smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

"Man at his best estate is but vanity"
were the words Of the greatest, richest,
wisest and most powerful man of his age or
Of any age, and all the great who have
come after him have but repeated the SEN
timent With all the glory and honor
which an admiring nation or world can be-
stow, with all the wisdom which talent can
acquire, with all the comforts and luxuries
which money will purchase, and vastly
more than all these with that satisfaction of
MAD resulting from rectitude of purpose,
and conscientious performance of duty,
life is still nothing but an uneasy dream.
Inc life Of Charles Sumner seemed to the
world one grand success. Wherever he went
ne was crowned with honor, still he adds
MS testimony to that Of all the past. Sure.
y there must be something better and more
perfect in tho great Hereafter. ..Henry
Year: 1874

tain1y Of the decline Of wheat and advised
them to sell


Last Fall we took cons derable pains to
ascertain the facts with regard to the pros
poets, and for the information of our read
ers had translated and published an article
on the subject from leading paper, and
felt justified in advising our readers to hold
for higher prices, those who took our ad-
vice have no occasion to repent. We have
seen nothing yet that would make US give
any different advice now. There is one
fact that papers have lost sight of, who
have based their conclusions on the large
amounts now in store. and then figured up
on the usual amount as remaining in the
hands Of the farmers. The fact is, owiur
to our favorable winter that nearly every
bushel Of wheat that will be sold the pres.
ent season is now in store.


frelghts nave been reduced, money made
more plenty by an act Of Congress, and the
foreign demand is not met. Wheat is now
advancing instead of declining at Chicago.
and the supply is reported light at New
! York, and we can see no reason why man
who is able to do 80 should not hold h;a
wheat for the usual high markets of Nav
and June.
Year: 1874

A FAMILY ALBUM.-There is sort of
delirious joy in looking over family al
bum, especially if it is II very old album,
with a spraired back, which occasionally
ard Unexpectedly drops through your
fingers, leaving a couple Of cousins in one
hand and three aunts in the other, and
the balance Of the family under the chair.
The first picture is of an old gentleman,
with an expression of wary cautiousncss
in his face, as if he was engaged in dodg
ing a wild bull, and was somewhat doubt
ful of the result. Opposite him is the
grandmother, patent-loo>in lady in
a black dress, with book in one hand
and a pair of spectacles in the other.
There is a feeble but well meaning effort
to look safe in her face. On the next
leaf is middle-aged man, looking as if
he had been suddenly shot through the
roof OF a starch factory, and had landed
in the middle of a strange country. OPP
posite is the picture of his wife, who, hav-
ing heard the rumor of the catastrophe,
has made up her mind to be prepared for
the worst. Then follow the children
little girls looking so prim as to make
you squirm, and little boys with their
eyes turned on their noses, and with an
expression on their faces Of unearthly
solemnity. Then follow unclcs, taken in
their overcoats, with a spreading inclin-
alton in their clothes, hair, and face, rs
if they were bound to get their moneys
worth and aunts, with wart. on their
noses and varnish in their hair, and pre-
postcrous lace collars about their necks.
Then, there is the bashlul young man
penncd sopposite an aggressive young
lady, whom heaven and some married
women have designed for each other.
There are, also, the pictures Of Cousin
Aleck and his young wife, who stopped
here when on their tour, and no young
man looks at him without refining at
once and registering tcTbic VOW newer
to get married. Besides these, i- the pio-
turc of the man who lived next doo eight
years, at the end Of which time, his vie
died, and he moved to Illinois with his
children, and is now worth some $4,000.
He has been photographed in his hat,
which is one size too large for him, and
when gives him the appearance of hay


ing murdered his aunt and concealed
the body. Then there are two or three
fine looking corsars OF no particular
identity, and several broken-spiritcd wo-
men with babies in their arms-dircctly
or indirectly related to the owners Of the
album, and the exhibition closes. Doa-
bury NeOS.
Year: 1874

How much the heart may bear, and yet not


break


How much the flesh may suffer and not die
question much if any pain or ache
OF soul or body, brings the end moro nigh.
Death chooses his own time; till that is sworn,


