smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1868

He left q very large property" was
the closing sentence of a recent obitue-
ry. How many reflections it suggests
What a pity he was obliged to leave it |!
He had taken great delight in collect
ing it. 1t was we'll and fairly earned.
1t was all the fruit of his own energy,
and good Judgment, yet he had 10 leave
it, and went out Of the world as poor as
he came in.


He might have taken it with him
rather he might have sent it forward in
advance. Every dollar given in hum
bic faith to scatter the glad tidings of
salvation, eyery~cpp of cold water CIV
en- to disciple, every,,tear of pious
sympathy for the sufering,7eSery gift
Of his kindly charity to the needy woelas
have been treasure laid up in heaven.


How much more blessed to go to,
than to leave, large property. The
man who is poor in this worlds goods,
but rich in faith, closes his eyes on this
life, and goes to take possession Of his
inheritance. He owned not a foot of
land on earth, but for him,


"swect fields beyond the swelling flood,


Stand drest in living green"


His food here was plain and scanty,
but there he will eat freely from the
" tree of life" His garmentshere were
poor and plain, but there he shall be
"clothed in white robes" He associates
here with those who are despised of
men, but there his companions will he
an "innumerable company of angels"
and the Church of the frst-born which
are written in heaven.
Year: 1868

The RIGHT OF CREDITORS TO EXAM
INE BANKRUpTs.-In the United States
District Court of New York few days
since questions were raised as to The
right Of creditors to examine bank
rupt, when the Judge (Blatchford) de-
cided as follows:


Every creditor has right, under Sec
tion twenty-six of the Bankrupt Law,
to examine the bankrupt on oath as to
the matters specified in that section.
That such an examination of bankrupt
by one of the creditors enures to the
benefit of all of them is no reason why
the privilege of examining should be
withheld from another creditor. Yet
the register must in the exercise Of a
sound discretion, regulate the time and
manner and source of the examination,
so as to protect the bankrupt from an
noyance, oppression, and more delay,
while at the same time the opportunity
is allowed to the creditor to enquire as
to the matters specified in the twenty
sixth section.
Year: 1868




ELOQUENT ExTRAcr.-The following
eloquent extract is taken from an pdi-
torial in Father Ryans Banner Of the
South /: n
There are men who desert, the. al
tars of lost cause round which they
once stood with the bloodin their hearts
painting for Liberation, and who kneel to
offer hQmagsat the altar of successful
wrong There are men who trample
Bundef foot the very standards that once
sfoated proudly over them. There are
sms92base enough to lift their hands
against the very rights for which they
once uplifted swords We are not such,
For us principle is principle, right is
rght-yesterd o-day-to,morrow--
forever. Submission to might is not
surrender of right. We yield to the
one, but shall never yield to the other" "
Year: 1868

> EmLoADHD D1oE.-If General Grant
has that respect for I" the will of the
people which he expresses in his letter
accepting the Chicago nomination, twill
scarcely be satisfactory to him to know,
as he must know, that he is not the
choice of the people of the United States
astheir President. The Democracy have
carried Oregon, and if the electoral vote
were Justly counted it would stand as
follows.
Year: 1868

ATTORNEY GENERAL STANBERRY ON
THE RECONSTRUCTION ACTs.-At the
Eighth of January celebration, in Wash
ington, Attorney General Stanberry
mcde speech, from which we take the
following extracts:


Gentlemen, 1 have been at the bar for
nearly half a century, not only of COM
mon law, but of our own constitutional
law, and do not hesitate to say these
reconstruction acts of Congress, from
beginning to end, first, second and third
in the series, are unconstitutional and
void. There are times when to be silent
is to be unfaithful. There are times
when men must speak out. 1 will not
attempt to school myself into reticence
upon these questions, and could not if
l would.
Year: 1868

