smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1859

-~-"~ ----'
story:


"One of our townsmen, Mr.. George w.
billiard, was involved in great danger at
Harper's Ferry last week. He had gone
there on business on the day after the cap
ture of Old Brown and bis party, and in
walking alone in the vicinity of the Ferry
enjoying the scenery, with one of the
pixies in his hand, and two or three blank
commissions in his pocket taken from the
insurgents, and which Governor Wise had
given him the day before, he was pursued
and captured by party who were hunting
for Cook. Mr.. billiard was Immediately
charged with being one of Cooks men !;
the pike was satisfactory evidence, and the
cry was raised of Shoot him shoot him 7
and several loaded guns were pointed at
his breast. Fortunately, Mr.. billiard re-
tanned bis self-posssssion SO well the party
at last yielded to his request that he should
be taken to the Superintendent at the Fer
ry aud there be permitted to prove his in
nocence. Mr.. billiard said it was about
the mort trying half hour or more he ever
spent"
Year: 1859

The following very remarkable occur


renee was related to us by gentleman IN


whose word we have the most implicit con-
fidence, and bis statement was corrobora-


ted by others. 1t took place about two


weeks ago at a horse on No gan street,


near Thirteenth. A young lady about


twenty years of age was lying at the point


OF death after lingering through all the
different stages of consumption, which dis
ease, had over year ago marked her for
its prey. She was confined TO her bed in
room in the second story of the house, TO
reach which it was necessary to ascend
flight of winding stairs. About four hours
before her demise, while kind friends and
dear relatives were assembling round aer
expecting every moment to witness that
sad event. bantam chicken-of pure, white
color, made its appearance in the room,
the door being open. After walking around
and picking up few crumbs which were
upon the carpet, the little stranger got up
on chair at the foo: of the bed, and from
that got upon the bed, and then walked
over the coverlid, till it came within foot
of the occupant of the couch of death.


There it remained but for minute. The
young lady, whose eyes had hitherto been
almost closed, smiled at the approach of
the intruder, and raising her hand, emacia-
led as it was by disease, she gently stroked
it down, after which it went away from
the place it then occupied, descended to the
floor by means of the chair, and took up
position under the bed. The persons in
the room, not knowing to whom the chick
en- belonged, nor whence it came, "hunted"
it out and in in few minutes it was down
stairs again. In less than an hour how
ever, the sick-room door being open, they
were all surprised to see the same little one
come again, accompanied by black chick
en-, and when the two walked into the room
fear struck the hearts of them all, one lady
remarking "it was some sign" They did
not attempt to eject either of the unex-
pected visitors, but permitted them to oc-
cupy any position which suited them. The
two chickens after walking about the room
for a while, went under the bed, where
they remained about an hour, during which
the youg lady died. What is wonderful
about this, is the fact that no person in the
house or neighborhood can tell where Ell
ther the bantam or the other came from, or
to whom they belong. nor could it be ascer-
tanned where they went when they left the
room. The persons living in the house,
nor those occupying the adjoining dwelling
had never kept live chickens.-,S. Louis
mo, J Democrat. Isl.
Year: 1859

The pandering to the most sensual
deprived tastes, SO often and too often ex
hibited and allowed at criminal trials, has
received just rebuke from Baltimore
jury, in the case of John Sharp, colored
man, charged with an attempt to commit
a rape on the person of Sophia B. Ander-
son, aged twelve years.


The testimony was sufficient to convict
the fellow, and be was sentenced to nearly
ten years in the penitentiary.


In the course of the girls testimony
her father and mother standing BY her
she said the prisoner used improper Ian
guage to her. The Judge with an air of
interest, leaned forward and said:


"What did he says Tell us what Ian
guage be usedr'


The girl, confused and abashed by this
summons, replied that she Hdid not like to
tell"


A juror arose-(no doupt be had daugh-
ters of his own; If be has not he to ought
to have e)-aud remarked to the Judge:


"The witness is a modest girl, and we
would rather protect her than desire her to
answer such question"


The Judge, however, was not to be
stopped in his anxiety to have sustained
the cause Of indecency and justice combi-
ned; he thought the jury had better hear
the language.


