davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31

letter for you. He said it had been in
the office most two weeks"
THANK you, Charlie; my corre-
spondence is so limited l had forgotten
there was such a thing as post office,
and he took the busiuess-like envelope
in his hand and wonderingly tore it
open. II read as follows:
New York, Oct 3, 1s95.-Office Of J. W.
Penniman. Attorney and Counselor at Law.
Mr. II w. Allen, Oakville Corners, Mich
My Dear Sir: For the past two months
l have been looking for your address and
have just this day learned It. / now
hasten to inform you of a very agreeable
turn in your affairs. When your late Ia
mented father became involved in financial
difficulties one of the largest and most val
liable of his steamships. the Dolphin,
bound for the East Indies, was reported
lost in a tropical hurricane. Without at
tempting to inform you of details, which
/ can better explain in person, will simply
say that the supposed loss, followed by
inability to obtain the insurance, came at
a critical time and brought on the failure.
1t now transpires that the report was in
correct. on the 20th of July, only three
weeks after your fathers death, the Dol
phin arrived in this port with an exceed
ingly valuable cargo. By this unexpected
stroke of fortune you are again rich man.
| have very gladly taken charge of your
business interests, believing, sir that you
would wish me to do so, and shall take
the liberty to act in this capacity until l
hear from you.
No doubt you will at once communicate
with me. but thinking it might be an ac-
commOdation TO have little ready cash,
/ fnclose draft on New York for Sl,001.
subject to your order Awaiting your fur
ther Instructions l am your obedient serv-
ant. JOHN w. PENNlMAN.
Herbert read the welcome news in a
dazed sort of way. He reread ii more
carefully, and as its full import dawned
upon him exultation took the place OF
dependency in his breast. He picked
This is indeed a New Years gift! This
little piece Of paper is worth ten times
as much 5s / have earned this whole
term. No more need to worry for the
futurel The news is too good to be
true. Now / can bid defiance to that
august body the school board of the
Brown district"
just then his eye happened to rest
upon some very neat algebraic char
acters on the blackboard which he had
purposely directed mot TO be erased"
in order to attract the wondering atten-
ton of his visitors that afternoon. An
instant change came over his spirits.
Still l would have enjoyed another
term in this district. II is shame that
ones efforts are so little appreciated"
The gathering dusk of a winters day
admonished him not to linger further,
and he began TO gather up his books
with a constantly sinking heart lie
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
USE AND ABUSE OF BROOMS.
Good Care should BE Taken of Th e m
in Order to Insure Well
Swept Floors.

An old broom well kept will sweep
clean for long time. In the first
place, have broom pocket and keep
your broom therein. 1t will pay for its
cost many times in the saving before
its life of usefulness is over. \ broom
not in use should always be kept up
side down, so that the straws fall out
ward. This keeps it in shape. In
sweeping, use first one side and then
the other. If you sweep always on
the same side of your broom it will
soon grow one-sided and have to be
cast aside. When, however, broom
is not badly worn, only mashed out
of shape, it can be Strengthened by
wetting, pulling into shape and drying,
bottom upward.
On sweeping day have a pailful of
warm suds, made by dissolving table
spoonful of pearline in a pail two
thirds full of warm water, and rinse
your broom off whenever it becomes
dusty. A damp brooms sweeps a
dusty surface much better than one
which is bone dry. Have a bag of
heavy cant on flannel to fit your broom,
with drawing-strings to tie around
the handle, and use this over the
broom for shellaeked hard wood floors.
In pursuance of this idea a clever
woman has patented a sweeper for
such floors, fashioned something like
a miniature garden roller, with the
cylinder covered with canton flannel
in several thicknesses. Highly-pol-
ished floors cannot be treated too ten
derly. When done sweeping, pick up
all the lint, ETC., from the straws of
the broom and rinse it before setting
it away. 1t seems superfluous to say
that separate brooms should be kept
for different purposes-that the
kitchen broom should never be used
either for the pavement or for up
stairs. yet most servants must be
watched lest this be done.
Exact that your carpet sweeper
shall be thoroughly cleaned on every
sweeping day, and never put away
dirty. Unlock it over newspaper and
take out every bit of dust, lint and
dirt; then rinse the brush in soap suds
and dry before setting aside.-Chicago
Times-Herald.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31

