davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN CHINA.
He Would Have Been Likely to Get Him.
self Into Trouble.

He Would Have Been Likely to Get Him.
self Into Trouble.
One dark evening ] was returning
home from call on one of our English
neighbors in Taiyuenfu. When not far
from our compound, the road crossed an
open space of several acres in extent
AS / was finding my way along by the
rather dim light of a Chinese lantern I
nearly stumbled over the body Of man
who had fallen by the way. My first
impulse was to take hold Of the person
and ascertain if help was needed, but
for some reason I did not, but hurried
home to get aid. Mr.. X. was still with
us and on hearing my statement said;
eyes, know. The man is dead, and
it is fortunate that you did not attempt
to touch the body, Should we now try
should no doubt be seen and at once
suspicion would attach itself to US, and
none could tell the consequences. We
might cause riot before mQrning."
1t should be said that this suspicion
would not have been because we were
foreigners, for native under similar
circumstances would likewise have run
the risk of being charged with the muir
der. The good Samaritan would have
Jared hardly in China, or most likely
would have been suspected Of doing the
kind deed for sQ,ns ultimate gain, while
the priest and the Levite would have
been accounted not hard hearted, but
prudent. Professor G, NJ. Cady in Gen.
turY,
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
DIRECTED HER LETTER TO HEAVEN
Pathetic Little Story of Child's Epistle
to Her Dead Mother.

Pathetic Little Story of a Childs Epistle
to Her Dead Mother.
At recent wedding the bride had
retired to her dressing room to don her
travelling gown. Her mother had been
dead year or more, and she had had
the constant care and companionshlp OF
her little sister ever since their atfiic-
tion. The 7-year-old entered the room
and went to her sisters chair very
thoughtfully. Drawing letter from
the little pocket, she said:
"Alice, here is letter to mamma.
have just written, telling her all about
the wedding. Will you send it to her!'
The elder sister, little shocked, re-
piled as gently as possible that she
couldn't send letter to mother.
Then the little one, looking quite
bright, said promptly:
ooh, yes, you can, because now you
are married, you will be getting little
girl, and when yeu send for her, just
give the doctor this letter, and he can
take it to mamma when he goes for the
baby"
And there ON the envelope was the
address, printed as best she could: "To
Mamma, In Heaven. Kindness of the
Doctor"
She took the letter, and hugged the
little one to hide the tear which was
rubbed off on the curly, brown head
Washington Star,
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
NOT THE ENEMY's cAMPFIRES.
The Mistake of q Recruit Whose Imagina
tion Was Stimulated.

The Mistake of a Recruit Whose Imagina-
tion Was Stimulated.
At the beginning of the war there
were lot of "raw" soldiers, who,
though ardent fellows and good fight
ers, were not up to the West Point
standard on military matters. At War
renton, Va, one of the new companies
happened to BIZ stationed early in the
conflict, and many were the lessons that
had to be learned by the earnest but
ignorant southerners, who had but a
slight idea of the rigid rules of warlike
discipline. But on the whole they did
we'll.
1t was one balmy September evening,
just that time of the year when the cool
breeze is laden with the rich odors Of
the dying leaves and full Of an exhila-
rating crispiness that seems to fill ones
blood with dreams of love and happi-
ness. The moon was just peeping from
behind bank of clouds resting on the
crests of the Blue Ridge, and the line
of light crept down the sides and crawl
ed across the fields of waving corn and
the meadows full of chirping insects.
About in the field were scattered the
white tents of the Confederates, and be-
meath them the tired men were deep in
slumber.
One of the most ignorant men had
been put out as picket, and for hours
he trod his beat, watching with eager
eye the lights from the distant farm
houses, lest some fire of an enemy's
camp break out into the gloom. The air
was warm and fragrant, and the SOL
dier's mind was full of the romance Of
the situation.
Presently the moon sank behind the
dark pillows of the cloud bank and the
world was wrapped in silence and dark
ness. But in each bush there sparkled
a glowworm, and about in the air Cir
culated some of the bright insects known
as "lightning bugs" whose tiny tails
are seemingly pointed with fire.
Now the sentry suddenly became
alarmed and gave the signal. and the
camp was soon in turmoil. The men,
hastily awakened from their sleep, be-
gan to saddle up, and were full of de-
light at the thought of meeting the enc
my, whose campfres, so the sentinel
said, had just cleaned out from dis
tant hill.
The men were ranged up to begin
their march, the colonel exhorted them
that this was the "time to win their
spurs, and all was excitement, when
the sentinel crept up to the colonel.
"Colonel," said the fellow in dis
comfited voice. II am mighty sorry.
but have made mistake-there is no
campfire of the enemy-it's lightning
bug-you see, am bit nearsighted."
And the man crept back to hide under
the flap of his desolate tent. while the
disgruntled men took themselves again
to slumber. r.-Philadelphia Times.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
Parrots 1 Have Known.