But the jurymen unanimously disclaim-
ed any wish to have the girl repeat the
gross insult to modesty and virtue; and
the Judge had 10 content himself as best
he could.


We vote that jury monument of the
purest white marble. .
Year: 1859

SINGULAR FREAK.-James Truesdell, 3
gentleman of some seventy years, living N
Liberty Pennsylvania, has been for over
twelve, years past industriously engaged,
when the weather and his health would
permit in digging over a piece of ground
near his dwelling, and carrying the stone
and some dirt into pile. Here be has Ia
bored, taking one stone or q shovel full of
dirt at time, until the mound has reached
the height of thirty or forty feet, and s
much larger than his house. He said as
a reason for bis labors that he lost six
pence in his garden. He soon after found
several sixpences, but be continued to dig
until his whole garden has been carried to
increase the mound. He is peaceful and
industrious in his way, so his family let
him work. To their offers of assistance he
gives decided negative, and digs away
alone. Mr.. Truesdell is well-lnformed
man, and talks nationally on every subject
but his lost sixpence.
Year: 1859

HA young man and woman were
courting last Saturday evening at the house
of Mr.. Blackwell, in Slopewell township,
N. j., and both fell asleep, while sitting
beside a warm stove. During their nap
the dress of the young lady took fire, and
when they awoke her clothes were all in
flames. She was SO shockingly burned
that she lived but few hours. The young
man was also seriously injured by the fire
in his efforts to save his companion. The
parties were engaged to be married, and
the young woman had made her wedding
purchases on the day of the accident.
Year: 1859

SELF RELIANCE is the key 10 success.


NoTHING is easier than to deceive
yourself.


To CHECK passion by passion, and
anger by anger, is to lay one demon and
raise another.


MEMS fame is like their hair, which
grows after they are dead, and with jus,
as little use 10 them.


In attempting to deceive others, we
ever deceive ourselves hypocrisy was
never productive of promised advan
tages.


DO not inquire how much you hav,
read and studied on the human powers
bu; ask how you exer. those powers
Chopin.


THE hesrt Of q cold beauty" SAYS
Saphr, in one Of his works, "is the ice
in which she preserves the affections of
her lover"


THERE are two things that speak as
with voice from heaven that He who
fills the Eternal Throne must be on the
side OF virtue, and that what He befriends
must finally prosper and prevail.


TRUE science and true religion are
twin-sis'ers, and the separation Of either
from the other is sure to prove the death
of both. Science prespers exactly in
proportion as it is religious and religion
hourlshes in exact proportion to the scien.
tiic depth and firmness of its basis.


A GREAT many people gain credit for
wisdom on the ground of what they never
say. who shake their heads doubifuliy,
and say with a wise air :-"There's a
great deal TO be said on both sides of the
queslion"-and possess the reputation for
judgment, because they never give judg-
ment.-Bishop Clarke.


"WHEN man treats me with want OF
respect" said philosophical poor man,
a comfort myself with the reflection that
it is not myself that he sights, bui an old
shabby coat and hat, which, 10 say the
truth, have no particular claims to admira.
lon. So, If my hat and coat choose to
fret about it, let them but it is nothing to
me-"
Year: 1859

the insertion Of hundred and fifty scions,
embracing tho desired varioty,st twonty five
cents apiece. But TO his great dismav,
when tho bearing time came, the product OF
each ongraftcd limb was tho same, 1t being
a small tastcloss sweet apple, far inferior to
tho original fruit. But, said tho old man as
u about to account for tho strange freak
Of nature" as the result of somo natural
cause, 81 ought to be thankful that moth
ing worse bofSll me, for having for mo.
mcnt presumed that anything good could
come out Of that political Nazareth"


i; is to be hoped that the timo may soon
como when tho citizeus OF our common
country, may pur sue any laudable purpose
which business or pleasure may suggest, no
longer annoyed by local prejudice or dis
turbod by rubid consure, and that the root
Of bitterness may be deeply buried, and
that above it may wave the peaceful Olive
Branch, no longer swayed by the bitter
blasts of political strife, but watered by tho
holy dcws of national confidence and broth.
erly love. Truly yours,
Year: 1859

