smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

q. Who Hoes not love to rummage, es- .pecially in an old attic of some house in the country? There is quite fascina-

 ion in running away by yourself, of dull day, and lookingover things which have been put away for future refer- ence, and some things which have had their day, but will be useful never more; yet are endeared by so many pleasant "reminiscences and remem- brances that we haven't the heart to de- stroy them. -- ..

 We sit by the low window, against which the rain is pattering while we rummage over big pile ofold almanacs, with their quaint spelling, coarse paper and wonderful predictions which never came to pass, except by accident. We wonder how we would like to have lived in those old times when the post man arrived but once 6 week, and folks were sound asleep just about the time we commence our modern balls and routs. Then, the wretehed attempts made at wood engraving, that odorn each page, cause us to laugh, for we cannot tell whether men are scattering seed or throwing snowballs. Yet, l
Year: 1877

difficulty with the long sweep of the ssIDutch roll''-the most graceful of all the larger movements in the art. In fact, W here the pond is not too crowded, there is nothing nearer akin to luxury on skates than the ''..Dutch roll'', with a good partner. The confidence thereby acquired proves of great service when skating backward is afterward attempt ed, and if that be also practised in cir .cle, the outsideand inside edge back ward may be readily learned. After that, all else is comparatively easy, de, pending more upon the time and pa. tience that the skater is willing to ex- pend than upon any intrinsic difficulty in the performance. Skating proffers to Americans in general the most health full exercise that they are willing to un- dertake at the smallest cost. The dan gers are few in comparison with nearly all other outdoor sports. Already there are not a few of our citizens that have noted the fact that their health in spring and summer has been on a high CT plane than usual when they have had more than the average of skating the preceding winter.
Year: 1877

So keen is the sight of the condor of where the naked eye can detect none of these creatures in the horizon, yet in a few minutes they are seen streaming from all directions straight towards their hoped-for meal. But though birds be long sighted, it is also highly neces- sary that they should see minute objects at short distance. No entomologist will deny that an insectivorous bird must have keen eyes for short distances if it is to get it's living with ease. A microscopic sight is scarcely less requi- site for grain-feeding bird. The swal- low, which plunges with such reckless impulse through the air will neverthe- less seize a small insect as 1t dashes along with almost unerring certainty. Usually the prey is so small that the monderful powers of the bird displayed in the chase cannot be observed; but sometimes when the insect has large wings, this dexterity may be seen. The writer has seen swallow seize, while in headlong flight, the beautiful, scarce swallow tailed butterfly, and shear out it's sapid body from between the wings, and let them float severally down; aud then not satisfied with a feast so little proportioned to the splen- dor in which it was dished up, glance round and seize the several pieces be- fore they reach the ground. How, then is long sight and keen short sight to be obtained from the same eye? This is done mainly by the aid ofbony plates so disposed that the edge of one is capa- ble of sliding over the edge of it's neigh, Dor; so that when the flores of the mus cle which unites them contract they compress the eye all around and make it more tubular, while the humors of the eye, thus subjected to pressure, cause the cornea to protrude more, also the retina to be removed further from the lens.
Year: 1877

A physician says that the cry for rest has always been louder than the cry for food. Not that it is more important, but it is often harder to obtain. The best rest comes from sound sleep. Of two men or women, otherwise equal, the one who sleeps the best will be the most healthy and efficient. Sleep will do to cure instability of temper, peev- ishness and uneasiness. It will restore vigor to an over-worked braiu. It will build up and make strong weak body. twill cure headache. It will cure a broken spirit. It will cure sorrow. In- deed, we make long list of nervous and other maladies that sleep will cure. The cure of sieeplessness requires a clean, good bed, sufficient exercise to promote weariness, pleasant occupa- tion, good air, and not too warm a room; a clear conscience and avoidance of stimulants and narcotics. For those who are over-worked, nervous, hag- gard, who pass sleepless nights, we commend the adoption of such habits as will secure sleep; otherwise life will be short, and what there is of it sadly im- perfect -~sA
Year: 1877

