smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

KEROSENE OIL.-An observing school
marin writes to the Western Rural:


am boarding at the hotel this week,
and this is Saturday and there is no
school. have learned many things
about Kerosene that | had not before
dreamed of Our landlady is very par
ticuiar to fill all the lamps every morn
ing. | asked why. Because" she
said, = as the oil burns out, the space
above fills with gas, which when II. itaied.
would be apt to explode Then she
told me of friend of hers who neglected
to fill her lamp, and sitting up late, burn
ed the oil nearly out as she took it up
to go to her bedroom it exploded and
burnt her badly, and frightened her SO
she has been very nervous about her
lamps ever since While the landlady
was telling me this. | noticed that she
only cut off that part of the wick that
was burnt soft, aud each piece Of wick
was rolled up in a little piece of paper.
What for2 To kindIe fires with, and it
you try it you will find they will burn
long enough to be great help. y tea.
spoonful of fine salt to each lamp, once "a
week, Mrs. Sam thinks improves the
light. Further inquiry resulted in the
discovery that kerosene was just the
thing to take the paint off those nice tin
pals you buy paint in, but which are so
hard to clean. Take cloth, dip it in
the oil and rub The cans; let it stand
awhile if it does not come off, oil it
again and again. 1t you treat rusty
stoves or kettles in the same way, after
wards washing well in weak lye. you will
/ find them as nice as new. Kerosene is
also good to clean furniture, but do not
let it remain on any time, as it will dim
the varnish. A. few drops on cloth will
20 great ways, and must be quickly
rubbed off with a soft cloth. 1t will
loosen dirt quicker than water.


! Another lady in the neighborhood who
uses the salt in lamps, says it takes away
the bad odor, and she thinks the oil lasts
longer. Kerosene is one of the best
things for burns. Bathe the burn in cold
water, then dry softly without rubbing
or exposing to the air, and apply the OF


and bandage. Another lady tells me, al


her mothers family once had the dipthe


ria, she being the worst. They could


get no help. She was almost stranslec


with canker Her mother became des
4 perate, and gave her teaspocnful of ker


osene, us last resort-and it saved hel


life.
Year: 1869

= DISAPPEARANCE OF A STAR.-Some
of our exchanges have devoted consid-
cradle space to speculation on one Of the
most startling of astronomical facts, the
explosion, or rather the confagration Of
Tau-Coroa. 1t how appears that anoth-
er and much more important star is slow
ly taking itself out of our system. Cal
culations of extraordinary minuteness
have demonstrated that Sirius and our
sun are mutually rcceding from one an
other at the rate of 294 miles per second.
In the end, therefore, though the dis
tance of time strains the Imagination, we
must lose sight of Sirius-that is to say,
provided we have not by that time gained
the capacity of watching the most distant
universe toward which he must be re-
ceding-an improbability. Nothing
seems SO near its final limit as the power
of astronomical telescopes, while the pow.
er of the human eye, if at all, probably
decreases.
Year: 1869

WEAR A SMILE.-Which will you do.
smile and make others happy, or be crab
bed and make everybody around you
miserable? You can live among flowers
and singing birds, or in the mire sur
rounded by fogs and frogs. The mount
of happiness which you can produce is
incalculable, if you will only show a
smiling face, a kind heart, and speak
pleasant words. On the other hand, by
sour looks, cross words, and a fretfui DIS
position, you can make hundreds unhap-
py almost beyond endurance. Which
will you do? Wear pleasant counte-
nance let joy beam in your eye and love
glow on your forehead. There is no joy
SO great as that which springs from a
kind act or pleasant deed, and you may
feel it at night when you retire, in the
morning when you rise, and throughout
the day when about your daily business.
Year: 1869

Secretary Rawlin's last public service
in the National Councils was an emphatic
appeal in favor of Cuba Independence.
He made long, able and forcibie speech
in favor of recognition, at the last meet
ing he attended of the Cabinet. The eff
fort was too much for his delicate condi-
ton, irritating and infaming his lungs
to such degree as to materially increase
the hemorrhage which followed, and end
ed his life and usefulness.
Year: 1869

The New Haven Pukultam observes
that it is amusing to notice that white
the Pacific coast Democrats are making
hostility to, and exclusion of, the Chinese
principal plank il their platform, their
Eastern and Southern brethren are pro


fessing the greatest affection for the pig
tail gentry, and SO orthodox a Democrat
as the Hon. James Brooks lavishes his
eloquence in showing the benefits we are
to derive from an irruption of Mongols-
Year: 1869

