smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

This was said, in our hearing. Of
. young man by his employer. He
could have said nothing more to the
point, or better. It was to us an
entire sermon. It gave US a bet
ter knowledge Of tho character Of
the young man, and . better key to
his future, than Mr.. Wells could
have furnished on paper after ever
so careful genealogical examina-
tion. @"


It said this: That young man
is reliable, conscientious, faithful,
truthful, intelligent, competent and
essential to my business. I would
as soon think Of setting q watch
upon my own actions as on his
His statements bear upon their face
the seal of truth. His memory is
never at fault. He is so thorough
ly methodical and cautious in all he
does that be seldom, if ever, makes
q mistake. He is IS much interest
ed in my business as myself am.
A hint to him is equal to a COM
mand. If he knows thing should
be done he does not wait to be told
but goes at it at once and when
he puts his hand to task you can
venture any small amount that il
will be finished before he leaves it.


All this and moro was included
in that brief, pishy commentator
and We felt sure then, as we do now,
that we can forecast that young
mans future. He will not be simp-
~ an honest man and useful
member Of society,"" but a POSITIVE
Year: 1869

A. young JOhn FhGnlx tells how
it was as follows


"I'll tell you how it was. You
see Bill and me went down to the
wharf to fish : and l felt in my
pocket and found MY knife and it
was gone and l said, Bill. you
stole my knife ; aud he said l was
another, and said % there your
self; and he said it was no such
thing; and l said he was a. liar,
and | could whip him if | was big
CORR him !; and he said he'd rock
me to sleep, mother !; and ! said he
was . bigger one and he said !
never had the measles, and | said
for him to fork over that knife OF
fix him for a tombstone on Laurel
Year: 1869

[From Packard = Monthly for July.]
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLE
MEN 1t is my painful duty to mar
these festivities with the announce
ment of the death Of one who was
dear to us all-our trico and noble
friend, the "Reliablc Contraband. I"
To the world At large this event
will bring no sorrow, for the world
never comprehended him, never
knew him rs We did, never had such
cause to love him but unto us the
calamity brings unutterable an
guish--for it heralds the loss of one
whose great heart beat for us alone,
whose ti:eless tongue vibrated in
our interests only, whose fervent
fancy wrought its miracles solely
for our enrichment and renown.


+ In that time what did ho not do
for us? Whom marvels languishea
and sensation dispatches grew tame,
who was it that laid down the
shovel and the hoe aud came with
healing on his wings? The Relia-'
BILE Ccntraband. When armies fed
in panic and dismay, and the great
cause seemed lost beyond ell hope
Of succor, who was it that turned
the tide Of war and gave victory to
the vanquished =? The Reliable
Contraband. When despair hung
its shadows about tho hearts of the
people, and sorrow sat on every
face, who was it that braved every
danger to bring cheering and in
comprehensive news from the front?
The Reliable Contraband. Who
took Richmond the first time The
Reliable Contraband. Who took
it the second time? The Reliable
Contraband. Who took 1t livery
time until the last, and then felt
the bitterness of hearing = nation
applaud the the man more who took
it once than that greater man who
had taken it six times before? Tho
Reliable Contraband. When we
needed q bloodless victory to whom
did We look to win it? Tho Re-
liable Contraband. When We need
ed news to mako the peoples bow
els yearn, and their knotted and
combined locke to stand on end like
quilts upon the fretful porcupine,
to whom did We look to fetch it ?
The Reliable Contra band. When
We needed ANY sort or description
Of news, upon ANY sort or descript-
ion of subject. who was it that stood
always to steal . horse and bring
that news along? The Reliable
Contraband.


My friends, he was the faithful
lest vassal that over fought, Fled
aud lied in the glorious ranks of
journalism. Thunder and lightning
never stopped him annihilated
railroads never delayed him mill
tary secrecy never crippled his
knowledge /; strategic feints never
confused his judgement cannon
balls couldn't kill him /; clairvoy-
ance oouldn't find him !; Satan him
self couldn't catch him. His in
formation comprised all knowledge,
possible and impossible his imagi-
nation was utterly boundless; bis
capacity to make the mighty state
Year: 1869

In the life of most persons a period
arrives when the stomach no longer
digests enough of the ordinary ele-
ments of food to make up for natural
daily waste of the bodily substance
The size and weight of the body be-
gin to diminish, more or less percepti-
bly,. AT this time tea comes in as n
medicine to arrest the waste, and to
keep the body from falling away so
fast, and thus to enable the less ener-
getic powers of digestion still to sup
ply as much as is needed to repair the
wear and tear of the solid tissues.


