smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869




OTTUMwA AS SEEN BY OTuERs.--J.
Ill. Better, the Local of tho Pclla
Blade, was hero the other day, and
has lots of compliments for the COY
RIER, which we are too modest to
copy, and has the following besides ::
CATER looking around the city
awhile, we took the train for Ottum-
wa, where we arrived ON time, and
took up our line of march for the
Ballingall House, the hotel of Ottum-
wa, in charge of our excellent friend
David Hodge, who knows how to
cater to the wants Of the hungry and
weary traveller. The Ballingall is
the finest hotel in tho Valley. Those
stopping there will notonly find the
House an excellent one, but the rooms
are elegantly furnished and the table
filled with the best to be had in the
market. Stop at tho Ballingall.


Ottumwa is improving rapidly -
Large brick blocks are going up in
place of tho buildings destroyed by
fire during tho past winter, and a
spirit of enterprise pcrvadcs the
place which is truly commendable.
Year: 1869

This is a simple song, its true.


And songs like these are never nice;
And yet we'll try and scatter through
A pinch or two of good advice. ..,-
Then listen, pompous friend, and learn
Never to boast of much renown;
For Fortunes wheel Is on the turn,


And some 60 up and some come down.
We know3a vast amount Of stocks,


A vast amount Of pride insures;
But fate has picked 80 many locks, -. ..


We wouldn't like to warrant yours.
Remember. then, and never spurn


The one whose hand is hard and brown,
For he is likely to 60 up,


And you are likely to come down.
Another thing you will agree,


(The truth may be as weilconfessed,)
The "codtish aristocracy,"


Is but q scaly thing at best.
And though the fishes large and strong


May seek the little ones. to drown,
Yet fshesall both great and small,


Are going up, and coming down.
Our lives are full of chance and change,


And chance, you know, Is never sure;
And 'twere doctrine new and strange,


That places high are most secure.
And though the tickle God may smile


And WELD the sceptre and the crown,
'Tis only for a little while


Then b goes up and A comes down.
The world for you and me, my friend


Hath something more than pounds and pence
Then let me humbly recommend


A little use of common sense,
Thus lay all pride Of place aside,


And have a care on whom you frown,
For fear you'll see him going up,


When you are only coming down.
Year: 1869




A Washington letter to the Cincinnati CONNER.
ctal says: '.-..-


A stranger coming to Washington, the first time,
is an object Of pity Especially is this SO if he Is
of tender sensibilities, and of retiring nature.
What With impertinent hotel clerks airy messen'
gers, and the grandeur of all persons here holding
menial Or subordinate positions, added to the ex'
tortion everywhere practiced if stranger desires
a second visit here, he must be Of slow percep'
tions and cast iron endurance. have seen gen.
tlemen from Northern cities, even from Wall street,
come here with the intention of staying two OF
three days. for the purpose Of transacting business
in the departments needing their personal attention
take the return train, down-sprited, broken-heart'
ed almost at their uugeutle treatment by laekeys
and subordinates. Not men who are in the habit
of taking off their hats to you when they speak,
not men so modest and tender that they tremble at
the sight of Congressman; but those who rush
into the Stock Exchange, Gold Room and Brokers
Board, and fight, and yell, and bluff, and frighten
less reckless gamblers. When such men, with SEN
sibilities covered with a coat of mail cannot sue
ceed here, you may well inquire what becomes ofa
person who tries to use the manners Of gentle
man and the accent of Christian. They simply
eet frightened out of town. If the loftipess or
sneernc condescension of the hotel clerk does not
do it the first night, let him the next morning go
into one of the departments and accost messen-
ger sitting outside the door of an auditor, chief
clerk, or some other big feeling subordinate, and
he is bound to take the early train tor home. Ii
BY chance he escapes the messenger at the door,
he is sure to surrender to the first clerk with whom
be attempts to do business.


