smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1868

Conceive the dumpy, Iingainly figure


of the Manager, balancing on the back
of a chair, with one hand, and with the


other constantly lowering over his bald
crown as if to rub up ideas by friction.


His pugnacious face was held up at an
angle OF about forty-iVe degrees, that


the half shut eyes might get the range,
now Of the squirming witness, more
often of the amused Senators or the
tittering galleries; and the effect was
to thrust the chin toward the witness,
and give an air of the finest insolence
and most perfect swagger to the whole


figure. Now and then he walked out
into the area in front of the secretary's
desk; more often with scowling face
and threatening gesture, he gloWered
upon the witness from the neighbor-
hood of the managers table. Against
him stood up, at the end further from
him of the Secretary's desk, the hap
less witness, now, as his illluck would
have it, passing from the exhilaration
to the stupefaction of the extra drinks
he had taken. Adjutant-General
Thomas is an old man, slender in figure,
but erect and soldierly, with thin gray
hair, and q rubicund face, wrinkled
with the footprints OF over sixty years.
The features are thin and nervous-the
long hook nose and the high forehead
being the most prominent; and the
general air of the man IS such as might
very well warrant Mr.. Stanton's effort
to get him placed on the retired list.


If we add to this that his intellectual
force was great, that his social standing
has been good, and that his habits have
been conYivial, it may be the more
readily understood that, with an ex-
terror polish of good manners aad ready
phrases, the man is at the bottom, half
an imbecile.


There is no need to tell over the
story of his discontinue. Probably
there is not a better lawyer in the
country to break down a witness than
Mr.. Butler. He set out to break down
General Thomas, and he succeeded
entangled him in contradictions, con-
fused him as to places and dates, made
him swear to one statement one minute
and another the next. He did not get
him to this pass without considerable
previous expenditure of the most
offensive hectoring and bullying, an
exhibition from which any gentleman
might have shrunk in that presence,
but in which Butler seemed to take
delight. He sneered at Gen. Thomas,
sneered at the President, sneered at
the counsel, accused Mr.. EVarts, in the
most insulting tone, of caves dropping.


Yet after all, two things are to be
said of the performances of General
Butler. Il was a wonderful exhibition
of smsrtness and skill. And it carried |
his point. General Thomas left the |
stand a thoroughly demoralized and |
witness. Butler had fair
ly extorted from him the admission |
that he construed the Presidents order !
as waTranting him to use force in gain |
ing possession of the War Department.; |
had driyen him to admit that he swore |
to incorrect statements, in a previous |
examination before a Committee of |
the House; had hopelessly compressed |
him in contradictions, which left no
ioubt on the minds Of the Court as to |
MS desire to tell the truth, and very |
great doubt as to his capacity to do it. |
: Cincinnati Eg-crfe
Year: 1868

Did you ever return home from a
journey, cold, wet, and weary, and un-
expected, after tea was over and the
tea leaves elected from the silver2
Bright eyes glistened with delight at
the sight Of yours-perhaps more than
one pair, and a silvery voice names the
magic word, Tea" Out of some
dozen of these instances did it ever
happen to you-when the tea had been
made for you alone-to p2rtake a cup
whose delicious fragrance had dWelt
ever after on your palate, like a vision
of paradise, and Of which you have
sometimes a difficulty of persusding
yourself that it was not all a dreamf
Such an instance once occurred to me,
not after a journey, but at a dining-out.
| left the animals at their accustomed
vine, and followed on the track of the
girls, some of whom were so fully of
charms that, had Hebe fallen sick,
they might have supplied her place at
the board of JOve without the fair
nectar bearer being missed.


