smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

That is a very funny ghost story
which is going the round of the papers.
That it is merely fact of the imagina-
ton rather than of history does not mar
il in the least. A late traveller, the word
"late" referring not to his decease; but
to the hour of the night, while cropping
his way home, saw in the middle of the
highway what he took to be q veritable
ghost. 1t stood still and was dressed in
white, as any oonventionally respectable
apparition would be. Brave at heart he
determined to solve the mystery. Ad-
vancing with cautious tread he got close
to the "sheeted dead" and struck It
right smart blow with his stick. What
hSppened Immediately after he alone
can describe with its proper pathos. He
was lifted into the air and came down
with a disagreeable thud in the mud Of
the ditch. Upon proper investigation the
ghost turned out to be q white mule,
who was standing the night out in med
itative mood, when his reverie was bro
ken in upon by the intruder. The vic
tim declares that whatever his private
opinions may be, he shall hereafter oct
as though ghosts were reality, and steer
clear Of any communication with thsna'
Year: 1878




The farmer, no doubt, some
times thinks that the newspaper
man is little cheeky in so per-
sistehtly dunning his patrons.
An exchange institutes comparison
to show how far the farmer would
enjoy similar state of things. We
will suppose he has a crop of 1000
bushels of wheat, and his neighbor
comes and buys some, and the price
being the small matter of 50 or less,
says, 81 will hand you the amount
10 few days" As the farmer does
not want to he small about the mat
ter he. says all right, and the man
leaves with his wheat. Another
comes in the same way, until the
whole /, 900 bushels ofwheat is trust
ed out to one Thousand different per-
sons, and not one of the purchasers
concerns himself about it, for it is a
small amount that he owes the farm
er and of course that would not help
him any. He does not realize that
the farmer has frittered away his
crop of wheat, and that its value is
due him in a thousand little driblets,
and that he is seriously embarrassed
in his business because his debtors
treat it as small matter. But if all
would pay him promptly, which they
could do as well as not, it would be
a very large amount to the farmer.
and enable him to carry on his busi-
ness without difficulty. This COM
parison is too true of the difficulties
that the newspaper man has to con-
tend with.
Year: 1878

The following meritorious lines were
handed to US for peruSal and we take the
liberty to present them to our readers,
hoping to be forgiven for the breach of
trust. The author is a farmer, 70 years Of
age.
Year: 1878

Now rest upon the happy shore


In purih-kistion."


They then put a white gown on me,
tolerablY clean, and the G.. w. sprinkled
some rose-water on me from silver wa
ter-pot, which was told was the purif-
cation designated. was then taken to
the centre of the room, where the whole
BODY Joined in dance round about me,
chanting to the twanging Tyre:


cit is finished He is ours,
Year: 1878




GOLDEN HAIR AT THE CHAN
cEL.-A friend living in Phila-
delphia has sweet golden
haired little daughter, aged threej
years, who is devoted to her
father, and endeavors, after her
baby fashion. to govern her ac-
tions by his own. This habit
causes much amusement in the
family, though the little one
seems quite unconscious that she
is the cause of it all.


Not long ago the child attend
ed divine service for the first
time with her father, and sat
quietly and gravely in the pew
until the close of the sermon.
1t chanced to be communion
Sunday, and Mr.. -, being a
communicate, went with others
toward the chancel, unconscious
that his little daughter was fol-
lowing him. AS he kneIt and
bowed his head, the baby of
three years beside him also knelt
and bowed her sweet face upon
her tiny hands. Those who saw
the touching sight were affected
almost to tears, and nobody at
tempted to remove the small
communicate. Not until my
friend rose to return to his seat
did he discover the child, who
also rose, and slipping her little
hand in his, walked gravely to-
ward the pew. The clergyman,
speaking OF it afterward, said it
was, in his opinion, the most
beautiful sight he had ever seen.
-H02per's MdQdzine.
Year: 1878

work is commenced and will go
on. The reason assigned for
abandoning the idea of going
into Montana is the probable
early completion Of the North
ern Pacific to Helena, which will
control the Montana trade. This
view Of the subject, which is
doubtless correct, affords strong
hope that a railroad through
this section is among the posi-
bilities Of the early future.


