smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

Crossing last night dreary moor


Where deeply lay the snow.
Ioyertook at midnight hour


An old man creeping slow.
Twas the Old Year, with age subducd,
Totterlng, and cold, and lean,
And seeking mid the solitude


Some place TO die unseen.
He had brought me many happy days
Iwould no, on his ending gaze,
Scarce had passed the touching sight
When deep silence fell
4 heard an old voice say "Good.nightl'
And a young one chime "All's wellW
Itumed me the Old Year was gone
And 10 beauteous child
Wiih sllvcry laugh came bounding on,
And ever swcetly smiled
Ana prattled with such gulloless art
iclasped the New Year 10 my heart,
40 It's with life When midst the gloom
Ofthe souls night, we sec
A loved JOY sink into the tomb,


Some young Hope come with glee.
And sings so osweetly In our ear


Ofgiadncss aye TO last,
That mid our grief we cease to hear
The music Of the past
And long as much for Joys unknown
Ase'er we priced the blessing flown.
Year: 1877

The San Elizario riot and murders were un-
doubtedly instigated by the hostile feeling Of
the Mexicans toward the Texans The riot
ers, it is true, are said to have been Mexi-
can citizens of Texas and the riot to have
grown out OF quarrel between these and
some Americans over the salt ponds at or
near San Eizario.


But these Mexican citizens would never
have organized an open war upon their
American fellow-citizens, besieged the State
troops, captured several citizens and then
murdered them in the most cowardly and
cold-blooded manner If they had not known
that the whole Mexican territory along the


Rio Grande was swarming with belligerent
Mexican cattle thieves and murderers, in
spired by the war feeling throughout their
country, and infiamed by virulent hostility


to the Texans. .=.


The riot at San Elizario may have
been between Mexican citizens and American
citizens of Texas; but unless early and vigil
liant measures are taken by this government


to restore law and order across the frontier
and punish the Mexican marauders and
thieves we may expect to hear of many more
such riots


The government of Mexico Is too feeble to


sustain order within few miles of it's own
capital. Every government that has existed
there for half century has had oil 1t could


do to keep itself from being upset by its own
troops. There has never been any govern


ment In Mexico which could restrain the half
civilized and disorderly gangs in her terri
tory adjoining Texas. She has always been


troublesome and thevish neighbor; she is


now becoming q murderous and aggressive


neighbor And this condition of things will
grow until more vigilant means than have
yet been adopted are taken to repress 1t. 1t
is the height of folly for this government to
| enter into new treaty with Mexico stipulat-
ing that the latter shall preserve order on


her frontier. Mexico could not fulfill the


terms of such treaty, Ii she entered into it
in good faith, for her government is too feeble
to do it, and If she could do it, we have never
had any evidence that she would desire to
do so.


The advance Of civilization toward the
frontier of Texas, and the development of the


m aginiticent regions that lie there cannot be
checked and prevented by the brutal turbu-


lence and pertinacious raiding and plumber
ng of the rude and degraded population of
Mexicans on the other side of the Rio Grande.
That population must be driven back or
sternly repressed, even il it requires war
of conquest to accomplish 1t.


A half civilized nation which cannot govern
itself, which cannot restrain the lawless pro-
D ensities OF its turbulent population, which
m axes no progress toward enlightenment
and curses the most beautiful portion of the
continent cannot be permitted to restrain or
oven vex the march Of civilization.
Year: 1877

want to lose number of Congessmen by the
apportionment act to be adopted In 1880.


