davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
The Russian Police.

A tyrannical and universal secret
surveillance blights all Russian ma
tional life. The clergy preach but lit
tie, the great majority never attempt
ing to deliver sermon, chiefly because
an unguarded or misunderstood word
may be 80 reported as to lead to severe
penalties. All public meetings are pro-
hibited, and 30 ridiculous is the ex-
treme to which the superfne bureau
cracy pushes its operations that nobody
is at liberty to give even dinner party
without the permit of the everlasting
politsi.
The police officer is the god of Russia.
If permission is granted for party, a
detective must be admitted. Public
lectures are all but unknown, for the
law sternly forbids them. Seeing that
education is rapidly spreading, and that
by the efforts Of the authorities in this
land,of endless paradoxes, it is manifest
that the elements of some fearful social
cataclysm are being abundantly and ex-
peditiously provided. The passport
system is an unspeakable abomination
for which there is not the slightest
justification. 1t puts travellers to the
utmost inconvenience and occasions
constant annoyance. - Contemporary
Review.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
A Crushing Comparison.

The Diarist in the London Speaker
tells story about Mr.. Asquith's appren-
tioeship to golf. With characteristic cour-
age he learned the game after he became
home secretary, and at the very Mecca Of
golf, ST. Andrews itself. Like every other
learner, he was not very expert at the COM
mencement, and some local Tory wag made
merry in print over his misses. Shortly
afterward Mr.. Balfour went to st. Andrews
to play championship match, and great
crowd Of spectators gathered ON the links
to watch him. Among them was an old
lady whose ardent Radioalism had been
hurt by the chaff of which the Liberal
home secretary had been the subject. With
keen eye she watched the play of the
Tory leader. Suddenly he made distinct
ly bad shot. Instantly raising her voice
to shrill scream, the triumphant defender
of the Radical faith exclaimed, "Why, AS
quith at his worst was better than that"
Mr.. Balfour joined as heartily as anybody
In the roars of laughter that followed.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
STRANGERS IN THE HOUSE.
A Parliamentary Incident That Convulsed
the House of Commons.

A Parliamentary Incident That Convulsed
the House of Commons.
At one time, much more than of late
years, his royal highness was constant
visitor to the house of commons, his pleas
ant presence beaming from center seat
OF the peers gallery, Immediately over the
CLOCK. During the turbulent times that
marked the birth of the Parnellite party
he frequently dropped In to watch the re-
curling crises This habit gave the late
MIR. Joseph ellis Biggar an opportunity
Of distinguishing himself above his fell
lows One Tuesday evening in the early
spring Of 1875 Mr.. Chaplin, then private
member, secured first place for motion
relating to the breed of horses. The Prince
of Wales, accompanied by numerous suit
of peers whose faces were familiar at New
market and Epson, oame down to hear
the speech and the debate 1t was great
opportunity for Mr.. Chaplin, and he was
evidently prepared to rise to 1t. Unfortu-
nately for him he had CHANGED some days
earlier to offend Mr.. Biggar. Joey B.,
the member for Cavan, like the redoubt-
able Joe Bagstock, was sly, dev'lish sly.
If Mr. Chaplin saw his opportunity, Joe
not only deserted 1t, but seized It first.
MIR. Chaplin had risen, fixed his eyeglass,
chest, had ooughed In prelude to bis open
ing sentence, when from below the gang
way opposite we'll known shrill voice
was heard exolaiming, "Mr. Speaker, sir,
believe there are strangers in the house."
For a moment the crowded cham Der
was hushed in dismayed silence. The
speaker broke 1t by inquiring whether the
honorable member for Cavan persisted in
his intention of noticing strangers. "If
you please, Mr.. Speaker" said Mr. Biggar
with encouraging nod toward the chair.
Then the anger Of the house found issue
In a roar of contpmely, through which
was heard the uhparliamentary, almost
unprecedented, sound of kissing. Honor
able members might Just as usefully have
sat down by the rivers brink and shouted
"6top" to the falls of Niagara. At that
time there was In force the medieval Or
der which required the immediate and alb
solute withdrawal of strangers from every
part of the house upon an individual
member taking note Of their presence.
Mr. Biggar was master Of the situation,
and few human faces offered an opening
for exceeding the breadth Of his smile as
he surveyed It,
The speaker had no option. He must
needs order strangers to withdraw. There.
upon the Prince Of Wales, the German
ambassador, who happened to be IN the
diplomatic gallery, and the crowd Of peers,
Boosting the bluest blood In England,
were compelled to scuttle. Mr.. Biggsr
had his fun, but the house of commons
reaped permanent benefit from the prank.
He brought into broad daylight the alb
surdity of the ancient custom, which was
thenoeforward doomed. The privilege of
spying strangers Is no longer counted
among the possessions Of individual mem
bers Of the house of commons. Strangers
may today be excluded, but only upon mo-
ton duly made and carried by n majority.
H. W. Lucy in North American Review.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
The Mistake She Made.

