smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

One of the questions that must
enter largely into the politics of the
immediate future is, Are railroads
to rule the Nashua Post.


That's so. Railroad consolidation
is the order of the day, and soon one
or two gigantic Companies will con-
troll all the roads of the country, and
will mould legislation and dictate the
judgments OF the Courts. Already
in Iowa they can charge what they
please for freight and passage, and
take or let it alone as may suit their
convenience, regardless OF the inter-
ests of the public or of the law regu-
lating common carriers; and dnotwith-
standing the princely donations OF
public lands that have been made to
! them, and unmindful Of the ftlct that
they 90 almost scot free OF tax while
all other kinds Of property is bur.
dened with taxation. The people
should take measures, before 1t is too
late, towards checking the consolida-
tion of railroad Interests, and their
tendency to overshadOw all other
-Muscdtiae Journal.


1t is all true, gentlemen. These
mOnopolies are already organizing
for the control of the Legislature this
winter, and the Press and people will
need to carefully watch the course of
legislation. We want no Camden &
Amboy monopolies in Iowa, and will
not have them if the Press is faithful
to the interests of the tate.-Buiietin.


These suhjectsinterest every citizen
of the State. Every species OF prop
erty or interest is affected by Rail-
roads, in the way of relative taxa
ton, at least, if not more directly.
We are not ''crying out against Rail-
roads'-far from it. Alive want is
that there shall be fair play between
the Companies and the people. And
our Legislators will do well TO devote
their attention to the subject now,
that they may be better prepared for
the inevitable battle in the Assembly
next month. Let the motto be, Equal
and exact justice to all, and no en-
croachments of capital.
Year: 1869

A young lady in New Haven, sixteen
years Of age, lost one of her eyes the
other day by having quantity of am-
monia thrown into it by the sudden eS
plosion of the cork and liquid frOm the
bottle, which vas ssine vasned in some
hot water.
Year: 1869

Our CORRESPONDENCE publish two
communications, to-day, which will COM
mand more than the usual attention One
is in reference to the Kent Rail Road and
its reprehensible mismanagement; and the
other is in reference to the alleged blan-
dishments beginning to be practiced by
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more Rail Road Company, towards the
members of the Delaware Legislature, in
the distribution of FREE PASSES. This
courtesy towards the Legislature would
attract little or no attention, ordinarily;
but, at the present time, when the Rail
Road Company stands in defiant attitude
towards the State, it is not to be wonder
ed at that it should attract attention, or
excite public jealousy. We should prefer
to make our trips over the Rail Road at
our own expense, under the circumstances.
The members Of the Legislature. however,
we feel well assured, will know how to ap-
preciate these little attentions of the Rail
Road Company, aud estimate them at their
true value.


The sentiment of Sir Robert Walpole,
the corruptest man Of his age, (that every
man has his price) with which our cores
pondent "a" sets out, is one to which
we have never subscribed, nor do we sup
pose our correspondent intended to apply
it to the members Of the Legislature. II
is used only in general sense, and would
be eminently unjust towards the estimable
gentlemen composing that body.
Year: 1869

FREAK OF SOMNAMBULIsT.-- some
what singular freak of somnambulist has
Just been related to US. A gentleman liv-
ing in the Seventh Ward, one morning
missed some money which he had in q
drawer, and although strict search was
made, no clue to the missing cash could
be found. The money was taken from a
drawer which was kept locked and the key
in the gentleman's pocket. The drawey
had been opened, the money taken out,
the drawer locked and the key returned to
the gentleman's pocket, The affair was
involved in mystery, which was not re-
moved the next day, when set Of silver
spoons was missed. The servants we're
suspected, and as knowledge that the ar
ticles had been missed had been kept from
them, it was determined to keep watch
the next night. Everything about the
house remained quiet until about two
o'clock, when noise was heard. The
person who was on the watch peercd eau
tiously through the hall whence came the
sounds of footsteps, and saw approaching.
the gentleman Of the house. He went to
the cupboard with stealthy steps, took
therefrom quantity Of silver plate and
started for the back yard, closely followed
by the watchman, who at once suspected
the truth of the case. The sleep-walker
proceeded cautiously to the woodshed, and
covered the plate carefully in barrel Of
ashes, and started back to his house. He
was awoke by the watcbman, and was
greatly bewildered. The matter was ex-
planned and search at once instituted among
the ashes for the missing property. The
search was rewarded by the discovery of
the plate, spoons and grccnbacks, safely
secreted among the ashes, where they had
been deposited by the gentleman who had
been unconsciously guilty of robbing him
self -Miraakie Sentinel.
Year: 1869