A hermetically sealed canister was
brought containing a single pound;
not a leaden canister, but one Of tin;
not black tin, either, but the pure
metal-thin, white, glittering, and
cracking. Talk of the charms of the
uncut novel, indeedi Give me the
opening of such a virgin case, as it left
China 1t was not green tea, it was not
black tea; neither too young nor too
old; not unpleasing with astringence,
on the one hand, nor with the Vapid,
half-earthy taste of decayed vegetable
matter, on the other; it was tea in its
most perfect state, full charged with
aroma, which, when it was opened,
diffused Its fragrance through the
whole apartment, putting all other
perfumes to shame. About an ounce
was then rubbed to powder by my fair
Hebe, and deposited in its broad, shall
low, silver receiver with Just cold
water enough to ssturate il. After
standing twenty minutes, hot water off
the boil, as it is technically called
that is, free from ebullition--Tss pour
ed on it, amounting in quantity to
three-quarters of a pint, and the lid
was closely shut down on it, while the
cylindrical-shaped tea cup was placed
on the spout to catch the aroma thence
issuing. At the expiration Of minute
it was poured out (what a beautiful
hand it was and the rich globules of
essential oil might be seen floating on
the surface-a perfect treasury of de-
light. A small portion of Aldery cream
was instantly added TO prevent the
escape of the essential oil, and Just
sufficient of the brilliant large, crystal
lied sugar, to neutralize the slight Bit
ter. Oh, heavensi to SIP that most
exquisite cup of delight was bliss almost
too great for earth. A thousand years
of rapture all concentrated into the
space Of minute, as if the joys of all
the world had been SKINNED for my
peculiar drinkirgl Ishould rather say
imbibing, for to have swallowed the
liquid ike an ordinary beverage, with
cut tasting every drop. would have
been sacrilege.-Lsigk Hunt.
Year: 1868

The following is from an article in


the March number of P,stn,rn's Maga-


zine:


"The boats generally assemble at a


late hour of the night, and when all
are together a signal gun is fred,


whereupon they set sail fer the banks.


which are not far from the west side of
the Persian Gulf The purpose is to
reach there before daybreak, so that


the divers may be able to begin the
moment the sun rises above the dark
waters In each boat there are, besides
the pilot, ten rowers and ten divers
The latter, perfectly naked, but with
their skin well rubbed with fragrant
oil, work FIVE at a time, leaving the
other FIVE to recover and recruit in the
meantime.


Before they jump in, they compress
the nostrils tightly with a small piece
of horn, which keeps the water out,
stuff their ears with beeswsx for the
same purpose, fasten a network bag,
which is to hold the oysters, by a string
to their waist, and aid their own
descent by large stone Of red granite,
which they catch hold of with their
feet. Then they 60 quickly down to
the bottom. Here they dart about as
quickly as they can, picking up with
their fingers and their toes, which they
use with wonderful agility, fill their
bag, and shake the rope that Is held
above in the boat, in order to be drawn
up at once.


In favorable weather the diver may
90 down from twelve to fifteen times a
day; if the weather is less propitious,
they dive st most FIVE times. They
remain on an average not over a min
ute under water; to stay there q
minute and a half or two minntes is
possible only for a few expert divers,
and can only be reached by extrsor-
dinary efforts. A few who have
endured four or FIVE minutes are spoken
of as we speak of the men of genius
that adorn q nations annals; and the
greatest of divers is half fabulous In
dian, who remained full six minutes
under water, The exertion Is extreme
ly violent, and generally when the
poor men return to the surface, blood
flows from nose, ears and eyes. Hence,
divers are generally unhealthy and,
without exception, shortlived.


They suffer of heart disease and
sores, and are easily recognized smong
the mixed population of those regions,
by their blood-shot eyes, staggering
limbs, and bent backs. These are part
of their wages. Sometimes they die
on reaching the surface, as
if struck by q shot, and are seen no
mora The stories Of some of their
number being regularly slain, IN order
to throw their limbs TO the sharks for
the sake of saving the lives of the 9TH
ers, or of eyebslls starting out Of their
sockets, and the tympanum of the ear
breaking under the pressure Of the
water, are, Of course, fables; but the
pains, perils and penalties of the poor {
pearl divers are, in all conscience, sad
enough to surround the fruit of their
labor, the besuteous pearl, with
interest unknown to other
jewels. u
Year: 1868

this minute we copy as giving an idea of the
course which Nova Scotia intends to pursue


We wish to be distinctly understood that
all we ask for is the restoration of our Con-


stitutional rights. We have ever been faith
iul subjects of the Brit sh Throne; we ardent
~ oeslre to remain so, and we will not at
ssenpI 10 Withdraw our allegiance until we
i,nu tpaI the Queen intends permanently TO
deprive us of her protection.


