smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1862

There are doubtless as many sensible
and intelligent people among Catholics as
in any other religious sect, but there are
likewise great many fools, rogues and
putty heads who profess to be devoted chill
dren and servants of Mother Church at
Rome. Among this latter class are the
miracle mongers who have lately sprung up
in France and Italy. A late Paris paper
records another Catholic miracle to this eff
feet: A peasant girl at Lourdes, on the
banks of the river Gage, near the Pyrenees
mountains, while gathering wood, was en-
ticed into grotto by beautiful lady dres-
sed in white, with blue sash round her
waist. The girls name is Bernadette Sou
birons, and she told such plausible story
Of this apparition that the Bishop of Tar
bes either believed, or pretended to believe
her. When Bernadette had came into the
cavern the beautiful lady announced her
self to be the Virgin Mary, the mother of
God. Che told the girl that the famous
Immaculate Conception, about which
Catholics have differed, is true and so forth.
and she pointed cut pool of water where
the sick could drink aad be healed The
celestial character of the apparition is held
by the Bishop of Tarbes to be placed be-
yond all doubt by the great benefits which
religion has already received, through the
testimonies given to its truths at the grot--
to of 'our Lady of Lourdes Not only
have souls been converted but bodies have
been healed. The Bishop says it will cure
every ailment incidental to man, woman
and child, and that it beats homeopathic
and allopathic prescriptions out of the field
Gases that have resisted all the skill and
efforts of the faculty have been successfully
treated by this wonderful water. The de-
mand for it has become immense, and it is
In request in every corner of France. The
cures, he tells US, which it effects are pro-
dueed by water quite destitute of any
natural property, it follows that they must
be brought about by some supernatural
property. The cures are the work of God.
The lady in white, seen and heard by the
girl Bernadette, is the Blessed Virgin -
Are we not justified in asking, whether we
are really living in the ninth or the nine
teenth century?
Year: 1862

Il will skin you alive if you do that
again, exclaimed mother to naughty
child: 1t was sort of hyperbolical ex-
preston that has crept into frequent use,
with a multitude of expressions of similar
character. She did not mean that she
would fay her little one as q butcher would
q calf or lamb. The execution of her own
threat would fill her own soul with horror.
She would not have strength to make such
progress IN the very barbarous work of
skinning her child alive. 1t would not be
motherly.


:! will whip you within an inch of your
life,' said father to his erring son. This
would be terrible whipping indeed Com
ing so near deaths door with the rod would
be revolving But he did not mean this.
He only meant he would administer very
severe chastisement. No one would be
more careful than he not to jeopardize the
life OF his son. His expression was only
form OF exaggeration which society seems
to tolerate.


How many precisely such speeches are
made IN almost every circle. 1T was done
quick as lightning 1T is as cold as
Greenland There is no end to such ex-
pressions. And they indicate that the hab-
1T OF exaggeration in the human family is
very strong. Human natures seem inclin-
ed to stretch the truth That is the reason
Year: 1862

The appropriation for the Stevens Bat
terry, says the National Intelfgencecr, has
passed both Houses of Congress with ma
jority Of more than two to one in its favor,
thus showing their decided opinion as to
its efficiency. To the bill is annexed .
proyiso leaving it to the Secretary of the
Navy to decide whether the vessel when
finished well be an efficient war steamer
In view of this expression Of opinion on the
part of Congress, We do not doubt that the
Secretary will himself decide this point
fayorably, and give to the country war
vessel which, in the Judgment of experts,
is destined from its impregnability, unprs-
cedented speed and power, far to surpass
any other now afloat, and so far as we know
any now in course of construction or pro-
posed to be constructed at home or abroad.
An additional reason why the Secretary
may be expected to act at once is that the
bill provides for the immediate completion
of the battery. She could be completed,
We understand according to the estimate
adopted by the Board of Examiners of last
summer, in four months in time to furnish
us most important and powerful auxiliary
in our present struggle.
Year: 1862

