smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

Anecdote of f4nderseR.-A friend of
mine, who was quite an old boy when
this happened, once came very near
losing his eye-sight. He was brought
to the hospital, where nobody knew
him, and the room was darkened. so
that he could see nothing. not even
his own hand when he held it up be-
fore his eyes. He had lain in this way
for a whole week, and almost wished
he was dead, when one evening there
came gentle tap ON the door, and a
man entered and sat down on the bed
side. NV friend did not know the man;
and even if he had known him, II
would have been too dark to see his
face.


81 am Hans Christian Andersen,
said the man. 81 heard that you were
sick, and have been sick myself. and
know what it is. Would you allow me
to sit down and talk to you. and tell
you some storiesf y


NV friend. naturally enough, was
very grateful. and did not object To
being entertained. And almost every
night for two weeks Andersen re-
turned. When the thick curtains
could be drawn aside from the win
dows, he read aloud. mostly his own
writings, for he liked better To read
his own stories and poems than those
of others. This is only one of a hun
dred incidents of the same kind which
the people in Copenhagen tell of him ;
and no one will wonder that, with all
his peeuliarities and odd habits, they
could not help loving him. He was a
dear and belovedfrien in every house
hold from the King down to the poor
est artisan, every one knew and hon
ored him. Every door and every heart
was open to him. They no longer lee
tured and criticised him; every page
that he wrote was eagerly grasped by
young and old, and read with pleasure
and gratitude.-St. Nicholas.


The Pear Tree.-Old Rupert sat, at
the close of day, in the shade of a beau
tiful pear tree which stood before his
house, while his grandson ate of the
pears, and could not cease pralsIng the
sweet fruit


Then said the grandfather


81 must tell you how this tree came
here. One evening, more than fifty
years ago, stood here. when there
was empty space, but where now this
pear tree stands, aud complained to a
rich neighbOr of my poverty. ''Oh,"
said /, show perfectly eonteuted
should | be If / could only possess one
hundred dollarsw


"The neighbor, who was wise man,
said:


"'That you can easily do if you only
set about it. See,' said, there in the
soil, where you stand. are more than a
hundred dollars, If you can only get
Them


AT that time was only foolish
young man, and SO on the following
night | dug in the ground on that spot.
and to my great modification found
not a single dollar. In the morning
the neighbOr saw where | had been
digging, and laughed heartily at my
simplicity.


al see,' said he. that you did not
understand me. | will send you a
young pear tree set that in the hole
which YOU have dug. and after year
the dollars will begin to appear.


81 set out the young tree. 1t grew,
and became what you now see 1T. The
luscious fruit which it has borne year
after year has brought me far more
than a hundred dollars, and it Is yet a
capital which yearly brings in good
interest
Year: 1875

FEMALE SOCIETY.-It is better for you 10
pass All evening once or twice week in a
lady's drawing-room, even though the con-
vers1tion Is slow, and you know the girls
song by heart, than in club, tavern or the
pit Of a theatre. All amusements OF youth
10 which yirtuOus women are not admitted,
RELY on II, are deleterious in their nature.
All men who avoid female society have dull
perceptions, and are stupid, or have gross
tastes, and revolt against what is pure.
Young club swaggers, who are sucking the
butts Of BILLIARD CUES all night, call ladies
society insipid. Poety is uninspiring TO q
Jockey beauty has no charms for blind
man, music does not please poor beast who
does not know one tune from another but as
an epicure is hardly tired OF water sauces
and brown bread and butter, l can sit for a
whole night talking with well regulated,
kindly woman about her girl Fanny or her
boy Frank, and enjoy the evenings enter
taiument One of the benefits derived from
a womau's society is that he is bound 10 he
respectful TO her. The habit is of great
good to your moral man, depend upon IT.
Our education makes us the most eminently
selfish men IN the world--IIackgGy.
Year: 1875

The FIRE That OLD Nick BUIIT.-We
find in an exchange the following capital
imitation of the style of the ''house that
Jack built and wish it might become d
household favorite:


Intemperance-This Is the fire that old
Nick built


Moderate drinking-This is the fuel that
feeds the fire that old Nick built
Rum seIling-This Is the AK that cuts the
wood that feeds the fire that old Nick built.


