smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

ACCORDING to the testimony before the
House committee those Mexican border
outrages are not confined to one side. That
is natural. The Texan ranger will allow no
Greaser to excel him in murder and theft,
Year: 1878

ARREST OF THE CITY OF GLASGOW BANK
MANAGERs.-The whole management of the City
OF Glasgow bank, namely: the secretary, man.
on Saturday on the charge OF fraud. They are
confined separately and not allowed to COM
munlcate with any person. They all Surren-
dered without trouble and declared they would
have done so voluntarily If they had known
they were wanted,
Year: 1878

OPENING THE BLACK SEA PORTs.-T'he Treas
uly department is in receipt of a letter from The
Secretary OF state stating that according to a
dispatch received from the minister of the
United States in Russia, his ma eStY. the en-
peror. on the 1st day OF August last ordered the
disarmament OF the Russian ports OF the Black
Sea- and the removal OF the submerged torpe-
does.
Year: 1878

The HOSTILE CHEYENNES.-It is reported that
the runaway Cheyenne Indians intend to work
northward and propose a peaceful settlement at
Fort Kehoe, and if that is not permitted they
will join Sitting Bull. Their outbreak is now
known to have been caused by the promised
ratiOns not being furnished because the SUD-
plies were insufficient, and none of the stock
and aid in building houses We're Supplied
Year: 1878

HE CIPHER DISPATCHES.-The WASHINGTON
correspondent OF the New York World states
that the cipher teiegramS lately made public by
the New York Tribune Were all furnished the
senate committee on the alleged frauds in the
electoral count by the Western Union Telegraph
Company, under protest last June. They were
assorted, copied, and IN Que time returned. The
key to them was ascertainGd, it is claimed by
MIR. Hazard, an expert in New York, who has
been engaged three months in the work OF de
cipheIing them. That they were furnished By
some one having access to the Senate commit
tee at the time named the Worlds CORRESPONDENT
thinks there is little or no doubt
Year: 1878

DECISION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.


Late this afternoon the Attorney General
transmitted 10 the Secretary of the Treasury
his opinion on the status OF the District OF Co.
lumbia 3-65 bonds The decision is a long one
Tie Attorney General decides in effect that
these bonds are not within the exceptions of L.
s. bonds, the amount invested In which is not
taxable. In other words, that the 365 bonds
are not L. S. bonds. although they are bonds for
the payment Of which the United States is fully
responsible. and the payment OF which the
United States cannot avoid without reDud;a
uCn.


Mr.. REED AND THE BOARD OF FIRE CoMMIs-
sEoNERs.-The question OF the legality or ille-
gality of the action OF the District Commits
sioners in abolishing the Office of government
representative on the Board of Fire Commits
sioRerS was referred by the Interior department
to the Attorney General for an opinion. The
latter returned decision on Saturday to the
department, to the effect that the action was
Illegal. According to this opinion. the Office of
government fire commissioner has not been and
cannot be abolished by the District Commission
erS as long as such board exists.


The law of the District Legislature. which
provides for a government commissioner also
provides that he shall be resident of the county
outside the cities of Washington and George
town, however.
Year: 1878

Halfa century ago the country Doctor
was a travelling apothecary. In dingy
small black trunk he carried the tooth
puller, a lancet or two, and small
stock of the druggists kind of drugs
tough old favorites of the heroic prac-
titioners of the old school-a small list
of which were made to do service in all
sorts of diseases, and which were ad
ministered in heavy doses. Bnt though
the medicines were heavy the charges
were light. Fifty cents often covered
visit and the cost of several medicines
furnished. And these visits generally
involved the harnessing up OF the doc
tors faithful fast little horse-he always
kept two good horses, which for effect
or of necessity, he always drove at the
rate of ten miles an hour. The sight OF
the doctor in his light open gig, flying
over the country roads, was such a
common one that we would hardly turn
from our hoeing TO give it second
glance, unless we had an idea that he
had some new and sudden call of some
case of sickness we had not heard
of.


