smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

In addition to the advantages that We
have often before stated in our papers in
the Enquirer, of deep plewing, it remains
for Us to consider its vast importance in
times of great drought.


M Dalton, of Ell; land, has proved that
cubic foot of earth may contain seven
inches Of water in depth, and that it may
part with one-half OF this water and not be
too dry for supporting vegetation. He
used cylindrical vessel ten inches in
diameter, three feet deep, filled with
gravel, sand and soil. having discharge
pipe at the bottom, by which to measure
the quantity of water that ran off, and
which gave perfect drainage, the top of
the soil being covered with grass, the whole
bnried, SO that the top was even with
the ground, shows that earth that is
moderately moist will take up three
inches of water without carrying it be-
yond the point of saturation. This
amount had in the preceding dry month
been taken up by the plants and evapo-
rated, and, without making the soil too
dry, had SO drawn upon it that it could
imbibe three inches that fell in four days.
Land plowed only six inches deep holds
only one and half inches of water, sub
iect to the use of vegetation, if no account
is made of water rising up through the hard
earth beneath. Ten days of dry weather
in June, July or August, will tell injuri-
ously on plants that have only six inches OF
earth beneath them from which they can
draw moisture ; but give the plants three
feet las in Mr.. Dalton's experiment. of mel
low earth, and there would be nine inches
in depth of water for the use of these
plants-su sufficient to mature any crop our
farmers raise, without one additional show
er after the first day of June.


Mellow earth holds water, and the
larger and deeper the reservoir, the better
guaranty against the injurious effects Of
dry weather.-Gincinnati Enquirer.
Year: 1869

Albert III. Winters, a resident of Cincin-
natl, Ohio, enlisted in one of the Ohio
regiments early in the beginning of the war,
and while sick in a hospital at Louisville,
KY, received from an agent in the SAM
tary Commission pair of stockings, one
Of which contained :lip of paper giving
the makers name and address, and request
irg the one into whose possession the
stockings should come to enter into a cor
respondence with her.


Winters, as ho grew better, found time
hanging heavily on his hands, and for las
he expressed it} mere fun wrote the young
lady. In due course of time he received a
letter from her couched in ladylike and
pleasing terms. and young Winters resolved
on continuing the correspondence. Letter
after letter was received and sent, and
finally photographs were exchanged. This
led to deeper resolve on Winters's part,
and just about the time the war closed he
sent formal proposal of marriage ; which
was as formally accepted.


The time for the ceremony was set, but
it appears that in this as we'll as in many
other cases the course of true love was not
destined to run smoothly. Some envious
person, learning of the correspondence and
it's result, wrote the lady that Winters was
anything but the model young man that
she supposed him to be-in short, that he
! was already married and the father of q
happy and interesting family of three chill
dren.


This rather staggered the lady, and she
wrote Winters about it. He, it appears,
was too proud to deny anything, replying
that if she loved him as she said she did
| she must trust to his honor and honesty,
| which she agreed to do for time at least,
or until she could become better satisfied
| upon the point. In the meantime the day
appointed for the wedding had passed, and
another (remote year, was fixed upon.
For some cause, when the time was up,
an extension was asked by the lady, and
agreed to by Winters. Her letters sud-
denly began to grow less frequent and de-
cidedly less affectionate, and the perplexed
lover decided upon going to her home to
see what was the matter. On his way to
the depot the carriage he was in met with
an accident. Winters was thrown out, and
sustained compound fracture of the right
leg.


This of course prevented him from car
rying out his plan for several months, and
when he got able to be about had about
made up his mind, as he had received no
word from his afianced during his sickness,
| that he would seek elsewhere for wife,
Immersed in business, he partially ban1shed
her memory from his heart but it seems
fate had ordained that their paths, though
diverging for time, should run together
again, and that they should unite their for.
| tunes.


