davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06

Thus dissension, so long excluded,
got a foothold, and now threatens to
totally disrupt a community which
would have soon been dissolved by
death.
On the death of "Father" Henrici,
Duss was elected "patriarch," and
thus the youngest member of the So
ciety became its head.
There has been practically no change
in the town IN the last sixty years so
far as its buildings are concerned.
The ''Temple,' which is thronged
each Sunday by tenants Of the society,
is as simple and quaint as ever. The
clock IN its steeple, which is run by a
huge stone weight suspended from the
belfry, has never ceased to tell the
time of day. The sawmills still clat-
ter, although the water power OF the
early days has given way to steam.
The factories where the silk looms
used to rattle from morning to night
are silent. These buildings are now
filled with grain.
Economy silks were famous q half
century ago. Acres Of mulberry trees
had been planted, silk worms were In
ported, and this branch Of the indus
try tiourished for years. Then the
worms began TO die, and it was de-
clded the climate was not favorable
for them.
The products OF the society's lands
and mills were much more than the
community needed for It's own use.
and much was sold in Pittsburg aud
nelghboring towns. The receipts al
went into the common fund. which i,
} uAe grew 10 u great Amount.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06

Germany Tor a few months visit. They
returned to Economy, and in 1878
young Duss was given a position as a
teacher OF German in the Economy
school. He remained there about a
year, and then entered Mount Union
College, but did not remain long. He
recelvedan offer to teach in the Kansas
State Reform School, in Topeka, and
as his limited means would not have
permitted him to complete his college
course, he accepted.
John Duss was always charging
his interests, however, and when he
saw a chance to buy a fine farm of 100
acres in Webster County, Neb., for
$3.50, he took it, and devoted con
siderable time to agriculture.
In 1888 Duss, who in the meantime
had married, returned to Economy.
He claims this was at the earnest
solicitation of Father" Henrici, who
had succeeded Father" Rapp as the
head Of the society. Duss took charge
of the Economy public school. In
1890 he was admitted to membership
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06

prosperity. After his death, however,
disintegration began. By this time
all the original members. had far
passed the prime Of life, and were
we'll content to abate a little of their
efforts and enjoy more at ease the
fruits of their earlier labors and the
income from their wealth. In order
that there might be enough to go
round, admission of new members be-
came rarer and rarer, and finally
ceased altogether. The lands of the
community were leased to tenants,
while the aging brothers and sisters
came to pass their declining years IN
peace and free from toll.
Now but seven remain, six aged
have little concern for the d~isssension
and dissolution which threatens the
community. They think and talk
chiefly of when they will be laid to
rest in the "orchard," as they call the
society burying ground, and OF a JOY
they expected to realizelong ago-that
of meeting their Lord. For days,
Weeks, years., tHey nave edSelly
watched for the second coming of
Christ. He has delayed His coming
to us, but we shall soon go to Him."
the serene faced sisters whisper to
one another as they walk out together
on pleasant days. The wrinkled man
rarely speaks to them more than to
say, Good day. sisters. God bless
vou,' for men and women in this an
cient community have always 6welt
apart.
Now comes John Duss, the pres
ent '~'patriarch' and prospective heir.
Duss IS virtually a child-the only
child-of the society. His mother
took him to Economy with her III
1862. when he was two years old. His
father, who was then in the Federal
army, died Of a wound received in the
battle OF Gettysburg. The mother
Went to Economy to accept employ
ment as a nurse. She remained in
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06
The Santiago "Surrender Tree

Theinsatlable American relic hunter
is already getting in his fell work III
Cuba, and a living monument of the
campaign around Santiago is in immi-
nent danger of dying at the hands of
its friends. This is the famous tree
at the foot Of San Juan hill under
"hich General Toral surrendered the
Spanish army to General Shafter. 1t
has been named the Surrender Tree"
and is the shrine toward which all
Americans first direct their steps.
Every visitor seems TO become a
vandal when III its presence and the
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06

in the society through the influence of
Father Henrici. Then came his
election to the Board Of Trustees, and
his wife was also admitted to the
Society. At the instance of Father"
Henrici the Dusses took up their
abode in the "Great House." Al
though under the same roof, they
lived apart, in accordance with the
doctrine Of the community.
The election of Duss and his wife
and the elevation of the former to
power created dissenslon to the society.
Several of the members withdrew.
claiming that Duss exercised undue
influence over "Father" Henrici.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06
ROMANCE OF A FAMOUS
COMMUNIST COLONY.
Who Viii Get the Immense Fortune Of the
Harmony Society,"

