smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1861

togcthe, in the proportions already statsd.--


The mixture is then placed on an iron had.


and sprinklcd with water to prevent N d.


plosion,and subjected to the pressure of Nm


wheels weighing seven or eight tons each. ~


means of which it is solidified into hard.


brittle cake. 1t is then passed through :


mill which reduces it to any size required :.


that now used in firing cannon is very coArse,
some Of the pieces being nearly a. large -


doves eggs. 1t is then taken to the dry


house, and dried by the heat Of steam or Arc.
Afterwards it is boltcd to free it from dust,
glazed BY means Of friction, and packed In,
various quantities, from half pound cannistersi
to kegs Of one hundred pounds each.


Gunpowder seldom explodes after having
been packed. The danger lies in the process
Of manufacture and even here the danger
is in the liability Of the workmen, from
familiarity with the process, to become negli-
gent Of duty. Each process has its peculiar
danger. The old screw press was abolishcd
and the hydraulic press substituted In its
place, because the friction of the screw genc-
rated heat which at any time was liable to
explode the mill. Iron nails in the shoes Of
the employees are carefully avoided; nor are
they used in confining the heads of the kegs
in which the powder is packed-woodcn
ones being used in their place. Although in
the manufacture Of powder, the employees re-
ceive no higher compensation for their labor
on this account, and workmcn are readily
found at a dollar day. Notwithstanding
the amount required for the present war, the
assure us that tho business is
now dull, less being used by the army than
is ordinarily employed for sporting purposes
and in the arts of peace. Our mills produce
a surplus for export, amounting in
some year to two or three millions Of pounds.
Their ordinary production is more than the
can possibly require, and the
supply now on hand would suffice to send
bullet to the heart of every traitor in our land.
Year: 1861

INCIDENTAL countryman, with coat of
and with big boots on, hastily spinning it"
down street on foot run, yesterday, met
four nicely dressed ladies' with ample crino-
line. Owing to the size Of the crinoline, or
the boots-.or both---they hitched, and
countryman landed on his face. Happily,
no bones were broken, unless it was whale
bones, and our country friend picked himself
up and hastencd on. The ladies called in at
the nearest dwelling house to repair damages.


Moral.-Country on run, with big boots
must not hurry SO rapidly past ladies with
formidable crinoline. Dubuque Union.
Year: 1861

FAT&I. EFFECT OF FORTUNE TEILNG.-A few days
ago in Cincinnati inquest held on the body Of
CoHrad Walter, young man twenty years Of age,
who committed suicide by deliberately shooting
himself in the head with pistol. Deceased lived
with his parents, and was always considered sober,
steady and industrious boy. Il was given in svi-
dence before the jury yesterday that some years
ago he went to fortune teller in the city to consult
about his fate. The sybil informed him gravely thar
as he arrived at the age Of twenty he would
die or be kleS-that he could not possibly live 20
the age of twen:y-one, except in state Of misery
and woe, to which he would prefer death. Walter
was twenty years Of age couple Of weeks since
Happening to be out of employment at the time ne
believed the prediction sf the fortune teller
about to be verified if not as regarded his death, At
least with regard 70 the misery Of his life This. Il
is thought, induced him to commit the act Of self
destruction as no other reason can be assigned and
such was in part the verdict of the jury. The
is certainly a sad comment on the amount of faith
which young people too often place IN the sayings Of
the unprinciped class alluded to.-CinciIpsdi Com
nasrcidL
Year: 1861

VVNHIs thriving city without any HOTEL the business


part Of the City Hotel being unexpectedly
cant Il ss brick bEding with thirty rooms, and
can be rented for ore half the usual price,


Provsons cheap and the house has done about twelve
thousand dollars worth Of business heretofore 1t is the


location in the State for hotel keeping and the ties Of
place demand an immediate opening. Address


feb2OWlm D. d, @. SPENCE.
Year: 1861

Ed. Crescent-In view of the scarcity of blankets
at this moment, and the necessity of providing our
brave volunteers Immediately, l would suggest
that there are now large quantities of cotton
samples in the hands of our Facters, which would
afford an excellent substitute for blankets, by
being made up into coverlids; and am assured by
the ladies' Of the Confederate Army that they will
cheerfuly prepare the same at very short notice.
Our Cotton Factors, who have already 80 nobly
contributed to the sacred cause in which we are
engaged will not hesitate to furnish all the cotton
samples they may have on hand;
Year: 1861

FRIEND MAuIN Your large Weekly sheet
is so we'll filled of late with our war news, that
hesitate to take corner for the trliling sub
ject of fruit. How rejoice that our men,
women and children are so devoted to the
support of our governmental, with very
few exceptions-and they-but stop, was
going to talk about raising fruit in Iowa.


