smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1868

We have been bound in ice. and buried
in snow-drifts so long, that right cordially
will we welcome the Spring when she
makes her advent among us.


This morn, l took walk to see if |
could discover any traces of her coming
but I was too early tho buds and bios
SONS yet slept in their winter wrappings-
the snow lay in patches here and there,
and so firm it did not sink beneath my
tread. In the midst of thickly clustering
trees, I came suddenly upon pool, bound
Ger by the clearest ice, as it were mirror
rejecting the beauty below. There could
be seen the roots of over-hanging trees,
whose otherwise rude forms were trans
figured into many grotesque and fanciful
shapes, by covering of velvety golden
brown moss, which glowed in the cleaning
sunshine. The bottom of the pool was
perfectly concealed by the faded foliage of
dead summers The forms of many of
the leaves were as perfect as when they
first sank beneath the surface of the water.
A few were stained entirely black, some
dark green, others brown or purple, and
the rest matted DER with moss. The sun
shine had dissolved the ice in spots here
and there, and the loosened water was rip
pied by the passing breeze, giving life 70
the still scene where no sound was heard
save rustling leaves, and swaying branches.
With lingering footsteps | left the place
never again to sec it the same.


l felt chill from remaining motionless
SO long, and wrapping my shawl more
closely about me, attempted to pass quickly
over the intervening space into the cleared
ground. But my pathway was obstruc-
ted by the briars that infested it, and ever
and anon ] was obliged to stoop and un-
clasp their clinging hold. Thus, l thought
is it with the world. If we hold our hands
aloft, and attempt to pass onward with
hurried Indifference, it will revenge itself
by many petty twitch and pull.
Year: 1868

Occupation? what a glorious thing it
is for the human heart. Those who work


hard seldom yield themselves entirely up
to fancied or real sorrow. When grief
sits down, folds its hands, and mournfully
feeds upon its own tears, weaving the
dim shadows that little exertion might
sweep away, into funeral pail, the strong
spirit is shorn of its might, and sorrow be-
comes our master. When troubles flow
upon you dark and heavy. toll not with
the waves--wrestlc not with the torrent
rather seek, by occupation, to divert the
dark waters that threaten to oyerwhelm
you, into Thousand channels which the
duties of life always present. Before you
dream of it, those waters win fertilixe
the present. and give birth to fresh
flowers that may brighten the future
flowers that win become pure and holy, in
the sunshine which penetratas to the path
of duty, in spite Of every obstacle. Grief,


after all is but a selfish feeling: and most
selfish is the man who yields himself to
the indulgence ofany passion which brings
no joy to his fellow man. aea g.s % - g
Year: 1868

RELIGION AND REAsoS.--Religion is as
necessary TO reason as reason is to relig-
ion the one cannot exist without the 9TH
er. A reasoning being would lose his rea-
SON, in attempting to account for the phen-
omena of nature, had he not Suprsme
Being to refer to; if there had been no
God, mankind would have been obliged 10
imagine one Washington. ~
Year: 1868

Some men are like eats. You may
stroke the fur the right way for years. and
hear nothing but purring. But accidently
tread on the tail, and all memory Of past
kindness is obliterated. t7tF'
Year: 1868

I've seen many girl
Who would marry churl
Provided he'd plenty of gold,


And would live to repent


When the money was SPENT
When she found that her heart had been sold.
It Is sol It is sol


You'may smile II you like,
1880 But it's sol ii
I've known many lass


Who would thoughtlessly pass
Whole hours parading the streets, A 81
While her mother would scrub
All the while at the tub,
Never minding the cold nor the heat


1t Is so! It is sol b
You may smile If you like,


But it's so.
Year: 1868

A local minister in England, who was dis
tinguished for disinteres.ed labor and ready
wit, devoted several years of the last part Of
his life to gratuitous labor in new cause, in
populous town about three miles from his
residence, to which place he walked every
Lords day morning, preaching three times,
as he walked along, mediating on his SER
mons for the day, he met the parish priest.


We'll --," said his reverence, {" I
suppose you are on your way to your preaching
again"


"Yes, SIR" was the modest reply of the
humble minister.


sit is high time Government took up this
subject, and put a stop to this kind of travel
ing preaching"


"They will have rather hard work, sir"
replied the imperturbable minister.


