smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1863

The early and disgraceful surrender Of Har-
per's Ferry deprived my operations OF results
which would have formed brilliant sequence
to the substantial and gratifying success already
related. Had the garrison held out but TWEEN
ty four hours longer, should, in all probability
have captured that part OF the enemy soree
while the whole garrison, some twelve thous-
and strong, could have been drawn to reinforce
me on the day Of the decisive battle ce5tanly
have been iu position to have destroyed the
rebel army. Under the same cumstances,
had the besieging force on the Virginia SIDE
at Harper's ferry not been withdrawn, ! would
have had thirty five or forty thousand less men
to encounter at Antietam, and must have cap
tured or destroyed all opposed 10 me-
Year: 1863

The SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDE.
PENDENCE.- of the most remarkable cir.
cumstances attending the fortunes ofthe sign
ers of Declaration of Independence, was the
tranquility in which their after lives were
passed, and the late period to which they
were protracted. A writer in a Northern
journal says:


Most of the signers of the Declaration of
American Independence lived to good old
age, crowned with civil honors bestowed by
the gratitude of the republic. and some of
them perished by mere decay of the powers
Of nature. Of the fifty six who liked their
signatures to that document. twenty seven
lived to an age exceeding seventy years. and
forty to an age of sixty. Only two of the
duel in his 18th year, and Lynch, of South
Carolina. who was shipwrecked in his Goth
died violent death. Twenty one lived to the
beginning of the present century and three
were permitted to see the great experiment
of representative Confederacy confirmed by
the events of fifty years. Of all the delegates
from New York and New England, only one
(Whipple, of New Hampshire) died at an
earlier age than sixty. Never in the world
had the leaders in any bold and grand polit-
ical movement more reason to congratulate
themselves and the country on the issue. The
exertioLs and perils of their manhood were
succeeded by peaceful, honored and ripe old
age. in which they witnessed the happy re-
suit of the institutions they had aided in devils.
ing, and they were gathered to their graves
amid the regrets of the generation which was
in its cradle when they laid the foundations
of the republic.
Year: 1863

HORRORS CT THE INDIAN WAR.-The fol
lowing is an extract of letter from Mrs NJ.
a. Hern. who was an inmate of Fort Ridge
ley, at the time of the siege by the Indians.
The letter was written TO her mother, at
GAINESVILLE. Wis.,:


It was pitiful to see the women and chill
dren coming in tomahawkcd and shot-some
in the back, others in the legs and arms, and
some in the body. Many have lost father,
mother, sisters and brothers, husband or
wife. Some me in whom the Indians had
left for dead, who had not had mouthful
for six days. There was one family of six
children whom the peorle brought in, who
had their father and mother killed by the
scamps. There was woman who had a ball
in the back of her head, another in the shoul-
der, also a cross made on her head with a
tomahawk. | was the first one to give her
something to eat she had nothing for six
days. There was another who had two chill
dren burned up, and was badly burned her
self, and the infant she had with her was
burned too. But there were too many cases
of sorrow to mention every one of them. =
Nearly all had lost some near and dear
friend or relative.
Year: 1863

DOMESTIC EcoSoNY.-The above title should
be study in these times. Look over the
prices of articles used in family, and il
Will be seen that most of them are enormous.
ly high. nor are they likely TO be lower for a
long time to come. There has been no sut.
fering yet for money has been abundant, but
this cannot continue forever. and while the
cost of living will probably increase the next
twelve months and much longer, the means
of living will decrease. 1t is quite plain,
therefore, that if profits of trade fall off and
business diminishes, there will eventually be
suffering and privation. unless we resort to
the strietest economy and frugality. This
change Of iabits viii be unavoidable: we
shall delay as long as possible. bur necessity
will compel retreachment, and the sooner
we look forward to that point, the wiser it
will be in us. We have no doubt that such
a change will IN some insta~ces prove bene-
fetal. The wastefulness, extravaganza and
excesses of the American people, in eating.
drinking, and dressing, have not had a par
alle in the world: and all this has been
against health, happiness and morals. When
as nation we tread in the footsteps of the
old nations, we shall have to follow them al
so as families and individuals. If we go,
therefore among the rural and laboring class
es of Switzerland, France, Germany, Sweden
and Russia, we may take lessons in our fu.
| ture modes of life. In health aud vigor they
are among the first people of the earth, yet
their expenditures are nothing in comparison
to ours. Indeed the waste of common
American town of ten thousand people would
| almost or quite support as large population
in the rural districts of Europe. Never shall
we come to their leve, for our country is
new and differently situated, but the next
generation of Americans cunnot hope to live
as we have, and there we could take lessons
in economy that would be very useful to us.
We could discover-as we shall be forced to
by some means-that family cnn be SUBJ
sisted on very small portion of what Amer
leans are accustomed to expend; nay, that
they can be fe1 on what is now in many in
stances thrown out of their back doors to the
dogs. Those of us who take these lessons
and practice upon them first will be the best
off in the end.
Year: 1863

