smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1861

The New York papers have elected the follow
ing statement from the women and children who
lately left Fort Sumter in the Marion:


The Force IN Fort Sunater.-There had been
no reinforcement of Major Anderson up to the
time of the Marion leaving on Friday last Sew
erty nine persons, including the officers aud band,
and exclusive of working corps of some twenty
men, under Capt. Foster. constitute the whole gar
rison-a force generally felt to be insufficient for
rigorous or prolonged defence of the place.
When Lient. Talbot returned from Washington,
the command were assembled, and the decision of
the President communicated to them. The ex-
pressons of confidence reposed IN them by the au-
thorities at Washington gave them new heart, and
every man declared he would fight to the last, and
die rather than surrender.


A great many guns have been mounted ON the
I'd and Sd tiers, and they are now in as good con-
dition to defend the fort as they ever will be,
cepting that they are shorthanded. A light is
kept burning throughout the night in each Of the
casemates and every thing ready for action, there
is no lack for ammunition, any quantity Of gren-
ades of destructive character have been prepar-
ed for use at close quarters.
Year: 1861

AN EXCELLENT REGULAr1oE.-Is is uuder-
stood that Gen. Huger has ordered detail of
thirty men in charge of one commissioned
and three non-cemmissioned officers for police
duty in the city, with authority TO suppress
riots and to arrest all soldiers whom they find
intoxicated or disturbing the peace Of the city
This is step in the right direction, and it
will do more to restore order than the closing
of the restaurants Norfolk Herald.
Year: 1861

RAIN, RAis.--For sometime past we have.
been visited almost daily by heavy showers.
In some portion of the parish the cotton boii'
bear black appearance and we fear many
viii not open, The cane however is superb
The promise of great yield Of sugar gains
strength every day.
Year: 1861

R.S- The Natchez Courier says that prl- vate dispatch had been received in,that place from a merchant in New Orleans, to the effect that French agent was in New Orleans buy ing cotton who stated that the blockade would certainly be raised in less then sixty days.
Year: 1861

At a meeting of the clerks of the various
departments, which was held at the rooms
of the Interior Department, on the 26th, it
was resolved to mail $4,000 copies of Mr..
Clemens great Union speech, at once, to
different parts of Virginia. The motive is
a hope that its circulation will Operate
favorably in the election for delegates to the
coming convention. The clerks are now
engaged in sending copies to all voters in
the state of Virginia whose names can be
procured from the Census Bureau.


Robert =. Scott, of Virginia, whose name
has been mentioned in connection with the
Cabinet of the incoming administration, has
addressed letter to the House select COM
mittee of thirty three, in which he says he
will never submit to the Chicago platform
doctrine that no more slave territory shall
be acquired. He says the increase of slave
population in the states Will soon demand
more room, and asserts that it must be ac-
ceded to, and says if these demands can be
obtained in the Union we are content to
remain in the Union. If not, we will seek
item out of it..


Ex-President Tyler was present on the
floor of the Senate on the 26th ult., for the
first time since he was President. He was
dressed in the plain attire OF Virginia
farmer, and did not attract any attention
save from those who knew him.


Mr.. Ashmore, member of Congress from
South Carolina, has addressed letter to
Acting Postmaster General King, asking
if be has the right to exercise the franking
privilege, as he has some ten or twelve
hundred documents upon which be does not
feel willing to pay postage, and which docu.
ments would be useless unless he can frank
them. Postmaster King replied that &C.
cordiDg to the theory of the administration
South Carolina was still in the Union, and
hence he has right to frank until the first
Monday in December next. If, however,
he regards South Carolina as out of the
Union it isa question with himself whether
he can consistently exercise that privilege,
the use of which would be an admission that
he does not in his conscience consider that
she is out of the Union, and that be is still
q member of the Congress of the United
States.
Year: 1861

cannot nurse her ofspring] the child has
become old enough to creep about, down on
the floor with it and let it 60; give it ball
or something to creep after, and rest fully
content that when tired, the child will cease
Its play.


