smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

Ah, boysi you who have gone out
from the old homestead into the rush
and hustle Of life, do you ever think
of the patient mothers who are
stretching out to you arms, powerless
to draw you back, TO the old home
nesty Arms that were strong to car
~ you once. pressed closely to hearts
that lore you now as then No mat
ter though your hair is "silver-streak-
ed and Dot in the cradle calls you
Grandpa you are only "the boys"
so long as mother lives You are
the children of the old home. Moth
ing can crowd you out of mothers
heart. You NAV have failed in the
battle oflife, and your manhood NAV
have been crushed out against the
wall Of circumstances you NAV have
been prosperous and gained wealth
and fame but mothers love has fol-
lowed you always. Many a boy has
not been "home" for FIVE, ten, or
even twenty years And all this
time mother has been waiting, wait
ing, waiting. All, who does not
know the agony expressed BY that
wordy She may be even now saying
II dreampt of John last night. May
be he will come home to-day. He
may drop in for dinner !" aud the
poor, trembling hands prepare some
favorite dish for him Dinner comes
aud goes, but John comes not with
ST. Thus, day after dsy, month after
month, and year after year, passes,
till at last, Hope deferred maketh
the heart sick,n ay, sick unto death,
the feeble arms are stretched out no
longer. The dim ewes are closed, the
gray hairs smoothed for the last time,
and the tired hands are folded to ev-
erlasting rest, and mother waits no
more on earth for one Welcomes not
God grant that she may not wait as
vainly for his coming in heaven


Once more / say unto you, bows go
home, if only for day Let mother
know you have not forgotten her
Her days may be numbered Next
winter" may cover her grave with
Year: 1874

The Legislature of Aasssch ue.ts
has lately passed law making it
necessary that dozen Of eggs weigh
one and half pounds This is a
move in the right direction. And we
hope that all the other States NAV
speedily follow the good example set


by Massachusetts 1t is snnoying 10
the breeder Of blooded and fine fowls
to find when he offers for sale eggs
nearly twice as large as his neigh
bOrs th at they bring no more per doz-
en- than do the smaller ones. Also
the consumer is often vexed 10 End
that he must paw the same price
to-day for dozen Of eggs weigh
ing but a pound that be Yesterday


paid for a dozen weighing q pound
and half BesideS an egg from
a well fed foglis heavier and richer
than an egg from a common fowl
that is only hoIf fed, so weight CON-
pared TO size is q combination of rich
ness. Thus, eggs Of which eight
will weigh pound are better and
richer than those of comparatively
the same size Of which ten are reauir-
ed for pound. Ofeourse, with eggs
at three or four cents a dozen-and
the writer Of this has seen hundreds
of dozens sold at these hguTe-it l.
not much matter as to the size: but
when the prices range from twenty


i've to sixty cents per dozen il is
well worth looking after 1t is high
time that this old style Of selling and
buying poultry aud eggs by the
piece should be discontinued It iss
relic Of the past and reminds as Of
the time when dressed hogs sold for
81 each without regard 70 size or
condition and were a dull sale at that.
Insist upon il then you sho raise
poultry for the aiket; insist upon it,
then you who have TO buy eggs
for consumption: insist upon il, al We
rich and poor high and low, that eggs
be sold for so much pound. Then
it viii be some indueement for farm
ers to raise a better class Of fowls
and all VII get there Just dues
Then the enterprising breeder and
poultry fsncier VIII receive the re-
ward Of MS efforts 20 furnish market
foul Of good size and Of such a degree
of fatness that il shall be eatable and
the breeder Of poor half starved spec
Imens viii be no longer bis success
full rival
Year: 1874

He was young, he was fair, and be
parted his hair, ike the eaverage beau,
in the middle, be was proud, he was
bold. but the truth must be told be