sI Albinos are frequently met with. We find them, says the Turt, Field and Fd,ms, in the human race as well as in the ami

 nal races of lower order. They are al

 ways what we call white. By some de- feet in their organization the substance. which gives color to hair, skin and eyes is absent. The eyes are red, owing to pigment which in normal cases conceals the network of blood vessels and the intense hue they ditluse over the sur face. In the ranks of men the albino has a peculiar harshness of skin which suggests diseased organization. This absence of color it would seem is not hereditary. At least, there is case on record where two albinos married and had two children who were not albinos, but of a brown color. An in

 stance is given where every alternate child of a large family was an albino; ducing albinos there is no departure in the progeny to the end of the line. The defect makes itself apparent to the close of the chapter. We often hear of albino birds and albino deer being killed. As we write there is before us partridge which is half albino, and which the taxidermist has made to assume the out ward proportions of life. In the Eagle hills of Kentucky Tom Marshall has an albino squirrel in cage. He caught it when it was quite young, and, although he has had it for more than a year, has not succeeded in tanning it. Its nature is thoroughly savage. Attempt to caress it and it will jump at you with the greatest fury, it's two red eyes glowing like balls of fire. It is of the large tailed fox tribe, and keeps fat and hearty, although sour-tempered in con- fnement. It evidently was one of a family, as albinos are frequently seen in the woods where the capture was made. Naturally Tom prizes highly his unruly pet. In all countries the albino is regarded as an object of curiosity and Interest. In India, the white elephants are venerated by the natives. These mammoth albinos are believed to be animated by the souls of ancient kings, and so it is not surprising that they should be looked upon with awe and guarded with the tenderest care. Hum boldt has expressed the opinion that albinos are more common among nations of dark skin and inhabiting hot climates, and doubtless he is right.
Year: 1877



 Drums and flies are probably the most ancient, as they are certainly the most familiar, of all our musical para phernalia; and they have been through many ages associated with scenes of warlike interest and diplay. Whatever be their origin, theIe is charm which is alien to all other instrumental an which makes the music they produce more applicable to military purposes than any other. It would be difficult, if not wholly impossible, to describe the cause of this, but it is certain that on the line of march men find it easier to keep step to the lively tones of the fife and the brisk roll of the drum than to follow brass band, which cannot be heard further than about half the length of a battalion. It is singular thing. however, that it is only the Eng fish speaking people who make this kind of music national, for the French and other continental armies generally march to the sound of the drum and bugle, when their brass bands are not playing. But this kind of music has never found favor with our British re- giments, though many attempts have been made to introduce it. It has q foreign ring about it which makes 1t unpleasant to English ears, and it is of a very monotonous character. there be- ing no more than five notes on the common bugle, consequently the few tunes that can be played upon it have 8 sameness about them which is exceed ingly wearisome to the ear. But this does not prevent it's being used occa- sionally, as a change to the music of the trombone or the fife. The chief glory of the drum lies in the crispness of it's sound and the beauty of it's ap- pointments, though of late years the instrument has been sadly used, by be- ing cut down to mere skeleton. com posed principally of bolts and screws. with scarcely any body to it at all. The handsomest specimens of the drum which have been familiar to us from childhood and to preceding genera tions are those born by the drummers of the Guards, which are beautifully em- blazoned with the royal coat of arms and the names of the battles in which each regiment has been engaged; and the bearers take pride in keeping the plain brass brilliant, while the emblaz- oned part is always we'll polished with beeswaX.
Year: 1877

If you would keep from drinking SO great quantity of ardent spirits, eat, eat more. Eat nutritious food. Eat something whenever you take'a drink. The drunk, in all cases, comes from the stomach full of whisky and no food. There is a simple lesson yet to be learned by many, and that is, they do not eat enough of blood, bone, nerve and tissue making food. You may half starve to death on salt fish, potatoes. cabbage, turnips, fried liver, stewed. kidneys, and score of other dishes which please the taste, but add little or nothing to the body force. Eggs, the best of steak, mutton and bread are what one requires for strength. It is this unconscious half starved condition which causes so much of the craving for temporary increase of strength, and that is quickest gained through glass of whisky. That gives, for few moments, spasmodic impulse to the wheels of life, sending them whizzing and spinning around for a few moments; then comes reaction, and they turn more slugglshly than ever. The best spirits In the world reside in good blood, the worst in bad. It is that which sends false imaginings, suspicious and dependencies to the brain.