WoMAN.-It is hardly possible to
overrate the influence of true-hearted
woman, from the time it is first felt in
her childhood's home, where by her
presence she gladdens the heart of faith
er and mother, and by her mild ge ntle
love holds sway over the heart of her
brother, filing his mind with images
of purity and faith ia woman. No man;
however debased he may become, if hes
has been blessed with such sister, can
ever forget her. Thoughts of her love
will come to him, until, angel-like, they
lead him back to the path Of virtne and
peace. How precious is the bond be-
tween sister and an only brother I.
With low much patient love she over
looks his waywardness ! And let that
brother thank "the Giver of all good
gifts" for the priceless one of true
hearted sister. Let her strive to win
and retain his confidence and, though
she may form nearer ties, let her not, in
her own happiness, forget to sympathize
in his joys and sorrows; feeling deeply
conscious that her influence is welded
alike for time and eternity.
Year: 1868

In town in Maine lived man who
though yet in middle age, had put on
mourning for three wives. In, the
course of time fourth was brought
home, and in the course of her clearing
up and putting things to rights she
found in the attic long piece of old
board and was about launching it out
of the window, when little Sallie inter.
posed and said: "Oh don't mama! that
is the board papa lays out his wives on
and he wants to keep itr'-Neverthe-
less out it went.
Year: 1868

Senator Wilson said in a private
conversation on the 9th, referring to
the proposition in the Georgia Conven-
ton to ask Congress TO ratify and accept
the Southern Constitutions without
submission to the people, that Congress
would agree to nothing of the kind but
that every State must have its Consti-
tuition ratified by the people before
representatives would be admitted to
Congress.
Year: 1868

The smallest practicable railroad curve


is an arc or circle whose radius is 72O
feet Consequently a railroad would
have to be nine-elevenths of a mile long
in order to make complete circle. a
railroad embankment must be 3 times
as thick at base as its perpendicular
height. In other words, the slope, in
order to stand without sliding must not
he more than about thirty degrees from


horizontal. The highest embankment
in the world is on one of our Western
roads, ,24O feet, with base 730 feet thick.
Year: 1868

A Boston newspaper says good way
to preserve cut flowers is to put pinch
of nitrate of soda into the water every
day when it is changed. This, it says,
will preserve flowers for fortnight.
Nitrate of potash, in powder, has nearly
the same effect.
Year: 1868

In a conversation respecting the pre-
sent situation and his future purposes,
the President said: A modification, per
hans 1 might say. an entire change OF
public sentiment in the North has been
the consequence. One who held fast to
a principle when majority was arrayed
againts him, is not likely to loosen his
hold upon it wheu so much of the press
ure has been removed.
Year: 1868

The Alexandria Democrat says the
river and weather at that place are as
uncertain as the arrival of the New Or.
leans mails. We will bet a Bologna
sausage against the combined political
reputation of the Charcoal Convention
that the arrival of the aforesaid institu-
tion at that place is not more uncertain
than its appearance here.
Year: 1868

The February number of that invalua-
bic Partisan publication lie Bon Ton is
on our table. The beauty and excellence
Of its enrapturing Fashion Plates is al
most beyond description, while its other
contents are equally as significant.
Year: 1868




"a Woman" writes to the PHILADELPHIA
Press, from Ashland Pa, the following
stories about General Grant:


La the winter of 1923, when the army
arrived at Memphis, after long, weary march
ing and trials that sicken the heart TO think
Of, two-thirds of the officers and soldiers
were in hospitals. General Grant was lying
sick at the Gayoso House One morning
Mrs Grant came in the ladies' parlor, very
much depressed, and said the medical direc
tor had just been to see Mr. Grant, and
thought he would not be able to 90 any
further if he did not stimulate Said she
And | cannot persuade him to do so; he
says he will not die, and he will not touch a
drop upon any consideration. Ia less than
a week he was on board the advance boat on
the way to Vicksturg.


