smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

From the Dee Molnes Leader.


Horse traders were surprised in this city
a couple of days ago because horse which
they refused to buy at S25 trotted under
$50 and made 5000 for his impecunious-
looking owner. Graves and few others
were standing out at the corner of Third
street when rustic appearing chap drove
up in rickety rig, patched-up harness and
banged wagon. Two horses were hitched
in and one of them seemed about ready to
lay down under load of years and short
grass. This horse the fellow tried to sell.
He was very hard up, and wanted to dis
pose of him the worst way. In his recon-
mending he did not forget that the old
horse had ego" in him. But the lockers
ON didn't think that plug could go and
seme Of them we're rash enough to bet he
couldn't 60 mile in minutes. They put
up money on it and kept betting on time
clear down to $50. The owner then want
Cd TO bet $500 his horse could make q mile
on our track in 2:95. The exceedingly willy
horsemen In the crowd got scared about
this time and refused TO invest any more
money, preferring to see how the old nag
could 60. They all adjourned to the fair
grounds where rusticus, hitched to an old
sulky, drove around few times to timber
up, and then got the word "gop' Away
be went, like the wind, in cloud of dust
by the stand and down the first quarter;
past the half mile in 1 :92, and never skip.
ping he came down the home stretch and
passed under the wire in $50. The boys
haven't got SO much money as they had, but
they found out something. "
Year: 1879

The people OF this country are the
most patient and enduring of any in
this world. Their forebearsnco with
the schemes Of railroad managers
proves this In the fret place they
grant certain men the privilege of
maintaining a line of road As 4 rule
this privilege is virtually exclusive,
for one road is ali that can be supper
ted thro certain territory. Then the
people either build the road or con-
tribute largely towards it, either by
subscription. issuing town bonds, or
voting public lands So far the mana
gers are willing TO associate with the
people upon friendly terms. but no
further As soon as the road is built.
the people. if they have been lack y
or unIucky enough to get hold Of any
of the bonds or stocks of the road. are
kicked out Franchises and every
thing else are appropriated, and pub
lie convenience and necessity are made
the private property of those who have
done little or nothing to bring the
road into existence.
Year: 1879

An Allegheny physician, who, iu
his way, is great wag, tells 4 story
of North Side gentleman who for
years has suffered from periodical at


tacks of what in medical pariance is
known as superorbitsI neuralgia
Quiniue proved of no effect. and the
sufferer is almost crszed with pain A
kiud hearted old lady living in the
neigh borhood of the patient informed
him that if he would cut the affected
nerve with a pair of scissors or knife
it would give him &c further trouble.
1t so happened that the superorbital
nerve is the one which controls the
action of the eyo-lid, and it further
happens that when man is in liquor
this nerve becomes psralyzed. and it is
this that gives a drunken person such
comical expression sbou. the eyes


The neuralgia patient no sooner heard
what he supposed the welcome news
from the old lady than he repaired to
his closet and with jack>knife parted
in twain the offending nerve. and he
now greets his friends with his right
eye as sober as Quaker in a quarter


ly meeting. aud the left in highly
intoxicated condition. It DOW only
costs half as much as it formerly did
to go on a bender-Pittsburg Leader
Year: 1879

This is what Robert G. Ingetsoll
says Of the women: Il tell you tia.
wcnen are more prudent than men.
| tell you as a rule, women are moro
truthful than men--teD times as faith
full IS men. | never saw a man pure
sue his wifo into the ditch and take
her in his arms. never saw a man
stand at the shore where she had been
morally wrecked waiting for the waves
to bring back even the corpse TO his
arms. but have seen women do 1t.
have seen women with her white arms
lift man from the mi!e Of degradation
aHd held him to her bosom as though
be we're aa sSge..
Year: 1879

The following item written from the
thrifty manufacturing town of Holyoke,
Mass, tells story which many might
profit by if they would:


1t didn't look much like hard times
yesterday when 800 tickets at 81 each
we're sold for Grip Van Wrinkle" at the
opera-hOuse tomorrow evening. The
first man in the line took his place at
the box office at 10 p. m. Sunday, and
many remained standing all night wait
ing for the ticket Office to open.


