davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
THE TOWN BARN BURNS.
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About s o'clock on an evening in
haying time the church bell began to
clang noisily; and as all the town came
out on its respective porches, little
Jimmy Griggs sprinted up the road,
shouting to every household, Its the
taown barn, It's the taown barn.
The town barn. Young and old. rich
and poor, sick and well. every one
within the corporate limits, and with
In hearing distance of Jimmy and the
bell, turned out instantly. When it is
only mans house burning, his neigh
bors are relied on to help put the fire
out, but every family In town pays
taxes to build and keep UP the town
barn, and every one Of them is going
to see to It that not piece of wood
that can be saved is left to burn.
SO it was in Pinckneyville that night
In hay time. Worst luck of all, the
town hay had just been cured and
hoisted in, and It was all in the loft of
the barn.
The Griggs family, living nearest,
was there first; but the fire, in the
shed where the wagons stood. had
hardly got fairly ablaze before the
taxpayers were all there, rolling out
the hose cart and the ladde., truck, pull
Ing out the old hand pump, and throw
Ing hand extinguishers out of the win
dow to save them from the fire.
Get the hose, boys," shouted 81
Plummer; and suiting his own action
10 the word. ne grabbed a ffty-foot roll
and ran for the nearest Migrant. Man
after man came behind him, each with
q section. At the hydrant ST tugged
vainly at the cap which covered the
pipe.
"Git a spanner." he roared at every
one.
cit a spanner.' roared every one
else back toward thebarn.
Cant We turn 1t with your hands.
ST." asked old Billy Parsons.
Nav. Think I'm an elephantl Try
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
SONGS OUR MOTHERS SUNG.

In the Majority of These the Hero
ines Always Passed Away.
1t may not be generally known that
Fanny Crosby, now spoken of only as
a hymn writer, used to drop into week
day verse, supplying words for songs
more popular in their day than are any
of the new things heard by music low
ers of these later times, says the New
York Post.
The matron who is now being court
ed again in her girls" will, if she has
a good memory, recall q doleful song
that her Charlie and his rivals used to
ask for when she wore ringlets and
broad-brimmed gypsy hats: 'In the
Hazel Dell My Nellies Sleeping" the
words OF which were written by Fan
ME Crosby, under a pen name. This
same matron had not been married long
enough to give up her music wheci
"Rosalie, the Prairie Flower" '(words
by the same author) had all sentiment
al young people weeping because she
was gone"
1t was the fashion in those days for
song heroines, to die young, and Miss
Crosby wasn't any more murderously
inclined than other song writer's. AT
that time Sweet Alice" under her slab
Of granite SO gray, was still popular,
and listeners were Informed that "Gen-
tie Annie wouldn't come any more be-
cause she was gone, too." though Fair
Eulalie" appeared sometimes as a spirit
robed in white.
We had not long given up weeping
at Little Blossoms" tomb when
Sweet Belle Malone" went to wait for
her lover (captious crinc had ii that
she waited in vain) at heavens gate.
While Katie Darling" was still being
mourned for the angels began to clear
the way for Nellie Gray's" faithful
affianced to join her up above. kate
Darling has probably a longer season
of belleship than any other dead girl,
but she was closely followed by Miss
CroSby's Resale"
The little beauty, Belle Brandon"
wills uuOlHer young person. Oh tue Hrdl-
RE Flower genius, but in spite of her
early grave she was never so.popular
as were some of her rivals.
To be sure, the old songs were some
what niminy piminy and they were
doleful to a degree, but nevertheless
they were what the young people cried
for in those days and they were doubt
less unobjectionable. The words were
all more or less of the MARY in Heav-
en-" order OF verse, and surely Burns
was at his best when he lay on the
grass, watching lyon lingering star"
and dreaming of one without the mem.
DRY of whom he had, perhaps, never
been true poet
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09