On Monday. Winters had occasion to
visit Cleveland on business, and while
talking to friend at the Union depot he
recognized the original Of the aluost-for
Year: 1869

A pitiful scene was presented night before
last on Gravier street, between Camp and
Magazine. An ejectment for rent had
taken place. Piled en- nadSSe in the street
were the few poor articles of furniture and
bedding that had served to furnish tho
abode Of poverty. Crouched against the
steps was an old negress who bitterly be-
moaned her fate, and sadly bewailed the
disposal of her household goods. A few
fragments of charcoal glimmered in q
broken furnace, and as the unfortunate
stretched her bony fingers forth to catch
their feeble glow, sbo seemed the very
literal personification OF BLACK De-
spair." Her wailing cry God help the
poor. was swept back to her by the mock
ing blasts. FOOLISH one God helps those
only who help themselves And fyou and
your race looked to your true interests this
had not happened. But You alicnated
ourselves from your real friends and


tlned the ranks OF their enemies. Now
.aat you have raised your falsehearted
leaders to place and prosperity. they leave
YOU to starve, with the streets for home.
Those who might, even now, out OF old
regard and sheer compassion, be inclined
to aid you, have been dnped by kuaves
and made the tools to work the ruin of
honest men, may be wofully bitter, but
may bring with it better knowledge for
future guidance.
Year: 1869

Last spring yonng man by the name of
Garner bought an interest in q saw-mill at
little town few miles from this place,
and while engaged in the lumber business
there he fell desperately in love with q
young lady of high standing, whose name
omit. and was engaged to be married to
her. He procured license and made all
necessary arrangements for the wedding,
when he took wild goose chase and left
for parts unknown, and was never heard
from until few days ago, having turned
up as one of the express robbers who was
recently hung by mob at New Albany,
present pres t. at the hanging Of the S robbers %rs
three in number).


It is hoped that all fast young men of
our county may take warning from their
fate, and not be led into temptation.


Georgetown (Ky) Times, DeC 2S.
Year: 1869

Complaint is frequently made in regard
to the liability or postage stamps to desert
their trust and leave letter in the lurch,
Much of the difficulty is due to wettipg
the stamps only on the gummed side. This
causes the expansion of one side more than
the other, hence the stamp adheres i'm
perfectly, and when dry is liable to peel
off. Wet both sides and afix, and a very
little gum will cause it to adhere with
perfect security.
Year: 1869

Death-Bed Confession of a Murderess-she


Potsonz her Husband Child and Father


in-Layy.


The Newark Journal of December 26tb,
gives the following:


The township of Lafayette Sussex coun-
ty, New Jersey, is considerably excited at
the present time over some revelations
made by woman named White, Just pre-
vious to her dissolution, which took place
last Saturday. The particulars of her con-
fession are horrible in the extreme, and, if
true, would indicate that the ferocious
spirit of Lucretia Borgia has found another
shocking parallel in these latter days. Our
correspondent writes us that the woman,
White, who was a widow, fell a victim to
consumption. Being a member of the
Methodist church, she sent for some of her
fellow members to attend her in her dying
hour, and stated to them that about seven
years ago she poisoned her infant child so
that it died. A year or so after she admin
istered poison to her husbands father, and
he died too. Later still, on the return of
her husband from the army, she dealt to
him also fatal poison, and be. too, passed
into the spirit land. The miserable woman
has borne good character, as do also her
relatives. They are poor people. The
only reason assigned for making this dying
declaration is that she desired to lid her
conscience of this immense load of crime
prior to her death These statements were
made to our correspondent by one Of the
attendants at the death-bed of the self-ac-
cused murderess. It is not little singu-
lar that her acknowledged acts have never
before leaked out. She was perfectly sane
up to the time of her decease.
Year: 1869

gotten picture, upon which he used to dote
with SO much fondness and expectation,
pass in from the carriage-w way to the ladies'
sitting-room. Taking a sudden resolution
to at least clear up the mystery of her
continued coldness, he sought her in the
room.


