davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
UNSPOKEN WORDS,

The kindly words that rise within the heart'
And thrill itwith their sympathetic tone'
But die ere spoken, fail to play their part
And claim merit that is not their own.
The kindly word unspoken is sin
A sin that wraps itself in purest guise,
And tells the heart that doubling. looks within,
That not in speech, but thought, the virtue
lies.
Rut Ills not so; another heart may thirst
For that kind word, as Hagar in the wild
Poor banished Hagar!-prayed well mgnt
burst
From out the sand to save her pa'ching
child.
And loving eyes that cannot see the MIND
viii watch the unexpected movement OF the
lip;
All, can We let It's cutting silence wind
Around that heart and seattle 1t ike Whlp!
Then hide it not the music of tbs soul,
Dear sympathy, expressed with klndiy 'oice'
But let 1t like shining river roll
To deserts dry,-to hearts that wouio reJoioe'
Oh, let the symphony of kindly words
Sound for the poor, the friendless and the
weak;
And he will bless you,-he who struck tnese
chords
VIII strike another when in turn you seek.
John Boyle ORelly.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
aORTICULTURE.

No other fruit seems 80 delicious as.
that which a man grows upon his own
vine, and even a grass plot without a
grapevine is objectionable. A few Con-
cords or Niagaras. planted in odd corn
ers. which would not be otherwise occu-
pied or productive, would give one an
ample supply of delicious fruit through
a long season.
One reason why the average farm or
chard is not so productive now as in the
years past is that the soil is no longer
virgin nor so fertile as formerly, In the
past these orchards were productive
without much attention, and there was
no thought of the future. Cultivation
and thorough fertilizing are the only So
luton.
There are many situations where moth
ing looks 30 we'll on bank as does grass
Where this is not required, the peri
Wrinkle, in either pink or white, or the
English or Russian ivy. are good plants
to use. These creep along, roofing as
they go, and do not ri much above the
ground, so that tolerably level surface
is pres ented all the time.
The common strawberry makes good
plant for a bank, throwing out runners
on all sides which root and hold the sol
together nicely. Grass and clover seeds
may be sown among the plants to take
their place in time, which they will do
by smothering them.
Raspberry aud blackberry bushes
thrive very well when planted in the
fall. and SO do gooseberries and currants.
Proceed with the work at any time while
the ground is open. While care and
labor are necessary to produce fair
crops, the difficulty of growing these
small fruits for home use has been
greatly everrated.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
Weed-Seeds in Winter Winds.

1t is we'll known that winds play an
important role in the distribution of
seeds. Professor BolleY records that in
two square feet of a three-week-old and
three -inch-deep snowdrift upon an ice
pond, ten yards from any weeds, he
found nineteen weed-seeds, and in another
drift quite similarly situated thirty.two
seeds, representing nine kinds of weeds
While the. wind was blowing twenty
miles per hour, a peck of mixed seeds
was poured upon the snow crust, and
ten minutes after l91 wheat grains, fifty
three fax seeds, forty-three buckwheat,
and ninety one ragweed seeds were found
in trench thirty rods from where they
had been poured upon the crust.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08

it was almost as much a matter of course
as any other duty Of her simple, labor
ious life. Mary Sharp belongs to fami-
ly OF life-savers. Her husband, like
many men Of his calling has had 30
many opportunities to save people from
drowning that the exercise has fixed
upon him the life-saving habit. and their
twelve-year- son is SO expert water.
man as to have saved two lives already.
This is record of which family
might do some pardonable boasting, but
Mary Sharp says that fishermen's wives
have to be accustomed to all sorts Of
weather, and adds: II never could have
endured staying in my comfortable
home when l thought those two men
might have fallen through the ice and
were freezing to death" She has so
long been accustomed to wind and
water and their dangers, has seen 80
much of hardship herself, that the fac
ing of,danger and the relief of others
has become habit of her life. In this
she does not differ from most people who
pursue hazardous callings. The child
OF luxury-and everybody who has
moderate income and dwells with the
comfortable surroundings Of a great city
is child of luxury-fnds it hard to ap-
preciate the self-reliance and neighborly
impulse Of those who live in lonely spots
or maintain constant struggle with
adverse conditions of existence. With
him the charitable impulse and human
itarian enthusiasm hold sway. He could
go nobly to death in battle. He finds
it sweet to dream of self sacrifice for an
idea. But the ambulances are we'll
manned. the Fire Department does its
duty, diseases are not allowed to become
epidemic. and he is not called upon to
prove what stuff he is made of. What
ever heroism he possesses is latent, and
he himself is as likely as anybody to
doubt its existence. The sailor, the
fisherman, the fireman, the railroad
worker, however, face danger constant
ly, and without the glamor over it which
gives enthusiasm to the soldier. 1t is a
dull fact to be reckoned with by them,
and they reckon with it bravely, realiz-
ing how they may need held, and ready
to risk all to give help. The man who
may have few graces of character, may
be ill-tempered, stingy and hard-hearted
makes readiness to take needful risk to
save others from personal danger part
of his profession, duty not to be shirked
and heroism with him becomes not emo
tional but habitual.-Neao York Trib-
une.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
A GRACEFUL DEDICATION.

