davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
COLONY OF WIDOWS.
At Least ThOre Was One, but Now All
 Are Married.

AFS M&Ff1eus
 A small hamlet across the river from Coalburg, " Va, is known as Shrews- bury. Its only distinguishing feature has been the multiplicity of it's widows. Some were old and some were buxom. There was a l6-year-old and one of 90
 Most of them were childless, but sev- eral had one or more remembrances of the one dead. Two grass widows were ill the group, and one other had a glass eye. Several had money, two or three a farm, one owned a grocery store and five or six had 8 pension.
 There were others who only had ex- perience and hope, but today there is not widow in Shrewsbury. One died of old age. Another went away to &C., cept a position as second cook on Big Sandy pushboat, and of the others every one Is married.
 There was one elopement. A girlish widow of 40, with bangs, went down the river with a boy coal miner but she was determined not to be left Squires caught eight or ten couples, and minis ters had a few who gave 25 cents for the ceremony.
 A lot of rooms with board for eligible widows can be had cheap ut Shrews- bury. and number of nnincumbered men, weary of single life, are willing to exchange their forlorn condition for the smiles of not too old or exacting widow.
 The trains carry all widows for haii fare, for good luck. New York Record. CT
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
KentncRY,s Int Boy.

Caney's Fork. Ky, comes to the front with 3 fat boy that lays Fred Dur ham, the MiddlebuIg kid, in the shade. His name is Master John Brown, son of Mir. J. H. Brown, an enterprising farm eT Of that section. While Johnny is only 6 years old he weighs 134 pounds and is gaining rapidly. For his age he is no doubt the largest boy in the state. Mir, Brown has refused some good offera from circus men who wanted to exhibit Master John in their side shows,
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20

Gov. CuLBERsoN, of Texas, vetoed an obnoxious bill on the grounds that it would encourage divorees. Gov. Culberson would not be pop ular in Chicago, the Dakotas or Oklahoma.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20

TIE Commercial 44ppeat is passing severe "strictures' upon charge made to the Grand Jury by Judge Cooper, of the Memphis Criminal Court. How dare the Conamerciai Appeal to have the audacity to eriti- else q Judge
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
Grand Assembly Knights of pythias
Hot Sprines MaY IS to ?

For this occasion the Cotton Belt Route will sell tickets Pine Bluff to Hot Springs and return at $3.G5, one fare. Tickets on sale May 18th to 20th, return limit May 18th 1897.
 J. ". FARLEY, Agent.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20

TIE Cuban Gllibusterer Der muda, IS said to have safely landea five times at the Island with arms, ammunition etc. for the In SllruentS
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
DISCRETION PRICE;

CONSIDERATION of the tariff bill has been postponed in the Senate until next Monday.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
Spring

Is the season for new life ill nature, new vigor in our physical systems. As the fresh sap carries lie into the trees, so our blood should give Us renewed strength and vigor. h it's impure state it cannot do this, and the aid of Hoods Sarsaparilla is imperatiyely needed.
 It will purify, yitalize and enrich the blood, and with this solid, correct foundation, it will build up good health, create 3 good appetite, tone your stomach and digestive organs, strengthen your nerves and over come or prevent that tired feeling. This has been the experience of thou sands. It will be yours if you take
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
sent Free.

General Assembly O'qa 'q'assrJvttR' Presbyterian Church, ~ sha abQff N. C. May 20 to 3l. For ',''ate t's el occasio,lz tie es'eet!tan belsll... rIaill sell tickets Pine i,luIi 1o s lor N. C, at one fare, ssa round trip. Tickets ol' 7' ss s and IS; return limit 1'''|s l Y
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
The Conrt,s Decision.

