davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
The Ideal American Citizen as Des-
CriDcu by Robert Grant

The American citizen of the finest type
is essentially man or woman of simple
character, and the effect of our institu-
tons and mode of thought, when rightly
appreciated, is to produce simplicity. The
American is free from the glamour or
prejudice which results from the con-
sclous or unconscious influence of the lay
figures of the old political, social or re-
iglous world; from the glamour of royal
ty and vested caste, Of an established or
dominant church, of aristocratic, monk
lsh, or military privilege. He is neither
impelled nor allured to subject the liber-
ty OF conscience or opinion to the con-
forces Of society. For him the law of
the state, in the making of which he has
voice, and the authority of his own
Judgment are the only arbiters of his
conduct. He accords neither to fineness
Of race nor force of intellect the
right Of aristocratic exclusiveness
claimed. TO the clustered nun he
devotes no special reverence; he
sees i'll the naughty and condescend
ing fine gentleman an object for the eX
ercise Of his humor, not of servility; he is
indifferent to the claim of all who by
reason Of self-congratulation or ancient
custom arrogate to themselves special
privileges on earth, or special privileges
unalloyed by shallow conceit, begets
quiet self-respect and simple honesty of
Judgment. eminently serviceablc in the
struggle to live wisely
10 the best citizen of every nation the
most interesting and vital Of all ques-
lions is what we are here for, what men
and women are seeking to accomplish,
velopment. For Americans of the best
type, those who have learned to be rever-
ent without losing their independence and
without sacrifice of originality, the prob
lem of living is simpIifed through the
elimination of the influence of these SYM
bols and conventions. Their outlook is
not confused or deluded by the specious
dogmas of caste. They perceive that the
attainment of the welfare and happiness
of the inha bitants Of earth is the pur-
pose of human struggle, and that the
free choice and will of the majority as to
what is best for humanity as whole
is to be the determining force of the fut-
ture.-Robert Grant in Scribner's.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
Wanted to Get Even.

The friend found the pretty girl who
earns living teaching music staring
blankly at the wall, says the Detroit
Free Press.
What on earth is the matter?" de-
manded the friend; you look as if you
were in trance.'
did You see him." asked the pretty
music teacher, family.
See whom?'
THAT horrid man who just went out"'
And the pretty music teacher shuddered.
"1f that man insulted you. why didn't
you call the police?' demanded the
friend.
Il am afraid that the police wouldn't
have anything to do with it. l have been
giving his daughter lessons on the piano
lately, and l instructed her to practice
very softly, as know how annoying it is
to neighbors when one is learning t"
play. And just now that great big brute
of man came charging in here and
roared that the only reason that he al
lowed his daughter to take music lessons
was to get even with man living next
door who played the flute, and if I
couldn't instruct his daughter to put
enough muscle into her playing so it
could be heard through finch wall he
would get someone who could.
And to think that l have always con-
sidered music divine art to which l
had consecratcd my life!
And the pretty music teacher broke
down and cried
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
In an Old Garden.

Come down to that old garden
or every Hover we knew,
When out of gates Of childhood
The airs Of morning blew,
And archlng heaven was painted
IN every drop Of dew.
And you may have the lily
With all her virgin SHOWS,
And you may have the beauty
That bushes on the rose,
But | will have the heart 's.easc,
The dearest flower that blows.
Who will shall have the balsams
And store Of hydromel,
The purple of the monk s. hood
With poison in his spell:
Who will shall have sweet-william
And the canterbury-beil.
The perfume Of the stock,
The proud plumes Of the fieur- ells
The sllken hollyhock:
love the flaming poppy
And the sleepy fOur-oclock.
But they say that when great angels
Fell plunglng from Heavens frOwn
spirit looking after
Lost blossom from her crown
| know 1t was the heart s-ease
Came softly floating down.
Oh. bright the honeysuckle,
And sweet his tippling crew,
The birdwings Of the cOlumbine,
The larkspur blue as blue
But | will take the heart s-ease
Aud all the rest take You!
Harriet Prescott Spofford in Woman
Home Companion.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
WHEN YOU HANG PICTURES.
Thought in the Advancement that
Produces hest Effects.