IT is singlar fact that what were vast
treeless prairies in Illinois twelve years ago.
are now covered with dense growth of
thrifty young forest trees, comprising various
species of oak, hickory. cottonwood, ash, &c.
So rapid has been this change in many local
ities. that where some Of the early settlers
located twenty to twenty five years ago, with
ont tree around them, they can now
cut and hew good building timber a foot
square. Prairie land. when kept from the
annual fall burning formerly practiced by
the Indians rapidly produce a growth Of
trees. Some of the old citizens. who greed
ily located the timber land when they
came to this country and were careless about
acquiring prairie. now find the latter of more
value than the former Their timber has
grown faster than they have used it.
Year: 1863

A MODEST old maid visiting newly mar
ried friend recently, saw her husbands shirt
on the bed, and exclaimed. - Oh, mercy n
mans shirt on your bed Such a thing on my
bed would give me the nightmare Very
likely" responded the wife, . unless the
man was inside Of it
Year: 1863

utterly unable to describe them; but
when the sharp steel first pierced my
flesh, and 1 felt the warm blood flowing
out and my past life seemed to pass be-
fore my mind in a moment of time, only
to make my desire of still living, and
the horror of an ignominious death, ten
fold greater.


Slowly the sharp knife plowed in my
flesh, making my blood freeze in my
veins, and my eye balls burn and seem
ready to burst from their sockets, and
now I felt my reason gradually leaving
me; the strain upon my nerves was too
muoh-I felt they must give way but I
considered that if they did, my only hope
should be chOked with the rope around
my neck.


Slowly the sharp steel, impelled by a
steady hand, continued its deadly course;
and now the circle was nearly accom-
plished, when I felt that the speed of the
train was being gradually diminished. A
ray Of hope Illuminated my breast I
looked into my companions eyes to see
if he too noticed that we were nearing
F.; but he was too intent on his hor-
rible work.


At length he leaned back, and said


There now, only about an inch more,
and I shall commence the deep cutting


Only about an inch And the station
was yet some way off, Only about an
inohl My life hung upon the merest
thread.


It was not long that the ezperimenter
admired his diabolical work-he soon
fell to it again, but saw the lights of
F. station fash past the windows of
the carriage; I saw a strange arm seize
my tormenter: I heard loud and ap-
palliDg cry like that of a bafled wild
beast, and I became insensible.


For weeks after this lay between life
and death, in brain fever brought on
by the intense excitement and fear of
those twenty minutes.


I afterwards learned that my pleasant
comDaDioD had been a doctor and sur-
geOn, but that when he was young man
and just married, having performed an
operation to extract cancer, from his
wife, he went out of his mind, and had
ever since been attempting to escape, in
order that he might perform the dread
full experiment which so nearly resulted
in my death.
Year: 1863

SIT AT my easement alauet
And think of the loYe-lighted days OF the past,
As the shadows Of twilight are gathering fast,
Where the sun so lately shone.
There is silence in chamber and hall,
Where once gentle voices made music around,
There is heard but the whispering breeze, and
the sound


OF the whitening leaves as they fall
There's an old fashioned chair at my side,
It is vacant. All, never again shall it bear,
The delicate form that was wont to rest there
At the pleasant even-tids.


