smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1865

Few of us are happy enough to he the
members of an unbroken family circle.
Sooner or later death enters the health
lest home, and Christmas or birth
day festival seldom comes round with
out reminding the living of some
"vanished hand" or voice that is still
forever. Now it is Tiny Tim, whose
shIill treble no longer helps to swell
the merry noise; or again it is the
patriarch of the flock, whose venerable
presence has ceased to make the chin
ney corner look sacred. The "fell
sergeant" will not be denied. There
may sometimes be an unwonted in
terval in his terrible visits; but the
inevitable moment will arrive when
drawn blinds and closed shutters will
proclaim to our neighbors that there is
Death in our house. What a solemn
hush falls upon those who remain be-
hind, when the soul Of beloved
friend or relation has departed! Even
the most careless and light-hearted feel
the sacred influence of the hour. ST.
lence reigns in the chamber where the
dead man lies, and throughout the
whole house the foot of the mourner
falls softly, the voice naturally sinks
into whisper, and, except in rare
cases, we can not bear to part with the
we'll form now vacant of its spir.
it. We love to look again and again
at the "old familiar face" We deck
the brow with flowers. We delay till
the latest instant to close the coffin,
for it is only then that we begin really
to feel the bitterness of bereavement.
At length, not in indecorous haste, but
when all has been done that tender
ness and delicacy can suggest, we car
ry forth our sad burden to its grave
A hurried funeral is singularly revolt
ing to civilized habits and sensitive
dispositions. The Jew puts his dead
out of sight almost as soon as they are
cold. He still retains in Northern eli
mate custom which the heat Of the
East perhaps rendered necessary. Yet
even in the East some tribes seem to
have been possessed by the same re-
pugnance to speedy sepulture which
marks most Christian nations. Hero
dotus, indeed, tells us story of GER
tain of the Arabians who never buried
their dead at all. They placed the
bodies of their deceased friends within
transparent crystal pillars, which they
afterward carried forth to the cemetery
near the city. Thus every man became
his own tombstone. Among this peo-
pie, at any rate, there can have been
no lying epitaphs.
Year: 1865

hearts being but little braver than
chickens, but they thought he was no
worse off than they were.


Half offended, the disconsolate Cock
was about to demand from them
a confession Of his wrons, when a lark
in small cage on the wall began his
song, and went through it as though he
had been mounting on free and vigor-
GUS wing to chant the glories Of the
early morning.


The Cock looked up shyly at him,
then huddled himself up, then shook
himself, then held up his head, and
stood on both legs in firm and reso-
Lutte position; for it had passed through
his mind thus: "Well, well, there's an
end of my complaining; if you, whose
happiness, every one knows, lay in
mounting up into the sky, and nesting
among your family in your beautiful
country home, can sing so sweetly in
that little prison, shut out from all you
love, a lonely captive, may well put
up with my troubles: / see plainly there
are worse cases than mine"


And when he had thought all this he
set up as fine crow as ever came from
his dear farm yard, and began to make
the best he could of his breakfast.
Year: 1865

There are two things Which are often
nfounded-charity and compassion.
1t is not possible to be charitable
without being compassionate, but many
man is compassionate without being
at all charitable. The fact is that char,
ity is principle of the human mind,
while compassion is only one of our
animal instincts. Such thing as COM
passion is observed even in animals,
and therefore the Priest and the Levite
in the parable not only lowered them
selves beneath the level of humanity,
but even below that of the brutes. A
man who, upon seeing a fellow crea-
ture fall into the water, jumps after
him without a moments hesitation,
even at the risk of his own life, does a
very noble thingno doubt, but many a
dog has done the same. And man
who drops a coin into poor wretch's s
hand, shows that he is not stick or a
stone, but he may pe little more than a
goose for all that, for great natural
ist tells us of a goose which, having
fallen in with quantity of barley that
miller had spilled on the road, first
filled its own stomach and then walked
up to its starving companions about
half mile distant, and called them to
the place to share the benefit of its
lucky discovery, Certainly compassion
is an indispensable element in charity
but it is no more charity itself than
taste is digestion, or hearing under
standing. Compassion just yields to
the impression of the moment, drops
a kind word or gift to alleviate mo-
mentary suffering; and having thus
discharged itself, passes on to leave
the case as it was. Charity, on the
contrary, inquiries into the cause of the
suffering, and the future prospects OF
the sufferer. 1t not only wishes to help
him for the present, but to guard him
against recurrence of the evil, and to
restore him to his normal condition:
Year: 1865