1t is remarkable how fastidious some peo-
pie are upon some subjects. They cannot
think this and do that, because according
to their delicate notions, such conduct is
inconsistent with their position and insult
ed to their profession. But it is still more
remarkable that these fastidious people
should find so much fault with the ministers
of the gospel, who, in this dark hear of
the country, have given their voice, their
influence, and their prayers, in behalf of
the efforts now being made to crush the
rebellion, unparalleled in wickedness, and
to save government, the best and most
benefcent ever established by man They
say this is medding in political matters
that clergy should stand aloof, and laymen
alone should tend to such acorldly affairs
1t is not So A conflict in which tha very
life of the government is involved is not a
question of parties and politics-is not a
political matter in the sense in which the
word political is used by these grumblers,
but is political matter according to the
true meaning of the term, and there is no
consideration of any kind, relating to heav-
en- or Garth, that absolves the patriotic
preacher, any more that it does any other
patriotic citizen from the high, solemn and
religious duty of maintaining to the utmost
of his power and influence, the government
of his country


Why should not an Ecclesiastical Con-
ventlon lend its support to the government
by suitable expression of its sympathy
with the men who are struggling to defend
it? Why should not christian preacher
pray earnestly and devoutly, for the sue
cess of the Federal armies, and for all the
means to put down this accursed rebellion?
Because the rebels are our brethren for
sooth . Oh! it is a fraternal war, and
should be stopped! Let there be peace !;
peace, even though the government of the
confederates should be tablished-the
stars and stripes trampled in the dust-the
Republic destroyed, and the hopes of man
kind blasted forever.


The Great Teacher declared that those
only were his brethren who knew the will
of God and did it. Our political brethren
are those only who love the Union and the
Constitution and are willing to risk all in
their defence, not those who with parrici-
dal hands have raised the standard of re-
volt. The same teacher declared that they
that are not for US, are against us. The
sincere friend of any cause never doubts
or hesitates, but cheerfully and earnestly
gives his whole soul to its defence These
are the indications by which this and fu-
ture generations, will judge of the fealty
and loyalty of Aen in these times of trou-
BILE and danger to the government.
Year: 1862

The memories of childhood's prime,
How they twne about the hearth
Like the moss that mantles grim decay,
OF life they are the brightest part.
The old man, in his retrospect,
Il ever most begulled
Bv the cherished memories of the spot
Where he sported when child.
In the long, dim vista of the past,
He views no scene so fair
As the cot where first he saw the light,
And felt u mothers care.
The sunshine of that first fond home
Still fingers in his eyes,
And its warmth upon his aged heart
Like a blessed vision hes.
The mist that yelled his sight has fed,
Again he ia u child;
His footStep is as light and free,


His laugh as clear and wild.
He seeks each well-remembered nook,
The rose tree by the wall,
The hillside sloping to the brook,


The misty waterfall
The messy spring so deep and COOL


The arbor and the vine,
The trellis where his sisters hand


Trained tho sweet Colunbine.
He hears tho orioles dulcet notes


In the old homestead tree;
The tinkling of the distant bell,


The mprmur of the bee.
Once more unto the stream he loved,


With birchen rod, and line.
He hies to lure the timid trout


As in the days lang syne."
He bounds along the woodland path,


fair one by his side
A sister who, long years ago,


In her youthful beauty died.
She sleeps within the churchyard bound
Amongst her kith and kim
To join them, through its narrow gate


He soon shall enter in. 'TYRo.'
Year: 1862

To take to me n wife
Would grieve my very life
To think upon a bride


| cart be satisfied
'TiS woman is the thing
Such troubles on us bring
The joy | can't express
So great in singleness
| never could agree
\ married man 10 be.
verse separately, then both
one.
Year: 1862

Gen. JEFF C. DAVIS on Tuesday received
an order from the War Department, releasing
him from the arrest under which he has hther-
to been confined since killing Nelson. There
are good reasons for believing that Gen. DAVIS
will be at the head Of his command IN the held
again before long. He appeared on tht
streets the same afternoon, for tho first tint
since Nelson's DEATH
Year: 1862

Eight Hundred and Twenty Bales Of
Cotton have been shipped from s.. Louis
to Pittsburg, and from that city will be
conveyed east over the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. If it had been claimed by the pro-
jectcrs Of this road, that one of its articles
of freight would be cotton, the claim
would have most likely settled the charge
of insanity which was brought against
those who proposed to cross the Allegheny
mountain with locomotive. But the
Pennsylvania Railroad is triumphant
cotton is part of its freight--and thus We
progress in spite Of treason.
Year: 1862