lh1uHht iii the Advancement thar
Produces Hest Effects.
The hanging and arrangement Of pic
lures is one of those important little de-
tails which mean 50 much in the general
effect of il room. and yet in too many in
stances they are treated in Il most hap
hazard fashion. and either hung high
close to the frirZe or SO low that they al
most form the dado. 1t is impossible to
give strict directions as to their arrange
mrnt, as so much depends upon the room,
its size and position. They should how
ever. always be hung at Il medium
height on Il line with the eye. not too
close together, and perfectly straight.
Then, again. oil paintings should not
be placed next to ngravinSs, nor yet wa
ter colors as the effect OF the one is de-
stroyel by the other. When hung close
together not only DO the colors clash, but
the different designs of the frames pro-
luce diScorlant impression. 1t is hard
ly necessary to say that picture never
shows to advantage when placed direct
~ opposite to Il W;ii,1w. as the light
falls upon it fiat and hard. Small pic
lures and prints should be fastened to
the wall. not hung by cord or wire. nor
allowed to tilt forward at an angle. The
latter arrangement throws the frames
out of the line of the WALL
w men large pictures are hung by
chains from the frieze moulding or from
Il rod under the cornicr the chains
should invariably be of iron, painted the
exact tone of the wall paper. and rem
dered as little conspicuous as possible.
The brass chains generally employed de-
tract from the picture, aud are by no
means an Improvement to the walls.
Where pictures can be treated as part
of the decoration. as panels sunk in the
wall, i'll a setting of carved wood or
Stucco moulding. after the fashion which
prevailed in rooms of Importance during
the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centu-
rieS they are shown to the very hest adj
vantage, but the ordinary room must
content itself with frames of gilt and
wood. which should he characterized by
simplicity with most delicate detail. The
one thing necessary in the framing of
pictures is to consult congruity. and to
attend to the rule that all bases should
range ut one level hiladelpha Times.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
"Hc that Breaks Paws:

In Paris there lives an eminent painter
who is economical and sentcntious, says
the Weekly Telegraph. The other day
one of the students broke pane Of
glass in the studio window, and repla ced
it temporarily by FASTING sheet of pa
per over the aperture.
When the painter came down next
morning he thrust his cane through the
makeshift with the remark, 'He that
breaks, pays" None of the class, how
eyer. took the hint, and next morning
another sheet Of paper was pasted across
the window. 1t met with the same fate.
And SO on the next day, and so on the
fourth.
On the fifth day when the artist came
down there was the paper as before Fire
flashed from his eyes, and roaring, "He
that breaks, pays" he drove his cane
through the paper-and through the pane
of glass behind it that had been put in
by the students and then carefully past
ed over with sheet Of paper. - .z'si tf ...s<
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
This Girl is Danper3us.

The girl whose talk is all of ILL,
who takes no interest in anybody else,
and cares for nothing but the sound of
her own voice.
The girl who says unkind things of her
friends and relatives in the absence, who
is always telling tales and making mis-
chief.
The girl who looks down upon her
mother and snubs her brothers and sis
tiers, and grumbles generally about her
home.
The girl who is rude and disaRreeablc
to those whom she considers her infe-
riors, and who never shows any consid-
Grafton for one poorer than herself.
The girl who Is SO vain of her personal
appearance that she thinks every body is
looking at her, and cannot talk to a man
for five minutes without fishing for a
compliments New York Telegram.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
When Wife ia A way.

