smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

The following queer passage uf history, ts-
ken from the New England Weekie Journal
Of Ap~il, l62S-one hundred and fortv wears
ago-may be interesting to some of our read
ers:
'Tis not the understanding or poring upoa
books that makes man wise or serviceabie,
but one knowing the true nature Of things.
Were practice substituted in the room Of spec.
ulstiou, the good effects Of knowledge would
become As visible as they are excellent--au
instance Of the truth Of which is illustrated in
the tollow-relatien


1t is not out OF some mems remembrance
that a Young gentleman, of no fortune, a stu
dent of Oxford. fell IN love with an inu-keep-
RS daughter Of that town. whose circumstan-
ces were verv narrow; be had philosophy
enough to dcsrise superauous wealth, and
Judgment TO !oresee the necessity cf a compe
tency 10 live but love was headstrong, and
too hard for reason. so that after year or two
Intellectual delay, they bid defiance to their
stars, and had courage enough To marry. The
Scholar gained Il wife and lost n fellowship
the only small substance he before depended
on.


The inn-keeper often urhraiied the bride
groom with the barren effects Of his learning,
and thought it very strange, as he well might,
tha' while every body told him his son-in-law
was great scholar, his whole stock Of knowl.
edge could not help him to one penny Of his
own getting.


Six or seven months after this marriage the
father-in-law dies, miserahly poor. His cred
it dying with him, his goods were seized by his
creditors, and the student and his wifs
turned out of doors to eat the bread of Provi-
denee where they could find it,


The wife had relation in town, unable to
contribute any great assistance, who took
them, however. into the garrett of her house
where the student could only waste his hours
between books and sighs, while the partner
of his sorrows made hard shift to pick up
support by knitting stockings


AT last, as the prospect of increased care
became more and more visible, their only
subject Of conversation was their melancholy
dread of their offspring being a beggar.


But sitting constantly together from morn
ing tonight the scholar often fixed the rapid
motion of his wife's fingers in his eyes, with
steadfast observation on the dexterous man
agement of her needles. He took it into his
Imagination that it was not impossible To CON
trive little loom, which might do the work
with more expedition. This thought he com
muncated to his wife, and Joined his head to
her hands. The endeavor succeeded to their
wish, and thus the ingenious Stocking Loom,
which is so common now, was first invented,
| by which he did not only make himself and
family happy, but left his nation indebted to
him for q benefit which enables them TO ex-
port silk stockings in great quantities. and TO
a vast advantage, to those very countries from
whence before they used to bring them at
considerable loss in the balance of their traffic.
Year: 1869

The Searcy (Arkansas) Record,
speaking of Clayton's mob, says


"We venture the assertion that
if these hirelings had been met
with the proper spirit in the out.
set, their days would have been
but few and not one would DOW
be in the field. Having met with
but little opposition, and their op-
erations being lucrative, both the
privates and the officers, they nat
urally keep on increasing. Every
thief and scoundrel in the land is
ready to volunteer, that he may
practice his thieving propensity at
liberty without harm to himself.
Like the jayhawking companies
during the war-it is a paying
business. The people are intimi-
dated (in some localities) and lit
tie or no resistance is made, hence
all is fish that comes to their net ;
and if perchance they come not
to their net, they can be made to
do so.
Year: 1869

: A small district of country here
of which Cynthiana is the cen
ter, aud head center, has an abso-
lutte monopoly of the Bourbon
whisky trade of the world. In IL
there is something local. It can
not be made anywhere else. Let
them try ever so hard they cannot
make it anywhere else, and the
whisky trade knows it. Why is
it that our whisky goes direct to
New York ? Why is it that New
York dealers are here weekly
watching the trade and buying up
the products of enormous distiller-
les by the thousand barrels two or
three months In advance of its
production? 1t is because there
is a worlds demand for this whis-
ky, and there is a worlds demand
for it because it is the best made,
and it is best made because it is,
made here, and cannot be made
in New York nor anywhere else
than here.


The distillers here do not sup
ply the worlds demand by ninety
nine in a hundred parts. They
may increase their capacity one
hundred times and fall short of
the demand.


