smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

THE IsTHMUs CANAL. - Lieutenant Com
mander Selfrdge, gentleman well known in
Portland, has recently visited the harbors of
Caledonia Bay and st. Bias, both spoken of
as termini of the proposed Isthmus canal, and
has addressed an interesting communication
to the Navy Department. He says:


Caledonia Bay, about one hundred and fifty
miles to the south of this place, is O fine and
spacious harhor, completely land locked, easy
OF access, as the reefs surrounding it are bold
The chart OF Called )nia Bay, as furnished by
the Department, found perfectly correct.
There are numerous small villages OF Indians
skirting the coast, but no blacks or creoles to
the South of ST. Bias. These Indians are ex-
tremely uncommunicative; no rewards that l
could hold seem to have any effect in inducing
them to reveal any secrets they may possess Of
the interior The; have great dread of the
white man coming among them, and would
mislead in every possible way; but they are an
inohensive people, though, like ] Indians,
treacherous. Any future explorations must
not rely in aLy way upon them, either for
information or assistance, as they are averse to
labor, and would run away, even ii a few could
be induced to offer, which is not likely.


The gulf or bay fist. Bias is Of great extent,
fully equalling that OF New York, and is very
deep. 1t is approached by various passages be-
tween the reels, which are generally bod and
clear. The confguration of the coast of St
Bias is lower than at any other point have
seen except Aspinwall. My own observations
coupled with what have learned from the ma
tive blacks, lead me to fix upon this point as
one that will be most favored for the location
Of the canal, though this and Caledonia Bay
should be thoroughly explored before accept
ing one in preference to the other.


These native blacks have considerable
knowledge Of the interior as far south as the
Mandingo river, which empties into the Bay OF
st. Bias. They differ from the Indians: for
knowing that auy canal would be bane f1eial to
them, they are willing to give all the informa-
ton they know. Accustomed to work in the
brush, they would form a most useful and me-
cessary part of an exploring expedition, aud
from them this kind of labor should be drawn
in preference to the Indians


l should like very much to offer my services
with the Nipsic, in connection with any ex-
ploring expedition the Department may see
proper to fit out. But for the successful ex
plolation an expedition should be thoroughly
hIted in the United States wta picked men,
provisions in concentrated form, and the
necessary appliances for survey, not found on
man-oi-war.
Year: 1869

1t is said that some time between the 18th Of
May and the 1st Of june, A. o. MeGrew, the
reporter and newspaper correspondent who
crossed the Plains in 1858 with wheel barrow,
will cross the continent from New York to
San Francisco on two wheeled velocipede.
in competion with another well known New
York journalist. A prominent sporting gem
tleman is understood to be Mr.. Ms0rew's
backer to any extent
Year: 1869

The Riverside Echo says that "a portion of
the friends of Temperance are of opinion that
the time has fully come when separate polit-
ical party on the issue Of Prohibition should
be organized" The Echo dsprecates this
course, and contends that the temperance bat
tie can best be fought inside the Republican
party
Year: 1869

We give new rule for computing In
tcrcst and Il Is 80 simple that every bank.
or, broker. merchant or clerk should post
It up for reference. There being no such
thing rs fraction In II, there Is scarcely
any liability to error or mistake. by no
other arithnlctical process can the desired
information bc obtained by 80 few fig
ures:


Sir per oea. Multiply any given num-
bcr of dollars by tho number Of days Of
interest desired. separate the right hand
figures and divide by six, the result Is the
true interest on such sum for such mum.
bcr Of days ut six per cent.


Eight per cc,a. Multiply any given
amount by the number Of days upon which
II Is desired to ascertain the interest and
divide by forty-fve, and the result will bo
the interest OF such for the time required
at eight per cent.


Ten per cent. Multiply the same rs
above and divide by thirty-siS and the r--
suit will show the rate of interest Mt ten
per cent.
Year: 1869

country; 10 saw half century following OF suc1
growth and greatness as happens only now and
then In ages; IL saw the accursed cloud OF civil war
looming up In the Southern sky. Then peace came;
then prosperity came the war clouds faded away;
the assurance OF national permanence was mani
fest the bones OF good old Peter Stuyyesant rested
more quietly In the wall OF ST. Marks church, and
the steeple doing its work all the tIme but now
its done and has gone the way or all the living.


