smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

In lengthy article on l,lnatic asylums
and their inmates the New York World
says:


In New York State, and in most others,
the certificate of two physicians is suffi-
cient warrant for imprisonment in an
insane asylum. 1t is not too much to
say that in at least nine cases out of ten
such certificate can be got by any vii
lainous husband, by any scheming wife,
by any hungry heir, or by any secret
enemy. 1t is not necessary even to sup
pose corrupt or q grossly ignorant
physician. Physicians get at their dag
nosis in bodily ailments from the symp-
toms as described by the patient. In
mental ailments they must take their
symptoms from the description Of those
whom they suppose to be the patients
friends. It takes an extraordinary physi-
clan to find out from hurried examina-
ton of casual patient that the patients
friends have been stuffng him with lies.
The ordinary physician makes out the
certificate of what he has been told. In
nine cases out of ten this works well,
perhaps in ninety-nine cases out of O
hundred, for the reason that ninety-nine
people out of hundred are not hated or
feared by their kindred and acquaint-
ance But it is the hundredth case that
is pitiable, in which there is no easy es-
cape from life of misery, and no ade-
quate redress for it. A person accused
of crime is tried by jury, with counsel.
A person accused of misfortune, of
which the penalties are quite as serious,
is tried only by two doctors, who get all
the facts from the prosecution. In the
hundredth case, where the man is said
to be insane is sane, it is plain that this
is an outrageous cruelty. And there is,
as we say, no adequate redress for it,
The doctors who certify the insanity are
not answerable, if their certificates are
given in good faith. The plotter him
self is not liable criminally, unless his
bad motive can be shown; and it is very
Year: 1877

Phil. Ames, living in Iowa on the
Platte, had wife and fve-year-old,
but loved his sister-in-law. The little
girl died suddenly there was a rude
country funeral in bitter cold wind
under leahess trees, and the beartbroken
mother went back to her cheerless home
crushed and despairing. Her husband
had no words for her, but consoled his
sister-in-law. The neglected wife opened
her heart to n village gossip, and vigil
lance committee visited the house Mt mid
night, dragged the faithless husband
from his bed, and would have hung him
to tree if his wife had not pleaded for
his life. They took the rope from his
neck and set him free. After the neigh
bors had departed he took heavy curb
bride from the burn and going UP stairs
struck the poor woman as she was knee]-
ing at prayer with photograph of her
child in her hand. He dragged her to the
head of the Gtairs, threw her down, and
use;l the bride until she was dead. Her
sister now appeared Oh the scene ; two
horses were saddled the sister-in-law
was put on one and the corpse on the
other he led the ghastly cavalcade to
the river, where he cut hole in the ice
and dumped the body. A Ayillager espied
him ut his work and bore the tidings to
the settlement. Armed men started in
pursuit and came up with the murderer
and his companion just as they were
mounting their horses at the bridge.
Shots were exchanged; the woman fell
dead the murierer's horse was shot
down rope was brought forward, and
the confession was wrung from him that
his little daughter had been poisoned by
her aunt. He WAS hanged without delay,
and his body was burned. Such is life
III the breezy West.
Year: 1877

United States Senator Goldthwaite,
says an exchange, has long been afflicted
with absent mindedness. He has great
difficulty in keeping track of his wearing
apparel. He constantly loses his coat or
hat. One or two pages are kept running
good deal of the time to supply the
gentleman lack of intellect. If he goes
to the House, he will take his hat and cloak
there, and be sure to leave one or both
of them on sofa or on some members
desk. He has often had to wait for
hours while pages and messengers were
hunting up stray garments. He ever
has the habit of taking other peoples
coats by mistake, particularly if they
happen to hang hear his own peg. One
day senator missed his coat, containing
about $4,000 in money. The disap-
pearance was attended by such pecll-
Liar circumstances that the detectives
called at Senator's Goldthwaite's house,
and asked him if he had his own coat.
After searching his closet for a time they
returned his lost coat, saying: "This
does quite look like my coat" The lost
money was found safe in the pocket.
This story told was by an officer of the
Senate.
Year: 1877

