smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869




The power Of habit cannot be estimated
It exelts its influence in physical, mental,
and spiritual matters. Every man is more
or less liable to its abuses, and open to its
benefits Habit is a wise provision Of a
kind Providence, but this blessing, ike ev-
cry other, can be abused OF course, evil
habits are evil, and that continually, but
even good habits sometimes become an evil.
For example, no habit, perhaps, can be bet
ter than the habit of calling on Godin pray
er; and yet when this habit grows so strong
that the man can engage in prayer with
thoughtless Indifference, it is to be depre
Gated That the habit does sometimes be
come so strong, is evident in every Chris.
tian congregation and in every praying fam
ily.


tits, however, Of the advantages, and not
Of the evils, Of religious habits that we pro-
pose to speak. One of these advantages is
in giving greater ease in the discharge Of
religious duties When a child takes his
first lessons in penmanship, writing is a
slow and wearisome operation. Every
letter is painfully traced, and line or two
is the work of an hour; but when the habit
of writing is acquired, the hand moves eisi-
IL and rnpidly. So far as mechanical exc
cution is concerned, pages can be written
almost without thought So it is in rel
gious matters. Every Christian who is ac-
customed TO lead in family or in private
prayer win tell you what difficult thing it
was to do at first he viii tell you how his
heart failed and bis body trembled, and that
failure often attended his efforts. But By
long practice, the habit was at last formed,
and the duty became easy. What was once
a positive pain and dread is now pleasure.
This ease in the discharge of this duty was
reached through the power Of habit And
SO it is with nearly allreligious duties. They
are hard at first, but frequent repetition
win make them easy. All Christians de.
sire to be able to discharge their duties with
ease and pleasure; but the difident think
that this can never be accomplished. 1t j:
true, there is no royal door which money,
or family, or learning will open; but there i
Year: 1869


o for one hour of such enchanted light,


As made fairer daytime in the sky,
When on the willow bank We sat that night,


My old time love and /
Awhile we talked so low and tenderly,


We felt the listening trees above to lean;
And louder far the silence seemed to me


That felt at last between.
Her heart lay floating on its quiet thoughts,
Like water-lilies on tranquil lake,
And Love within, unknown, because unsought,
Lay dreaming half awake.
All, Love is lightest sleeper ever known
A whisper, and be started plain to view;
Old as the heavens seemed our story grown,
While yet the moon was new.
And when she'spoke, her answer seemed the


while


Sweeter for sweetness Of the lips that told,
Setting a precious word within a smile
A diamond ringed with gold.
Then bloomed for us a perfect century. flower;
Then filed the cup and oyerran the brim /;
And all the stare professional, that hour
Chanted bridal hymn.
All, Time, all after days may Ay away,
Such JOY as that thou hast but once to give,
And Love is royal from his crowniug day,
Though kingdomless he live.
Year: 1869

| know it is sad to be young, fresh and
attractive, aad in a few years to be old, "a
ded and forlorn, with weight of care never
lifted from the aching shoulders, and the
duties Of six pressing upon a feeble pair Of
hands. It is sad to see, inexpressibly more
sad must it be to experience. l recall
dozen at least of these hopeless women,
whom l once knew as fresh young girls and
yet | think of the husband of each one of
these fastening home from his desk, and
the long columns ofYexatious figures, to take
the ailing, fretful child from the weary wife
and mother


Sometimes the fading of a woman is IN
avoidable Poverty is hard to bear, but,
after all, much is the result of placing our
standard in dress. in living beyond cur
means, so much that I have sometimes
thought the fixed classes in the unalterable
costumes, really blessed 0, sister, when
viii you learn that simple dress of mex
pensive material, neatly fitted, home sur
roundings suited to your means-whieh your
neighbors know as well as yourself-will DO
more to win admiration and respect, to say
nothing of comfort and happiness than the
silks, satins, velyets and laees in which you
appear simply out of character and i'll at
ease? This striving after the unattainable
is killing our women; living in houses be-
yond their means, poorly, if at all supplied
with servants buying the most expensive
materials, leaving no surplus money to pay
for the making of garments; following the
constant change of fashion, and when some
one with meFeiful intent, provides sewing
machine, filling the leisure time it should
have given to endless tucking, rufling and
embroidery, till what was intended for a
blessing has become almost curse a wo-
man should devote reasonable amount Of
both thought and time to her personal ap-
pearance But we destroy our charms in
our efforts to enhance them. A little atten-
ton to the blending Of colors, to the style
prevailing, to the hang of q garment, as
women say, will do more to produce the de-
sired effect than any amount of expensive
material and trimming alone.-Hearth and
Home.
Year: 1869