Love of money-This Is the stone that
grinds the ak that cuts the wood that feeds
the fire that old Nick built.


Public opinion-This is the sledge with II,
face of steel that batters the stone that grinds
the Ak that cuts the wood that feeds the fire
that old Nick built.


a Temperance meeting-This Is one Of the
blows that We quietly deal TO fashion the
sledge with its edge OF steel that batters the
Stone that grinds the ak that cuts the wood
that feeds tie fire that old Nick built.
Temperance pledge-This Is the smith
that works with will TO give force 10 the
blow that We quietly deal to fashion the
sledge with its face OF steel that batters the
stone that grinds the ak that cuts the wood
thai feeds the fire that old Nick built.
Eternal truth-This Is the spirit 80 gentle
and still that nerves the smith 70 work with a
will 70 give forcs 70 the blow that We quietly
deal 70 fashion the sledge with its face of
steel that batters the stone that grinds the az
that cuts the wood that feeds the fire that
old Nick built.
Year: 1875

CHRISTIAN OFFICE-HoLDNG.-Thsre s q
Christian way of holding office and there is
only one such way. The name "public ser
want has the true idea in it; thoagh il 10
near to having become mockery. A man
may hold Office if he can serve his fellow
men and do good in that capacity. His busi-
nezs there is to be useful 10 the State, or
the community. He has no other busi-
ness 70 be there at all and if this Be not his
purpose, he Is but thief Christian Office
holding Is nothing else therefore than Chris
tian living IL that place. Its end is 10 serve
mankind In honor TO God. So far, only, one
may hold or seek for official station out 80
far It may be done, and sometimes must Be
done. II should be kept in mind that this il
possible, and needful. There Is danger that
ohiee-holding may fall into sneh contempt
that bad men engaged in II may escape being
Judged by the high standards Of what Is pos
sible and right; and that good men may fail
also to understand what obligation is in them
10 show in themselves after what manner
those high standards should ba reached
C0sgysgaMlGli&.
Year: 1875

A CORRESPONDENT Of the Albany 14rgus
makes the following suggestion, which if
practieed, will not detract from the fun,
while it adds to the fairness Of spelling
matches: The average spelling match gives
hardly fair test Of the orthographical abil-
ity of those engaged in such wCrdy contests.
A good spelier might get his quietus on the
first word put 10 him, while he was able to
spell every other word On the list. There
fore it is unjust to give the prizes to those
who are so fortunate as to be correct in the
few words which happen to fall to them. 4
better method than the old one Is, TO let each
competitor write down the whole list stimuli
taneously as it is given out, sign the paper
and hand it To the committee. This being
done, sides may be chosen in the usual way,
and the fun of the thing viii not be inter
fered with, while the object of the trial Will
be fairly accomplished. The first prize
should be given to the person spelling the
largest number correctly, and the secoud to
the individual who spells all down. This IS
the only fair way, and if our spelling match
Is to be a success, 1t will De adopted 4 pub
/ lie announcement of such a course would
draw out large number Of spellers.
Year: 1875

THE fashion which fOybids the widow on
marrying again to appear at the altar in a
bridal veil is derived, like many of cur Gus
toms, from medieval superstitions. The
Church regarded the second marriage of a
woman as inficting stain upon her woman
hood. For this reason, while the virgin
bride stood at the altar decked in all the
insignia of virginity-white veil, flowing
hair, crown wreath, unglOved hand-the
widow who married again was allowed none
Of these, and was especially required to ap-
pear at the altar gloral, il order that her hand,
which a second uar-iIge was supposed TO
poIlute, should not touh the pure, sanctiied
hand of the representative OF the Church or
his sacred robes Of ofics. This Is curious
superstition. and ike others OF Its sort pro-
duces ala effect upon on: habits and manners
long after the cause Is fagotton-
Year: 1875

San Francisco, Oct. 25.-The follow
ing telegram was received ut the Con-
sohdated Virginia Mining Company's
office this morning, from the superin-
tendent of the mines: Two hundred
inches of water broke in from the east
wall on the fourteen hundred foot
level on Sunday morning. The stream
has since been reduced to about ninety
inches and may run out altogether in
few days. Men are now engaged in
dlverting Tie water to prevent damage
to the mine. The Gould & Curry,
Savage, and The Hale & Norcross
mines are filling rapidly, with all the
pumps running. All hoisting of ore
has been stopped.


