davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22
pennsylvania MouNTAINEERs
They Are What Might BE Called Com
scIentious MOonshinBrs.

scIentiOus Moonshiners.
MGoDshining is secretly carried ON
all over the mountains. 1t is the ear
nest conviction of those people that
they have a divine if not a lawful right
to convert the product of their farms
into liquor, which they can readily dis
pose of at a better price than they can
the raw products. They still hold to
the principle for which all western
Pennsylvania rose in arms over a cen
fury ago, but they are no more ancient
in this contention than they are in all
their modes of life.
Within themOuntain cabin everything
is as primitive as without and round
about. Most of these are one story,
with a loft above, and contain but two
small apartments. Built against the
log building is the massive stone CHM
ney, and the chink holes between tho
notched logs of which the cabin is built
are filled with mud. All the furnish
ings are rude and mostly homemade,
and the few utensils are of the most
antiquated pattern. The door is low,
and the windows small and few. Sons
cabins have stairs to the loft, some 4
ladder, and some only pegs. In the lott
the wife has her weaving loom, spin
ming wheel and reel, and here she keeps
her flax and wool. 1t is here hat the
material for clothing is spun and
woven. Pine knots and tallOw candles
furnish the light, but when nigh
comes the family generally goes to bed
Bedsteads arc generally made by tho
head of the family, but sometimes VIC
find a fashy-Painted specimen, which
has descended from sire to son. Cradles
are hewn from logs and the rounded
surface serves as rockers.
If sChoOlhouses are the EeraIds OF
civilization, then the mountain region
is like the country Of the Gauls before
the coming of Caesar. Way dowR
toward the foot of the range we may see
a little battered and faded building, but
few, indeed, are the children of tn"
mountain region who enjoy it's benefits.
We scarcely ever meet n man or woman
who is able to read and write intelli-
gently, and a daily paper is an entire
stranger to the mountain cabin.
Only the weekly papers reach it. and
these not for a month after they are
issued. The mOuntaineer has no occa-
sion to go to the village at the loot OF
the range Oftener than once a month.
Many of the gray-headed seers havs
never seen Il railroad, and plenty of the
Strapping youths have never been a
dozen miles from home. This is one
place, at least, where the sports of IL
grandfathers are still in vogue, and the
highest ambition of d youth or maidea
Of the region to attend a ~lOg-rOlliDg,
wood-chopping, cOrn-husking, house or
barn-raising, a~pple-cutting or stone
picking, with their ACCOMMODATING
nights of merriment. When the work
for which the frolic is held is finished,
and supper over, the room is cleared
and the old fiddler appears upon the
scene, and o o the strains of such old
tunes as the "Virginia Reel" "OIi Dan
Tucker" and the Irish WasherYoman"
fill The air. One by one the couples Of
dancers take their places, and then en-
sues a period of hilarity and uproar
that would rival an Indian pOw-wOw.-
Pittsburgh Dispatch.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22
A Large Tunnel.

The largest tunnel ever built-the
underwater section of the Blackwell
tunnel, under the Thames-has just
been finished. 1t is 81 feet in diane
ter and one mile in length, and con-
meets Poplar on the north side of the
river with Greenwich on the south.
Nearly 1000 feet of this tunnel had TO.
be driven by compressed air. The 0c-
curacy of the survey and the dangers
of the work may be imagined from
the statement of the engineers that
while driving the shield under the river
bed there We're, at one time, but FIVE
feet and two inches of earth between
the top of the tunnel and the water.
So great was the danger of the water
bursting through that large quantities
of clay were dumped into the river over
the thinnest spots.-N. Y. Ledger.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22
HECOUNTRY scHooL-TEAcHER
Receives as Much Pay as the CobbIer or
DrSRsmaker.