A very searching investigation was car
ricd on few years ago in the north of
England by two families who were
searching up their respective ancestry.
The strife was great between them, each
one determining to look back into anti.
quities further than the other. One of
the families, whose name was Spencer,
employed an artist to paint an historic
scene, representing the building of the
ark and the loading up of the ship by
Noah and his sons with its multifarious
and various cargo. On the gangplank
leading to the deck of the ark two men
were seen rolling up large box, on one
side of which was painted in large let
ters: "Relics, insignia and papers be-
longing to the Spencer family" This
was considered a coup d'etat hard to
beat, but the other family, determined
not to be outdone in the antediluvian
pretenses of their name, prepared at a
great cost and research record of their
antiquity. In describing the exploits OF
one of their ancestors, at a very early
day, who was represented as man OF
some authority, this remarkable passage
occurs During this year Adam and
Eve wers driven out Of Paradise"
Year: 1877

A great deal has been said and written
about the great mathematical prodigy,


"Reub" Fields, who lives at Fayette-
vile, NO., says local exchange, and the
more that is known of him the greater


wonder he becomes. He does not pos
sess the simple rlldimonts of book edu-
cation-does not know single letter or
figure by sight-and yet he can solve the
most intricate problem in al instant, or
can perform calculation i'll less than a
minute that would require the work of
an hour by the ordinary modes. For in
stance We gave him the day Of the
month and the year of our birth and he
told, in less than half minute, our age
in seconds minutes, days and years.
Give him the day of the month and the
year of any event, however remote, and
he will instantly give the day of the
! week.


We spent two hours with him, and,
Notwithstanding We have often talked
with him and seen him display his won-
derful gifts, yet we always find some
thing new in him.


We placed a column of figures upon q
paper, equal in length to the columns OF
an ordinary sized ledger, and called. them
off to him in rapid succession, and when
the last number was called he gave the
sum without moments hesitation. He


did not see the paper, and would not
have known o character on it if he had.
One hour later he repeated those mum.
bers in the exact order in which we called
them to him. We then began at the bot
tom and would call two or three numbers
correctly and then one incorrectly, and
he would correct us by giving the proper
number.


More mysterious than this to lis is the
TACT of his ability to give correctly the
time of the day or night, whenever called


upon without any reference whatever to
timepiece.


In this place the timepieces are all
regulated by railroad or st. Louis time.
If you ask "Reub" the time he will say


"I am fifteen and quarter minutes past
one if you have railroad time you have
so and So" giving the exact difference
between sun time and railroad time.
Another remarkable fact is that he
gives the exact time of his locality. If
he is in Washington city he gives Wash
ington city time, if in San Francisco, the
time there. He can not possibly do these
things by any method Of calculating the
passing time, for he will give time as nc.
curately while waking from sleep at
night as if it were daylight and the sun
shining.


There seems to be nothing too great in
numbers for his mind to grasp, and yet
nothing too small. He can tell what the
interest on one cent would he for three
seconds ut the rate of ten per cent. per
annum, as readily and as easily as We
could tell the interest on one dollar for one
year at the same rate per cent.


He is indeed the wonder of wonders.
Year: 1877

Hitchner's front window, and the stage
stopped at Daisy's door, and ont got that
man and if it had been the good Lord 9
will that he'd been tumbled ont some
where else and broken his leg, sos he
couldn't get away, deal O trouble
might have been saved.


"For Hugh MLean kind O scorned
most city folks that come our way, and
had a fashion O. smilin' ut 'em in a sort
O contempt. But this Jacques was half
a Frenchman, and had deal O fire in
him he'd been all over the world, or
pretended he had, and, if you could be-
ieve him, had as many lives as cat to
lose. And Hugh d sit there and drink
all that nonsense in by the hour together;
and for that matter, SO would poor little
Daisy. The major could talk bird of
bush, and Hugh got to comm in and
fndin' his little meilder-lark listenfn' to
some tale O the majors, her eyes per.
haps full O silly tears and her cheeks all
pale with excitement.


"Soon after that, my Mirandy was
teachiu' school and boardin' round the
village, and she went to M'Leans tc
stay, and she told me that Daisy had
stopped goin' in the room when the ma.
jor was there, and got out o his way all she
could, but Hugh was as black us thunder
cloud, and Mirandy said that Daisy ant
she would both be glad when the board
ers all went away and never came back
again.


