smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

FROM tne New ork Sun.


Twenty years ago, man living
in this city made deposit of mo
ney in a savings bank here. He
then went away. For fifteen
years he was not heard from
About five years ago another man
applied to the Surrogate for letter:
of administration upon the estate
of the man who had deposited the
money in the bank. He repre-.
sented that the depositor was
dead and he was appointed ad.
ministrator upon the depositor's
estate. He then went to the bank
and demanded the money. AL
though he did not present the
bank book which is furnished tC
depositols, the officers were salts.
fed all was right, and paid over
the money to him.


The absent depositor recently
returned to New York. He went
to the bank, showed his handbook
to the officers, and asked for his
money. The compound interest
had made the amount about twen-
ty-six hundred dollars.


The officers recognized the man
as the one who had placed the
money In their keeping, and ad-
mitted the authenticity of his
handbook, and that, if it had not
been for the administration upon
his property, he would be entitled
to his money. They informed
him that they had paid it to his
administrator, and referred him
to that person-whose name he
had never before even heard-for
the missing sum. The teller
wrote upon his bank k-book: "We
refer you to your own administra-
tor"


The depositor has thus far been
unable to find the man who took
his money. 1t is understood that
he has commenced proceedings a.
gainst the bank. The case will
raise some novel and very interest
ing questions of law. 1t would
seem that there is little difficulty
in New York in taking'out letters
of administration upon the estate
of persons, judging from the facts
of this case.
Year: 1869

A French Journal is responsible
for the following: "In a certain
small provincial town, one of the
residents, M. A. B., found his
house was rendered both damp and
dark by the contiguity of a large
tree which was asinconveniently near
to his windows. He would gladly
have had it cut down, but the
tree belonged to the commune
and was not to be meddled with.
Being a man of resources, he sent
for insertion to one of the Paris
papers the following paragraph :
"There is still in existence one of
the trees of liberty of 1888. 1t
may be seen at X, close to the
house of NJ. A. B., and the passers-
by reverently uncover their heads
to this venerable witness of our
grandest struggle and our most
iilustrious victory" Three days
afterward an order came from the
Prefectur in Paris for the Mayor
of x. to cause the said tree to be
cut down-which was accordingly
done forthwith"
Year: 1869

and she (the sow would be right
peart to git in again"


Charley and / went to bed and
the feas commenced operations.
We rolled, fought fleas and tried
to sleep, but it was no use, hun
dred fresh and hungry ones came
to the funeral of every one killed.
At last we were forced to get up
and strike a light, when We saw
that our shins were covered so
thick as to be actually black; we
started for the stage, taking our
clothes with US. Inside the stage,
l put my ordinary under and over
clothing upon the coach, and then
wrapped up in my great coat; in
fifteen minutes that was full of
feas. and / threw it out and put on
my other clothes. Texas feas are
good travellers, and a very few
minutes was time enough for them
to find the way from the inside
of my great coat to the inside of
my shirt; then another change,
Charlie meanwhile fighting the
other wing, and swearing. We
were not allowed to close our eyes
the whole of the night-must have
changed our clothes thirty times
each.


We asked Old Coffee whether
the feas were always troublesome;
he said "no, they're most all gone
noso, but long back there was q
right smart of them here"


More goat meat and corn bread
for breakfast, at the very reasona-
BILE price of two bits a meal, and
the river having fallen during the
night, we hitched up our mules
and SCOT"
Year: 1869

ly," describing his life as negro


minstrel, says: ! obtained my
first view of the great Mississippi


and the practical working OF Lynch


law at the same time. The night


of our advent at Cairo was lit up


by the fires of an execution. A
negro it seems, was the owner or


lessee of a wharf which


had been moored to the levee of
that town, and which he had turned


to the uses of a gambling saloon.


People who had been enticed into
it had never been seen or heard
of afterwards. The vigilance


committee, then governing Cairo,


had frequently endeavored to lay


hold of the negro and bring him


to trial; but he had secret passages
from one part of the wharf-boat


to the other, by which he always


eluded his pursuers. Having no


doubt that he was guilty of sever


al murderers, the vigilants, on the
night of our arrival, had come
down to the leVee two or three


hundred strong, armed, equipped,
and determined to make the


wretch surrender. In answer to


their summons, they received


nothing but insults from the ne


gro, still out of sight and Sc
cure in one of his hiding places.