81 am not very sure of that" reioiued the
priest; sat any rate> I will see whether
cannot stop you myself"


''I judge" said the worthy man, "you will
find it more difficult than you suppose
Indeed, there is but one way to stop my
preaching, but there are three ways to stop
yours"


"What, fellow, do you mean by that ?"
asked his reverence, in towering passion.


why, sir, replied the little preacher, with
most provoking coolness, '' there is but one
way of stopping my preaching, that is, by
cutting my tongue out but there are three
ways to stop yours for, take your book from
you, and you can't preach take your grown
from you, and you dare not preach and
take your pay from you, and you t0on't preach"
Year: 1868

Next to being married to the right person
there is nothing so important in ones life as
to live under ones own roof


There is something more than a poetical
charm in the expression of the wife I'VE
have our cozy home it is thrice dear to us,
because it is our own. We have bought it
with the savings of our earnings. Many were
the soda fountains, the confectionery saloons.
and the niceties of the market we had to pass;
many times my noble husband denied himself
the comfort of tobacco, the refreshing drausht
of beer; wore his old clothes and even
patched up boots; and I. o me, made my
old bonnet do, wore the plainest clothes and
did the plainest cooking saving was the or
der of the hour; and to have "a house of
our own" has been our united aim


Snow we have it there is NO landlord
troubling US with raising the rent and exact
ing this and that. There is no fear harbor-
ing in our bosom that in sickness or old age
we will be thrown out of house and home, for
it is our own, and the money we have saved
to pay rent is sufficient to keep us in comfort
in the winter days of life"


What lesson does the above words teach,
and how we'll would it be if hundreds of fami-
lies would heed them, aud instead of living
in rented houses, which takes large share
of their capital to furnish, and quarter of
their earnings to pay the rent, dress and eat
correspondingly, would bravely curtail their
expenses and concentrate their efforts of hav-
ing "house of their own" Better cot
tage of your own than rented palace.
Year: 1868

The New York correspondent of the Ro-
chester Democrat is responsible for the fol-
lowing:


Alexander T. Stewart clears one thousand
dollars per day, Sabbaths excepted, all the
year round. Cornelius Vanderbilt pleads
guilty to double that sum, while William B.
Astor rates his income at four thousand three
hundred and thirty dollars per diem. Sleep
ing or waxing, the latter gentleman finds a
three dollar bill dropping into his hat every
minute of the twenty four hours. He can
not sit down to talk with his physician with
out having little more wealth, if not health !;
he can not unburden his mind for ten minutes
without feeling the burden increasing in his
pocket, and he can not walk Broadway, how
ever the weather may be, without meeting
shower of money. At every turn cash stares
him in the face in the most insolent manner
Banks fling their dividends at his head ;ruth>
less fnanciers beat him with coupons unpity-
ing and soulless corporations dump their filthy
lucre at his doorstep, and contemptuous bill
stickers plaster his door with greenbacks.-
One might inquire what the fellow has done
to merit this treatment, and the only charge
that can be brought is that he was rich
mans son, and therefore must suffer.


Hard as his daily task is, we should not
object to swap places with him for a few days.
Year: 1868

We have before alluded in the columns of
the Farmer to the importance of supplying
Fowls with animal food. There Is even greater
need of attention being paid to this during
the later months of the fall and through the
winter, than in the summer months because
the fowls can then, in a measure, obtain their
own supply by catching winged insects, and
picking up worms. When scarcity occurs,
they will scratch the ground and unearth any.
thing that may be below the surface, be il
worm or seed. as every gardener knows to his
sorrow.


But in the winter all such operations ara
suspended. The insects burros deep and the
earth freezes over them, or else they perish
outright The hens are thenceforth pu, on
an allowance of corn, having less change 10
the matter of food than State prison convicts
enjoy. Now hens will eat-coru and thrive
on 1t, to certain extent, when they can get
nothing else to devour. They may keep fat.
and prepare themselves to be devoured nj
Christmas, but they will lay very few eggs,
and are liable to become unhealthy. s


To insure good supply of eggs during the
winter, We must feed our hens with materials
that contain good supply of those substances
from which eggs are formed. Fresh meat
chopped fine, bits of fish, rinds of cheese, and
such like things saved from the table today,
will come back to the table in due time, in
the form of new laid eggs.