Seven aged and infrrn people, cling
Ing 70 HE by an almost worn u
Unread, are al fiat stand between II
young man and 4 fortune estimated at
tour millions. John Duss is the for
tunate mortal, and he bids fair soon to
be the sole survivor and heir Of a
quaint co~mraanlstic society which has
nestled IL peace on the banks Of the.
Ohio for IearIy a century.
Away back at the birth Of the nine
teenth century George Rapp, a youth
Of some education and originality Of
thought. became 50 obnoxious to the
Prussian government through his adj
vocacy Of communistIc doctrines that
lie vas forced to leave his native u
try. DETERMINED to seeh "a land where
he wouel he free - carry his ideas in
20 practice. he chose to emlgrate to
America. where political and personal
liberty seemed to have secured a firm
foothold. He landed at New Orleans
Save explored the almost unbroken
wilderness of the Mississippi Valley
Tor a suitable site for a settlement. He
reached St. Louis, and from there
turned hi, steps eastward. BY this
time he VS. followed by a band Of in
trepid spirits, attracted by bis en-
Finally i;arp located in Posey
County. indiana, and established q
settlement along the lines Of his com
munistlc IDEAS. The settlement was
named Harmony. Posev County
proved uuhealthy. and a few years
latel l;app Iedhis followers into Penn
4ylvania. ihey first settled III Batter
County, Where a second "Harmony'
vasfoanded. Then Eapp heard OF the
fertile tracts and the beautiful site for
town overlooking the Ohio IN Beaver
County, and the society moved to the
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06

present town of Economy, Penn, in
1s3f. Here the society thrived. In
the course u year, hundreds of habita-
lions rose, and to-day busvmills, over
tloUul1 graHarics and fertile fields are
numbered among the possessions OF
the society.
"Oue for at, and III for one, va,
fne taot,o III TINS little band of com
mu1i,t~. ga being admitted to the
Harmony Society a Eew member was
obli4el t. cesIe All his moIey and
worthy possessions TO the commune
Ity. Members received no compensa-
tiun tr their labors. Some peculiar
ia0 there We're. No member was
rerlAIttel to marry, Father Rapp's
theory being hat every member
~nould I've able to add his share to the
general ~enaeayor. Thus there were
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06

make His second appearance on earth
and take all mambers to His bosom.
During 'Father' Rapp's lifetime,
and under his administration, the So
ciety prospered wonderfully. Not
withstanding that a sufficiency was
all that was aimed at the industry of
the members brought annually a large
surplus, and wealth accumulated.
Father" Rapp made profitable in
We stments of the society's funds.
In the later days of Rapp's reign
the society reached the height of its
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06
JIM eoWkeR.

Jim Bo~ker, he said eff he'd lad :,
An big enough town for his ta.e,., :.
grow, I
And the least bit OF assistance !,
his row.
Jim Bowker. he said.
He'd fill the world full Of the s5.17 ...
name, Z
An climb the top round in the ,et,
fame. (
1t may have been 50:
l dunno:
Jest SO it might beer;
Then ag'n-
But he had had tarnal lueN: -re...
went ag'n him,
The arrears Of fortune they a.ias .
him: 1
So he didn't get a chance 10 :
was in him:
jim Bowker, he said.
Ef he'd had a fair show you c7.ts-.
where he'd come,
An the feats he'd "a done. n lie s-4
he'd "a clums.
1t may have been 50:
l dunno;
Jest SO it might been;
Then ag'n-
But we're all like jim Bovke- -
more or less,
Charge fate for our bad luck. ua~se.rz |
success,
An give fortune the blame for Al.
tresS.
AS Jim Bowker. he sail.
Ell it hadn't been for luck al n.
an sick,
We might "a been famous Ill n,
been rich.
1t might be jest 50;
I dunno;
Jest SO il might been:
Then az 'n-
IS. W. Foss, in Cleveland Leaaa.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06