At a given signal the wharf boat


was set a6re and cut adrift, and,


as it foated out into the current,


the vigilants surrounded it in


small boats with their rifles ready
to prevent the escape their victim


When the wharf-boat was well in
to the stream, the negro appeared


boldly at the place which, in the
middle of all river craft OF that
kind, is left open for the reception
and discharge of freight. And
now a scene occurred so sensation
ally dramatic, SO easily adaptable
to the stage of these latter days,
that would not dare relate it for
truth if had not witnessed it with
my own eyes. The. negro was
not discovered until he had rolled
a large keg of powder into the
middle of the open space just
mentioned. AS he stood in the
light of his burning craft it could
be seen by the people in the small |
boats in the river that he had a |
cooked musket, with the muzzle
plunged into the keg of powder.
Then the negro dared them to
come and take him, pouring up
on them at the same time such |
horrible oaths and curses as have
rarely come from the lips of man. !
The small boats kept proper dis
tance now, their occupants caring
only to prevent his escape into the
water. As the flames grew thick
er around him, there the negro
stood floating down into the dark
ness that enveloped the majestic
river, with his cooked musket in
the keg Of powder, and cursing
and defying his executioners. He
was game to the last. We heard
the explosion down the stream
and saw the wharfboat sink. The
next day / spoke with the leader
Of the band in the boats-a short
wiry little man, with a piercing
eye. He said he had not the heart
to shoot the "nigger," because he
showed such pluck. He even
confessed that, for the same rea-
son, he felt almost sorry for the
victim, after the explosion had
blown him into eternity.
Year: 1869

Two negroes jumped fom train
running forty miles an hour, in
Georgia, last week. One landed on
his head, and at last accounts was
combing his hair with a horse
rake to get out some powders it
had accumulated in the process.
The other struck his shin against
a decayed stump and gave a job
to the Coroner.
Year: 1869

The great ice mandatory at
New Orleans is one of the won
ders of the age, yet its process of
converting distilled water into
solid blocks of crystal ice are said
to be SO simple as to beget surprise.
Not very much space is required
fer the purpose, and the hull of a
ship, it is said, can be used quite as
advantageously as a building upon
shore. The water can be dis
titled from the ocean brine, and
the very best quality of ice man
ufactured, at a cost, in most local,
tiles, much less than the natural
article can be furnished for.
Year: 1869

Ralph Hardman was stronger of
the opinion that the gentleman who
left the violin in his care was swim
dler, and that the director was a
partner in the business, and that,
together, they had made him their
victim. That night shoddy was
marked up ten per cent.
Year: 1869

A Southern paper reports that
whooping cough is shaving a sue
cessful rum" in a town in Louis
lana. The author of the para
graph speaks of the troublesome
disease as he would of a popular
play:
Year: 1869

GuIluub tuuiobnioAo Va - SSA'~~~~~


derer.


From the New York Exprss,.]


On Thursday Stephen Abbott, confined
in New Haven for the murder of Apollos
M. Bronson, made confession. de had
agreed with Bronson to help poison q
man named Weltou, and burn his barn,
for which he had received money and
gun in advance. After this they met
al night when both were under the in
fluence of liquor. Says Abbott: Bron-
son had lg; it had liquor in it, and he
was going to fll it for me to take up to
Henry Welton. / told him that / would
have no hand in it. He said | had got
to, for I had took the gun to bind the bar
gain. l told him / would have no act or
part in anything further. he insisted
upon it. told him would expose the
whole plan when / went up to Walter,
vile. BE says, Damn you, will you 9
and clutched the ak that stood behind
the door. He came toward me with the
ak. There was a plank put up in the
center of the barn that McCook used to
plane out little Stats for fence.


lodged around that, and he struck at
me: but when the ak came down l
grabbed it by the handle, and never let go
of it again. We had quite struggle Tor
the mastership of the ak. | got the ax
| from him. He then got strip OF board,
aud struck at me with it. He hit me q
blow, so that at the time / was arrested
my left arm from the elbow to the
shoulder was black and blue. l strucb
him with the ak fstwise. or l meant tt
do SO. He fell upon bis knees auc1
grabbed me by the legs. We had good
tussle before got free, but l still held or
to the ak. / came upon my feet abou
the same time that he did. We were boil
down at that time. He grabbed me b,
the knees, and that put me over back
wards. He hung to me like tlcs
When l got liberated from him | hit hin
again. He dove for me again, but go
cut of his reach that time. l struck hin
again, and be lay senseless. l did no
strike him more than three timeH In
last time I struck him | think hit HIN
on the back or side of the head. Whel
he lay there and did not show fight
went to him and lifted him up, and forn,
that he was dead. / had no idea OF kill
ing him. He afterward plundered thu
body, and hid it way, taking care :.
obliterate, as nearly as possible, al
traces of the struggle. Abbott is FIFTY
two wears old.
Year: 1869