 

 IndOlence is the Daralvsis of the soul
Year: 1877

republican party shah suffer total and
overwhelming defeat. Not until this hap
pens not until the frank aud file OF the
party see that these false guides only lead
il into the morass of defeat, can the Pres
ident become sufficiently strong to draw
forward into the posts of leadership an
abler, better, more patriotic, less selfish
set of men and not until he does that
can he hope for comfort for himself sue
cess for his policy or re- establishment
of his party in, the public confidence The
republican party, under its present lead
ership, is a danger to the country hese
men show no policy except that ofreviv-
ing sectional dissensions and hatreds and
res sting every reform demanded BY the
people. They have control of the party
machinery, and like the old Tweed Ring
in New York, they use The voters oftheir
party to accomplish their personal ends.
Until they are overthrown and better
men assume their places and power in
the party every vote cast for a republican
ticket only strengthens their hands, every
republican success only perpetuates their
power, cripples the President and exposes
the country to new perils to its peace and
prosperity. The Herald is not n partisan
journal. 1t aims to support and defend
the true and real interests Of the country
against the schemes of either side. 1t
would be false to it's duty as an indepen-
dent guardian Oft these interests lift failed
to notice and to expose the danger to
which the success of the present republi-
can leaders would expose the country, or
If it omitted to warn the great mass Of
honest republican voters who adhere to
the Presidents policy that they will
make dangerous blunder if they vote
the republican ticket at the coming cleo
tions. Let them remain at home and
show Uy their silence hat they do moi ap-
prove of the course OF the present leaders
of their party. That is the most effective
way in which they can support the Presi-
dent.
Year: 1877

The Baltimore American returns to
the charge of fraud as 1t does every time
there is municipal election in Balti-
more. The Democratic candidate for
Mayor OH Wednesday received a large
vote by 900 than Tilden received last
year, but the combined vote of all the
opposition candidate for Mayor was less
by 4,176 than that given Hayes. War
held, the Reform candidate, who was put
in the field by the Republicans and then
deserted by them, only polled $50, while
in 1875, when be ran against the regular
Democratic nominee. his vote exceeded
twenty-five hundred. There may have
been fraud, doubtless was, as it is almost
impossible to hold an election in large
city without it.
Year: 1877

Some jealous Boston Republicans sent
5000 to OHIO to assist West to carry the
State and now they are as mad as March
bares because they acted SO uE~isely.
The money would have come into ex-
cellent play In NJ Massachusetts,, while for
all the good it did among the Buckeye
it might as well have been thrown into
Boston harbor.
Year: 1877

There Is on exhibition in this gallery clever and In
teresting picture by Henry Picoa II Is called the
Good Goddess anu represents fair and we'll lormoa
angel bendns over the form Of sleeping child Tho
idea Is uil oi poetry, and the composition Of the group
Is at once pleasing ana effective. There several
other Interesting pictures CN exhibition in this gallery
Year: 1877

He was singularly grave man, ever
for a sexton. For nearly half century
he had been a public functionary-hat
performed the conspicuous duties of {
sexton yet no one had ever seen hin
smile. Occasionally he joked, but he did
it in such funereal manner that nc
one could accuse him of levity.


One day he was standing on the
church steps, wiping his melancholy
features with red bandanna. A hearse
stood near, and three or four carriages
were drawn up behind it. The notes of
the organ floated out of the windows
with solemn effect. A stranger came
along and said


"Funeral %


And the old sexton gravely bowed his
head-it was.


