davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
Trapped.
A COMMERCIAL ADVENTURE.

A COMMERCIAL ADVENTURE.
Ten years ago found me not with the
fine business now possess. but en-
plOyed as n commercial traveller in
the grocery line. My duties fre-
quently took me to Birmingham,
and if am to tell my story truth
fully, ! must say was at that Pc
riod Of my history, to put it mildly,
no better than I ought to have been.
The life of commercial man is one
fraught with very great temptation,
and / was not always strong enough
to keep my feet out of the midst Of
the briers which then beset my path,
with which statement my readers
will readily agree when they read
the strange incident am now going
to relate.
1t was six o'clock on an autumn
evening. The streets of Birming-
ham were swept with rain. / had
had tolerably successful day, and
there reposed in my pockets the
SUN Of twenty pounds which had
collected from my firms customers.
Having nothing particular to do,
and the torrents of rain absolutely
forbidding all open.air enjoyment, l
had already drunk, during the after
noon, more than l ought and much
more than / needed. / called for a
further supply of brandy, and, while
slipping it, was joined by stranger,
who seemed eager to enter into con-
versation with me.
Nothing backward, and with
tongue fairly set a-wagging, talked
too, and / believe that before many
moments he had ascertained that |
had twenty pounds, belonging to
my employers, in my possession.
The brandy finished, nothing
would satisfy my new-found friend
but that he should take me to the
theatre, where the well-knOwn play
of "Drink" was being performed
l remember how well, half.tipsy as
/ was, l shuddered at the realistic
portraiture, by one of the artists, OF
q victim of delirum tremens. re-
member how the horrors of drink
were delineated, and was sane
enough to remark to my compan'
ion:
"Bosh! They are overdrawinf
It'll"
"Certainly," he replied, "they are
overdrawing 1t. But it's only
play. There are drinking bars here
they are reality. Come, let's q
and get something"
So we went and "got something,
and. to cut long story short, whel
/ left the theatre, leaning on tn
arm Of my friend, ! was helplessl.
intoxicated.
The next thing knew was this
The rain clouds had rolled away, an,
fitful CLEANS Of moonlight reveale'
to me the fact that l was in strang
room, lying on strange bed. Tw
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13
POETRY.
THE TAPESTRY WEAVERS

Let us take to heart a lesson
No lesson can truer be
From the ways of the tapestry weavers
On the other side of the sea.
Above their heads the pattern hangs .
They study it with care,
The while their fingers deftlv work
Their eyes are fastened there.
They tell this curious thing besides,
Of the patient, plodding weaver
He works on the wrong side evermore,
But works for the right side ever,
1t is only when the weaving stops,
And the web is loosed and turned
That he sees his real handiwork,
That his marvellous skill has learned
oh the sight of It's delicate beauty,
How it pays him for all its cost
No rarer, daintier work than his
Was ever done by the frost
Then the master bringeth golden hire,
And giveth him praise as well,
And how happy the heart of the weaver
is,
No tongue but his own can tell.
Let down from the place Of the sun,
81
Till the mystic web is done:
Weaving blindly, but surely,
Each for himself his fate;
We may not see how the right side
looks,
We can only weave and wait.
But, looking above for the pattern,
No weaver need have fear,
Only let him look clear into heaven,
The perfect Pattern is there;
If he keeps the face Of our Savior
Forever and always in sight,
His toll will be sweeter than honey,
His weaving is sure to be right.
And when his task is ended,
And the web is turned and shown,
He shall hear the voice of the master
1t shall say to him, "Well done -
And the white-winged angels of heaven.
To bear him thence shall come down,
And God for his wage shall give him,
Not coin, but golden crown.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

A New YORK firm applied to
Abraham Lincoln a short time be-
fore he became President, to ascertain
the financial standing Of one Of his
neighbors. He replied " l am we'll
acquainted with Mr.. - and know
his circumstance. First Of all he has
wife and baby, and together they
ought to be worth $50, 900 to any man.
Secondly, he ha, an Office In which
there Is table worth say $3.50 and
three chairs worth say 81. Last of
all there is rat hole In one corner of
his Office which will bear looking
into. Respectfully, A. Lincoln.n
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

