davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-12-19
Meaning OF Organism In American
Politics.

When the history Of the last decade
of this century is finally written,
Organism will be recorded as violent,
infections. political disease, the pro-
duct Of a regime OF unpatriotic, polit-
ical charlatanry and economic hypo-
crisy which Immediately preceded it.
Clevelandism aud Organism will be
recognized as parent and child. The
bold and audacious misrepresentation
of industrial and fiscal data and the
defiant appeal to the spirit Of national
Reputation, industrial disruption and
social revolution of Bryan in 1896 was
but the literal translation of the more
pompous and hypocritical appeal Of
Mr.. Cleveland 10 the revolutionary
and mob spirit in 1883 and 1899 In
1894. the people voted down Cleve-
landism; in 1896, they voted down
Organism; what may we expect in
Ieoop
This will depend npon the wisdom
of the Republican party. The oppor-
tunity and responsibility are theirs.
If the party pursues the narrow, ira
ditional course and fails to deal with
the problems out Of which this social
discomfort has arisen, it may expect
to share the same fate, and a regime
OF disintegration will set in. But the
hopeful eyes of the American people.
and to large extent of Christendom,
are upon the incoming administration
In order to justify this hope (Which
now carries with it large measure oil
confdence,) two great classes of re-
forms will have to be undertaken,
One dealing with our banking and
fiscal institutions, SO as to afford bet.
ter and cheaper financial accommoda-
ton to the farming population the
other, frankly applying the response
BILE craftsmanship Of the party to the
labor question, not merely as indirect
ly represented by capital, but as di-
rectly represented by wage workers
themselves Is the Republican party
equal to the occasion prom Gun.
tom Magazine IN. Y. for December
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-12-19
Did not KIN the Editor.

Our Dumb Animals.
We have just read from the Detroit
Free Press an amusing account Of a
lady poet, who called upon its editor.
He says she was 20 years older than
she owned up to be, and had a hat
better suited to child of twelve than
a woman of as. She told him what a
splendid paper his was, and how she
had sent some of her verses to various
poets. She said 81 sent some of them
to Mr. Browning just before he died. =
II sent some to James Russell Lowell,
and few days after he died." then
sent some of them to our dear Oliver
Wendell Holmes, and three days lat
er he died"
The editor had to listen to an hour S
talk and eighteen verses, of which the
following was the first:
"Harki Hark
IT'S the meadow lark,
Singing in the dewy dark
tn whit tn whee!
His song / hear,
So sweet and clear,
But him cannot see;
And yet know,
For his song tells me so,
That he is near
For do not hear
His tn whit Tu wheel"
Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-12-19

LAxoL is the best medicine for chill
dren. Doctors recommend it in place
of Castor Oil.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
A Family Romance.

S. j. Elsey, a veteran Of the Mexican
and civil wars. who for the past decade
has lived at the Soldiers Home in
Leavenworth, Kan, and for the best
part of a lifetime has believed himsel,
alone in the world, was %rejoiced thu
other day when a brother whom hi
thought had been killed in the wal
found him and offered him a home. HI
and his father and two brothers had
entered the Mexican war. He ha6
helped to bury the father and one
brother after a battle, and he had heard
that the other brother also was killed
After the civil war he lived only 70.
himself and brought up at the Soldiers
Home; but the brother who had not
been killed married, toiled and pros
pered at Hilliard Station. Ohio, and al
last went to LeavenwOrth.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

mar Sanders part that the new teach
er could play a fiddle better than any
man in the township.
The New Teacher.
The Sprowlers, brother and sister,
were introduced to the new teacher,
Mr.. Clarke, and the iddling went on.
'Bilr' Sprowler could dance a pretty
fair jig, and he was induced to un-
timber his feet for the benefit Of the
company. All vent merrily, but the
teacher spoiled it all.
: He handed the fiddle to Uncle Tom.
who was no mean performer himself,
and said: "Tf you'll give us the AR
kansaw Traveller Uncle Tom. I'll
shake my leg a little" Uncle Tom
complied, and the teacher chased out
on the floor and began. Such dancing!
The like had never been seen in Hick
Dry. Side steps, back steps, pigeon
wings. single and double shufiles. steps
that they had V seen before. "Fas'
ter he called to Uncle Tom. The
flying notes kept busy with his agile
feet, and as he stopped with a grand
bow to Nance old Tom laid the fiddle
down and gave a ''holler" that 'jusl
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

