smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

The Virginia New Enterprise says:


A gentleman of this city who has been


taking look among the oldabandoned


mines Of Truckee district made an ex-


animation of the musical mountain, of


which great deal was heard years ago,


when the mines were discovered. Some


Of the early miners pitched their tents
at the foot of the mountain, and were
not little surprised and puzzled at


hearing, during the quiet hours Of the
night, tinkling sounds that seemed to
pervade the whole atmosphere, coming
from they could not tell where. The
sounds were not unlike those Of a small
music-bOx. At times they supposed
that the sounds were caused by the
wind playing among the twigs on the
side of the mountain, but they found
that this solution would not answer, as
the same bushes were found every
where, Willie the musical sounds were
heard nowhere else than on the side Of
the mountain at the foot of which they
were camped. They spent much time
in scouting ;,5out and listening of
nights and quiet hours during the day,
and at last tracked the strange sounds
to a great bed of small pieces of rock
that covered the slope Of the mountains.
These bits of rock were found to b6
quite sOnOrOus, and the miners con-
clUded that the sounds they emitted
were caused by the action of the wind
among them. The gentleman who re-
Gently visited the mountain says he
went to it expecting to find it a good
deal of a humbug, but found it much
more Of a curiosity than he had antici-
pated; the mingled tinklings much re-
sembling the sounds of an aolian harp,
and frequently attaining a startling de-
gree Of IOudness and distinCtness. The
sounds seem TO rise and fall, approach
and recede, as Though caused and gov
erned by the wind. On a close exami-
nation it was found that the small
fakes Of rock covering the face Of the
mountain contain q large per cent OF
iron. This iron is supposed t1 be mag
netic, and there appears to be constant
motion among the chips Of it, which
appear to cover the ground to the depth
of several feet in many places. The
Whole drift of broken rock seems to be
moving down the slope of the noun
tain with the slow, creeping motion Of
a glacier, and the slipping over each
other Of the fragments composing the
mass is thought to cause the tinkling
sounds, which are so numerous as to
mingle and rise into a single strong
musical murmur.
Year: 1878

The following plan of labelling fruD
and other trees is recommended by thu
Germantown Telegraph: ''It is very
nice to have all ones fruit trees labeled
both for our own and others satisfac-
ton, and we should adopt such ma
!erial that it will receive the writing
clearly and will last for years. We
have tried several. and the one that We
prefer is made Of strips Of zinc, with
hole bored at one end and fastened with
copper wire. Some pieces of zinc ap-
pear oily and will not receive either
chemical ink or pencil; lut all suCn
should be scratched with a fine file ar
anything that will roughen it. Some I
ours have been hanging from fifteen to
twenty years; but every year they
should be examined and lOOsened if
getting too tight upon the branch where
fastened; and sometimes the wire will
cut its way out Of the eyelet and needs
replacing. Another label, highly re-
commended in the West, which we
have not tried, but we have no doubt oil
its adeptedness, is to use cedar, rub
linseed oil over it, and write the name
before it becomes dry with soft black
lead pencil. If fastened with copper
wire it would certainly last for many
years. This label is easier made and
cheaper, and we recommend a trial of
it."


The only objection we note to this
plan is that the duty Of lOOsening the
wires is one that is very apt to be neg
Iected. It will be safer to have the
zinc in longer strips, so that the IN
marked part may be cOiled several
times around one Of the smaller limbs;
then as the branch increases in size the
coil will expand, and allow the increase
Of several years growth. A strip Of
zinc six to eight inches long and one
inch wide will make two labels, which
should be one inch wide at one end,
and tapering nearly to point at the
other; the narrow end may be Coiled
around the limb and the wide one used
for marking.
Year: 1878

