smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

The Denver, Col, Tribune tells the fol-
lowing story of the Grand Canon:


''Charles May and his brother Robert,
in the spring OF 1870, offered to pass co.
900 railroad ties down the Arkansas from
the mountain source. He says: Our Of
fer was accepted, when we started into
the upper entrance of the canon with
large sklff and provided with six days
provisions and 200 feet of rope, with
which we could lower our boat hun
dred feet at time. In this way, at the
end of three days, having set adrift many
hundred ties, we reached the entrance to
the Royal Gorge. Here we discovered
that an attempt to descend the first wa
terfall with two in the boat was ce, tain
destruction. and to return was impossible.
Accordingly, I determined to lower my
brother down the fall in the boat, dis
tance of 200 feet, give him the rope, and
let him take the chance of the canon Oifc
seemed more certain in that direction,)
while I would risk my physical ability
to climb the canon wall, which was about
1900 feet high.


About ten o'clock in the morning I
shook hands with my brother, lowered
him safely to the foot of the iall, gave
him the rope and saw him no more. Then
throwing aside my coat, hat and boots,
and stripping the socks from my feet, l
commenced my climbing way, often
reaching the height of one or two hun
dred feet, only to be compelled to return
to try some other way. At length, about
4 o'clock in the afternoon, reached a
height upon the smooth canon wall of
about thousand feet. Here my further
progress was arrested by shelving ledge
of rock that jutted out from the canon
side foot or more. To advance was
without hope; to return, certain death
Reaching upward and outward, | grasped
the arm of the ledge with one hand and
then with the other, my feet slipped from
| the smooth of the canon, and my body
hung suspended in the air a thousand
feet above the roaring waters of the Ar.
kansas.


At that moment, / looked downward
to measure the distance / would have to
fall when the strength of my arms gave
out. A singing sensation crept through
my hair as my eye caught the strong
root of cedar bush that projected out
over the ledge, little beyond my reach


My grasp upon the rim of the ledge was
fast yielding to the weight of my person


Then determined to make my best eff.


fort to raise my body and throw it side


ways, toward the root, SO as to bring il


within my grasp. At the moment b


commencing the effort. saw my moth.


ers's face as she leaned out over the ledge


reached down her hand and caught me
| by the hair. Stranger, my mother diec


when yet young woman, when | anc


my brother were small boys, but | re


member her face. ] was successful ii


making the side leap of my arms, wher
I drew myself upon the ledge and restel
for time. From here upward my climb


ing way was laborious, but not danger


Gus. reached the top of the canon jus
as the sun was sinking down behind tn,
, snowy range, and hastened to our cam
: ut the mouth of the canon where foun,
| my brother all safe. "Charlie,n said he
"have you had your head in fiou
Year: 1879

Benjamin Franklin first made the OBJ
servation, hundred years ago, that all
so-called northeast storms came from the
west. This observation of our greatest
philosopher has been since SO absolutely
verified as to constitute law. All great
Storms in this country move from the
west in general easterly direction-usu-
ally little to the north of the east.
Nearly all of them originated in that Sec
ton of the country marked on the maps
as the Western plains-the high table,
lands between the meridian of ninety-five
degrees ON the east and the Rocky noun
tains on the west, comprising the area
occupied by Montana, Dakota, Nebraska,
Western Kansas, Indian Territory, New
Mexico, Western Texas, and Nothern
Mexico. The origin of storm in this
region may be stated as follows. The air
over large sandy area, becoming rairi-
fed by the intense heat of the suns rays
and rapid radiation from the sandy sur
lace, begins to ascend; the moisture-laden
air of the Missouri and Mississippi val
leys and the Gulf of Mexico on the one
hand and the cold current from the Rocky
mountains on the other rushes, is to take
the place of that which is ascending.
We have thus produced an easterly wind
on the front or eastern side of the area of
ascending air, and westerly wind behind,
or on the western side of it; to the south,
north, and intermediate points the Wind
will blow toward the center from those
points around this area toward the center