A young man who had been out of
work for a while, and who had a wild
owed mother to support, excited the
sympathy of a citizen, who exerted him
self in his interest and soon obtained
him a place where he could earn 81 a
day. 1t was afterward discovered that
the young man went to the operahouse
four times the first week, paying IS
cents each time. 1t is to be hoped that
this is an extreme case, but it can be
taken as an example of the reckless
manner i'll which many of the working
people spend their wages. The wages,
especially in the paper mills, are good,
and in very many cases the wOrkmen
and their families would be no better
off if they received twice as much. 1t
is no uncommon thing for father and
mother and two or three of the children
to earn together 800 a month, or, if
the mother stays at home, S75. And
yet such families often live in squalor
and wretchedness, giving the impress
sion to the casual observer that they
are oppressed by their employers and
reduced to actual want. They live in
the cheapest tenements and leave their
children to the filth and evil compan-
ionships of the streets, giving them
only what schooling the law requires,
and hurrying them into the mills as
soon as their age will permit. With
the money earned they might live COM
fortably and happily, as thousands of
families do all over the land. Many Il
respectable, educated family would feel
rich with 800 month to spend. The
first great trouble is too much liquor,
drank both in the saloons and at home !;
but another reason for such a state of
things is want of knowledge in the
use of money and lack of taste and
ambition for better things.
Year: 1879

To-day there is man going about
the streets of this city, ragged, dirty
and penniless, subsisting on free lunches
and the charities of gamblers, and has
not slept in Il bed for months, who,
during the war, was one of the most
dashing cavalry officers in the Union
army, and was promoted from the rank
of first lieutenant to full brigadier and
brevet majOr-general for brilliant ex
plOits OH the field of battle, and who fOr
Il long time had large and important
command,


He has been here fOr two or three
months under an assumed name, being
ashamed to dim the brilliancy of his
country by an exhibition of his degra-
dation under his former hOnored name.
He is generally very reticent, having
little to do with anyone or talking but
little, save when 'engineering" for Il
drink, at which he is remarkably sue
cessful.


Night before last, while lying help
lessly drunk in the rear part of Third
street saloon, some men thought to play
Il joke on him by stealing his shirt, and
proceeded to strip him. Underneath
his shirt, and suspended by Il string
from his neck, was Il small canvass
bag, which the men opened and found
it to contain this commission as brevet
ma general, two cOngratulatory let
ters, one from Grant and one from
President Lincoln, photograph of a
little girl and curl of hair-a "chest-
nut shadow" that doubtless one day
crept over the brow of some loved one
When these things were discovered,
even the half drunken men who found
them felt respect for the mans for
mer greatness, and pity for his fallen
condition, and quietly returned the bag
and contents to where they found them
and replaced the sleeper's clothes upon
him.


When a reporter tried to interview
the man and endeavor to learn some
thing of his life in the past few years,
he declined to communicate anything.
He cried like child when told how his
right name and former position was as
certained, and with tears trickling down
his cheeks, said : "For Gods sake, sir,
don't publish my degradation, or my
name, at least, if you are determined to
say something about it. 1t is enough
that know myself how low have be-
come. Will you promise that much ?
1t will do no good, but will do my
friends great deal of harm, as fortu-
nately, they think l died in South
America, where | went at the close of
the war;"


Intemperance and the gaming table,
he said, had wrought his ruin Wash
ington Paper.
Year: 1879

deeply as that man did, but any of
them will be able to consider the char
acter of the liquor trade as touching
the quality of their neighborhood and
the value of their property. Does
strong drink improve the farmer or the
farm workman Does a grog shop
raise the price of adjoining land, or as
sist in starting any but wrecking indus
tries? Farm products have not paid
very well of flate-excepting cider, per-
haps, but no good farmer will maintain
that large sales of strong cider are
sign of business prosperity. No more
than any good druggist will argue that
large sales of quinine indicate the above
mentioned things. No; the farmer, if
he could choose would prefer neighbOrs
with teeth, stomachs and ready cash
for his crude apples and they know as
we'll as any class of men on the footstool
that the benefit of dram shops, where
any appears, is counterbalanced, ten
times over by the injury they do. The
light of the grOg hole is essentially a
wrecker's light, depending for its oil
upon the losses of individuals and of
society. Common sense runs so strong
ly in this direction now that don't un-
derstand how farmers will avoid Joining
in it. Not from any particular desire
to prevent case-hardened old hands,
long given over as bad eggs, from wet
ting their whistles, but because open
liquor shops do so continually enlist
and recruit their hard cases from the
young and indiscreet, as to be fairly
ranked with land piracy and other il
legitimate forms of business discounte-
nanced by law. B. Alcott.
Year: 1879