There is historical picture in the
great rOtunda of the Capitol, says a
Washington Correspondent Of the Pitts
burg Dispatch, which has been made
the subject Of much wonder among ar
fists and connoisseurs. The subject is
"WashingtOn Resigning his Commits.
siOn." In the right foreground are two
young girls standing in an attitude Of
affection and confidence, with theI
four legitimate hands plainly visible in
natural positions. But around the
waist of one Of them is a fifth hand
which would appear to belong TO once
the loving creatures, but it is a hal
too much. People with powerful cha.
liable emotions try to fancy that the
fifth hand belongs to John Hancock OF
some other hero in the rear, but if so, it
must have had an arm like a grape vine
to be able to reach such a point while
standing erect at a distance Of several
feet, and gazing with an air of innO-
cence and interest at the proceedings
in front Of him. Opinions are divided,
but the majority seem to have the idea
that the two girls have five hands be-
tween them. This phenomenon in a
historical picture should not be under
estimated.
Year: 1878

The opinion Of the United States Dis
trict Court for the District of Minp9
sofa, by Nelson, j., says the Legal
News, holds that the right TO cut tim
Der on the public domain by homestead
settlers is limited to purposes of culti-
ration. In all new States this question
Of cutting Government timber has
troubled the Government officers. Men
who would not steal a chicken for the
world, thought it was no crime to steal
Government timber. We are remind
ed of Methodist Conference which
was held at an early day in this State.
A minister who had just come into the
country, and was the possessor of &
stove-pipe hat and a broadclOth coat
got the floor, and said: Il am against
stealing in every shape, and therefore
move the adoption Of the following res
OlutiOn:


"Resolrcd, That in the opinion Of
this conference it is just as sinful to
steal Government timber as any other
kind of property"


A M, ster who was dressed in a
homespun suit arose in great haste and
said: ut is evident that, the brother
who introduced this resolution is a new
conner and does not know the wants and
necessities of this community. move
that the resolution be laid on the table, "
and on the table it went, by large ma
iOIity.
Year: 1878

Every one can do something to add
to the social life at the table says DR..
HolbrOOk. If one cannot talk, he can
listen or ask questions and draw out
others who can talk. Good listeners
ire as necessary as good takers. Never
argue at the table; but tell pleasant
stories, relate or read anecdotes and
look out for the good Of all. Sometimes
a single anecdOte from a paper starts a
conversation that lasts during the meal
time.


A family table ought to be bright and
cheerful, a sort Of domestic altar, where
every one casts down his or her offering,
great or small, Of pleasantness and
peace; where. for at least a brief space
in the day all annoyances are laid aside,
all stormy tempers hushed, all quarrels
healed; every one being glad and con-
tent to sit down at the same board and
eat the same bread and salt, making it,
whether it were a rich repast or a di2-
ner of herbs, equally a joyful, almost
sacramental meal.
Year: 1878

The most profitable use Of Indian
corn-that is in returns Of dollars and
cents-is to convert it into whiskey, be-
cause this affords a larger revenue to
the Government, ensures a home mar
ket to the farmer, and makes money
for the distiller. In an agricultural
sense, the most profitable use is found
in the old custom of Out-of-dOOr feed
ing of cattle. To our Eastern agri-
culturists this will seem a wasteful
method of disposing of a grown crop;
but TO quote our author: When the
price of corn ranges from 26 to so cents
per bushel, and the price of hogs and
cattle from 50 to S6 live weight per
100 lbs, when Indifferent farm labor
costs S26 a month for eight months Of
the year, and skilled labor is not to be
had at any reasonable price when the
farmer has poor barns, and runs in
debt for a cooking apparatus, the cook
ing and grinding of corn as food, is
pretty sure to result in decided
failure" 1t is cheaper, in brief, to
fence off enough corn to last number
of hogs for a month at a time, and let
them eat it as they like, than to gather,
grind and cook the crop, and feed the
hogs or cattle with it.
Year: 1878

A correspondent of the Observer, N.
z, says:


1t is an Old story, but every now and
then it receives confirmation, and it
will bear repetition.


A man was in the habit Of talking
over his affairs with his wife-nOt all
che details, perhaps, but any question
that involved the loss or gain of money,
in which, of course. she was interested
as well as himself. There were two ad-
vantages in this: he had her opinion,
which, as she was a woman Of sense:
had some value. Women often see
more quickly than men, and be had to
state his case. Then if there were flaws
and he was conscious Of doubts, they
came out as lie was trying to make the
best of it.