PLAYED like hend on the fiddle
Barring his voice. he was everything


nice. and his heart was so loving and


tender, that he always turned pale


when be trod on the tail Of the cat


living down by the fender He clerk
ed in a store. and the way that be
tore off calico, Jeans, and brown sheet
ing, would have tickled calf. aad


made the brute laugh in the face Of
a quarterly meeting He cut quite


dash with darling m0ustaehe


which be learned 10 adore and cher


ish for one girl had said while she


dropped her proud head, that twould


kill her to see the thing perish. On


Sundays bed search the straightToad


to the church, unheediDg the voice of
the scorner; and demurely be sat,


like young tabby cat, with the
saints in the amen corner. He sang
Ike bird, and his sweet voice was
heard fairly tugging away at long
meter and we speak but the truth.
when We say that this youth could
outshine hungry mosquito. EiEe 4


She was young. she was fair, and
she scrambled her,hairlike the average
belle of the city she was proud, but
not bold, vet the truth must be told,
the way she ehewed wax was a pity
Barring this vice. she was everything
nice, and the world admired her bus
tie; and the Fayetteville boys, being
calrned by the noise, walked miles to
hear it rustic. She cut quite swell,
did this wax-chewibg belle, and men
locked in crowds to meet her; but
she gave them the skirk, for she
loved the young clerk. who sang
like a hungry mosquito. So she
Year: 1874

Oh who knoweth not our Mary,


With her archly winning waysi
She's our darling household fairy,


And q fairy's part she plays.
Comes she softly, softly creeping,


Taking us all quite unaware,
While she's slyly. shyly peeping


Close beside our easy chair,
Hair so golden-brown and curly,


Clustering tbickly round her head,
Eyes so blue, and teeth so opearly,


Lips and cheeks just tinged with red.
Little feet SO lightly tripping,


Making music On tho floor;
Little form 80 nimbly skipping


In and out the open door.
Oft We hear our lovely Mary


Called bonny, witching sprite;
Oft we bless our household fairy


For her winsome presence bright.
Like little birdie springing,


Mid the leafy summer trees
Like little birdie singing,


Unrestrained, in woodland case
So doth she, in sportive pleasure,


Trill ner tiny baby-song.
Listing to her simple ID easurs


Wakes love SO deep and strong
For our graceful. warbling fairy,


Yet unconscious Of her charm,
That we trenible lest our Mary


Aught should know of sin or harm.

Earthly language neer expresses
Halt the tender thoughts that meet
When we feel her warm caresses,
And her baby kisses sweet.
May We never blindly cherish


One SO trustful, young and fair;
Every raident hope will perish


If We train her not with care.
Long may she be spared to cheer us;
Human tongue could ne'er reveal
If she ceased to linger near us,


All the grief that we should feel.
Blessings OH our darling Mary.


Sweet the sunshine of her smile;
BLESSINGS on our househ old fairy,
= Living, simple, free from CHILE. y
:
Year: 1874

A book peddler visited Mark Twain at
home to get his subscription for new
work, of which he carried copy He
found the genial Mark hoeing in his gar
den. He was kindly received, and asked
to take seat He took a seat. The seat
was on top of a fence, the uppermost rail
Of which was sharp He was not happy
when he sat down, and got no happier as
he remained. He remained there, too, Il
very long time, and Mr. Twain was very
kind. He talked to him about his book
and its author, whom he knew; about the
pictures and the letter press, and then
he branched off into other and very deep
literary subjects, of which the agent knew
nothing. After an hour or so Twain hos
pitably asked the agent into the house,
and then he talked to him some more. -
The agent was getting very tired and very
hungrg Twain excused himself for a
moment and stayed away an hour, during
which time the agent suspects he took din
ner He came back, aud was still very
kind and talked again. 1t was nearly 6
p. NJ, and the agent came about II A. NJ.
He had had nothing to eat, and not a
word had been said about subscription =
He grew desperate and asked Twain if he
would subscribe 6" think | will -
drawled Twain, "but not to- -day-call to-
morrow and we will talk about it" The
agent 9eeamped, and he now swears-
though he had nice time, and Twain is a
good talker-that he will never 90 back
again; no, never.
Year: 1874

