smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1863

MAKING \ NEEDLE.-Ordinary needs are
made of steel wire. The wire is first cut by
shears. from coils, in,o the length of the
needle to be made. After batch of such bits
of wire have been cut off. they are placed in
a hot furnace. and then taken out and rolled
backward and forward on table till they
are straight. They are now to be ground
The pointer then takes up two dozen or so
of the wires and rolls them between his
thumb aYd his fingers, with their ends on
the grindstone, first one end and then the
other Next is machine which fattens
and cutters the heads of ten thousand nee
dies in an hour. Next comes the punching of
the eyes, by boy, so fast that }the eve can
hardly keep pace with him. The splitting
a dozen, perhaps of the needles. 4 woman
with a little anvil before her, files the heads
and separates them. They are now complete
needles. but they are rough and rusty, and
easily bent. The hardening comes next
They are heated in patches in furnace.
and when red hot are thrown into pan of
cold water. Next they must be tempered,
and thisis done by rolling them backward
and forward on hot metal plate On very
coarse cloth needles are spread to the num-
ber of forty or fifty thousand. Emery dust is
strewed over them, oil is sprinkled and soft
soap is daubed over: the cloth is rolled hard
up. and, with several others of the same
kind, thrown into sort of wash pot to roll
to and fro twelve hours or more. They
come out dirty enough but after rinsing in
clean hot water. and tossing in saw dust,
they become bright and are ready to be sort.
ted and put up for sale.
Year: 1863

LOWS TELEeRARH.-If a gentlemen wants
awife, he wears ling on the first finger OF
the left hand if he is engaged, he wears
it on the second finger; if married. on the
third; and on the fourth if he never intends to
be married. When lady is not engaged,
she wears hoop or diamond on her first fin
ger if engaged, on the second if married,
on the third and on the fourth if she intends
to die maid. When a gentleman presents a
fan. flower, or trunket to lady, with the
left hand this, on his part, is an overture of
regard should she receive it with the left
hand it is considered as an acceptance of his
esteem but if with the right hand, it is a re-
fusal of the offer. Thus by few simple to-
kens explained by rule, the passion of love
is expressed and, through the medium of
the telegraph. the most timid and difident
man may, without difficulty, communicate
his sentiments of regard to lady, and in
case his offer should be refused, avoid ex-
periencing the modification of an implicit re-
fusal.
Year: 1863

EATING BETWEEN MEALs.-Among the
many slight causes of impaired digestion is
ot be reckoned the very general disregard to
eating between meals. The powerful diges-
tlon of growing boy makes light of all such
irregularities but to see adults, and often
those By nc means in robust health, eating
mullins, buttered toast. or bread and butter.
couple of hours after a heavy dinner, is a
distressing spectacle to the phvsiologist. 1t
takes at least four hours to digest dinner :.
during that period the stomach should be all.
lowed to repose. A little tea or anv other
liquid is beneficial rather than otherwise, but
solid food is a mere incumbrance there is no
gastric juice ready to digest it. And if any
reader having at all a delicate digestion, viii
attend to his sensations after eating mullins
or toast and tea, unless his dinner has had
time to digest, he will need no sentences of
explanation to convince him of the serious
error prevalent in English families of max.
ing tea a light meal, quickly succeeding
substantial dinner. Regularity in the hours
of eating is far from necessary; but regular
ity of intervals is of primary Importance. 1t
matters little at what hour you lunch or dine.
provided that you allow the proper intervals
to elapse between breakfast and luncheon and
dinner. What are those intervals? This is
aquestion each must settle for himself Much
depends on the amount eaten at meal, much
also on the rapidity with which each person
digests. Less than four hours should never
be allowed after heavy meal. But those
who dine at six or seven o'clock, never need
food again till breakfast next day, unless
they have been dancing or exerting them
selves in walking in which cases light
supper is requisite.-Le,ciS' Physiology of
Common Life
Year: 1863

y report on the mortality and sickness of
thd s,unteer forces of the United States dur
in& ne present war, prepared by E. B. Eli
Oft The Actuary of the United States Santa
ry Commission, develops some curious and
interesting facts. From the r.turns of casu.
altis5 made to the Adiutant General it is cal
culTted that the number ofdeaths has been at
the annual rate of fifty three out of every