ArTHE STATE DEPARTMENT.


have vivid remembrance OF visit to the
State Department. when was younger and green
e. than am now. I remember it was on Thurs
day, and card was hung upon the door knob,
warning the visitors that none but members OF
Congress, foreign Minister'S and Secretaries Of Le-
cation were admitted on Thursdays. tried to
pass the messenger in the hall by assuming brusque
air, but his keen eyes and digni6ed bearing quite
upnerved and belittled me, and he turned me out
of doors with manner that charmed while it mad
dened me. I went up the next day the messen-
ger knew me, and with sneer bade me go up stairs
There found man who could gain position in
society at any court in the world merely on bis ap-
pearance. I felt humiliated in his presence. He
observed me with great composure, and he saw in
a few minutes that was not a member Of Con-
gress, nor Secretary of Legation, and he knew,
therefore, that 1 was of 70 consequence. He
turned me over to another man, who also put on
scollops and treated me something like a convict.
He looked me over and then transferred me to an
other. spent two hours in that department, try
inr to do what ought not to have taken me ten
minutes


AT THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.


You are rather better treated here, merely be-
Year: 1869

The use of postage stamps on letters and news
papers is merely new application of an old nven-
tion Revenue stamps are comparatively new with
US, but they have been known in Europe for near,


y two hundred and fifty years.


The Dutch have right to whatever credit may
be due for such an invention. Early in the seven
teenth century the States of Holland had laid heavy
duties on merchandise Of every sort, and still the
income of the Government was not equal to the
expenditure. They now offered an ample reward
to any one who should invent new impost; one
that would, at the same time, be light on the peo-
pie, and be productive to the public treasury.
Some shrewd thinker proposed that it should be
enacted by public authority that no petition should
be received, that no document should be admitted
in courts of justice that no contracts of any kind
should be valid, except such as were written upon
paper impressed with the seal of the State. This
appeared to the Hollanders happy idea, and
stamped paper was introduced at once (l624) by an
ordinance which represented the necessity and the
great benefit of the new tax. Stamped paper, it
was claimed, would tend to lessen the number Of


lawsuits, and for that very reason, if for no other,
would soon be adopted by other nations.


The Dutch were right In less than fifty years
a trial of stamp duties was made in England, -
though not for the purpose Of lessening litigation,
perhaps,-and other nations were not slow to fol-
low. Indeed, the Spaniards are said to have been
ahead of the English.


AT the present day this Dutch fashion holds its
ground over large part of Christendom. A slight
change, it is true, has been made. At first, the
blank for the writing was sold with the stamp, and
it was necessary for the Government to invest
large amount in paper. The improvement consist
ed in selling the stamp separately, as is now done
in most cases.


When the uniform cheap postage commenced in
England, somebody suggested tho idea OF paying
postage by means of stamps and the plan was
adopted in lS4O Seven years later, the Post Mas
ter General of the United States was authorized to
prepare postage stamps and to furnish them to the
post-ofices throughout the country. In 1852,
stamped envelopes were authorized in the same
way.


At first, the writer could place stamp on his
letter, or pay the postage and send it without
stamp; but since the beginning Of the year 1856,
it has been the duty of the postmaster to place
stamps on all letters on which stamps had not al
Year: 1869

We boast that we are VIDE awake people. 90
ia. as that relates to the quantity Of our wide
awakefulness, it is a serious question whether we
do not pride ourselves upon serious bhnder.
Our late hours and our early hours; our night
work and our night pleasure our travelling or rev.
cling when we had far better be on downy eouches
or hair mattresses, reeumbent, are far from saluta-
ry to bodies, or brains, or character There are
crowds who, to ret gain, indulge their ruling pas
sions, carry out their projects are necessarily ION
the co." with all their faculties at the top Of their
speed, toiling, thinking, planning, seheming all
day, and far into the night, stunning repose as
It were an objectionable sin. We hear mep talk
Of doing nothing but sticking day in and day out
to their business; of reading nothing but newspa-
pers and only the commercial portions Of those ;
of rushing from Dan to Beersheba without stop
ping as fast as steam cars can carry them; Of do
ing any amount of work, and doing it on the jump,
as though they were running against time When
we hear men talk thus, implying that al this haste
and restlessness is a matter Of their own WILL We
fail to see what there is 80 very commendable in
their conduct or why they should speak of such
indefaigable, wearing and tearing smartness as
something praiseworthy. e., , =.