No wonder, therefore, that tea
should be favorite, on the one hand,
with the poor, whose supply of sub
stantial food is scanty; and on the
other, with the aged and infirm, espe-
cially of the feebler sex, whose pow
ers of digestion and whose bodily sub
stance have together began to fail
Nor is it surprising that the aged
female, who has barely enough of
weekly income to buy what are called
the common necessaries of life, should
yet spend a portion of her small gains
in purchasing her ounce of tea. She
can live quite as well on less common
food, when she takes her tea along
with it; while she feels higher, at the
same time more cheerful and filter
for her work, because of the indul-
gence.-Chenist1y Of Common Life.
Year: 1869

Fraud seems to be losing its power
to disgrace, provided only it be sue
cessful, or even should it fail and still
retain large means. There is nothing
that so clearly revealsfhe extent to
which the sentiment of honesty has
rOtted out of the public mind as the
maner in which great frauds are regar-
sarded. In proof of this statement, we
peed only point to the recent attempt
of certain parties in Wall-street to con-
troll the gold market, and thus GER
tainly TO make money by the ruin of
hundreds of victims. Where is the
punishment for these men? Are they
not heroes rather than culprits? Do
they not glory in their shame? And
is there not a feeling among us as
though these men were only bold
operators, only a little too fast and
keen for their neighbOrs? In a coun-
try where a prize-tighter and gambler
may be Congressman, leaders of the
late Wall-street troubles may well pass
for gentlemen only a little too adven-
turous. If things proceed long in
this way, the result will be that these
notions of honesty will come to per-
wade the whole community, and eat
out the vitals of the nation. 1t will
poison the family relations, the chill
dren will be corrupted in their cradles,
and, as a matter of course, clerks and
statesmen, and the astute inventions
of trade will return to plague the in
ventors.-N. Y. Methodist.
Year: 1869

From the Des Moins Register.l


We have all heard of the "Song of


the Shirt" and most of us know it by


heart, and more of US should pay heed


TO what it so nobly teaches. That was


by Hood and the best thing Thomas


ever gave the world. Now we have


the story of a shirt, of entirely differ


ent nature and on a widely different


subject. This is by the Winterset


Sim, is founded on facts, sis facts"


and has to do with the sweet smelling


Henry whose last name is Clay Dean.


IL runs thus: Years ago, when Mr..


Albert West was one of the leading


Democrats of this county, Henry


Clay Dean came to Winierset to make


a Democratic speech. Mr.. West, who


has an unfaltering aversion to dirty


shirts, informed the committee that


Dean could not speak unless he put


on a clean shirt. Dean was the pos


sessOr of only one of those useful ar


ticles and that was on his back. The


only remedy was TO borrow, and Mr..


West was the only Democrat whu>e


physical proportions were sufficiently


developed to require shirt long


enough to fit Dean. Henderson Clay


wasaccOrdingly enScOnsed in the bank


er's fine linen,' made his speech, and


departed in triumph, bearing off
five dollar shirt belonging to Mr..


West. That shirt was never heard of
until. the fall of 1865, when Dean came
again to Winterset to make another
speech. That time he took up his
abode with our genial friend George
w. Sewers. Now George has a clean
ly desire to see folks look tidy, and
Deans shirt was an abOmination in
his eyes. He therefore suggested to
the orator that he would do well to
get on the inside of a clean one before
the people. Dean acqui-
esced in the theory of the change, but
lacked the clean garment necessary
to put it in practice. George prompt
ly rendered him his own. Dean ac-
cepted the offer, and made his speech
aTrayed in Georges best shirt. Dean
weighs about three hundred; George
one hundred and sixty. Dean has q
large surplusage of abdomen; George
is built as trim as race horse. The
consequence of this dissimilarity in
size made it impossible for Georges
shirt to fit Dean, if worn in the ordi-
nary manner. But the orator was
full of expedients, and by putting on
the shirt wrong end down and tail
end up he made the rifle, astOnished
his hide by bringing it in contact
with clean linen, electrified the audi
ence by the size of his shirt collar,
and at the close of his address contin-
tinued his travels to another point,
taking our friends shirt with him,
Mr.. Dean left his soiled garment in
the room, and when, preparatory to
washing, it was carried out on a chip
into into the sunlight, there, on one
corner of its narrative, appeared the
West. Eleven wears
that shirt had abode on the back of
the orator. The great rebellion, the /
total eclipse, the Pacific railroad, the /
of three presidents-all had I
passed away before our eloquent hero /
found time to change his shirt and |
when the great change was made he |
kindly returned to the spot where he 1
got his first clean shirt to invest in 1
his second one"
Year: 1869

