smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

LA CONNER, Nov. y, 1877.
To THE EDITOR OF THs DIsPA1cH:


Thinking little news from this
section of our Territory might be
of some interest to yonr readers,
your correspondent has been search
ing around to obtain enough to
make up letter. hut finds it hard
work. Pulling heavy boat against
a 2:4O tide is no child's play, and
then, after an hour of such work.
upon inquiring of neighbor what
the news was in his vicinity, have
him stare at you as though he
thought you land grabber, spy, or
q bashi bazouk in disguise, is not
very pleasant. If one could only
get any satisfaction for his trouble
it would not be SO bad. but in most
cases it is quite impossible. Speak
ing of land grabbers reminds me of
a point l wish to touch upon in re-
gard to the prevailing mania. Spec
ulators are what curse any country
wherever their lonthscme footsteps
have made an impression upon. the
soil. If, after grabbing all the land
they can get hold of, there is small
fraction of unoccupied land near
them that poor man with limited
means could locate upon and mako
himself and family comfortable
home, these land sharks will get
some saloon loafer to file upon and
prove up (they furnish means), and
then they buy his interest for tri-
fie. So it goes, the poor must pray
for and walk humbly in the eyes of
wealth.


The body of John Haslam, who
was drowned at Utsalady, has not
been recovered yet. and somebody
is to blame, for it seems passing
strange that Capt. Bcwden should
have taken his departure from the
scene of the accident without max
ing every effort to recover the body
of the mate. The drowned man, I
am creditabIy informed, was a part
owner in the Perry. Deceased has
no relatives here. People in Utsal-
ady and La Conner who knew him
we'll, unite in saying he was q good
man; and still his body is allowed
to become food for the fishes. when
there is no doubt bnt that his body
could have been. with proper dill
gence in dragging for it, recovered
and received decent burial.


The farmers have commenced
plowiag. preparatory to putting in
their fall crop of oats. and as your
correspondent has got to put his
hand to one this Monday morning,
he will now resign the pen and re-
pair to the field. More aron.


CUMTUx?
Year: 1877

| OeSebC Lands.


The Secretary of the Interior has


approved the following interesting


and important instructions. to be is


sued by the Commissioner of the
! General Land Office, in addition to


those already authorized, relative to


proceedings to be taken under tie


suspension and investigation of de-


sert land entries: Under the Act of


last March, where the residence of
the person in whose name. said en-
tries were made is known or can be
readily ascertained, notire in writing
of the suspension and of the time
when q hearing win take place may
be served through the mail; in cases
where the residence or whereabouts
of the applicants is unknown and
unascertainable, notice of said hear
ing should be given in a newspaper
published in the county where the
land is situated, for four successive
weeks, notifying said applicants that
their entries have been suspended,
and requiring them to show cause
on day named why the same should
not be cancelled. At the hearing
inquiry should be made of the ap-
plicant, who must appear in person,
where his present residence is, how
long he has resided there; whether
he knows from personal observation
anything about the character of the
tract entered before making the en-
try; if so, over how long a period
his knowledge extended; whether
he paid the first instalment required
to be made at the time of making
said entry, or whether the money so
paid was advanced by other parties.
and if so. by whom; whether he has
assigned, mortgaged, or agreed to
assign, convey or mortgage his in
terest, present or future, in the tract
or tracts SO entered, and if so, to
whom, when, and upon what con-
sideration: If such conveyance has
been made by the applicant, thepr
duction of tho original instrument
or certified copy thereof should be
required to be made part of the tes-
timony. In case tho testimony of
each wituess should be taken by
question and answer, a direct an
swer should be elected to all ques-
tions propounded to him pertaining
to the particular case. The testi.
mony must be reduced to writing
and signed by the witness; and if
there is reason to believe the testi-
mony given under oath is not true,
the fact should be reported to the
Land Office in Washington. In ad-
dition to the above, such other tes-
timony as may be ob!ainable in re-
lation to the sale of each tract en-
tered, and as to what amount if any
of timber is growing thereon, should
be adduced. The whole should be
enclosed to the General Land Office
for final action. Copies of the fore
going instructions have been mailed
to all the principal land Offices, and
duplicates will be sent to all other
districts embracing desert lands.
Year: 1877

At the Episcopal Congress,


which last month held it's ses-
sion in New York, much inter-
est was taken in the address of