It is in sleep, in regular rest, in quiet and CON-
posure of body and mind that compensation for the
exhaustion Of toll, the renewals of the mental and
physical forces, are to be found. For this reason
provision is made for needful profound,
dreamless repose-to repair the waste Of the wa
king and active hours; and for this reason human
beings should be careful to allow themselves the
full maximum of slumber leisure, stiffness and in-
vigoratiug recreation they require. The conse'
quences Of their failure to do this are seen In the
increase of insanity, in the commonness Of soften
ing of the brain, in the prevalence of dyspepsia In
shattered nerves, in broken frames, premature old
age and untimely graves they are evident in the
demand for stimulants and narcotics, and in the
various devices resorted to, to patch up and keep
running the physical system; nay, they are only
too marked in still worse forms; in morbid feel
ings in vitiated appetites, in fiery passions in un.
controlled tempers, in all those mental and moral
so haggard, and unnatural, telling Of
rash violence done to the human oonstituton-a
violence that is as suicidal almost as would be the
deliberate drinking of prussic acid. We speak
strougly-pcssibly little strongly. But We speak
from the conviction that the tendency Of the evil
We are discoursing Of, if not checked, is towards
disaster, greater or less to individuals and society
generally. FIVE could have more repose, both for
flesh and the spirit, by parting with fifty per cent
the rate of our speed to conquering and subduing
this continent, and developing its resources, that
repose would be cheaply purchased
Year: 1869

Ifyou get into some Of the bureaus Of the Navy
Department -Dahlgren's for instance-you might
as well be ina furnace If your courage is not
awed into something like the fear Of child at the
sight of Dahlgrep, you are fit for a claim agent
The grandeur of that man is appalling. It's easy
enough to talk to Grant, but it's worth yeur life to
speak to Dent. So it is easy enough to talk to b.
rie and Porter; but to face Dahgren is to face an
earthquake and tidal wave.
Year: 1869

1ne employees are dnogeedobaoie: 5dogefioaf
is go cross and irritable that he has few visitors


He is the exception, It is generally easier to do
business with the head Of the department than
with the suberdinatss but the rule is reversed in
this case. You can't do business with the Atter-
ney General at all without quarrelling. With bis
subordinates you can transact business, and you
can't quarrel. See the effectof wretched exam
Year: 1869




yesterday afternoon a two cent dog
sprang from an alley, closely followed by q
five cent brick. Rounding the corner al
right angles, he came in contact with the
feet OF Ouch woman who was carrying a
jug OF m0lasses in one hand and basket oil
eggs in the other. The sudden collision of the
dog with her lower extremities threw her
from her feet, and she sat down upon the
basket of eggs, at the same time breaking the
Jug OF mollasses upon the pavement. A
young gentleman, csrpet-bag in hand, anxious
10 catch the train, was running close behind,
and stepping upon the fragments of the jug
and its contents, sat doTu on the chest OF
the Dutch woman, who said, Mine Got"
The young man said something about mad
dog, but in the excitement said it backwards.
In the meantime the dog had run against the
feet OF team of horses, attached to q load of
potatoes, and they taking fright, started for
home. The end board being out, they unload
ed the potatoes along the street as they went.
Crossing the railroad track, the wagon caught
in the rails and tore one of them from its
place. A freight train coming along few
moments later, was thrown from the track
smashing up dozen cars, and killing thirty
or torty hogs. The horses on reaching home
ran through the barn yard and overturned a
milk pail, the contents of which another two
cent dog licked up One of the horses having
broken his leg, was killed this morning, and
the other is crippled for lite. 1t is now a moot
ed question whether the man who threw the
brick at the two cent dog, or the man who
owns it, is responsible for the chapter of acci-
dents which followed. Some think. they do.'
Year: 1869

For Sale.
q Very desirable Brick House, situated at No 70
"A Free st. Also the Furniture in said house. To
any one wishing to purchase, very rare bargain
will be given. The house and furniture will be Of
tered together or separately.


For further information inquire at No. 81 CONNER
clal st. apr17dtf
Year: 1869

Soon after six O'Clock on Tuesday evening very
melancholy affair, resulting In the death OF one
Timothy G. Allyn, . wealthy gentleman engaged In
the fire insurance business at No. SO william street,
occurred at the Gramercy Park Hotel. On Saturday
last Mr.. Allyn tooK drive In the Park and while
there some recklessy drove against his carriage
crushing and nearly running It and injuring him
severely Since that time Mr.. Allyn has been con-
fined to his room and the accident has seemed TO
annoy him very much. aside from the pain and in
convenience it caused him.