No one can have read much of the
writings of Horace Bushnell, the great
theologian and preacher, without find.
ing out that he had a warm heart and
fine susceptibilities. The character of
the man receives charming side-light
from the following dedication of one Of
his books to his wife, dedication as
simple and natural as it is cheerful and
sincere:
Acknowledgment.
For once / will dare to break open one
of the customary seals of silence, by in
scribing this little book to the woman l
know best and most thoroughly; having
been overlapped, as it were. and curtain
ed in the same consciousness for the last
thirty six years. If she is offended that
do it without her consent, hope she
may get over her offense shortly, as she
has great many others that were worse.
She has been with me in many weak
nesses and some storms, giving strength
alike in both; sharp enough to see my
faults, faithful enough to expose them,
and considerate enough to do it wisely;
shrinking never from loss or blame or
shame to be encountered in anything
right to be done; adding great and high
Observation-Disclosures always to good
and never to evil mistaken for good;
forecasting always things bravest and
best to be done, and supplying inspira.
tions enough to have made hero if
they had not lacked the timber. If l
have done anything we'll, she has been
the more really in it that she did not
know it, and the more willingly also that
having her part in it known has not
even occurred to her; compelling me
thus to honor not less. but more, the
covert glory of the womanly nature;
even as I obtain distincter and more
wondering apprehension of the divine
meanings, and moistenings, and count
less unbought ministries it contributes
to this otherwise very dry world.-Hor-
ace BUSHNELL
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
AGRICULTURE.

The value of fax straw for fiber con.
sists in having the stalks unbroken and
parallel. If pulled by hand it will more
than pay the difference Of the cost over
the cutting with the self binder. 1t
should be pulled when yellow, stood up
in bents, and then put under shelter.
The profit from the cultivation of one
portion of the farm is often wasted upon
another portion. The most prolific cause
Of failure to make ones labor profitable
is from trying to cultivate land which is
not in sufficiently good condition to
make good crop.
A one crop farmer is almost always in
debt for three-fourths of the year. Every
one should raise at least enough of the
by-products which may serve as cash
for exchange at the store. Attention to
such things will keep him more indepen-
dent, and bring him more profit in the
end.
Buried cabbages are not easily got at
in the frozen ground during the winter.
Trim the heads closely, wrap each in a
newspaper, pack in barrels, and set in a
cool cellar. They will not dry out nor
decay as when placed without this pro-
lection. In any event quantity may
be taken from the ground at one time
and thus stored.
Every rain and snow which falls wash
es the air of portion of it's fertilizing
elements, and brings them down to
earth, in addition to the amount which
is constantly drawn down by the alche-
my of nature. If the soil is in proper
condition, these are readily absorbed
and retained.
In growing wheat the grain is rarely
consumed upon the farm. so that the
straw is all that is left to be returned to
the soil, and the most should be made
of it. There is nothing in the mere
bulk Of the manure pile, but all the
straw used as an absorbent and left in
the stall until it has taken up all the
liquids it will hold adds both bulk and
quality to the heap.
Water is one of the cheapest and most
efficient fertilizers which can be had,
and the idea is growing that irrigation
will play an important part in the ag-
riculture of the future; and this not
only in the arid districts, but wherever
maximum crops would be obtained
with the minimum possibility Of failure
because of an untoward season.
Clover pays better than oats, wheat or
corn; then why do our Western farmers
raise so little, especially when the seed
is high in price? Clover benefits the
land, while the cereals eat the very life
out of it. No farm should be without it
in rotation, at least, and clover green or
clover dry is sure reliance for the
stock always.
: In most cases there is really too much
outlay for the farmers table. He who
keeps poultry and hogs, and raises his
own fruit and vegetables, and buys
nothing that he can raise himself, is the
most successful. In no other calling in
the world has a man this chance, for all
that man eats, drinks, wears or treas
ures must come out of the ground.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
IN THE COLOSSEUM.

