smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1869

UTfcA, N. Y, Jan. lit has been
the custom of the Welsh people of this
city, for several years past, to hold an
Eisteddfod or Bardid Festival on the
first day of the new year. This Els


teddfod is the national institution of the
Welsh people, and it has been the pride
of many neighborhoods in this coun-
try, where the number of Welshmen
would warrant the enterprise, to hold
local Eisteddfods, carried on as nearly
as possible in the same manner as those
in Wales. AS to the time when the
Eisteddfod was first instituted, there is
much diversity of opinion among the
Welsh historians. There is no trouble
in tracing it back as far as the twelfth
century, and many assert that it was
originated at that time. There are
others, however, who maintain that the
Eisteddfods can be traced back to the
times of the Druids, centuries before
Christ, and that they are to be regard
ed as the same as the public assemblies
held by that ancient order, wherein
national questions were determined,
disputes between different parties ad-
indicated, and criminals tried and pun
ished. There does not appear to be
much reason for connecting this instr
tuition with the Druidical, and the
weight of testimony leads us to date
their origin from the times of the
Welsh princes, when the poets were
regarded as a privileged class, having
free access to the houses of the nobili-
ty. They were divided into different
orders, and the Eisteddfod was insti-
tuted for the purpose of determining
what rank they should hold and what
privileges they should enjoy. And
perhaps there are no people in the world
who owe more to their bards for the
preservation of their history and lit
erature than the Welsh do. What the
monk did for other lands, the poet did
Year: 1869

subject to any prior right the miner may have.
requiring such mining right tc be proved up
and substantiated within ressonab BILE time,
and where no mining right exists at the time
OF preemption, the settler to have all the
minerals and metals contained in the claim.
II such laws should be adopted. it would en-
able the settler to get what the farmers Of
this region have never had, q good title.
Then with feeling of safety they would inn
prove and beautify their farms, with the sat
isfaction of knowing that they were investing
their labor and money in something that
possessed an intrinsic value. They would


willingly pay their taxes, freely sid projects
for opening means of communication to en-
able them to put their produce in market.


All this can be done aud not interfere with
the miners interest, be could be at work also
adding the benefit of his labor to the CON-
munity We must rely upon the soil, not on
the mines Of precious metals for future pros
perity. There are those now living who will
see the mineral section as prosperous and
permanent as any other portion of the State,
which will be when the spirit and ideas Of
the men of forty-nine have passed away.
Year: 1869

The PAcIFIc Mutual LIFE INSURANCE Con-
PANY.-We would call the attention of our
readers to the advertisement of this Compa
ny. Although year has not elapsed since
commencing business it has already met
with wonderful success issuing policies for
the first eight months amounting to nearly
two millions of dollars. They offer equal in
ducements with any of the first class eastern
companies, and claim that it is more advan-
tageous for persons to insure in California
company than with an eastern company, for
the reason that the rates of interest are much
greater here than in the East. The benefit
derived by the insured depends upon the ac-
tual mortality and rates of Interest obtained,
it cannot be doubted that the advantage is
with them-Besides by paying insurance to a
California company the money remains in
the State giving the benefit of its investment
to our people. Another advantage over cas-
tern companies is that all policies issued by
the Pacific Mutual Life Company are exempt
from execution where the premium paid does
not exceed five hundred dollars annually.
The Directors and cficers of this company
are we'll known as men of integrity and good
business qualifications, and are entitled to
the confidence of our people. Being based
on a solid foundation with superior advanta-
ges, no better company can be found by those
desiring life insurance.
Year: 1869

GOVERNMENT SwINDLERs.-The Washing
ton correspondent of the New York Neps,
under date of February 9th, says:


The published exposure of the Interior De-
partment stationery contract illustrates pretty
cleverly the manner in which swindling con-
tracts are managed. The usual manner of
making these contracts is as follows: The
party authorized to award the contract first
ascertains which of the parties desirons OF
contracting to deliver the goods will give him
the highest per cent. on the goods furnished.
This fact ascertained, and the opering of
bids is mere formal matter, for the con-
tractor Offering the highest per cent, is sure
of the contract. This latter party is then
furnished with long list of articles, perhaps
hundred different kinds, less than one-half
of which will never be required by the person
awarding the contract, who instructs the for
mer when making out his bid to mark down
the articles which will never be required at
much less than their original cost, and mark
up to four times their value all the articles
which will be in steady requisiton. The
result is that the party giving the highest per
cent gets the contract, he having bid lower
on majority of articles (none of which he
expects to furnisb) than his competit 'rs, who
placed fair profit on their goods. A friend
of the writer, clerk in one of the Depart
ments, made requisition, few days since.
on the stationery clerk for certain kind of
heavy writing paper named in the schedne of
goods supposed to be in the possession OF the
said clerk. The latter sent for the clerk
making the requlsition, and asked hiE, as q
favor to call for another kind of paper, stating
con6dentially that although the contractor
had formally agreed to furnish the article in
question, it was understood that the Depart
ment would never call for it, for the reason
that it was marked down in the bid far below
it's prime cost. The result was that my
friend accepted an ordinary article of paper.
on which the contractor made a net profit of
four hundred per cent.
Year: 1869

To the lackadasical youth with an
inner consciousness Of fitness for a
agredt life mission" +" we particularly
commend the following sensible ad-


vice -


d" Il IS easier to be q good business


man than poor one. Half the en-
ergy displayed in keeping ahead,
that Is required to catch up when


behind, will save credit, give more
time to business, and add to the pro-
fits and reputation of your word.
Honor your engagements. If you
promise to meet a man or Dc q Ger
tain thing at certain moment, be
ready at the appointed time Ifyou
have work to do, do it az once, cheer
fully, and therefore more speedily
and correctly. If you go on business,
attepd to the matter promptly, and
then, as promptly go about your own
business. DO not stop to tell stories
in business hours.


III you have place of business be
found there when wanted. No man
can get rich by sitting around stores
and saloons. Never ''fooln on busi-
ness matters. If you have to labor
for living, remember that one hour
IN the morning is better than two at
night. If you employ others, BIO OH
hand to see that they attend to their
duties, and to direct with regularity,
promptness, liberality. Do not med
die with any business you know
nothing of. Never buy any article
simply because the man who sells it
Will take it out in trade Trade Is
money. Time is money A good
business habit and reputation is al
ways money. Make your place of
business pleasant and attractive
then stop there to wait on custom
erS.


Never use quick words, or allow
yourself to make ungentlemanly re-
marks to those in your employ for
to do so lessons their respect for you
and your influence over them. Help
yourself, and others will help you.
BE faithful over the interests confid-
ed 10 your keeping, and i'll all good
time your responsibilities will be in
creased. Do not be in too great haste
to get rich. Do not build until you
have arranged and laid a good foun-
dation. Do not--as you hope or
work for success-spend your time in
idleness. II your time is your own,
business viii suffer if you do If it
is given to another for pay, it be
longs to him, and you have no more
right to steal it than to steal mo-
ney. Be obliging. Strive to avoid
harsh words and personalities Do
not kick every stone in the path
more miles can be made in day by
going steadily on than by stopping
to kick. Pay as you go. A man of
honor respects his word as he does
his bond. Ask, but never beg
Help others when you can, butnever
give when you cannot afford to,
simply because it is fashionable.
Learn to say no. No necessity of
Swapping it out dog fashion, but say it
firnlly and respectfully. Have but few
coJJidantes, and the fewer the better.
Use your own brains rather than
those OF others. Learn to think and
act for yourself BE honest. Be
vigilant. Keep ahead rather than
behind the times. Young men, cut
this out, aud if there is folly in the
argument let us know.H
Year: 1869

Some er the German duchies which
belong 10 the North German con
federation, but are not Incorporated
with Prussia, ara in lively state
Of excitement over an act of the King
of Prussia. BY a simple decree he
has exempted ali the soldiers of the
confederation from the payment Of
the communal tax. They maintain
that it Il an unwarrantable interier-
ence with their rights and n bold
denial of a small semblanee of fauthor-
ity left 10 them.
Year: 1869

