smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

In Twelfth street, not far from
Broadway, there 10 an old gentleman
now house-bound who has been in his
day a power in the political world.
Thurlow Weed Is no longer active or
well. rheumatism and the many
maladies of old age have seized upon
and almost conquered him, and It is
but rarely that he has strength to leave
his house, even for an hour. He is
often confined to bed both day and
night, and his physicians give no hope
OF his ever recovering even moderate
health. But though his body is stead
lily giving way under many physical
Affections, his mind is as clear and al
most as vigorous as in the old times,
when his word was law to his partyf
ana his brain the machine that guided
and controlled it. He is still consulted
on many matters Of party interest, and
his advice has more influence on the
course OF his political friends than the
public is aware of. There Is no prob
ability that Mr.. Weed will ever again
play prominent part on the stage OF
politics, but though incapacitated for
active service, he Is still able to dis
charge the duty of prompter, and quite
as willing as he Is able. But the time
cannot be far off when he will becalled
away, and there is no man to wear his
mantle,
Year: 1869

We observe that some of our contem-
poraries are still publishing an incorrect
statement to the effect that newspaper
one side of which is printed outside the
county where published, is not entitled to
the usual exemption from postage within
that county. This matter has been def
nitely settled in favor of such publishers
by recent decision of the Postmaster
General, which we find in the November
issue of the United States Mail, to wit:


GA newspaper having known office
of publication, Notwithstanding one side
of the same is printed in another county
or State, is entitled to the same privileges
as though both sides were printed at the
said office of publication"
Year: 1869

"A correspondent of the Rural Neao
Yorke, gives the following as sure means
of exterminating bed bugs: Boil to one
gallon of water one half pound OF alum;
wash the cord, and after securing the
stains off the bedsted with ashes, wash,
with hot alum water, the floors and all
parts where there are any signs of them.
have never known it to fail to entirely
destroy them; if the season is late it will
head them off so that they will be scarce
the next season. have seen good bed
steads spoiled with hot water which only
kills such bugs as it comes in contact with,
while they (the bugs will not stay on
the parts which have been wet with alum
water.
Year: 1869

Dry Hop Yeast-Tie three handfuls
of hops up in thin cloth with eight
peeled medium sized potatoes; boil these
together in three quarts of water pour
off the water after sufficient boiling and
scald three quarts of -four with it; mash
the potatoes and stir these with the scald-
ed flour; let it cool and mix with one
teacupful of good yeast. Let it stand till
sufficient corn meal with il to thicken !;
make two cakes and dry them Ia the
shade.
Year: 1869

1.-The boy on the island grew up, and
went TO school, and was sent away from
home to learn his profession.


1.-The queen with bright brown hair
grew more and more unhappy, heI
beautiful hair turned gray with grief,
as she thought her heart would break.
In the midst of her troubles, she had
news from the old home where she had
been a child, that her brother who was
emperor (for their imperial mamma was
dead) had a little granddaughter born
to him: a little princess who would
grow up in the old place where she her
self had grown up, and be sent away to
some strange place, to marry as she had
been. Would she be happy at first like
her, and then more miserable than any
woman ever was before, as she thought
herself? The queen, whose bright brown
hair turned gray before she grew old
was cruelty put to death when the baby
princess was just learning to talk, and
when the young island was boy hand.
some young officer, poor and clever,
with his way still to make in this world.
Eleven years afterwards, the poor
queens only remaining child was an
exile, the handsome officer was emperor
of the land where the queen had once
reigned with her husband and the little
princess in the queens old home heard
such wonderful stories of the new EN-
perors deeds of daring, and of his mar
velOus power, that itseemed as If he had
magical gifts, Aladdin's lamp, or Fortu-
natus's purse, and she could not tell
whether he was hero or a monster.
He made every one of his brothers a
king, one of his sisters queen, another
a princess, and the third countess.


The poor queen who was so cruelty
put to death, would have thought it
quite impossible that her brothers
granddaughter, whose ancestors had
been emperors and empresses for hun
dreds of years, could ever marry the son
of poor lawyer; and the poor lawyers
wife would have laughed if any one had
told her, when her children were young
that one of her SONS would be an en-
peror, and all the others kings. But so
it was.


