smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

Crime seems to be so much on the in
crease everywhere that it is even ex-
tending to children. Many instances
have been given within the last year of
boy murderers, some of whom have
been committed to prison and pun
ished, though not to the full extent of
the law, for their fearful murders. The
latest mentioned is the case of negro
boy aged twelve years, living about
seven miles from Aiken, South Carolina.
His victim was negro girl of eight.
She had been sent by her parents to the
house of the boys parents, living lit
tie distance away, with some message,
and, after considerable length of time,
not returning, her parents started in
search of her. When they arrived at
the neighbor's house they found only the
boy at home, the grown persons having
been absent the whole day, but not re.
ceiving any satisfactory answer from
him they commenced to trace their little
daughters footsteps, and soon came
upon her body lying on the ground il
the woods, hastily covered over, the
head being terribly crushed and man
gled. Suspicion pointed at once to th'
boy, and the Sheriff, living near by, wa
advised of it, and Immediately arrested
the boy murderer, who made a full con
fession when he found concealment una


vailing. He said that the motive fo


the crime was to revenge himself upo


the girl for telling lies on him at differ


ent times. When she came to the hous


and found no one there, she had start
back, and he had followed her unit
) they reached a quiet spot, when h
seized lightwood knot and struck he
upon the head until she was dead. II
then ran back home and got hoe, an
| digging shallow hole, he pulled u


dirt, trash and sticks upon the body


conceal it.
Year: 1877

Virginia, Nevada Chronicle


There isa class of men in this commu
nifty who never let any ybody else have any
fun Instead of making everybody happy
around them, they make everybody
miserable One of these characters
was on board the train on Saturday,
coming up from the pioneers picnic
with his young and pretty wife. They
were on one of the long benches of the
platform car. Alongside the wife sat a
young man of festive tendencies, a
popularity in men, young and old, not
unfrequent upon the COmstock. Well,
the train reached the tunnel, and in a
moment everybody was in the dark.
When daylight was reached again the
husband saw fragment of his wife's
lace veil upon that young mans hat.
Instead of reasoning, as philosopher
would have done, that it might be all
mistake, the suspicious husband got up
and wanted to punch the other mans
head and made a scene generally. The
trouble finally cooled down, and every
body began to laugh at the old fellow
| When presently another tunnel was
reached, mischievous young lady who
sat next to the husband quietly detached
a piece of her veil and put it on his hat.
As soon as the car got into daylight the
other passengers began to laugh at him,
and to hint that he had been browsing
on forbidden pastures. Worse than all /,
his wife pretended to get angry, and
when such audible remarks as "Who' d
thought it?'' I" Pity man of his age
can't behave HIMSELF" " Bald-headed
men are all that way" etc, went around
the car, his face looked like boiled lob
ster all over. When the depot was
reached he was the first man off the
| train
Year: 1877

Dom Pedro is still keeping up his
reputation as practical exemplifcation
of perpetual motion. The other day he
arrived at Belfast, Ireland, by steamer
at four a. m, and with as little delay as
possible started for the Giants Cause
way. He had to ride seven miles in a
carriage on reaching Portsmouth, the
railroad terminus, and as many back.
He was again in Belfast by two p. m,
and left for Dublin, where he arrived
for supper. He was up at five next
morning, ascended the Nelson pillar,
visited half a dozen different institu-
tions and points of interest, and at six
in the evening started for Killarney. On
reaching the station he found he had ten
minutes to spare and at once inquired
whether there was anything he could
see in that time. A neighboring hospital
was pointed out, which he succeeded il
doing" before the train left. Hi:
thirst for information and rapidity o.
movement are remarkable enough, but i
the reports of the condition of hi
dominions are true he had better brins
his sightseeing to a close. The debt o
the empire is said to be equal to it
revenues for seven and half years, anC
its taxes are raised with difficulty. There
is an ample field for the exercise of it
sovereign's wisdom.
Year: 1877