A laundress gives US the following
recipe for doing up shirt bosoms. Any
lady who desires to make home happy
will do well to try the experiment. II
will be found sovereign sntidote to that
perilous stuff which weighs upon the
heart-an ill-ironed and i'll fitting shirt
bosom. Take two ounces of fiue white
gum arabic powder-putit it into pitcher,
and pour on pint or more of water
and then having covered it, let it stand
all night. In the morning pour it care
ially from the dregs into a clean bottle,
cork and keep it for use. A tablespoon
full of gum water stirred in pint Of
starch made in the usual manner will
give to lawns, either white or printed, q
look of newness, when nothing else can
restore them after they have been
washed
Year: 1869

Don Piatt writes to the Cincinnati
Commercial


This Government is probably the
most demoralized Government in the
world. Its service is rotten to the core.
All the departments are run BY rings, and
one-haH Of the heavy taxation collected
from an oppressed people is turned into
private pockets.
Year: 1869




The Memphis press has been denounc-
ing a scheme on foot in that city by few
persons, whom it denominates ring
men," for the purpose of buying up the
city stock in the Memphis and Little
Rock railroad, amounting to $3.50, 900,
for mere song. 1t is not improbable
that q similar move may be made here,
and our people should be on the look out
Everyone knows the theory of corporate
bodies. For example, ten men subscribe
$50 900 for a given purpose and pay In
ten cents on the dollar, which, perhaps,
accomplishes the end without further as
sessments, and finally the stock reaches
20, 40, 80 cents on the dollar, or possibly
rises above par. Now, these very
plausible individuals come about, and
by reason of a depressed market, or IN
fact none at all, occasioned by the nn,
finished condition of the enterprise, ana
the large margin remaining snpald. seek
to buy up the entire stock under the
plausible pretense of assuming tbs
responsibility of the payment of further
calls and relieving the city from
further care in the premises. Be
ware The one hundred thousand dol
lars subscribed by the city of Little
Rock and the same amount by Pulaski
county can as we'll be owned by and be-
come a source of credit to the city and
Pulaski county as to pass into the hands
of any set of private gentlemen we know
Of If necessary to pay the subscrip-
tions in full to complete the road the
county can do so, and in the event of
less being required, or of the stock going
above par, or if fortuitous condition OF
affairs arising out of combination OF
both, the city and county had as well
reap the benefits. The prospect OF
speedy completion of the road is now
good, and it is undoubtedly on this ac-
count that spectators are so wide awake.


This reference, so far as our city is
concerned, is merely hypothetic, but it
is well to look to the fastening, as the
thief might come. Ali our stock in this
road is bound to become valuable, and
that shortly. We hence advise holders
to keep it.-Little Rock Gosefte.
Year: 1869

A LOUISVILLE ROMANCE. The New Albany
Ledger says: Years and years ago wor-
thy young man Of foreign birth arrived in the
city of Louisville in search of employment


He at length obtained a situation as barkcep-
er in fashionable saloon. To this establish
ment came bright and early every morning a
little girl wthmint for sale She was always
dressed tidily and carried a smiling face
The young barkeeper took an interest in the
child and upon inquiry learned that she did
not carry her sunny face with her mint only,
but also in her own home, and in the most
humble employment. Setting apart a por-
ton of his own earnings, he sent her to Il
school, and she soon surpassed most of her
own schoomates. He then employed music
teachers for her, and she soon became a pro-
tiCient. Years rolled on, and fortune favored
the young barkeepcr. He became the owner
of an establishment of his own. The wealth.
est men in Louisville were his friends The
poor little mint seller had now grown to wo-
mans estate, and was as accomplished and
virtuous as she was beautiful. She in time
became the wife of the man who had early
befriended her. The man is now rcckoned
one Of the wealthy men of Louisvile-a large
owner of real estatc-respectcd by all who
know him for his noble qualities, of which
kindn ess Of heart is the chief. We read of
such events as these in the story books, but
they seldom occur in real life This howev-
er, is true to the letter.
Year: 1869

