smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1861

There is the greatest coward about
snakes up in the Calhoun district, that
lives in America. He came to the east
last spring, and bought a farm, and for
the frst six months in the country, he
hardly slept two hours night. He bad
a fine patch of oats on bis farm, but was
afraid to cradle it. One day he conclu-
ded he'd take look to see if there were
any snakes in the patch; so be got his old
horse, and after leading him through the
gap, and laying up the fence to keep the
hogs ont, be took an old scythe snath in
bis hand to fight with in case of an attack,
mounted his horse and struck out into the
oats, holding up both legs as high as pos.
sible. He hadn't gone far when be saw
a whaling big snake slipping slong the
oats after bin. Away be went round
the patch. and away went the snake, right
along with him; sometimes on one side
and sometimes on another, sometimes be-
hind, and sometimes before. He couldn' t
get out of the lot because the fence was
up, and as the snake kept constantly with
him, there was no chance but to leave the
old horse, and try to keep out of the way.
He went it that way till every stalk OF
bis oats was trampled down, and until
the horse was just about dead, when he
discovered that be had been running from
the at0d'oac Of haS Scytte Snath J.
Year: 1861

The Uncle Sam was the largest boat OF
the day. and had two of the best pilots
on the river. Between these two peu-
whom we will call Smith and Brown
there existed bitter spirit of rivalry
The first engineer sided with Smith, the
first pilot, and the second engineer with
Brown.


One day. when the boat was leaving
Natcbez, Brown, who was steering, ran
her a short distance down the stream in
order to pass the town under full head
of steam. Just as she was abreast the
town, the first engineer, who vas work
ing the boat, shut the steam nearly off;
nor, would be put it on again until they
finally, and very slowly passed the town.
Brown saw the fuger of Smith in his ma
MOWERS, and swore revenge. He got it.


On the next down trip heavy fog a.
rose at sunset; and Smith, who, at that
time, abandoned the boat to Brown; or
dered him to run the boat till nine o.
clock, and then tie her up; to have steam
kept up all night, and if the fog should
lift, to call him.


"Tie the boat upl" said Brown. II
can run her in any soch fog as there is to
night I'll run her till twelve, clock,
and then tie her up, as you are afraid"


~ can run her any night and any
where that you eau" replied Smith, "and
if YOU do move her till twelve, call me
then. That's all.


Brown kept on for time, but the fog
grew heavier, and baving made sure that
bis coadjutor was asleep, he rounded the
boat to wood yard. and tied up. His
friend the second engineer, was on duty,
and according to Browns direction, the
wheel was unshipped and the steam kept
up.


At twelve, Brown went to the wheel a.
gain and sent waiter to call Smith, who
soon made his appearance, rubbing bis
eyes, and anything but pleased at the
prospect before bin.


"Hallo!" said Brown, care you therel
/ have called you according to orders
Now | think you bad better tie up aud
turn in again or you will make smash
before morning"


Smith growled out that be was able te
steer any boat in any fog, and took tht
wbeel-Brown went below.


The wheels which wore uniDjured
turned around with the swift cuerent. ani
the splashes reached his ears; and SO
his bad lusk, Browns obstiBacy and hi
own stupidity, in accepting the banter, b.
turned the wheel now this way and nov
that, expecting every moment to hear to-
boat strike against something. A thou
sand tunes during bis weary watch, di'
hc determine to give up bis desperate un
Year: 1861

About three hundred government bor-
ses Kept in an enclosure at St. Louis, be:
came frightened By the breaking down
Of slight fence, and made a stampede
through the streets. They separated in
to two divisions, one rushing up and the
other down the street. The papers give
the following particulars:


"Five large Government wagons en-.
couDtered one division not far from the
spot where the stampede began. The
wagons we're short distance apart, and
all the drivers except the first escaped
The horses attached to the frat wagon
were knocked down and crushed to
death. Two or three of those coming in
sudden contact With the wagon we're
crushed and trampled to death By those
behind them. Some springing with their
full weight on the wagon, brought it to
the ground. crushing the driver in man.
ner such as to occasion his death few
hours afterward. The second wagon was
likewise smashed to pieces, dead horse
being here also found beside the wreek.
Eight or ten horses were found dead at
various short distances from the lumber
yard where they started and two Inside
the yard. The fact that the stampede
was kept up for a great distance, is
proved BY the fact of dead horses being
picked up at distance OF two, three and
four miles away from the yard. Nearly
all the horses were recovered and taken
back to the yard"
Year: 1861

A very good story is told in the Uni
ted States Journal, OF a sailor on board
vessel laden with Spanish dollars, which
had been wrecked. The crew taken of
the wreck in boats, and just before the
last boat vas pushed off, a man was sent
back to ascertain il there might not still
be some one left. On arriving on the
main deck, where the casks had been
left, be found a fellow who bad broken
open several of the receptacies of base
lacre. and spread the contents thereof on
a table cloth on deck 10 the midst o
which be was seated, weapon in hand
Being told the ship vas fist going to pie
ces, he replied, The ship may GO
have lived poor rascal all my life. END
| am resolved to die rich. Remonstrauce
vas in vain, and poor Jack, who pre-
ferred the death of a rich man to the lif,
OF "poor rascal" was left to die alob'
in bis glory.
Year: 1861

The following beautiful anecdote is re-
lated of Hargraves, the inventor of the
Spinning Jenny:


The invention had long engaged his at
tention, when oue day be was observed to
drop suddenly upon his knees, and roll
on the stone floor at full length. He lag
with his face toward the floor, aud made
lines and circles with the end of burnt
stick. Then he sat upon a chair placed
his head between his bands, his elbows
on his knees. and gazed intently on the
floor; then be sprang to his feet, and re-
piled to some feeble question of bis wife
who bad not risen since the day she
gave birth to little stranger-by a loud
assurance that he had it; aud taking her
in bis sturdy arms in the blankets, the
baby 10 her arms, be lifted her out and
held her over the black drawings on the
floor. These he explained, and she join.
ed small, hopeful, happy laugh, With
his high toned assurance that she should
never again toll at the spinning wheel
that he would never again "play,' and
have bis loom standing for want of weft
She asked some questions, which be an.
swered, after seating her in the arm chair
by laying her spinning wheel on its back
the horizontal spindle vertically, while be
made the wheel revolve, and drew ro.
wing of cotton from the spindle into an
attenusted thread "OuI fortune is made,
he said, speaking of his drawings on the
foor.-"What will you call it'll" asked
his wife. "Call It'll What an we cal! il
after thyself, Jenny' They called thee
Spinning Jenny afore l had thee, because
thou beat every lass in Stanchill Moor a
the wheel. What if We call it Spinning
Jenny I"
Year: 1861

The heavy hand of the Government
has at last fallen on tic Rebel States. and
their mails are stopped. This will be
blow whose force We cannot appreciate,
because ve have never felt its coDse-
quences beyond the blocking of rail-
road By freshet or suow-storm, when
the interruption OF even few days oeca-
stoned the most vexatious embsrrass-
meuts. Bat to the South its conseq1en-
ces will be Of the most serious character.
All correspondence With the North is en-
ded. Loyal hearts will suffer in cowmOd
with those who caused this ruin. Busi-
ness men vail suffer even more, aud mer-
camille circles ct the North must expert
ence share OF this inconvenience. The
sham Post Ofice Department can do lit
tie to supply the regular Eails thus sud
denly stopped. They may be carried on
the railroad routes but the interior towns
will continue victims of this postal block


ade until the Gosernmont re-establishes
its authority. The interdct is sweeping
and sslutary. The Southern people do
not constitute reading community, nor
letter writing one. The Government
has always carried their mails at loss,
and hence they cannot maintain the mail
service themselves, even at double post
age. Last year it lost the fcllosiDg suns
Year: 1861