Rev. Hugh Miller Thompson,


d. D., Of New Orleans, on the
church and society. Closing he
said there were two laws in nat
ural and social lifc-the written
law declaring what a man shall
not do, and the unwritten law
declaring not only what a man
must not do but also what he
must do under certain circum-
stances. The laws of a nation
become a code of morals to its
citizens. They have nothing to
do with the abstract right or
wrong of these laws, but must
submit to them. 1t happened
what was right under the laws
Of one nation was frequently
wrong according to those of an
other; thus Washington was a
hero in the eyes of his own
countrymen, while by another
great nation he was regarded as
a villanous rebel, and Benedict
Arnold, who was considered by
that nation as a loyal subject,
was looked upon by his country
men as traitor. A conflict of
these systems of law showed,
the speaker contended, that
there existed a necessity for
something unchangeably true
Year: 1877

TIE GOLDSMITH RANGE-Sold by John
Briggs, is the most economical, heats up
the room less and is the equal at least of
any other stove or range as baker or for
any other purpose for which stove or
range is used. \ full complement of tim
ware goes with each range. Call at John
Briggs store and see for yourself. 81
Year: 1877




Chamberlain, the great gambler, has
failed, and failed badly. His debts are
astounding. Ten thousand for meat;
ten thousand for liquors; six thousand
for clothes. The fact is, Chamberlain's
business, as the colored people sing, is
sometimes up and sometimes down."
One night his bank is loaded down with
gold the next night he could not buy a
box of cigars. Yet the glitter, glare and
glow of the institution, the fine furni-
ture, the clink of the gold, and the
sumptuous tables, free as a hydrant, do
their work on the unwary as really as If
gambling was paying business. There
are men in New York, however, who fol-
low gambling as trade-have done so
for years, and have made money by it.
Not one in ten thousand could initiate
them. These men live in fine style in
fashionable New York. Their houses
are elegantly furnished and their tables
sumptuously supplied. Their business
is unknown, and they pass as brokers.
Their families move in good society, and
occupy a high-priced pew in fashionable
church. These men act on a rigid rule,
from which they never depart. They do
not drink; they smoke sparingly, keep
their heads clear, and have command over
their nerves. They play while they win,
If it is until daylight. They limit their
losses. They can lose fifty dollars, one
hundred dollars, three hundred dollars,
and not feel it. Blow high or blow low,
they never go beyond this. They believe
in luck, and when luck is against them
they retire. Out Of the thousands of
gamblers not ten have made money over
the q green cloth"
Year: 1877

A strange epidemic among horses has
made its appearance in some parts of
Scotland, and there are, tits stated, more
than five hundred horses at the present
moment suffering from its effects in
Edinburgh. The disease commences with
great weakness and swelling of the eyes
and limbs, the left eye, in the
majority of cases, being affected more
than the right. There is also frequently
intestinal disorder, and spots appear on
the tongue as though from blood poison.
The attack lasts on the average from five
to twelve days. Opinions appear to
differ as to whether it is infectious or
not; at any rate, it is spreading rapidly,
and affects horses indiscriminately in all
classes of stables. One case has occurred
of a COW suffering from it, and, as the
animal was stalled beside pony which
had also suffered from it, there seems
reason to fear that the disease must be
infectious. On the other hand instances
are mentioned of horses escaping the dis
ease altogether, although occupying
stables where several other horses were
attacked. The dampness Of the atmos-
phere which has lately prevailed is sup
posed to have originated the epidemic,
and indeed the abnormal condition of
the weather during the last six weeks is
quite sufficient to account for any amount
of sickness, not only in the stable, but
also in the kennel.
Year: 1877

The Sacramento (Cal.) Record Union,
in late issue, published the following
important piece of news: The Central
Pacific Railroad Company have arranged
to have forty thousand eucalyptus trees
set out along five hundred miles OF the
right of way of the COMPANY. 1t should
not be understood that thatis the whole
number of trees to be set out. 1t is but
the first installment, and is for COM
mencing the work. The object Of this
plan is to note what effect the planting of
trees will have upon the climate. 1t is
the theory that large numbers of them
will increase the humidity of the atmos-
phere and lessen the liability to
droughts. The denudipg of hills of
their timber and the clearing away of
forests has direct effect upon the eli
mate, as is we'll established, and the
intention now is to see how far artificial
means will be effective in restoring the
balance believed to have been lost by
the clearing out of our forests, as well as
the scattered groups of forests trees. In
this connection it is to be noted that the
Directory of the Good Templars' Home
for Orphans, at Vallejo, has now in pro-
gress the work of setting out three thou
sand of the eucalyptus globulus upon the
grounds of the Home, which will make
quite a forest when the trees shall be
fairly grown.
Year: 1877