Ii should die tonight
Ny friends would look upon my quiet face
Before they laid it in its resting place.
And deem that death had left it almost fair:
And, laying snow-white flowers against my hair
Would smooth it down with fearful tenderness,
And fold my hands with lingering caress.
Poor hands, so empty and so cold tonight.


fl should die tonight,
NV friends would call to mind with loving thought
Some kindly deed the icy hand had wrought,
Some gentle word the frozen lips have said
Errands ON which the willing feet had sped.
The memory of my selfishness and pride,
My hasty words. would all be put aside,
And so should be loved and mouTned tonight.


If should die tonight
Even hearts estranged would turn once more to me,
Recalling other days remorsefully.
The eyes that chill me with averted glance
Would look upon me as of yore, perchance,
And soften in the old, familiar way.
For who could war with dumb unconscious clay
So might rest, forgiven of all, to night.


Oh friends 1 pray tonight,
Keep not your kisses for my dead, cold brow.
The way is lonely, let me feel them now.
Think gently of me; am travel-worn;
My faltering feet are pierced with many thorn.
Forgive, oh, hearts estranged, forgive, plead
When dreamless rest is mine shall not need
The tenderness for which long tonight.
Year: 1879

But the central point of interest this
summer has been the deep and earnest
discussion over the chain gang law, and
the leasing out of cOnvicts to private
individuals. Any person possessed with
a particle of humanity needs only to
walk up street undergoing repair in
order to be filled with shame and intOl-
cradle disgust and anger at the present
chain-gang law. Crime is crime, beyond
all controversy, and crime ought to be
punished. But this is a punishment
that only brutalizes its victims, and
which also must have highly demor-
alizing effect even on those who only
witness it. have very distinct re-
membrance of slavery, and have seen
its most repulsive side, but nothing in
slavery ever equalled the infamy and
the wrongs of this most iniquitous law.


All persons who violate the city laws
are put in the chain=gang that is, they
wear chain from the ankle to the
waist, and frequently also they are
chained together. A few days ago
saw six women, two young boys and one
man thus manacled, breaking stones
and shOveling dirt. l ought to say thai
all these women were negro women !;
either Georgia has no disorderly white
women or an exception is made in their
favor. And this system, so cl uel and
degrading in the city, is yet merciful to
what it becomes on isolated plantations
and lonely villages, where convicts are
leased out to men whose control over
them is absolute, and whose only i'll
terest is to get as much work for as
little rest and food as possible out of
their hired slaves. What boots it to
have abolished one form of slavery if
another still more cruel and degrading
Year: 1879

A cable dispatch states that ROsen-
burg, of the London Town Talk, has
been sentenced to two years and half
imprisonment for his atrOcious libels.
The Town Talk is one of the worst of a
class of scurrilous, gossiping journals
which have sprung up in London in re-
cent years, and which live altogether
on SANDER and blackmailing. ROsen-
burg is probably as audaciOus and un-
scrupulOus wretch as ever filed an
editorial chair. The libels for which he
has just been sentenced were directed
against Mrs. Langtry, well known
London beauty, and another lady of
high rank. In the first case, the libel
consisted in a statement that>the lady's
husband was about to commence pro-
ceedings for divorce on the ground of
adultery, and in the second case, of a
charge that the lady was receiving
commission on the sale of her photo
graphs, and was thus reducing herself
to the level of women of the street.
When ROsenburg was informed that
suit was to be brought against him, he
rubbed his hands gleefully and hoped
there might be dozen; but when the
case actually came into court he cringed
like whipped spaniel, and fairly wept
as he prayed for mercy. The sentence
which he has received is not day more
than he deserved, and the public in
general will share the Iegret of the
magistrate that the law did not permit
a heavier sentence. 1t will be a good
thing if Rosenburg's fate serves to
check the scandalous audacity of the
vila brood of al-mODUarS which tha
Town Talk represents. Reputable
journalism everywhere is strengthened
when such sheets as the Town Talk are
suppressed and such fellows as ROsen-
burg receive the punishment which
they SO richly merit. He has probably
changed his opinion as to the desirabil-
ity of libel suits, and will not crave
more.
Year: 1879