You remember Howforth, who mar, ried the woman who kept house for him so long?"
 "Yep."
 Well, the court granted Ter di- vorce last week. ?
 "Alimony?'
 ''Not in cash The decision was that she could keep the house. ''--Cincinnati Enquirer.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
Well, the court granted Ter di-

A hornets nest usually contains from 300 to 400 perfect males and females and an indefinite number of workers
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20

The earliest use of weights is attrib- uted to Pheidon, king of Argos, oe6 B, c.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20

FIFTY DOLLARS A WEEK EASILY MADE
 Agents wanted in every locality for WeJ Bryan's great and only book. "The First Battle" The best seller ever produced. week. Beware of fraudulent limitations. Send for outfit and begin work at once. W. B CoHKEY COMPANY, Publishers, 34f Dear born St. Chicago. 3 6 d4w
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20
THANKED FOR THEM
A SOLDIERS STORY OF PRESIDENT
 LINCOLN AND BOYS IN BLUE.

An Envelope That Is More Valuable Than
 the Best Stamp In Any eonection-vhe Soldier Who wouIdn't Tell LincoiS a
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20

cTRAYED or sToLEN--one black. 2-year - old heifer. black back. black and white spotted on belly; very fat. A. B. YOUNG
 l9 d6t Postal Telegraph Office.
Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-05-20

DOCKET BOOK LOsT--snake skin, silver I mounted. ecl1et book. initials 'M :" on same. Liberal reward will be paid for it's return to A. :. TRIGG. 19 d6t
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

business. There are too many
mature iconoclasts in the world
already. For the sake Of posterity
it is well that whatever sentiment
still attaches to this materialistic
age should be honored for the
pleasure it affords the young. The
next thing we may expect to hear
in this line is an order to attach
the feeding tube to an encyclopedia
that babes may be able to solve
abstruse social problems by the
time they are weaned.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23
SORROWS COURIERS.

PERSONALLY we resent the
thought of attributing our present
condition to whisky drinking. Any
being with vestige of manhood
remaining should be ashamed to
admit that he freely invited and
gave royal Judgement to the open
enemy that would bury him from
all that makes life worth the living.
But if the most ard-hearted
saloonkeeper in this state was
allowed to walk through these
prison halls at night and read the
letters that come to inmates from
sorrowing wives, sweethearts and
friends, he would forever hang his
head in shame as he realized to
the full that he was a party to the
most damnable outrage ever in
ficted on myriads Of now helpless
women and children who are being
punished far more than their weak
willed protectors now subject to
penal infamy. He would recog-
nize that he was worse than an
ostracized Cain: yes, brothers
slayer, and that under the guise
Of good-fellowship! These letters
that we have seen so often are
simple in language and not re-
proachful; nor were they written
for public gaze. But the mute
sorrow and disgrace that sur
charged the heart of the writer's is
apparent in every culver of the
pen as the hand that wrote sought
heavenly imprecation on the
liquid hell that makes SO many
lettering idiots of otherwise noble
men. Do not take our word for it,
gentlemen: come and read some of
the letters-they will sharpen your
appetites for a further research
that may take the scales from off
your eyes, if not your hearts.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

grace we must admit that our
brains WERE really under the
guidance of power opposed to
our own best interests. But it is
folly to worry over the past. Sigh
no more about the has-been, and
see what you can do toward blaz-
ing way for the will-bea The
past is out of our control, now; but
the future is an open book that we
may fill with the genuine happi-
ness Of a loved and loving ruler, or
drench again with the whisky
laden folly that will continue our
stay in some prison.
Do not make any impossible
resolutions or promises to be full
filled at remote period. If your
intentions are earnest, start in
right now-today-and you will
find that DOING something to i'm
prove yourself for the future, is
worth barrelful of pretty resolu-
tons. Be selfish to the extent of
looking out for your own future
happiness; it is one of the few in
stances in which selfshness is q
virtue. Never mind the sneers
jibes or ribald jests of your alleged
friends. A good, healthy laugh
waited on the air of freedom, as ii
comes ripping from one who adj
mires you as an honest man, is
worth more than thousand friend
ships from members of ''de gang
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

The fact that about eighty per
cent of all crimes occur after dark
between sunset and sunrise
should be Il sufficient warning to
parents of the danger sure to result
from allowing immature sons and
daughters to roam the streets at
pleasure after the mantle of night
throws out it's seductive shelter as
we'll as temptation.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23
SIGH NO MORE.