In the country. whether in the east
or west, north or south. the compensa.
ton to school-teachers is so small that
it seems wonderful that those who re-
ceivc these salaries can live on them.
These salaries range from $i0O a year
to $500 a year. The average for A
school year Of about seven months is
$@1S.36 for men, and $2G2.9 2 for women.
The duties of a country schOol-teacher
usually includes cleaning the school
hOusc and building fires. These duties
are net always considered hardships
by the persons who take such posts.
as the women in all save exceptional
cases have been accustomed 10 such
work al home, and the men find it easy
enough to get pupils I o do the work
in exchange for favors in school. In
the country schools of the United
States there are three times as many
women as men, the percentage being a
little greater than in the cities.
Most country schools have only onG
teacher and that teacher is required to
instruct children of all ages and in all
branches up to grammar and algebra.
NNN hNAh y NililV IdlIlItitI VI dI~
zebra dispensed in these schools is
quite inconsiderable, as these r
branches of knowledge not in demand.
For what these country teachers do,
as the schools are at present estab-
lishcd, it is likely that they are quite
adequately paid. \ village school-mas-
ter will earn as much as the cobbler;
the schoolmistress will make as much
in the year as the dressmaker. They
do not belong, as n general thing, to a
class better educated than the cobbler
or dressmaker, and they do not work
any harder. Those of them who have
thought about their calling, and who
have ever been moved to feel that great
responsibilities devolved upon them,
have realized hat the conditions were
such that they could do next to moth
ing, and usually they have given over
any efforts to secure a change in school
! NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22
WHEN / AM OLD.

Is there a realm called Age. within the
realm of Time?
And by what sign, in summer bloom or
winter rime,
May its fixed boundaries be told?
How may I know the landmark set beside
the way?
What warder standeth. when I cross the
line, to say:
Now art thou old"
] note the passing shadows of the flying
years,
The flashing and the fading of revolving
spheres,
The chimes in starry belfrles tolled.
But in my heart l feel no whitening, no de-
cay.
Hope is undlmmed and Joy unquenched-
Then who may say
That.I am old?
Yet. far behind. the MISUNDERSTANDING
path l trace:
And close before. the hills whose sunset
glow 1 face.
Where evening spreads her couch CT
gold.
How Iong-so-e'er old age its coming may
i know. barring death only. sometime 1
must say:
Now am I old"
'Tis we'll. After the summer flush. ths
autumn glow.
After the autumn, winters pure tranSfigur-
Albeit his friendly touch be cold.
After youths restless, breathless quests. a
peaceful day,
To bow the white head Ger the stan. and
grateful say:
Now am l old"
Then. as I turn to scan the fields I've sown.
May no thorn-harvest there. of wrongs or
follles grown
To curses dire, my eyes behold.
But gardens, ]gladdeninG him who follows
in the way,
And the well-ripened sheaf, that men may
bless my day,
Though l am old.
And thou. my heart. let not times frosts
thy pulses chill,
Keep thou thy youth; thy warm affections
warmer still,
Thy ripeness ripper in the cold.
Trown not, mine eyes; we must go smiling
on our way.
Tongue. speak thy best good cheer, that
none in scorn may say:
"Ah. he Is Old!"
And II. at eventIme. LIES hours OF labor
Age. useless. helpless age, decrcpIt. senIle.
bent,
My powers would shrlvel, Heaven
withhold
The melancholy blight, the Wondering,
slow decay,
And call me in my strength, while yet It's
JOY to say
That l am old
Into no valleys shadow go the weary feet,
But up the radiant heights, where light
seFenely sweet
Shine clear, and visions fair unfold
There is the bound of Age. the landmark
by the way.
FTbara Glands tho uorJar a 8 7 cross 80,
line, to say:
Here none Is old
Rev. Prof. George Huntington. in Chica-
go Interior.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

PiIferers Trying to Get In
Their Work.

Republican PIlferers Trying to Get IN
Their Work.
Every republican, plan for increasing
the revenu is dishonest and a scheme
to sandbag and rob the people of the
country. No great increase, if any, is
required. But the imaginary deficit is
made a pretext for the kind of tariff
legislation demanded by the rapacity
of the protected monopolists. They
declare that the country is in no neCes-
sttous circumstances and they regard
the country's necessity as their rascal
ly opportunity.
From every part Of the country
when its patriotic = enthusiasm was
awakened and there was a probability
that men, ships and money might be
needed to fight it's battles on land and
sea-there thTonged to the capitol the
agents, solicitors and other members
OF the lobby gang to urge increased
taxation, not for the public benefit, out
for their own.
The most impude1t and the most
greedy of the throngEthat surrounded
the sources of revenue legislation were
the wool men, clamoring for a renewal
OF the wool tax, which would include
the old tax on clothing, carpets, hats
and caps and other wool products.
They ciphereG out that the wool and
clothing tariff produced in prosperous
years Il revenue of $4O,O0O,OOO They
covered up the fact that for every dol
lar of public revenue produced by the
wool tariff ten dollars or $2G went into
the pockets of the protected Tannufac-
turers.
The advocates of this gigantic frnud
and steal attempted to disguise its
character by declaring that it is not "a
restoration of the Mckinley tariff
schedule" and that it is a plan to pro-
duce revenue merely-not for protec-
tion. The allegation is false. If the
Mckinley tariff or 80 or 90 per cent. of
the Mckinley tariff rates should be
restored it would be for protection and
not for revenue Nine-lenths of all
the taxes collected or more would go
The rich lumber men, the nabobs of
the pine forests, are also besieging tho
capitol for a renewal Of protection.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

