smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

lne postponement Of a vote
on the adoption or rejection of
the Fifteenth Amendment
does not spring from any doubt
in the minds Of our legislators
how it would result. The Dem
ocrats have only to count
noses, and in a strict party vote
they know that rejection is
certain, The Republicans
know this as well. No Demo.
crat in the Ohio Legislature
can be reasonably suspected
Of doing so Independent a thing
as to vote for the ratification Of
the amendment. On the alb
Stract doctrine of no taxation
without representation he can
grow eloquent and windy. He
is at home when it comes to
dealing with such a proposition
abstractly, but when practic.
al turn is given to it, and il is
proposed to give the ballot to
whoever is intelligent and
thrifty in the State, your Dem
ccrat is not there. A preiu-
dice overcomes his sense of JUS
tice and converts the expound-
er of abstract political and
civil equality into the advocate
Of a discrimination that he can
not defend, and castles that
his principles, logically fol-
lowed, abolish.


The postponement Of the
vote is not due to any uncer-
tainty about the result. These
devoted partisans want time to
consider whether they can not
make more political capital out
of the amendment by making
it an element of the political
canvass than by voting it down
now. They have SO long
traded on the niger that any
loss OF capital, by any indis-
Greet action al this time, would
be regretted the remainder of
their lives. The justice of the
principle embodied in the
amendment is not subject mat
ter of discussion to them.
They care nothing for that. If
they had their way, the auc~
ton blocks would be set up in
every city of the South, and
the niger bought and sold
as other chattel property. But
that traffic having been abol-
ished, they propose to contin.
ue the political trading in him,
and the only hitch at Colum.
bus now is, whether they can
make more by pulling him in
or keeping him out of the fall
canvass, 1t is a matter that de-
mands their profoundest com
Sideration. The more rights he
obtains as a citizen, the less
important he becomes in a po-
htical sense; and were he once
made a voter on the same
terms as white men, the whole
stock In trade would be gone.
Nobody would care for Cuffee,
except to get his vote, and the
"nigger" would disappear from
politics. Our Democratic leg
islators must hasten slowly and
advisedly before determining
10 vote down the amendment
now, or leave it an undecided
question. Cincinnati Oommaeg-
cidI.
Year: 1869

Just as lightning sometimes strikes in
unexpected places, so did burglars make a
demonstration last Friday night. The op-
orator, must have been something OF an
artist in his line, but the opportunity pre-
sehted to him for the execution of.his profit
able task Was all that a Jack Sheppard could
have; desired, Is. As every Phihdelphian
knows, tho old Court Of Quarter Sessions
room adjoinS the Office Of Receiver Of Taxes.
OF late this building has often been opened
at nights. "A swarm Of bootblacks and other
itinerating urchins took possession of it ut
nights as place of lodging. On Friday it Was
filled as usual. Ehe boys say that at about
nIneOsclocl two men entered the place,
drove them oil out of it and proceeded at
once to secure the doors. The youngsters,
awed by this show of authority, lost no
time in putting between themselves and
the building in question n very considera-
ble distance. The parties ejecting them
were undoubtedly tho authors Of what
proved to be heavy robbery of funds in
the Tax Receivers safe. The thieves found
no difficulty in getting into the partioning
entry, and thence by side door opening
squarely into the Office of the Receiver. =
This accomplished, ,aud the lights SO shaded
that from the street their operations would
not be observed, the burglars cut away the
masonry from The big safe and threw back
tie bolts of it's doors, with what evidently
very much taxed their ingenuity or their
strength. They first collected all the Of
flee coats and busters belonging to the
clerks that were hanging around the room
and used them as means to deaden any
sound likely to betray them to passers-by.
The thieves then went to work on the iron
door of the vault with crowbars, two sof
which they left behind them. The bricks
along side of the iron keeper Of tho door
were forced out. and the bolt of the lock
broken. This afforded eI trance 10 the vault
containing the iron chest IN which were the
money, receipts of that day, A panel in
the door was cut out, but the hole not being
sufficiently large to admit the passage OF
the tin boxes containing the money, the
lock was smashed in, and then it was an
easy thing to abstract the f1nds.
This part of the wsrk must
have been done hurriediy,: as a number of
the checks and quantity Of the money
was on Saturday found lying around the
floor.


