smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

AnOther spiritual Trick ExpOSed


A London letter to the Cincinnati
Commercial has the following;


The trick OF distinguished Spiritual
ist has been detected. This medium is
certain Mr.. Williams, who has been
making a good thing by placing on ia
bles sundry musical instruments, which
cut various antics when it is pitch dark.
Williams goes out to evening companies,
where all present know each Others
good faith; his two hands are held by
persons on each side he has no confed-
crate, and yet the movements 60 on in
the center of the table. But a son of
the late Baden Powell Zone of the writer's
Of the famous Essays and Reviews" J
discovered, few evenings ago that Will
liams was utilizing the peculiar way of
joining hands in the dark, which he
adopts-namely, the hooking of little
fingers together. He edges the hands of
his two neighbors toward each other; he
then proposes to one of them
softly to rest his little finger by
substituting his first finger; when
this change is made that neighbor's
nnger is readily hooked on TO the fore
! finger of the same hand whose little
finger is already holding the other In
the dark the persons each side of him
who fancy they each hold separate
hand, are really holding on to differ
ent fingers of the same hand William
other hand is thus left perfectly free to
act as it pleases. Last night a friend
and myself, fully let into the secret, we're
present at a seance, aud had Williams
between us. Sure enough the medium
softly proposed a change of fingers, but
the change was resisted The conse-
quence was that the poor medium
speedily found that the conditions we're
unfriendly TO any manifestations, left
the house as soon as possible, and the
seance came to-nothing. And it is by
such tricks as these that millions are
induced to believe that they are commu-
nicating with the invisible world There
is now not a medium of any fame in
London whose fraud has not been ex.
posed to the satisfaction OF all except
the large class Of those who wish to be
deceived.
Year: 1875

Carlyle is considered in Prussia the
greatest foreigner ever produced. His
photograph is very common in Berlin;
and this is not strange, as city of heroes
could scarcely fail to favor hero worship.
Year: 1875

E. B. Rice offers a reward of $40 for the
apprehension Of the party or parties, who
broke his signboard on the 9th inst, Mr..
Rice had just put this sign up-a very neat
and pretty little a6air-and on the evening
referred to, be says a party of young men
and boys gathered in front Of the store, after
it was closed for the night, and amused them
selves by throwing stones at his sign until
they broke it to pieces. There are number
of boys in this town whose parents, BY allow
ing them to run 10 the street and receive its
education, are bringing up in the straight road
that leAdsto jail aud the penitentiary.


There is b law providing for the punishment
of malicious mischief and were it.put into
force much Of this damage to property cad
other annoyances could be prevented. 30
Year: 1875

THE COTTON MILLS We print else
where to-day a third letter on the condi-
tuon of cotton manufacture. The facts
brought out by our correspondent in these
three letters give promise OF healthful and
prosperous future for this industry as soon
as general trade and enterprise shall re-
vive. For the present, as is inevitable,
the cotton manufacturers are suffering
with the rest of the country. Consumpt-
ton has been severely checked and pro-
ducers must wait. We seem, consequent.
ly, to have too much of everything, and
at the moment, no doubt. many one
thoughtlessly imagins our abundance to be
a curse. But we suspect it would be true
of most of our other industries, rs our cor
respondent shows it is of the cotton man.
ufacture, that it has not in fact been over
done, but that it is more than adequate to-
day to supply full and active home de-
mand if stch shonid arise. Unless our
correspondent is mistaken, when prosper.
ity returns to the country and it has once
more a sonnd currency it will be found
profitable even to build more cotton mills.


The necessities of the manufacturers and
the lack of of sufficient home demand
are, it seems, stimulated them to efforts
after foreign market for some part Of
their product. Our export of cotton goods
is slowly increasing and promises once
more to become considerable. Their pres
ent losses should teach the manufacturers
the impudence of relying entirely on
home market. If they command only q
foreign trade they have way of disposing
of any surplus which may remain other
wise unstable on their hands, and which
must, " lille unsold, affec the price of the
whole product.-N. Y. Herald.
Year: 1875

Never repeat n story unless you
are certain it is correct, and not
even then unless something is to be
gained, either Of interest to yourself
or for for the good of the person con-
cerned. Tattliny is q mean and
wicked practice, and he who indulges
in its grows more fond of if in proper
tion as he is successful. If you have
no good to say of your neighbor,
never reproach his character by tell
ing that which il false. He who tells
you the faults of others intends to tell
others of your fau It's and so the dish
of news is handed from one to another
till the tale becomes enormous.-
Little Banner.
Year: 1875

A returned Enoch Ardcn was tcar~
ing around and railing at christian
community that would allow woman
to starvo nearly to death in tho abb
scnco of her husband Tho truth is,
he left her in the days of hoop>skirts
looking like this 0, and on bis return
found lher pinned back and looking
like this |. Tho impression that she
had starved was natural.
Year: 1875

