smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

VALUE OF A TRADE.-Many a young
man has been ruined for life because be
never learned how to do anything
my father" once said an intelligent
young friend, who found it extremely
difficult to earn scanty livelihood BY
his pen, "did not think it worth while
for me to learn any trade or business "
He bad been unexpectedly thrown on
his own resources, and although a man
in stature and years, be was mere in
fant in his capacity to earn a living.
There are too manym en- of his class
floating around the world-men who
have talents, but do not know how to
apply them. Such cases lead us to look
upon the cul pability as very great, of
any parents, who bring up a son with
out having been practically and thor
oughly instructed in some way of earn
ing az honest living Every man should
have some profession or trade; sheuld
know how to do something. Then,
whether he steadfastly pursues it or not,
he at least has an occupation to which,
in an emergency, be may resort for the
support of himself and others who may
be dependent on him. Of all men the
practical know-nothing is most to be
pitied
Year: 1877


As the first big pattering drops that fall


With a splash on our lattice pane
Make us shiVer and start as they warn us al
! 0fa storm or of coming rain;
So it is with life when we're growing old


And age steals on US unRwares-
We shiver and start, if the truth were told,
At the sight of our first gray hair.
We mark not the light of our MONDAY hours
Like the first streaks the dawn doth bring
We hail not The birth Of the summer flowers
As we do the first snow-drop Of spring
On the bleak winter winds we look not will


grief


Though it howl through the branches bare
But we sigh when We see the brown autumn


leaf


And behold Natures first gray hair.
Gray hair may come when the beaming eye
Has none of its brightness lost
When the buoyant heart viii fain deny
Youths Rubicon has been crossed;
But the ivy clad trees look young and green,
Though sapless trunk be there,
And naught of decay on our cheeks may be


seen,


When we witness our first gray hair.
Oh, noble crown to a noble life
Is head OF silvery gray,
And lis well if tired with struggle and strife
1t finds rest at the close Of the day,
But gray-headed sin is a crownless curse,
And the parent of dark despair,
And it gives US a pang, oh, doubly worse,
Than the sight Of our first gray hair.
Come early, come late, like a knock at the


gate,


Is that first soft, silvery thread,
And it joins with its silence the years that


wait
With the years forever fed
It silently tells us we're journeying on
1t silently qu stions us-Where
Oh, a faithful milestone, were truth butknown
Is seen in our first gray hair.
Year: 1877

smile, Il have something to show
you"


He put tiny paper parcel in her
hand She opened it, and out fell a
pair of worsted gloves.


She looked up Wistfully into his face,
then the whole tide of memory came
back upon her heart


Harry we're you that old man ?"


Il was that old man, my dearest"


And then Rachel Duer knew why it
was that the ship freighted with all her
hopes had drifted away, when it was so
near the haven.
Year: 1877

HOME BEAUTY A tasteful woman
can make a garret beautiful and home.
like, and at little cost for the beauty
of home depends more on educated and
refined taste than upon mere wealth. II
there is no artist in the house it matters
little that there is large balance at the
bank. There is usually no better ex-
cuse for a barren home than ignorance
or earelessness A little mechanical
skill can make brackets and shelves for
the walls. A thoughtful walk in the
woods can gather leaves and lichens and
ferns for adorniug the uupictured rooms


A trihe saved from daily expenses can
now and again put a new book upon
the table or shelf The expenditure of
few shillings can convert the plain
window into conservatory. In these
and fifty other ways can a plain, bare
room be converted into aScene Of beauty.
Year: 1877

There is but one city in the world
snd that is Paris" writes an enthusiastic
friend 10 the editor of the Register. Wait
Ill he comes home and sees our Market
street improvement and Washington
Hall, and then we will see.
Year: 1877

The event Of the commencement of
Bates college, Lewistown, Me-, this year,
was the graduation of Miss Jane Rich
North at the head of her class. She was
the valedictorian, and carried of the
honors over the head of thirty-eight
young gentlemen. Miss North is no
prig either She identified herself
with her classmates to the extent Of
being present at all their class contests,
whether in physical sports or intellectual
encounters, and when they won her
handkerchief or bonnet they went of
and up in honor of their achievement.
She declined to join base ball club,
but in gymnastics she was the peer of
the best.