WE ARE close to the greatest
day on the calendar, near to the
beginning of new year, and but
a short reach of time remains ere
we shall enter into new century.
Let us cast aside for a moment the
black cap of prison life, take the
bandages of folly from off our
eyes, and the plugs of reckless OBJ
stinacy from out our ears. Let us
reason together and see wherein is
the charm of life-in the riven
shackles of crime or the sweet Sc
curitv of honesty.
Imagine yourself on this day
happily seated in a home-a ver-
liable king in humble cottage
the only defensive or offensive
weapons Of which are the love of a
happy wife and family. Bring to
mind, if you can, what buoyant feel
ings and noble impulses would
move you as a ruler among such
loving subjects: recall, if your
heart will allow it, what could be
the allurement that impelled you
to rescind such a possibility for
the brilliant prospect of serving
one, two, five OF ten years as a
lonely outcast in penitentiary
Yes, if you pride yourself on being
sane man of moderate intelli-
gence. just inform an anxious con-
stituency what was the grand prize
offered as an inducement to forsake
this possible heaven for positive
hell?
Oh! it was only glass of whis-
ky, Ell! That's strange: and a
four-dollar watch and seventy-five
cents cash, also.
Do tell! What remarkable
hand some Of us are at striking a
bargain!
And you got five years in the
penitentiary for your brilliant
hold-up?
Amt THAT NICE!
[ do declare that some of us
have brains, but when free we
only owned them on the install
ment plan, some well-fed and slick
ly groomed saloonkeeper holding
the original lease.
And every man doing time-or,
l should say, having time do him
in this or any other prison, fully
understands the main trend of the
foregoing; to our sorrow and dis
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23
WAKE UP!

MOST men have at some time
seen or helped to arouse a man
suffering the Supplying effects of
whisky. While in a drunken
stupor a man is supposed to be
happy-as far as that word ex-
presses surcease of worry. But,
as many of us know from actual
experience, there is no more pit
liable or degrading sight than a
fellowman wallowing in the dirt
of an alleyway or stable in a
drunken sleep. Our first words of
warning to him, whether he be
friend or enemy, are, "Wake up!
You're drunk" And in the word
drunk. as used in this note Of
warning, we give it's full meaning
danger: Wake up! you are in
danger.
In our pity for the drunkard in
his stupor, does it ever occur to
us that there are thousands of
"moraF' drunkards walking the
streets dressed in the latest fash
ions who would, fguratively, die
of shame at the very thought Of
being found in a material stage of
stupefaction? Or do we, in this
place, ever think Of the moral
stupor in which we kept con-
science that we might pursue
questionable methods of leading a
life of sloth? The silent monitor
within was drugged that it's honest
murmurings might be silenced.
And what a severe lurch it re-
quired to make us wake up!' as
some may have done when
'shocked" by term of imprison-
ment.
The next time crooked money
making scheme is unfolded to you
Just remember the previous
"shock" and you will positively
wake up.
The fake scheme and "missing-
letter. advertisers who were work
ing the dear public for coin of
the realm knew that their methods
were dishonest but they did not
fully grasp that fact until Uncle
Sans emphatic wake up!' was
announced by the postmaster
general. There are more of the
same grade Of moral sleepers"
outside the prison as we'll as in
who fail to understand the fatal
hold in which they are clutched
by the stupefaction Of blunted
conscience, until our old friend,
John Law, grabs them by the
shoulder, saying, Wake up! the
grand jury wants to interview you.
The man who thinks he has the
world by the axis on down-hill
haul, the one who is playing on
velvet, with everything coming
his way; the one who thinks the
easiest way to get money is by
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

The determination to do some
thing worthy or to make a success
of life is half the battle. Convince
yourself that you are capable of
doing thing and you WILL sue
coed, regardless Of present OBJ
stacles or the handicap of a
blighted past.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23
THE MIR ROR is a weekly paper published

In the Minnesota State Prison. 1t was founded
In 1887 by the prisoners and is edited and man.
aged by them. Its objects are to be a home
newspaper; to encourage moral and intellectual
improvement among the prisoners; to acquaint
the public with the true STATUS of the prisoner;
todisseminate pathological information and to aid
In dspelling that prejudice which has ever been
the bar sinister to fallen mans self-redemptiOn.
The paper is entirely dependent on the public for
its financial support If at any time there should
accrue a surplus of funds. the money would be
expended in the interests of the prison library.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23
N 0 TIC E..