His Inheritance" a new novel by
Miss Adeline Trafton, author of "The
American Girl Abroad" and Kath-
crime Earle" is begun in the "Midsum-
mer Holiday Number" of tScribner.
The scene is laid in the southwestern
frontier before the war. Of the char
acters introduced in the first Install
ment, the most prominent are Stubbs,


the sutler, his little girl Blossom (evi-
IDENTIFY to be the heroine of the story
and his wife. The following description
of the last named shows that she is to


play no insignificant part in the story:


She was tall, she was gaunt as gray


wolf in winter She was strong of arm


and stout of nerve, with talent for de-


vising and will for executing almost
any work. She could serve dinner to


tolerably straitened garrison that


would tempt king, or she could steady


a rife and drop a redskin, if need be, at


three hundred yards There was even


rough kind of femininity about the


woman, who was by no means disagree
able to look at, with her bright black


eyes and her brown cheeks showing a


subdued flame. She had been known


more than once to nurse a wounded


man back to life when the surgeons had


given him up-with just scolding


enough, it must be owned, to spur him


on to convalescence. Add to these the


aggressive qualities of thrift and neat


ness, and we shall have perfect charac-


ter, you will say. Oh, no; do you fancy


that all the natural graces as well as


the Christian virtues are to be found in


one individual? She was envious (but


that is not SO rare fault that it need


be dwelt upon). She was crafty and


unscrupulous. But the first she con-


cealed by the second; and the third, in
tending upon the other two, kept in the


background. And then she was comely
to look at-and that is better cloak


than charity, even-with her sleek


black hair and the fresh color just dead


ened by the tan ON her cheeks Comely
to look at, if one could forget the EN-
J bers in her eyes, which gust of passion
might blow into blaze. After all, i
was kind of beauty which MAJ
: might like to look upon, but would
5 hardly covet for his own.


Y As for her thrift and neatness, tn,


suffers quarters showed the effect o
t good qualities, which were a kind O
stockade about the real woman. He
9 home was tidy and inviting, or woulC
= have been, but that the tidiness becam
l. tyrannical at times. Gradually kim
n of cabaret of a most respectable pat
r tern was established here, where tn
s officers dropped in of an evening to OF
= der bit of supper, which the mistres
n OF the house was not above cooking wit
(. her own hands. A well-thumbed pac
d of cards was brought into requisitio
J. while waiting for this to be served, an
e rumor did say that many pile of Go,
s ernment gold changed hands over tn
q table here. But rumor is always NAL
,. cious, and this may or may not hav
t. been true. Drinking there certainl
d was, but no brawling over the cards c
.; wine, or the friendly pipe with Stubt
a himself, who was quiet, shrewd man, a
,t excellent listener at all times-and VIII;
d could be more desirable in companion
If He could even tell story of his ow
e. when Mrs. Stubbs was not by.
Year: 1877

NoRRIsTowN Herald: A few weeks
ago, boy in Lancaster, Pa, fell between
the bumpers of moving train, but his
pantaloons catching on some portion of
the car he was held suspended over the
rail without injury until the train stop
ped, when he was released. Had the
cloth in his trousers been poor stuff, the
lad would have been killed. This in
cident shows the advantage of wearing
strong clothing. In Lancaster County,
few days ago, a man who was driving
threshing machine, had one of the legs
of his pantaloons caught in the couplings,
and torn completely off. Had the cloth
been of sterner stuff the man probably
would have been killed. The moral of
this incident is-well, it is so plainly and
Numerically opposed to the first, that it
is hardly worth while indicating.
Year: 1877

The Supreme Court of the United
States has affirmed a decision of the
Supreme Court of Vermont, that it is
the duty of the Cashier of a national
bank to furnish the treasurer of the
town with list of the shareholders for
the purposes of taxation. This decision
isin accordance with previous judgments,
that national banks are subject to State
legislation, excepting where such legis-
lation is in conflict with the laws of Con-
gress, or where it tends to impair or de-
stroy the utility of such banks as agents
or instrumentalities of the United States,
or interfere with the purposes of their
creation.
Year: 1877