When Christ did not come at the
death of Father" Rapp. disappoint-
ment was keen. Jacob Heinrich. who
was elected senior trustee and patri-
arch of the society, predicted that
they would not have to wait much
longer. He encouraged the members
to more ascetic religious life and to
more diligent toll.
Father Heinrich in his early career
was an excellent financier. Money
accumulated rapidly for the society
under his management. In his later
years, it was charged in the recent
suits, he had become just as careless
about finances as he had formerly
been careful.
Much of the society money was in
vested by Father Henrici in Pittsburg
and Lake Erie Railroad stock. Faith.
er Henrici was president of this road
III. its early history. He was later as
ISOLATED with ". X. Vanderbilt in
building the Mckeesport and Yougho-
I|gheny Railroad. He was also a d.
%|rector of the Lake Shore and Michi-
lgan Southern. He invested money
for the society in all these corpora
tons. Up to the time he was eighty
seven years old he preached, played
he organ and led the choir in the
"Temple" on Sundays.
A unique mausoleum marks the
resting place of Father Rapp, in the
"Great Garden" which is Econemy's
park, III the centre of the town. In
this garden the Economy Society has
held its "harvest home festivals" for
the past half century. The harvest
home, invariably held after the grain
crops have been garnered, is the
thank Offering to God for His bene-
ticence. Each Of these festivals in
recent years has seen fewer and fewer
Of the aged members of the society III
their accustomed places in the front
benches, while the attendance Of out
slders has increased each year.
John Duss has welcomed the out
slders, and has introduced many in
novations on these occasions. He
has organized a baud among the
society's tenants and built a gaudy
band pavilion, too, III the Great
Garden"
At the entrance to the "Great Gar
dem stands the Great House"
Father Henrici spent his last days III
the house. The Great House has
been a subject Of controversy in the
Ease before the courts. It is alleged
that DR.. Cyrus iced was introduced
to the society and preached his doc
trines in Economy, with a view to
transferring his colony there and
making it a part of the Harmony So
ciety. Duss, the petitioners allege,
"bullt a fine house before Father
Henrici's death for the accommoda-
ton of iced aud some of his principal
followers This raised a rebellion
among the Harmonites and resulted
in the withdrawal of some of the mem
bers, who received certain sums of
money at their departure" This dis
satisfaction, it is said, caused the
abandonment of the iced scheme.
!, SO the Harmony Society, born in
peace and good will, seems doomed
to go to pieces in the courts, unless
legal delays can postpone adjudica-
ton some years. when there is apt to
be left Of those interested only-John
Epss.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06
yiftorta's Marriage Rings.

Not many years ago It was the Gus
ION 10 distribute a large quantity Of
rings at the occurrence Of some lIa-
portant event. When Queen Victoria
married several dozens OF rings were
presented TO important personages.
Each ring bore her portrait, bnt II was
so SMALL that q l1agnlfving glass lat
10 ue useu 10 recognize H.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06
trunk is rapidly being whitfield away
L. -. ..I-nr-

It IS urged that some action should
be taken at once by the authorities Il
the historic tree IS to be preserved.
It is certain that in another season
it will be destroyed piece-meal il the
present vandalism IS not stopped.
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06

the service Of the society until early
III 1876.
John was sent to the Soldiers
Orphans School, at Plillipsburg. in
1913, and remained there until 1876.
when he returned to his mother and
entered the service Of the Harmony
ooeAe.5. ADe mother TOOK ulm 10
Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1899-04-06
hUMOR OF THE DAY.