THOSE receiving copies of THE MIR
ROR who are not subscribers will
please consider them as sample cop
les. If, after reading them, you should
conclude that THE MIRROR is
worthy of your patronage, send one
dollar to this office and we will enter
your name on our books for a
years subscription.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

NAPOLEON was accustomed to
tell his officers that "Impossible is
word only to be found in the
dictionaries of fools" 1t would be
we'll for most of us if we were
guided by the same invincible de-
termination that prompted this
epigram with the famous Corsican.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

If THE living testers burdening
this world who wantonly corrupt
public morals by gambling devices
to increase the circulation of their
srefined' publications are in legiti-
mate business, then the devil him
self must be engaged issuing cut
rate tickets to Heaven.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

fraud are all in worse plight
than the drunkard enjoying( p a
snooze in a hog pen, for. when
they do hear the harsh wake up!'
it generally means prolonged,
snooze in state pen.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

AT NO time in the worlds history
has it been considered brave act
to torment a fallen foe or one
weaker than yourself. Any maraud-
ing jackal may snap and bite at a
Gagged or wounded lion.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

THERE'S no arrest for the wicked
if they have enough Of the proper
lubricating currency to smooth
the path of transgression.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

A FIXED purpose in life is the
surest indication of honesty and
high moral conceptions.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

The school of ''materialists" who
are now seeking to take all Christ
mas sentiment from child life by
publicly proclaiming their "Santa
Claus fallacies." are in very poor
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

You cannot make success in
life unless you at times cultivate
the virtue of sacrificing your own
comfort that others may be happy.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23
CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS.

The tendency in man to be in
cited to betterment of his con-
dition is, happily, stimulated by
the yearly recurrence of days set
aside to honor the leaders of men
whose personality and works are
craven on every milestone Of hu-
man progress. Among these
special days none stand out SO
prominently or are recalled with
such genuine feeling as that day
of days that ushered into the world,
in human form, the Savior of man.
kind. It matters not what your
particular religious belief IS, or
whether you have any belief
you still have a reverence for
Christmas, and the happy men,
cries of childhood connected with
it.
Aside from all religious beliefs,
the most arrogant agnostic, atheist
or free-thinker admits that on this
day nearly 1900 years ago the most
remarkable man ever known in
history was ushered into the world.
No historian questions the fact
that such a man lived. His divin-
ity has been secuted by a very
small school of atheists, but not a
one of them deny that as human
he lived and was a wonderful
power, the more SO from the fact
that possessing the rare genius
envied by rulers he mingled with
the poorest of the poor and sought
his followers among the outcasts.
And our brilliant Col. Ingersoll of
today, though disavowing Christi
anity in it's divine attributes, pays
the words of the NaZarene the most
glowing tribute in saying that the
Bible is the grandest book ever
written.
The life of Christ. taken simply
as the man-as the humble Naz-
arene-ever has and ever will be
the grandest stimulant to the
downtrodden and unfortunate in
all climes, and at all times. And
we, who, at our worst, still re-
spect the faith of our fathers and
the gentle teaching received at a
mothers knee. should honor the
day in it's holy aspect as we'll as
in it's mere holiday feature.
1t is the grandest possible trib-
ute to religion that men reared by
Christian parents, though they
may become outlawed thieves and
debased libertines, always have a
corner in their heart that with
stands the vicissitudes of a licenti-
Gus, turbulent life: and this corneris
reserved for an undying love fol-
parents, brothers and sisters, and a
respect for the religion that bright
ened and made holy the simple
words poured from the loving
heart of mother. We have often
seen so-called totally depraved men
who in general would scott at re-
ligion as preached to them, but LET
a disrespectful word be said of this
same religion and it's connection
with their parents, and they would
resent it by brute force as we'll as
wordy argument.
On Christmas Day let us all de.
vote few minutes to RETROSPECT.
tive glance over the Christmases
of the past and see if we are as
we'll pleased with the mode of life
that led us here to spend the holi.
day, as we might be with a manly
career that would have led us
gently into pleasanter lines where
we could and should be mer
among men. A glance over the
past will certainly do us no harm
and may lead to giving us true1
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