The plunder included SIS, 900 in cash and
between $4,000 and $25, 5000 in checks.
The safe was recently built for tho Office,
and was believed to be burgular proof.
Year: 1869

When the propeller Delaware, Captain
Smith of the independent line between
Norwich and New York, was coming from
New York on Friday night, and was about
three miles east ofSands Point: tho captain
heard q faint voice of some one in distress.
He Immediately stopped the steamer and
called the watch below. No vessel was in
sight and nothing could be seenin the
darkness, but the voice was again heard,
somewhat palmer calling 'help." A
boat was promptly lowered and
pulled in the direction of the voice,
and after proceeding short distance came
upon a man in the water, who was taken on
board the steamer. He was entirely naked
with the exception Of his shirt, and almost
exhausted. When he had sufficiently re-
covered he was put to bed, and landed at
New London on Saturday morning where
his name as Richard Hecker, and related
the following to tho reporter of the Nor
wich Bulletin:


Il left New York Friday afternoon, on
tho steamer Old Colony, bound to Boston.
just before leaving I was accosted by two
men who were going on the same boat
They invited me to take drink with them,
which I did, and I also asked them to
drink with me. At this time think they
must have seen my money, which had in
my pocket book, amounting to S55. In
the evening had faint recollection of
some persons seizing hold of me,
and directly afterwards found my
self in the water. found when first got
overheard that my pocketbook was gone.
I tried to swim with my clothes on, but
found it very difficult, and removed all my
clothing except my shirt. My boots
troubled me most to get of. then struck
out for land, which must have been mile
Or more of, but the tide kept putting me
back, and had made up my mind that I
must finally be drowned, when saw
the light of the steamer Delaware,
1 jsdged mile off, coming toward me.
1 made every effort to get as near her rs
possible, but when she got in my vicinlty1
called for help again and again, as loudly as
possible, but my strength was nearly gone
and feared should not be heard. It was
a still night, however, and my voice was
heard by Captain Smith, who Immediately
sent boat to my relief, and was brought
on board of the steamer and kindly cared
for. think WAS in tho water about an
hour and a halt"


Mr.. Hecker was confined to his bed all
day Saturday, but will probably be out in
day or two. He says he has been a clerk
in a drug store in New York, and has also
been employed in the same business in
Boston. lie served three years in the war,
and was hospital steward in the fifty-fifth
Massachusetts regiment. Journal.
1st inst.
Year: 1869

The ARABS illustrate their estimate of the
different colors of horses by the following
story: IA chiof of tribe was once pursued
by his enemies. lie said to his son: My
sou drop to the rear, and tell mo tho color
of tho horses of our foe, and may Allah
burn his grandfather white, was the
answer. Then We will 60 south, s6d tho
chief for in the vast plains of tho desert
tho wind of the white horse will not stand
i'll protractcd chase Again tho chief
said: My son what colored horses pursue
usT Black, O my father Then wo will
go among the stones and on rocky ground
for the feet of the black horses are not
strong A third time tho young Arab was
sent to the rear, and reported chestnut
horses. 'rhen,' said the chief, we are
lost. Who but Allah can deliver us from
the chestnut horse ="
Year: 1869

WOMEN AND THE BALLoT.-The Nash
vile Onion believes there " are ten millions,
more or less, of women in the United States,
and that about FIVE hundred of them want to
vote. A true woman-one fit in every re-
spect to be a wife or mother-would as soon
touch a tarantula as BALLOT
Year: 1869

Two weeks ago, on board an English
steamer, little ragged boy aged nine years,
was discovered on the fourth day of the out
ward voyage from Liverpool to New York,
aud carried before the first mate, whose duty
it was to deal with such cases. When ques~
toned as 20 the object OF his being slowed
away, and who brought him on board, the
boy, who had beautiful sunny face, and eyes
that looked like the very mirrors of truth,
replied that his stepfather did it, because he
could not afford to keep him, nor to pay his
passage out to Halifax where he had an aunt
who was we'll off, and to whose house he was
going The mate did not believe the story,
in spite Of the winning face and truthful
accents of the boy. He had seen too much
of stow-aways to be easily deceived By them,
he said and it was his firm conviction that
the boy had been brought on board and provi
ded with food by the sailors. The little fell
low was very roughly handled in consequence.
Day by day he was questioned and reques-
toned, but always with the same result. He
did not know sailor on board, and his father
alone had secreted him, and given him the
food which he ate.


