davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
FIRST WHITE HOUSE BATH
Van Eurcn Was Criticized For Introdue.
in. tie Tub Into the Mansion.

In an article on The Domestic Side
Of the White House, III The Ladies
Home JCuLal, Cx-Prcsident Harrison
gives this interesting view Of the home
portion of tie executive mansion: Prop
erly speaking" lie says, there are
five DCQICOms in the executive mansion,
though by the use Of two dressing rooms
and Of the end of a short hall that for
mCrly opened TO a large north window,
hut has low been closed up to make II
small bedroom, the number may be in
creased to eight There are 10 suitable
servants quarters Those provided are
in the basement, and only those open
ing - the south are habitable The
north rooms open upon "a damp brick
arena and are unhealthy. One Of the
basement rooms, having a southern ex-
posture, Is fttCd up as billiard room,
but very plainly.
1t is SAID that provision for library
fer tho White Huuse was first made dur
ing Mr. fillmore term. Neat cases are
arranged about the room, and most Of
them ale fined with hooks-old editions
Of historical ana classical works. There
IL 40 catalogue, ana the library has not
boen kept up.
President adams introduced bill
iards into the White House, purchasing
The first tabl balls aud cues at cost
Of SjI, paying for tbom out of his own
pocket President Van Buren, was
charged rs Il political adversary and
scathlng critic a. being the first Of our
presidents to discover that the pleasures
Of the warm or tCpid bath are the proper
Accomplishments of palace life. For it
appears that our former presidents were
content with the application, when nee
essary, of the simple shower bath Mr.
Van Buren, 5 critic then refers with high
approval 10 the salutary side of Mr.
Adams heroic habit Of bathing i'll the
Potomac between daybIeak and sun
rise. -
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

With wheat selling at more than 81
per bushel i'll New York markets, where
it was worth only 50 cents a year ago,
those tables which attempted to show
that wheat and silver keep pace as TO
their relative value seem rather absurd
now Especially is this the case when
it is remembered that silver was worth
90 cents an ounce i'll New York on Aug
ust LIST last year, and is now worth %
cents, one year later.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
The recent exportatlon of Ameri

The recent expectation OF American
tin plate that sold in foreign markets Is
more eloquent and forceful answer to
the free traders assertions than columns
of newspaper or oratorical statements.
1t is only six years since Democrats were
insisting that no amount of protection
would enable American manufacturers
to successfully produce tin-plate, yet i'll
that brief time they have practically
supplied the markets of the United
States and are now reaching out for
those of the world.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
Sir Walter seott's First Brief.
Sir Walter Scott had his share of

Sir Walter Scott had his share Of Gu
rious experiences shortly after being
called to the bar. His first appearance
as counsel in a criminal court was at
Jedburg assizes in 1898, when he sue
cessfully defended a veteran poacher
You're lucky scoundrel, Scott
whispered to his client when the verdict
was given.
I'm just Of your mind" returned
the latter, land I'll send you maukin"
namely, "a hare-"the morn, man. "
Lockhart, who narrates the incident,
omits to add whether the "maukin"
duly reached Scott, but no doubt it did.
On another occasion Scott was less
successful in his defense of a house
breaker, but the culprit, grateful for
his counsel's exertions, gave him, in
lieu of the orthodox fee, which he was
unable to pay, this piece of advice, to
the value of which he (the housebreak-
err could professionally attest: First.
never to have large watchdog out of
doors, but to keep II little yelping ter
rier within, and, secondly, to put no
trust in nice, clever, gimcrack locks,
but TO pin his faith 10 a huge old heavy
one with rusty key. Scott long re-
membered this incident, and 30 years
later, at a judges dinner at Jedburg.
ne recalled it in this impromptu rhyme:
Yelping terrier, rusty key,
Was Walter SCOTS best Jeddart fee
Westminster Gazette.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
GRANT AS A WRITER.
His Style Was Vigorous and Terse, with
Little Ornament.

