smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

There is no greater want in these days.
in al the households Of New England,
than evenings at home. We have lament
ed the loss OF the old fashioned fire place,
with its cheerful wood fire roaring up the
chimney, and its outposts of apples and
cider. But they would do little good in
these days, when nobody would stay at
home to enjoy them. Everybody and
every institution seem to have conspired
to make it impossible to gather the family
at home for quiet evening. There are
lectures and concerts and fairs-to say
nothing of opera and theatre and ball
which are yet quite Of the past. If
family belonging TO the church and do
not turn aside to the frivolities, and but
occasionally to the public social and in
tellectual entertainments. there are prayer
meetings and conference meetings, there
are preaching meetings and special
meetings and revival meetings. And
then there are reading rooms and Christian
associations and unions for Christian work,
and the lyceum and the singing schools
and the glee club. II is not easy to say
which of these institutions Of civilization
or Christianization should be- given up.
Rather the effort Of society is to invent
and organize new appliances for pl easure
and profit. The church adds n lyceum.
the literary association prayer meeting.
or the Christian union u billiard training
room. We are not sitting in Judgment
on these notifications OF society, nor
inclined TO write ourselves old fogy by
lsmenting the degencracy of the times.
Yet one may be pardoned for desiring to
find room III these crowded days for SO
good an institution rs IN evening at
home


Christian associations and unions and
reading rooms are all good SO far as they
afford safe and pleasant retreats for
strangers in the city, who are shut out
from the privileges of the home circle.
and lure the wandering from the tempta-
tons of vice. But SO far as they lead our
youth from the quiet of houlc and create
or increase the craving for publicity they
are not blessings. Better the few books
and well read Of our fathers in quiet
homes, than all the crowded shelves of
great libraries, than reading rooms filled,
with the trashy, sensational literature OF
the day, with the loss OF the home atmos-
phere. Our merchants and wealthy
employers are princely in the bestowment
of their means to build up public institu-
tions for the benefit of the homeless.
Would they not do more good at less
expense by making their homes free 70
their clerks and employers, and providing
for them pleasant social evenings at
home.-[ Providence Journal.
Year: 1869




You are both so young that you cannot
yet conceive of the amount Of treasure
that will yet be poured in upon you. by
all sorts of people, if you do not go about
protesting that you have all you want
already. You know the story of the two
schoolgirl on the Central Railroad
They were dead faint with hunger, hav-
ing ridden all day without food, but on
consulting together, agreed that they did
not dare 10 get out ut any station to buy.
A modest old doctor of divinity, who was
coming home from a meeting of the
American Board overheard their talk,
got some sponge-cake, and pleasantly
and civilly offered it to them rs he might
have done to his grandchildren. But poor
Sybel, who was nervous and anxious,
said, mo, thank you" and SO Sarah
thought she must say 'No, thank you."
too and so they were nearly dead when
they reached the Delvan House. Now
just that same thing happens, whenever
YOU pretend, either from pride or from
shyness, that you know the thing you do
not know. If you go on in that way, you
will be starved before long. and the coro-
ner's jury will bring in n verdict, Served
him right" could have brayed girl,

whom | will call Jane Smith, last night,
at Mrs. Pollexfen's party, only | remem-
bered, Though thou bray fool in y
mortar, his foolishness will not depart
from him." and that much the same may
be said of fools of the other sex. could
have brayed her, | say, when saw how
she was constantly dcsrauding herself by
cutting Off that fine Major Andrew, who
was talking TO her, or trying TO. Really,
no instances give you any idea oft. From
n silly boarding school habit, ! think, she
kept SAYING Yes" Us if she would be
disgraced by acknowledging Ignorance.
You know said he, "what General
Taylor said 70 Santa Anna, when they
brought him in?" Yes simpcrcd poor
Jane, though in fact she did not know,
and | do not suppose five people in the
world do But poor Andrew, simple as
soldier, believed her and did not tell
the story, but went on alluding to it, and

they got at once into helpless confusion.
Still. he did not know what the matter
was, and before long, when they were
speaking of one of the Muhlbach novels,
he said, "Did you think ofthc resemblance
between the winding up and Redgaunt-
let?" 30 yes" simpercd poor Jane again,
though, as it proved, and as she had to
explain in two or three minutes, she had
never read a word of Rcdgauntlct She
had merely said Yes" and Yes and
Yes not with a distinct notion of fraud,
but from an impression that it helps con-
versation on if you forever assent to what
is said. This is an utter mistake; for, Is
hope YOU sec by this time. conversation
really depends on the acknowledgement
of ignorance-being indeed, the proviien-
tial appointment of God for the easy re-
moval of such ignorance Our Young
Folks for March.
Year: 1869