THE Policy OF THE OLD DOMINION
STEAMSHIP COMPANY. The Old Domin-
ions plan is supposed by those most in
terested in its operation in Maryland to be
the opening up of the already built rail-
roads of the lower peninsula by close con-
nection with steamers from Lewis with
New York. To do this requires that only
seven miles more of railroad shall be built
in Worcester county Md, being the seven
miles between St. Martins on the Wicom-
leo and Pocomoke railroad and the Della
ware State line. When these seven miles
shall have been built the entire Eastern
Shore railroad, sixty miles in length; the
Wicomico and Pocomoke, twenty-five
miles in length, and the Berlin and Snow
Hill, twenty miles in length, and forty
miles of railroad passing through Della
ware, will be brought into direct connec-
ton with Lewes Thus the Old Domin-
ion Company will have secured by this
purchase one hundred and fifty miles of
railroad, which permeates every section of
a large and easily cultivated and fertilized
country, and country capable of being
made to produce enough fruit and vege-
tables to feed New York .-New York;
Times
Year: 1874

TmREsHING GRAIN.-Threshing should
be done as soon as possible. Grain
is safe from many enemies in the gran
airy. Besides it is the same as so
much cash, and is eqally available
Markets should be closely watched this
year. 1t is difficult to say how they may
turn. An advance is just as like ely as
decline, and with wheat in the granary it
can be taken advantage of Seed wheat
should be carefully selected. The heav-
lest grain only should be taken, aud there
should be no cracked kernels in it, This
should be looked to while threshing If
the threshing machine is hired the farmer
should do nothing but watch things
Watch the straw closely, and see that no
grain is left in it, See that the hired
teams do their share of the work If
steam thresbing machine is used, see that
it does not affect the insurance on the
barn. As NOW is cmpted of grain, the
straw should be returned This is better
than stacking it out doors Before long
there will be but few places in the coun-
try where it will pay to throw the straw
away.-American .Agricultmist.
Year: 1874

And IL came to pass when Soloman,
the son of David had finished the Temple
at Jerusalem that he called unto him the
chief architects, the head arti6cers, and
cunning workers in silver and gold, and
in wood and ivory, and in stone--yea, all
who aided in rearing the temple of the
Lord, and said unto them:


"Sit ye down by nay table; l have pre-
pared feast for all my chief workers and
cunning articers Stretch forth thine
hands, therefore, and eat, drink and be
merry. Is not the laborer worthy of his
hire }? Is not the skillful artifcer worthy
of honor?. Muzzle not the OK that tread
eth out the corn"


And when Soloman and the chief work
ers were seated, and the fatness of the
land and the oil thereof were set upon the
table, there came one who Knocked loudly
at the door, and forced himself even into
the festival chamber. Then Solomon, the
King. was wroth, and said:


"What manner of man art thou p


And the man answered and said:


."When men wish to honor me they cal
me Son of the Forge, but when they de.
sire to mock me they call me blacksmith
and seeing that the toll of working in the
fire covers me with sweat and smut, the
latter title, o King, is not inapt; and ii
truth thy servant desires no better"


But" said Solomon, 'why comes
thou then rudely and unbidden to the
feast with the King of Israel"


Then he who carved the cherubin
said:


This fellow is no SCULPTOR" and he
who inlaid the roof with pure gold said
Neither is he workman in fine metals ,
and he who raised the wall said: "He is
not cutter of stone" and he who made
the roof cried out; ''He is not cunning in
cedar neither knoweth he the mystery o
uniting strange pieces of timber together. .


Then said Solomon:


What hast thou to say, Son of the
Forge, why | should not order thee to be
plucked by the beard, scourged with q
scourgeaud stoned to death with stones o.


And when the Son of the Forge heard
this he was in no sort dismayed, but ad-
vancing to the table snatched up and
swallowed u cup of wine, and said


80 King live forever. The chief men
of the workers Of wood and gold and stone
have said am not one of them, and they
have said truly. | am their superior
before they. lived was | created. | am
their master and they are my servants. y
And he said to the chief of the carvers in
stone: "Who made the tools with which
Won carve2r


And he said: 1.-The blacksmith"


And he said to the chief of Masons :
Who made the chises with which the
stones of the temple were squared 2"


And he said "The blacksmith"


And he said to the chief workers in
wood "Who made the tools with which
you hewed the trees on Lebanon, and
formed them into the pillars and roof of
the temple ?"


And he said: "The blacksmith"


Then he said to the artiGcer in gold
and silver and ivory: "Who makes your
instruments by which you work beautiful
things for my lord the king?'