PAINTING UP.-Painters were engag-
ed yesterday in finishing up the outside work
on the new State Bank Building. The ip.ii-
tuition will be ready for occupancy by the 10th
of next month
Year: 1862

A PrBLICAN BIT-A poor fellow, who had
spent scores of pounds at the bar of drink


Ing shop. one day asked the landlord tc trust
him with glass OF liquor. No, was the
suriy reply: i never make a practice of do
ing such things The man turned To by
stander and said Sir. will You lead mo a
sixpence y Certainly, was the reply. The
landlord with aIacrlty placed the glass before
the mar. who swallowed its contents, then
handing the sixpence to the lender. said -
Here sir. is the sixpence owe. IN IKE it
point, degraded as am, always to pay Dor
rowed money before pay my spirit bill
Year: 1862

rg~ We are CAD to see ladies adopting
tht sensible custom of wearing heavy solel
shoes and boots al his season of the year
Because of the light sole many famiiy'>
heart has been md heavy, and we sincerely
hope the sensible cAtnse in boots may de-
rive the Destroyer of half his booty.
Year: 1862

LETTERS FROM THE BATTLE FIELD


Below we give extracts from two, among
the numerous Yankee letters found on the
battle fields below Richmond. They indi-
cate spirit of dissatisfaction and discon-
tent among, the people at.home and in the
army, which shadows7forth plainly terri
BILE day Of reckoning for the authors of this
war. How the three hundred thousand
reinforcements called for are ;to,be raised,
is. a matter of no, little curiosity: -. .


W1NpHAM, Iowa, April IL, 1862. !


q FriendJohn There wers,a good many
things that wanted to say tSyou. in re-
gard to, this cursed war, lin my last letter,
.bus.I thought would wait till I got a let.
ter from you, and found out what you
thought about it, for I did not wish to say
anything to hurt your feelings ;but I see
by your, letter that you think the same as /
do about the wars being brought on by the
cursed Abolitionists, and what wonder at
the, most is that you would go to help them
fight their battles. You want to know why
I did not go to, war? Well; in the first
place, I did not help to make the war, and
1 thought that the ones that got up the
war might fight it out: In the next place,
I think it is wicked, unjust war, not got
up to save the Union or, to carry out,the
Constitution, but to free the niggers and
as claim to be a Democrat, / could not
go in for any such thing and feel as if was
doing right The fact of the business is,
that the South are fighting for the rights
that the Constitution gives them, and old


Abe Lincoln began the war by breaking
the Constitution, and has kept breaking it
ever since. The folks about here called


me Secessionist last spring, and some of
them threatened to hang me, but 1 told
them to hang and be id, for was not
going South to fight when there was so
many Abolition traitors all about here that
ought to be killed and if every Democrat
had told them the same thing, and had
stayed at home, the war would never have
gone on; and YET 1 believe that hundreds
Of thousands of as good Democrats as I am,
are now: in the army, and thought when
they enlisted that they were, going to fight
in good cause, that see it different now,
and would be mighty glad to get out of the
scrape now if they could. --e.
Year: 1862

-, WINDHAM Iowa, April Is, 1867.


Friend John Il, tell you what I would
do if were in your place, the next battle
you get into, instead of shooting at the
Southerners, shoot the head smack smooth
off of the first Abolitionist that pops up,
and keep on doing so all through the fight.
I think if you would do so you would be
serving your country better than you would
by shooting the Southerners, who, believe
are fighting for their rights. No doubt the
South did wrong in the first place, but l
don't know but we. would have done as
they did, five had been provoked to it as
they have been.
Year: 1862

We know of farmer in Connecticut
who has pair of twin daughters; of
whom a capital ahecdote is told. They
both attended the same school, and not
long since; one of them was called up by
the master to recite lesson in geogra-
ply, which she had learned very imper-
fectly, and in fact could not so on at all.
The teacher, who was getting quite out
Of patience, was called to another part of
the room, and just at that moment the
twin sister sprang on the floor unobserv-
ed, and pushing the delinquent scholar
to her seat, took her place. The master
proceeded with the questions; which
were answered with degree Of prompt
ness and accuracy5 which at the close,
drew forth from him few wordsof COM
mendation. The joke was not discovered
by the teacher until some days AFTER
Of course it was too good and successful
to occasion any ofense.
Year: 1862

The following amusing incident is
said to have taken place some time since,
about four miles east of Boston. A cer-
tain ofice-holder, while at home on a
visit, wishing to make known his impor-
tance, settled back in his chair, and assu-
ming his recently acquired position of
dignity, expressed himself as follows:


II have so much business on hand
that I hardly know myself.'