1t is very curious to observe the pecul-
lar way in which these birds learn their
lessons. When fresh word is being ac-
quired, at first Though not alwaysl the
word is miscalled, and the parrot will
constantly repeat 1t, just like a child
praeticing lesson, becoming perfect by
degrees. Then, when quite mastered, the
word is put away, as it were, at the
back of its memory, to be brought for
ward when required, two or three years
sometimes elapsing before the occasion
arises. Some easy words it is found
quite useless to epdeavor to teach the
bird for instance, for years the words
"Thank you" have been said to her when
giving her food, but she never has once
uttered them on receiving it, On one
occasion though, on seeing some delica
cy being given to the cat, she remarked
in a reproving voice, "Thank you. I"
"aood morning" and Good night" are
constantly said at the proper times, but
heavy London fog perplexes her; she
hesitates which to say sometimes, end
ing the matter on a dark morning by
remarking, GOOD night. Chambers
Journal
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
Lincoln's Modesty.

The Tribune has received letter
from Mr.. George Kluetsoh, editor Of
the Lincoln (Neb. Freie Presse, setting
forth that he has in his possession let
ter in the handwriting of Abraham Lin
coin, written in 1859, of special histor-
ical Importance. Mr.. Kluetsch received
the letter from T. J. Pickett, at one
time editor of the Republican paper in
Rock Island, Ills The letter is as fol-
lows:
SPRINGFIELD, Ills, April 10, 1859.
T. J. Pickett ESQ.,:
MY DEAR SIR-Yours of the 18th is Just re-
ceived. My engagements are such that can
not, at any very early day, visit Rock Island
to deliver a lecture or for any other object.
AS to the other matter you kindly mention,
I must, in candor, say do not think myself ft
for the presidency. 1 certainly am fattered
and gratified that some partial friends think
of me in that connection, but really think IL
best for our cause that no concerted effort
such as you suggest should be made. Let this
be considered confidential. Yours very truly,
A. LNCoLN.
Chicago Tribune.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
Teetptal,

1t is said that the late Rev. Joel jew
ell originated the word "teetotal. The
story goes that at "a public temperance
meeting in Hector, N. Y, in 1928, he
introduced into the pledge the letters
80. p" for "old pledge" which
pledged against distilled liquors, and
"T" for "total," including both dis
titled and fermented liquors. When
names were being taken, young man
in the gallery said, add my name and
IT. for I am 'T-totaler. >" Mr..
Jewell adopted the word in speeches
and writings Some four years later an
Englishman named Dick Turner EN-,
ployed the word, and it's origin has been
ascribed to him. Mr.. Jewell was born
in Durham, Greene county, N. Y, Feb.
IL. 1908, and became a revivalist and
temperance worker at an early age. For
over 80 years he was an active Presby-
terian clergyman, although not ordained
nRtil he was 40.-New York Tribune.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
MAGIC OF THE WOODS.
What Hunters Say About the Spell of an
Otter's Eyes.

