smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1861

To the Editor of the Pioneer and Democrat.


l have delayed writing to you from this
place, until our enterprising boys had erect
ed seats and tables around our shade
trees, to better facilitate the usually ardu-
Gus task of writing in camp. This has
been successfully accomplished in the most
primitive style, one end of q board being
placed in an indention cut into tree. while
the other rests in the fork Of a crutch stuck
into the ground, my seat consisting Of an.
other board, one end of which rests in the
same iudention of the tree, and the other
resting on the ground, forming an inclined
plane The other tables and seats around
the camp are very much similarly construct
ed. Not being on duty at present, and
consequently not liable to be called away,
with these splendid conveuiences at my dis
posal, can sit down with such serene
satisfaction to write letter to the PIONEER
AND DEMOCRAT as would arouse the envy
of the correspondents of the New York
Tribune, who write in the editorial sane.
tum of that paper, were they to see me.


My last correspondence left us camp.
five miles from Washington. on the Seventh
street plank road, under orders to march
Immediately. Accordingly, the battalion
was formed in line on this road, filed left,
and marched over an exceedingly rough
road, leading over high hills and deep val
leys, in one of which our baggage ard pro-
vision wagons we're left behind, unable to
proceed further our two ambulances were
the only vehicles that followed in the rear
of the battalion. We reached our camping
grounds after dark, about one mile and
half out OF the District of Columbia, and
in Montgomery county, Maryland, but our
distance from Washington was about the
same as that Of our previous encampment.
In consequence of our baggage and provi-
sion wagons being left behind, we laid down
on the damp ground without any blankets
to cover us, and supperless, and after pass
ing restless aud cherries night, we arose
in the morning only to face the same cheer
less prospect "of nothing to eat" 1t was
bright Sunday morning, however, and q
well cultivated country surrounding us on
all sides, inhabited by wealthy and charita.
ble Union people; and the gloomy picture
which had presented itself to the boys in
the dark night was relieved by the cheerful
prospects Of the morning. They scattered
in various directions around among the
neighboring farm. houses, many Of tbem be.
ing elegant residences, and abodes o. Ith
and luxury, where they were inas d to
breakfast, and but few were willing to &C.
cept any recompense for their kindness. 1
had the good fortune to breakfast with a
Mr.. Nailor, where over score of our boys
breakfasted last Sunday morning, and
among them noticed "Raisins," the corre-
spondent of the Saltwater Messenger, who
will no doubt furnish the press in Minnesota
graphic description of this Ito many of
us) first meal in the State of Maryland
They were good Union people, expressing
regret at our disasters at Bull Run, and
Year: 1861

TIE DISASTERS OF WAR.-That able and faithful friend of the South, the New York Daily News, thus depicts the condi. tion of affairs in the North:

 "Now that the separation has come, with war party installed in power, what do we behold? Ruin and bankruptcy are star ing almost every business man at the North in the face. Rents are tumbling down, stocks and mortgages are rapidly deprecia- ting, banks are tottering to their fall, and it is with the utmost difficulty that men of moderate means are enabled to obtain the necessaries of life for their families, while the laboring classes are compelled to accept starvation, or the dismal alternative of en- listing in the great army raised for subiu- gation of the South and the emancipation of the slave"
Year: 1861

Then let us call upon Congress when it shall assemble, to meet this crisis in the spirit of cancellation and wisdom worthy of men in whose hands will be placed the last best hopes of free government and human
Year: 1861

TIE Power OF HEARTY LAUGHTER
The following incident comes to us thor
oughlv auther,ica'ed, althoug': we are not
at liberty to publish any names:


A short time since. tw, in livi1uals in
this city were living in one rom, very sick
-one with brain fever. and the other with
an aggravated case Of mumpa. They
were so low that watchers were neaded
every night. AMI it was thonght doubtful
If the one sick of the fever recovered. A
gentleman was engaged to watch one night
his duty being tn wake the nurse whenev
or i, became necessary to administer med
icine. In the course Of the night. both
watcher and nurse fell aslcep. The man
with the mumps lay watching the clock.
and saw that it was time to give the fever
paiie his portion. He was unable to
sraak loud. or to move any portion of his
BODY except his arms. but seizing a pill
low. he managed to strike the watcher full
in the face with il. Thus suddenly ava
Year: 1861