Mutual explanations followed, and in
order to prevent similar misunderstand-
ing it was agreed to take advantage of the
opportunity presented and unite their for
tunes. A Methodist clergyman was sought,
and in less than half an hour from the time
of the first meeting, Winters was the hap
py husband of beautiful woman


Cleveland Ten2er
Year: 1869

Perhaps no one medi-
cine is SO universally re-
quired by everybody as
Il cathartiC, nor was ever
any before so universal
ly adopted into use, in
every country and among
all classes, as this mild
but efficient purgative


PHI. The obvious rea-
son is, that it is q more re-
liable and far more efec-
tual remedy than any
other. Those who have
Year: 1869

x0Uk00


chasers. =


The sale Of the monitors Oneota and
Catawba to the Peruvian government appears
to have entailed upon that Power long train
the difficulties are not over; the monitors are
found in bad condition and require repairs
before they can reach their destination. It
would be wise movement on the part Of the
Peruvian government to ascertain how many
agents have drawn percentage on the first
cost of the vessels how much money was
really paid down for them; in fact, whether
the numerous commissions have amounted to
five, ten or fifty per cent Of the bills thus far
cashed. ,.


This Peruvian monitor affair brings US to
some general remarks with reference to the
way the most Of such purchases are made
The fault, in the first instance, lies generally
with the government which appoints an agent
or commission to make the purchase. The
men, like many of our own political hangers
on, are not only totally untitled for the pur-
pose, but in many cases notoriously dishonest,
and from the very start take the best means
possible to make bad bargain. The primary
question they ask is, s'How much commits
sion am I to receive if I buy Of your"
The result is they fall into the hands
of. set of sharpers, who take good
care to manipulate them to the best ad-
vantage, actually, in most cases, forcing the
government represented by the agents to in
directly pay the sum stipulated as the agents
commission. Besides this the opportunity is
thus offered to the seller to foist upon the
buyers the worst class Of vessels at double
their value.


This is not only the case with reference to
vessels, but applies equally to firearms and
munitions of war in general. Old muskets
worth three dollars are sold for eght-fve
dollars Of this being absorbed by commissions.
Cuba and Spain can probably to-day foot
up bills to large amount for expenditures
made in this manner. Every Spanish Ameri-
can government has, both in Europe and the
United States, been more or less bled to meet
the rapacious demands Of those men into
whose hands their dishonest agents have fallen
All this throws great dishonor upon the United
States Bad vessels and bad material of war
sold to Europe, to japan, to Peru, to Brazil
and to other countries are not likely to enhance
our credit or bring us more orders. There is
enough Of evil in all countries. 1t is natural
that if dishonesty is commissioned to transact
business it will, in its course, seek a dishonest
element, and the result will bs swildle in the
ratio Of the funds handled.
Year: 1869

JAPAN.-Our advices from Japan indicate
that the power Of the Mikado is In part
restored. This is due to the assumption Of
the Office by the young Mikado, who has now
attained his majority. He has commenced
his rule by quieting many Of tho civil war ele-
ments which Tor some time past have been
struggling for the mastery throughout the
country. Still this is now q period when
Japan, feeling the effects Of contact with the
modern world, requires strong heart and we'll
balanced head to guide its people in the best
track. If the Mikado recognizes the new era
Of progress and closely allies himself with the
United States and the European Atlantic ma
tions he may make the most brilliant mark in
the history Of his line.
Year: 1869

There is most pernicious system prevailing
in Congress- and that is the tendency to special
legislation on the tariff question. There is
gross incongruty and a fragrant wrong in i'm
posing duties upon certain articles-such as
copper, iron, salt, silks, woollen and cotton
goods and hundred other materials-for the
purpose of serving mere sectional or local
interests. The common good OF the whole
country should be the first consideration of the
government. But instead Of that we find
disposition in Congress to regulate the tariff
and taxation to suit special interests in differ
ent parts Of the country. The people have to
pay every year between four and five hundred
millions in taxes. This is the inevitable fate
OF the country. 1t is the legacy Of the war.
But taxation should be equalized upon all
classes and no favor shown to particular sec
tions or interests. Congress and the clques
that govern it are, unfortunately, disposed to
tinker the tariff laws for the benefit Of indvid-
uals interested In certain branches Of manufac-
ture, regardless of the rights Of the whole
community. This is all wrong, and, moreover,
is grievous injustice to the country. The
present system of imposing duties on foreign
goods is also most erroneous. There should be
an equal tax, an dd casorem duty, upon oil
importations.