AT the time named on Tuesday evening Mrs. Allyn
went down to her dinner, leaving her husband
alone In the room. shortly before seven O'Clock
she returned, and on opening the door OF
the room, was Mortified TO see her husband
lying on his bacK on the floor, with blood over his
face and on the noor where he lay. MIS- Allyn
screamed for help. which soon arrived, and upon
examining the body life was found to be extinct: a
pistol shot wound in the centre OF the forehead was
TO be seen.


Mr. Allyn had long kept pistol in his bureau
drawer as q protection from thieves and burglars,
and from the fact that the drawer was open ana
blood on the clothing inside 1t rs presumed that Mr.
Allyn examined the weapon, and while doing so IL
exploded, thus driving bullet into his brain.
Almost instant death must have been the result
Coroner Rollins, on being notified, held an inquest
on the BODY, and the jury returned verdict Of
death from accidental shooting. Mr.. Allyn was
forty years OF age and native OF Connecticut. lie
has left widow and one son, about fourteen years
of age.
Year: 1869

Naturalization Notice.
Thursday and Friday being the two last days for
naturalization, Judge McCunn viii sit in the above
court room IN the evening, from seven TO nine
O'clock for the convenience OF those who cannot
attend during the day
Year: 1869

LAY REPREsENTATIoN.-The Methodists OF
the United States of both sexes who have at
tanned the age of twenty -one will vote some
time in June on the admission of the laity to
the legislative assemblies of the church. The
result is hardly doubtful. The Methodists
will probably conform in their church govern
ment to the ideas which in modern times have
taken from tho clergy of other churches that
exclusive control Of ecclesiastical affairs that
seems hardly democratic. Mass meetings in
favor of lay delegation are to be held in differ
ent parts of the country.
Year: 1869

Nobody has reached the North Pole except
Frankensteins monster. The great charm of
Mrs Shelley's wierd tale is in the graphic de-
scription Of the vast solitudes of the Arctic
regions and the awe-inspiring silence of the
untraveled wastes of ice and water about the
pole. The monster, being of remarkably
retiring" nature, is finally sent to the ex-
treme verge of the globe to burn himself to
ashes. The geographical pole. though not
identical exactly with the magnetic pole, has
always had strange attraction for bold scien
tIfic spirits, drawing them many a time and
oft to destruction on the icy coasts of the hy-
perborean regions and strewing the Northern
Ice with the Zones of the bravest and most
cnivairous men that have ,er sacrificed them
selves in the effort to enlarge the bounds Of
human knowledge. The toilsome search for
Northwestern passage to the East Indies has
been followed by repeated adventures in the
interest of pure science, irrespective of any
incidental utilitarian purpose that might be
promoted thereby. M


Yet no one has hitherto approached nearer
than within 450 miles of the objective point-the
North Pole. Eight degrees of latitude, where
-
trod must be explored before that dim, mystic
rious point is reached. There is naturally
great rivalry among the nations, each desiring
to have its flag first planted at the Northern
limit of the globe. The English Germans,
French and Swedes are all either fitting out
expeditions for this purpose or have them al
ready prepared for the work. DIR. Hayes of
New York is extremely anxious to make
another voyage in behalf of America His
plan, as he has explained it in recent address
es, is to follow Greenland and .GrinnellLand to
their Northern limit After reaching Smiths
Sound, in latitude 78 deg. II min., where he
brought his vessel to anchor in the ice in the
winter of 1860-61, he would establish colopy.
as base of supplies, Thence he would push
on for the North Pole. What he requires for
the expedition is small steamer and one sail
ing vessel. Private parties have already offer
ed to place steamer at his disposal and he
has no doubt that some one might be found
who would furnish the sailing vessel. The
expense outside the means of transportation,
would be about fifty thousand dollars. He
proposes that the expedition should start in
May of the present year and be absent two
summers and two winters, returning in the
spring of 1871.