No branch of husbauif pays better
than bee keeping aad none is more depend
eht upon the skill of the manager for sue
cess. You may buy strong hive hi:
spring for. say. FIVE dollars. 1t will swarm
oace in May. perhaps twice before July
4hu fill two or three ten pound boxes be
,ides' Each Of the swarms will be worth
as much next spring AS the one you hegiu
with this spring. and the honey from the
origin hive pays for all the trouble you
have hah with them. 81 thai the clear
profit Of bee-keeptng is two hundred pei
cent. per an pum This son he supposi
riun that the busin IS is skilfuly man.
aged.


Ignorance or neglect would result in
ruin. Suppose the hive you start with is
short Of honey and you don't know il
They can not Collect food for some lime ,c
come. What then. if You do "or feed then,
rhev mus. die. This YOU will sivle bad
luck Bat suppose they i've +? Bye and
bye the young bees will have grown =,
numerous that the hive is too small. You
pay no attention to them they swarm
light upon tree r ear bv and wait severa
hours for you 10 provide them with hive
along side of the parent hive. But If you
are default they seek one of their own il
some distant hollow tree. his is bad
luck indeed


In the fall. when the fro-ts have Killed
the grass. and cattle are roaming every.
where for fresh bite, your yard gate
stands aj,r aud in they come. The long
grass around the be stand temps them
and in the scramble over goes the hive
he comb is smashed half he bees destroy
ed and all lost. This is very bad luck
You must give up bee keeping. Or i
You have kept the cattle out. You have le
the moths get in You don; know any


hing about the bee moth, how Ia proven
is ge'teng int, your colonv. now how to
drive it out. In the spring you see N.
stir about your hive. and on turning it NJ
you find a nest Of worms feeding on th'
remnant Of the bees winter store. Wha
sad change from bees to worms. Surel,
you were not born TO LUX NJ, yo,
were not. nor any other man. That pa
lient student, who watches and learns III,
wonderful economy Of the bee. can use tn,
means needful 20 make it prosperous i,
our ungeGial Northern cline. In certain
rropic fields she fourishes uncared for b,
man. All we need here is to supply he
wants. in order to be blessed by her labors
Skill is everything. There is no suc'
thing as bad luck in keeping bees.
Year: 1861

kened, the watcher sprung from his seal,
falling TO the floor and awakening both
the nurse and the fever patient The in
cident struck both the sick men as very
iudicrous, and they laughed heartily at
the incident for some fifteen or twenty min
utes. When the doctor came in the morn
ing. he found his patients vastly improved
said he had never known 80 sudden :,
turn for the better--and they are now
both out. we'll Who says laughing is not
the best of medicines!--NewH Haven Pal
ladiuna.
Year: 1861

W A young lady of our acquaint.
ance has recently been heard to declare
thai she couldn't goto fight for the coun-
try, but she was willing to let the young
men 60 and die an old maid, which she
thought was as great a sacrifice as any.
body could be called upon to make.
Year: 1861

VIRGINIA VS.. KENTUCKY 1t has been a
generally received opinion that whenever
the Ancient Dominion took snuff Kentucky
(her daughter) would most dutilully aneeze.
That's an old fogy idea and ought to be laid
aside Kentucky will never permit rabid
and fanatical minority to saddle her with
secession and bully her out of the Union, as
Virginia was saddled and bullied. Never /!
no, never! The Union men of Kentucky
will not consent to be transferred to jeff Da
Wis like SO many chattles. Mind that. If any
such attempt is made in this State, it will
be the signal for cipH acar, and the Union men
will rise IN their might and crush and ocipc ont
the last vistage of secession in Kentucky
ON THAT THEY ARE DETERMINED They have
stood about as much as they can already
Better not crowd them too far.-Frdnhtor
(HN) Commonwealth.
Year: 1861

Senator Hunter proposes to dissolve the
Union and reconstruct itwith two Presidents
one from the North and one from the South,
each of whom shall have veto upon the acts
of Congress, and upon each other Such is
the scheme 70 secure the power Of the mi
Eority.
Year: 1861

When voltair was told that friend Of his
was studying to become a physician, he
exclaimed "Why will he be SO mean p
He will have to thrust drugs. Of which he
knows little, into body of which he knows
less"
Year: 1861