Congress, instead of dabbling in tariff laws
got up in the interest of Pennsylvania, or
Michigan, 0r New England, or any other Sec
tion Of the country, should give Its attention to
the general welfare in the distribution Of taxes,
which are now onerous enough, but all the
more oppressive because they are most un-
equally divided. Congress, as soon as It
assemblies after the holiday recess, should
revise the whole laundering system Of tariff
and taxation-not by adopting the nero patch
work bills, resolutions amendments and all
that presented by members, but by enacting
broad and comprehensive law such as the
country demands. Above all, that most odious
Of all the forms Of taxation to which we are
subject-the income tnx-should be obliterated
from the statute book of once. IL has been
the source Of more annoyance to the public; 1t
has furnished the opportunity for more often
sive prying into the relations Of private life by
q class Of low and vulgar officials II has
caused more fraud, deceit and gross corrup-
tion, and IL has, after doing all this mischief,
probably returned less to the government than
any other mode Of taxation, If we except the
whiskey tax alone.


Congress has a good deal Of work before II
to put our system Of taxation into proper
shape !; but in dealing with this question 1t must
not be governed by cliques nor corrupted by
lobbyists In the first place the taxation is
entirely too high for times Of peace like these.
The government neither requires, nor does II
receive the amount Of taxes levied; and, in
the next place, It Is unequaly and unfairly dis
tributed. The whole system, therefore, stands
in need Of thorough revision, and we think
that nothing less than tho amendments which
We have here suggested will prove acceptable
to the public.
Year: 1869

WISDOM IN VIRGINIA. are solid men
in Virginia also, ~ there are in Boston and
for some days past some Of the heaviest Of
them have ''sot," like coroner's jury, all in
row on the body Of the poor Old Common
wealth to determine what should be done.
They have determined to accept the submis-
sion Of the United States and make terms.
The niggers may vote; they will consent to
that If tharo shall be general amnesty. As
everybody had reached about this conclusion
before The solid men walked up wouldn't il
have been lust as wcll II they had slept on2
Year: 1869

NoTTcE TO GRANT. time ago q law
yer Of this city announced himself as one who
desired to have hand in the whiskey revenue
business, and now we have one more an
nounccmcnt Of candidate for Office. Brown
low, Of Tennessee, desires to be. counted in
He will not join in the scramble for place
while johnson holds on but as soon as Grant
is inausarated he will scramble as desperately,
swear as hard, and tear, scratch and fight for
oflce with ss much vim ss any Of The kennel
Grant therefore. knows what TO expect.
Year: 1869

CONSUL TO HUNaARY.-From the Hunga-
rians resident here there is an appeal for the
establishment Of consular relations between
this government and the capital of Hungary.
There are more Hungarians in this country
than there are Of any other country In the
world Of which our people at large know so
little, and the reason is the same that has
driven so many Irish to our sho res-bad gov
ernment and oppression at home, and spirit
ment Of q consulate in Pesth looks to putting
within reach of the Hungarians Information in
regard to this country that would facilitate
emigration, and in this view the step would be
good one.
Year: 1869

The argument on behalf Of the Societe du
Cable Transatlantique Franeais before the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations by Mr.. William
w. Mcfarland is at once lucid and strong.
1t reiterates many Of the objections which the
HERALD has urged from the beginning against
the impolitic, If not unconstitutional, prohibi-
tory bill introduced into Congress to the effect
that no submarine cable from any foreign
country shall be laid to or landed upon any
part Of the United States, or any place within
the jurisdiction Of the United States, or of any
particular State, without the consent of Con-
gress first obtained. The ostensible object Of
this bill is to avert some impending evil, says
Mr.. Mcfarland; and he proceeds to inquire,
What Is this evil? s'Is II communication on
the part Of our citizens with the people of
Europe by means of submarine cable9 One
would naturally suppose so; but upon examin-
ing the resolution we find that it does not pur-
port to prohibit such communication, but the
laying Of cable. But how can this be q
public evil?" Mr.. Mcfarland shows that its
sole object is to perpetuate the existing mono
poly Of communication between this country
and Europe by submarine cable. s'The pro-
moters of this resolution know that it is of
vital importance to the French company to lay
their cable early In the summer Of the present
year. They hope SO to cripple the enterprise
as to prevent this from being done. They see
that the most effective way to do this is 70 get
q law passed declaring it unlawful to land q
cable without first obtaining grant from Con-
gress Of the right to do so; then, by interpos-
ing every possible obstacle, they hope to pre-
vent the company from obtaining the neces-
sary grant" AT the time this resolution
was introduced the French cable com
pany had not only been organized, but
had already begun to take their cable on ship
board, and thus the proposed law would be, SO
far as that company is concerned, RETROSPECT
tive and, consequently, unjust and hard. The
resolution is contrary TO the plainest principles
Of public policy. II would expose the United
States government in time Of war to the neces-
sity Of yielding an incalculable advantage to
the government possessing the control q the
single submarine cable which now connects
this Continent with the Continent Of Europe
and both ends Of which rest on foreign soil. In
time Of peace II would deprive American COM
merce and society Of inestimably useful facili-
ties for communicating intelligence. The true
public policy consists unquestionably In multi
plying to the utmost extent our facilities, both
by steam and by electricity, for intercourse
with foreign nations. The people Of the United
States are Of one mind on this point, whatever
private reasons Washington lobbyists may have
for supporting monopoliea


