smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1868

There was a man named Ferguson,


He lived on Market street,
He had speckled Thomas cat


That couldn't well be beat
He'd catch more rats and mice, and sich,
Than forty cats could eat
This eat would come into the room


And climb upon a cheer.
And there he'd sit and lick hisself,


And purr so awful queer,
That Ferguson would yell at him


But still he'd purr severe.
And then he'd climb the moonlit fence.


And loaf around and yowl,
And spit and claw another cat


Alongside of the jowl;
And then they both would shake their tails


And jump around and howl.
Oh this here cat of Ferguson's


Was fearful then TO see
He'd yell precisely like he was


In awful agony,
You d think frst-class stomach ache


Had struck some small baby.
And all the mothers in the street,


Walked by the horrid din,
Would rise right up and search their babes


To find some worrying pin,
And still this vigorous cat would keep


\ hollerin' like sin.
And az for Mr. Ferguson,


Twas more than he could bear,
And SO he hun led his boot-jack out.


Right through the midnight air;
But this vociferous Thomas cat


Not one cent did he caIe.
For still he yowled and kept his fur
\ standin' up on end,
And his old spine doublin' up


rs far as it would bend,
As if his hopes of happiness


Did on his lungs depend.
But while Il curvin' of his spine.


And waitin' to attack
\ cat upon the other fence,


There came an awful crack;
Aud this here speckled Thomas cat
Was busted in the back.
When Ferguson came down next day.


There lay his old feline,
And not life was left in him,
Although he had had nine.
- All this here comes, said Ferguson,


:" OF curvin' of his spine
Now. all you men whose tender hearts


This painful tale does rack,
just take this moral to yourselves.


All of you, white and black;
Don't ever 90, like this here cat,
To gettin up your back.
Year: 1868

\ FLORIDA SPRING-A correspondent
of the Cincinnati Commercial has visited a
remarkable spring near OceoIa, Florida, of
which he gives this account


Il found it in the midst of lone hum
mock, Overlooking its banks It bubbled
up in basin thirty-seven feet deep and
about an acre in extent. filling and over
flowing it, and sending from it a deep
stream fifty or sixty feet wide, and extend
ing eight or nine miles to the Oklawaha
river, into which it empties In the spring
ltselfftty steamboats, may lie at anchor and
IN the stream steamboats, of considerable
draught. The spring thus forms natural
inland port to which three steamers now run
regularly from the ST. Johns. The clear
ness of the water is truly wonderful 1t
seems even more transparent than air.
ou see on the bottom, thirty feet below
the bottom of your boat, the exact form Of
the smallest pebble, the outline and color
and shades Of color of the leaf which has
sunk. Large fish swim in it, every scale
visible and every movement distinctly OBJ
servable. The water is impregnated with
lime and magnesia, but has no appreciable
taste, and is excellent drinking water. If
you go over the basin in a boat YOU will
see the assures in the rocks from which the
act There are more of these springs in
the channel of the stream, further down."
Year: 1868

After all,-what is the use ? We set up
our house, and one by one the children fly
into it, like birds out of some foreign wood
into a cage-one, two, three, four, and more
With each one comes also a cry ; and that
/. the key-note to which hundred sorrows
add their voices and gradually swell into
that strange chorus which men call human
life 4, For each child there is to he fringe
OF care on the edge OF every day Each
child brings burdens and anxieties Tears
in their eyes are but harbingers OF many
more in the eyes Of all who love them To
shape them from infancy 10 goodness, TO
teach their hands, to drill their heads, to
repair their mistakes and secure firm foot
ing in an honorable manhood. who can mea-
sure the thought, the feeling, the endeavor ?
And then. when the long tosk is done, IS
there no compensation ? Or do they not,
one by one. detach themselves, and like
comely fruit fall from the bough ON which
they grow, leaving it bare and empty?


