davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
A PRAYER for Worthiness.

o Lord God Almighty, redeem my soul
from Its bondage, that may be free to live
henceforth, not for myself but for thee.
Help me to put away self, and to remember
that this Life is not given for my ease. my
enjoyment, but is "a schooling time for the
eternal home thou hast prepared for those
who love thee. Keep my eye steadily h1ed
ON TINT haven OF rest and peace, that
I may not faint nor be weary from the
length OF the way, but may strive to
walk worthy of my high calling in all meek
ness and lowliness OF heart. And after that
I have suffered while, when I am strength
ened, established. satisfied, settled in thy
love, when I have done all the work thou
hast for me to do, o gracious God, be with
me to guide me through the valley OF the
shadow OF death and, In thine own good
time, take me to dwell with thee. Amen.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
Josep hines Birthplace.

It has been said that places as well
as people, songs as we'll as perfumes,
elude description. This may be aptly
applied to the Island of Martinique,
the pearl of the Lesser Antilles, q
neighbor of that spot upon which the
keen interest of the world has been
centred within recent months.
= A century ago, however, 1t was
Venus, not Mars, that became the rul-
ing deity ovyr Martinique, it having
won undying lustre for being the birth
place of Josephine Tascher de la Pa
gerie, known IN after years as the wife
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
A MATRIMONIAL RECORD.
Squire Ephrain Keigwin Who Married
Over 5000 Couples Is Dead.


Over 5000 Couples Is Dead.
Squire Ephraim Keigwin. who since 1877
has married more than nine thousand
couples. died the other day at his home IN
Jetiersonville, Ind,
he regarded himself as a matrimonial
mascot. Less than one hundred or his
"weddings," as he was proud to call tnem,
resulted In divorce or serious domestic
troubles. .
The sauire's fee ranged all the way from
a kiss frou the bride or five cents from
the groom to $50 and 300. he had mar
rlei Supreme Court Judges, Congressmen,
treasurers, audit ors, State and county
clerks. preachers and mechanics and bash
full swells by the hundred. The large ma
iority OF his patrons were, however, runa-
way couples from Kentucky and Tennes-
see, and with these especially he had
hobby Of maintaining correspondence
for a year or two until he was satisfied that
they we're steered Alright on the matrimon-
ial sea.
he went to California In 49, but did not
succeed. Returning to Indiana. he dab
bled In photography and drugs. He was
made magistrate In 1877. and for fifteen
years had y monopoly OF the marrying
business, maintaining two sets OF parlors
in Jacksonville. He made a fortune IN
this way, but died comparatively poor
man, being too free with what he made.
He was married three times.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
Scenes Along the Proposed Waterway to Divide
North and South America

any point, and varies from twelve to
fifty and sixty feet in depth. But at
one point of the river, and only few
miles from the Atlantic coast, an
earthquake or some other conVulsion,
possibly thousand years back, threw
up q barrier of rock, which must be
cut or rather blown out in order to al
low the passage of large steamships:
To take away this rock and to build
locks and dams to support the walls OF
water to the required depth are the
great engineering feats of the Mica
ragua Canal. Tons of the most power
full explosives must be used. Holes
must be drilled in such a manner that
the force of the explosives with which
they are loaded will work directly on
the portion of the channel to be exca-
vated. Some of the blasts will contain
fully so, 1000 pounds of explosive.
If ship passes through this cut the
summit of the rock will be higher
than the top other mainmast. An ex.
cayation over 125 feet wide must be
made, for the minimum width OF the
canal will be 100 feet.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04

have been interested. Elaborate maps
have been made, volumes OF scientific
data compiled and every engineering
problem has been studied and dis
$cussed. g, s2 So
!, The scheme has been q diplomatic
I question for over three.quarters of a
century. Several times the United
States and England have been on the
verge OF declaring war over the pos
session of Nicaragua. Each realized
the Importance of that country if a
canal were built.
The Nicaragua Canal may be briefly
described as summit level of navi-
CATION in fresh water, 153. miles long.
s110 feet above the sea level, reaching
within three and one-half miles of the
Pacific and twelve and three-quarter
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04

days in Nicaragua, during which time
the mozo "toils not, neither doth he
spin"
The Department of Matagalpa is
destined to be great coffee center at
no far distant day when the great
canal is built. There are now. about
10000 trees under cultivation and
each month the number is largely in
creased. Persons who claim to have a
knowledge Of the subject state that
whereas in other parts of Nicaragua
the yield per tree is from half pound
to pound and a half of coffee, In
Matagalpa the trees produce from two
to four pounds. A number of Ameri-
cans are engaged in the coffee indus
try, some owning as high as2000 man
zanas-nearly 1000 acres. These
lands can be purchased from the Gov
ernment at the rate of $3.50 per man
zana hainu ohnnt tvn I'm n9liah arAs
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04