If we inspire and expire forty hogsheads
of air day, rob it of some pounds oi
oxygen, and load ii with other pounds OF
carbonic acid gas, we must need very
large supply for our daily use. The
ventilation ofbuildings, public and private,
is accomplished easily and safely enough,
if people will take the pains and spend
the money. Yet it is sadly neglected by
those who spare no trouble and expense
for lnxuries much less important. have
been at elegant dinner parties, where,
what with the number Of guests crowded
together in a small apartment, the blaze
of numerous lights, and the long sitting,
10 say nothing Of the variety of wines that


insisted on being tasted, the greatest care
was no security against such headache
the next morning as only debauch
ought TO account for There were
dozen courses for the palate, and only
one for breathing organs. Let no host
expect his guests 10 be anything but
sleepy and stupid, If they are imprisoned
in an atmosphere which reduces them all
to state of semiasphyxia.


II is our own fault, in most cases, If we
DO not get ventilation enough at home,
without any dangerous exposure to
draughts. But once cross your own
threshold and 90 abroad you are no longer
safe. a friend grapples you. warm with
exercise, and keeps you talking, with the
wind blowing through you, charged with
catarrhs, rheumatisms, ung-fevers, and
other complaints, any of which your
particular constitution may happen to
fancy. Never stopon n doorstep 10 discuss
the origin OF evil, or lingrr on n street
corner to settle authorship of Junius and
Eikon Basilike, unless you are impregna-
bic to the blast rs an iron-clad to bullets.
There are some, no doubt, who can run
half dozen times round the Common,
and sit down on Park Street Meeting
house steps and cool OFF, without being
the worse Tor it. But sensible persons arc
guided by their own experience. Ii is
not their affair how much exposure other
people can bear. Least of all must be
the delicate male sex be guided by the
conduct of their rugged and insensible
female fellow creatures. Either God
tempers the wind to the bare shoulders
AZ 10 the shorn lamb, or these dear sisters
of ours are the toughest of organized
creatures


The railroad car is the place where
your danger is greatest. Adelicate little
woman, sitting on the seat before you,
will throw window wide open, and let
the winter wind in upon you III steady
current for hours, without the least idea
that she is committing homicide. There
is no need of assassination" says the late
Professor Harris, "to temper the asperities
of politics. When your victim starts for
Washington, let there always be woman
on the seat before him. He will die Il
natural death before long,-perfectly
natural. under the circumstances. At
lantic Monthly for 1869.
Year: 1869

ALCOHOL AND TIE BRAIN. all
know that when we drink alcoholic liquor
It affects the brain Immediately. Most Of
us are aware. too, that 1t affects the brain
injuriously, lessening at once Its power to
discern and discriminate. If I, at this 10
A. NJ, full of interest in this subject, and
eager to get my views Of It on paper,
were to drink glass Of the best port, Ma
deria, or sherry, or even glass of lager
beer, 1 should lose the power to continue
in three minutes, or, II l persisted In go
ing on, should be pretty sure to utter
paradox and spirits of extravaganza which


would not bear tho cold review of to-
morrow morning. Any one can try this
experiment Take two glasses of wine,
and then apply yourself Immediately to
the hardest task your mind has to per.
form, and you win find that you canno,
do It. Let any student just before he sits
Year: 1869

Fired with emulation, ! carefully watch
ed common garden spider (Epeira dia-
den,a). which found rs entertaining rs
wonderful. I commenced by destroying
the web of fine fat spider. and the owner
appeared excessively astonished rs her web
collapsed around her. At length she took
refuge in an inverted Howcr-pot where
found her two hours after. am inclined
to think that during this period she was
preparing materials for u new web. l
found in every case where a web Is destroy
ed. that the spider goes away to some quiet
spot, and, drawing his legs close around
him, remains quiet for two or three hours.
During this period of repose the spider Is
stupid and dull-just gives an impatient
shuttle when touched, but does not run oil,
as spiders generally do when disturbed.
I watched again, then left, and when re-
turned in half an hour found the spider
as active as spider could be, In building
new web, the old one. which Mt my last
visit was still hanging. had now vanished.