Now, if the earth were fiat and at rest


and the air over this sandy area equally
heated, the wind would blow in straight
lin from the circumference toward thu
center; ascend and spread out at the top
Year: 1879

there would be no motion forward or
back ard of the whole body of air, and
this condition of things might exist for
ever. But, owing to the configuratlun
and motion of the earth, and the Laws of
heat and its influence in evaporation nd
condensation, change is soon impressed
on this initial upward and centric motion
of the air, and the collection of phenome-
ma which we term q et0rm results.
Year: 1879

And when Shakespeare wrote that he must
have been thinking Of the precise juno
ture when mans wife tries to tell him
clear across a whole roomful of company
that one of his guspcnders has fetched
loose and is swinging in the breeze about
three and one half inches below the fur
the1est reach OF his ultimate coat-tail.-
B1trLiD0tOn HG9ckeUe,
Year: 1879

GENERAL GRANT is reported as saying to
HUGH HASTINGS, OF the New York COmmercidl-
Advertiser, that if nominated by acclamation
he would accept. 1t is also understood that
he made similar remark to A. NJ CLAPP, of
the Washington NATIONAL REPUBLICAN The
writer of this item, being aware of Mr.. CLAPP's
intimacy with General GRANT asked him at
Philadelphia ifGRANT would accept the nomi-
nation should there be forty or fifty delegates
opposed to him. Mr.. CLAPP said that, in his
opinion, the General would not accept unless
the convention was unanimously for him and
that without a contest.-!Sandusty (Ohio) Reg.
lister.


What General GRANT may have said to
others on the subject Of the next Presidency
wo know nOt-but if he has said no more to
others on the subject than he has TO the
Editor of THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, lie
has said just nothing at all. Whatever
opinions we may hold regarding that mat
ter have had no inspiration from any
conversation held with tho General on
the subject. They have been drawn from
a general survey Of the probabilities of the
case when it shall besubmitted TO the arbt-
rament of the National convention, and we
still hold to the view that General GRANT
will be declared the unanimous choice OF
the convention, and that he will accept the
nomination under such circumstances. II
was 50 in 1868 and in 1872, and history is
likely to repeat itself in 1880.
Year: 1879

The announcement of the conversion of
DAN RICE, tho talented and celebrated
equestrian and clown, to the Christian faith
under the preaching of MOODY at St. Louis 4,
and his announcement that he intends to
devote the remainder OF his life to the work
of reforming his fellow-men, has afforded the
occasion for general remark, and not little
ribaldry from those who are not believers
in the Christian religion There is nothing
miraculous or phenomenal in this conversion
in the light Of Biblical record. From the day
of SAUL of Tarsus down TO the present
era wicked men have been led to change
their lives aud habits under certain efforts
and influences that have wrought in them a
dsposition to win and TO do differently
than had been their wontei custom during
the former years of their existence. Scarcely
a family in Christendom has existed with
out instances of this kind, and hence the
conversion of DAN RICE is not so much u
matter of surprise as Of fcongratulaton, toT
the change is n.accord with what has been
and no doubt what will be so long rs man
shall exist in this sinful world.


In referring TO this case the Burlington
Hatokeye INDUCES in a line Of very appro-
pirate and sensible remark, from which we
are pleased TO extract as follows;


If DAN RICEs profession Of conversion Is
q sincere one, as the first reports indicate, aud
Year: 1879

ONE way to put a stop to the exodus is
to send the negroes all to Jail. But the
fact that too many of them have already
been sent there upon frivolous pretexts and
unfounded charges is one of the main causes
of the exodus aforesaid.
Year: 1879

SOME Democratic papers are talking
about putting the Democratic party in good
fighting condition. That is commendable,
for it has been in no fighting but first-rote
stealing condition for years. A change will
be for the public good, for while it is steal
ing it is too busy to fight, and when it gets
to fighting it will have no time to steal
Let it be put ON a war footing at once.
Year: 1879

and possibly would, do the gracious thing
of coming forward now to redeem this
promise. Such an act would certainly re-
lieve the Democratic situation of much en-
barrassment, and clear the air of SEYMOUR
booms, BAYABD intrigues and other things
that serve to belog the Bourbon outlook.
But being candidate, he does nothing of
the kind. The revamping of this tale is
only of Importance as proof that the Cipher
Ogro is yet in the field.
Year: 1879