"Who's dead p


The old man again wiped his brow and
gave the name of the deceased.


"What complaint P" asked the inauisi-
tive stranger.


Solemnly placing his bandanna in his
hat and covering his bald head, the old
sexton made answer:


"There is no complaint everybody
is entirely satisfied. Worcester Press,
Year: 1877

Here is fine bit of descriptive writing


by one of the London Times corre-


spondents with the Russian army: It is


strange thing here sometimes, when I


take a ride out on the plain in front of


Kars, to notice the contrasting elements


which compose the scene. There is a


bright blue sky with a warm sun, and
the undulating plain stretches away,
only interrupted occasionally by short
dark horizontal lines, which indicate the
positions of batteries, past, present or
future. From one or other of these dark
lines, or from the forts themselves, a
cloud of white smoke is belched forth in
dead silence, which is followed only
after an interval of some seconds by
dull boom, accompanied in some IN
stances by the whistle of the shell as it
sails away on its deadly errand. Some
times a cloud of dark -colored earth is
thrown up, showing where shell has
burt. In the meantime lark is soar
ing overhead, and in the distance behind
me 1 hear a military band playing the
" Blue Danube" or some other fashions
,l,la WALTZ
Year: 1877

The Springfield Republican publishes


editorially the following sensible remarks


on advertising:


Reforms Of all kinds seem to be in


fashion. The reaction from the craze of


speculation and initiation and politics
and low moral standing brings with it
application of good sense and economy,
of better morals and higher tone and
soberer views of things, in nearly Ill
departments of life. One of the out
groupings of this new fashion of common
sense is in the business of Advertising
a looping off of the more expensive and
sensational and vulgar modes of putting
the thing to sell before the attention of
the person who buys. The reform was
well voiced at a late meeting of the stove
manufacturers of the country at Detroit,
where the president denounced the in
effective and expensive advertising that
had been much indulged in by the trade,
the tawdry Autographs and other SEN
sational machinery, and recommended
instead the more exclusive use of the
best newspapers. eff we would make
the best possible use of our money!" he
continued, "we should patronize ably
conducted and responsible newspapers.
The newspaper is immeasurably the best
medium open to our trade; the most
liberal and expert advertisers testify to
its value, and in the employment of its
columns we would find a means of
escape from wasteful, undignified, and
ineffective methods, to which SO many re.
sort in their eagerness to secure atten-
tion and patronage" These are indeed
suggestions of experience and common
sense, and there are signs, as if by
instinct, that they are being
adopted by merchants, manufacturers,
and other classes of the community hay
ing occasion to engage in either pur-
chasing Or selling.
Year: 1877

The following story appears in lettel


from Unionville, Conn: Our neighbor


Chauncey Hart. has dog that is re


markable for his apparent knowledge Of


tho English language, il his owners


statement about the dog is true-and as


tohis veracity there is no question. Mr..


Hart is blacksmith by trade, and he


has an acre or so Of land which he cult.


Yates, and during the season of hoeing


rises at about four o'clock in the morn.


ing to subdue the weeds. His dog is


always with him. When the time arrives


for making fire to prepare tho morning


meal, Mr.. Hart goes into the house,


makes the fire, and says to the dog


$50 call your mistress. He goes i'm
mediately to the bedroom and wakes
her. If she does not notice the call the
dog will pull the clothing off the bed
and will not leave until she gets up.
If Mr.. Hart sees pack-peddler coming
he says to the dog: "Carlo, there is
n pack-peddler coming" He will start
of at once, and prevent his coming on
to the premises.


