smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

Major Horatio Allen, the engineer
of the New York and Erie Railroad,
gives the following account of the
first trip made by locomotive on
this continent:


When was it? And who awaken
ed its energies and directed its
movements? 1t was in the year 1928,
on the banks Of the LaclawaXcn, at
the commencement of the railroads
connecting tho canal of the Della
ware and Hudson Canal Company,
with their coal mines-and he who
addresses you was the only person
on that locomotive. The circum-
stances which led to my being alone
on the road were these: Tho road
had been built in the summer; the
structure was of hemlock timber;
and rails of large dimensions, notch
ed on caps placed far apart. The
timber had cracked and warped
from exposure to the sun. After
about three hundred feet of straight
line, the road crossed the Lacka-
wuxen creek on trestle-work about
thirty feet high, with a curve of
three hundred and fifty-five to four
hundred feet radius. The impres-
sion was very general that the iron
monster would either break down
the road, or it would leave the track
at the curve and plunge into the
creek.


My reply TO such apprehensions
was that it was too late to consider
the probability of such occurrences;
ther was no other course than to
have trial made Of the strange
animal which had been brought
here at great expense, but that it
was not necessary that more than
one should be involved in its fate;
that / would take the first ride alone,
and the time would come when /
should look back TO the incident
with great interest. r.


As ] placed my hand on the throt-
tle-valye handle, ! was undecided
whether to move slowly or with a
fair degree of speed; believing that
the road would prove safe, and pre-
ferring if We did 60 down, TO 60
handsomely, and without any evi-
dence of timidity, l started with
considerable velocity, passed the
curve over the creek safely, end
was soon out Of hearing Of the vast
assemblage. At the end Of two or
three miles I reversed the valve and
returned without accident, having
thus make the first railroad trip, BY
locomotive, on tbe Western bemi-
sphere. s -
Year: 1869

BEAUrIFUL EXTRACT When the
summer of youth as slowly wasting
away into the night fall Of age, and
the shadow Of the past year grow
deeper and deeper, and life wears to
lis close; it is pleasant to look back
through the vista of time upon the
sorrows and felieities of our early
years. If we have home TO shell
ter us and hearts to rejoice with us,
and friends, to gather together
around our frcsides, then the rough
places of our wayfaring will have
been worn aud smoOthed away in
the twilight Of life, while the sunny
spots we have passed. through will
grow brighter aud rnore beautiful
Happy indeed are they whose in
tercOurse with the world has not
changed the tone Of their holier
feelings OF broken those musical
chords of the heart whose vibra
tions are 80 melOdious, so tender
and toueling in the evening Of age


The most effective sye-Vatsr-WOnsa'
tears.
Year: 1869

wanted to get possession of Ogden,
the Junction of the two roads. and
keep the Central Company from en-
ioying any of the advantages that it
would derive from having its eastern
terminus at that point.


C0nkling said he would not vote
for the second section of this bill in
any of its proposed f rms, nor would
he allow such legislation for or
against any corporation or individual, i,
to pass without earnestly protesting
against it.


A motion for a recess from 4:30 to
7:30 was carried.


