smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1864

u0 htt1UCtC -NOUtfGtJ 1Oi q uhc al oil
article entitled "Seven weeks in the
Great Yosemite, thus speaks Of some
immense trees in that region:


"Take the dry statistics Of the mat
ter. Out Of one hundred and thirty two
trees which have been measured, not one
uuder-runs twenty-eight feet in circum-
ference five range between thirty-two
and thirty-six feet; fifty-eight between
forty and fifty feet; thirty-four between
fifty and sixty fourteen between sixty
and seventy; thirteen between seventy
and eighty; two between eighty and
ninety two between ninety and one
hundred and one is one hundred and
two This last, before the storms trun-
Gated it, had height Of four hundred
feet. l found a rough ladder laid
against its trunk-for it is PROSTATE
and climbed upon it's side by that and
steps cut in the bark [ mounted the
swell of the trunk to the butt and there
made the measurement which ascertain
ed it's diameter as thirty-four feet-its
circumference one hundred and two feet
plus fraction. Of course the thickness
Of it's bark is various, but [ cut Of some
Of it to foot in depth and there was
evidently more below that.


''To make some rough attempt at a
conception Of what these figures amount
to, suppose the tree fallen at the gable
of an ordinary two story house. You
propose to cross by plank laid from
your roof to the upper side Of the tree.
That plank would preceptibly slope up
from your roof peak.


Through another tree, lying PROSTATE
also, ard hollow from end to end, our
whole cavalcade charged at the full trot
for distance of one hundred and fifty
feet The entire length Of this tree be-
fore truncation, had been about three
hundred and fifty feet. In the hollow
bases of trees still standing, we easily
sheltered ourselves and horses. We
tried throwing to the top Of some of them
with ludicrous unsuccess, and finally
came to the monarch of them all, a glori-
Gus monster not included in the above
Dimensions, as most Of those mentioned
are still living, and all have the bark
upon them still, while the trie is to some
extent barked and charrcd. When ssit
stood erect in its live wrappings, it meas
ured forty feet in diameter-oyer one
hundred and twenty feet in circumfer-
ence! Estimates grounded on well known
principle of yearly corticaf increase, in
disputably back the birth Of these giants
as far as 1900 B. G. Thus their tender
sapplings were running up just as the
gates Of Troy were tumblng down, and
some of them had fulfilled the late Hart
ford Charter Oak when Solomon called
his master masons to refreshment from
the building Of the Temple. We cannot
realize time-images as we can these Of
space by reference to Dimensions with
in experience, so that the age of these
marvellous trees still remains to me an
incomprehensible fact, though with my
minds eye | continue to see how noun
tain massey they look, and how dBarfed
is the man who leans against them.
Year: 1864

We are Of those who love religion
who wish to express it in our daily life (;
and, loving it as we do, we cannot push
it to one side as dark and solemn thing;
fit only to receive our tears ofrepentance,
and before which we must walk with
long drawn faces. We see in it the
glory, the sunshine of life. When it
springs within us, it does not consign
us to life of trembling suspense, pass
ed on the edge of the tomb; but our
souls, hitherto stumbling among the
tombs, cropping in dim caverns of the
earth. rise into the sunshine of Gods
love. This is the true life, and no one
can truly say he hves, unless, throwing
aside his grave-elothes, he walks forth
in this ligat. We hold that those who
live in earnest, must off necessity be re-
ligious. and that their religion will carry
ther above all sorrow and care. There
fore we do not like the fashionable SEN
timentalism which throws shadows uron
religion. We like soberness and rever-
ence, but also cheerfulness, triumph, ioy
and gladness.
Year: 1864

The BRAVE Soul OF UNIog Sol
DIERs.--A correspondent gives an ac-
count Of the heroic fortitude of q young
boy who was wounded IN a recent charge
in Grants army lie was in hospital
at Washington. Through each heel,
between the tendons and the bone, there
was large hole, and both were full of
maggots, which had eaten their way
down under the bones Of his feet there
was also another wound in the feshy
part Of the left thigh, where the bali
carried away half pound of flesh and
muscle this was also full ofmaggots.--
Turpentine was used by the surgeon to
get rid Of the maggots, yet the brave lit
tie fellow bore the intense pain like .
martyr, and when asked if he did not
suffer said Yes I suffer very much but !,
am willing to be torn peicemeal, joint
by joint, while living, for my country
and for living;
Year: 1864