Nearly fourteen miles on almost
direct line southwest from Bowling
Green, KY, there is singular and
mysterious pit in the ground. 1t is sit
uated on high bluff in a wild, finty
locality, tangled with vines, bramble,
briers, bushes, trees and shrubbery on
the waters OF Brakes Creek, below the
mouth of Trammol. The aperture is
dark gaping hole, cleft through the
stony crags as though the bluff had at
some time cracked and split. The open
ing is some ten feet long and four feet
wide at the widest part, its rocky,
yawning lips being spread something in
the shape of hOrse-cOllar, the apex, 80
to speak, pointing westward. BY some
of the people in that region it is known
as "Hell Hole," while others call it
"Indian Pit"


One remarkable feature of this abyss
is that there issues from its depths,
ceaseless as the rounds of the seasons, a
volume of misty vapOr, which, espe-
cially on crisp, frosty mornings, can be
seen ascending above the tree tops and
floating off on the air, whitened with
rays of the rising sun. Flint, boulder
obdpCu oVOuCoJ duu OthCio WViu Wy UuO
friction of time to perfect r0undness,
are scattered profusely all about the
place, as though tn rown highly some
unknown upheaval and showered back
like rattling hailstones of all sizes and
dimensions. In the fall and winter this
fog volume is warmer than the cutting
blasts that sweep along the deep gorge
In summer the mist is cooler and not SO
dense. The pit widens from the top in
its downward course, and woe be to any
living thing once swallowed through its
dark mouth. Throw a boulder or stone
into it and not the faintest echo ever
reaches the ear as to whittier it went.
Some seasons since a party of persons
assembled at the pit, determined to
fathom its hidden bottom. They were
provided with strong cord over six hun
dred feet long, to which was attached
steelyard weight. They dropped the
weight into the hole and laid out the
line. Down, down, and down went the
weight till not a foot of cord was left,
while not a sound came to tell the tsle
of its subteranean passage. No bottom
was reached, and the weight was with
drawn damp and unsoiled, as though it
touched nothing but darkness on its
soundings.
Year: 1877

1T is said that several congregations in
Chicago are considering plan for provid-
ing churches with music which ia some
what novel. A musical director in that
city proposes to organize in every church
a choral union, which will be placed un-
der the direction of a sub conductor.
These choral unions will meet once a
week for drill and instruction, and the
musical curriculum which they will be
required to 60 through will be the high
est grade. The practice of the choir in
hymns will be confided wholly to the care
of the sub-director. By this means every
person will receive gratuitously the very
best vocal instruction and the churches
be supplied with good singers among
themselves. The choral voices in con-
gregation would take the lead, and some
hearty and well-timed congregational
music be the result.
Year: 1877

General w. G. Harding, of Tennessee,
says that on one occasion, visiting Gen.
jackson, he asked the gruff old soldier in
the course of conversation if brave men
were ever frightened, adding: "The
world, and especially those who know
you best, accord you as much courage as
belongs to man." Gen. Jackson replied
eff that be 80, sir, would say that /
have been as badly frightened as any
man ought ever to be. 1t was, cir, when
l fought the duel with Mr.. Dickinson.
In the first place, sir, l had no unkind
feeling against Mr.. Dickinson, and no
disposition to injure hair of his head.
/ had gone as far as an honorable man
could go to avoid the difficulty with
Dickinson; he had not injured me, and
therefore had no ground of complaint
against him my quarrel had been with
his father-in-law, Col. Erwin. l knew
Dickinson to be q brave, honorable
gentleman, and the best shot with the
pistol ever saw-far better than my
self, for was never an expert with that
weapon. / knew that he could shoot
quicker and truer than could. / there
fore went upon the ground expecting to
be killed, and l owe the preservation of
my life on that occasion to the fashions
of the day, for wore coat with rolling
collar and very full breasted but fortu-
nately for me, sir, / was organized with a
very narrow chest. Dickinson's ball
struck very near the center of my coat,
and, while it scraped the breast t-bone, it
did not enter the cavity of the chest. In
an instant, under the impression that |
was perhaps mortally wounded, and upon
the impulse of the moment, l fired and
my antagonist fell-and no event of my
life, sir, have regretted so much. My
determination before and after taking
position was to discharge my pistol in the
air, but because / felt the effect of his
shot fred at him. Just here, sir, lie.
me add that the world has done me great
injustice, for am charged with having
brought on the difficulty, and with hav.
ing fixed the terms so as to reserve my
fire and advance; and it charges me
with having advanced upon Dickinson
and shot him when was within a few
feet of him-all of which is false, sir.
fired instantly after receiving his shot
and from my position; and Dickinson
stood in his position and received my
fire like brave man as he was"
Year: 1877