When the devoted missionary, Rob
ert Moffat, was in England, he told an
amusing story of a poor African, who
lived near one of the missionary settle
ments, and whose dog, by some acci-
dent, had got possession of Testament
in the native language, and torn it to
pieces, devOuIing some of the leaves.
This man came to the missionaries in
great dismay, and laid his case before
them. He said that the dog had been
a very useful animal, and had helped
to protect his property, by guarding it
from wild beasts, and also in hunting
and destroying them but he feared it
would be useless for the time to come.
The missionaries asked him how was
this ?--and why should not his dog be
as useful as formerly ? AS for the injury
done, that was but an accident, and
the Testament could be replaced by
another copy. "That is true,r said the
poor man, "but still am afraid the dog
will be of no further use to me. The
words of the New Testament are full of
love and gentleness, and after the dog
has eaten them, it is not likely that he
will hunt or fight for me any more."-
Missionary Incidents.
Year: 1879

tain majOrities or transform them into
minorities-and decide the fate of par
ties, whether local, state or national.
such newspapers are utterly worthless
III the way of advancing party success,
yet what millions in subsidies parties
have wasted upon them. If party
managers understood their business as
they should, they would cherish and
encourage the papers of their respective
parties who criticise their proceedings
and proposed nomination with spirit
OF manly independence and good sense,
telling them plainly when they are
wrong. One such is of more value to
the party toward which it leans than
a battalion of the other sort, who go
Tor the party and the party nominees,
right or wrong. But, instead of this,
the average party leader, at the first
snow of intelligent and common sense
independence in the party organ, pro-
tests and threatens the withdrawal of
patronage" and then both he and the
servlle organ proceed to help the party
on the way to suicide.
Year: 1879

Some time ago a party of sailors Wis
tied the Geological Gardens. Que of
them, excited by the liquor he had TAX
ell, and as all act of bravado to his
companions, took hold of deadly ser
pent. He held it up, having seized il
by the nape of the neck in such a way
that it could not sting him. As he held
it, the snake, unobserved by him, coil
ed itself round his arm, and at length
1t got firm grasp and wound tighter
and tighter, so that he was unable to
detach it. AS the pressure of the snake
increased the danger grew, and at
length the sailor was unable to main
tain his hold on the head of the venom
GUS reptile, and was compelled to loose
it. What did the snake do then {? 1t
turned around and stung him, and he
died. So it is with the appetite for
strong drink. We can control it at first,
but in little while it controls us. We
can hold its influences in our grasp for
while, so that it shall be powerless !;
but afterward sit biteth like a serpent
and stingeth like an adder."- r."-Selected.
Year: 1879

The educational abomination of des-
olatlOn OF the present day, is the stim
ulation of young people to work at high
pressure by incessant and competitive
examinations. Some wise man (who
probably was not AN early riser) has
said of early risers in general, that they
are cOnceited all the forenoon, and stu
pid all the afternoon. Now, whether
mon acceptatiOn of the word or not, l
will not pretend to say; but it is too
often true of the unhappy children who
are forced to rise too early in their
classes. They are conceited all the
forenoon of life, and stupid all its after
noon. The vigor and freshness which
should have been stored up for the pur-
poses of the hard struggle for existence
in practical life, have been washed out
of them by precociOus mental debauch-
ery-by book-gluttony and lesson-bib-
bing. Their faculties are worn out by
the strain put upon their callOw brains,
and they are demoralized by worthless,
childish triumphs before the real work
of life begins. / have no compassion
for slOth, but youth has more need for
intellectual rest than age, and the cheer
fulness, the tenacity of purpose, the
power of work, which make many Il
successful man what he is, must often
he placed to the credit, not of his hours
of industry, but to that of his hours of
idleness, in boyhood. Even the hardest
worker of all, if he has to deal with
anything above mere details, will do
well, now and again, to let his brain
lie fallow for space. The next crop
of thought will certainly be all the fuller
in the ear, and the weeds fewer.-Prof.
HUXLEY.
Year: 1879