If you are asked to sing or play, either
do it at once, without requiring to be press
ed, or don't do it at all. Be very cautious
about doing it. First, be sure that yeu can
do it, 1t is painful to see young gentle
man looking up to the ceiling for the re-
mainder of the words of the song, or feel
ing for them in his hair, and not finding
them it is provoking to hear a pianist
break down in passage through defective
memory or execution. Secondly, be sure
Of your style, especially in accustomed cir
Giles. What is considered very fine in one
set, may be thought very common place in
another. What is relished in London, may
sot suit in Paris. What is applauded 10
Berlin, may be coldly listened to by Italian
ears.


While music is being executed-wbethsr
in the good or bad sense of the word-talk-
ing is not polite humming the air is nuis-
because you will mostly beat it wrong; and
ridiculous. The last demonstration has been
carried in Paris to degree which it would
be difficult to surpass. A certain pianist
had ladies in his pay. at the rate of seventy
five francs per concert. whose duty it was to
rant Win uoiight at nio ihitnuapio poiioi u
ance. One evening, however, a lady paid
to faint, deserted her post by falling asleep.
Reckoning on the fainting Of this female te
interrupt the finale of a concerto, the pi.
anist started his allegro at speed impos
sible for human fingers to continue. But
no fainting came to his relief. What could
he do in that calamityT He did what the
lady ought to have done, aud tainted him
self people crowded round him; they car
ried him out of the room. The fainteress
waking, really fainting through vexation n
having forgot faint. sl' Hlu
Year: 1865

TANNING FIsH-A little girl residing near
a pond in Massachusetts, has succeeded in
tanning some Of the fish by throwing crumbs
Of bread, crackers, &c, into the water
The species called perch seem to be the
most tractabe aud docile One OF them
often takes the end of her finger in his
mouth, while another will glide gently into
her hand and turn on one side, and so re-
main, apparently reposing, till raised quite
to the surface. The little girl walks out on
plank sustained few inches above the
water. and before she resches the end of
the plank the fish may be seen dartiBg rap
idly toward their feeding ground The
large ones, especially, are disposed to drive
of the smaller ones, but she keeps order
among them by means Of stick with a
sewing-needle attached to the end of it, and
when one picks up quarrel he gets a stab,
and is off at once. -[Country Gentleman.
Year: 1865

1t is common enough to hear people
announce that, for their part, they have
given up expecting gratitude in this
world, and that in such significant
tones as to leave us in no doubt that
the hard experience is a personal one.
Nobody talks much about ingratitude in
the abstract; the subject is only inter
esting when brought home in some
marked way to ourselves. Now,
though it is only too fragrant truth
that there is such a thing as ingratitude,
we think it will be granted by whoever
has listened to this strain that there al
ways arises misgiving as to the jus
tice, in the particular instance, of so
sweeping a censure upon human ma


ture. If we know the complainant well
enough, we shall be conscious of de-
fective sympathy. The people who
are always scenting out ingratitude are
not people to trust without searching
investigation, because they will uni
formly be found self.absorbed, puz-
zled- headed, or in some way incapaci-
tated for taking reasonable and un-
prejudiced view where their affections
or interests are concerned; they are
behindhand with the rest Of the world
in their knowledge of themselves and
of their standing towards Others
They view the conduct of others, in
any critical case which greatly con-
Germs or interests them, in its bearing
on themselves alone; they cannot take
in the complicated relations in which
all stand toward the world about them.
Thus you will hear the mistress Of a
household rail at the ingratitude of
servants, because one on whom she has
bestowed much kindness has left her
for her own convenience or to "better
herself" AS she talks of her wrongs,
she evidently forgets that the delin-
quent may have ties quite as stringent
elsewhere. The trnsty damsel she
misses so sorely had perhaps given 0
quid pro quo in faithful service; or, il
the complainant was kind, perhaps 9th
ers had been kinder; or she forgets thai
the kindness has the set- off Of many
provocation hard for servant girhsn
to bear. AS fact, people are nevei
less pleasant than when they are thui
denouncing the world-their world