At 800 the Senate went into ex-
ecutive session.
Year: 1869

BY the Anglo-Saxons the bond of matri-
mony was held to be most sacred. No
man could lawfully marry without first OBJ
tanning the consent of the wOman's
mundbora, or guardian, who was
her father, if living, and if not,
some other near relation. Ii such
consent was not obtained, the husband
was liable to penalties, and he acquired no
legal rights over either the wife OR her
goods. For this consent the lover always
paid a mede or price, in the nature of q
present, according to the rank of the lady.
It was therefore advantageous to q father
that the spindle-side, - or female part of
his family, to use Alfred's term, should
outnumber the "spear- side" or male
members thereof. The parties were SOL
emnly contracted, and a friend of the
bridegroom became surety for the woman's
good treatment and maintenance. Her
dowry was fixed and all the relations of
both parties within the third degree, werein-
vited to the marriage feast. Each one made
some present to the couple; and the mund-
bora gave them arms, furniture, cattle and
money. This was called the faderfrum, or
fathers gift, and was all the fortune that
the bridegroom received. On the day be-
fore the wedding, which generally took
place within six or eight weeks from the
time of the contract, the invited friends of
the bridegroom went to his house,
where they spent the day in
feasting On the next morn
ing they went armed and on horseback to
tho house of the bride, under the conduct
of the foremost man, to receive her, and
conduct to her husband. This martial
show was both for compliment and to pre-
vent a rescue By any former lover. The
britt JUIC ID a Pal I1
brideswomen, followed by many young
women, termed the bridesmaids, aud at
tended by her mundbora and other male
relations. On her arrival she was received
by the bridegroom, and sOlemnly betrOth-
Ell by her guardian. The united com
panlons then proceeded to the chnrch, at
tended by musicians. No marrinGa was
lawful without the presence Of the mnnd-
bora at the ceremony, and he gave the
bride to the bridegroom, saying: - give
her to thee to be thy honor and thy wife );
to keep thy keys and share with thee in
thy be- and goods. The parties received
the nuptial benediction from the priest,
sometimes under q veil Or square piece of
cloth, called the carecloth, held at each
corner by a man to conceal the brides
blnshes; but this was not used when the
bride was widow. After the benedction
both of the parties were crowned with
powers, which were kept in the church for
the purpose. ring was used at the mar
ria2e as we'll as at the betrothal. Some
authors say that at the marriages of the
Anglo Saxon the mnndbora presented the
bridegroom with one of the brides
shoes, token Of the transfer of
authority; and she was made to
feel the change by a blow on her head
given with the shoe. The husband was
bound by oath to use his wife well. on fail
ure Of which she might leave him; but he
was allowed to bestow a moderate castiga-
ton upon her. After the marriage cere-
mony all the company returned to the
bridegroom's house, where was held the
wedding feast, At night the bride was
Year: 1869

conducted to her chamber and put to bed


by the women, and the bridegroom was in


like manner attended by tho men. The
couple both being il bed, their hcalths


were drank in their presence by all the


company. On the next morning, when the
bridegroom rose, he gave his bride a NOR
gengabc, or morning gift which became
her separate property, and was the ancient
pin money. All the company came to the
chamber before the couple rose, to hear
this gift declared, after which they feasted
again for several days, until the provisions
were consumed, and then, having made
presents to the husband they Departed
The wedding dress of the bride, and three
of her maidcns, and of the bridegroom
and his attendants, were Ofa peculiar fash
ION and color, and might not be worn on
any other occasion. These dresses were ut
first the perquisites of the musicians who
attended the marriage, but in later times
they were given to some church or abbey.
Year: 1869

A great diversity of opinion EXISTS With
regard to the propriety of repeating the fenos
law. For our part We think its repeal would
be injudicious and are inclined to agree with
the Merced Herald THAT the people can bet.
ter regulate the fence question without tn.
interposi,iou of the legislature" The sub.
joined article expresses the views, on this
question, of two papers, the Tuarc Times
and Merced Herald. Both are published in
agricultural counties and their opinions are
therefore enti.led to seine weight:


fence OR No FEScE.-Tne question Of
Fence, or No Fence" as we hear il COM
monty termed, is becoming one of importance
to the citizens of this district, as well as else
where. We look upon it as matter purely
local IN Its character and one that should
be treated outside Of politics. and, without
entering into an argument on the subject M
this time, We think that it presents no dif6-
culties whatever. We suggest that it could
be settled IN each county by vote Of the
citizens thereof, whose interests are effected
directly by 1t. An act of the Legislature au-
thorislng the submission of the adoption or
rejection Of this law to the vote of the peopls
IN The respective counties would settle the
matter with justice to the local interest Of
each. whereas by general law the agricul-
tGrai counties would decide in favor Of "no
fence. to the great damage Of districts al
most exclusively stock raising in their char
acter. ltappears to US that the course sug-
gested Is the proper one and we can see no
reasonable objection to it, and are satisfied
that there is no ground for the apprehension
that many seem TO feel on this subject. This
plan will protect the maj iority in each county,
whatever they may be, of which no one should
complain; nor will they.