outside. The plan was to jump the
teacher when he came up to inquire
or demonstrate at their conduct. The
teacher walked back to the woodshcd,
picked up a stout stick lying there,
and crawled under the schoolhouse.
With this thick piece of oak he got 1t
purchase under a loose plank on the
platform just behind his desk and
upended it with a strong effort. An
other plank went the way of the first,
and he crept into the schoolhouse. His
face was streaked with perspiration
and dust, but he washed it in a basin
Of water before %unboltlng the school
door. AS he threw back the door he
called out in a commanding voice,
''School is open" There was some
thing in his voice that brought the
p%lotters off the fence and into the
schoolhouse in double-quick order, al
though Bill and his brothers were
the last to obey. Their calculations
had been upset. and they did not take
the %precaution to provide for such a
contingency.
A RATHER Diversion.
But in every scholars breast there
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

men must grid on the burdensome
yoke of the corset and endure the new
agony Of pinching in their waists to
the minimum figure.
The fashion has not yet progressed
sufficiently for any standard to be set
regarding the proper waist measure
ment for men. And it is not very prob
able that such a thing will happen, for
the reason that some people attribute
the new style to the Prince Of Wales
and his growing corpulency. II the
waist measure of the prince We're
taken as the correct thing most men
could face the fashion with an easy
grace, as the girth of his royal high
ness is said to be forty-two inches.
There is little doubt that the prince
has taken up the corset habit not for
the purpose Of setting a new style,
but as a matter Of necessity. He is
very vain Of his appearance, and with
in the last year his rapid tendency to
increased weight has given him a world
Of trouble.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

feet In length is held vertically, with
one end resting on the floor. At the
command to show his claws Sven"
will stand on his hind feet, and, dis
tending his claws as far as he can,
reach up and get Il firm clutch on the
stick. Then he will slowly lift his
hind feet off the floor and hang at arms
length from the stick.
When it comes to an instrumental
solo Chuffy is an expert. He will climb
upon the stool and hammer the keys
of the piano until the whole re-
sounds with the strains Of what, from
its lack of melody. approaches very
nearly to some conception of opera.
'"Sven' cannot be induced to play the
piano alone, but after a deal Of coaxing
and a bit Of meat will climb upon the
stool beside Chuffy and assist in n
duet.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
CLEVER CATS.
They Play on the Piano and Perform
Many Amusing Tricks.

Their names are Chuffy and Svengal;.
and both are gentlemen. In addition
they are two of the prettiest and best
educated cats that ever aspired to his
trionic fame. With this brief intro
duction as to their names and character.
it is not meet that the tale should end.
The marked ability displayed by these
feline gentlemen is such that none can
fail to be interested. "Chuff" and
SVEN as they are Familiarity called.
are the pride and especial pets of Mrs.
L. D. Adam, wife of a San Francisco
editor. Though Mrs. Adam is not de-
sirouS of posing as an animal! trainer.
she has succeeded in teaching her two
beautiful black cats to do a few tricks
that are perfectly wonderful.
To begin with, Chuffy, the larger, his
mistress will call him to her and say:
Now, Chuff, prepare for your dinner
Chuffy will Immediately rear upon his
launches, lick his paws clean and
smooth down his glossy fur. \ chair is
then placed with it's back to the table
and a plate of meat cut in small pieces
placed near it. After tying a napkin
around his neck, Chuffy is ordered tC
take his place at the table and eat his
meal. Standing upon his launches in
The chair, the intelligent animal viii
:ean over the back of the chair, take q
piece Of meat in his paw and convey II
TO his mouth. This is continued unit
The meat has disappeared.
Next, Svengali is given a chance tt
display his talent. A. stick about three
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

nigh TUX the shingles Off" Nance
was simply charmed, and SO was Bill
for that matter. but to him there came
slowly but steadily a feeling of Sntag-
onism against the man who danced so
well.
"What business had a teacher dane
ing hathaway? An fiddlin', too|
Nance's evident admiration nettled
him also. The ride to town and back
was made rather modify, Nance"
divining, by his silence. that he was in
no good humor. On their arrival at
home Nance dilated on the teachers
excellence as a dancer and fiddler to
such an extent that Bill was secretly
in a towering passion.
A brother, as a rule, prefers that his
sisters should consider him all that is
admirable in and Bill was no X
ception to the rule. The curiosity evil
IDENTIFY aroused among the home folks
by Nance's talk only added to his grow
ing dislike to the new arrival.
| That night he gathered the boys to-
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
CORSETS IN STYLE FOR MEN.
His Portliness the Prince of Wales
Said to Have Set the Fashion.