Whatever opinion people may entertain OF
the provision, it sounds strange to hear
Democratic journal declare that State can
be defrauded out OF its representation in Con-
gress, because it demands that certain papers
be produced by voters on election day. The
right of Georgia to demand the exhibition OF
poll tax receipts by voters is not disputed. This
very law that made this provision was passed
in Radical days, and never contested before.
Yet because to-day the State Of Georgia re-
iterates the law it Is to be disfranchised
With as much reason might the Congress
sional delegation of Massachusetts, be cut
down because 1t refuses the right to vote to
all who cannot read and write The World Is
exaggerating the meaning of the fourteenth
amendment.
Year: 1877

We wish to remind the Democratic voters
rf the Tenth and Eleventh Wards, composing


the Fourth Senatorial District, that the law
requires an entirely new registration. We
beg Of them to remember that old registra-
tion papers are worthless, and not to permit
the time for re-enrollment as voters to pass
unlmproved. Our control of the Senate is not
80 assured as to permit of any neglect In this
matter, and we hope our friends then will be
careful that there are no accidents resulting
from neglect, indifference or over-confidence.


The seat vacated by Mr.. Eustis must be
si,led nv n true and staunch man, and we
have no doubt such one will be placed In
nomination, and his election must be assured.
Year: 1877

The citizens OF the Fourth Senatorial Dis
trict have displayed so far, a fatal Indifference
to the issue of the election which is shortly
to be held there for State Senator to fill the
vacancy occurred by the resignation of Sena-
tor Eustis. In the two wards composing the
District there were registered in 1876 about
ten thousand persons, and eight thousand
votes were cast at the election In November
of that year. Strange to say, that so far,
under the registration now progressing in
those wards, but nine hundred persons have
registered and this, Saturday, the 22d of De-
cember is the last day that remains in
which to register.


We have not learned positively the charac-
ter of the registration so far, but 1t is pos
itively certain that many hundreds Of citi-
zens, business and professional men, deeply
interested in securing good legislation, have
utterly neglected to take any part or interest
In the election.


From the very cumbersome working of the
registration law it is very certain that not
over twelve hundred voters will be registered
when the lists are closed tonight. Never be-
fore have we witnessed such utter indifference
to an important election. And yet If some
Objectionable or distasteful man is run in as
Senator we shall have no end to the bowling
and those who have neglected their duty as
citizens will be amongst the loudest COM
plainants.


We hope, however, for the best. We hope
that the citizens who have registered will do
their best to select an honest and capable
man, who will well and honestly represent
the true interests of the people.
Year: 1877

That great and irreverent journal, the Gin
cinnati Enquirer, thus refers to two eminent
political frauds and swindlers:


Stanley Matthews is the crested jayhawk OF
the mountain in the Republican party, while
John Sherman is the bald-headed snipe OF the
valley Stanley is worth his weight in silver
He may be dark war horse blowing Demo
cratic flame and smoke from his nostrils by
the time the Legislature is ready to elect q
Senator.
Year: 1877

A correspondent of the New York World
under the title Of a "Self Disfranchised
State" makes some very silly remarks
upropos of the new constitution Of Georgia.
This constitution provides that the poll tax
and all other taxes shall be paid before voter
Is allowed to vote; that is, a tax receipt to
date serves as registration paper. The pro-
vision OF the old Radical constitution on this
subject was that the voter should show re-
ceipt for the taxes of the past year only; the
present constitution requires that a receipt
for all back taxes shall be shown.


By this provision the World thinks many
persons will be disfranchised. 1t predicts
that in eight or ten years there will be some
sixty or eighty Thousand voters thus perma-
nently disfranchised. 1t cites on this point
the fourteenth amendment which declares
that mo person shall be refused the right to
vote except for participation in the rebellion,
and Ii any number Of persons be disfran-
chised in any State for any other cause, the
basis of representation in that State shall be
reduced in the proportion which the number
Of such disfranchised male citizens shall bear
to the whole number of male citizens twenty
one years of age in such State"


In accordance with this amendment, at the
next apportionment of representation, Con-
gress will, so the World says, reduce Geor-
gia's Congressional representation. That is,
if all the negroes of Georgia refuse to pay
the DOLL tax and are refused, on this account,
the right to vote, the State of Georgia will
have her Congressman cut down from nine to
five.