HIS PROXY.-In the year 1929,
when the Russians had taken Varna
nobody would venture to break the
news to the Sultan Mahmoud. The
Vizier KOsru (at that time Serakier
and General in the army was to
have undertaken this duty as befit.
ting the dignity of his rank.
But on meeting the Sultan he de,
tected signs of coming storm, and,
feeling the moment was unpropi-
tious, he confined his remarks to
subjects oftrival Importance and took
his leave.
On coming away he met Abdullah
Efendi, physician to the Court, who
inquired in what mood he had left
his Majesty.
"I am thankful to say" Khosru
promptly replied, "he has taken 1t
better than / expected"
AS soon as the doctor entered the
audience chamber he said, with an
air and tone of sympathy:
"Sire, the Almighty does all things
well, and we shall have to submit"
What has happened ?" said NAH
moud rather surprised.
"For the sake of hair plucked
from the lions name there is small
need to shout victory"
What do you mean? Explain
YOURSELF" the Sultan here broke in,
impatiently.
- 1t was written"
"Speak, l tell you !" shouted Nah
moud with terrible voice.
"Sire Notwithstanding the un-
believers have taken Varna-"
Varna taken J" howled the
Sultan; "Varna taken !" and with
a kick he sent Abdullah spinning on
the ground.
The artful Vizier afterwards
laughed at the success of his ruse.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13
Notice.

HAVE returned home to remain
this fall and winter. Ihaye located
IN DR.. :. II. Austin's office, oD Main
street, to work at my trade. Work
Guaranteed to give perfect satisfaction.
Also still continue my Oculist business.
VIII call on any parties who desire
Glasses, if they will let me know.
have also added to nv line of busi-
ness repairing of all kinds of Sewing
Machines. Also all kinds Of material
Tor them on hand. All work guaran-
iced. Bring on your machines.
Very respectfully,
akE.,5 j. A. LOWE,
Oct. 24-tf. .Jeweler & Opticlan.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

SHARPwIT.-I have a neighbor
whom ! want to drive out, 80 / can
get his property cheap. Ihave tried
keeping chickens, dogs, and parrots,
but without success. A neighbor Of
yours, however, tells me you have a
pet which he will warrant to clear
neighborhood of inhabitants In less
than no time, but / forgot to ask
what 1t was. Have you any partic-
ularly noisy parrots or anything Of
that kind? Suburban Woman. In.
deed, I haven't anything at all, ex-
cept little kitten. There must be
some mistake. Jane! Jane! The
baby is awake. Go to him, quick.
All, that's 1.-THE baby-lend me II
for week" "You wretch! 10
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

A DIVIDED JURY.-A man was on
trial in Lake County, recently on a
charge Of grand larceny. He was
accused of stealing hog. An old
rancher whose interest in the case was
due to the fact that he owned big
drove of hogs, listened attentively
to the empanelling Of the jury, and
then left the courtroom with an un-
disguised disgust.
What's the matter, Sam?" in
quired an attorney.
"That jury's goin' to disagree"
he declared emphatically.
"What makes you think SOP"
Think? I don't think nothing
about it. / know it."
"Well how do you know it?"
"Well, they've got six hog men
that raise hogs, and four men that I
knows has stole hogs on that jury,
an nobody ever know'd hog raiser
and hog theft as would agree on
hog case."
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

SURPRISING FACTS ABOUT CAT
TLE.-In the year ITO the weight
Of fat cattle in the London market
averaged only $40 pounds. This,
too, at the average age of years,
prior to which time they were not
considered as being marketable. In
1925 this average weight has in
creased to nearly 482 pounds. In
1880, 105 years later, the average
weight of cattle sold on the London
market was $50, almost twice what
1t was in ITO, and at that time the
average age at which such beasts
were sold was only four years, as
against years at the earlier date.
We have no statistics which show
exactly the average weight Of the
fat cattle of to-day, but believe that
we are not far from the truth when
we say that it is at least twice what
1t was in 1880 and upward of four
times greater than it was in 171O.-
81. Louis Republic.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

AsToRY from Chauncey Depew:" I
went to hotel in Georgia and said to
the clerk, Where shall autograph p
Autograph p said the clerk. Yes,
sign my name, you know. "Oh,
right here.' 1 signed my name in
the register. In a little while in
came some Georgia crackers. One
of them advanced to the desk.
Will you autograph p asked the
clerk, with smile. Cert'nly,' said
the Georgia cracker, beaming.
" Mines rye. WHAT'S yours, fell
lows? The clerk treated with good
grace. Then he leaned back and
glared at me. felt sorry for him
and somewhat cOnscience-stricken
Too bad,' said. THAT is what
comes from speaking foreign Ian
guage in ones own country"
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