Later dispatches to private parties
state that at noon the water was under
control.


Stocks have been but slightly affect
ed and the general impression is that
II" great damage will ensue.
Year: 1875

This will be a noisy article. Some
body has suggested that one great bell
is better for all practical purposes than
many small ones. The bell and belfry
of the average church makes up con-
siderable item in the cost Of the struc-
ture, and yet when the sexton tolls
that bell it is only those living in the
near vicinity who are told that he is
tolling it. The jar to the building
consequent on ringing that bell entails
a damage to be thought of. Next, the
usual hour for service is the same in
all churches, therefore one great bell
which could be heard miles beyond
the corporation limits could call all
sects, creeds and denominations to
their respective houses Of worship.
The city needs bell which may be
heard to its remotest corners in order
that all may know when there is a
blaze on somebody's premises. A sys-
tematic plan or ringing this great bell
must be agreed upon by which the
signal that the devouring element is
raging and the fire laddies wanted, or
the joyous ringing on gala day, may
be designated from the solemn sound
which calls sinners to repentance. The
great bell could be placed in position
on framework say thirty feet in
height and, and man employed
whose business it would be to ring
that bell on all occasions in manner
appropriate for those occasions. This
one great bell would do the work of
many small bells; churches need not
incur the expense of bell purchase and
belfry building, and we should have a
bell the slightest tone of which would
warn all within a circuit of miles
around that it was time to go to
church.
Year: 1875

1t is reported that never before has
there been SO many poor men and des-
titute families in San Francisco as at
the present time. Hard times and
the extreme cold weather in the East
have induced many families to seek
the Pacific Coast, and large propor-
tion of these left the place of their
nativity with means barely sufficient
to pay their way to the Golden State.
Now they find themselves in strange
city, among strangers, with little
chance for employment and without
the wherewith to fight the wolf from
the door. If we may trust reports
from the East, the tide of immigra-
tion westward has just begun to flow.
Thousands and thousands of families
will land in California within the
next six months who have but scant
means and but the vaguest idea of
where they will settle or by what
means they will earn livelihood


They have heard OF the Golden Land,


and have read of its rich soil and
Summer skies, and they think if they
can only reach San Francisco, they


will no longer suffer the deprivations
of long, cold Winters, nor be SUBJ
Year: 1875

A few days ago the HERALD had an
article pointing out the water power
advantages which Los Angeles could
offer to manufacturers who might de-
sire to establish business here. We
still hold that these advantages exist
and We are firm in the opinion that
their use should, at nominal cost, be
placed at the disposal of those who
would establish an industry in our
city. But when we learn the expense
devolving upon the Noolen Mill for
the use of one of those water privileges
we incline to the opinion that unless
the cost is reduced it is not much of
privilege after all. AS we are inform
ed the city grants the Woolen Mill
the right to use the water OH the con-
dition that the Woolen Mill Company
maintain the ditch in good repair.
This ditch is about ten miles in
length and the Woolen Mill owners
have found that the expense of keep
ing the ditch repaired is so great as to
involve loss in running the mill,
and consequently the mills have dis
continued operations. Let US look at
the surrounding facts: Residents of
this city living West of Olive street
have suffered all Spring and are still
suffering for want of water. This is
occasioned by the stopping of the mill
and tho cnnseanant bad condition of
the ditch. The Woolen Mill was an
enterprise in which the people were
greatly interested and it seems pity
that it should be crushed out by the
hard conditions imposed by the city
authorities on the right to use
the water. The citizens residing
on this ditch pay the same rate for
water that is paid by irrigators on
other bitches. The use of the water
by the woolen mill does not affect it
in quality or quantity, and the city
receives from the irrigators the same
amount that she would were there no
wooden mill on the ditch. The point
we wish to make is that it would be
better for the city to keep this ditch in
repair at her own expense and require
a mere nominal rent from the wooden
mill for the use of the water, than to
impose such conditions on the manu-
facturers that they are compelled to
stop their mill and through the bad
condition of the ditch inconvenience
and injure irrigators. We suggest to
the Council that something be done in
the way of remedying what seems to
be damage both to the people who
want the water and to the Woolen
Mill Company. We ought to encour-
age manufactures.
Year: 1875