sef af Director Hathaway and the two
FARMERS were 1rm friends So when the
szasse's son began . make disparaging
remarks asoas tAs tkzeher. and the IA
iAezs whose aastA = his only son WAS
14Asunae5, Id become preiudieed
against sAe yssnE nzn. he mentioned
sAe matter . Re director and easily
persuaded that verify official. whose
a2sntAacs with tie teacher had ex-
tended little farther than had been in
szeezgAl 20 the 6uzy of making 3 con
sz4ci with him thai young Allen WIS
aIe IS too familiar with the scholars and
hasn't enough dignity 10 I'll such a Re
spozsihle position"
Director Hathaway was & man OF
pHampsness and decision, whose viii
mas law with the board. so when he
called his colleagues together and de
lisered the opinion that the teacher was
100 young and inexperienced 10 con
duct the winter term. the assessor and
the moderator meekly aequieseed.
though they both felt in their hearts
that the young man had performed
his duties well.
So il caiae about during the last week
OF the term that Mr.. Allen had been
given formal notice that his services
would not be needed any longer. He
had been greatly surprised and morti-
fed at this announcement, and his pu-
pills had shown their disapproval of the
boards arbitrary action in a way that
threatened open revolt-all but John
Warren, who could hardly repress his
exultation al the turn affairs had taken
One year before this incident Herbert
Allen had been the favored son of a
rich merchant in an eastern city His
mother had long been in the grave and
Herbert had spent most of his boyhood
days in a famous preparatory school.
just as be was ready to enter. college,
financial disaster came upon his father.
resulting in his ruin and subsequent
death. This sudden blow of fate left
Herbert dependent upon his own re-
sources. Young and resolute in char
acter, he made his way to the west and
finally found the congenial work in the
country school which he had pursued
SO happily until cruel fate had again
thrown him upon a selfish world
without the means of employment.
Finally the young ex-teacher. as he
now felt himself 10 be, was aroused
from his reverie by rap at the door.
and before he could collect his wan
dering thoughts a curly-pated lad.
breathless from running, stumbled in
to the room with a letter in his hand.
"say teacher" said the boy, 81 was
down to the corners to get Dads mail
and Mr.. Jones wanted me to fetch this
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
CRANES CARRY SONG BIRDS.
How Some of the Little Fellows Get
Across the Mediterra-
mean Sea.

How ever the little birds contriye to
get across such 7Est expanses of the
sea in their annual migrations is
puzzling question. That they do it Is
unquestionable; it is admitted by the
most competent observers that they
something's get over stretches of bill
lowy brine that for thousand miles
afford no perch for their weary little
claws to clutch on. That such an ex-
tended flight Is too much for them is
not only evident in itself, but is proved
by the fact that these too venture
some songsters sometimes alight on
the rigging of ships in such state Of
exhaustion that, when disturbed, they
are unable to fly the length of the ves-
sci, and occasionally even fall helpless
upon the deck.
An English traveller, who was con-
siderably interested in the birds, hap
pened to be passing the autumn in the
island of Crete, in the Mediterranean,
and he often noticed a sound like the
twittering of small birds at times
when the sandcranes were passing
overhead on their way southwark. AS
the only fowl in sight were the cranes,
this aroused his curiosity and he men
toned the matter to a friend, who
was native of the island, suggesting
that possibly the noise was caused by
the whirring of the feathers of these
great birds. His friend, however, said
no; the noise, he declared, was made
by the song birds that were riding on
the backs of the cranes, and further
asserted that the saucy little fellows
had came all the way from the coast
of Europe with their good-nature
companions, who lent, if not helping
hand, helping back, which was much
more serviceable, as often as needed.
A few days later the Englishman got
pretty conclusive proof of the truth
Of these statements. He was cruising
about in a boat about IS miles from
shore, when another flock of cranes
passed overhead, and he heard the
same twittering notes. He therefore
discharged his gun to see what would
| come of it, and forthwith he saw
three small birds rise up from the
flock in fright. After a short time
they disappeared among the cranes.
The next day he was visiting Cairo,
in Egypt, and observed a great num-
her of wagtails in the palm gardens
| there. After watching them for some
time, as they hoped about and tilted
in the fashion that has given them
| their name, he asked an old Bedouin
chief who stood near how he imagined
they got there, as they always spend
the summer in Europe. The sheik at
once replied: "Yakhamageh (my dear
sir), do you know that these little
birds are borne across the sea by the
| larger ones?"
The traveller put the same question
to couple of Arab donkey boys who
came up to offer him their beasts.
Surely" they cried 'Abu sand
(the stork) has carried them over the
| sea-"
1t is said that Indians of the region
south of Hudson's bay tell n similar
tale of a finch which travels very COM
fortably on the back of the Canada
goose. 1t certainly seems improbable
that a belief so widely disseminated
should be wholly without foundation.
| Pittsburgh Dispatch.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
teacher repaired to the home c

teacher repaired to the home of the di-
rector, he felt that he had been doubly
blessed. Yesterday he was but poor
and unappreciated school-teacher. To
day he is the possessor of snug for
tune and stands vindicated before the
school district! Does the reader won
der which thought gave him greater
pleasure? And the answer which the
young pedagogue gave to the director
that morning; if anyone doubts its
character, the joyful smile which lit
up the sweet face of the directors
daughter when she heard it would have
made further questioning useless.-De-
troit Free Press.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
SCHOOL AND CHURCH.