The REACTION IN TIE Wharf.-The Jackson
Wing says the following is an extract from a
letter to q citizen OF that place from gentleman
in Chicago:


81 should like to see you very much, but |
suppose it will be some time before We will see
each other, as you have made ZIP yor mind to
take vour chances with the South. know |
should do the same il | was there. OGe thing
is sure and that is that shali never fight against
the South understand they are going to i'm
press men into service. and should be my luck
to be one of them. you may look tor me down
there; for before would fight IN this abolition
army. | would be shot. There was a regiment
of men l. i, here last night for Missouri They
were the most inferior men | ever saw. There
is great reaction going on here, since men pc
gin to look7at things cooly. Six weeks ago we
did not dare say word against. the war, but
since they are beginning to make it an Abolition
war we talk and say just what we like. Il has
been very dfficult to get volunteers and it would
be nearly impossible to get them at all if they
conld get anythiLg else to do
Year: 1861

As al the beef cattle ia this section have beer
sold, aud as there will be a good supply of prov
ender for next sinter, those who have stock
cattle for sac ca1ld sell them here if they would
bring them on. A. beef will continue to de-
mand good price as long IS the war lasts, per-
eofs btre would do well to buy stock cattle thai
they may have them ready for neAt Spring.
Year: 1861

UNRULY "A man, whose appearance was
that Of respectable mechanic, made ap
plication to the Police Justice Yesterday for
\ bill Of hdbeas corpus, or writ Of divorce.
"r decree Of replevin, or some other for
mi'lable legal instrument. to restrain his
wife from cutting up aidoes. She was
troubled with pure ugliness, disease
which induced her to make herself SO dis
agreeable that he took no comfolt with her
lie generally came home and found her in
a rage, and no dinner cooked. If he ex.
postulated she kicked the table over. If
he administered domestic correction she
threw the baby in the rain water barrel. -
tic came home one night last week, and
found her sitting in Il tub Of soap suds, and
few nights since after a curtan.lecture,
she cliu'bed out on the roof, and sat on the
rldg pole, with the thermometer at two be-
low until daylight. She had pet kitten,
and she cooked it alive in the oven. She
cut Oft his flowing vhi>kerS one night while
he was asleep, and, failing to wake him,
put the dinner forks in bed with him and
screamed fire, when to her intense delight,
he bounded out with halfa-doz.n prongs
sticking in his flesh She insisted on going
t" he'd with an inverted chamber utensil on
her head for night-cap, and large sized
stone doorstep to keep her feet warm !;
and, when ne objected, reversed the order
OF things by making pillow Of the door
step, and putting her feet in the utensil.-
When he lpft the house to seek the protec-
ton Of the law, she was busiIy engaged
cutting up his Sunday suit for carpet rags.
while the baby was smotheiing under two
feather beds. which she insisted were ne.
cessary to keep it warm. That's what
might be called domestic inselicitv.


lie was advised to let law alone, and
break her temper or her back. whi.h he
concluded to do. Chic"go Tins.
Year: 1861

Dear sir II is with pleasure embrace the
present time to adrcs on mater of impor.
tance orat least that feel deeply interested
IN have long time thought on this but
never before ventured to display my talent
being so ignorant in such case but herK
SO overcome with the position of love can.
not rest easy until could make my love
known 70 you in some way and this being
my only plan as you would not ask me
about it so coula tell you pitched in o
Frank . Frank love you well love better
than toung can tell and when am asleep
am dreaming about You when am awake
take II" rest pray young man 1t yoH
are bashful try to he little bold young
men are more preferable to fair ladies than
silver or gold take curage whilst young you
fair better before you ct so old round is
the ring that has no end so is my love to
you Dear friend the rose is red the violet is
blue my love to you is forever trus while
you are so pretty and am SO fair don't
see why you stand back SO far in the rare
Dear sir relieve my distressed mird by
speedy Answer if possible by the next mail
this Is from me poor thing broken hearted
just like you might expect ....... g..


