davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-08
Shocking Suicide of Fred w. Pratt at
AshueIOt.

The suicide of Fred w Pratt at Ashuelot
Sunday morning was a very sad affair
Young Pratt was but IS years of age. He
used 30 calibre revolver to end his life
He was the only son of Mr. and Mrs Hen
~ Pratt and committed the deed at about
10 o'clock Sunday morning He arose at
his usual hour and after performing few
household labors, as was his custom, went
out on the street, stopping at several places,
procured a Sunday paper, returned home
and sat down in the sitting room, and after
talking with his mother awhile, apparently
became Interested in the contents of the
paper.
His mother stepped into the adjoining
room to perfor IL a few minor duties. Her
son came to the door and watched her for
a moment, went back to his chair and plac
ing the revolver against the right temple
fired. Mrs Pratt, hearing the shot, rush
ed to his side but he had expired. Death
must have come instantly, as he did not
fall to the floor, but lay in reclining posi-
ton in the chair
The young man had been in failing health
for some time and was obliged to leave
school on that account. He was subject TO
meancholia and at times very respondent.
He attended to his duties at the post office
and store on Saturday as usual.
Funeral services were held at the home
at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon, Rev. j.
H. Little of Winchester officiating. The
floral offerings we're numerous and beauti-
full. The burial was at Evergreen Gene
terry at Winchester.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-08
OVERWORKED WOMEN.
Who Have Been Helped From
Sickness Health.

The ordinary life of readm work
tnanfnl and
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-08
BONNEVILLE.

Cora Kendall has returned to Mortified
seminary after spending a short vacation
at home
Mrs. f. c. Benson and baby daughter
returned TO her home in BrattlebOro last
week after spending several weeks at E.
l. Kendalls.
Mrs. Melinda johnson died April l..
She had been afflicted with epilepsy for
several years and had been for several
months confined to her bed. She lived
with her son, Irving Johnson, who has
cared for his mother through all these
years. The funeral was from the Metho-
dist church Tuesday, Rev. Mr. Putnam
officiating. Mrs. johnson has been a con-
sistent Christian for years.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-04-08

Frank Bean and family moved Friday to
Norwich, Conn.
Mrs L. p Wise is having her millinery
opening this week
Geo n. Smith is confined to the house
with malarial trouble.
]. H. Britton has bought Frank Chris
tian's horse and buggy.
Alfred Wells of Boston is at Hotel Ashue-
lot for his annual stay.
VIM. j. Haycock of Boston is at Mrs. c.
r. Woods for the summer.
F. w. Cotton has taken charge of the
telegraph office at the post-ofiice.
Henry Taft and family have moved into
Will Fales's house on the Plain road.
Charles S. Carkin has just been granted
patent on his adjustable harness rack.
Miss Gertrude Leach returned to the
Boston conservatory of music Thursday.
Sydney Darling has gone to New Brit
ain, Conn, to take charge of a milk route.
E. A. Worden is building a ~ by 30 foot
addition in the rear of his barn on High
street
Carl I. Richards and Clarence D. Fay
are home from Dartmouth for the Easter
vacation.
Stephen P Gallup and daughter of Hing
ham, Mass, are visiting his sister, Mrs. a.
j. Clark.
Mrs. Geo. X. Parsons of Hartford, Conn.
is at her sisters, Mrs Phillip Leduc's, for
few weeks
Frank W. Rouillard is home from the
Baltimore medical college for the spring
and summer.
Frank lacey and family have gone to
| housekeeping in Chas. Frary's tenement
on Glenn street.
Henry Fairman has hired the Hinsdale
and Vernon ferry of n. NJ. Worden and
will have it in running order by Saturday.
Mrs. VIM. Crowley and daughter OF
Hartford, Conn, are at her parents, Mr..
and Mrs. John Donovan's, for a short stay
Geo. Booth has gone to Fitchburg, Mass,
to live with his grandmother while he com
pletes his course in the Fitchburg High
school.
Mrs. E. A. Stebbins has bought the house
on River street owned by John O'Brien and
occupied by her son Walter. The price
paid was $500.
Miss Margaret NJ. Healey of the Univer
sity of Vermont at Burlington, made g
short stay with her sister, Miss Katharine
and relatives in town this week.
Bert Mcdonald has left the employ Of
Newhall & Stebbins's machine shop anC
taken position as fireman at the Halle s
Frost Manufacturing company's mill,
Rev l.. NJ. Wilde is contemplating two
months visit in his native country, Belgi
UNI, where he has not been for over ?;
years. He will start the first week in May
c. E. Cramer is suffering from bruised
face and blackened eye, the result of hi
bicycle slipping from under him, causing a
more hasty dismount than he is accustomed
to make.
Four indictments were found against tn,
man who passed bogus checks on four o.
our merchants last fall. They appeared
against him at Keene Wednesday and he
will probably serve year in state prison
for each offence.
The Red Men will hold their second an
nual ball at the town hall Friday evening
April 49, There will be dancing from 8:3
to 1:30, with music furnished by the Hins
dale brass band. Refreshments will b
served in the hall.
Mrs. Geo. T. Winston of Austin, Texas
and daughter, Miss Isabella Boyd, and Mas
The herald., 1898-04-07