Had the spider eaten 1t ''that's the rub"
BY lucky chance another spider came n
long the piece of wood, from tho end Of


which my spider had fastened one Of her


foundation lines. "They met" and in m
instant the claws of each were shot out
with dexterity that a pugilist might en-
wy; the blows were given in exactly the
same manner as q cat strikes her antago-
mist. The trcspassing spider was soon con-
vinced that It would be the height Of folly
to stop where he was, SO. fastening line
from where he stood, he let himself down
on convolvulus leaf. My friend rushed
to the spot where spider No. had fasten-
cd his line, and seizing on It, the other
end of which, DO 1t remembered, was In
communication with spider No. 2's body,
began to wind him of, that Is to say she
drew tho line In towards herself, In the
same manner that o sailor hauls In rope.
but with rapidity that was truly wonder
full, the front legs were moved so quickly
that my eyes could scarcely follow them.
Spider No. 9 having decided objection
to his vitals being wound away in this sort
of manner, put an end to my friends lit
Ito pastime by cutting the line. Spider
No. had now collected web that amount
cd to the size of large pea; when she
found the supply cut of, she began stow
Ing 1t away in her own body. forcing 1t In
with her two front claws, and In few
moments not n vcstige was jeff.
Year: 1869

down to his mathematics drink pint OF
the poorest beer, and he viii be painfully
conscious Of loss Of power. Or. let any
salesman before beginning with a diff
cult, but important customer. perform the
idiotic action Of taking drink" and he
will soon discover that his ascendancy
over his customer Is impaired. In some
way this alcohol, Of which we are so fond,
gets to the brain. and Injuries it.-PARroS
In Hc atlantic.
Year: 1869

While the congregation were collected
at church, on certain occasion IN old


dark, Manufactured, skin and bone indi.
vidual was seen vending his way up the
aisle, and taking his seat near the pulpit.
The officiating minister was one Of the
class who detested written sermons. and
as for prayers he thought they ought to oe
Year: 1869

A GREAT SALT MINE.-The San Jose Pa
triot thus describes the Humboldt salt mine,
about eighty miles northwest of Austin, and
not far from the railroad:


The surface of the salt plain looks exactly
like that of q lake frozen over. The salt ls
hard and also as smooth as ice. Were it not
for fine PARTICLES which are condensed from
vapors arising from beneath. and which cover
the crystalline salt to the depth of perhaps one
eighth of an inch, it would make an excellent
skating rink at all times of the year, except
the very unfrequent occasions when covered
with water. This magnificent expanse of crys-
talizcd salt is no less than twenty miles in
length, and twelve in width, without break
or flaw, or one particle of soil for the greater
portion of that extent. The stratum of solid
salt. we had almost said ice, which it continu
ally suggests to our mind, is about six or seven
inches thick, under which comes layer of
sticky, singular looking mud, about two feet
thick, and under this again another stratum
of solid salt as hard as quartz and transparent
as glass, of unknown thickness to us. When
we visited the mine about tour years ago, we
found hole which had been sunk about six
feet into its lower layer of salt, near the edge
of the deposit without going through it. In
Summer, this salt plain. glittering and scintil-
latng in the light of an almost tropical sun pre-
sents a brilliant appearance. The frosty COW
ering and solid salt is as white as the driven
snow, while that portion when exposed reflects
dazzling prismatlc colors. OF course there is
salt enough in this immense deposit to supply
the world for untold ages. 1t Is remarkably
pure, being ninety-fve per cent. salt, and five
per cent. soda, purer than we use for our tables
Year: 1869

Mr.. Sumner introduced bill providing that ap-
pellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of the
United States in cases proceedings commenced by
the writ OF hdteds corpus is hereby repealed and abo
ished.'