All evils may be borne
We shrink and shuddor at the surgeons knife,
Each nerve recoilmg from the cruel steel,
Whose edge seems searching for the quiyering


life;


Yet to our sense the bitter pnngs reveal,
That though the trembling flesh be torn,


This also can be borne.
We see sorrow rising in our way,
And strive to fly from the approaching i'll
We seek some small oseapo-wo weep and


pray


But when the blow falls, then our hearts are


still;
Not that the pain is of its sharpness shorn,


But that it can be borne.
We wind our life about another life
We hold it closer, dearor than our own;
Anon it taints and falls in deadly strife,
Leaving us stunned, and stricken, and alone.
But, ah we do not die with what we mourn


This also can be borne.
Behold ! we live through all things famine


thirst,


Bereavement, pain, all grief and misery,
All woe and sorrow. Life inlicts its worst
On soul and body, but we cannot die.
Though we be sick and tired and faint and


worn,


Lo all things may be borne.
Year: 1874

MARRIAGE CUSTOMS IN OLD BRITAIN.
When the Anglo-SaXons settled in Brit
ain the patriarchal system was in full
force. The father was absolute master
in his own family; he sold his daughter
In marriage, his son in slavery. When
st. Augustine landed on the island the
maiden was simple article Of property,
her price fixed at so many head of cattle.
The primitive mode of procuring wife
was this When youth had fixed his
choice upon a maiden, he went with "A
band of friends and carried her off, prob
ably with her own secret connlvauce.
The relations followed in hot pursuit. II
feud between the families cn,ued, and
was only appeascd by the lover agreeing
to pay the value fixed upon By the father,
retaining possession Of the maid, he Civ
ing wed " or security for his perform
ance Of the contract-honce the word
wedding. This custom Of stealing the
bride is as ancient as the Spartans, and
is still kept up in Brittany, where it
forms one of the ceremonies OF the mar
riage festivities. The bargain made, the
amount of the morning gift" settled
upon, the contracting parties took each
other by the hand and proclaimed them
selves man and wife; the ring was placed
on the first finger Of the left hand, and
the father, having received the purchase
money, delivered his daughter over to
her hus band. The transfer of authority
was made by symbolic gift. The father
delivered the brides shoe to the BRIDE
groom, and the latter touched her over
the head with it--a ceremony which took
its origin in the custom of placing the
foot on the neck of the slave, and was
typical of the wfe's subjection to her
husband-a ceremony still preserved in
the custom of throwing the shoe" The
day after the wedding the bridegroom
gave the morning gift "-supposed to
be voluntary, but according to the value
stipulated. 1t was generally among the
Teuton race, and often estates Of some
value were thus bestowed. When Ath-
elstan's sister, Eadgirth, married the
Emperor Otho, his morning gift was the
city of Madgeburg.
Year: 1874

NoTIoNs ABOUT THE DEAD.-ln q
Russian tale grandmother says to hor
granddaughtc who is threatened by Il
liend. "Oh, dear me, my poor, unhappy
child Go quickly to the priest and ask
him this favor-that if you die, your
body shall not be taken out Of tho house
through the doorway, but that the
ground shall be dug away, from the
threshold, and that you shall be dragged
out through the opening"


This was originally a common mode OF
proceeding among various nations. They
thought the spirit could only return by
the same way it went out Of the house
and in order to prevent its return, they
took the dead through nm opening tina
could be afterwards stopped up.


Tho Tiski Of Alaska always carry
their dead out through hole in the bach
of the hut, and then close up tho hol,
with tho greatest care. Tho lIottontot,
break an opening through the side of :hC
| hiN W. lhu ooHlu pun lIpa'i "hN tilu i'l"Hi
ose, not content with this, having taler
tho dead body out, hurry Mt full spcec
round to the other side Of the house.


Another strange custom in Russia Is
this When person suffers very lin
gering death, in order. to render bis de-
parturc more easy, they let a black dog
by cord down through the roof over the
dying persons head. They regard n
black dog rs an omblcm of the human
spirit, and their action is intended tc
show the departing spirit which way tC
/ go.


The Chinese and the North American
/ Indians have also the idea that the spiri
leaves through the roof, supposing tina
the life must depart in the same way tha
itcamo from above.


