davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
THE PERIL OF A BOOK RELIGION.

A book religion such as ours--that is, q
religion based on written records-has, 1t Is
we'll to remember. perils as we'll as benefits.
One of the benefits IS that people with this
kind of system cannot be altogether illit-
crate or uncultured They are compelled
to lead and hence to think. 1t is necessary
that they know much concerning books In
general before they can properly understand
one book. And from this latter truth arises
the peril. Many, who have very little ac-
uuaintance with books, wholly fail to com
prehend how very easy thing it is to
misunderstood the thought and mis-
interpret the words Of writer's many
centuries away and many thousands of miles
distant from their own time and place. They
do not realize how poor medium for con-
veySlg thought words alone must ever be.
Hence they suppose the words must have
meant to the writer just what they seem to
the reader: and they suppose they have the
authority of prophet or apostle or OF Jesus
Himself. for what is wholly, or at any rate
partially, the product Of their Imagination.
It is very grave peril to be constantly kept
in mind. The Bible is a wonderful help if
properly used-read with discrimination and
discretion.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
Eys1,AeE FOB DAIRY COWS.


The New York Agricultural Expert.
ment Station has recently issued a
bulletin on the value of corn ensilage
for feeding milch COWS from which we
extract the following: The average
results secured in large number OF
feeding trials reported in this bulletin
show that corn ensilsge is decidedly
valuable food for milk production. In
general there was found an increase in
milk flow accompanying the use of
corn ensilage in the ration. and at the
same time an increase of the amount
of fat, the percentage of fat in the
milk not diminishing. Milk was gen.
orally produced at lower cost, and the
cost of fat production was lower while
corn ensilage was fed. Tabulated data
show the amount of each food used in
the different rations, the chemical
composition of the rations, the amount
of the different constituents digesti.
BILE, and also the amount and compo.
sition of milk produced. Smalle,
tables show the composition of each
food. Attention is called to the neoes'
sity of the farmer giving more than
superficial attention torecords of feed.
ing trials, for local conditions are sc
varying that all generalizations must
be modified considerably to be ap
piled with individual profit. It is i'm.
portant to know what standard rations
mny be calculated to bring out the
greatest product at the greatest aver
age profit. t.-American Cultiyator.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
THE FASHIONABLE WINE GLASS.

Some years ago the editor ofthe Advoc :,
while passing through one OF the worst dis
tricts of New York, SAW q woman emerge
from q dark, narrow alley. 1t was early in
the morning. She looked haegard, pale and
filthy; was bare-headed and almost bare
footed. She was a pitiable object. The
night she had spent on the hard stones. sne
passed him and entered a. low grog-snop.
Placing some pennies on the counter, sne
took In her trembling hand the glass anu
drank. and then passed out, and with uneven
steps went down the street. A policeman on
being spoken to said she was common
drunkard, that like as not would be IN the
station house ere night, and that night sne
slept there.
And who was this degraded creature2 How
came she so low? Had she always been
child ofpoverty? Oh, no, 1t was drink that
did it. Once that poor outcast was a
beautiful, accomplished young lady; once at
the head of fashionable young ladys
school; once teacher OF youth with lew
superiors, whose society was courted and
her friendship valued. But fashionable
wine drinking proved her ruin. She slipped,
she drank, yet all went we'll, till one day she
crossed the line Of propriety-she entered
her school-room under theinauence OF wine.
Then the friends that had taught her to drink
lifted up their false hands in holy terror,
ashamed. disgraced. She left the place,
came to New York, where, giving way to the
appetite, her degradation was soon com
ptete, and to-day she sleeps In paupers s
grave. -,
Would to God that she had been the last
victim, but she WAS not. To-day sne cup
still flashes its light in bsauty's face, to-day
It vet touches female lips, 1t still drags its
victims down to the grave.-Temperan;e
Advocate.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
CONTEMPLATION.