EDWARD KING writes from the seat
of war to the Boston Journal that the
Turks take no prisoners, and that such
of the advance guard as were cut of
from the main body on the night of the
26th were horribly maltreated before
being put to death. Four men of the
advance found themselves separated
from their companions. They were
subjected TO tortures of which the North
American Indians would be ashamed.
Some of them had their ears and noses
cut off, and all the glands and organs of
their throats cut out. One man was
found still breathing, with his throat cut
In this horrible fashion, and managed to
tell the tale of his tortures. 1t hardly
seems possible that the mild-eyed Turk
can be guilty of such wretched atroci-
ties az this
Year: 1877

The pastor of one of the fashionable
churches of Detroit is a poet. For
years he has had a small clock in con-
venient place under the reading desk by
which he could note the hour without
losing time by taking out his watch.
The clock was lost some time ago and
the pastor, who missed it very much,
sent to one of his favorite Pensioners
the following note on a postal card:
Your pastor very meekly suggests


Without venturing any decided behests


That n time-piece 10 the pulpit annexed


May keep the people from being yexed


BY sermons that run TO excessive length


And tax the popular patience and strength.


Perhaps houT-glass might do as well


BY which the passage Of time to tell;
With a beadle TO tap with his gentle rod
Not only the hearer who ventures to nod,
But the preacher whose words continue to run
When the sand in the glass says he ought to be
done.
Year: 1877

A RECENT history Of American uni
forms brings to light the fact that the
gray of the Southern Confederacy was
the regulation dress of the American
armies which fought at Chippewa and
Niagara in 1912, and was adopted at
West Point in commemoration of those
victories. 1t is still quite extensively
worn by Northern regiments, and is the
prevailing color in all military schools
and for economy and quietness it is
doubtless preferable to the blue.
Year: 1877

citizens of the United States" This is q
tub thrown to the Democratic whale, and
only means by military the troops of the
! United States while armed rifle clubs are
TO he tolerated in promoting healthy pub
lie sentiment by silencng in death the acts
and votes Of citizens of the United States
who presume touphold and vote for Rcpub-
lican principles as heretofore presented and
understood.


The new party next steps into pure Re
| publican waters and declares for the pro-
lection of equal rights of all classes; against
any discrimination on account of race
color, or condition; the selection of pure,
able and honest public officers, pledged to
an economical administration of the Gov
| ernment; corporations supcrvisable within
constitutional limits by State authority; no
disimnchiscment of any citizen on account
of a lack Of education or failure to pay
poll tax; the maintenance of q wise system
of free schools, and law providing for
compulsory education; to which, among
other things is q declaration in favor of the
Texas Pacific Railroad, and for building and
keeping in repair the levces Of the Missis-
sippi River.


We find nothing here entitled to serious
objection, while there is much of principle
TO applaud and sustain. 1t is judiciously
assorted political cargo, which, instead of
being attached to the locomotive of national
republcanism with the promise of a sue
ccsstul and profitable trip, is switched of
upon the administrators" side-track, and
will stand there, either to decay or be pill
lagcd by the enemy. Such an organization
cannot afford any satisfaction TO the admin
istratiOn, for the reason that the President
has no Use for another party than the one that
placed him in power. He certainly has no
personal ambitions to serve beyond the limit
of his present term of Office, for he has de-
clared to the country and the world that he
would not consent to accept and serve
during another. Being candid in this en-
phatic declaration Of purpose, the President
has no need of "a party other than the one
that has already covered him with the high
est honor in human government. In view
of all this we are led to suspect that the new
departure in Mississippi is an invention of
the enemy TO keep that State under pcrpet-
ual Democratic rule.
Year: 1877

The assault made by the Baltimore Ga
setts upon the committee of one hundred
citizens Of this District is unworthy a de-
cent gauge of journalism. To charge upon
them that they are incubating Job, which
may result in incurring n further debt to
the District and increased taxation" is =
gross libel upon a large class of the business
men and the most respected citizens OF
Washington. This movement, which is
characterized by the Gazette as "a scheme Of
the ring" is In the hands mainly of its
swn political friends, and we rejoice
70 witness their patriotic efforts in behalf OF
the best interests of the District They do
not seem to inquire as to the party predi-
lsctions of any engaged in the work, but
welcome the hearty cooperation of all
without regard to party distinctions They
are not led or Influenced by any ring"
They are stimulated by oommendable de-
Gire to relieve the people of the District and
secure its further improvement.


