smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

A CORRESPONDENT of the Boston Jour-
nal writing from Concord, N. H., tells the
following romantic story:


One Of the happiest Thanksgiving din
ners in New Hampshire yesterday, was IN
one of our rural villages, not thirty miles
from Concord. It was the first reunion
for many years of several generations of a
certain family. At the head Of the
table sat the venerable grandfather, now
eighty-one years of age. He had come
alone, thousands of miles, from the West,
to meet his descendants. After the din.
ner, he told the story Of his life. Some OF
its main features we have gathered for this
letter.


The hero of the story was born in the
State of New York, and passed his youth
on fertile farm in the valley Of the Mo-
hawk river. In the course of time he was
engaged to be married. Before the nup-
tiaIs were celebrated he became interested
in anothef young lady, who also proved
to be engaged, but between them there
soon sprung up a strong intimacy, which,
on the part OF both, was carefully con-
cealed from the other parties concerned:
The most solemn pledges. however, had
been made by them, and they shrunk
from the idea of breaking their plighted
vows In vain they waited, hoping that
something might occur which would cause
the other parties to give them release from
matrimonial obligations.


At length they met, as they supposed,
for the last time, and parted. The man
married and emigrated to the West, and
the woman was united in hymeneal bonde
and settled on the shores of the Oneida
lake. These events happened nearly fifty
wears ago. The Western adventurer
proved a good husband and kind father,
and grew into middle age widely known
and influential citizen. Prosperity attend
ed him, and wealth and many friends came
to him. After twenty years of married
life his wife was taken from HIM, but
children remained. By and by several OF
his children married, and one Of them
came to New Hampshire. Years passed
on, but he had never again visited the
East.


After repeated invitations from his rela-
tives he concluded few months ago to
spend with them, in New Hampshire, the
then approaching festival of Thanksgiv-
ing. He reached Albany at the time oi
the height of the great food, and travel
being much interrupted he stayed over q
few DAYS, and accidentally met some Old
acuuaintances of his youth. During one
conversation there was casually mentioned
the name of her from whom he had many
wears ago so sorrowfully parted Eagerly
he asked if she were yet alive. and when
answered In the affirmative tears came 70
Year: 1869

TIE moons path in the heavens Is not
q circle, but continuous spiral, that does
not return into itself until after q very
long time. In consequence of its spiral
movements along the face of the heavens,
the moon hides in succession every point in
. belt of sky that stretches to five degrees
eight minutes and forty-eight seconds on
either side of the elliptic, and it takes
eighteen and half years to do this.
Year: 1869

THE Rural Nep. Yorker says there is
method sometimes adopted with good sue.
cess to make cheese which is dry and
hard, from over sailing, mellow and pal
atable. This method is to wash the
cheese several times in soft watsr and then
Law it in . cloth moistened with wine or
vinegar. ~ q
Year: 1869

Last evening, ten minutes past six O'Clock, ofncer


Mclaughlin, OF the Third precinct while on post,


was excitedly accosted by an individual who re-


Quested him to hurrledy call at the boarding house
No. College place, as 1t was believed that an In
mate had committed suicide. Responding with
aacrity, the officer directed to the fourth floor,
room No. 10, when, after trying the door and not
being able TO gain admtance he burst open, when
hOrrid sight met his gaze. Lying on the bed, with


large size navy revolver firmly grasped in his right


hand, was the dead body OF Daniel A. Dickerson, he
having committed suicide by shooting himself iu the
right temple. The wound was OF the most terrible
nature, the slug having torn the top OF his head
nearly off, Information at sent to the sta
tOn house In relation to the self-murder when COrO-
ner keenan, notified TO hold an inquest. Later In
the evening the Central ONCE was apprised Of the
startling suicide, simply announcing that the deed
had been committed but giving no details The house
was then Immediately visited BY a reporter OF the
HERALD. but no information of interest could be
obtained, the manner Of the occupants being such
as to warrant the assumption that they wished 70
hush the matter up entirely. This was 30 1nsatis
Chambers street, when Sergeant Crollus, who was
duty, vouchsaied the information that the par
ticulars OF the sef-homicide were very few, but
that the deceased was twenty-eight years OF
age, had been boarding in the house for
some time, and 1t was alleged that he
had b! been very imprudent Of late IN his habits.
Further inquiry developed the fact that a
letter had been left by the deceased explaining the
cause OF the tragic affair, ana that this document
was in the hands Of Coroner keenan,, who had called
at the house to satisfy himself regarding the case.
The most strenuous exertions then made to OBJ
tain this episte and any other documents that had
been left to explain the impulses Of the deceased,
pirate at this juncture and having the startling
suicide In view to inquire why there are 80 few facli


ties for the entire press to obtain intelligence from
The CQroner's office after four O'Clock In the alter
10Ouf Is7Nss
Year: 1869

