smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

In the mid-southern sky during Febru-
ary, you will see the brightest star in the
whole heayens-Sirius, the famous Dog
star The constellation CAMS Major, the
Greater Dog (Which might much better be
called simply Canis,) was one of Orion's
hunting-dogs, CAMS Minor being the other;
but we can hardly suppose Lepus was the
sole prey pursued by g great a giant and
two such fine dogs. The constellation Ca.
mis- Major is chiefly remarkable for the
Dog-star. In old times this star was
thought to bring pestilence. Homer speaks
Of it (uot by name, however, as the star
Whose burning breath taints the red air
with fevers, plaques, and DEATH" Many
among the aneients supposed that this
star was in reality as large as the sun.
Thus Manilius said.


IT'S strongly credited this owns a light


And runs course not than the suns less bright;


But that remOv'd from sight so great way


1t seems to cast dim and weaker ray


1t has been shown in our time, however.
that even this estimate, which was by
many thought too daring, falls far short Of
the truth, 1t has been calculated that
Sirius gives out three hundred times as
much light (and doubtless three hundred
times as much heat as our sun. So that
it would make us rather uncomfortable If
our sun were removed and Sirius set in
his place. Sir W. Herschel says that
when he turned his large four-feet mirror
on this star, the light was like that of the
rising sun, and it is impossible to look at
the star without pain to the eye. Sirius
is in reality in rapid motion, though, ow-
ing to his enormous distance, he seems at
rest. He is rushing through space at the
rate of about thirty miles in every second
Of time In year he traverses nearly
six times the distance which separates our
earth from the sun. But this enormous
annual journey is only about i,d1D,th part of
the distance which separates him from
our earth; and he is travelling away from
US, we need not be greatly troubled on ac-
count of him. He is so far from us that
his light has been no less than twenty
years on its way to us, so that in reality,
instead of saying we see Sirius, we ought
to say we see where Sirius tUas some TWEEN
ty years ago Most of the stars are even
farther away, 81 that if every one of them
were in single instant destroyed, we
should still see them-that is, their light
for many years, and probably the greater
number of them would still seem to be
shining in the heavens long after the
youngest of us were dead; perhaps even
after our great-grandchildren had passed
away.-Prof r. A. Proctor, ST. Nicholas
for Februdrv.
Year: 1877

DON'T LOSE A MINUTE.--Keep busy


Tho man who has nothing to do is the
most miserable of beings Ifyou have Nc
regular work, do chores, as farmers dc
when II rains too hardto work in the field


In occupation we forget our troubles, and
get a respite from sorrow. The man
whose mind and hands are busy finds No
time to weep and vail If work is slack


spend the time in reading. No man ever
knew too much, The hardest students in
the world are the old men who know the
most. If you lack books, there are free OF
very cheap libraries, at least in cities, at
your command, The man who does NOT
acquire some item of useful information
between daybreakand bedtime must mourn.
fully say, with the Roman Emperor, 81
have lost day
Year: 1877

The Electoral bill has been the princi.
pal topic Of conversation in Washington
for some days past congressman are not
at all cordial toward the bill, and politi-
clans Of both parties seem to think that
there is trick in it for the benefit Of che
other party. Telegrams we're received,
however from business men approving the
measure.
Year: 1877

The Democrats have no margin in the city
political contest before them in September
next and this margin will be narrowed II
>chisms are created by singing out one
class of men contemptuously designated as
"old party hacks another as "timid time
serving respectabiiity," another as "inane
kid-glove spectability," and yet another
to be preferred as the young Democracy
The Democratic party must go into the
contest with higher motive than confer
ring office upon any man or class of men
it must go into the contest to conserve the
public good. and cannot a ford TO make thi
>ubservient-it must rot abandon the good
Of the whole people to lift any man into
Office in order to bestow upon him an easy
living. The party must nominate substan
tial men, able to compete with It's oppo
nents when elected. Let good and compe
tent men, in whom the people can plac,
confidence, be nominated, and the party
may succeed otherwise success will bt
very doubtful.
Year: 1877

