smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

THE CAN-CAN IN New YoRK.-The Home Jour
nal describes a masked ball in the following
graphic style:


Here at least the mask was thrown off; mo-
body claimed respectability vice herded with
vice, corruption with corruption. But in the
frightful maelstrom were hurled far down the
dizzy road to ruin hundreds of young men, fitted
by birth, training and education for exalted po-
sitions in society and it was affirmed there
were respectable women present; and it is GER
tain, that ordinary staid and sober men, with
faces lined With care, witnessed and applauded
the horrible parody upon enjoyment with a zest
only too evident. The bestial spirit of sensual
ity and RIGHTEOUSNESS ruled the hour. High and
low reduced to fiat and uncompromising
level of degradation. Quadrille. lancers, schot-
tische, waltz and polka were all arbitrarily can
canzed. Women were tossed from boxes to floor
and back again, like many packages of dry
goods, or borne aloft in crowd, shameless.
upon the shoulders of shameless men. Not one
faint flicker of refinement, not one feeble flicker
of remonstrance, marred the consistent eifront-
cry and debauchery of the occasion Paris was
outdone by New York the eccentrcities of La
Closerie paled before the extravaganza of Mi
Caremc and the long night of revelry went out
in the gray twilight of day-break, like garish
meteor that drops from the zenith to the horizon,
leaving red trail of blood behind it. Even the
voice of Mrs. Grundy was awed into silence by
such splendid and fearless sin.
Year: 1869

QUIET PEoPLE.-It has been the experience of
my life that it is your quiet people who, above
all other children of men, are set in their ways
and intense in their opinions. Their very reserve
and silence are fortifcation behind which all
their peculiarates grow and thrive at their
leisure, without encountering those blows and
shocks which materially modify more outspoken
natures 1t is owing to the peculiar power of
quietness that one sometimes sees characters
fashioning themselves in manner the least to
be expected from the circumstances and assoc-
ates which surround them. As fair white lily
grows up out of the bed of meadow muck. and
without note or comment, rejects all in the soil
that is alien from its being, aud goes on fash
ioning her own silver cup side by side with
weeds that are drawing eoarser nutriment from
the soil, so we often see refined and gentle
nature by some singular internal force unfolding
itself by its own laws, and confirming itself in
its own beliefs, as wholly different from all that
surround it as is the lily from the ragweed.
There are persons, in fact who seem to grow al
most wholly from within, and on whom the
teachings, the doctrines, and the opinions of
those around them produce little or no impress
sion.-Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stoue.
Year: 1869

heT sympathies are yours and mine,
her heart is full of human love,
nsr tastes, in spite of tinsel shine,
DO nought against her nature prove;
MOI less her pity is than ours
nor are her joys an idle Jest;
-enaIp are the thorns beneath the flowers
Bile efssps unto hsr woman's breast
she came into her life Of blame,
Like us. in helplessness Of grace;
Cnconsciously received her name
Unconscionsly assumed her place;
Blessed with maternal care or cursed
With povertys neglect she rose
through years gradation, and rehearsed
Her future Of allotted woes.
1t was not if she could or would:
She took her fate, like u.s. on trust
Her follies are no natural mood,
Nor does she choose for jewels, dust:
For had she chosen, well we know,
Her ilfe had been our counterpart,
With more perhaps than we bestow
In sympathies Of mind and heart
The glances of her evil ewes


On us pass judgment none the less
Than we who walk in sanity guise,
Condemning what only guess
Where We discern a gulf between
She sees simple line of chance,
And holds that we like her had been,
But for the chain OF circumstance.
The stars that guard the lovers talk
Are not more chased with holy light
Than when they guide her wayward walk
Through the waste places of the night;
And she and we beneath their rays
Reason the same, reason not,
And msinterpret others ways
To make our own the happier lot
And which of US the saints shall say
She's wholly wrong nor partly right;
Or who, beneath that painted clay.
Pronounce there is no blameess whitei
Then cast not ut her stones of pride,
Low STOPPING from height above;
But, moving humbly at her side,
Lift up her life with saving love.


