poor mother off doin'
washin' or scrubbin', or anything She
can turn her hand to-so sort O delicate
as she is, too.
There wasn't better brought up
girl in this whole deestrict than Miriam
dy Walters. That was her name be-
fore she was married. She was sent
away to high school one term, too. But
she had a hard row to hoe ever since
her poor husband was run over by the
steam engine and killed so sudden. l
always feel like putin my fingers in
my ears every time hear it screech at
the crossin' to this day.
Them children is just as bright as Il
whip. There's Tidy, now, next to the
oldest girl. They say there amt q
scholar in the Sunday-school can re-
cite verses to beat her, and her eyes
shinin' as black as Il coal when she
stood up spealkin' a piece at the Sunday
school concert. Well, as 1 WAS sayin',
as l went by there yesterday and see
'em hangin' on that rickety gate, so
sort O. forlorn and neglected, somethin'
sort o spoke right to me: 'Mehctabel
Brown, you ought to take one o. them
children and give 'em schoolin'.
81 turned round sudden, but there
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
Humanity Always Seeking Equality.

Perhaps it is because we know So
ciety to be merely a make-believe in its
equality that SO many society people
regard a real equality as impossible,
and are content to remain in the make
believe. But even the pretense of
equality is precious, and it has more
honesty in it than the pretense of in
equality. There is nothing so essen
TALLY false as that; and the superior,
W hen he takes thought, is as distinctly
aware of the fact as the inferior. HUI
mainly is always seeking equality.
The patrician wishes to be with his
equals because his interiors make him
uneasy; the plebeian wishes to be with
his equals because his superiors make
him unhappy. This fact accounts for
inequality itself, for classes. Inferi-
GRITTY and superiority were intolerable
to men, and so they formed themselves
into classes, that inside of these classes
they might have the peace, the comfort,
of equality; and each kept himself to
his own class for that reason.-W. d.
Howells, in Century.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
TESTING THE DOCTORS.
Chinese. Like Other Physicians, Reserve
the Right to Disagree.

Chinese, Like Other Physicians, Reserve
the Right to Disagree.
The emperor of China has lately had
so much trouble with his functionaries
of every kind that he has grown dis
trustful of them all He had noticed
that, while his statesmen seemed to be
widely at variance, the court physi-
clans agreed beautifully whenever they
were called together. But test that
he might make of their skill and sin
cerity occurred to him.
Feeling somewhat indisposed, the
emperor sent for one of his court doc
tors. These physicians are paid public
functionaries and are learned profess
sors. One of them came, listened to his
majestys account of his trouble, dag
nosed it, prescribed and took his leave.
Then the emperor sent for another
court doctor and gave him exactly the
same account of his difficulty. This
doctor then made his own diagnosis,
which was quite different from his
brother physicians, prescribed a diff
ferent remedy and went his way.
a third and fourth physician were
called and each found a different dis
ease and each prescribed different
medicine. Then the emperor became
angry and also sarcastic, and begged to
know how he could have so many things
the matter with him and live, and
whether he should continue to live if he
took all the diverse sorts of medicine
that had that day been prescribed for
him.
The doctors could give him no salts
factory answer to these questions, but
each insisted that he was right and all
the others wrong. But the emperor de-
clared that this could not be true, and
condemned every one of the physicians
to lose months salary.
OF course the moral of this story has
no occidental application. Though the
doctors of our western countries re-
serve the right to disagree, such a case
of radical divergence probably could
not occur under the practice of our per-
fected science.-Youth's Companion.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
VIRGINIA'S LUCKY STONES.
Curious Crystals Which Tradition Says
Came from the Tears of Fairies.

Curious Crystals Which Tradition Says
Came from the Tears of Fairies.
The queer cross-shaped crystals of
silicate that are known to the inhab-
itants of Virginia as fairy stones have
long puzzled the most noted biologists
OF the world. Just why silicate should
crystllize is the first problem that con-
fronts them, and the second is why the
crystallization should always assume
the form of a cross.
1t is only in one part of Virginia that
these stones are found. Patrick county
is the favored locality, but almost every
Nirginian has sent to some friend or
neighbor for a specimen, for they are
supposed to be a lucky stone.
Indeed, no self-respecting citizen of
the Old Dominion will be found with
rabbits foot in his possession nova
days, and he must have a fairy stone
for mascot. The legend which gives
these little crystals such a reputation
for luck is not only old, but is quantity
beautiful.
When the crucifiXion took place the
fairies of that particular section of Nir-
ginia were overwhelmed with grief, and
their tears in falling crystaIlized into
tiny crosses. For many years the fairy
stones have been the particular mascots
of Patrick county citizens, and it was
only by accident that the fame of the
emblems has spread.
A few months ago certain Col. Prop
per went into the mountains of that
county on a prospecting tour, and while
there put up at a farmhouse. He no.
tIced that all the people about the place
were wearing irregular cross-shaped
crystals, and on asking found out the
significance of the custom. He secured
one, and within a few days struck
bonanza.
Shortly after the gallant colonel APP
peared in Washington, his studs, cuff
buttons and scarfpins all made of fairy
stones. congressman and even grave
senatWs badgered him for a mascot,
but only a favored few secured the COW,
eted lucky stones. The fairy stones
are scarce, and are found after diligent
search in the beds of the streams, along
the dried-up channels of brooks and
rivulets.-N. Y. World.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.