it yourself, you idiot! Git spanner,
somebody"
by this time a small boy had dart
ed away for a spanner, and while he
was gone 81 al his critics argued vain
ly the general question of opening fire
plugs with the right sort of twist
of the hands.
PLAY away hose! Turn on the
water." came believing wall from
the far distance, where a group of
townsmen were standing in very hot
proximity TO the fire, holding a nozzle
that grew hotter and hotter
''Git spanner." roared ST. in reply.
Just then one was thrust into his
hands, and IN a moment the plug was
open, the hose coupled and the water
turned on.
Half way down the line there was a
sudden connection, siZZle, and then a
roar and a chorus of shrieks as n
group Of women and girls scattered
from the neighborhood of the hose.
Some one had forgotten to couple a
joint there.
Turn her off, ST. and ST turned
"her" off till the joint was made, and
then sent the stream squirting straight
into the blazing hay loft.
The next line went on easier, and
as the ladders were up by this time,
the roof Of the barn over the hay was
drenched. the Are in the gable attack
ed, and the hay reduced to sullen
smoking. But the wagon shed still
blazed unchecked.
cit more hose" roared ST, now
thoroughly installed as fire marshal of
Se occasion. A dozen younger men
ran to lay lead and couple on. But
at the hydrant down the road stood
Squire Terwilliger, as steadfast as a
rock
NO, ye don't, either!" he shouted,
as they came up with hose and span
ner. There are two streams of water
onto that barn now, and that's all
there's going to be- Every drop Of that
water has to be paid for out o. the
taxes, and amt going to see any Of II
wasted.
The squire was adamant.
! Isl! Si!' went up the loud shout.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09

Chairman Tawney of the appropria.
tons committee is very emphatic in his
conclusions that the government must
pursue policy of retrenchment or face
a deficit. Our expenses are catching up
rapidly with the revenues, and the es-
Inmates for the next fiscal year are SC
large that only a horizontal pruning
process will leave any considerable
margin.
The estimates for the army and navy
are $100,0O0,000 in excess of those for
the preceding year, and these do moi
provide for additional battleships rec
commended by the President and Score
tary of the Navy. The chairman's es
pecial reference to these estimates leads
to the conclusion that here, in his opin-
ion the pruning knife should be most
vigorously applied, proposition In &C.
cord with popular opinion. If there
is any merit in the International peace
propaganda, the United States, better
than any European nation, can afford
to take the initiative in placing more
reliance on arbitration and less on guns
and battleships.
Besides, we are all vitality concerned
in the development of our inland water.
ways, which, according to conservative
estimates. will involve an annual out.
lay of S50,OO0,OOO for the next ter
years. Practically no argument has
been urged against this grand project,
and If Congress does not tie its hands
by committing itself TO an expensive
army and navy policy, there is no rea.
son why we should not begin operations
at an early date.
One thing is certain-the government
cannot maintain the navy and army OF
n war basis and at the same time carry
on broad system of internal improve
ments unless it provides greater reve-
me
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09

to place like the Arab, who folded his
tent and stole away. the modern often
as silently as the aforesaid Arab was
reputed TO have DONE There is also
the stream of travelling people to whom
the trunk is an invaluable bit of i'm
pedimenta.
To any of these the value of an at
tachment which will make the trunk
into wardrobe will instantly appeal
This forms into the subject of a recent
patent granted to a Racine man. 1t
consists of metal rod bent at right
angle and secured at either end OF the
rod TO the interior of the trunk at one
end of the trunk The rod acts as a
travelling way for hangers. adapted to
hold the garments, and when the trunk
is stood up on end 1t is, by this new in
vention, possible to shift the different
garments around so that the desired
piece can be reached with little diff
Guilty. Under ordinary circumstances
1t would be necessary to completely
unpack the trunk to get at its con-
tents.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
Currency LegisIntion.