tho..sand men, of which forty -four were from
disease and accident and not quite nine from


wounds received in battle. This estimate
does not include those who quit the servive


disJbled or otherwise, and the inference is


tina <t least as large a proportion of these
die # those who remain in the service
Mo flhcers are killed in battle than privates
in r. portion to their numbers, the rate for


ofhe--s being eleven and half, and for pri-


Yates eight and half per thousand. but the


mortality Of officers from disease and accident


as compared with the privates is twenty two
to fcrty-six. Two-thirds of the deaths of Of
fcers and five sixths of the privates result
FROM accident and disease, so that only one
third of the officers and one-sixth of the pri
Yates vino die in the service meet their death
from wounds. Mr.. Elliott estimates that to
keep constantly in the field an army of half


million effective men, which would be equiv
allen. to five hundred and seventy three regi-


men;s of eight hundred and seventy two men


each, there must be provision mado for fifty
eighs thousand sick, and additional recruits


obtained at the rate of one hundred and twen-


ty three thousand a year The average of


sick is equivalent to sixty regiments, SO


that six hundred and fifty regiments must be


under pay to secure the service of half mil


lion # effective men,


All the efforts of Sanitary Commissions and


priva.e care have been unable to prevent an


increase of the mortality of the army. The
deaths In winter are nearly double those in
autunn, and the autumnal mortality is al.
most double that of the summer. The men
recruited and doing service in the West ex-


hibit q mortality more than three times as
great as those recruits from and serving in
the Eastern and Middle States. The average
of datths from casualties in battle among
Wesrsrn troops is five times rs great as with
EasteNn troops. To supply losses in the
Eastefn regiments it requires two hundred
and t9-entysix new recruits every year to
lk221ran~ 9 = s-ganization ofone thousand and
about two hundred and thirty four in the
Western armies The missing and deserters
in the Eastern regiments are double the num-
Der of those among the volunteers of the West
These statistics show the terrible drain which
war makes upon our populat on, and how
much energy is required in the recruiting
service to keep the ranks full
Year: 1863

GRACE AND DIsGRAcE.-A gentleman in
the habit of entertaining very often circle
of friends, observed that one of them was in
the habit of eating something before grace
was asked, and determined to cure him upon
a repetition of the ofense. he said s.For
what we are about to receive, and for what
James Taylor has already received, the Lord
make us truly thankful The effect may
be imagined.
Year: 1863

NOTICES OF the PreSs.


This is sound Company"


'' The insurance of certain sum for ones family
is a prudence that every man should adopt in these
critical times
The man that would be respected and loved by
his family in life, and gratefully remembered in
death. viii provide his family against want"


''All our most prudent citizens and soldiers are
nsuring a competence to their families in case they
drafted killed in the service it is the only
safeguard in these critical times" nj :9m
Year: 1863

a volunteer of one of our Massachu
sctts regiments, had the pcrilous duty
of being the standard bearer, in one of
the late battles, and fell upon the field
He was seen to fall, and soon after the
regiment retreated, and nothing more
was heard of his fate. The young wife
he had left at home bitterly lamentcd +,
and would not be comforted. To those
urging that he might only bc wounded
and in the hands of the enemy she would
hear nothing-she knew he was dead.
In few days she left, papers in the
hands Of an attorney to obtain what
might be due her from the government
as the widow Of deceased soldier. She
put on mourning too black, heavy and
awfully long-swecping the ground be-
hind her.


Everybody felt for the widow, and one
persona returned sold. er who had
been wounded in battle, who had known
her when she was light-hearted miss
shared largely in her grief. Only a
few days passed before he became more
intimate with the widow; and in three
weeks he was deeply interested. On
the fourth week an intended marriage
between the parties was announced, and
the miliner was called upon for assis-
tance in changing the deep mourning
habilaments of the widow to what would
be more fitting bridal party


Time runs fast with a wedding in
prospect; and the appointed day made
haste the lovers were all excited, and
the neighborhood was alive with gossip,
when Fridays mail-Friday is sort
Of hangman's day, after all-brought
shocking bad news to the party-!the
soldier husband was not dead. He had
been taken from he battle field, carried
to Richmond, exchanged. and was on
his way home Awful! The mourning
and the marriage feast, and the applica-
ton for a dead mans bounty, all had
gone wrong; and, alas for her re
ioiced as she was of course to hear that
her dead husband was alive-she was in
a sad quandary what to do with the low
er and other ixings. But probably it
will be right next week, when the dead
will be alive, and the lost found, and
great rejoicing prcvailel.-Newberr
Herald.
Year: 1863