The largest individual employer is
the Krupp company, employed in the
manufacture of artillery and iron ma
chinery. 1t is said that this company
has on It's payroll about 10000 laborers.
One of the most remarkable inks
I'now to the chemist is made of a prep
aration Of prussian blue in combina-
ton with nitric and hydrochloric acid.
The writing done with this ink has the
singular property of fading when eX-
posed to the light and recovering it's
color when taken into the shade or
placed IN perfect darkness.
Salmon packers on the Pacific
coast are a trife disturbed over news
brought here last week from Petro-
pauloyski tina: the Russians are arrang-
ing for the establishment of several
large salmon and herring canneries
along the Siberian coast. When the
tlans-Siherian railway is completed
the product of these cameries is likely
to be a considerable factor in European
markets.
Large tracts of sand wastes are
now being reclaimed along the Welsh
coast. Series of parallel fences are put
up seaward, closely interviewer with
wires ana furZe, and spaces between
these are filled with earth and road
scrapings. In these various trees, such
as sycamore, willow, pine and alder,
are planted, while the ridges are sown
with gorse and broom seed and planted
with briCr.
Mr.. Wilckens, of Vienna, has found
that two purc-blooded English horses
transmitted the color of their coat to
their prUgeniture in $50 cases out of
1000. When the parents are of differ
ent colors, the offspring are almost
always Of the color of the mother With
rabian LorseS the facts are more strik-
ing still. The white color of the coat
of the mare was found to be clearly
transmitted in 729 cases out of 1000.
In other cases there was more or less
marked mixture.
The soldiers and workers of the
white ants (Termes), are, as rule
blind, with no traces of eyes; but Il
species has been found in South Africa,
the workers md soldiers of which
have eyes and work in daylight, like
ordinary ants. In their habits they
resemble harvesting ants, in cutting
grass and carrying it into holes in the
ground. DR.. Sharp thinks this species
may be allied to the Termes viarum of
Smeathman, whose soldiers and work.
ers possess eyes.
Experiments have shown that birds
avoid the bright-colored caterpillars as
rule. and this seems almost to have
become a second nature, for a jackdaw,
which had been raised in captivity and
had had no experience in judging the
edible qualities of caterpillars, was OBJ
served to regard the brilliant cater
pillar of the fgure-of-eight moth with
suspicion and aversion, although it
eagerly devoured dull, plain caterpil-
lars placed within its reach. When it
was driven by hunger to attack the
other it finally refused to eat it, giving
plain evidence that there was some
thing distasteful about the prey.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28

HelQ ana NIL,
The singing children of the woods have
The hermit thrush's golden chime is still,
The happy haunters of the grass are dead;
The world is hushed with numb Novem-
bers chill.
But in the spacious farmhouse. 10! the
glare
OF the hospitable hearth, and on the
board
The rich abundance of Thanksgiving fare,
The year-long savings of the housewife
hoard,
A harvest-home. though all the fields are
bare.
Here sits the graybeard sire, and at his
side
The youngest of his line. a prattling
And there the husband by the new-made
bride;
And next the low-browed lily maiden
mild,
The soldier son. stern-featured, eagle-eyed.
To meet once more beneath the ancient
roof,
Dear ever with the love of childhood days;
And here again life's severed warp and
wool
Are Joined, and times swift wing a mo-
ment stays.
And memory makes the old man young
again,
He tells the oft-told tale, the outworn
jest.
Outdoor the snow falls fast on hill and
plain,
The distant church-clock tolls the hour
of rest,
And thanks are offered Heaven - not in
vain.
Charles L. Hildreth, in Demorests Mag
azine.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28

wasn't nobody there, but someway Two
been thinkin' about it ever since. Then
your comm over this mornin' and say
in the same thing makes it look to mo
like an unknown providence.
"Tildy's my choice, and if she'll come
I'll take her, and she shan't lack for
nothin' as far as this worlds goods go.
eff she could only be here by Thanks
giving. But there! I've an idee. Why
not have 'em all over here to dinner.
and you and Mr.. Williams come, too?
That would make-let me see-twelyo
besides myself. The best china wouldn't
hardly go round. But that doesn't
matter. l can eat off one O. them blue
plates just as well. Two turkeys ought
to do, with plenty of mince pies and
cranberry sauce. I've got 'em, too, as
fat, sleek turkeys as ever was put on Il
platter. We could talk it over then,
sort O. quiet, while the children played.
1t wouldn't be so lonesome as to look
forward to settin' down all by myself.
l feel more CHEEKY already. But dear,
dear how l have run on! It's quarter to
twelve this minute, and these potatoes
only half cooked, and you settin' by
starvin' for your dinner"
Thanksgiving morning dawned clear
and cold without, but within the snug
home of Miss Mehetabel Brown there
was warmth and comfort. This was to
be great day in her quiet, uneventful
life. Preparations had been making for
DAYS
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
PUNGENT PARAGRAPHS.