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR SHERIrr.-W.
G. Long announces himself as an independ.
ent candidate for Sheriff of this county. Mr..
Long is a Republican and was defeated on
that ticket two years ago for the Office OF
Sheriff. He lie anxiousto be Sheriff, but does
not seem willing to abide the decision of his
party, as they appear to be divided about
the propriety of making nominations this
year. Being so far in minority many Re-
publicans think their only hope to secure any
Office will be by bushwhacking. If that
party are successful in the least manner this
fall it will be through their organization, if
they go it independent such course will Gre
ate much dissension among their aspiring
members and they may bid good bye to all
chance of electirg any ofhcer.
Year: 1869

SENSATION TELEGRAMs.-As a. sample Of
trash and nonsense being sent from the Eas,
by telegraph we publish the following ridic.
ulous dispatch:


CHICAGO, June 25-An evening paper has
a story that secret society has been formed
having branches in the principal cities of the
Union, for carrying the country over to I'm
rerialism. The members are sworn to pro
mote the support of what is termed "Fret
Empire" 1t is proposed to establish ar
aristocracy with executive powers in the
hands Of council, with one man at the head
who will hold his position for life; this per
son to be designated as Consul of the Free
Empire of the United States; the title of Con
sul to be thrown away for that of Emperor as
anon aspublic sentiment will bear the change
The man for this position has already been
selected BY the leaders of the movement.


We are anxious to know who is the embryo
Emperor. If it is Norton the First we are
satisfied to wait for bis coup d'etat.
Year: 1869

BUSINESS MEN. worn by care and sedentary
habits, often suffer from constipation of the
bowels. until the evil consequences of such a
condition are realized in extreme debility,
nervousness and prostration of the vital ener.
gies of the system and it may be safely as.
serted that majority of the female sex are
little better than invalids, from the same
cause; but by simply using DR.. Walkers
Vegetable Vinegar Bitters, this natural amer.
lent and tonic brings back the vigor and
buoyancy of health.
Year: 1869

We have recently received several commu-
nications without the real name of the wri-
ters. Notice is Dow given to correspondents
that we will decline publishing any article
unless accompanied with the name of the
author.
Year: 1869

A LONG CoURTsHIP.-A lady and gentleman
are now living in this city who were engaged
to be married more than thirty years ago, and
who are still anxiously waiting the day when
they shall be made one In 1910 they had been
engaged for some time, but did not marry be-
cause each had mother dependent upon
them for support The two mothers refused
to live together, and their children would not
leave them, but decided TO postpone their mar
riage until one or the other should die. Both
mothers are still living, and the gentleman
sontnues to visit the lady, their filial duty
till keeping them apart. The man has had
lhe consumption for several years, and doubt
shall take her departure, he will have gone to
his last resting-place. Every day a trembling
old Romeo leaning heavily on a cane, with
feeble steps, wends his way to the house Of
Juliet, withered maiden lady, whose hair is
slve,ea sarva oy age ana nT trouble LPy 1hey de-
ford Post
Year: 1869

IHE MTLKMAN's DoNKEY.-Some forty years
ago my husband spent some months in Spain,
and what he witnessed and heard there quito
revolutionized his opinion of donkeys When
habitualy overloaded, beaten and half starved,
they undoubtedly become vicious, obstinate
and stupid just as human beings do under
similar treatment. But with the peasantry of
Spain the iackass is petted favorite, almost
an inmate Of the household. The women and
children feed him from their hands, and talk
caressingly to him. He knows them all and
loves them all. Ee will follow his master,
and come and go at his bidding, like a
faithful dog. He delights to have the baby
placed upon his back, and to walk round with
him gently on the green-sward His intellect
expands in the sunshine of affection, and he
that is quoted rs the stupidest of animals be-.
comes sagacious. They told Mr.. Child of n
peasant in the neighborhood, who had for
many years carried milk into the market of
Madrid to supply set of customers. Every
morning he and and his donkey, with panniers
well loaded trudgng their accustomed round.
One morning, when he was attacked with a.
sudden illness and no one to send with his
milk, his wife advised him to trust the faithful
animal to 60 by himself since ne always knew
where to stop. The pannicrs were according
" filled with canisters of milk, and the priest.
Of the village wrote request to customers to
measure their own milk and send back the
empty vessels. The donkey was instructed,
and set off with his load, The door-bells in
Spain have rope hanging outside the house
to which is appended wooden handle or the
hoof Of some animal. The donkey stopped
before the house Of every customer, and, after
what he deemed sufficient time, he pulled the
rope with his mouth. When he had gone the
entire round he trotted home with the empty
canisters. He continued to do this for several
days. and never missed a customer.