A lady sat at her window on balmy
spring morning. The sun was out without
cloud, the blooming flowers were sending
forth their fragrance to perfume and bless
the earth, and the birds sang their songs OF
cladness as they went forth to their daily
toll. Soon the lady saw that little worker
had chosen q rosebush for its home and was
very busy bringing in sticks and hair and
feathers and other material to make ITS
house. "Ah, you pretty little creature,
said the lady, you are building too low.
Soon the destroyer will come and break
m YOUR sweet home" And so 1t was.
The days passed by; the nest was finished,
and then there were eggs in the nest,
and then four big mouths were open
whenever the low chirp Of the mother an
nounced that that she had something for them
to eat. One day the lady sat by the window
sewing. Suddenly she heard the cry OF the
birds, in the deepest distress, and she
looked out to see what was the matter,
There was q great snake that had crawled
up and was devouring the helpless little
ones, while Just above them the poor heart
broken mother fluttered about in the widest
distraction. But it was too late; her chill
dren were gone. and her home was left DESC
late, sad reminder Of her folly in building
so near the ground. SO l think 1t IS with
people who have no higher ambition than
earthly pleasures. wealth or nonors. Ihey
build too low. Their hearts home Is In
easy reach Of death and the devil and de-
pend upon it. the destroyer will come, soon
or late-H. NJ. Wharton.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
THE AVERAGE FARMERS HEN.

The day ought to be forever gone
by when farmers undertake a thing,
as we say. on general principles. The
rule in the business world is to calcu'
late in cold figures the cost of an aver.
age undertaking, on the one side, and
the advantages supposed to accrue on
the other. But how many farmers
have we ever heard OF were ever
known to wonder even as to the prob
able cost of keeping hundred hens a
year according to the slipshod methods
common to the ordinary farm? The
man who never figures on the cost OF
a thing never figures either on what
he is going to get out of it. Where
there is no thought, no plan, no push,
there is very apt to be little of any
thing else except loss. There is every
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
TEMPERANCE.

woMAy's woRDs-AS OLD FAvoB1TE.
Go, feel what have felt.
Go. bear what have borne.
Sink meath blow father dealt
And the cold, proud worlds scorn.
Thus struggle on from year to year.
Thy sole relief the scalding tear.
Go, kneel as have kneit,
Implore, beseech and pray,
Strive the besotted heart to melt,
The downward course to stay;
Be cast with bitter curse aside.
Thy prayers buriesqued, thy tears denea
Go. hear what have heard
The sobs Of sad despair.
As memory's feeling fount hath stlrreo,
And its revea inSs there
Have told him what he might have beer
Had he the drunkard's fate foreseen.
Go, hear and see. and feel and know
All that my soul hath felt and known
Then look within the wine-cup's glow
See II its brightness can atone;
Think II its flavor you would try
II all proclaimed, TITS drink and die
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17

reason TO believe that the. farm hen
should be the most profitable OF all
hens if her efforts to do q man a gooa
turn we're only guided by an intel
ligent and attentive hand. Because
of lack Of any suspicion that the hen
would ever be tho means OF making
him any money, the farmer permits
her to shift for herself under all cir
cumstances. TO be sure, some farmers
have building they call henhouse,
but it generally leaks in summer ana
is bleak place in winter. 1t is not q
place for comfort nor health. Conse-
quently the hens do not do good work:
They run to the open cribs often and
get too fat for laying eggs. A little
everyday attention would remedy all
these things. There is nothing like
giving the hens chance. Give the
hen clean, dry quarters, plenty OF
good exercise regularly, the right kind
of food, and make her comfortable
generally, and you have a machine
that will turn you out more money on
the investment than any other on the
farm. The only question is will you
do it it?--Nebraska Farmer.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
ALONE WITH GOD.

We must make time to be alone with God.
The closet and the shut door are indispen.
sable We must escape the din of the world
to become accustomed to the accents Of the
still. small voice. Like David We must sit
before the Lord. Happy ale they who have
an observatory in their heart house to
which they can often retire beneath the
great heart of eternity. turning their tcle-
scopes TO the mighty constellation that burn
beyond lifr's fever. and reaching regions
where the breath uf human applause or cen
sure cannot follow F. l.. Never.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
GROWING POLL LIMA BEANS.