-Watts-"Do you think man can be
Christian on dollar day?" Potts
II don't see how he can afford to be any.
thing else. "-Indianapolis journal.
-Wallace-"How did you feel the
first time you got into BARRIERS chair
for shave?" Ferry-"To tell the
truth about it, I felt like a bare-faced
1raud."-Cincinnati Enquirer.
With a Comma or Without
Wasn't he put out when you told him
he couldn't have kiss?' "Oh, no! He
inst took it as a matter of course
''Ah! he took it, as a matter of course.
did hep"
--Blobbs-"What nonsense it is for
the newspapers, in their accounts of
weddings, to describe the bride being
led to the altar" Slobbs-"How SOP"
Biobbs-"Well, most girls could find
their way in the dark. "-Philadelphia
Record.
He (confidently)-"By Jove! can
tell you, the woman who could make a
fool o me isn't living" She-'Poor
thing! What a satisfaction it must be
to you that she so thoroughly accom-
plished her mission before she died!"-
New Budget.
so you've taken to cycling at last,
have you? How did you find that
out?" 81 saw you on your wheel yes
terday." ''By Jove! I'm glad to hear
that. All the rest of my friends hap
/. Sned to see me when 1 was otf."-Rich-
rnond Dispatch.
Great New York Editor - "What
does this mean? Why was my editorial
on the decadence of journalism left
over?" Trembling Assistant-"Please,
sir, so much room was taken up by the
How to Eat Corned Beef Hash sym.
postum. '--Cincinnati Enquirer
"A scientific writer put out flaming
handbills, headed know Thyself." A
wag soon called on the lecturer and told
him he was inducing great many PEG.
pie to form acquaintances of a very low
order. The lecturer looked at the wag
It moment and said: MY friend, you
are right; but it never occurred to me
until | saw you"
Enthusiastically, dear, suppose l
were to shoot at tree with five birds
on it and killed three, how many would
be left?" Polly Gagged siX)-"Three,
please" Teacher-''No; two would be
left" Polly No, there wouldn't.
The three shot would be left, and the
other two would be flied away. Phil
adelphia American.
There is some excuse" said the
police judge, for a man becoming eXas-
perated by the strains of a hand organ,
but to rush out and attack the musician
with an ak is carrying things with a
little too high hand" Il know it is,
jedge," pleaded the man who had never
been in police court before, but when
a blame dago comes and stops in front
of the house jist after man has had an
argument with his wife about whether
he gifts an overcoat or her a cloak and
begins playin' Home, Sweet Home it
is more than flesh an blood kin stand."
Indianapolis journal.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
THANKSGIVING.

That fields have yielded ample store
OF fruit and wheat and corn,
That nights of reStful bleSsedness
Have followed each new morn;
That flowers have blossomed by the
paths
That thread our working days,
That love has filled us with delight,
We offer heartfelt praise.
What shall we say of sorrows hours,
OF hunger and denial,
OF tears, and loneliness, and loss,
OF long and bitter trial?
Oh, in the darkness have not we
Seen new, Respondent stars?
Have we not learned some song of faith
Within our prison bars?
Not only for the earths rich gifts,
Strewn thick along our way,
Her looks of constant loveliness,
We thank our God to-day;
But for the spirits subtle growth,
The higher, better part,
The treasures gathered in the soul
The harvest of the heart.
Mary F. Butts, in Youths Companion.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
Shaving on IA Man of War.

There is lots of money in the barber
ing business on board a man-of-war,"
said bluejacket, on whose cap was a
black band bearing in letters of gold the
name of the hoodoo ship Olympia. in a
barber shop. Flows that?" one of the
BARRIERS asked. why, that's easy"
answered the bluejacket. Take the
Olympia, the ship that ! belong to.
She's got 400 men on board. They al!
get shaved and have to have their hair
cut. All man has to do is to ship as a
landsman for three years and be AS
signed to the barber shop. Your pay
from the government will be $50 a
month, and you will rank as a petty Of
ticer. Then you'll get $1.50 from
every man on the chip every three
months. That makes $3.50. Add to that
S36 a month, which is SOS quarter,
and there you have $3.50 a quarter.
That's not bad for barber. The bar
Der gets another landsman to wash the
towels and other fixin's for $50 a monta,
but, | tell you what, the barber has to
hustle. San Francisco Examiner.
The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-11-28
Dosed by Proxy.

An English missionary to Uganda,
Rev. r. =. Ashe, thus relates one of his
odd experiences in prescribing for the
natives: "A man came to me begging
for medicine. He seemed not to be Sc
riously uuwell and | thought best to
give him dose of salts, which at tha
worst would probably do him no harm.
prepared the mixture, and seeing him
hesitate about taking it l felt obliged
to order him to do so at once while it
was effervescing. He drained the cup
and then told the interpreter that the
patient might describe his symptoms
more at length, if he desired. Then it
came out that he wanted the medicine
not for himself but for his wife. No
doubt the man supposed that this was
the white mans usual method of tIc&t4
ment."->Nouth's Companion.