And one stands there alone in the still
ness and remembers how, on that night
when all was over, when the corpses had
all been dragged away, and the arena
had been freshly strewn with sand. it
may have been almost as it is now. Only
perhaps, far off among the arches and
on the tiers Of seats. there might be still
tiny moving here and there; the keep
ers of the terrible place would go their
rounds with their little earthen lamps;
they would search everywhere in the
spectators places for all things that
might have been lost in the press-a
shoulder-buckle of gold or silver or
bronze, an armlet, woman's earring. a
purse, perhaps, with something in it.
And the fitful night breeze would now
and then make them shade their lights
with their dark hands. By the door of
the dead" torch was burning down in
it's socket, its glare falling upon heap
of armor, mostly somewhat battered,
and all of it blood-stained; score Of
black browed smiths were picking it
over and distributing it in heaps. accord
ing to it's condition. Now and then,
from the deep vaults below the arena,
came the distant sound Of changing
gate or of some piece of huge stage ma
chinery falling into its place, and a
muffied calling of men. One Of the
keepers, with his light, was singing soft
ly some ancient minor strain as he
searched the tiers. That would be all,
and presently even that would cease.
One thinks of such things naturally
enough; and then the dream runs back
ward. against the sun, as dreams will,
and moon-rays weave vision OF dim day.
Straightway tier upon tier, eighty thous-
sand faces rise, up to the high rank be-
meath the awnings shade. Meanwhile,
under his silken canopy. sits the emperor
of the world, sodden-faced, CHASTITY,
swine eyed, robed in purple; all alone
Fave for his dwarf, bull-nosed, slit
mouthed, hunchbacked, sly. Next, on
the lowest bench, the Vestals, old and
young, the elder looking on with hard,
faces and dry eyes. the youngest with
wide and startled looks. and parted lips,
and quick drawn breath that sobs and
is caught at sight of each deadly stab
and cash of broad-sword and trident, and
hands that twitch and clutch each other
as mans foot slips in pool Of blood
and the heavy harness clashes in the
red, wet sand. Then gray-haired sena-
tors; then curled and perfumed knights
of Rome; and then the people, countless,
vast, frenzied, bloodthirsty. stretching
out a hundred thousand hands with
thumbs reversed commanding death to
the fallen-fully eighty thousand throats
of men and women roaring, yelling,
shrieking over each ended life A
theater indeed, a stage indeed. a play
wherein every scene of every act ends in
a sudden death.
And then the widest, deadliest howl
Of all on that day; handful of men and
women in white. and one girl in the
midst of them; the clang of an iron gate
thrown suddenly open; rushing and
leaping of great 1.-the bodies of beasts,
yellow and black and striped, the sand
flying in clouds behind them; worrying
and crushing Of flesh and bone, as huge
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
FARM. GARDEN AND DAIRY.
Instructive Reading for AgricuIturists.
PREPARED EXPRESSLY FOR "THE UNIvERsALIsT."

grades, always finds a market at paying
prices for them. 1t is hard to sell what
no one wants by buy. and it behooves
us, therefore, to study the market and
have on hand what the world wants.
Be persistent. 1t is not wise to-
change from cattle to sheep. from sheep
to hogs, from Jerseys to Holstein, from
dairy to beef cattle. but be governed
by the nature Of your farm. your market
and your taste, and make it win along
that line, for any line is right and re-
munerative, if pursued faithfully, and
the conditions not contrary.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
AEHE EElk {II|i:7 ll)i'
THE FUTURE.