We copy the above from the Tulare Times
as symptom of the progress Of the system
OF farming without fence. That the oues-
tion will be forced upon the people the pres
ent campaign we believe will certainly be the
case, and we fear that extreme views will be
taken, and consequently radical changes OF
our hitherto system of farming will be the
result. Our idea has been that the people
can better regulate the fence question with
out the nterposition of the Legislature, and
we are supported in this position by The exam-
pie set us by the farmers and stockmen Of
Paradise valley. There the pursuit of the
people has been changed from exclusive pas
toral to agricultural without detriment 10 the
interests of any. which might not be the case
IT On unconditional repeal of the fence law
should be enacted by the next Legislature.
The stock interests of the State are too i'm.
portant to the welfare of the people to be per
mitted to langush, and we should be very
guarded in any action that will have ten
dency to affect them injcrously. ly.-Merced
Herald.
Year: 1869

PoKING FUN.-The San Francisco Herald
thus pokes fun at the dispatches of the Asso-
ciated Press:


We are constrained to depart from rule, and
quote from the dispatches of the Associated
Press. The deviation is prompted by the i'm
portance OF long paragraph, which announ-
ces the death of three of Mr. Bates cows. -
This mournful intelligence will be received
with sorrow in many rodeo and corral the
grief of the cattle, which alone are interested
in the news. being but slightly tempered with
the consolatory conclusion of the dispatches,
that "the FIVE Texan cows which have been
sick are likely to recover"
Year: 1869

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE SExEs.-What
makes those men vino associate habitually
with women superior to others? What makes
that woman who is accustomed to and at ease
in the company of men superior to her sex in
general? Solely because she is in the habit
of tree, graceful and continual conversation
with the other sex. Women in this way lose
their frivolity, their faculties unfold all their
beauty and cap,iyasion in the spirit of intel
lectual rivalry. And the men lose their pc
dantic or sullen manner. The coin of the un-
derstanding and the heart is interchanged
continually. Their asperities are rubbed off;
their better materials polished and brighten
ed, and their richness. like fine gold. is
wrought into finer workmanship bv fingers OF
women than it ever could be by men. TIE
iron aud steel of our character are laid aside
like harness of warrior IN time Of peace
and security.
Year: 1869

How TO MAKE MATRIMONIAL Matches
A short time since, at wedding in South
Carolina, a young lawyer moved that one
man in the company should be selected as
president, that this president should be duly
sworn to keep entirely secret all communion
tions that should he forwarded to him in his
official department that night. that each un-
married gentleman and lady should write his
or her name upon piece of paper, and under
it place the name of the person they wish to
marry, then hand it to the president for in-
spection, and if any gentleman and lady had
reciprocally chosen each other, the president
was to inform each of the result, and those
who had not been reciprocal in their choice
were to be kept entirely secret. After the
appointment of the president, communications
were accordingly handed up to the chair, and
it was found that twelve young ladies and
gentlemen had reciprocal choices, and eleven
of the twelve matches were solemnized.
Year: 1869

The old school house stands deserted now,
Where years ago We played;
Where the giant oaks, with sturdy boughs,
Threw far their generous shade.
The paths once trod by joyous feet
Echo their sound no more.
And wild weeds grow around the house,
And at the open door.
No more is heard the thrilling shout
OF children at their play;
The playground stands deserted now
Through all the gloomy day.
The roof is slowly falling in,


The beams are giving way,
And through the aperture CLEANS


The struggling Light of day.
Year: 1869

THE IRISH REPUBLICAN ASSOCIATION of
Washington has passed series of resolutions
favoring the election OF colored men to Office.
The resolutions declare that colored men con-
stitute majority OF the voters in the city and
that when holding Office they have conduct
ed themselves with ability and integrity.
Year: 1869

THE Virginia Legislature has rati-
fed the Fourteenth and Fifteenth
Amendments to the Constitution. AL
though the ratification was made a
condition of reconstruction, the pro
ceedings shoW that the Conservatives
Of VirgiE;a adopted the Amendments
with an enthusiasm that astonished
the Radie.Is. We shall watch our
Democra i, exchanges closely to see
how they rakesthis detection on the
part of the Conservatives and Demo
Gratis of the Old Dominion. We fear
the negro vote. which was eastfor the
WALLER ticket, has turned the heads
Of the Office seekers, who are willing
the negroes shall vote if they
will only vote the Democratic
ticket. We presume the Conserva