THE young man had gone into a
store TO buy fountain
pen. The girl in charge Of the foun-
tain pen showcase had supplied him
with sheet of paper, a bottle of
ink, and several Of the pens and,
In trying them, one after another,
he covered the sheet with the words
Tempus fugit, the girl looking on
with a kindly interest. eff you
buy one and 1t doesn't suit you, Mr..
Fugit," she remarked, "you can
bring 1t back and charge it,"
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

THE CHEEKY WOMAN.-What q
veritable blessing the CHEEKY wo.
man is in this "vale of tears ! I"
Isn't she? She is generally a fat,
comfortable little body, with a quick
step, general air of doing vast
amount of work when she doesn't
accomplish little bit, and happy
whole-souled way about her that
makes her everybody's friend. She
is irrisistable. especially to those of
US who are inclined to be pess;mis.
tic. All the sorrows and annoy
adces, whether real or fancied, fade
away when she comes upon the
scene.
A big, burly man fell deeply in
love with little widow of this de-
scription. He is one of those men
who make much of the good things
Of life, and he always looks at peo-
pie from rather an epicurean and
gastronomic standpoint. He said
of the CHEEKY little widow that she
reminded him of one of those " little
apple dumplings with sweet sauce,''
and the comparison did not seem al
all out Of place. More women OF
the so.called apple-dumpling order
would make this world happier
place. a..r e.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

A HORSE Is so constructed by,
nature that he has no desire to do
anything that will injure his health
he walks around whatever is not
good for him, and without strug-
gle. Bnt man is 80 constructed that
whatever is not good for him he
wants to do. He eats too fast and
he eats too much he drinks while
eating, and there is nothing proper
that he does without an effort.
Why this distinction in favor of a
horse? 1t may be said that horse
has only instinct, while man has
reason, which he should use. 1t Ia q
pity that man was not given more
instinct and less reason.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13
LEWIsBURG, WEST VIRGINIA. THURSDAY EVE

to receive. / am not rich myself,
but few shillings in the cause of
philanthropy 1 shall not, cannot,
miss"
So with renewed assurance Of in
debtedness, wished my estimable
benefactor adieu, told him l should
never forget him as long as l lived
(here really was telling the TRUTH,
and departed. What the locality
was knew not, but 1 wandered
nay, l rushed-on and on until |
saw sleepy-looking Jehu, whom
bade drive me with all possible
speed to the station. The train was
just starting, and l jumped into an
empty compartment. Hastily / un-
tied the bag and scanned the con-
tents. Lo, and behold! / found
that / had swept the bird cage clean,
for when counted the money there
were fOrty-two pounds in gold and
two five pound bank of England
notes, making the very respectable
total Of fif'ty-two pounds.
Now l am happily and peacefully
settled in life, and when round the
fireside at night am called on for a
story, nothing delights me better
than to tell my tale of how the trap
pers were trapped.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

1T Is hardly fair to expect horse
or COW to possess sound judgment, a
college education, and the knack of
mind-reading; yet some men treat
animals as II they we're to blame for
not knowing more than their owner
does. ... 50.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

WHATS that? An alderman
committed suicide ?" Yes, he didn't
have relatives enough for all the
jobs at his disposal. ."--DetroH Tri-
bune.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13
ATTENTION, EVERYBODY.

WE are now prepared to do TIN
" WORK of all kinds. Nothing
out iirst-class meterial used. Satisfac-
tlon guaranteed. Give us a trial and
be convinced that we mean what we
say. ROOFING and SPOUTING a
speciality. Shop in the rear of Law 81
Handley's.
MCCLEARY q DARNELL,
Aug. 25-ly. Lewisburg, w. Va.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

"YoUR wife seems anxious to be
up to date, Tugby." "Up to date |!
She's way ahead she's got a lot of
trouble borrowed for year after
next. - Chicago Record.
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