OF his hearth-stone from arbitrary invasion, and
| the freedom of his conscience from all manner OF
restraint. these constitute the Urm and the Thum-
i'm, the breast plate of light and truth round the
heart of the American citizen in the time Of tri-
al and danger; and when he demands rights that
have not been conceded to him, they will impart
a rich cloquence to his tongue, and the mighty
pathos of justice to his lips |, for my part come
veal or come woe, will demand at the hands Of
the legal tribunals of my country full redress for
all the wrongs and outrages that | have been
made to suffer There are dastardly wretches in
your midst. who, understand have been iGstru-
mental in this arrest and for whom have no re-
gard and utterly despse. They will be shelter
ed by their own insignifcance; but there are 9TH
ers who shall be made to answer before the tribu-
nails the law has erected for the redress of njur-
les. know that there are many pseudo patriots
in your midst whose selfish regard for their per-
sona safety has kept them closely at home to spit
their spite and venom upon other men, and with
whom, as Aristophanes describes the Athenians,


mo matter what the olfense,


BE t great or small,


The cry is treason and conspiracy.'


These uuprinciped politicians are waiting for
chances when they can lasten like vampires on
the TANKS OF the Government, and suck substance
from this war and not death. In order TO ingra-
tlate themselves with the Administration they
spend their time, like noXious spiders. in spinning
webs whose threads are spun from their own fab
ricatng brains, with which 10 catch and entangle
the unwary. Let the Administration beware OF
these JOHNNY Hooks. these shoddy patriots-they
are enemies to this Government.


Remember that though liberty may be crushed
to the earth for time and wear the garments of
heayiness that the time must come when she shall
assert her supremacy once again. put on her
glorious apparel, grid her sword upon her thigh.
and make oppression and disloyalty take refuge
in their dcns Have an abiding faith in the stern
truth expressed in those glorious lines of Byran:


Truth crushed to earth. shall rise again


The eternal years of God are hers;


But Error, wounded writhes in pain,


And dies among her worshppers."


l bid you most affectionate good night.


A the close Of Col. Wallis remarks, the vast
crowd responded with hearty cheers, and the
band with appropriate music.
Year: 1861

ism, no right thinking man can for moment
suppose. With the hosts of northern legions
at his command with an army the like of
which the world has seldom seen--Mr. Lin
coin may, and we trust will, break the back
of this rebellion. But more than that is
required. Bayonets cannot make a union
for a people and cement it in that affection
for the Government that shall render it
enduring. An element stronger and sen
timent more sacred must after all underie
the foundation of a government of States
united as one people-the sentiment of
natonality-of fraternity-of equality. To
these sentiments the democracy of the coun-
try has always been loyal, and the southern
people know it has been. To the democracy
will hearken--to their admonitons and
guarantees they will heed. The people of
the north now see and appreciate this, and
so as another lesson of the hour, we see
them calling our party back to power, and
to the control Of the government.


We have thus glanced briefly at the lessons
of this election. They are full Of instruction,
and we trust our Republican friends will
heed them.-=Lauzerne (Pa.) Union.
Year: 1861

ABOVE THE FLooD.-A MarysvilIe paper
says that the Reform School up Feather
river, over the location of which there was
much growing, has been found to be above
high water mark; and, during the late
freshet, the water, at the highest stage failed
by more than foot to reach the flat on
which the school stands.
Year: 1861

not arrest one of them. Upon this pledge
Capt. A. returned to Manchester with
the boys and marched them up in front
Of Mr.. LIS store, when Mr.. L. came out,
and Capt. A. said that he had talked
with the boys and believed that they
were sorry that the affair had gone as
far as it had, and were willing to settle
the difficulty in any honorable way.
Whereupon Mr.. l.. made a short Speech.
in which he acknowledged he had been
too FAST and expressed willingness to
drop the whole matter as far as the boys
were concerned, but at the same time
said that some of the citizens he could
not for rgiye. The boys supposed this
to be the end of the matter, and thought
no more of it until their attention was
again called TO it by the article in the
paper above referred to, which called
forth their Indignation and contem mpt
afresh, for man so lost to reason and
humanity, as TO stoop TO base .fa5ncdtions
to screen himself from the just censure
Of an intelligent community.