"The lawyers son was an emperor,
and the emperor's granddaughter mar
ried the lawyers son. She married him
before she was nineteen, and for four
years she was empress; but after that
the fairy scene vanished; the new en-
peror was sent to very dreary island,
where he was born,. and the empress
with her little boy went back to her old
home. Now who were these people?"


"Marie Antoinette was the first"


"And the boy on the island was Ma
poleOn BOnaparte ;" saib Rob.


marie Louise was the last" said
Annie Fisher. "And now | must thank
you, and say goodnight, dear Mrs.
Lewis; for my imperial mamma has
come for me in the carriage,-so Joseph
said just now"
Year: 1869

A certain amount of opposition is q
great help to man. Kites rise against
the wind, and not with the wind even
a head wind is better than none. No
man ever worked his passage anywhere
in dead calm. Let no man wax pale,
therefore, because of opposition-oppO-
sition is what we want, and must have,
to be good for anything. Hardships is
the native soil of manhood and seif-reli-
ance.


"When O stranger treats me with
want of proper respect" said phil
osophic poor man, "I comfort myself
with the reflection that it is not myself
he Sights, but my old shabby coat and
hat. which, to say the truth, have no
particular claims to admiration. So If
my hat and coat choose, to fret about it,
let them; it is nothing to me-"


Never Intentionally wound the feel
ings 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 whosays he or she doesn't
care pin what the world thinks orsays,
gives utterance to what they know is alb
solutely false. We do care, and it is
well We do; and those are gravely mis-
taken who say they do not.
Year: 1869

The appetite for strong drink, when
indulged and pampered, gains such
mastery of the soul that its subjugation
is almost impossible. An Eastern fable
illustrates it thus: "a King once per-
mitted the devil to kiss him on either
shoulder. Imediately two serpents grew
from his shoulders, who, furious with
hunger, attacked his head and attempted
to get at his brain. The king pulled
them away and tore them with his nails.
But he soon saw with indescribable
horror, that they had become parts of
himself, and that in wounding them he
was lascerating his own flesh.
Year: 1869

A New York court lately decided that
the proprietor of a sidewalk coal hole is
responsible for damages to any PERSONS
own negligence or folly. This decision
is not new. 1t is so old that it suggested,
years ago, good business to an enter
prising notability who was for some
time a tumbler and clown in a circus.
He used to throw himself into coal holes
at night-he was even particular to
hurt himself and his clothing quite sew
erely, and then demand indemnity for
the injuries from the affrighted pro-
prietOrs, taking care to appear befoI,
them in his rags and blood just after tR
fall. In nearly every case he receives
money enough to save the trouble ~ ~
going to law about the matter.
Year: 1869

IPAssED the winter Of 1904 in the
very hospitable city of Il, where
was so fortunate as to form an extended
circle of agreeable acquaintances, who, by
their genial and intelligent social inter
course contributed greatly to my happi-
ness, ..and enabled me to while away the
monOtOny of protracted northern winter
in the most satisfactory manner. In the
spring following, as l was about taking my
departure, my Fl lends called, and wishing
me all manner of good fortune, babe me a
kind adieu, and all, excepting my particu-
lar friend J. s., had left. He detained
me for some time upon the little porch
fronting the hotel, seeming 10th to say
goodby; but as it was nearly time for the
arrival of the train l was forced to tear
myself away from him, and was on the
point of stepping into the carriage when
h" entreated ME to come back and take q
farewell glass.


was obliged to decline, rcmarking, as
l closed the carriage door, that we would
postpone our drink until my return; and
away went, cOnsOling myself with the
fcrycnt anticipation that might soon be
permitted to revisit the excellent friends /
was leaving behind. But, alas for the
realization of my cherished aspirations
my tortuous trail led me into Texas,
Mexico, Arkansas and Utah, and it was
nearly twenty years before l could get
back


The time came at last, however, and /
anXiOusly drove toward the old hotel,
where l expected to see a great many
changes; but, to my surprise, found all
the surroundings looking precisely as
when left, and to my utter astOnishmcnt
there was my old fried, J. s., who was
the last to bid me farewell, seated in the
same spot upon the same porch, apparent
ly in the same armchair, and with his feet
raised at the same elevation, and resting
against idcntically the same post as when
| declined his invitation to join him in the
stirrup-cup.