That daughter. Just she began to be
a full comqanion, to repay all the labor of
her Trainings snatched away by some one
who has known her fewer weeks than the
parents have years: she goes. The house
is empty of her. Her room, her drawers,
her docks and school-tasks, iondly preserv-
ed, carry Il sadness to the mothers heart
every time they are looked upon The boys
almost before you dream that they have
ceased to be boys, come asking the fathers
blessing Oh IA newcomer. By the time that
father and mother are conscious of age and
intirmity. the whole brood is scattered and
gone. The old house is solitary. Ii used
TO he straitened for room when all the chill
dren were at home but now there Is room
too much. Ii used to be unquiet and noisy
but now one might doze all day, for all the
noise that is made. Only the fire, snap
ping out suddenly, or the drowsy old clock
ticking behind the door, or kitten mewing
to get IN, or TO get out, or squeaking rat
or mouse. make any audible noise. When
the children are all at home, a man Is like
a Norway spruce. whose well grown bran
ches, beginning from the level OF the ground,
rise up in a perfect pyramid, shaping the
tree to exquisite proportions. But each
child married, is bough Topped off, leaving
wide space, until the parent trunk is fl
Dally trimmed up like shaft. and all the
verdure left clings about the top.


In European communities, the children
often marry and settle down around their
childhood home But this is rare in Ame-
rica. The endless circulation that is going
on sweeps away the children; and to be
married is almost synonymous with going
far away from home


All this, Mr.. Bonner, describes nv state
Year: 1868

4 CONSCIENTIOUS WIDow-A poor man
on his death-bed, made his will. He called
his wife to him, and told her of its provis-
ions.


Il have left he said, "my horse to my
parents; sell it, and hand over the money
you receive. leave to you my dog; take
good care of him. and he will serve you
faithfully


The wife promised to obey, and in due
time set out to the neighboring market.
with the horse and the dog.


How much do you want for your horse?"
inquired farmer.


Il cannot sell the horse alone, but you
may have both at a reasonable rate. Give
me hundred dollars for the dog and one
dollar for the horse"


The farmer laughed, but as the terms
were low, he willingly accepted them.
Then the worthy woman gave the husband s
parents the dollar received for the horse.
and kept the hundred dollars for herself.
Year: 1868

feel that in the condnct of a Journal
which has long been conspicuously
known as one of his unvarying sup
pOrters, we have 40 right any longer to
solicit the Republican Party to unfurl
at their head the banner of his name."


This summary discharge of q life
long servant illustrates very fairly the
animus that now controls the Radical
organization. 1t is completely under
the control of men like SUMNER and
STEVENS. They recognize no allegiance
which falls short of perfect subSer-
viescy. The complete subordination
of heart, mind and conscience to the
purposes of the party is the condition
of membership which they prescribe.
When Chief Justice CHASE manifested
a disposition to conduct the impeach-
ment proceedings in spirit of fairness
and impartiality, such as became the
Court Of the nation, he sealed his doom.


1t was nothing that his public life
had been faithfully devoted to the ideas
of the "God d-and-morality" party. His
unquestiOnable soundness upon the all
important negro question was no pal
liatiOn. Having advocated every orig
in al principle of the party, lie must ac-
cept the new one of STEVENS preserib-
ing, which is to sacrifice all principle
if partisan interests demand it. Fail
ing to do this, and failing to prOsti-
tute his official place at the bidding of
the impeaehers, he lost caste, and
now stands disgraced for attempting to
he honest.


His fate is a solemn warning to all
the adherents of Radicalism, who, in
embracing it, have not determined
to sacrifice manhood and independence.
Let them learn from it to stitie con-
science, throw principle to the dogs,
and blindly accept the leadership of
base and unscrupulous partisans, or the
doom of the recent distinguished "or-
nament" of the party will be theirs.
Loyalty" will surely spew them out.
Year: 1868

The following letter was addressed to
the members of the National Democratic
Committee by their chairman:


"NEw YORK, March 2, 1865.


"DEAR SIR: Ihaye forwarded to you
the call of the Democratic National
Committee for the holding of the next
National Convention in the City OF New
York on the 4th of July next. You
will please confer with the State Cen
trail Committee of yonr State to the end
that she be fully represented in the Con-
vention by the humber Of delegates to
which she is entitled.


"The National Committee is very de-
sirOuS that an earnest appeal should be
made to the conservative element
throughout the Union which has not
heretofore acted with the Democratic
party.