In ancient Romo II person who had
been believed to be dead could only be
permitted to re enter his house through
the roof. In Germany the general beIiei
is that the soul departs through the win
dow. When person dies tho window
Of the room is Mt once thrown open, and
sometimes cup of water is placed on
the sin for the rcircshmcnt Of the spirit
as it enters on its long journey.
Year: 1874

We may shred tho moss-vau from the rose
Tho blossom from the spray;
The bloom that pearls the luoious grapes
A touch will brush away.
The vine may loosen from the treo


Which once it chung TO fast
But the heart will keep its memories
Till life itself be past
The gold must die from sunset skies,
Tho purple from far hills;
Tho foam flowers tado from opal waves
Drouth hush the babbling rillsI
The earth grow cold and passionless
Meath winters bittcr blast;
But tho heart will keep its memories
Till life itself be past
Tho flush will fade from check and brow ;
The sweet smile wane and dio;
The freshness leave tho coral lip;


Tears dim the brightest cyo.
Youth, beauty, hope and happiness,


And love may die at last;
But tho heart will keep its memories
Till life itself be past,
Year: 1874

How TO WIN A RACE conyerscd
with racst to-day. lie told me how
he won II race in New Haven. For -four
weeks he mixed soft rubber with the
horses oats, and every day he hitched
that horse to a post and opened blue
cotton umbrella in his face, making him
pull back, stretching his neck awfulIy.
Then he'd shut his umbrella, the horse
would stop pulling, and his neck would
resume its original length. He got the
horses neck very elastic, and on the day
of the race, just at the finish the driver
struck this mans horse bat behind the
ears, and his neck shot out almost a rod.
winning the race by neck. 1t is said
to be the biggest homestretch on record.
| believe the story to be true because the
man is the only son of deacon-1he
Canadian Geltieman'S Newspaper.
Year: 1874

ROCHESTER, April 22.-The Presidents veto
OF tho Imitation bill Is received with universal satisfac
ton in this city. one hundred guns were hred this
evening in honor OF the event.


BosToN, April 22.-The announcement from
Washington this afternoon that President Grant had
vetoed the Currency bill produced strong feeling OF
relief and Is the absorbing topic OF conversation ana
congratulation to ight all over the city.


BOsToN, April 22.-The Post tomorrow, IN
commenting the Presidents veto says that the
nation will be delivered from the disastrous uncertainty
in which Congress has kept it for the past four months,
and that many mistake made by his Administration
will be forgotten in gratitude for the act that saves
US from national disgrace The Advertiser says that
the the President has taken is most credtabe to
himself the national honor; and that under
the circumstances 1t required small degree OF moral
courage,
Year: 1874

THERE IS HOLE in the sidewalk on the
west sidasof Ninth street, near the corner of
Clay, which needs attention at once. Main
street, corner of Twenty-fourth, is in very
bad condition, vehicles having to use the
sidewalks at times to pass it.
Year: 1874

This, as the anniversary OF the betrayal
and crucifxtion of the Saviour, is day OF
woe and mourning in the Church. The chief
service is the Mass Of the Presanctified
Mysteries." In it the Passion is read, and
prayers for all conditions of men are said.
The cross is this day uncovered and ex-
posed to the adoration-that is, the solemn
honoring By kissing-of the faithful, during
which the hymn Cruz Ffdelis Is sung
After this the presancti1ied host is brought
back in procession from the sepulchre, and O
portion of the prayers of the mass appropri.
ate to the communion is said.
Year: 1874

AN ELEGANT RKsIDxNcR FoR RKNT.-We call
attention to the advertisement la another column,
Offering the new aud elegant residence OF ex-
Chancellor Bates for rent. 1t Is finely situated on
Delaware Avenue, No. 1908, and may be rented
with or without the furniture. In this connection
it may be well also to state that the rumor that
Mr.. Bates expected to be home in the spring is
erroneous His friends do not anticipate his re-
turn for year TO come.
Year: 1874