General Horace Porter in Campaign,
ing With Grant" in The Century =
presses the following opinion of Grant
as writer: Ills powers of concentra-
ton of Thoughts Were often shown by
the circumstances under which he
wrote. Nothing that went on around
him, upon the field or in his quarters,
could distract his attention or interrupt
him. Sometimes, when his tent was
filled with officers talking and laughing
at the top Of their voices, he would
turn to his table and write the most
important communications. There
would then be an immediate "Hush!"
and abundant excuses offered by the
company, bat he always insisted upon
the conversation going on, and after
awhile his officers came to understand
his wishes in this respect, to learn that
noise was apparently ii stimulus rather
than check To his flow of ideas, and
TO realize that nothing short Of gen
oral attack along the whole line could
divert his thoughts from the subject
upon " hiCh his mind was concentrated.
In writing his style was vigorous and
terse, with little Of ornament. Its most
conspicuous characteristic was perspi-
Guilty. General Meade's chief of staff
once said, There is one striking feature
about Grants ordors-no matter how
huIIiCdly be may write them on the
field, no one ever has the slightest
doubt as 10 their meaning or ever has
to read them over "A second time to IN
derstand them The general used An
Plo-SaXon words much more frequently
than those derived from the Greek and
Latin tongues He had studied French
at West Point and picked up some
knowledge Of parrish during the Mexi-
can war; but he could not hold a CON
vorsaticn in either language, and rarely
employed a ign word in any of his
writings. His adJoctives were few and
well chosen 10 document which ever
came from his hands Was in the least
degree pICtcutious. He never laid claim
to any knowledge he did not possess and
seemed to1Cl, with Addison, that ped
antrN IN leaning is like hypocrisy in
iciigion--a form Of knowledge without
the power al il.
lie ralt lntuiged III metaphor, but
whom he c4l employ a figure Of speech
it was always expressive and graphic,
as Whom lc Joke of tie commander at
Bermuda HunoItd being in bottle
strong Y coiaed or referred to our ar
mics at enc time as moving like horses
III a balIy team, 40 two ever pulling
together " His style inclined to the cpl
grammatic without his being aware of
it. There WIS scarcely document writ
ten by him from which brief sentences
could not be selected fit to be set i'll
mottos or placed upon transparencies.
A. examples may he mentioncd Il
propose to move Immediately upon your
works, " Il shall take no backward
steps, the>famouS Il propose to fight
it out On this line if it takes all sum
meI, and, later in his career, Let Us
have peace, me best means Of secur-
ing the repeal of an olno2ious law is its
vigorous enforcement. Il shall have
no policy to entoiCc against the will OF
the people" and Let no guilty man
escape.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
Director Preston of the United States

Director Preston of the United States
mint, estimates that gold production of
1897 will be in the neighborhood of $40,
000, 900 There is reason TO believe that
there will be billion dollars more OF
gold i'll the world by 1900, than there was
when the campaign of 1896 began. All
of which must be highly cheering for
the silverites, especially III view of the
tremendous fall in the price of the white
metal
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
With Mexican dollars worth only 4

With Mexican dollars worth only 4C
cents the laboring people of that country
whose wages are nominally one-half the
wages in the United States. are in hard
lines. The recent fall in silver and de-
probation of the Mexican dollar has
caused great suffering to the class of
people who were but poorly paid when
the dollar was much more valuable than
it is at present. This depreciation causes
rise in the prices of all commodities
that the laborer there must buy, but the
laborers wages themselves are the last
things so affected.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

Recent figures issued by the Bureau OF
Statistics in Washington show that two
thirds of our foreign commerce in 1897
was with European counties. The total
foreign commerce Of the United States
in the fiscal year just ended amounted
in round numbers to 81 500, 900, 900, and
of this about 81 ,250, 100000 was with
Europe, $40, 900, 900 with South Amer
lea, $l2O OOO, 900 with Asia, and 1928 OOO,-
900 with other North American countries.
An analysis of these figures shows that
fully ee-fourths of our foreign COM
merce is with gold standard counties.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
lkFlTTE THE PIRATE.
New Version Of the Story Told by Gal
weston Oystcrmen.