EQUAL JUSTICE TO MAN AND WOMAN.
The refined woman recoils with virtu-
Gus scorn from her fallen sister, but often
welcomes him by whom she fell. We
are told that Christ said 10 the woman's
accusers, " He that is without sin among
you, let him cast the first stone !" bu:,
smitten by conscience, they went out one
by one. And who is not in some way
allied to this great guilt The fact Of
common weakness should at least make
us mercifui. II is not just that upon The
woman alone should fall the blot Of
shame. The text is great lesson OF
charity and mercy, and is great lesson
Of Justice also. There is neither justice,
honor, nor delicacy in our modern cus-
tom, which scarcely frowns upon the
guilty man, while pouring out all the
vials of wrath upon the guilty woman.
1t may or may not be true, as some insist.
that this foul cancer in society can never
be eradicated, but we ought at least to
insist upon it that the shame shall be
fairly divided, that the SHINING man shall
be branded AS deeply as the shining
woman. Suppose every guilty man bore
the mark OF shame in his face, in the msr-
ket, or at church. how long would the
evil continue? But the meanness OF man
has thrust the whole shame upon woman.
Rev. l.. H. Chaplin.
Year: 1859

APuSorUAL man is very rarely a poor
man, and never a man Of doubtful credit
His small accounts are frequently settled.
and he never meets with difficulty in rails.
ing money to pay large demands Small
debts neglected ruin credit. and when
man has lost that. he will hnd himself al
the bottom o! bill he cannot ascend
Year: 1859

IDIERs.-W Without doubt California has as
large proportion of idlers from choice as can
be found among the same number Of inhabi-
tants iD any country on the face Of the earth.
Idlers and non producers are pest anywhere,
but here they arc the cause OF vast Injury 10 the
welfare of our industrial elasses, from their
great numbers and the fact that they afford go
ciety no equivalent for what they consume.
We might almost say, without exaggeration,
that every Industrious man has all dier quart
cred on him, whom he has to support This is
not perceptible, because it ia not direct; but
nevertheless it is true. Gamblers genteel loaf
ers, politicians. aud worthless characters are
found 10 every nook and corner Of the State.
speculating and contriving how to live without
work. Their name is legion, and their influence
on our prosperity ia more baleful than was that
Of the locusts with which the lano Of Egypt was
cursed These shameless fellows stand at street
corners all day, waiting for something TO turn
up, or watching for an opportunity TO help
themselves at the expense of their industrious
neighbors. II by any means, human or divine,
the State could rid herself Of the incubus caus
ed by the presence of these drones, ve firmly
believe that unexampled prosperity would be
secured Immediately to all who occupy their
time in Industrial aud useful pursuits. Reflect
ing on this subject, We are sometimes led TO
think that nothing short of code stern and
rigid as that of Lycurgus, can ever bring equal
and exact justice into the world.-SOnora Her
aid.
Year: 1859

Let US be ON our guard against little
sins; against what men call little sins,
for there is nothing really little in the
way of sin. Watch against anything
that wounds the conscience, however
slightly, Conscience is a sacred thing
Guard we'll your spiritual life. Watch
against the little sin that insensbiy
may wound and thus in the end destroy.
You can easily kill man by stabbing him
with one blow to the heart. But may
you not easily kill man also BY opening
littla vein in his wristg The blood
may only flow drop by drop, but if you
don I st p that wound You will bleed to
death, just as surely as if one plunged a
dagger into your heart and sent you into
eternity in : moment. Beware, then, OF
the little things that keep the wounds Of
the soul open; guard against little sins,
which, if not guarded against will as sure
ly destroy the soul as Que great Gin.