The Bo. ton Chief of Police recent
ly dressed two or three trusty ofil-
GERS in male apparel, and sent them
out 10 detect the ruffians who have
been insulting ladies while quietly
walking on the street one OF the
officers reported that more than TWEEN
tv-seven men accosted him. Some
of them move in the most respecta-
bfp society.
Year: 1869

The Oskaloosa (Iowal Citizen tells
of a woman in that country whose
house was recently destroyed by fire.
In the house was a barrel of krout,
which she could not lift under ordi-
nary circumstances. At this time,
however, she picked it up and carried
it out of the house, while a satchel
containing four hundred dollars in
cash was permitted to remain and
burn up with the building.
Year: 1869

An exchange, in an article upon
the propriety of round dance" T" gives
the following, which is worth a
thought "A few years since a
man we'll known in society-not
young, and who did not dance-was
sitting at party, near a young lady,
and watching the nazes of a Ger
man. He turned to her, knowing
her well, and said: L wish you
would let me put my arm around
your waist OF course she looked
at him in amazement. "Oh," said
he you know / can't dance, but /
don't see the difference. All these
young men have their arms about
the girls waists, and why should
not / have the same privilege,
though sit still p -
Year: 1869

The recollection of Charlotte
Bronte and of her sad but heroic ca
reer are touching:


The second of the school in "Jane
Eyre" is only too true. The
''Helenn OF that tale is-not precise
ly the eldest sister who died there
but more like her than any real per-
son. She is that sister, "with diff
ference Another sister died at
home soon after leaving the school,
and in consequence of its hardships :;
and ''Currer Bell''(Charlotte Bronte)
was never free while there (for a
year and a half from the gnawing
sensation, or consequent feebleness,
OF downright hunger; and she never
grew an inch from that time. She
was the smallest of women, and il
was that school which stunted her
growth.


"Jane Eyre was naturally and
universally supposed To be Charlotte
herself; but she always denied it,
calmly, cheerfHlly, and with obvi-
Gus sincerity which characterized
all she said She declared that there
was no more ground for the assertion
than this: She once told her sisters
that they We're wrong-even moral
ly wrong in making their heroine
beautiful, as a matter of course.
Thcyrepiied that it was impossible to
make a heroine interesting on other
terms. Her answer was, II Will
prove TO you that you are wrong. /
will show to you heroine as small
and as plain as myself, who shall be
as interesting as anyof yours. Hence,
Jane Eyre, " said she in telling the
anecdote: "but she is not IN myself,
any further than that" AS the
work went on, the interest deepen
ed to the writer. When she came
to ''Thornfield," she could not stop.
Being short sighted to excess she
wrote in little square paper books,
held close to her eyes, and (the first
copy, in pencil. On she went writ
Ing necessarily for three weeks by
which time she had carried her hero
inc away from ThorDfield, and was
herself in fever, which compelled
her TO pause. The rest was written
with less vehemence, and with more
anxious care the world adds, with
no less vigor and interest.


She could crafty her singular re-
serve in regard to the publication of
This remarkable book We all re-
mem Der how long it was before we
could learn who wrote it, and any
particulars of the writer, when the
name was revealed. She was living
among the wild Yorkshire hills,
with father who was too much ab-
sorbed in his studies TO notice her oc-
cupations in a place where newspa-
peTs were never seen COR where she
never saw any, and in a house where
the servants knew nothing about
books, manuscripts, proofs, or
the post. When she told her secret
to her father, she carried her book in
one hand and an adverse review in
the other, to save his simple and un-
worldly mind from rash expectations
of fame and fortune which she was
determined should never he the aims
of her life.
Year: 1869