UNREHEARSED BUT STARTLING.
AT a provincial theatre recently
the audience were watching, with
breathless interest scene In which
soldier was represented in a tree
less desert, while an assassin, with
intent to kill, followed him with
stealthy footsteps.
Suddenly the house was startled
by cry from the gallery, " Hi gov'-
nor !" Look out I" The danger
of the soldier had appealed so for
chilly to one of the "gods," that he
felt compelled to warn him of the
fate with which he was threatened.
On another occasion, a medical
students professional instinct was
aroused to such an extent when the
heroine had taken poison, that he
rose excitedly from his seat i'm the
stalls, and shouted. "Give her
coffee, somebody! Give her coffee Z"
Children notoriously take a deep
interest in the welfare of the char
acters they see on the stage; indeed,
their excitement at times is apt to
be embarrassing to their younger
companions. This was the case the
other day, when little girl saw the
hero trying to escape from his ap-
preaching enemies by every means
of exit from the room except an un-
locked door, cried in loud voice,
"Oh, try the other door!"
The small boy in the gallery is Of
ten terror to provincial companies.
An experienced actor tells a good
story of one of these tormentors.
The company had ranged them
selves on the stage ready to begin,
and the curtain had been pulled up
little way, when suddenly it stuck
and could not be induced to move.
Whereupon, an urchin in the front
row aloft thus sarcastically addressed
them Now, then, up with that
rag! We amt paid our thruppence
to see your pretty little feet"
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

OEN. HOUSTON CHALLENGED.-
The Knoxville Journal tells this
story of General Sam Houston, the
famous Texan: On a certain occa
sion he happened to give offence to
polical opponent who felt his honor
disfgured to such an extent that he
sent challenge to Houston. The
bearer of the challenge was received
with courtly civility. He handed
the written challenge to General
Houston, who read it, and, taking uI
his pen wrote something across the
back of the folded paper and placed
it in pigeon-hole of his desk. He
then went on to entertain the bearer
Of the challenge with the pleasing
conversation for which he is noted
After time the man began to grow
impatient, and, reminded the general
of the challenge, asked him if he was
going to reply.
"Oh. yes" said Houston. "I'm
going to reply"
Well, are you going to accept the
challenge of my friend?"
Certainly l will acceptit.
Will you fix tomorrow
No, not Tomorrow"
"NeXt day"
"No, not the next day, either"
Well, will you fix date?"
"NO. / am not able now to fix a
date. You saw me number your
friends note; it is No. 40. There
are forty eight other blanked scoun-
drels ahead Of your friend, and 1
must take them in turn. AS soon
as I have killed them off I will
attend to your friend; but he will
have to wait until his turn comes."
The bearer of the challenge bowed
himself out but ofcourse his friends
turn never came, and it is not
probable that he was anxious for 1t
to come.
He HAD HIS DOUBTs.-Amos
Cummings, according to the Wash
irgton Post, recently told this story
about Horace Greeley {: " He always
called me 'Asa;' never could re-
member Amos One day went
out to see Greeley at Chappaqua
about some newspaper business.
The old gentleman saw me coming
as he stood looking out the window,
and opened the door himself. Come
in here, ASA he said, as he led me
into fashion of parlor followed
him into the room, and, as I was
only going to remain a moment, I
laid my hat, gloves and cane on a
centre-table.
Greeley and had just immersed
ourselves in talk when Mrs. Gree
ley swept into the door, her eyes
fell Indignantly upon my trousseau
as I'd piled it up-hat, gloves, and
stick-on the table. Without word,
she swooped on the outfit like fish
hawk, and threw them out of the
window. Then she left the room
without pausing for speech, as one
who had taught somebody that the
hall was the place for hats, canes and
similar bric-a- -brac. 1 was inclined
to get trifle hot, but Greeley
stretched out his hand in depreca-
tory way and cheered me with the
remark:
"Never mind her, Asa; she
thought they were mine."
Afterward, however," concluded
Cummings, "when 1 recalled what
Greeley's hat used to look like, l had
my doubts"
Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-08-13