"We call upon every Democratic vo-
ter to unite with us in our efforts to
save our free institutions from the law
less despotism which now threatens the
very foundation of our Government.


at is orlv by the united action of all
who love tie Union and the Constitu-
ton that we can hope to drive from
power III IIC ucAI NlSSllOh
the Radical party, which, by its repre-
sentatives in Congress, has attempted
to usurp the functions of the judiciary
and executive branches of Government,
aud which by profigscy and corrup-
tiOn in the management of our nation
al finances, continues to burden our
people with system of taxation which
must end in public and private disas-
ter, unless arrested by a wise, sound,
and economical policy, such as Demo-
cratic administration is sure to give us.


81 hope you will lose no time, in Or
der to cause such measures to be taken
in your State as will bring to our aid i'll
the contest before us the combined
strength of all those who are opposed
to Congressional usurpation and negro
supremacy, and who wish the restOra-
tion of peace and unity between all the
sections of cur common country under
the blessings of the laws and Constitu
tion, for which our brave soldiers aud
sailors shed their blood and the nation
poured cut it's treasure.


AUGUST BELMONT, Chairman"
Year: 1868




April 10Th, 1868.
Having received several letters from
friends in various portions of the State,
soliciting me to permit my name to go
before the Union Republican State Con-
vention as candidate for Governor,
will simply say that am at the disposal
of the great Union party of the State,
and if can aid it in any manner in re-
tanning its prestige and in leading it to
victory as its guberDatorial candidate, l
am at the service of the party.


/ will here say that st this crisis in
the affairs of our new State, the har-
mony and success of the Union party
outweigh the aspirations of any indi-
vidual, and shall bow most cheerfully
to the fat of the Convention.


In making this announcement, deem
it unnecessary to state at length
my political views, as it is generally
known that / have labored assid
uously in my humble way to sus-
tain the reconstruction policy OF
Congress, in opposition to that Of the
President, and have labored with
equal assiduity in favor of our loyal
State policy, and as time has advanced,
l have become more confirmed in my
convictions of the wisdom of both the
reconstruction policy of Congress and
our State policy as conducted by the
loyal pilots who have heretofore been
at its helm. Most Respectfully,


K. S. NoRTICoTT.
Year: 1868

a new novel, called Loved and
Lost" has just been commenced in the
London Leader, by Mr.. Clark Russell
1t begins with every promise of being
wonderful and turgid enough to create
a sensation. The following is a piece
of advice from q gentleman to his
daughter: "Love never think of that
word. 1t is one of those lying badges
worn by human nature as a mark OF
dignity. Take your emOtiOns-if you
have any-by the throat, and kill them
ono after the other, as they rise in your
heart, until ysu have made it like this
foorp' stamping his foot, "hard, dead,
wooden! For l tell you that if you al
low sentiment to get the better of you
it will slay you, ay, as any eommoR
murderer would slay you"
Year: 1868

Two children of Jacob Moss were
amusing themselves by setting hre
to the prairie near Crescent City,
Iowa, the other day; when sud-
den change in the wind drove the
flames upon them, and before they
could escape they were so severely
burned that one of them, little girl,
was burned to death. 1t was hoped
that the boy might recover.
Year: 1868

Report Of the Finance Committee.


We have been favored with the fol-
lowing document, which we have every
reasen to believe is a correct copy of
the report made to the Council Tuesday
night:


To the Honorable Mayor and Council Of


the City of Wheeling.


On the 1lth day of February 1868, the
following resolution was adopted by
the Council:


ResOlred, That the committee on FL
nance be instructed to report at the reg
uIar meeting of the Council in March
such an aggregate or detailed state
IL ent of the general Indebtedness of the
city, and an estimate Of the annual ex.
peases and resources for the current
year, and such other and further iDfor-
nation as the interests of the city and
this Council require.


In obedience to the foregoing resolu-
tion, the Committee on Finance beg
leave to make the following report.