tives of Tennessee can do no less than
follow the example of the Mother of
States and Statesmen, and also rati9iy
the Amendment. What is to become
of the Democracy of Ohio and In
diana unless they get ready for
this new departure by the time
the next National Convention is
convened, We are az loss
to determine. We are beginning
to be apprehensive that they will be
outside any healthy political organi-
zation; that they viii only be hanging
on the verge of the Democratic par
ty, as twill be when the work of re-
generation and disenthralIment is
made perfect through suffering We
advise the party papers in this State
to prepare to repent OF their opposi-
ton to negro suffrage. for the in


dications in the South are that
it Is to become the chief
corner stone Of their political fabric.
Year: 1869

A PRETTY girl on skates, if any girl can
be otherwise than pretty, clad in one of
those jaunty, fur-trimmed pdiSes that
Cupid himself must have fashioned, the
little form bending to and fro in undulous
and hythmic motion, the glowing cheeks
and radiant eyes kissed by kindly win
ter into tenfold beauty, is such sight as
the h0liest and hardest of anchoritcs
might be pardoned for falling in love
with.


And if she be, on the contrary, poor
skater, the charm is, if anything, higbten-
ed, at least to her cavalier. There is such
an irresistible fascination in her absolute
dependence on his protecting arm; there
is such charm in her pretty terrors, her
delicious helplessness, her graceful tunl-
bles such a music in her little shrieks of
dread and her selfaccusing laughter; and
then it is so delightful to pick her up
after each cOmical upset, and she is
throughout so good-natured, and so CRATE
ful, and SO proyokingly pretty, that she is,
if anything, more adorable than if she
skated like championess


An ice-pond, too, on bright, still night,
with the moon and stars all in their places
TO smile sn encouraging approval, is no
bad place TO make love in. When the
most adored of her sex asks you, for eX-
ample, as you go gliding like the wind
over the CLASSY surface, If this isn't
heavenly" and says "she could go on so
forever" what is easier or more nat
ural than to press little tighter the tiny
hand that nestles in your own, and sug-
gest that it is heavenly, and that it will be
her fault if yCu don't go on forever
Pou,d TJUe
Year: 1869

To BURY friend in winter is kind of
trial thai connects strange inward emo
tions of feelings which it is difficult to mas
ter. We have cleared away the snow, and
hewn a passage down through the solid
pavement of the frost, and then in that
inhospitable place we come to bury our
departed; be it child, Or wife, or mother,
or much-loved friend, our heart shudders
in convulsiye chill at the forlorn last
Offices we are come to perform. While
our feeling is protesting, the solemnity,
so-called, goes on, and before we have
gotten our own consent the "tribute of
respect" is ended. The frozen chips of
earth. loosened again by blows, are piled
on the loved ones rest, and we turn to
go. "Will it storm tonight? The wind,
alas is bowling even now in the trees,
and the sleeting has already begun. o
God, it shall not be! We were going to
be fools, we see, but now the spell is
broken. Our departed is not in that grave
and we scorn to say our farewell over it.
Let the SHOWS fall heavy, if they will, and
the winds rage pitiless and wild above
ours it shall be 20 thank thee, Father, Lord
Of the warmer cline, that our dead one
lives with thee" Practically, almost
nothing will more surely compel faith in
Immortality, even if one chances to be
unbelieving, than to bury friend in win
ter. And, as q matter of fact, it is not in
the fresh, unburstrng life of the spring, ol
in any other softer season Of the year
that we think of immortality with half the
tension that We do at winter funerals. We
ask it instinctively, as we do a fire fol
the coli-Dr Bushnell
Year: 1869

PERSONS suffering from DYSPEPSIA, or any
other malady, must take care Of their eyes,
Any disease impairs the strength, and the
nervous system is depressed; and when
laboring under this form of depression the
eye is particularly liable to become weak
The reason Of this is, that of the ten nerves
which go off from the brain, six al dis
tributed wholly, and the other four par
tally, to the eye. Through the great
sympathetic nerve, the disturbed stomach,
or liver, or intestines, communicate with
telegraphic speed with thca brain, and
so with the eye. The first advice to be
given with reference to the comfortable
use of the ewes undoubtedly is to keep the
intestines and liver and stomach in a
healthy condition; in other words, do
everything to confirm the general health.
1t this be impaired, do not read, and, espe-
cially d. not write long, without giving
the eve rest. The great remedy for an
eye whose disease depends upon the nerve,
and not the muscle, is rest rest! rest =
M07atpeIier (Tt) Journal
Year: 1869