At party the hostess said to guest:
81 want you to entertain Mr.. Blank a
little. He looks bored to death. l will
introduce him, and you must try to
amuse him. You know his strong
point is butter, on which he has writ
ten book"
The lady guest graciously undertook
the task of entertaining the man, in
wardly wondering that he should be 80
interested in butter, Of which she knew
very little, when his face indicated a
mind given to much profound thinking.
However, with butter in view, she
began on the weather, gradually got to
the country, then on to farm, from
that to cows and at last to butter. The
man looked more bored than ever, the
magic word butter" producing not
the slightest effect, and he left her
somewhat abruptly and soon withdrew
from the house.
81 did my best" she explained to
the hostess. 81 went through agonies
to prove that was deeply interested in
butter, but it was all in vain"
Butter!" exclaimed the hostess.
What possessed you to talk to that
man of all men on butter? told you he
had just written book on Buddha,
and I knew how deeply you two were
interested in the same subject"
And they said in chorus" GraciousW
Parsons Weekly.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
The Champion in Frugality.

Guy, the founder of Guys Hospital
in London, was as parsimonious in pri-
vate life as he was munificent in public.
A good story illustrative of this is told
of him in connection with John Hop
kins, one Of his contemporaries, who
was nicknamed Vulture Hopkins on &C.
count of his rapacious mode of acquir-
ing his immense wealth. On one &C.
casion he paid visit to Guy, who on
Hopkins entering the room, lighted a
farthing candle. Hopkins, on being
asked the reason of his visit, said /" I
have been told that you, sir, are better
versed in the prudent and necessary art
of saving than any man living, and
therefore wait on you for lesson in
frugality. have always regarded my
self as an adept in this matter, but
am told you excel me-" "Oh," replied
Guy, 4" if that is all you came to talk
about, we can discuss the matter in the
dark" and thereupon he blew out the
candle. Struck with this example of
economy, Hopkins acknowledged that
he had met his superior in thrift
Medical Record.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
Grant Offers His Purse to His
Enemy.

General Grant never mentioned one
incident in connection with the battle
of Donelson, and no one ever heard of
it until it was related by his opponent
in that battle, General Buckner. In a
speech made by that officer at ban
quet given in New York on the ami
versary of General Grants birthday,
April 81, 1889, he said:
Under these circumstances, sir, sur
rendered to General Grant. had at a
previous time befriended him, and it
has been justly said that he never for
got an act of Kindness. met him on
the boat, and he followed me when 1
went to my quarters. He left the Off
GERS of his own army and followed me,
with that modest manner peculiar to
himself, into the shadow, and there
rendered me his purse. Itseems to me,
Mr.. Chairman, that in the modesty of
his nature, he was afraid the light
would witness the act of generosity,
and sought to hide it from the world
We can appreciate that, sir. "-Cam-
paigning with Grant," by General Hor-
ace Porter, in the August Century.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
Note and Comment.