1t was not, however, till the senior
year that the young men began to sus-
pect that it was the intention of Miss
North to contest for the highest prize.
Then a dozen or so of them buckled
dewn to their work, and studied late into
the night to overtake and pass the am
bilious lady. But all this energy was of
no avail. Miss North could extract
Greek roots and cube roots easier than
dentist extracts teeth. She was letter
perfect in her recitations. There was no
problem too deep for her, no sentence too
involved In her class-books. She rode
triumphant over all difficulties and came
off smiling; and so it happened that she
came to the front on commencement-day
wearing the honors.-CincinnaH Com
anerci0I
Year: 1877

New Hampshire correspondent of
the Manchester Mirror expresses his
views on the deserted farm question thus
blnntlv. "Iffarms have run down the
people who occupy them are long way
ahead in the race. We have got on our
farms to-day class Of people who can
cipher through the algebra, play the
piano and boast Of an acquaintance with
the fine arts, but they can't work. They
have got fine minds, but their bodies are
sickly, puny ind weak. To talk the
matter plainly, We have bred the bone
and muscle out ofour families until we
have got kind ofhuman Jerseys, fine
bred miId-eyed. and nice to look at, and
put ON exhibition, but so tender and
weak that they are fit neither for our
climate, our worksor our circumstances,
Our fathers worked twelve or fourteen
hours day, ,assi rss:sr thought of getting
tired xsssHse are used Up when we work
four hours. Our mothers made butter
and cheese, fed the pigs and chickens,



made the clothing for the family, and
when a shower was coming, could rake
or load hay. Our wives want a maid to
tend the baby and another to do the
housework, boy to do the chores, and
if we keep more than one COW, cheese
factory to prevent the milk from spoil
ing. 1t is san ito say tha ten farmers
wives to-day cannot do as much work
as would two fifty years ago. As farm
ing people we are played out. II the
young farmer, who wants a wife to help
get living, instead of one to hang rib
bons on and pour patent medicines into,
would just go down to your city and find
good, strong, vigorous, industrious and
frugal Irish or German girl, he would
find his farm would pay better than ii
does now, and his children would be
likely to be worth ten times as much as
farmers as will be any of the next gen.
| Grafton.
Year: 1877

There are few traps for the female
sex any more deadly than the side
saddle, and no one of any sense grieves
at the decay of the "nobIe art of horse
manship, as long as art cannot be
practiced except at the imminent risk
of the ladies doing So English people
are devoted horsemen, and the ladies
as well as the men take the highest
pleasure in galIoping after the hounds.
But recently an English lady, who en-
lows @ what is considered an enviable
fame for skill and daring, in riding
close to the hounds, and who is also a
pattern wife and mother, has an
pounced that she will risk her life no
more riding on side-saddle, but in
the t next season will ride masculine
fashion. Her announcement has set
the whole fashionable world to talking,
since she is woman of spirit, and it
Is believed she will do as she says. If
she does she will have followers with.
ont doubt. and it may be that this will
inauqurate the long expected dress re-
volution.
Year: 1877

The red-headed woodpecker is pro-
nounced to be a carnivorous bird by
a correspondent of the Naturalist, who
relates the following incident as having
occurred in Humboldt county, Iowa,
last summer: During that summer
a friend raised large number of black
Cayuga ducks. 1t was noticed that
while the birds were still very young
many of them disappeared, one after
the other, and the bodies of several
were found with the brains picked out.
On watching carefully to ascertain the
cause, a red-headed woodpecker was
caught in the act. He killed the ten
der duck with a single blow on the
head, and then picked out and ate the
brains. Though my friend was an
enthusiast III protecting the birds and
squirrels that came about his premises,
this provocation was too much. The
woodpeckers were speedily shot.
Year: 1877

In criticising Bret Harte for too
striking resemblance between his latest
poem, "On a Naughty Little Boy
Sleeping" and a poem entitled "The
Toys" first published in the Pail Mall
Gazette, and afterwards repeatedly
republished in this country, the Boston
Traveller says:


The idea Of Mr.. Harte's poem was
plainly suggested by the other, though
there is little similarity in the language
or form of the verses. 1t is not the
first time that we have lad occasion
to point out Bret Hart S indulgence
in this discreditable practice. He has
evidently written himself out since
coming east, and can only maintain
his position as an active Htte1Gteur by
trading upon the revamped idea of
others. Plagiarism may be excused
in the case of Shakespeare whose
mental alchemy transmitted the base
metal into the pure gold minted with
the royal stamp of genius, but where
the process is reversed, as in the pres.
ent case, there is no palliation for it.
Year: 1877

Mile. Zenaide Oukounof, a young
Russian lady, has obtained a doctors
diploma from the Paris faculty of medi-
cine. The subject of her thesis was the
effects of ether in subcutaneous injec-
tions, and its employment, instead of the
TRANSMISSION of blood. In taking her
place in the examination hall on the
opening day, DR.. Broca publicly con-
graduated her on her hospital studies,
and the presiding Prof. Verneuil on her
clinical notebook, which he said entitled
her to the highest rank among the pupils
who had come up to be examined. On
the degree day, Prof. Verneuil was,
moreover of opinion that her thesis
would have done honor to some of the
most eminent men of the faculty Of
medicine. He could not speak too highly
of the patient spirit of investigation of
which there was full evidence in her
thesis of her great scientific knowledge,
her facility of conception and soundness
of judgment. If she pursued as she had
begun, the questions she had so ably
dealt with in her thesis, it would suffice
to attach celebrity to her name. Mile.
Oukounohf belongs TO good family, the
head of which is in the diplomatic
service.
Year: 1877

AS hawks are most destructive to
noultry, a method of catching and
killing these marauders will be in
order. 1t is well-known fact that a
hawk will always light on some cons
nicuous place close to the poultry yard,
from which to swoop down on bis vic
tins. Taking advantage of this, erect
q nole with a fiat surface at the top
lust large enough to hold a strong steel
trap. Fasten this trap by chain to
a staple in the pole, and await results
No bait will be needed, for the hawk


will be quite certain to light on the
trap and be caught. A gentleman
who has tried this method has sue
ceeded in killing all the hawhs in hi
neighborhood, and now can raise poul
try without loss except by accident
Year: 1877

Reading, Pennsylvania, has a doctor
who is a terror to robbers. DIR. VIM.
Harris keeps a drug store and he and
his wife live over the store. The other
night he woke and saw a man in his
room. He asked the intruder what
he wanted. Intruder replied Your
money or your life the old style of
bull-dozing. Mrs. Harris screamed
and the robber said if she didn't shut
up" he would kill her instantly. Mrs.
Harris shut up and then the doctor got
in his work very handsomely. He
grappled with the robber, and while
they were at it the robber fired two
shots into the ceiling. At length the
doctor knocked the robber down with
a rocking chair, and as he didn't show
any more fight the victor picked his
adversary up and flung him out of the
window, to V Mich he had ascended by
ladder. The doctor simply threw
down the ladder and quietly addressed
himself again to sleep with his wife.
He got comfortable nights rest after
all.


At latest mail advices Texas was com
planning generally of the long continued
drv weather
Year: 1877

POPULAR SUFFRAGE has been put to 8
singular test in the village of Ava,
Japan. The neighborhood was harassed
by midnight robber, whom nobody
could detect. The head of the hamlet
summoned the entire male population
under his control, and directed every
man to write the name of the person
whom he suspected, and to deposit the
ticket in box. Fifteen ballots bore the
name of Abe Tanihei, the rest being
blanks. The man whom everybody sus-
pected was so overcome with astonish-
ment that he made full confession and
went to prison.
Year: 1877

The Car wanted to buy 10000 horses
for the Russian cavalry service, and had
made arrangements to purchase them in
Germany, but the Emperor William
can't see his way clear TO sparing that
many animals, and will issue decree
prohibiting the expectation of horses
from the empire. 1t is said that this
precaution is taken wholly on the ground
of internal economy, but it is not unlikely
that the possibility that Germany may
have need of all her horses has something
to do with it.
Year: 1877

But madam made herself even with him
when she rejoined, with quite as-much
quickness; Well, we read of only one
such man, and from the fuss that's made
about him it's plain they're scarce.n
Year: 1877