weston Oystcrmen.
Galveston island, Texas, is very
proud of Lafitte, the pirate Indeed,
his fame, like that Of Captain Kidd,
grows greater with every year. Out on
the island, Il few miles from the city,
is grove known MS Lantte's grove A
number of wind bent trees encircle q
dancing pavilion and are surrounded
with choice collection of oyster shells
and tin cans. The elderly woman of
che party, her old fashioned curls bob
bing Historically, hurried to native
who was placidly wrestling with a half
dozen bushels of oysters.
Say, mister, who was this Lafitte
that they talk about!" she began, note
book in hand
well, lady, he was II powerful big
man. | don't know all the rights of the
matter, but somehow he had the habit
of jerkin folks money away from 'em,
and once in II while he brought lot of
it here TO the island and buried it. "
is there any buried here in the
grove?"
"No, lady. This grove was just a
gathering place for 'em-Lafitte and
his crew. They used 10 come be O.
nights an bring their booty which thcy
had gathered from ships pirated an rob
bed. They divided it up, an each man
got his share, an then they had kind
o war dance around any victims they
had brought in before KILN 'em. "
How horrible!"
yes, it was terrible, lady, but that
was not circumstance 10 the things
tn chief pirate used to do. One time
when there was big party III one of
the rich houses on the island he an his
crew suddenly appeared in the ball
room. They drove everybody outdoors
except the women an made them dance
with 'em. Then they went to the din
i'll room an had IA big feast, endin
with carrying off all the silver III the
house. -
Tibet IS very interesting" maxim
more notes.
"Yes, IN, with a placid face. "But
there's worse yet to come. Once Il man
refused to eiyo up his IockCtbook tC
Laiitte, an tn pirate took him an TIED
him by the waist to the stern of the pi-
rate boat an drar ;ed him for ii mile
through the sea = that time he was
ready to give up.
did the pirate set The Tockctbook?
Yes, m, the man Ta5 Gead. But
the end come at last, ma am. One day
the other pirates did not like the way
Latte did things, an tLoy rcbclIyd OF
him. They murdered him in his bulA
one night when lie was asleep"
what a terrible fate" making more
notes.
"Yes'm, an they stuck his head on
pole, where they kept it for ten days
an nights. Then they brought it here al,
buried it ia this grove. an he haunts this
part of the island every dark night,
yelling an screeching awful.
The listener shuddered and made
some more notes, but the FISHERMAN
went placidly on with his work, uncon.
scious apparently Of the effect his
marvellous Interpretation of history had
caused. If Lafitte had not already
haunted the grove, he surely ought to
have done SO after SO strange a perver-
sion Of his biography. New York Post
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
"Setting the River on Fire.

Sometimes when person warts TO make
an unpleasant rcmark in a pleasant sort OF
way about dull boy he will say, THAT
boy will never set the river on fire. " Now
that is all very true, for even the smartest
man in the world could never set Il stream
of water on fire and SO perhaps many Of
you who have heard this expression have
wondered what Is meant by setting the
river on fire
In England many, many years ago, be
fore the millers had machinery for sitting
-four each family was Obliged to sft it's
own flour. For doing this IL was necessary
TO use a sieve, called tense, which was
so fixed that it could be turned round and
round In the top of a barrel If IL was
turned too fast, the friction would some
times cause IL to catch fire, and as 1t was
only the smart, Woodworking boys who
could make 10 go so fast that people
got Into the way Of pointing out lazy
boy by saying that he would never set the
tense on fire. After awhile these sleeves
went out of use, but as there were still
plenty of stupid boys in the world people
kept on saying that they would never set
the tense on fire.
Now, the name of the river Thames IL
pronounced exactly like the word tense ."
and so after many years those persons who
had never seen or heard of the old fashion
ed sieve thought that setting the tense
on fire" meant setting the river Thames
on fire. This expression became very pop
ular and travelled far and wide until tho
people living near other streams did not
see why it was any harder for "a slothful
boy 10 set the Thames ON fire than any
other river, and so the name of the river
was dropped, and everybody after that
simply said the river, meaning the river
Of his particular city or town, and that IL
how II Is that people today talk of settling
the river Oh fire. st Nicholas
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

The warehouse-c certificate scheme,
wherein certificates based upon the bull
ion value Of silver may be used, is now
the only hope of Ex-Governor Boies OF
Iowa as basis for currency. He said,
months ago, as did many of those who
last year supported the free-coinage-of-
silver idea, that the day for that pro-
position had passed. In his latest pro-
position, made public a few days ago,
he suggests that the only method OF
making silver useful as a basis for
currency is its deposit in warehouses
and the issuance of certificates upon its
bullion value. This might be a good
scheme if silver Gid not have an uncom-
Portable way of taking "a drop every now
and then.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
Edhem Pasha.