American financiers are practical
unit in recognizing the necessity for
more elastic currency system, but from
that point there is a wide divergence
of opinion.
President Roosevelt, who, on most
matters of public interest. entertains
definite views, refrained from commit
ting himself in his last annual message
to any particular currency reform, al
though he declared with emphasis that
reform was necessary.
Secretary Cortelyou contented him
self with showing the disadvantages
under which this country is working
because our currency system fails to
meet conditions.
Experts in the financial world. men
who have made a study of finance and
a su cess in business. have taken up
the subject more practically and yet
left the layman absolutely in the dark,
for the reason that scarcely two of
them agree as to the best method for
affording relief.
Comptroller Ridgeley favors the in
corporation of central bank, and cites
the experience of older countries in sup
port of his plan.
Chairman Fowler, of the House COM
mittee on banking and currency, would
convert credit notes into bank notes,
and submit an elaborate argument
against the central bank proposition.
Ex-Gov Herrick. at the head of
Ohio's largest financial institution, and
Andrew Carnegie plead for currency
system based on assets, but the latter
maintains that the evolution must be
gradual, not Immediate.
While this discussion is going on out
side, Congress is doing nothing and
conditions are slowly righting them
selves. Obviously, if any amendment
to the currency laws is passed, it will
be orl, litter an extended debate. Pos
sibly bef,- re the lawmakers settle down
to a consideration of the subject, the
country will have entirely recovered
from its monetary indispositiOn, and
then more pressing subjects will be
given the center of the stage.
Inasmuch as it appears TO be the
program of the majority in Congress to
transact as little business as possible
during the present session, prospects
are not bright for currency REFORM
Toledo Blade.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09

Most soldiers are only too glad OF
light burdens on a march. Not so I'm
Gle Robert" His bump of acquisitive-
ness overbalanced all inertia, and his
muscles responded readily to the call of
possession. J. A. Munroe, in "Remin-
iscences of the Rebellion" tells how the
old soldiers knapsack was lightened
The officers of the battery reported
to me that Uncle Robert had about a
cart load of old trash, and that they
were unable to make him get rid of any
part of it. He had an itching for pick.
ing up anything which he thought
might, under any circumstances, come
into play,
l directed the sergeant to bring Tn
Gle Robert up with his knapsack. lie
reported, carrying that article and 4
huge bundle of traps tied up In a blan-
ket. Never was such a miscellaneous
lot of stuff put into so small a space
before or since. There was almost ev.
erthing In the way OF small notions
shoe strings, socks of all sizes, and old
clothing OF every description.
Perhaps the funniest thing Of all was
an old cast iron cook stove which he
had come across in some deserted
house, taken to pieces and carefully
packed among the clothing.
l ordered most Of the things thrown
into the fire, a proceeding which nearly
broke the old mans heart, but which
greatly reduced the weight of his KNAPP
sack
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
Why the Actor Was Sore,

An actor without funds managed f..
some way to get second class ticket
on line of steamers running between
Seattle and San Francisco.
The voyage between these two points
consumed the better part of three days.
and in view of the fact that his finances
were at low ebb he solved the question
in this way. The first day out he slept
all day to keep from eating and remain
ed up all night to keep from sleeping
The second day he took physical culture
exercises On the third day he could
not stand the strain any longer and
went down In the dining room and or
dered the best meal on GARD the boat
While eating this meal he could see in
his minds ese picture of cell in the
bastile in San Francisco.
After finishing his meal he said to
the waiter, "How much do l owe you?'
Nothing" replied the waiter, your
meals are included in your ticket
San Francisco ArgOnaut.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
( Lincoln accepted negro regiments, be