If the Gazette must keep a ch0onisr at
the National Capital, it should instruct him
70 pick up his rags with better Judgment
and dispose of them with better taste than
marks lis present efforts. His insolence
toward the best citizens of the District de.
serves severe reprchension.
Year: 1877

risk will be involved in the execution o.
the resumption act at the date fixed by law.
The resumption act does not require the
redemption of anything in coin but our
legal tenders, and the demand for them will
by that time be so great, simply to supply
the legal necessities of the banks, as to
make and keep them at par with coin.


These facts show that it would be the
shccrest folly to repeal the resumption act
now that it is just upon the eve of efrectinG
its original design If danger to commercial
affairs were threatened by its operation, such
danger is happily past. If injury has been
caused during our gradual approach to the
par of coin, no adequate remedy will be
found in the repeal of the act now that its
worst has been accomplished.
Year: 1877

THERE is certainly one proof of the broth
erly love OF the South in the fact that the
Jackson Times is the only remaining Rcpubli.
can paper in Mississippi. This shows the sue
cess of the Southern policy.
Year: 1877

PHILADELPHIANs are never satisfied They
had the Centennial. Twenty millions of pco-
pie visited 1t and spent their money there.
The Supreme Court decided that the 81, 100000
loaned by the Government should be paid
back The decision was complied with by the
Board of Finance. A lot of spectators bought
up the stock, expecting the Court to give the
money to the stockholders. Now they want
Congress to give 1t to them. The Board of
Finance has nothing to do with the scheme.
Year: 1877

After listening to the reading of the
report of the Grand Jury, yesterday at
ternoon, Judge Lewis made a few plain
and pointed remarks, called forth by
that document. Referring to the grant
ing of licences to sell liquor, by the
County Commissioners, he said that a
good many persons had mistaken idea
as to the revenue resulting theretrom.
This money is not q benefit to the coun-
try, nor was it intended to be so by the
law makers, but instead is used up in
the prosecution of crime caused by the
sale OF this poisonous stuff. Men only
are given licenses who are supposed to
be possessed Of "good moral characters"
but that there is fraud about the mat
ter is patent to all who are acquainted
with the keepers of the lower dens in
this city. Men have confessed in open
Court to keeping "squaw brothels," and
yet they possessed licenses based, as said
before, upon the qualification of "good
moral character" Such men cannot pos
sibly get their licenses renewed, and with
the certainty of having them revoked by
a Court as stern in its administration of
justice as that of Judge Lewis, it is
doubtful if they ever try. The law ma
kers intended to crowd out such fellows,
and to contine the liquor selling busi-
ness to good men; men who would keep
only n good quality of liquor, who would
not permit disorderly conduct or gamb-
ling, and who, having good moral char
acters themselves, would be a check in
stead Of license upon the vagabonds
infesting the community. The crusade
Judge Lewis entered upon year ago
against the vilest, most villainous ele =
ments OF society, has told with great ef-
feet from one end of Puget Sound to the
other, and has entitled him to the last.
ing gratitude OF all order-loving citizens.
49, Tribune.
Year: 1877

A farmer let his lands to an oil COM
pany last spring, on condition of recoiv-
ing one eighth Of the oil produced. The
well proved to be pretty good one, and
the farmer began to think that the ell
men should give him better chance,
and ventured to tell them so. They ask
ed him what he wanted. He said they
ought to give him one-twelfth. The
agreement was finally made, with the
understanding that the farmer was not
to tell any one All went smooth until
the next division day came, when our
friend was early at hand to see how
much better he would be off under the
new bargain. Eleven barrels were rolled
to one side of the oil men, and one for
him. This did not suit him. Chow S
dish ?" says he. 81 think I was to get
more as before, By iinks you make
mistake !" The matters were explained
to him, that he formerly got one barrel
of every eight, but it was his own propo-
sition to only take one of every twelve.
This revelation took him aback. He
scratched his head, looked cross, and re-
heved his swelling breast of feelings OF
self-reproach by Indignantly remarking
"Well, dat ish de first time as ever ]
know'd eight was more as dwelve."
Year: 1877