The great majority of the. doctors
visits were made to chronic patients,
whose cases were familiar to all-w hich
hsd been talked about year in and year
out. There was the widow Jones who
had been dying from the dropsy for
many year, and who had to be regular
ly tapped by the doctor. We looked
upon this operation as wonderful, and
the doctor himself spoke OF his doings
in this line with proud satisfaction.
Then there was the case of Sally Smith
who had been bed-ridden for ten years.
The doctor had 10 pay her regular visits,
though he never gave her much medi-
cine. Many years after the doctor had
gone to his long home Sally took
notion to "get well' under the skillful
care of some quack who had Yankee
shrewdness enough to discover that
there was nothing the matter with her,
and so in some unexplained way got her
on her legs once more. Sally afterward
got married and raised family. Then
there was the case of Peter Brown, who
had what used to be called the thirty
years. consumption; and Mrs. Davis,
with chronic rheumatism so bad that
her distorted joints were sight to be-
hold; and old Captain Roberts, who
had had what he termed liver COM
plaint ever since we could remember !;
and Miss Cynthia Tasker, who was
always in feeble health. yet somehow
lived to be 80 years old; and the Towle
boy, whose bones were made of so poor
material that he always that he always
had on hand for the doctors's attention
a broken limb. And speaking Of broken
Year: 1878

There are but two forms Of IL on used
in shipbuilding, the angle bar and fiat
plate. These plates come from the roll
ing mill, and are of every imaginable
shape and size. The usual size Of a
plate or sheet is little more than one
yard wide, and from two to four yards
long, and three-fourths of an inch thick.
Out of these two shapes nearly every
form of modern iron structure may be
made, be it ship, bridge, dock, or water
tank. From the wooden patterns Of the
ship have been made the frames, and
from the model are copied the shape
and dimensions of each sheet of iron
that is TO cover, as with a skin, the out
side of the ships hull.


1t seems impossible that mere fiat
plates and angle bars can be securely
fastened together without nails or
screws. wood may be do1etailed and
ftted together, and may be bound with
nails, Iron is simply Tapped piece over
piece at the edge and sewed together.
1t is treated ss fabric, except that the
thread that binds the cloth Is Continuous
and in the iron sheet each needle hole
has one piece of thread knotted on each
side. Suppose two plates or a plate and
a bar are TO be joined, holes of uniform
size are punched along the edge Of each
piece, and the two pieces are laid togeth-
er so that the holes correspond. A small
bolt, called a rivet. having head form
ed on one end, is heated red hot and is
then passed through the two holes in
the plates or bars. The head stops II
on one side, and the hot and soft point
projects at the other side. A hammer
is held against the head of the rivet to
keep it In place, and with hammers the
soft point is beaten down till it makes a
new head by spreading over the edges
of the hole. The rivet at once coOls and
contracts, and binds the two pieces OF
iron so firmly together that only the
most powerful strain can ever pull them
apart. In this simple manner is every
plate, bar and beam joined together
throughout the ship.
Year: 1878

An unusually romantic and interest
ing story comes TO us from San Fran
cisco, the truth of which is vouched
for by the captain of British vessel.
William Beam shipped in Liverpool as
an ordinary seaman, and short time
after leaving port stowaway was dis
covered under the fire hatch, who Is
described as "a little bit of fellow,
with short curly hair and round face"
The new wcomer. who gave his name as
James Cotton, was at once claimed by
Beam as an old chum, and was set to
work at any odd job that turned up on
board.


Besides assisting the steward gener-
ally, he colored photographs in the cap
tain's cabin i'm a style that showed he
possessed considerable artistic skill and
training. One day squall coming on
suddenly. Cotton jumped into the fore
rigging TO get aloft and stow the fore
royal. Bean followed, as if TO assist
him, but had only got up short way
when Cotton fell on to the deck and
broke his neck. His companion was so
affected by the accident that he fell
into violent fit, on recovering from
which he confessed that Cotton was
his wife, and had disguised herself as
a boy in order to be with him.