NIaeEe FIesT, WHITE MAN AFTERWARDS. -
Politics are getting rather mixed in Missouri.
The radicals there, at any rate, are In sad
muddle--one faction, with Carl Schurz at their
head, going in for the simultaneous enfran-
chisement OF negroes and white rebels, and
another, headed by Senator Drake, declaring
that the case Of the negro must be settled first,
and ''precede any consideration Of the eufran-
chisement of rebels" This is practically put
ting the negro first and the white man after
wards" in Missouri How the people Of the
State stand on this question cannot be deter
mined for some time, as there Is no election
upon which to base calculation Of the ten
dency Of public sentiment upon the point to
occur In the State the present year. In the
meantime the adoption Of the fifteenth amend
ment, and II being 80 declared by proclamation
next winter, will settle the business for the
black man, and the white rcbcIwil come in for
his share Of the glorious privileges vouchsafed
q free and Independent American citizen.
Year: 1869

RoBBgRY. The maxim of war that the re-
duction of every place, however strong, is
possible must be equally true in the art Of
thievery. No vault can be made that is i'm
pregnable, no lock can be contrived by human
ingenuity that will be superior to human inge-
nuity, and no system Of watching can at last
make property safe against the patience aud
acuteness Of men who give good faculties to
the left-handed science OF stealing. II iron
and bolts and bars can make anything safe
the Ocean Bank vaults should have been safe !;
but as Il has been pretty well determined that
these things are no security against syste-
matte attempt, how IL II there was nothing
clser Where was the watcbman who should
have been on duty to give the alarm and thus
save the property Other banks should take
notice Of this mistake.
Year: 1869

LoArrNe.--we recommend loafng in this
weather for all who feel mentally or physically
inclined to IL. Coney Island beach is better
place than Broadway, and day Of rest is
better than small superfuity in filthy lucre.
II Is good thing for man to save his money.
and oftentimes better thing for him to save
himself. AZ a people we pursue our duties
and occupations with too little respite, and
doing this just now men stumble against apo
plexy.
Year: 1869

AN OYSTER WAR.-Nothing is more peace
able than the oyster--who stays at home in
his native land as long as men will let him
and is content with what the tide fetches; but
he is a great cause Of war in others, and ine
topic for phosphoric philosopher to rub up
fame on would be the ''Bivalvular Reason
Why Why is it that the oyster fishermen
are so tremendously puguscious and always in
tumnlt about their rights? Long Island on
the one hand, and Connecticut on the other,
are in arms just now. and bloody things are
threatened.
Year: 1869

change. The appointed days OF contentmeni


and submission seem to be all but ended.
| Since 1889, the date of the great revolution


which overturned France and shook the world,
| we have had three revolutions in France--one


In 1914, one in 1880 and another in l84S--


each OF them fatal to the dynasty Of the hour.
Napoleon has done well for France, for HIM
self and for his family since power came


into his hands. The interval since l848 has


been long and prosperous; but in spite of all


success 1t is hard to resist the conviction that


France is tired of its present form of govern


ment, and that change is imminent. Napo-


leon, in fact seems to be at the end of his


tether. During his own lifetime he may keep


hold Of the reins but he is a bold man who


will say, looking at all the facts of the pre-


sent, that, in the event of his death, his son


will be heartily and generally accepted by the


French people as their chief Napoleon, we


have reason to believe, lays much stress on


the fact that Paris is stronger for central


action and resistance than it ever was at any
former period. He still clings to the idea that


Paris is France. He forgets that the very
machinery he has employed to make Paris
stronghold and great centre of power has
increased the means of communication all
over the country, has brought all French
men nearer to each other, has given unity to
the. thoughts, aspirations and actions of the
entire people, aud has multiplied the thinking
and active centres, some'of which are nearly
as powerful and quite as dangerous as Paris.
Time was when he who was master of Paris
was necessarily master Of France; but that
time is no more. A general and simultaneous
rising is now possible and it is this which, in
military point of view, renders the improve
ments OF Paris comparatively valueless.