REV. NORMAN MACLEOD, in an account
of a visit to Bombay, gives an account of
a Juggling feat, known as the bamboo
trick" He says: ..t4f


"While the tOm-tom was beating, and
the pipe playing, the juggler, singing all
the time in low accents, smoothed place
on the gravel, three or four yards before
US. Having thus prepared bed for the
plant To grow in, he took a basket and
placed it over the prepard place, covering
it with thin blanket The man himself
did not wear a thread of clothing, eX-
cept strip around the lOins. The time
seemed to have come for the detectives
eye! So just as he was becoming more
earnest in his song, and while the tom
tom beat and the pipe shrilled more loud
ly, stepped forward with becoming dig
nifty, and begged him to bring the basket
and its cover to me. The juggler cheer
fully complied. examined the basket


1t was made of open wicker-work. |
then examined the covering It was thin,
almost transparent, and certainly there
was nothing concealed in it. then fixed
my eyes on his strip of clothing with
such intentness that it was not possible it
could have been touched without dis
cOvery, and bade him go on. l felt per-
fectly sure that the trick could not succeed
Sitting down, he stretched his naked arms
| under the basket, singing and smiling as
be did so he then lifted the basket off the
ground, and behold green plant. about a
| foot high Satisfied with our applause he


went on with his incantations. After hav


ing sat little, to give his plant time to
grow, he again lifted the basket, and the
plant was now two feet high He asked


us to wait little longer that we might
taste the fruitl But on being assured by
those who had seen the trick performed
before, that this result would be obtained,
T confessed myself done" without the
slightest notion Of how. examined the
ground, and found it was smooth and up
turned. Apparently delighted with my
surprise, the juggler stood up, laughing
One OF his companions Just then ehucked
a pebble TO him, which he put into his
mouth. Immediately the same companion.
walking back ward, drew forth cord of
silk, twenty yards or go in length. But
this was not al the discharge, for the Jug
glcr, with his hands behind his back,
threw forth from his mouth two decan ter
shoppers, two shells, q spinning top, stone
and several other things, followed by .
long Jet Of fret
Year: 1869

THERE'S beautiful face in the silent air,


Which follows me ever ana near,
With smiling eyes and amber hair.
With vOiceless lips, yet with breath of prayer


That feel, but Cannot hear.
The dimpled hand. and ringlet of gold,


Lie low in marble sleep:
] stretch my arms for the clasp of old,
But the empty air "a strangely cold,


And my vigil alone keep.
There's a siniess brow with radiant crown


And n cross laid down in the dust:
There's a smile where never shade comes now
Ard tears no more from those dear eyes flow,


81 sweet in their innocent trust.
N. well and summer is coming again,


Singing her same old song:
Bat. on il sounds like sob of pain,
AS il floats in the sunshine and the rain.


Ger hearts OF the worlds great throng.
There's a beau iful region above the skies


And long TO reach its shore,
For know shall find my treasure there,
The laughing eyes and amber hair


uf the loved one gone before.
Year: 1869

taken to the great city of Chicago, and
there left, without friends or money.


He reported that she had died of chol-
era. and, to make the deception complete,
built false grave.


When the war was over, and Colonel


returned home ne made his way at
once to the old graveyard, and sought out
that of his lost Jennie After bathing the
little mound with tears he made his way
to the house of Mr.. Blank to learn the
particulars While he was there the
guilty man ordered the tombstones for the
false grave In due time they came, and
were placed at the supposed grave with
some evergrcens and flowers.


COL had been a mourper from
two years before the war closed until
December, 1868, when business called him
to Chicago There, in street car, with a
bundle of soiled clothes which she was
taking home to be washed, he found his
buried Jennie. lie flew across the car,
taking her in his arms and almost scream
ing with joy. He could scarcely believe
his eyes, but it was Jennie, and no mistake.
He had found her at last-Hdnsas City
(N0) .IouTnGt Of Commerce.