He produced the marriage certificate
and letters. showing him to be young
man of good birth, who had for certain
reasons assumed the name of Beam, and
had married the deceased, whom he
had known from childhood, against
the wish of his and her friends. Being
penniless, Beam, being a sailor, he and
his wife went to sea. The day follow
ing the latter's untimely death, when
the funeral services had been read over
her remains, and these had been slipped
oyer into the sea, Beam leaped over the
side of the vessel and disappeared. As
in life, so i'm death, they were undi-
yided, and found a common resting
place from all their troubles in that
.'vast wandering grave" the sea.
Year: 1878

1t was In the sammer of 1854, while
Confederate States were confronting
each other on the James, below Rich
mond. On a certain day a Federal
attack, which was thought to be decOy
was made Oh the south side of the river.
We thought we saw evidences of a real
attack on our side. Occasionally the
whole picket lie would open fire. The
gnnboats at Deep Bottom would send
500 pounds crashing through the timbers
In the rear OF what had been Libby Z
residence, but was then General Lees
headquarters. At about O'Clock p. Nj.
the artillery opened on our left. A few
minutes afterward We heard the unmis-
taxable roar of infantry firing. We
then knew that the lines of battle were
engaged on our left. The pickets
opened and kept up rapid firing in ouI
front, the gunb boats sending their infer.
nal machines more frequently. We
the Bockbridge Battery. were ordered
to double quick into position on Libby I;
Hill. On our way up, every thing look
ed as though we were on the eve Of d
terrible conflict-the roar of artillery
and infantry, the rapid movement oi
troops into line, and the solemnity thai
seemed to have impregnated the whole
atmosphere. AS we passed the Libby
house we saw General Lee in the yard
He was standing just under Low tree,
with one arm extended, as if reaching
for something on the limb. AS we goI
nearer to him we could see what he wa:
engaged in doing at sach a time. A
little bird, whose mother was just teach
ing it to use its wing, had, in Its iiis
effort, fallen to the ground. Its dumi
mother, regardless of the death ant
carnage that intelligent man was deal
ing to his fellow, was uttering pitilu
cries for her fallen offspring. Genera
Lee reached down and picked up till
little creatlre, and when we passed wa
in the act Of placing it where its mothe
could care for it.
Year: 1878

limbs reminds us of our own painful
experience. One day the doctor came
flying over the road to us, for we had
been slung upon the hard December
ground from the bare back of our run
away horse, getting from the fall a
broken arm. The memory Of the hard
pulling upon that broken arm comes
vividly to mind as we write. The
doctor tugged and sweated to get it into
place, and we writhed and roared under
the operation.


Our old doctor was very busy man.
He always endeavoi ed to go TO church
at least once a day on Sunday. But
when in church it was no uncommon
hing for him to be called out of meet
ing to attend some sick bed. And what
sensation of sympathy would run
through the quiet congregation, as the
good doctor would quietly glide down
the broad aisle to meet the serious mes
senger. And how quickly, after the
service was ended, would every one in
that kind-hearted assembly know just
where the doctor had been called, and
inst how much the caller needed his
services.


The Doctors death was sudden one,
and he had no opportunity to- expert
ment upon himself In his last hours.
One pleasant Sabbath morning, while
sitting quietly in his church pew one
ear listening to the good preacher, the
other alert for the oft-eoming summons
from the porch, a messenger he little
dreamed of seeing that morning, came
all unobserved and touched him lightly
upon the shoulder, and carried him
away from all of his old patients. The
messenger Of death. In his long years
of hard work he had had many close
views of the dread messenger, and
many and many and many a time had
he argued with him and parleyed with
him in the sick chambers of the village
when he had come for others. This
time the messenger, the summons, was
for the doctor himself, and there was
not a moments delay In serving it.
Year: 1878




Chinese and Siam aristOcrats In
variably wear long finger nails. The
Disagreement is supposed to add to the
Importance of the individual, as it is
evident that the wearer cannot do any
work and must, therefore have a fortune
corresponding to the length of his nails.
The baud of an Annamite dandy has
nails four or five inches in length. The
thumb-nail has a characteristic shape,
and that of the first finger is cut short
to enable the person to pick up small
objects. Without this slight alteration
the hands would be nearly useless.
Nails of still greater enormity may be
seen. They are said to have attained
the extraordinary length Of thirteen
inches, and in this instance the nail Of
the first finger ia not entirely cut of.
Year: 1878