"But this was only midsummer, and
things got from bad to worse, and one
night the men were out late in the hay
field, and Daisy went out in the barn tc
help milk the COWS. It was only play tc
her, she'd bin used to it at home, and ]
dare say the poor child was so sick and
sad she was glad to be busy. But what
must that iackanapes do but follow hel
out there and take the pals from hel
hands to bring them in !! She couldn't gel
courage, you see, to tell him to 90 abou
Year: 1877

Large Sale.-The sale of the large lot of
personal property of the late Captain John L.
DuFieif took place on Wednesday last A
credit of six months was allowed and articles
sold for their very highest value The crowd
was the largest we ever remember seeing at
sale. II numbered between seven and eight
hundred people. This is consequent upon
advertising in the SENTINEL, which has large
circulation and reaches every household in
the county,
Year: 1877

A Lightning StPoke.-Mrs. Eli Moul-
den, Miss Hattie Sage and brother, on their
return home from visit to ~ friend on Sun
day evening last were oyeru,ken by the thunder
gust, and their carriage struck by lightning
knocking the door Off the hinges and breaking
the upright piece to whch the door was
attached. The occupants Of the carriage and
the horse were all stunned by the stroke, and
we are happy 10 say no further injury was
done
Year: 1877

Law Subtitle County Commissioners
refused to levy money for the payment of a
debt contracted by the Sheriff in the purchase
of tinware for the use of the prisoners in Jail
upon the ground that it was not debt Of
theirs, but of the Sheriff as he bargained 10 feed
the prisoners. The Commissioners were war
ranted before Justice Bouic on Tuesday by
Mr. Vett who had furnished them, and the
case decided in favor of the complainant. 1t
is more than likely that it will 60 to the
Circuit Court for trial.
Year: 1877

Lively Day Whii-Tuesday Mt the Great
Falls was lively day. Not much fishing
was indulged in, as the muddy water caused
by the rain Of the evening before prevented
many from so doing who had visited the place
for that purpose. A large crowd was there,
composed of many from Rockville, the Districl
of Columbia aud Poolesville. A brass band
was in attendance. The party from Pooles
vile came down on an excursion boat nicely
fixed up for the purpose
Year: 1877

s'Dead" Circus.-For several days fam
houses announcing the coming Of "The Great
| Oriental Show - ns'onishel boys and negroes
with open-mouthcd wonder stood day by day
watching he surprising feats which the pic
tured actors were performing on paper and
anxiously awaiting the arrival Of the great
originals of The photographs. At last they
came, headed by band whose music issued
| from five dumb horns and kettle drur The
! immense canvas was spread aad everything 10
readiness for the astonishment Of the natives :;
the great trapeze performer was aging in the
air like light-wlnged bird when coz
stable stepped in with navy-revolver re-
minding him that people must either stay on
the proand where they belong or pay the State
dollar for mounting heavenward from her
soil. The dollar, to which was added ten as a
fine, was paid ana the show progressed The
gymnasts whirled on the horizontal bar the
negro minstrels sang and danced, and the
woman with the IRON jaw like all other
women exhibited the strength of her jaw as
much as possible. But at night when nature
seemed to fold herself in gloom to vieW the
impending tragedy the great show sank life
less to the ground. IT'S monster limbs were rigid
and stiff, its mighty heart had ceased TO beat
and the black winged angel stood shadowing
it with the pail of death. A careful post
mortem examination disclosed the fact that it
had entered our town in n robust healthy
condition, but in few hours thereafter had
died of financial depletion. The body was
carried to Washington, the place ofits nativity,
and mot drum was heard, not a funeral
note'' as they lowered it into shades Of the
grave.


Poor child of the "Orient' its journey to
the Occident was short indeed.
Year: 1877

For the quiet of the public mind and
the business of the country,it is very desir-
able to have the reports of the committees
sent to Louisiana as soon as can be. But
what is even more important, is to ascer


tain the truth so certainly, and to exhibit
the proofs SO clearly,as will satisfy all men
and that may take some little time yet.
OF the result of the Investigation there is
now little doubt in either party; and it will
end the whole matter, The open candor
and truth of the Democratic committee iu
South Carolina can hardly be expect
ed of the Radical committee in
Louisiana. But they will not be
able utterly to deny the facts-the
stubborn facts These facts confron,
them. They stand out to the public sense.
They take hold of the conscience of the
people. They make-tor the Democratic
claim TO have carried the state-such an
absolute case that we may we'll end the
disput with the honest, earnest words oi
Junius: And now let sophistry evade


let impudence deny, there stand the facts >
Year: 1877

New YORK, Jan. 6.-The notable event
of the day on the street is that the bank
average of gold on the weekly statement
is $3,000,0OO higher than the greenback
average. Such thing has not happened
since the original issue of greenbacks in
1850
Year: 1877