common road, over which the rich and
the poor, the learned and the uulearned,
must alike travel, and that is the road Of
habit If the members Of the Church
would take half tbe pains to acquire the
habit Of leading in public prayer that they
took to acquire che habit of writing, there
would not be a single one Of their number
who could not. when occasion offered, lead
the deyotions Of his fellows.


Another advantage of religious habit is,
that it makes cur duties more profitable to
ourselves This point also can be illustra-
ted BY reference to a WelLknown fact
When child is learning to read, and is com
PEELED to spell out the words, be will not
obtain much benefit from the sentiments in
the book before bim, But when, from long
habit, he can read with fuency, the printed
page speaks eloquently and proftably TO his
soul. II may arouse his patriotism, or
awaken his piety, or call forth the noblest
aspirations of his being. So, habit makes
our religious duties more profitable than they





the communion table, we were SO taken up
with the strangeness OF our surroundings,
that we could not keep our thoughts fixed
on God And if our minds are not fixed on
the proper subjects of thought, the sacra-
ment of the Lords Supper will be of little
or 10 profit. But when, from very long
habit, we become familiar with the exercises
of communion season, our attention will not
be 50 much distracted, and we can engage
in these exercises with continually iucreas-
ing profit.


Another advantage of religious habit is,
that it enables as to make more rapid pro.
gress in the divine life. When our duties
are performed with ease and profit, we has
ten on from duty to duty. We wonder at
the labor we perform, and at the progress
We make. Every day We make sensible ad.
vances in grace, and every night the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus
appears to be nearer Ulited Pes5yteriaa.
Year: 1869

A MYsIERY.-The 0nondaga county IN.
Y giant. as the singular statue or petri
faction dug up at Cardiff is called, seems to
be still an enigma to scientific men. One
authority claims that it is made of gypsum,
and that from the known solubility of that
material it could not have lain in the wet
soil, where it was found, more than three
hundred and seventy days Another expert
is sure that il is petrifaction, basing his
opinion on the naturalness of the body, the
harmonious proportion of its parts and the
eontorted position in which it lay. Still
another observer regards it as wonderous
work of art, thus contradicting those who
pronounce it rough and clumsy. The d.
verse judgments may be classed as follows
First, it is the corpse of giant; second, it
is the production of some sculptors of re-
mote age; third, it is an imposture, having
been buried by some spectators, who dis
inferred it at the proper time to realize profit
from its sale or exhibition Where there
is so much disagreement, we do not attempt
70 form difnite conclusion. Il is evident,
however, that the subject is one which de-
serves careful and inp=. tial investigation.
II it shall be finally decided that it is a
petrifed body, the fact is established that
there once lived upon this earth human
being ten feet seven inches in hight. with
arms nearly FIVE feet in length, measuring
thirty seven inches around the neck, and
proportionateIy large in other respects.
Year: 1869

THE Record is in favor of negroes
voting, but don't exactly like to
have niger run for office. It is
impossible to separate voting from
governing. If we let the negroes
vote, we cannot prevent them from
governing, and five prevent them
from governing us, we must deny
them the privilege Of voting, and
we must deny it on the true ground,
that the privilege willresult to their
injury and to the injury of the peo-
pie Of the American Union.