A writer in the Journal and ISatesmon
proposes to divide New Castle county so
MS to cut off Wilmington by herself. An
other proposition is to divide by the line
of the Christiana. A third is to divide by
the turnpike leading from Elkton to Hare $
Corner, thence by direct line to the riv-
er. This division would leave compact
territory of about twenty-four miles in
lenth and fifteen in breadth, with popu.
lation of 10000. Middletown being near.
ly central and directly on the rail road
would be the proper place for the county
seat. and the new county might be called
Read county, in honor Of one of the Sign.
ers of the Declaration Of Independence.
We commend this plan of division to the
attention Of the people and our Legislators
as convenient, economical, and every way
desirable.
Year: 1869

We notice that the local column of the
last Cecil Democrat was enriched by a
production from the facile pen Of Manton
Marble, of the New York World, entitled
Christmas Day" We congratulate Mr..
cruikshank upon the acquisition of 50 able
a contributor to his local department.
Year: 1869

y The New Year was ushered in with
clouds and storm and driving rain and
slcet. Let us hope that it is not a type
of its general character. A milder aspect
we hope to see it wear, after further &C.
qusintance.
Year: 1869

Many man is tempted by the beauty
and promise of a half-bred bull calf to
keep him for the perpetuation of his
good qualities. This would be very
well if only there were any hope of his
but there is not. The result of using
such an animal as a sire is generally
most unsatisfactory. The cloven foot
of q mongrel ancestry will constantly
show itself in the most provoking man
ner, and there is really no safety, if We
wish to improve our stock, except in
destroying 1T least the virility of every
bull calf that has not clean recorded
pedigree. We sometimes hear it
said of an animal that "he carries
his pedigree in his horns and in
his hide" There can be no
greater nonsense than this. The only
pedigree of an animal that is worth
anythiHg is a positive knowledge that
for many generations Bo strain of i'm.
pure blood has been allowed to creep
into his veins. This given, then seek
for the most perfect development of
every valuable quality. but without
this, the highest type of outward ap-
pearance may be only q snare and de-
lusion. As case in point, we know a
grade Jersey cow-three quarters Jer-
sey, and one. quarter Ayrshire-that, by
a thoroughbred Jersey bull, had calf
which would have passed muster in a
herd of pure Ayrshires. The strain OF
Ayrshire blood-itself thorough blood
for once asserted itself, and took pos
session of the field, although tie earlier
and the later calves of the same dam
had all the look of the Jersey.-AgricHl-
flf,.isf
Year: 1869

@ A kind-hearted and witty cler-
gyman in New York, entering the
house of one of his elders one morning,
found the good old man most unmerci-
fully whipping one of his sons. lad
about fourteen years old, and at once
began to intercede for the boy. The
deacon defended himself by saying that
youth must be early trained in the way
it should go. at was best to make an
impression while the wax was soft"


cay" said the pastor, "but that
does not hold here, for the whacks
,oere not soft"


The deacon let the boy go.
Year: 1869

A NOBLE ASswER.-We think we
have seen the following relation before
somewhere, but it is good enough to
print ONCE a month: "One of our
prominent German citizens was one
day rerroached by an ardent fellows
Teuton with having forgotten his ma
tive country in bis love for his adopted
one. The reply was a noble ONE
Germany is the land of my birth
my mother--and as such l revere her
in grateful remembrance; but America
is the land of my manhood's love and
choice-my wye--and my first duty.
my fondest affections, l therefore owe
to herr
Year: 1869

E The petrified body of a Federal
captain was found lately under a sand
bar in the Mississippi, near Vicksburg.
Not only were the face, hair, whiskers,
&C., perfectly natural, but every part
of the uniform, although one mass of
stone, was perfect. So great was its
weight that it came near sinking the
skiff in taking it ashore.
Year: 1869

g Josh Billings says: "Menuy
people spend their time in trying to find
the hole whar sin got into the world
If two men break through the ice into
mill-pond, they had better hunt some =
good hole to get out, rather tnan gls
into a long argument about the hole
they fell in.
Year: 1869

w A young lady who went out with
a rather timid young beau one even
ing, complacently remarked to him that
she never went out but she got chaps
on her lips. The young man took the
hint and chapped.
Year: 1869