Oh, the twilight hour is sadI
Twas the time when the loved who are gone
used to meet
Round my chair at the easement each other tc
greet,


And all were joyous and glad.
Ny home seems so desolate now,
Never shall we all meet at the easement agsini
In the depths ofmy heart is a weaTisome pain,
Deeper ftrrows upon my brow.
Clouds Of grief overshadow my mind,
But know twas Fathers all-merciful hand,
That severed the links Of the loving band,
That about my heart was twined,
And angels are whispering to me,
That there is a brighter and happier home,
Where sickness, and sorrow, and death never
come,


And there they are waiting for me.


&C
URBANA, Dec, 1861
Year: 1863

A RACE BETWEEN A RAILWAY TRAIN
AND A KINGFIsHER.-"I I was travelling,
writes Mr.. Johns in bis Home Walks
and Holiday Rambles,' "on part of the
Great Western Railway, which for some
distance runs close to and parallel with a
narrow stream. A kingfsher had been
disturbed by the approach of the train,
and made all haste to get out Of the way
Any other bird so circumstanced would
have turned back or have flown away
from the line of rail. But this bird flies
500 swiftly to think it possible to be
overtaken SO it made right ahead, no
ping to distance its pursuer. It has, be-
sides, a great antipathy to flying over
land if water be within reach; it. there
fore, habitually follows the course Of the
river, let it wind ever so much. On this
occasion not even the terror of the puff
ing monster gaining ground on it was
powerful enough to make it deviate from
its habit; 50 the bird and the train pur-
sued their course side by side, and at
pace so nearly equal that for several Sec
onds it was near the window of my car
riage, seemingly playing its lovely wings
all in vain, but in reality shooting along



its line Of river as steadily as its compet-
itOr, the engine, was tearing along its
line Of rail. The river and railway soon
diverged, and we parted company with
the bird"
Year: 1863

TIE FUTURE OF HoRsEs-The draft upon
serVicable horses Of the country has been so
great that the horse interest is bonnd to go
up; and among the best investments Of live
stock now to be made will be the purchase
Of likely colts for raising to maturity; the next
to this, the breeding of good horse stock for
the future suply.-Now that the practice of
Government has cleared the country of low
priced animals let US turn over a new leaf in
our style Of horse-breeding, and go in for some
thing that VIII DO good service and command
good prices Ohio Farmer.
Year: 1863

Arrangements are now completed to sup
ply any demand for this article, which from
lack Of government stamps has not heretofore
been possible.


The public may rest assured that in no case
will the perfectly pure standard of the Plant
alton Bitters be departed from. Every bot
tie bears the fac amils Of our signature on a
steel plate engraving, or it cannot be genuine.


Sold by all Druggists, Grocers and Dealers
throughout the country.
Year: 1863

It takes an abundance Of greenbacks to live
in Washington City. Hon s. s Cox stated to
he had engaged a room at the Willard House
for the winter for which he had to pay six
dollars day. We would not be able to live
in Washington more than half an hour, with
the present state Of our finsnces--London
Democrat.
Year: 1863

Another wonderful ingredient, Of Spanish
origin, imparting beauty to the complexion
and brilEancy to the mind, isyet unknown to
the commerce Of the world, and we withhold
its name for the present.
Year: 1863

PROFESSOR ALEXANDRA WoLowsKI, the
distinguished pianist and vocalist, Is going to
begin his last course Of instruction of the piano
and singing, by his new and simplifi.d method
The most satisfactory results which he obtain
ed with his numerous pupils, in his previous
courses, leave no doubt that all those who
desire TO beooms., in a short time, fine singers
or good performers on the piano, will avail
themselves OF the Professors new system. and
particularly as this is the last opportunity.
Professor Wolowski's rooms are at No ial
North Tenth street
Year: 1863

The PRESENT CONDITION or THE SOUTHERN
PEorLE.-Though much misery will doubtless
be experienced by tho people Of the South in
the winter now nearly upon us, we should not
suppose that that will materially assist us to
end the war. Bread will not be wanted and
other wants are Of no account. In those dis
trcts Of the South where the soil has been
titled the crops have been good; and, though
-four sells ct forty dollars barrel in the rebel
currency, that price, II we count the depreca-
ton of the rebel money, is lower one than
-four can be purchased at In any Northern mar
ket Starvation, then-that force Of mere ma
ture that impels man to any violence, and that
moves him TO It's object irrespective Of oil moral
restraints--will not this winter arouse the
Southern people to overthrow the rulers who
have led them into this war; and no force less
than starvation can be Of any avail for that
purpose in the Southern States Privations ol
all kinds oil minor miseries--will be patiently
and tamely borne by the Southern people; fol
those people make no attempt whatever Il
make themselves felt In the councils OF ths
rebel government, and never will make such ar
attempt unless moved by those imperative
forces Of which starvation is one.
Year: 1863