Write soon my dove and dearest love nv
pen is bad (if may call you SOY my ink Is
pale but my love to you will never fail To
Air Franklin


Ciybnrn AN
Year: 1861

The New York Tribune has correspondent who
thus describes the Kentucky regiment in the
army of Gen. Johnston, in Virginia:


Among the troops regiment Of over
1000 Kentuckians, armed with rifles and bowie
knives They refused to take but one round of
cartridges to go into fight, intending TO lie hid
on the ground in the artificial thickets until our
troops should approach, and then make at them
with their bowie knives. This might have made
some desperate fighting, but our bayonets would
probably have been an overmatoh for their knives.
The men of the Kentucky regiment are describe d
as savage and desperate set, who exhibited their
ferocious disposition the slightest pretext, and
kept every one in terror of them; they consider it
pleasant diversion to chop man up with an
Arkansas toothpick. The wife Of one of them is
the vivandiere of the regiment she is thorough
soldier, and acts as a lieutenant Of q company,
which she drills herself. She is said to be very
handsome, and perfect Amazon. Her dress is
very gay and conspicuous. Her ruf6an comrades
take great pride in their fierce and dashing heroine
and she is as anxious to split yankee with her
bowie knife as the hloodiestminded wretch among
them.
Year: 1861

MORTALITY FROM DRINKING BEER.-A Wash
ington correspondent of the Baltimore Clipper
thus accounts for the sickness prevailing in some
of the New York regiments:


Ths proportion of deaths in one or two of the
New York regiments is far beyond what is reason
able or in the nature of things necessary The
Albany regiment suffers heavily. Intemperance
is the chief if not the only cause of this. learn
that while whiskey is disalowed the men, they are
permitted to indulge in malt liquors, and especially
lager beer to their utmost will. under the very
mistaken impression that such drinks are not
injurious. In very warm weather malt liquors are
far more dangerous than alcoholic ones by reason
of their rapid generation of acidiy in the stomach
and thereby causing choloric symptoms of varied
character.
Year: 1861

WINTER CLOTHING FOR OUR SOLDIERS.-Ih he
question of supplying our troops with winter cloth
ing is beginning to attract considerable attention
1t is now evident that the south must depend
mainly on herself for clothing material during this
war. Her magnificent crops will supply large
surplus Of breadstufs and food above the demand
for consumption at home. But the blockade Of
our ports may continue up to the when our
volunteers in the field will require heavy woollen
goods to protect them against the inclemency Of
winter


Every loom in the Confederate States ought to
be busy to supply this necessary demand We
should not suffer the shame and disgrace Of seeing
these brave men subjected to suffering from want
of foresight, energy and patriotism the part of
those who remain at home We can work for our
loom as in the tented field. Our woollen factories
are too few to depend upon them for the fabrics
that will be necessary to supply the demands that
are now near at hand.


Every private loom and every fair hand that
can direct should now ply with unceasing care
until We satisfied that there is not soldier
unclad among our gallant men. 1t is act of
patriotism which may be done, in main part, by
our fair country women, that sure they
will not neglect when their attention is properly
called to it. The efficiency, nay, the safety of our
army may depend upon it. The lady who furnish
the largest quantity of jeans and linseys for
service, this year, is entitled to a gold medal,
commemoratng her patriotism We would sug.
gest that such testimonial be offered by the
merchants of our city to the lady who brings to
the market the largest quantity of seryiceable
goods for winter clothing. On no account ought
this matter 70 be neglected by those who have the
material aud the machinery Union.
Year: 1861

COLD STEEL.-We have endeavored to learn the
exact number of separate bayonet charges made
by ou1 troops during the battle Of the list. We
believe there at least six, and perhaps more.
charge, but fed precipitately soon the cold
steel vas visible
Year: 1861

INCIDENT OF THE GREAT BATTLE-The horse
killed under Gen. Beauregard was struck in the
flank 10y six pound cannon shot, which hit not
quite foot from the Generals right leg. The
horse was-a splendid animal, furnished Gen Beau
regard the morning Of the battle by his Aid, Col.
Manning, and blooded animal of admirable
pOintS
Year: 1861

PUBLIC DRILL AND CoYCERT.-Uur spirited militia
ry corps, the Independent Greys, will give public
drill and concert at the Maryland Institute, this
evening. The proceeds of the entertainment will be
contributed to the "Workingmen's Relief Fund
The concert will be given by the excellent band OF
the Mary land Guard, who have volunteered for the
occasion. Such combination of attractions will
doubt attract large audience to the Hall.
Year: 1861