Edhem Pasha, though Turk, is far
from being an unspeakable one, if the
reports about him that come from the
war correspondents are TO be believed.
They describe the invader of Thessaly us
II handsome, courteous and we'll edu-
Gated man, who looks more than his 45
years because his thick beard, once
glossy black, is now thickly flecked with
gray. He is above middle height, his
nose Is straight and rather long, his
gray eyes are large and intelligent, and
his manner Is that attractive mingling
Of amiability with dignity which is a
not uncommon attribute Of the Turk as
seen on ordinary occasions Edhem does
not strike the superficial observer as "a
strong man, bat he is Il hard worker
and does not spare himself. His talk is
as IA rule quiet, and marked by much
refinement, but it grows animated when
a subject kindlos his interest, and his
eyes then glow with enthusiasm 1t is
difficult to Judge Of IA man : sense Of HUI
NOR through the barriers of a ange
language. His style OF lite Is simple
and he has none of the oriental love of
display. III character he seems to be
straig htforward and sincere frank and
truth loving. Trickery, intrigue, di-
plomacy and politics alike he appears
to detest. His subordinates and those
who see him most intimately are most
fond of him New York Times
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
Footed the Bills.

Francis w Bird, the Sage of Wal
pole, once went to see DR.. S. G. Howe
and found him with his feet swathed in
hannels and extended on chair.
Howe, what is the natter" he asked.
II have got the govt, said Howe.
"You have got the gout-suoh tenn
perance man as you. " Yes, Bird, my
ancestors drank wine, and l have to
foot the bills boston Transcript.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

Free silver and free trade having lost
their charm with the people of the United
States, the Democratic leaders who re-
cogize that they will soon be out of a job
unless they find some new rallying cry
are now looking for some other issues.
This is indicated by recent developments
which show the men who have kept
themselves in the public eye and public
Office through the operations of the
Democratic party in the past few years
are now quietly discussing the single
tax, the initiative and referendum and
features of this sort in the hope that
they may be able to present new and
attractive schemes with which to catch
the unthinking voter in the next nation
al election.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
A LITTLE GRAVE.

Dark are the mounds where the snow blase y
sweeping,
Wild is the cry of the wind ON its fight,
Cold Is the drift that the north wind is heaping
Over the nursing alone in the night!
Alone in the night and the dark that went
creeping
Out of her arms but daybrealS agol
Anguished with sorrow, her watch she is keep
ing,
Far would she follow through storm and
through snow.
Nay, tender mother, have done with your
weeping,
Not in the NIGHT and the dark has he part.
His all Outright heaven tvc WHOM he is sleeping
And dreaming of heaven, warm, warm in
your heart
-Ilarpcr's Bazaar.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
No Use For the Metric system.

We have little TO learn or gain by
adopting the measures of continental
Europe Three quarters, or nearly SO, of
the commerce and traffic of the world is
carried on by some form of appliance
whether moved by wind, water or
steam, which has been built from Eng
lish measures by some English speaking
people, and the proportion is all the
time increasing.
Why adopt another and more incon-
venient system which will render all
systems of screw threads, gear teeth,
foundry patterns, shop drawings, ETC.,
obsolete, a. we'll as shelving the most
valuable collection of mechanical liter
allure in the world and requiring
all its tables TO be translated into a
foreign measure, merely to obtain the
advantages of decimal system which
we already have to all intents and
purposes in far more convenient
form than we should obtain from
the introduction of the meter and
its derivatives? Besides these two unit
measures-the inch and the foot-we
also use the cubic yard, in civil en-
gineering, for excavations and earth
work, but for mechanical purposes we
could get along very we'll with no other
unit but the inch. -Cassier' Maya
zInn
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
per capita,