New PEACH ROUTE TO BosToN.-Capt.
Bourne, OF the Old Dominion Steam
ship Company, has informed the Mil
ford Netos that as toon as the peach
season opens his company will put on
line of steamers between Lewes and
Boston. The trip can be made in SO
hours, and without transhipment or
handling. Captain Bourne says that
fruit picked to-day, for example, will
leave Lewes this evening and with
only one day at sea arrive at Boston in
the middle of the next night and be de-
livcred to consignees before daylight.
This carriage at sea, with no dust and
the cool sea breezes sweeping through
it, the fruit will very we'll bear and
come out at Boston in irst-rate condi-
ton.
Year: 1875

PENINsULAR Press ExCURsloN.-
The Commercial says: "Thc Old Do
minion,Steamship Company have ex-
pressed desire to afford TO the Pen
insular Press Association an
excursion from Lewes to its
line of steamers. 1t has been pro
posed to accept the in; itation and
to make this one link in the contem-
plated summer excursion. After
leaving New York it has been thought
feasible to return by rail, pausing in
Philadelphia to inspect the centennial
buildings, which will by that time be
in n forward state of advancement.
June is named as q suitable time for
the trip"
Year: 1875

The alarm that was turned in from boz 1874.
about II O'Clock to-day, was occasioned by a
slight 1re in the roof Of the beer saloon at the
southeast corner Of Bank and Freeman streets.
The blaze was extinguished with very little
trouble, and before the damage had amounted
TO anything worth speaking or.
Year: 1875

In this complaint the good effects of the Negetine
are realized Immediately after commencing TO take
it: debility denotes deficiency of the blood and
Negeline acts directly upon the blood.
Year: 1875

A QUEER CAsE.-At a meeting of spir-
itualists, held in city not great way
from Scranton, and not long since, one
of the members of g the circle" received
a message from friend in the unseen
world to the effect that he would certain
ly die upon certain day and hour, men,
tioning the time with positiveness that
to the circle and the gentleman referred
TO left no room for doubt. The message
also contained an admonition to the eff
feet that he should, in anticipation of the
event, Immediately secure life insur-
ance policy for So 900 for the benefit of
his family. In obedience to the sugges-
ton the policy was secured. andupon the
appointed day and hour the man died.
The wife, upon applying to the company
for the amount named in the policy, was
informed that the policy was void by
reason of her husband having committed
+" moral suicide" that is, died because
he thought he must necessarily do SO In
accordance with the supposed message.
The wife has now brought suit against
the company for the amount of the pol
Iicy.-ScraRton (Pa. Times.
Year: 1875

The WORLD is a grim old fellow, and
something of a tyrant withal but at best
ne is kind and generous. He views every
asplrant for honors with a critical eye
and q forbidding aspect. He will lead
his victim on until in the right position,
and then kick him in the iercest manner
for his ternerity. If the aspirant kick
back there is shope for him i but if he
crouch In corner and lament his bat
tered condition, the world will ignore him
at once and seek out another victim.
Year: 1875

AcoUNTRNAN bought shirt in Raleigh,
N. c., which was the first white one he
had ever owned. The next Sunday he
was to be married, and that was the inn
portant occasion that had excited him to
the purchase. The shirt had very nice
starched bosom, and was open in the
back--a style that was new to the pos
SCISSOR. After careful study he put it on
with the opening in front, concluding
that the stiff bosom was intended as
kind of shoulder-brace to make him stand
erect. Thus dressed, he met the bride
at the church door but her knowledge
was greater than his about shirts, and
she made him go home and reverse the
garment before she would allow the cere-
m0nv To prOceed
Year: 1875

!. THE other day Peoria woman want
ing some lead to stop q hole in the wash
boiler, set a copper revolver cartridge on
the stove to melt the bullet. She says
she was just STOPPING over to see If it
had melted, when the earthquake came
along. Her only consolation is that
when she grows old and has to wear spec
tacles, she will only need pair with one
glass in them. as one eye wentaway with
the earthquake to look for the transit.
Year: 1875

The Baltimore and Ohio railroad has
demonstrated that the public has been
paying too high rates for the services of
railroads The large reductions made
by that company since the completion of
its line 10 Chicago will be permanent,
the management having announced that
the road can do the work at these figures
and make money. The address of the
President at the late annual meeting of
stockholders was a strong and heaIthful
document, and in tone and sentiment
carries a lesson to every railroad manager
in the country. 1t ought to bring about
a revolution in the policy of railroads
generally by showing that the interests
OF the roads are best conserved when it
is assumed that they are in harmony
with the interests of the public, and the
policy regulated accordingly.