Draymen seem to forget, or else they
do not know, that the draft Of wagon
is doubled when the wheels turn on
snow, and very much greater still when
the snow is deep and mealy. We could
never see the advantage of overlooking
a team and spending so much time in
getting them started when they get set,
as they are sure to do, if the load is too
heavy. Better take less load and go
quickly without any risk of injuring
the horses. In the cities, as well as in
the country, there are more or less
treacherous holes which 1t it is well to
think about when an unreasonable
weight is put upon vehicle. And it
is well to remember that one team STALL
ed on thoroughfare will often hinder
a score besides themselves.
Year: 1878

Well. wife. I've been to church to-day-been


to stylish one
And seem you can't go from home, III tell you
what Was done;
You would have been surprised to see what
have seen to-day;
The sisters were fixed up so fine they hardly
bowed to pray.
had on these coarse clothes o. mine-not
much the worse for wear
But then. they knew wasn't one they called


millionaire;
So thew led the old man to = seat away back by


the door;
Twas bookless and uncushioned reserved


sest for the poor.
Pretty soon in came stranger, with gold


rings and clothing fine;
They led him to cushiOn'd seat far in ad-


vance of mine:
I thought it wasn't exactly right to seat him


upso near,
When he Was young, and was old. and very


hard to hear.
But then there's no accountin' for what some


people do;
The finest clothing nowadays oft gets the
finest pew.
But when we reach the blessed home, ali un-


defled by sin.
Wen see wealth begin at the gate. while


poverty goes in
couldn't hear the sermon, sat so far away.
So through the hour of service. l could only


watch and pray"
Watch the doin's of the Christians sittin' near


me round about,
Pray that God would make them pure within


as they were pure without
While sat there. lookin' all around upon the
rich and great
kept Thinks of the rich man and the begs Al


st the gate;
How. by all but dogs forsaken, the poor beg


gsr's form grew cold.
And the angels bore his spirit to the mansions


built of gold
How st last the rich man perished, and his


spirit took its flight
From the purple and fine linen to the home OF


endless night;
There he learned as he stood gain at the beg,


gar in the sky.
1T isn't all of life to live. ncr all Of death &c


die"
doubt not there were wealthy sires in thai


religious fold
Who went up from their dwellings like the


Pharisee OF old;
Then returned home from their worshp with


head uplifted high,
To spurn the hungry from their door with


Daught to satisfy.
Out. out, with such professions; they art


doin' more to-day
To stop the weary sinner from the gospels


shinin' way
Than all the books of infdels; than sll thai


has been tried
since Oh ist was born in Bethlehem-since


Christ w.s crucifed.
How simple are the works of God, sndyet how


very grand
The shells in ocean caverns the flowers on


the land
He gilds the clouds Of evenin' with the gold


Ii ht from his thronr.
Not for the rich man only; not for the poor


alone
Then why should n an look down on man be-


cause Of lack of gold?
Why seat him in the poorest pew because his


clothes are old?
A heart with noble motiyes-a heart that Goo


has blest-
May be beatn' Heavens music meath tha


faded coat and vest
am old may be childish-but love Elm


plicity.
l love to zee it shining in Christians Piety;
Jesus to us in His sermons. in Judeas s noun


tains wild,
He that wants to go to Heaven must be Ike


little child,
Year: 1878

THE Express of yesterday in-
dulges in rather singular express
sion Of political opinion. 1t says
that the laurels have been about
equally divided bet Heen the two
parties in Indiana and Ohio, and
then admits loss of five mem bers
Of Congress in those two States to
the Republicans. Altogether six
teen per cent. of the members of
the House Of representatives have
been so far voted for, with net
Republican loss of six, counting u
gsin of one Republican member in
West Virginia, which We beg to
doubt, and taking Republican esti-
mates exclusively for all the de-
tails of the elections. The simple
rule of three thus enables US to
work out the percentage thus: If
the Republican party loses five
members on one-siXteeuth of the
elections, how many will they lose
as the ratio of the remaining
eighty-four per cent? BY this in
ex0rable rule of arithmetic we find
that the total Republican losses in
the Congressional elections will be
thirty-one, reducing the present
membership of that party in the
House from one hundred and forty
to one hundred and nine members.
And this will probably be the issue
of the com ng elections.
Year: 1878