The men of our country, whether
in Congress or out of Congress,
whether whites or negroes, had
better soon make up their minds
that whore two incompatible races,
thus come into contact, one Of them,
only, can rule. If we are to split
up into many separate and distinct
and disagrceing States, then tho
negro race may rule in some of
them, from which the whites must
fee, But il we are to be nation
Of homogeneous people, a Union of
free States, then negroes must not
rule in a single State. Instead Of
encouraging them to dwell upon an
impossible idea, it will be the part
of wisdom to- let all understand the
truth, that the whole world may
know that the United States gov.
crnment always has been and al.
ways must bc, a free white mans
government, and never q mongrel
like Mexico, !
Year: 1869

IHE COUNTY CoNvENTIoN.-It
will be seen by referring to the call
of the Democratic Central Com
mittee in another column that the
County Convention will be held on
Monday, June 28th, and that the
Democracy Of each township will
meet at their respective voting
places ON the Saturday previous and
select delegates to represent them
in the Convention. Let every
Democrat and every man opposed
to the corrupt party now in power
go to work. Let the tax-ridden
people make q desperate effort to
throw the wicked rulers ont ofpower
in this State.
Year: 1869

The Independent (blacker than negro,)
says that Grant pcares for no great ideas" It
is well that ho does not, for he would never
bo able to grasp 1t If he did care for It. He
would be worse or with great idea than
pismire in trying TO lift o cheese. s2


AN old fogie says the eagle is still the royal
bird Of America No, sir, the crow is tho loyal
bird Of these diggins.
Year: 1869

If the Democracy of Ohio will go
to work and thoroughly organize
they can make clean sweep at the
election in next OctOber-not leave
even shadow ofthe Radical Bond
holding party in power in the State.
Let US try it'll
Year: 1869




OF ali the merry little birds that live up II
And carol from the sycamore and chest
The prettiest little gentleman that dearest
Is the one n coat of brown and scarle


IT'S coelcit little Robin
And his head he keeps a-bobbin
OF all the other pretty fowls I'd choose him
For he sings so sWettly Still,


Through his tiny slender bill.
With a little patch Of red upon his bosom
When the frost is in the air, and the snow
upon the ground,
Picking up The crumbs near the window he
is found,


Singing Christmas stories to the children:


OF how two tender babes .....


We're left in woodland glades,
By a cruel man who took 5em there to lose


But Bobby saw the crime;


CHs was watching ali the time ,
And he blushed a perfect crimson on his
bosom.


When the changing leaves of autumn
around us thIckly fall,
And everything seems sorrOWful and sad
Robin may be heard on the corner of the
Singing what is sOlacing and gladdenlngr


And sure, from what I've heard,


He's Gods own little bird,
And sings to those in grief just to amuse


But once he sat forIorn


On a cruel Crown Of Thorn,
And the blood it stained his pretty little
BOSOM
Year: 1869

We are not yet informed what the
longs TO the Sun il must be about eight
hundred thousand miles broad, for it
has been seen nearly as wide as the
Moons disc. Streaners of light have
also been seen extending beyond the
Corona. According to the accounts
Iiven by thOs 9 who have seen total
eel,pses within the last few years, the
Oorona sheds about as much light as is
given by the full Moon. BY some 1t is
described as a silvery light by others
as presenting prismatic colors. 1t
starts out in rays from the dark edge of
he Moon just as totality is about to
begin, and disappears when the bright
at the western edge of the Moon.
Year: 1869

ONE WAY TO CLEAR HoUsE-A man who
has Just fallen heir to an estate in New York
city found his good fortune aloyed by the fact
that large building of his new property was
occupied by tenants who, taking advantage of
the estate being involved in law suits, have
paid no rent for over year. They were nat
urally 10th to leave. But the new proprietor
license as a timer and set a dozen men to work
hammerng ten hours day on tin and sheet
iron in one of the rooms of his building Af-
ter some experience of this racket, most of the
tenants have surrendered and moved away
one has tried in vain to get the assistance Of
the police to stop the noise and few obsti
nate ones are trying to stick it out.
Year: 1869

JOSH BILLINGS, in answering correspond
ent, says Biscuit. In reply to yure ques-
tions, would hurriedly state that the toad is
domestic animal, or can be made so, by coax
ing him into barrel and shutting up the bung-
hole They stand in the same relation to
frog that Dutchman duz to Yankee. They
amt SO sudden gated az frog. They lead
very retired and pensive life during the day.
behind stun walls but when twilight begins to
dress for the night, then the toad and toadesses
begin to reconnoitre round. If toads kan live
upon what they eat, they would be just the
things to stock a boarding school with, for a
couple of flies is all the meat they want for a
fortnit
Year: 1869