Nothing is more certain than
that If that road is built to the
Columbia river-and we have no
doubt it will bet will be con-
tinued to Puget Sound. That is
manifest destiny.
Year: 1878

insgly adheres, to the terms of
tle platform upon which he was
elected. Nothing makes the
politicians of his party so furi-
ous as the practice he has Of
reading to those who call upon
him to remonstrate, the platform
which they mutually endorsed,
and asking them to point out the
act wherein he had departed
from the bond Of agreement with
the people.


The whole trouble lies with
caucus rule in the Government; !;
a system, the whole design, aim
and end of which is to defeat
the popular will in the interest
of professional politicians
Whatever professions or pledges
may be made by candidates, a
combination in caucus may over
rule. 1t is the rule to submit
every measure to a caucus test,
by which a majority of a major
ity control legislation. Thus a
combination of nineteen Senators
in caucus can control the action
of a body composed of seventy
six members. Nine contiguous
States with common interests
may combine and dominate nne-
teen other States. By this
means the manufacturing and
monied States control all the
agricultural States, by compell-
ing the representatives Of free
trade constituency to surrender
their rights to caucus dictation
under the penalty of being ostra-
cised as party traitors. There
will be no free legislation and
the popular will can never be
fairly represented until this in
famous caucus system is abolish
oI
Year: 1878

"From envy, hatred and NAL
ice and all uncharltableness.
Good Lord deliver us"


To put no higher considera-
ton upon it than simply as a
matter of public policy, the hab-
it of personal detraction is most
damaging to the material inter
ests of any community. The
personal rights or character OF
no citizen Of u wealth
can be assailed without injury to
the whole; the more damaging
the higher the position OF rep
resentative character of the as
sailed. For instance, what pub
lie benefit is sought; what pub
lie interest is to be subserved by
the persistent and perpetual vi
tuperatlon of Senator Mitchell
by his immediate constituents?
Neither he nor any of his friends
care to defend the error-crime,
if You please-of his early man.
hood. 1t was an offence pecu
liarly Of private nature, belong
ing exclusively to his domestic
relations, impelled by circum-
stances of which no man can
Judge but by like experience;
the summary severing by un-
lawful means of a tie to which
he was bound by laws both sa-
cred and civil, and the resort to
unlawful devices to evade the
penalty, were acts which all de-


cent persons condemned, and for
which we have no doubt he has
severely suffered. Those We're
the acts of a private citizen, long
since past, and it is but charita-
BILE to believe have been con-
doned. At least they have no
thing to do with his representa-
tive character, by which he must
alone be judged as a chosen Sen
ator of a sovereign State. That
he has served his State with
fidelity and zeal cannot be fairly
questioned. That those services
should be recognized is due to
his State as much as to himself.
Any attempt to throw dlscredit
upon his public acts in behalf of
his State, or to weaken his infu-
ence, the State suffers from quite
as much as himself. That he
has served the best interests of
his State in the matter of the
railroad grant, for which he has
been most vehemently denounced
is now manifest by the position
of that matter in Congress; al
Year: 1878

The reports from Congress are
that a compromise has been
made between the managers OF
the Northern Pacific Railroad
and the Oregon delegation, by
which the extension of time and
the transfer of the land formerly
granted to the branch to the
Portland, Dalles and South Pass
Company, are to be reported
from the Committee in two sep
crate bills, each to stand upon
it's own merits, Independent OF
the other. The Portland papers
are jubillant over this compro-
mise, regarding it as an assur-
ance that both bills will pass
with but very little if any oppo-
sition. Having personally OBJ
served the ways of Congress
and delays consequent upon the
efforts Of the supporters of hun
dreds of different measures to
secure their own, when there is
only time to consider and dis
pose of one in ten of the same,
we have no such hope. The
railroad bill, or bills, now in the
fifth month Of the session, has
only reached an agreement to
report to the Senate branch OF
Congress. When it passes that
branch it goes to the House and
will have to take its place in the
regular order of business with
hundreds of bills in every stage
Of legislation ahead of it. If
Congress adjourns in June, as is
now probable, it is not possible
to reach u final vote upon it
without a suspension of the
rules, which requires a two
thirds vote, which is not very
likely to be available. But we
are not without hope from an
other source. The Idaho States
man, edited by cx-Judge Kelly,
says:


"lMr. Frank Coffin, of this city,
during his recent visit to Chi
cago, met and conversed with
one Of the principal men con-
nected with the Union Pacific
Railroad, who informed him that
it was not the intention to build
the Utah Northern into Mon
tana, but that 1t would be con-
tinued to a point in the Snake
river valley, from whence the
route could be connected with
the Hudnutt survey down the
Snake river valley. This rail
road man informed Mr.. Coffin
that the company he represent
ed had already purchased the
rails for six or seven hundred
miles of broad gauge track, and
that it was the intention to push
the road through to the Colum-
bia. 1t has been very clearly
shown that the building of Is
road is a necessity for the Union
Pacific. which must have a COM
peting line westward.


This company is, no doubt, the
main factor in engineering the
bill for tho Salt Lake road,
which will probably soon become
a law; but whether that bill
passes or not the road will be
built, and this step of utilizing
what is already built Of the
Utah Northern shows that the
Year: 1878

No public man of England ever min-
gled SO much pursuit of everything in
the form of indulgence with SO much
parliamentary activity as did Charles
James Fox. From the dinner he went
to the debate, from the debate to the
gaming table. and returned to his bed
by daylight, frelghted with parliamenta
ry applause. plundered of his last dis
possible guinea, and fevered with sleeps
lsssness and agitation. to go through
the same round within the next twenty
four hours. He kept no table and no
house. but every house and table of his
party in politics was at his disposal.
Year: 1878

belt it is at the expense of Wash
ingtsn Territory in a measure.
We say these things not in the
personal interests of Senator
Mitchell, for we were never his
apelogist or partisan; but as a
matter Of simple justice.


In our own Territory, we re-
greet to say, like disposition
prevails to bellttle, vituperate
and defame our own Delegate in
Congress, Mr.. Jacobs, whose per
sonal character has ever been
free from reproach. What has
he done, or failed to do, to merit
such censure? No man could
have been more attentive or
more faithful to all the require
ments of public duty. Neither
the claims Of family, in sickness
and death; nor the demands Of
party, when called upon to at
tend the National Convention,
have drawn him a single day
from his post. The promptness
with which he has responded TO
every private request; the vigi-
lance with which he has guarded
and sought to promote every
public measure of interest to his
constituents; the research and
labor which he devoted to pre-
sentlng facts and statistics in de-


fence of the people against the
onerous eXactions of a corporate
monopoly; all entitle him to the
highest praise, instead of the
censure of his constituents. 1t
he has not been as successful IN
all his efforts as could be wished,
it ought to be remembered that
no member of Congress from any
State in the Union is subject to
so many demands which he is
utterly powerless to respond to
as a Delegate from a Territory.
1t is the part Of sound public
policy, no less than matter of
personal justice, to do all in our
power to give a moral support
to our Delegate instead Of at
tempting to weaken his infu-
ence by deprecating his efforts.


The practice of assailing the
characters of our representative
men prevails in this community
to an extent greatly to be dep
recated, and 1T has damaged our
common interests to an extent
beyond computation, in preju-
dicing strangers and capitalists
against settlement or investment.
With our very limited available
capital, credit is absolutely nee
essary to develope our vast
natural resources. The Seattle
Coal Company at one time mort
gagged their property to San
Francisco capitalists and ex-
pended the money in improving
their works. The loan became
due before they were ready to
meet it. A newspaper cotempo


rary in this city, with grudge
against Mr.. Shattuck, the Super
intendent, stated that if the
mortgage was forcclosed the
mortgages would get nothing
but "a hole in the ground. ="
Knowing how sensitive capital
is, Mr.. Shattuck anticipated the
disastrous consequences likely
to result from such a publication
coming from this quarter, and
started Immediately overland to
reach San Francisco as soon as
this damaging report. He sue


cceded IN getting time for an
expert coal engineer to be sent
up to examine and report the
condition Of the mine. Upon
that examination and report the
creditors were perfectly satisfied
to renew the loan and offered to
increase it. But for the cner-
getlc action Of Mr.. Shattuck,
the Company would undoubted-
ly have been thrown into bank
ruptcy; our most valuable in
dustry been suspended for years,
no railroad built. and no coal
Year: 1878