Such are the remarkable predictions of the
New York World. 1t demands that, in view
of these facts, the article of the new State
constitution, In which this provision is made,
be Immediately amended, II Georgia does not
Year: 1877

the hands Of the forcible adjusters. Besides
these there are 13 Radical members OF the
Legislature who participate In neither
CAUCUS but who side on the debt question
with the forcibles. Such Is the condition of
affairs at present in the Virginia Legislature,
and it is difficult to see how these two wings
OF the Democratic party can be reconcied and
brought together.
Year: 1877

Josh Billings is very tall, stoop-
shouldered man, with large, strong
features, cavernous eye-sockets, and
brightly-glowing dark eyes. His
clothing is dark blue and don't fit
him. He wears a black, slouched
felt hat with brim as broad as an
umbrella, and from under the gigan-
tic shadow his struggling, iron-grey
hair hangs in heavy, curling locks
upon his shoulders. He is irregular
Buffalo Bill looking fellow two
Derringers and knife in his belt
will complete the picture. He is a
ventriloquist and in no manner a
clown. Stretching his long fore6n-
ger out, and following it by his head
until his great hat is so far in ad-
vance of his broad shoulders that
they appear to be connected only by
the hat brim, he replies to friend
who is discussing chivalry: The days
of chivalry are not over. They will
last as long as gin cocktails
do" "A young man Dragging loudly
of his exploits was handed scrap Of
paper by the old philosopher. On il
was written in his peculiar hand
81 luv Rooster for two things One
IL the crow that IL in him, and the
other is the spurs that are on him to
bak up the crow with" His real
name is II enry Shaw
Year: 1877

The victory in Ohio, and the prospect
of carrying Pennsylvania, New York and
New Jersey in November will greatly
strengthen the Democratic members OF
Congress-. The result will be regarded
as an approval Of the Democratic policy,
aud insure harmony with the Democrats
while 1t will weaken the opposition and
tend to demorslize them both in and out
of Congress, Thus the way to Reform
and Retrenchment will be made clear.
Year: 1877

There has been given more attention
Of late ears tu toe culture OF turnips
by those who live In the vicinity of
large cities than was formerly the case; ;
and we are glad to find it go, for there
Is no better sign of prosperous farm
than field Of firsi-class turnips. IL
shows at once that he who raises them
does not aIthogether depend on grain
raising ,and also that heBnows howkeep
up the fertility of his soil, for one may
as we'll expect to gather figs from thlt-
ties or gIapes from thorns as 10 have
good crop of turnips of piece OF
poor land.


At the same time it will bear remark
that turnip-culture Is not attended 10
with that degree OF thoughtful skill
which aims to produce the best results
with the least expenditure of labor
and skill; and the consequence is that
many turnip-crop costs more IN labor
than the whole thing is worth.


1t is often said that The labor OF put
ting and topping costs as much as the
turnips bring; but that is chiefly ow-
ing TO the small size of the roots. OF
course it takes less than one half the
time to work a bushel of large size
n an it does small ones. 1t is worth a
little extra care therefore to get them
all as near as possible of full size.


The trouble with many is that they
fear the seed may not all be good, and
hence it is sown much more tnickly
than it ought to be, but the proper way
il to test the seed before sowing, and
then SOW understandingly. 1t is m
mon belief that 'urnip seed will grow
after being many years old. Some OF
it will, but experiment has show that
of hundred seeds which will grow
when one year old, some will not grow
when one year old, some will net grow
the second, and more the third. The
o der it is the worse it is. Ii therefor
good fresh seed is to be had, IT need NO
be sown any thicker than desirable Oh
this account. Again. some fear looset
by the f1v; but if seed be sown as l
ought TO he ON rich soil, it usually
grows faster than the fly can eat it,
At anyrate The fly is as likely to des
troy it when thickly as when tbiull
sown. IL is much better to risk a thir
crop than to have so much labo
brought about by too thick sowing


We believe that it is generally con
ceded that the white turnip is best SOW
broadcast, as the drills they get tot
large and "pithy." The rutabaga
however, never get too large for us,an'
thus drill culture is employed exclusi
vely for il. For the same reason it il


sown in July, while for the ordinar,
turnip August, or even early In SEP
tember, is quits time enough for it..


