smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

AN INCIDENT OF THE ONO RIVER
DIS IS-tSTER.-AmonS the passengers
on the Inflated steamer United States
at the time of its collision with the
America, were gentleman akd lady
whose names appeared upon the
books i'll the clerks Office rs man
and wife, but it was the old story of
Illicit love and unbridled passion
eliminating in elopement. The
gentleman Was a young German
merchant, who had always borne a
high reputation among his fellows rs
a scrupulously honorable man, and Il
high toned, generous companion.
lhe lady was the wife of his most in
innate friend. The woman had left
a, KIND and devoted husband, and the
man, in order to elope with her, had
robbed, it is said, feeble and aged
mother of about s., 500-her sole de-
pendence, except the duty and af1ec-
ton which she might naturally ex-
pect from her son in her declining
years. The public have already read
the frightful details of the collision
between the Steamers United States
and America We have given them
here hitherto unwritten chapter of
secret sin, which was cut short by
that shocking catastrophe just as it
was emerging into open transgres-
sion. Among the names III the list
of the lost" by the wreck of the
ill-fated steamer is to be found that
OF the young German merchant.
The woman was among the rescued
and returned again to live stranger
TO her own family.
Year: 1869

GOOD ADVICE.-The Providence
Journal urges people to pay their
small bills. 1t says: "The prompt
payment of small bills is something
more than a convenience, consider
ing its results, and the real distress,
which the neglect of it often occa-
sions, raises it to the dignity of Il
virtue. There are many tradesmen,
engaged in extensive business, who
have to meet large payments, and
who depend for them upon the ag-
gregate of small sums. 1t makes no
sort of difference To the payer wheth-
er these small sums are paid to-day
or tomorrow or next week. 1t
makes weighty difference to the
tradesman, who is obliged to keep
two or three clerks running after lit
tie bills, and to pay one per cent a
month for the money that is due to
him, in n thousand little sums, that
he should have for asking, and that
he is kept out of by the thoughtless-
ness of customers whom he does not
wish to offend by importantly"
That is all As true as the gospel, but
we would teach even a purer virtue,
higher morality, and say don't
Hiiht any SilliiI DlilS, blb pay us y Ou
go. The habit of getting everything
charged, from a tooth-pick to bar
rel OF flour, is a most perniciOus one,
yet most people would he surprised
if they could see the bills made out
by our traders, to perceive how many
small charges they have, how, even
in many hundreds of instances the
whole bill of an individual for the
quarter or half year, rs the case may
be, is less than one dollar. Probably
the individual had the money in his
pocket when he made the purchase,
and sheer laZiness or the force of hab-
it prevented his paying for it down,
and thus ending the matter. In
stead of that he was charged upon
the book, drawn of upon bill, and
perhaps took the time of & clerk half
an hour to collect. Much rs it costs
merchants and mechanics to collect
these small sums, they cannot afford
to lose them, for the aggregate often
amounts TO a considerable sum; but
their customers ought not to ask them
to submit to such tax, for it really
amounts to that. Among the new
resolutions of the new year let us re-
commend to our readers that they
make one not to run up any "Httle
bills,n unless absolutely necessary,
hereafter. Ifeverybody would make
this rule and live up to it, New Years
would be much more ''happy" than
it usually is now. In fact, We don't
know whether this period of bills is
most dreaded bv debtor or creditor at
present.-Springfield Mass RepHb-
lican.
Year: 1869

1t i. asserted that, at the present
time, thirty-five millions of dollars
are annually collected and distiibu-
ted to alleviate want and poverty in
the city of London. 1t is further as
serted that this enormous amount of
charity does about as much harm as
good-rendering begging in many
eases more profitable than honest in
dustry, and being thus direct pre-
MUM giving to laziness and lying.


