smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

As song bird after song bird, from the in
imitlble Gereter to Hew-Yorks dear Louise Kel-
lorg. and artists after artists leave these shores, the
last kindly qdie invariably is waited to Weber nom
the deck OF the parting steamer


For many years III fact from the time OF the peerless
Parepa-Rosa Nilsson PATTI. Albani, and hundreds Of
Others Weber has been thus singled out by them all.
Partly no doubt this is due to his kindness to them;
but mainly TO the fact that there is something in the
tone Of the Weber Piano, they acknowledge which
makes 1t the piano above every other piano manufac-
tured in the United States and It is this singular
pathetic richness Wobeis pianos which has brought
the business comparatively limited few years
ago to It's present colossal proportions. Even in the
trade Weber is termed the artistic pano-maker! In
conversation with manufacturer Of considerable celeb
ry and extent himself the OF this wonderful
cess was explained. ''You see" SAID be, 4" Weber
knows just exactly what the artists want, and besides
the people arc ready and willing to pey him. When
You consider that tops legs and Tyres plates etc.
cost US about tue his do and that by an extra
expenditure OF only about 525 purely in connection cim
the tone he accomplshes result at small expense to
himself but an extraordinary one the piano In the
one case, 10y a special outlay Of from s25 to $50 the
public can thus put themselves in possession OF piano
which is perfect exponent all that is true in art in
the other case they simply have piano that sounds


The ,aIno may be SAID of other lines oibusines which
reach in the realm OF high art in mechanical pursuits
Look az Ucrter in furniture Brewster IN carriages,
Tiffany in sllyerwarc. and others which viii occur to
you.


"Itis men ho these who make the glory and pride Of
New-Yor but must be admitted that there Is no other
place except Amorica and Now-York especially, where
the public are quick appreciate and so ready and
able To pay for superior and artistic article"
Year: 1879

Boston Post.l


The Hon. James G.. Blaine is a
thrifty man, as all who know him will
admit, but we hardly think the public
has ever been informed how he made
his substitute do double duty in the
days of the war. Mrs. Blaine desired
a new piano, and her husband told her
she should have it. The days came
and went. At that time Names idol
son" was not as prosperous as he has
becoUe since. One day he called to
his wife Sue, here's your piano.
She looked out and saw q man coming
up the walk, but he bore no visible
relation to the musical instrument in
question. What do you meanY she
asked. II mean" pathetically replied
James, that | have hired this man
to take my place in the army. If he
doesn't go, | must. If he goes, we
cannot afford the piano" The history
of that substitute is familiar to the
country. We trust that Mrs. Blaine
eventually got her piano, and that it
was of better quality than the vicari-
Gus warrior.
Year: 1879

THE Rebels are again in power, "
says the New York Times. Well,
what of it? The men called rebels
are the right men in the right place.
Honesty is in the ascendancy; there
will be no more stealing from the pub
lie treasury, times are already improv-
ing and the country will soon be pros
porous. If the Rebels" could have
come in power ten years sooner il
would have saved the country financial
depression, turmoil and public domor-
alization. The Southern Democrats
by their conservatism, GOODNESS and
patriotism saved this country from
what threatened to be a revolution
during the struggle over the electoral
vote two years ago. Such men can be
trusted with the affairs of this country,
and their accession to power works a
new and a better era than VIC have
known in eighteenyears Prudence and
political sagacity will carry the next
Presidential election for the Demo,
cratic party and then peace will
be fully restored, industrial
enterprises will be revived. la.
Dor will be paid its due, aud
we will enter upon a long period Of
prosperity despite tho prophecies and
the opposition of tho old rotton Re.
publican party and those who CO.
operate with it under some other
name
Year: 1879