-Putnam's Magazine
Year: 1869

How RAIN is PRoDUCED.-W here does the rain
come from? You answer, " From the clouds"
But where do the clouds come from? You may
think the wind blows them over you. But if it
blows clouds over you from somewhere else, it
also blows them from over you to other places
The fact is, the water of the clouds is just as
much over you clear day as cloudy or
rainy day. On fair day when no clouds
seen, the water is divided up into such small
particles that it does not obstruct the suns
light, and so you clouds or water. \
change of temperature in the atmosphere, as
when a warmer colder current of air meet,
causes the small particles OF water to unite in
pairs, and the pairs unite and these quadruple
drops unite, and so until hundreds or thou
sands of the small invisible particles unite in
one, and even then that one may be many humid
red times smaller than pins head. mass of
these combined drops which are still small
enough to float in the air, reflects, refracts, or
bends out of their course so many of the suns
rays that they stop and often darken its light.
1t is thus that clouds gather in clear sky


When sufficient number of drops unite to form
one too heavy to float in the air, it begins TO iai'.
1t meets and unites with many others IN fai.in3'
and often so many unite that great ram drops
are formed by the time they get to the ground
Each large drop is made up OF thonsanu'; PER,
haps millions, of the small drops that noa' III 'uo
unseen air in a clear sky.
Year: 1869

WESTERN PIACER.--We took short trip TO
LiGcoln the first of the week and found the peo-
pie there all apparently doing well. Times are n
little dull, owing to the low price Of grain and
a general disposition to store and bold grain for
better prices We found a fine and we'll orgln-
lied hunting club there, with numerous trained
dogs and elegant iowing pieces and sporting
suits indiscrlbablc, ETC. Game is said TO be plenty
in the hills skirting on the plains, and until the
rains One, the boys don't have much to do but
hSnt. This is the resting time 10 the farmer, but
all are preparing Tor the seeding time which
commences with the rains.
Year: 1869

lived long enough to make a diselos
ure, which had been laid before tn
Governor barely in time to save mi
from a shameful death, and condemn
me to 4 eheerless and burdensom'
life.


This is my experience. Ny
judgment, as yours, in the case be
fore US, leads to but one conclusion
that Of the prisoners guilt; but not
less confinement and apparently IN
erring was the judgment that falsely
produced my own
We no longer importuned our fel-
low-juror, but patiently awaited our
discharge on the ground of inability
to agree, which came at last.


The prisoner was tried and convict
ed at a subsequent term, and at the
last moment confessed his crime on
the scafold.
Year: 1869

A patent has recently been granted
for a method of refreshing horses
while in harness, which consists IN
making the bit hollow, and having
perforations in it. \ rubber tube
extends from one side Of the bit to
the carriage, and by pressing a rub
Der bag which contains water, the
driver is enabled to refresh his horse
whenever he chooses without stopping
For saddle horses the water bag Is
SUSPENDED from the horses neck, OF
upon the pommel of the saddle.
Year: 1869

The author of "Ben Bolt" Nelson
Kneass, died a few days ago at Chill
licothe, Ohio, having been for some
time past in a poor condition of health
Mr.. Kneass was an Englishman by
birth, and about fifty years old at hi:
death. He was a fine musician, and
composed much, but his only great
production was the one which took
such great hold upon the popular
heart when first published. "Ber
BOlt'' was sung in the lOrdly man
sions and in the lowly cottage al
over the land. There was a sadnes:
and a sweetness that touched al
hearts alike. Now that its author il
no more may his rest be tranquil a
that of his own sweet creation o
whom he sang:


''In the church-yard in the valley, Ben Bolt,


In corner obscure and alone,


They have fitted her & slab of the granite 3


gray,


And Alice sleeps under the stone.'
Year: 1869

A Chicago clerk, lately married,
had a passion for scrIbbling bits Of
love poetry on the brown paper with
in his reach while on duty at the
store. One day highly excited IN
dividual rushed into the office and
showed to the heads Of the firm a
ditty that he had found wrapped up
in bundle of goods bought by hii
wife. The outraged husband de
manded satisfaction and was with diff
6cuity appeased.
Year: 1869

1t is estimated that the wheat crop
in Ohio this year will amount to
about thirty millions of bushels, or
about double what it was last year.
Corn will be about one-third of a
crop, or about thirty millions OF
bushels. The heaviest corn crop ev-
er grown in the State measured nine
ty-thrce millions of bushels The
oats crop is double what it was last
year, and the hay crop is excellent,
and reaches the market in first rate
order. Potatoes are uniformly good
although it ia feared that the present
dry weather will injure the late crop
Ia little.
Year: 1869