We nave maintained friendly intercourse


Wild Wild tne people OF the United States OF Am


Sien, SnNi., anu our oaily expanding commercial
dealings with them make any interruntion of
peaceful relations improbable, If not imnos-
sible we admire that great, energetic. and
intelligent nation; but our habits, our educa
ton and our feelings have always been IA
vorable to monarchcal, and adverse to demo.
cratic institutions. We are, therefore, in no
manner desirOus OF changing our political
constitution, but will not willingly allow our
selves to be brought into subsection to Cana
da, or any other country. We will have no
confederation or union with other colonies,
except upon terms OF the most exact equali-
" and there is no change in our political
relations that zoe should not prefer to the de-
testa6le confederation that has been attempt
ed 10 be forced upon u.s.


We shall proceed with the legislation and
other business OF the Province, protesting
against Con federation, boldly and distinctly
asserting our full purpose and resolution to
avail ourselves of every opportunity OF extri-
eating ourselves lram the trammels OF Cana
da, and il we fail, after exhausting all eonsti-
tutlonal means at our command, we will
leave our future destiny in the hands OF Him
VINO will Judge the people righteously, and
govern the nations upon the EARTH"


This formal and guarded statement of the
position of the Provincial Government must
not be understood as in any sense an ade-
quate expression Of the popular feeling The
dispatch which we iprinted yesterday, giving
an account of a large anti-Confederation
meeting in Halifax, shows the pitch of ex-
citemeet to which public feeling has risens
and affords strong evidence of the rapid
progress which the annexation sentiment is
making in the popular mind.
Year: 1868

Resolves providing for amendment of the consti-
tuition SO as to authorize limited reimbursement
of municipal war expenditures by loaning the cred


it of the State


Res0lred, Two-thirds of both the houses concurr-
ing that the following be proposed as an amendment
OF the constitution of this state, which, when ap-
proved and adopted in the manner provided by the
constitution, shall become part thereof, viz:
Year: 1868

THERE are reports afoat in Washington
that more than $4,000, 600 of the Alaska
purchase money was expended in feeling
Congressmen and lobby agents. 1t is said
that certain parties had by some means
either far or foul possessed themselves of
an accurate and detailed list of the several
sums of money paid out here to secure the
passage of the Alaska appropriation. and
the names of the parties receiving the same
and that single member of Congress re-
ceived for his share of the booty quarter
of a million, while each of the New York
leading journal was put off with $4,000
The dispatch stating that the Barings had
drawn draft in favor. of Russia for one
million pounds sterling In payment for Al
aska is referred to as sustaining the story,
and this draft being the exact amount that
Russia would receive, has given strong
color to the charge that the other two mil4
lions two hundred thousand was distributed
on this side of the Atlantic. 1t may be
that Committee of Congress will be rails
ed to investigate these charges and deter
mine how much it cost the Russian Gov
erhment to secure the money for the sale of
her North American Possessions.
Year: 1868

This gentleman, vino will address
the people of Evansville at Turner
Hall tonight, IS one Of the most elo-
quent Of our popular orators. He
has made a thorough canvass of the
SHte, aud has everywhere drawn
crowded houses and been received.
with great enthusiasm. 1t will be
remembered that he made speech
in this city last winter, which gave
the greatest qualification to all who
heard it, and he was pronounced one
of our first public speakers. His
well known eloquence aud his high
position in the party entitle him to a
crowded audience tonight, which
we doubt not, he will have. notwith-
standing the shortness of the notice
1t willoprobably be the only opportu-
nifty our citizens will have of hearing
him during the present campaign.
Year: 1868

SALEM, MASS, September 29.-
General Butler made a speech to the
Republican Convention to-day, ac-
cepting the nomination for Congress.
He referred to those who had opposed
his nomination. chasing them with
Lee, Beaureglrd, Forrest and Booth,
and charging them with raising S40,-
coo to defeat his nomination, which he
considered equivalent to his election.
He recommends these ma!contents so
send their money to some doubtful
District in some doubtful State, if
such could be found. He considered
those who now opposed the nomiaees
of the Republican party as enemies,
and said the party could be carried on
as an army Is governed-welcome re-
cruits and shoot deserters. 8


He continued en- this subject at
length, and in response to the alleged
rumors that Grant does not favor his
(Butler's) election, said he was too
much OF friend of Grant not to
brand such rumors as unauthorized.
aud offered to resign the nomin ttion
if letter ever could be produced
from Grant or Colfax desiring Rep1b-
licans of the District not to vote for
him.