Besides the evidence of prospeiii


which good turnip culture affords,


crop of turnlps is in itself a means G
osperity, for there is nothing NOR
useful where number Of cows G
sheep are kept. Dry cows can almoi
live on them; and by proper timing tn
fond, they can give to milch CO"
without any danger of fi4voriDg th
milk -Germanto,cn Telegraph.
Year: 1877

The manufacture of government pa
per at Glen Mile, Chester county, will
soon terminate. The work on the four
per cent. bonds will be completed on or
before the middle Of the present month,
when the lower mill will be closed. A
later contract for internal revenue pa
per will keep the upper mill open until
August 1st, when both will be stopped
indefinitely, a state of affairs much to be
regretted, as st will throw many indus
trIous workmen out of employ ment
There is no other cause for this stop
page except large surplus of material
ON hand at Washington, and the fact
that coin is now largely taking the
place of paper. So far as greenhack cur
rency is concerned, James NJ. Wilcox is
the inventor and patentee of the local
lZed fibre" of paper used for that pur.
pose, and which has been officially adopt
ed by Congress. hence, when more OF il
is to be made, Glenn Mills will be tn,
place of its production.
Year: 1877

There is many rest on this road of life,
If we only would stop to take 1t;
And many a tone from the better land,
If the queruous heart would wake it..
To the sunny soul that is full Of hnpe,


And whose beautiful trust meier faile'h
I he grass is green the flowers are bright
Though the wintry stoIm prevalent.
Better to hope though the clouds hang low,
Aud TO keep the eyes still lifted;
FOR the sweet blue sky will soon peep through
when The omnOns clouds are rilted.
There was never night without day,


Nor IN evening without morning:
And the darkest hour, the proverb goes,
Is the hour before The dawnng
There's many a gem in the path OF life,


Which we pass in our idle pleasure,
That is iicher far than the jeweled crown,
Or the misel's boarded treasure;
1t may be the love of little child,


Or Il mothers prayer to heaven,
Or only beggal's grateful thanks


For u cup of water given.
Better to weave In the web Of lie


A bright and golden filling.
AID to do Gods will with ready heart,


And hands that are swift and willing;
Than to snap the delicate silver threads


or our curious lives asunder
And then Heaven blame for the tangled ends
And sit to grieve and wonder.-yelectea.
Year: 1877

A SMART BoY.-When David Living
stone was boy he was obliged TO be at the
mills bv six o'clock every morning, and
he did not leave until eight o'clock in the
evening. 1t might be well supposed that
the little factory boy would have been glad
to get rest during the short time he was
not at work.


But lad with such II spirit of deter
mination as David possessed was not
easily to be deferred from pursuing the
course which he had marked out for him
self


When he received his first weeks pay
he forthwith purchased II Latin grammar
with portion of it, and, within short
time Joined an evening school,


This school was very humble one, and
it was partially supported by the owners
of the cotton mills for the benefit of those
employed by them; the dominic who car
ried it on being thus enabled to give in
struction Mt II low rate to his pupils.


David now began to learn in real eur.
nest, continuing night after night to at
tend the school until ten O'Clock, and then
devoting two hours-sometimes more, un
less his mother prevented him by takinE
his books away-to the preparation OF the
following days lessons; and so absorbed
was he always in his thoughts that thu
hard work in which he was engaged reg
ularly seemed almost to be lost sight of BY
him -SeleCted.
Year: 1877

