smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1864

There is no end to the false impressions and
deusions with which the mind may be affected.


A physician once called to see man la
boring under the fancy that he was converted
into teapot; and when the physician endeay-
ored to ridicule him out of the idea, he indig-
nantly replied, 81 am a tea-pot" and forming
a semicircle with one arm, placing his hand
upon his hip, he said, ''there is the handle -
and thrusting out the other arm, "there is the
spout Men have believed themselves con-
yerted into barrels rolled along the street. One
case is recorded of man who believed himself
a clock, and would stand for hours at the head
of the stairs, clicking with his tongue. A re-
spectacle tradesman in England, even fancied
himself metamorphosed into a seven shilling
piece, and took the precaution Of requesting as
particular favor of his friends, that if his wife
should present him in payment, that they would
not give change for him. Some have supposed
that many armed knights were engaged within
them. A sea captain in Philadelphia believed
for many years that he had a wolf in his liver
A madman in the Pennsylvania Hospital be-
lieved that he was once calf, and mentioned
the name of the butcher who killed him, and
the stall in a Philadelphia market on which his
flesh was sold previously to his animatng his
present body. One man believes his legs made
of butter, and with the greatest caution avoids
fire; another imagines them to be made of glass,
and with extreme care wraps them in wooden
boxes when going out to ride A prince Of
Bourbon often supposed himself to be plant,
and taking his stand in the garden, would in
sist upon being watered in common with the
plants around him. A French gentleman mag
ined himself to be dead and refused to eat. To
prevent his dying of starvation, two persons
were introduced to him in the character of illus
trious dead like himself, and they invited him,
after some conversation respecting the world of
shades, to dine with another distinguished but
deceased person. Marshal Turenne. The luna
tic accepted this polite invitation, and made a
very hearty dinner. Every day while this fancy
prevailed, it was necessary to invite him to the
table of some ghost of rank and reputation
Yet in the common affairs of life, the gentleman
was not incapacitated from attending to his own
interests.
Year: 1864

OUR HA1R.-God covered the skull with hair.
Some people shave it off. Mischievous practice.
1t exposes the brain God covered a part of
mans face with hair. Some people shave it off.
Michievous practice 1t exposes the throat and
lungs-the eyes likewise, say wise psychologists.
Men become bald. Why? Because they wear
close hats and caps. Women never bald
except by disease They do not wear close hats
and caps Men never lose a single hair below
where the hat touches the head not if they have
been bald twenty years. The close cap holds the
heat and perspiration; thereby the hair glands
become weak; the hair falls out. What will re-
store it Nothing, after the scalp becomes shi-
ny. But if in process of falling out, OF if recent
ly lost the following is best Wash the head free
ly with cold water once or twice day. Wear
a thoroughly ventilated hat. This is the best
means to arrest the loss and restore what is sus-
ceptible of restoration. What will beautify a
womans hair Whatever will invigorate the
hair glands Cold water is best. At first the
head looks like a WITCH but after a few weeks
it makes the hair luxuriant. By the persistent
use of cold water have seen thin, poor hair be-
come rich and curly Only the part of the hair
next to the scalp should be wet. It must be
thoroughly dred.-Dio Lewis, NJ d.
Year: 1864

THE WHEAT-STALK.-A countryman went to
his fields one morning with his little girl Mary,
to see how his wheat was getting on. 'Iook,
father !" said the little maiden, Iook, how some
of the stalks stand up, quite straight and tall !
they are the best ones; and look at those 9TH
ers, quite bent down to the ground they are
good for nothing" Marys father heating this,
plucked one Of the tallest stalks, and said to
her; 'Look here, my girl this stalk, which
you think so good because it is so high and tall,
is quite empty while the other, which hangs
down so, is full of beautiful grain"


He who's so proud and looks so high;


In him no brains we oft can spy;


But modest looks and mien declare


There's worth as well as wisdom there,
Year: 1864

WAsHNGToN's WIFE.-A guest at Mount Yer
non happened to sleep in room next to that
occupied by the President and his lady. Late
in the evening" when. the people had retired to
their various chambers, he heard the amiable
lady delivering very animated lecture to her
lord and master upon something he had done
that she thought had ought to have been done
differently. To all this he listened in The pro-
foundest silence and when she too was silent
he opened his lips and spoke ''Now good sleep
to you my dear" Portraits and descriptions Of
her, show her to have been pretty, agreeable.
kind, little woman, from whom it could not
have been so disagreeable to have a curtain lee
ture.
Year: 1864