The ancient town Of Jonesboro, in
his State, will be one hundred years
Old some time this summer. The cor
porate existence of the place was
Abolished by an act OF the present
general assembly, but that will not
interfere, or should not, with the
celebration of such an interesting
centennial Historic memories Of
great interest and Importance cluster
atound this the Oldest town in the
State. These should be revived and
set forth in glowing language, that the
world may be reminded that the early
pioneers Of Tennessee were equal in
prowess, intelligence and foresight to
any of the heroes in the history of this
country, and that the present genera
tion of Tennesseeans may be inspired
with just appreciation of their an
Vcestors and with a proper feeling of
patriotism and State pride. We have


s much to be proud of as the people
# any New England State, yet how
little the masses seem to know or care
for the early history of Tennessee.
Our history is almost inaccessible to
the people; our relies and curiosities
are gathered up and sold to
the museums of distant States.
DR.. j. G. NJ. Ramsey, the ven
cradle historian has done more than
any other man to preserve and trans


nit the history of the State, but his
annals only come down to the early
part OF this century. 1t is intimated,
though not announced, that another
prominent gentleman of East Tennes-
see is collecting material and will take
up the history of Tennessee where
Dr. Ramsey left off, and bring it down
to the beginning of the war, or even
later. We hope this is correct, and
that the work will be accomplished.
1t is profitable to review the trials and
struggles of our pioneer ancestors,
wholaid wide and deep the foundations
of society and free government
in what was then wilderness,
far from the centers of learning,
Of commerce, and Of civilization, and
beset by difficulties and dangers of
which we dream nothing and know
nothing by experience The celebra-
tion of such centennial as that pro-
posed at Jonesboro cannot fail to have
a very salutary and happy effect, both
upon the older and rising generation.
We hope the idea will be carried out
While We disagree aud wrangle and
oppose each other upon many little
questions, now We can unite, without
dissent, in honoring the sturdy men
and the good women who lived in this
State one hundred years ago.
Year: 1879

Louisville Courier-Journal.l


There is but one thing to be done.
Kentucky owes it to the civilization
of the epoch in which we live, no less
than to herself, that speedy trial be
held, and that the law, violated in its
sanctity, shall be vindicated and exc
cuted without technical let or hin
derance. The individuality of the
unhappy man who has brought this
terrible calamity upon himself and its
attendant responsibilities upon us,
sinks to nothing. 1t is not to be
thought of. Behind him the stern
image OF justice stalks in robes as
white as snow, and to these robes there
cling the memories of the past,
which ennoble our history, tie
necessities of the present which shape
our destiny, and the hopes of
the future which enshrine the in
dependence and the security of our
courts as the surest guarantees of
popular liberty aud happiness. We
cannot, we dare not, shrink from our
plain duty Not in anger, but as
parent whose heart bleeds for the
living and tho dead, must the Com
monwealth proceed with this dreadful
business. The wrath of God and the
scorn of men are suspended over us.
II is ours to show that we deserve
neither, but that we are inspired by
the courage and high empriso of our
fathers in days when trials were sus.
tanned and fields were won, clarifying
the name and the fame of Kentucky.
Year: 1879

Vienna mourns the loss of Karl
Beck, the tenor who first sang the
music of .Lohengrin. He was a true
musical Bohemian Of the Troubadour
class, always dry and fond Of Cliquot.
When at st. Petersburg, in the zenith
Of his fame and glory, the czar one day
invited him TO a private interview.
Beck, said his majesty, when the
artist entered the room, ask for any
thing you like" Il should like to
take a glass of 'fz with your majesty"
retorted the other. They drank to.
gether, hut two days later Beck was
ordered to pack up and leave the
country, r
Year: 1879

The Avalanche appeared, this
morning brightly Illuminated with
several dozen columns of fresh adver-
tisements, and illustrated with a
Christmas morning picture represent
ing, a cluster Of happy chill
dren at the dawn of Christ
mas morning just rising from
their trundle- beds and discover a
Christmas tree loaded down with toys,
left by Santa Claus for their especial
benefit. The illustration is we'll timed
and pertinent to the period; and it is
touching picture, suggestive of the
joys of childhood, as well as
the pleasure to be derived
by older people who labor
to contribute to their welfare and
their delights. The Avalanche has a
supplement to its regular edition, rich
with select reading and business cards,
and its issue to-day makes up six
pages or 48 columns. 1t is a compli-
ment to its conductors and all who
assisted in the arduous work of its
preparation. At the same time it
evidences that in the hum of the


period the Avalanche isappreciated by
all who have assisted in making the


hum.
Year: 1879

VA santa Claus, whose annual
visit to our little folks is looked for
tonight is expected to arrive in sill.
very sleigh dripping with icy pendants,
drawn by silver reindeer, covered with
jeweled trappings and bedecked with
precious gems. He carries bugle to
herald his approach, and its signal
blast is sparkling diamond blown
from its priceless trump. He
wears a shaggy beard and will
appear in ashy clothes or a
rough fur cloak, carrying an ash or
clnder hat to symbolic snow, and
also a heavy chain to clank and fright
en- the children, who, instead of going
to sleep as they ought, may lay awake
to watch his expected movements