People say our schools arc not practical,
because the boys who leave them when
fourteen years old are not skilled mechan-
les or artisans at the age when their ia
Tiers and grandfathcrs began seven
years apprenticeship. They do not real
ize that the men who have succeeded MS
mechanics are those who have become
self reliant, because each step in advance
was due to their own exertions, but seem
to have the notion that men can be made
by mac hinery, just as readily as success
i've Yards of cotton are turned out by a
10 NJ, and that all will be of the same pat
tern IN texture if their treatment is alike.
The State brings the boy to The Threshold
Of trade, calling, or profession, but these
theorists say it must not stop until these
also have been taught.
Year: 1877

PAYING FOR His WHIsTLE.-Not many
years ago, when lofty building was on
the point of completion, the mason who
was finishing the highest portion was in
the habit of whistling to the laborer who
attended him whenever he wanted fresh
supply of lime. and as the scafold on
which he wrought was rather small this
occurred very often during days work.
A Joiner who was fitting in IL window im-
mediately underneath, noticing Pat answer
dutifully 10 every whistle from the mason,
thought of playing II trick on him by
initiating the whistle, and thus brought
him up with a hodful of lime when there
was no room for it. The mason told Pat
that he had not whistled, so he had no
other alternative than to trudge back with
his load. This having occurred for the
third time during one day. Pat thought he
would watch to hear where the whistle
came from. He had not waited long
with the hod on his shoulder when he
heard the identical whistle directly under
meath where he stood, and leaning over
he saw the head of the joiner protruding
out of the window Immediately below.
Pat, without more ado, emptied the hod
right over the whistler's head. The join
er yelled and spluttered while attempting
to clear himself from the adhesive mass,
and in the midst of his confusion, heard
Paddy above, shouting at the top of his
voice, whistle when you want more
mortar!"
Year: 1877

butchered her, buried tho hide and otftl
livided the meat, and each went to hi
home with his moiety of stolen beet
Mann did not eat any of his, but kept It
and ultimately gave it all to lde. lde'
COW did not come for her breakfast and tc
I've MIXED next morning, nor ever after
Poor Ide mistrusted himself to be the vic
tim Of practical joke. 1t was not likely
he thought, that his COW would lose off he
hell, get her white spot obliterated by rub
bing against logs in the burnt piece am
wander off six miles 70 another settlement
He believed that his ncighbor' had con
spirel to make him steal his own COW, ant
wisely concluded that Chester was II goo
place to cmgrato from, and therefore emf
grated early.f
Year: 1877

The following remarks are too good
to be thrown one side, without at least
a passing notice. They are true to the
letter, and suitable to all localities.-


We are of opinion that the weakest
capacity cannot fail to understand
them:


1t is astonishing what exalted no
tions some persons have of their own
Importance. They seem to imagine
they are altogether necessary to the
onward roll of our little world, and
that if, by any means, they should be
showed out of the way, the screws
would be so loose that the old machine
would no longer hold together and of
course, if such important personages
only say to an editor, "stop my paper"
the whole establishment must 60 to rot
instanter. We have often laughed in
our sleeve-though outwardly we look
ed as grave as an owl-when one of
these regulators of the world has
marched into our editorial sanctum,
and ordered a discontinuance of his
paper. And it always does us good to
see how the starch is taken out of him,
while the editor smilingly replies,
Certainly, sir, with the greatest plea
sure, Just as soon as the clerk has en-
tered a hundred or more names, which
have been just sent in" The mighty
man Wits down like the narrative of
whipped spaniel, and he shrinks away,
muttering to himself, "Well, am
afraid that stopping my paper has not
ruined him after all"


These swells who stop their papers
on account of some milf which has
found its way into their Uranium, are
sure to watch the time of the next
issue, thinking that another number
will make its appearance; and they
are sure to borrow their neighbor's
copy to see if it does not contain the
editors farewell address to his readers.


We once knew minister, who, in
describing the Christians character,
and the circumspection of his walk,
said the way to heaven required as
much care as it did for cat to walk
on a wall covered with broken bottles. |
1t is something 50 with an editor, if he
is to please everybody.