PUNCTUATION PUzzLE.--rhe following para
graph, extracted from the Portland Transcripts
is a capital illustration of the importance Of
punctuation. There two ways of pointing
it, one of which makes the individual in ques-
tion monster of wickedness, while the other
converts him into a model Christian. Let our
readers exercise their ingenuity on the problem
and see whether they discover its two.fold
solution:


''IIe is an old experienced man in vice and
wickedness he is never found opposing the works
of iniquity he takes delight in the downfall of
the neighborhood he never reioices in the pros
penty of any of his fellow creatures he is always
ready to assist in destroying the peace of soci-
ETY. he takes no pleasure in serving the lord lie
is uncommonly dilligent in sowing discord
among his friends and acquantances lie takesno
pride in laboring to promote the cause of Chris
hanity he has not been negligent In endeayor-
ing to stigmatize all public teachers he makes
no exertion to subdue his evil passions he strives
hard to build up Satan's kingdom he lends no
aid to support the gospel among the heather he
contributes largely to the evil adversary be pays
no attention to good advice he gives great heed
to the devil he will never go to Heaven he must
90 where he will receive the just recompense Of
Reward,
Year: 1864

LEAVING HoME.-There is hardly time in the
life of youth which seems to gather together so
many tokens of mothers affection and care as
when he is leaving the roof that has sheltered
him from infancy, and going forth to prepare
for. or enter upon, the duties and scenes of life.
That trunk, which no one. but mother can ar
range and pack, is filled with the work of her
own hands; work which she has done while he
was perhaps, asleep, or at play; on which her
tears have fallen as she anticipated the moment
of separations and over which her prayers have
often been silently offered for blessings on her
child. Piece after piece is carefully put away.
while the children look on and talk cheerfully
of the morrow, and know not the anxiety and
care that is passing in the mothers heart. Ali
is at length arranged, and on the last layer is
placed Bible, on the fly leaf of which is writ
ten the mothers earnest wish, that her child
may take that blessed volume as his guide
through life. And when he is far away, amid
scenes that are strange and new, if there is one
motive next to the desire to obey Cod that
should, above all others, induce him to abstain
from evil, and to act wisely and virtuously, il
should be the wish to please his mother, and to
repay her kindness and care. Nothing will so
surely do this as the Knowledge that her son re-
members her instructions, obeys her Commands.
even while absent, and is growing up in wisdom
and virtue,
Year: 1864

In train on the New York & Erie Railway. 8
few days since sat smart yankee woman, with
a dashing new silk gown, and a new bonnet Sci
jadntiIy on her head: and beside her, looking
out of the window and every now and then
thrusting out his head, sat a man with somewhat
foreign air and manner. The women watched
him with every appearance of interest, and at
last said to him:


"Do you see that hand bill there, telling YOU
not to put your arms and head out of the car
Window"


The man made no reply, save to fix upon the
speaker pair Of pale, watery, blue eyes; and
presently out went his head again, and half of
his body from the car window.
'Do you understand English ~ asked the
woman.


"Yawl" was the reply


"Then why don't you keep your head out ofthe
window ~


There was no reply of any kind to this appeal,
At length he put out his head third time inst
as the cars were passing long wooden bridge!
The lady started back, and once more exclaimed:


''Do you understand English ~


''Yaw-yawr


''Then why don't you keep your head out Of
the window Want to get killed 2


No response And fourth time he narrowly
escaped 'collusion" with some passing object.
The woman could "stand it" no longer. g Fh1j
don't you keep gour head out of the qciadoao pr.
The next thingyou know your head will be
smashed into jelly, and your brains will be all
over my new silk dress-that is ifyou We got ami
and don't much believe you have p


We had all mistaken the object of the woman s
solicitude; which at first seemed to be a tender
regard for the safety of her passenger; but when
the true motive "leaked out coupled with so
equivocal a compliment to his intelligence, a
laugh was heard in the car that fairly drowned
the roaring of the wheels.
Year: 1864




DEsAoMEs, March 16, 1864.
The Senate WAS engaged most Of the dag On
bill to increase the compensation OF all soldiers
and persons in the naval service Of the United
States from this State two dollars anL fifty cents
month, and to pay 10 eyery wife or widow
OF such soldier tha same amount, and to every
child Of euch wife Or widow one dollar a. month
from the State treasury during the continuance Of
the present war. The blu YVES finally rofesrcd to
special committee. composed Of Messra. Hunt,
Wooleon and Pasy1n.
A motion to reconsider the yotc by which the
gold bill was lost was pending at the adjournment.
It has already had two reeonsderations during tho
seseion.