ISLANDER Yes, you pass it along
whether you believe it or not. Aud
that oneside whisper against the char.
acter Of virtuous female or an honora.
Bile man, "yas don't believe it." but you
will use your influence to bear up a
false report and pass it on the current.
Strange creatures are men aud women.
How many regulations have been lost
by surmise. How many hearts have
been held by whispers. How many
benevolent deeds have been chilled BY
the shrug Of shoulder. How many
individuals have been stunned BY a
gentle mysterious hint, How many
chaste bosoms have been wrung with
grief oy single nod. How many
graves have been dug by false report.
Yet you will pass the slauder along.
You win keep ID above the water by a
wag Of your tongue, when you might
sink il for ever. Destroy the passion
for tale telling. Lisp not a word that
will iujure the character of another.
aud, as far as you are concerned the
slander will die.
Year: 1869

Ellen Lamprcy and Clara Edgerton
were walking slowly along a vine en-,
powered path in Newport The latter
was rloody aud thoughtful, while the
former was watchful of all that tran.
spired about her, BY and by a gentle.
man entered the path not far in advance,
aud approached theu Ellen saw him
but Clara did not


Here, let us step into this arbor.
o! what beautiful flowers. Seel' And
thus speaking Ellen Lamprey rather
dragged than led her companion into
the arbor


The gentleman passed. and there was
cloud upon his brow. Something had
evidently wrought uppleasantly upon
his feelings Ellen marked the fact.
aud an exultant expression flashed up
into her face. She had accompli. he'd
her object;


The gentleman was Wallace Parker,
young man of good family, whose
father had recently died iutestatc. The
elder Parker had once been wealthy !;
but financial crash had swept away
his fortune, and hurried himself to the
grave. So Wallace had entered upon
the practice Of the law, aud was strug.
Cling hard to earn came and fame in
his own right. Weary and faint from
hard study he had come down to New
port to rest and recuperate; but he
could not stay long, for he had not the
means


In happier days, when he had been
prospective heir to half u million. he
had often met Clara Edgerton, and had
learned to love her, though no words of
love had ever been spoken. In fact,
they had been almost too young then
TO seriously venture upon such topic.
But they were older now. Wallace was
four and-twenty, and Clara only five
years younger. Aud now they had
met again-he under the cloud Of mis-.
fortune, while she held in her own
right fortune greater than that which
his father had lost.


Is it wonder that hundred men.
young aud old, paid especial court to
Clara Edgerton? And it is wonder
that man like Wallace Parker, should
have been backward in claiming her
especial noticel


Ellen Lamprey had no heart to love.
but she iancied Wallace Parker; she
had penetration enough TO see that he
was better man than were most of
those to whom the ladies of fashion maid
COURT and, furthermore, she saw the
Possibilities he would surmount, and
could look forward to the bright career
that he was opening before him. She
was crafty girl, and calculating. She
could not hope to entrap wealthy
lover who was young and handsome; SO
she meant to entrap Wallace Parker.
1t she could. She knew that there had
been an Intimacy between him and
Clara in othpr times, aud she could
very plainly that their hearts yearned
toward each other still, however much
the young lawyer himself may have
been in the dark. She had game TO
play. She knew very well th Wallace
had come out into tho garden in the
hope OF meetiug Clara She had not
only prevented the meeting, but she had
made il appear to the gentleman that
the lady had pgrposely avoided him.