From the National HateAigencer.l


If we do not misconceive the purport and mission
of these propositions, they are destined, by the
popular adhesion they shall receive, to strike a
death blow at political ultraism, whether finding
its representatives in the North or in the South.
By their acceptance or their rejection the candi-
dates for popular favor in the Immediate future
must be prepared to stand or fall. Sooner or later
the will of the people will make itself heard in the
final deliberate adoption in the final deliberate
rejection of these propositions. We do not doubt
their verdict; and feel fully persuaded that the
people of the South may now bide their time il
entire fdenee that the people of the North will,
in the ratification these constitutional guarantees,
afford the best possible evidence of spirit at
conciliatory and fraternal
Year: 1861

New GovERNMENT.-The Augusta Georgia.
Sentinel is out again in favor of strong Govern
ment-something in the form of an Elective Mon
archy-upon the principle originally advanced by
Alexander Hamilton, the great head of the old
Federal school of politics-the chief of which
Smouig pe eeeleu !or terni Vi t"enty-one years.
joins issue with its contemporary, and after ably
pointing out the elements of danger, discord, and
of possible despotism, with which the idea is
fraught, adds:


There was no want Of strength in the Government
nothing imperfect in the instrument which bound
us together. But there was corruption, under
mining, and weakening the main pillars which sup
ported one part of the edice; there fanaticism
the head of the Administration, for the time being
possessed the moral courage to do its duty, during
all of the sectional controversy, the Temple would
have been still standing in all its original strength
and beauty
Year: 1861

Four PERSONS BURNED TO DEATH.-The Dovles-
town (Pa.) Democrat says:-A house occupied by a
man, his wife and three children, which stood on
the side of the Belvidere and Delaware Railroad
just above the Point Pleasant Bridge was con-
sumed by fire on Sunday night, and the woman and
children burnt to DEATH The husband made his
escape by jumping out of the second-story window
The father of the family is an Irishman and la
bOrer on the railroad. The cause of the fire is not
known, but some suppose that he set the house on
fire himself, but whether accidental or not there is
no knowledge. The fire was first discovered by the
people going home from church at the Point
The man is said to have been drunk, and some as
sert that he made threats that he would burn the
house down.
Year: 1861

South Carolina appears to be recruiting largely
from those States west of her which have not yet
abandoned the Union. a few days ago we noticed
the departure from Tennessee of a considerable
number of recruits for the army of the Palmetto
State, and the Augusta (Georgia} papers of Sun
day announce the arrival there of thirteen more
from the West
Year: 1861

IMPORTANCE OF Coon QUALITY IN IRoN-A writer
in the London Quarterly Revie,0, the iron trade,
states, that the necessity of employing good iron
for rails is now so generally acknowledged that, in
order to insure superior quality of the great
est railway companies in England have established
works to manufacture their own iron; and another
company, not less important are just about to fol-
low their example. The writer also thinks that
the loss of so many iron ships is to be attributed
to the bad quality of metal used in their consruc-
ton.
Year: 1861

Since the Prince of Wales had day or two's
shooting in Illinois, we have not heard of his par
ticpaton in field sports until on the occasion of
a with the Cambridgeshire fox hounds at the
end of last year. The Prince rode well up and
took his fences in good style. The run was severe,
and two of the horses out were killed by the pace
and oyer-exertion
Year: 1861

A HAND TO HAND FIGHT.-A correspon-
dent Of the st. Louis Democrat, writing
from Springfield, Mo. says:


Yesterday a most impressive tablSzu deS
morris was discovered on the prairie about
3 miles from town. One of Maj. Whites
men, it would seem, had mortal conflict
with two Of the enemy. All three of them
were lying dead on the ground. One of the
rebels was completely pierced through the
body by the sabre of the dragon, who him
self was evidently killed by a shot from the
revolver of his antagonist. The other retel
had probably been shot by the dragOOn be.
fore the encounter with the foe despatched
by the sabre. They are all three laid,
friends and foe, in close proximity to one
another-the dragon still grimly grasping
the sabre. fast in the body of bis foe, who
in return was as firmly clinging to his re-
volver, pointed towards the dragoon, whose
breast had received one of its balls.