The fact is that there should be no
indiscriminate alms-giving. Regu-
lar municipal officers, possessing the
requisite power, should be appointed
whose duty should be to investigate
every application for aid. And the
able bodied applicants should be Put
to work at fair wages in houses of
industry-and the sick and incapa-
BILE supported either at their homes,
or in public Institutions, in a simple
but comfortable manner. Charity
should thus be organized and made
wise and efficient. In i,s PR sent
disorganized condition, it does about
as much harm as good.
Year: 1869

The Colorado was lower than any
of the residents at Fort Yuma had
ever before known it. 1t could scarce
ly fall any lower without going en-
tirely through its own bottom. a
more capriciouS river does not exist.
Formerly it ran through the desert
to the northwest, but for some reason
or other it changed its course, and
now il runs about three feet above
the level of the desert. AS navi-
gable stream 1T possesses some ad-
vantages during the dry season !;
boats can seldom sink in it; and for
the matter of channels it has an un-
usual variety. The main channel
shifts so often that the most skillful
pilot always knows where it Is not
to be found by pursuing the course
of his last trip. The little steamer
which plies between the fort and the
mouth of the river, distant one nun
dred miles, could not make the round
trip in less than two weeks, owing to
shoals and shifting bars. Up 10 La
Paz and Fort Mojave the navigation
WAS still worse. Twenty or thirty
days ND and down was considered
fair trip. The miners in that region
were suffering for supplies, although
six hundred tons of freight lay at
the einharcadera awaiting transpor-
tation. | mention this as hint 10
the delegate soon to he elected 10
Congress from Arizona. If he can
prevail upon that liberal body 10
grant half million dollars towards
plugging up or caulking the bottom


of the river so that it won't leak, or
procuring rain by joint resolution,
he viii forever merit the suffrage OF
his fellow citizens j. Boss Browne.
Year: 1869

y weeping father of 30, and pref
" daughter of II, appeared before a
New York police justice on Monday,
with sad story. The girl had been
attending an academy at Waterbury,
Connecticut, where a gay deceiver
found her, made love to her, and in
duced her to leave her books and her
friends for the pleasure and advan-
tage of his society. They went to
New York and established them
selves in house of not good repute,
from which the girl wrote home that
she was happily married and would
like To receive visit from her pa-
reuts. Her old father came on, saw
his daughter, took supper with her,
and was satisfied but z friend learn
ing of the locality in which his
daughter was living, Informed him
OF the character of the place, tho )
went there with the police, and there
was scene of sobbing, tears and
embracing, and the girl went home
with her father.
Year: 1869

The Massachusetts Supreme Court
has recently made a decision upon
the right of a parent to reclaim the
custody of his child. In the absence
of the father. who was a sailor, the
mother died, and the child, being of
tender age and destitute, was placed
in the care of a respectable family,
to be brought up as their own. When
the child was nine years old, the
father appeared and endeavored to
assert hrs claims. On the hearing of
the writ of habeas corpus, the full
court refused to take the child away
from its parents by adoption, holdin z
that where by misfortune or accident
a father has left his child destitute
and dependant upon charity, and the
child has been permitted to form
new relations in life SO deep and
strong as to change its whole nature
and character, the child should be
considered as emancipated by the
father, and the father cannot assert
his legal right to its'custody.
Year: 1869

y man in the oil region the other
day attempted to scrub his floor with
beuZine, instead of soap and sand.
There was a stove in the store, which
coming in contact with the benZine,
set fire 10 il. An explosion followed, ,
and tn the intense astonishnent of
the man landed him out side of the
door, blew the roof off the store, and
demolished things generally. Moral
Never take benZiAe near a fire
Year: 1869

1t IS the Boston Post which declares
that New York has become so wick
ed that they have been obliged to
widen Hell Gate The New York
Times calmly responds that the Post
may be just in its inference, because
the object of the widening is TO make
broader the road to Boston.
Year: 1869

The late election for Delegate from
Grant and Hardy illustrates the blum
ders which must be perpetrated so long
as the contents of the Code are unknown


In this case, Grant county under the
old regulation would have been enti-
tied to the Delegate, but the Code
changed this and gave the next Dele.
gate to Hardy. Not knowing this, the
people proceeded according to the
former rule and elected a gentleman
from Grant. The Moorefeld Advertiser
says:


We are sorry that a m istake was made
in the selection of a candidate against
the Radical nominee for the House OF
Delegates from tuis Delegate District in
the late election. We have been in
formed, and upon examination find it to
be the fact, that the law as contained
in the New Code requires the delegate
from this district to be chosen in 1869 to
come from this county. We don't see
how this mistake can be remedied now
withoat a new election, unless the Leg
islature will legalizs the election Of Mr..
judy He is the choice of the people,
and il can do no harm to any one to do
so. This is one of the fruits of acting
under a Code of laws unpublished and
unknown to even those compelled to ad-
minister them. 1t is to be hoped that
Judge Furgerson will soon give the
Code to the public.
Year: 1869