A MERRY CHRISTMAS to all
friends and enemies alike-is the
earnest wish of The MIRROR.
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23
LIVING FOR A PURPOSE.

experience would compel us to
answer: Leading an aimless, pur--
poseless life. The never-satisfied
wanderers roaming from place to
place without an aim save that of
satisfying the imperative demands
of appetite and vile passion form
the nuclei from which the germs
Of moral decay, anarchy and crime
are fomented.
There are great many plausi-
BILE excuses advanced by social
agitators to account for all the ills
that beset body and soul in this
world; but we fail to discover any
of these agitators who are willing
to delve into the full depths of
misery and bring to the light of
reason the original, individual
cause Of moral decay. Why?
Their occupation would be gone;
and the true reason would not
please their auditors half as we'll as
do the rhetorical gems that lay the
blame upon the shoulders of some
body else. We all know how
pleasing it is to be told that the
oppressive this and that is the
cause of our misfortunes; and we
all love to pat our manly breast in
caressing manner as the mental
II told you So convinces us that
we are heroes who have been the
victims of villainous circumstances.
But upon sober reflection we are
compelled to give some credence
to the teaspoonful of modest brain
that raps on our left ear and says
"My boy, you did it yourself with
your own little Ratchet of careless.
aimless living
If man has an honest purpose
in life he will be morally honest
and honestly happy. He may not
have mansion to live in; he may
not have a Moquet carpet on his ,
parlor floor nor Haviland china
on his table, but he will have more
real happiness in his home, re-
spect in his shop, and rich red
corpuscles in his blood than the
bloated speculator who has
brought insomnia upon himself by,
lying awake solving interest prob
lens in mental arithmetic.
We all assume that we are liv-
ing for the happiness that is to be
derived from a life of freedom;
and we conceive that this is a
noble and the only purpose of
living Such is correct in the alb
stract; but we must first of all
remember that real happiness is
the result of a purpose in life and
not Of itself direct purpose. The
man who. starts out in life-as
many of us have done with the
direct pursuit of pleasure as his
sole aim, is as sure to fall as is the
rubber sphere thrown on faring
roof. He may have millions at
his disposal yet he can never cap
ture happiness by direct pursuit:
unless he has some higher pur-
pose in life, the amusements that
at first thrilled him will pail upon
him as the sight of tempting eat
ables nauseates the dyspeptic.
And if it is thus with the rich
man how much more so should the
moderately. circumstanced have an
aim in life that will act as a sweet
leaven to produce the true hap
piness that is the result of earnest
purpose!
Be something; be somebody:
have an aim in life if it is nothing
more than being a frst-class hod-
carrier, shoveler or mechanic as
your ability will permit; a good
railroad Jerry" is of more use in
this world, and will have more
pleasure out of it, than the man
who has the garnet under his hat
crammed full of impracticable
The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1897-12-23

This paper will be forwarded to subscribers
until ordered discontinued and all arrears are
maid
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1897-12-17

| Some nen in saloon were juyru,
rag stories 10 pass away the time. They
tad all had turn nj it except an ole
sailor who had remained silent all thu
tue, until pressed by the others TO spiu
them Il yarn. He began;
Il was once in dreadful storm, All
The provisions were was he'd overheard
l was very i'll, and ate nothing for four
days; at the end OF that time began ia
feel hungry. and the steward gave me
beef, chicken, port wine and eggs"
but You said att the provisions were
washed overheard. Where did the beef
come from|'
Prom the bullocks" (bulwurksl. said
the old sailor
sand where did you get the chickens
froin?"
From the hatch"
And the port wiue?'
From the porihole,'
AND the eggs?'
Eggs" said The sailor, II didn't
say eggs, did H."
oh. Yes you did" said the men. I'VE
have caught you now,"
S8The old sailor thought he was cauyht
and mad to consider. At last he snii.
oh, yes; I did hive eggs. The car.
tain ordered the ship to lay to, and h.
9A.vs ~ one. buffalo Times.