We are very successful with the Apple this
near, when we could have apples to eat and
for cooking the whole year; when we can
have the western apple butter, or the eastern
apple sauce, which is the same thing; when
we can have "a little more cider" to put in our
cellars. Cider, when properly clarified and
drawn off once or twice, and put in clean
casks, and kept from sowering and getting
strong, is wholesome and good drink. Then,
too, we want some for vinegar, and some made
from sweet apples, to boil for our apple sauce,
and various articles of cookery-and apples
to dry Sorghum molasscs and cooked apples
go so well together. There is no fruit in the
wide world quite as useful as the apple.
Thank the God of fruits for the blessed apple.
Plant the orchard on high, dry lard; if on
prairie, dig through the black, light, alluvial
soil, into the sitter, clayey soil, and mix it up.
Cultivate thoroughly the first and second
year, and continue it every year after; but do
not stir the ground after midsummer, for you
may make the tree grow too late in the fall
and be more likely to winter kill. Plant a
belt of trees on thet nd north, to break
off the wind Get cottonwood and willow
sticks early in the spring, and stick them out
where you want the grove. Cultivate them as
you do corn, and they will be great protec-
ton to the orchard, the farm, and the build
ings, in five years. Do not omit row of
walnut and butternut, for we want nuts to
crack, when we drink our cider, long winter
evenings when we read the history of that
terrible war of the Southern Rebellion; and
tears will spring out on our cheeks when we
come to that part where our brothers and
fathers and our uncles were slain in battle,
fighting for our old Constitution, while their
enemies, so lately our own countrymen, were
fighting for the spread of slavery


To be continued on the Grapevine


SUEL FOSTER.
Year: 1861




When all our boys in the Iowa 1st have
done nobly, it is difficult to make discrimina-
tons, and yet, where any have done particu-
larly well when they have gone even beyond
the call of duty, it is no more than just to
give them the credit without detracting from
the others. I cannot refrain from mentioning
one or two who are especially commended by
their fellows. 1t is said that our friends G..
E. Compton and Samuel Holmes did the work
of two men. do not know so much of the
particulars with regard to Compton but of
Holmes we all know that he had charge of
the hospital stores, and assisted the Surgeon.
have been told by several that he was inde-
fatigable in his efforts to serve and to help the
soldiers, and that he did not spare himself in
his endeavors to help them. In long and
fatiguing marches. and in the midst of dan
ger and difficulty, when he had already done
the service of a man and soldier, he was
still ever ready to assist his companions in
their wounds and their sickness-and par
ticularly on the battle field at Wilson's Creek.
And after it, all agree that Holmes was more
efficient and did more to help them, than the
Surgeon-he attended to their wounds and
dressed them, and did all that could be done


am sorry to find that the Surgeon is not
well spoken of by our soldiers. They COM
plain that he did not attend to the wounded
this applies more to the time subsequent tc
battle, they say he did not dress their wounds
as he should, nor see to them from time tc
time afterward. I do not vouch for these
statements, but they come from those whe
should know. The men do not complain o!
their hard fare, but we come at these thing:
by asking questions; and when numbers agree
we think there is some truth in what is said
Year: 1861

SOUND DOCTRINE Ex-Secretary Holt was
in Boston on the 9th inst, and made a
speech in tie course of which he said he no.
where heard the word compromise, which
was now only uttered by traitors. So long
as rebels had arms in their hands there was
nothing to compromise. He concluded by
saying that it was in vain to toll at the
pumps while men were kept on board boring
holes in the bottom of the ship.
Year: 1861

LYNcH1NG.-We commend to the public the
following sound reflections of the Providence
Journal:


We are sorry to see that some men in the
North choose to show their patriotism by vio-
lence toward newspapers which express SYM
pathy with the South. We abhor the senti-
ments of these Secession editors as profoundly
as anybody: but we are grieved to see them
the victims of lawlessness. We know full well
how mischievous they are, how they poison
the minds of men who see no paper but theirs
But there are peaceful means entirely adequate
to the destruction of their influence, and even
of their very existence The withdrawal of
patronage by advertisers and subscribers
would soon close the career of any of those
obnoxious papers: For we do not believe that
any Northern Secessionist is jealous enough
to publish paper without remuneration:
Let us leave lyrch law to men who have had
the unenviable distinction of practicing it for
years, and confine ourselves to those peaceful
and lawful remedies which have sufficed here
tOfOre.
Year: 1861

asreeo furnish snd deliver At agreeably to the provi
The from the office Of the Lighthouse Board Should


offer or bid be accepted 10y request TO be informed
IT., and that the contract may be forwarded to -
for signature and certificate
Year: 1861

has won for itself such renown for the cure OF
every variety OF Throat and Lung Complaint, that
Ii Is entirely unnecessary for MS to recount the
evidence of its virtues, wherever it has been en-
ploycd. AS it has long been in constant use
throughout this section, we need not do more than
assure the people it's quality is kept up to the best
il ever has been. and that it may be relied on to
do for their relief all it has been found to do.
Year: 1861

On Sunday last, the Rev. Mr.. Fulton de
livered q funeral sermon on the death of the
lamented Colonel Ellsworth before the Vol
uneer Regiments Of the city, at Tweddle
Hail. His remarks on the particular event
to which the discourse WAS directed, we're
marked by the fervor and eloquence for
which its author is conspicuous, and were
listened to with interest by the congrega-
ton. But the minister, as we are informed,
improved the opportunity afforded by the
fate Of the young officer, to advance Abo


tlon theories, to denounce with violence
the institution of negro slavery, and to
preach to the brave men who are about
to venture their lives in support of the
Union and the Constitution, a nerciess and
bood'stained crusade against the domestic
institutions Of the Southern States. He
declared that the war must be Il war for the
liberation of tie SlaVe, not to be ended un
til every negro held to servilude under the
laws of any State is set free.


He recommended that as the northern
Army presses onward towards the Gulf of
Mexico, it shall seize and set free euerv south.
ern siare, torming them, as soon as liberated,
into companies Of ".Scal2ers," aohose duty IL
should be to collect the scalps of their white
oppresSors He declared that, should he 90
to the war rs Chaplain of Il regiment lie
would enlist the services of the first willing
negro he could find, and keep him By his side
IN the ranks to act as his oeun special collector
Of southern scolps.


While we did not hear the discourse to
which we have alluded, the facts reach us
through such unquesionabIe authority that
we cannot doubt the correctness of the
above statement Of its substance. We are
informed that the men, almost without ex-
ception, felt indignont al the course Of the
minister, and that a sense of proprety and
respect for Maj. De Forest, who headed the
troops, alone prevented them from leaving
the Hail in a body.


In IA subsequent article the 1Aas repeats
that its statements were substantially cor
rect.
Year: 1861

Even tableturning and spiritual manifes-
tallons are not unknown to China. In this,
as in many other things, they are in advance
OF the practitioners among ourselves. The
mode of carrying on this operation is some.
what different from that in vogue in the
United States. The table is turned upside
down upon a pair Of chop sticks laid at right
angles over the mouth of mortar or bowl
filled with water. -Four persons lay one
hand upon each ley of the table, while the
other clasps the free hand of one of the
four, and thus the circle is completed. An
incantation is now chanted by the medium
as soon as the table begins to move. The
"circe" move with it, aud in minute it is
whirling upon its axis, until it is thrown off
motion of the table is universally attributed
to supernatural agency, but it seems not to
have been used as a means of communica.
ton with the spiritual world.