BULLOCK, the bogus Governor OF Geor-
gia, over whose head hangs the sword OF
impeachment for gross corruption and
schemes of jobbery, engineered the bill
in relation to that State. If the old
Legislature had been continued be
would have gone to the wall, and heLce
his.prostration at the feet of any man
who could aid him in this emergency.
BULLOCK is also candidate for Senator
from Georgia, another reason why the
Legislature should be controlled by ne
groes and carpet-baggers. No other set
of men would be mean enough to elect
BULLOCK. His brother aspirant for the
other seat in the Senate is one BLoD
GRTT, a man who raised the first com
pauy Of Confederate troops in Georgia,
and who is now under indictment for
perjury. These are the reptiles who
woald beslime the seats once occupied
by BENTON, WRIGHT, DALLAS, CAY,
CALHOUN and WEBSTER, and in order
that such men may creep into power,
General GRANT recommends the outrage
upon Georgia, and his obsequious ser
wants carry it into OBJECT. Master and
men are alike deserving of the scorn
and contempt of all true friends of the
nation.
Year: 1869

1t is said that Horace Greeley intends
to petition Congress to pass the follow
irg law affecting tobacco consumers this
Writer:


Tobacco chewers are requested to get
their tobacco frem first hands, which ia
The first man you meet who will give
you a chew.


Where parties are in the habit of
borrowing chows, the Government will
furnish each man with note book, in
which the time Of day, the size of the
quld, whether plug or fine cut, the quail
ty and the time when the amount is to
be refuu ded, must be strictly recorded.


Those parties who have been limo.
Gently using unstamped tobacco will
call on the nearest revenue officer and
give in, as near as possible, the amount
which they believe has been consumed
The officer will then furnish the neces-
sary stamps, and if they are chewed up
il his presence the Government is then
satisfied that no criminal wrong was
meant.


Those persons who maliciously carry
two boxes, one filled with base smoking
tobacco, to give to borrowers, tho other
containing superb fine cut for home
consumption, are to be treated as de.
serving of death, and hung on the spot.


No tobacco box must have more than
two spigot holes in it, and the stamps
must be pasted directly over these. o
When a quid has been exhausted, the
Government strictly forbids its being
thrown away until two red chalk ks
have been made across it and a label
attached bearing these words: "The
fellow who ohewed this has complied
with all the requirements of the law,
and persons are hereby warned not to
chew this quid again."S


Tobacco consumers must constantly
bear in miBd that the more stamps there
are on o psekage of tobacco the
cheaper does the weed become-in q
horn.


Their Government strictly forbids the
use of those tobacco boxes having a
concealed needle inside mob on the
cover, by which one forgets his desire
for a cheyr after having the instrument
run into his thumb about foot.


The Government has witnessed, with
supreme sorrow, many young men, and
old men also, when they have observed
an acqua intsnce smoking q cigar, come
out bold Y and ask, "Have You got the
mate to that" Hereafter, in all such
cases, the person asked will exhibit the
following Label, which Government will
furnish on demand: "Ask me for ten
cents"
Year: 1869

An effort will be made during the
present session of Congress to SO amend
the postal laws as to allow all newspa-
pers sent from the Office of publication
to go postage free to any point At
present, they only 20 free in the county
of publication, or within thirty miles
1t is said that such plan can be car
ried into effect without increasing the
cost of the Department. The spread OF
intelligence is certainly desirable, and
when it costs nothing, will hardly meet
with objections. even from the most
watchful guardian of the public treas
ury.
Year: 1869

The Boston City Council has author
lied Mayor Shurtliff to petition. the
Legislature for an act providing that
after the year 1870 the board of alder
men shall consist of sixteen members.
one from each ward to be elected on q
general ticket, and the Common Coun-
Gil consist of three members from each
ward.
Year: 1869

The age of humbugs seems to be pass
ing away, and the people are refusing to
buy worthless preparations as hereto
fore. They now select the good and
leave the inferior. When they want
Bitters, they select Constitution, for
they have proved themselves to be the
best and only Bitter that ought to be
used.
Year: 1869