It is now more than three hundred
years that the Roman Catholic Churcl.
has been without the meeting of a
council like the one which has beeI
eOnvOked for the eighth of December
of the present year, at Rome. These
three hundred years have been pc
riOd of history in which Protestant
ism has tried, by the side of Roman
Catholicism, its moulding influence
upon society. The result of these
hostile Influences is now a fact of his
tory. As regards Professionalism, no
man of sound mind will deny thai
what three hundred years ago was q
feeble plant has now become power
full tree, beneath whose shadow live
many of the leading nations of the
world. PTOtestantism is now an in
cOmparably greater power in society
than it was at the time of the COun-
ell of Trent. 1t is not so with the
Church of Rome. The bishop who
in a few weeks will take into cOnSid-
Grafton the condition of their Church
can hardly be so blind as to ignore
the marvellous decline since the days
when their predecessors, in the six
teenth century, met in the Gcumeni-
cal Council of Trent.
Year: 1869

On the east bank of the North river,
in Hampshire county, West Virginia,
is perhaps one of the greatest curiOsi-
ties in the State. 1t is literally an ice
mountain, in height from four to five
hundred feet. The western side ofthis
mountain is covered with loose stone,
of light color from base to summit.
BY removing the stone, pure, solid
crystal ice can be found in the warm
est days of summer, and it has been
found there as late as the middle of
September. 1t may exist throughout
the entire year if the rocks were re-
moved to a sufficient depth.
Year: 1869

There is an old German verse which
we here give. How correct it is re-
mains yet to be seen:


IF in October there's much frost and storm.
The coming January will be mild and war a.;
But IL the weather in the fall prove clear,
The winter winds will prove cold and drear."
Year: 1869

Colorado is said to be becoming the
resort of consumptives. The Denver
NelCs says some have been much BEN
Gifted. For those who are only in the
first stages of ineipient consumption,
it says, there is no question that the
rare aud dry air of Colorado is a near
ly infallible specific.
Year: 1869

John w. Farmer, Of New York,
known as the originator of the soup
house charity in 1857, the year of the
great panic, when the destitutiOn of a
portion of the people was unparalleled,
died last week.
Year: 1869

1t is much easier to get money than
to get justice. The world IS apt to re-
sent, as n wrong done to its self-esteem
that YOU should claim anything as a
right. Itprefers tO bestOw, IA a ehari-
ty. that which you properly, perhaps
can regard only as debt.
Year: 1869

A recent suit against an Insurance Company
before the Supreme Court of Missouri led to
decision of wide interest The Company re-
sisted payment of bss on the ground that
the application for the policy did not give ac-
curate answers TO questions concerning the
character of the title to the property. The
holder of the policy responded with proof that
be had made frank and full statement of the
facts to the COmpany's agent, when he was So
iieiting the insurance, and that after this
statement the agent, saying it made no dlf-
ference, filled in the inaccurate answers in the
application. The Court held the Company re-
sponsible for this action of its agent, and re-
quired the payment of the loss The principle
thus established is of wide application, es-
pecially in Life Insurance Companies, whose
agents are often tempted to slur over doubt
full circumstances concerning the health or an
tecodents of applicants, in order to secure the
issue Of the policies.
Year: 1869