whatever ic is. We feel implicated il
some way; though it is no concern o


ours, we find ourselves making com


mon cause with the migrate. The trdti
is, ingratitude is too serious charg'
to bring without very grave consider


ation-withouS weighing ah sides 0
! the question. There are ungratefd
people in the world-people with th


mouths described by the old writer q


always eating and never saying grace


who take whatever anybody will Civ


them and never say "Thank you;" int


whom kindnesses- fall as into a dea


sea; people for whom no man living


the better; people who think they hay


a right to'every thing, and only feel Ill


used when that comes as q gift whic


should have been theirs by ownership
Year: 1865

There are women who cannot grow old


women who, without any special effort,


remain always young and always attTac-
tive. The number is smaller than 1t
should be, but still there is a sufficient
number to mark the wide difference be-
tween this class and the other. The secret
of this perpetual youth lies not in beauty,
for some women possess who are not at all
handsome; nor in dress, for they are fire.
quently -cafeless in that respect, so far as
the mere arbitray dictates Of fashion are
concerned; nor in having nothing to Do,
for these ever young women are always
as busy as bees, and it is very well known
that idleness will fret people iuto old age
faster than over>work. The charm, we
imagine, lies in a sunny temper-uelihcr
more nor less, the blessed gilt of always
looking on the bright side of life, and OF
stretching the mantle or charity over
everybody faults and filings. 1t isnot
much of a secret, but it Is all that we
have been able to discover, and We have
watched such interest, and determi-
nation to report truthfully for the beue-
fit of the rest Of the sex. 1t Is very pro-
voking that it is something which cannot
be corded up and sold for Fifty cents a
bottle; but as this is impossible, Why the
most of us will keep on growing old, ugly,
and disagreeable as usual.-JeRHy JaHc.
Year: 1865

The question OF repeal or modification Of the laws
against usury before the Legislature Of Massachu
setts. The following tho main sections Of the law
which it is proposed either to amend as TO allow
money to be loaned at rate of exceeding six
per cent, or to strike out entirely


SECTION g. The interest of money shall continue to be
the rate Of six dollars and more, upon one hun
dred dollars for year. and at the rate for greater
or less sum, and for a longer or shorter time.


SEC g. When greater rate of interest than is allowed
by law has been paid, the party paying the same may
either by action OF contract suit In equity recover
back threefod the amount OF the unlawful interest
paid and no more provided that such action or suit
shall be prosecuted within years from the time Of
payment


The following table shows the business and profits OF
the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company during the
wear ending March l. 1885,
Year: 1865

a SUBSTITUTE FOR CoPPEEAs:-A friend ia-.
forms us that his wife has tried the following
recipe as substitute for cepperas, and found
that it answers the purpose well: Take Quantity
Of old iron and put lin an eaAhen pot then pour
on sufficient vinegar or sour beer to cover the


iron let it stand two or three weeks then use
it as a solution of eopperas Theron should be
free from grease or paint, SO that the acid may
.operate -Copperas is nothing more than


a sulphate Of iron, and, therefore, the nho7e:
recipe must be reliable.
Year: 1865

The WESTMINSTER DIVINES,
WHO WROTE THE CATECHIsM.
To reform religion a certain number
of divines were called, neither cho-
sen by any rule or custom eeclesias-
tical, nor eminent for either piety or
knowledge above others left out;
only as each member of parliament
in his private fancy thought fit, 80
elected one by one. The most part
of them were such as had preached
and cried down, with great show of
zeal, the avarice and pluralities Of
bishops and pluralities that one cure
of soul was a full employment for one
spiritual pastor, how able soever, if
not a charge rather above human
strength. Yet these conscientious
men (before any part of the work for
which they came together, and that
on the public salary,) wanted not
boldness, to the ignominy and scan
dal OF their pastor-hke profession,
and especially of their boasted refor-
nation, to seize into their hands or
not unwillingly to accept (besides
one, sometimes two or more Of the
best livinga) collegiate masterships
in the universities, rich lectures in
the city, setting sail to all winds that
might blow gain into their covetous
bosoms by which means these great
rebukers Of non-residence, amongst
so many distant cures, were not
ashamed to be seen SO quickly plu-
ralists and non-residents themselves,
to fearful condemnation doubtless
by their own mouths.-[ Milton.
Year: 1865

ernor Brough thoss forty thousand


men would not have been there.