His Portliness the Prince of Wales
Said to Have Set the Fashion.
Late news from London indicates
that men Of the smart set there are
going in for corsets on a scale not
even approached by the dandies of
1885. The haberdasherS ~patrOniZed
by the swellS carry an extensive stock
Of mems corsets, and, while the sale
Of them Is limited to Il comparatively
small number the demand is steadily
increasing, and the indications are
that a large proportion of the men in
swelldom will soon be wearing them.
People who make a business Of study
ing the motives Of change in the fash
ions say that the wearing of corsets
by men is the natural consequence of
the edict which vent forth a couple
of months ago, to the effect that'wOm-
ems waists were to be larger by sever
al inches. A sudden jump from TWEEN
ty-three inches waist measurement to
the more mellow figure Of twenty
eight inches on the feminine side OF
fashion required a complete change
in the apparel Of the other SEX.
1t only requires a glance at old fash
ion plates to note the fact that the
styles Of men and of women have al
ways gone in opposite directions. Thir
V-dve years ago. when women wore
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

in height, weighing about 165 pounds,
and eft turribly when riled," accord
ing to local gossip. He did not under
stand the art of putting up his props"
but he could 'rassle" like a profession
al, and If he got an adversary down
he "chewed him" usually until the
feler hollered." The stand-up and
knock-down fight vas a rare occur
renee in that district. The battles par
took of a primal spirit and the we'll
established and common usage az
against a combatant was "to git him
down and chew him till he hollers."
Nancy Was "a Belle.
"Ike" and "Link" Sprowler were not
so aggressive as BILL" but they were
his faithful adherents and as a trio
they nearly ran, the district Besides,
there was Nancy Sprowler. She was
the prettiest girl, the best horsewom-
IN and the most graceful dancer in
the settlement and was only II at
that. "Nance," as her folks called
her, had tawny brown eyes and vel
low hair and was just about to finish
ueE~ cuuCdtlOu ny going 10 Tie SuululeE
term of school, commencing on the
first day of June and ending Sept. /.
There had been a good deal Of troublc
in the district regarding teachers. The
'SprOwler boys had clicked two teach.
ers and the new master was an I'M
certain quantity. "Link" Sprowler
had seen him pitching h%orseshoes over
to Sanders and said che was a thin
fellow, but wiry looking" The school
IA tt take up in three days and the
Sprowler boys did not know whether
they would drive this "fellow' out or
not. The committee had gone clear
into Adams County to get a teacher
and some of the n%eighbors were get
ting FESTIVE over the belligerency of
the Sprowlers. The day before school
opened "Bill" Sprowler passed by
Sanders house and old man Sanders
called him in. "Nance" was in the
buggy and "Uncle Tom," as every,
body called the old man. insisted on
her coming in, too. The attraction
was the fact of a discovery on old
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
THE HISTORY OF ONE GIRL.