In the u. 5. Commissioners office yesterday,
before Commissioner Belts the Herman Bounty Fraud
case up, pursuant to adjournment The defendant
was mt present His counsel informed the Commissioner
that defendant will be present In due time; that ta
sufficient all claims on hIm could be given and
that he word probably pay all the claims in month or
six weeks at the urthcst Assistant District Attorney
Emerson said defendants bail bond for $4,000 was still


pending aud could be prosecuted NJ any time The Com


missioner said he wanted 10 secure the men and women
who had claims against the defendant the money that was
due them Counsel for defendant said that all the claims
IN charge Of defendant. now pending IN Washington,
will DE paid 10 tho Attorney for this District In
trust for the claimants Assistant DstricAttorney En-
erson said that what wanted 10 get the money
the claims this considered OF more Importance
than the punishment OF the defendant. The amount OF
these outstanding claims would probably be ascertained


this week IL had been believed that they numbered 4yl,
but 10 was thought that they only numbered about
one.third Of that amount The was then adjourned
for one week There were great number Of claimants
present but not many the two previous hear


ugs Many OF those present came from Connecticut and
Massachusetts and others from other places Ut long DIS
from tLis city,
Year: 1869

The famine has returned to India, and is
Spreading fast in many of the most pOpulOus
districts The Government is doing what it
can to relieve the distress by furnishing food
and employment to the really helpless, and
there are some of the states which possess
surplus crops large enough to export guam
titles OF grain to the destitute districts; but it


Is feared that before relief systems can be
fElly organized starvation win make sad raw
ages among the people. At any rate, destitu-
ton and disease are scOurges which govern
ment charity viii hardly be able to ward off.
Year: 1869

The World has very much to say of the atros
city OF the present duty on imported Salt, but
takes care not to let its readers know that said
inpOst is exactly eighteen cents per. hundred
pounds. Why so fearful Of the truth? How
can it harm you when you keep it at such a
distance? Do pluck up courage for once to
tel your readers exactly how much the Salt
daty isl
Year: 1869

The fourth edition of THE TRIBUNE ALMANAC
TOR 1869, now for sale at this Office, contains,
With much other valuable matter, Lists of the
New Congress which is TO meet on the 4th of
March, Returns of the Fall Elections and
great variety of Historical aud Political infor-
nation which can be obtained in no other form
equally cheap and convenient
Year: 1869

The proceedings of the meeting for organic
ing the Society OF tho Army Of the Potomac, which
held in this city on the 22d inst, fully reported IN
The Army and Nary Journal for this week This Is the
only full report that has yet appeared.
Year: 1869

The President gives, as his reas-
ons for removing Governor Ashley,
of Montana, that, IN the first place,
he was not fully satisfied Of his fit
ness, but allowed himself to be over
ruled by the almost unanimous re-
commendation of the Republicans in
Congress, which Ashley brought
Next after his nomination, his atten-
ton was called to the Dyer Case
letters, upon which he believed the
Senate would reject the nomination.
After confirmation, Ashley made a
speech, in which he expressed the


,plnion that the repubicans should
not desers the administration because
OF the many injud,cions appointments
II must be conceded it had made,


which, the President thought, came


with very bad grace from Ashley.
Aud, lastly comes the report of The
speech In Montana, where be declared
hat he was prepared aud quite will
ling to represent the views Of ma
iority in the Territory upon the
negro questions. Such a bid for the
favor of the Democracy the Presi-
dent thought a very pnpromising
sign - Chi ago Post.


Per contra, Washington cores.
pondent OF the springfield Republican
has the following to say in favor OF
the "Ambrosial Ashley"


Gov. Ashley thus far has done
better than any governor we have
had since Edgerton, and the intense
prejudice against him is fast wearing
away. lie has already visited near
ly every part of the territory and
selected a location for colony that
is coming from his old Toledo district
in the spring. in the Bitter Root val
ley. The eastern papers are making
a desperate attempt to show that our
governor has, like his predecessors,
lowered his banner Of Radicalism
and gone over to the Democrats.
There is no shadow of truth in any
such charges. The Governor is fully
as radica still as the Republicans
and Union men of this section.
Heretofore there has been no con.
cert of action among those who have
held the federal offices in Montana.
Instead of organizing and building
up the Union party, they have been
engaged in personal contests with
one another, and left the field to tho
undisputed occupancy of the Mis-
souuri Democracy. By judicious
management and by the aid OF the
new immigration, this territory could
soon be redeemed politically.
Year: 1869

The Davenport Gasetts recently
had q long correspondence from
owesheik P County, unfriendly to
our able aud faithful member of
OF ongrcss, and now in the last is
sue Of that paper, we find another
letter from the same locality on the
other side of the question, highly
euloglstic Of that gentleman.