Now in regard to the citizens Of Man
chester, we are pleased to say that they
are entirely exonerated from any blame
whatever, rs they could not possibly be
convicted as being accessory to the fray,
and the boys have always manifested a
feeling ofrespect for them, and in behalf
of the boys we say, God grant that the
citizens of Manchester may always mani
fest the same patriotic aud hospiiable
feelings toward all defenders of their
country that they have toward Us.


~. WILSON GIFT, lst Lieut.


Committee wv. A. MoRsE, ID do


lR. w. THRILL.
Year: 1861

rejoicing in the enemy's camp, heavy re-
Inducements crossed the river and sur
rounded us. Then the terrible slaugh,
ter commenced anew, for all were deter
mined to die rather than surrender. Lee
onidas like, they cut their way, and al
though many brave ones were made to
bite the dust, yet the remnant got thro'
with the prisoners they had taken. The
tide Of war was then set against our for
ces, and all were commanded to retire TO
the boats The cannon could not be
brought off,


Our forces retired in tolerably good or
der, considering the nature of the ground.
Although the enemy were reinforced by
fresh troops from the other side of the
river, they did not seem disposed to fol-
low us until our forces were mostly on
board The boats. A reserve force had
been kept to guard the boats, but they
were destined to have a share in the fight,
for about the time the last of our artill-
cry and men were getting aboard, the ad-
vance Of the enemy came up and com
menced firing upon us, the boats still ly
ing ashore, but they were unhorsed as
fast as they came up, The whole fleet
was covered with men, and a constant
stream Of fire from all the decks was
seen to flow. Meanwhile the gunboats
got in position and the batteries on board
the transports commenced the most ter
rible cannonading the sight was most
sublime ard awful, as the white smoke
rolled up in columns, the declining sun
throwing his Redeemed rays upon us as if
colored by the incense that day offered to
the god of war The smoke seemed to
act as n mirror, rejecting the rays OF
light upon the hills of Columbus, reveal
ing the position of all her batteries in
manner that could not have been seen
before with the best glass. The bursting
of shells on the land, as we foated out
on the river, was SO terrible that we often
thought the enemy had brought artill-
cry after us. As we moved off up the
river, the fire continued on shore and
from boats for distance Of two or three
miles alter which all was quiet. The
gunboais landed about four miles up and
took on board mos; of the eth Illinois,
who had become detached and kept
around in the rear of the enemy, gaining
a position above them without their
knowledge.


So ends an imperfect sketch Of our
bloody days work 1t cannot be STYLED
defeat, but retirement from a posi-
tion that any General, yes, any private,
ought to have known we could not pos
sibly have held when taken 1t is com
pletey under the heavy batteries OF CO.
lumbus


/ just learn that the loss Of the Iowa
7lh is equal to all the others combined
Thus the gallant 7th has taught imbecile
political Generals and the world that they
can fight and die by the wholesale even
when we knew the whole thing must end
in disaster and ruin. Among the wild
cxolamalions Of grief by Lieut.. Col
Wentz's amiable lady, when she heard
of his death, was one that struck me with
peculiar force. Why, oh why is it
that they lead men into certain slaugh-
ter"


When we arrived into camp, we were
just in time to hear of the removal. Of the
most efficient man in the West, General
Fremont Wearied, wounded and sore,
from the excessive toll of the day, our
men were not in humor TO hear such
news.
Year: 1861

When we arrived into camp, we were
just in time to hear of the removal Of the
most efficient man in the West, General
Fremont. Wearied, wounded and sore,
from the excessive toll of the day. our
men were not in humor to hear such
news.
Year: 1861