The Senate bill to provide for the partial Unrest.
meut Of the School Fund in United States and
State stocks, was lost In the House.
The Senate bill to prohibit the circulation Of for
cien bank notes, WAS discussed In the House, but
not disposed Of.
Year: 1864

A DouBT CLEARED UP.-Ever since the un-
fortunate capture of the steamer Electric
Spark BY the privateer Florida there has
been doubt whether she was destroyed by
the buccaneer or supplied with crew, TO
take part in the rebel scheme of plundering
peaceful and defenseless merchantmen. That
doubt is now solved ty the publication of
the Florida log, by which it appears that
the Electric Spark was sunk at sea by the
privateer on the 10th Of July last.
Year: 1864

except by action in favor Of a town which has
been obliged to furnish support to the family Of
said soldier after ne has entered the servive; and
such town may recover for all expense 50 Of
necessity incurred and judiciously expended, in
cases where the St ldier being of sufficient ability.
ncElects to provide for his family.


Sec. .. IN case said bounty or pay is due
directly from the town furnishing such support.
so much thereof as the overseer of said town may
deem necessary, may be applied to such support
of the family Of said soldier


See. 8. No action shall be had or sustained
against any town by a soldier, for such bounty
or pay when said soldier has deserted the service
Sec. g. This act shall take effect from its
passage.


Approved Nov. 10, 1864.
An Act in relation TO the bounty and back pay


Of deceased soldiers.
Year: 1864

Sec. L. That any bounty money due a SOL
dier IN the United States service, or any money
due such soldier from the State Of Vermont on
account Of Military service or allotted pay Of
such soldier at the time Of the decease of such
soldier whilst in tine service shall not be deemed
assets Of such soldier for the payment Of debts
against such soldier, but shall 90 TO and be held
hy the Wiiow Of such soldier OF next Of kin.


S--. - This act shall take effect from its
passage.


trr...af Nov aJ 1854
Year: 1864

enlisted) date Of discharge and cause thereof, (i
discharged date Of pension and amount, (if re-
ceived,) date of death and cause. (if deceased)
stated place and nature Of wounds, Of wounded, }
bounty received from the town, bounty, if any,
received from individuals, and any other facts
relating to the military history Of every soldier
and sailor Of said town which may come to the
knowledge of the person making the record.


Sec. 8. This record may embrace the name Of
any soldier or sailor whose birthplace such town
is, or who may have lived long enough therein
to become a well known inhabitant of the town,
but who has served for another town or another
State.


Sec. 4. The record must embrace the name
Of every deserter. and state the fact Of hi
desertion.


Sec. .. The record may embrace the names
Of those who have furnished substitutes. paid
continuation, or furnished representative
recruits.


Sec. d. The Adjutant and Inspector General is
hereby authorized and directed TO give, on proper
application, any information which the record Of
his office can furnish.


Sec. :. Any town may order its soldiers record
20 be printed and kept for sale at price not to
exceed an advance Of twenty per eentum on the
cost Of publication.


Sec :. \ copy, officially certified to BY the
compiler Of the record, shall be kept in the Office
Of the Town Clerk.


Approved Nov =, lS6f.
Year: 1864

inner man is uniformly and most


shamefully misftted. ste


Wanted therefore, as we have seid


before, an American Soyer, or rather,


as good cuisinier as he was, with


more scientific knowledge. VIII not


some of our leading chemists step out


of the laboratory into the kitchen, and


taking dexterous, practical cook as


his aid, endeavor TO find culinary


system which shall combine sound
philosophy with tasteful art? Such
one would deserve well of his coun-
try, and we should be proud to start
subscription to erect a statue in his
honor beside the bust of Schiller in
the Central Park. The printed results
of his Investigations, illustrated by
recipes, would form the most popular
book of the age. 1t would be well,
however, that such work should
contain directions for nationally dis
posing of the good things of life.
We require to be taught not only how
taseook, but how to eat; and it might
be well TO preface this branch of the
subject with the remarks that Judge
Halliburton puts into the mouth of
Abernethy in "The Clock maker. -
They are rather coarse, but so perti-
nent that we shall make no apology
for quoting them. Mr.. Abernethy is
supposed to be addressing dyspeptic
American who had applied to him for
medical advice. ii