Of all amusements for the mind,
From logic down to fishing;
There is not one that you can find,


So very cheap as wishing.
A very choice diversion, too,


five but rightly use it,
And not, as we are apt to do,


Pervert it and abuse it.
I wish, common wish indeed,


My purse was somewhat fatter,
That might cheer the child of need,
And not my pride to fatter;
That might make oppression reel
AS only gold can make it,
And break the tyrant's rod Of steel
As only gold can break it.
wish that sympathy and love,
And every human passion,
That has its origin above


Would come and keep in fashion.
That scorn and jealousy and hate,
And every base emotion
Were buried fifty fathoms dcop
Beneath the waves of ocean.
wish that friends were always true,
And motives always pure;
l wish the good were not so few,
wish the bad were fewer.
wish that Parsons no'er forgot
To head their pious teaching,
l wish that practising was not


So different from preaching.
wish that worth might always be
Appraised with truth and candor,
wish that innocence were free


From trcachery and slandcr.
wish men their vows would mind;
That women ne'er were rovers;
wish that wives were always kind,
And husbands always lovers.
| wish in fine, that joy and mirth,


And every good Ideal,
May come, erewhile, throughout the cart
TO be the glorious Real !!
Till God shall every creature bless,
With his supremest blessing,
Aud hope be lost in happiness


And trishing be possessingi
Year: 1863




Curious CALcULATIoN.-What noisy
creature man would be were his voice in
proportion to his weight, as that of the
locust. A locust can be heard at the
distance of one sixteenth of mile. The
golden wren is said to weigh but half an
ounce, so that a middling sized man
would weigh down not short of four
thousand of them; and it must be strange
if golden wren could not outweigh
four OF our locusts. Supposing, there
fcre, that common man weighed as
much as sixteen thousand of our locusts,
and that the note of a locust can be
heard the sixteenth of mile, q man of
common dimensions, pretty sound in
wind and limbs. ought to be able to
make himself heard at distance of one
thousand miles.
Year: 1863

An ApPLE PGE.-An old lady in the


country had dandy fro N town to dine
with her on certain occasion, and on
the table there was an enormous apple
pie. LA, ma'am," said the gentleman,
chow do you manage to make such a
pie?' "Easy enough" was the quiet
reply, eve make the crust up in a
wheel barrow, wheel it under the apple
tree, and shake the fruit down into it."
Year: 1863

Father! no W the day is past,
On the child, the blessing cast;
Near my pillow, hand to hand,
Keep thy guardian angel band,
And throughout the darkening night
Bless US with cheerful light,
Let me raise at morn again,
Free from every thought of pain:
Thus, my ia ther, day BY day,
Keep me through life's thorny way.
Year: 1863

All who have Friends and Relatives in the
Army or Navy, should take especial care, that
they be amply supplied with these Pills and
Ointment and where the brave Soldiers and
Sailors have neglected to provide themselves
with them, no better pr esent can be sent them
by their friends. They have been proved to be
the Soldiers never. failing friend in the hour OF
need.
Year: 1863




The quantity of land disposed of du-
ring the last and first quarter OF the pres
ent fiscal year was three millions eight
hundred and forty one thousand and five
hundred and forty nine acres. of which
l61 oil acres were sold Tor cash, l.456,-
514 acres were taken up under the Home
stead Law, and the residue disposed OF
under laws granting lands for military
bounties, for railroad and other purposes.
1t also appears that the sale of public
lands is largely on the increase. 1t has
long been cherished opinion of some o'
our wisest statesmen, that the people o.
the United States had o higher and more
enduring interest in the early settlement
and substantial cultivation Of the public
lands. than in the amount of direct reve
nue. to be derived from the sale of them
This opinion has been controlling in
huence, shaping legislation upon the sub
iect of our national domain. l may cit
as evidence Of this the liberal measures
adopted in reference to actual settlers
Year: 1863

Mr.. EDlToR II would not now in.
trude my views ofthe Union Meetings
that have of late been held at various
places in this county were it not for the
fact that my name has been called in
question and used by the managers as
their principal stock in trade. The
principal leaders of these meetings
have seen fit to heap upon me the most
vile epithets in the English language,
in somuch that one would supp ose they
were the literal descendants of the boy
that made faces at the other boys sister
because he was out of all other argu-
ments. The reason why they resort to
epithets is that I advanced an idea so
far in advance Of their understanding
that they were unable to comprehend
its meaning and bearing upon the Amer.
can people.