known. or had the reports OF the Cuban
consuls. still withheld because Of their
exciting disclosures. been published on
that or the succeeding morning. who can
doubt that war would not actually be in
progress today?
These things being conceded, 1t is next
to impossible to forecast accurately
what may take place any moment at the
national capital. what effect the presi-
dents message may have upon the two
houses, what control the leaders may
have over the ordinarily subservient ele-
ments Of the national legislature. The
only safe guide for the average reader
Is to take all he sees in the public prints
cum grano sails. He need not, for in
stance necessarily believe, simply be-
cause he saw It In an exclusive dis
patch" that the flying squadron has
been ordered to engage the Spanish
fleet. That particular bit Of information
may have been intended solely for
Spanish consumption.
The Herald thus animadverts by way
Of caution. It will continue to print
the news" as gathered by its alert rep
resentatives at the storm centers. 1t
may not so easily verify all that It
prints.
The herald., 1898-04-07
UNCLE SANS NAVY

The demand for inform alton respect
ing our navy has become SO greet that
the ordinary sources Of supply no long
or suffice to satisfy it. The public, while
eagerly devouring whatever news is
published, also seek such knowledge Of
our naval resources rs pictures alone
can furnish. since these appeal more
clearly to the perceptions than printed
descriptions, and are thus a pleasure for
the eye as well as satisfaction to the
intelligence. To fulfill this patriotic
desire and to stimulate loyal sentiment
this portfolio series has been prepared,
easch part OF which will contain six
teen pages, 11x13x inches in size, and
as many superb photograp hic illustra-
tions printed on heavy plate paper,
b0nnd in colOred paper covers.
These views will embrace our great
battleships, cruisers, monitors. gun
boats, torpedo boats, coast defense
boats, dynamite cruisers, auxiliary ves-
sells, portraits of naval commanders,
ship crews, officers and men, drill ex-
ercises, big guns. ETC., each picture be-
ing accompanied by all needful text
information.
In addition to these illustrations,
there will be original pictures repre-
senting the explosion of the battleship
map of Cuba, supplemented by facts
historic and explanatory, that will az
ford a complete understanding not only
of our naval efficiency, but also of the
provocations that prompted to the max
ing Of war preparations against prob
able hOstilities.
There will be six portfolios, published
in weekly issues, the first Of which will
be ready for delivery about April 10.
The herald., 1898-04-07

ment dividing the appropriation between
San Pedro and Santa Monica.
There is nothing to be feared from
such q move. 1t would come under the
head Of new legislation to be ruled out
on a point of order. and 1t is impossible
to believe that the senate would enter
tain the proposition on its merits. Sena-
tor Stewart can only have taken the re-
sponsibility of such an absurd idea under
pressure from his friend. c. P. Hunting
ton.
Thus the San Pedro harbor project
has emerged triumphantly from an
other stage of it's troublous progress
toward consummation. The president
will undoubtedly sign the sundry civil
bill as it comes to him unless for some
unforeseen reason he should veto 1t as a
whole. He would hardly dare to single
out a single item like the San Pedro
harbor for disapproval, even to please
that mighty creditor Of the Republican
party who presides over the destinies
of the Southern Pacific company.
Let us rejoice, but, at the same time,
let us eschew growing. We are not yet
out of the woods. The harbor seems safe,
but experience has been a hard teacher
in this particular matter. When the
contract shall have been awarded and
the work actually begun, 1t will then be
time to '1et loose"
The herald., 1898-04-07
TO THE MEN WHO LOSE