At last the mate wearied By the boy
persistence in the same story, and perhaps
little anxious to inculpate the sailors, seized
him one day by the collar, and, dragging him
to the fore, told him that unless he confessed
the truth in ten minutes from that time he
would hang him to the yard arm. he then
made him sit down under it on the deck
All around him were the passengers and SAIL
ors of the midday watch, and in front OF him
stood the incxorable mate, with his chrOnO-
meter in his hand, aud the other officers of the
ship by his side. It was the finest sight said


/ l. 4. Il
the pale, proud, sorrowful face of that noble
boy, his head erect, his beautiful eyes bright
through the tears that suifused them When
eight minutes had fed the mate told him
that he had but two minutes to live, and ad>
vised him to speak the truth and save his life;
but he replied, with the utmost simplicity
and sincerity, by asking the mate if he might
pray.


The mate said nothing, but nodded his
head, and turned as pale as a ghost, and shook
with trembling like reed with the wind
And there, all eyes turned upon him, this
brave and noble little fellow, this poor waif
whom society owned not, and whose own
stepfather could lot care for him-there he
kuelt, with clasped hands and eyes upraised
to Heaven, while he repeated audibly the
Lords Prayer, and prayed the dear Lord Je-
sus to take him to Heaven.


Our informant adds that there then oc,
Cured a scene as of Pcntecost. Sobs broke
from strong, hard hearts. as the mate spfang
forward to the boy and casped him to his
bosom, and kissed him and blessed him and
told him how sincerely he now believed his
story, and how glad he was that he had been
brave enough to face death and be willing to
sacrifice his life for the truth of his own
word -Ne1C IOrE San.
Year: 1869

We have been shown specimens of what
is supposed silver ore, discovered in the noun
tains of this county. 1t has all the appearance
of that preious metal Specimens have been
sent to expert mineralogists and in a short
time we will have report.-Page Courier
Year: 1869

Christian union billiard training room. We
are not sitting IN Judgment on these modif-
cations Of society, nor inclined to writo our
selves old fogy by lamenting the degeneracy
Of the times. Yet one may bc pardoned for
desiring to find room in these crowded days
for so good an institution as an evening at
home.


Christian associations and unions and read
ing rooms are good, so far as they afford safe
aud pleasant retreats for strangers in the city,
who are shut out from the privileges of the
home circle, and lure the wandering from the
temptations Of vice But 80 far as they lead
our youth from the quiet Of home and create
or increase the craving for publicity. they are
not blessings. Better the few books aud well
read Of our fathers in quiet homes, than all
the crowded shelves OF great libraries, than
reading rooms filled with the trashy, sensa-
tional literature of the day, with the loss Of
the home atmosphere. Our merchants and
wealthy employers are princely in the be-
stowmeut Of their means TO build up public
institutions for the benefit of the homeless
Would they not do more good at less expense
by making their homes free to their clerks
and employees, aud providing for them pleas
ant social evenings at home
Year: 1869

There is no greater want in these days, in
all the households Of New England, than
evenings at home. We have lamented the
loss OF the old fashioned open Fireplace, with
its cheerful wood fire roaring up the chimney,
and its outposts Of apples and cider But
they would do little good in these days, when
nobody would stay at home to enjoy them.
Every body and every institution seem to
have conspired TO make it impossible to gath
or the family at home for a quiet evening.
There are lectures and concerts and fairs--to
say nothing of opera and theatre and ball
which are not yet quite OF the past If a
family belong TO the church and do not