RATHER SEVERE ON THE GIRLS
An exchange says:


"The number Of idle, useless girls in
all our large cities seems to be steadily
increasing. They lounge or sleep through
the mornings, parade tho street during
the afternoon, and assemble in frivolous
companies of their own and other sex to
pass away their evenings. What store
of unhappiness for themselves and others
are they laying up when real duties and
high responsibilities shall be thoughtly
assumed They are skilled in no do
mestic duties-nay, they despise them );
have no habit of industry nor taste for
the useful. What will they be as wives
and mothers? Also for the husbands
and children. and also for themselves
Who can wonder if domestic unhappi-
ness and domestic ruin follows"
Year: 1864

WHY TIE DYING NEVER WEEP.
The reason the dying never weep is be-
cause the manufactures of tears have
stopped forever, every gland of the sys-
tenn has ceased its functions. In almost
all diseases the liver is the first that
stops work +; one by one the others fol-
low, and all the fountains of life are a6
length dried up--there is no secretion
anyway. So the eye in death weeps not
NOT that all affection is dead to the
heart, because there is not tear drop
in it any more than there is moisture on
the lip. It is striking characteristic
Of that terrible disease the cholera, that
the patient however suddenly seized,
never sheds tear, even though sur
rounded by weeping friends. The fea
ture Of the disease is the suspension of
the secretion in the system and the most
active excretory work, by which the
body is drained of it's fluids.
Year: 1864

fyou wish to succeed in life, ifyou wish
to findsfriends, if you wish your relatives or
associates to enjoy your company, wear a
cheerful face everybody dislikes and shuns
a sad one, if it is habitually sad. Every
body but God grows weary Of being remind
ed Of sorrow, and the heart that is always
full of bitter waters will be left alone. Pre-
tend to be happy, if you can do no more.
Coax sunbeams to your eyes, smiles to your
lips. Speak hopeful words as often as you
can make fua, if you never feel it. Get tlt
name of being cheerful and it VIII be ;ssin-
crease to you. Wherever IT,, gs@ face
goes it is welcome; whates@ .the laughing
lips ask is apt to be granted. If you are
starving for want Of food for body or spirit
it is better to laugh than to cry as you tell
the tale


There was one once who, with a face like
a tombstone, told and told her want, and
met with repulse after repulse from those
whose faces fell at sight of her but at last
laughing in strange mirth at her own misery
she told it once again. Tears started in the
eyes Of her hearers, and instant relief was
given. Men are impatient of tears, and
women weary Of them. Don't give way to
them, no matter what the case may be; get
back the smiles as quickly as you can. Let
them be but "hollow smiles" if that's the
best you can do. Keep at that BY and
by you can do better. Never give up to
gloom it is wrong to those about you.
Sad faces add to the weight of trouble chat
| life lays upon every heart. WOE to US five
cannot look about US and see bravely cheer
full faces to encourage or hearts. Let US
be careful that each one ofus has one of these
faces.


A man who carries glad face does an
amount of good IN the world impossible to
compute, even if he be too poor to give one
cent in charity and q man whose face is
generally sad, does, every day Of his life,
more harm than can be recl,oned. This is
hard world, full of all manner of trouble :;
but every one of them can, for much of the
time, be wrestled out of sight, and every liy
ing man and woman, as soon as the first dis
tress is little past, can, at the very least,
assume cheerinlness. This is decent More
than this, It's piety, It's duty. Nobody has
any right to 60 about a perpetual damper
Of enjoyment. And no one has just reason
for habitual sadness till he has lost his soul.
Year: 1864

LIFE TIE WORLD OYER When
Peter Of Coronto was engaged on pic
ture for the Royal Palace Of Pitt, Fer
dinand IL particularly admired therep-
resentaion Of weeping child. "Has
your majesty" said the painter, "a mind
to see how easy it is to make the child
laugh?' And, suiting the action to the
word, the artist merely depressed tho
corner of the lips and the extremity Of
the eyebrows, when the little -prchin
seemed in danger Of bursting his sides
with laughter, who in a moment before
was breaking his heart with weeping.