Claret is considered the true
parliamentary wine for the peer
age Of England, for it may make
a man sleepy or sick, but it new
er warns his heart or stirs up
his brains. Port, on the other
hand, is the wine for the Com
mons; it quickens the circula-
ton and the fancy.
Year: 1878

Shall we grow our own coffee? The
Department of Agriculture thinks Lower
California, portion ofTexas and Flori-
da possess all the essentials of soil and
climate. The question Is an important
one.
Year: 1878

The Massachusetts Senators took exception
in the Senate Tuesday to Mr.. Blaine's very
proper remarks on the presentation by Maine
of the statue of William King to the national
gallery. They apparently desired that history
should be falsified in order to protect the rep
utation of their State, or that the historian
should at least be silent concerning events
which cast doubt upon her loyalty to the
Union.
There Is no call to-day for our Congress-
men to discuss the Hartford Convention,
however strong the temptation offered by
the recent publication of the correspondence
of some OF the most noted of the New Eng
land Federalists. That remarkable body and


its remarkable doings can be left to the his
torian. But Senator Blaine in giving 5
sketch, however slight, of the first Governor
of this State, could not in justice to his sub
ject and his audience omit to mention the
most striking event and the greatest achieve
ment of William Kings career, the separa-
ton of the District of Maine from Massachu-


sets and its admission into the Union as a
State. Nor could he well neglect mention OF
the causes which led to that separation. His
speech needs no explanation nor apology. II
Massachusetts, was hit hard that was the
misfortune of her situation. Her Senators
certainly did not help her case. Mr.. Hoar
and Mr.. Dawes may be men of broader cul
ture than Mr.. Blaine, but In his knowledge Of
the political history of this country he is abb
solutely without rival. His assailants met
him in his favorite field, and were of course


roughly used. When next they think to


cross swords with the Senator from Maine


they will do wise to prepare themselves by


taking few lessons in the fencing schools.
Year: 1878

And continue to smile,


Which may soften the heart of the Cow


Here an opportunity presents itself to i'm


part culture to the infant mind which any


good magazine ought to jump at. The verse


quoted is one of the nursery rhymes of an


cient civilization, sung beside the race in its


cradle, and its elucidation should be labor


of love to all who have the education of our


children at heart. The meaning OF the song


is plain to every comparative mythologst.


The Cow is the cow-headed Here of the Pc


Iasgian peoples, or perhaps the Egyptian Isis
at any rate the cow-dety of some branch of


our Aryan ancestors. The Man upon the


stile is the wretch who has committed a
crime and sits shuddering at the coming ven.


geance of the unforgetting gods. The Cow,


the goddess in her own proper form, bears


down on him like retribution itself, cold
and weak with theiweight of sin he seeks
some method of escape or some way of pro-
pitiating the offended deity; but all he can do
is to smile-much as we endeavor to pass
over our faults and failures with laugh, to


put them aside as of no account, ,foolishly hop
ing to deceive the undesirable ones. This is


the mythus, sublime In its simplicity.
The story is the story of human life
and folly and retribution, told in strong,
rugged words as BELTS the theme. The
end? What end but one can there be
The furies are not to be baffled. Even the


question of the victim is couched in the Ian


guage of despair. The smile is hopelessly


sad, and he only spreads it all over his face
as the Roman hid his head in his toga at the
approach of swift-coming DEATH The story
is grand in its strength and simplicity. 1t is
the epos of sinful man, his fall and the inev-
table vengeance. As we read it feeling of
unutterable sadness overwhelms, vanquishes
us. Hope itself spreads its, wings in flight.
What does st. Nicholas do with this myth,
this race epic heavy with woe, which breathes
the spirit of the tragic poets in the forms Of
the prehistoric age? Disregarding the rich
opportunities for exegesis, the chance to
instruct its growing constituency and open
their minds to the transcendant beauties and
world significance of the Aryan fables, il
takes this race legend which has come down
to us from the Asatic table-lands, from the
plateau of Iran itself almost under the shad-
ow of the Hindu-kush, which lives striking
illustration in myths of the survival of the
fittest, and makes of it fairy tale-and a
comic fairy tale at that. 1t presumes to give
"seque." sequel told in difiuse prose ut
terly foreign to the feeling of the strong,
sinewy original The Cow is ridiculously
made to toss the Man into hickory tree,
whence an eagle takes him to her nest and
compels him to tell stories doubtless as alb.
surd as this one-to her eaglets. Then-bui
we have not patience to pursue the idle tale
further.