81 declarel--therc goes Wallace
] Parkcr,--and he didn't even give us
Year: 1869

wiped off the list of securities on the London
Exchange, and the Committee of the Stock
Exchange of the city passed q resolution to
refuse admission to the market OF any Spanish
Government quotations, declaring her paper as
hopelessly bankrupt and fraudulent as any OF
the other thousand schemes blown up after
deceiving the public by false promises which
had never been kept, to the ruin of the un-
happy investors. To say that Spain quietly
acquiesced in this virtual assertion Of her ma
tiOnal bankruptcy, with no extenuating circum-
stances, is not exactly true Isturitz probably
the best known and most trusted of all the
ambassadors from Spain to the Court Of St.
James. repeatedly endeavOred to remove this
stigma from the national honor. But he was
every time metEwith the answer "Pay some
off not all the money; give us some better securi-
"ty than Government promises, the value OF which
eve know" But that was what Spain would
never do 1t was now money she sought, not
payment OF what she owed already. We have
reason to believe that the most liberal offer was
made even as late as 1864, when very high
official of the late Ministry in England, now hold


ing one of the most distinguished posts OF Gov
ernment in the dependencies of Great Britain,
went to Madrid for the especial purpose OF ar
ranging the question of replacing Spanish bonds
on the list of the London Stock Exchange Mar
ket, but to no purpose, because the first prellm-


mary step of payment in some shape or other
would never be conceded. What new guarantee
has been discovered for rescuscitating lost faith
and reGstablishing bankrupt honor has
not yet been given to the public. The present
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Lord Clarendon,
was Minister at Madrid for many years. He
is an accomplished Spanish scholar, and
through his hands passed many if not most OF
the negotiations, the futility of which no man
knows better than he does. He has to deal
with the facts of the present complication, and
to lay them before the British Parliament. lie
knows the stake Spain has in the retention OF
her hold on the Cuban purse. He knows the
conditions of Spanish rule and Spanish
finance. When we hear Lord Clarendon advo-
eating the loan of English money to Spain for
any such purpose we shall better believe the
announcement that such loan is likely to lind
favor with British investors.
Year: 1869

Opportunely, with the notes Of preparation
for the grand opening Of the Pacific Railway
on Monday, comes news Of the progress made
by the East India Telegraph Company in
compiling Canton with Calcutta, London, and
New-YOrk BY the end Of the year. as the
sanguine American conductors of the enter
prise give to be understood, the line will be com
pleted. San Francisco will then send her news
for China East and her ships Vest will trans
nit orders for teas and silks three-fourths
of the way around the globe in a moment, and
will receive the shipments from an opposite
direction, in little over a fortnight. We can
not but regard it as fortunate for
this country that the great enterprise
OF introducing telegraphs to and through China
should be in American hands; and VIC augur
rich openings for the business enterprise Of our
countrymen, in the path along which these
telegraph gentlemen have become the pioneers.
Year: 1869




Merely because it comes from Havana, we
arc not disposed to believe the recent MeSican
news. The virtual Executive Of the Juarcz
administration was reported to have been
threatened with assassination, and guards had
been placed it was said, around the houses Of
his colleagues. Such reports as these are un-
fortunately too common about Mexico, but are
not necessarily true. We are the more inclined
to throw doubt since they seem to emanate
from the author of the reckless and scandalous
roorback that Juarez had fled his country with
seven millions of dollars. Rumors that some
member of the Government has been threat
ened or that State 10 in revolt, are at all
times cheap in the land Of prOnunciamentos
yet we shall wait some time before we credit
that the average of Mexican affairs is any
worse than it has been in year back, or so
bad that the Government Of Juarcz cannot
control it, for the present at least That tho
situation of the country is languishing and
poverty stricken, and much demOralized, we
admit; but we must take better testimony of
Year: 1869

The President makes no concealment OF his
views as to the propriety of extending pro-
tectorate over the countries south of us, if we
are to believe a Washington telegram. Sup
posing that he pursues such views, we shall be
committed to several elephantine chapters of
manifest destiny, which we think it would be
best to read slowly, and with all the lights at
our command. The President however, has a
distinguished and Distinguishing good sense,
and however firm he may happen to be in the
faith that the Mexicans, DOmincans or others
may need protection of ours, we trust to him
to aid us in making haste slowly.
Year: 1869

The Wall-st excitement yesterday was
scarcely warranted by the facts on which it
appeared to be based. A mere artificial tight
ening of the money market in London is not
sufficient to cause here any permanent reduc-
ton in the price of Government bonds, or
appreciation in gold. But we thank Secretary
Boutwell, for the news-which we trust to find
perfectly authentc-that he means to buy up
one million of Government bonds per week, to
be set aside as a Sinking Fund. He might
safely do much more, but we welcome this as
the beginning Of a sound polcy-thc recogni-
ton of the binding influence of law. And the
Secretary may be assured that he is not likely
to End any better opportunity for getting these
bonds cheap than yesterdays market afforded.
Year: 1869