Had they not gone, don't know but the


result might have been the same, but I do


know that his courage, his energetic action,
his prompt perception, his bold, resolute,
patriotic spirit, gave assurance Of victory
to General Grant. We owe him great
debt OF gratitude. God has ordered that
We can pay this only by the honors which
we give his memory. We can no longer
manifest our regard by our support or our
but we can lay the laurel
wreath upon his tomb, and water it with
the tears of grateful remembrance.
Year: 1865

The correspondent of the Cincinnati
Commercial telegraphE the following to
that paper in regard 10 the recent meeting
OF Ohioans in Washington to take action
in reference to the death of Governor
Rrouob.
Year: 1865

STURGEON BAY CANAL-An effort will
ace'o 10 made during the approaching
'e>sios. u Congress, to obtain the passage
Iot an act granting public lands to The
state 81 Wisconsin for the construction of
a ship canal across the portage between
Lake Michigan and Sturgeon Bay The


length of the proposed canal is ory about
one and half miles while it would shor
ten the distance between Green Bay aud
Manitowoc by water about 100 miles
Our Representatives in Congress should


look to it.
Year: 1865

Early last week the New York Times
contained an article on the F4n:ans, u
which it was roundIy stated that the lead
ers Of the Fenian Brotherhood were
s"lnd'ers and nothing else. The remarks
were personal. The issue was a cores
poldence on re'raction between the sg-
grieved party and the editor Of The Times
The latter would not retract The cor>
respondence closed with tie following
pointed letter:
Year: 1865

had entered. The substance it had enter
ed was not flesh, but cotton! l beheld
the assassin of Charles Simonds; of tha
l was firmly convinced. resolved to try
another test. had the letter found ir
the valise in my possession. Invent home
took an exact copy from it, then sent q
copy in an envelope to Mr.. Obdyke by q
boy, after which, returned to the saloon
of my host, excusing myself for the tenn
porary absence.


According to my instruction, the lad
entered the room and handed the envelope
to Morris Obdyke. l had written moth
ing in it. Imerely sent copy. want
ed to See how it affected him.
The ruse was perfectly successful. As
soon as he glanced at it he turned pale,
and when he concluded it he cast a glance
around him, then leisurely sauntering to-
wards the spot where Jarret sat playing
cards, he handed him the note, and then
beckoned him to follow


Obdyke entered side door, presently
followed by his aceomplice.


Now was the period for action l had
some half dozen of the boldest police
men stationed within hearing. Igave the
signal they entered, and in very short
time had my birds Gagged.


1t was subsequently ascertained that
Mr.. SimOnds had been robbed of a Very
large amount of gold and bank notes. So
the assassin must have entered the house
after dispatching his victim, and added
the crime of robbery to that of murder.


l could now account for the splendid
manner in which MIR. Obdyke lived. He
lived on his blood money.


The evidence against the culprits was
too strong to admit any doubt of their
guilt. They were duly arraigned, and
their execution followed close upon their
conviction l gained two things by my
participation in the affair that Croft had
abandoned in despair. The first was one
thousand pounds, which was the reward
offered for the apprehension of the aSsas-
sin. The other was, Igained the reputation
of being the shrewdeSt detective in the en-
tire force, a title Croft envied me not a
little.
Year: 1865

N BIN the case of partnerships, the Of each
partner interested must here be signed. the bid
der confines his proposal less than all streams he
will strike out the of those included The vi
cnity OF the wrecks to either of the above places Of
delivery will guide in their selection of the
place of delivery, at their option.


CERTIFICATE.


We the undersigned hereby certify that we are each
OF us, well and personally acquainted with -----
who make - the above proposal and that we are salts
fed that - possess the means and ability to exc
cute contract for ths work proposed in speedy and
satisfactory
Year: 1865

pleasant, cheerful wife is rainbow set in
the sky, when her husbands mind is set with
storms and tempests but dissatisfied and fret
ful wife in the hour of trouble is like a thunder
cloud charged with electric fluid. At such
times wise man will, if possible, keep clear, in
order to avoid the shock.
Year: 1865

negro at Virginia City refused to join in the
funeral procession of the late President, because
he said, at Petersburg they put his sort in front
They wanted him to go in the rear, and he would
not stand any such nonsense
Year: 1865