One day he came home with a propO-
sal to invest a little money in some
venture which was sure to pay well. It
was all plain and clear. To be sure, it
was out of his line; lis own business
was a safe and quiet One-but then this
was such a chance! and they wanted
mOney-yes, people always want it;
there is never a time when we could not
use more if we had it.


His wife looked at it carefully with
him, asked some questions, and then
said: 1t looks well, but for all that 1
would not. have always found that
speculation is dangerous to the sOull"


Never were truer words spoken, and
were they printed at the head Of every
newspaper, as every paper has its motto,
and put upon the door posts-especially
in Wall street-sOme men might be in.
duced to take heed and to fee specrIs
ion.
Year: 1878

You have def ded your neighboI.
You have done hlA / an injury, not acci'
dentally, but on purpose. You have
sought your own profit by infieting a
loss upon him. You have taken what
does not belong to you, but to him.
You must then proceed to make Testi-
tuition. Go at once. Go to-day if you
can. State the facts frankly and hen
esUly. Acknowledge your wrong do
ing, and repair the harm as fully as you
can: 1t will cost you struggle to do
this. When, however, you have made
up your mind in the struggle, you will
probably find it easier than you expect.
But whatever you do, don't keep this
burden upon your conscience. It will
stand between you and God. It's an
obstacle which you cannot get over.
You may forget that it is there; but
there il Is; and you are on one side and
Almighty God is on the other.
Year: 1878

The man who does nothing don't
amount to much. 1t makes but little
difference whether he is a millionaire
Orpauper. He is only a stagnant pool,
without energy enough to start a rip
pie. He difuses a moral miasma over
everything around him. Do something;
don't stand on the corner gaping, with
your hands in your pockets, like an
IDIOT. The world was made to work
in, and if you Gil your hearts with good
angels, the bad spirits viii keep out,
because there is no room for them
Year: 1878

The sport Of sparrOw-hawking seems
to have been recently introduced among
the Chinese. 4 resident walking a
little while ago through a field border
ing the settlement came upon native
busily prosecuting the sport. The
hawk was perched on his fist in the ap-
proved style of falconry, but was Sc
cured by a long string fastened to one
Of its legs and attached to the sports
mans wrist. The sport of sparrow
hawking is common among the natives
in some parts of India, but is said to be
almost if not quite new to this part ct
China at least.
Year: 1878

Congressman Foster thinks the
Republican prospects in Ohio are
good, because there IS no disposition
to quarrel with the Administration,
and nobody will stay away from the
polls because he does not like the
White House policy. That IS the
prevalent Republican disposition ev-
erywhere. Nobody wants to ''re-
buke" the Administration badly
enough to let the Democrats come
into power.
Year: 1878

The opinion is growing in the
minds of the Republicans, Of our
District, that the Congressional Con
vention made a happy effort in the
unanimous nomination of W. W. Nc
Knight. Walker is walking right
along to Congress, and the prospect
is that he will distance his opponent
on the first heat [Clinton Repub-
licqD
Year: 1878




The story of the baae ball catcher in
stantlv killed at Boonville, New York, by
ball that had struck him in the stomach,
tells of the dangerous character of the play
beh ind the bat. Recent English papers
contain an account Of the killing Of a
noted ball player in England's national
game, cricket. He was struck On the head
BY cricket ball that had been thrown up
in the air unusually high. Three days
afterwards, august l2) another cricket
player, in Dublin, was struck by ball
from the bat, which entirely paralyzed his
lower limbs, and he is not expected to live,
minor accidents in base ball and cricket
are SO common that scarcely any note is
taken of them. Play which is subject to
such mishaps becomes very serious bus
mess for both players and spectators, but
perha ps the skill Of the player is devel-
oped By the danger be is in of being killed
or noaimed for life if he fails to catch or
stop ball with his hands.
Year: 1878