On the finance question he claimed
to stand with Senators Sherman and
Morton, and on the only test question
in the House he voted with sixty one
| Republicans on that subject. s3J -.


He said he fully concurred in the
portion of the Chicago platform re
quiring the payment of the public
debt in the utmost good faith, not
only according to the letter but the
spirit of the law. It was true, be
said, that the letter of the law per.
mitted payments of bonds In some
| legal tender notes authorized to be
| issued at the same time with them,
but he had nowhere said or throught
the Government should not pay those
legal tenders in gold as soon as the
prosperity of the country will permit
without financial distress.


/ He predicted a brilliant future for
the country, as a consequence of Re
publican rule, closing by saying
God speed the time when green.
backs and gold shall be convertible
and reconvertible.p


He then offered series of resolu
tions endorsing the Chicago Platform
and Congressional reconstruction
which were unanimously adopted
The convention then adjourned.
Year: 1868

The Chicago Erening Post, a
fair specimen of the Grant and Col
fax press, thus describes an Irish
man:


"He has hair on his teeth. He
never knew an hour Of civilized
society. He never steppe d
on anything more solid than a
dirt floor all his life until he
stood on the deck of an emil
grant ship. He is a born savage
as brutal ruff an as an untamed
Indian of the North American
tribes. Of course he can't read.
He can't write. All books to him
are sealed. He only believes in
the priest; and the priest is only a
little less barbarian than he. "Be
Jasus I'm a Dimmercrat," is his
shibboleth. Breaking heads for
opinions sake is his practice. The
born criminal and pauper of the
civilized world, and withal the in
| nocent victim of the statecraft Of
England, and of the priestcraft oi
Rome-a wronged, abused and
pitiful spectacle Of a man, capable
of better things, pushed straight
to hell by that abomination against
common sense called the Catholic
religion, and that outrage upon
political decency falsely known as
American Democracy-what else
does he know? To compare him
| with an intelligent freedman
| would be an insult to the latter"
And yet there are some Irish
men (very few base enough to
support the infamous party OF
which the Euening Post is one OF
the organs. They are few indeed,
but they will be remembered.
They are a disgrace to the land
that gave them birth, and deserve
all the denunciation which is
hcaped upon them by their indig,
| nant countrymen.


Ninety-ninc hundredths Of the
Irish of America are jealous sup
porters of Seymour and Blair, and
this accounts for the foul-mouthed
| abuse of the Evening Post and its
coadjutors.- Wlzn'ington Star.
Year: 1868

mediately around him should nev~
er be unmindful.


The revercd affection and admi-
ration with which General Loe is
regarded by the citizens of Lex
ington seems rather to increase
than to lessen-proof enough, if
proof were wanting Of the true
greatness of the man. Whenever
he rides through the village, the
people watch him with as much
interest as though they had never
seen him before, and if he chance
to stop in the street on some busi,
ness, they linger at their doors
and windows as if their eyes would
never tire of gazing upon that
face so heroic yet so full Of all
gentleness.
Year: 1868

THE DYER COURT OF lSQUIRY.-The Court
of Inquiry IN the case OF Brevet Major Gene
raj Dyer met this morning at IL O'Clock, and
after reading the record of yesterday the ex-
animation OF MAJOR I. ). Laidley w as resumed
Year: 1868

manfully. He worked well and assid-
uously, and happening to come under
the notice Of Erlanger, he made favor
able impression, and became, in a small
way, the protege of that financier. By
him he was put in the way of doing a
good thing, in fact several good things /;
and, by the help of the banker, rose
quickly to thepossession of a competency
in hand, and the prospect of more than
that if he keeps on. But, to come to the
close of this story, the fruition of this
faithful pair is nearly at hand. The
stern father has succumbed to what he
sees to be necessity, and next month
the quondam rebel now French banker
will be here to take his bride from the
same house in..which he won her hear rt as
young student.-Boston Correspondence
Chicago Times.
Year: 1868