Three negroes employed in getting out
lumber in the Dismal swamp, were de-
stroyed by the dreadful confagration
now raging there. They were surround
ed by fire while sleeping in hut, and
their bodies burned to a crisp.
Year: 1869

The MONKEY AND THE HAWK
The cook OF French nobleman had
monkey which was so intelligent that by
severe training it was taught to perform
certain useful services, such as plucking
fowls. ut which it was uncommonly ex-
pert. One fine morning pair of par
trigcs was given it to pluck. The monkey
took them TO an open window of the
kitchen, aud went to work with great
diligence. He soon finished one, which
he laio on the edge of the window, and
then went quietly on with the other. 4
hawk that had been watching his pro-
cecdings from a neighboring tree darted
down upon the plucked partridge, and in
lily devouring his prey. He hoped
when suddenly "a bright thought struck
hilh. Selling the remaining partridge.
he went to work with great energy and
stripped off the feathers. He then laid
it on the edge, just where he had placed
the other, and, closing one of the shut
tiers. concealed himself behind it. The
hawk, who by this time had finished his
meal, very soon swooped down upon the
partridge, but hardly had his claws touch
ed the bird when the monkey sprank up.
on him from behind the shutter The
hawks neck was instantly wrung, and
the monkey, with triumphant chuckle
proceeded to strip off the feathers. This
done. he carried the two picked fowls tt
his master, with confident and self-sat
isfied air which seemed to say -. Here
are two birds, sir-just what you gave
me-" What the cook SAID on finding ont
of the partridges converted into hawk
is more than we are able to say
Year: 1869

What use do you make, reader, of a coun-
terleit iity-cent Postal Currency, which you
find ia your pooket-book and do not know
whore 10 ha- come froml


DO you invariably tear it up, or burn it
up; rc you csreful that it does not get 6ht
o, your pocket into circulation again


llayo you not sometimes rolled up such
bio of fractional currency, suspecting it 10 be
cjmteuet, aud willing to " get rid Of it -
by chance or accident, as it were-and so
keep square win your conscience


Me have seen mon-mcn whom we would
have trusted with our pocket-dook-return
counterfeit dIty-cent piece to their pockets
after they were convinced that it was spuri-
ou- WHAT does such an action mean-pro-
yided chat the man IS ignorant, as is general
~ tine case, as to where he got the counter
itit2 II means that he is not ready to bear
the loss of fifty cents like an honeSsrnan.--
The action Is % dishonest action. Hshas no
right TO put q counterfeit where there is any
possibility ofhis passing it into circulation
again. The honorable proceeding is to burn
It or tear Il up the very moment It's worth
lessncss becomes evident DO not hesitate a
second. If you have not this habit fixed up
on YOU, cultivate it Without it you are in
league with counterieiters You are one of
the gang You are not an honest man.
Let this rule apply to ten cent stamp
and to q ten dollar greenback equally and
rgidly There are only two questions to be
asked. this a counterieit2 Yes. DO !
know who gave it to me2 No. Burn it,
tear it up-d) not return it to your pocket
as YOU value your honesty


There Is a law compelling every bank to
stamp the word counterfeit" in large black
letters, across every spurious bill presented at
its counter, for what ever purpose it may be
presented, under any circumstances, an,lepon
whate,ar bank ia the United States ittlhy
De counterfeit We once saw an apparently
respectable man present twenty-dollar bill
to thc telior OF thc Michigan Insurance Bank,
in Detroit. lie merely wished to know If it
was counterfeit. The telier made no an
swer. but simply brought p6serful stamp
unon its face aud handed il back, with the
word counterfeit staring its astonished
proprietor In the face. We never snys a
darker cloud pass over a human eountenanee.
Oath followed oath in an Intellectual effort to
express tho mans indignation. Every oath
stamped " counterfeit upon that mans char
actor ia letters as large and plain as those
uuon the BIN. Not that he would have acted
as % direct accompice of professional coun-
terttors but he was not prepared to do
what common honesty demanded-destroy the
spurious bank note and meet his own loss
hououbly--N y. Mail.
Year: 1869