The old fellow is rather uncouth in
appearance, because he enters peoples
houses through their chimneys. He
is blunt of speech, but has a kind
heart and carries a merry twinkle in
his eye, while a smile nestles
on his ruddy cheeks. The good
old fellow never fails to ask
the little ones in their dreams, if they
behave well and say their prayers, and
whether they study their lessons and
recite them properly. Those able to
say yes with truth, are rewarded with
toys and good things without stint,
while others who have been bad, find a
bunch of switches or something as
equally unpleasant placed in their
stockings as "a warning that they must
mend their ways, or expect to be
handled roughly. 1t may be we'll to
let the little folks, and perhaps a few
big ones, too, know where old Kris
Kringle, as some call him, had his
origin, He is first known
to have appeared to the
North German people, where
be was called Cinter Klaus. In his
early career he was a pagan, but being
an enlighted character and possessing
progressive spirit he embraced
Christianity when a thousand years or
so of age. The name Cinter Klaus
among the early Rhenish people lit
orally meant Nicholas of ashes or
cinders' and was given to tipify the
character of the old Saint, who has
such penchant to climb up and down
chimney holes. Properly, Santa Claus
is Spanish, and is the feminine Of the
Spanish Sun, as it is also of the Italian
Santo. The people Of the present day
and in fact for several generations
past have all been creatures of habit,
and it is more than likely Santa
Claus will continue to be known
by the name he has gone by so long,
even though it be a glaring misnomer.
Let it be hoped that he will be able to
stuff every little ones stocking more
than usually full, and hang all Christ
mas trees with beautiful presents to-
night The times are flush, and all
people have fourished like they never
did before in the past few months.
therefore presents should be numer-
Gus and nice this holiday season.
Year: 1879

Christian Records 1t happened when
Oil City was new oil town that at
a political meeting one Of the most
prominent members went out of the
side door for few moments
Just as an orator. referring to
the death OF noted citizen,
said; "Ihus another great man is
gone. Where, OIL whore shall we
hnd one who shall fill his placer"
Supposing the speaker had reference
to the citizen who had Just stepped
out, a man on the back seat said. aGh,
don't worry he's just gone out for a
drink"
Year: 1879

A marriage was brought about under
difficulties by two inmates of the Col
umbus asylum for the blind. They stole
out slyly, found their way TO clergy
man, and were united. The bride re-
turned for her clothing, and was i'm
prisoned in second story room but she
made rope of sheets, slid down to the
ground, and rejoined her husband.


One of pair of lovers in St. Cloud,
Mimi, could not understand German,
and the other could not understand
English ; yet they managed to come to
an understanding on the question of
matrimony.


The difficulty in the case of Troy
burglar was his incarceration in Jail, but
the girl induced a minister to go with
her to the prison and perform the cere-
moDy. The bridal tour was deferred for
two years.


The parents of San Francisco girl
were willing, and the opposition came
from the family Of the young man, who
was locked in his room, prisoner
by his father. So the girl drove to the
house at night and helped him TO es-
cape, thus reversing the usual condi-
tions of an elopement.
Year: 1879

breath to make sure which way 1t
pointed.


"Then, IL you don't mind very much,
Deacon Phoenix, perhaps 1t would be
better for us TO part as friends. Oh dear
hope you'll forgive me II have done
anything wrong"


The deacon was greatly pleased with
the turn that affairs were taking, but
did not make any expression that
showed his satisfaction.