AS result of the canvass made by
the Cologne Gazette among the import
ing and exporting firms in the Cologne
district, memorial has been sent to
the imperial chancellor, Prince Hohen-
lobe, saying that most of the exporters
and all the importers are opposed to q
tariff war with the United States.
The two oldest living ex-mayors of
New York are Daniel +. Tiemann and
A. Oakley Hall. The former served
from 1859 10 1861 and the latter from
1869 to 1873. Mr., and Mrs. Tiemann
have recently celebrated the seventy.
first anniversary of their wedding, an
event which very few married couples
live to enjoy. Ex-Mayor Tiemann is
ninety-three years old. His wife is
niece of Peter Cooper, at whose house
they were married in 1926. Oakley
Hall is much younger man, and is
still engaged in legal and literary work.
We must not forget that America has
perfectly legitimate business interests
in Cuba. The United States govern.
can find excellent reasons to intervene
when it likes. 1t cannot stop the sup
ply of arms and men to the insurgents
except by an elaborate policing of a
difficult coast, which public opinion
would not stand. The policy of the in.
surgents has been to drain the Spanish
resources. They have been successful
The Spanish defeat at Victoria de las
Tunas gives Spain a shock which, it is
hoped, will check her drift toward
bankruptcy and civil war. Her first
step is to recall General Weyler, a step
which the irrepressible criticisms of
his Heterogeneous ought to facilitate.
The next step is to arrange terms with
the insurgents, perhaps with the aid of
the United States. Otherwise Spain
may have greater dangers to face after
the meeting of Congress in December,
and certainly she will be less able to
face them.-London Spectator.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
DIDN'T GET HIS FURLOUGH.
Yet He Wanted 1t Worse Than He Ever
Wanted Anything.

Yet He Wanted 1t Worse Than He Ever
Wanted Anything.
Judge North belonged to Wisconsin
regiment during the war, and served to
the end, barring such time as he was laid
up with wounds. He tells some pretty
good war stories, all of which lack the
heroic tinge SO often met with During
the war he only asked for furlough Oh
one occasion, and then 1t was denied him.
1t seems he was warm personal friend
of the colonel commanding his regiment,
end the latter bad repeatedly informed
him after he had served long time that
he would grant him ten days furlough
at any time requested. Shortly before
Sherman commenced his march to the sea
o sharp battle took place between the
division to which Judge North belonged
and heavy Confederate force.
Prior to the battle every soldier knew
that the fight would be desperate one
and that many would lose their lives In
following orders Judge North's regiment
formed the front line of the advance The
situation these men were placed in was
extremely perilous and every soldier could
see the danger for himself and few enter
tanned hopes of escaping alive. While the
regiment was momentarily expecting Or
ders to advance on the Confederate strong
hold, the colonel passed along the line.
AS he approached Judge North, the latter
saluted him and called out 80 those near
could hear him:
Colonel, have you not repeatedly told
me that could procure ten days fur
Tough at any time applied to you for the
samep"
The colonel who was as pale as ghost
himself, and probably as badly scared as
Judge North, replied rather hesitatingly
that such was Il fact.
"Then," said Judge North, ~ want a
ten days furlough right now, and want
1t worse than l ever wanted anything in
my life"
The righteousness of such request IN
der the distressing circumstances did not
fail to cause smile to spread among the
men who We're facing death.-Chicago
| Record
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
Unasked Advice for Grant.

General Horace Porter's " Campaign
ing with Grant," in the August Gen.
tury, deals with the preparations for
the last campaign. General Porter
says:
General Grant had become very tired
OF discussing methods of warfare which
were like some of the problems de-
scribed in algebra as "more curious
than useful" and he was not suffi-
GENTLY interested in the canal to be
present at the explosion which was ex-
pected to complete it. About this time
all the cranks in the country, besides
men of real inventive genius, were
sending extraordinary plans and sug-
gestions for capturing Richmond. A
proposition from an engineer was re-
ceived one day, accompanied by elab-
crate drawings and calculations, which
had evidently involved intense labor on
the part of the author. His plan was
to build masonry wall around Rich.
mond, of an elevation higher than the
tallest houses, then to fill the enclo-
sure with water pumped from the James
river, and drown out the garrison and
people like rats in cage. The exact
number OF pumps required and their
capacity had been figured out to a
nicely.
Another inventive genius, whose
mind seemed to run in the direction of
the science of chemistry and the prac-
tice of sternutation, sent in chemical
formula for making an all-powerfui
snuff. In his communication he as
sured the commanding general that
after series of experiments he had
made with it on people and animals, he
was sure that if shells were filled with
it and exploded within the enemy's
lines, the troops would be seized with
such violent fits of sneezing that they
would soon become physically exhaust
ed with the effort, and the Union army
could walk over at its leisure and pick
them up as prisoners without itself los
ing man.
A certain officer had figured out from
statistics that the James river froze
over about once in seven years, and
that this was the seventh year, and ad-
vised that troops be massed in such a
position that when the upper part of
the James changed from liquid to a
solid, columns could be rushed across
IL Ou tuc iCc W pooisioh Al l0oi Va VIZ
enemy's lines, and Richmond would be
at our mercy. A sorcerer in Rochester
sent the general word that he had cast
his horoscope, and gave him clear
and unclouded insight into his future,
and added to it's general attractiveness
by telling how gloriously he was going
to succeed in taking Richmond.
One evening the general referred to
these emanations of the prolific brains
of our people, and the many novel sug-
gestions made to him, beginning with
the famous powder-boat sent against
Fort Fisher, and closed the converse
ton by saying: "This is very sug-
gestive age. Some people seem to
think that an army can be whipped by
waiting for rivers to freeze over, ex-
ploding powder at distance, drowning
our troops, or setting them to sneezing
but it will always be found in the end
that the only way to whip an army is to
60 and fight it,"
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
Regulation Of Trusts,