There can be no doubt that too much
reading leaves Il man no time for
thought. The artist does not study
colors and drawing all his life and new
er paint. He is taught how to start,
and then learns to paint by painting
The artisan doesn't spend lifetime in
training his eye and hand and accumu-
lating muscle; he gets his tools and
goes to work. The part of the intel
lectual workman's education which
comes from reading is to teach him how
to use his tOols-that is his mental
faculties. 1t wings his imagination it
tames his fancy it enlightens his judg-
ment; it arms his reason it enriches
his memory. And when his mind is
thus developed and equipped, it is as
ready for beginning its life work us the
blacksmith's arm is when he gets skill
and strength to WELD the hammer. Too
many students make of the world 1t
gymnasium instead of a rk-shop :;
they are forever getting strength, but
never using it to any purpose except to
try and get mOre.-GOlden Rule.
Year: 1879

THE PHILADELPHIA LEDGER ON THE


INDEPENDENT PLATFORM OF HARPER


& BROS.


This has the sterling ring of indie
pendent journalism, and if party lead
ers had the sagacity that guides and
advisers ought to have, they would
recognize and conform to it. No head
of an Independent newspaper can bend
his knee and bow his head to what his
conscience as a public teacher revolts
against. No really independent jour
na- would hesitate to face any emeI-
gency, even to discOntinuing publica-
ton, rather than debase its columns in
the face of threat or protest, for pursu-
ing the course prescribed by its con-
scientious judgment. 1t is not alone
the non-partisan papers that ale inde-
pendent in this sense. There are bright
and strong examples in the catalogue
of party newspapers, that are conspicu-
ously independent in their discussions
of party nominations and party policy,
while they adhere to their party princi-
pies; and these are the papers that do
the very best work for the parties
whose doctrines they advocate. The
very poorest auxiliaries in all newspa-
perdom are the "organs" which pipe to
the worn out key: 'All that our party
does is right, and all the other party
does is wrong" They have no weight
whatever. What they print is value
less; for, beyond the lines of the thick
and thin party men, among the think
ing voting population, who are open to
the influence of intelligent newspaper
discussion, their outgoings are regarded
with the aversion and contempt which
it is not an unlikely thing such news
papers hold for their own conduct.
What they print reaches but few of
those whom it is desirable to reach,
and affects none of the voters whose
independent, intelligent suffrages sus-
Year: 1879




POINT.


Whether the farmer has anything to
do with the general use or disuse of in
toxicating liquors, is question that
may properly be proposed for discus
sion. | happened in at a temperance
meeting not long since, where there
was large room full of well dressed
people, but did not see farmer or
any man active in out door industries
in the crowd. There was no celebrated
speaker to lead, but the time was fully
occupied until late hour by short and
interesting addresses from local takers
mostly mechanics. One was father
who spoke with the deepest feeling of
sons tempted to their ruin by conven-
ience of dram shops. Farmers who
have no sons, or whose sous are not
yet big enough to be lost in that way,
can scarcely be expected to feel as
Year: 1879

and did it. Then she took off her
white fingers a lot of rings and put
them in her pocket and asked for knife
and the onions being in the water, she
peeled and sliced them under water,
and marry tear came, nor nothing.'
"Now," says she, holding out the tips
of her pretty fingers, "who will be gal
liant enough to kiss these ?" Seeing L
was cook didn't like to be so bold, but
there was half dozen of the men who
rushed forward, and of course had no
chance. That's the way l learned how
ladies can peel onions and not cry over
them.
Year: 1879

In New Haven . society has been or
ganized for the prevention Of crime, the
object being clearly stated by President
Porter, OF Yale College. He says: ave
hope 10 clean our streets of the wantOn-
ness which now so uublushingly shows
itself at certain hours and in certain To-
calities. We hope to suppress now aud
then some Of the many gambling houses
which lie like snares about our beauti-
ful city, ready to catch the young and
inexperienced and to hasten the DOWN
ward progress Of the more hardened
criminal. We hope to suppress places
Of amusement where indecent shows are
held that educate both young and old in
iuiquity and sim" There is a good field
for labor for similar societies IN every
city Of the Union.