"A San Francisco man went to mas
querade in the guise of giraffe, and got
so drunk that on the way home he fell in
gutter. A policeman, supposing that
beast had escaped from the menagerie. got
rope, approached HIM cautiously. lasso-
ed the fuddled masquader, and then tied
him to a tree before the mistake was dis
covered


She was fond Of conundrums, and
when she learned that muller was Latin
for woman she thought she had good
one. So she asked her husband what was
the difference between herself and mule
and as he had been married several years,
he was too thoughtful to trouble her by
guessing, but kindly remarked that he
had never been able to see any,
Year: 1877

Despite the returning boards indisposi-
ton to help them, the congressional COM
mittecs in Louisiana are throwing a good
deal of light upon the way that state S
vote was stolen by the Republicansmana-
gers from the people after they had cast
it tor Tliden by large majority.
Year: 1877

The Oregon dispatches about which
the Radicals have been making such
terrible ado, have at last been given to
to the public. The Travelling mountain
has borne a ridiculously small mouse,
All the kilograms to Governor Grover
were to the effect that Watts was consti-
tutionally ineligible to the Office felec-
tor, and that he ought to inform himself
thoroughly in the law governing the case
before the final action. The kilograms
relating to money was to be used exclu-
sively in the employment of the best le-
gal ability ON the Pacific cost, to test the
matter of Watts eligibility. The money
thus used was used in employing able
attorneys, including both Republican and
Democratic lawyers, and the result Of the
whole matter was that the laws of Oregon
and the Constitution of the United States
clearly indicated that Mr.. Watts could
not be, and was not chosen as an eleCtor
and therefore was not entitled to GER
tifCate of election, and that under the
laws of Oregon, the three highest eligible
electors were chosen. This is all there
is about the Oregon matter. There is no
pretense that any of the money was used
for anything else than the payment Of at
torneys fees, the same as in any other
case, where attorneys are employed to
make researches or deliver legal opinions.
There was no money and troops sent to
fix up forged and fraudulent returns and
bogus affidavits of intimidation as was
done in Florida and Louisiana at the in
stance of Zach Chandler.--Rts. Post
30tb.
Year: 1877

Sometimes a woman is found who
is kind to another woman, but such
women are very rare. A late case
of woman's kindness to one of
her own sex came to the surface in
New York. Miss Addie Goulding
is the cashier of large house in
New York, and also runs a dress
making establishment on her own
account. She has had Minnie
PETER in her employ for several
years, and trusted her. The other
day piece of silk worth $50 was
stolen from Mrs. Goulding's estab-
lishment, and no trace of the silk
or the thief could be found. At
length a young man calling himself
Charles PETER, informed Miss
Goulding that he knew where the
silk was, and would return it for
ten dollars. Miss Goulding agreed
to the proposition, but had an Off
GER at hand to witness the transac-
ton. Charles PETER was arrested,
and said that his wife, Minnie
PETER, stole the silk. Then an
officer went after Minnie and got
her. When Miss Goulding came
into court Minnie burst into sobs
and tears and was evidently in deep
distress. She asked for a private
interview with Miss Goulding and
the magistrate. She confessed to
stealing the silk, and said she had
been compelled to steal by her hus-
band or do still worse to keep him
supplied with money; that ever
since she had been married, her
husband had ill-treated and abused
her most shamefully. Through
fear Of great personal violence from
him, she had stolen the silk. Miss
Goulding believed the poor girls
story and refused to prosecute her
for larceny. Not only that, she
kept her in her employ. Mrs.
Petzer will appear against her hus-
band on charge of grand larceny
and she has hopes of getting rid of
a very bad man who has killed all
the love she ever had for him.
Year: 1877

Mrs. Jenkins lives in the other
part of Rev. Mr.. Capers' house,
and thought herself fortunate in
the enjoyment of so great a
privilege. Most good people like
to be as near the minister as they
can. Mrs. Jenkins did. Her part
was merely an L, built on The main
structure. Her little attic, there
fore, was neighbor to the minis
ter's study. Just in the corner
of the minister's study-hoor was a
knot-hole; a trifling sort of a
thing in itself, but when once
found to open into Mrs. Jenkins
attic, of the widest Importance in
its consequences.