The Austrian parliament has re-
Gently passed bill for the regulation
Of trusts, recognizing that such combi-
nations are inevitable and may be pro-
ductive of good, but that unless con-
trolled are certain to lead to great evils.
So it puts them under strict supervi-
sion, with all their banks, agreements
and trust actions subject to the inspec-
ton of the minister of finance and re-
quiring heavy bonds from them guar
anteeing compliance with the restric-
ton of the law. The supervision is of
strictly confidential character, those
making examinations being under oath
to divulge to none except their superb
or officers the information they obtain,
except, of course, when there has been
violation of the rules regulating pro-
cedure laid down either by the govern
ment or by the minister Of finance.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
The Last Bugle Call.

The st. Louis Globe Democrat has
battle in the civil war was bugle call
to charge given by Nathaniel Sisson on
the field of Appomattox.
Mr.. Sisson enlisted when the war
broke out and at its close was bugler
under Custer. His regiment was in
the saddle before day on the eventful
9th day of April and began to skirmish
with the enemy. An hour later they
reached the position from which the
memorable call to charge was blown.
The next moment two of General
Gordon's aids rode out in advance of
the column. One of them carried a
towel fastened to musket. General
Gordon stated afterward that the towel
was soiled and ragged; but, old and
torn as 1t was, 1t carried message OF
peace to the whole country.
General Custer, seeing this flag of
truce, halted his charging column and
rode alone to the tent of the Confeder-
ate general. When he came out, he
said to General Kapehart, uncovering
his head, General Lee is treating for
capitulation."
The war was over.
The men nearest to him caught the
quiet words and burst into frenzied
cheer. They were men who had fought
bravely, but who thanked God now
that the war was ended. The cheer
swept down the valley, and the hills
shook with the shout which meant
peace.
Let us hope that Nathaniel Sisson's
bugle call to battle on that April morn
ing was the last that shall ever summon
brother to charge against brother in
this land of ours.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
High Price In Richmond.

General Horace Porter, in his "Cam-
with Grant" in the August
Century ideals with the preparations
for the final campaign. General Porter
says:
1t was seen that Grant, by his opera
tons, was rapidly forcing the fight to a
finish. The last white man in the
South had been put into the ranks, the
communications were broken, the sup
plies were irregular. Confederate
money was at fabulous discount, and
hope had given place to despair. The
next evening one of our scouts re-
turned from trip to Richmond, and
was brought to headquarters in order
that the general-in-chief might ques-
ton him in person. The man said !:
"The depreciation in the purchasing
power of 'graybacks,' as we call the
rebel treasury notes, is 80 rapid that
every time 1 go into the enemy's lines
1 have to increase my supply of them.
On my last "Trip had to stuff my
my clothes full of their currency to keep
myself going fer even couple of days.
A barrel of -four in Richmond now
costs over thousand dollars, and a
suit oficlothes about twelve hundred. A
dollar in gold is equal in value to hum
dred dollars in graybacks. Then so
much counterfeit Confederate money
has been showed in through our lines
that in the country places they don't
pretend to make any difference between
good and bad money. A fellow that
had come in from the western part of the
state told me pretty tough yarn about
matters out there. He said Every
thing that has picture on it goes for
money: If you stop at hotel, and the
bill of fare happens to have an en-
craving of the house printed at the top
you can just tear off the picture ant
pay for your dinner with it,"
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
SOLDIERS BUDGET.
The Veterans.