The managers Of the New York Cen
tral also announce that they will main
the trouble of saying that this is done,
not for the purpose of competing with
the canal, but because they cannot COM
mand any higher rates. They give the
public the assurance that if they could
command higher rates, they would be
asked It is said that the railway
charges now are less than those of the
canal last year. The business of the
road has increased so largely that it has
become necessary to construct two extra
tracks from Rochester to Albany to ac-
commodate it, and these tracks will soon
be extended to Niagara Falls. The
gross receipts of this road for 1874 were
more than $1,000 900 in excess of 1873.


The experience of these two great
roads with cheap tariffs is not singular.
II is common to all roads that have ex-
perimented in that line. During the
past two years the policy of reduced
tariffs has been tried on different roads
and at different times, and it has always
proved profitable. There is some pros
pect now that the low rates will become
permanent and general. The fact that
the roads have been able to sustain the
Wall street stock jobbing operations of
their officials, as well as n mighty burden
of dishonest and incapable management,
and still make money, shows that under
average good management and with
drawal from Wall street, the public could
have their services at a greatly reduced
rate, while the increased business would
more than protect the road from loss.-
ChicdOo Times.
Year: 1875

Nothing can be worse for child than
to be frightened The effect of the scare
it is slow to recover from it remains
sometimes until maturity, as is shown by
many instances of morbid sensitiveness
and excessive nervousness. Not unfre-
quently, fear is employed as means of
discipline. Children are controlled by
being made to believe that something
terrible will happen to them and punished
by being shut up in dark rooms, or by
being put in places they stand in dread
of. No one, without vivid memory of
his own childhood, can comprehend how
entirely cruel such things are. We have
often heard grown persons tell of the
suffering they have endured, as children,
under like circumstances, and recount the
irreparable injury which they are sure
they then received. No parent, no
nurse, capable of alarming the young, is
fitted for her position. Children, as
near as possible, should be trained not
to know the sense of fear, which, above
everything else, is to be feared i'll their
education, early and late.-Ne,o York
Freenldf's journal.
Year: 1875

As the report that we are very wealthy
has gone abroad among our subscribers,
and has made them awful slow about
paying up, thinking doubtless we don't
want the money, we hasten to say that
the report of our wealth is false in every
particular. If ocean steamers were sell.
ing at q cent dozen, we couldn't make
the first payment on canoe. The light
ming of poverty has struck us square.
and had it not been for an armful OF had
Year: 1875

our devil managed to steal from bliny
mule, our large and interesting family
would be without a mouthful to eat at
this moment. Is not this sad picture,
and can you delinquent subscribers look
upon it without feeling the greenbacks
rustic with Indignation in your pocket
books We do not like to dun you, but
we must if you fail to take the hint
Shenandoah Va. } Democrat.
Year: 1875

into the manner of his election to the Senate as
to whether corrupt means had been used to secure
MS election, as had been alleged. Mr.. horton's
resolution providing for special committee OF
h'e TO inquire into the circumstances attending
the recent election in Mississippi was debated al
considerable length. House not in session.


On the 18th resolution was offered in the Sen.
ate, by MIR. Edmunds, for the election on the 7th
OF January of President pro tenn. referred 10
the Committee on Privileges and Elections The
resolution for special committee to inquire into
the recent election in Mississippi came up as un.
hnlshed business and was laid over until the Goth
10 which date the Senate adjourned In the
mouse the Senate amendment postponing the
day OF meeting after the holidays from the 4th to
DIS introduced were-to repeal the duties or
teas and tobacco: providing that all pensions
on account of death from wounds or disease re-
celVed or contracted in the service shall COM
mehce from the date of death or discharge. Mr.
rage, of California, offered a preamble and reso-
lutlon to the effect that the Constitution imposes
no limits on the eligibility of any citizen to the
Office of President further than that he must be
native born, and of certain age and time of
residence, and that any attempt by the House to
limit or 1orestall the public will on question of
such Importance is an evasion of the powers re-
served by the people at large to be freely exer-
clsed by them without any interference from
any legislative body whatever; the previous qucs
ton was voted down. 100 to SO. Adjourned to
the Goth.
Year: 1875




IT was late in summer when Benny
Towers found large paper of radish-seed
that had been left over from the spring
gardening He had some wooden tools.
He had made himself rake, hoe and
spade, rather roughlooking affairs, but
they answered his purpose very well, and
afforded amusement many an hour.
There was a corner in the garden where
early cabbage had been, and Benny had
played garden and worked over the spot
until the earth was very soft and mellow.
Now he sowed his radish- seed and raked
it in. When he told his mother about it,
and how much money he was going to
make selling his radishes, she told HIM il
was too late in the season, and thought nc
more about it. But Benny did not seem
discouraged. There came on warm, gen
tie showers, and to Benny's delight the
two leaves of the radishes soon peeped
out of the ground. So abundant were
they he had to keep thinning them out
Benny's father and mother were very poor
and it was rum that made them so. Mr.
Towers would drink, and so the money
went his family so much needed. Hewas
kind, pleasant man when not under thu
influence of liquor. He wept over him
self when sober, but it was only to fai
with the first temptation. Mrs. Towers
took in sewing and did what she could tt
feed and clothe the children and keel
Benny in school.


