smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

Let me briefly sketch the boarding
house life of gentleman and wife,"
They occupy one room, which contains
bed, bureau, few chairs, perhaps
lounge. a shabby carpet and a few
cheap pictures. At about eight O'Clock
they come down to breakfast and join
eighteen or twenty others who are
squeezed so close at table that they can
hardly move their elbows. After break
fast the husband goes down to bust
ness. and the wife sets about killing
time. She begins with the morning pa
per, which is soon thrown aside if it
does not contain a column or two about
some scandal or the fashions. She
then goes into some other woman's
room, or the other woman goes into
hers, and the two sit there and talk
about everybody till the bell rings for
lunch. 1t is now the beginning of the
afternoon. If the weather is fine, she
dresses and goes out, perhaps to mat
inee. perhaps to visit friend in some
other boarding house, but more probs-
bly, to saunter along the principal
streets of the city, and examine
the latest fashions, see who among
her acquaintances are out and what
they wear, and make the clerks dance
around and show everything that she
doesn't want. If the weather is not fine
she stays in the house. gosslps, and
reads novels. Supposing her to have
been out, she has fund of chat about
dry-goods and knick-knacks wherewith
to regale her neighbors at the dinner
table. By this time the husband is
home from business pretty well worn
out. After dinner, card playing comes
in, or maybe another novel, or possibly
a visit to the theatre or opera, or an In
vitation to some vapid party. From
the time she rises at seven or eight till
she goes to bed at eleven or twelve,
not a thing has she done but amuse
herself and kill time. If it happens
that she has any children to look after
of course there is somthing to be done
besides gadding, but children are very
scarce in boarding houses, so scarce,
indeed, that two children to three cou-
pies may be called the average. The
husband works as hard as any man who
has home to cheer him when the days
business is over. The wife is merely
an idle woman whose board he pays.
This is the rule of course there are ex-
ceptions to it bnt by far the greater
part of married life in boarding houses
is substantially what have hastily de-
scribed.
Year: 1874

1t is remarkable how some writers
can adorn the most commonplace sub
ject with the flowers of poesy, and
make it joy forever. We read in a
contemporary that a highly esteemed
citizen of Franklin, "whO has dwelt
upon this sublunary sphere for the term
of seventy winters, and in that time
had the mingled grief and pleasure to
lay three wives where the flowers of
spring could grow over them, and the
dews of summer sparkle like robe of
diamond about them, recently took to
himself a fourth partner of his joys and
SORROWS in the person of charming
widow, who has deposited two matri-
monial ventures in place of perpetual
security, and gazed on the blushing
roses of seventy-tive summers
Year: 1874

II Hrebells and ferns from forest nook


oh leave them with me and let me dream
see them growing beside brook,


And hear the whipping .rill of the stream.
/ watch from round. red knob uprise,


Crosier-headed, the feathery fronds.
Til graceful plumes, under summer skies,


Wave as rejoicing DER broken bonds;
And close by s. green outrageous fern


Which arches DER fairy bower,
4 pendulous blue inverted urn,


Where COLLINS shelter from sun and shower;
The harebell, on its delicate stem


So daintily poised, 50 lightly swung,
Whence music audible unto them


Floats on the air as by zephyrs rung.
The fiery sun goes down to his bath.


Moonlight lances are shot through the trees,
Wee elves come trooping by many path,
As harebell chimes swell out on the breeze
The cricket answers with shriIl delight
The harebeil summons still pealing out
The glow-wOrTn lamps are lit for the night,


And echo trills with fairy shout
tor- guarded by fays with spears Of grass,


To mossy dais and acorn throne.
The elfn queen and her courtiers pass,


To the palace Of fern she calls her own
In feast and frolic they vile the time,


With fears too deft for form of clay,
Dancing to pensive harebell chime


Dawn breaks-the fairies are fed away,
With daylight comes a fair young maid


Her touch as light elf's might be-
BeGuiles the harebell and fern from the glade
And brings the forest and fays to me.
Year: 1874

The New York Sun says: The tinted and
perfumed note laid upon your hall table is
something more than a bidding to the feast
Ii is a forced loan. a demand for a eontrl-
button to shine in a plate or fash in jewelry
in the property room of the bride, put on
exhibition like The samples of a bazaar, and
duly inventoried and authenticated IN the
enterprising daily paper as well as IN the
special court journal