A writer in BlGcksCo0d defends rather
than eensures this custom, and regards
it not q whit worse than the style Of
dress for a fashionable ball in what is
presumptuously assumed to be " the best
society" He certainly is none too severe
on the indecencies of evening parties,
but we fail to see in these any justifea-
ton of their exhibition on the stage.
He says: After all, the question Of the
immortality Of nudity-which is but a
simulated nudity in the limbs, and a real
nudity in the bust, which real nudity is
as common to what is called full dress in
the best private society as it is to the
stage-Iies in the intent of the person
who displays, and in the mind of the
person who behOlds il" < The
display is not indecent per Sc, as when
an actress of high attainments and
genius, in default OF an actor Of truth
fulness and talent enough to undertake
the part, appears as Romeo, any more
than it is indelieate or improper for a
man to hide the form by appearing in
Pettieoats to play the part of one Of the
witches of Macbeth The intention
is everything, just as it is in killing. If
you intend to kill you are murderer,
and deserve the murderer's fate. If
you kill in self-defense, and in a Just
and patriotic cause.-The a soldier-you
are not blameable, but yirtuous. In
like manner, the seanty drapery of the
ballet, for the purpose Of art, and art
alone, is no offense against good taste or
good manners; but if the ballet girl
not for the sake of art, but for the sake
of attracting lewd attentiOn-Overdoes
the scantiness and betrays the immOdesty
of her mind by her motions or gestures,
she commits an ofense, and ought to be
hissed from the stage which she dis
graees." Very true. And as immodesty
is almost universal, and is most loudly
applauded by the public who attend
theatres, as in the case of the infamous
caR-caa, the ballet ought to be
abolished.
Year: 1869

In the midst of the elatter of debate
and divisions in the House of Commons
respecting the disestablishment of the
Irish Church, some are asking them
selves, what will the Lords do ? p
The right answer would be If the bill,
after being carried BY decisive majority
in the Com@ons, in pursuance of the
wishes of the nation recorded at gen
eral elections thrown out in the Lords,
the present government will either re-
sign, or if, in face of the large majority
they possess in the Commons, they con-
tinued in Office, they would do SO only
on the understanding that the resistance
of the Lords should in the last ex-
tremity be overcome by a wholesale Gre
alton of Peers. 1t will not come to
this. simply because the Lords know that
if they resisted, it must come to this
In case of the reform bill of 1882 it did
come TO this, and the Lords having had
their lesson, did not need it should De
repeated to them when, although protee-
tionists almost to a man, they were
forced to adopt::free trade.
Year: 1869

mechanics guilds, or scuelas, were
an important feature IN the imperial
grandeur. Prominent among them was
the scuola of the shoemakers, who often
assembled in the Piazza, during the rule
of the Council Of Ten, and contributed
their quota OS money and men to the
armies Of the republic. y tt2


The society of shoemakers is still re-
presented by aQ order Of some two hun
dred members, but they have no connec-
ton with the old hall, and are merely
mutual assistance society, on the Amer
ican plan. The members pay three
francs entrance money, and SIX sous
weekly dues. When they are sick, or un-
able to work they receive one franc day.
from the society. Signor Pietro Pietra
is at the head of the organization, and
is styled President LayoraRti- -CalzOlajO,
or working. He is a dap
per gentleman, who makes boots after
the French model and Is reported to be
rich, but is hardly fit representative Of
the stalwart chiefs who led the guild in
the days Of the Doges. -~s


The old hall of the shoomakers is still
standing, as staunch as ever, as is gen.
orally the case with old halls in Venice.
1t fronts on the Piazza San Toma, and
is a substantial stone building, about
sixty feet in width and surmounted by a
fine statue of ST. Crispin with long
staff in his hand, to which the Italian
Government has attached tin flag
painted with the national colors. On
each corner of the front is engraved a
Venetian inscription, one dated l446,
and the other 1880. The floors and
stairways are of red and white Verona
marble. One of the occupants showed
me where an Austrian cannon ball had
passed through the apartment and
smashed chandelier that had cost him
two hundred francs. He thought it
very wicked Of the Austrians to fire
cannon and smash his chandelier Over
the front entrance is a stone bas-relief
representing a shoemaker with an awl
In his right hand and a shoe in his lap.
His left hand is extended open towards
figure of the saint, who seems to ex-
anime it with much interest. Under the
sculptures are figures of three shoes of
different patterns. The church of San
iona which is on the opposite side of
Il same piazza, has a picture of life
size figure over one of the altars, repre-
senting the same scene, and in this
a stream Of blood is running from the
left hand, which has evidently been
wounded by the awl, and the saint is
healing it. In front of the altar is
a burial vault on the door of which is
an inscription stating that it belongs to
the society Of shoemakers. Shoe and
Leather Reporter.
Year: 1869