Despite all the talk concerning the good
times man has when his wife goes
away with the family for the annual
summer outing, the truth is that his Joy
BUSINESS is largely found in the magma
ton of the comic writer-so called-who
regards this subject as one most prolific
for his summer records. OF course,
there is now and then man who de-
lights in returning to his Bohemian hab-
it's of freedom and uncaredforness, who
Dug Int never to have been married in the
first place and to whom the word home
is absolutely barren Of significance, but
the real husband, the one who sacrifices
himself upon the altar of family obliga-
ton does not regard this season as one
Of uninterrupted festivity, and is truly
glad when autumn brings the folks home
again and the routine Of his life is once
more taken up in the way that he enjoys
it most. e.s..~' .&stFf: e.
Club life, up-river jaunts, gay little
dinners at roof-garden restaurants pail
afte? while and the closed-up house,
with its odor Of musty furniture. its
shreuded pictures and general air Of de
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
At the Party.

While the other children hurry
Through the feast to get to play
In her handkerchief one small girl
Tucks some sugar plums away.
First n nut and six plump raislns
III the little 'kerchief stored,
Then some chocolate covered candy
Added to the precious hoard.
Next IL cake, all iced and plnky,
Struggled in, and then-sharp eyes
Spy the tiny pile Of sweetmeats-
'Oh, you greedy" some one cries.
That's II piggish way O. doin'
While you're havin' IL nice treat:
Suvin' up the cakes and candies,
Nuts and rnisins you can't eat
" faint because I'm mean or greedy"
Culver lips that smiling were;
Jest because / love my mamma,
An I'm takin' these to her.
my dear mamma made this blue dress
Tied these ribbons on my hair;
Guess she ought to have some party,
Even If she wasn't there!
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
Everyone Likes His Own Portrait,
Says Stevenson.

The drawing of character is a different
thing from publishing the details of a
private career. No one objects to the
first, or should object, if his name be
not put upon it; at the other, 1 draw
the line. In a preface. if you choose,
you might distinguish; it is, besides, a
thing for which you are eminently well
equipped, and which you would do with
taste and incision. l. long to see the
book. People like themselves Ito ex-
plain little more; no one likes his life.
which is misgotten issue, and tale
Of failure. TO see these failures either
touched upon, or coasted, to get the
idea of spying eye and blabbing tongue
about the house is to lose all privacy in
life. TO see that things which we do
love, our character, set forth, is ever
gratifying. See how my 'Talks and
Takers went; everyone liked his own
portrait, and shrieked about other peo-
PIES; so it will be with yours; if YOU arc
the least true to the essential. the sitter
will be pleased; very likely not his
friends. and that from various motives.
Prom "The Letters of Robert Louis
Stevenson in Scribncr's.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
The Violet and the Butterfly.

Away down in the meadow, where Il
brook danced and rippled in the sunlight
and where the birds sang their sweet
spring-time lullabies grew Il modest VIC
let. Year after year she sent out her
tiny blue flowers to cheer whoever might
pass that way. They had just lifted
their pretty blue hearts to the sun when
Il gaudy butterfly CHANGED to fly that
way. He paused and gazed disdainfully
at the modest flowers.
flowers" he cried mockingly. "You
should see the flowers | have. Great
red roses 100 times as large as one Of
you, and lilies white and pure. Why
such plant as you would be dug up for
a weed"
The violet looked at the elegance of her
visitor and sighed. She thought she
never had anything half as beautiful as
he was, and he, reading her admiration
gave himself new airs.
no.. he went Oh. iii the garden
where live we have no such flowers
And he, spread his beautiful gauzy
wings and flew away. Soon he spied a
wild rose, and stopped to display him
self to her, with the same boastful Ian
guage, but she was not as gentle as Miss
Violet, and pricked him with one of he,
thorns. so he was glad to 90 on again
His next stop was a field Of clover.
And pray cried he, why do they
plant whole fields with such a common
Hower?'
Because we are of use to them," tn.
clover made reply. The little bees
gather honey from us; the cattle and
sheep delight to eat us. What good de-
YOU do anyone with your gay coat, Mr.
Butterhy?'
But the poor boastful butterfly nc,e,
replied. A boy, passing. had seen him
and while he was listening to the clover
had crept up and now he found himself
in Il prison, unable to escape.
"Ah! you beauty the boy exclaimed
"You are the prettieSt one l have takcl
YET
Then he put something On the butter
fy's head, and in moment he was dead
Meanwhile the violet was feeling yer,
said and a tear dew drop filled her eyes
If l might be of use to someone,
should be content she thought.
Soon there came the sound Of laughter
and two little maidens came down to the
brook.
"Oh, Mamie, see"' cried one of them
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
How to Water Plants.