DIR. Hayes is one of the extremely limited
number of human beings whose feet have trod
the shores of the most Northern land in the
Western hemisphere and who has been per-
mitted to gaze on that vast expanse of water,
unvexed, by ice, the existence of which about
the pole is now established beyond question.
- l.. =
that sea, and then the problem of the oentu-
ries is solved. If he can do this and return to
tell his wonderful story to the world the re-
suit win be honorable alike to him and to his
country. aat t
Year: 1869

The SoUTHERNERs have begun to pour into
New York for their spring goods with their
pockets fun of money. The last years crop of
in their old character of individuals with un-
limited cash -.
Year: 1869

A short time since the peoplesof Chi
cagO gave a banquet to the two dis
tinguished China Merchants-Sing
Man and Choy-C Chew-then on a visit
20 that city. The affair came of at the
sherman House. It was attended by
many of the leading citizens. of the
city. Speeches were made by several
citizens and by Choy-Chew. The
speech Of the latter was gem. He
said


Eleven years ago I came from my
home in China to seek my fortune in
your great Republie. I landed on the
golden shores Of California, utterly ig-
norant of your language, unknown to
any of your people, a stranger to youl
customs and laws, and in the minds OF
some an intruder-one of that race
whose presence was deemed a positive
injury to. the pq6iie, PFosPerity but,
Justice I found that above the preju-
dice which had been formed against us,
there flowed a deep, broad stream OF
popular equality-that the hand OF
friendship was extended to the people
of every nation, and that even China
men might live and be happy, success
fuI aud respected in free America. Zap
plause.1 / gathered knowledge in
your public schools. I learned to speak
4s you do; to read and write as you
10; to think as you do; and, gentle
men, rejoice that it is so, thatI have
been able to cross the vast continent
without an interpreter Capplause i that
here in the heart of the United States,
can speak to you in your own famil-
lar speech, and tell you how much,
how very much. / appreciate your hos
DitRlity [applause1; how grateful feel
FOR the privileges and advantages /
have enjoyed in your glorious country,
and how earnestly hope that your


l., -.
ty and national generosity may be
seen and understood as I see and un-
1erstand it, by our Government. Zap
plause.1 Mr.. Burlingame has done
much to promote good feeling in
China toward the American nation.
He made himself acquainted with the
authorities at Pekin, and he won their
confidence to a remarkable degree, He
is an excellent man, and believe if
his advice is received and acted upon,
China viii soon be a cordial friend of
all the Commercial Powers of the earth.
Already we are doing something in the
way of progress and modern improve
ment. Steamboat lines have been es-
tablished on our rivers, and now we
want railroads and the telegraph. This
wonderful sovereignty of the Western
Hemisphere, where the people rule,
and where there is ever proclaiming
peace and good will to ALL has taken
Che lead, and China now must brush
sway the dust Of her antiquity, and
look across the Pacific, behold and
profit by the new lessons Of the New
World. IApplause.1 We trust our
visit, gentlemen, may be productive of
good results to all of us; that the tive
great countries of the East and West,
China and America, may be bound for
ever together in friendship, and that a
Chinaman in America or an American
in China, may find like protection i'm
the search for happiness and wealth.
Year: 1869

SPECIE PAYMENTS other day,
we happened to come across silver half
dollar that We had laid away as a Curl
osity, some years ago; and on opening
our purse, we found that. BY q strange
coincidence, there was just one solitary
6fty-cent currency stamp inside. We
have been seriously considering the ques
tion, ever since. whether, if We should
sink thst stamp away, and put the silver
in circulation 10 its stead. it would cause
Q very great money panic
Year: 1869

~ The papers are about through en-.
logizing George Peabody. who was rich.
and made big noise with his money
But not one Of them has preached SER
mon from the most appropriate text that
Gao be found in Scripture to meet his case:


''It is easier for camel to go through
the eye Of of needle. than for rich man
to enter the kingdom Of God"
Year: 1869

grated. Such has been my experience,
and such seems to be the case with Col.
PLowDEN, as | learn from his letter this
year saw published about the peach crop


He is a large grower of fruit, and his OBJ
servations are of much value. The finest
and best favored crop of peaches ever
saw was many years ago in an orchard of
an old lady friend of mine in this county,
who raised them all from the stone plan
ted as soon as she could after eating the
peach. Whenever she could obtain the
stones of extra nice peaches she planted
them, and the second year set the young
trees in her orchard, which she cultivated
in small vegetables every year, SO as to
keep the ground clean, and succeeded in
always having crop Of delicious fruit,
from healthy seeding, trees. She thinned
the fruit, and had it large
Year: 1869

MILDEw.-Lemon-juice mixed with salt
powdered starch and soft-soap, and applied
with brush. is good to remove 'mildew.
After the application is made, the article
must be kept on the grass until the stain
comes out. - "a Ut