smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

SPEclE.-There is desire to return to specie
payments, but there is not in the whole country
one twentieth enough specie to enable the peo-
pie to do so, if that we're the only currency
and what is sought is paper currency for
which specie can be had on demand. There is
a specie currency in England which consists in
the fact that the notes of the banks will be paid
in gold on demand, but the gold is never de-
manded. And there no small notes are issued,
SO that in the inferior transactions of the couu-
try specie is the only currency. This would be
accomplished here by the withdrawal from cir
culation of all notes under the denomination OF
five dollars, and this plan is proposed by the
Secretary of the Treasury; and it Is plan
which could be even now carried into successful
practice.-Sacramento Bee.
Year: 1869

TIE CHARMS OF MARRIEP LIFE.-If in that
chair yonder, not the one your feet lies upon,
but the one beside you, closer yet, were seated a
sweet-faced girl, with pretty foot lying out
upon the hearth, bit OF lace running round the
swelling throat, the hair parted to a charm over
a forehead fair as any of your dreams and if
you could reach an arm around that chairback
without giving offense, and suffer your fingers
10 play idly with those curls that escape down
the neck, and if you clasp with your hand those
little, white taper fingers of hers, which lie so
tempingly within reach, and so, talk softly and
low in the presence of the blaze, while the hours
slip without knowledge, and the winter winds
whistle uncared for; if, in short, you were no
bachelor, but the husband of some sweet image,
would it not be far more pleasant than q cold
single night sitting, counting the sticks, reckon
ing the length of the blaze and the hight of the
falling snow.
Year: 1869

But, notwithing the old proverb, a writer
steps forward to defend the whistling girls in
this independent fashion "Show me the girl
who has the hardihood to whistle in these days,
when everything, even to the hair of your head
is at discount, and III show you girl that
can be depended upon, and one that will not fail
you in time of need, and will give you true
hearty grasp, the cordial hand shake, the warm,
genuine welcome, no tip of the kid glove, and a
cold how do you do : who can brave danger,
look toll in the face without shrinking, laugh
with those that laugh, and weep with those that
weep, as we'll as whistle with those that whistle
who can, in short take the world as she finds it,
rough and rugged, and not 60 as though she
was walking on eggs, and afraid of cracAi ing a
shell, who deals in substance not in shadow
These are the kind who have given a new read
ing to the proverb.'
Year: 1869

LOBSTER, when left high and dry among the
rocks, has not senses and energy enough to work
his way back to the sea, but waits for the sea to
come to him. If it does not come, he remains
where he is, and dies, although the slightest
exercise would enable him to reach the waves
which are perhaps tossing and tumbling within
yard of him. There is tide in human affairs
which casts men in "tight places" and leaves
them there like stranded Holsters If they
choose to lie where the breakers have flung them,
expecting some grand billow to take them on
their shoulders and carry them to smooth water,
the chances are that their hopes will never be
realized. Nor is it right they should be. The
social element ought not to help him who makes
no effort to help himself.
Year: 1869

The following is heartily commended to the
attention of subscribers and newspaper dealers
generally:


How happy are they whom the editors pay,
and have squared up for one year or more I;
tongue cannot express the great Joy of the press,
when delinquent have paid their old score.
Printers all the day long labor hard for song
fate that is hard, all agree-they have worked
night ard day, and of course want their pay, to
buy sugar, and coffee, and tea. One would
hardly believe what small sums they receive for
the papers addressed to each name but the
price is SO small that the good people all, will
pay for the fear of the shame
Year: 1869

correspondent of the Louisville Journal, in
the course of series of interesting "reminiscences
of and old connection with that celebrated
establishment, says:


For young man who is not altogether fool,
who has had the advantage of ordinary
education, the printing Office is undoubtedly a
capital school for intellectual advancement. In
regard to general knowledge, no class of men
who labor for living, can approach the printer.
The students among them, if their natural gifts
be not below the level of medocrity, have equal
chances with the members of the so-called pro-
fessions, to acquire both worldly honors and
literary fame From the days of Saxon to those
Of Franklin, and from his day to our own, the
craft has prodused eminent men in every profess
sion and iE every walk in life. A good printer
is generally good critic, not only of language
and punctuation, but of the intrinsic literary
merits of whatever comes under his hand. 1t is
impossible that he should be otherwise, since so
great part of his life is made up as it were, of
facts that inforce reflection. The labor that
employs his hands gives to his mind neither
exercise nor care. His fingers move intuitively
to the exact points requisite for the proper ap-
pOrtionment of his work, while his mind seizes
the idea sought to be conveyed by the writer,
with whom he is engaged, and is only expelled
therefrom after his judgement has passed
sentence on its merits. Many one, without
knowing it, possibly owes to some unknown COM
positor or proof-reader much more of reputation
as a writer than he would be willing to ac-
knowledge. If, by changing the reading of a
sentence without affecting its meaning be
give to it strength or something, good printer
asks no questions about the matter but changes
it at once. And SO, if the grammar of sentence
is evidently faulty, he would be considered unfit
for the business, did he not rectify it in this
particular. have known some printers, it is
true, who could never learn the planest rules of
either composition or punctuation. To such
one might be used the identical words used by
well-known Presbyterian, speaking to young,
but particularly silly candidate, for ministerial
orders; "Young man, you have made mis-
take you have been called to another feld-the
cornfield."
Year: 1869

ORIGIN or "BY Hook OR BY CRooK.-An Eng
lish editor says: | was asked the other day
what was the origin of the phrase "by hook or
by crook" The best explanation can find is,
that in the old time persons entitled to get fire.
wood in the king S forest we're limited to such
dead branches as they could tear down with ssa
hook or a crook, without hurt to his majesty's
trees"
Year: 1869




There is nothing in nature that has not its
use-if we could only tell what it is useful for
Even the Democratic party in its fossilized. ret
rogressive state, has been and is performing an
important part in the progress of the age. But
ior that party's hatred and oppression of the
negro slaves, freedom would not have been es-
taoiisned throughout the land. The sunder
dog In the fight will always find friends and
Lne weak, whether of nations or individuals, or
..asses, VINO are imposed upon or spat upon or
trampled upon by the strong, will in time raise
up to themselves defenders in every quarter. It
part OF humanity-its holiest and best part
that causes man in every nation and under
whatever CLINE to lend his sympathies to the
weak and the helpless; and in time, if the
wrong De carried too far, to lend them the sue
cor OF his strong arm. This is why mankind
sympathized with Poland in her struggle with
the Russians, why mankind sympathized with
Ireland in her contest with England, why Lafay-
cite came over from his peaceful home in France
to help the struggling colonies of America
against the arms of George the Third, why men
will not stand quietly by and see dog or horse or
child or cripple or woman abused-and it is a
principle Of our common humanity that ought
to be priced and cherished. It is the best, the
holiest part of our nature. This freed the slaves
of the South, this erected the Freedmen's bu-
reau, this placed the ballot in the hands of the
negro that he might protect himself, and this
will in time redeem, regenerate and disenthrall
the world. So long man is man, this princi-
pie of humanity will assert its supremacy, and
the more cause there is for its activity the more
active will it be.


The Southerners who abused their power
over the slaves, and who fought to make chattel
slavery perpetual the best friends that
slavery ever had, inasmuch as they aroused and
kept continually at work this humane principle
in others. And so it may be said that those in
California who most abuse and ploclaim loudest
against the Chinese are their best friends, for
opposition begets opposition as love begets love
or hate hate, and in the end our better nature
will triumph. Thus we see that the California
Democracy by their noisy opposition to the Chi
nese, which opposition is for political reasons
only, are creating friends for them all over the
nation, and thus paving the way to greater rights
and privileges than otherwise they might ever
obtain. Sumner says that this Is the question
now to be met-and the California Democracy
have made it the question. But for them we
would not have heard word about it-but for
them few out of the State would have known
that we had Chinese In it-and if they go on as
they have begun they may work out their en-
franchisement as they have worked out the en-
franchisement of the negroes. To build up re-
ligion, persecute 1t. To elevate a politician
persecute him. And to persecute a class will in
time too, elevate it. This is history, experience,
fact which the retrogressive Democracy of CAL
ifornia may not have learned yet.-Sae Bee
Year: 1869