True Story of a One-Time Servant at
n Summer Resort
Great lessons Of life lie hid in the
homely incidents which occur in shops
and kitchens, as well as in the Hottest
poems. Here is a true little story which
may be a word in season to some Of our
readers:
A few years ago, among the walters
at q summer hotel in New Jersey was
a girl whom we shall call Jane. She
was strong, neat and quick-witted, but
she had spent all Of her life in a kitchen.
scrubbing and washing dishes, and was
impatient to do different, and as she
thought better, work in h world. She
could barely read and write, and she
was poor. When the hotel closed, and
the lonely coast was deserted by the
summer boarders, there vas no way
by which she could earn a dollar.
She did her work in the hotel thor
oughly, and was quick and attentive,
but her discomfort showed in her face
| she hated the idle, richly dressed women
whom she served, and she took no trou-
| BILE to hide her dislike.
There was one young girl whose eyes
| often rested thoughtfully on her face.
Jane resented her ''curiosity," as she
called it, and one day left her unserv-
ed. When she was mildly r%eproyed,
she answered insolently, and left the
room trembling with rage.
Il will have her discharged said the
young girls father, angrily.
mo, father, no. Leave her to me-"
his daughter entreated.
The next morning Jane was standing
by her chair when Miss B.. appeared.
She was very pale, but her voice was
steady. Il wish to beg your pardon
before these ladies. l insulted you be-
fore them yesterday. You might have
leave the hotel. an not fit to De here"
go on with your work, Jane" said
Miss B., gently, land favor me by com
ing t 0 my room this afternoon"
When she saw her alone, she said.
"There is good stuff in you, or you
| COulu AOI conquered C'AoNi e1
you did to-day. You are fit for higher
work than that you are doing. l have
watched you for some time. You are
intelligent, neat, and have warm sym,
pathies. You would, / think, succeed as
a trained nurse
Il have thought of that cried the
girl. but | have no education. How
can | get the training!'
Miss +. used her influence to give hel
a years schooling, and then procured
n her admittance to the New York train.
ing school.
This woman is now the head of a prl
yate hospital in New York, to which
surgeons send patients who require un
usual care and skill in treatment. Sh,
herself told this story.
How few apparently among the man,
unhappy, pccr girls give such faithful
work as to attract notice! How few
also among the many happy, rich girl
give notice or help to those who serv'
them.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
BROUGHT TO TERMS.
HOW THE NEW TEACHER CON.
QUERED THE SCHOOL
Conspiracy of the Sprow1ers to Drive
the Teacher from the Township
Captured the Majority of Them with
Dancing and FiddlinS.
Bill Sprowler "Ca11ed."

The Sprowler boys were the leading
spirits in Hickory Ridge township and
what they decided on in local affairs
was generally the law. "Bilr' Sprow-
Ter had v been called "Willie" at
any stage of his interesting career. He
had always been an "orn'ry cuss," ac-
cording to some Of the neighbors, but
there were one of the younger genera
ton who ever found it convenient to
tell him so. Bill was about ) feet 10
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

immensely large hoop skirts and an
endless variety of bullying frills and
furbelows, the attire Of men was sleek
and close-fitting. At an earlier Pc
Rod. when masculine fashion required
very wide trousers, gaudy waistcoats
and loose coats. the mode for women
was excessively plain. SO, if women
are to glory in the freedom and health
fulness of large and ample waists the
curious laws Of fashion demand that
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

wing, which is lower than the original
tends back about thirty feet. The
house was built more than 100 years
ago by a mar named Slaughter, who
sold it about the beginning of this
century to William Palmer, father Of
the Presidential candidate. On Sept.
IL, 1917, John NJ. Palmer first saw the
light Of day in this stOre-and-a-half
log house. He lived here until about
IA years old.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

gether, and a plan was arranged to
bar the teacher out Of the schoolhouse
at an early date and then click" him.
Meanwhile the settlement was in a
pleasant state Of anticipatory excite
ment as to what the Sprowler boys
were going to do. The first day Of
school came, and the boys bided their
time and c~overtly watched the teach
err. He was very calm in his demean-
or, very pleasant. and he spoke in q
particularly clear and crisp tone when
addressing the scholars. At the re-
cess half hour he spoke to Nance, but
Bill got away and joined in a game
of "shinney." All the small boys We're
wondering when the trouble would
begin, for they had learned from the
various enu of gossip that the
Sprowler boys We're going to "chaw
the new master up"
The next day the signs of an i'm
pending storm thickened One big hulk
of a boy, who disobeyed ONE rule,
was yanked out Of his seat by the
teacher and his breath taken away by
the s%uddenness with which he was
thrown back again. He looked ap-
pealingly at Bill Sprowler, but that
worthy only clinched his fists under
his desk and did nothing else. It
wasn't time yet. but this act Of the
masters decided him. The neXt morn
ing the boys and girls who arrived a.
the schoolhouse found it locked. They
saw the Sprowler boys sitting on the
fence that extended along in front OF
the schoolhOuse with three or four OF
their cronies. The entire crowd,
while laughing and talking together
had an appearance Of boys who were
in Il considerable state of mental ex
element.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
The Agile Young Crocodile.