DttTOit TTeeb'J


An incident is called up by the Ristori
of last Sunday, which it
may not be out of place to relate. The
story was told by Chatham (Ont.)
paper at the time, and many in this city
are cognizant of the facts in the case. A
little Italian boy who earned pre-
carious living with his harp in and
around the town of Chatham, heard that
his country woman was soon to act in
Detroit. BY dint of careful saving he
accumulated from his scanty earnings a
sum sufficient to secure his admission to
the gallery. He had made diligent in
auiries around the town as to the scale
of prices, and was told that the lowest
would probably be about $3.50. He
hoped at first to get enough to pay his
fare on the railroad to Detroit, but the
time appeared and found him with only
81. 80 which he sewed in the hem of his
tattered vest and sh0uldering his harp
started down the river road on foot for
Detroit. He played along the route at
houses where he thought there was a
chance of getting food, but notwithstand-
ing the solicitations of many who
offered him money he steadfastly re-
fused to tune up his harp unless COM
pelled by hunger, 30 anxious was he to
reach the end of his journey. Manfully
the little fellow trudged along, sleeping
in barns by night, until after two days
and half on the road he came in sight
of the city. The ferry boat landed him
in Detroit with his boarded wealth
untouched, and that afternoon he slept
of his weariness in shed near one of
the wharves. As soon as the doors were
opened he presented a grim looking
cOuntenance and 81 so at the box Office,
but imagine his dismay when he learned
that the lowest price was 80. Here for
the first time the little Italian broke
down, when, fortunately for him, his
anguish attracted the attention of
Manager Hough. After the young
foreigner had told his story Mr.. Hough
refused to take his money, but gave him
place in the gallery gratis, and it is
doubtful if any one in that audience en-
joyed Ristori's acting more than the
little minstrel boy who walked nearly
fifty miles to see her.
Year: 1877

The bowling winds and drifting snow
plays sad havoc with the comforts of the
Piutes, and their tepees are hardly
adequate to keep out winters chill
blast. An average Indian can extract
as much warmth from rabbit-skin robe
and half dozen sticks of firewood as
white man can from the genial heat ofa
patent stove. They say: Ingin build
little fre-get all round 'em; white
mans fire 80 big can't come near 'em |;
The present cold weather is too much for
their philosophy, and drives them forth
from their wigwams looking for some
more substantial shelter. A favorite
resort for them at present are the dump
piles at the furnaces. The Stag -wheelers
leave a pot Of Stag TO cool before empty
ing it, aud in consequence there is
always kettle of moulton iron standing,
which throws considerable heat, and
the Piutes congregate in crowds around
it, taking advantage of what they un-
doubtedly consider. special despcnsa-
tion in their favor. Last winter they
established q permanent camp on the
Eureka Consolidated dump, and re-
mained there until the advent of warm
weather.
Year: 1877

While General Jewell was our Minis
ter in Russia he visited the tanneries of
that country and found out the secret of
the Russia leather, beloved of book dew
otees. The secret is the result of the
use of birch bark tar with which the
skins are dressed in place of tallow and
grease, the latter substance being 30
largely used as food among the lower
classes. This tar, which is carefully saved
as it exddes from the wood when burned,
was first used as substitute for wheel
grease in Russia, as it is to-day, and then
for the filling and dressing of skins. BY
a system OF careful inquiry, and literally
following his nose during his visits to
some of the great Russia tanneries and
curriers' shops, Mr.. Jewell found this
compound in a great kettle ready for
use, and thus the mystery was solved.
1t is not expensive, costing about ten
dollars barrel, and he Immediately or.
dered ten barrels and sent them to vari-
GUS leading leather manufacturers in
this country with instructions, and the
result is that genuine Russia leather
goods are now made in America, and
doubtless will soon be sold at nearly fifty
per cent. below former prices.
Year: 1877