THE NEGROES IN GEoRGIA.-It was
reported through the Southern press that
the negroes were creating havoc and letting
slip the dogs of war on the Ogeechee,
wherefore Government Commissioners, Of
ficers of the army, were dispatched by Gen
eral Grant to investigate the facts On
the Ogeechee they found about fifty men,
three guns and one bayonet. The negroes
were sorely frightened and appeared like
hunted deer, afraid of everything in the
skin of white man. The Commissioners
say:


"The negroes against whom the war
rants were issued were anxious to come
in and surrender, and wanted to come with
us, but were afraid to come alone for fear
of being fired on. They deny having re-
sisted the posse, and think they tell the
truth. We remained with them all night,
and made arrangements with them to come
in tonight and surrender themselves to
the Sheriff under military escort. They
will come tonight, as they were afraid to
come by daylight"


The negroes had no faith in the white
men These negroes, who have lived in
the South all their lives and who knew
well the white race there, were afraid of
being shot down in the streets without
Judge or jury and does any one doubt
that their fears we're well founded How
can there be peace where there is not JUS
tice, or at least a settled faith in the minds
of the people that they will be justly dealt
with-Bee
Year: 1869

NARROW ESCAPE From BEING BtR-
led ALIvE.-Several days ago child re-
siding with its parents in the northern
part of the city, was stricken down with
smallpox, and, after four or FIVE days i'll
ness, became, to all appearances lifeless,
and, as has become usual in this city, the
preparations for the burial of the corpse
were hurried forrwad with all possible speed.
In four hours after death was supposed to
have taken place, the child was placed in
coffin and conveyed to Lone Mountain
for burial. There were but few persons in
attendance, and they. although they had
had the disease, manifested an anxiety to
get through with the task, and away from
the graveyard The grave had been pre-
pared, and some ofthe attendants took hold
of the coffin for the purpose of conveying
it from the carriage to the grave, when
their attention was attracted by noise
inside the coffin--similar to that produced
by scratching the sides of box with fin
ger-nails. The coffin was Immediately
opened, when it was found that the child
was not dead 1t was still breathing, and
moving uHedSlIy III ilp hdiIo" peu. IL
was carried to shelter, and efforts were
made to restore more animation. A physi-
clan was sent for, and arrived, but before
he did so, death had come, this time not
in feigning, but in reality. After the
physician had pronounced death to be GER
tain, the remains were again placed in the
coffin, and consigned to the earth. The
haste used in burying persons who die
from smallpox, may have caused more
than one to have been buried alive; but
we hope that such may not be the case
Gail.
Year: 1869

How THE SMALL PoX IS SPREAD
The S. f. Alta of the llth has this item


Eureka the problem of the manner in
which the small pox is spread through the
city is solved at last. The Board of Health
can cease its labors, the vaccine physician
can lay down the scab and lancet, and the
perambulatory chlorinater can be sold to
Brown for conversion into vehicle of
different description. A gentleman of an
inquiring turn of mind, residing in the
northern part of the city, has discovered
how the thing is done, and posted us for
the benefit of the public. 1t is cats ! He
knows it beyond doubt. His next door
neighbor had the small pox in his family
He had a cat The cat was on visiting
terms with a cat living two doors further
down the street, and used to 90 there reg
ularly on Saturday evenings to get up an
impromptu serenade What was the re-
suit? The family where that cat used to
go took the small pox Could anything
be clearer than that? He has noticed that
cats circulate around town freely, and so
does the small pox His remedy, proposed
in all seriousness, is tokill off the cats with
strychnine, or firearms, or both, if either
alone prove insufficient, and replace them
with small Scotch terriers, which will kill
off the rats and mice just as well, and don't
go courting at night and spreading the
small pox. If his theory is the correct
ene-and the facts he brings to back it up
are startling-B. Weiss, who cures paral-
ysis by magnetism, may take his one hun
dred thousand dollar small pox receipt and
burn it; we can get along without either
him or the cats.
Year: 1869