Otter's Eyes.
By the Adirondack woodsmen along
the banks Of the West Canada creek the
otter is regarded as quite as sly as the
fox, inasmuch as it is very difficult to
trap in any kind of contrivance. There
are fewer stories about the creature s in
telligence, as the animals are scarce and
have not been so much observed as have
the foxes.
There has been, and probably is. an
otter that for six years anyhow, and per-
haps longer, has travelled down the creek
winter and summer about every two
weeks. In the winter it left running,
sliding trail in the snow on the ice, sell
dom leaving the creek bed to go into a
cove or overland for dozen or Is rods.
In summer weather it fished and caught
frogs in the coves of the flats. A good
many shots have been fred at it and a
lot of traps set for it, but none was
ever successful. 1t is believed by woods
men that the offers, like the hell divers,
looms, mink and others, dodge shot OF
ball. / saw this otter once some years
ago in the summer time, and while only
one feature of the animal is distinct in
my mind, I do not recollect any other
wild animal so WE'LL The body is a mere
glimmer of black in waving swale grass
Even the head is a burly, rusty gray
shadow, a sort of background for the
two eyes.
L have seen deers when they were
standing still looking at me, have look
ed at squirrels, rabbits, partridges, foxes
and other wild animals alarmed by my
presence, but their forms, rather than
their eyes, are more or less distinct. In
fact, the eyes seem secondary in the
mind pictures, except in the case of the
otter. 1t seems to me that the otter did
not merely look at me; it was more as
if it looked into me, the same as the
sensation one has when some one-a
man or woman reads your innermost
thoughts. " These eyes were large and
full rounded, dark brown with SHIN
mer of light gray skating across and
around the center, and with a lively
beauty as different from the dead beauty
of deer's full eye. 1t sent precisely
such chills up and down my back as
dark human eyes have done. 1t was a
tense, particular look, and not the gen.
eral gaze of bird or other animal. The
otter, think, hypnotized me, for did
not shoot. although my impression is
that we looked at one another for a
minute or two.-Forest and Stream.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
Early candlelisht State Dinners

1t appears that in olden times the
president used to give his dinner par
ties at o'clock in the afternoon. The
grandfather of Representative Acheson
of Pennsylvania once diped with George
Washington, and his family have pre-
served the invitation. 1t is written in q
business hand on a fourth page of a
sheet of ordinary note paper, with the
lines running lengthwise across the
sheet, and reads as follows:
MIR. Acheson is requested to dine with the
president on Thursday, the 23d inst, at
o'clock precisely.
Feb. IA, 1897.
-Chicaoo Record
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
What She Was Meant For.

A lady of great beauty and attractive-
ness, who was an ardent admirer Of Ire
land, once crowned her praise of 1t at q
party by saying:
"I think I was meant for an Irish
woman"
MADAM. rejoined witty son Of
Erin, who happened to be present.
thousands would back me in saying
that you were meant for an Irish man. :"
Strand Magazine.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
"The Pyramid Limp"

"The pyramid limp" as it has come
to be called, is that state of body which
falls upon one for two or three days aft
er making the ascent of the pyramids.
One is so much pulled and pushed at
the time that little or no inconvenience
is felt. There is no sign of soreness of
joint or MUSCLE until after one has
slept, and then the trouble begins to
brew; the second day of that man or
woman is worse than the first the clir
max is reached at the end of the second
or beginning of the third day, and from
that time the patient begins slowly to
recover.-Cairo Correspondent
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
LOVE AS CONSIDERED NOWADAYS.
Two Men Asked Advice About 1t and Then
Rejected 1t.

Two Men Asked Advice About 1t and Then
Rejected 1t.
There is no use of opposing love at
fair, not even when the actors play into
your own hands. know what I'm say
ing, I've had the experience with two
the young and the old man. My first
experience was with young man, who
didn't know his mind and asked me
what he had better do, and I, like IA
ther, told him he'd better not marry
the girl he was counting. He went right
off and married her.
An old man from the country came
into the car where was reading my
morning paper and sat down at my side.
"Beg your pardon, SIR" he said. "Did
you ever court grass widder?"
"Oh, yes," said. "I've courted
dozen or more, Why?"
"Did you ever marry one?"
eyes"
"Waller, p'r'aps you kin give chap
point or two?"
"Oh, certainly, all the points you
want. )"
care they any different from other
women?'
"Say. old fellow, I've courted all
sorts of women, both married and un-
married, and they are all just alike.
They do all the courting and generally
propose before you have courted them a
week"
Waller, what's your opin 'n9"
''It is this-the man who marries
one is jackass." "
The old fellow scratched his head for
a moment, and after he had got his idea
racked in the right spot he said: oval
Ter, hain't I as much constitutionally
right to be jackass as you have? Wal
ler, l guess, and I'm goin 'cept her pro-
posal by wire. Write it out for me,
won't ?''-New York Herald.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
The Ministsr.s Furnace Fire.