Coon NATURE AT HoME.-No trait Of
character is more valuable in wife than the
possession Of sweet temper. Home can
never be made happy without it, 1t is like
the flowers that spring up in our pathway,
reViving and cneeriDg US. Let man go
home at night, wearied and worn out by the
tolls of the DAY, and how soothing is word
dictated bya sweet disposition Ii is sun.
shine falling on his heart. He is happy, and
the cares of life are forgotten. A sweet
temper has q soothing influence over the
whole family When it is found in the wife
and mother, you observe kindness and love
predominating over the natural feelings Of a
bad heart. Smiles, kind words and looks
characterize the children, and peace and
love have their dwelling there. Study, then,
to acquire and retain sweet temper. 1t is
more valuable than gold! 1t csptivates
more than beauty, and to The close of life
retains all its freshness and power
Year: 1869

TUESDAY EVENING next the President will
hold his first State dinner of the season at the
White House. 1t Is expected that the members
Of the Cabinet. Foreign Ministers and Justices
Of the Supreme Court will be the guests nvi-
ted. On the Tuesday evening following the
President and his daughters will hold their
second reception Al the Executive Mansion.
Year: 1869

we'll, and may he wear them long"
We had known him as an editorial mon
arch before we now know him as the
lord of one Of the most charming house
holds in the land. Upon the threshold
of that delightful home we stop. Suffice
it that we are at loss to say in which
capacity we most honor our Mobile
chief; or rather, language fails to ex-
press how much we venerate him in his
double capacity as best of editors and
best OF friends.


Years ago, when both OF us were cal
low school boys, the writer OF this had
the happiness Of playing marbles and
Gaping verses with the managing editor
of the Regtster-T. G. DeLeOn. Com
piler of rhymes, clever poet on his own
hook, translator of French fiction, and
writer of all kinds of English prose, Col.
DeLeon is at home wherever pen and
paper can be found. II pen and paper
are in the vocative, rusty nail and q
white wall will do as WE'LL. At one time
we hear OF him negotiating for the Board
of Trade with Western railroads; at an
other time leading the " German " at the
Battle House hops. He is the man who
started the Cuba sensstioD, and gold FIR
cotton movement. Previous to these
bursts, he lad, at a sitting, penetrated
the mysteries Of the Ku-Klux Kan, and
sold in one day 1900 pamphlet
revelations to just as many guils. He
has bsen in MOBILE but six months, and
can identity every brick and diagnose
every oyster shell. The oldest inhabi-
tant goes to him for instruction in anti
quties, and the Russian gymnast, Pau,
nad hints from hlm concerning the fly
ing trapezs. what DeLson does not
know is not worth knowing, and what
he cannot do by strategy is not worth
attempting by force. He would not hesi-
tate to dispute with Albert Stein about
the navigation OF the Appomattox river,
and, if netd d3 be, trepan the skull Of y
" man and brother" in the absence Of
a regular surgeon. Ready, available,
quiCk-witted, accomplished, rapid, brill
llant-such ia Cooper DeLeOn. His
versatile talents anu warm affections
were never more lavishly displayed than
when the Press members met at Mobile
and he wore himself to a specter
in their service. He was invaluable,
ard we all recogniZs the fact, 1t will
not do to wish That his shadow may
never grow less, for it ls not in the
memory of man that he ever cast a
shadow but il good luck should desert
him at last to that he miss the leap ixtO
highest heaven, we, the petitioners pray
that be may glide ike sprlte into the
paradise of ManOmet,
Year: 1869

Atak IOFbant DGC1ShOn AA EhSu@


rance.


a recent suit against an insurance
company before the Supreme Court of
Missouri led to a decision of wide inter-
est The company resisted payment of
8 loss on the ground that the application
for the policy did not give accurate am
swers TO questions concerning the char
acter Of the title to the property. The
holder of the policy responded with proof
that he had made a frank and full state
ment OF the facts to the cOmpsny's agent
when he was soliciting the insurance,
and that after this statement the agent,
saying it made no difference, filled IN
the inaccurate answers in the applica-
ton. The court held the company re-
sponsible for this action Of its agent, and
required the payment OF the lOss, The
principle thus established is of wide ap-
plication, especially in life insurance
companies, whose agents are often
tempted to slur over doubtful circum-
stances concerning the health or sDtece-
denls Of apPli0antg Ia order to secure the
issue Of the pOlicies.- N6sO York Tribune.
Year: 1869

explosion, the place was full of choke
damp, and one OF the volunteers
narrowly escaped with his life, of foul
air. A few hours afterWard another
person of the detachment had to be
sent out exhausted from the ssme
cause.