But the prayer meeting continues, and yesterday,
amid the working OF engines the dripDing OF water,
the profanity OF hundreds, Gods name was extoed
IN song and praise. The prayer meeting goes on.
Inc Titanic strides OF commerce Will soon build up
the depopuated district
Year: 1869

IF anything in this world makes man
feel badly, it is unquestionably a quarrel.
No man ever fails to think less of himself
than before. 1t de, rades him in the eyes
Of others. and what is worse blunts his
sensibilities on one hand, and increases the
power Of passionate irritability on the
other. The truth is the more peaceably
and quiet we get on, the better it is fer
our neighhols. In nine cases out of ten
the better course is if man cheats you,
cease to deal with him. If he is abusive,
quit his company, and if he lies about you,
SO conduct yourself that nobody will be-
lieve him. No matter who he is or how
he misuses you, the wisest way is to let
him alone, for there is nothing better than
this cool, calm and quiet way Of dealing
with the wrongs we meet with. ''Return
not railing for railing"
Year: 1869

Cne day there was great humping in
my cellar, and if you had gone down there
you would have seen that one Of the win-
dows had been opened, and that sticks of
wood, some square, some round. some
three-cornered, big and little, knotty and
clear, all sawed the right length for the
stove, were pouring in through that win
dow and every stick as it came down
seemed to say, 'stand clear, or you'll get
hurt" So stood clear and let the work
ers have il all their own way.


suppose the one who sent it thought
tina splitting it would be good exercise for
the minister, and he thought 81 too. So
went at it. But pretty soon a big stick
turned up, full Of hard knots on every
side. fancied that these knots looked
like an eye. and that it kept Watching me
as picked up one stick after another. and
left it untouched. In fact. it almost seem.
ed to say, "split little sticks if you have i.
mind Is, but | dare you to toach ne.''
1t was great annoyance to see it there
every day but the question was bow to
get rid Of it. 1t was too good to be
thrown away, and it was too big to 60 in
to the stove. My only course was to try
to split it. So one day when felt strong
! in my bones, laid it on the block with
,, the eye up. Then putting all my strength
imts my arms. sent the AK fair across
| the eye, and through it went.


To my surprise, the old stick split more
| easily than many others before it. And
then cou.d not help thinking how true
| this is all through life. How often do
men and boys fancy that some duty is
is very hard, and work all around it, and
fear to touch it, hanging back until they
can do SO no longer, and then make good
effort, and find that it is real easy, and
that they have had all their troublesome
fears for nothing.


Boys, remember that knotty stick.
When you have any work to do, don t
stop to think bow hard it is, hut take hold
at once bravely; hit i. fairly in the eye,
and, ten to one, you will be through be-
fore you know it.-Erch.
Year: 1869

ed to Noah in the ark, having found
no rest for the sole of her foot" Here
we may find rest and strength, and thus
the great burdens of life which threaten
at times to break us down, are made the
means of establishing us in all that is
noble and true, because they drive us to
God for help.


Many are the tears that flow and the
sighs which rise in secret. The mother
sits alone in her house, holding little
lock of golden hair. The one ewhose head
it once adorned is now with angels and
redeemed spirits. Who can tell the ag-
ony of her heart as she bows before God
in her closet, and prays for strength to
sustain her, while all around her reminds
her of her loss And what tide of
sorrow comes rushing to our hearts oft
times when, at some quiet hour, we take
from their hiding-place packet of old
letters, yellow and faded like autumn
leaves. AS we hold them in our hands,
they bring to our minds some of the most
hallowed recollectious of the past. 1t
seems somewhat akin to sacrilege to open
them or is it want of courage that
keeps the trembling hand from loosening
the string which binds them all together ?
We open, we read Oh f! how the tears
fall like rain-drops as we see once more
the old, familiar words The hand that
shaped them is dust in the graveyard
the soul that prompted them is with its
Saviour. We weep as we think of the
dear one gone before, and pledge our
selves anew to the service of the Master,
looking for a blessed reunion in a better
land. We put the old letters carefully
back with loving hands and feel almost
as though we had held communion with
the departed. We are strengthened for
life's battle by the "reminiscences of the
past, and through the outward workings
of the heart we are better prepared for
life's duties and responsibilities.