Oue- now q o you Ike her r0.t'
He-''Still. Yankee Statesman.
Dewey opened up the haIi.
Dewey caused Manila fall.
Dewey shows Us by whatsrast
That the first shall te tbs last
Penner-"!He once seemed 10 !,
promising young poet. What staa
his career" Skribes. = Ball-uI
Judge.
Miss Passee--"'Theyssav marrua
I made in heaven" Miss pE1
"Ah, then, you have one more t1s-4|
Syracuse Herald.
"Quite polite, isn't he: -
say. He is SO polished that he II
tell the plain u~nvarnished tr1t
Cincinnati Enquirer.
Louie-"Fred must be an Il
tioneer.' Nelly-"Why:' I.o1.-
Last night he saidbe was goinsiz
times before he went
"a man is as old as he feels, vi
the gentleman of the old school II
a woman as old as she says slea-
indianapolis Journal.
"Why is the villain in the pGf
ways a dark man." 4 guess iiif
cause villains are naturally op!us
to the light. "-Chicaso News.
The girl who keeps her birthday,
When q merry little eli.
Keeps it still when she grows pc.
But keeps it to herself.
-Chlcae3 Va
Hingso-"He's a queer fels
Jingo-''You bet He told me!s
day that he didn't like the s-
unless he had a girl with him. n
cuse Herald.
Glow did you find business ara
We'll, l noticed that e~verytLi.ss
looking up at Naples. Liz
Yes; at Mount NesuyiGs.
land Plain Dealer.
He-''If your head aches. Is
l wouldn't go to the tea mests~
evening" She-''Then tE
woman will be sure to talk III
Boston Traveller.
Mrs. Crimsonbeak -"'Ny1
is an open book" Mr..
-''That's the trouble r.s-
ness ] could shut you nn s1-'
-Yonkers Statesman.
THAT woman tried ID beat
on the price Of q%uinlae. >@s
ought to make it ten cents
because she had 10 Pay -vE- -
to take it. Chicago Record
Little Rodney lvha las q
ing mind)-'Papa, w.sat
age for a man to get ~aFF-@
Hennypeck-'Not t.sAe's
to know better, my Z
Duzby-"JabbIns. d. g
Der that Joke I sprrng At tue
her last week. Dolly
I'll never forget it. ITa
it for over ten year.
cite.
polIvwog-"vAa lie
tween Van Glove Al
thought she was the .-: y
JolIydog-sS0 l-aews
out too much
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-10-27
A REPORTERS CLOSE CALL.
An Episode That Cured Him of All De-
sire to "Fale" Interviews with
Prominent Politicians.

"The most painful experience of my
career occurred when | had been in
the business only three MONTHS" said
an old reporter, land the city editor as
signed me to interview a big northern
politician who had dropped into town
Ell route to Frisco. / rushed over to
the hotel, saw my man, and he promised
to give me talk at $3.50 p. M; so that
evening, after supper, was fool enough
to go out to see my best girl, thinking
l would be back in plenty of time for
the appointment. As bad luck would
have it, we had a quarrel, and when we
got it patched up and l looked at my
watch it was after ten. | was Mortified.
| grabbed my hat, flew to the hotel,
and was informed that my man had
been in bed for an hour. Merciful heav-
ens What was / to do? To own up
meant certain discharge and disgrace,
and, on the spur of the moment, had
desperate inspiration. Why not fake
up an interview? The big man was go
ing away early in the morning, and if
he ever saw the article it was dollars to
doughnuts he'd ignore it altogether. So,
without approaching the enormity of
my idiocy, l wrote up the story. 1t
was very conservative interview, but
| handed it in feeling like felon. Next
day | was sinking to the office, nervous
as Il cat, when whom should meet but
thes distinguished politician himself,
bound the same way. | felt my hair
stand on end, but to my unbounded
amazement, he addressed me cordially.
THAT interview was very satisfac-
tory, he said, very accurate indeed
and he invited me to have a drink. [
construed his remarks as bitter sar-
casm, and supposed, of course, he had
prepared some horrible revenge, but
went along, mechanically, like man
hypnotized. In tie cafe he seemed GU
riously embarrassed.
BY the way he said, confdentiallv,
i didn't say or do anything unusual
last evening, did ~
'Unusual!' | gasped, IL don't un-
derstand.'
i asked he said, smiling, because
well, to tell the truth, / have only n
very-er-indistnct idea of what hap
pened after | met some old friends. /
know | talked with you, and that YOU
have the--er-substance of my remarks
correctly, but | thought possibly II
might have said something else
mo, sir; not word | replied, fer
vently, and we shook hands and part
ed. 1t was the narrowest escape and
the biggest scare of my life. 1t cured
me permanently of faking."-N. o.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-10-27
BOTANICAL WONDERS.

The "old man cactus" is hoary-head-
ed and looks like shock OF gray hair.
The curious thing about 1t Is that ii is
hoary only when young, losing its odd
look as 1t ages.
Sixty years ago there was craze for
the cactus only rivaled by the tulip
mania Of history. Some one has called
the cactus the vegetable camel of the
desert, for it thrives on the stony, arid
plains OF Texas, New Mexico and Cali.
fornia.
A plant that will furnish you with
toothpick or pint of water; that has
no leaves and yet sometimes weighs
ton; that can live without moisture and
blooms in the night; that sometimes Is
20 feet high and again measures
couple Of inches--surely the cactus is
entitled to be called the wonder of all
the growing things Of earth.
One cactus furnishes the Indians boil
ers In which to cook their food, and so
plentiful are they that in moving from
place to place the Indians never carry
away the green boilers, being sure of
hnding new ones at their next stopping
place. is shaped like q squat cylinder
and has hard shell filled with a pulpv
mass easy to remove, 1t is so hard and
green that the fire does not scorch it.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-10-27
RUEELES DADS DIGNITY.
The Young Baseball Rroter Causes
His Paternnl 10 Feel Too
Prominent.