MUsT KNOW HOW TO Dress A BABY.-That was
not bad matrimonial custom of the HISTORIAN
Christians. As soon as a marriage had been cell
ebrated, the bride was taken to the home of the
bridegroom's parents, where a baby and three
suits of clothes were placed before her. She
was then required to dress and undress the baby
three times, and e she did not do it to the salts
faction of the jury of the matrons there assem-
bled, she was sent home again to acquire prof
cieney in her duties,
Year: 1869

SOMEBODY says the best way to get rid of
weeds Is to always put your cigar-case and its
contents at the service of your friends. Jones
says that the most effective means he ever tried
was by squeezing the hand of plump young
widow lady in deep black. The next day she
was in half mourning, and second kindly
pressure resulted in a pink gown, with a white
hOnnet.
Year: 1869

JEFF. DAVIS has been elected President of a
tire insurance company at Memphis. He fred
the Southern heart till the hearts content, and
now he has gone into the business of quenchinp
the flames. As an inceudiary he was effective
even burned his own house over his head, and
it remains to be seen how efficient he NAV be as
fre-extinguisher.- Bee.
Year: 1869




''Not many years ago" said Mr.. F.,
"thes mercantile community were an-
noyed by an immense amount of spur
ious paper most dexterously put in cir
culstion. Checks were presented at the
principal banks signed by the firms Of
prominent houses, and money in the
aggregate amounting to nearly fifty
thousand dollars obtained upon It The
peculiar circumstances Iof the case dis
closed the fact that the forger resided
in the city, and for months We were on
the qui Vive to detect the criminal
Every new face, every stranger whose
occupation and pursuit were not
thoroughly understood, were subjected
by Mr.. L and myself to a most rigid
scrutiuv. Still we were at fault. Il is
not difficult to find out the person who
is not guilty Of an offence; the trouble
is to discover who is. And thus our
search went on. Batiled in one direc-
ton, we took another. Aside from the
reward, which was ample, our pride
was interested in detecting the person
who, almost before our eyes, praetised
such open frauds. One day l saw a
lady paying for bill of goods with a
check. Before she had time to leave the
store l obtained a look at the paper,
and was satisfied it was not genuine
Still was not certain. The lady was
deeply veiled, and I was subjected to
the alternative of following her. This
| did and traced her home.


1t was a beautiful little cottage, with
large yard and garden. Taste aud
culture had fashioned the gravel walks,
and trained the dense but beautiful
foliage into parterres as curious as
novel and pretty. Vines crept over the
portico and trailed along the network
of the gallery. The white and red
hollyhcck blOomed at the gate, and the
margin. of the walks was bedded with
violets and the sweet-scented verbena.
The perfume of orange blossoms ming
led with the odor Of the rose, and
the senses were delighted with the evi-
dent beauty that pervsded the place.


l hsstened back to the place where
the check was passed, and which Mr..
T. had already ascsrtsinsd to have
Year: 1869

Health is most importauti and the afflicted
should not use an advertised medicine, or any
remedy, unless its contents or ingredients gre
known to others besides the manufacturer, or
until they are satisfied of the qualifications of
the party so offering.
Year: 1869




snow You go in, my DEAR" said, "and
will stay here. If she whips you, come
and tell me-"


81 don't want to, but 1 will. Yon is
! real good, sir"


She stepped into the house while re-
ma'ned in tho street. She was no sooner
out of sight, than the plan which had
adopted appeared to me to be anything but
judicious. If she should b. abused, could
not see it and more than likely she would
not be permitted to come and tell me.
was not long in this state Of mind regard
ing tie plan, for in two minutes after the
door closed on little Luty, it was opened
again BY coarse woman, and the child
lspushed down the steps.