BEES FORM FRIEN ENDSHIPS.--HI al
| ways loved bees" said the young
man In gold-bowed glasses behind
the dairy counter, as he handed
down a honeycomb for the inspec.
tion of an idle customer, when |
was on the farm" he continued,
81 could go all about the hives and
not get stung, and none of the others
dared go near the bees. We used to
have an old farmer 90 around and
tend to the sWarms, but when l was
boy working in the field, heard a
great humming noise up in the air,
and saw a swarm a-coming. Well,
1 picked up tin pan that was there
and hammered on it till the bees
settled on the end Of fence rail.
Then thought l could tend to the
swarm as we'll as the old farmer, so
l got an old hive, washed it out
with honey and water, rubbed my
hands and arms with burdock Juice
and honey water, and went at the
bees. l got them off that rail by the
handful, and they never stung me.
After that l regularly tended to
the bees. Whenever there was a
swarm I rolled up my sleeves, took
OF my shoes and hat, and went at
them. have taken them from all
sorts of places, but was stung only
once. They'd light on my head by
the dozen and crawl through my
hair. That used to send cold chills
down my back. Sometimes nv
arms were so covered with bees from
wrist to. elbow you couldn't see the
flesh. The one time when l was
stung | had found swarm on high
limb and was saving it off, and at
the same time holding on to it so
that it should not fall to the ground
with the bees. In doing this /
squeezed one of the bees, and it flew
straight at my temple and stung me
just above the eye. Since left the
farm the folks have given up the bee
business. There's no doubt about it,
bees like some people and hate 9th.
ers, and l don't know any reason for
the difference"
Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-04-02

Ardmore. l. T.. March 30. 1895.
To the Fort Worth Gazette:
On the 25th day OF February. 1896, two
outlaws. one from Missouri, the other
from Texas. rode into the town of
Wichita Falls. Tex. and murdered the
cashier OF a bank and robbed the bank.
on the a6th day OF February, 1896, the
people Of that town turned out. with
their sunday clothes on, and proceeded,
IN n most quiet. orderly and buslness-
Ike manner-Ho the pupcrs say--and
executed the murderers The homicide.
in both instances, was deliberately and
wilfully planned ana committed, and
with all the preparation necessary to
indicate express malice upon the part
OF thoae who participated in the kill
ings. The motive IN one case was plum
der; In the other revenge; and the spir-
II OF outlawry was us conspicuous In
one case az the other
An the authorities upon the subject
concur In the declaration that homi-
eide committed under such croum-
stances IL murder II Is murder lust tho
same. though II he committed By one
man or enc hundred men. Yet the pur-
pose ot this communication cnn be ac-
complished without entering upon a
dlscuaslou Of the ethica OF the double
tragedy at Wichita Fails. Such a dis
ousslon would be without PROFIT for
outside OF the Fort Worth Gazette peo-
pie and the perpetrators and nbettors
OF the outragos. there Is not any room
for any more than one opinion on the
subject.
From the time the announcement was
made TO the public OF the outrugea at
Wichita Falls the Gazette particularly.
and other great papers generally and
me. mob at TINT town. have persist
entity, consistently, wholly md ma
IiCIDlalg fnIntf.A -.
pie OF the Indlnn Territory, without
any renson. except 10 infiarne the pub
lie mind agninst the pnople md the
courts here, and the officers or those
courts. all Of whom are zealnusiy en-
reped IN nm effort to enforce the laws
which prevail IN this territory. In ex-
tended editnrlais IN paragraphs. In
hox-car letter headllres. n has hecn
heralded TO the world that tho robbers
were indian Territory outlaws. and
that the lnwlcssneas OF tho peonlo here
was the sole cause OF the horrhIA
crimes committed ~ wichita FAILS
The napern have asserted that the
conditions In the. Indian Territory NJ
forded annie insfiHcRtiNn for any
crime the peonle NJ North Tcxnn rnlrhl
choose TO commit apNinrt crinlrnly
VINO violate the law IN Te~as, and thes,
cruel. unjust and sroundlaas attacks
nave been kent IN ~ re-piHtentiv that
tnev now wear the semhlnnra of truth
They have become w'dcsnrend and IN,
country IL ready 10 charpe ~ the Grim
inei orf'reet- In ths surrounding coun-
try 70 Tsr~itorv outlaws.
" " trio whom these occurrences
ffr7st tc-oir ninrN. the c0naurt ~ the r,ol
81 Wichita Falls wna ius,lnah on m,
yrr~erd that the cn,,r.s az Te~oa wrr,
fncmrient ard wholly nowcriess 10
enforce fNa laws and that crlr,lrall
went unwhinred NJ ipsfice. anil " wni
stated nv the uarers that the Judge o