Again, few months after, | was on
board the headquarters boat at Milliken' s
Bend, where quite a lively gathering Of
officers and ladies had dassembed Cards aud
music were the order Of the evening. GEN
eral Grant sat Ia the ladies' cabin, leaning
upon table covered with innumerable
mapsand routes to Vicksburg, wholly absorb
ed IN contemplation of the great matter be-
fore him. lie paid no attention whatever to
what was going on around, neither did any
one dare to interrupt him. For hours he
sat thus, until the loved aud lamented Me-
Pherson stepped up to him with a glass Of
liquor in his hand, and said; General this
won't do; you are injuring yourself join
with US in few toasts, and throw this bur
den off your mind. Looking up and smil-
ling, he replied: ''Mac, you know your
whiskey won help me to think; give me q
dozen OF the best cigars you can find and,
it the ladies' will excuse me for smoking, |
think by the time | have finished them I
shall have this job pretty nearly planned :"
Thus he sat; aud when the company retired,
we left him there, still smoking and think
ing, not having touched one drop of liquor


When the army lay around Vicksburg
during that long siege, the time that tried
men 5 souls, | watched every movement it
was possible for me to do, feeling almost
certain that he would eventually succumb
to the custom, alasl too universal among the
officers. | was in company with a gentle
man from Chicago, who, while calling upon
the General, remarked, Il have some very
fine brandy on the boat, and if you will
send an orderly with me to the river | will
send you 4 case or two" II am greatly
obliged, replied the General "but | do
not use the article have big job on
hand, and though | know | shall win, l
know | must DO it with a cool head Send
all the liquor you intend for me to my hos
pital in the rear; don't think a little will
hurt the poor fellows down there


At a celebration on the 22d February
before the surrender of Vicksburg, while
all around were drinking toasts in sparkling
champagne, saw General Grant push aside
a glass Of wine, and, taking up glass OF
Mississippi water, with the remark, This
suits the matter in hand; drink to the toast,
God gave US Lincoln and liberty; let us
fight for both. ~
Year: 1868

| ree0llcct returning from school one eve
ming when child, aud finding myself, as
entered the door. yard, at home, in the
midst Of group OF visitors, who were tax
ing leave of the family. A very old lady, 10
a neat black 'scooT-shovel bonnet, was
leaning on the arm of her daughter, who
was also an aged woman. Several others
were standing about-my own dear old
grandmother among the rest-and all of
them seemed to be old enough to be daugh-
ters Of Methuselah


stood peering at them curiously, sun
bonnet in hand, when the very old lady
came slowly toward me.


'How old are you, little girl?" she asked.


Six years old -


Are you? | was six years old a hund-
red years ago. -


How | started and looked up wonderingy
under the deep black bonnet. She smiled
as she added, Ny dear child, | am hund-
red years older than you are;" and as she
kissed my forehead, and laid her thin hand
tenderly on my bare head, felt even then
that it was a benediction.


How honored We all felt by her presencel
NO one else was spoken of for week and
we children all felt that it would be very
Pleasant to live a hundred years longer, and
to be still good-natured, and have everybody
very proud of us Let me live to an OLD age,
but let me not outlive the free use OF all my
faculties, should be the prayer and aspira-
ton of every child. Let us point him to
that goal and bid him seek to win the race
Heaven often forces US to answer our own
prayers and we must undoubtedly do so in
this case, or they will remain unanswered
We ought to live for old age just in the
spirit we are constantly exhorted to live
for heaven, that is, to think of it, take
measures to attain it, and provision for
it.


| do not mean merely the laying up of
much goods" for the many years. An
honest old age has right to be independent,
and to be no more numbered with much
serving. 1t often needs change Let the
old man be free to leave his home occasion
ally, and with bis old wife, hand in hand,
let him go travelling to see the world and
enjoy it. They may thus add years to their
length of days, much to their stock of
happiness, and more still to their vigor and
restoration of their decaying faculties.
After three score years and ten of robust
work, either with brains OF hands, society
owes the veteran competence, and every
rational enjoyment it will procure; and it is
all wrong if he has not been able to obtain
this. -AtaHtic MoathB.
Year: 1868

Strength of character consists of two
things-power of will and power Of self
restraint. 1t requires two things. therefore,
for its existence-strong feelings and strong
command over them Nowwe all very often
mistake strong feelings for strong character.
4 man who bears all before him, before
whose frown domestics tremble, and whose
bursts of fury make the children of the
household quake, because he has his own
way in all things, we call him a strong man.
The truth is, that he is the weak man; it is
his passions that are strong; he, mastered
by them, is weak. You must measure the
strength of a man by the power of the
feelings he subdues, not by the power OF
those that suDdue him. And hence com
posure is very often the highest result Of
strength. Did we ever see a man receive a
flagrant injury, and then reply quietly That
is a man spiritually strong. Or did we ever
see man in anguish stand as if carved out
of solid rock, mastering himself? or one
bearing hopeless daily trial remain silent,
and never tell the world what conquered
his home peace? That is strength. He
who, with strong passions, remains chaste;
be who, keenly sensitive, with manly powers
of indignation in him, can be provoked and
yet restrain himself and forgive, those are
the strong men, the spiritual heroes.
Year: 1868