The assertions of the free silver orators
of last year that prosperity could not
come to the people of the Uuited States
without the free and unlimited coinage
of silver does not read very well III par
allel columns just now with the double
loaded announcements of prosperity
which the frankest and bravest OF those
journals are now publishing.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

Owing TO over-crowding and bad vent
il ton, the air of the schoOlroom is often
close and impure, and teachers and
pupils frequently suffer from lung and
throat troubles. To all such we would
say, try Chamberlain Cough Remedy.
For coughs, colds, weak lungs and
bronchial troubles no other remedy can
compare it. Says A. G. Freed, Superin-
tendent of Schools, Prairie Depot, Ohio ::
Having some knowledge Of the efficacy
Of Chamberlain's Cough Remedy, have
no hesitation in recommending it TO all
who suffer from coughs, lung troubles,
etc" For sale by BIvGNs q RHODES.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

1t is curious that Mulhalls statistics
should show the very spot which was
selected by the silverites as their basis OF
operations last year-the prairie States
to be the most prosperous spot on earth,
as reckoned by the production of food
per capita.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
In the Near Future.

First Doctor-Good photograph. ism,
it?
Second Doctor-Fairly good. Flatters
the left lung a little, think. Strand
Magazine.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
sic Knew.

Young Mrs. Torkins had read the
paragraph through twice. Then she
broke into ripple of laughter
What aIe you laughing att" in
CURED her husband
Something funny.
How do YOU know it's funuy?" was
the bantering II joinder.
"Humph | can tell by looking at it.
It's about two men who meet ON the
street They stand there and say a LOT
Of things and at last one of them says,
We'll, the drinks are on me. And that
shows that it's funny Washington
Star
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

The railroad men who stood like
stone wall against free silver and anarchy
last fall are now reaping their reward III
increased employment and improved
conditions. So are farmers.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

DIR. j. II. McLean's Liver and Kidney
Balm is an unfmling remedy for all
diseases of the liver, kidneys or urinary
organs. 1t is a certain cure for Bright 5
disease, dropsy, diabetes, gravel, kidney
weakness, incontinence Of urine, bed
wetting in children, biliousness, liver
complaint and female troubles. 4 trial
of this great remedy will convince
you Of its curative power. Price Sl.00
a bottle. For sale by b. 5. Webb.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

The Medical Society of Bern has in
mgurated plan for the suppression OF
press notices of suicides, as Il has been
observed that opidemics If suicides, so
called, come from suggestions, ac-
CURED through printed accounts Of
them.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
RIGHT In II.

That's where DR. Caldwells Syrup
Pepsin is. The greatest remedy for the
stomach that was ever put together.
Absolutely vegetable with the exception
of the Pepsin. Are you constipated
Then try Syrup Pepsin. Have You in
digestion or sick headache? Then use
Syrup Pepsin. Send l0c for trial
bottle and you will be convinced Large
size soc and 81 90. a true family REM
edy. At b. 5. Weebb's.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
Don't Tobacco spit and smoke Your Life Away.

To quit tobacco easily and forever. be mag
netic. fun OF life, nerve and vigor, take No-To-
Bac the wonder worker, t.at makes weak men
strong. All druggists, soc or "a. Cure guaran-
teed Booklet and sample free. Add -ess
Sterling Remedy Co, Chicago or New York
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03
J. B. PARKER
5soPRIEroR
Alma
Meat
Market

A fine line of fresh, salt and smoked
meats constantly on hand. Poultry,
fish, game and oysters in season.
Best Goods and Lowest
Prices.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

Bongeld, III Aug. If, 1890,
Il am subject to cramps and collie, and
have used many remedies, but find
Foley's Colo Cure beats them all. "
w. l.. YEATS.
BIvINS & RHODES.
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

To Cure Constipation Forever.
Take Cascarets Candy Cathartic l0c or 25c.
Ii {, {. {. fail TO cure, druggists refund money
Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1897-09-03

Educate Your Bowels with Cascarets.
Candy Cathartic. cure cons' ipatiou forever.
l0c 25c. If G. c fail, druggists refund money.