The loud and emphatic expression of popular
sentiment in France would be less alarming,
such expression of popular sentiment were
confined to France alone. But it is not So
The people have made themselves virtually
masters Of the situation in Germany in Aus
tria, In Spain, and they are now hopefully
fighting for the mastery in Great Britain.
Italy, according to late accounts, is in serious
trouble, and the party of action are with diff
Guilty kept down. NapoleOn's true position
cannot be understood unless he is looked upon
AS the bulwark of monarchy in Europe. But
Ior him France would be republic. But for
him Spain would give up her search for
king, would cease to prate about a regency
and wouid find in SerranO an acceptable
president. But for him Garibaldl might be
greater than Victor Emanuel and Mazzini
greater than the Pope. Napoleon dead or
lethroned, what would become OF the Ecu
menical Council and what of the thrones Of
Europe3 We have no desire that his end
should come before the 9Th of December, nor
until Bismarck has done little more for Ger
many and Beust little more for Austria.. II
s something for Napoleon to know that, as
the Emperor of France, his life is precious, not
10 himself alone, not to his family alone, not
10 France alone, but to Europe and the world
Year: 1869

Baltimore contemporary attempts 10 draw


comparison between these two celebrities


The line OF comparison is chiefly confined 10


the ''masterly policy" of reticence aud secrecy


observed by each-in Napoleon until his train


was laid and the explosion occurred ia the


grand c0up d'stat which sent many Of this


best men OF France into exile or prison and


made Napoleon an Emperor, and in Grant in


his present silence, which is regarded as omi-


nous OF the future and portentous of an
equally astounding stroke of policy as that


which erected France into an empire If the
Baltimore journal were to scan the list of
names OF army officers retired or dismissed
from service by the late reduction In tbe
army-all brave and worthy men--and oh
serve the names Of those retained-equalIy
brave and worthy-he would doubtless find ma,
teral for analyzation calculated TO fortfy his
apprehensons about the ulterior designs Of
the secret man in Washington. But In this
analytical examination II should be borne in
mind that there is vast difference between
the American people and the people of France
The former have been trained to the enjoy
ment OF liberty and independence az their
birthrlght, even as their fathers were before
Them while the French people have had their
periods OF civil liberty administered in hom9o-
pathic doses, and at long intervals at that
General Grant, or any other General or Presi.
dent, may sift the army as he pleases. may
retire or dismiss obnoxious officers, break up
regiments and consolidate others but there is
one thing neither he, nor any one else, nor all
the military men in the nation put together,
can accomplish, and that is compel the Ameri-
can people to surrender republican for auy
other form of government under the sua
Year: 1869




~ "There is room in every
community for workers. Men of
industry, energy and spirit, will
not be habitually idle anywhere.
Work gives happiness, health; and
men feel more independent when
continually employed. Many CON-
plain that they are willing to work
but can find nothing to do? In
almost every case the fault lies
with the man. He does not earn
estly try to find work, and when
he does find employment his en-
tire energy is directed in getting
the most pay for the smallest
amount of labor. The clerk, en-
ployed in business, should feel as
deep an interest in its success as
the principal, and he will soon be-
come a necessity. So it should
be with the laborer in every occu-
patton, and a man who will show
that he is deeply interested in do
ing all he can for his employer,
will be sure to obtain permanent
employment.
Year: 1869

IMPORTANT TO BANKRUPTs.-
In an article, some time ago, upon
this subject, we called attention
to the following section, 20, of the
U. s. bankrupt law, which pro-
vides: "That at any time after
the expiration of six months from
the adjudication Of bankruptcy;
or if no debts have been proved
against the bankrupt, or if no as
sets have come to the hands of the
assignee, at any time after the ex-
piration of sixty days, and within
one year from the adjudication of
bankruptcy, the bankrupt may
apply to the court for a discharge
from his debts.n From decisions
upon this section we learn that
the adjudication in bankruptcy
takes place almost Immediately
after the filling of the petition and
schedule, and unless the applica-
tion Tor discharge be made within
one year after the adjudication,
the banArupt can no longer rely
upon the protection of the bank
ruptcy court, while, on the other
hand, his creditors are reinstated
i'll their rights and powers of at
tack upon him as if no proceed
ings i'll bankruptcy had been had.


Under these circumstances it
now behooves all those who have
invoked the aid of the law to make
their application for discharge at
once to avoid the risk OF losing
their rights. In many cases the
time has already expired and in
others daily about to expire, thus
rendering all previous effort and
expense for relief completely null
and void.-[N. o. Republican.