Graceful enough among intimate friends
and relatives, it has now become an lmpo-
sition and an abuse. In the consideration
of society it is as imperative in demand as
the execution and Sheriff's levy. Fail TO
respond by presence or gift, and you pass
under obiurgation with bride and brides
maids as a stingy hunk or smean screw"
The tax gatherer we know and provide for
the visits of the Internal Revenue are perl
odic: : but the summons to the wedding
mulct has no note of warning. Even
christening carries damages with. The
only strictly social entertainment which
men of small means can afford is a funeral.
You can flourish your bordered pockethand-
kerchief and shuttle at obsequies with
uacuitv of purse and an overdrawn bank
account. The respectable corpse is put
upon his travels without any eleemosynary
demands upon survivors beyond heartless
attendance and hollow sympathy.


Gentlemen in wealth or easy condition do
not ask aims for their families, and would
resent as insults gratuities to their daught-
ers: and yet there Is not a wedding IN which
the display room does not glitter with goods
solicited as absolutely as the offering IN the
plate of the sexton or the hat of the beggar
Sit down at the breakfast table in the home
of the new bride; she draws coffee from an
urn of contribution, pours milk from
pitcher, sugar from a bowl whose donation.
if forgotten. can be read on the indicating
card. The egg-spoOn, toast rack, condiment
stand and salt spoon, nay more, the tapie
linen. napkins. and the vases OF flowers are
of oblation. The newly married pair are
like beneficiaries on soup societies ana warus
of public charity, and are not sensible OF
the humiliation, only because 1t has con-
formity to social code and obedience 10
law which pervades the entire community,


What becomes of the self-reiiance anu
manhood which only enjoys what ii acquires
by its own brain? Where are the retiring
modesiy and sensitive delicacy of the woman
who launches herself upon the duties OF the
household and the higher life of the matron
with a capital stock made up of invited
ingatherings from a circle of visiting ac-
quaintances as ephemeral of the roseate
hues of the honeymoon If the custom
can borrow force or precedent from the
illustration. let it have further currency in
practice. But give us the dinner of herbs
with a wooden treacher and pewter spoon
rather than the gift exhibitions of the dole
drawn out by the dainty note and the mono
gram envelope of the hymeneal festival
Year: 1874

VERY often it is an absolute crime to
be poor. 1t is dishonesty of the mean
est kind. A young man, for instance,
spends every dollar of his income he
is taken sick what is the consequence
Why, his companion must take out of
his hard earnings, money saved at the
rate of twenty-five cents per week, to
buy him the necessaries of life, medi-
cine, etc, and perhaps furnish him
money with which to go home to his
friends.
Year: 1874

ST. FRANCIS loved animals to such a
degree that his habitual tenderness
towards them attached them to him,
and gave rise to numerous miraculous
legends pictured in many of the Catho-
lie churches. He believed that all
created things had derived from God
portion of the same divine principle by
which he himself existed, and, acting
upon this belief, he was in the habit OF
calling everything brother and sister.
When walking, he was careful not to
tread upon any insect in his path, and
would even pick them up and remove
them to a place of safety, lest others
should crush them. 1t is recorded of
him that birds built their nests in his
cell, and fearlessly picked up crumbs
from his table that when he walked in
the fields sheep and lambs hocked after
him, and hares and rabbits jumped
upon him and nestled in his bosom.
Year: 1874

The Dallas Herald is in an exceedingly
bnd humor with the Fourteenth Legisla-
ture Lcgslating is somewhat like pub
fishing a newspaper; it is impossible to
please all, and those who try, geenrally
succeed in displcaslng themselves as well
as the remainder Of mankind.
Year: 1874

buitoncd up so tightly on such warm
evening, and what made his face and hat
so dirty, until as they were going down
little hill one of tho traces came unhitehed
and they had to stop.


30 murder n said Bill, what next?n


"What is the matter Mr.. Smiley ?" said
the widow, with u start that came near
jerking the robe off his knees.


"One Of the traces is of, said he.


"Well, why don't you get out and put
ii on ?"


81 cant" said Bill; "Tvc got--tbat is,
l haven't got-oh, dear, I'm SO sick
What shall 1 do?"