But the milder set tha. attend their
union m eetings think that calling
naughty names is not exactly tho
thing and propose to simply take and
remove me to Fort La Fayette or some
other place for safe keeping.


In answer to this l would say that if
s'honest' Old Abe and his one horse
Post Masters throughout the country
have no higher aspirations than the i'm.
prisonment in one of his Bastiles, of SO
unpretending citizen as l am, and
that too in open violation ofthe rights
Of free speech guaranteed by the con.
stitution Of this goversment to every
American citizen, they can have me
provided they want me, ,)while it is cool
weather, but if they should wait till
hot weather and the vermin in the
American dungeons get troublesom, J.
might not want to 60.


Mr. Editor with your premission, to
use your columns would like to write
series Of short articles, contrasting
my short political life, with those gray
headed would-be patriots, 50 that the
readers of the Plain Dealer, and tho
community generally may know and
understand whether it is myself or they
who are in favor of this republican or
democratic form of government, and
who it is that is ever ready to incite
resistance to the laws Of the land, by
mob violence, or secret espionage.


Yours &c.


G. VI. MUNSON.
Year: 1863

would not support it. We meant what


we SAID then, and see no reason to
change it. 1t suited the Union men,
then, and, ifit doesn't suit them now,
they have changed, not We. We know
mo constitutional way to remedy the
evil, but for Congress to refuse to
give dollar or man until the object
of the war and the means of its prose-
cution are changed. We waited, hop
ing for better things, until there is no
room to expect a change, unless it is
forced by necessity.


We are asked, no doubt, what will be
the consequences ? We are not re-
sponsible for them. 1t is our business
to do right; and to refuse the means to
do evil is right, and that is all the right
way there is left. Let the administra-
ton say what they will do about it. On
their programme the Union will never
he restored. There are very few in
this State who believe such result
possible. Victories will not advance
tho cause. This State convention
should have demanded change cfpoli-
cy, or given notice Of a refusal, as far
as their lawful efforts would effect it,
of any more help in this war. That
would have meant somethin g that the
whole country would have understood.
To condemn, and still resolve for a
vigorous prosecution Of the war, when
it involves, if successful, the accomplish
ment of all We condemn, scenes to US
as absurd.
Year: 1863

Like frightened sheep, the discomft-
ted factions are huddling together, and,
as a last resort are forming their
dark lantern associations in all parts OF
the country. They have seen the hand.
writing upon the wall. In the recent
elections they have read their DOOM
They know and feel that their days are
numbered. They are chop-fallen and
desperate. Political honesty is no part
of their creel, and their old tricks can
never he played over again with any
prospect of success. Log cabin and
hard cider will not save them. Rail
splitting is out Of fashion. Shoddy
philantrophy is at discount. John
Brown raids don't pay, Proclamations
have not conquered the rebels. A ven-
al congress can no longer screen a reck
less Executive. Something must be
done. And the fraud in the programme
Of political knavery is the organization
of what they call loyal Leagues" to
be composed of such simpIetons as can
be induced to pledge themselves to an
Unconstitutional support Of the men
and measures Of the existing Admins
tration. These political gull.traps are
being set in all parts Of the country,
and such as are accustomed to being
led by the nose, and who follow their
leaders ''without why ora wherefore,
are being caught in large numbers so
they say. Having no fears that any
intelligent Democrat can be caught in
these abolition traps, We regard this
latter day movement as a proper SUBJ
ject of ridicule, rather than as a matter
of any great Importance. And We no.
tice it now merely to mark it as anoth-
or of the tricks Of the charlatans who
are bent upon the disintegration and
ruin of the nation.