IF this be true in the world Of living
men, slight, very slight are the causes
that make or break the happiness Of life.
The touch Of brush can dim heaven
with cloud, or brighten the prospect Of
the fair horizon.
Year: 1864

New WAY TO CLEAN oUT COUNTER
FELT MoEEY.-Nellie's Penfeld Extra
tells the following story;


We understand that in a certain town
not far from Penfeld, the inhabitans
were greatly annoyed by counterfeit mon
ey and certain minister adopted tho
following method to get it out Of circu-.
lation He gave notice that On the fol-
lowing Sabbath collection would be
taken for the soldiers relief fund and
that he could use spurious bank bills,
to good advantage; and all those hold
ing any were invited to donate literally.
The result was Sl7,37 good money and
1853 in bad bills. currency notes,
and bad pennies.
Year: 1864

There can be no doubt at thisday that the


Administration and ruling party, ifcontinu-
ed in power aud successful in crushing the
rebellion, mediate all entire change OF the
fundamental principles of The Government
as ordained by our present Constitution.
Their idea is Capitalization, with Presiden-
tial and Congressional power over tie
States in ell their relations. fhe policy OF
the President, as explained in his various
pTocIamaiioEs, and all the acts OF Congress
OF general character, clearly enough indi-
cate ;his. II is time, therefore, for the peo-
pie TO consider well, between this and The
next Presidential election, whether they de-
sire such a change whether any nerw and
more powerful Government, formed by the
present ruling party, under the excitement
and fana,icism OF the present lime, would
be likely TO conduce more TO their personal
freedom and substantial interests and hap
piness, than the old Constitutional Govern
ment under which they enjoyed every
privilege and blessing-freedom, political
and religious, and prosperity such as no
other people ever knew.


Few people, mparilively, have thought
enough on ihis subject. Il is serious one,
ane comes home directly 10 the ''business
and bosom" of every man. Il is not light
matter, even in times OF profound peace,
when the public mind is calm, TO add an
article to Constitution or change any OF
its features, even when by such change
or addition no alteration OF any OF
lis principles is contemplated and certain
ly, ifths is SO, ii must bea very grave mat
ter to undertake thorough change Of the
form and principles OF the Government
when military power predomina,es, and
the minds of men are moro or less swayed
by the passions and prejudices Of the
day.


The question is one which we submit TO
the people OF all parties for profound medi
iatio1. There is none of vasler i'm mporiance
before them now, or ever was, or ever can
be--and if ii do not awake Them now 10
aud eventually to action, the
time will have arrived to despair OF the
Republic"
Year: 1864




Our DOOR ETIoUETTE.-A gentleman NEST
ing lady should always take the right OF
the walk.
A gentleman meeting another should al
ways pass TO The right.


lady, as general rule, should noI take
a gentleman's arm in the street in ;he day
time.


However, ii is not improper when the
walk is ihronged with passengers
A gentleman meeting or passing gentle
man and lady should pass on the gentle
mans side.
A Gentleman should never fail 10 salute
a lady OF his acquaintance when within 8
proper distance, unless she wears veil, in
which case ii would be highly uncisil
10 recognize her.
Year: 1864

Tomorrow is the day for the Mass


Meeting at the Junction. The continued
rains which we have had for several dsys
may serve to diminish somewhat the
crowd that would otherwise have been IN
attendance-yet it will not il every Union
man will determine 10 go. rain or shine
and this is what we must do. The Union
met and women, and boys and girls, of
Lee County, should resolve to 90 to the
Junction to morrow and have good time,
any how. 1t is the only mass meeting that
will be held in the county during the
campaign, and being SO, we should make
ii success.


Let then everyb body turn out. Let
everybody attend. Let every loyal
voter be there. and let the patriotic and
fair ladies Of keokuk and lckson Town
snip and of isa Cssa:y 10 there, and the
Juveniles, and let us make the meeting
thing to be proud of. There will be good |
speaking By the eloquent speakers who will
be there, and good singing BY tho Keokuk
Glee Club, and good music by the Keo-
kuk Brass Band, and good feeling among
al attending over tie great political and
military victories lately won by loyal bal
lois and bullets, and in anticipation Of the
glorious majority which Lee County and
Iowa and all the loyal states will roll up
in November for Lincoln & Johnson
Bat for success we must labor, and let us
all set apart Saturday as one day for thi.
purpose.
Year: 1864