On another occasion Mr.. Hart walked
over to n neighbor's house Just as the
neighbor came home with some bones
he had procured for his chickens, and
threw them out of his wagon. Carlo
got one of them and brought it near
where they We're talking. When Mr..
Hart saw it he said: "Carlo, that bone
don't belong to you ; go carry it back
where You found it, and go home"
Carlo carried the bone back to the place
where he got it, trotted off about ten
rods toward home and sat down waiting
for his master. The neighbor also had
n dog about the same size that was in
hearing. Seeing Carlo where he had sat |
down, the other dog picked up the bone
and carried it to within q few feet of
Carlo there he laid it down and came
back little way. After waiting awhile
md seeing that Carlo did not take it, he
placed it little nearer-very close to
lim this time-but he would not touch
t, but sat there until Mr.. Hart went
home. When he came up to where the
log was sitting he said "Carlo, you
nay have that bone now." The dog i'm
nediately picked it up and carried it
ZONE. Nothing was said to either dog
'ut the order to carry back the bone
'ut both dogs seemed to know what was
aid, and the visiting dog was deter
mined that Carlo should accept the
bone as pledge of friendship
nd as hospitable entertainments
Year: 1877

The emperor of Russia's camp life


is IN strict accordance with the object


he has in view. He lives at Simnitza,


IN the very center of the movement.


Every regiment about to cross the river


has to march past the czar and receive


his "God bless you, boys p Every
transport of wounded that is carried
across the bridge is brought to his
notice. A short time ago, while at din
ner, he heard the tolling of the church


bell and the sound of funeral march.
1t was the funeral procession of young
sub-lieutenant Of artillery, drowned
when crossing the river. The czar rose
from the table and went at once to Join
the procession. Some $50 generals and
other dignitaries followed him, and every
one kneeled at the grave of the departed
youth.


The czar's headquarters consist of
country house with large garden, in
which innumerable tents have been put
up for the members of the suite, and
larger one for chapel. A long canopy,
covering table at which $50 people sit
down twice day, composes the dining
room. The czar is the only person living
IN a house Vavasseur, his chief cook,
had to build a new kitchen to be able to
cook European kind of dinner. The
car, who is fond of good eating, has a
daily conference with him, and both seem |
perplexed how to make a decent meal
out OF poor lamb, still poorer veal, and
such miserable vegetables as the Danu-
ban region provides. Hard work and
life in the fresh air can, however, make
every dish taste well, and the czar has
'elegraphed to his wife that he never
elt in better health, and that the chill
lren Chis army never looked finer, /,
Year: 1877

The name of sanitary carbon" has
been given to remarkable kind of shale
deposit found on the Dorsetshire coast,
England, which is now being success
fully employed in purifying the effiuent
water of districts that treat their sewer
age by precipitation; in clarifying the
waste-water of dye-works and mines, and
for other sanitary purposes. 1t is a
charcoal-like deposit, of undoubted ami
NAL origin, and is supposed to consist of
blubber, fish, and other forms of marine
animal life. 1t is found to yield more
plentifully than camel coal, and at less
expense, an excellent carbon-one ton
of the shale, after giving off nine thous-
sand cubic feet of gas, leaving about
eleven hundred weight of residue, which
is the sanitary carbon in question. 1t
is found to have precisely the same
properties and action, in sanitary point
of view, as animal charcoal that costs
three or four times as much. The tests
to which it has been subjected consist,
first, in running sewage through a layer
of the carbon, the effluent water coming
out as clear as crystal; and, second, in
mixing sewage with a compound of ink
dye-stuffs in solution, forming liquid
more intractable than would ever be met
with in actual drainage operations, the
water running off perfectly clear and
with no perceptible odor.
Year: 1877

A VIRGINIA Cry dispatch says: A
meeting of the Superintendents of the
mines on the Comstock Lode was held
lately to consider questions arising in
connection with the approaching COM
pletion Of the Sutro Tunnel. A COM
mittee was appointed to make careful
investigation as to the cost of the tunnel,
and the benefit it is likely to prove to
the mines, cost of pumping water to the
surface from the tunnel level, etc. The
committee will probably report in two
or three weeks, and their report is ex-
pected to exert strong influence in set
ting points Of difference between the
tunnel companies and various mining
companies.