Let it be remembered that the men
composing the party now nominally in
power are the legitimate descendants of
the old Federalists of the days of JEFF.
ferson, Madison, and Monroe and,
conscious of being odious in tho eyes Of
a large majority of the epeople, and fear
ing that day Of righteous retribution
is near at hand, instead of calling upon
the rocks and mountains to fall upon
them, to hide them from the wrath to
come, they resort to their old tricks,
and assume "loyal" name to conceal
their reasonable designs. For it is
we'll known that they never assume q
name that is in the remotest degree
expressive of either their sentiments,
or their purposes.


They have disgracod every name by
which they have designated themselves,
literally ''stealing the livery Of Heaven
- ..eyve tks devil IN" asA y.t.;n ss>.~,
Year: 1863

For the Weekly Telegraph.


What world Of joy o. sorrow may be crowd.
ed into the present moment. For this Is sill We
can claim of time. The past is forever beyond
our reach, while the future is in tae hands OF
the giver. Precious indeed are the little mo-
ments dealt out to us one by one, and although
they may sometimes come fraught with sorrow
aud grief yet they are more frequently ladened
with inuumerable blessings and comforts. We
see them passing before we have hardly time
to mention their presence. Yet they afford us
time TO cultivate the heart aud store the mind
with knowledge. They afford US lime to exsr.
else patience, charity and deal gently with hu-
man infrmity, look smile of encouragement
to the weary. assist the poor and destitute or
point the erring and comfortlessto Hin who
went about doing good--to look from earth up
to that better portion which is promised 1t
takes but the moments in which TO accomplish
mighty deeds. Or, il we waste them, we cannot
perhaps, in this world, fully estimate the loss.
We may indeed seusibIy feel the loss Of wasted
time, in this world, as we are crippled with ignO-
norance and deprived of much valuable knowl-
edge which the industrious possess; but whichis
forever beyond our reach because the opporiu-
nifty for acquiring it is past. But il our eapaci.
ties are to be expanded and strengthened in the
world to come, and will be forever increasing.
then is it moi desirable to make our acquisitions
here as extensive as possible Perhaps ii iz
to impress US with sense OF their value. that
our kind Creator deigDs to meet out the mo-
ments one at time, and make them so uneeF-
tain. For, surely, He could with the same ease
make know TO us the number OF the days or
years ofour allotted time But II we knew that
our life was o stretch away TO three score years
uud ten, perhaps We should think that we had /.
some time to spare, But the knowledgs We
may glenn in early life is worth mach more than !,
that which is gained in after years. aud the .
more proflably we spend our tine Ia youth. !.
the richer wih be- old age. | neE sts1a g7a
Year: 1863

The ONLY ALrERNArIvE.-Peace upon
the basis Of the Constitution as it is and
the Union as i. was, or perpetual war, is the
only alternative presented to this country
says the New Hampshire Patriot, and the
Abolition Interpretation Of the late election.
is that the people prefer the latter. Ye.
four men out of five, if the direct question is
asked them, will to day declare that they
would rejoice to end our difficulties upon the
basis Of the old Union and the old Constitu.
ton in all their integrity. Why, then, do
they sustain by their votes a policy which
renders that result impossible? That they do
so the election returns seem to indicated
Have they lost their independence and man
liness! Are they afraid Of the Administra-
ton! Mountain Democrat
Year: 1863

How IT WoRKs.-Tbe present donin ant
party in this State carried through the late
amendments to the State Constitution, one
of which required the Legislature to meet
on the first Monday of December instead of
the first Monday in January This was a
promised reform-money was to be saved
by tin what way was not made clear,
but time was to show. The amendment
went into effect this year, and we see that it
works the reverse of the promise, as the
Legislature set little over two weeks, and
then adjourned over the holidays until the
9Th of January. The desire of members to
spend these happy hours in the bosoms Of
their families was irresistibe-in the mean.
while their per diem goes on without inter.
ruption. As the adjournment will last
eleven Gays and the Legislative expenses are
at least 5000 per diem, the law makers
will receive 200 from the State for which
they will not render an hours rervice.


This is one of the economical reforms OF
the Constitutional Amendments. Who so
blind as not to see it?
Year: 1863

H Wednesday and Thursday, days and
nights, brought US the best rains Of the sea-
computing the ground in admirable order
for blowing, and permitting farmers TO put
in their grain early enough to insure good
crops; and filling bitches sufficiently to give
miners chance to work their claims after
an actual or comparative idleness of months
Everybody says it was a good rain, and it
was