Jerome used to say that it seemed to
him as if the trumpet of the last day was
always sounding in his ear, saying,
- Arise We dead, and come to Judgment
The generality, however, think but little
of this awful and important period. A
Christian King of Hungary being very
sad and pensive, his brother, who was a
gay courtier, was desirous of knowing
the cause of his sadness. Oh, brother, -
said the King, & l have been a great
sinner against God, .and know not how
to die, or how to appear before him in
judgment. y His brother, making Jest
Of it, said, These are but melancholy
thoughts. The King made no reply
but it was the custom of the country,
that If the exeeutioner was to sound a
trumpet before any mans door, he was
presently led to execution. The King,
in the dead hour of the night, sent the
executiOner to sound the trumpet before
his brothers door, who, hearing it and
seeing the messenger of death, sprang
into the Kings presence, besesching to
know in what he had offended Alas
brother" said the King, "you have
never offended me. And is the sight Of
my executioner so dreadful, and shall
not /, who have greatly offended, fear to
be brought before the judgment seat Of
Christ p-Biblicql Treasury. ~


/
Year: 1869

Mile Gabrielle dc la Perrine, the
uewsgirl Of the Kiosque in front Of the
Grand Hotel in Paris, about whom the
Paris papers have recently written so
many silly articles, was the observed Of
all observers at the late opera balls st
the last of these balls, just as she was
leaving the ballroom with some merry
male and female companions in order to
90 to the MaisOn Doree, where they in
tended to take supper, a poor woman,
who, shiyering and holding a babe in
her arms, stood on the corner Of the
street, implored her to give her some
thing. Mile de Ia Perrine, who was
dressed in the costume of a soldier, gaily
took off her cap and collected money for
thes beggsr woman among her COM
panions. The proceeds of her collection
she tied up in her handkerchief and gave
it to the beggar-w0man. The latter was
about to thank Vile de la Perrine, when
one Of the young gentlemen snatehed
the handkerchief from her hands. She
thought he intended to take the money
from her, and begged him TO give it back
to her But the young man deliberately
opened the handkerchief, took the
money from it, folded up the handker-
chief and put it in his pocket. he then
wrapped up the money it had contained
in a hundred-franc bill, and handed the
valuable little package back to the de-
lighted beggar woman. The gay party
then went on their way to the Maison
Doree.
Year: 1869

There Is , little old GenOese lady
comes to sell US pins, needles, thread,
tape, and the like roJa, whom l regard
as leading quite an ideal life in some re-
spects. Her traffic is limited to a Ger
tain number of families who speak more
OF less Italian, and her days, so far as
they are concerned, must be passed in
an atmosphere of sympathy and kindli-
ness. The truth is, we Northern and
and New world folk cannot help but cast
a little romance about whoever comes to
US from Italy, whether we have actually
known the beauty and charm of that
land or not. Then this old lady is in
herself a very lovable kind of person,
with a tender mother face, which is also
the face of child. A smile plays al
ways upon her wrinkled visage, aud her
quick and restless eyes are full of friend
liness. There is never much stuff in her
basket, however, and it is something of
"a mystery how she manages to live from
it. None but an Italian could, | am
sure, and her experience must test the
full virtue Of the national genius for
cheap salads and mueh-extenuated soup
meat. / do not know whether it is ma
tive in her, or whether it is a grace ac-
quired from long dealing with those
kindly hearted customers Of hers in
Charlesbridge, but she is Of a most muni-