He simply replied: Madam, perhaps
we ought not to refuse the guidance Of
Providence, and 1t seems as though the
way was made clear to us just in time
to prevent our stepping into the wrong
path. therefore accept your decision,
and we will part as you say, friends"


1t Is needless to say how promptly the
deacon acted upon the suggestion in
Olive Wayne's letter, because every
masculine reader knows how quickly he
would have presented himself too, had
he been In a similar situation but it
may be gratifying to our lady readers to
know that in proper time Olive took up
new duties under the deacon's roof, and
the deacon never ceased to congratulate
himself on his escape from the conse-
quences of his HAsTY PROPOSAL.
Year: 1879

If artic explorers have not discovered
a practical northwest passage whales
have, ,as is shown by the fact that whales
have been captured in the North Pacific
ocean having harpoons that were
thrown into them on the other side of
the continent. Captain Bauldry of the
Helen Mar of San Francisco has taken
whale having in it a large flint harpoon,
supposed to have been put in by natives
of Cape Bathurst, or the regions beyond
the mouth of the Mackenzie river, be-
cause the natives living to the westward
of that river never use such weapons,
but always bone or iron. A more posi-
tive evidence is found in the fact that
the Captain of the AdeIine Gibbs took
whale in the Attic with an iron in it
which had been thrown the same season
in Hudson bay. This is known to be
the case, because the iron bore the mark
of ship at the time engaged in whal-
ing in the bay.
Year: 1879

Ii T WONDER he didn't take the par


son." unused the deacon's house
keeper, as the deacon drove off alone to
the Annual Conference. "He's COM
monty master-thoughtful about lookin'
out for folks. What a husband he
was -


Yes, Asa Phoenix had been a good
husband. All the neighbors agreed
with Mrs. Dubbs in that particular. He
had waited upon his fussy invalid wife,
dying by inches for thirty years, making
her as happy as she would let him and
when her summons came, he had closed
her dying eyes tenderly, saying, even
with tears


Poor sufferer, she is better off!


That he was better off he never hinted
by word or look. He wore his widow
er's weeds with sad decorum: he reared
in memory of the departed Lucinda
monument which the most fastidious
deceased might have enyied he grieved
faithfully for the full allotted year of
mourning. If now, from the ashes of
the funeral pyre, like his featheredname-
sake of fable, he was springing up with
renewed youth and freshness, was it
not well2


In truth, though he had not seen fit
to confide this fact to Mrs. Dubbs, Dea-
con Phoenix had slighted the minister
deliberately and with malice afore-
thought.


Nor wasit of the Conference he was
thinking that fragrant June morning as
he whirled away, tucking the lap-robe
well about his glossy new broad-cloth.-
For once in his hitherto blameless life
he was essaying to hide the secular un-
derneath the spiritual. He did not
mean to go straight to meeting it was
his willy intention to make wide Cir
cult and call on Miss Olive Wayne lin
the town of Chester. He had question
to ask her, and did not want the parson
with him; he hoped he might want him
later.


Pretty, cheerful Olive How fond he
had been of her, years ago, when
she attended school. If he had not then
been in love with Lucinda, he was sure
he should have fallen in love with her,
mere child though she was. He had
never lost sight of her, and he thanked
Providence that he had been enabled by
money and influence to help her family
over some hard places. Please God, the
dear girl should henceforth have an
easier life. Girl Why, little Olive
must be fifty.


The good deacon laughed at the anus
ing recollections. Well, she would
always seem young to him. And as for
himself, at sixty odd he was hale man
yet he could jump five-rail fence as
well as he ever could-give him time
His thoughts continually reverted to
Olive, SO patiently devoted TO her in
Year: 1879

The Park Commissioners yesterday
adopted resolution strongly condemning
the bill before tho Legislature authorizing
the use of portion of the Central Park as
a military parade ground. The Commits
sioners express the opinion that the Park
would be seriously damaged should tho bill
become o law, not 80 much by the military
themselves as by tho crowds that always
flock to sec a parade or review. 1t is
alleged that on the occasion of the attend
ance of the Seventh regiment at the dedica-
ton OF the Hallcck monument the unruly
crowd that followed the regiment not only
trod down the grass and the beds, but
broke the limbs of trees. up which they
climbed to obtain a better view Of the
show. 1t is said that fully two
thousand dollars damage was done to
the Park on that occasion, and that
should parade ground be established IL
would require the presence Of five hundred
policemen to prevent similar injury when
ever q regiment was out for drill. The
difficulty seems to be that there Is no spot
but the ';ball ground" in the Park fit for the
purpose of military parade ground, and
to establish one there would necessitato q
march through the handsomest parts OF the
Park. The protest OF the Commissioners
against the bill will be sent to Albany and
will, no doubt have its due weight with the
LEGISLATURE in its action on the measure.
Year: 1879