The reason the Nicaragua route is
The best one is that water way has
been found that requires canal dig
ging for the shortest distance. You
can leave the Caribbean Sea in a
steamer the size Of one of our small
coasters. and can go to point where
you can reach the Pacific Ocean by
walking three hours at modefate
gait. It is but twelve miles distant.
I If your steamer has q mast fifty feet
high, BY climbing to the top of this
mast you can see the blue line of the
: Pacific in the distance.
The natural part of the canal is
formed by the San Juan River and
Lake Nicarsgua, of which it is an out
let. The lake is basin in the Cen
ttral American Plain, filled with fresh
water ranging from ten to 24O feet in
depth, and is Ito miles in length. Its
;ontlat is not less than 400 feet wide ct
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04

Norway's banner shall float without q
iack-the symbol of the union with
Sweden. Some say that should King
Oscar veto the resolution two more
diets must pass upon the matter be-
fore it can so into effect; others that
the new flag will come into immedi-
ate use. Since 1874 the closest rela.
tions have been maintained between
Norway and Sweden. At that time the
flag of each nation was changed so that
the jack in the upper left-hand corner
combined the colors of the other ns.
ton. For several years past, how.
ever, there has been growing feel
ing of discomfort in Norway concern
ing the close relations of the two pow.
ers. This dissatisfaction King Oscar
has Estriven to assuage. The two
countries have entirely separate and
distinct governments, but are ruled by
the same king, Oscar Of Sweden. Each
country has its own parliament, which
passes laws for its respective coun.
try. All laws are subject to the ap.
proval or disapproval of the king.
The flag of Norway, with the jack
left out, will be four red corners, with
a Greek cross of blue through the
center. The Swedish flag has four
blue corners, with jack Of red, blue
and yellow in the upper left.hand cor
ner and Greek cross ofyellow in the
center. The Norwegian flag had
formerly the jack, which contained
the bar of yellow as symbol of the
union with Sweden, but this will not
appear in the flag in the, future.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
The Guest and the Ice-P uddinE.

A story reaches the Scots Pictorial
concerning an occasion on which Lord
Rosebery was entertaining large
party, among others farmer who
tasted ice-pudding for the first time.
Thinking that something had gone
wrong in the kitchen, and desiring
to save his fellow-guests the pain of
his own experience, he whispered to
his host that the pudding by some
miscbance had got frozen. His Lord
ship listened gravely, without moving
a muscle of his face, tasted the pud-
ding. thanked the farmer. and then
called q servant. After some little
conversation, he turned to the farmer
with a relieved expression, and said:
"It's all right, Mr.. -. They tell
me it's a new kind of pudding, and is
frozen on purpose. Thereafter the
farmer partook of his portion with
evident relish.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04

miles of the Atlantic Ocean. The total
length Of navigation is 1891 miles;
there will be three lift locks at each
end Of the summit level.
For miles huge machines must dig
away loose rock, sand and mud and
force it through pipes some two or
three miles away. For many miles
machines must scrape out the bed of
the river and lakes along the line Of
the canal. Some of these great dredges
would dig out from 5000 to 5000 cubic
yards Of material every twenty-four
hanrs. Thousands of men must work
with picks and shovels where the ma
chimes cannot stretch out their giant
arms and dig away at the canal bed.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
GODS MESSAGE TO. MAN.
PREGNANT THOUGHTS FROM THE
WORLDS GREATEST PROPHETS.

The Celestial Country Christianity Not
Explicit-Redemptio Is Christs War.
rant-A Prayer for Worthiness-lm'
possible Not Demanded-The Strength
Midst power that knows no limit,
A wisdom free from bound,
The Beatifo Vision
Shall glad the Saints around:
The peace Of all the faithful,
The calm of all the blest,
Inviolate, unvaried,
Divinest. sweetest, best.
Yes, peace for war is needless
Yes, calm for storm is past
And goal from finished labor,
And anchorage at last.
That peace-but who may claim It?
The guileless In their way,
Who keep the ranks OF battle,
Who mean the thing they say:
The peace that Is for heaven,
And shall be for the earth
The palace that re-echoes
With festal song and mirth;
The garden, breathing spices,
The paradise on hight:
Grace beautiful to glory, .
Unceastny minstrelsy.
AhOkO aohhiuS Can NO k00oAS1
= There none can ever mourn,
There nothing is divided,
There nothing can be torn:
'Tis fury, i'll, and scandal,
tbs peaceless peace below; III
Peace, endless, strifeless, ageless,
.,- The halls of Syon know: ~
.e' o happy holy portion,
Reflection for the blest:
True vision Of true beauty,
Sweet cure Of all distress!
Strive man. to win that glory;
Toll, man, to gain that light;
Send hope before to grasp 1t,
Till hope be lost In sight:
Till Jesus gives the portion
Those blessed souls to fill,
the insatiate, yet satisfied,
The full, yet craving still.
That fullness and that craving
Alike are free from pain,
Where thou, midst heavenly citizens
A home like theirs shalt gain.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
Redemption Is christ's Warrant.