The above is taken from the dispatches Of the 9th
of December containing the proceedings of Congress-
and is only verifcaton of prediction in recent
issue Of this paper We then said that should
pect to hear that of the first bills introduced
the present session Of Congress would be Act to
clip the wings of the Supreme Court and deprive
them of jurisdiction in the Yerger It has
turned out exactly expected, and we are not
the least bit surprised at any accumuating evidence
of Radical infamy


Mr.. Drake opened the ball in the Senate by intro
ducins his bill prohibiting any Court created by Act
of Congress any Judge thereof, in any what
ever that might come before them, from abridging
deciding any Act Joint Resolution of Congress in
valid for any supposed repugnancy between such Act
or Joint Resolution and the Constitution of the
United States and upon the heels of that infamous
measure follows Mr.. Summers bill to prevent the
Supreme Court entertaining, appeal cases
or proceedings in habeaS corpus Sumner insisted on
immediate action on his BILL and this taken i'll
necton with the present status Of the Ierger case, is
sufficient to satisfy any that the whole object of
passing the Infamous measure with such indecent
haste is to prevent a decision being rendered by the
Supreme Court which they satisfied will determine
the unconsttutionality Cf Radical reconstruction.
They unwilling that their treason and nfamy
should be exposed 10y decision of the highest judi
cal tribunal known to the laws of the land. They
are satisfied that when examined in Constitutional
light their measures will be pronounced unconsitu-





their pet measures also Will go the Radical party
Their villany may triumph for the time being, but
the old adage that murder will OUT will be again
verified ana the Radical traitors and scoundrels will
later be overtaken and visited with that
rctribution which they justly deserve for their
crimes against the Government and the people.
Year: 1869

BUTLER AND THE CENsUs.-Upon the question of
the next census Congress- Butler proposed that it
be taken by the Internal Revenue officers, and in
speaking of them said "here is a pure well-traned
body of officers, who could do the work well' A
wonderfully pure set they are; scarcely newspaper
can picked up that does not contain accounts of
the frauds and steallngs of some of them.
Year: 1869

BUTLER.-General Butler is perfecting a
plan for the payment of pensions through the
lnoney-order office, and is framing q bill to
effect this urpose.-Erchange.


We shall expect to hear of Grant appointing
Butler Postmaster at some place very soon.
Year: 1869

RADICAL STAB AT THE JrpIcIARY.-We observe, in
Missouri has introduced bill regulating and defn-
ing the Jurisdiction OF Courts OF the United States


prohibiting any Court from declaring any Act or Joint
Resolution of Congress invalid on account of sup
posed unconstitutonality. We have been inclined
to thiuk that the Radicals had slight, lingering
respect for what remains Of the Constitution but this
bill Of brakes will make us skcptcal the point.
man who has taken an oath 10 support the Consti-
tuition Of the United States and would then introduce
and cndcavor 10 pass such bill, is guilty Of per-


jury as any man can be- and is of the most dan
gcrous enemies to the Government; and such an at
tempt to undermine our system of Government, by
illegal entcavor to hamper and to tie the hands
and smother the Judgment OF coordinate branch of
the Government, is about the most brazen piece OF
cfroueIy that has ever been exhibited i'll Legisla-
tive body. Bat nothing better could be expected of
tins scoundre Drake who at the breaking out of the
war; made secession speeches and advised the young
men of St Louis Missouri, to fall into the Southern
ranks and then shortly afterwards turned complete
political somersault and out Hcrodcd Herod IN his
party by means of which he wormed his way into
the Senate. where he has endeavored to prove him.
self the most cruel and proscrptivc of all the Jaco


bin members of that body. With the exception of
sumner there is not prominent Radical III Congress
who has shown much bitter animosity and vindic


tivcncss towards the people of the South as those
scalawags who once were Democrats and afterwards
joined the party of plunder-such men as Butler,
Logan, Drake. Stokes, and few others we might
mention; whose private characters are in perfect
accord wth the infamous schemes they endeavor to
carry ont. We believe that should they consider it
necessary; in order to accomplish their purposes,
they would not hesitate to pass bill to abolish the
Supreme Court altogether on the ground that it is
dsloyal body standing in their path and obstructng
Radical plans of so-called reconstruction. 1t would
be blessing to the people should visitation Of Prov


idence wipe such men from off the face of the earth
Year: 1869

About ten days ago, a quarrel took
place between two cOnvicts while on
their way to the quarries, with a gang
from the prison under charge of
guards, which resulted intOa a desperate
fight with knives. Both the combat
ants were wounded, and one of them
so severely that he died on the follow
ing day. ug s. ...r