All this whisky goes to New
York in lots by the thousand bar
rels. Thence most of it goes to
Europe by the ship load. 1t is
not a piddling trade, this Bourbon
whisky trade. None of this whisky
goes directly to st. louis or any
of the Western cities, nor, indeed,
to any except New York. There
it is handled by firms whose trans
actions reach hundreds of millions
of dollars year, whose ships visit
every point in the world, and these
are the men who tuy it direct
here at the distillers. In the
West and South and North and
East every bar has Bourbon, SO
called. Some of the best of them
have the real simon pure, but
where do the bulk of them get
their "Old Bourbon?" They all
want it, but our distillers cannot
supply their demand. New York
and the European trade, with their
enormous demand, money and
tact, consume it all, leaving a
home, Western, Southern, North
ern and Eastern demand, a hun
dred times larger, totally unsup-
piled.
Year: 1869

A "PEPPERY" YARN went
to the legislature last year, said
a Georgian. Well l went to At
lanta and took dinner at tavern.
Right beside me sat a member
from one of the back towns, who
had never taken dinner before at
a tavern in his life. Before his
plate was a dish of peppers and he
kept looking at them. Finally,
as the walters were very slow
bringing on things he UP with his
fork and in less than no time sOuSed
one into his mouth. As he brought
down his grinders the tears came
into his eyes. At last splitting the
pepper into his hand, he laid it
down by his plate, and with a voice
that set the whole table in a roar,
exclaimed "Just lie there and
cool"
Year: 1869

The administration of chloroform


lately 70 a convict about to be ex-
ecuted is spoken of as new de-


velopment of the humanitarian
spirit of the age. tits, however,
only a revival through a new a.
gency, of practice which pre-
vailed in ancient times among
the Jews, who gave wine, at an
early period of their history, to
men about to die, and at later
times a supplying ingredient was
introduced into the draught, SO as
to render the victim insensibie.-


Some have supposed that the verse
in the book of Proverbs, "GIYe
strong drink to him that is ready
to perish," had reference to this
custom, though this, we believe
is not its approved Interpretation
Year: 1869

The SANE OLD SToRY.--A wo-
man living in Milwaukee has a
sailor husband whom she has not
seen for nineteen years, but re-
ceives letters from him regularly.
He is a hand on Liverpool pack
ct, making regular trips from New
York and back. Every time he
ships from the former port he
writes his wife that upon his arri-
val in New York next time he will
certainly go home. The ship ar
rives but no husband. Soon comes
the inevitable letter, with the
same intelligence. He did in
tend to come, but was paid off,
got intoxicated, spent his money,
and came to his senses not only
pcnniless, but shipped on board
the packet again. He declares he
will never be fooled again, and
goes to work with the idea of gain
ing means to return home, and
the next trip is a repetition of the
old story. Meanwhile the wife
tolls on and lives in hope that
some day the truant husband will
come back.
Year: 1869

The Des Moines Iowa Regis
te, says there is family living
near that city, Sin which there are
thirteen children, all of whom are
deaf and dumb. The family is a
good one, and one much respected
in the community. We doubt ii


there is another family on earth
with as much stiffness in it as this.
Year: 1869




The German papers mention a
melancholy case of suicide and
filial devotion. A widow had
two sons, the eldest of whom sup
ported the family. He recently
was ordered to join the army,
having fallen into the conscrip-
ton. The younger brother, feel
ing himself unable to support his
aged mother, shot himself through
the heart, thereby liberating the
elder from military service, on ac
count Of his being a widows only
son.
Year: 1869

A western paper says that the
editor of its rival sheet was skat-
ing recently and broke through
the ice. He went in up to his
ears, but the hole was not large
enough to letthem through. While
he was waiting for some one to
take him out, his ears froze, and
they have since been amputated,
and are now used for door mats.
Year: 1869

"My DEAR" said an anxious
matron to her daughter, ''it is very
wrong for young people to be
throwing kisses at each other


"Why SO, mamma? Tn sure
they don't hurt even if they do
hit"
Year: 1869

A BLESSED DAY.--What a bless
cd day is Sunday to q man who
necessarily catches but brief
glimpscs of home during the toll
ing week; who is off in the morn.
ing while the little eyes are closed
in slumber, nor back at night un.
iii they are sealed in sleep, What
would he know of the very chill
dren for whom he tolls, we're it not
for the blessed, breathing respite
of Sunday? What honest working
mans child will ever forget this
day, when clean and neat, it is his
privilege to climb rapa's knee and


hang about his neck, and tell him
all the news which goes to make
up his little narrow world. Mar
row did we say? We recall the
word, for it widens out into the
boundless ocean Of eternity. Sun
day for the workingman's chill
drenl So he would have it-a day
hallowed by sweet, pure home in
fluence; when the little band, quite
complete, shall rest from labor,
and love shall write 1t down the


blessed day of all the seven. 3
Year: 1869

There is much oftruth and beau
ty in the following fugitive wait,
floating about among our cxchang.
es:


Men seldom think of the great
event of death until the shadow
falls across their own path, hiding
forever from their eyes the traces
of the loved ones whose loving
smiles were the sunlight Of their
existence. Death is the great an
tagonist Of life. and the cold tho't
OF the tomb is the skeleton OF all
feasts, We do not want to 60 thro'
the dark valley, although its pas
sage may lead to paradise; and,
with Charles Lamb, we do not
want to lie down in the muddy
grave, even with kings and princes
for our bed fellows. But the fint
of nature is inexorable. There is
no appeal of relief from the great
law which dooms to dust. We
flourish and fade like the leaves of
the forest, and tho flower that
blooms and withers in q day has
not a Trailer hold upon life than
tho mighhest monarch that ever
shook the earth with his footsteps
Generations of men appear and
vanish as the grass, and the count
less multitude that throngs the
world today will tomorrow dis.
appear as the footsteps on the
shore.


In the beautiful drama OF Ion,
the instinct of Immortality, so elo>
quenly uttered by the death de-
voted Greek, finds a deep response
in every thoughtful soul. When
about to yield his young existence
as o sacrifice to fate, his beloved
Clomanthc asks if they shall not
meet again, to which he replies
81 have asked that dreadful ques-
ton to the hills that look eternal
of the clear streams that flow for
ever-of the stars, among whose
fields of azure my raised spirit hath
walked in glory. All were dumb.
But while 1 gaze upon thy living
face, | feel that there is something
in the lovo that mantles through
its beauty that cannot wholly per-
ish. We shall meet again."
Year: 1869

The crowds that daily flock to
see this great wonder Of the dav,
evinco the very great interest that
is taken IN its development and
progress. 1t is indeed an object Of
intense interest TO all lovers OF
flowers and plants. As far as is
known, it is the first striped leaved
variety that has ever howered in
this country, and curiosity is on
tip.toe TO see what kind Of a flower
this will be. For the benefit Of
those who haye not yet seen it, we
will state that the height of the
flower stem to-day is a few inches
over eight feet. 1t was eight feet
yesterday, but being n cold cloudy
day, it was thought the stem would
not achieve more than three or
four inches during the day and
night. 1t is rather q curious fact
that it grows just as fast during
the night as in the heat and light
of the sun. The diameter Of the
stem at the height of four feet from
the ground is four inches, i. e., a.
bout one foot in circumference
The number Of leaves on the plant
is 30; length of leaves 6 feet 6 in
chcs; circumference of plant 80 #.
So rapid has been the growth of
this ponderous stem, that Frost &
Co. are making preparations to
raise the roof of their green house
this afternoon. A gentleman has
written to them from Seneca conn.
ty, stating that he saw the century
plant at Van Rensselaer, 8 at Alba


ny, in 1912, and also the famous
one on exhibition in New York
about 1916. This latter was brought
on a vessel from the West Indies,
and so rapid was its growth on the
passage that the stem was forced to
grow horizontally several feet, and
then shoot up through the hatch.
way, making q regular elbow in
the stem. The plant, however, ar.
rived in splendid condition, with
the exception of the elbow, and was
visited by thousands, who were de.
lighted with the splendid spectacle.
Rochester Democrat.
Year: 1869