infinite confusion and disaster would re-
suit from blocking the public service.
What could our merchants do without the
custom houses and port regulations?
What redress would citizens have if the
courts of justice were closed? How could
our two thousand national banks transact
their business if intercourse were cut off
between them and the Treasury Depart
ment, which holds the bonds pledged
for their circulation. pays them their
interest, redeems their notes and
supplies them the gold they may
need in their transactions? What
weuld the community do without the Post
Office? It is needless to extend the list;
these specimens will suffice to show the in
jury and confusion which would result
from an actual stoppage of the supplies
and its inevitable consequence of disband-
ing the government if continued for any
length of time. 1t may suit the purposes
of demagogues to threaten these conse-
quences in spirit Of bravado, but they
could not stand against the indignation of
the country if the threat were executed for
more than very brief period. Certain it
is that the public will never support this
violent and disorganizing method of torc-
ing the repeal or the passage of laws.


1t is vain to deny that such method is
revolutionary. mo rejecting man who un-
derstands the structure of our government
can dispute that such policy, if perse-
vered in for more than few months, would
subvert the main pillars of the constitution
BY the true theory of the constitution the
legislative power is vested in the two
houses of Congress and the President
But according to the violent assumption
which is now made the whole legislative
power is concentrated in either house
whenever one house chooses to exer-
else it It has only to tack the
law it wants passed to necessary
appropriation bill as an amendment, and
refuse to pass the appropriation without its
rider, to force compliance with its demand
or dissolve the government as the penalty
of refusal. The country will never accept
this theory of the constitution. The coun-
try will never consent that one branch Of
Congress shall usurp the whole legislative
power in defiance Of the distribution of that
power by the constitution. The country
will never consent to any such doctrine as
that the Presidents salary can be stopped
and the salaries of the judges be stopped at
the mere caprice of Congress in plain viola
tion of the oaths of its members
Year: 1879

The sudden close of the Vanderbilt will
case was such a surprise that the inventive
ingenuity Of quidnuncs and small news
paper people was set ut work to account for
the phenomenon A. story was imagined
and set aAoat in one or two city journals
that the sudden collapse of the case was
the fruit of secret compromise or
understanding between the contesting
parties. This proves on inquiry to
be a sheer fiction. The case of the contest
ants utterly broke down on the introduce
tion of documentary evidence of whose ex-
istence they had no suspicion. The main
argument of the contestants has been that
the distribution of property by the will was
so unequal and unjust as to create strong
presumption Of mental unsoundncss or un-
due influence, and the general DRIFT Of the
evidence introduced was to show that at
tho time the will was made Commo-
dore Vanderbilt suffered under physical dis
eases and mental hallucinations which were
inconsistent with tho possibility of his SAN
ity. This evidence was ofthc flimsiest char
acter; it convinced nobody but the contest
ants and their lawyers, even if it convinced
them. 1t consisted of the idlest rubbish
and tho most disgustingly scandalous
accusations ever tolerated by judicial tri-
bunal. The reason why the case of the con-
testants so suddenly and utterly broke
down was tho introduction of several former
Wills OF the Commodore, executed when he
was in the fulness of his strength and the
best state Of his faculties, making
precisely the same Determinations and
against precisely the same heirs as his last
will and testament, which has been the sub
ject of this protracted contest. Those pre-
vious Wills, made when his mind was at its
best, prove most conclusively that the final
distribution of his property by his last will
was in pursuance Of deliberate and long
settled purpose formed many years in ad-
vance of that state of his health and of his
mind which was alleged rs the ground for
setting aside the will presented to the Sur
rogate. There was never a more disgraceful
collapse of an utterly scandalous case.


We notice that somo of onr contempora-
res commend Mr.. Lord for his public re-
traction of the atrocious calumnies he has
uttered during these proceedings against a
lady whose connection with the contest
was involuntary and accidental. 1t was no
doubt his duty to withdraw those abomina-
BILE calumnies; but his tardy confession
that they are false cannot be accepted as an
atonement for having made them. Nothing
short of the most indubitable evidence that
they we're true and an absolute necessity
of alleging them in the interest of his
clients conld have reconciled it to the