But the blOOdiest affray yet, occur
red on last Thursday. AS the con-
victs were setting down to dinner. q
quarrel occurred between two. large
and powerful men. A few words pass
ed, when both parties drew forth
large sharp pointed knives, and a
most terrific and deadly struggle en-
sued. They fought the entire length
of one of the long tables, stabbing and
striking alternately, and were not
seperated until they began to fail
from the loss of blood. The floor and
tables were bespattered with blood,
and the scene was one long to be re-
membered. They were both taken to
the hospital and one of them expired
in five minutes. His body exhibited
no less than half dozen fatal stabs.
The Other::was severely wounded but
survives yet. An inquest was held
over the body of the dead man by
Coroner Reese, but the jury could not
agree upon the verdict. This case
will probably come before the grand
jury.


Such is the condition Of affairs ex-
listing at present in the Illinois State
Penitentfary. There is no sort Of dis
cipline. The cOnvicts are allowed free
license to do as they please. They
knock down the guards at pleasures
and commit murder among themselvs.
And what is unheard in the prison
discipline, more than one half Of the
convicts are armed with knives and
murderous weapons. This being the,
case, an open revolt and the murder Of
scores Ofinnocent men is mOmentarily
expected. When we remember that
there are nearly twelve hundred des-
perate men confined in the penitentia-
~, for crimes of various grades, and
that more than one half of them are
armed with deadly weapons, we can
not avoid trembling at the consequent
ces which may be mOmentarily ex-
pected.
Year: 1869

a person as aforesaid, then the nearest
Justice of the Peace shall appoint q
person instead, and in case the two
persons SO chosen or appointed as
aforesaid cannot agree, they shall
choose a third person, and the person
so chosen or appointed shall proceed
to assess the damages, receiving there
for one dollar each for their services
and the said appraisers or a majority
of them shall make an award in wFi-
ting, which award shall be filed with
nearest Justice Of the Peace who shall
thereupOn enter the award on his
docket, and render judgement and is
execution as ia other cases. When
the amount Of damages exceeds one
hundred dollars, the award shall be
fled with the Clerk OF the District
Court in the County where such ac-
ton occurred, who shall have power
to issue execution upon such award as
now provided by law for the issuing
Of execution upon judgements render
ed in the District Court.


SEC. 8. Every judgement rendered
upon such award shall conclude the
rights Of the parties thereto, unless
the party Feeling himself aggrieved





shall show to the Justice Of the Peace
or to the District Court as the case
may bewithin ten days, that the said
award was obtained by fraud, corrupt
ion or other undue means, and In that
case the award shall be set aside, and
the said court shall proceed to try and
determine the case as IL such award
had never been made.


SEC. 4. Ind be u further enacted,
That any other tract Of land not ex-
ceeding eighty acres, which shall be
enclosed with agrOwing hedge in good
condition, or shall have planted upon
it, five acres Of forest trees'in good
cultivation, shall be deemed eulliva-
ted within the meaning OF this act.


SEC. 5. All animals which shall
have committed trespass under the
provisions Of this act, shall be liable TO
sale on execution for the amount Of
damages sustained, anything to Che
contrary In the Statutes exempting
property from forced sale on execution
Notwithstanding.


SEC. 6; All local and precinct Herd
Laws within the district herein named
and all laws in conflict with this act,
are hereby repealed. Nothing IN this
act shall be so construed IS to apply TO
WahOO Precinct I'm Saunder County.
SEC. Z. This act shall take effect
and be in force from and Hfter its
passage.


Approved February 18th, 1869.
Year: 1869

A correspondent of the Boston Post says
I" Few people trouble themselves to think
what the effect would he if the eclipse of
Saturday were to last any length of time


and the sun were blotted from the heavens.
Philosophy declares that not only would q
horror of darkness cover the earth, but the
moisture of the atmosphere would be pre-
cipitated in vast showers to the earth, and
the temperature fall to fearful point of
cold, nothing less than $50 degrees below
zero, Fahrenheit. The earth would be the
seat of darkness, and more than arctic des-
olatlon. Nothing could survive such freez-
ing cold moment, more than one could
breathe in a scalding water. In three days
after the cooling process began, nothing crea-
ted would be alive but monsters, that wallow
in the deep ocean and the eyeless reptiles
that make their haunts in caves which pene-
trate far under ground. 4t ..r -roa