THE Russian Emperor has called for a
new army Of 200 900 men, and also made a
levy on the Landwehr, for how many We
are not told. This is significant. The So
called defeat at Plevna has served his pur.
pose and we doubt not that his new levies
are intended for soldier settlers of the coun-
tryhis forces have already overrun. The idea
that such armies as Russia has now In for.
mer Turkish provinces and that are now
on their way there is to be deferred by suct
check is preposterous. The greater par
OF this present alarm is gotten up for pur
pose. There are many chances in war ,anC
the victory is not always to the most nu
merous host. But still the great fact thai
it usually follows the strong battalions is
not likely 10 be varied from in the sangui
nary war now raging in Europe and asia
Should it turn out that the Turks have
commander such as Napoleon the First
Russia may be stayed. But this does no
seem probable, and the rejoicing of th'
Turks will be but for brief period.
Year: 1877

part of the Republicans supported by
the decent portion of the Democracy,
the city will be in the control of the
Tammanyites as completely az it was
under Tweed, within year. The
Republicans who are growing about
small matters in the Presidents pol.
icy ought to stay here while. The
struggle now is not so much as to
/" policies" as it is whether the re-
spectacle portion of the population or
the lower elements shall have control.
In New York we are very securely in
the hands of the lower elements, and
the police columns of the newspapers
show the effects thereof much more
clearly than can.


The Murphy movement which has
swept the Southern tier of counties in
the State like a whirlwind, is be in
augurated in this city. The temper
ance bodies under the skillful leader
ship of young Tying, and others equal
ly jealous, have perfected consoli-
dation, and will make movement
along the whole line. They intend to
hold series of monster meetings, to
awaken the public conscience, and
then to commence legal proceedings
vigorously. They will organize in
every ward, have vigilance commit
tees, the best counsel to take the
cases through the courts, and at the
meetings they expect to make it
warm for public men who stand in
the way of the reform. They intend
to shut up a great many who can not
stand the expense of repeated pros
ections-aeeomplishing great deal
of good thereby, as these are the
small bucket-shops that furnish the
very poor, with the vilest rum-and
they intend as we'll to regulate traffic
among those who are too strong to be
squelched, compelling them to at
least keep it within the bounds of
decency.


Another banker, this time q Ger
man named Gerndt, has abscOnded,
leaving his depositors with nothing.
He wasn't great thief, only $l25, 600
was taken by him, but when it is
considered that this money was the
all of "a thousand Psor labOrers,
widows and girls, who had put each
their little pittance where it, was
supposed to be safe, that they might
have it to pay rent and for food
against the day when there could be
no work procured, the extent of the
disaster may be compreheuded. When
it became know that he had abscOnded,
about thousand people whose de-
posits ran from 81 to $25, were at
the bank, the men cursing, and the
women weeping. The treasurer of
the French Benevolent Society ran
away with all their funds, $50, 900,
and one or two life insurance COM
panies are in the thrOes of dissolution.


Business is dead, and the weather
is terribly hot. The days bake and
the night parboil, it is muggy, sultry,
sticky AMI nasty. Of course there
can be no buying or selling in such
weather, for the seller hasn't energy
enough to name price for any thing,
and the buyer hasn It strength enough
to accept or decline. Everybody is
getting out of town who can get out,
and the rest spend their time wishing
they could go. Thank Heaven, the
authorities have opened the free
baths, 80 the poor can keep cool.