The idea of girl in Italy is iudissolubly
connected with that Of being devoid of all
moral sense, infallibly preferring wrong to
righr, and who can only be kept from harm
and evil by the most incessant watchtulness.
A mothers whole maternal duties toward
her daughter seem considered in Italy
to be comprehended in the one act Of vigi-
lance.


"My daughter has never been, since she
was nine years old, for more than twenty
minutes out of my sight" said an Italian
countess, boastfully; and by this declaration
she appeared to think that she merited to
take rank in the worlds esteem with the
mother of the Gracchi.


A girl belonging to the upperranks ofllte
in Italy is practically a prisoner until she
marries. The girl belonging to the humber
classes of society shares also, in great de-
gree, in the same restrictions on her liberty
The grown.up daughter of awoman keeping
a lodging-house in Florence could not proflt
by nv offer to take her to see the ceremony
Of the Iavanda' at the Pitt Palace, solely
because she was unable to procure proper
escort to accompany her in ten minutes
walk through the best part Of the town, to
the place where | resided. A work girl
going to her employer house has to pro
vide herself with some companion; and in
emergencies | have sometims seen a little
child do duty as duenua for the occasion.
In the country the same rule prevails no
peasant girl is ever alone; and equally. IN
the higher as in the lower classes of society
would any infringement of the social code
in this respect, be fatal to matrimonial ex-
pectations. Under these circumstances, th'
proceedings Of unmarried English ladie
excite the wonder and envy Of their sex L
Italy. Often have been amused at tn
way in which the most commonplace eS


ploits have been magnified into heroic az
tions; and not unfrequently did | find myse
4 elevated to the dignity of heroine, whe


utterly unconscious that had in any wa


merited the name assigned me. From
/ Lady's JOuadl.
Year: 1868

CHARACTER AND REPUTATION. "A Wes-
tern pastor having written a reply to some
malignant newspaper attacks, sent 1t to a
friend to be submitted to Dr. Wayland for
his advice. The doctor read thearticle con-
sidered it for a few moments, and said, In
substance. Tell brother-to take no notice
of the attacks. 4 man character viii take
care of his reputafioa, and he need not fear
the malicious attacks of his enemies 1t is
never we'll for a man publicly to vindicate
himself from charge which the whole tenor
Of his life contradicts Those who know the
man do not need the vindication, and those
who don know him will not care enough
about il to read what he may write. Our
ministering friend said he had lived long
enough to be more thankful than he could
express for the advice then given.
Year: 1868

A CONDUCTOR on a railroad running from
Hartford, agreed in the kindness of his heart
to pass a poor penniless fellow on his train.
An officer of the road sitting In the same car
with the man, observed that the conductor
took no fare of him, and called him to ac
count for it. "Why do you pass that man?


said Mr.. Treasurer "Oh, he conduc
tor on the -railroad. He conductor
why what makes him dress so shabbily Z


''Oh, he's trying TO live on his salary


was the quick reply. Mr.. Treasurer saw
the point aud dropped the subject at once
Year: 1868

EACH true Christian is a night trav-
eler his life his walk. Christ his way
and heaven his home his walk pain
full, his way is perfect, his home pleas.
ing. | will not loiter, lest l come short;
will not wander, lest come wide of home;
but be content to travel hard and be sure
walk right; so shall my saf4 way find its end
at home, and my painful walk make my
home welcome
Year: 1868

VoTRRs OF the Sixth Ward should see
that they are properly registered. The
Registry Board meet at the Arsenal Brew :
cry to morrow and next day TO attend to
all additions and corrections.
Year: 1868