II Lincoln accepted negro regiments he
would march his regiment out of camp,
stack arms, and order the men to go
would do just as he said, and they dis
cussed the matter In a way to make the
Presidents ears burn.
There were all sorts Of reports in
camp. One was that one colored regi-
ment was to be attached to each bril-
gade to do the ditchirg and trenching
and to load and unload wagons, and to
build roads and bridges. This report
was received seriously, and when
thousand colored men camped a few
thought Old Abe's head was level after
all. 1t was all right for the darkies
to relieve the fighters of the army Of
hard work, but the boys objected to
men enlisted to work wearing the uni
form. But on a certain day ii was re-
ported that guns and equipments had
been issued TO the colored regiment,
and our own men looked TO the colonel
to be as good as his word.
"a few days later the colonel sent
company of our regiment over to the
negro camp 70 show the darkies how tc
drill. The men came back disinclined
TO talk. The next day another com
pany was sent, and ON their return the
men were less inclined to talk thar
those Of the first company. 1t was ad
mitted, however, that the darkies
would make good soldiers. BY gum!
said Happy Jack, who was a little Civ
en- to dandyism in his clothes, 'thos,
coons treat their blouses and trouser
as though they were made of fine silk
They won't even sit down On tn,
ground for fear they may soil the army
blue. l actually saw one fellow put
handkerchief down on a log before h,
sat down.
But the coons, Jack declared, coult
stand in line as straight and could
take the position Of the soldier as vel
as anybody. After they saw the com
pany of white men go through the
manual of arms they took their OWE
rifles and went through the movements
very much as did the whites. They
were in command of an old volunteer
officer, to whom they were greatly at.
tached, and the boys wondered what
they would do IL Morgan or Forrest
should make dash on their camp some
time when the darkies were asleep.
Not many weeks after that, and be-
fore our own men were called upon for
any formal expression of opinion, the
negro regiment was in an engagement.
The men went IN steadily, with their
eyes on the colonel, and, although they
met furious Ere, they followed their
colonel into the midst of one of the Sc
verest engagements of the war. Not
a man faltered, and when the regiment
came out 1t left a good many dead on
the field. That night the question Of
negro troops was discussed in a new
light. and the boys who were going to
desert changed their mind. Some one
reproached the colonel for what he had
said about enlisting colored men, and
asked him what he was going to do
about 1t. He said shortly: L will
obey orders, just as you WILL And in
the end there was no trouble about
arming the blacks"
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
Denver, July Seventh.

After all, money talks.
That -cross of gold' is not SO much
of a bugbear to the Bryanites as ii
was a few years ago.
Denver was awarded the Democratic
national convention because she came
forward with a pile of the precious
metal that none of the other contest.
ants for the honor could or would
match.
Democrats may virtuously spurn the
contributions of private corporations
for campaign purposes. but it is an
other matter when a municipal corpo-
ration plunks 100000 in gold before
their very eyes as the price it is will.
ing to pay for the privilege of secur-
ing the great national powwow.
The date-July lis considerably
later than was anticipated. Some
members of the committee even adj
vocated the plan of holding the con-
vention early In June, before the Re
publican convention, but it developed
that the question of time was consid-
cred unimportant, ard the location
probably determined the date.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09


finer scales these weights are often so
tiny that they can become lost in spite
of the greatest caution. In the new
device two standards rising from a
suitable base supports disk, the lat
ter moving in journals at the top Of
the standards. In normal position the
disk is balanced In a horizontal posi-
ton. One of the free sides of the disk
contains a graduated scale around its
edge and also a bar pivOtally mounted
at the center of the disk and travel
ing over the graduations marked ON
the edge The opposite edge contains
a scoop receptacle for receiving the
material to be weighed. The material
is balanced by the moving rod and
which indicates the weight. While 1t
can be built for all kinds of commodi-
ties, this scale is best adapted for fine
weighing.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
A Tragedy of the Civil War.

A Tragedy of the Civil War.
Not all the sad stories of wartime
come from the battlefield Many a
heart-break is not recorded on the list
of the killed and wounded. The Civil
War knew no more tragic occurrence
than the following incident, taken from
the New York Sun. A soldier had en-
listed from his home In Georgia, where
his father remained undisturbed
through the struggle. The young man
fought through the war without a
scratch, save a slight wound which left
him a little deaf. This affection he
never mentioned in his letters.
After the surrender he sent his IA
Their word that he would reach home
about certain date. Travel then was
uncertain, and he could not tell just
when he would arrive.
His father prepared to receive him.
He had brought out the best plate,
which had been secreted for a long
time, and with gold which had been ex-
humed he bought such substantials and
that time afforded AS many of the
old-time neighbors as were living in
the vicinity were invited TO the home
coming.
The young soldier arrived On the
plantation the night before the earliest
date he had mentioned. 1t was late
and the family had retired, but the dog
heard the noise and began to bark. The
sound reused the father, who rose and
got his shotgun. The country was over
run at the time with stragglers and
sneak-thieves. The father, gun in hand.
went to the door, saw the approaching
figure and challenged Ii. The young
man, being deaf, made no reply, but
still advanced, whereupon the father
raised his gun and fired. His son fell,
shot through the heart.
1t was a pitiful sight to see that al
most crazed father carrying his lifeless
son into the home which had been made
ready to welcome him. The next day
the guests arrived. Instead OF joyous
" greeting the returned soldier, they
gazed at the still form, wrapped In the
flag for which the young man had
bravely fought. Every private blrlal-
ground had in 1t a grave made by the
war. but no funeral like that ever took
place in the vicinity, or, possibly, In the
whole South.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09