PIETRO.
grI,a lafaot of tha railroad toY
Year: 1877

Rinderpest is once more let loose in
Europe. 1t is in Germany. It has
eluded the detective system supposed
to be in vogue in Hamburg, and it has
been shipped to this country, whether
with the cognizance of any of the par
ties concerned in the trade or not we
shall probably learn hereafter. But the
contagion has been brought to the port
Of London. The authorities have de-
stroyed the infected animals at Dept
ford, melting them down in the digest
ers provided for the purpose, and care
fully disinfecting the persons who were
employed in slaughtering. The vessel
which brought the cattle-namely, the
Castor-has been disinfected by scrub
bing and limewashing; but there is no
law to prevent that ship at once bring
ing another cargo of animals. We can
not consider such cargo safe unless it
is slaughtered urder the most rigid pre-
cautions. We are not much afraid of
cattle plague. The Veterinary Depart
ment of the Privy Council are fully
awake to the danger; they know how
to stamp out any outbreaks in this
country, and we are confident that they
are determined to do it. Our anxiety
is not about a possible ravage by cattle
plague, but about the coming sacrifice
of the property of stock-owners by foot
and-mouth disease, which the Veterin-
ary Department, the Privy Council, and
Parliament have given us no means of
preventing or repressing. Breeding
and grazing, the remaining sheet-an-
chors of the British farmer, are being
now loosened and uprooted as certain
means of profitable return by the COM
petition of American meat, by which
our meat is undersold and if the farm
ers of the United Kingdom will not
now use all their power in obtaining q
compulsory prohibition of the importa-
tation of foot-and-mouth disease, and
the establishment of a complete system
for repressing outbreaks of that de-
structive and ruinous complaint, they
will cry when it is too late, and will de-
serve the severe penalty which must
fall on the whole husbandry of these
realms.-Chaanber Of Agriculture Jour-
nal. ~.
Year: 1877

-Longfellow is authority for the
statement that some days must be dark
and dreary. Few will doubt this. There
are mea who having pawned their over
coats during the warm snap see the
weathercoek going round to n W., and
they wish they were a time painted
shingle on country schoolhouse, patch
ed with moss.
Year: 1877

THINGS TO REMEMBER.-Remember that
mirrors should never be hung where the
sun shines directly upon them. They
soon look misty, grow rough or granulated,
and no longer give back correct picture.
The amalgam or union of tinfoil with mer-
curry, which is spread on glass to form a
looking glass, is easily ruined by the direct,
continued exposure to the solar rays.
Remember that lemons can be kept sweet
and fresh for months by putting them in a
clean, tight cask or jar, and covering them
with cold water. The water must be
changed as often as every other day, and
the casz kept in a cool place. Remember
that q teaspoonful of black pepper
will prevent gray or buff linens
from spotting, if stirred into the first
water in which they are washed. 1t
will also prevent the colors running, when
washing black or colorod cambrics or mus
Inns, and the water is not injured by it, but
just as soft as before the pepper was put In.
Remember that one can have the hands in
soap suds with soft soap without injury to
the skin, if the hands are dipped in vinegar
or lemon juice Immediately after. The
acids destroy the corrosive effects of the
alkali and make the hands soft and white.
Indian meal and vinegar or lemon juice
used on the hands when roughened by cold
or labor, will heal and soften them. Rub
the hands in this; then wash off thorough
ly and rub with glycerine. Those who suf-
fer from chopped hands in the winter will
find this comforting.
Year: 1877

The CHINESE QUESTIoN.--The Chinese
merchants of San Francisco have been re-
ported as suggesting to Senator Morton a
head tax of one hundred dollars upon all
Chinese arriving in this country, to be ap-
piled to to the transportation homeward of
such of their countrymen as wish to return.
They also propose to get the steamship
compani es to charge double the passage
money toward America that they do from
it The New Yorh World remarks that
the Chinese merchants of San Francisco y
are probably the contriyers of the immigra-
ton which they profess themselves desirous
to check, and that the prejudice against
Cinnamon is mainly due to a suspicion in
the public mind that the emigrants are
Hong-Kong coolies, virtually owned by the
six companies. If such is the fact the
question naturally arises why should the
assistance of the government be invoked to
stop immigration which would cease the
moment these bland spectators stopped
paying the passage of men unable to leave
their own country?
Year: 1877

Unto the good little boy shall be given
the picnic ticket, but the wicked son shall
recline on his mothers knee. Verify, in
the day when she waxeth it to him with her
slipper, his heart will be full of repentance,
and his bowling shall disturb the neigbors.
Year: 1877

There is to be a notable gathering in
Philadelphia on the 2Sth inst. No less
than twenty Governors of States have
agreed to come together at the Permanent
Exhibition. Their purpose is to make one
anOther's acquaintance, to confer upon
topics OF interest other than political, to
visit the principal Eastern cities, and in
addition. no doubt, to have a good time
generally. \ conference of so many State
executives is decided novelty, and would
hardly be possible except in time like the
present, when party feeling runs unusually
low.
Year: 1877

TO the Editor Of the Press.