Getting out of the carriage, walked di-
rectly up to him, gave him hearty slap
on the shoulder, and said: "Well, S,
as you are so pressing, l don't care if l do
take drink"


He looked up with astonishmcnt, and
did not recognize me at first but he soon
appreciated the joke, and seizing my hand,
replied that his patience was nearly ex-
hausted in waiting for my return, and that
if had not arrived within the next five or
six years he would ,have been obliged to
drink alonc.-Gen. Marcy, IN Udrpers
1Ndgazine for October.
Year: 1869

SOMEBODY tells the following of two
boys, and how they made an honorable
mark in the world:


Once upon time, not many years ago,
there lived in a little town of Brochin, a
few miles from Glasgow, in Scotland, two
boys, brothers, whom will call John and
Thomas Reddan. The father died in early
life, and they were quite poor. After
working as apprentices in cotton factory
for while they set up a little store for
themselves, in which were sold certain
articles used in the factory. 1t was the
custom at that time, as | believe it is now,
for many Scotchmen TO believe that they
could not do any good work, or any great
amount of work, without having n bottle
of liquor on the shelf A very foolish be-
lief, am sure you will all agree with me,
for we know that drinking intoxicating
drink makes us mad and takes away our
senses, and is the very way, instead OF
helping us in work, to prevent us from do
ing anything at all.


Well, one time Thomas Reddan was
obliged to go away and remain a long time
When he came back, he went TO the little
store, and expected to received very cordial
welcome from his brother. How do you
think he found him? Drunk When John
recovered from his stupor, Thomas, who
was right-minded lad, talked To him, and
the result of the conversation was, they
both earnestly resolved never, either OF
them, on any prctensc whatever, TO drink
liquor of any kind.


1t was not long after this that these
young men came to America. They set
tied in a town called Andover, Massachu-
sets. | am pretty sure you'll find it il
you look on the map of Massachusetts, in
your geography. They did not open a
store this time, but with the money they
had been able to save over the water
started factory for the manufacture of q
certain sort of thread, that sho maker.
use in their business.


| In this town they staid for many years


They prospercd in all their doings, becaus,
they did their work well; were reliable


prompt and honest, and so everybody
trusted them. And more than that, they


were religious young men, attended churcl


on the Sabbath, and, in fact, 81 conducted


themselves as to win the esteem of all in


the neighborhood. They got along 81
well that one of them, in few years
went over 10 Scotland, to the little town
Year: 1869

where their mother was, and brought he
over to America. And what was very
kind, they brought all the furniture of her
apartment just as it was, and arranged it
i'm little room i'm the town they lived i'm,
so that she would not feel SO very strange
i'm this new country. Years went by, and
they married, and had children grown up
about them. They made plenty of money,
and became very wealthy; but amidst all
their happiness and success, they did not
forget how much they owed to the good
God for all the blessings they had had
So one of them, Thomas, one day said to
the other:


"John, 1 propose we do some good
with our money"


And John acquiesced, and after con-
versing awhile, they concluded to build a
new building for the library of a cclc-
brated seminary that is situated in that
town called "Andover Theological Semi
nary" And they did build it at a cost of
over sixty thousand dollars. and called it
Brochin Hall, after the little town in
Scotland they came from. The hall is
standing to-day, and if you should ever
happen to go to Massachusetts,, try and see
it, and remember the story of these two
boys and how it came to be built.
Year: 1869