INGENIOUS CoMBNATIoN OF WoRDs.-Can you
square the circle2 is the problem that is now
passing around among the mathematicians.
While they are at work upon it the followingwill
answer for the curious as well as practical So
luton. Observe that it reads the same whether
we commence at the top or at the side:


G R c L Z


IN URES


RU D EST


GRE ASE


L E S SEE


E S TEEN
Year: 1865

Do you ever think how much work child
does in day? How, from sunrise to sun
set, the dear little feet patter round-to US SO
aimlessly. Climbing up here. kn ceiling down
there, running to another place. but never
still. Twisting and turning. rolling. reach
ing and doubling, as if testing every bone and
muscle for future uses. It is very curious to
watch it. One who does so may we'll under
stand the deep breathing of the rosy little
sleeper, az, with one arm tossed over its curly
head, it prepares for the next days gymnas-
tics. Tirciess through the day, till that time
comes. as the maternal love that so patiently
accommodates itself, hour after hour, to its
thousand wants and caprccs, real or fanced


A busy creature is u little child. 70 be
looked upon with awe as we'll as delight, as
its clear eye looks trustipgly into faces that to
God and man have essayed to wear mask


As it sits down in its little chair to ponder
precociou,ly over the white lie, you
thought it funny to tell it AS rising and
leaning Oh your knees. it says, thoughtfully
in tone that should provoke tear, not q
smile. If don't believe it." A lovely aud
yet fearful thing is that little child
Year: 1865

II
IT'S well to WOO It's good to wed,
For so the world hath done
Since myrtles grew, and roses blew,
And morning brought the sun.
But have a care, ye young and fair,
Be sure you pledge with truth;
Re certain that your love will wear
Beyond the days Of youth
For If ye give not heart for heart,
As well rs hand for hand,
You'll find you've PLAYED the "unwise" part
And "built upon the sand"
'Tis we'll to save, tits well to have
A goodly store of gold,
And hold enough of shining stun,
For charity is cold.
But place not all your hope and trust,
In what the deep mine brings;
We cannot live on yellow dust


LINKED with purer things
And he who piles up wealth alone.
viii often have to stand
Beside his coner-chest, and own
'Tis "built upon the sand"
IT'S good to speak in kindly guisc
And soothe whereer we can;
Fair speech should bind the human mind ;
And love liDk man to man.
But stay not at the gentle words,
Let deeds with language dwell
The one who pitics starving birds,
Should scatter crumbs as well.
The mercy that is warm and true
Must lend helping hand,
For those who talk yet fail TO do,
But build upon the sand"
Year: 1865

The world was always abundantly sup
olied with mines; the problem is, how 70
work them with profit. Thousands OF quartz
veins known to contain the precious metals,
are not worked, for the simple and sufficient
reason that they will not pay. And working
them to profit and loss is mainly question
of bread and meat. A lode that yields $1o
per ton may do very well with corn at 81 per
bushel, and bacon $40 per hundred; but put
the corn up to S. and the bacon to SOU, ana
eyery pound of rock is crushed at a serious
loss. As yet, every ton of food and ma
chinery sent up to the Rocky Mountains has
cost from $3.50 to $400 for transportation
from the Missouri river, and not one quartz
vein in twenty can be pro6tably worked at


such rates On the other side, the distances
from San Francisco are shorter, but the


charges quite as high. A railroad in opera


tion would reduce them three -fourths, caus-


inc thousands Of veins to be worked at a


proft which must now be worked at a loss,


or not worked at all. With the Pacific Road


half built, our annual product OF gold and


silver may be quickly raised to $500, O,OoO,ooo
per annum, vet produced at a lar greater


average profit than now. And, with the


mines in such activity, it would be difheul,


for the managers of the railroad to stea
enough of its earnings to bring the divi'
dends to its stockholders below ten per cent
per annum.-N. Y. Tribune.
Year: 1865

"A destitute old man, broken down with
the weight of hunger and disease and seventy years.


applied to the police station in New York on Mon
day last to be sent to the Aims House Blackwel's
Island. He stated that in former he had been
quite wealthy and had many friends but that wealth
and friends had left him. permit was granted and
to his request that officer might show him the Way
to the ferry he was roughly told to "go his way =
The next day his poor old worn out body was found
floating in Harlem River. He had gone his way -