"Why, Willie, said she, tenderly, 'what
is the matter, do tell me?" and she gave
his hand little squeeze, and looking into
his pale and trouble face, she thought he
was going to faint so she got out her
smelling bottle with her left hand, and
pulling the stopper out with her teeth she
stuck it to his nose.


Bill was just taking in breath for a
mighty sigh, and the pungent odor made
him throw back his head so fur that he
lost his balance and went over the low.
backed buggy. The little woman gave a
little scream as his big bare feet flew by
her head and covering her face with her
hands gave way to tears or smilcs--it was
hard TO tell which. Bill was fright side
up" in minute, and was leaning over the
back Of the seat humbly apologizing and
explaining, when Ed Wilbur and his wife
and baby drove up behind and stopped
Poor Bill felt that he would rather have
been shot than have Ed. Wilbur catch him
in such a scrape but there was no heir
fer it now, so he called Ed. to him and
whispered in his ear. Ed. was like tc
burst with suppressed laughter, but he
beckoned to his wife to drive on, and after
saying something to her, he helped the
widow out of Bills buggy into his, and the
two women went on leaving the men be
hind. Bill lost no time in arranging hi
toilet us well as he could, and then witt
great persuasion Ed. got him to go HON,
with him, and hunting up slippers and
socks and getting him washed and combed
had him quite presentable when the adie,
arrived. | need not tell how the story
was all wormed out of bashful Bill, anc
how they all laughed as they sat arount
the tea-table that night, but will conclude
by saying that they went to the show
together, and Bill has no fear of Gu
Sackridcr now


This is the story about Bill and tn,
Widow as | had it from Ed Wilbur, anC
if there is anything unsatisfactory abou
it, ask him.
Year: 1874

A CURIOUS BIRDS NEsT.-Therc is a
bird in New Guinea, called the megapodius,
which, in the size of its eggs and the
manner of Matching them, must be con-
sidered extraordinary. 1t is not larger
than one of our ordinary fowls, but its
eggs are three inches long by two and a
half in diameter. II does not attempt to
sit on them. A colony of birds lay their
eggs together in large mound, in the
hottest part of the year, from September
to March, and leave them to be Matched by
the sun. The mound is made of sand,
loose earth, and sticks and leaves, which
latter by their decay, increase the heat.
The mounds are wonderfully large being
ten feet high and about sixty feet in cir
cumference at the base. The young birds
came out at hole in the top. The mother
birds wait on the trees around till their
chicks are hatched, and then each leads of
her own brood. How each knows its own
Is mystery. The eggs are much relished
by the natives, but not by all Europeans.
A native of Cape York yenturcd one day
into nest of eggs, and while he was
exploring the h dden riches Of the large
mound, the upper part fell in and he was
smothercd He was afterwards found in
the very act Of digging buried alive in a
birds nest
Year: 1874

Ia this dull world we cheat ourselves
and one another Of innocent pleasures by
the score, through very carelessness aud
apanthy courted day after day by happy
memories, we rudely brush them of with
this iudiseriminating bosom, tn, stern
material present; invited to help in render
ing joyful many patient heart, we neg
lect the little word that might have done
it, and continually defraud creation of its
share Of kindness from us. The child
made merrier by your interest in its toy;
the old domestic fattered by our seeing
him look SO well the poor better helped
by your blessing than your penny (though
give the penny too) the laborer cheered
on his toll by timely word of praise the
humble friend encouraged by your frank
ness equals made to love you by the ex-
preston of your love; and superiors
gratifed by attention aud respect, and
looking out TO benefit the kindly--how
many pleasures here for one hand to gather !;
how many blessings for any heart to give /!
Instead Of these, what have we rife about
the world frigid compliment--fOr warmth
is vulgar reserve Of tongue-for it's folly
to be laxative composure never at fault
for feelings are dangerous things gray-
ity-for that looks wise; coolness-for
other men are cold selfshness- every
one is struggling for his own. This is all
false, all bad; the slavery chain Of custom,
rigited by foolishness of fashion because
there is ever band of men and women
who have nothing to recommend them but
externals--their looks are their dresses,
their ranks are their wealth-and in order
to exalt the honor Of these, they agree to
set compact seal Of silence in the heart
and on the mind, lest the food Of humber
mems affections, or Of wise mems intelli-
gence, should pale their tinsel-praise and
the warm and the wise too softly acquiesce
in this injury done to heartiness, shamed
by the effrontery of cold calm fools, and
the shallow dignity of an empty presence.
Turn the table on them, ye truer gentry,
truer nobility, truer royalty of the heart
and of the mind speak freely, love warm
iy, laugh cheerfully, explain frankly, ex-
hort zealously, admire literally, advise
earnestly-be not ashamed to show you
have heart and if some cold blooded
simpleton greets your social efforts with a
sneer, repay him (for you can well afford
a richer gift than his whole treasury pos
seses) with kind good-humored smile.
Year: 1874