Like the evil spirits Of old, which never would leave
their unfortunate poseessors without first rendng them,
the DogDays couldr rot take their departure in quiet
comfortable way, but must needs stir up a jolly row
before they got fairly among the times that were.
They are gone, however, and though they went in
rather turbulent manner, they have cleared up the
calendar for the stormy equinocieal and the soft,
dreamy beyond, from which we nsensiby glide
ont of the warm embrace Of Summer into the serner
season of ice and snow. With the Cessation Of the
Summer heats, ard their attendant sagHation, we may
look forward as the Autumn steals apace, to a re-
yiva OF business; the energies which wited under the
fervor of July and August aud sought shelter in shady
country retreats, have come forh recuperated and
ready for new enterprises in the world Of traffic, and
once more the myriad wheels Of industry revove, and
commerce again renews the strife which was but for
time suspended.


The pas. few days have been a compound of hot
sunshine, sharp cold winds, and and then nice
biz of cool bracing delicious Autumn weather, that
sayored strongly Of the glorious Indian Summer soon
TO come Nor have there been wanting, like the tee-
grams from Washington, symptoms OF an approaching
tempest. On Monday night, at the hour when morning
paper editors usually go ~ needed rest thick, murky
clouds came driving along before high wind from the
soft quarter with all indications Of storm before the
dawn; but The came up bright and early yester.
day, aud the day was quite sultry and oppressive.
Las evening the sy again became overcast and about
nightfall the temperature fell black clouds piled in the
southwest, and the welcome rain came down in tor
rents, accompanied by most vivid lightning, and re-
peated and long.continled Ieals Of thunder, with
very high wind.


Out Of town the effects Of the storm were felt more
severely than in the city. IL began in Troy abOu,
D. m., and followed down the Hudson with increasing
fury. friend who left that city at 2:20 yesterday
states that II rained hailed all the way down. Tic
hail was 20 heavy that the train could not reach here
on time owing to the slpperyness OF the track Late
Las, night the indications that the weather would
no, clear off ill this morning We have heard OF no
from the storm. while the generousrain
has undoubtedly multitude Of blessings upon
the thirsty ground and angusbng crops OF the hus-
bandman. As ont Of this storm come clearer skies,
and hopes renewed 10 the toing men of the country
and the town. so may the storm now raging around
the nation subside and from is dark and gloomy folds
come hope and happiness 10 the free millions who now
look anAiousy for the dawning OF the brighter day.
Year: 1861

It must be evident to every man that the only hope of giving satisfaction to the neonle of Arkansas is to submit the ques- tion of secession to their arbitrament We believe that, with the present lights before them, they will be largely in favor of seeding from Union, which hereafter must be to them an instrument of oppres- sion and annoyance. The secessionists Tn the State think with us in this particular, and they will not be satisfied till the matter is fairly settled by vote of the people. We will go further and say htey aciU not submit to anything short of this. You cannot bind them down by ropes of sand. The spirit of freedom animates them, and never will they consent to become the :. hewers of wood and drawers of water '' to the abolition States of the North. If a majority of the people vote down the ordinance of secession, the minority would of cou,~e acauiesce urtl the time snail come when public opinion shall change, and new exigencies demand new trial of strength.

 The Union men in the convention know we'll the existing state of things. They well know that there can never be peace or quiet in Arkansas till the question of seces- sion is submitted to the people. If in view of this fact they longer hesitate to pass an ordinance and refer the matter to the sovereign people, they assume the re- sponsibility for all the anarchy and dissatis- faction that will inevitably follow. Are they willing to assume this responsibility? Are they willing to go home and tell the people that they had it in their power to give peace to the country but failed to do it? We hope they will not be so rash or so head-strong. We hope there are true men enough among them, to break loose from the leading strings of an organization which should never have been formed, and vote for the only measnre that will give peace, security and satisfaction to the people.