The Lima bean as now raised may
be divided into dwarf, bush and poll
sorts, but dwarf and bush sorts orig
mated IN part from the pole lima. In
Lima besn production, California
leads the world, the output being IT,.
500 tons in 1893 and -, 200 in 1895.
In the East, Lima beans are much
raised in New Jersey. The natural
home of the Lima bean is in warm
countries and they require long sea.
son to mature. In the North, the sea!
son should be shortened by the selec-
tions of earlier varieties and of soil,
and giving more attention to cultiva-
tion. Light, quick soils are best.
Soils naturally sandy and loose but
enriched with manure in previous
years, are excellent, especially if they
have a warm exposure. The soil
should also be dry. Coarse, raw manure
should be avoided as it tends to make
too rank and late growth. If fertil-.
izer is applied the year in which beans
are planted, it should be such as will
become available very quickly and
tend to hasten maturity of the crop.
Concentrated fertilizers, those espe-
clally rich in potash and phosphoric
acid and with low per cent. of nitro
gen, are best suited. Plant an inch
deep in hills about three feet apart
and the rows about four feet apart.
dropping seven or eight beans in each
hill. When well up and danger from
bad weather and cutworms is past,
pull out all but three or four. Poles
should not be over six feet high as on
longer poles the vines run too high
and grow too late. Clipping back the
vines is unnecessary when strong fer
tilizers are withheld. The California
practice of bean growing varies greatly
in that the crop is not infrequently
raised from planting to harvesting
without a shower. Machine planters
plant TWO to four rows at time, forty
inches apart. Instead of setting poles,
the plants grow over and completely
cover the ground. The plants are cut
in late September just below the sur
face of the ground, are forked into.
piles and allowed to dry fortnight.
A piece of ground sixty to eighty feet
is hardened and two or three big,
wagon loads are placed in a ring;
Horses attached to light wagons. are
driven over them, the beans threshedI
and the vines forked of, and more
-; ;l,.1,, +bsocbo1 Tho prooess lf
threshing by large steam machines
which clean up from fifty to seventy
five acres of beans per day, has more
recently been adopted by most OF the
large growers in the West. Such
machinery has been ON the market but
few seasons, and is therefore quite
expensive. While all consumers well
come cheap methods of production,
the average farmer should continue to
plant good-sized family garden.--
American Agriculturist.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
OUR AMERICAN BUTTER.

Though America has carried off the
palm in many contests few are doubt
less aware of the fact that the finest
butter in the world is produced by
the dairy farms of the United States.
This is not mere idle boast but q
sober statement which is capable OF
proof. And the best part Of it is that
England, which has never been ac-
cused of excessive fondness for this
country, is forced to admit the supe-
riority of the American product.
Several months ago the British
Board of Agriculture decided to make
test of all the butter imported into
England, for the purpose OF ascer'
tanning which country was entitled to
the highest award of merit.
This investigation continued for no
less than eight months, during which
time as many as 995 samples of butter
furnished by twelve different coun-
tries, were subjected to the rigid pro-
cess OF examination agreed upon by
the Board as the best method Of OBJ
tanning the information desired.
As the result of this test it was found
that six out of the twelve countries
had furnished adulterated samples,
while the remaining six had furnished
absolutely pure samples. :,
The countries which failed to stand
the test were Belgium, Denmark, Ger
many, Holland, Norway and Sweden,
counted as one, and Russia. OF these
Belgium furnished five samples, one
| OF which was adulterated; Denmark
| 1872 samples, eight of which were adul-,
terated, Germany 154 samples, with
forty.three authorizations; Holland 250
samples, with sixty.six authorizations :.
Norway and Sweden 100 samples, only
two of which were adulterated, and
Russia forty.nine samples, with five
adulterations. =.
On the other hand, those countries,
which furnished absolutely pure butter!
were Argentina, four samples; AUSTRIA
ffty.seven samples; Canada, thirty
nine samples; France, sixty-two SAM
pies; New Zealand, twenty-one SAM
Piles, and the United States, sixty
three samples.
Of these countries the United States
furnished the greatest number OF SAM
Piles and is, therefore, entitled to the
first place on the roll of honor. .
From ths foregoing figures it will
be observed that thirty-four per cent.
of the German butter was adulterat-
ed; twenty-five per cent. of the Hol-
land, and five per cent. Of the Den.
mark. The last named country has
always been the favorite market from
which England has obtained her SUPP
ply of butter. Atlanta Constitution.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
GREAT BRlTAIN'S AGRICULTURE.
The Returns for 1895 Reveal Some Re-
1narkable Facts.