We met at Chickamauga. hadn't seen him since
We looked across the renches and his bullet made
me vince;
But we both shook hands in friendship, as hearty
as could be,
Though he had marched with Sherman and had
march with Lee.
We walked across the battlefield where once the
bullets few,
And the green and bending grasses felt the fall OF
crimson dew.
And we talked the whole thing over where the flag
was waving free
How he had marched with Sherman and had served
with Lee
The drums had ceased their beating. We saw no
sabres shine.
The hair about his forehead fell as snowy white as
mine,
And voices seem to call us DER the far eternal sea-
Where the men who marched with Sherman are in
camp with those of Lee.
We parted; eyes grew misty, for we knew that
nevermore
Would we meet until the roll call on the other
peaceful shore,
But both shook hands In friendship az hearty as
could be,
Though he had march with Sherman and had
fought with Lee. FRANK L. Stanton.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
A Tender Reminder.

A burglar had entered a house as
quietly as possible, but his shoes were
not padded and they made some noise.
He had just reached the door of bed
room when he heard some one moving
within as if about to get up, and he
paused. The woman's voice said: IF
you don't take off your boots when you
come into this house there's going to
be trouble, and lot of it! Here it's
been raining for three hours and you
dare to tramp over my carpets with
your muddy boots on! Go downstairs
and take them off this minutel" He
went downstairs without word but he
didn't take off his boots. Instead he
went straight out into the night again,
and the opal" who was waiting for
him saw a tear glistening his eye. 81
can't rob that house," he said; 4" it re-
minds me of home"
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
When HOyt Went Out OF the Magic
Business.

Charles Hoyt, the playwright, en-
barked in the slight of-hand line not
long ago. The manager of Cleve-
land theater showed him a neat trick
where by a silver dollar could be trans
formed into a 800 gold piece at a mo-
ments notice, or vice versa. Hoyt was
anxious to learn the trick, and the man.
ager gave him the necessary instruc-
ton. While the company was in De-
troit Hoyts partner, Frank Mckee,
joined it. Now Mckee thinks that
Hoyt is the only man on earth who can
write farce comedy, and Hoyt lie firm
ly convinced that Mckee is the best
business man on earth, 30 together
they form quite nice little mutual adj
miration society. Still they like to joke
each other, and Hoyt gets almost as
much satisfaction out of winning a
twenty-five cent baseball bet from his
partner as he does from the success Of
new play. They had hardly finished
shaking hands before Hoyt said essay,
Frank, I've got great trick want to
show you. Got silver dollar in your
clothes9" Mckee handed out a dollar
and Hoyt began making passes over it,
la Hartz, quoted some Latin that he
had learned out of the back end Of
dictionary, pulled up his coat sleeves to
"show that there was no deception"
and then tossed back twenty. dollar
gold piece. Mckee looked at the coin
admiringly for a moment, tested it to
see that it was genuine and then put it
into his pocket saying: "Charles, that's
the best trick l ever saw. You've
made distinct hit with me. l wouldn't
have missed this performance for nine
teen dollars. Never mind explaining.
l don't care how you did it," He kept
the gold piece as souvenir, and Hoyt
went out Of the magic business then
and there.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-29
Guilty in the First Degree.

A man guilty of owning seven sugar
plantations in Louisiana has added to
his guilt by raising the wages of his
workmen sixteen and one-half per cent.
It is feared that the wages Of the en-
ployees of other sugar planters and of
workmen in sugar houses will also be
increased. These matters are sure to
receive Incorporate but infirm discus
sion from the various newspapers that
hunt the octopus to its lair and expose
the iniquities of the tariff. They have
shown to their own great contentment
that the Sugar Trust dictated the tariff
rates on sugar. Now comes the crown
ing infamy, the raising of wages. That
Louisiana man guilty of owning seven
sugar plantations and raising wages
must expect no mercy.-Exchange.