turn aside to the frivolities, and butooeasion-
ally to the public social and intellectual en-
tertainments, there are prayer meetings and
conference meetings there are preaching
meetings and special meetings and revival
meetings And then there are reading rooms
and Christian associations and unions for
Christian work, and the lyceum and the sing
ing schools and the glee club. 1t is not easy
to say which Of these institutions of civili-
zation or Christianization should be given up.
Rather the effort Of society is to invent and
organize new appliances for pleasure and
profit. The church adds lyceum, tho liter
Ary association a prayer meeting, or the
Year: 1869

craph for which purpose the telegraph once ut
Llssa has been ordered by Admiral Tegethor To
place itself entirely ut the disposal Of the commander
graphing having also been dispensed with In
this instance, A solemn funeral Uass IN honor oi
the memory OF the unfortunate persons who persisted
by the catastrophe will be held to-day.


Letters from Trieste state that the public there ara
greatly incensed against the officers who suffered
o kind Of work which Is usually performed on deck.
where there Is less danger OF an explosion to be ap
Year: 1869

BUSINESS MIN who undertake to sell their
goods without advertising, and fall to do so,
may perhaps. find hint as to the reason why
In the following story, with a moral, clipped
from a contemporary;


"a boy was sent from Groton to New
London, Conn, one day last summer, with a
bag Of green corn to sell He was gone all
day, and returned with the bag unopened,
which he dumped on the floor, saying
There is your corn, go and sell II yourself
| can't. i've been all over New London
with II and nobody said anything about green
corn. Two or three fellows asked me what
had in my bag, and told them 1t was none
of their business"
Year: 1869

The freshet was very disastrous in
Caledonia County, and the Passumpsic
Railroad was disabled for nearly three
weeks. AT st. Johnsbury, the Fair
banks Scale Company alone suffer dam
ages to the amount Of $50, 900, while all
over the country farmers had their crops
swept of, besides doing other and i'm
mense damage.


A MAN SWEPT AWAY.


AT hesecond freshet very narrow escape
occurred in ST. Johnsbury, the particu-
lars of which we gather from the St.
Johnsbury Caledonian. A new bridge
had been built up to which the water had
almost reached. Fearing disaster from
still higher state of the river, Colonel
Fairbanks sent for Mr.. Henry C. Dan
forth, who was doing their stone work,
hoping he might be able to save the large
derrick which was then standing Just
above the bridge. Before Mr.. Danforth
reached the place, the derrick fell and
was swept round and lodged against the
bridge. Danforth went upon the bridge
followed by Mr.. Carr with lantern, and
STOPPING down he saw the derrick lodged,
and remarked to Carr that he could do
nothing. He had hardly said this when
the east end of the bridge settled down,
and the resistless current of the swollen
stream catching the ends of the planks
tipped them over up the stream, throw
ing Mr.. Danforth into the seething tor
rent above the bridge. He was immedi-
ately buried in the water, which was
then full of planks and timbers, and
carried down the stream. As soon as he
could get to the surface, he tried to sus-
tain himself by swimming. A plank
struck against him, which he immediate
ly seized and made available. All this
time he was being rapidly borne down
the stream. 1t was pitchy darkness.
} 1lhdil nv DluchOu ltuls WHICH
he seized, but they were too slender to
hold his weight Soon he struck Jam
of timbers and plank and flood wood,
which had temporarily stopped at the
point below the gas house, and on this
he erawled to the shore, just in season to
hear the jam he had left crackle, and
break up and pass dewn the stream.
! When the bridge went out, Carr was for
tunate enough to reach the shore; and
the terrible cry of a man in the river p
was shouted from shore to shore. Men
! fastened down the stream with lanterns,
little expecting to ever see Danforth
alive, but in few minutes he was found
on the shore, clinging to a tree, some
what bruised and sore by his conflict in
the stream with timbers and drift-wood,
half strangled by the water he had swal-
lowed, but cool and collected, and good
for many hard knocks yet. 1t was a
merciful deliverance from what appeared
certain death.
Year: 1869

Any amount and every class of Insurance required
can be placed at this Office in the best Companies,
and at as low rates at agency in the country
Expiration Notices Promptly Given.
Year: 1869

LIVING FOR ONES EAsE.-Henry
Ward Beecher says of men who have no
care for others, but are contented with
looking after their own ease and enjoy.
ment, that they ought to be put into
coffin, for their life's work is ended.