And he said THE blacksmith. "


Enough, enough, good fellow" said
Solomon, "thou hast proved that | in
vited thee, and thou art chief artifcer
in art. Sit thou beside us at the feast,
and be thou forever honored among men "
Year: 1874

The John Bull newspaper edited by
Theodore Hook, frequently INDUCED il
offensive personalities in remarking on the
conduct and character of public men. A
military hero who would persist in placing
himself conspicuously before the worlds
gaze received a copious share of what he
considered malignant and libelous abuse
in the columns of said newspaper. An
officer and gentleman could not demean
himself by calling out hireliug scribbler
for honorable satisfaction. He would
horsewhip the miscreant in his den-the
bull would be taken by the horns


Donning his uniform and arming him
self with huge whip, be called at the Of
fee of the paper, and scarcely concealing
his agitation, inquired for the editor He
was invited by the clerk to take seat in
the room He complied. and was kept
waiting while the clerk, who recognized
the visitor, ran up stairs and informed the
editorial responsibility of bis name and
evident purport. After an aggravated de-
lay, which served to considerably increase
the distemper of the officer, the door open
ed, and coarse, rough looking man, over
six feet in height, with proportonate
breadth of shoulder, and armed with a
bludgeon, entered the room


Walking up to the surprised and angry
visitor, he said in voice of thuuder


" Are you the chap that wants to see
me 2"


You? No. | want to see the editor
of this paper"


That's me I'm the VERY man"


There must be some mistake"


:" Not a morsel, I'm the head hitter of
this Bull said the fellow, bringing the
nobbed end of his bludgeon in fearful
proximity to the officers caput


" You the editor? Impossible y"


g Do you mean to say Tn lying +"
roared the rufliian, as he again raised his
knotty argument


Certainly not-by no means, y said the
officer rapidly cooling down and dropping
the whip at the same time


" Very well, then, what are you want
ing W me?"


g A mistake, my dear sir--a mistake !;
| expected to see another person. I'll
call some other day" and the complain
ant backed to the door, bowing to the
drawn stick before him


= And don't let me ketch you coming
again without knowing who aud what
you want. We're always ready for all
sorts of customers or navy, or
civil, or military, horse, foot or dra-
goons."


The officer returned resolving to under
so another goring by the Bull before he
again ventured to encounter the herculean
proportions of the fighting editor.


When the clerk informed the occupants
of the editorial sanctum of the visit of the
irate colonel, neither Hook nor the pub
fishers cared to face the horsewhip. a
well known pugilist the landlord of tav-
ern in the vicinity, was Immediately sent
for, and a slight preparation fitted him for
the part in which he acquitted himself
with complete success, The story rapidly
circulated, and the reputation of the
fighting editor of John Bull prevented
further remonstrance from persons who
felt themselves aggrieved by personalities
of the press.
Year: 1874

1t will cost two hundred dollars
Anna " said George Blakely to his young,
proud and eXtrayagant wife. The tone
in which he said this, showed that her re
quest had startled him


:" know it will, but what are tvs hun
dred dollars Tor diamond pin r" Mrs
Blakelys remark was half contemptuous
" Mrs. Harry Edgars diamonds cost
over one thousand dollars"


:" just one thousand more than her
husband could afford to pay for them" /"
said Mr.. Blakely.


:" He's the best judge of that, | pre-
sumo" retorted his wife.


:" But what does that signify? You
cannot, Anna"


> What do you do with your money,
pray?"


The young wife turned sharply upon
her husband and her words and tone stung
him into rather harsh reply. But this
only aroused her anger and made her
more unreasonable and persistent.


40 very well, said her too yielding
husband at last, " go to Canfeld's to-mor-
row and get the pin. Tell him to send in
the account on the first of January and it
will be paid"


Mrs Blakely was in earnest. There
was not one of her fashionable acquaint-
ances but had diamond ring or breast
pin, and until the owner of one or both,
she could not hold up her head in society.