icent spirit, and returns every smallest
benefit with some present from her
basket. She makes me ashamed of the
mean things | have written about the
sordidness of her race, but | shall vainly
seek to atone for them By open-handed-
ness to her. She will give favor for
favor; she will not even count the
money she receives our bargaining is a
contest of the cOurtliest civilities ending
in many an Adieul" To meet
again 7" Remain well and Fl
nally not surpassed if rivalled in any
Italian street. In her Intellectual way
she brings US news of her different Gus
toners breaking up their stout Saxon
names into tinkling Polysyllables which
suggest them only to the praetised sense,
and is perfectly patient and eOntented if
We mistake one for another. She loves
them all, but she pities them as living
in a terrible climate and doubtless In
her heart she purposes one day to 60
back to Italy, there to die. In the
meantime sne is very cheerful she, too,
has had her trOubles-what troubles l
do not remember, but those that come
by sickness and by death, and that really.
seem no sorrows until they come to US
yet she never complains. 1t is hard to
make living, and the house-rent alone
is six dollars a month; but still one
lives and does not fare so i'll either. As
it does not seem to be in her to dislike
any one, it must be out of harmless
guile, felt to be comforting to servant
ridden householders, that she always
speaks of those Irish, :" her neighbors,
with a bated breath, a shaken head, a
hand lifted to the cheek, and an averted
eountenance.-T Atlantic.
Year: 1869

Twenty years ago young man who
had paid attentions to bright, sweet
girl for long time without making any
thing that was even a second eoasin to
a proposal, was startled one evening By
the question, Robert do you want to
marry me ?" He tried to evade the
point by asking why she put such a
question to him. Because, if you do
not want to marry me you must stop
coming to see me. No moeking bird
around the red breasts nest, you know"
Robert took the hint, and with a cool
good night, walked home. What should
he care for a girl so rude as that Good
company as her elsewhere. He would
join the club next day. He tried to
sleep, but couldn't He didn't quite
like the turn things had taken. The
figure plagued him. If he was a mock
ing-bird, who was the red breast that he
was keeping away from such a fitting
partner? At any rate, one thing is
certain, Edna is smart as she IS pretty,


he said to himself, :. aud she means bust
ness. The next morning Robert went
to the counting room, when presently
Joe Mason came in and said, tell you
what it is, Bob, you were lucky in keep
ing out of the club. | have just paid
another assessment of fifty dollars, and,
what is worse, | meet such expensive
friends there, that it costs more than l
can earn to keep it up" / was just
thinking of joining the club, said
Robert. 1t will be a cool FIVE hun
dred year out of pocket, and precious
little satisfaction and no home feeling
at that, said his friend.


Robert hummed a tune when left to
himself 1t was long day. Business
had dragged. Everybody was pre-oeeu-
pied, hurried, cross. Things went wrong.
He was glad to go home, only it WASH t
home. He took book, but found him
self trying to read the Goals in the CRATE
and figures on the wall instead of the
page. He threw himself on the lounge,
but it was dreadfully dull. He stood it
for awhile, and then put on his hat and
walked down to the widow Cragie's.
He stepped up to the door as usual, but
Edna was engaged. He asked to have
her called. 1t seemed a month before
she came down. At last she appeared.
Rs.>sse from his seat and met her in
the middle of the room, and said, " Edna,
| have come here tonight on business.
l am tired of being your mOeking bird,
and want to be your red-breast will
you be my wife ?" When you say,


said Edna, her face sufused with
bushes. q Soon as l can make nest,
dearest" Robert replied. Il believe
both the red breasts join in building the
nest, said Edna, and [ want to do my
part. This was twenty years ago. To-
day, one of the handsome mansions in
one of our cities is the nest of welded
pair, whose life has been sweet as a
birds song, and whose hearts, like their
affections, are as young as ever. There
is a great deal more in putting a little
straightforward business at the begin
ming of life than is generally supposed
Year: 1869

Adolphe Theirs, perhaps, never gave
more striking proofs of his extraordinary
capacities as a hard worker than on the
day when he delivered his great speech
against Haussmann, the Perfect Of the
Seine Department. lie rose on that
day at six in the morning, dictated to
his private secretary until twelve, inter
rupting himself in that arduous task
only at eight, to swallow cup of ehOeo-
late and eat four or Eve eggs. At noon
he ate a sandwich and drank a glass of
wine. and took half an hours walk At
two he went to the Corps Legislatif,
spoke there from a quarter to three until
half-past six, went from the Palais Bour-
bon directly to the Office Of the Journal
Ofieiel, to correct the proof-sheets of his
speech as it was set up, and remained
there, busily writing, reading and cor
recting until two in the morning. He
refreshed himself only with few cups
of tea, which were brought to hi 4 from
neighboring coffee-house. Next morn
ing he was again at an early hour on his
sofa, ready to dictate for many hours to
bis private secretary,