When God wanted sponges and oys-
ters he made them and put one no rock
and the other in the mud. When he
made man, he did not make him to be q
sponge or an oyster he made him with
feet and hands, and head and heart, and
vital blood, and place to use them, and
he said to him, "Go work !"


But tell you if man has come to
that point where he is content, he ought
to be put in his coffin, for contented
man is sham If man has come to
that state in which he says, al do not
want to know any more, or do any more,
or be any MORE" he is in state in which
he ought to be changed into a mummy
OF all hideous things, mummy is the
most hideous and of mummies, those
are the most hideous that are running
about the streets and talkingl
Year: 1869

From Good Words.
Only a Baby's Grave.
Only baby's gravel


some foot or two at the most,
Or star -dasied sod yet think that God
Knows what that little grave cost.
Only baby's gravel
To children even so small
That they sit here and sing--so small thing
Seems scarcely grave at all.
Only babys gravel
Strange how we moan and fret
For little face was here such a space
On, more strange, could we forget
Only a baby's grave!


Did we measure grief by this,
Few tears were shed on our baby dead
know how they fell ON this.
Only babys gravel


Will the little life be much
Too small for gem Of his diadem,
Whose kingdom is made of such
Only baby's grave!


ct often we come and sit
BY the little stone. and thank God to own
we are nearer heaven for it.
Year: 1869

A CUNNING Doo.-A detachment Of cav
airy, during . recent expedition against
some bandits in the province of Naples, a,-
rived about daybreak at small wood in
which they had reason to believe that
number of bandits were concealed, observed
little dog, which had been evidently
placed on the watch, rise up and bark furi-
ously, at the same time running about in all
directions. The soldiers, perceiving that
the animal was giving the alarm, hastened
forward, but only found in the interior of
the wood traces of tho recent depart
ure Of the party of which they were in
search. The officer in command, vexed at
missing an important capture, drew his
pistol and fred at the four-footed sentinel,
which, with howl, rolled over on its back,
and lay completely motionless. The SOL
diers continued their march; but a quarter
of an hour later one of the men, happen
ing to turn round, observed the same dog
they had just before left for dead on the
ground, lodging behind the trees in the
rear as if to watch them. The animal was
captured and found not to have had hair
touched by the shot fred at it; it had evil
IDENTIFY feigned death in order to be able to
continue its functione If vidette. The
prisoners life was not only preserved, but
the captive was admitted into the regi-
ment, and will be thought to render ser
vice in discovering the haunts OF it's former
masters,
Year: 1869

MIRACLE IN KENTucKY.--A strange story


is current among the colored people, and is


exciting some Of them quite too much for


their happiness. 1t is as follows: ''Some


time ago, (not long. however), a child died,


and its body was dnly cofiined and taken
to the burying- ground. There it was de-
posted alongside of the newly opened
grave. After the "service at the grave" u
negro man took hold Of the coffin to hand
it down into the grave. but to his astonish-
ment, he could not move it. lie called to
his assistance another stout fellow, and the
two tried but failed to bulge it an inch.
Two moro came to their help and the four
had no moro power over il than they would
over mountain of granite. Tie coffin
clung to the ea,th as it glazed. This as
tonishing turn OF affairs called for all ex-
PLANTATION, aud it was determined to open
the coffin and see what was inside OF it.
1t was done, and behold the child was
found to be alive. Further examination
developed tho fact that there was printed
upon the bottom Of its feet these words:
"There has been no preacher in Heaven
for eleven hundred years" Tho negroes
SOW that the Lord did not intend to let that
child be buried alive, and so took this
method of preventing it. tits our opinion
that some designing chap has been playing
upon the credulity of these people for
sinister purposes. Lexington (Ey.) States
man, 2GM.
Year: 1869

Iron laths are the latest idea in build
ing, and afford additional security from
fire. They are made OF No. 20 iron, wire
gauge. and one and half inches wide. re-
semLlng one and a half inch hoop iron,
With small Ridge in the middle to stiffen