As your columns are open to fres discussion
of the relation of this road to the interests of
the people of PoItlIGd, like Elisha of oil also
would give mine opinion. In calculating the
results of this road upon the business of our
city but little has been said of the trade which
must be furnished By noIthern Vermont. A
few days since produce dealer from the
Lamoille valley called on me to give him an
introduction to some of the butter dealers in
this city, as he wished to prospect for the sale
of that article. l very gladly rendered him all
the assistance in my power, and learned from
him that the amount of his sales in the items of
butter and eggs exceeded one hundred thous-
and dollars annually; that these were gathered
from little territory about 10 miles long by 10
wide and his purchases did not exceed 20 to %
per cent, of the amount produced in that terri
tory. Now this is Is miles of the 11S between
Connecticut River and Lake Champlain and
gives an idea of two only of the articles of farm
production which this region furnishes. The
whole belt of land traversed in Vermont by this
road is unsurpassed in New England for fer
tility and the productions of the soil. In
maple sugar the amount manufactured is more
than double that OF the whole state of Maine
1T anyone questions the truth of these state
mentS let MIN look at tn6 agricultural STATISTICS
of the last census and compare the productions
of the three counties of Caledonia. Lamoille
and Franklin, and the towns in Essex and
Orleans counties which are contiguous to this
road with any other territory of equal size in
New England. If he will look through our
market he will be surprised to find how large
proportion of the butter sold here comes
from Vermont and from this same sec
Iion Of the state above described. Also
that it passes through the hands of the
Boston dealers, who sell tue choicest
of it in their own city, and the lower grades
supply our market so far as it is supplied with
the Vermont article Northern Vermont is
destined to be by far the wealthiest farming
section of New England, and its entire terri
tory lies seventy-five miles nearer to us than to
Boston. Is it not then matter of great inter-
est to us that the railroad which opens this bus
iness to US should be in the hands of parties
who would look to the interests OF Portland in
its management. [ have very serious doubts
whether the city's interest in the road can be
sold without greatly endangering cur interest
in the business which it may be made to bring
us. | hope, therefore, that our people after
having burdened themselves in building this
road will not wantonly throw away the benefits
which may be mate to accrue to us from it, up
on the very Threshold of their realization. In
another article l will glance at some other
items of business for the road.


q Fl COOE
Year: 1877




a SwINDLE ExPosED,-Within two or three
years the farmers of New England Lave been


made the victims OF a swindle by the "Grsn-
lite Agricultural Works" so called, of Lebanon,
N. H., c. b. Mahan, agent, whose method OF
doing business is something like this Their


agent finds man of means who wants mow-
ing machine, offers him four or five at liberal


discount and makes him agent of his. town.
After the trade is finished, the agent produces
a note of his ''new-made agent" for which he
gives him a contract stipulating that the far
mer has bought of the "Granite Agricultural
Works" certain articles, and that he is to have
to a certain date to sell. Then if the goods
are not sold the company will send an agent to
assist in the sale; and if neither succeeds in
selling by certain date the company will take
them off his hands, and pay him the same
price at which they were billed to him, with all
money paid out for railroad freight charges on
the same from their factory. If the goods are
sold before the said date then the note given
for the same shall be paid the same as II this
agreement had not been given. But it forgets
Year: 1877

we do not read anonymous letters and communi-
cations The name and address of the writer are in
all cases Indispensable not necessarily for publication
but as guaranty of good faith.


we cannot undertake to return or reserve commu-
ncations that are not used,
Year: 1877