Representative Maish, of Pennsylva-
mia, introduced in the United States
House constitutional amendment en-
bodying rather cumbrous but ingenious
plan for dividing the mass vote of State
for President by the number of electoral
votes possessed by the State, and credit
ing to each candidate his share of the
electoral votes of such State obtained on
the basis of the electoral average reached
by the division of the mass vote. For
example, let the mass vote Of New York
be 100000; this divided by thirty
three would, in round numbers, give 80, =
900 as the electoral average. The Hayes
vote divided by this average would have
shown sixteen electoral votes for the Re-
publican candidate, and the Tilden vote
so divided would have given the remain
ing seventeen votes to the Democrats.
The plan has at least the merit of insur-
ing a certain recognition to minorities.
Year: 1877

Perhaps richer specimens, but cer-
tainly no more beautiful ones, have ever
been taken from any mine than are now
being obtained from q recently discover
ed lode in Jimtown. The story runs
that for months the miners, in going to
and from their daily labors, have Travelled
along a certain path, wearing the earth
away to a rock. A vein was thus brought
to light which presented no attractions
to the prospector, and was trod upon as
OF no account. A laborer, two weeks
ago, swung sledge upon his shoulder,
and started early in the morning for his
accustomed toll on the mountain side.
Reaching the vein, he carelessly allowed
the heavy stone breaker to fall upon a
projecting point, and thereby detached
several pieces of the vein matter. The
white character of the rock, and its gilt
tering particles disclosed to him one of
the richest mines in the world. Liberally
full were thewhite specimens with bright
particles of almost pure gold !; and, al
though a shaft has been sunk to the
depth Of nine feet, the rock increases in
richness, and at the bottom very thin
strips of wire gold seem to hold together
the fragmentary parts of the vein matter.
Untold wealth is the sure possession of
the men, Virden and Griffin, who own
this treasure vault of the hills. Denuei'
Ne2US.
Year: 1877

Mary Flood was a comely young Irish
woman, unfaithful to her husband On
a Sunday morning Flood, maddened by
finding his wife in another mans apart
ments, pursued her with the first weapon
he could lay his hands upon, an iron
reamer, and killed her ON the threshold
of the home she had dishonored. The wo-
man is dead and the murderer afterward
gave himself up to justice, his own con-
science being his pursuer.


Almost a similar history of misery and
crime has Just reached its elimination in
Philadelphia. -Four years ago beauti-
full girl of respectable parentage was
tempted from her home to q career of
vice. During these four years her
brother, a decent, honorable, middle
aged man, has followed her in vain,
striving with tenderness, arguments, ap-
peals of every kind, to bring her back to
a pure life. The woman's nature was
hopelessly corrupted. If she returned
for season, temptation was waiting
near at hand, and she fell again each
time lower than before. The brother
was driven by grief and shame at last to
drink, and few weeks ago, while crazed
with rage and liquor he discovered this
poor Alice, who had been so dear to him
in his childhood, in an infamous house,
and shot her through the heart. So this
woman also is dead. Another innocent,
happy home is held up to public shame,
stained indeibly with crime and blood.
The brother, "whose load, as the judge
said while sentencing him, chad been
heavier than many men are called upon
to BEAR" is condemned to wear out the
best years of his life in the penitentiary.
The seducer can read the story at his
ease in the morning paper, quite satisfied
that there is no point where the crude,
cropping fingers of the law can touch him
Even public opinion has no heavier pun
ishment for him than half amused re-
buke.


The law and society provide prompt
remedies for the injuries inflicted by
blows with iron clubs or pistol shots
but of hurts which go down into the sou
and life, corrupting the one and running
the other, they have no cognizance
Hence it may be in place even for {
merely secular journal to remind it,
readers now and then that there is {
reality more mighty and enduring than
crime in tenement houses or its punish
ment in courts wider, more stable life
in which the errors of this perplexei
world will be set right in calm and Ger
tainty.-N Y. Tribune.