There is no necessity for resorting to 80
clumsy method of communication with the
dead. The spirits have been induced to
write their communications. A table is
sprinked with some kind of powder, or -four,
or bran, or dust Then small basket,
without handle is armed with pencil or
chopstick, which is tied to its edge, or thrust
through its interstltices. The basket is then
turned upside down, its edges resting upon
the tips of two fingers of two persons stand
inc ON opposite sides Of the tables, and in
such n mauner that the pencil touches the
powdered surface. In short time the pen.
ell moves leading after it the basket and the
fingers on which it rests, and tracing upon
the dusty tables lines and fingers in which q
good linguist easily recognises the charac
ters Of the Chinese language. To this way
information is communicated on subjects Of
which the operators have no knowledge
'metimes. indeed a ghost thus invoked
may be unable to write Chinese, or may be
unwilling to exercise its powers, and then
nothing can be discovered but unmeaning
lines and angles. But in general the COM
position is good and the information valua
bic.
Year: 1861

CoTToN GRowISG IN NIcARAGUA.-We
learn from Nicaragua that the subject of
growing cotton in that State, is creating
much excitement there, that large quantity
will be planted this year, and that one steam
cotton pin is already at work.
Year: 1861

The THREAr.-The National Republican,
published in the City of Washington, and
the organ of the Lincoln Administration,
thus announces the policy and the purposes
of the government. 1t speaks by authority:


There is to be no peace except upon the
basis Of the unqualified Submission of those
in revolt. There is to be no recognition of
any pretended Southern Confederacy. There
is to be no peaceabe assent to a separation
of these States The leaders of this con
spiracy are to be driven out Of the country
or to be hanged"
Year: 1861

re- 1t should be borne in mind that the
Daily Necs contains the latest intelligence
received at this point. The paper does not
go to press until after the arrival of the mail
1t is delivered by Carrier for $so per year OF
81 for six months. Is
Year: 1861

excellent bargain. "Now," said he
to himself, "if I only have a piece of
bread-and that l can surely get at
any tine-I shall always have but
ter and cheese to eat to it; and then
when am thirsty 1 have only to
milk my COW; what more would you
wish to have, Hans?'' SO when he
came to an inn, he halted, eat up&ll
his bread and gave. away his last
piece Of money for half-a-pint of beer,
after which he proceeded with his
COW towards the village where his
mother dwelt. But as he went along
the heat Of the day increased and
at noon Hans found himself alone on
a wide moore where there was no
shelter from the overpo.vering rays
of the sun. He was now parched
with thirst; but, thought Hans, 81
can help this presently; I will milk
my COW, and soon get the better of
my thirst" SO I will milk my cow,
SO he tied her to the stump of a de-
cayed tree, and tried to milk her in
to hisleathern cap; but could not OBJ
tain a single drop of milk. Long he
toiled to no purpose; and at last the
restive animal gave him a hearty
kick which upset him into ditch.
1t Glanced, however, that butcher
came past that way, with pig in a
barrow. "What has laid you there 2"
said the butcher to Hans, as he gave
him hand out of the ditch. Hans
told him all that had befallen HIM
whereupon the butcher handed him
his bottle and exhorted him to take
good pull at it, for as to getting
milk from his COW it was ridiculous
to attempt it; the beast was old and
fit only for the slaughter-house. -
"Aye, aye" said Hans in tone of
despair, 81 never thoug hit of that
But what could make of her though
l were to kin her? l hate COW flesh !;
had it been nice little porker, like
that you have got there. one might
have made something of it," ''Well,
Hans" replied the butcher, ''it you
wish it, you can have my pig for
! your cow" "Heaven reward your
kindness !" exclaimed Hans, giving
the butcher his COW, and driving off
the barrow and the pig.


| Hans was once more at ease, and
logged. on right contentedly. But
ere he had gone much farther he met
a fellow carrying a fine white goose
under his arm. Hans stopped and
talked with him, and told him all his
adventures and in return was told
that the goose was intended for a
christening feast "Only feel how
heavy it is" said the man land yet
it is not above eight weeks old
he who has the carving Of her may
ate and come again, l trow." YES -
said Hans, weighing the goose in his
hand, cit is fine bird but my pig
is no small matter either" To this
the man replied with Very knowing
shake of his head. "Hark We, my


Couckuc1ed IN arr Nert.