TALE OF SENTIMESr.-A story in one
chapter is told by the Newark Sentinel
There are faces that come to US in oui
dreams, which 60 with us the day through,
looking down upon us while we work or
wander-iaces that haunt us long after
slumbering hours they have slipped away
forever--sad faces sometimes, faces with
sorrowful eyes, which keep us hushcd and
quiet, invoking cloud of shadowy mem
ories which chase away the light and the
brightness of our being. Then again
come faces in the night, fair and fresh, Of
people we owe and can't pay just now or
sadder yet, of folks who owe us that we
can't collect cent of
Year: 1874

Another thing that would be quite sure
to strike my eye on this my first ride across
British soil and on all subsequent rides,
was the enormous number Of birds and
fowls of various kinds that swarmed in the
air or covered the ground. II was truly
amazing. 1t seemed as if the feathered
life Of whole continent must have been
concentrated upon this island, Indeed
doubt if sweeping together of all the
birds of the United States into any two Of
the largest States, would people the earth
and air more fully. There appeared to be
a plover, a crow, rock, blackbird and a
sparrow, to every square yard of ground.
They know the value of birds in Britain
that they are the friends, not the enc
mics, of the farmer 1t must be the para
disc of crows and rocks. 1t did me good
to see them so much at home about the
fields and even in the towns. was glad
also to see that the British row was not a
stranger to me, aud that he differed from
his brother on the American side of the
Atlantic only in being less alert and eau
tious, having less use for these qualities.


Now and then the train would start up
some more tempting game A brace or
two of partridgcs or a covey of quails
would settle down in the stubble, or a cock
pheasant drop head and tail and slide into
the copse. Rabbits also would seamper
back from the borders of the fields into
the thickets or peep slyly out, making my
sportsmans fingers tinglc.-" Mello~ Eng
land" by John Burroughs, in ScriJner's
for September.
Year: 1874

Several hundred persons attended the
funeral Of tame bear near Boston few
days ago. An invitation to be present
was sent to the Autocrat of the Breakfast
Table, who responded as follows -" Dear
Sir--Many thanks for your polite invita-
ton to attend the obsequies Of the lamen-
ted plantigrade. am sorry that it will
not be in my power to be present upon
the melancholy occasion. | have great
respect for bears since those two female
ones taught the little children Of Bethel
aud Of Belial that they must not be rude
to elderly persons. I think loose bear
or two might be of service in our commu-
nifty, and regret much the loss of an an
imal who might have done so much as a
moral teacher for the young Of this city
and its suburbs. am, dear sir, yours
very truly, o. w. Holmes"
Year: 1874

- - - A@O" bAiif0Es
In the autumn, when the hollows
All are filed with flying leaves,
And the colonies of swallows


OMIT the quantity succeed caves,
And silver mantle glisteus


Over all the misty,yale,
Sits the little wife and listens
To the beating Of the fail,


To the pounding Of the fail
BY her cradle sits and listens


No the tapping Of the fail.
The bright summer days are over,
And her eye no longer sees
The red bloom upon the clover,
The deep green upon the trees
flushed the songs Of finch and robin,
With the whistle of the quail;
But she hears the mellow throbbing
OF the thunder of the hail,


The low thunder Of the fail
Through the amber air the throbbing
anu feNefpcrhung hhli.
In the barn the stout young thresher
STOPPING stands with rolled-up sleeves,
Beating out his golden treasure


From the ripped and rustling sheayes;
Oh, was ever knight in armor-


Warrior all in shining mail
Halfso handsome as her farmer


As he plies the flying fail,


As he wields the flashing fail?
The bare'throated, brown young farmer
As he swings the sounding fail?
All the hopes that saw the sowing,
All the sweet desire Of gain,
All the joy that watched the growing
And the yellowing Of the grain,
And the love that went to WOO her,
And the faith that shall not fail
All are speaking softly 10 her