John Newton says, Satan seldom comes
to Christians with great temptation, or
with temptations to commit great sin
You bring green log and a candle to-
gether, and these are very safe neighbors.
/ But bring . few shavings aud set them
a-light, and then bring few small sticks
aud let them take fire. and the log be in
the midst of them and you will room get
rid of your log. And SO it is with little
sins. You will be startled with the idea
of committing a great sin and so the devil
brings little temptation and leaves you
to indulge youself "There is great harm
in this" $40 great peril in that, and Sc
/ by these little chips we are frat easily
| ligl ted up, aud at last the grea. green
log ID burned. Watch and pray, that ye
enter not into temptation. .--Rev. NEG


man Hall, l.. L. ID.
Year: 1859

In late issue, we estimated the number Of
Opposition members in the House at fourteen,
and in the Senate at four. Subsequent inqui-
ry has satisfied US that we were in error
The number in the House will not be less
than twenty-one, nor less than five in the
Senate. Our first estimate was based upon
actual returns from many counties, and a too
confident reliance upon results in Democratic
counties not heard from. But in several of
these last, owing to supineness, want of prop
er organization, insubordinaton to party dis.
cipline and other causes, the Democracy have
suffered in some instances partial and in 9TH
ers, entire defeat.


But for superior management on the part
Of the Democracy in quarters where no aid
was expected, the Opposition would have COM
manded more strength in the next Legisla-
ture, than in the one elected two years ago,
notwithstanding the gain of ten thousand in
the popular vote. A good working majority"
is still left, but the lesson should not be for
gotten. The absence of respect for indispen-
sable usages, and the consequent laxity of dis
cipline, are the bane Of large majOrities.-
Where the evil has unfortunately crept into
our ranks it becomes the true men of the par
ty to set themselves at once and resolutely to
the work of reformation.
Year: 1859

The Democratic Convention of the First
Congressional District of Massachusetts,, re-
Gently assembled to elect delegates to the
Charleston Convention, took OCCASION in their
resolutions, to express their opinions on the
subject of slavery in the Territories and said
that they hold to the doctrine that the people
of a Territory, when they come to exercise
their sovereignty in the formation OF State
constitution, have the right to mould the in
stitutions of the nascent States to suit them
selves; but that "the Territorial Legislature
the creature Of Congress-cannot do what
Congress cannot do-that is, either erect or
abolish the institution Of slavery within the
boundaries of the Territory


This, says the Washington Constitution, is
sound doctrine This is the way that popular
sovereignty was understood in the compro-
mise measures of 1850, in the kansas-Ne-
braska bill, and in the Cincinnati PLATFORM
This was the way Mr.. Buchanan understood
it in his inaugural address; and this is the
doctrine laid down by the Supreme Court of
the United States.
Year: 1859

THE MILITARY CoLLEGE.-We note as an
affair of public interest in our vicinity that
the Kentucky Military Institute has now
an hundred and twenty cadets greater
number, we are informed than at this period
of any former session since its establishment
twenty years ago.


We copy the foregoing from the Frankfort
Yeoman. The people of Kentucky seem to
be proud of this Military Institution. 1t ap-
pears to be State College. The degrees are
conferred by diplomas with the grand seal Of
the State delivered by the Governor. We
learn that it is conducted ON the principle of
the U. S. school at West Point With its
corps of competent instructors it cannot fail
to succeed. The South wants military
schools within her own limits free of access
to all.
Year: 1859

Sir: Permit me through your columns
to suggest the above named gentleman as a
suitable person to fill the chair of Speaker OF
the House Of Representatives.


Mr.. Matthews is a native of North Alabama
and fully identified with the South and all her
interests. His legislative experience and
thorough knowledge of parliamentary rules,
well qualify him for the position. His urbane
manners, courteous bearing, high cultivation,
as well as senatorial dignity, all seem to Pc
culiarly qualify him, in my estimation, for
that responsible position.