. Christ Is the Christians immortality. bis
redemption is Its warrant. But 1t Is re-
markable symptom Of our time that, while
the interest of the church is increasingly
centred In redemption as the key OF all else,
the interest8f the age to which redemption
is a mere piece of theology is passionately
focused upon the question OF Immortality.
Tennyson's biography only makes more
clear what his poetry showed how
central this question was for his
faith, now detached from redemption and
how unevangellcal, therefore, its basis was.
He was the poet Of immortality, not, like
Milton, the poet Of redemption. He does
not touch the true nerve Of Christianity,
therefore, nor the true note Of the sublime,
nor the true secret of our future. And he
ia, therefore, very welcome to the scientific
mind with its mystic bauntings, its spiritual
timidity, its moral inexperience and its want
OF positive historic base. ?.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
a wni.ky his Drummer.

A whisky drummer, who has sol
liquid damnation for twenty.A2
past, stood in the Globe Hots e. Il;
every temperance man ~ (..1D
himself He said: ~;
!s'In this section Ssa!a
"a sslI i less And = ~ g Sueceedingl
onask o6n; ~: 81 It'd form 90 swill 81
a, Ss III .anyWhese assbase thss sse.
1 sS5ectShl M progressive. The railroads.
sE06f 6&vS him, neither will anybody che
I6S ssdament Is getting. stronger against
if13f the time. The teacher, the preschEJ
md the paper are all creating sentiment
against hard drinking. In twenty yeaisi
from now the whisky problem viii have
solved itself. Beer, soda-water. lemonadsa
milk.shake and other light beverages WIZ
have crowded II. out Of the saloon and the
Ding store into the medicine chest OF the
doctor.H- Centralia Kan) Courier.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
Note. Of tho Crusade.

Wherever there's drink there's danger.
II is essential to good military service
that the soldiers be clear-headed, morst
and healthy, and their nervous systems
should NOT be weakened by alcoholic
drinks. The army "canteen" Is an abon-
ination, as well as any other saloon. IL
should go. gs
The proprietorc Of manufactory, store
or printing Office, employing large num-
ber OF hands, would be considered very un-
wise II they added liquor saloon or Deor
garden as an sppendsge to their es.apiisns ehs
men and impair their health and faciency.
A saloon in a military camp is still worse.
The evidence multipies that beer and
whisky undermined the strength OF our
soldier BOYS and made them easy victims
Of disease. E a1s
The Presbyterian Synod OF Illinois, IN
session at Bloomington, passed resolu-
tion pledglng the Presbyterian Church to
prohibit as the most effective plan for deal
ing with intemperance. r
The Christian and temperance people Of
this country must rise up and demand that
army and navy authorities prohibit anyone
from selling strong drink Of any kind to
the soldiers and sailorsin the service OF the
United States. This Is the only way to
break up the terrible drunkenness among
our volunteer soldiers.
DR.. Cuyler makes thesweeping assertion
that all saloons, from the gilded ones to
the slummy ones, are poverty breeders,
scenes OF plunder and robbery, and the
drinkers are public impoverlshers.
It Is no exaggeration to say that three
fourths Of the saloonkeepers OF New York
State are in a state Of financial collapse
They are kept above water only through
the backing and help they receive from the
brewers and wholesale ltqucr dealers. y
BY a unanimous vote the Judiciary Com.
,mittee has recommended to tho Chicago
City Council for passage Alderman Fran
cis's ordinance prohibiting saloons from
being established in strictly residence dis.
tricts, except majority otthe residents of
the block give consent. The measure also
prohibits the establishing OF saloon With
In $50 feet Of all churches and schools.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
Ton Mann tn Get Married.

A bachelor one day set the table in
his lonely abode with plates for him
self and ON imaginary wife and five
children. He then sat down to dine.
and as he helped himself to food he
put the same quantity on each OF the
other plates, and surveyed the pros
pect, at the same time computing the
cost. He is still bachelor. Weekly
Telegraph.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04

machinery. It is now universally ad-
mittsd that short cut must be made
for ships between the Atlantic and the
Pacific.
Since 1926, when the first party of
American engineers penetrated the
tropical wilderness of Nicaragus, every
part Of the country south of Mexico
has been carefully examined. The
United States, Europe and Mexico
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
He Is the Strength.