The Returns for 1895 Reveal Some Re-
narkable Facts.
Great Britain's agricultural returns for
1895 reveal some remarkable facts. me
wheat acreage has diminished by $4,000
acres in single year. The total diminution
since 1875 has been just under 1000. 900
acres, OF which two-thirds was In the last
five years, leaving now less than l,ooo,poo
acres under wheat all told. To some extent
barley and fruit have taken the place of
wheat, but the bulk of the land has gone to
grass. Notwithstanding this, dead meat i'm
ports continue to mount up, over 6)O. 600
tons, of which three-flfths was from the
United States, coming in last year. The
total annual imports OF wheat and flour have
now reached the tremendous figure Of $780,
600 OO1 When, however, It is realized that
the British farmers are so unenterprisinS as
to allow 800. 900 900 worth of foreign eggs to
bo brought into the country yearty, simply be-
cause th"y will rot bother with poultry, it is
difficult to get uD any deep sympathy for
them.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
AGRICULTURAL.
TOPICS OF INTEREST RELATIVE
TO FARM AND GARDEN.
COST OF EGGS AND MEAT.

The nutritive value of eggs and the
cheapness of their production are
scarcely realized by the public. 1t may
seem rather improbable to state that
when meat is twenty-five cents a
pound, the food value of eggs is about
thirty-seven and a half cents dozen,
yet this seems to be the fact. A hen
may be calculated to consume one
bushel of corn yearly, and to lay
twelve or eighteen pounds of eggs.
This is equivalent to saying that three
and a tenth pounds of corn will pro.
duce, when fed to this hen, one pound
of eggs. A pound of pork, on the
contrary, requires about five and a
third pounds of corn for its produc'
tion. Judging from these facts, eggs
must be economical, and especially
fitted for The laboring man in replac
ing meat. ...Scientifc American.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
CALVES AND GRAZING.

Grazing is ordinarily desirable fol-
cattle. It is not always best for calves
under the age of four months. While
the dam that furnishes it milk is graz.
ing on new tender grass, the calf is
better dieted with bright, dry hay, if
old enough to eat anything in the
way of provender. The milk in such a
case is strongly permeated by the
grass and the calf requires the dry
food to meet the loosening effect on
the bowels. Dry oats ground and
bran, equal parts, linked with hay
chopped into fine bits, makes an ex'
cellent ration for calves when the milk
is made entirely from.grass in the
spring.
It should be an. established rule for
the dieting of calves under three
months old in spring, that the dams
should have daily ration of oats and
bran if grazing, or the calves must
have if they will eat the ground oats
and bran mixed with hay.
It is an advantage, as rule, if both
the COWS and their young are supplied
with all the. dry, clear hay or bright
oats straw that they will eat during
the entire grazing season. The amount
required will be small, as rule. But
the digestion will often be aided, and
tendency to bloat, dia,rhoea, and
other ills will be averted. The straw
stack in the pasture has saved great
amount of trouble on many stock
farms.
The observing stock breeder gives
faithful attention to the wants of the
grazing youngsters. Farm, Field and
Fireside.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
PRECIOUS RESULTS.