A popular negro preacher in Kehtusky is
losing audiences from the superstition which
attaches to him as an unlucky man. Once
he was blown up by the explosion of a can
of powder; again, his church was struck by
lightning during services; and few days
ago the floor fell in and killed several of the
audienpe
Year: 1869

These are certainly disagree
able times. We hear little ex-
cept OF fraud and corruption in
public life, and the people
speak of it in such a careless
manner as to convey the i'm
preston that everybody except
themselves are interested in it.
Itseems on one hand as if every
body thought there was abso-
lutely no remedy for these
evils; and on the other hand,
that it was scarcely worth while
to speak of it, long as we are
not absolutely robbed of the
necesSarieS oflife.


We are really afraid that the
newspaper articles which re-
ceive the least attention from
the people, are those about cor
ruption and suggesting the
means to repress it. There were
times when witches were burn
ed, and the people did not pay
more attention to such horrible
practices than if so many moths
had singed their wings in the
flame of a candle. 1t would
seem that the people have be-
come callOus to corruption.
They are beginning to think no
public business can be done in
a fair, honest way; and that
whether we purchase a new ter
Iritory from Russia, or build a
new railroad, or simply provide
the necessary victuals for a poor
house or a woFk-honse, some
body must be bribed; the Gov
ernment must be robbed, and
a certain percentage of the
expense goes into some scoun-
drel's pocket. If the public
thieves do not steal all, and i


merely a fraction is left of the


means appropriated for public
! purposes, the people seem to bt


perfectly satisfied. A grea


many swindlers are even re
lgarded as legitimate and nee


essary expenses. The discove
Try that one hundred millions o
Year: 1869

dollars, at least, could be gain
ed if our revenues were honest
ly and judicially collected,
seems not to have made any
lively impression upon the
American people. They take
it as a very important item of
news, precisely in the same
manner as they would have
received the news of the burn
ing of Pekin in China.


In regard to this seeming in
difference, the general remark
is: "Well, it has been so for
many years, and very probably
it will be so to the end of time.
If our predecessor could live in
an era of corruption, we our
selves will not die of it; and, as
they tolerated it, we can bear
it too." But here is the faliacy !:
This evil has grown to such
large proportions, that the eye
Of the common observer can
no longer follow it. In the
past, only a few men were at
the public crib now there is a
legion of forty thousand. In
former times, stealing public
money was only exceptional
and Of an individual character /;
to-day, corruption has been re-
duced to a system, and our
whole legislation is its offspring.
Money makes congressman and
legislators money carries a bill
through, or defeats it; and the
position of congressman and
the passage of a law are only
desired because the invested
capital will bring tenfold more
interest than it could. possibly
by any honest dealing.


Our past history proves that
we have not always lived un-
der the same corrupt practices ;
and it is worse than folly to be-
lieve that we shall be able to
live under them in the future.
i Missouri Republican.
Year: 1869

WTrHoUTAN ENEMY.-Heaven
help the man who imagines he
can dodge enemies by trying to
please everybody. Ifsuch an in
dividual ever succeeded, we should
be glad of it-not that we believe
In a man going through the world
trying to find beams to knock and
thump his poor head against, dis
putting every mans opinion, fight
ing elbowing and crowding all
who differ with him. That again
is another extreme. Other peo
pie have a right to their opinion
so have you. Don't fall into the
error of supposing they will re
spect you more for turning your
coat every day to match the color
of theirs. Wear your own colors,
in spite of winds and weather,
storms or sunshine. It costs the
vacillating and irresolute ter
times the trouble to wind anC
shuttle and twist, that it does hon
est manly independence to stand
it's ground.
Year: 1869

Mr.. Harrison, in 62 ofhis papers
called "Walks and talks on the
Farm" which have been running
for more than a year in the Amer
lean Agriculturist, has the follow
ing capital hit at the waste of time
by farmers:


E'It is q well-known fact that
dogs wag their tails, and philos-
opher once computed the amount
of power in the aggregate, lost to
the world by this useless habit,
and found that it was sufficient to
turn half the grist- mills in Europe,
If he should figure up all the pow,
er we lose on the farm in the year
for want of a little thought, he
would probably tell us it would be
sufficient to dig in a week or two
all the gold there is in California,
and make us all rich. But, joking
apart, if other manufacturers lost
as much time and power as some
farmers do they would soon be
ruined. We loose time in every
way. We take a load to the city
and come back empty, and then
go empty to the city and bring
back a load. We lose time in
scraping dirt on to road, raise
it few inches above the water,
while half the labor in ditching
would take the water three feet
below the road. We lose a great
deal of time by being in a hurry.
We have not time to oil the har-
ness; to keep carriages clean and
the nuts tight; to drive hoop on
a barrel or pail when it gets
loose; to put up tools and imple-
ments; to plant fruit trees, or take
care of them. We have never
time to attend to the many little
things on the farm, and we lose
more by neglecting them than we
can possibly earn at steady work.
| have known a farmer to go, all
alone, into the woods to chop, and
leave a stout hired man at home
to attend to the stock and do
choresr ~
Year: 1869

Never Intentionally wound
the feelings of anybody. The
good opinion of the world is
the very best kind you can
have, and the more the better.
The man or woman who says
he or she doesn't care a pin
what the world thinks OF says,
gives utterance to what they
know is absolutely false. We
do care, and it is we'll we do !;
and those are gravely out of
joint whe say they do not.
Year: 1869

+! Is there any good man whose heart
does not send up to Heaven the aspi-
ration for the return of government
that is a blessing only, and a protec-
ton. Such government may again
be ours, but we must first return to
the doctrine of Washington, that the
military power shall be subordinate
to the civil authority. ~a-5 ~ 2r.-.if-,
Year: 1869

Mr.. THAYER.has introduced bill into the
House of Representatives, which proposes to
amend the Homestead laws so as to require
the planting of trees on homestead settle
ments. The effect of such measure would
be to benefit the country immensely in the
course of few generations. In distric cts
where timber is scarce we should be laying
up wealth for posterity, at small cost or
trouble to ourselves, by planting trees to say
nothing Of the shelter which would be afford
ed for cattle, and the pictmesqueness which
would be added to every landscape. We do
not know in what way Mr.. Thayer would
carry out his plan, but it is at any rate worth
inuuiring into,
Year: 1869

On account of the rapid decline in gold
the Central Pacific railroad company prefer
to receive their freight charges in currency
which promises to rise on their hands,
Shrewd fellows they.
Year: 1869




The following is a description of
the scene i'll the north of Norway, as
they stood on a cliff 5000 feet. above
the sea. The passage is unsurpassed
in graphic beauty. .-r..,oE s.6.s-r t-
The ocean stretched away, in silent
vastness at. our feet; the sound of its
waves scarcely reached our airy look
out. Away in the north the huge old
sun swung low along the horizon, like
the slow beat of pendulum in she
tall clock. of our grand-father's parlor
corner. We all stood silent looking
at our watches. W hen both hands
came together at II o'clock midnight,
the full round orb hung triumphant
ly above the wave-a bridge of gold
running due north, spanned the water
between us and him. There he stood
in silent majesty which knew no set
ting. We involuntarily took off our
hats; not one word was said. Com
bine, if you can the most brilliant
sunset you ever saw, and its beauties
will pale before the gorgeous coloring
which now lit up the ocean, heaven
and mountain. In half AN hour the
sun had swung up perceptible on his
beat, the colors changing to those of
morning, fresh breeze rippled over
the fiood, one songster after another
piped up in the grove behind us-we.
had slid into another day.
Year: 1869

a CHEAP CARPET.-An exchange
says: "Save all your newspapers,
and when you get enough for the pur-
pose, make q paste as for putting on
the wall, and lay them down one by
one, pasting them till your floor is
covered, then let it dry; then lay an
other in the same way. When again
dry get some wall paper of suitable
color, and paste all over it. When
dry so over it again with good coat
of varnish, and you have a nice cover
ing for your floor, which will wear as
long as a carpet, and look as we'll as
oil cloth. This is a cheap method of
covering bedrooms that are not much
used"
Year: 1869

a New Hampshire Farmer, who
had an invariably good natured wife,
longed to hear her scold, for change,
and was advised that a load ofcrotche-
ty firewood would make her cross.
He tried it. When the pile was gone,
he asked if he should get such another
supply. "Oh yes" she said, for that
crooked wood you brought before
does lie around the pot so nicely"
Year: 1869