We fiud that Oh the 1st day of July,
1859, the Indebtedness of the city of
Wheeling was 81 Az ,605.7l and thus
composed
Year: 1868

If we are to have union worth tho
name it must be union Of friends
and Of free and equal citizens. No
Southern Ireland or Poland to be
branded as pirates and traitors, and
prescribed for pardoned offences past
and gone keeping up war in the
hearts of the sections and sowing
dragons teeth which will spring up
into armed men and breed Southern
Fcnians for generations to come.
Such union is all We are promised
by radicals and their dumb leader
Ulysses. Their whole press is now
harping upon the friendship of Wade
Hampton and Forrest for Frank
Blair their "enemy in war;" This
is what they mean by ''lot US have
peace.
Year: 1868

In 1864, Grant wrote in relation
to his proposed nomination for tho
Presidency; i would regret such
consummation as being highly un-
fortunate to myself and the country.
In 1868, the country agrees with
the General in both particulars.
Year: 1868

The only way to revive business
is to reduce the taxes. The only
way to reduce the taxes is to pract-
ice economy in our public affairs
The only way to have reform and
economy in the government is to
crush the radicals at the ballot-box.
Year: 1868

The amount Of taxation for tho
purposes of the national government.
alone is equal to fourteen dollars to
every man, woman, and child in tho
Union. The fact that this enor-
nous burden is upon the people, and
the question how they can reduce it
are vastly more important to them
than all the musty issues which tho
Radicals are endeavoring to unearth.
Year: 1868

1t is a fsvorite notion with tho
leaders OF the Radical party to abol-
ish the Office of President and vest
despotic power in Congress. I'm
parchment rested upon that idea.
The Boston Pioneers a Radical sheet
is an open advocate Of tho scheme.
and in recent issue it put forth th-
following reasons why Grant should
be elected and Seymour defeated:


"Mr. Seymour, gentleman Of
recognized ability, and who possess
cs in high degree the talent cfrep-
resentatiCn, would be very apt to
restore to it's former glory and splen-
dor the faded mantle of the Presi-
dency. He would for long time
make people rclinquish any idea of
abclishiog the Presidency. 1t,
therefore, would not be bad policy
at all, if all the opponents of the
Office of the Presidency in general
would help to elect General Grant,
far it is impossible to find man in
the whole nation who could make
that Office more ridiculous and odi-
Gus to the people than he would "
Year: 1868

A young man from Western NIassachu-
sets, on his way to New York ON one of
the Hudson River boats, recently, made the
acquaintance of Il lady Of middle age, who
seemed much interested IN him, and who
at length told him that he greatly rescm-
bled q son of hers who had died not long
ago. Before separating from him she gave
him an urgent invitation to call at a certain
number III New York, which he promised
TO do. On arriving at the place appointed
he found that it was not the residence Of
his llOw-traveler, but of friend of hers,
who had daughter of engaging appear
ance, but apparently in i'll health. This
young lady, it appears was the bctrOthed
of the young man who was dead. Owing
to his striking resemblance to the deceased
lover, our friend from Berkville was re
ceived with great cordiality, and was ur-
gently invited to call again, which he did,
and before he left the city he was engaged
to be married to the young lady. Shortly
after returning to his home, word came
that his affianccd, whose health was greatly
impaired, was much worse, and he returned
to the city and remained with her until her
death. This young lady had about Sl3, 600
in her own right, and during her sickness,
with the free consent Of her parents, she
bequeathed it all to her intended, and he
has since come into full possession of the


entire amount i'll Government bonds
Being poor young man, Of excellent hab-
| it's this legacy will undoubtedly be of great


use to him, though it can poorly compcn-


safe for the loss of one to whom he had


become so deeply attached under such pc


culiar circumstances


Springfield RepubIicaa.
Year: 1868

A word in the conclusion of this report
about the hospitality of Fayetteville. -
True to the character which has always rcn-
dered the earlier inhabitants of the Cape
Fear region noted through the length and
breadth of this land, the good people Of
Fayetteville were unceasing in their atten-
tions, unbounded in their hospitality, un-
rivalled in their efforts to show kindness to
our delegates. The recipients of these
kind attentions Will never cease to remember
them, and will ever bear towards Faycttc-
vile and its noble people feelings Of the
highest gratitude and regard. As the
greatest blessing that can be heapcd upon
US all, they wish them happiness peace and
security in the election of Seymour and
Blair, the only peace candidates Of the
country.
Year: 1868