A NUMBER of the students in the
graduating class at Drew Seminary are
asking for recommendations this spring
TO the Western Methodist Conferences.
The Eastern Conferences are 70 crowded
that they can not receive any for years
TO come,
Year: 1877

CLARA NORRIS is superstitious. At
the last rehearsal of q new piece she
often picks up the nails on the stage |; If
she finds an odd number she is firmly
convinced that she will have good luck
during her engagement; il an even num-
Der she looks out for trouble. Knowing
of this feeling the manager of the Union
Square Theater took pains to put three
n nails on the stage at the last rehearsal Of
Miss Mutton" and to clear away all
others. She found them and was re-
joiced, but dsmay seized her moment
afterwards on picking up three other
nails-making six in all. Her husband
had been at the same game with the
manager, and taey had thwarted each
other. The run of the piece was unlucky,
being interrupted by the Brooklyn fire
and by the serious illness Of Miss
Morris.
Year: 1877

The Winterton House in London was
large, rambling edifice. 1t was for
many years inhabited by very eccen-
tric lady, who died at an advanced age.
She had one daughter, who married
against her mothers wishes. When the
guests left the room in which the we'd
ding breakfast had been given, the old
lady ordered the shutters to be closed
and the doors to be locked, and from
that day to the day of her death the room
was never opened. BY peeping through
the keyhole could be seen the table laid
out with the plate and china, just as they
had been left by the wedding party. The
food had crumbled into dust, but in the
center stood the immense wedding cake,
with its sugar figures and orange bios
SONS, now black With age. 1t was I,
CHASTITY mockery Of fesst and awakened
a sudden feeling of pity for a woman
whose hate of her own child could have
remained unweakened twenty years.
Year: 1877

1t was 4 sharp, frosty, moonlight
nj yht, but the fresh waters Of Green
river had not yet been chilled, and
they flowed rapidly onward, with con-
fused murmurings, as if impatient to
become part Of the great Ohio.


1t was as Late as 10 o'clock when
Robert Craig, young lawyer, cam"
upon bridge that spanned a branch
Of the Green river in central Ken.
tuckv. He WAS afoot, and he walked
with a very light step, because his
heart WAS light. He had been sue
cessful in the most important suit he
had ever been engaged in. He had
pleaded his own case and the court
that had pronounced judgment in MS
favor was simply Miss Mary Lane, the
handSomeSt Girl IN the neighborhood
and as good Il, she was beautiful. She
haC, promised to he his wife.


But Robert Craig was destined to
plead another case that very night,
and before a less lrnicnt court. He
had no warning ot this however. when
he stepped upon the bridge, and
walked out over the c ear Waters,
muttering congratulations to himself


Yes, I'm the luckiest man living
he soliloquizei as lie reached the mid
die Of the bridge.


The bridge was not Z covered one,
and he stopped to lean over the rail
ing at one side, and look down into
the sparkling waters that qulvered in
the white moonlight.


Yes, I'm the luckiest man living =
he repeated, quite loud after he had
stood II full minute gazing upon the
flowing river.


Don't. be too sure Of that, said a
voice behind him.


Robert Craig turned with start,
and saw tall man standing at the
opposite side of the bridge leveling a
rifle upon him. He seemed very cool
and deliberate in his manner, and he
spoke in Il tone that was hard and
icy.


At the first glance Robert Craig saw
his Danger, for he recognized in the in
truder alph Moore, who, he was well
aware, regarded him with the bitter
est hatred, for the reason that both
had been suitors for the hand Of Mary
Lane, and Ralph had, of course, been
rejected. He was noted as a man Of
desperate character--although belong
ing to a good family-and he was,
moreover, known to be the best marks
man in the community. Robert Craig
thought Of these facts, as he found
himself standing there in the cold
moonlight with that unerring rifle
pointed at his head.


lie himself was unarmed there
was no hope for succor on that lonely
bridge at that time Of night; retreat
was impossible as well as unmanly :;