God holds the future in his hand.
o heart of mine, be still!
His love will plan the best for thee,
The best, or light or dark 1t be
Then rest thee in his will.
God holds the future in his hand.
Why should shrink or fear?
Through every dark and cloudy day
Yea, all along my pilgrim way
His love will bless and cheer.
God holds the future in his hand,
Andl can trust his love.
The past declares his faithfulness;
His eye will guide, his heart will bless
Till am safe above.
God holds the future in his hand;
leave it all with him.
know one day he will explain
The "wherefore" of each grief and pain,
Though reasons now are dim.
London Christian.
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
The Martyrdom OF
Thomas a Beckett.

HHERE is form of the cross pc
culiar to the Church of Eng
land and which is known as the Can
terbury cross. 1t is in the shape OF
the letter Y and is usually seen only
upon the vestments of the clergy.
From Canterbury, the first English
Christian city; from Kent, the first
English Christian kingdom, has, by
degrees, arisen the whole constitution
of church and State in England
which now binds together the whole
British Empire. And from the
Christianity here established IN
England has flowed, by direct con-
sequence, first, the Christianity OF
Germany; then, after long interval,
of North America and the United
States, and lastly, we may trust, IN
time, of India. Australasia and all the
r est of the civilized world.
1t was at Canterbury Cathedral
hat the noted murder of Archbishop
Thomas a Beckett occurred. The
year ITO witnessed the termination
of the struggle of eight years between
King Henry II. and the archbishop.
In the preceding June, Henry, with
the view of consolidating his power
in England, had caused his eldest
son to be crowned king. In the alb
sence of the Archbishop of Canter-
bury the ceremony of coronation was
per formed by Roger, Archbishop OF
York, assisted by Foliot and Jocelyn,
Bishops of London and of Salisbury.
The moment the intelligence was
communicated to Beckett, he consid-
cred that the inalienable right of
crowning the sovereigns of England,
from the time of Augustine down
ward, inherent in the See of Canter-
bury, had been infringed; and with
his usual ardor he procured from the
Pope letters against the three prelates
who had taken part in the daring act.
Tuesday had always been signif-
cant day in Becket's life. On
Tuesday he was born and baptized;
on a Tuesday he had fed from
Northampton; on Tuesday he had
left England on his exile; on Tues
day he had received warning of his
martyrdom in vision at Pontigny;
on Tuesday he had returned from
that exile. 1t was now on Tues
day that the fatal hour came.
In the morning he attended mass
in the cathedral; then passed long
time in the chapter house, confessing
to two of the monks, and receiving,
as seems to have been his custom,
three scourgings. Then came the
usual banquet in the great hall of the
palace at three in the afternoon. The
dinner was now over, the concluding
hymn or "grace" was finished, and
Beckett had retired to his private
room, where he sat on his bed, talk
ing to his friends. A violent assault
on the door of the hall and the crash
of wooden partition in the passage
from the orchard announced that the
danger was close at hand. The monks,
with that extraordinary timidity they
always seem to have displayed, in
stantly fed, leaving only small body
ofintimate friends or faithful attend
ants. They united in entreating him
to take refuge in the cathedral.
"No," he said; "fear not; all monks
are towards" On this some sprang
The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08
POULTRY.