"If l had joked less l would have been
a bishop" So said SIDNEY Smith, and
he doubtless told the truth. He was a
man OF genius and scholarship, but the
people got into the habit of locking to
him for amusement and entertainment,
and when he talked or wrote seriously
he disappointed them. People are un-
willing to credit a man with great abili-
ty in various and diverse lines of intel.
lectual endeavor. They are severe crit
les of the writings of a speaker, the
speeches of a writer, the prose of a poet,
the poetry of a prose writer, the jokes
of a sage and the philosophy of a joker.
Sidney Smith found only a few readers
when he put his wisdom on paper. What
they wanted from him was not wisdom,
but the dazzling flashes of his wit and
humor.-Atlanta Constitution.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

was no trouble in the matter of the rev.
enue. The ways and mea committee,
however, under the direction of the
speaker, proposes u tariff bill which
they know cannot become a law and a
bond bill which is not essentially differ
emit from the law under which bonds are
now issued. The silver men in the sem
ate, without regard to party, are able
to defeat any measure that has a bond
provision in it, and they will.
What is to come out of all this? Who
can discover a prospect of n result?
What's the use of trifing with PROPOSE
tons that have no significance in them?
1t may be of the greatest Importance to
express a principle through the legisla-
tive machinery, even if that principle
cannot at the time become a law. The
republican party in the campaign of this
year, denounce the democratic tariff
in bitter terms, and insisted that repub-
liCan legislation on that subject was the
only safe refuge for the country. They
are now in overwhelming possession of
the house, and it is their duty to pass a
tariff bill on the high protection lines
they have advocated. 1t is their part
to do this as a matter of party faith and
principle. This Popgun tariff PROPOSE
tion-this makeshift to avoid the issue
made in the presidents messages not
a redemption of the promises implied
in the campaign. 1t is mere straddling
and sprawling about, and an offense to
public NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. En-
quirer.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22
OPINIONS AND POINTERS.

Mckinley at once climbed into
Growers band wagon, and got a move
on the cZar.-Iowa State Register
(Rep.).
-Thf mar and the occasion met
again when Cleveland and the Vene-
zuelan matter came together.--Bir-
mingham (Ala.) News.
The republicans are deter mined
to make the people pay a higher price
for their clothing and other n~ecessaries
of life.-Illinois State Register.
President Cleveland will not COM
promise with republican leaders in con-
gress, but will declare war to the knife
against their tariff and bond bills.-N.
y. Herald.
MIR. Cleveland was right in throw
ing the responsibility on congress to
remedy the financial confusion. 1t is
the result of republican legislation
Columbus Press.
The republican plan is to tax wool
and lumber-to increase the cost of
clothing and Of building, and the pro-
tected interest will get ten dollars of
the revenue where the public treasury
gets ten cents.-Chicago Chronicle.
1.-THE repeal of the Mckinley
tariff" says a republican organ,
brought US the raid upon the gold re-
serve" This is an important piece Of
new information. The panic which re-
suited from the raid upon the gold re-
serve" began in the spring of 1895,
while the Mckinley tariff was not re-
pealed until the latter part ct 1884,
Louisville Courier-Journal,
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

pipes on the doorstep. 1t is ignorance
in solitude--contentment in poverty.
1t is half an hour since the wife joined
her husband, and yet not a word has
passed between them. She knits and
smokes and raises her eyes only at long
intervals. He smokes and thinks and
his gaze is on the tree-tops across the
road. Queer people, these mountain
GERS of the Cumberland. They are
s~toical, silent, wary, morOse. They are
always thinking and thinking. They
seem suspicious even of each other.
They come and go-they live-they die,
but as no other class of people. They
have their ways, and their ways de-
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