The University Press at Oxford has
appliances for printing in $50 different
languages.
At the annual school meetings, re-
Gently held in Michigan, a proposition
for free textbooks was defeated.
Archbishop Ireland has been ap.
polnted a member of the Lafayette
memorial commission to the Paris ex-
position.
The Southern Presbyterian church
now numbers over $4,000 members.
This is about double the number Of 20
years ago
California is preparing to establish
an experiment station and school OF
instruction in the grating and plant
ing of vines.
The Congregational Church Erec-
ton society has in the As years OF its
existence received $3,250,245. 1t has
aided in the erection of 2,Ss7 churches
and 600 parsonages.
Charlotte Yonge, the author, Is 10
years old and there is movement on
foot in England to honor her by the
establishment of memorial scholar
ship for girls in tie high school at
Winchester.
The town in England best provided
with places of worship is the ancient
one of Rochdale, where there are 145
churches and ehapels. Fifty belong
to the Church of England and 95 to the
Nonconformists.
The report of the council of the Brit
ish Baptist union mentions steady in
crease in the number of churches,
ehapels, members, Sabbath school
teachers and scholars, local preachers
(5,621 as against 4,s5s last year,, and
pastors in charge (2,O06 against 1889
but decrease in baptisms from 49,.
113 to 1880. The total receipts of the
various funds footed up to s105,390
and the expenditures to $4,000.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
Learning How to Learn.

Sir James Paget spoke upon one oe-
,asion of the Importance of learning
to learn" and showed that knowledge.
not Immediately useful in itself, may
bs the means of developing the power
Of learning. The cultivation of the
faculty of knowing is Of ineompara-
lively greater Importance than the
mere acquisitions; and 10 the student.
this faculty so developed that when
need arises knowledge may be quick
~ obtained, is a better provision for
the business of life than is afforded by
the largest and richest stores Of in
formation packed away in memory.
Then the brain property most worth
carrying about is the power Of finding
At pleasure al learning at will pre-
cisely what is ueeded. Detroit Free
Press.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY.
Illinois has s5,ooo,OoO invested in
nurseries,

Illinois has s5.ooo,OOO invested In
nurseries.
\ needle machine turns out a MIL
lion and half OF needles in week.
Flour nodded into bricks by ny.
araulic pressure is reduced two.
thirds in bulk, and rendered proof
against damp.
Anew catalogue Of the higher plants
Of North America north OF Mexico
has 14,5s4 entries, including Is palms
and s1O orchids.
As an evidence OF how rapidly the
forests OF Pennsylvania are being cut
sway, it is cited that in lSss West
moreland county had l53,7l7 acres OF
timber land. and within the past ten
years there has been a decrease Of
over $1,000 q this timber area.
\ new remedy fer rheumatism has
been successfully tested in the County
hospital, Chicago. The treatment con-
sists in the application of intense dry
heat. This is effected by means OF a
machine into which the leg. arm, hand,
or even the entire body is placed, and
isolated from the outer air.
Many thousands of coffee plants
have been raised from seed during the
last few years and distributed in Flor
| IDA. California and some parts OF
Texas. but its growth as furnishing a
product for entering into commerce
| is as yet problematieal. Authorities
on coffee culture eoncede that coffee
cannot grow profitably where the TEN.
perature falls as low as so degrees +.
One of the latest marvels Of little
things is the taking of pictures
through the lens of an insects eye
I'VE are filed with astonishment,
saws Mr.. F. ". Saxby, when we reflect
that from a dragon fiy's head we could
obtain $4,000 perfect lenses, so minute
that a million OF them would not cover
a square inch, and yet each be capable
OF yielding recognizable photo
graph.
In a work on the algal flora of tht
| Hamburg waterworks, Herr o. Stroh
meyer states that the green algae-
Cladophora. Spirogyra, Enteromor
| pha. Stichococcus, etc.-have a very
powerful effect in purifying water By
the destruction of bacteria through
the agency of the oxygen which the!
exhale. Those algae, on the othei
hand, which are inelosed in muclia
ginous sheath. especially diatoms
have very prejudicial effect on drink
ing water, by stopping the filter
through which 1t passes.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31