The Parisians combine the useful ana
ornamental by constructing barome1e,1
in tI,e shape of bouquets. They are cor
ore by composition Of which chloride
of cobalt is one of the ingredients "nen
exposed to the sun and dry air the leaves
become a deep blue; when inc 90
moist they turn pink.
Year: 1877

A singular drowning accident occurred
at Grand Lake. Nova Scotia, recently.
An English girl named Emmett, aged
twelve, sat on log at the shore of the
lake to bathe her feet, and getting into
day dream, did not notice that the log
had foated out into the lake. Suddenly
realizing her position, she lost presence
of mind and sprang into the water.
Strange to say, this is the sixth child
her parents have lost by drowning.
Year: 1877

WILL give to any clergyman in San
Francisco 81 900 in gold to substantiate
that the death of Voltaire was not as
peaceful as the coming of the dawn.
They say Tom Payne died in fear, in
agony, hearing devils rattle chains in the
other room, and that the Infinite God
went to work to frighten a dying man.
1 viii give a reward of 81 900 in gold to
anybody who will substantiate the truth
of that story.-B0b Iagers0H.
Year: 1877

CoRNs. Take lemon and roll it until
it is soft cut thick slice and bind it on
the corn on retiring at night. In the morn
ing, il the corn is white and disintegra-
ted, put it out with your tinger-nails.-
never cut corn. Sometimes several ap-
pications of the lemon slices will be nec-
essary, but the corns are bound to sue
cumb, and you can dance the next night
ii you like. After you remove the corns,
wear shoes that fit and are not too stiff in
the sOles
Year: 1877

BLANKET CAKEs.-Into l quart of
milk put lump of butter the size of
an egg; let the milk get warm enough
to melt the butter; stir in flour sufficient
to form quite stiff batter, and des-
sert-spoonful of salt; one-third cake
compressed yeast dissolved in little
warm water; cover tightly; let stand
in warm place over night; fry on
griddle. +


MACARoNI.-Take pound of maca-
roni and stew in saucepan of boiling
water, slightly salted, until soft and ten
der. When drained, put layer in a
baking-dish, and CRATE over it layerof
cheese, adding bits of butter. Put layer
upon layer until the dish is filed, finish
ing with layer of cheese and cup of
milk. Bake covered ] hour, then brown
and serve in same dish. l.


BLACK ROACH TRAP.-Fill an earth.
en- or tin wash-basn three parts full of
water sweetened with molasses, wetting
around it in such way that the reaches
can easily crawl up; an ironing blanket
answers the purpose well; set it on the
kitchen floor on retiring, and the re-
suit will be satisfactory. This may
work for water-bugs as well. ,..


To RESTORE THE HAIR AFTER ILL
NEss.-Equal parts of best brandy and
strong black tea, shaken well together
and rubbed well into the roots of the
hair once daily, will usually restore the
hair after long illness. Be careful not
to scratch or irritate the scalp with
rough combing and brushing. The
mixture should be made at least once
in three days, even in cool weather.
DANDY PUDDING.-1 quart of milk,
the yelks of 2 eggs, B tablespoonfuls
of corn-starch, a little sugar; scald the
milk, and when very hot stir into it the
corE-starch and eggs, stirring it briskly
a pudding dish; when quite cold, pour
over it a frosting made of the whites of
the eggs, allowing tablespoonful of
sugar to each egg; flavor with lemon
juice; brown slightly in the oven.


GENUINE GINGER SNAPS. An old
housekeeper suggests that all so-called
"ginger snaps,'' in which soda or any
thing of that nature is found, are sim
ply "cookies," which, like all such
preparations, soon dry and become
stale. The following receipt will make
crisp, rich snaps, which can be kept in
an air-tight cake-box for a long time !:
pound of shortening, equal parts of
butter and lard), pint of molasses, ]
pint brown sugar, l tablespoonful GIN
ger, l teaspoonful cloves or cinnamon,
flour; we'll mixed until it becomes a
plant dough. To be rolled thin and
baked in quick oven.
Year: 1877