The moment that a young crocodile
breaks it's shell it Is to all intents and
purposes as active as it Is at any tina
during it's life. 1t will make straigh.
for the water, even II it be out of sigh,
and a good distance off, and it will pur
sue it's prey with eagerness and agilit,
during the first hour Of it's free exist
pncp,
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
GEN. PALMER'S BIRTHPLACE
1t Is a Log Cabin Still Standing in
Old Kentucky.

The old log cabin in which John NJ.
Palmer was born is still standing. 1t
Is situated twelve miles north of
Georgetown, KY, about 400 yards to
the right of the Lexington and Gov
ington pike. The original house was
a story and a half high, and was a
square log pen. Many years ago the
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
Bamboo for Lances.

1t is proposed to substitute bamboo
for ashwood for the lances of English
cavalry regiments. as the ash used Is
said to be brittle and not to be trusted
in actual warfare.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
The Test of Strength,

The teacher was a trifle late and
Nance Sprowler and two of the older
girls me him and explained that the
door was locked. The boys had gone
inside, slipped the bolt on the door,
nailed down the windows on the in
side, all but one, crept out of this
window and nailed it down on the
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05
ence.

One Of the los disgusting things
about human nature is the ease with
which friends become enemies.
The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-12-05

We have noticed that when a ,sa I,
busy he drops politics.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-07-24
Garden Party on Rose Hill.

Mrs. L. s. Gull gave a delightful
garden party at her home on Rose hill
on Thursday afternoon of last week in
honor of Miss Dashley, of Buffalo Gap.
The lawn was beautifully lighted with
chinese lanterns and otherwise orna-
mented for the occasion but owing to
the unusually cool weather the party
was trI rIansferred to the spacious parlors
of the Gull residence, where the evening
passed all to soon in games, music and
social converse. Dainty refreshments
were served, and it was altogether one
of the smartest events of Hot Springs
social season. Among those present
were Misses Dashley, Bartholomew,
Chambers, Kellar, Watts, Anderson,
Cole, Maule, Spangler, Reed, Beer and
Brennan; Messrs Boyle, Moffitt, Ander-
son, Chambers Kellar, Andrew Kellar,
Phil Kellar, Rob Connor, Frank Evans,
John Evans, Harry Gayhart, George
Stewart and Mr.. and Mrs. Juckett.
Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1896-07-24
Meeting of tlle CITY Council.

At meeting of the city council held
at the city hall on Monday night the
city treasurer was authorized to trans
fer from the general fund to the inter-
est fund sufficient amount to pay the
interest on the city bonds, or as much
of it as possible.
The street and alley committee made
a verbal report on the matter of the
acceptance of the stone gutter on Min
nekahta avenue just completed by
s. M. Harris. AS there was a discrep-
ancy of about 95 yards of rock work
between the figures of the street and
alley committee and those of Contractor
Harris, involving over three hundred
dollars, the council adjourned without
reaching an agreement, until Tuesday
night, at which time the street and
alley committee were instructed to pre-
sent written report.
The council met Tuesday night pur-
suant to adjournment and the matter
of the Minnekahta avenue stone flume
was taken up. The street and alley
committee submitted written report
recommending the payment to Con-
tractor Harris of about $500 less the
amount claimed. The streetand alley
committee claimed that the work was
not done strictly according to contract
and that the amount claimed by Mr..
Harris was abont 95 yards in excess of
amount shown by actual measurement.
Mr.. Harris alleges that a great deal of
stone was used in making substantial
foundation and backing for the flume
and that this additional work and ma
terial was necessary in order to do a
satisfactory job. Mr.. Harris's state
ment as to the amount of stone used
is verified by the draymen who hauled
the material. The report. of the COM
mittee was finally adopted by the
following vote: Yes, Aldermen Brad
ley, Gibson, Mower, Morgan, Reeder
and Wells; no, Aldermen Jennings and
Mcgowan. Mr.. Harris is much incensed
at the action of the council and will
probably sue the city for the full amount
of his claim.