That the poultry may remain healthy during
the winter, they should occasionally be fed
with vegetables. Boiled cabbage is good, aud
the same may be said of potatoes and carrots. I.
Too many farmers reverse the food that should
be fed to hogs and poultry. They give the
hogs all the warm, cooked leavings from the
table, and furnish the hens with breakfast,
dinner and supper from the corn crib. The
opposite rule would be the better one, for
both hen and hog.


Heps like a variety of food, and in the
winter when they are kept in close quarters,
and their digestion is accordingly Impaired
from want of exercise, they require NJ 6. {
cooked food. One winter when eggs
scarce and high we obtained from d..
young Brahmas all the eggs we wanted for
pies and puddings, as well as for serving up
'fried or on the half shell )" and this is how
we did it; we gave the hens, once day, .
good meal of hash, just such an article as Is
prepared for the table, only made of less choice
material we took cooked meat, boiled pota-
toes and onions chopped them together and
seasoned with pepper. Such q dish is not .
costly ope-livers and scraps of meat rejected
on the table, potatoes and onions too small to
use, and little fat that would go into soap
grease, will, when chopped and warmed up,
make savory dish for the fowls in the
henuery.


In preparing for obtaining eggs We must
not forget that the eggs will require shells
For this end we should lay suitable amount
of bones, or else should pulverize such as are
in the meat We are daily cooking, and keep
this where it will not become covered with
filth. Besides this, the fo@ls should have.
from time to time, some coarse, sharp sand or
gravel, to serve the place of teeth.


D1prHER1A.-A recipe for the cure of
Year: 1868

INPRovEMEST.-We are pleased to notice a
manifest improvement in the demeanor of attor>
neys practicing before the District Court, The
bullying of witnesses has been checked, and
gross personalities are no longer INDUCED in by
opposing counsel. The parties heretofore in the
habit of outraging decorum and decency, begin
to feel the force of public opinion, and hence
the improvement in their manners.
Year: 1868

AcQUIrrED.-Benj. Geany and his wife, the
parties indicted by the late Grand Jury on the
charge of having murdered their infant child,
had their trial before the District Court, on
Friday last, and were honorably acquitted. The
evidence went 10 show that the prosecution was
altogether malicious, and had for its object the
qualification Of private spleen. The jury was
out only long enough to take single ballot, and
on coming into Court returned verdict of "Not
Guilty !" The verdict was received with cheers,
and the accused at once discharged from custody
We have never before known such an outrage
upon the provisions of law, and can only regret
that there is no means of bringing the origina-
tors of the prosecution to justice.
Year: 1868

tnat number to be found among us. The few
VINO are well and generally known are limited To
hardly more than a score. Yet there are doubt-
less many excellent writers whom do not know
and have no reason to doubt the correctness
substantially Of the paragraph to which have
alluded
Ihere l. one other question which Yankee
VIII be very likely to ask, and which will he the
last question | shall now undertake to answer.
VIZ Is the practice of stenography when once
II Is thoroughly mastered a good paying busi-
ness! | can hardly do better in answering tbi.
question than to state few general facts. The
writers of the first class, who are well establish
ei' are constantly crowded with business, and
increasing demands are made upon their services
IRON year to year. Their average CONDENSATION
IN the city of New York is not far from tbraa
thousand dollars year. The salaries, as fixed
IN the Courts Of that city, are now twenty-five
hundred dollars, and fees for COPY. In other
localities than New York perhaps two thousand
dollars per year Is about the average income of


tN'VH' steiiugiap phefs-


notice that in the State of Maine law b..
been enacted within a couple of years providing
Tor the appointment of stenographers in the
courts have not yet learned whether the
thing has been made practical there in the Court.
or not


am not aware that there has been legislation
upon this subject in any other of the New Eng
land States than Maine. 1t is said that there /.
good deal Of very good reporting done in the
Courts IN Boston, but not under the sanction Of
Legislative authority.