Hens like variety; unless starved to
it, they will reject all kinds of food not
suitable, and they are usually the better
judges of what they want and need OF
the grains, wheat is best for eggs. Long
legged fowls are hard to fatten, but
those with short legs soon become
plump.
When hens are we'll cared for while
moulting they can be depended upon
for winter layers. A duet bath is me-
cessity. Their water can best be kept
pure in earthen vessels. Keep gravel,
lime and bones where they can readily
help themselves, for they want the right
thing at just their own right time.
An attempt to improve the flock is all
right, but one would better buy thor
oughbred eggs, or fowls than to try to
grade up the common stock. because it
saves time. and going up hill is not al
ways successful work. Be satisfied with
nothing but the best.
The farm is the proper place to raise
poultry proftably. Fowls. like sheep,
will eat much waste grain and rid the
farm of weed seed, and will destroy mill
lions of insect enemies. If troubled with
vermin, burn up the old coop next
spring and start anew, with the determi-
nation to keep clean grounds and build
ings.
If hen is gorged during the day she
will go into corner and NOPE, and soon
cease to lay, but if fed heartily at night
the food is digested by morning, and she
comes out bright and active; and while
she is going through with this digestive
process see that she has warmth, venti-
lation and perfect cleanliness.
By crossing we often procure large,
we'll developed chickens, which often
surpass in size and development either
of their pure bred parents. or course,
for breeding purposes these chickens
are worthless, but they were not bred
for that end: they develop meat and eggs,
and if they do this work they answer
the ends of their being.
Fanciers frequently have fowls which
are defective in minor points which
make them unfit for exhibition. and
must be sold by the pound. II they,
would labor with their neighbors and
prove the greater profit of first crosses
over mongrels, they might extend their
market and find sale for just the fowls
they now hardly know what to do with.
Remove any diseased fowls from the
flock, that the rest may have no posi-
BILE chance for contagiop. Scaly leg is
especially contagious, and single fowl
affected by it, left to run with the rest.
will soon contaminate the whole lot; and
it seldom pays to attempt to cure sick
chicken.
While ducks or geese do not seem sub
iect to roup or cholera, yet they will be-
come lame and droopy, often, IL too
closely confined in damp quarters. Look
after the small economies in poultry
keeping. 1t is the summing up Of little
things and little cares in the business
which puts the balance on the right or
the wrong side.
Give the hens all possible freedom, >
and there will be less trouble with soft
shelled eggs, for they will get the exer-
else and pick up the lime they need. If
they have stopped laying a change OF
food will soon start them in business
again; and always does variety OF food
bring the best results.
The morning times., 1896-11-29
DE KOvEN,s MANDARIN"
New Light Opera at the Columbia
Next Week

Next Week.
At the LotOs Club, in the city of New
York, THANKSGIVING evening, Reginald De
Koven was asked how he happened to con-
ceive the-idea of 1.-The Mandarin"
He replied, in substance, that while trav-
cling through China, two years ago, he be-
came intensely interested in the peculiarities
of the people, and rather exercised over the
authority which the mandarins of that
country seemed to exert over their in
feriors.
Immediately upon his return to this coun-
try Mr.. DeKoven and Mr. Smith met at tn cir
favorite club in New York, and the entire
night was consumed in the discussion of the
opera which now bears the name of MAN
next week.
comic operas during the past ten years
there has be en- one which is so clean and so
free from Objectionable features as this
last and best work of DeKoven and Smith
The harshest criticism that las been made
concerning it is: It's wit is rather above
the heads of the masses, and that in no
part is there suggestion Of vulgarity in
any form.
The production of the parasol scene In
the second act OF 1.-The Mandarin is as
nearly as possible correct imitation of u
personal experience enjoyed by Mr. De-
Koven during his visit to China. While
there he was entertained for five days at
the country resort of Fou Chang Gee, and
IT was while enjoying the hospitality Of
this mandarin that he saw the real Chinese
parasol dance.
The morning times., 1896-11-29
on STEEI. RUNNERS.
Crowds at the Rink in Convention
Hall.

That the rink has become one of the
eSt1blis- c amusement pl icesin Washington
is sho wn by the interest that was ispia yed
before its opening, by the thousands who
became proficient in the art Of ice skating
last year
The hall presents rather q changed ap-
pearance on looking toward the far end.
on account in the change OF the scenery in
that part of the immense space. In place
OF the polar scene, which was so con-
spicuous last season, there is now a warm
drawing room, and in the center of this the
orcheStrion does its periodic turn, while
the musicians in the band are taking
breath.
Although the weather has been n trifle
out OF season for ice skating, or rather
ice skating been out Of season for the
weather, the state OF affairs has had no
effect on the patronage bestowed on the
rink. The morning classes are beginning
to pick up, and the number Of beginners
who have applied for instruction during
this period augurs well for the future of
ice skating in this locality.
The morning times., 1896-11-29

The Women Celebrated.

Several womc OF Danbury Conn, were so
interestedin the outcome OF the election that
they sat up on Tuesday night and waited to
hear the returns. When the facts nf Nc
Kinley's election was assured these women
secured drum corps and went about
the city awakening their female friends.
Fifty women arose fr ON their beds, dressed
and joined their sisters in the street. Then
they organized the parade and marched
Through the city with flags, torches an'
music at O'Clock in the IN orning.-EX.