The Old World is threatened with a
fearful innovation in fashion. "Pairs" are
going out. Hereafter it will Be in the
very best taste for a lady to 60 to ball
with one white glove and one pearl-gray
and, by the way, in Paris, gentlemen du
not wear gloves At night, but carry them
partly exposed in the breast Of the waist.
coat-or with a long diamond drop in one
ear and an exaggerated emerald pendant
in the other, or to appear decolletee as to
one shining shoulder, and high in the neck
A. 10 the other, or to initiate Girofe-
GireAs in some eccentric extravaganza Of
costume-color. 1t may come to high
stepping ysung woman Of rainy day e1,
posing two limbs, reminding the casual
beholder Of the signs of rival BARRIERS, OF
infect male dsndies with the desire of APP
pearins in diversified pantaloons, one leg
say of sombre navy blue and one of Ok
ford gray
Year: 1877

A WRITER in Forest and Stream pro
tests against catching the black bass, lately
planted ia the Potomac and other rivers, in
the Spring, when they are passing
through their Spring sickness, and when
! they are wormy and unfit for the table,
This fish il taken in immense numbers
from the Potomac 1t this season of the
year.
Year: 1877

firm shall at once, upon notice from the
Board Of Public Works, repair such
street, sewer, or pipe so injured. II the
firm fail to repair such within hVe days
then the Board shall repair the Same at
the expense of said firm.


g. That In each case the said shaft
ing shall be laid as the Board only di-
rect.


a. That nothing herein contained
shall be construed as conlerring a favor
on said firm.


10. That If at any time the city wish
to remove and stop the work of said
and the city is not liable lor damages to
any one"
Year: 1877

National Associated Press to the Star.


CHICAGO, Sept. 28.-rhe trial in this
city OF the County Ring is now IN prog.
ress in the Criminal Court. The defense
were not successful in getting the in.
formation they sought in the form of a
bill OF particulars, which should expose
the plans Of the prosecution and afford
an opportunity for the working up of
evidence. With an honest jury, there
is lair prospect that the rings Iers Will
soon go to meet Meyers, the indicted
Savings Bank President.
Year: 1877

Fools rush in where angels lear to
tread, and although it is not positively
known that any of the latter are at pres
ent in the editorial business, yet there
are numerous instances where ths
former endeavor to enjoy the pleasures
OF journalism for season. Generally
the season is pretty short. II is remark
able that those asplrants hold in nigh
contempt all such sublunary matters as
spelling or grammar or tAe like, and
plunge into editorial business with q
confidence that is extremely refreshing,
but they also plunge out OF it about as
quickly. There is person who has
started up a so-called paper named the
Agitator, which is said to appear In
LUckport and Chicago, and the alleged
editor wrestles with the editorial ''we"
10 the TO 10 wing astonis ling manner: SIT
we ehould not get out our next number
exactly on time, my subscribers VIII
please not be impatient. l must have q
little visit."-[ Detroit Free Press.
Year: 1877

National Associated Press to the Star.


NEW YORK, Sept. 2S.-In the Diocesan
Convention OF the Episcopal Church
there was quite an exciting contest yes
terday, between the High and
Low Church parties, resulting In
d victory for the former. Bislpp Pot
te.'s review of the religious situation
was quite hopeful.


A Dog hater's View.


Eight thousand TWO hundred and thir-
ty-one dogs tell victims to the Dog Law
during Inc summer. Eleven thousand
that ought to have been drowned were
licensed.
Year: 1877

We desire 10 call attention to our correspondence from Globe City. The letter Is full of interesting matters and shows the healthy condition of the camp and the encouraging prospects of the district.

 Our correspondent says the Duryae mill is only two-stamp mill instead of ten stamps, as previously stated, bG' that the mill will crush about twenty tons daily. Our readers may not all understand how two stamps can do so much work in a day. We are not well enough acquainted with thc mechan- ism of the mIll to explain it minutely. but we do know that to the 800 pounds original weight of each stamp is appli. ed an additional force of 1500 pounds steam pressure, thus giving to each stamp force of two thousand pounds This, together with the rapid movement of the stamp, gives the mill Its large capacity. We are glad to learn the mill is running and the quality of ma chine and ore will soon be determined.