''There, you little lying heathen, dom.
show your face again till you bring the
money"


l knew then precisely how the case stood
This coarse aunt was teaching the child
to beg, exercising the inbuman treatment
to accomplish her object. She required a
stipulated sum every night. I did not
suppose that the woman could be cruel
enough to leave the child all night in the
street; | presumed that she intended to keep
her out long enough to impress the child
with the Importance of bringing home the
necessary amount 10 future.


walked quietly to the little girl, lying
upon her side, at the foot of the half do zen
steps leading up to the door. She was
hurt badly from the fall, and utterly over.
come with grief.


Itook her up in my arms, and placed
my face to hers. The unexpected kind
ness unsealed the fountain, and the hot
tears flowed fast down upon my face. Her
arms found the way aronnd my neck, and
she pressed me closer and closer. 1 had
upon that day toiIed since early morn ing
to add to my store, but no sweetness of tho
day, though marvsllously successful, was
like the sweetness of Luty's clasp and tears.


carried her in my arms all the way to
my house upon the west side. The next
day procured her suitable clothing The
loneliness left my house, and no child Of
my own loves me more fondly now than
dear little Luty, just twelve years old to.
day.


Seventy.6ve thousand dollars invested
in bonds have never yielded me so much
happiness as the affection of this girl. In-
vessments 10 flesh and blood, made in the
right spiris-not for slavery, but for eman.
c'pat'on-are, I am convinced, the most
JudIclous aud best paying investments on
earth.
Year: 1869

The New York State Poultry Society n
nounces that its first annual fair will commence
on March % and close on March ~. This fair
will be held in the Empire City Skating Rink
building, Third avenue, Sixty-third and Sixty
fourth streets. II will doubtless be q great
chicken exhibition, whether dead cocks iu the
pit or political dead ducks be included In L cs
not The object Of the society is the improve
ment and more thorough dissemination Of tho
breeding Of poultry and other small animals,
an object Of no inconsiderable national import
ance In view Of the fact that the use of the
flesh and eggs Of domestic fowls is probably.
throughout the habitable globe, more general
than that Of any other two articles Of human
food. In France poultry culture has become
one of the most profitable branches of domestic
industry, the total value Of its roducts having
been for several Years not less than two
hundred and Aity million francs per annum;
and reliable estimates show that the total value
exceeds one hundred million dollars per
annum In the United States.


The approaching fair OF the New York State





extent the hen fever which was imported here
from England and France about twenty years
ago. This hen fever first broke out virulently
In Massachusetts,. IL was almost as costly al
the famous tulip mania in Holland. All
classes In New England were attacked by il
and II soon spread extensively throughout the
Union. A genuine imported Shanghae cock
was worth as much as good horse. Two
hundred dollars and three hundred dollars have
been paid for q single bird and three dollars
piece for eggs Publishers took advantage
Of the excitement, and volumes on volumes
upon the subject Of poultry breeding
Of them costly illustrated works-were issued
from the press and eagerly purchased. Many
spectators realized fortunes from the preva-
lent mania. Those birds that travelled ON
their muscle and weighed the heaviest were
most highly esteemed, and many a fancier
doomed his family 70 msstioats indlgestibls
Year: 1869

TIE LEGAL RATE OF INTEREST. PROPOSE
tion is now before the Legislature so TO amend
the State law as to permit the parties to q
mortgages to agree upon the rate Of interest,
which shall IL no case exceed ten per cent.
The Western States, particularly Illinois, are
the beneflciaries of q law fixing the legal rate
Of interest at ten per cent the effect Of which
is to attract large amounts Of Eastern capital
A mortgage has an unpopular sound, but those
who are patrons Of savings banks forget that
the interest money paid them Is derived from
this class Of investment, these institutions pay
Ing six and earning seven per cent on deposits
A modification Of the law as proposed by the
bill introduced In the Legislature would keep q
great deal Of capital at home In the State and
stimulate numerous enterprises which languish
from the want offunds to inaugurate them, while
the savings banks would be enabled topay their
depositors eight or nine per cent. The general
law allows gas companies and similar corpora
tions to earn ten per cent upon their investments
Why should not the private capitalists have
the same privilegef
Year: 1869