SPEAKING of New Year calls, it is very
convenient for those who devote New Year
day to calling upon friends to know who
do and who do not receive on that day.
THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN will therefore
be open to all notices of either kind on New
Year morning, if they are furnished at the
counting-room on or before the evening
previous to the New Year days issue.
Year: 1879

"TRUsT the Democrats" said General
GRANT, " to commit just the folly at the
right time to disgust the people" In this
sage remark the tender-sllinned Bourbous
find ample proof that the General is Il cam
didate for a third term, for they see in it n
very direct allusion TO the Maine chance.
Year: 1879

TIE Copperhead press with unanimous
voice declines to approve the leave of alb
scnce granted to PHIL SHERIDAN with per
mission to visit Mexico in company with
General GRANT They would have voted
differently ON this question fifteen or six
teen years ago; but as their votes would
then have been cast in Canada they would
have had as little effect as their protests do
now
Year: 1879

THE slumbering venom of the Detective
press, with the New York Sun at its head,
has been aroused to unwonted exertion the
past week by the apparent certainty that
General GRANT will be forced to accept the
Republican nomination next year, and that
being nominated, he will certainly be
elected. 1t has laid dormant, MS it were,
while the populace on the line of his
journey from the Pacific to the Atlantic
were honoring him and themselves by ova-
tions and receptions which served to bring
to eliminating point the patriotic desire
of the people for his denomination but now
that the ovations are temporarily suspended
and the receptions are at an end until
he shall have returned from his projected
Southern and Mexican tour, the old grist
of ISLANDERS against him is being reground
l-reground so fine, too, that the outcome is
| lighter than chaif and is blown to the four
corners of nothingness by the whirlwind OF
public opinion which has set in in his favor.
But it is strllingly apparent that this re-
newed and suddenly revived assault upon
him is the result of n prearranged pro-
gIamme, timed for the express purpose OF
attracting public attention and creating
foul prejudices against him during the
pending cessation Of hospitable homage
to him. The prompt concert of action be.
tween the big and little bugs Of the Detective
press in this matter proves that they have
all opened their guns at once by command
or at given signal. But we rise to remarl;
they are all olate The boom is too strong
for them, and the affrighted situation Of


1876 will not be repeated
Year: 1879

THE German vote is against GRANT J"
is the exploded cry or allegation of GER
tain element in our politics wherein the be
lief exists that the head of the Interior De-
partment carries that vote in his pocket,
ready to deposit 1t in innumernble ballot
boxes for q candidate of his own selection


They forget, however, that Mr.. ScHURZ was
the president of the GREELEY convention
ut Cincinnati in 1872, and that Ohio in
which State the Germans are said to hold
the balance of power, went so!idly for
GRANT. They also forget that during the
Franco Prussian war Minister WAsHBURNE,
appointed and supported by President
GRANT as the representative of the United
States at Paris, remained in that beleaguered
city the sole friend and protector of its Ger
man population. And we add that recent
developments, showing that GRANTS SYM
pathies were enlisted, during the entire
progress of that slnguinary struggle, with
the Germans, have settled the drift of Ger
man-Amcrican sentiment in his favor.
They show conclusively that Minister
WAsHDURNE's course was sustained by his
Administration, lift was not prompted by it.
Besides this, the Germans as a class believe
in the same principles Of finance that Cen
eral GRANT does and are in favor OF honest
| government, protection to citizens, and a
dignifled maintenance of the superior au
thority of the General Government.
Year: 1879

THE Erening Star, which twinkles with n
neutral Democratic twinkle in politics, says
of GARCELoN: He is a thoroughly honest


"man." This, we suppose, means that he is


honest as the average Democrat is honest
when he seeks political advantage at all
hazards, We should like to ask our cotem-
porafy if it is evidence Of honesty in man
when he throws out town vote on the
pretext that the certificate was signed by
one man, and the seectmen make oath that
they severaly placed their signatures to it ?
Year: 1879