Editors Dispatch: Gentlemen,-A short
time agos1 called the attention of the city
authorities through the columns of yo,1r
paper to the bad condition of Tenth where
itjoins Abagail street, and appealed that thev
would cause something to be done in the
way OF grading, but without avail. T cannot
see why the convenience of SO many tax.
payers should be so little consulted in the
general repairs Of streets. A large class of
the laboring and mechanical portion of the
city population live on north Seventeenth
street, and yet If they wish to 60 to the upper
portion Of the city--say within four or Eve
hundred yards directly opposite on Ninth
strect--it will be necessary to make circuit.
Gus course up Broad; whereas, il any one
of these streets north Of Clay and running
parallel with it, was extended it would be
only few minutes walk.


ltappears to me that the city officials whose
business it is to look after street improve
ments show q total disregard for the comfort
of the citizens in neglecting to have one OF
the streets l refer to extended, or, at least,
made into suitable foot.patb. Are there
not many persons in the upper part of the
city that every day experience the present
Inconvenience How many sick persons in
whose favor the balance Of life would proba'
bly, have been turned if they could hold more
direct communication with their uptown
physician? But in overlooking the convent
enee Of such large portion of the people is
not the prosperity of the whole city affected
thereby? A CITIZEN.
Year: 1874

RELIEF or TIE PooR.-The following pre-.
ambie and resolution were adopted at the
meeting of the Relief Committee held In the
rooms Of the Young Mems Christian Asso.
ciation:


Whereas the funds Of this committee are
exhausted, and appeals to the Council and
other efforts to raise money have failed
and whereas the distress among the poor
seems to be fearfully on the increase; and
whereas this committee was appointed by q
meeting of the Mayor and the clergy Of this
city, they feel it to be their duty to report
their failure further TO aid the poor to the
body that appointed them; therefore


"Resolred, That the secretary be request
ed to call a meeting Of the Mayor and clergy
of this city, to be held at the rooms OF the
Young Mems Christian Association on Fri
day next at r. NJ, to hear the report Of
this committee, its visitors, and take such
other steps Us may be necessary"
Year: 1874

VIRGINIA Notwithstanding was
wrong there last night. The speaker an
nounced-Mr. Thomas r. Evans there
and the people were there, but as the ball
was not lighted up the people went home
unenlightened on the "chemlco-physiologl
cal effects of temperance"
Year: 1874

reports is full of tantology and pleonasm,
like lawyers writ and the language which
should explain statistics becomes veil to
hide their meaning. Happy is the country
when it finds public officer who can write
pure, clear English, and stop when his sub
ject is exhausted and before his readers ara
Fortunately our newspapers are not written
in the turgid style OF our public documents,
for If they were the people would know very
little OF their government The newpapers
indeed, give the public all its information OF
national affairs the government does SO
only remotely, aud would be dumb without
their aid,
Year: 1874

The Edinburgh CO,rdnt confirms the story
recently printed to the effect that the Pope
was about to confer cardinals hat upon
Archbishop Manning, and that the Archbishop
had visited Rome for the purpose of receiving
it. We have heard nothing further in refer
ence to the rumored intention Of His Holiness
to elevate on American prelate to this high
dignity, but it is understood that the Pope
will make the appointment along with some
others at the Christmas or probably the Easter
festivities. 1t is believed that the time has
come for the Holy See to depart from its policy
of treating the United States as missionary
part of the Church, like Patagonia or New
Zealand. Our Republic is a great power and
should be treated as such. The loyalty of
the American Catholics to the Pope is 30
marked that it should receive recognition in
the shape of o compliment to some of their
reverend and beloved prelates. Furthermore,
the Pope, IN the exercise of that infallible
wisdom which the faithful regard as mani
festation Of the will OF God, deemed it best
for the interests of the Church to elevate to
the rank Of cardinal a young, inexperienced
and not particularly clever priest because he


was grandnephew of Napoleon I. and q
cousin to Napoleon ILL., Certainly he should
do as much for the United States OF America.