In the violent manifestations, the convulsive
phenomena Of the camp meeting which were
once so common, but which are common no
longer, there may have been much to repel the
man of taste and cultivation; but if we regard
only the increased morality which must have
followed DR.. Cartwright's preaching, and the
sounder schemes of life to which he must have
directed many errant natures, we feel that he
is entitled to every honor which has dignifed
his old age.
Year: 1869

We see it stated that il now takes two hours
to marry pair rituals tically. Never hav;,
ing been married in that gorgeous wav, and
never having seen any couple Joined by such
tremendous and elongated ceremony, we can
not vouch for the accuracy of the statement;
but we do sincerely hope that this elaborate
style of making two into one will never be in
troduced into Chicago; tor, if it should be, it
is our decided opinion that two out of three
couples would be divorced before they were
fairly married. tribune.
Year: 1869

A Western paper is responsible for
the following: 1t is said that cup of
coffee is sure barometer, if you allow
the sugar to drop to the bottom of a cup
and watch the bubbles arise without
disturbing the coffee. II the bubbles
collect in the middle, the weather will
be fine; if they adhere to the cup form
ing ring, it will be rainy; and if the
bubbles seperate without assuming any
fixed position, changable weather may
be expected.
Year: 1869

Mcthodist Episcopal Church.
From the atlanta (Ga.) Neto Era, June 20.


Below we publish an extract from letter,
received yesterday, from colored minister in
Harris county. We give the extract in his own
crude language, which is sufficiently plain to
the impress of truth upon every line of it. This
letter exposes scheme-of which we have seve-
raj times before had an inkling-which
is almost too wicked and abhorrent to obtain
credenee. Yet we are forced to believe that
there are men who are bad enough to desire
even this method of stirring up strife and insur-
rection, for the purpose of producing state of
affairs in Georgia which will precipitate the
enactment of some extreme and stringent mea-
sures, in regard to Georgia, by the next session
of Congress. The plot has been conducted with
greater degree of secrecy than ever beclouded
the purposes of the infamous Ku-KluX organi-
zation.


The following is the letter referred to-


WHITEsyILIE, Harris county Ga, June 20, le69-Dr
Bard-I Methodist preacher. Ibeong to the mother
church / occasionally travel the four adjoining
eSe sne e we S live With the
folks But heard Of a darkey the other day who
tha White man in Atlanta told him to 20 through the
country and tell all the darkeys that if they could get
the Union and Bullock would give us ali forty acres Of
land and mule. They this fellow told them mot to
sal said we had 7ed With wSitS folks long enough to know
hsw to make them mad, and when they hit for us to
pitch in.


want you to warn all such folks stay of Harris
county they know what is good for them We in the
flee If the people give it them II they qualified for
IT, want them sit the jury And want peace
more than hat believe that IN less than two the
Tss sdent himself WY s they helping US no% with
our churches and with schools don't know how the
a mighty change through here. FRANK JOSEPH
Year: 1869

The Russian Government has at length granted
the request of the Pope, that the Catholic
bishops in its dominions might be permitted to
attend the forthcoming Hcumenieal Council.
This is the occasion of some discussion in Rus
sia. 1t is thought that in order to procure this
favor the Pope must in his turn have granted
probably agreed to address an encyclical 10 the
Polish clergy warning them not 10 encourage
the rebellious tendencies OF the people, and
warmly to support the existing Government.
Year: 1869

horrible and almost fatal accident occurred
Yesterday afternoon in butcher shop on Stock
ton street, near Greenwich. A young man was
engaged in washing the upper part OF astanchion,
standing upon a ladder for the purpose, when
the greasiness of the floor caused the ladder 70
slip from under him, precipitating the poor fell
low upon hook used for hanging carcasses of
beef on. He was caught by the body, immedi-
ateIy below the breast bone The proprietor of
the shop was luckily present, and succeeded in
releasing him from his perilous position. Sur
gical aid was Immediately summoned, when II
was found that the instrument had penetrated
In the depth of about an inch, but fortunately
had injured no vital part.-Sdn Franotsco Bull
Letia, June 1S.
Year: 1869