EVIL CoMPANY.-The following beau
tiful allegory is translated from the
German. Tophronious, wise teacher,
would not suffer even his own grown-up
sons and daughters to associate with those
whose conduct was not pure and upright.
Dear father, said the gentle Eulalia
to him one day, when he forbade her, in
company with her brother, to visit the
volatile Lucinda, "dear father you must
think us very childish, if you imagine
that we should be exposed to danger by
it." The father took in silence dead
coal from the hearth, and reached it to
his daughter. 1T will not burn you,
my child; take it." Eulalia did so and
behold her delicate white hand was soiled
and blackened, and as it chanced her
white dress also. We cannot be to
careful in handling GOALS" said Eulalia
in vexation. " Yes, truly" said the
father !; you see, my child, that Goals,
even if they do not burn, blacken. So


it is with the company of the vicious. >
Year: 1868

A STORY FROM PARIs.-.A Paris letter
tells the following story of Twelfth
Night fete in that city:


A wealthy family in the aristocratic
Boulevard Malesherbes were amusing
themselves in seeking the Kings portion
or the ring in the festival cake, when a
lady of the company says to the hostess


Il wish my portion to be given to the
poorest little boy we can find in the
street"


The servant was despatched on this
freezing night, and not far from the house
he found ragged urchin, trembling with
cold and hunger. He brought him up,
was ordered into the saloon where thou
sand lights glittered, and sparkling fire
gladdened and surprised him. He drew
his portion which the benevolent lady had
promised, and as luck would have it, the
little fellow found the "ring" (beans
they use in Paris instead; and, of course
he was King" They all shouted out
that, being a King, he must choose
Queen. He was asked to do SO, and,
looking round the company, he chose the
very lady who had proposed to cede her
portion of cake. He was asked why he
chose her. He said:


IL don't know she looks the most
like mother" pH


Mother whose mother ?"


My mother! / never knew her, but
was stolen away from her, and here is
her portrait!"


With this he drew from out his ragged
coat likeness, which proved to be that
of the very lady herself, who in Italy
had her child stolen from her, and now
he turns up poor little ragged Savoy
ard, dragging along a miserable existence
in Paris. while his mother, by an intui-
ton, perhaps, felt that in the air near to
where she was, was one so dear to her.
Year: 1868

-HoRsE CAR INcIDENT.-A woman
entered street car in Troy, the other day
accompanied by five little children, one
of whom she held in her lap while the
others were ranged upon a seat beside
her. In few minutes they were all fast
asleep. When the mother arrived at her
destination, she attempted to wake the
littl ones, and the trouble she experienced
caused quite little amusement for the
spectators.-They were awakened in the
order in which they sat but before the
mother got through the row oflittle ones
the first one was fast asleep again, and
the next and the next, until she had to
go over the crowd three or four times
before she was able to keep them awake.
1t was as good as play.
Year: 1868

A man on Cape Cod having advertised
his wife as having left his bed and board,
she retorts that she went away for a cou-
pie of weeks to earn her board, and that
the bed belongs to her mother.
Year: 1868

A BosToN RoMANCE.-Among the
kind, fair hands that fairly patted approx
al of Mr. Dickens here was a pair that
have history. That diamond was plac-
ed on that finger eight years ago, and has
not been removed since, nor will it be
until palmer circlet is put on another.
Without mentioning name that is well
known here as a guarantee ofold puritan
stock, it will answer to say that the young
lady is the youngest daughter of one OF
our first families, and has been beauty
from a mere child. When she was some
years younger, and when there was not
that impossible gulf between the first
families of Boston and the +. F.'s of the
South, she became engaged to a young
South Carolinian, student at Harvard.
True to his promise to her, the youth,
when hostilities commenced, held aloof
from the military organizations that
sprang up around him, and sought to
serve his state in the diplomatic line. He
went over to France some little time
after Mason and Slidell, and worked un-
der them at the French court and else
where doing valuable service, for one so
young, in fnanciering and intrigue.
Meantime his father died his family es-
tates were confiscated, aud ravaged now
by one side and now by other, and at the
close of the war found him almost penni.
less and an exile. AS the young lady
was by this time fully of age, and as her
lover had now an honest right to be called
loyal man, she announced her engage
ment to her immediate family. Ofcourse
there was thestrongest opposition to such
an arrangement, especially as the gentle
man proposed was without fortune; but
the determined girl maintained her right
to confer her hand on whom she pleased,
flashed the diamond of her engagement
ring in the eyes of her opponents, and
declared her intention to be unalterbale.
The young ex-rebel also stuck it out