IT is no doubt natural that many sincere


and earnest Democrats should find it hare


to understand how the Democratic mem


bers of the Electoral Commission could
have consented to go on with the proceed
ings of that body after the decision, by
eight to seven, of the Florida case had
made it perfectly plain that the majority
of the commission had no other intention
than to validate every vote for Hayes,
and to invalidate every vote for Tilden
which was submitted to them. But such
Democrats should reflect in Justice to those
members of the commission that any such
course on their part would have exposed
them and the whole Democratic party with
them to the imputation of wilfully break
ing up a tribunal which was pressed upon
the country by Democratic leaders. The
Republicans could always have claimed
that their eight Commissioners might have
decided differently in other cases upon
other grounds As "The World" main
tanned at the outset, when so many trusted
Democratic leaders were urging this device
upon Congress, it was mistake to diyest
the House Of its powers in behalf Of an
Electoral Commission. 1t would have
made that original mistake tenfold worse
to have abandoned the commission before
its unworthy Republican members had
filled full the measure of their shame. 4 S
Mr.. Morrison plainly says in very sharp
and outspoken letter. to some of his constit-
uents, the commission, once SET up was
hailed with approval by pretty nearly the
whole country and it would have been
idle for anJ Democrat to attempt TO con-
vince the country of its true constitution
and intent until it had worked itself out to
the end. 1t is equally idle, we may add,
TOR Democrats now to fall into impotent
recriminations over the past. Let US send
the wounded to the rear as fast as decency
and humanity will allow, close up the
ranks, and face the future with its new du
ties like men IN. Y. World.
Year: 1877

The leaves ofthe coffee tree promise to


become as important as the berry, perhaps
more so. The leaves contain notable
proportion of the curious double salt which
is called cafein when derived from coffee,
and thein when derived from tea, but is
the same in either case, and affects the
nervous system similarly. 1t is true
coffee and tea differ in their effects on the
nervous system, and while the consump-
ton Of tea increases that of coffee decrea-
ses. But the difference of action is not
due to any difference Of essential or fun
damental property, but to the accidental
accompaniment of roasted coffee contain.
ing fatty matter, albumen and glucose
which are scarcely traceable in tea. But
the leaves of the coffee tree are nearly des-
ttute of these accidental accompaniments,
and contain a large proportion Of the stim-
ulating property which renders the leaf of
the tea tree so refreshing and generally ac-
ceptable. There can be no doubt at all
that the reasonable use of coffee and tea in
their customary forms is beneficial, for
they are not only stimulants, but true nu-
ttients, the infusion Of good sample of
either containing nitrogen in form suited
to appropriation in the organism, and
therefore contributory to the fabric.
Year: 1877

The sxtrsme chsapness = veil as the


really admirable qualities Of the new col


ors produced by Croissant and Bretoomere


have excited much interest in France.


These newly invented beautiful colors are


permanent, and include nearly all the tints


known to housekeeping red, blue and


green, with their notifications. The dye


will prove a substitute for logwood, and its


cost is as one to FIVE Of the latter. Nothing


can effect their durability except it be con.
centrated chlorine. The variety Of shades
are not produced by mixture, but by
regulation in the temperature to which the
color is exposed in the course Of manufac.
ture. They are all soluble in water, and


are precipitated by minerals as we'll as by
organic acids. Silk, cotton and linen are
dyed equally well by these colors, the
practice being as follows: The colors are
dissolved iii hot water, and the goods are
stepped and turned in the solution from
thirty to forty-ffve minutes they are
next fixed by hot solution Of bichromate
of potash, in which they are left for about
fifteen minutes, washed with pure water
in the case of wool and silk to remove ex-
cess of alkali, and they are then placed in
alkaline bath made up with one pound Of
soda to forty-seven quarts Of water, aud
washed finally with clear water.
Year: 1877

EA clergyman was annoyed by
people talking and giggling He paus.
ed, looked at the disturbers, aud said /:
II am always afraid to reprove those
who misbehave, for this reason. Some
years since, as was preaching, young
man who sat before me was constantly
talking. laughing and making grimaces.
/ paused and administered severe re
buke. After the close of the service a
gentleman said to me, Sir, you have
made great mistake; that young man
is On idiot Since then have always


been afraid to reprove those who mis-.
behave themselves in chapel, lest
should repeat that mistake and reprove
another idiot" During the rest of the
service there was good order.