Wicked men do prosper for a lit.
tic while; but as sure as God lives,
in the end they shall receive their
just re ward. If you consider the
whole of life from end to end, then
truth, and honor, and purity, and
justice and fidelity pay. If you
want to grow quickly, you can
grow quickly by wickedness, but
you will not last. Ifyou want to
grow 80 as to last, you must adj
hero to integrity, and you must
be contented to grow slowly, if
God Ordains it. You can grow a
mushroom or toadstool in one
night, if you have a dunghilI large
enough; but to grow an oak tree
that shall last tor generations re-
quires vastly more time. And if
you want men that shall last, you
must wait until they can be built
up solidly by good conduct by
confidence inspired by good cons
duct; in other words, by being
tried. One ship is as good as an
other in the harbor. 1t is outside
of the harbor that the comparative
merits of different vessels are made
to appear. There tho qualities,
whether superior or inferior, show
themselves. 1t is what ships do
on the sea that determines that
one is better or worse than anoth-
or. And as with ships so with
men. Two men start about alike
on the ocean OF life. They 90 along
at first, about together. But fol-
low them five or ten years, and
about the fifth, sixth or the sew
enth year, tho one-a man Of plea
sure, a Goddess man, that does not
believe in q divine supervision of
the affairs of this world-begins to
degenerate, whilo the otber-a
sober Christian man, who believes
that God controls the world and
all that are in it-in the beginning
lays the foundation, going down
so deep that he seems for a time to
burrow like a marmot; but then,
little by little, he begins to build
upward, and then he builds so
that every hour men see that he is
building strongly and surely.-H.
W. Beecher.
Year: 1869

The ability of the female tongue
to keep secret is proved by the
conduct OF q st. Johns girl, who
did not tell her lover that she was
worth four millions in her own
right until after their marriage.
Year: 1869

NEW YoRK, October 2.-Mr. Lock
wood, the banker, makes the follow
ing statement:


[ retain the Treasurership of the
Lake Shore Railroad Company, but I
shall resign at the next meeting of the
Board. The Company owe one firm
large sums for advances on Wabash
stocks. Oar indebtedness to the Lake
Shore & Michigan Southern Read at
the present moment Is but a moderate
amount. No stocks or property of
anY kind belonging to the Railroad
Company has been used by the Treas
urer or his firm in any improper man
ner. The Directors Of the Lake Shore
are in full accord, ard approve my
course with their stocks, and the most
influential and wealthy members of
the Board insist on the firm of Lock
wood & Co. renewing business.
Year: 1869

to tell the poor bereaved wife, and he
mt her off with an evasion.


There are many other incidents
which could be given, but these will
suffiee as an iodex of the general
character of the disaster.
Year: 1869

The indianapolis J9HrRatof Satur-
day furnish US but little additional.
The list Of casualties do not differ
materially from that given IN the
JOURNAL of Saturday, and the Jour
nal failing to come By mail on Satur-
day we did not to obtain a copy last
night until it was too late to make a
comparison. The following incidents,
which We clip from the Journal, will
be read with painful interest.
Year: 1869

ask from Congress. when it meets in Decem-
ber, for the passage of a telegraph postal law,
at rates five cents lower than the tariff quoted
above for twenty words.


Upon every branch of trade and production
cheap telegraphy will exercise the most bene-
fetal influence. The greatest patrons of the
telegraph to-day are the merchants and
traders, and wherever there is no competition
in electric transmission of intelligence they
are taxed almost to the point of prohibition
for their dispatches. Place in the hands of
our mercantile community the proper facilities
for daily correspondence by telegraph, at rea-
sonable rates, between the centres of goods
distribution and the great centres of produc-
ton, and that fact alone doubles the capacity
Of every trader to transact business without
an increase Of capital and prororhenaateiy re-
duces the cost of goods to the consumer ma ."-4
movement in the West for cheap telegraphy is
a movement in the right direction and cannot
fail to accomplish great public and private
uond
Year: 1869

than appears on the surface. 1t indicates the


spirit that ruled our State Department during


our civil war struggle for national existence
This department was essentially monarchical
in all its governmental hopes, and was disposed
to lend aid to everything which directly or re-
motely promised empire. Mr. Seward had


been privileged at one time to be face to face
with an emperor, and he always boasted of it
and counted il the happiest moment of his life.
There are indications that the now retired
old man left an influence behind him in the
State Department which still bows to royalty.
Z he best proof of this is that we treat Spain
as if she were our master, to whom we owe all
allegiance. We permit monarchical Europe to
hold Cuba, and Cuba is ceaseless threat
against republican America.
Year: 1869

The multitudinous interests in the West
which are oppressed by the Eastern monopoly
Of telegraphic communication In the United
States are moving in practical way to remove
the shackles which are now imposed on the
electric transmission Of intelligence. An asso-
citation has been formed in Michigan for the
construction Of lines of telegraph over that
State, and similar movements are in process
in the States of Indiana and Missouri. Il is
proposed that messages shall be transmitted
by the Peoples line at postal telegraph rates
that is, at twenty cents for twenty words for
any distance under dve hundred mics-and the
parties In tho movement expect to be ready to
Year: 1869

Education.