lie is a Chicago board OF trade man, dig.
niied to a degree. has luXuriant, bushy side
whiskers, clean chin aui upper lip, and he
dearly loves baseball. He also has son
six years old, who loves the game as dearly
as does his father, and while the elder enjoys
the paying in a solid, placid, contented way,
the boy bubbles over with enthusiasm and
out,oots all other rooters.
During the last ChicagoSt Louis game
father and son sat in the grand stand under
the, intense strain of knowing that st. Louis
had two men on bases and two out, and if
the man at the bat made base hit the score
would be tied. The latter smote the ball
heavily. 1t scared upward and onward, far
back into what the baseball reporter calls
the left garden"
Left Fielder Ryan was there, and, after a
long, hard squirt, caught the fly on his finger
tips and held it. The crowd screamed Joy.
ously and the small son OF his father nearly
went, out of his skin for glee. The father
merely smiled with dignity.
Finally the crowd ceased its yelling after
the left fielder had dotted his cap thrice.
There was silence as he walked to the bench
twirIing his blond mustache with either
hand.
Then, with his fathers clean shaven upper
lip in mind, and with a voice that drew the
attention of the assembled hundreds toward
his devoted dad, the six-year,old rooter fair.
~ Yelled 20, pap, don't you wish you
had ,mustache like Jimmie Ryan's% -Chi.
cago Tribune.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-10-27
Strategy OF a spendthrIft.

A good story is told of young man who,
besides being of the spendthift order is a
mimic and can initiate his fathers voice to a
nicely, Not long ago the young man want.
ed, without delay, some money TO pay bill,
and he knew that his father would treat
his request with cold contempt. Waiting
till he knew that his father would be away
he, went to the telephone and rang up the
office. calling for the cashier. The cashier
was Forthcoming, and when he was at the
voice: 81 say, Blank, if that capegrace son
OF mine comes around and asks for 500,
don't give it to him, only give him $780,"
The cashier promised thai he would full
I'LL the, commands. Not long after that the
son called at the Office and demanded $780,
lie was, refused by the conscientious cash
Ter, and, apparently in anger, the young
man contented himself with the $50 when
the Old man reached the office there was
scene.-Chicago Inter Ocean.
Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1899-10-27
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.

1t is not generally known that Rich
ard Mansfield started in life in London
as painter,
Thomas Hardy the novelist, writes
all his stories with copying ink. This
enables him TO take press copies, and
so obtain exact duplicates without the
aid of clerk or typewriter.
Rubens received for his painting of
the grand ceiling at the banqueting
house, Whitehall, the sum of 100000.
The space covered by this painting is
about $500 yards, so that he was paid
nearly $50 a yard.
One one occasion, when Sir John Lub-
book was about to undergo surgical
operation, his friends tried to entice
him to take chlorof0rm, but he would
not give his consent to this, and only
replied; mo, thank you ] would
much rather be present at the opera
ton"
Bourke Cochran tells story which
shows that in his early days he was
much discouraged and went to friends
Office high up in a skyscraper to ask
help to leave New York for Deadwood.
The friend took him to the window,
which commanded a large view of the
city, and remarked: "There are 90
Deadwoods within your range of vi
sion"
Rev. II. II. Haweis is said to be the
greatest clerical traveller of the cen
fury. Between 1885, when he was APP
pointed Lowell lecturer at Boston, and
university preacher at Cornell and Har-
ward, and 1895, he covered no fewer
than 100000 miles outside Europe,
while notes of his travels in Italy,
France, Germany, Morocco and other
countries would alone fill several books
and are not even touched upon in his
two amusing volumes, "My Hundred
Thousand Miles,"
Prof. Bliss Perry, who for seven years
has held the chair of oratory and
aesthetic criticism in Princeton univer-
sity, has been elected editor of the At
lantic Monthly, to succeed w. II. Page,
and has accepted the appointment.
Prof. Perry is graduate of Williams
college. He is the author of several
critical works and many short stories
which have appeared in Scribner's Mag
azine, and has lectured in New York.
Philadelphia and many other leading
cities.