Don't hurry the little one to walk; do
not encourage it to stand alone, lest bow.
legs and weak ankles be the penalty of your
too assiduous care, of your selfish desire to
see your child walk before nature has de-
creed it. When the proper time arrives
the little hands will seek the tops of chair
seats, the little body will sway to and fro,
erect for the first time soon the first step
is taken, and then it is plain.


Keep your books. your illuminated alpha.
bet, your intellectual blocks, and your
abortions of Representatives, upon nature
toys which it is no harm to fall down
and worship, since the like thereof exists
neither in Heaven above, nor in earth be-
meath, nor in the water which is under the
earth. Let the child play one, two, three;
what, says some one-four years and not
know letter Yes, my good madam, even
until it reacheth the age of seven years
would we have the little mind free and un-
puzzled; at liberty to observe, to desire, to
construct, to play, to make out its own in
dividuality. This is the great attribute of
man-play; this divides him from the brute
creation; man alone can laugh. Remember
that the longer the period of youth, the
period of formation, the better, the more
healthful, enduring, and longer lived the
man. Of all created beings man is the
most helpless at infancy.
Year: 1861

Miss Martineau contributes an excellent
article on Lady Byron to the atlantic
Manthy, for February, proving that the
latter had more real heart than the poet of
sentiment and passion, her husband, and
containing many new facts illustrive of the
sweetness, tenderness and benifcence of her
nature. Miss Martineau emphasizes the
fact that Byron could really love only in
imagination; the moment the beloved object
was near he wished to be alone. The fol.
lowing account of the marriage will interest
all readers:


They we're married On the second of JAN
uary. The wedding day was miserable.
Byron awoke in one of his melancholy
moods, and wandered alone in the grounds
till called to be married. His wayward
mind was full of all the associations that
were least congenial with the day. His
thoughts were full of Mary Chaworth, and
of old scenes in his life, which he fancied
he loved because he was leaving behind.
He declared that his poem of "The Dream"
was true picture of his welded morning;
and there are circumstances, not told in his
"Life," which render this probable. After
the ceremony and breakfast, the young
couple left Seaham for Sir Ralph's seat at
Halnaby. Toward dusk of that winter day
the carriage drove up to the door, where
the old butler stood ready to receive his
young lady and her bridegroom. The
moment the carriage door was opened the
bridegroom jumped out and walked away.
When his bride alighted, the old servant
was aghast. She came up the steps with
the listless gait of despair. Her face and
movements expressed such utter horror and
desolation, that the old butler longed to
offer his arm to the lonely young creature,
as an assurance of sympathy and protection.
Various stories got abroad as to the cause
of this horror, one probably as false as
another; and, for bis own part, Byron met
them by false story of Miss Milbanke's
lady y's-maid having been stuck in, bodkin,.
wise, between them. As Lady Byron
certainly soon got over the shock, the prob.
ability is that she satisfied herself that be
had been suffering under one of the dark
moods to which he was subject, both con-
stitutionally and as the poet of moods.
Year: 1861

NEW BLASTING PowDER.-A French scien-
tho newspaper says that patent has just
been taken out in Belgium for a simple
method of making blasting powder from
spent tan bark. 1t says that while the
price of this powder is less than that OF
the gunpowder, ittakes but one seventeenth
part as much to produce the same effect as
the latter. 1t is composed of fifty-two and
one half pounds of nitrate of soda to sew
enty-two aud one half pounds of waste
tan bark, and twenty pounds of pulverized
sulphur. The nitrate of soda is dissolved
in sufficient quantity of boiling water
and the bark added in manner to COM
pletely impregnate it with the solution, af-
ter which the sulphur is added in the same
way. The mixture Is taken from the fire
and thoroughly dried, when it is ready for
use. If it is wet, this does not permanent
ly injure it, but on being again dried, it is
as good as ever. If fired in the open air,
it causes no explosion, but is very efficient
for blasting when confined in the usual
manner. 1t is not suitable for use in guns
or cannons.
Year: 1861