Her husband was receiving teller in a
bank, at salary of fifteen hundred dollars
per annum, when he married, which was
about year before, and he still occupied
the same post at the same salary For a
young man in his position he had not
married wisely. The handsome face and
captivating manners of dashing belle be-
wildered his fancy He proposed in haste,
was promptly accepted, and led to the
marriage altar, not true wife but weak
capricious creature, incapable of genuine
love, and too lish and narrow minded
to feel the influence OF honorable princ-
pie,


An extravagant love for dress and or
nament characterized her from the begin
ming. and she would hearken to none Of
her husbands gently offered remonsiran-
ces


The demand for a two hundred dollar
breast pin, coming upon young Blakely,
as it did, at a time when he had just made
the unpleasant discovery of deficit in his
income. when compared with his expen-
ses, of several hundred dollars, sadly dis
heartened him. But he was not brave
enough to meet the exigency, and, there
fore, weakly yielded to a demand that
should have been met with an unf1nching
refusal


The first of January found Blakely
short of funds by considerable more than
the price to be paid for the diamond pin
Canield's bill came in and must be set
tied 1t would not do for him to back in
the matter of payment, for the jeweer was
an acquaintance of more than one of the
directors of the bank and questions might
be asked, and differences drawn prejudcial
to his standing,


In an evil hour, under distress of mind
and strong temptation, the young man
made false entry which enabled him to
abstract two hundred dollars from the
funds of the bank.


This was only the beginning of series
of defalcations, which ran through many
years before the exposure came which is
sure to follow such crime 1t was easier
now to supply the extravagant demands of
his wife, whose annual wardrobe and Jew
elry, for which she had the passion which
is characteristic of weak mind, almost
Year: 1874

They parted in sorrow, they parted in
tears" The husband was to remain at
Bordeaux, for he had situation there /;
the wife was to go to London as a govern
ess, and they filed the railway station with
the noise and sorrow of their parting -
6 Do not cease to love me, do not forget
that you are the wife of decent man, -
said the husband. Never never" said
the wife, and she pulled out her handker-
chief and tied knot in it that she might
remember.
Year: 1874

A Kentucky crusader confessed the
other day that she had kissed sixteen men,
and thus drawn them from the intoxicat-
ing bowl She gave the names of the
men, however, and their wives are now
inquiring with much anxiety whether
whiskey drinking is as bad as it is gener-
ally supposed to be,
Year: 1874

1t is time some move was making by the
proper authorities for better filters out in
deep water, or elsemove the pumping works
up town and take the water from near the
draw at the railroad hride-~.
Year: 1874

1t is a positive disgrace to city the
size of Rock Island that we have such
miserable sidewalks, and in many places
none. There seems to be lack of public
spirit in the people and in the city officers
on this subject
Year: 1874

The Board of Trade, last evening, appointed
committee to arrange for the extension of
couItesies in behalf of that body, representing
the business men Of Wilmington, to the jour
nallsta Of the Peninsula, who are expected to at
tend the meeting of the now Press Association,
in this city, on the Both inst. The meetings Of
the body will be held in the Board Of Trade
room, which is very suitable for the purpose.
Precisely what programme the Committee may
decide upon we cannot of course, Indicate, but
there certainly will be earnest effort to make
the stay of the editors pleasant one. All
that now seems of special concern IL that there
should be full attendance.
Year: 1874

1t is said that the publication of the long ex-
pected memoirs of Prince Talleyrand Is still to
be deferred because, on examination, they are
found to bear with such exceeding severity on
Theirs and Guizot. ouly deferred, however the
publishers are waiting with natural impatience
till Thiers shall shuttle off " this mortal col. /"
Ms his distinguished contemporary has already
done, when the world will be Immediately graft
fed with the scandals against them both 1t
might be considered more magnanimous to bring
forth the charges while their subjects still live
To refute them; but the publishers seem to have
peaceable fear OF "a muss." 1t is rather hard
FOR the distinguished statesman to know what
awaits him after death, and it is to be hoped lie
will spite his enemies by living as long as possi-
hle
Year: 1874

All through the Western iron-producing re-
glons, action similar to that of the Eastern pro-
ducers has taken place regarding the curtailment
Of the production of pig iron, though not by
written agreement The furnaces of Pitteburg
and vicinity are included in the movement, and
from all accounts it il probable the production in
1875 will be very limited. About fve-ninths of
the Western furnaces are already out Of blast,
and it is estimated that the stock of pig has been
reduced to greater extent than at the East.