1t is useless to say anything of Mr. Mat
thews to those gentlemen who were members
OF the late extra session, as it is known to them
with what energy and ability he engaged in
all questions of Importance brought before
that body for their deliberation. Independent
of the foregoing, there are facts to be taken
into consideration Mr.. Matthews saved the
Democratic ticket in Lowndes two years ago.
His late triumphant. election, when Democrats
heretofore tried and true-formel u co-ali
ton with the Opposition (though foiIed in
their attempt to overthrow the Democracy
should be remembered. The result commends
him to the favorable consideration of his party
and attest, the superiority Of his talents.
Year: 1859

The BowMAN HOUSE OFFERED FOR SALE
BY reference to the advertisement of Col.
Bowman, the proprietor of the valuable prop
House, it will be seen that it is offered for
sale. For person, or persons, who may de-
sire to purchase such property, we know of no
betecr opportunity fora profitable investment.
business, and has the commodiousness and all
the conyenienees of first class metropolitan
hotel.
Year: 1859

NEGLEcT.-A little neglect may breed srea
mischief: For want of the nail the shoe was
lost for want of shoe the horse was lOSt )
and for want of horse the rider was Iost,
being overtaken and slain by an enemy-l
for want of care about a horseshoe man.
Year: 1859

Academia Mexican was badly hurt
yesterday morning. at the corner of B ant
Third streets, by the premature explosion oi
cannon which he was loading. While ram
ming down the POWDER the gun being heat
ed, it exploded, and both hatds were badly
injured, the wrist of the right arm being
broken. 1t is shattered to such an extent
that amputation viii probably be necessary.
The Mexicans in this city have been for a
day or two celebrating the anniversary Of
Mexican Independence.
Year: 1859

ARREsrED.-An admirer of the Celestial


damsels of the classic regions of Virgin Alley
created a great uproar, about dusk yesterday
evening, by getting into row with Chi
nawoman. lie swore that she had cheated
him out of dollar, and she declared that he
owed her "dollar hap" The good looking
youth was marched off to the station house
Year: 1859

The Philadelphia Press thinks the Admin
istration is at the bottom of the publication
of the Wise letter, and that the Herald had
private enmity to crafty, because Wise sen
away its reporter, who came to take dowi
his speeches in 1855.
Year: 1859

and desolation of a battle Geld the day
after the action. At the time arrived
the bodies of the dead had been COL
lected and were lying in rows near the
cemetery; the faces Of the men were
covered over, and near them stood
those Of their comrades whose duty it
was to bury them. In q heap, piled
apart from the rest, recognised, from
the uniforms, the bodies Of the officers
who had died brsvely facing the ene-
my. If you have never witnessed such
= sight, I advise you never to 10 so as
long as you msy avoid it; ones re-
fections are not gay death, in all its
most revolving aspect, faces you, fore
ing upon your minds the suffering that
must ensue when the loss Of the men
YOU see stretched lifeless before you
becomes known to their families.
Year: 1859

A gentleman friend Of ours was one
day standing beside frog pond--we
have his own word for it-and saw a
large garter snake make an attack
upon IN enormous bull frog. The
snake seized one Of the frogs hind
legs, and the frog, to be on par with
his snakeship, caught him BY the tail,
and both commenced swallowing one
acother, and continued this carniver-
Gus operation until nothing was lei; oss
either of them. =.
Year: 1859

A New A1LoY.-At late meeting
OF the Academy Of Sciences, in Paris.
a pistol barrel made Of an alloy com.
posed of tin, iron, and aluminium, was
exhibited, and was found to be very
strong and its quality is such that it
will never rust. This alloy is six times
stronger than bronze and can be
forged at = red heat and hammered
like steel.
Year: 1859

This doughty hero of many an unfousht
battle, appears to have been chosen as the
standard bearer of the lately organized
Kansas Republican party. With such 9
man as their leader, success will not be
apt to perch upon said standard, for the
name of scape-gallows will keep all
honest men aloof. Hard run must party
be indeed, who are compelled to take such
a man as Lane to marshal them, and lost
to all human feelings must be those who
would follow such leadership.


The above from the Junction City Sen
tinel, although Democratic paper, sx-
presses our idea 70 the letter.
Year: 1859

to tho house. and in it were found The empty mo
ney bag of the tanner, his watch and his pocket
book. The landlord and his wife were Immediate
ly arrested and will le tried for the crime. GRi.
mani.