From the Smyrna Times


Robert H. Cummins, of this town, has
had a remarkable experience with Ia
cherry stone, that perhaps is without a re-
corded parallel in the medical journals,
that is, the removal Of cherry stone from
his left car after its Judgement there for
more than forty years. 1t was slipped in
his ear when he was small boy, while al,
tending the district school, by mis-
cnievous playmate VINO iS now the presi-
dent of bank in western city. 1t was
during the cherry season, and at the time
the cherry seed was put in his ear he was
Lying on the schooi room floor asleep,
when his playmate just for fun dropped
the seed in his ear, and with his finger
pushed it just beyond the oritice, where it
has remained ever since until the last few
days He went to DIR. S. NJ. Fisler at the
time to get it removed, but with only a
partial attempt at removal, abandoned the
effort, with the consoling assurance that il
would never trouble him, and it never has
during the whole time, except occasionally
when troubled with cold in his head, his
hearing in that ear would become little
dull. About twenty-five years ago a
skilIlul surgeon in New York city made
an attempt 10 extract it, but without sue
cess at the time, and the operation being
SO painful, Mr.. Z. determined to abandon
the attempt at removal, preferring th'
seed to remain quietly in his ear rathe
ithan suffer The pain caused by the effort 0
the surgeon at removal. The case was 81
remarkable as to cause doubts in the mint
of the surgeon as to Mr.. C.'s col rectuess
until The seed was actually grasped in hi
ear by his instrument. Last Thursday
however, in Swinging his ear with soal
suds, an application he had never triec
before, the seed by some peculiar chem
ical action of the suds, was forced out 0
the ear and dropped into the wash basin
much TO the surprise and delight Of MI
Cummius, who at first could scarcely be
lieve his own eyes.


He has the seed now in bis possession
and when shown to the writer it looked a
perfect in appearance as when that boy
all for fun, put it in over 1orty years ago


The opinion OF all medical men, we be
lieve, he's been that foreign matter coul'
not exist for any length of timein livins
organ without producing inflammation
and the fact that it has, is what makes j
an interesting case in medical science.
Year: 1878

ONE of the very serious incidental Ca
lamities attending the yellow fever in the
Southwest is that it totally paralyzes al,
industry, trade ard business Everything
comes 10 stand still except nursing the
sick and burying the dead. There is no
longer any possibility Of making daily
living by the wages Of daily bread. Those
who had nothing ahead are in danger OF
starvation. Think ofthat
Year: 1878

"Puss in Boots is mythical person
age, but the dog in boots is no lmag1n..
ary creature. In the regions OF eterna!
snow and ice, where the only beast OF
burden is the dog, the cold is sometimes
80 intense that sharp icicles form be-
tween the claws Of the canine sledge
travellers. This causes most serious
obstacle to the speedy progression OF
the dogs, and would, after few days,
render them utterly unht for their Labor
ious duties, as the icicles grow, larger
and larger as they go on, until the poor
creatures are quite unable to stand. The
older dogs, however, will every now and
then stop and bite off the icic!es from
their feet. No so with the novice. He
trudges YEARLY along; every step ne
takes adds to his torture, and after
lime every imprint of his foot on the
snow bears red stain from his out and
bleeding paws. Atsuch times the dogboot
is called into requisition by the driver,
principally for policy, but occasionally,
let US hope, out of humanity. The dog
boot is generally made Of raw hide, and
is simply shaped like small bag or
pocket. This is drawn over the foot OF
the animal and made secure by tying it
round the ankle with q leather string.
Thus protected, if the surface OF the snow
is pretty level, these wonderful Esqui-
maux dogs will travel at the rate Of forty
miles day for many days in succession.
Year: 1878