\ young man with Il snub-nOSe and
a frm-set jaw was making inquiries
about trains at the New York q New
Haven depot in Boston, when the man
behind the window suddenly asked:
"Didn't you come in this mocning?"
Yes" with a Young woman"
Yes" Il thought 50. l took you for
a bridal couple" Yes; so we were"
Are You going back alone. ," That's
what's the matter. We were married
day before yesterday and came here
on a tour. She was all right when we
got here. but in about an hour we had
Il fuss She wanted a diamond ring,
and l couldn't buy it. Diamonds! Just
think of it! l nave $25 in ash and 20
acres of land. and expect to have to live
on beans for the next six months to
pull through" And where is she
now?" Over at the hotel. l left her
money to pay her bill and get home.
and she can stay or come. Better have
this thing decided at the start, YOU
know. Some folks are built 10 wear
diamonds, and some to eat iohnnycake.
I'm a lOhnnycakist. There's my train.
If she comes in to take the next Just
see her aboard, but don't
her any."-Troy Times.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

"Howdy?' answered man and wife
in chorus.
Powerful hot?"
"Yes, powerful"
. No more is said until Joe fills and
lights his pipe and takes n seat on q
nearby stump. Then the woman, her
eyes on his feet, quietly asks:
Reckon him Orter do it, Joe?"
"Of co'se him o%rter," replied Joe.
Eyes, fur Shore" adds the husband.
It'll be the ole man ?" said the WON
an after a pause lasting two minutes.
THE ole man, of co'se,' replied Joe.
"Yes, the ole man." added the hus-
band.
One of the dogs lazily arose and
walked over and licked Joe's hand, and
i'll return he patted the animals head
in a half kind way. 1t was Ave
minutes before anyone spoke again.
The wife had grown pale-faced, and
her fingers trembled as she piled the
needles. There was something like
anxiety in her tones as she said:
II wish Jim wouldn't do it. l don't
like this killin,."
"Hev to kill" replied Joe, a. he took
the dogs ear in his hand.
"Yes, hev to kill" added tho husband,
as he arose and yawned and stretched
his limbs.
Joe held the rife out to him, and ha
took it and hefted it and examined its
several parts and nodded his head with
satisfaction.
"Io' kin drap him at 40 rods" said
Joe, as he pushed the dog away.
From IS to 49," answered Jim, as he
brought the weapon up and sighted
along the barrel.
Got to make suah work.
"Yes, suah work. Come fur it to
norrer."
Reckon l will. Day to yo' ALL"
When the caller had gone his way
the husband sat dow and freshly
filed his pipe and made another exam.
i~nation of the rifle. A long silence wa
broken by the wife's query:
whats the f%ussin', Jim?"
Same as befo'."
The ole man Taylor and our TIVE
hogs"
Yes. He wants damages, and ]
won't pay"
"Gwine ter kill him?"
Fur shore"
"Wish yo' wouldn't"
"GOt ter"
That ended the conversation. Vher
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

scend from father to son. By and by
the man speaks. Without taking his
eyes from the tree-tops or the pipe from
his mouth, he says:
"Joe's a-comin'."
Reckon he ar" replies the wife,
without looking up.
A quarter of Il mile down the trail is
a man walking slowly and carrying a
rifle on his shoulder. Neither of those
on the doorstep have seen him, but
their quick ears have detected the
sound of footsteps among the stones.
They do not look after speaking. Their
eyes are not fixed upon rim until he
stands before them and let's the butt of
his rifle fail to the ground.
"Howdy?" says the new arrival
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

If the republicans of the house
had passed a measure scaling down the
extravagant expenditures of the gov
eminent ten per cent. instead of in
creasing the taxation of the people GO
per cent. and Is per cent. they would
have done a c~ommendable act. Putting
$4O,O0O,O0 900 additional taxation upon
the people will not be as popular nor
as righteous a method of making both
ends meet" as would the reduction of
outlay. The government has abund-
ant n The taxes of the people
Rre too great instead of too little. The
trouble is that too much money is be-
ing spent. - Illinois State Register
(Rep.).
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22
HAD TO KILL.
A Bit Of Life and Death In the
Cumberland Mountains.