When nerves are unstrung and natural
strength fails, we must learn over and over
again that He is the strength OF our heart
and onr norton forever Service is not
over; though externally suspended. the end
is not vet. We must receive from the Spirit
before We can give forth, for after all we
can but say "Of Thine own have we given
Thee" This may be one reason why those
who suffer according to the will OF God are
enriched through the promised latter
wards" ANNA Shipton.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
To Dry the Hair.

A New Yorker has patented an ap.
paratus for drying the hair after wash
ing or shampooing, a metallic casing
having heating stove at the bottom
with air inlet holes. the air being
drawn to the top of the casing and
blown through funnel by means OF
q ravalvino san
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
impossible Not Demanded.

There is variety in the degree OF fruitful
ness. according to the goodness of the soil;
that is to say, according to the thoroughness
aud depth Of the reception Of the word: The
great Husbandman does not demand uniforra
fertility. He is glad to get hundredfold,
but He accepts sixty, and does not refuse
thirty, only He arranges them in descending
order, as II He would fain have the highest
rate from all the plants, and, not without
disappointment, gradually stretches His
merciful allowance to take In even the low
est. He will accept the scantiest fruitase,
and will lovingly purge" the branch THAT
1t may bring forth more fruit.
Maclaren, ID.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04

\ N AL building
seems to be the
rage now.
Dividing North
and South America
by means of the
Nicaragua Ca n a ]
will be the next
great engineering
feat.
Americans will
do it, American
skill and ability
will plan it, Ameri-
can contractors will
execute it with the
aid of American
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
Accuses the Dowager Enpress'

Kang-Yu-Wel, the fugitive Chinese re-
former, in an interview with the Hong
Kong correspondent OF the London Times,
accuses the Dowager Empress OF misappro-
priating immense sums intended for the
construction OF the Chinese Navy and
other national improvements, nsing the
money for the repair and Establishment OF
her magnificent flower gardens.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
THE STATUE OF EMPRESS JOSEPHINE At
FORT DE FRANCE.

Of Napoleon-Josephine, Empress Of
the French.
The childhood of Marie Joseph Rose
Tascher de Ia Pagerie-afterward alb
breviated to Josephine-was one cal
culated to enhance those physical
charms for which she was always noted.
Her fathers home was built on one OF
the great hills at Grois Islets, over
looking the bay of Fort de France.
The people OF her beloved island, in
memory of it's most famous woman,
have erected one of the most beautiful
statues of modern times, and it stands
as guard to the shining waters OF Fort
de France Bay.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04

Yes.we may know no sin, though tdo hang
about US. The apostle does not say equal
God in holiness. but initiate Him; and he
doth not say follow Him fully, but even 'as
dear children" The Father Is infinitely full
OF holiness. Follow God Us dear children,
do what you Gun, and then cry to Him to
enable you to do what you cannot do.
-Thomas Hooker.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
4 TEMPER GE. liI.iI!|Al[lNIl I! ], y !
THE DRINK EVIL AaA De ! sslAllyllEES1 |
- S. IN MANY WAYS IS


4 Temperance eong-HopsfqI sikns 1tora|
Enslsnd-DrIniinE cnsto ci.ansias)
For the Better-1ftlitaryllee Adm1el
That Rum Il . weaksnsr of ASnaiss.
Look not upon the wine .
When ft is red; v 50 M 5ys3y s
Itsparkles to destroy. 4 !; N
Its powsrls dEsad. 3 Y SFfs3:s;;ss r Z,
Taste not the rosy vine; q S5s
y Thy lips were given as ,S 8; j;
To speak OF hope and love,
OF God and heaven. ss3
z. Lei thy hands handle not ss3
The accursed bowl; Ss g ~ +; 3, 80 80
It holds q poisoned drauSht,
TO kill the soul. ~ i.s i. ~ q g;
A sweeter cup Is ours-- 3. h
Water so bright &, q - 81 !. :. 81
iod's precious gitt to man, z
Sparkling with deligh
= --SeIscted by Alexander 81 Arnold. a
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
Poor Dinner.

The Montreal Witness prints this little
story of q poor woman who recently went
TO saloon in search Of her husband: =
She found him there, and setting 9 coy:ss
cred dish, vkiah. she had brought with her, !
uuol the table, she said: "a
HThinking that you are tooSSIsY to come
home to dinner, have broug myou yours,
and departed. l,A
TO dine with him; but on removing the,
cover from the dish he found only slip OF
paper, on which was written:
'I hope you will enjoy your meal. utts
the same as your family haye at home.
The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-04
Jane Cakebread dead.

Jane Cakebread, for years one OF the
most notorious figures In London police
courts, is dead. She held the record for
convictions upon charges OF drunkenness
and disorderly conduct, having been found
guilty Of those offences about 800 times.