had nearly completed his task when
heavy footsteps and deep-toned voices
in the hallway attracted his attention
and in walked Director Hathaway,
Moderator Stevens and Assessor SIM
mons.
Good evening. gentlemen" was the
pleasant salutation of the ex-sehool
master.
Good evening. replied the director,
in 5 somewhat embarrassed tone. sAe
hardly expected 10 find you here 50
late. But we've jest had board meet
ing down TO ny house and was On our
way 10 YOUR boarding place. Seein the
door aiar. we thought maybe as you was
still in the sehaelhouse, and % We
stopped in. As ! Was s sayin,. Ar.
Teacher. we've lest had board meet.
IN. and we have come 10 the unanimous
conclusion TO reconsider our former ae-
tion and ask ye 70 stay the winter term.
As I've been sayin' 10 Mr.. Stevens and
Mr.. Simmons, perhaps we WAS 8 little
haSty in our course. The teacher has
taught us a coed school. there ain : NJ
eittin' around II. and guess we've been
a little prejudieed. l know my Helen
never took so much interest in her
studies before. Then another thing
that has convinced Us that we ought 10
reconsider our action was the solemn
way in which the scholars felt bout
your leavin'. There's my daughter, for
instance she has been mOpin' around
the house ever senee We sent you notice,
and last night after school the whole
crowd of scholars came traipsin' down
10 my house with petition askin Is
te reconsider our vote. So, Mr. Teach
er. we have thought best 10 yield 10 al
this pressure and ask you 10 stay. What
is more, we've decided to raise your
wages to $50 month
During this long speech the spirits Of
the young man again rose to an exuIt-
ant pitch. but he replied in calm and
dignifed tone. which the gathering
darkness helped him TO assume:
Gentlemen. II is indeed gratifying
10 me that you have thus vindicated me
from the suspicion of failure in my
work But whether l can accept your
offer at this late day is question which
cannot decide without some reflection.
The generosity Of your offer to raise my
wages is appreciated, though l shall
decline to accept the increase. I will
carefully consider your kind offer and
leave my decision with Director Hath
away tomorrow morning"
The interview was now ended. and the
board solemnly and with some surprise
at the Independent but perfectly eour.
teous manner of the youthful master,
| withdrew.
New Years morning, as the young
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
UMBRELLAS OF TO-DAY.
They Were Formerly All Made of StIk
or Cotton-Many Are Now Made
of Mixed Fabrics.

Formerly umbrellas were made Of
either cotton or silk. Now very
large proportion of the umbrellas ear
ried are made of mixture of cotton
and silk. The mixtures are made in
various weights and weayes and in
various combinations of the materials.
Some are half cotton and half silk,
and some contain as little as ten per
cent of silk. The umbrellas made Of
these mixtures cost more than cot
ton umbrellas and less than those OF
silk. They are lighter than cotton and
they wear better and look better.
Those made of the finer qualities OF
the mixture may very easily be mis-
taken for silk.
OF all the umbrellas produced in this
country about 80 per cent. are now
made of cotton, and about 40 per cent,
of the mixed fabrics, the rest being
of silk. The proportion of umbrellas
made of the mixed fabrics is still in
creasing. All the cotton fabrics used
in making umbrellas in this country
are manufactured here. The mixed
fabrics are all imported, and of the
silks about half are imported.
Umbrella silks are made in many
weights and weaves. Years ago SILK
umbrellas in dark green and dark gar
net were not uncommon, but now UNI
brellas of such color are rarely if ever
seen. The most common color for UNI
brellas is black, though there are made
some silk umbrellas, designed for eth
er sun or rain, of changeable silk, and
some of plain silk.
There were formerly made fine silk
umbrellas with a greater number OF
ribs than those now carried. The eX'
ira ribs have now been dropped to get
rid of the weight. American umbrel'
las Of whatever material or quality are
the lightest made in the world, as they
are likewise in every way the sight
liest.-N. Y. Sun.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
PUNGENT PARAGRAPHS.