The bill for the abolition of the present
Board of Education, and authorizing the
Mayor to appoint a new one, has passed both
houses of the Legislature and awaits only the
signature of the Governor to become law.
AS no one anticipates veto it may, we sup
pose, be regarded as practically law already.
BY the bill the power of the board to purchase
new school sites and to remove teachers is
limited, since to do either of these things
two thirds vote is now necessary. But the
great feature of the bill is its provision for
the future choice of Commissioners of Educa-
tiOn on the plan now in operation in the choice
of Supervisors. This plan has not worked
very well in regard to Supervisors-it has not
improved the character of that board yet it
has in its favor the argument that theoreti-
cally it provides for the rights of minorities,
and prevents the absolute supremacy Of
party. Seven commissioners are to be voted
for on each ticket, and Of the seven beaten
five are to be subsequently appointed by the
Mayor, to make up board of twelve. The
first election under this law will bein 1871. In
the meantime the bill legislates the present
board out of existence at once, and empowers
the Mayor to appoint new board to serve
till the first election. The only restriction is
that he shall recognize the principle of the
representation of the minority contemplated
by the bill. He must therefore appoint seven
democrats and five republicans. He has put
upon him by this law great responsibility,
and we have no fear that he will abuse it or
betray the confidence of the Legislature. He
must appoint first class men. He cannot go
wrong if on the democratic side he begins
with such name as that of Isaac Bell, and
keeps on with names worthy to bear it COM
pany. Another good name would be that of
Denning Duer. We think he should not omit
the present President of the Board, Mr.. Lar
remore. He should give rs such republicans
as Isaac Sherman and Horace Greeley. He
may by such use of his power give us reason
to rejoice at the passage of law that people
looked upon rather with fear than hope.
Year: 1869

The regular monthly auction sale OF Scranton coal
by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad
Company took place yesterday al the Exchange
salcsrooms and was very largely attended, many
Eastern manu- facturers being active among the
bidders. About 1000 tons were disposed Of. The
bidding was very spirited the market firm and there
was general advance In prices on all sizes. The
following is comparison OF prices with those OF last
month";
Year: 1869

u
refuge IN adversely and good provision in old But
bat well made and OF fair proportions good I'm quality fine
in dnh and fashionable style, such alone made by
kNOX the famous New York halter. ~ No. sl2 Broadway
ornament a all times. The comev and taking appear
ance of our young men Is largely due to KNOX.
Year: 1869

A NEW AND INTERESTING ETHICAL QUEs-
rioN.-We might have headed thie: Interest
ing to Aldermen" Tuesday night two MEM
bers OF the Washington Board of Aldermen
had an unpleasant discussion In the course Of
which one Of them told the other that his con-
duct exhibited nothing but discourtesy, dis
honesty and id meanness." If the matter
had stopped here it would have been only an
ordinary incident in aldcrmanic existence.
But it didn't Next morning the man who
used the expletives appeared in the papers
with card saying that the word damned"
may sometimes be fused adjectiyely without
profanity or vindictiyeness The theory it.
self is not a new one, as all church-goers know,
but the novelty lies in the usurpation BY. an
alderman OF wellsestablisbed prescriptive
right of the pulpit. ID aFat
Year: 1869

A New CrTY.-The city committees on the
New England Fair are at work erecting some
700 or 500 sheds, for the accommodation OF the
cattle to be exhibited at the Fair, on the lot
belonging to the Poor House Farm adjoining
the Forest City Trotting Park in Westbrook.
Over o thousand head Of splendid cattle it ia
knoUn will be present, and, from the commu-
nications received by Mr. Boardman, tile ap-
pearances indicate that the entries of stock
will perhaps double or treble that number.
There is not the least doubt that, with The
outside attractions existing at that time, there
will be at least forty thousand strangers in the
city. Two years ago we should haye wondered
where on earth we were going to lodge SO


many people, but with the number of hotels
erected since then, together with those previ-
ously existing, there need be no anxiety on
that score. We are glad to know that our
people are up and doing and there is. every
prospect that the New England Fair Of 1869
| will be a grand success.