Plumbers tell some laughable stories
about people who don't know how to
run furnaces and steam heating plants,
"We put in furnace for a minister
once," says an Auburn plumber, "and
the next day he came down and kicked
about it. He said that it wouldn't burn,
and he either wanted it taken out or
put in working order right away. 1
went up, and after examining the CHM
ney carefully looked into the furnace.
What do you suppose the trouble was?
Well, sir, the minister had been trying
10 heat the house by building a fire in
the ash box. '-Lewiston Journal,
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
SHOOTING STARS.
How These Odd and Erratic Baby Planets
Blaze and Darken.

DihA0 anu DnEAohs
The shooting star is an oddity of the
very oldest kind. 1t is world Of itself
"a miniature planet -p probably not
larger than the papier mache globe on
your study table or the rubber ball
with which the schoolboys play "three
cornered cat" but it is world just the
same. These baby planets are not al
ways round, as planets are generally
supposed to be, but are known to be in
all sorts of queer shapes. Some are
square, others octagonal; some irregu-
lar and many cornered, while one Is &C.
casionally met with which is smooth
as brick or a cement paving stone.
Probably you have never heard of a
man Cor woman either, for that matter)
meeting with" shooting star in any
of his wanderings. Let us see how such
a thing might be possible.
The shooting star is originally min
iaturo world, revolving around the sun
with as much regularity as the earth,
Jupiter, Venus or Mars. 1t keeps up
this unerring flight thousands Or even
millions Of years. Finally it reaches the
limit of its existence. Suddenly and
perhaps without any visible cause it
shoots off at tangent. 1t is now a
"shooting STAR Formerly it was a
world, but even now it is not bright as
other stars are. Let us see what will
cause it to "fame up like gigantic
torch in the heavens. +" This particular
body that we are talking about shot off
from it's orbit in the direction Of our
earth. It's speed is not less than 20
miles second, probably five times that.
In the great outer sea of space it en-
counters no resistance to it's headlong
flight. But wait 1t is nearing the en-
velope of atmosphere which surrounds
our globe What will be the result when
it comes i'll contact with "the air we
breathe." The first stratum it strikes
is so attenuated that its resistance Is
very slight. Yet the friction is great
enough to instantly raise the tempera-
ture of the falling world. Within the
hundredth part of second the dense
stratum of atmosphere has been encoun-
tered The flight of the little world is
now perceptibly checked, the result be-
ing sudden firing of the mineral mat
ters in the stone. There is an instanta-
neous burst of light, and then we see
the doomed representative of the minia-
ture planets in all its meteoric splendor.
Possibly the streak of fire it leaves
athwart the heavens will not appear to
be more than few hundred feet long.
Certainly it will be thin and short if
the little world was not larger than a
football-because it will be almost in
stantly consumed as soon as it strikes
the denser portions of the atmosphere.
On the other hand, if this world which
has SO suddenly come to an end was as
large as good sized barn when 1t start
ed, fragments of it weighing from 10 to
1000 pounds may reach the earth. 1t
is from these fragments that we learn
the shape and composition Of the aerial
phenomenon referred to as shooting
stars. st. Louis Republic.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
Liked Lawyers.

1t is recorded of Andrew johnson
that when, senator or president, he was
invited to a dinner party, he was aeeus-
toned to ask if any lawyer was to be
among the guests For, said he, law
yers always lubricate things. He took a
greater fancy to William M. Evarts, his
attorney general, because of his post
prandial fame than because of his emil
hent legal attainments.- Bag.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
Alarmed For His Safety.

The Professors Wife-The professor
is in the laboratory conducting some
chemical experiments. The professor
expects to go down to posterity-
(From the laboratory Br-r,r-r- bang |
The Visitor-I hope the professor
hasn't gone.-Harlem Life.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
THE RUIN OF THE YEAR.

Along the hills and by the sleeping stream
warning falls, and all the glorious trees
Vestures Of gold and grand embroideries-
Stand mute as in sad and beautiful dream,
Brooding ON death and natures vast undoing,
And spring that came an age ago and fled.
On summers glory long since drawn to red,
And now the fall and all the slow, soft ruin,
And soon, some day, sweeps by the pillaging
wind,
The winters wild outrider, with harsh roar,
And leaves the meadows sacked and waste and
thinned,
And strips the forest of its golden store.
Till the grim tyrant comes, and then they SOW
The silent wreckage, not with salt, but snow.
Archibald Lampman in Scribners.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13

Shun no toll to make yourself re-
markable by some one talent. Yet do
not devote yourself to one branch ex-
clusively. Strive to get clear notions
about all. Give up no science entirely,
for all science is one.-Seneca.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
Goes a Long Way.