Go AHEApIsN.-Sir Charles Lyell, when
in the United States, received the following
advice from a friend When you are ra-
cling with an opposite steamboat, or chasing
her and the other passengers are cheering
the captain, who is sitting on the safety
valve to keep it down with his weight. go
as far as you can from the engine, and lose
no time, especially if you hear the captain
exclaim, Fire up boys; put on the rosin =
Should servant call out, Those gentle
men who have not paid their passage will
please 60 to the ladies' cabin = obey the
summons without moments delay, for
then an explosion may be apprehended.-
"Why to the ladies' cabin ?" said I. "Be-
cause it is the end of the boat, and they are
getting anxious for the personal security OF
those who have not yet paid their dollar,
being of course Indifferent about the rest
Therefore: never pay in advance For
should you fall overheard during the race,
and the watch cries out to the captain, A
passenger overheard 7 he will ask, Has he
paid his passage?' and if he receives an
answer in the Affirmative, he will call out,
go ahead ?"
Year: 1861

APERrEcr RAT DRIvER-Chloride of lime
has frequently proved sure thing to drive
rats away from any place infested by them.
An ounce of it, scattered in the place where
they come to feed, or wrapped in bit OF
muslin and put in their holes, where it ac-
quires dampness, produces gas that is not
offensive to man, but is to the rats. If chlo-
ride of lime is moistened with muriatic
acid, and placed in drain, vault, or cellar,
and closed from the air little while, the
rats will depart, because it will be death to
remain. This is also good disinfectant,
and will for time cure the effiuvia of a
dead rat. One application Of dry chloride
of lime to rat holes has driven them away
for year, when renewal of it started them
again.
Year: 1861

CoAL-Ir's MECHANICAL PowERs.-lt is
stated by Professor Rogers that each acre
of a coal seam in England, four feet in
thickness. and yielding one yard net of pure
fuel, is equivalent to about five thousand
tons, and possesses therefore, reserve of
mechanical strength in its fuel equal to the
life labor of one thousand six hundred
men Each square mile of one such single
coal bed contains eight million tuns of fuel
equivalent to one million of men laboring
through twenty years of their ripe strength.
Assuming, for calculation, that ten million
tuns out of the present annual products of
the British coal mines-namely, sixty-hve
millions-are applied to the production of
mechanical power, then England annually
summons to her aid three million five hum
dred thousand fresh men, pledged to exert
their fullest strength for twenty years.
Her actual annual expenditure of power,
then, is represented by s;xtv-six millions OF
able bodied laborers.-Hunts Merchant S
Aagazine.
Year: 1861

A HoRRID PYRAMID OF SERPENTs.-A tray
eler in South America writes: In the sa-
vannahs of Izacubo, in Guiana, saw the
most terrible spectacle that can be seen !;
and although it is not uncommon to the in
habitants, no traveller has ever mentioned
1t. We were ten men on horseback, two of
whom took the lead, in order to sound the
passage, while preferred to skirt the great
| forest. One of the blacks who formed the
van guard returned at full gallop, and called
to me, " Here. sir, come and see the serp-
ents in n pile" He pointed out to me some
thing elevated in the middle of the savan-
nah or swamp, which looked like bundle
of arms:


One of my company then said, e. This is
certainly one of the assemblages of serpents
which heap themselves on each other after
a violent tempest have heard of these,
but have never seen any; let US proceed
cautiously and not go too near" We were
within twenty PAGES of it; the terror of our
horses prevented our nearer approach, to
which none of US were inclined. On sud-
den the pyramid mass became agitated
horrible hissiugs issued from it. Thous-
ands of serpents, rolled spi-ally on each
other, shot forth out of their circle their
hideous heads, and presented their enorm-
Gus darts and fiery eyes to us.


l own l was one of the first to draw back;
but when | saw this formidable phalanx re-
naming at its post, and appearing to be
more disposed to defend itself than attack
US, rode around in order to view its order
of battle, which faced the enemy on every
side. then sought what could be the de-
sign of this numerous assemblage, and l
concluded that this species of serpents
dreaded some enemy, which might be the
great serpent, or cayman; and that they
united themselves after seeing this enemy,
in order to resist in mass.
Year: 1861