TELEGRAPHIC.
Year: 1861

3 ANS ad.serVed his master seven
Gl years, and now said to him, Mas
ter, my time is up, l will go home and
see my mother.-give me my wages.
And his master said: Thou hast been
Il true and faithful servant to me, so
thou shalt have thy wages. So he
gave him piece of gold that was as
large as his head, which Hans wrapt
up in his handkerchief, and throwing
it over his shoulder, logged away
homewards quite contentedly.


But as he went along, not over has
tily, a rider came up to him, noun
ted on a beautiful active horse. "Ah,"
said Hans to himself, ''what nice
thing it would be to have a horse {!
There my gentleman sits, just as if
he were on chair; there is no break
ing toes against stones with him; no
wearing Of shoes and yet on he goes
and gets to his journeys end in a
twinkling without knowing how -
The horseman heard this, and called
aloud: "Ah, don't you see what a
load l have here to carry; it is all
gold. to be sure, but 1 can hardly
hold up my head under the burden,
and it is peeling the skin off my
shoulder" 'Then what say you to
an exchange, my friend; l will give
you my horse, if you will give me
your load" "With all my heart, -
said Hans. but III tell you, friend,
you'll have heavy burden of it,
that's ALL The horseman haped
from the saddle, took the gold, gave
Hans a foot up, and put the bride
into his hands, saying, "When you
want to travel fast, you have only
to smack your lips and call out 'hopp,
hoppv"


Hans was quite delighted to find
himself so nicely seated on his fine
horse, and rode gaily and briskly
along. At last he thought he would
like to go little faster, so he smack
ed his lips, and called out hopp,
hopp! as the horseman had directed
him. At the well-known sound the
mettlesome steed bolted forth like an
arrow; and before Hans knew what
he was about, he found himself lay.
ing in a ditch in a sad plight. The
horse would have continued his course
had not peasant, who happened tc
be passing with a COW to marke
caught it by the bride and stopt it
When Hans had got upon his feet
again, he Yves sadly vexed, and said
to the peasant; ut is no joke this
riding business; such beast as this
thinks nothing Of sending man owe,
its head and breaking his neck but
I am off now and catch me getting on
again2 I like that COW of yours
much better than than this tricky
sort of an animal one can walk lei
surely behind her, and get milk and
butter and cheese every day from her
What would not give for such a
nice creature % "Now then" said
the peasant, "since you like my COW
so well, 1 will give her to you 70,
your horse, if you choose" Hans
accepted the bargain with thousand
thanks. and the peasant leaped upon
his horse and road off.


/ Hans drove on his COW in high
Year: 1861

He has not time to attend to those
black eyed boys of his, so the little fell
lows are learning street lessons!


He has not time to take the baby for
little while. or even bring the wood and
water, SO his frail young wife is breaking
down with cares and toll.


He has not time to stop to kiss his wife,
so her heart is aching for the love of one
she thinks Indifferent. He has not time
to stop and say he was too hasty, SO that
friend is carrying with him the remem
branee Of bitter wrong.


He has not time to drop into the school
room for an hour, and so a worthless
teacher is allowing still more worthless
principles and habits to root out the good
which their mother han implanted in his
childrsn's minds.


He has not time to set out flowers and
.hrubbery in the ard, and SO it is grow
ing up to weeds and briers.


He has not time to eat his meals prop-
erly, and so he suffers terribly from indi-
gestion!


He h as not time to read an agrieultur
al newspaper, and SO he farms it in the
good old way. and wonders that hi
neighbors raises SO much larger crop.
than he!


He has not time to haul load of fire.
wood for the widow across the way, sc
the poor woman suffers with the winter
cold!
Year: 1861

He has not time to be Christians,
he runs a very narrow chance Of being
saved!


Busy man! what has he tims for?-
Time 10 delve for gold and drive close
bargains! Time to wiring the purses of
the poor. and hoard the last worn cent
that he can grasp! Time to sell the
debtors farm on mortgage, and add the
proceeds to his money 10 the bank! Time
to collect the usury which has ruined the
man whom he has obliged ~ by lend
ing him a sum of money in necessity!
Man of business! you must needs, per-
haps, take time for earth, ere long, and
still more time for judgment!