Here's to the men who lose!
What though their work be e'er 30 nobfy
planned
And watched with jealous care.
No glorious halo crowns their enorto
grand,
Contempt Is failures share.
Here's to the men who lose!
II triumph's easy smile our struggles
greet,
Courage is easy then;
The king is he who, after fierce defeat,
Can UP and fight again.
Here's to the men who losei
The ready plaudits of fawning world
Ring sweet in victorS ears;
The vanquished banners never are UNI
furled-
For them there sound no cheers.
Here's to the men who lose!
The touchstone of true worth Is not sucs
cess;
There is a higher test
Though fate may darkly frown, yet one
ward press,
And bravely do ones best
Here's to the men who lose!
It Is the vanquished's praises that sins.
And this the toast choose:
"A hard-fought failure is a noble thin~s
Here's to the men who losei"
--Answsss.
The herald., 1898-04-07
Is THERE CAUSE FOR WARP

Senator Hanna, Senator Elkins, and
other doughface advisers Of the presi-
dent, still insist that this country has
| Possibly not.
Certain it is, however, that some of the
notable wars of modern times have had
less cause.
| A conflict between two rival monas-
teries in Jerusalem, for the keys of the
chapel builded upon the site of the Holy
| Sepulcher occasioned the Crimean war
| with its far-reaching consequences, in
the recognition of united Italy and of the
second Napoleonic dynasty.
Because the king of Prussia turned his
back upon the French ambassador, Ben
edetti, in the promenade at Ems, the
| two great nations met face to face on
the field of Mars, and Sedan followed,
with the overthrow of Napoleon, the
coronation of an emperor over united
| Germany in the French palace at Ver-
| sailles, the bloody reign of the Com
mune, and another republic upon the
| ulHS VI tHC NASTY.
Sumter was fired upon. and the great
est revolution of modern times inaugu-
rated, because a president had been
chosen whose views regarding peculiar
American institution were supposed to
be in conflict with the convictions of a
minority of the people of the country.
| War with Spain may be averted, as
general European conflict has been
averted dozen times during the past
| few years, when a prolongation of peace
seemed wholly beyond the realm of pos
| sibility.
But the "irrepressible conflict" will
at best, only be postponed
A republican government for Cuba is
manifest destiny.
Cuba must be free.
The United States alone can sever the
fetters that bind it to a decadent old
world regime.
1t may we'll be questioned whether it
is probable better opportunity will
ever be presented to us for correcting
our southeastern frontier" banishing
serfdom from the western hemisphere,
and safeguarding the political and COM
mercial interests of the republic in that
quarter.
Since this consummation is conceded
to be inevitable, what profit can there be
in further delay in longer waiting for
stronger ground of action?
Every consideration of national inter-
est and national safety and national
peace demands that a heroic remedy be
applied, and applied now, without wait
ing for the consent of any other nation"
single broadsde now may cure the
| evil.
1t may avert a longer and a more
stubborn and vastly more expensive war
in the future.
The peace of generations may, indeed,
turn upon the vgor and determination
with which the issue is met by the gov
ernment of this country this week.
The herald., 1898-04-07
Speaking Of Fish Stories

"In our part Of the states" said the Far
Wester. I'VE have salmon river which is
fed from some boiling springs. As the
fish work up the river they encounter the
warmer water. but so gradually that they
become acclimatized, as 1t were and feel
no inconvenience from the increasing Heat.
So much so, in fact. that when we 60
fishing in the highest reaches we catch
them already boiled!"
You don't say! Well, now" chimed In
the Canadian; that reminds me that in
our part of the world We have a salmon
river which has its rise in some tin mines.
AS the fish work up they meet the suspend
ed ore in such gradually increasing guam
titles that they get quite used to it. and by
the time they get within a few miles OF the
head Of the river We catch the salmon
ready timed, and all We have to do is to
pack and ship it."-Augling Done Here.
The herald., 1898-04-07
Agreed With the Chronicle

The Chronicle has been asked several
times what it was lighting Bob Evans
said, that is causing him to be so extern
sively quoted. Fighting Bob had just been
reading the Cotton Chronicle to his men
on board his ship, the Iowa. when he re-
marked, ''Well, boys, I agree with that
great religious paper. the Cotton Chron-
icle, where it says that If they will give
me and Fitzhugh Lee ten thousand men, in
sixty days there will be nothing spoken in
hi but Spanish. ."-Colton Chronicle.
The herald., 1898-04-07
CONSIDER NEWS EcLEcT1cALLY