Is it at all unreasonable to suppose that
the contemplation of God will yield us
greater. more precious results than the con-
sideration of anything or Of everything in
this world that He has made! You are
wrapt in the study of mineralogy or botany
.or conchology: and have no time to spare
for the cultivation Of your acquaintance
with God. You, my friend. have q
great dread of being found imperfectly ac-
ouainted with certain literature and think
nothing of devoting whole nights to the ac-
uuisition Of it ; but your conscience is vis-
tied by no painful sense OF your defective
knowledge of him from whom is every good
gift. Indifference and ignorance are here
indissoluby linked as are also knowledge
and thirst for knowledge. Then we shall
know if we follow On to know the Lord
George Bowen.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
TEMPERANCE NEWS AND NOTES.

Five more towns in Connecticut vote no
license this year than last.
The saloon burns up. s2s,oOo,oOO of our
National resources every week.
aThe deaths from alcoholism in Sweden
amount to ninety per thousand. This Is the
highest rate in the world, says the Medical
Record.
The drink bill of the members OF the Eng
lish House of Commons, according to the lat
est returns, amounted to sS2.50O in five
months.
DR.. Prinzing, of Ulm, Germany, has shown
that more than thirty per cent. OF all sui
cides committed by men In the prime OF LIE
are due to drunkenness.
The vital statistics OF Germany show that
wine merchants, inn keepers and retail ven
ders Of spirits have high death rate. es'
pecially after thirty years OF age, when dis
eases Of the kidneys are very common.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
TIE EARLIEST sonING CROP.

To begin soiling early in the season
you need to prepare the year before,
either with piece of clover to be cut
early, or better still, winter rye, which
is fit for cutting much earlier than
clover can be cut and make good feed.
Our staple soiling crop, Indian corn,
cannot be planted with advantage
much before the 10th of May, and it
will take fully sixty days after before
it is fit to feed. Millet and Hungarian
grass mature more quickly than corn,
but they require still hotter weather
to develop rapidly in, and if planted
as early as it will do to plant corn, the
crop will be lessened. Winter rye can
he grown large enough to cut by the
middle to Goth of May, according to
the season. But rye is very unsatis-
factory soiling crop. Its season is
very short, for, after it shoots up to
head, the straw quickly becomes
woody and unpalatable. At its best,
1t is not so good feed as corn fodder
when in tassel and with, ears starting
out from its sides. If you combine
snsilage feeding in winter with soiling
In summer, the best plan is to put up
enougRcorn silage one season to last
until June, by which time clover can
be ready to cut. If there is enough
clover, pieces of this can be cut in
succession until the early planted corn
is ready to take its place. On rich
land four and even five cuttings OF
clover may be made in season, each
one to be cut just as the clover is get.
ting ready to blossom. If delayed
much after this, the number of cut
tings may not be more than two OF
three, but the quality of the clover
for feeding will be better. Boston
Cultiyator.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
MOST COSTLY OF ALL.

Az exchange says: "some one estimates
that getting born costs the people OF the
United States 1926. 900, 900 annually; getting
married, 1900 100000 annually; getting
buried, s75, 600, ,OOO." We might add that
Getting drunk costs the people OF the United
States more than 81, ,525, 100000 annually, or
more than one and one-half times as much
as getting born. married and buried put to-
cether. Heart Review.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-06-17
A GOOD BARGAIN.

At temperance meeting, where several
related their experiences, a humorous irish.
man who spoke, was acknowledged to be
the chief speaker. He had on pair OF hne
new boots. Said he:
"a week after signed the pledge l met an
old friend. and ne says: 'Them's fine pair
OF boots you have on They are says l,
and by the same token twas the saloon
keeper who gave them TO me-.
"tThat was generous Of him, says ne.
"sIt was,' says I, but 1 made q bargain
with him. He was to keep his drink ana /,
was to keep my money. MY money DouShI ~
me those fine boots. got the pes! OF 'ne
bargain, and I'm going to stick to it '"