AT debating club the question was
discussed whether there was more
happiness in the possession or pursuit
o" an object. "Mr. President" said
an orator, suppose l was courtin a gal
and she was TO run away, and l was
to run after her wouldn't l be happier
when l cotched her than when l was
runniu' after her?"
Year: 1869

To GROW HORSE HAIR-Often-
times the owner Of Il valuable horse
discovers a SPAWN or curb making its
appearance; a blister is applied, and
the hair comes of, which, of course
the owner wishes to have grow out as
soon as possible. Now, O gentleman
of Denmark, New York, has furnish
ed II recipe which he claims will
cause the hair to start right away on
bare spots caused by blistering, har-
ness gall or otherwise. Take an old
boot or shoe, place it on the fire, burn
to coal, pulverize, and mix with
hogs lard to Il thin paste. a few ap-
plications of the paste to the bare
place will do the work. Try it.
Year: 1869

THE President having expressed a
desire to see more OF lydia Thorn
son and her blondes, they have gone
to Washington. The only baggage
necessary to their style of costume,
it is said, is bottle of hair dye,
Year: 1869

out and drawing in her arms, invited,
by her gestures. the sailor to throw
themselves into the waves and strive to
reach her. Capt. Hackett understood
her. He called to his mate: 1t is our
last chance. | will try If | live, fol-
low me if I~drown, stay where you
are p With a great effort he got off his
stiffy frozen overcoat, paused for one
moment in silent commentator Of his
soul to God, and, throwing himself into
the waves, struck out for the shore.
Abigail Becker, .breast-deep in the surf,
awaited him. He was almost within her
reach when the undertOw swept him
back. By a mighty exertion she caught
hold of him, bore him in her strong
arms out Of the water, and laying him
down by her FIRE, warmed his chilled
blood with copious draughts of hot tea.
The mate, who had watched the rescue,
now followed and the captain, partially
restored, insisted upon aiding him. As
the former neared the shore, the recoil


ing water bafled him. Capt. Hackett
caught hold of him, but the undertow
swept them both away, locked in each
others arms. The brave woman plunged
after them, and, with the strength Of a
giantess, bore them, clinging to each
other, to the shore, and up to her fire.
The five sailors followed in succession,
and we're all rescued in the same way.


A few wdays after, Capt. Hackett and his
crew were taken off Long Point by pass
ing vessel and Abigail Becker resumed
her simple daily duties without dreaming
that she had done anything extraordi-
nary enough to win for her the worlds
notice. In her struggle every day for
food and warmth for her children, she
had no leisure for the indulgence of self
congratulatiOn. Like the woman of
Scripture, she had only O. done what she
could in the terrible exigency that had
broken the dreary monOtony of her
life.-At5d7tic AOnthyJo Nay.
Year: 1869

How eloquently does Chataubriand
reply to the inquiry " Is there God ? "
Our French brethren in Masonic error
should receive this lesson from their
great eountryman G Is there a God ?"
The herbs Of the valley, the cedars Of
the mountain bless Him; the insect
sports IN His beams the elephant
salltes Him with the rising day; the
bird sings Him in the foliage the
thunder prOelaims HIN in the heavens
the ocean declares His immensity. Man
alone has said there is no God
Unite in thought at the same instant the
most beautiful objects of nature; sup
pose you see at once all the hours Of the
day and all the seasons Of the year =: a
morning Of spring and morning Of
autumn night bespangled with stars
and night covered with clouds mead
ows enameled with flowers aud forests
hoary with snow fields gilded with
tints Of autumn then alone you will
have just conception Of the universe.
While you are gazing upon that sun
which Is plunging under that vault Of

the west, another observer admires him
emerging from the gilded gates Of the
east. By what ineOnceivable magic does
that aged star which is sinking fatigued
and burning in the shades of the even
ing, reappear at the every instant fresh
and humid with the rosy dews of morn
ing? At every instant of the day the
glorious orb is at once rising, resplen-
dent at MONDAY, and setting in the
west or rather eur senses deceive US,
and there is, properly speaking, no East
or West or South in the world. Every
thing reduces itself to a single point.
from whence the king Of day sends forth
at once triple light IN one single sub
stance. The bright splendor is that
which nature can present that is most
beautiful, for while it gives Us an idea Of
the perpetual magnifcence and 7esistless
power of God, it exhibits at the same
time shining image Of the glorious
Trinity.