lydia Mdra Child.
Year: 1869

ToYs.-When does the toy age really cease
Look at the rich man with his establishment
what is it but bigger box of toys the tin
coach grown up big, the horses become alive;
the box of sheep and cows developed and bet
ter made, able to walk and bleat and low the
trees able to stand more firmly than those old
avenues, whose trees were all of that one'p peak
ed shape, with the green ringlets up them the
toy ship grown into yacht the box of din
ner things with the vanished provisions inn
movable upon them exchanged for those grand
and fashionable dinnerparties d 10 Russo the
doll passed into wife The baby nursery
ah, sad If the command came TO lay hy these in
a box, and to put them on shelf in Earth's
great cupboard for our broken toys Well
gfa 1t you. il would be poor way to consider
o: things, 10 look at these only as toys, only
rs ministers for amusement, and stays for The
whim of the hour But is certain that they
who look not beyond this brief life DO thus
consider Of then;do thus employ them.s The
t0y age continues sill the life long, though the
cAilds heart goes sdou-S,tHday n Home,


A HH
Year: 1869

There is a certain vagueness about
this expression, for We hear it applied
equally TO men Of thirty-fve, or there
about. and to men who may be in their
sixties, though they manage to look
Younger. Somebody has well said that
"a man is no older than he feels, woman
than she looks" Fer persons Of joyous
temperament and good physique, then,
the prime of life may last to a late
period. A writer in CasselFs Naya-ins
speaks of DIR. o. W. Holmes, at the age
Of ffty-nine, as being in the prime Of
life. and SO he Is, being mentally and
physically as sound as ever. Dickens, at


iftE-seven. is in the prime Of life, WELD
ing the pen as vigorously as he did
thirty years ago, and walking his twenty
miles before dinner whenever the humor
takes him. 1t might have been said Of
the late Lord PalmerstOn that ne was
ia the prime of life when past seventy,
so yigGrons was he then in frame, IN in
tellect so clear. And so Of the late
Lord Broughazs, E.hO could 90 through
vast amount of asassl and bodily
fatigue when close upon his e,ghtieIn
year. What the prime of ifr. Part0S >
Coming Man" is to be, the tine has
hardly yet arrived for discussing. If
he really is to abjure the matutinal
cock tail, though, and decline to muddle
himself with bad tobacco, he may re-
main in his prime long enough to solve the
problem Of the philosophers stone, or,
perhanee. to square the circle. Women
are apt to think that a man must be
past his prime when his hair turns gray.
Yet we have known many a man vener-
able as to his locks and beard, who vas
very much in his prime, indeed, and
quite able TO wallop the rash babbler
who should doubt it. The prime Of life
is earlier with some persons, later, with
others. We have known women who
were past their prime at thirty, and
others Who, with grandchildren around
them, we're yet in the nOon-tide Of their
prime. Constitution has much to do
with the question, and so have the habits
and accident of life.
Year: 1869

The New York Mercantile Journal,
in discussing the folly of attempting to
conduct the future business of the
world upon a gold basis, makes the fol
lowing statements


All gold that exists in the United
States to-day, could be placed in a
square box of less than fifteen feet in
length, width and depth.


A room one hundred feet long, one
hundred feet wide and ten feet high,
would hold eight times the total amount
of gold in the known world.


The Golden Calf, worshipped by
the would-be statesmen of our day. who
desire an accumulation of coin to the
extent of S250,000,000 in our National
Treasury, as a basis upon which to re-
sumo specie payments, if melted down
would not Gil square box measuring
nine feet each way.


How puerile, then, to clog the wheels
of finance and commerce by blind sub
serviency to the ridiculous tenets of the
dark ages. Coal and iron are infinitely
more valuable TO commerce than this
boasted metal.