BLOCKADE dnubt 10 attended with 9 certair
class Of evils and these have pointed out lorg sgo
understood them to exit bnt not certain that
many OF people do not too far IN atribung the de-
probation the currency and !he high prices
| of everything 20 blockade running.


We take that points OFT the redundancy
the currency the main of the present inflated
prices. By redundancy meant the what Ii
ueny necessary to carry the business operations


the country The less these operations the less need
will there he for currency TO them and Of
the less will there De for It, and the will it be
ted Blockade running almost anything else that gives
impetus business, creates demand for currency,
stimulates its circulation, and th1s far goes,
is depreciation instead Of aoceleratrg It. Suppose
that the bnyioG and selling and otherwise trading in
blockade goods employs hurded millions of Confeder
ate currency which would otherwise be unemployed It to
that extent keeps afoat currencyto that extent
duces the redundancy and to that extent arrests depree&


o0 This may look strange, but think will bear
animation.


Suppose hs actual business Of the Contederacy tn
what s evident that could sustain and would
qure twice the volume of currency which requires
sustain. So only half what 1t it could
sssain only half which sustain The repression
Of any branch Of business dspenses with the amount of
currency employed in carrying 1t and to thst extent
weaEens the whole volume Of currency By Withdrawing
much OF its support
Year: 1863




Just before going to press h.ve asceraned the fol
lowing facts in regard to the journey of the President
probable TINA Of his arrival hers, aud the ode In which
is proposed to receive him. 1t will bs hlt his arrVa
looked fer at earlier hour than had anticipated
Be will travel by special train.
Delegates from the committee appointed invite the
President to visit this place left this morning. but
not known definitely whether the Of public
business will enable him to comply with the wishes
OF czeLs From received it thought the
President will arrive here between and O'Clock this
ming


The General commanding, and his stat, with the Com
mittee of Reception will meet the President at the depot
Of the MarcheEter Railway ard accompany him the
river to the foot c Market Street. in steamer provided
for the purpose.


proper salute will give notice of the arrival Of the Pre-
sdent at the Depot and should he determine h
viii be escorted by tie citizens from the foot of Market
Street to the residence of Aa General WHITING Mar
ke hstween Front and Sc cord Street. and is hoped he
will address the citizens from ths Balcony.


is to be hoped that he will remain here for tims
sufficient least to enable people to their respects
80 him, well to give him opportunity to examine
the works upon river AID for himself what be
in the way of armament and other things
for defence the CT attack which, Ia
ter is bound TO


We presume President will be accompanied by hs
aids and perhaps by scms other gentlemen ng with
him.
Year: 1863

to the judgment of every one Of you. Is
there man here who doubts that some
time or other, in the providence of God,
the negro is to be free-and that some
day the protection of the laws will be
extended over him, and that he will be-
come free? No man doubts that; and
all desire to guard against the evils that
may arise from that change, and which
cannot be made without disorganizing
our political system. Is is my opinion
that all this has been sent upon the ma
tion for some great object; and it is my
opinion that it will be easier at this time
to settle this question than to leave it to
be settled hereafter. Is it not evident to
every mind, that the day and hour have
come when all men, so far as this coun-
try is concerned-and it is the last refuge
of slavery on the globe-shall be in po-
litical rights free and equal, as they were
declared by the Declaration of Indepen-
dence2 Applause. Let no man be
concerned about the question of social
equality. They will be just so far equal
as God has made them equal, and no
more and no less. Take care lest we be
found fighting against God If He has
not made them our equals, they will not
be our equals. But He has made them
free. God willed them Free God will
have them free And let His will be
donei
Year: 1863




We have seldom, of late, had extrava-
giant accounts of the richness of the Boise
mines. AS a general thing, and as is usu-
ally the case in the discovery of new mines,
the fabulous and highly colored reports
came in from Boise soon after the first gold
discoveries were made. Still, the iuforma-
ton we get from time to time from these
diggings is very favorable, and places the
diggings at the head of the mines now
worked in the upper country not so much
because of the immense yield of the pre-
cious ore from a limited number of claims,
as from the great extent of the mines and
the general good average of claims.