THE news of the serious illness OF
Gen. Cotton, following so soon on
the heels of his election as Presi-
dent of the Arizona branch of the
southern Pacific Railway, is q re-
minder of the very rrecarious hold
which our railway magnates have
upon their energies and life. Gen.
Cotton appeared to be the youngest
and most active of the men who
have achieved such wonders in
railway building. What effec: the
death of the President would have
upon the Arizona extension il
would be difficult to say, but we
presume that the plans of these
mighty corporations have crys-
tallized into a system aud are in.
dependent Of the life or death of
their original promoters.-Since
writing the foregoing the intelli-
gence reaches us by telegraph that
Gen. Cotton is dead.
Year: 1878

ONE of our San Diego contempo-
riries the other day objected to the
Southern Pacific Railway designat-
ing that portion of its road running
South from Los Angeles as "The
San Diego branch" We do not
see any force in this querrulous OBJ
lection. Tom Scott started out six
or seven years ago with the osten-
sible purpose of building a railway
to San Diego, and he has not made
near as much progress in that di-
rection as the Southern Pacific has
done in the past two years. AS We
have often predicted, San Diego
will get her first railway from the
direction of Los Angeles and we
hope to see it pushed forward rap
idly,as we are anxious to see close
connection between our own Or
ange Grove City and our Southern
neighbor. San Diego can afford
to welcome the advent of the iron
horse from whatever direction it
may come.
Year: 1878

The situation for the Democracy
in the next House of Representa-
tives is becoming more and more
roseate. 1t actually appears that
we have carried two of the Iowa
Congressional districts. Great
heavens! Can such things be with
out o good deal of special wonder
on the part of Democrats them
selves? We herewith venture on a
little prophecy, which we are per-
fectly willing to have filed away
for future reference, viz, that the
Republican membership in the
next House will In no event exceed
one hundred and ten and may fall
considerably below ninety. Ant
yet we are told that the Demo-
cratic party is dead! In good sootf
it is lively sort of corpse.
Year: 1878

The dream Of mortals is ola time
coming when cares shall cease to infest,
anxietics to oppress, every wish to te
gratifed, and they shall take solid com.
FORT Many waste all their lives in Il c
vain pursuit of this dream, which, like
the will o the wisp, leads them a sad
chase over bog and fen and morass,
eluding them to the last. A few
thoughtful souls arrive seascnably at
The wise CONCLUSION that not IN this
world will the time ever come when,
without any dregs OF bitterness. the
challice pressed to our lips will be foil
of only comfort. We must take Il Q
bitter and the sweet as we go along.


Contentment is net Of an outward
growth. Its roots springs from The
very depth of the soul, aud are nourish-
ed as well byrain as by srushine, by
sorrow as BY Joy. When once one ha'
resolved within himself to take life al
i is aud make ths best Of It, thsu h
Year: 1878

Joy BRINGEHs.- men move
through life as a band of music down
the street, h.ngiug out pleasures on
every side through the air to every one.
far and near that can listen. Some
men ill The air with their presence and
sweetness, rs orchards in O;tOber days
fill the air with their perfume Of ripe
fruit. Some women cling to their
syn houses, like the honey-suckle over
the door; yet. like it, sweeten all the
region with the subtle fragrance of their
goodness. There ale trees of right
eousness. which are ever dropping pre-
cious fruit around them. There are
lives that shine like star-beams, or
charm the heart like songs sung upon a
holy day.


Hsw great bounty and blessing it
is to hold the royal gifts Of the soul, So
that they shall be music to some, and
fragrance to others. and life to all 1t
would be no unworthy thing to live fol-,
to make the power which we have
within us the breath Of other mems
ioy: to scatter sunshine where only
clouds and shadows reign to AL the
atmosphere where earth's weary toilers
must stand, with a brightness which
they can not create for themselves, and
which they long for, enjoy and appre-
ciate.