A SOUTHERN HIGH-ToNE AMONG THE VAN
DALs.-Major De Forrest, of the Freedmen's
Bureau, continues his amusing sketches of
Southern character in one of which he says:


1t was indescribably amusing to watch a
CharlestoniaR friend of mine during his first
and last visit to New York. Dressed in a
full suit of black, and bearing gold d-headed
cane in his hand. he walked Broadway at the
digniied rate of two and half miles an
hour. Some one brushed against his right
elbow; he turned and glared, grasping his
cane tightly; the intruder was gone. Some
one brushed against his left elbow another
pause, glare, and settling of the cane in the
fist; no antagonist visible. Every few steps
he felt himself insulted. prepared to vindicate
his honor, and failed to discover any one
whom he could call to an account. At the
end of SIX block, faming with a Consciousness
ct aggravated injuries, he took carriage,
drove back to the.St Nicholas, drank mint
JUMP, seated himself in a window of the
reading room, and stared sullenly at the in
termlnable crowd which hurried bv unaware
OF his existence. He was like a car who
should be hustled and intimidated by n car
ret full OF scrabbling mice. Within a wesk
he left the city. thoroughly disgusted with its
multItudlnous hustle. and never returned
Year: 1869

I'll 90 and find him." But there was nothing
in the tone or in the words to assure me. :
As he spoke he crossed the hall to our own
ROOM and turned the knob. The door was
locked. What could that mean? Eddie was
either on the inside or had taken the key away
with him. Mr.. A-ran round to a window
with broken spring, which could be opened
from the outside. 1t went up with a clang,
but a dense volume of spoke drove him back.
After an instant another attempt was made,
and this time on a lounge directly under the
window, he stumbled on the lnsenslble form
of little Eddie, smothered in smoke. Limp
and apparently lifeless, he was borne into the
fresh, cold air, and after some rough handl-
ing. was restored to consciousness.


From that hour | think have known how
Abraham felt when he lifted Isaac from the
altar unharmed in obedience to the command
of the angel of the Lord. True, had been
subjected to no such trial of strength and
faith: my Father knew | would have shrunk
utterly before it: vet, if it was not similar
messenger that whispered to me in the midst
of that gay party an hour previous, | have
no wish to be convinced Of it, and were the
book placed in my hands which l knew had
power to rob me Of this sweet belief, would
never open it.


Eddie said on returnin5 from school he
made good fire, and as the wood was snowy,
thought he would put it into the oven to dry ;
something he had never done before. Then
on leaving Mr.. E-'s room he went in for
an apple before going to see Libby Roses
picture book, and it seemed so nice and warm
he thought he would lie down Z while. lie
could give no explanation as to what prompt
ed him to turn the key; it was the first and
last time, but this would have made no differ
ence in the result, for no one would have dis
covered the smoke in time to save his life.
The wood in the oven was burned to ashes,
but as the doors were closed there was no
danger of falling embers setting the house on
! fire. and had we staid to the concert every
thing would have been as when we left, ex-
cept that little Edde's voice would never more
have made music for our ears. Every one
said that with a delay of five or even three
minutes we should have been too late


| Many years have passed since then, yetnow,
when the lamp Of faith burns dim, God and
His promises seem a great way off, | have
only to 90 back to this-the first, the last and
only manifestation of his nature-to feel that


LAS a father careth for his children so caret1


He for u.s. ''Deliver Us from evil. for Yhine


is the power" is no mere formality, but word
pregnant with meaning.
Year: 1869

HAIIFAx, n s., June lS The following
was passed at the late repeal league eonven-
ton at Halifax.


Whereas, In the opinion Of the members of
this convention, the further continuance OF
Nova Scotia in the Canadian confederation
will be but a daily prayer to ruin, and


Whereas, Our only hope of commercial
prosperity, national development and perma-
nent peace, lies in q close relation with the
United States; therefore,


Resolved, That every legitimate means
should be used by members Of the convention
to sever the connection with Canada and
bring about union on fair and equitable
terms with the American republic.