Borax-My wife makes little mon
ey go long way these times.
Henpekt-So does mine unfortunate.
ly. She's always subscribing for mis-
sions in Africa and Polynesia. Pear
son s Weekly.
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13

A stylus with split point, apparently
for the purpose of writing with fluid
ink, has been found in an Egyptian
tomb
The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-03-13
NOTICE
ORPHANS COURT.

The Stated Meetings of the Orphans
Court of Cecil county will be held on the
second Tuesday ofevery month. Executors
Administrators and Guardians, wanting
their accounts stated, will please bring in
their vouchers few days before Court.
Test: r. E. LAMAR, Register
Milford chronicle., 1896-09-25
FRBlERIcA.

An all days service will be held at the
M P. Church next Sunday Appropriate
music will be rendered on that occasion
and good speakers have been secured for
the day The Rev W. Livingstone will
pc assisted by ReY A p MslyiR, Of West
minister, who will preach in the morning,
Rev Frank H Lewis, Of Baltimore. will
preach in the afternoon. At this writing
1t Is not decided who will preach at night,
The church will be crowded undoubtedly
at all the services Everybody will be
welcome A special collection will be taken
10 assist in paying the CHURCH debt. The
Ladies Aid has always contributed nObly
TO this cause and should be encouraged by
a generous collection from others.
Accident which may yet terminate fai
tally, occurred here last Friday afternoon,
When Yirden Morris, boy about sixteen
shot his most intimate friend, David Sec
ord. Morris was carelessly playing with
a revolver which he fired aceidently-the
bullet entering Secord Just below the ear
At the time of the shooting both Drs. HoeY
and CARLISLE weFe Out Of town They were
SUMMONED on their arrival The boy was
extremely weak from loss of blood and
upon examination it was deemed advisable
to send him to Philadelphia to a hospital
He was sent Saturday morning but as late
AS Monday night, at this writing, is dan,
gerous. Morris parents are overwhelmed
with sorrow at the accident as we'll as the
parents of the injured boy. This will prob
ably teach boys a lesson in the careless
use of fire arms
A great many people went from here to
poyer last Monday to hear and see Bryan.
Two horses from Milford became fright
ened at the sound of the steamboat whistle
one day last week and ran furlOusly
through the streets and upset the hack to
which they were harnessed, otherwise do
ing no damage
Mr., and Mrs Albert lord and daughter.
AadeIIRs, If seafard, are visiting MTe.
Harry Elliot.
Mr.. viii Arts, of Philadelphia, is visit
ing his parents. Nh and Mrs. John Arts.
Mr., L. A. Melvin, of Seaford, is visit
ing his brother, Mr.. E. Melvin
Mr. Thomas Cahall has returned to col
legs.
Mrs. Charles Lister and son Charles,
of Philadelphia, are visiting Mr. John w.
Hall 4.
Milford chronicle., 1896-09-25
The walter ]. Main Circus.

There is a surprising unauimity IN the
profuse praise accorded by the great
newspapers to the Walter L. Main Big
Shows. which are billed to appear here on
Monday, Sept 2S. and which We are
assured viii far outstrip anything in the
nature of an arenie enterprise eyer given
our people. The big shows, for there are
a number of them under one manage
ment, complete surprisingly compre-
hensive whole. will be seen here under
greater advantage than anywhere else
this season, as it was recently much added
TO. Mr.. Main having purchased in Colo
RADIO one of the other shows which was
billed to appear in this neighoorhood,
aud added to his already mammoth at
fractions which always consisted Of a
ring circus, a real Roman hippodrome,
a wild beast show aud monster meuag
erie aud marine exhibit. Contrary to his
usual mode of procedure, Capt. Pierre
Perier, to meet a publ, demand, will do
his worlds highest dive free for all and
TO be seen by all on the show grounds
outside the tent Immediately after the
parade gets to the saow grounds after
traversIng the line OF march This Tree
exhibition is entirely distinct from the
magnificent afternoon aud night per-
formances.