The watering Of plants is a subject
on which floriculturists differ. One main
tains that if the soil is close or clayey
very seldom will water be renuired: If
sandy or loose: more often, but each To-
cality will have its own rules Another
argues that in a hot, dry climate the
watering pot is Il necessity, and if there
are not plentiful showers plants should
be watcred freely every evening. Daily
watering is not, as some suppose, an alb
sol,!te necessity, but plants seldom thrive
well through the feverish days of July
and August without frequent and copious
Watering, says the Pittsburg Dispatch.
The water for plants should not be very
cold. A good way to take the chill off
is TO draw it in the morning and let it
stand all day in the sun. Rain water
is the best, and it may generally be OBJ
tanned by having a hogshead standing in
some place out of sight. under a spout
connected with the roof. In watering
the water should be showered on slowly
and gently from the watering pot.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14

scrtinn jars his feelings as would the
continental greeting of some ghost.
He misses all those little attentions
that made home home. When he comes
IN at night at whatever hour pleases him
there is no one to greet him and lie
would even find it in his heart to welcome
q rebuke for his late return, the sound of
seyen@a querulous voice, being infinitely
not be the least bit of coward, but he
finds it decidedly unpleasant sleeping in
a house that evolves strange sounds Of
which he was never conscious before.
The arrangement of his room in accord
with the taste of the caretaker who is
employed to look after him in the alb
sence of the. family, looks weird and
grotesQue as judged by the standard set
up in the loving offices of those Who were
wont to serve him. He feels forlorn and
forsaken. his air of frivolity and content
is a sham and if he were to speak the
truth he would declare that such indie
pendence as he now possesses is just the
sort that he doesn't care to wrestle with
for any lengthier period than is abso-
lutely Observation-Disclosures Times.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
Nails in the Wall.

a professional picture-hanger gives a
way to make nails and screws hold firm
enlarge the hole made by the screw.
moisten the edge of the plaster thor
oughly with water. then till the space
with plaster of Paris, pressing the screw
into the soft plaster. The latter i1ardens
around the screw or nail and keeps it in
place.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
Way to Remove Ink Stains.

me sooner an ink stain is treated the
pettei: irst take up as much as posi-
bic with a damp CLOTH then have a basin
Of milk-skim is best-tlip piece Of
clear! rag in it and sponge the stain, rims
ing it as often as soiled and changing
the milk when dirty. This treatment
will entirely remove the stain. The spots
must then be well rubbed with a clean
cloth, dipped either in benzine or am
monla, to take up any grease remaining
from the milk.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
OO666666C 65O5556566C0OOD
g YOUNG FOLKS COLUMN. 4
QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQoO

Here are some sweet little yiolets. We
VIII take them to Annie, and how pleased
she will be-"
And SO she carefully picked them. and
that evening she carried them to a Kick
light.
You dear little things" she said soft
~, you have made me so much happier"
And the violet sighed She was salts
hed.-lrma B. Mathews in Detroit Free
Press.
/ call him Tiny: but really do not
know what his name was. He belonged
to someone l know of, and this is how
he came to buy him.
You see, Tiny's first master died sud
denly, and all alone, with no one in the
room but this little dog. When his
friends found Tiny's master he was ly-
ing dead, with the little dog crouching
move the little pet, because he bit and
snarlcd at anyone who came near him.
Finally someone was found brave
enough to touch the little dog. This was
his new master. who afterwards bought
Tiny.
He crept up from behind and seized
the little fellow firmly. and dragged him
forcibly from the dead body. Poor. tiny
doggir: 1t was very hard for him. He
parked and cried pitrously. Wasn't il
too bad! He had lost his master. and
now was dragged away from his body.
which. with all his little might, he was
trying to guard.
Tiny bit fiercely at the hands that
were holding him so firmly, but they were
kind hands and belonged to good friend
Of Tinys, for the owner Of these same
hands paid nearly $500 for the little dog
afterwards. when he was sold with his
masters other property at auction. Don't
you think $500 was large sum of
money to pay for dog?
Well. yon see. Tiny was very small,
and great curiosity on account of his
size. When his new master had paid
for him he tucked him away in his great
coat pocket and took him home. where
he threw off his coat on the back of a
chair and sat down by the fire to warm
his hands.
MY goodness me" exclaimed the wife
OF !lnys new master. whats that
moving i'll your greatcoat pocket. dear?''
''Oh. nothing" said Tiny's new master.
pocket said the wife. and took up the
great coat and pulled poor Tiny. half
frozen, out Of the pocket.
"Oh. what a darling little doggie," said
the wife. THE dear little pet. Why,
he can stand on my hand! How small
he is! ! never saw such tiny dog
And she held him up i'll the air, stand
ing on the palm of her hand quite easily
AS for Tiny. he became Immediately de-
voted to his kind mistress. In his doggy
ways he seemed to say. II like you.
but lie would always Snarl and bite at
his new master. You see. he remen,-
bered that it was his big hands which
had pulled him from the breast of his
old master. and he could never quite for
give him.
All this happened years ago. Little
Tiny is dead now. He lived to be quite
old, and was a very devoted dog; but
! to his dying day he never forgot, and
never forgave. the man who had taken
him away from his first master To the
last the little dog would snap at the
hand which had dragged him away from
that dead body.-Amy E. Hope in New
York Examiner.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
Young Mint for Sauce.

Strip the leaves from the stems, wash
them and drain them in a sieve or dry
them on a cloth. Chop very fine, put
them in a sauce tureen and to three
hcaped tablespoonfuls of mint add two
of fine sugar. Mix and let stand short
time; then pour over them gradually six
tablcspoonfuls of good vinegar. This is
all excellent sauce.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
The Use of Cooking Butter.

Every housekeeper knows that the
term cooking butter" means q grade Of
butter that is not quite fresh enough for
table use. and is therefore only fit to be
used in cooking. The trouble is that in
some houses butter never seems to be-
come too stale to be utilized in the prep
aration Of various dishes, and it is en-
ployed in the interest of economy even
after it has acquired rancid flavor.
When table butter has lost it's fresh fra
GRANGE of flavor and odor, it is still in
perfectly proper condition to use as all
ingredient in seasoning, but when it be-
gins to be strong i'll taste or odor, even in
a slight degree, it is ruinous as a season.
ing and impairing as an ingredient. 1t
is nothing short Of sinful that so many
good dishes should be spoiled by an IN
intelligent economy which, supposedly
representing a saving of IS or $40 1;
year, in reality is the most wastefn!
practice common to a kitchen. For but
ter that has grown strong the soap-fat
jar is the only proper destiny.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14
The Old Become Young.

1t is noticeable fact that women
marry now very much later in life than
they used to do, and as the literature al
ways reflects the times, the heroine of IL
as depicted by Shakespeare, Byron, Mo
here, Eoltaire and Scott is no more to be
found except in class of novel that a!>-
peals to the domestic servant and factory
girl.
In the old-time drama and novel Il
woman between 80 and 40 years of age
was represented only as the middle-aged
matron, or garruious nurse, being con-
sidered long past the age of passion and
romance. and the young heroine met with
more adventures before reaching her
eighteenth birthday than could be pressed
into forty years of the average woman S
existence, after which she sank into COM
plete oblivion; but the Nineteenth CEN
fury girl of 1G is supposed to devote her
time to the study of the higher branches
of education, and not that of the art of
Observation-Disclosures Inquirer.
The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-07-14

That popular education is appreciat-
ed in Japan is evident from the fact that
it's 1900 elementary schools are attend
ed BY 3,70o,o 600 pupils,