EVERY One TO HIS PosT Now is the great
agricultural crisis in the South Many, who have
heretofore helped SOW our wheat and oats, are in
the field of service This should be an incentive
to make those who are at home, redouble their
diligence and industry in sowing our unusually
large crop Of both wheat aud oats. No man, who
has farm should leave it until he has sowed the
last acre of ground which he has and as much as
be can rent And every one in his place, who has
any hands or can hire them, should rent land send
them to the country and SOW all The grain he has
or can purchase. 1t is no excuse to say you nave
no seed oats or wheat If you have not, get out al
once, keep going until you fnd some and put il in
the ground Such energy and determination are
the only things which can save Us from starvation
-Grernsboro Citizen
Year: 1864

FROM KENTUcKY.-Private advces from Ken
tucky state that General Lyon is now in command
of the Department of Kentucky. The Confederate
forces occupy all that portion of the State south of
Christian county to the Mississippi river except
Columbus aud Paducah, at which places there are
strong garrisons. The Federals have drafted .
large number of Kentuckianss,and they desert
ing daily, and either coming to our army or form
ing guerilla parties. Partizan bands are springing
up all over the State, to the great annoyance of
the Federals, who say they are determined that
Kentucky shall again win for herself the title of
.the dark and bloody ground rather than she shall
be free to choose for herself.
Year: 1864

An Act to authorize the formation of new command
to be composed of supernumeraTy officers, who NAV
resign to join such commands, and to limit and re-
strict the appointment of officers in certain cases


The Congress of the Confederate States of America
Year: 1864

HErP rHs PooR.-Selfishness il . most
hideous moral deformity. While we are
congratulating ourselves upon our ability to
enjoy the comforts Of life, let us not be so
selfish as to think only Of ourselves. Let
Us remember that there are human beings
among us-right by our doors, as it were,
who are in want. They feel the gnawing Of
hunger, and the biting Of the cold through
their raiment, and charity demands that
those who have plenty should bear them in
mind. Thanksgiving Day comes on Thurs
day. Very many are preparing for merry
day, and bountiful feast. Will not those
comforts be enjoyed al the better while in
possession Of the knowledge that through
your instrumentality another family circle
poor in circumstances, has been made
glad, alsoa Think of this while preparing
for your own comfort, and remember that
a rich blessing awaits those who care for
the wants Of the poor. While some give in
public, 20 in private and without ostenta-
ton, relieve the suffcrings Of those who arc
in want, and make glad the hearts Of moth
ers and children whose lot is unpleasantly
cast. You have the promise that you shall
be openly rewarded for such charity, and
By One who promises not in vain.
Year: 1864

TIE WxArnER.-The sudden and severe
turn taken BY the weather on Sunday, and
which continued through last night, makes
things look cold and stiff to-day. The riv-
er was full Of thin fakes Of running ice this
morning, which the wind blew into bank
on the Rock Island side, considerably impe-
ding the operation Of the ferry boat. The
high winds prevented the boats from arriv-
ing yesterday, consequently there were
none here to leave 1t the usual time. A
continuance Of this sort Of weather for . few
days will efFectually close navigation; and
bridge the Mississippi.
Year: 1864

and provisions should be made for il now
The garden furnishes q large amount o. re-
fuse matter which should 90 on to the con-
post heap. an occasional load of stable ms
nurs may be added, and alternate strata Of
green vegetable mattsr and maarre may be
built up pfhro1ghout the season. Every privy
should have its vault 30 arranged as to be
perfectly aecessiblefOr removing or adding
to its contents. Anoccasional addition OF
muck and plsstes or copperas lsulphate OF
irorl will completely deOdorize the contents
aud make Highly valuable fertilizers. DO
not forget the hen house in the summer sea-
son. A few shovelfuls of soil will make the
hen roest more comfortable for its inmates


and assist in forming manure equal in value
tie guano. 1t is better to save and accumu-
late manures now. than to be short and OBJ
liged to buy when the need is felt next
Spring.
Year: 1864

\ poor soldier lay on his hospital bed
with the sands in his hour glass almost
run. As the chaplain bent over him he
looked up eagerly and said, pointing to
his temple.


Chaplain, I want You to cut big lock
Of hair off from here for mother.