Those VINO were In the immediate
neighbOrhood of the explosion were
having been blown about with in
credible violence, until mems bodies
had lost all resemblance TO those of
human beings. Those, on the con-
trary, who escaped the FIRE but were
Overtaken by the afterdamp were
little injured, and bore q placid look.
AT the bottom OF the pit the bodies
were wrapped in canvas before being
sent up,tO conceal the horrible injuries
they had received from the gaze of
the crowds. through which they were
carried. In most of the cases of burn
ing 1t was impossible TO identify the
bodies from the features. The proper
ton of deaths from burning, was
however, very much smaller than at
the explosion of 1867. On this occa-
sion the afterdamp was the chief
cause of death.


As &C the cause OF the accident, at
present all is mere speculation; there
are many statements afoat which it
would be useless to repeat, but the
account that obtains the most belief Is
that there had been a heavy fall in the
main airway, by which the current Of
ventilation had been cut of from tho
interior workings. Gas was then
allowed TO accumulate inside the TALL,
and in clearing the rubbish away the
gas flowed out, and, becoming mixed
with the atmospheric air, suddenly
became explosive, and ny some
means, st present unaccouutable, be
came ignited, with the dreadful con
sequence described above.


The number If lives lost will not
exceed sixty.
Year: 1869

A SNAKE SToRY.-The Ellsworth Ameri-
can says that as Mr.. Lewis Springer of Han
cock, and neighbor were plowing late last fall,
piece of greensward, the plow turned up a
number of snakes. 1t was remarked that if
the earth was turned up still deeper more Of
them would be found, SO a hoe was procured.
and the earth dug up as deep as two feet, and
more than three ndredssnakes were thrown
out from their bed and killed The singular
part of the story is, says Mr.. Springer, that
there were some of all the kinds that he
has ever seen in this locality, in the nest 1t


was kind of happy family gathered there
to winter. Those nearest to the top of the
ground were quite dull, but as they dug down
those in the lower tiers were brisk and lively
Year: 1869

CIRcUs.-Wilson's circus performed
here on the night of the 18th to full
canvass. The general character Of the
performance was better than we have
yet seen on the coast. The tumbling,
trapez, slack wire, and other perform
anccs, were not to be "sneezed at" That
little business with the lions we don't go
a cent on, as it generally produces more
fear than pleasure among the audience.
The general opinion seems to be that it
was the best circus that ever exhibited
here.
Year: 1869

ACCIDENTAL the velocipede school,
on Tuesday night, Willie Mansfield had
the misfortune to get the third finger of
the right hand broken, and the thumb
badly jammed. The accident was
caused by some of the larger boys get
ting into little friendly scuffle, and one
of them being pushed from the platform,
raised for seating lady visitors, fell on
young Mansfield, resulting as above.
Year: 1869

The BENEFIT OF BEING KICKED
ABouGHr IN THE WoRLD.-It is good
thing for a young man to be knocked
about in the world" though his soft
hearted parents may not think 50. All
youths, or if not all. certainly nineteen.
twsutieths of the sum total, enter life
with surplusage of selfconceit. The
sooner they are relieved Of it the better
If. in measuring themselves with wiser
and older men, they discover that it is
unwarranted, and get rid Of it gracefully
of their own accord, we'll and good; il
not, it is desirable, for their own sakes,
that it be knocked out of them.


A boy who is cent to large school
soon fluids his level. His will may have
been paramount at home; but schoolboys
are democratic in their ideas, and if ar.
rogant he is sure to be thrashed into a
recognition of the golden rule. The
world is a great public school, and ii
soon teaches a new pupil his proper
place. IF he has the attributes that be.
long to a leader, he will be installed in
the position of leader; if not. whatever
his opinion or abilities may be, he will
be compelled to fall in with the rank and
file. If not destined to greatness the
next best thing to which he can aspire
is 'respectability, but no man can ever
be truly good or truly respectable who
is vain, pompous, and overbearing.


BY the time the novice has found his
legitimate social position. be the same
high or low, the probability is that the
disagreeable traits of bis character will
be softsnsd down or worn away. Mos,
likely the process Of abrasion will be
rough, but when it is all over, and be
begins to see himself as others see him
and not as reflected in the mirror of self
conceit, he will be thankful that he has
run the gauntlet; and arrives, though
BY a rough road, at self knowledg ge
Upon the whole. whatever loving moth
ers may think to the contrary, It is 4
good thing for youths to be knocked
about in the world-it makes men O
them.