Is Paris, the other day, a girl was OBJ
served on the street with wooden leg un-
der her arm, while gentleman was calling
to her from a window on the other side Of
the street, gesticulating fiercev and demand
ing her return. To the large crowd which
the scene attracted, the girl made explana-
ton that she was washeSwoman to the gen
tleman, that he would no. pay her, that she
visited his lodgings to demand her money,
and that on his refusing she had taken pos
session Of his wooden leg, purposug not to
return it un til she received ber money.
Year: 1869

TRAPPINo Quail. Oakland Trans
cript Of September 10th thus notices a
shameful and Illegal practice:


Last week, ex-offcer Former and a mem
ber of the Oakland police force went 10 San
Pablo creek to search for offenders against
the Game law They had reliable informa-
ton that large numbers Of quail were being
trapped and kept in readiness to be rushed
into market as quickly as the law would al
low, and their investigations showed that
upwards Of 10000 birds had really been
captured. The coming Of the officers be
coming known, most Of them were released
ln one locality the entire upper story Of a
house was turned into an immense Quail
cage, and traps for these birds were found in
in every direction. Three men who had
quail in their possession were arrested, and
will be tried at San Pablo, next Tuesday.
Year: 1869

UNANswERABLE ARGUMENTS. A statis-
teal genius declares that more money is
expended in the United States for cigars
than for all the common schools in the coun-
try" A wag, undoubtedly lover of the
weed, seeing the statement going through
the papers, gets off the following


sit has been estimated that the cost of
washing linen that might just as well be
worn two days longer amounts to enough in
this country to more than defray the expen-
ses OF the American Board of Foreign Mis-
sions. The expenses of buttons on the
backs of our coats, where they are of no
earthly use, is equal to the support of all
our orphan asylums. 1t is estimated that
the value of old boots thrown aside, which
might have been worn at least a day longer,
is more than enough to buy flannel night
gowns for every baby in the land Also,
that the cost of every inch on the full shirt
collars of our young men is equal to the sum
necessary to put Bible in the hands OF
every Patagonian giant.
Year: 1869

LEARN ALL YOU CAS.-Never omit any
opportunity to learn all you can. Sir Wal
ter Scott said that even in a stage coach he
always could find somebody who could tell
him something he did not know before.
Conversation is frequently more useful than
books for purpose Of knowledge. 1t is there
fore, "a mistake to be morose and silent among
persons whom we think to be ignorant, for
a little sociability on your part will draw
them out, and they viii be able to teach you
something, no matter how ordinary their
employment. Indeed some of the most sa-
gacious remarks are made by persons of
this kind, respecting their particular pur-
suits. Hugh Miller, the geologist, owes not
little of his fame to observations made
when he was journeyman stone mason at
work in quarry. Socrates well said there
was but one good, which is knowledge, and
one evil, which is ignorance Every grain
of sand goes to make up the heap. A gold
digger takes the smallest nuggets, and is
not fool enough to throw them away because
he hopes to find q larger lump some time.
So, in acquiring knowledge, we should never
despise an opportunity, however unpromis-
ing If there is moments leisure, spend
it over good or instructive talking with the
FIRST person you meet.
Year: 1869

While. says the Milwaukee Wisconsin,
our steamer Norman lay woodins up at Port
Oneida, on the Michigan shore, there came
on board a pleasant, barefoeted German girl.
with pail of berries. She wore cheap
calico dress, minus the hoops, with a little
gingham shaker nearly hiding her face, and
an air of modest assurance that denoted a
girl of genuine stamp, bat that told the
boys to keep out Of her way. All the men
about the deck seemed to know her. The
steward bought her berries at her own price.
The clerk at the Office touched his hat to
her as if in the presence of duchess.