In forecasting probable events consid-
erable allowance should be made for
what may be deemed the necessities of
diplomacy, in the science Of which. let
us hope, the ministers of our own coun-
try are gaining some knowledge.
It is worthy Of note that the telegram
of last week, announcing the sudden de-
parture of the Spanish torpedo flotilla
from the Canaries for Porto Rico,
which, taken without grain Of salt,
threw congress and the country into an
uproar, and came nearly precipitatfng a
rid, and was unquestionably authorized
by the Spanish government. The news
did not reach Spanish ears-it was in
.ended solely for American consumption.
The denial Of the report, withheld as
long as was prudent, had it's origin like
wise in the same quarter. Similar re-
ports, stamped with more or less of
authenticity and of plausibility, have
been sent out from Madrid and Havana,
if not, indeed, from Washington.
The proverbial enterprise of American
newspapers, coupled with the national
habit of talking in public, has rendered
inflaming the country and arousing it
to the highest pitch of excitement. Their
great power for good or evil has thus
been strkingly accentuated by the
L. u,
congress has been vested the sole pre-
rogative of declaring war, the power OF
the press in forcingsits hand is scarcely
denied.
The completeness Of our system of
rapid communication by wire reduces
the distance between the people and
their representatives to single hour of
time. The breakfast-table impulses of
for congressional assimilation at the
MONDAY repast, and we hazard little in
the suggestion that the wires are daily
burdened with suggestions from the in
terror, from individuals and associations
as to what congress should do in the
emergency. SO sensitive, indeed, is con-
gress at this time to the dominating
sentiment of the country that it is likely
at any moment to break away from all
rules and other restraints, from all
pledges and plans and programs. and
proceed to the speedy fulfillment Of the
popular will. To this extent, and we be-
lieve the estimate is not overdrawn, its
attitude measurably justifies the for
eign designation, "a crazy congress"
liable to be taken off its feet at any
moment. 1t thus nearly passed beyond
control on Tuesday Of last week, when
the impassioned speeches of Thurstou
and other senators were followed by a
deluge of bellcose resolutions. Had the
facts that have since come to light re-
garding the Maine disaster then been
The herald., 1898-04-07
MIR. BALFoUR's SPEECH

In the meantime Great Britain is hav.
ing trouble of her own. Her premier
Lord Salisbury, seems to be like oul
own President Mckinley, a man Of ir.
resolute and waiting disposition. and
even his own party finds it expedient te
apologize for him and his policy rather
than to defend them.
In the house of commons Tuesday Mr.
Balfour, acting secretary of state fol
foreign affairs, made statement re-
statement has since been described as
a recital Of the advantages Russia has
obtained in China, apparently at the
expense Of Great Britain, with no com.
pensating advantages gained by the
latter country.
Sir Charles Dixie described the situ-
alton from the point of view of the oppo-
sition when he declared that the leasing
of Wal Hal Wei was merely sop thrown
to disarm criticism. The port is value
less, unless it is fortified, and the gov
ernment has never answered the ques-
tion whether it was proposed to so de-
fend the place.
The most important feature Of Mr..
Balfour's speech was his indirect appeal
to the commercial nations of the world to
join in preventing Russia from absorb
ing the Chinese trade. At this distance
the idea of forming such an alliance
seems absurd. The United States might,
if it became necessary, give moral
strength to the policy of free commerce;
indeed it would naturally be in favor of
such an arrangement. But it is not easy
to believe that Germany and France
would join with Great Britain in send
ing Russia even a commercial ulti-
matum.
The speech really looks like confes-
sion Of weakness on the part Of Great
Britain, but it is weakness of the ad-
ministration rather than of the people
John Bull will never give up what he
considers to be his rights without a
fight The Asiatic war cloud is by no
means dissipated.
The herald., 1898-04-07