"'I'll be hanged said he, 'if ever
saw Yankee that don't bolt his food
whole, like boa constructor How
the devil can you expect to masticate
food that you neither take the trouble
TO dissect nor masticateY Its no won
der that you lose your teeth, for you
never use them; nor your digestion,
for you overload it; nor your saliva,
for you expend it on your carpets, in
stead of on your food. It's disgust
ing, it's beastly. You Yankees load
your stomachs as Devonshire man
DOGS his cart, as full as it can hold,
and as fast as he can pitch it in with
a dung fork, and drive off; and then
you complain that such load of COM
post is too heavy for you. Dyspepsia,
eh9 Internal guzzling you mean
I'll tell you what, take half the time
to eat that you do to drawl out your
words, chew your food half as much
as you do your filthy tobacco, and
,o,,'ll ha we'll in n month ~


If any sevan on this side of the
Atlantic wishes to benefit his country,
and make fortune at the same time,
let him take our hint. A celebrated
homeopathist has asserted that the
is the seat Of the affections,
and, if so, what popular idol would
that man he who should effect whole
some revulutiop in American cookery
and Ameriean mastication.
Year: 1864

AS business man he had one fault,


which his best friends are not ashamed


to own. 1t arose from the kindness


and sympathy Of his nature towards


those in distress. l havc been told he


has lost thousands Of dollars, which


he might have collected, had he been


willing to press his claims in accord


ance with legal justice. But he was


unwilling to distress another, and the
debt was uncollected and finally lost.


1t is said by those who knew him well,
that he was large-hearted and liberal
in his contributions to the poor and
distressed.


Were it not for intruding upon the
more private circle Of the family, in
this public place, and before this large
audience, / might speak of him as
kind and loving husband and an in
dulgent and tender father. But this
much may say-that he sndeavored
to fulfill those relations as became a


man of honor and good citizen
His own son, detained from these So
lemnites upon sick bed, found him
father indeed, over ready to do all
in his power for his aid and happi-
ness; and his adopted son has been no
less cared for.


But why should L attempt to depict
his character and life2 He was far
better known to many in this audience
than to myself But yesterday, As
was in our streets, engaged in bust
ness taxing all his energy of body and
mind. No one entered our City with
out meeting his familiar face and ad-
iniring his manly form to-day he lies
in the embrace of death--and we arc
to bear his cold remains to the home
appointed for all living. From this
sudden and affecting Providence is
repeated the Same warning note that
of late has so often sounded in our
ears. Let us give heed to the solemn
admonition--let us hasten to set 0ur
house ia order, for we shall soon de
Yes! twill not be long before we all,
like leaves of autum, shall fade and
fall. Some OF us will never again see
the flowers bloom, or tho fields green
with waving grass, or feel the soft
breeze Of returning spring, or again
hear the birds sing their gladstone
notes. The grave will be our long
home. Is our house in order? Are
we ready to render up our last ac-
count? In view of all these things,
what manner of persons ought we to
be?


In closing my remarks upon this
solemn occasion, permit me to say to
this afflicted family, that they have
the sympathy of this large congrega-
ton, and of the entire community
and gladly would we lift the burden
which is pressing SO heavily upon you
but miserable comforters are we oil
1T is utterly beyond our power to
help you in this hour Of darkness and
sorrow. But there is ONE FRIEND
Who can reach your case. lie was
man Of sorrow, and acquainted with
grief. Go to Him Who hath Himself
tasted death for every man. Go to
Him, and unburden your heart--pour
INTO His ear your tale Of woe, and
you shall find rest for your soul.
Year: 1864