If his nature has undergone that wonderful
change which for nges has puzzled the philoso
pliers and successfully challenged all skeptlc.
ism, then we may expect that manifestation of
1t which will dispel all doubts. And IT, as re-
ported, ho devotes himself hereafter to the
work Of an evangelist, the force of his example
and the earnestness which he will doubtless
throw into his work will carry conviction to
thousands of others who. like him, may have
heretofore not only refused to believe, but who
have never entertained tho idea that Christian.
ity has anything for them that they would de.
sire. OF course, the conversion of DAN RICE
is nothing moro than an ordinary occurrence in
tho order of religious work. From the con-
version of PAUL down through all the ages
every generation has been marked by like
phenomena beyond the scope Of the historic
record. But in this instance the previous life
of the man. his prominence in the amusement
world, and the extreme change he proposes to
make from the circus ring to the evangeistic
platform, is well calculated to challenge atton-
tion, and porhaps in tho order of Providence,
lead to results hr.reaching aud potential for
the good of mankind
Year: 1879

Here is sound talk by that ex.


cellent democratic paper, the En-


terprise Courier, published In the


mighty east: "What are the po-
litical aspirations of a single man
or several men as compared with
the good of the democratic party 7
They are simply nothing, and should
be so regarded by the party. II a
man considers that he has been
badly treated, it is poor way for
him to get even, to try to pull down
the party with which he is identii-
ed. Such a man hardly has the
good of the party at heart. He is
aiming entirely at self aggrandize-
ment, aud cares not who sinks so
that he swims. A man who is tru-
ly loyal to his party will accept de-
feat, even though it be wrong
ful, rather than assist in sending
abroad dissensions in the ranks of
his party. trusting to the great
arbiter time, who sooner or later,
sets all things right. Some men
are born contrary, and would go
up stream if they were drowned.
The people should steer clear of
such men as those who prefer, per
sonal aggrandizement to the good
Of the whole people"
Year: 1879

A loaf of bread is the basis of


some curious superstitions in Eu
rope, special i'll luck being attached
to the turning of the loaf upside
down. In Scotland it is accounted
for by a legend that Sir Walter
Mentelth, the betrayer of Wallace
to the English, made this action
the signal of attack, whence the
reversing of a loaf in presence of
q Menteith was considered so dead
ly an insult as to cause more than
one fatal duel in the old fighting
days. The same belief regarding
a reversed loaf exists in Germany.
The Russians hold this superstition
so firmly that you have only to
turn a loaf upside down in any ma
tive village to see the whole CON-
pany dash at it and reverse it, ex-
planning that when the fiat side is
exposed the devil comes and seats
himself upon it, and is not to be
dislodged without victim of some
kind.
Year: 1879

men, then the boys, and finally tn,


virgins with their hair done up il


loops, and then for few moment.


a solemn silence prevails, during


which the kissing of the serpent.


and the shrill sound of their rat


ties are heard under the buffalo


robe. These are taken us favorable


tokens that the incantations have


been successful, and that Il copious


rain will follow. Then the buffalo


robe is removed, and then the men


and boys leap into the pit, and each


one brings forth a snake which he


holds in his mouth. Sometimes a


man will emerge with two or three


small snakes in his mouth. AS


each man energies from the pit


with his mouth full of snakes, he


runs at full speed down the almost


perpendicular side of the mesa until
he comes to the plain, and there
gently releases bis captives, who
at once take to the grass and quick
ly disappear. After the pit has
been emptied the men examine the
wounds on their arms, breast and
faces, and if blood has been drawn,
they know the fangs of a rattler
have entered their flesh, and they
lose no time in applying the anti
dote.


The wound inflicted by the rat
tlesnake are very painful. The rat
tier when provoked, is the most
savage of all serpents, and will con-
tinue to strike and lacerate an enc
my as long as he is within reach.
Sometimes an old snake with full
grown fangs will fasten upon the
cheek or arm of an Indian and hold
on until the tangs are torn from
his jaws. Mr.. Mateer witnessed
one of these snake dances of the
Moquis recently, and was Mortified
at the sight. He saw the blood
streaming from the arms and
breasts of the Indians, who bore
the pain with stole Indifference,
and seemed to take pleasure in the
intiiction. They believed that the
more srvage the snakes became
and the deeper the wounds inflicted
the more cOpiOus would be the
shower. On the occasion of the
last snake dance the Indians of one
of the villages refused to partici-
pate. For some reason they be.
lieved the rain would come without
the dance, and while the other vii
lagos were engaged in the cere-
mony they sat idly in their houses,
listening to the noise and smiling
at the unnecessary trouble their
neignbors were taking. Subse-
sequently they had good cause to
repent, for when the rain came
sweeping down from the mountains
t poured q copious flood upon the
snake worshipping villages and
heir fields and passed around the
leretic village and their corn fields,
eaving them as dry as Il powder
lorn. The result was that six of
he seven villages raised abundant
rops, and the others had to call on
he agent for government rations.