That the smartest girl in Michigan, said
the engineer, as she passed out Of the gang
way The girl gave no heed to the admir-
ing glanees and compliments that followed
her, but straightway sought her little fish
cabin, where she was mending nets, by the
shore. On inquiry of the old dockman, we
learned that our little barefooted maiden.
though only seventeen, was the Oldest of
family of al even dozen who lived in little
double log cabin, on the high bank above
the shore. Her father came here from But
falo some twelve years ago, went co clearing
timber, selling wood to steamboats,, and
raising stuff on bis land. Lanie, the Oldest
girl, was the little captain" from the start
and showed pluck beyond her years. In
winter she would get on her boots and be
out among the wood choppers before she
could hardly waddle through the snow. In
summer she would wander off berrying, or
be down among the nets of fishing boats. 1t
was her greatest delight to get on the water
10 rock and toss upon the waves. At
ten she was . trim little sailor herself,
and would coast off for miles alone. At
twelve she would allow no boy to pass her
with sail or oar. For the last three years
LAME has been master of handsome fishing
craft and set of gill nets" She puts
them out early in April, and continues them
till late in the fall. She is out every morn
ing at daylight, and again in the evening,
except in the roughest of weather. She
takes younger sister along to help set and
draw the nets. She often brings in a couple
hundred fine lake trout at haul. She
dresses them, fries out the oil packs and
sends them away to market. Her August
and September catch amounted to over three
hundred dollars. Besides her fishing re-
ceipts she has taken In over one hundred and
seventy dollars this season for berries, pick
ed at odd hours by herself and sister All
her money goes TO her father, and she is
said to have earned him over $1,000. OF
course the old man is proud of his girl, and
tells OF her exploits with the liveiest twin
kle of satisfaction. Danger aud hardship
seem unknown to her. She will go out in a
blow and come in with full sails Her white
mast and blue pennon is known by people
far along the coast. Boats salute her in
passing, boys swing their hats in proud rec
oguition. Without knowing it, LAME Bor-
fein is heroine.
Year: 1869

A mounted officer was riding through a
field in which there were some apple trees
laden with early fruit, and some Struggling
persimmon trees covered with green persim-
mons. He saw some soldiers attempting to
hide, at once suspected that they were rob.
bing the orchard. So he halted and the
following colloquy took place:


Halo, what are you doing there?' said
the officer


I'VE come to get some simmons


Apples. | expect; why the persimmons
are green enough to pucker your mouths all
up


That's just what we want with EN-; we
want to make our mouths small enough to
suit the size of our rations
Year: 1869

4 man being awakened by the captain of
a passenger boat with the announcement
that he must not occupy his berth with his
boots on, very considerably replied, oh,
it won hurt EN- they're an old pair.
Year: 1869

CAST A LINE FOR ToURsELF-A young
man stood listlessly watching some anglers
on bridge. He was poor and detected
At last, approaching basket filled with
wholesome looking fish, he sighed:


''If now | had these. | would be happy |
could sell them at fair price and buy NE
food and lodging


Il will give you just as many and just as
good FISH" said the owner, who CHANGED to
hear his words, IL you will do ME trifing
favor


And what is that, asked the other ca
serly.


Only to tend this line till | come back !;
| wish to go short errand"


The proposal was gladly accepted The
old fisherman was gone SO long that the
young man began to be impatient. Mean
while the hungry fish snapped greedily at
the baited hook, and the young man lost all
his depression in the excitement of pulling
them in; and when the owner of the line
returned he had caught large numb


Counting out from them as many as were
In the basket, and presenting them to the
young man the old fisherman said:


Il fulfill my promise from the fish you
have caught to teach you whenever you see
others earning what you need. to waste no
time in fruitless wishing, but to cast a line
for yourself''
Year: 1869

A running spring of salt water, nearly as
strong as that obtained at depth of eight
hundred feet, was discovered near the works
of the Western Salt Company, Milwaukee,
Michigan, short time since.
Year: 1869

A FACT-The choice of proper pursuit
in life is Of lasting Importance. The failure
of many men Is not because they do not
possess ability, but because they do not know
how to use it. The choice of business in
life in nine cases in ten is left to chance or
caprice, or anything but what it should be.
As result, very many occupy places which
they never fill, are loaded with tasks they
never accomplish, and are in pursuit of OBJ
jects they never reach. This explains the
disjolnted, eccentric, irregular state of things
seen in almost every community. If we all
knew our guage, started right, and never
ran off the track, the working force of So
ciety would be far greater than now, and its
results Of far more consequence. How i'm
portant, therefore, to determine the proper
pursuit