Londoners used over 100000 gall
Ions of water last year.
OF persons stricken with insanity
about one-third recover
New York has more hospitals than
any other city in the world.
Irrigation methods were practiced In
South Africa 1900 years ago.
Germany sends 20,000,O00 feathers
per year to England for millinery pur-
poses.
The growth of girls is greatest in
their fifteenth year; of boys in their
Seventeenth.
Squares. triangles and similar nipple
ments used by draughtsmen are now
inade of glass.
The floor space of st. Peters. Rome
is 227.000 square feet, the greatest OF
any cathedral in the world.
Besides the locust, the insects which
are eaten for food are the bugong
moth of Australia, and the gru-gru, a
fat white moth found among the palm
trees of the West Indies.
The increase of the rice crop in this
country has been the means of BOOM
ing a great portion Of Texas land. so
that it is now worth ten times what 1t
was valued at ten years ago.
Colonel Robert NJ Thompson. OF
New York, charters the S.O00-ton
steamer Mineola and will take a party
of fifteen on a yachting cruise around
the globe at a cost of 100000.
Seattle claims to be the sixth largest
city Ia point of area in the United
States. New Yo.k, New Orleans, Chi
cago, Philadelphia and San Francisco
| are the cities with larger areaA
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09

sicle retained the WARDROBE TRUNK.
same general shape and appearance of
It's forbears, but of more recent years
the Improvements made in the trans
portation methods have permitted the
innovations referred to which were i'm
possible before.
To-day there is a vast army of peo-
pie who practically live in a trunk.
In the large cities there are hordes of
people whose earthly possessions are
stored away in a trunk. They pack
up their trunks and move from place
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09

If the Democrats were at this mo-
ment in control of the Presidency and
both houses of Congress they would not
revise the tariff. They would not dare
Their idea as to tariff revision agrees
with Josh Billings remark that 1.-THE
best place to have a boil is on some
other fellow" So they stand off and
urge tariff revision upon the Republic
an party. And a lot of Republicans
are foolish enough to furnish politica
capital to the Democratic party by
Joining in the clamor for tariff re-
vision.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09

the wood without the necessity of hold
ing the nail in the fingers when the
first blows of the hammer are struck.
Is groove for the reception of a NAH.
The latter is held in position by wire
spring, the head of the nail resting
against projection on the hammer
head With the nail In position, a
light blow is struck with the hammer,
so as to seat the point of the nail in
the wood By an upward movement of
the hammer the nail quickly olsen
cages itself flem the spring catch, the
hammer being then used to drive the
nail IN the wood.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
Ought Not to BE Undertaken.

Stand-patters, so-called, regard no
particular tariff now as sacred, but
theyt do say rat when conditions are
such as they are now. and as they have
been. that any movement which would
Inevitably disturb industrial condi-
items, create doubt and uncertainty and
col\,quent hard times, ought not TO be
undertaken except for the grayest rea-
sons. Unless it can be demonstrated
the more good than harm will come
out OF such a thing it had better be
postponed until such a time as we can
be sure that the good results will out
weigh the bad effects.-Gladstone
(Mich.) Delta.
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09
The First Colored Soldiers.

'sThe severest trial in our regiment"
said the Doctor. "came when the gov
eminent decided to enlist and organize
negroes into regiments. People of this
day, have violent racial prejudices, but
they cannot understand the unreason-
ing prejudice of the soldiers against
arming the blacks. Our colonel was a
hard-headed pro slavery man, and at a
poker game he made the remark that
The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-01-09

Little Mary was devotedly attached
TO a neighbours eat and went every day
to play with it. One day she returned
home, her eyes big with excitement.
"Why, mother" she exclaimed, pussy
has kittens, and l didn't even know she
was married" -Lippincott's.