vurKlSn DaGu AMOuS tAo NOh A0AOoos


A Leavenworth (Kansas) Times re-
porter visited the Nez Perces camp
above Fort Leavenworth, and through
the courtesy Of Lieutenant Wieting,
was permitted for short time to OBJ
serve the condition a the red captives.
Everything about the camp bore a
cheerful aspect and appeared remarka-
bly clean, This is in measure due,
perhaps, to the habits of the tribe,
which require them to take bath every
morning. The naodas operandt OF the
bath is in some respects peculiar, one
portion of the process being sweat
bath. When the camp Was first estab.
lished the artisans who were competent
for the work built "sweat-house, ="
consisting of deep hole in the ground
within q few feet of the river and cover
ed ingeniously with earth, making the
roof appear like mound with top Like
the bottom of an iron kettle. An aper-
ture WAS left on the east side; in front
of this. a fire was built and several large
stones which had been collected were
heated red-hot. In the bottom OF the
hole was placed sufdciency of water to
create steam; the rocks then were thrown
in, and the members of the tribe one
after another went into the oven, for
such it is, and remained until the body
was profusely covered With perspiration.
After this leap thu ough the aperture
TO the open air, and plunge into the
cold waters of the Missouri finished the
bath. This custom is an old one with
the Nez Perces, and the bath is taken
regularly every morning no matter what
the condition Of the weather is, or what
the ailments of the body may be, SO
long as the man or woman is able to
walk. This proceeding, which is not
unlike a Turkish bath, is said by the
braves who can speak little English to
"make Indian much good"
Year: 1878

Few men die of age. Almost all die
of disappointment, passion, mental or
bodily toll, or accident. The passions
kill men sometimes, even suddenly. The
common expression, choked with pas
sion has little exaggeration in it; for
even though not suddenly fatal, strong
passions shorten life. =. Strong-bodied
men often die young-weak men live
longer than the strong, for the strong
use their strength and the weak have
none to use. The latter take care OF
themselves, the former do not. As it is
with the body, SO it is with mind and
temper. The strong are apt to break,
or, like the candle, to run; the weak to
burn out. The inferior animals which
live, in general, regular and temperate
lives, have generally their prescribed
term OF years. The horse lives twenty.
five years; the OK fifteen or twenty; the
lion about twenty; the dog ten or
twelve; the rabbit eight; the guinea-pig
six or seven years. These numbers all
bear a similar proportion to the time
the animal takes to grow to it's full size.
But man, of the animals, is one that
seldom comes up to this average. He
ought to live a hundred years, according
to this physiological law, for five times
twenty are one hundred; but instead OF
that, he scarcely reaches, on on average,
four times his growing period; the cat
six times; and the rabbit even eight
times the standard Of measurement.


The reason is obvious-nan is not only
most irregular ard the most incorporate,
but the most laborious and hard-worked
of all animals. He lis also the most lrr1ta-
BILE of all animals; and there is no reason to
believe, though we can not tell what an
animal secretly feels, that more than
any other animal man cherishes wrath
to keep it warm, and consumes himself
with the fire of his own secret reflections.
Year: 1878

The authors of the newly published
book named "Two Thousand Miles in
Texas on Horseback" tell wonderful
story about the subterranean forests
which they observed on the prairies ly-
ing near the River Concho. in the west
ern part of the State. Riding over
these vast prairies, thus the story runs,
"though you will see no trees, yet you
will often see tender little switch Of
the mesquit shooting few feet above
the ground. Now, stop at one OF these
and strike at it's roo with pieka1e, you
will expect nothing but tender, fibrous
roots; but instead of these, the pick
comes in contact with heavy, solid
body. -.


"Surprised, you remove the thin
covering of earth, and you find living
log as thick as mans leg, extending
you know not how far. Exploring fur
ther around the same little shoot, you
find many logs of the same size, and an
infinite number of branches extending
from them. Thus each little twig yields
you from quarter to a half cord of
fuel-wood, not equalled for that purpose
by any other wood within my knowledge.
Thus these treeless plains are filed with
fuel, almost equal in it's supply to the
heaviest forests. These shoots do not
increase in size, but after attaining a
certain dimension, too small to be
dreaded by an urchin, they either stand
at that or die and give place to others.
The branches of the large roots left in
the ground speedily supply the loss by
other roots as large rs those taken
away"


Various theories are put forward to
account for the existence of these under
ground forests, bat none cited by the
narrators of the story are satisfactory.
It is said by some that the burning heat
of the sun has prevented the growth Of
the trees above ground. Others urge
that the scarcity of rain in the region
induced the phenomenon; and again,
that it is owing to the frequency of the
prairie fires, which consume the vegeta-
ton exposed to it's effects. But the
same influences have nowhere else pro-
duced the same remarkable results.