A lady happening to be present Who
was somewhat acquainted with the 6ri-
gin Of the oTerburthened official; answer
ed him as follows, suiting the action to
the word, in an effort to have him do so:


eff you look in the glass, you will see
nobody but Jake Hinds."
Year: 1862

"OiaaIs 11l OeiSGObhOhs


1t is saying something for the heart of
man, when it is proved that woman can
command him as a puppet especially
made to obey her. For the man is not to
be envied who can be deaf to the witch
ing solicitations of fair petitioner. He
who has determined not to accede to a
request she has made;need not be ashamed
of his weakness, if she at length compel
him to yield implicit obedience to hei
will. The heart, yielding thus to woman,
feels happy expansion-a weakness that
is as delightful as it is refining: The
yielding tha#Ts the icebergs of the world
ling's soul, and lifts the money grub to
thoughts of happy gentleness it thrusts
out selishness from the rich mans breast,
and wins acknowledgement of love from
all
Year: 1862

Lay down the axe, fling by the spade;
Leave in its track the toiling plow;
The lifle and the bayonet blade


For ar,hs like yours were filter now.
And let the hands that ply the pen


Quit the light task and learn to WELD
The horseman's crooked brand, and rein
The charger on the battle field
Our country calls, away away /


To where the blood stream blots the gresn;
Strike to defend the gentlest sway


That Time in all his course has seeh:
See from thousand coverts-see


Spring the armed foes that haunt her track;
They rush to smite her down, and we


Must beat the banded traitors back.
Ho sturdy as the oaks ye cleafe,


and MOVED as soon to fear and fight,
Men of the glade and forest, leave


Your woodcraft for the field Of fight;
The arms that WELD the axe must pour
An iron tempest on the foe;
His serried ranks shall reel before


The arm that lays the panther low:
'
. By grassy steep or highland lake,
Come for the land We lore, to form


4 bulwark that no foe can break.
Stand, like your own gray cliffs that motk
The whirlwind, stand in her defense;
The blast as soon shall move the rock


As rushing squadrons bear ye thence:
And ye. whose homes are by her grand;
Swift rivers, rising far away,
Come from the depth of her green land,
As mighty in your march as they;
As terrible as when the rains


Have swelled them over bank and boi1rns,
With sudden floods to drown the plains
And sweep along the woods uptorn
And ye who throhg beside the deep,
Her ports and hamlets of the strand;
In number like the waves that leap
On his long murmuring Inarge of sand,
Come like that deep, hen, Ger his brin
He rises, all his floods to pour,
And filings the proudest barks that swim,
helpless wreck against his shore.
Few, few were they whose swords, of old,
Won the fair land in which we dwell;
But we are many, we who hold


The grim resolve to hold it WELL
Strike for that broad and goodly land,
Blow after blow, till men shall see
That Might and Right move hand in hand;
And glorious must their triumph be.


In. Y. Ledger
Year: 1862

Of all silly things, none is more silly
than, by elaborate proofs. to show to our
selves that we ought, on such and such
occasions to have been successful, when
it so happened that we have not been so.
Whenever we fail, we are paying both
God and ourselves a suitable compliment
by admitting frankly, and at once, that
we deserved to fail; This is philosophy
and it is likewise religion! We have
tailed-well, them the wisdom is to take
care that we do not fail again. To fail,
and fail, and fail again, and again; is not
to prove that we do not deserve success,
or that we shall never obtain it. How
6ften we fail matters not. We have not
failed as long as our spirit qualls not, but
only grows stronger IN the conflict. Our
enthusiasm, if it continue undaunted by
obstacles, unsubdued by defeats, is itself
success, and the most glorious Of all sue
cess. The blows we receive, however
hard, if we receive them as all true ell
thusiasts receive them, are only preparing
us for future triumphs for they only
more closely incorporate the idea which
dominates our whole being with the affec-
tions of our whole being; they create
within an intense and more resistless en-
thusiasm they make more radiant on oul



brow the high title of prophet so that the
entire world may see it and bow to it:
import.
Year: 1862