Mr.. Natter was formerly resi-
lent Of New York city, and ap-
'ears to be a truthful man. He
vas a spectator of the strange
make dance, bat witnessed it from
safe distance, sitting on a wall :
verlooking the scene.
Year: 1879

Thou art growing old, my mother,


And thy brow is marked with care,
All furrowed is thy aged cheek,


Once beautiful and fair;
Thy soft brown locks are sadly changed


Chill frosts have settled there,
And touched with many teasing kiss


Thy gentle flowing hair.
Thou art growing old, my mother,


As catch the half drawn sigh,
Well know that years of sorrow


Have bedimmed thy melting eye;
But with gentle light it beameth,


Beameth on me even yet,
With love that never changeth,


Till the sun of life is set.
Thou art growing old, my mother;


Many of our household band
Have before thee journeyed onward,


To the far-of better land;
Bnt thy voice in tender accents


Still is falling on my ear,
Sweetly brightning my pathway,


Which, without thee, were SO drear.
Thou art growing old, my mother,
And around thy youngest born
Shadows gather, darkly gather,


Even in life's early morn;
But the blessed Savior spareth,


Thee, to still protect thy child,
While the storms of sorrow hover,
Hover Ger me dark and wild.
Thou art growing old, my mother,
Soon feel that thou wilt rest
In the land of the hereafter


In the regions of the blest;
Who will love me then, my mother,
When the last life chord is rivenf
Let us pray that both together,
God will take us safe in heaven.
Year: 1879

A man can always tell exactly
how tall he is by walking through
a low door in the dark. Next
morning he can measure the height
of the door, and then measure from
where it struck to the top of his
head, add the two together, sub
stract the swearing and multiply
by what o'clock it was when he got
home, and the result will be the net
height.
Year: 1879

Idleness is the nursery of crime.
1t is the prolific germ of which all
rank and poisonous vices are the
fruits. 1t is the source of tempta-
tior. 1t is the field where "tbe
enemy sows tares while men sleep,n
Could we trace the history of a
large class OF vices, we should find
that they originate from the want
of employment, and are brought in
to supply its place,
Year: 1879

Recently, at social gathering,
Bishop Harris of the Methodist
Episcopal Church was invited to
sing. He declined, but told the
following incident as illustrative of
his talent in that line: During his
journey through Palestine, one
evening after he and Mr.. Spencer,
who occupied the tent with him,
had gone to bed, the Bishop began
humming tune of the olden time
called New Durham. Mr.. Spencer
joined in, and the two began sing
ing verse of one Of our familiar
hyms. Before the verse was finish
ed donkey outside of the tent
brayed as only a donkey in the
Eastcan bray. While the hills of
Judea were sending back the
echoes of this most extraordinary
and untimely performance of the
donkey, the Arab dragoman put
his head inside the tent and apollo
gizing for his donkey said: "Ha !
you sing one tune he think he
know"
Year: 1879

1t was a very mean man who
slipped his hands between a young
man and a young lady in the front
seat, as the train entered tunnel.
He said the young mans beard was
very stiff, the pressure on the otner
side of the hand felt like the tips
of a fur tie.
Year: 1879

Nothing is more picturesque than
a woman at a picnic in the rain.
Her finery dampened by the moist
ure of heaven, her skirts bedrag-
gled in the wet grass and mud, her
spirits in the basement of the
thermometer, she reminds one of a
chicken that has been making be-
lieve it was duck, and got beyond
its depth.
Year: 1879

Atlanta Constitution.


A Connecticut lady of strong
but emotionally unsound mind shot
her husband while he was asleep
the other day. The husband was
preacher, and it is to be feared,
democrat. But there is no legal
remedy for political outrages in
New England. There is a good
deal of culture in public sentiment,
but when a democrat is slain in
cold blood by his wife, who is "a re-
publican, it is impossible to bring
IA conviction. The South should re-
member these things. They are
calculated to bring the nation into
disrepute.