Resolved, That this convention recommend
the foundation of leagues throughout the
province for the purpose of carrying the fore
going resolutions into effect.
Year: 1869

At 4 banquet given in honor OF an Austria
liam maenatr, his health was proposed; but
he declined TO make = speech in retnrn.
"Gentleman." he said, ''what YOU have said
is doubtless true, and certainly agreeable
but l never made but one speech i'll my life
before any large number of people, and short
as it was, the result was SO unfortunate that I
made up my mind never TO make another.
On further inquiry. ii was found that tn,
speech in question was made at the Old Bal
ley. II consisted of Not guilty, my lord,
and the result had been transportation for life


The Cubans and >laniards in thi, country al,
always fighting mad, and indulge i'll great deal Of
warlikc talk. A pair Of them, from NeW York
crossed the river at Niagara last week and fought
duel on the Iundy's Lane battle ground. The ca
ban got bah through beth legs Whyh ended the
Year: 1869

Tom Allen the, English knight Of
the fistic ring, being conceded the vic.
tor in the encounter with McCoole near
st. Louis Tuesday, is now challenged
for another fight by one ,Gallaher. It
is a lamentable fact that there are
plenty of people in oil our States and
communities who delight in these
brutal and degrading exhibitions. II
is sad commentary on our boasted
refinement and culture, that 1t is so.
The brutalities of the prize ring are
winked at by the officers OF the law
and countenanced (by the interest man
ifested in them if in no more obvious
way) by men who rank as moral
and exemplary citizens. While there
is so large rnffainly element
in the country, and such an appetite
for these coarse amusements, means
will be found TO evade the law and
feed the appetite. But it does not fol-
low that all effort to suppress these
barbarities are therefore tobe foreborne.
SO far from it, duty to society requires
that the vigilance OF all those entrust-
ed with the prevention of such offences
should be all the greater. No laws can
be effective that are not supported by
public sentiment; and so it is
vain TO hope that the savagery
of the prizs ring will cease so
long as enough people countenance it
to render it safe for the officers of the
law to connive at it. II ought not to
be possible for such Il prizs- fight as
that cf Tuesday 10 traosPire on the soil
of the United States, for IL has been a
matter OF notoriety for weeks. Every
body engaged in promoting il ought to
have been arrested long since. But, no {;
the respectable" people of st. Louis
were just As eager for it to cotne off as
the roughs, and there was no moral
sentiment there Cat least not enougb) to
compel the authorities to enforce the
law and prevent the encounter.
Year: 1869

The Count was riding home one day,
But, meeting his groom upon the way
where are YOU going groom - said he,
And where do YOU come from answer me-"
Pm taking walk for exercise sake,
And beside there's house want 10 take"
ITO take house 2" said the Count "Speak out,
What are the folks ut home about -
Not much has happened" the servant said,
Only your little white dog i dead"
"Do vou tell me my faithful dog is dead?
And how did this happen - the master said.
well, your horse took fright and jumped on the
Then ran to the river, and there got drowned"
MY noble steed the stables pride
What frightened him - the master cried.
Twas when. if remember well,
Your son from the castle window felln
My son hu, hope he g 'aped with life,
And is tendcrly nursed by my loving wife,
ALAS the good Countess has passed away Hay"
For she dropped down dead where her dead son
why. then, in such time of trouble and grief.
Are you not taking care of The castle YOU theft
The castle " ondcr what YOU mean
Of yours but the ashes remains to bc seen;
As the watcher slept misfortune dire
In a moment her hair and her clothes caught fire.
Then the castle around her blazeJ up in minute,
And all the household have pcri-hed in il;
And, of them all, Fate spared but me,
Thus gently to break the news 10 thee"


From He German Of GrUm
Year: 1869

When men are prosperous, and are
making money, and consider themselves
rich, I wonder that il so seldom comes
home to them that they are liable TO re-
verses, which shall plunge their families
into the utmost pecuniary distress. Men
know that business is subject to 6uctua-
tons, and that nothing is mo C frequent
then that men should in one year have
all the comforts and advantages ofweallh,
and the next year be stripped bare. But
a vicious hopefulness prevents them from
realizing that they shall ever be subject
to this fate which befalls others.


| have lived long enough 10 see the
overthrow of a great many families be-
cause the father, believing that he should
live and always keep them in comforta-
ble circumstances, had neglected 10 make
an Independent provision for them.