Possibly Vermont, 50 ready to adopt all really
valuable Improvements, may find this thing
worth looking into, and be the first New ENGLAND
State to bring the new method into successful
operation, as an established branch Of tb.
Court


Yours, truly, p
Year: 1868

since he left Mrs Whitney in the depot, carry
ing with him the checks to their baggage, &c
When it is remembered that he went out from
Union Depot in broad daylight, it is especially
singular that no one oan be found who can
throw the least light upon the mysterious affair.
-BenHtHgfon Banner
Year: 1868

MYSTERIOUS DIsAPPEARANcE-we have to
record one of the most singular and mysterious
disappearances we have lately heard of. Some
over four weeks ago Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. A. Whit
ney of this place reached Troy on their way
home from a visit to New York While waiting
in the depot Mr.. W. said to his wife that he was
going out for few minutes, but would soon re-
turn, since which time nothing has been seen or
heard of him by his family or friends, although
they have been untiring in their efforts to un-
rayel the web Of mystery, and gain some know
ledge of his whereabouts. Not even so much as
a single clue has been gained concerning him
Year: 1868

Post says c


The fact that parties from the North are building
cspscious elevators at New Orleans to store
Western corn, and the other fact that machinery
is now being made for use in that city, by the AID
of which grain can be cheaply lifted out Of
barges into the holds Of European vessels. are
proofs that somebody is in earnest in the endeavor
10 divert the trade in cereals from Chicago and
the lakes to the Mississippi and the gulf. Chicago
can hardly afford TO see this endeavor without m
curing into the probabilities OF success, and such
q prompt action as that inquiry may compel.
Year: 1868

What is beauty, after all Each eye
makes It for ITSELF You think Smiths Ia
dy-love rawboned and hard featured He
calls her ''magnifoent woman, - and won
ders what you see in your little angel with
her little baby face and stature. So it is
the world over and yet we would each
give something to be beautiful after our
own fashion. How the powders and To-
tioBs which are to bestow upon poor bilious
mortals' skins of satin and snow, and the
hair dyes, and pomades, and cosmetics of
all sorts, sell, we need not mention 10 prove
the facts. In France, old ladies are being
made over at cost Of half their fortunes.
Heaven keep me from ever catching a
glimpse Of one Of these enameled, dyed and
miserable old creatures after the renovation
by the way. Yes, we all want to be beau
tiful and If only our ideas of beauty were
what they should be We might accomplish
our desire easily. Meekness and love make
all faces pleasant. Were we good We should
be beautiful. We all feel this. There are
plain features so charming with the sparkle
of good humor that we love them. There
are blemished faces so sweet that they are
pleasanter to look upon than the most per-
feet After all it is in the expression that
the actual charm lies. So that were some
one to promise the secret of beauty for
twenty-five cents and postpaid envelope,
he would scarcely be an imposter should
be return the golden rule with Instructions
to learn and practice it. If we only could
do this earnestly and truly for one genera
tion, the next no ght wonder whether it were
not fable that such thing as ugliness
was ever known upon old earth.-Ensaiins
Palmer. d.
Year: 1868




As the trials of life thicken, and the
dreams of other days fade, one by one, in
the deep vista of disappointed hope, the
heart grows weary Of the struggle, and We
begin to realize our insiguifcance. Those
who have climbed to the pinacle of fame,
OF revel in luxury and wealth, go to the
grave at last with the poor medioant who
begs pennies by the way-side, and like him
are soon forgotten. Generation after gene
ration, says an eloquent writer, have felt as
We feel, and their fellows were as active in
life as ours are now. They passed away
as vapor, while nature wore the same as
pect of beauty as when her Creator COM
manded her to be. So, likewise, shall it
be when we are gone. The heavens will
be as bright over our graves as they are
now around our path the world viii have
the same attraction for offspings yet unborn
that she had once for ourselves, and that
she has now for her children. Yet little
while and all this will happen Days viii
continue to move on, and laughter and song
will be heard in the very chamber in which
we die and the eye that mourned for US
will be dry, and viii glisten with Joy and
even our children will cease to think of US,
and will net remember to lisp our name.
Year: 1868