why General Lee was not earlier In
structed to leave Havana. and bring out
with him all Americans who might de-
sire to leave the city.
Later the very natural inquiry will
obtrude itself. why the president and
his advisers were so obtuse as not to
anticipate what was so certain to take
place; why he failed to recognize in ad-
vance the peril in which Americans In
Cuba would be placed, by the trans
initial to congress Of message which
the world had but little difficulty in
seeing would be tantamount to a dec
laration Of war.
| Later the people may wish to know
why General Lee was forced to the ex-
pedient Of demanding protection for his
own life, and the lives of other Ameri-
cans on the island, contrary to the usual
custom of governments whose repre-
sentatives and subjects are endangered
by the enforcement Of national policies.
The president will not be pressed for
an answer to these questions now. From
them he cannot, however. hope to en-
tirely escape, nor will it be easy for his
administration to shift the responsible
ity for advantages lost to us, and gained
by Spain, by reason of the delay ne
cessitated by its lamentable lack OF fore
sight in an emergency that has steadily
progressed through all the stages of
delicacy and seriousness to gravity.
1t is enough for the purposes Of the
hour that an appeal for delay that could
not be resisted has been accepted, and
that there remains to the people no other
alternative but to wait, with whatever
Of fortitude and patience and compos-
ure they may command, until Americans
in Cuba are removed from the danger
Of assassination by infuriated subjects
of nation that is thus confessed to be
no longer governed by the usages Of CIV
ilized warfare.
In this emergency we all have double
duty, duty to country and its president
"a duty to pass oven his faults and his
errors, to piece out his imperfections
with our thoughts-to stand loyalty by
while he yet commands US as nation of
soldiers.
Thousands at his bidding speed
And post o'er land and ocean without rest;
They also serve who only stand and wait.
1t is we'll to note that the withdrawal
of ministers and consuls from the cap
ital Of a country, under the usages of
nations, follows rather than precedes
declaration of war.
The consul general in Havana, and
consular and commercial agents sta
toned at various points on the island
have been ordered to quit the country.
Otherwise the plea for delay is not based
upon a true statement of fact
Is not the withdrawal of all represent
atives Of the government from the island
practical declaration of war?
1t is at all events confession that an
avoidance of hostilities is no longer re-
garded by the administration as possible.
The herald., 1898-04-07
THE PLEA OF HUMANITY

Another summons on the national pa
thence has been issued, and it goes with
out saying that it will be honored in the
when the f1oodgates of patriotism were
just about to yield to the pressure OF
accumulated energy, and seek ven.
in all-encompassing effort.
So intensely wrought up were the
feelings Of the American people, on yes
terday, that mere hint of another days
delay, for any other reason than the
one advanced, might indeed have men,
aced the public peace.
Another plea for time, in which to
handy words with diplomats or minis
tries, might have produced a state Of
anarchy in the congested centers. II
certainly would have provoked the peo-
pie to violent demonstrations of disap-
proval, and rendered deliberate actor
by congress difficult if not impossible.
Any doubt as to the perfect good faith
Of the president in Withholding at the
last moment his long promised message
would have been fatal to its favorable
consideration at the hands of congress
or the people.
The slightest intimation that the
country was being tricked, in the interest
of solution not in accord with the pat
riotic determination to secure indie
pendence for Cuba. at whatever cost
hox CT
against the administration that would
have left it stranded and helpless, abso-
lutely engulfed in mighty sea Of popu-
lar Indignation.
Naught but the potency Of the plea
for time that was advanced by the pres-
dent saved the day and averted serious
crisis in the national capital
The plea, fortunately, was the plea of
humanity, the plea Of military neces-
sity.
1t consisted Of brief telegram from
Consul General Lee-in whose Loyalty
and judgment and prudence all have i'm
plicit confidence-to the effect that "the
safety of Americans in Cuba made delay
imperative.
That plea was sufficient for the mem
bers Of the foreign relations committee
of both houses of congress.
It was sufficient for the leaders of the
various political divisions of the ma
tional legislature.
1t was sufficient even for the Hotspurs
Of all the parties in congress.
The telegram said that General Lee
was loading twenty-five hundred Amer
leans upon vessels, preparatory to leav.
ing the enemy's country, and that i!
would be impossible to get them safely
away before Sunday; that the tempe,
Of the Havanese was greatly inflamed
and that the transmittal of the message
at this time might precipitate serious
trouble.
There could be but one answer to such
plea, but one reply to such demand
There was but one thing to do And ii
was done. The message was not sent to
congress.
Later pertinent inquiry may be di-
.rected to the president.
Later he may with propriety be asked
The herald., 1898-04-07
Sand for the Speaker

Before the house assemblies each day
there is placed on the spSaker's desk q
box-shaped tray Of solid silver. Promptly
after the house adjourns 1t is taken back
again to the speakers room. 1t contains
three small bottles. one for red ink. one for
black ink and one for sand, such as was
used In early days for drying ink. before
the time Of blotting paper. The ink tray
is part of the furniture Of the speaker'a
room. and has more than ordinary inter<
est, for It was used by Henry Clay when
he occupied the Speakers chair.