Our secret sorrows may thus be made
to us a means of the souls growth in ho-
illness and usefulness. They need MT
weigh us down to the ground and make
us hopeless and despairing, for the divine
voice bids us cast our burden on the
Lord. He can easily bear what would
crush us, and as He lifts the load that
presses the heart, He gently soothes the
troubled spirit with blessed promises OF
consolation and of help.-Methodist.
Year: 1869

ual appendage which is thrown out of
the office gratuitously, and for the spe-
cifc benefit of the community at large.
If grumblers and fault-fnders had their
own way, the more papers publisher
would circulate from his office, weekly,
the greater the danger he would be in of
improvishing himself and family, while
the reverse should be the fact in bus
iness point of view York (Pa) True
Democrat.
Year: 1869

How many persons into whose face we
look as we walk the streets, have sorrows
the existence of which would never be
imagined from anything that we can see!
Strangers to us we pass ths,,s. by with
hurried glance which reveals naught of
the pent up emotions that struggle in their
souls f)rthe mastery. With countenance
placid as the unruffled bosom of a quiet
lake, they look smilingly on all around,
and pass on their way. Could we but
see their hearts as easily as we see their
faces, how much of sorrows history it
would be ours to know. These secret
sorrows are not monopolized by strangers.
Even our friends, intimate though we
may be with them, often have troubles
that we know not of. The origin of these
may date beyond the time of our acquain-
tance ; they care not now to speak of
them, even to us. Yet the hidden grief
is in their hearts, and in secret, tears fall
which our eyes are never permitted to
see. There are also some of their troubles
which are known to us, but we never men
tion them in their presence the subject
is altogether too painful for conversation,
and by tacit understanding, is careful
ly ignored. These heavy burdens they
must bear alone, as far as human aid is
concerned our sympathies may be felt,
but cannot be expressed.


And even in those cases where we may
speak freely concerning the griefs which
oppress the soul, we cannot always enter
into full sympathy with the sufferers
Our own situation for the time may be of
an opposite character, and we may not
feel in a sympathetic mood or the story
of grief may have been so often repeat
ed to us as to become unaffecting, though
to the sufferer the sorrow may still be as
heavy as when it was new. Then in sol
itude must these griefs be borne, and the
tears they force be shed in secret. The
soul is thrown back upon its own resourc-
es. Human sympathy has reached its
limit, and has failed to fully meet the
case. No blame is to be attached to it
for this, for, like all other human attri-
butes, it is finite. The soul thus left
alone, with the consciousness that it is
beyond the power of friends to help, finds
its strength severely tested. Philosophy
may brace its failing energies, but can.
not supply the aid required Where
philosophy fails. faith triumphs SO that
secret SORROWS become means of devel.
oping the heart by the strength they fur
nish to faith. The soul learns its utter
helplessness, and is cast upon its Cod
There it feels as safe as child nesting
in its mothers arms.


This, after all, is the ultimate resort Of
the troubled heart. God would have Us
feel our dependence on him, and he ha;
therefore so ordered it that nothing short
of himself can satisfy the wants of the
soul. One resource after another is tried
and fails, until the heart comes back tC
God as instinctively as the dove return
Year: 1869

So many rumOrs have been aflOat
lately in regard to the shipment and
receipt of iron and rolling stock for
the Midland Pacific, all Of which
have been quoted to a greater or less
extent by the newspapers that the
people have become cORfOunded know
not what to believe in regard to the
road, and begin to blame the company
for not fulfilling promises which they
have never made.


We called upon Mr.. Wheeler this
morning for definate and reliable in
formation and We're informed by him
that much delay has attended the
shipment of the iron at Mound CITY.
Ill, and that it is not probable that Il
yet arrived at Hannibal. The lOcOmO-
tive is probably in the round house at
Hamburg now and will be brought to
this city as track enough is laid to
make use for it. The bridging has
progressed so far as bridge No. 10,
which is about seven miles from the
city, and it will be pushed through
with vigor. The bridge builders viii
be able to keep out Of the way Of the
track layers. The grading on the
forty mile contract was completed to-
day, and that of the sixteen mile con-
tract will be finished soon. DR. Con-
verse left for Hannibal yesterday, TO
buy some flat cars, and they will be
employed to bring the iron through
from that place. The ties will at once
be distributed along the line for the
first two miles, and track laying will
commence as soon as the iron arrives,
which will be sometime this week.
and progress at the rate Of about a
mile day after the construction train
is put on.-Ne6rdsku Cfty Press.
Year: 1869

to the u. S. Express Co. If die, my
life is insured in favor of the u. s.
Express Co. for an amount greater
than what they have lost.