CABIN beside the
rude trail leading
up the slope Of u
mountain 1.-TWO or
three acres of
cultivated ground
poverty within
and poverty with
out. An old and
h~alf-starved mule
wandering about
three or four
dogs lying in the
sun--a mountain
eer and his wife
Smnlriun I n q p
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

1t so falls out that what we have we
prize not to the worth whites we enjoy
it; but, being lacked and lost, why,
then, we rack the value; then we find
the virtue that possession would not
show us whites it was ours.-Shake-
speare.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

The confidence of the republican
congress in prescribing for the finan-
clal ills from which we are suffering
is that of the doctor who had been called
in consultation, and with whom the pa
tent pleaded: but, doctor, you are
killing me-" "My dear sir" said the
physician, you keep quiet. I know /
differ from those other doctors as to
what's the matter with you, but the
autopsy will show which of us was
riGht."-N. Y. Herald.
The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1896-02-22

1t may be that Speaker Reed
made up his committees with the
avowed purpose of showing the country
that there is nothing too good for the
state of Maine.-Chicago Times-Hersld.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-03

--~-~--~-------~-~-~~-y ~--~~-~-~e~~~s-~---zr
THNO MARKET GARDEN EkS AND FRUIT
4 MEN-25 acres east of city, also 10 acres
north on avenue. good land, water and lots of
fruit. cash rent" ChiFers, Steam Dye Works,
Alb Kansas ave.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-03
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS.

The following transfers in real estate
have been made:
James Booth and wife to A. A. KEEL
sey for S275. lots $50 and 1872 Liberty
street, Neale's addition
r. r. Johnson TO Ida r. TWaddle, for
$4,000, lots 273 and 275 Jefferson street,
Lockhart's addition; lots Is, Is, II Flor
ence street, KnOEss subdivision; lot
269 Adams street, Holidays addition;
lots 2lS $50 .2s2. 2S4. 2S6 and 2SS Mary
land avenue, and lots go and PIP Ohio
avenue Highland Park; lot 5, block ?.
North View ub-diVision; lots q and %
Franklin avenue, McDOWens Grand
View subdivision.
susan Mann to TT. w. Euler, for 1925
lots 81, 81 and SIS Evelyn street, Hol-
mans Subdivision
Cyrus X. Holiday to Henry Buff, for
$500, the east $ feet Of lots 361 and
363 Madison street, in Ritchie's addi-
ton.
John Woods to Frank A. Smurr for
$500. lot 12f Chandler street, in Metz
ker's second addition
Philander Bennett to J. Z. Wise Of
Washington county, Pa, for 81, land in
section 5, township - range 16.
C. O. Knowles TO Harriet A. Haynes,
for $500, three and One-fourth acres in
section l3, township II, range Is.
George NJ Noble to the Passumpsic
Savings bank, OF Caledonia county Vt,
for 800 lot 3O6 and sos Spruce street in
West Park addition
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-03
UGH! BLOOD MONEY.
Wife Wanted Half the Money for Her
Husbands Arm Mashed OF

Wife Wanted Half the Money for Her
Husbands Arm Mashed OF.
Mrs Eva Johnson has secured a di-
VOrce from w. L. Johnson in the dis
trict court, and SO. 900 alimony was al
lowed her
On the trial it developed that John
son was two years ago an engineer on
the Santa Fe road. He had an arm
cut of in an accident and the railway
company compromised the case for
$4,000. Before the company paid his
claim, however, it wanted to be secure
from claims from his wife, and she
agreed to waive any claim if he would
pay her half the money. He prOmis-
ed, and when 70 got the money refus-
ed to pay her half.
Johnson also gets $1,000 from an ac-
cident insurance company, half of
which he vas to give his wife. He is
now in the Indian territory, and is said
to have gambled it all away. Judge
Hazan did what he could for Mrs.
Johnson by giving her judgment for
So. 600.
Some of these divorce cases almost
approach the Armenian outrages in
atrOcity.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-03
cIcAR observation-disclosures.

II BRODERSON. us Kansas ave. maker Of
LIE '-Our Success 3 cent cigar and the 90 Lin
ia Vista" 10 cent cigar Sold by ali dealers
These goods are unexcelled
CURRY BRO ". Smoke their celebrated Lit
~ tie Chief" best cent cigar in the market.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-03

There is PROJECT 70 generate power
in Kern county. California, by the
agency of waterfalls. Tor transmission
to Los Angeles. 1870 miles distant, The
power is to be used to light the city and
run the electric street cars. Many SINH
lar projects are under way for utilizing
the water power. that hitherto has run
TO waste because 50 far removed from
business centers or inconvenientIy sit
uated for use by direct application on
the spot. Several such schemes have
been worked out. and they have proved
highly successful
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-03

The story writer had been out very
late. and when he arrived home ex-
planned his hardness at length ana
with great minuteness. His wife list
gned without comment until the end.
Well p he said after a gloomy pause.
"doesn t that explanation satisfy your"
Perfectly" she replied. 1T was love
IL. Only. John, dear, think'it is very
extravagant Of you to squander 50 much
originality outside OF your business. -
EXCHANGE