Dear little fellow, how busy he was th'
last of October getting into the cellar hi
stock of radishes. He had little wheel
barrow, very little one, made out OF
cigar-box. 1t was SO much nicer to whee
! them in than carry in basket. The rad
ishes were just as nice as could be-crisl
and sweet-they had grown so rapidly
! Benny had to wheel ever so many loads o
Year: 1875

WHAT did he do, then, that he should
be called brave? Did he hunt lion or a
bear?


No.


Did he fight with thieves?


No.


Did he have pitched battle with boy
bigger and stronger than himself?


Oh, no.


What did he DO, then?


He told the truth.


Perhaps you think that did not require
much courage; but indeed it did, and
only brave boy could have told it under
the circumstances.


But who was the boy?


Well, his name was James Peters, and
he was the son of man and woman who
loved and served God and wanted their
children to do the same, and they had
taught James that it was cowardly thing
to tell lie. He believed that so entirely
that do not think anything would have
influenced him to tell an untruth.


One day he and some other boys were
PLAYING in a field through which the rail
way ran. They played at marbles ant
whipping their tops and several othel
things. Among the rest they got soms
stones together and made heap OF them
but what game it was that they played
with them really do not know.


1t happened, however, that sharp ane
sudden shower came on and the boys raj
off for shelter, No one noticed at the TIM
Year: 1875

A halfdollar, all his own; and this
change in his father! Mrs. Towers did
not dare to ask any questions. Her hus-
band did not dare to make any promises
or tell of. his struggle for fear he
should fail. Mr.. Dunn came for him in
the morning and took him to his work.
He had more coffee ready for him. SO
the battle went on successfully, toe.
And Benny's trading went on, until all
the radishes had been tied into punches
and sold, and he had four dollars. The
coveted gray and black shawl was five
dollars Where was the other dollar COM
ing from? He was in the cellar cleaning
up the dirt used to cover his radishes,
when his father came down. Benny
thought he had kept his secret. His
mother knew he was selling his radishes,
but she asked no questions. He did not
know his father knew anything about it,
so Benny was quite surprised when he
asked: "How is it, my boy, about the
radishes ?'


Benny gazed into his fathers face and
then came feeling that he might trust
him-that new father who had grown so
kind and good, who brought baskets OF
good food home and supplied mamma
with coal. When his father stretched
out his arms Benny sprang INTO them and
told him all his heart.


Il want to help buy the shawl, Benny.
You go to Mr. Dunn, and he will give you
the other dollar | can't trust myself to
handle money yet, but I'm getting strong
er every day, and hope to set you better
example in the future. l feel it was you
and your radishes that saved me, Benny"
Then he told his little boy how he had
overheard his story, and all his struggle.
Oh, what happy, merry Christmas that
was The warm shawl was ready for
mamma, and Benny had brand new pair
of boots, his first. There were other
things to gladden. the children, nice
dinner, too, turkey and cranberry sauce,
but best of all the redeemed husband and
father" Squad Scotch, " in Interior.
Year: 1875

Quite recently Il short sighted husoano
saw large bouquet of flowers on a chair'
and wishing to preserve them from iauins
placed them in basin of water Wheh
his wife saw the bouquet half an hour
ofterward she gave one piercing scream
and tainted on the spot. Her detective
visioned husband had mistaken her new
bonnet, with its abundance OF flowers, for
a freshly -culled bouquet.
Year: 1875

in his speech at the Lotos Club In
New York the other night, Lord Hough-
ton said America was eminent for the
beauty of her women. At his time OF life
he was no fair witness on that subject, but
he would offer the more valuable tsstimo-
nv of his son, young man Of some talent
and perception, of seventeen years OF age,
who had gone home with this expression
on his lips and this impression on his
heart. [Cheers.
Year: 1875

A New York paper says: A harder
lot can hardly bo pictured than that of
some of the working girls OF this city.
They are isolated from the society they
would like to enter, cannot dress accord.
ing to fashion or their own tastes, can
not mike their own rooms neat or even
comfortable, cannot choose their asso-
ciates, arc crowded together in the shop,
and they arc hCrdcd together III unclcan
lodgings. Their food is often mwhole-
some. Good people shm them, and tho
vulgar jccr Mt them on the street. They
often feel that they belong to n pariall
class, and every effort they make to rise
in tho world is met with somo obstacle
hard to overcome. More ought to bc
done in wise and generous ways for tho
benefit Of tho working women Of tho
land.