The Chaplain hesitated moment and
the youth added You need not be
afraid to distfgure me It's for mother.
and nobody will come to see me in the
dead house to morrow


The request was at once complied with,
and the blood stained lock on which her
hand so often rested with pride and fond
ness which mothers only know, was laid
by for those loving eyes to .weep over
What filter token could 60 back from
hero martyr, even though it wrung her
heart with anguish. All, how little did
she think as she smoothed those shining
locks in sunny childhood. that they would
ever thus come back to her


Now chaplain, said the diving man.
Il want You to kneel down and return
thanks to God And when the good
minister asked him for what he should
return thanks, what think YOU was the
first great blessing for which in such a
solmn hour. he felt his heart rise up in
gtattkIle To tue great trlNer oil all oOodS


Thank God for giving me such
good mother. Oh, chaplain. her counsels
and teachings comfort me now. Oh.
what would | do if | WASH a Christain:''
and he went on TO enumerate other causes
for thanksgiving. but this one he felt to
be foremost OF all Coos earthly eifts-a
good mother to teach him the way to
heaven through the blood of Jesus


Have YOU such a mother. and have
you never returned thanks to God for
her: Or have youneglected her teach
ings, and thought her earnest counsels
sometimes irksome, and almost wished
YOU might be left undisturbed in the en-
joyment of youthful pleasures. without
the check which her words would, in
spite Of your self, lay uyon the reins of
her instructions now when Won will see
it, perhaps too late. If vou have A good
mother. cherish her tenderlv and do not
SOW thorns in her pillow and your own
by carelessness and neglect.


And mother, will Your son have cause
TO thank God on his dying bed for giving
him such q mother:-[ Sunday School
Times.
Year: 1864

a letter 10 the Philadelphia Inquirer,
from Spottsvlvania Court House, says:


The rebel prisoners captured within
the past four DAYS are CHARTERED IN an
open field. about FIVE miles south o.
Fredericksburg. They are SO numerous
that at a distance they have appearance
of division Of soldiers. ready TO be
moved forward into action strong
guard surrounds them, and so large 4
space of ground do they occupy, that IL
takes nearly a regiment of men to keep
guard over them.


The same correspondent relates the
following. which is very characteristic, CT
the commanding General:


An incident occurred daring the NOR
ming illustrates the coolness and SELF
possession of the Commander IN Chlei
of the Armies of the United States.
While the heaviest artillery firing IN the
morning was in progress, General Grant
was standing in company with General
Meade, near fire, talking and eudeav
oring to keep themselves dry, when q
rebel shell struck within few feet OF
the twain A disposition to move was
manifested on the part of number OF
officers standing around. when General
Grant, looking slowly around and fixing
his eve on the spot where the shell struck.
asked, at once for a pocket compass,
which being furnished. he examined the
course of the shell. found out the loca-
ton of the battery, and it was not long
before shells were thick among the men
working said battery.
Year: 1864

Among the recent capturers made in


Virginia was that of Captain R. Il
Frayser, signal officer Of the late General
Jeb Stuart's staff In the course of his


march 10 " ashington he talked freely OF
I the war, and its prospects. Here is what


he said


He SAYS the South are prepared to fight
fifty wears longer, If necessary, and feel
confident they will accomplish their
design ultimately, because of the fact
that the South are a. unit, while the


Worth IS divtded by political PARTIES. He
asserts that the people Of the South ac-
quiesce in the reputation Of one third of
their currency and would stand the repu-
Giation OF all. as they are willing to give


up their all to win their objects, while
they understand that the people of the
Worth wM no. stand great burdens, and are
already fndin1 fanh zrith their currency


just So The rebellion can't be con.
quered because there is party in the
North that opposes it. The strength Of
the. Confederacy is the Democratic party.
If the North were a unit as the South il.
the war would soon be over So talks
this rebel, who, no doubt, knows as well
as any what rebel hopes are and on what
they are built. If the Copperheads
would all 90 South and fight where they
could oppose without embarrassing their
Government, the rebels would have really
less hope Of success than they have now,
and with more reason. The Democratic
party is the stay and hope of the rebel
ton. Remember what Capt. Frayser
saws. men Of Indians -Lrdiano Journal
Year: 1864

WEARS have been spent in their perfection


L as tie Company we.o determined not to
put their Machines into market unit, they
could sustain tho assertion which they nov
make, that they are the