The MISTAKE OF NIGHT.-The Visalia
Delta says: "Judge Burke retired late one
night this week and found that different
arrangements had been made by the land
lord about the occupancy of his bed-the
nature of which was evidenced by certain
crinoline appurteuances lying loose around
The Judge hunted up the proprietor of the
house and with virtuous indignation in
formed him that he "wasn't no such a
man."
Year: 1861

LITIGATION BREwrEG.-It was rumored on
the streets, yesterday, that several parties,
who lost goods by the sinking of the steam
er James Blair, intend to commence suits
against the Steam Navigation Company for
damages. The complaint to be entered, is
that the Company had ample time to re-
cover most of the goods, as there were
means by which they could have done so
upon paying a small remuneration.-Aarys
vtYe Express
Year: 1861

DoS'r YoU.-The fraternal advice of
the Providence Journal to Kansas is: "Now
young sister State, don't you 60 and Sc
cede before we have had a chance to spend
o few millions on you"
Year: 1861

Quick WoRK.-The Visalia Sun says a
woman was divorced from her husband in
that town, on one day, married the next.
The divorce and marriage made her the
mistress of a ranch on which she and her
first husband had been employed.
Year: 1861

| Mr.. Juloureau, of Paris, has hit upon a
new material for making pipes, which, it is
stated, can be sold at half the price of cast
iron, for equal capacity, while it is less
than one-sixth the weight. He makes a
pipe resembling those of NJ. Chameroy in
the system, of bituminous lining inside and
out, but the case, instead Of being sheet
iron, is paper, which, being saturated With
bitumen, is rolled up In the form of hol-
low cylinder, fold on fold, till it has at
tanned thickness Of three-elghths of an
inch.


On .he 10th of January, of this present
year, number of engineers were got to-
gether at the base of the Westminster Clock
tower, the scene of Mr., Denison's bell-craft,
and there variety of these pipes-measur-
ing from two and a-half to seven inches
internal diameter, ard FIVE inches in length
were subjected to hydraulic pressure,
tested by one of Bourdon's gauges, of 220
pounds to the square inch, equal to col





pressure they sustained without any dam
age. This is more than the pressure of
common cast-iron pieces will sustain, and
it is stated that it required 300 pounds to
the inch to burst them. On testing the
power of a two and a-half inch pipe to bear
a transverse strain, very satisfactory re-
suit was attained, and upon shivering a
piece with sledge hammer, it appeared
tina. every fold of the paper was separate,
and retained considerable ibrous strength,
notwithstanding the heat of the bitumen it
had been exposed to in the process of man.
ufacture.


| The force of strength in this arrangement
| is found in the fact that the pressure in
creases the contact of the folds of the pa
per, making every fold bear an equal strain
or the silk folded guns of the Chinese. The
adhesion of the separate folds may be illus
trated by the mode in which Thames stea-
mer is held fast to the pier by two turns of
a rope round the timber bit, by which
means the friction enables single man to
control the movement.


These pipes will be less subject to the
frost than metal is; and although they are
not yet tried in large sizes, and the thick
ness for that purpose is not yet known, it is
possible that they will come largely into
use for moderate sizes, and also for small
service pipes to replace lead at very far
less cost than gutta Percha.


Some objection has been raised about
difficulty for bending in curves, but with
out apparent reason. These pipes may be
made in curved forms as easily as cast-iron;
or, by filling with sand, and heating, they
may be bent like maIleablc pipe. Their
stiffness and freedom from decay render
them peculiarly eligible for the purpose of
draining the permanent ways of railways.
Whether any better material will ultimately
be discovered, it is difficult to pronounce :;
but, SO far as judgment goes, and expert
euce has verified, new era appears to have
been made in pipe-makiug. The strength
of the material has long been proved in the
! familiar instance of rocket cases, where the
enormous pressure of the powder is so sue
cessfully resisted by simple concentric folds
| of Daner-()urs n Herk
Year: 1861