II cardinals are of any use at all in the
economy of the Catholic faith they are as
necessary in America as in France and Spain.
Year: 1874

SOME PERSONS propose to get up testi-
monial to the heroes of the battle with the
burglars at Bay Ridge. If the suggestion
should be carried out sum of money to the
two hired men who took part in the affair
would no doubt be welcome and would not be
misapplied. Mr.. Holmes Van Brunt and his
SON might happily be each presented with q
rifle and revolver, accompanied by the ex-
preston of hope that all the New York
burglars, when practising their profession
may 90 to Bay Ridge.
Year: 1874

THE STORY OF CHARLEY Ross and the tragedy
of the dead burglars grows in interest with
the revelations Of each day. The identity OF
Mosher with the child stealer seems pretty
thoroughly established, All the testimony
tends to this conclusion. If it is correct the
worst is to be feared in regard to the child
Indeed, we have painful story detailed at
length in our news columns of q child
drowned in an unfrequented spot, which,
during the summer, was favorite haunt Of
these men. Can it be possible that this un-
claimed and unknown babe was Charley Ross?
There is reason to fear it, though we trust it
is not true and that the boy will soon be
found. Nothing short of the restoration of
the child can heal the sorrows of tragedy
astounding in itself and bewildering as much
from what is known concerning II as from
what remains to be revealed
Year: 1874

TEE MAJORITY IN THE GERMAN PARLIAMENT
on the grant to the secret service was signi-
fcant in view of the fact that an ap-
peal was made in favor of the measure on the
ground that the opposition was an ultra
montane attack on Bismarck. Appeals to
religious bigotry will not much longer sustain
the Prince Chancellor in the repressive policy
OF the Empire. On every hand there are signs
that the German people are becoming restive
Year: 1874

COMPULSORY EDUCATION in New York begins
on the first OF the year, and what the superin-
tendents and teachers of schools think OF the
law is thoroughly set forth in another column.


The opinion is general that the new law will
work we'll and will be Of great benefit to the
Year: 1874

THE NEWS FROM New ORLEANS this morning
bears more healthful look, particularly in the
fact that it is without especial Importance.
Evidently the people are looking to Congress
for relief. 1t is probable Congressional COM
mittee will soon visit Louisiana, and it is to
be hoped the necessary measures to restore
tranquility to the State will be speedily de-
visnd
Year: 1874

thousands of children who are now growing
up in pagan ignorance and crime. In this
city it is the intention to enforce the law with
energy and the police force will be employed
to obtain much of the essential information.
Special and evening schools will have to be
established. no doubt to properly execute
this important measure.
Year: 1874

the first time in his career checked by power
he fears, threatens to resign.


Let us present this question with all possi-
BILE emphasis, because here is the latest and
most important phase of this contest. The
Prince saw fit to declare the arrest and impris-
onment of Herr Majunke. a member of the
Reichstag, for the expression of an opinion
hostile to the religious policy of the Chan
cellor. Although the Reichstag has been
thoroughly submissive to the Chancellor
it appointed a committee which passed
resolution 'that the arrest was inadmis-
sible, and recommended that Parliament
demand his immediate liberation To
this the government responded by releas-
ing the member. But this does not seem to
have satisfied Parliament, for on Wednesday
a resolution was adopted declaring that in
order to uphold the dignity of Parliament
IAN amendment to the constitution is neces-
sary to prevent the arrest of member during
the session." Accordingly Bismarck threatens
to resign, deeming the vote a want OF
confidence. The fact that Prussian Minister
should not hesitate to lay violent hands on the
representative OF sovereign farllament anu
imprison him for the simple expression of an
opinion shows the real value of German lib
erty. We congratulate the Reichstag that it
has made this protest against the interference
of the Crown. The truth is that the contest
in Germany is between Prussia and the at
tempt of Bismarck to aggrandize the House of
Hohenzollern and Germany, which Prussia
has thus far governed by appealing to the
patriotic impulses of the people for national
unity. The Germans begin to see in these
extraordinary events, and particularly in the
severe sentence imposed upon Count Arnim,
that national unity is only pretext for Prus-
sian aggrandizement Bismarck is simply
carrying out the legend of Frederick the Great
that Germany should govern Europe, that
Prussia should govern Germany, and that the
House of Hohenzollern should be the absolute
paster of Prussia and Of the Continent. The
issue is now between German unity and free
dom and the ambition of the Prussian King