jeeted to the depredations of the grass
hopper scourge. Nor will they; but
they will find San Francisco a poor
place for poor people. They will find
it a poor place for the common la
borer. They will find the cost of liv-
ing high and the landlord inexorable.
They will find the shops and kitchens
filled with the cheap labor chattle,
and they will find no employment for
their boys and girls. They will find a
hundred labor exchanges, each one of
which will take their money and
promise, but they will not
find them employment. They
will find if they try to remain in the
city that they had much better have
remained at home. There is room in
California for thousands, yea millions,
of people, and we want them here. 1t
is country where they can make good
livings and comfortable homes-where
JleJ Cdu llNe tdSicI anu Uctlcl anu
grow rich faster than in the cold, bleak
Northwest or the miserable, down.
trodden South-but they must not stop
in San Francisco. That is the place
for mechanics, artisans and profess
sional men, but to families who have
lived ia the country and devoted their
lives to agricultural pursuits we say,
do not stop in San Francisco unless
you have an abundance of means.
This advice holds good with common
laborers and all without trade or pro-
fession. Get into the country; go out
into the broad vallies; go among the
foothills; go up the mountain side;
pitch your tent in the mines, but avoid
our one great city if your hands are
hard and your purse light.
Year: 1875

n NOTWITHSTANDING the heavy land
sales, by which many thousands of
acres have in small lots passed into
the hands of settlers in this valley
during the past few months, the de-
mand for farms seems to be increasing
daily. The number of arrivals in this
city never was before as great as at
the present time, and it is matter of
note that the greater number of the
new comers are persons who come to
make their homes among us. Our
real estate dealers are doing large
and steady business, while the large
land companies, Centinela, Artesia
and others, are selling at private sale
a great deal of the land they expected
to dispose of at auction. The popula-
ton of Los Angeles valley is rapidly
increasing and the increase is made
up in the main of that substantial
class we most need-cultivators of the
sOil
Year: 1875

AT her State election which occurred
on the 9th inst, New Hampshire
polled an increase of several thousand
votes oyer that cast at the election of
last year. This year the contest be-
tween the Democrats and Republicans
is so close that there is no choice by
the people for Governor. Last year
the Democrats elected their candidate
for Governor by handsome majority.
This year the increase in the total Re-
publican vote is about 1900 over the
total vote of last year. There is a
slight percentage of increase in the
Democratic vote, but not more than
might have been expected from the
change in political sentiment notice
able within the past few months. But
the increased Republican vote is mys-
terious, not to say suspicious. 1t al
most causes one to wonder if the Ad-
ministration has not been experiment
ing with the colonization scheme on
this the first of the Spring elections.
Year: 1875

OGDEN, March 1lth.-The Central
Pacific PASSENGER train ran into an
o'clock this morning, damaging the
engineand caboose and throwing one
emigrant car off the track. No one
was seriously hurt. The cause of the
accident was that the passenger train
was ahead of time and the emigrant
train broke into while taking side
track.
Year: 1875

Moore's Restaurant, on Commercial street,
is the proper place to go fort good meal, with
q good cup OF coffee or tea to drink with it,
There is probably no restaurant on the Pacific
coast where so many of the substantials and
so many of the luxuries may be had for % cts.
Don't forget the place-Moore's Restaurant,
Commercial street. Private eating rooms have
been neatly fitted up for the accommodation
of ladies. i5-tf
Year: 1875

MIR Dane of the Chesapeake & Ohio
Railroad is in the city with a view of
making arrangements to establish a
line of Steamships to connect our city
in direct trade with the west. It is
proposed if sufficient encouragement
be offered, to establish weekly line
of Steamships to ply between Charles
ton & Richmond the connecting
point of the Chesapeake & Ohio Rail
road. and to touch at Wilmington
weekley on each voyage. We shall
hail with Joy this addition to our
fhipping. The benefits to be derived
from such a communication is we
think of vast Importance to the growth
and prosperity of our city The steamer
touching here on it's voyage to Rich
mond will of course be supplied with
cargo Of naval stores, cotton and pro-
duce generally, while each returning
vessel will bring to our doors vast
quantities of grain and provisions which
are the staple productions of the West.
By all means let us work to establish
this new iLs of steamers.
Year: 1875

In closing his remarks, at the tax
payers meeting, in Halifax county on
the 5th inst, MIR. Conigand said:


1t is not my purpose to discuss the
various points that occur to me in de-
tail, but will suggest some that occur
to me of many


AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
without which the East can have 10
relief In these we do not wish to
curtail the rights of any class of men,
we simply desire to secure our owl.