When the President appointed
General Belknap Secretary of War,
the Gazette opened It's columns to an
extremely unfair dispatch, relative
to his appointment, from Des Moines
out directly perceivipg the pubhc
pulse beating strongly in his favor,
that astute organ hedged back by
the most fulsom adulations of the
General, and now arrogates TO itself
tho credit Of being his special cham.
pion in Iowa.


General Bellsnap and Judge Lough-
ridge are fortunate that their debit
and credit accounts are so evenly
balanced, II the Oracle of the Iowa
Year: 1869

1t has been reserved tor Chicag,
to possess one Of the most remarka
BILE young ladies of the period-a yer
table heroine, the Model Girl of th'
Period.


There lives in Wabash avenue, in /
home of highly respectable exterior
a yourg lady, the pride of her moth
or and the joy Of her papa. She is
or rather she was. in every respect
an attractive, graceful and accom-
plished girl and so stbbtgkt ,ysn9e
Mr.. -, to whom she is engS
ged, and who, looking at her with The
eye of q lover, could see, Of course, nc
blemish in her.


Yet there uaS one little defect, one
small imperiection, which was said te
mar the symetry of her otherwise
perfect form. Nature had given he!
a pair of wonderfully small feet, but
although in length thcy wore all that
Chinese beauty might have adored,
they were just a little too broad in
proportion to their size. But for this
little oversight of Nature they would
have been the most ravishing psir Of
little feet that ever "twinkledn be
meath petticoat. Tho young lady
often sighed as the bootmaker took
the measure of them, and thought
how she might have dazz!ed the
world, and her adorer particularly,
had nature been little less liberals
In short, her feet gave her no rest at
night or day. She was about to be
married, and, in view Of that event,
she resolved to make n double sacri-
fee.


A few months ago she visited an
eminent surgeon of this city, and
made proposal which caused the
practitioner to shudder. He at once
declined to accede to her strange re.
quest, and there tie matter dropped
foratime. Morerecently the young
lady renewed hcrproposition, express
ing her firm determination to have il
carried out, and SO persistently did
she cling to her resolution that the
doctor was at last prevailed upon to
comply with her wish. This was
nothing less than the amputation OF
the small toe Of each foot. which
would reduce the member to size
exactly proportioned to its length.
The operation was one demanding
the incest skill on the part OF the sur
geon, and a few days since was sue
cessfully performed, with the consent
Of tho young lady's relatives and
friends. The obnoxious toes have
been extracted just like teeth, leaving
the feet somewhat disigurcd for .
time, but suited to tit into the small
lest, daintiest little shoe that can b.
flashed. The young martyr is now il
bc1 waiting patiently for the wound
to heal. The operation has cost hel
= pang perhaps, but only think what
she had gained (what she had lost,
by it Two small fantastic toes
Many victor has lived long honored
and happy, with one foot in the
grave. fhis courageous little hero
inc has achieved a victory which
the fashionable world will delight t
honor aud she can now walk abroad
in muddy weather without trailing
her skirts. Doubtless she is aching
for the next evening party, where
her little foot will he exhibited as 9
triumph Of art over nature. The
yo upg lady has boldly put into prac
CO the Scriptural precept, "If thy
small toe offend thee, cut it off,
CJlicdg0 Tribune,
Year: 1869

knight and a lady once met in a grove
While each one was In quest Of fugitive love:
river ran mourniuly murmurng by


And they wept in its waters for sympathy
80, never was knight such a sor1ow that bore.n
-, never was maid so deserted before,"
From life and its woes let US instantly dy
And jump into together for company, !"


They searched for an eddy that suited the deed,
But here was bramble. and there was a weed
D How tiresome it Is 70 said the fair with a sigh
20 they sat down to rest them in company.


They gazed on each other the maid and the knight
How lar was her form, and how goody his hight;
"One mournful embrace sobbed the youth dio "
80 kissing and crying kept company.
80 had but loved such an angel as you I"
had bnt my swain been quarter true!"
:" To miss such perfection how blind was ~


Sure now they were excellent company.


At length spoke the lass, 'twixt a smile and tear
"The weather is cold for a watery bier :"


When summer returns may easily die


Til then let US sorrow in company"