A GREAT many accidents have occurred of late in the Eastern States from the explosion of lamps containing coal oil in which naptha had been mixed, and people were becoming afraid to use any fluid bearing the name of coal oil.
Year: 1868

A Western editor thus sums up the psouli-
arities of contemporary:


"He is too lazy to earn meal and too mean
to eat one. He never was generous but once.
and that was when he gave the itch to an ap:
prentice boy. So much for his goodness ot
heart II


Of his industry, he says:
1.-The only time he ever worked was when
he took castor oil for honey"
Year: 1868

Oxen is very slow animil they are good to
break ground up wood drather have horses
If they didn't have kollick which they say is
wind collected in bunch, which makes it dan
gerser for to keep horses than an OK if thare
ware no hor es the people would have to wheal
their wood on whealbarow it would take them
to or three days to VIII e. a cord mile. Cows
is useful to have herd some say that if they
had to be tother or an OK they would be cow.
But think when it cum to have their tits pull
led of a cold morning they would wish they
wasn't, fer oxen generally don't have to raise
calves if i had to be amy wood drAther be 8
heifer. But if cocdent be heffur and had
to be BOTH | would be an OK.
Year: 1868

Lorenzo Dow, the noted itinersnt preacher
once said of a grasping avaricouS farmer, that
if he had the whole world enclosed in a single
field he would not be content without patch
of ground outside for potatoes.
Year: 1868


great while ago an Irishman was employed in
a village where he was well known, to dig a
well, "probonO publco." The contract was,
that he was to be paid certain sum per foot,
and warrant a free supply Of water. Att he
went. Early and late he delved away faith
fully, deep down in the earth, full OF confidence
in the speedy comp pletiOn of hls labOrs He had
reached the depth of about twenty-five feet,
and expected TO strike water" Early one
morning Pat repaired to the scene of his labor,
and horrible to tell, it had cayed in and was
nearly full. He gazed with rueiul vi$age up
on the wreck and thought Of the additional
labor the accident would cause him. After
a moments reflection he looked earnestly
around and saw no one was stirring; quickly dl-
vesting himself of his hat and coat he care
lessly hung them on the windlass, and made
tracks for nciEhboring eminence which over
! looked the village Here hiding amid the un-
dergrowth, he quietly awaited the progress OF
events. As the morning wore on the lnhabl-
| tants began to arouse and stir out. Soon the
alarm was raised that the we'll had caved in
and that Pat was in it. A crowd collected,
and stood Mortified at the fate of poor Pat. A
brief consultation was held and soon spades
and other implements were brought TO dig out
the remains of the unfortunate man. 10 work
they went with a will Pat quietly looked on
from his retreat on the cminence. As the dig
gers approached the bottom the excitement OF
the bystanders grew intense. With great care
and precaution the dirt was dug away and when
the bottom was at length reached no Pat was to
be found The crowd before so anxious gradu-
ally relaxed into broad grin, which broke
forth in uproarous merrimeut when the ven
cradle Pat walked up with q smiling cOunte-
nance and addressed the crcst-fallen diggers
who now stood weary and soilcd with their la
bors.


"Be jabers gintIemen and its Patrick Pagan
sure that is much obleeged to yees for doin' Of
that nice little job OF work -
Year: 1868

THE editors of the Courier mani
fest disposition to continue the war
fare upon Colonel FOSTER to crafty
personal spleen, even when there is
no longer any political advantage to
be gained. He is now absent from
the city, but on his return may see fit
to notice some of their comments.
But be can safely rest upon the
Statement which he has made
public. No unprejudieed citizen
can honestly deny that he did not
have abundant authority for much
more than the acts of his Kentucky
administration of affairs, and the
financial exhibit which he has made
is a satisfactory and complete answer
to all that has been alleged against
him personally.
Year: 1868

WE were never a strong admirer of
General Thomas, but the time was,
aud not very long ago, when we
thought him wholly incapable of so
gross and monstrous q calumny
against Kentucky as he has uttered
in his report as to the affairs of the
Department of the Cumberland
LouiSUiHe Courier.


We don't see how an editor could
admire an officer who had chased him
al over the Southern Confederacy.
We presume Gen. THOMAS is not
anxious for admiration from that
quarter.