First: Preserve the question be-
tween the tax on $3OO,OO value of
property and the tax on the poll, but
when the tax on property is increased
for any purpose, the tax on the poll
must be increased in the like ratio


Second: Allow no man to vote at any
election who has not paid his poll tax
accrued since the last preceding cleo
ton either in money, or by work on
the public roads.


Third: Limit the number of Magis-
tcates for each county; elect the Mag
istrates for life by the Legislature from
men of intelligence and good charac-
ter, and require majority of the whole
body to concur in levying the county
taxes.


would not have a man indicted for
failing to list his taxes, which enures
only to the benefit of the officers of the
court; but I would make all able bod
led men pay their poll taxes, in money
or in work. I ask the colored men who
are present, if their good friend Solic-
itor Harris, in the several hundred
indictments which he had against them
here for failing to list, remitted any of
his costs. Several colored men here
answered, ''no, he made us pay every
cent?


I ask them again who kept many of
them from going to Jail for inability to
pay these costs-was it not their white
friends (Answer "That is true.'D It
is true ,and it is your white friends
you go to in all your difficulties. The
men of your own party could not help
you if they would, and doubt wheth-
Year: 1875

House-keepers should bear In mind that this IS
tie best month in the year to paint up. Houses
painted in every variety Of style and in the short
est time possible. SLop sos Fourteenth street
northwest.
Year: 1875

AN UNUSUAL NOTE FROM CHURCH
ORGAN.


A church was out in Austin, New, cor


rupted by the tendency of the times, for


sock its primitive mode of worship and had


an organ put up. The Sunday on which


the instrument was first to BE- used saw


large congregation gathered, and mild


haired young man with eyeglasses and


catarrh, who had been secured for the oc-


casion, seated himself before the, key board.


As is usual on such occasions, there was


hitch in the programme the blower was


behind time, having stopped on his way to
adjust personal difficulty, and when he
did arrive he was too much battered and
worn to furnish wind for the voluntary.
So the minister read little, and then the
choir stood up. 1t was one of those compo-
sitions, called "set piece" where the
soprano makes an assertion in solo, after
which is joined by the contralto in repeat.
ing the sentiment, she followed by the ten
or with his view Of the case, and to whom
the basso acts as sort Of an inlsrser.
Well, the organ peeped gently on the little
pipes, and the soprano sang. " Eef I had
a-wings wings like ah dove" Then
the contralto chimed in, and the ivory
manipulation pulled out stop and let on
more steam, when wild. shrill cry, like
the wall Of lost soul, Mortified the listen
ing ears Of the audience Fear brooded
over the choir, and they glanced with awe
toward the organ, all except the tenor, who
had cast in his eye. With trembling
voices the burden Of the song was taken up,
and the tenor took deep breath where
with to tackle high note lie was to begin
on. The time came and the organist
grasped handful Of stops and bore down
on the pedals. The note came, and with it
a shrek at utter discord with the singers
voice. But the organist was interested, and
did not heed the frightened looks of the
congregation, SO he turned on fresh sup
ply of pipes, and the basso thundered out
"Eef had wings" Just then the player
kicked all the pedals into motion and
jammed down the swell. Then came rat
tie and hoarse cry, the blower fled from
his post, the choir abandoned their desire
fer wings and used their feet as yellow
gentleman cat, with tail erect and blazing
eyes, leaped from the swell box and lit in
the deacon's pew. Then the audience
went out, and 50 did the cat through a
window.
Year: 1875

There are not quite SO many anxious
politicians this week as there were last
Several of them have discovered that only
one man can be Sheriff, and only one other
an Assemblyman. Such is life.