When Mrs. Jenkins finally be-
came aware of so close a connection
with the minister's family, she sat
down to fold her hands and con-
gratulate herself. Next, she form
ed her resolution not to let any good
opportunity slip unimproved to
inform herself of matters that
would otherwise remain dark to
her. Day after day, therefore, her
ear and that knot-hole renewed
their acquaintance with one another.
Sometimes she picked up quite q
little bunch of news; and some
times she went down stairs as
hungry as ever. There was as
much variation from day to day as
there is in the price of stocks of
exchange.


Going up into her little attic one
afternoon, to hear if anything. spe-
cial was doing in the adjoining
apartment, she was delighted be-
yond expression to catch the sound
of a voice. 1t was Mr.. Capers in
conversation with his wife. Up
she climbed, walked tip-toe across
the garret floor, got down on her
knees, and put her ear as close to
the knot-hole as she could get it.
She even shut her eyes, lest some
of the good things should escape
by that way.


For awhile she did not under
stand anything clearly. Now she
heard Mrs. Capers laugh; then Mr..
stopped minute and laugh
ed, too. This served to excite her
the more, and she pressed her head
so hard against the rough partition
that when she came to go away,
she carried off splinters in plenty
in her hair.


Finally she heard something with
distinctness. Mr.. Capers was tell
ing his wife, who appeared to be in
great glee, of a man who had been
saying hard things to his wife,
Said he, in the course of his re-



"Mr. Jones got to abusing his
family at last. He declared his
wife should not go out visiting, and
threatened to shut her up il she
dared to disobey him. AS for GO
Year: 1877

Quite recently good old colored
man named Uncle Jim Hill set
himself up as phrenologist, and q
barber was his first subject. He
placed the barber on chair, felt
of his head for a long time, and
then remarked: civilian, you is
too sanguine. When you lend
money, You expect it back. You
is bilious. You want to be honest.
but you hasn't de necessary char
acter; you isn't hopeful you is
bowed down with grief most oh &c
time; you has an ear for music /;
you has de worst feet on Kentucky
street; you is de right sort Of o
man to wheel coal down hill for
big wages" William rose up,
pitched Uncle Jim over the stove
and under the bed, and split a
panel of the door as he went out.
The aged phrenologist went the
next evening to get advice from
the police, and, when advised to go
out of the trade, he replied, "seems
like | shall have to, for Is getting
too aged to be frown over cook
stoves"
Year: 1877

weeks ago, the whole business with this
company was fully setou 1t was shown
that the Railroad Company had advanced
some two millions OF dollars to the Penn.
sylvania Company to meet the require
ments ot the companies west Of Pitts.
burgh in providing for the necessary
construction and equipment Of their
lines, and for their properproteclion and
improvement, and for these advances the
railroad company had taken the other
company'a notes, and some OF them had
been discounted to reimburse the railroad
company for iIs outlay. The whole story
was told without any effort at conceal
ment. II this was cause for loss OF con.
tidence, il ought to have operated long
since. The same may be said OF another
alleged reason for the panic. This 10 the
supposed complication Of the investments
ol the company beyond the main line,
which represent the enormous cost Of more
than seventy millions Of dollard. But 10
this it may be answered that these roads
bring an enormous traffic on the main
line, and while they lost $3j, 900 directly
last year, owing to the railroad war, they
indirectly contributed largely 10 make
up the seven millions Of dollars OF net
profits earned by the company on its en-.
tire business, and when no war is ruin.
ing the carrying trade through competi.
tion, they actually yield enough net
revenue to pay nearly all the interest on
the bonds OF the Psnnsylvania road,
There was, as far AZ known, no such re.
turn OF these stocks IRON abroad as to
at1ecr this road beyond others.


Altogether the whole fright appears to
have been baseless.
Year: 1877

The alumni OF Kenyon College will
have meeting next Friday evening al
the Burnet House.


The annual commencement OF Farm
ers' College at College Hill occurs on
Thursday, June 7.


A grand picnic and hop is to be given
this afternoon and evening at Prices