AlRClNNATI5 y uly z, OOO-
Washington Mclean. Fifth AUenue Hotel:


My DEAR S1R-You know better than
any one the feelings aud principles which
have guided my conduct since the sugges-
ton of my name for the Presidential nomi-
nation. You know that while I received
the good opinion of my countrymen, and
would feel honest pride in SO distinguished
mark of their confidence, I do not desire
it at the expense of one single electoral
vote, Great applause or of the least dis
turbance Of the harmony of our party. 1
considered the success of the Democratic
party in the next election as of far greater
importance than the qualification of any
personal ambition, however pure aud lofty
it might be, loud cheersl. If, therefore.
at any time, name should be suggested,
which, in the opinion of yourself and those
friends who have shared our confidence,
shall be stronger before the country, or
which can more thoroughly represent our
party, beg that you will instantly with
draw my name. and pledge to the eonven-
tion my hearty, jealous and active support
for It's nominee.
Year: 1868

The story Of Cinderella is familiar to every
one, and yet there are few who treasure it up as
in every respect true. But it has foundation
and reality that really needs no fairy godmother
with her pumpkin and her rats, to make an enter
tanning tale. 1t is as follows:


In about the year 1870, French actor, by
the name of Thevenard. lived in Paris. He was
rich and talented, but he had no wife, and we
NAV believe he had never loved any one, but
gave all his affections to those ideal characters
| that he could represent SO finely on the stage
One day as he was walking leisurely along the
streets of Paris, he came upon cobblers stall
and his eye was attracted by dainty little shoe
which lay there waiting for repairs. His imagi
nation began Immediately to form the little foo
must FIT such little shoe. He fancied 1t trip
ming over his floors; he could hear the music o
! its tread-in fact, there was nothing among al
his rich elegant treasures that seemed to him hal
so beautiful.


He went to the stall Of the cobbler again, bu
could learn nothing in regard to the owner OF tn
shoe This only increased his eagerness, am
made him more determined to know to whom
belonged Day by day he was disappointed, bu
he was not discouraged


At last the little foot needed the little shoe
and Theyenard met the owner, poor girl who's


parents belonged to the humbest class Bt
the ardent actor thought not of caste or famil,
His heart had already pronounced the little on
his wife. He married the girl, with no questio
of what people would say, and felt enough IN Jo
hearing the tread of the light nimble feet throug
his silent rooms, to pay him for the sacrince


peoples approval This is the true story
cinderella. and from which the child romano


sprang.
Year: 1868

One of the Generals of the "Lost Cause" says
that at the time of the attack upon Fort Pillow,
the Confederates had converted a Mississippi boat
into a cotton-clad. the mate of which was a big
double-fsted sample of river bully, ''full of
strange oaths,' and always enforcing his orders
by knocking men about the head, and adds ::
Just before he went into the fight, he came
staggering up to me and said :"
"Waal General, I suppose when one side or
others licked, YOU big menn quit, and shake
| hands 2"


"Yes, JIM" said [, "when the fighting is over
| expect every man to go home and attend to
| his business.


s.That amt me-" Jim said, shifting his left
palm with his fist like sedge hammer" for if
ever kctch Yank south of Cairo, I'm going
to mash him"


"a ten inch shell that came whistlng over the
boat interrupted any further remarks just then,
and shortly after we were butting away at fed
eral gunboat in about as hot fire as ever want
to see should think there were hundred
guns opened on us, and we got one broadside so
near that the flash of their guns set our cotton
bales on fire. Our people fought well, but the
other side were too strong for us and We had to
drop down the river. During the action while
cannon were roaring, boats sinking, shells
shrieking and bursting all around, and the all
filled with fame and smoke, quite lost sight Of
Jm and after we had dropped down the river
out of the fire, and all hands were busy repairing
damages that valiant hero crept out from behind
a cotton bale, and sneaking past NE with flag
of truce, and said:


General, amt so mad as I was This AIM
the kind of tighten I'm used to- and when them
feers get ready to stop THROWN them pots round
III quit if they will.


"And sure enough in two weeks he went int
/ the lines and took the oath"