Honor has many false names: But BY
giving its true one; the false may appear
1t is allied to no grade, bound to no sphere
wherein honesty and rectitude of motive
are excluded: It lives with the lowly
equally as with the exalted: And in the
heart Of the humblest toiler of life's va
ried way, it may find its abode; 1t may
lay like diamond rolled in rags; and be
equally bright in itself: for the diamond
was as brilliant when it lay buried in
earth, as it is when glittering in the i'm
perial diadem. Nothing more beautifully
illustrates the subject than the words Of
the poet,


Honor and shame from no condition rise


Act well your pai t, It's there true honor lies. ,.


DARK HOURS.


There are dark hours that mark the
history of the brightest years. For not
a whole month in many of the millions
of the past, perhaps, has the sun shone
brilliantly all the time: There have been
cold and stormy days every year: And
yet the mist and shadow of the darkest
hour disappeared and fled heedlessly.
The most cruel ice fetters have been bro
ken and dissolved, and The most furious
storm loses its power to harm. And what
parable is this human life--of our inside
world, where the heart works at its shad-
owing the dark hour, and many cold
blast chills the heart to its core. But
what matters it p? Man is born hero,
and it is in the darkness and storm that
heroism gains its greatest Development,
and the storm bears it on the more rapid
ly to it's destiny. Despair not; then
Neither give up; while one good power is
yours, use it: Disappointment will never
be realized. Notifying failure may at
tend this effort and that one-but only
be honest and struggle on, and it viii
work we'll.
Year: 1862

A printer of Gotham had an account
against the keeper OF a public house,
which he had long and hopelessly tried
to collect. At last he sued his debtor,
and obtained judgment: Some friends
laughed at his folly in thus throwing
good money after bad, when the debtor
was irresponsible. "Never mind" says
Typo, 81 will taise something The
execution was placed in the hands of an
officer; and one day, the landlofd, to his
surprise and indignation, found his day s
market levied upon. This brought mat
ters to crisis, and the money was paid


But upon his demonstrating with his
creditor at such an unheard of, not to
say ungentlemanly, way Of doing busi-
ness, the only consolation he received
was the reply: "Well think you ought
to be well satisfied that did not levy
upon your dinner after it was cooked"
Year: 1862

has won tor itself such a renown for the cure of
every variety of Throat and Lung Complaints:
that it is entirely unnecessary for to recount
the evidence of its virtues, wherever it has been
employed. As il has long been i'll constant use
throughout this section. we need not do more
than assure the people its quality is kept up to
the best il ever has been and that it may be re
lied to do for their relief ali it has ever been
found To do
Year: 1862

] England than that the war should end in re
uniting the North and the Sonth, and e0nsoli
dating and renewing in rivalry to her militsrJ
power which is nov wasted in intestine strife
That the Union never shall be restored is fore
gone and settled conclusion with the Britisl
government It would not now hesitate for
memsnt TO recognize the South, unless firmly
persuaded Of our ability aud resolution to carry
en- the war, and unless it had another ohjsct tC
gam beside that Of permanent division in the
nationality and power of her old rival The
object IS the exhaustion Of both North and
South


England proposes to effect the continuation
OF this war as far as possible, te the mutual
ruin OF the two nations engaged in it by stand
ing aside and trusting that after vast expendi-
ture Of blood and waste of resources the sepa-
ration OF the Union will BE- qqite as surely ac-
complished BY the self devosion of the South,
as by the less profitable made Of foreign inter
Ventlon. To the advantages she hopes to gain
trom this separation, she desires to add those
which she expects from loss and ruin to both
North and South IN long war. Her present
policy OF neutrality with references to the war is
founded in the corfdence that the South is
able to achieve her independence, aud that the
proiongatiOn Of hestiities does not risk her sub
juEation.


In this unchrstian and luhuman calculation En- gland
mas rightly estimated the resolution ard spirit Of the
south We are prepared to win Independence with
the great prices Of blood and suffering tha England has
named Bnt we understand her in this matter Behind
her mask Of conscience and pbarasaieal precision there
turks hideous AMI devish purpose.