In the pulses of the fail,


OF the palpitaiing fail
Past and Future whisper to her


In the music OF the Hail.
In its crib their babe is sleeping,
And the sunshine from the door
All the afternoon is creeping


Slowly round upon the floor
And the shadows soon will darken,
And the daylight soon must pale,
When the wife no more shall hearken
To the iramping of the fail,


10 the dancing Of the fail
When her heart no more shall hearken
To the football of the fail.
And the babe shall grow and strengthen,
Be maiden, be wife,
When the moving shadows lengthen
Round the dial of their life;
Theirs the trust Of friend and neighbor,
And an age serene and hale,
When machines shall do the labor
Ofthe strong arm and the fail,
. 0fthe stout heart and the fail
Great machines perform the labor
Or the good oldfashioRed fail.
But when, blessed among women,
And when, honored among men,
They look round them, can the brimming
Of their utmost wishes then
Give them happiness completer?
And can ease and wealth avail
To make any music sweeter


Than the pounding Of the fail?
Oh, the sounding of the fail
Never music can be sweeter


Than the beating Of the fall
Year: 1874

It would be wei IL some Of the farmers
would take thefollowing good advice home
to their hearts, and make an effort to put
it IN practice: Help your wives in every
way you can, trivial through it may seem
TO you. For instance keep an extra pair
of shoes or slippers in the hall or entry,
and always remember to change your dirty
boots before entering her dean rooms.
Then you may be sure Of smile Of
welcome, as no dirt win be left after You
for her to clean up. In the evening comb
your hair as carefully as ever you did in
your courting days, put on clean coat or
dressing gown, and when yoa take yoar
paper to read, do not read to yourself and
leave her to lonesome thoughts while sew
ing or mcuding, but remember that she,
too, has been working hard all day, and is
still working. Read to her whatever In
terests you, 50 that her interests and
opinions may grow with yours. You both
will be happier, and being farmers or q
mechanics wife viii not be such dread
ful tiresome and lonely life as many girls
have every reason now to think it Is.
Year: 1874

Hereafter TO Legal Advertise
n.snls will be inserted in the TIME'
unless payment is made when hand
.d in. 1t requircs money to carry
On our business and We are com
pclled to adopt the cash principle.
This rule will not be deviatcd from
ia any case.
Year: 1874

Mr.. Moulton in his letter to the
committee accepting the invitation to
appear and testify says: Il have en-
deavored to avert the calamity which
has now fallen upon all. With the con-
sent of Mr.. Beecher and Mr.. .Tiltonl |
have felt myself ready TO give all the
facts that l know about the object of in
quiry and produce whatever papers | have
to the Committee and leave copies Of
same with them if they desired it. with
perhaps the one stipulation that if | was
to give my evidence orally, or be cross
examined, that might bring with me a
photographic reporter, in order that |
should have AL exact copy for my own
protection. Since am now fully released
from my confidential relations To- the
parties involved in this sad affair, and
since my only proper statement must
consist pf
Year: 1874

THERE must be some truth in the re-
port that President GRANT expects to re-
c,ive his third term by being the nOmi-
nee Of the opposition party. As far as
regards the selection of that party being
successful, General GRANT shows greater
foresight than the country has ever given
him credit for; but this is counterbalanced
bv the idea that he will be that selection.
In this latter particular We opine that he
is wonderfully mistaken. However it is
natural, for thoughts have no more ready
fathers than wishes.
Year: 1874




The eAttornev-Generalh has decided that
the contract for additional mail service
between San Francisco, Japan and
China, as provided for in the act of June
lst, 1872, is still existing, and that the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company is en-
titled to have their new iron steamers IN
spected in view to putting them into the
service under such contracts. He has
also decided that the United States Mar
shal, having an attachment against
goods for salvage, is entitled to take
property attached into his custody and
hold it till it is disposed Of by the court IS
suing the attachment.


The Postal Car Controversy
remains unchanged Hinkley seeming
satisfied to allow the mails to go under
his last assurance to the Department that
the tender of mails would be considered
rs AN acceptance Of his terms, the De-
partment being willing to send them,
after repeated notifications to Hlnkley,
that no more woull be paid than allowed
by law