In this connection II Ii noteworthy that on
Wednesday the State Legislature Of Delaware
adopted joint resolution declaring the autho-
rity Of the State over the landing Of ocean
Year: 1869




The crisis for which many have been wait
ing seems at last to have arrived in Spain.
To every one who ID at al acquainted with
Spanish history 1t has been known that the
real difficulty Of the present revolutionary
movement would arise when the government
The government had issued DEGREES mot ct all
friendly to the Church in the first frenzy Of the
movement. It's not decrees, however, 90 much
as the execution of decrees which provoke
resistance. Until the assassination. Of the
Governor Of Burgos we had had no record Of
direct antagonism. The Church party, II not
in perfect harmony with the provisional gov
ernment, had ct least been comparatively
quiet. The strength Of the Church-the great
est force ~ yet In Spain-was reserved. II
the government could carry the Church party
with il all its plans might succeed. II Il
could not it would become more dinacult than
ever to bring order out Of the confusion. The
attempt made by the government to possess
itself of the archives and the works Of art
belonging to the Church has brought about
the dreaded crisis The churches in Spain are
richer in such property than any churches in
Europe. The sacred property Of the
cathedrals Is dearer to the priests than life
itself. The affair in Burgos shows that vio-
lence was resorted to by the authorities and
that this violence, as might have been
expected, was avenged by the assassin's hand.
The demonstration made in Madrid against the
Papal Nuncio, who has hitherto been rather in
favor, shows the direction which events are
liable to take. It is something serious for tie
government to withdraw its official recognition
of the Nuncios diplomatic power. The arrest
Of the dean and chapter Of the Burgos Cathe-
dral points in the same direction. If the Holy
Father takes the side of the Church against the
government we may expect religious wer.
In such case it will be the rural districts
against the towns and cities. Much and seri-
GUS trouble Is therefore possibility. Such
trouble will greatly complicate the situation and
materially affect the chances of the different
candidates for the throne. That the govern
ment thoroughly understands the situation is
proved by our telegraphic news this morning.
The old and cherished system Of Church
.fueros is abolished, and all crimes now
committed by any Of the clergy will be tried
by the civil courts Of the country. This is
step in the right direction, but it is one that
promises to bring the Spanish revolution to an
immediate crisis. The retrograde and pro-
gressive elements Of Spain are becoming more
boldly developed every Day. Both parties are
playing for position and feeling Of each others
strength. The result cannot be other than
war.
Year: 1869

telegraph cables on its shores, alleging that tne
Atlantic coast of Delaware d peculiarly favor
able for the landing Of the Fren6h cable, and
appointing commissioner TO confer with the
French Gable Company. But while this indi-
Gates the popular interest already enlisted in
the enterprise, 1t would not be difficult to
demonstrate that no State rights can interfere
with the rights Of the general government over
the whole line Of the Atlantic coast Of the
United States; nor would 1t be more difficult
to prove that no point on the Delaware coast
can be so convenient or desirable for the land
ing Of the French cable and the distribution OF
the news to be transmitted by 1t as New York
itself, the real centre and metropolis of our
Western World. 14 sa