ask the sympathy of no one; but
/ am already fearfqlly punished, not
knowing what moment 1 viii be ar
rested for my crime. And what then?
The State Prison, or suicide, if I pre-
fer it. will also state why 1 wrote
the note to HOlladay & Calhoun in the
braggadOciO style that l did. / want
ed to kill all the love and respect that
my wife ever entertained for me, and
thereby lessen the sorrow or anxiety
that she might feel for me after she be-
came aware of what I had done. You
who have up to this time thought or
imagined what q luxurious and ex-
travagant life I am no doubt leading,
are for once disappOinl ed, as I am one
of the most miserable criminals on
the face of the earth! You who have
families that you love, do you think it
would be no punishment for you to be
an outcast from their society and that
of your friends? Oh! it is almost en-
Ough to make q raving lunatic of me.
And sometimes l feel as if my very
brain was on fire, when l think of
what I have lost-friends, family, pO-
sitiOn, character, everything worth
living for, and to think where l might
be.


''There is nothing man knows in grief or


in sim"


Hall so bitter as to think t0hat might hare been.


This is all believe that I have to
say in extenuatiOn for the crime have
committed. Had I remained in
Brownville until the time came for the
next 'settlementn with the company
ION the 30th,) everything would have
been exposed, as had kept the Su-
perintendent in ignorance of it as long
as possible.


To sum it up in few words, my sit
uation was this: Arrest, trial State
Prison, if I remained. III abscOnded,
l might escape, and perhaps before l
was arrested return all that had Ia
ken.


Censure me orgambling, but blame
me not for the rest. OF one thing you
can rest assured-there is not more
miserable man on the face of the
earth than J. K. BEAR.


The above letter, together with one
to his wife, were dropped in the P. O..
in Brownville, on the evening Of Dec.
I'd, directed to the Advertiser Office.
They were both undoubtedly sent to
some one in Brownville, under cover
of another envelope, who dropped
them in the office on Thursday eve
ming. There is no manner of doubt
but that the-entire letter to the id
Uertiser is in the well known hand
writing of J. X. Bear. Colonel Ma
jors and Captain Carson recognized
the hand writing on the back of the
envelope, and they took the letter
from the postoffice and brought it to
us, knowing it to be from Bear.
Year: 1869

Before the imprint of the Journal
bears the date 1900, science and art will
have SO advanced as to have effected
complete revolutions in many OF the
industrial processes and methods OF
securing health, comfort and conven-
renee OF the human race.


Vast gas manufactures will be
found IN all OF the great cities and
towns, in which the invisible agent
will be manufactured solely for the
purpose of cooking the food and warm
ing the dwellings OF the inhabitants.
These works will be independent
of those established for illumlnat-
ing gas. 1t will not be necessary to
purity the fuel gas SO fully, and it will,
in most places, be made from wood.
The cost will be so low, and the con-
venience SO great, other kinds of fuel
WILL in a large measure, be dipenscd
with. No ashes, no smoke, no dust
what glorions realization this will
be. At that time the air, the earth
and the sea will be full of conducting
wires, and electric currents will flow
constantly in every direction. A rev
order of things will prevail in our Post
Offices. The click of the telegraph
instrument will be heard instead OF
the snap of the lock which closes up
the mouth of the mail-bags. The
small sum of ten cents perhaps less)
will place correspondents in instant
communication with each other, no
matter how widely they may be sep
arated. Although the industrial arts
will have enormously Increased, less
steam power will be imployed. Elcc-
trical or some other of the hidden forces
of nature will be harnessed to the prl-
mary moving wheels of the great man
ufacturing establishments, and smoke
and vapor will no longer mark their
location to the distant traveller.