BY some hocus- pocus. the publication of The


Globe, notwithstanding what has generally been
thought a peremptory law of Congress, has
dIifted back again into the hands of the old
proprietors. at rates of compensation which are
described as fully up to the old standard Of
extravaganza. We shall never have done,
we fear with the waste in this matter
till we reform the official publication Of tho
debates altogether by putting an end to the
whole business. Why should these hundreds
of thousands be squandered session by session
on costly mausoleums for speeches that are
never delivered and never read
Year: 1869

Strikes in New York mean misery for work
men and misfortune for employers; but in
the Pennsylvania coal fields they seem to be
the most cheerful things in the world. Nobody
suffers-not even the public-and the miners
and mine owners both have q holiday. Last
Summer the miners in the POttsville region
struck for eight hours labor for ten hours
pay. They chose time when the market was
overstocked and the operators were losing
money The stoppage Of the works was q pos
tive relief. Pottsvile was happy, and the
workmen got up fine professions and meetings,
and marched up into the Scranton region, and
along the beautiful Wyoming Valley, trying to
persuade their brethren there to join them. 1t
was an elegant sort of picnic while it lasted,
with abundant whisky and now and then a
fight by way of diversion. BY and by, when
the torches had burned out, and the men were
tired and the children hungry, work was re-
sumed. This year the story was to have been
repeated in Scranton. There seems to have
been no great trouble with the miners except
that 10000 of them wanted holiday, and so
they resolved that work should be suspended.
In this case again the operators would have
been the principal gamers. There is large
stock of coal on hand, warm weather is coming,
and a stoppage just now would relieve the
owners and lessces of the mines from n great
deal Of embarrassment. But the hands have
changed their minds, and resolved to keep Mt
work-a determination which shows most eX-
celent good sense.
Year: 1869

1t would be no unlikely thing to say that
Americans are born into Convention We have
Conventions for everything from a creed
down to n rum-bottlc. SO the other day the
saloon keepers OF seven Western cities net to


gether in Cincinnati with the cool object of
forming n National Association. Doubtless they
were pretty sober men, as those who deal in
the infrmties and appetites of their fellows
are apt to be when they are at all sharp, and
doubtless every one of them had made the
world his oyster and opened it with great
deal of profit. The Convention may have in
dcliberation very important interests of stewed,
roasted, and fucd, or in the shell but we
fancy that its proper forte would have been in
discussing such subjects as the elective fran
chise and the popular vote, and how best to
foment the sale of bad liquors and good
Democratic principles Any Committee they
might appoint 10 inquire into the best interests
of the trade would not be far from the mark
if they agreed that whatever debauches the
public mind couscryes the prosperity OF the
liquors. Every man of them, we feel sure,
would be strcnuously in favor Of drinking in
moderation upon n universal plan, and we do MT
believe any Of them complain Of the profits of
their business. In short, the proposal to hold
a National Convention of liquOrloying men
recommends itself as something vastly specu-
lative. The thought that such Convention
would represent almost an ocean of men is
strong enough to intoxicatc the public mind.
Year: 1869

Of course the Government has adyices that
the preposterOus story about the use OF the
steamer Arago by Cuban expedition Is
utterly and wholly without foundation Still,
the journal that started the story deludes itself
with the belief that it finds its account IN
sticking to IL.
Year: 1869

Friends of order and law in this city will
regard the disposition made yesterday at Albany
of the amendments to the Excise law as every
way judicious. They are postponed till the
next 4th of July, to keep company, in this pa
triotic death, with the Broadway Surface bill.
And so, we are sure of some control over our
rum-shops for another year.
Year: 1869

The bills amending the Registry law and
providing safeguards against Naturalization
Frauds. by some strange species of unexpected
good luck, successfully ran the gauntlet OF the
venal Assembly yesterday, and have gone 10
the Governor.
Year: 1869

The Syracuse Courier says: "lt is now con
tempntcd to have, IN this cIty some time IN June.
great baseball tournament Tho fact that the Central
city ub hold tine gold ball Syracuse TO be looked
to with considerable interest The tournament viii give
all challenging clubs. Win the golden bauble
an opportunity u do the same