Ibelieve it to be the duty of every man
that is prosperous, out of debt, and max
ing money, to settle upon his wife cer-
tain amount Of property, which shall not
be affected by either his bankruptcy or
his death. This may be done by life
rsurance-especially if it be policy that
is not forfeited by neglect OF payment.
But still better way is to settle upon n
wife a good house. and the furniture.
Then, if misfortune comes, the man Will
still have :, home. He will be secure at
the root, and may began again with some
hope. II death takes away the father,
the nest remains. The children need
not be scattered.


Some persons have questioned whether
a scrupulous honesty would allow one To
hold back from creditors anypart OF hus-
bands property. A settlement OF prop
crty on another, while debt hangs over
it, either for the sake Of avoiding pay
ment of debt, or of securing the family,
would be fraudulent, dishonest and wick
ed. But if, while clear OF debt, the hus-
band settles property on his wife for the
inst maintenance Of herself and children,
his after debts have no more claim upon
that property than if he had sold and
transferred il to a neighbor instead of his
own wife. No man has n right to leave
a family whom lac has accustomed TO NJ
flucncc liable to sudden and wasting
poverty. \ provision made bctimcs, III
property, for the salty of his family IN
case of his death or bankruptcy, may be
accepted and employed by the most SEN
sitiye conscience. write strongly on
this subject, because | have seen so much
distress arising from the want OF such
precaution.-H ". Beecher, in New York
LedGcr.
Year: 1869

True REvERENCE.-We treat God with
irreverence by banishirg him from our
thoughts, not by referring to his will on
slight occasions His is not the finite au-
thority or intelligence which cannot be
troubled with small things. There is
nothing so small but that we may honor
God by asking his guidance Of it, or insult
him by taking it into our own hands; and
what is true of the Deity is equally true
of his revelation. W. use it most rsyer
emily when most habitually our insolence
is in ever acting without reference To it;
our true honoring of it is in its universal
application. We have his sacred words
not often enough on our lips, nor deeply
enough in our memories. nor loyally
enough in our lives. The snow. the va
por and the stormy wind fulfil his word.
Are Our acts and thoughts lighter and
wilder than thesc--that W. should forget
10
Year: 1869

and book accomplishments than their
fathers had, they must all therefore look
down upon trades that require skill and
handicraft, and whose productions make
up the vast amount of the wealth Of ev-
cry country, then it is time for the control
ers and the directors to have The interior
walls of our school houses covered with
maxims and notices warning them against
the fatal error.-Daiiy NeWs.
Year: 1869

The withdrawal on Thursday last Of the re-
naming indictments, in the United States
Court at Richmond, against Jefferson Davis,
General Lee and others, and the discharge, by
order Of the court. Of the securities on Mr..
Davis's bail bond from further responsibility,
consummates the benefcent act Of amnesty
which President johnson so appropriately pro-
claimed on Christmas Day. The gentlemen
who went upon the bail bonds Of Mr.. Davis,
some of them leading members Of the republi-
can party, deserve to be remembered for the
moral courage, as well as humanity, which
such step at that period required, but they
have already. in the short time which has since
elapsed, found public opinion coming up to
their position, and even advancing so far IN a
liberal direction as to warrant the President in
issuing a proclamation releasing altogether
from further prosecution not only Mr. Davis,
but all engaged on the Confederate side in the
late civil war. This act Of clemency and true
craftsmanship will crown with serene lustre the
close of an administration which has struggled
earnestly to secure to the country the Union
and the constitution, and has not overlooked
the most influential instrumentality to that
end, the cultivation Of mutual conciliation, for
bearance and forgiveness between the people
of the various sections of the republic. If Mr..
johnson has never expressed in words the sem
timent Of General Grant, Let us have peace,
that has been the key to his whole policy, the
animating spirit of his administration to its
last moment. The fact that those who sought
only party perpetuity would not accept peace
is no proof that Mr. johnson did not point out
the true way to attain it. If his efforts for this
object had been seconded by Congress, we
should have had "peacc" long ago. The way
to peace is to recognize and accept the good
dispositions Of those who were once estranged.
Let who may be President, peace" will never
be obtained by any other means.-BaltimOre
Sun, 18Th.