The sick will not be required to
swallow disgusting doses OF medicine.
Remedies will be administered
through other avenues than the stom-
ach. Chemistry will have eliminated
the vital, active principles from all
cura i've agents; and, through the cellu
llr sutcutaneous coverings, ard by





other at present closed doors of access,
the influence Of therapeutic agents will
lie brought to bear directly upon dis
eased parts Light will be let in upon
nearly all the organs of the body, so
that the physician can observe the ex-
tent and nature Of disease, and no
longer be compelled to diagnose in the
dark


The publishers of this and other
journals will perhaps be able to issue
simultaneous editions in all the great
central cities of the country. A know
ledge of practical science will be more
generally diifused among the people,
clevating aud improving the masses,
and consequently rendering them hap
pier, healthier and better fitted for the
duties and responsibilities of lite. -
[Boston Journal OF Chemistry.
Year: 1869

There is found ON the coast of Brit
ish Columbia, Russian America and
Nancouver's Island little fish, not
larger than smelt. clad in glittering
armor, which is fat almost beyond con-
ception. Its scientific name is Solmos
P@etfeus-popularly it is called the
candle fish. 1t is next to impossible
to broil or fry them, for they melt
completely into oil. They are so mar
velously tat that the natives use them
for lighting their lodges. For this
purpose the dried fish are perforated
from head to tall by piece of rush
pith BY means of long needle made
OF hard wood. The wick is then
lighted, and the fish burns steadily.
witha sufficiently good light to read
by
Year: 1869

The SAFE Sentinel says persons
from Evansville were anxiously
searching Indianapolis, on Friday
night, for a young girl who had fed
her home here aud was supposed 10
be IN that city We did not know
that such a Miss was missing.
Year: 1869

II il said that the richest heiress of the
American colony in Paris, Miss Y, whose
marriage portion amounts to great many
millions of francs, has received somewhat
singular offer of marriage. Count N, a
Spanish nobleman Of the highest rank and
of fine appearance, wrote to the brother o.
our heiress, whose parents are dead, the fol
lowing letter: "Sir, love your sister, and
sue for her hand. But as would not have
anybody think, for her sake as well as mine'
that money was the motive of such q union
l would accept of Miss Y. only marriage
portion equal in value to my own, or about
100000 francs. The rest Of your sisters
fortune would go to the poor" Il is not
known what answer was given to this sin
gular proposal; but the count is man o.
whom wife might be proud, and this 70
mantic way of wooing is we'll calculated II
please girl.
Year: 1869

New York Teiegrnphers' Ball


Apollo Han Gagged SO many interpreters OF the
lightning messenger last night that one may wen
ask whether magnetism was slumbering. Click,
click. click Is the monotonous sound that harps OF
the ear OF the busy and hard-working telegrarner
the whole year round, that an occasion IKE this
is welcomed as the poor man does t.e Sab
bath. One brief night too brief for the
sons OF toll, was spent In what Sidney
Stewart termed sfun for the millionn See the ope-
rator at his weary round Of work and see him again
in the bali room and there not churl In existence
to grudge him the enjoyment. Magnetism was GER
tanly mapping somewhere. ''rhe Electric ball'' Is
at once novel and attractive name for pleasant
social gathering or the "wre pulling" fraternity,
and taking peep at the company one is struck with
the propriety Of the term. Neither Gavani nor Volta
De Luc nor Faraday, Callan nor Morse, in all their
laborous researches could fathom that perfection OF
the science which Is exemplded IN the nash OF the
eye or the throb OF the heart wnen KIgaed or
powered, often c0nf0unded at the galaxy OF beauty
that bewiders and tntoxicates in the ball room ana
we can only give expression to our feeng6 IN sucn
words as charms and enchantment, whereas that
grand but incomprehensble force called electricity
phrase, sanima magnetism felt this disturbing ele
ment, and in the attempt to express the enects ne
most appropriate certainly. but the tables were
turned this time, for the ladies were the operators


ea ce ana they
would trine with toys found difficulty in exclud-
ing their partners from any considerable share In
the brilliant display. The fair ones smiled and the
stronger sex instinctively bowed, evidence that
they ie the impulse that is irresistible. When these
graces moved along there was magic In
the movement that evoked admiration. the
prevailing cOlors were green satin, black
silk and garnet tarlatan, but there was
no extravagance either in style or variety
OF coorng. The gentlemen all seemed to have
ssstruck a new key0 for white vests were to them
things OF the past. uniform black cloth suit was
the order OF the night and this in itself s an inno
walton that marks Improvement. 1t suggests tenn
perng OF pleasure with reason and indulgence with
sobriety. Taken altogether the ball was one OF the
most respectable Of the season and was noticeable
for punctuality in the observance OF the programme
The company commenced to eater the hall at ten
O'clock About l5O persons participated.