A RATrLEsxAKE SroRy.--'T had been" he
said, prospecting all day for minerals, and had
found some copper and lead and some curious
sulphur springs Of I believe, unique kind =
and, coming back TO my camp, had lit my fire,
and cooked some deer meat then, quite tired
out looked round TO select a convenient and
sheltered place under high, cruinbly- looking
rock not far from my fire, and, loading my rifle,


first bandaging the lock aud slipping it into my
mackintosh;case to guard it from the damp, j
wrapped Myself like a mummy in my Maekinaw
blanket and lay down under the rock to sleep I;
intending to rise early and push fast, to over
take my men. who were days march ahead,
loul.ing after bears had "a bad night for rats
or something OF other kept passing over me and
half waking me. About the grey Of the morn
ing, I reused myself from that sort of torpid,
paralvscd sense Of endurance that a prolonged
nightmare throws you in, and rose up TO my ell
bow to see If my logs were quite burnt out, or
if there was, perhaps, enough fire left TO warm
me some coffee, for the night had been frosty
and cold Hooked, and to my horror saw a
wrthing heap, of about thirty rattIesnakes coll
ed or moving round the brands Of my fire.
had been sleeping under rock which was per-
foratcd by their holes, and my fire had drawn
them out by its alluring warmth II was these
snakes had felt moving over me in my long
nightmare. Loramussy, mister! How quick |
did get on nay feet, sure; and 0s | ran off ]
banged my rifle right among them, just TO give
them a sort Of parting blessing. But what harm
did to them never knew, for did not care
to go back to that hive of rattesnakcs. all
tie Year Hound. ~.
Year: 1861




SIGNATURE OF THE CRoss.-The mark which
persons who are unable to write are required to
make instead Of their signature, is in the cross,
and this practice, having been followed by kings
aud mobiles, is constantly referred to as an in
stance Of the deplorabIe Ignorance of ancient
times. This signature is not, however, invaria-
bic proof of such ignorance anciently the use
of this mark was not confined to lliterate per-
sons; for amongst the Saxons the mark cf the
cross, as an attestation OF the good faith Of the
person signing. was required to be attached to
the signature of those who could write, as well
as to stand in the place Of the signature of those
who could not write.


In those times, IL man could write, or even
read, his knowledge was considered proof posi-
tive presumptive that he was in holy orders -
The word ciericus or clerk was synonomous
with penman, and the laity, or people who were
not clerks. did not feel any urgent necessity for
the use Of letters. The ancient use Of the cross
was, therefore, universal alike by those who
could and by those who could not write il; it
was, indeed, the symbol Of an oath from its holy
associations, and generally the mark. On this
account Mr.. Charles Knight in his note to the
Pictorial Shakespeare, explains the expression Of
God save the mari" as a form Of ejaculation
approaching to the character Of an oath. This
phrase occurs three or more times in the plays
Of Shakespeare, but hitherto il has been left by
the commentators in its original obscurity,
Year: 1861




DEAR FRANK We received orders, this morn
ing, to be in readiness 10 start for Pensacola to-
morrow, and our camp is now scene of busy
preparation.


Since my last letter no news of any great i'm
portance has been sAoat The ordinary routine
of camp duties, and roaming to see city sights,
have. been the only things to vary the tedious
mcnotony. We are walked at six in the morn
ing, get breakfast and have company drill for
one hour and half In the evening, We have
squad drill FOR the same length of time. by
the right Aank" " March, and Dress" are the
chief sounds to be heard during those three
hours, exceptth heavy tramp Of the soldiery,
as they sway right and left, forward and back
ward, at the word of command, gracefully as
the pine bough bends to the unseen breeze.


There are now here two regiments of Missis-
sippians, all destined for Pensacola. Ii seems
that our President knows his own people wei.
enough to believe that they are the men for an
arduous or dangerous task, both of which the
taking Of Fort Pickens surely will be. There
is one acknowledged fact-if JEFF Davis will put
himself at our head, and point to where the
blow must be struck, the seven-starred Gag Of
the Confederacy will wave over the ramparts Of
Fort Pckens, or none will be left to tell the sto-
ry of the fight. Mississippians will not, shail
net know defeat. The spirit Of patriotism, such
as inspired the bosom Of Washington and his
compatriots, burns undimmed in the hearts Of
their posterity, and they will maintain them
selves the peers Of any, or perish as one man
in the effort