HONE MADE BARoNRTERs.-Take two
sheets of pasteboard paper of any con-
venient size, say three feet long by
two feet wide. Bring the ends to-
gether and glue or paste them tight,
each sheet by itself; and they will
look like two pieces of paper stoVepipe.
Cut thin, round boards exactly 20 fit
in the ends Of these paper cylinders,
carefully glue or nail them tight. Now
you have Two air-tight paper drums
with wooden heads. Take a pole of
any length you desire-three feet or
twelve feet; let one drum be fastened
to each end of the pole. Now balance
this pole with the drums on each end,
on nice pivots, in the middle. Then
bore a gimlet through the end of one
drum, and you have a good farmers
barometer. One drum is air-tight one
has hole in it; so there will be more
or less air in one drum than there is in
another, according as the surrounding
air is dense or rarfed. Consequently,
in dense or heavy air, the tight drum
rises, while the one with the hole in 1t
goes down. CrossHise through the
middle of the bar or pole should run
stick as slarge as ones finger, foot long,
with wire gudgecns, on which the in-
strument should viberate or teeter.
Let the ends of the pole be slightly
lower than the middle, that the whole
do not make somerset; smear all with
glue or oil, so that no air enter, only
in the puncture mentioned. Have
something you can slide through the
bar, to keep it nearly level. Mark, if
you please, figures along the pole, to
show how far you have moved the bal
ancing poise; though for this there is
but little need. This instrument may
not be so perfect as costly barometer,
but for all practical purposes it is all
one could ask. 1 have had one more
than year. l look at it . dozen times
a day. They could be made and af-
forded for ffty-cents apiece. They could
be made as long as barn, and placed
in the loft, with an indicator, to show
the distant mower when to make
his hay.-BostoH Journal Of Chemistry.
Year: 1868

SMOKING AND DRINKING. - People,
who hold the very foolish belief that
smoking leads directly to the worse
habit of drinking, will do well to
ponder this extract from a recent mag
azine article upon stimulants and mar
cotics, written by DR.. George N. Beard:


Indeed, 1 can but feel that the in
PRODUCTION of tobacco into our modern
civilization has been really q great
blessing, by checking the ravages Of
intemperance, and almost entirely pre-
venting the habitual use of opium.
The impression is quite prevalent, and
has never been disputed, that smoking
and chewing lead to drinking. But all
observation shows that there is no nee
essary connsction between these habits.
There are many who lead utterly SEN
sual lives, and who drink, smoke and
chew to excess, just as they indulge In
ordinately all their passions; but the
majority of confirmed smokers and
chewers are very moderate drinkers,or
are teetotalers. The rule works both
ways, and absolute sots are usually
comparatively moderate in the use of
tobacco. 1t is said that smoking
causes thirst, and so invites to the bar
room but we all know that it is not to
quench thirst, but to stimulate, that
men go to the wine-cup."
Year: 1868

MEN WHO WIN WoNEN.-God has so
made the sexes that women, Ike chill
dren, cling to men lean upon them
for protection, care and love; look up
to them as though they were superior
IN mind and body. They make them
the suns Of their system, and they and
their children revolVs around them.
Men are gods if they but knew it, and
women burning incense at their shrine.
Women, therefore, who have good
minds and pure hearts, want men to
lean upon. Think of their. reverence
ing a drunkard, liar, fool or a lib
ertine, If man would have a woman
do him homage he must be manly in
every sense: a true gentleman-not
after the Chesterfield school, but polite,
because his heart is full of kindness to
all one who treats her with respect,
even Difference, because she is 8 woman;
who never condescends to say silly
things to her; who brings her up to his
level, If his mind is above hers who is


never over anxious to please; but al
ways anxious to DO right; who has no
time to be frivolous with her; always
dIgnlhed IN speech and act who never
lavishes too much money upon her
never yields to temptation, even if sh e
puts 1t IN his way who IS ambitious to
make his mark in the world, whether
she encourages him or not who is
never familiar with her to the extent
of being an adopted brother or cousin;


who is not over careful about dress !;
always pleasant and considerate, but
always keeping his place of the man,
the head, and never losing it, Such
department. with noble principles, a
good mind, energy and industry, will
win any woman in the world who is
worth winning-except such an one,
indeed, as is sagacious enough to know
that the very best man, in the world Is
not secure from misfortunes, as-well
as possibly sudden death, and ought,
therefore, to add the insurance of his
life to his other graces and virtues.