What shall be done with magazine which
so carelessly throws away its grand opportu
mites, which is so reckless of its future, SC
regardless OF its duties to its young constitu.
ency, which so sins against light? There
can be but one verdict.
Year: 1878

We do not read anonymous etters and communi-
cations The name and address of the writer are In
all indispensable, not necessarily for publication
but as guaranty of good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or preserve COM
munications that are not used.
Year: 1878

RECONCILIATION is progressing finely in
South Carolina. ALI the Republican circuit
judges have been got rid Of When the last
Republican is driven from the State the work
of paci6cation may be considered completed.
Year: 1878

The st. Nicholas is a magazine which as
sumes to be a means Of giving delight and
imparting culture to children. Its high pre-
tensions have certainly heretofore been fully
sustained by its performances. 1t is there
fore with as much surprise as regret that we
see in the current number an article which
will do much to ALLEVIATE the affections of
children and destroy the respect of their pa
rents for a periodical which has deservedly
held a high place in the regards of both.
The article in question is entitled "The Old
Man and the Nervous Cow" and is an at
tempt, necessarily unsuccessful, to furnish a
prose sequel to the children's song,


'There was an old man who said How


Shall 'scape from this horrible Cow?


r nil elf IN tha stia
Year: 1878

IT is publicly charged at the East
that the owners of the Bonanza silver
mines of the Pacific coast have been
expending a corruption fund of half a
million of dollars and upwards in the
West to create popular sentiment in
favor of the Bland silver dollar bill aud
to bring pressure upon Congress.
Year: 1878

TIE dress of the Spanish Minister'S
wife at q recent White House reception


was robe OF pale pink satin, with long
trained skirt draped with point lace
that cost $500 q yard. and waist
trimmed with oak leaves embroidered
in brown and embossed with diamonds.
Year: 1878




ALL it wants to precipitate general
European war is little sprinkling of
insult. If Russia would only insult
England little, or England Russia, or
Germany Austria, or France Germany,
or something of that kind occur some
where in the heated conglomeration of
nations, there would be an explosion in
a minute and war be inevitable. But
they will not any of them do it.
They bow and scrape and bunt around
each other in such an exasperatingly
polite way that there is nothing to
clutch at, and so there will be no war
in the dandyish crowd, and you may
bet on it.
Year: 1878

The "bronze buzzard," as the Baltimore
Gazette calls ii, which surmounts THE Ma
TroNAL REPUBLICAN building, was an eagle
once, until it lost its wings. 1t isn't very
handsome ornament now, but we are in
c!nsd to preserve it in its present condition
for use next fall, when we propose TO give it
to THURMAN and other hard-money Demo-
crats ns n choice desert after the feast of
Crow they are now eating out West As
they swallow it's gilded remains, especially
its ilaring tail, they will perhaps be re-
minded of the twenty-dollar eagles they
were wont to expose to the public in their
speeches against rag-money years ago but
swallow it they can and will for it will
prove to befmore dgestable than the dose
they are now forced to take.
Year: 1878

SOME of the Opposition papers are finding
fault with the New York Tribune, because
1t is aiming to resume its old place" in the
Republican party. The Tribune should be
encouraged in that aim by this kind of
ault-6nding. When it reaches the point of
being roundly abused by the Opposition, it
may congratulate itself that 1t has resumed,
so to speak. But we add, in the language
OF its founder, THE way to resume is to re-
sumc'
Year: 1878

GOLD is still down as low Is | Of per
cent. The fiat heathens are blind to the
significance of this fact, which means cheap
rent, cheap clothing and, in short, cheap
living for everybody.
Year: 1878

AT the exposition in Paris next year a
special jury will be appointed to investigate
the several recent electrical inventions
which may be presented for competition.
The most sangune expectations are enter.
tanned in France of the complete victory of
electric light over the old.fashioned gas
illumination, which it is predicted will soon
be altogether abolished and superseded by
the better and cheaper product of modern
science.