CAMP OF THE l49th RECT Penn Vols. !
CULPEPPER, VA. APRIL 2S, 1864


Mr.. EDITOR AS there is every sign OF
move before long, L have taken the privi-
lege OF dropping you these few lines, to let
you know, not only my principles but those
OF the soldiers IN general-hoping YOU viii
unfurl them to the gaze of your subscribers


hear that there is a great agitation "a
mong certain class of people, for fear the
soldiers should have vote at the next cleo
! ton; and well may they trembe for should
the soldier get the privilege he deserves. and
is lighting for, they know their hellish Or
CARNATIONS would be swept into oblivion
why should not a man who has left home
to endure the hardships of the field, and
face the cannon's mouth In defense of the
government, have vote as well as the COW
ardly things (for they are not deserving of
the name OF mem who sit at home by their
warm tlresldes and abuse our Government
as far as their oily tongues and black hearts
are capable OF letting them? Which sect
Is doing the most towards retaining those
glorious privileges which our brave forefa-
theirs boughttor us, SO dearly? 1t certainly is
not the Copperheads They have done moth
ing towards preserving the Union. They
have neither the courage to go openly and
assist their brothers in arms, or the honor
to keep quiet where they are They may
feel little political qualification, at the
present time, for the results of their traitor
ous babblc, but the day is not far distant
when they will find that they have disgraced
themselves, and their children for genera
tons to come. Their children will learn to
curse those who transmit blotted name.
am glad to say that there are but few such
men IN our army. It is true there are few
such, who, for some reason, (perhaps for
the bounty made a mistake and entered the
army but they found that all their grunt-
ing and squealing would not get them out
again, for Uncle Sam had hold of them


Mylprinciple oas to let slavery alone where
it existed. But nov, as it has been the
foundation of the war, | sincerely hope that
it will be bldtted out and never be al
lowed to cause another war. 1t is thought
that this summers S campaign will decide the
contest. Gen. Warren is fortifying the
hills around Culpepper strongly. There are
upwards of 700 men at work every day, and,
think, if the greybacks take notion to
run Us out of here they will run against cir
c'in,stance before they get through


will close for the present as it is getting
late, Give my regards to the Cops I
wish them all safe Journey to their future
home, where Old Nick has an extra warm
place awaiting them. Yours, D. A. w
Year: 1864




The following seasonable advice has more
virtue In it than any of the so called scare a
way of the moths which has yet met our eye.
Only be careful that there are no moths in
turs when put away, and it will be impossi-
bic for them to get In if the necessary care
is staken. But to the advice


Most of our insect are very hard, caring
little for wind and weather, and will new
er die of aromatic pain. We once pack
ed some small skins in the centre OF
a cask oftobacco leaves and stems but the
miller went there, deposited her eggs and the
furs were ruined. This shows that they are
not at all delicate and care nothing for to-
baeco. Expensive cedar closets are fre-
quently constructed with the idea that the
rather pleasant odor of the cedaris sufficient
ly disagreeable to the moth to keep her a.
way from articles of clothing deposited
there. This is mistake. The strongest
instinct prompts the miller TO seek the means
of perpetuating its kind, and no trifling i'm
pediment will prevent it. But the preser-
vation of furs, or articles of clothing is
perfectly simple, cheap and easy. Shake
them well and tie them up in cotton or
linen bag, so that the miller cannot possibly
enter, and the articles viii not be injured,
though the bag is hung in wood house or
garret. This is cheaper than to build cedar
closets and better than to fill the bed clothes
and garments with the sickening odor of
camphor, tobacco, or any other drug.
Year: 1864

A private letter from an officer of the
gunboat Essex, in Red River, published in
the Cincinnati Commercial, gives this ac
count OF an interesting series of experiments
at Fort De Russey: Some experiments
were tried with the nine-inch guns of the
Essex on the iron casemated battery of Fort
De Russey, prior to It's destruction to test
its power OF resistance and the strength of
the guns. The writer says: Our nine-inch
pierced the iron and twenty inches of the
wood, throwing the bars of iron all around.
Some of the pieces of iron were thrown ap-
ward some sixty feet. One piece about ten
feet long came down endwise with such force
that it ran plumb through log four feet in
circumference. Nobody could possibly have
stood behind the casemate, the conclusion
was so tremendous, and the splinters would
have killed them We then tried the 100
FOUNDER. We threw our solid shot against
it, and in the same hole planted shell
which exploded, throwing up the iron for
ten feet all round After We had expert
mented till the captain was satisfied that the
place was not impregnable, as the rebels
thought, we set fire to it and burned the re-
naming timbers -