AS IT WAS AND AS IT Is.-The last Official
act of President johnson was to pocket the
bill to strengthen the public credit, and the
first bill signed by President Grant was this
bill. The last official recommendation to Con-
gress on the national debt from johnson was
that the interest should be taken to pay the
principal, and the first official declaration from
Grant was that principal and interest must be
paid to the last farthing. We are sorry for
johnson to some extent, but we rejoice In
Grant,
Year: 1869

THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY FORE
SHADOWS PART OF HIS PoLIoY.-Yes
the Committee of Ways and Means waited
upon the Secretary Of the Treasury, and the
ceremonies of formal interview were gone
through. Although no developments Of .
general character transpired, the expression
of the Secretary, that he had decided upon
public instead of private sales of government
gold, may be regarded as the policy which win
actuate the future operations Of the Treasury
Department in that respect.
Year: 1869

PROPOSED PRoMENADE.-The latest propo-
sition for q fashionable promenade comes from
trial instituted by the Board Of Health. Tho
Board of Health want to prevent the herding
Of swine in yards in the city, and thus tho
owners Of yard are put on their defence.
Their defence is that pigs are pleasant, sweeter
than violets or roses, and that the odor arising
from their fat bodies is better than balm Of
Gilead for the general health. In fact, it seems
astonishing, in view Of the testimony, thst
people do not keep hogs in their parlors In
stead Of canaries. One enthusiastic witness
believes ''that the biggest ladies and gentle
men In the city should daily walk through
these pens, inhale the smell coming from tho
pigs and be refreshed" Truly the distinction
between perfume and the other kind Of fume
must be mere prejudice.
Year: 1869

He HAD Coon EYEs.-Wells lost his over
coat In January-somebody stole It. But
Wells had photograph Of the coat in his
minds eye, Horatio. Two or three days ago
he was riding on street car, considering that
photograph Of his coat perhaps, and 10 look
ing around, there was the reality on man in
tho street, coming down stoop as the car was
going by. Wells jumped out, had the man
arrested, and Is likely to get his coat. Now,
this great metropolis is very small town after
all If man cannot wear stolen overcoat in
safety in IL.
Year: 1869

COLLISION AT SEA.-In the case of the Kate
Dyer, run down by the steamer Scotland in
1866, the court has just decided that the
owners Of the Scotland must pay the value Of
the Kate Dyer, because the accident was due to
the negligence Of their agents. By the testi-
mony 1t appears that after the vessels sighted
one another the ship changed her course and
the steamer changed her course, and finally
the latter backed water to keep out Of the
scrape, yet the two collided, moving at righ.
angles. 1t was q small space in the sea at
which these two ships could meet in that way,
and yet they got in that small space at the
same moment, despite their efforts not to.
Without any changes Of course they might
have passed in mutual safety.
Year: 1869

TROUBLE IN SING SNa.-There certainly
must be some laxity in the management of the
State Prison, if the mere tying of two keepers
inside sunices to enable several convicts to
escape Can it be that the life Of one keeper
who wakes up half . dozen convict cooks at
three A. M. is all that stands between the con-
victs and their freedom2 Otherwise, how
comes it that when the convicts had tied
keeper in the chapel and another in the
kitchen they can fairly walk out without
farther encounter? Does the place in which
this could happen deserve even the name Of
prison9 Some of these convicts are now
guilty of <urder by the killing Of the keeper,
which killing, though not intentional, was an
act whose consequence they assumed in doing
it. If they are hanged in the prison yard the
lives Of keepers will be the safer in that
institution.
Year: 1869

BoRrE vs.. BoRRAs.-What shall we do with
the sea? This is what New Jersey Con-
gressman wants to know. II seems that the
impudent ocean rushes In at Atlantic City in
q most unjustihable style and threatens to un-
dermine the lighthouses and everything else,
and the Representative from that district wants
Congress to consider what shall be done about
1t. Congress ought to make q law defining the
exact force with which the ocean shall advance
at that point and designating the line It shall
not pass, and give the enforcement Of the law
to Borie. Congress has already made some
laws Of that character in regard to finance.