Wonderful Child.-"That is mir. ia,
tle boy of the Smiths" "Remarkas,.
30. Even the neighbors like him ~
Cincinnati Enquirer.
"The real hero" exclaimed the rs.
cruit, whom his old Springfield had
kicked in the chest, sis the man behind
the gun!"-Detroit Journal.
Mrs. Brown-"I don't know what wa
are going to do. There is not tbins
In the house to eat" Uncle Georgee
"You might take boarders."-Boston
Transcript.
The grand yizier was ambitious. 81
think" said he, that my head will he
on a medal some day." Hal" said the
caliph. Good idea! I'll have it struck
off at once!"-Indianapolis Journal.
"My impression is" oracularly be.
gan the tall boarder, that Spain is 90.
ing to cede-" at would be more cor.
rect" interrupted the solemn boarder
ito say she has gone to seed.'-Judge.
How did you like the show last
night?" Great! Best l ever saw.
House was packed and the people went
wild with enthusiasm. They killed a
spaniard in every Chicago Daily
News.
Citizen-"The most terrible change
of all was at San Juan, was it not?t
Soldier-"No. The most terrible
charge l saw was on board the trans.
port. Fifty cents apiece for a sand.
wichl"-Town Topics.
Multum in Parvo.-The Sporting
Editor-"That young jockey who is to
get $4,000 year weighs but 0.
pounds" The City Editor" Mother
proof of the value of condensing. y
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
'It is quite an honor, I'm sure" said
the mosquito, in reference to the bar
al the window, that this should be put
up solely on my account" "The gal
of the creature!" exclaimed tho fly
"I'd like to know where I ,y.-.e ia2'-
Boston Transcript.
As to Color.-Once a book aceostet
a newspaper, although they were by
no means in the same set. you arr
yellow with age" remarked the book
NO" replied the newspaper, its no
so much age as competition. .'-Detroi
journal.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
Fighting Men of Europe.

Every ninth person in France Is a
rained soldier, and one more out Of
he remaining eight is liable 10 be
.alled upon TO fight. In Germany
here is one soldier TO every dozen per-
ions-every sixth male. The Austrian
army is made up of every eleventh
lerson in the empire, and the Italian
irmy consists of one-seventh Of the
male population. The population Of
Russia is so great that in spite Of the
,normous. army of the car, only one
ierson out of every fourteen is a sol
lier. Great Britain has only one sol.
Ter. including reserves and volunteers.
o every 55 persons, and only one
amily out of every eleven contributes
4 soldier for the defense of the British
impirs. Chicago Chronicle.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31

Frou the 6x-kasss zzss l1sAts
Burden q M vxssfsz asss
Fragments - n aHaSsa AoG-s
BuE5i-g promises sAzs grew
Nsvsr irgQ s-Taiz - Sewers
Happiness rzigss akvs waz-
Worthy deeds ] zzEAt aaVs E-o1Eai
x-o-rS ] hate. 1t sd 81 Shul.
Gooa ! crave 81 1sFs- sought
A. ny Vrou6 Azz aas1E Ans
Nlthsr~5 aoE . Tzzz regret
Essale. 1oo1isa Ex t1e Ell
- 70 nobls pu-ToSs sci
Take them al. NJ grsefs. my soys
lay them al tie Fathers feet;
He EiIl search Il yei there be
Md the chat sone grains Of wheat.
He Efn fan my faint resolves
To purer fame and clear.
Bear TO Heaven my hearts desire,
Angel Of the parting year
And angel Of the coming year,
Though thy face is vailed. see
By the glory round thee shed,
Thou hast some good gift for me.
Is IL gold, power. or fame?
Perfect peace from toll or care7
Or some sweeter. greater bliss
| had never hoped 10 share?
Nay, know it's none of these:
still / walk my narrow ways
Still does lowly labor fill
All the measures OF my days.
This the treasure thou hast brought,
PriEed in every age and cline,
Life no greater boon can crave
Gods most precious gift of Time.
Time to shape my common cares
Into duties high and sweet:
Time to learn that patience smooths
All rough ways for tired feet:
Time to scatter here and there,
BY the wayside. loves small seed.
Knowing lowliest hands may oft
Minister to highest need.
So may each day be cup
With life's sweet fiayors fraughti
Every hour a shining pearl
Strung on golden threads of thought:
Every moment a bright flower
Shedding perfume far and near.
Lend thy grace to make 1t SO,
Angel of the coming yearl
Susan Marr Spaiding, in N. Y. Weekly
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
No Mystery.

Cook, who is that policeman saw in
the kitchen just nowY'
me brother, nam"
MY last cook said he was her
brother"
Then, nam, most likely she wasmy
siEter.'-lllustrated American.
The Van Buren press., 1898-12-31
Fragile Material.

Hobbs makes an entirely new set
of resolutions every New Years day"
"What is that for?"
"Well-he thinks those that he broke
lest yeer were of no account. De
troit Free Press.