Mr. VIM. Caldwell, who came in few
days ago, says that he has been at all the
mining camps in the upper country within
the past three years, and believes that the
Boise mines are more extensive, and that
they will be more lasting than any of the
others. He also says that there are a great
many claims on Moore's creek, Grimes
creek and California Gulch which are ex-
ceediIgly rich, but that the other creeks
and gulches might be put down at good wa
ges This is colroberative of what we
have have heretofore gathered from what
we deemed reliable sources, in relation to
these mines Mr.. G. estimates the num-
Der of persons now in the Boise country at
from five to six thousand
Year: 1863

In another column will be seen a call for
what purports to be Union Convention,
to be held at Vancouver, May 25th In
giving publicity to it we will naturally be
expected to say something in reference to
the matter; and, we have to say, that it
looks we'll, sounds we'll, and may be we'll.
We say mag be lgeU, for the reason that we
Of the upper country have been humbugged
and yictimized so often that we have come
to look upon all political movements ema-
mating from the Sound country as at least
very uncertain. NE know not what skull
duggery' may be behind the intensely pa
!riotic sentiments embodied in that call
Yet, after all, these doubts mag be ground
less. Perhaps that patriotic flow of Ian
guage was actuated by the purest of mo
tiveS-to secure to the Cohog district a
Republican delegate to Congress. But a
truce to speculations.


So far as we know the expression of SEN
timent of the people in this section, it is
averse to any further afiIiation with the
clala-eating politicians The people feel
that they have been outrageously wr5nged
by the controlling element inhabiting the
Western district. Washington Territory
has been butchered up to suit the machina-
tions Of those who play "Olympiac games
in the Co-hog region, and to give them
place and power, to the detriment of the
upper country. Our people have been dis
franchised, cheated, swindled, and griey-
Ously wionged in every conceivable way,
until they have sunk into careless apathy
in regard to political movements, and care
but little how things are managed, feeling
and knowing full well that they have nc
voice nor power to shape matters other
than intended by the pap-sucking bummers
Of the Co-hog and r0hols hog country.


With this feeling of silent indignation


in political circles, it is doubtful whether
any permanent resident of this section Of
Washington Territory can be found to par
ticipate in a Convention to be held at Van
couver or at any point on puget Sounds
lovely /: shores"


1t has been said by way Of reconciliation
that it would be better for the people ot
the upper country to consult their inter
ests, rather than their passions" What
assurance have the people that their inter
ests will be attended to in the future 9TH
er than they have been in the past: What
hope have they in afiliating with set ot
wire pullers who invariably seek their own
personal aggrandizement as the first end to
be accomplished in all political movements:
Year: 1863




The neglected condition of the public
burying ground, Of this place, is attracting
much attention among citizens. OF all
civilized people in the orld, the Ameri-
cans are the most Indifferent to the orna-
mentaton of their cemeteries national
popularity which arises, perhaps, from their
frequent change Of residences. But how
ever this may be, decent degree of re-
spect for the dead requires that burying-
ground should be so enclosed that the
graves shall not be tramped upon by the
horses and cattle which roam on the ada
cent plains 1t is true that large portion
of those who are buried in our public Gem
etery are strangers the graves of many
are unmarked by even head-board to tell
whose bones beneath are slowly comming-
ling with Mother Earth but, all unknown
as they are, they claim the protection Of
their living fellow beings from desecration.
A decent regard for the dignity Of human
nature requires this much, and we ask the
Intervention of city authorities to this end.


The city has right to purchase and en-
close public cemetery, and, in the exer-
else of its functions, an appropriation should
be made for this purpose.


The Ornamentation of the burying- ground

may be entrusted to the relatives of those
who are buried therein leaving it to the
operations of the natural affections to dc
that which would be mockery if performed
by stranger. We recommend that the
subject shall at once receive the attention
of the City Council. The cost will be but
triaing, and the expenditure approved OF
by the community.