Last week / mentioned the fact that
General Butler had gone to Methodist
camp meetings or course he could not
fail to be seen or known; and with a
sublime impartiality, or because they
loved shining mark, some of the breth-
rem and sisters besieged him with en-
treaties, arguments aud scriptural threats
to 90 forward to the anxious seat"
but all their zeal apparently failed to
move him. l have heard that he was
really quite touched by the persussions
Of one Of them. A voluble brother, who
has not yet attained much grace or any
manners, burst on the General and the
meeting as follows: my brethren, l
see General Butler is here. | want you
should pray for him. He once put me
ia a calaboose at New Orleans. I've
forgiven him, but l bless the Lord that
I'm bound for q place where there isn't
any calaboose, nor any General Butler to
put ne in it.-Bosf0H Letter.
Year: 1869

From the Monroe Na.) Telegraph


The steamer Rob Roy met with a most
singular accident on her last trip down
from this place. The engineer on the
second night watch had just gone on
duty. He was seen by the watchman
after going on duty, attending the en-
gines, and otherwise overseeing the ma
chiuery. When last noticed he was
standing on the fan at the stern of the
boat (the Rob Roy is q stern-wheel boat,
oiing the eccentric and gudgeon. Some
half an hour later the watchman re-
ported to Captain Benedict that the en-
gineer was missing. This announcement
caused no little CONSERVATION, since no
one knew in what condition the boilers or
engines were, nor how soon before some
fatal explosion would take place which
would cause the death of all on board
The engineer previously relieved was i'm
mediately aroused and went below. He
found the boilers nearly red.hot, the
supply of water having been stopped by
the missing engineer, as is frequently
done on stern-wheel boats, where the
doctors speed cannot be regulated as on
side-wheel boats, and he also found the
engines considerably damaged. The
fires were Immediately put out, and the
boat tied up for few hours, after which
steam was raised in one of the boilers,
and the boat proceeded on to New Or
leans, where she is now undergoing re-
pairs preparatory to resuming her regu-
lar weekly trips to Monroe and Trenton.
The missing engineer undoubtedly fell
into the river at the stern of the boat. A
short distance below the point on the
river where he was last noticed by the
wstchman, his body was found by Capt.
Clip Duke, aud was buried by that gen.
tlsman. 1t was half sn hour after he
was seen at the boats stern before his
absence was observed, and thus the boat
must have run half an hour without an
engineer. This is, doubtless, one of the
most singular steamboat accidents on
record.
Year: 1869

From the London Daily News.l esd


IF any of us look forward to be eaten
by cannibals, he may wish to be in
formed how be is to be cooked. 1t is a
comfort to know that the savages who
may devour him are by no means devoid
of refinement in their culinary disposi-
ton. Some French soldiers were lately
taken prisoners by the Ksnaks, and one
of them was killed and eaten. His CON-
rades describe the process. The Kanaks
first ddecapiist5 their yieiifi a vi natter oi
no small difficulty, considering the blunt
ness of their hstchets. Ten to fifteen
blows are necessary. The body is then
hung up to tree by the feet, and the
blood allowed to run out for an hour.


Meanwhile hole yard and half deep
and yard wide is dag in the ground


The hole is lined with stones, and then in
the midst of them great fire is lit.
When the wood is burned down little
and glows with heat, it is covered over
with more stones. The man is then
cleaned out and divided into pieces about
a foot long, the hands and feet being
thrown away as worthless. The pieces
of the man are placed on the leaves of o
large rose tree peculiar to the tropics.
The meat is surrounded by cocoa nuts,
banana and some other plants noted for
their delicate flavor. The whole is then
tied together firmly; the fire ia removed
from the pit; the meat is placed in
among the bot stones, and thus, carefully
covered, is left to cook for an hour.
Women do not partake of this warriors
feast. Men alone are permitted to enjoy
so great an honor and so rare delicacy.