smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

PRos2ERITY OF NORTHERN TExAs.-Itis is said
of Northern Texas by the Dallas Herald that
the tillers of the soil there make far more
provisions than they have any use for,
always have corn and meat for sale, and
their cotton and cattle crops come in as
clear profit. They are rapidly growing
wealthy, and in less than fifteen years from
now North Texas will be prosperous as the
bluegrass region of Kentucky ever was in
its palmiest days
Year: 1879

1t is estimated that the value of the
property destroyed by fire in Philadelphia
last year was not far short OF Sl,327,722.
TO offset this there was one man in the
city convicted of arson and sentanced to
two years imprisonment.
Year: 1879

BANANAs-The Scientific american has
some interesting facts about bananas.
Most of us, when passing along the street
and seeing the luscious punches hanging in
front Of the stores, look at them as a tropi-
cal luxury, forgetting that they form the
staple article of food in many parts Of the
world Humboldt is authority for the
statement that man can obtain as much
food from an acre of bananas as from twenty
five acres of wheat. The american claims
that the ease of their cultivation is a hin
drance to civilization, in that it induces
laziness. From the mere placing ofa suck
er in the ground the plant will grow and
the fruit ripen, all in about a year. The
number of bananas on plant will average
about one hundred. But this is not all, no
new planting is required, for, when after
fruiting, this plant dies down, new suckers
spring up to take its place. In entirely
unirhabited regions these plants are found
in every stage of development, the fruit
rpening any or every month and day OF
the year.
Year: 1879

A great deal of talent is lost to the
world for the want of courage. Every
day sends to the grave a number of OBJ
scure men, who have only remained in OBJ
scurity because their timidity has prevent
ed their first effort, and who, if they could
have been induced to begin, would, in all
probability, have gone great lengths in the
career of fame. The fact is. in order to do
anything in this world that is worth doing
we must not stand shivering on the brink,
and think Of the cold and danger, but Jump
in and scramble as we can. 1t will not do
to be perpetually calculating risks and ad-
justing nice chances. 1t did very well be-
fore the flood, when man could consult
his friends upon a publication for one
hundred and fifty years and then live to
see its success tor six or seven centuries
afterwards, but at present man waits,
and doubts, and hesitates, and consults his
brother and his uncle, and particular
friends, till one day he finds that he is six
ty years of age; that he has lost so much
time in consulting first cousins and partic-
ular friends that he has no time left to fol-
low their advice. There is no time for
over-squeamishness at present, the oppor-
tunity so easily slips away, the very period
of his life at which man chooses to ven-
ture, if ever, is so confined, that it is no
bad rule to preach up the necessity, in
such instances, of violence to feelings,
and to efforts made in defiance to strict
and sober calculation. Sidney Smith.
Year: 1879

[Wm M. +. Ronnd, in Good Company


Did feel drowsy? No felt quietly
iubilant and happy. The problems of my
life were all gone. The mysteries of life
were mysteries no longer. l lay there and
blandly sneered at the world as a thing Of
no consequence whatever. l could not
take my eyes from the light but it was .
tiny reilleuse no longer. 1t receded from
me and grew bigger. 1t was start
was the full-orbed moon; the attendant
moved it a few inches, and though | was
conscious of his act. the light itself was
a fierp comet with sweeping tail that
had shot through immeasurable lengths of
night. Now it grew and grew. It was
the sun, The whole world, the stars, the
universe were being absorbed in it. The
glory touched me on all sides below me
was the tiny earth, a Lilliputian ball, upon
which myriads of crawling men fell down
and worshipped me. Opposite to me was
Joe. l was conscious of his presence
OF everything about me. Had any one
spoken to me | should have answered
nationally enough, yet the things about
me were not so real as my dwelliny-place
in the heart of light. was living q dual
existence. l was immortal had COM
menced upon the eternal life.


Eternity! The thought became real TO
me. Time was no longer, save in my own
person. was the time-piece for eternal
ages. was wound up and going. The
pulsations of my heart each measured q
thousand years. A dreadful tension
heightened me out and stretched me in
all directions. A great movement was
going on which taxed all my powers-the
tension grew more and more lenses. l
could endure it no longer. There was q
quick. sharp snap, relaxation Of all my
energies, all my powers, and l was the
eternal clock, and knew that had licked
and marked off one second of the fathom-
less ages, and that second had recorded
thousand years of human time. The PEN
dulum moved to two syllables-for-ever,
forever, forever! lay dreading the
billionth eternal year which should mark
but one mundane hour, and at the begin
ming Of which should strike.


1t is impossible for me to express the
awful sense of expansion, indefinite ex.
pansion. which everything took on, or to
write out one in thousand of the wild
fancies that rushed through my brain. 1
was not asleep, l was not dreaming; bv
an exercise of will l could have risen,
gone out of the place, and walked home.
l more than once counted my pulse. I
reused myself and looked to see if nv
friend was beside me- He was quiet and
apparently sleeping. Every thought that
passed through my mind took upon itself
and surrounded itself with long sequence
of quaint fancies.
Year: 1879

Throughout his career, Caesar displayed
always singular Indifference to life. He
had not much belief in God or the gods.
On all such questions he observed from
first to last profound silence. But one
conviction he had. He intended, if he was
to live at all, to live master OF himself in
matters which belonged to himself. Sylla
might kill him if she so pleased. 1t was
better to die than to put away wife who
was the mother of his child, and to marry
some other woman at dictator's bidding.
Life on such terms was not worth keeping.
What joy it is to read of one man in the
worlds history who never played the fool
or hypocrite. On one occasion majority
in the Senate-of which Caesar was then o
member-wished to consign large num-
Der of political offenders to capital punish
ment. Caesar opposed this. He contended
that death was not punishment at all.
Death was the end of human sorrow. In
the grave there was neither joy nor sor-
row. When man is dead he ceased to be.
He became as he had been before he was
born. Probably almost every one in the
Senate thought like Cesar on this subject.
Cicero certainly did. Caesar spoke his
convictions out.
Year: 1879

Those languid. tiresome sensations. caus-
ing you to feel scarcely able to be on your
feet; that constant drain that is taking from
your system all its elasticity; driving the
bloom from your cheeks; that continual
strain upon your vital forces, rendering you
irritable and fretful, can easily be removed
by the use of that marvellous remedy, Hop
Bitters. Irregularities and 0bstructions Of
your system are relieved At once, while the
special cause Of periodical pain il perma-
nently removed. Will you heed this?
Year: 1879

The brave philosopher who said " dare do
that may "A man." DOUBT referring TO the
purchase KNOX for there is nothing In the ma keo
that so becomes inmitahle Fail style tits 20
be had at 2l2 Broadway and Fifth Avenue Hotel
Year: 1879

On going round the garden, per-
ceived what seemed small piece of
cheese apparently floating L.. .hc air
straight before me. On coming up to
1t, found that 1t was suspended from
a. SPIDERS web, which was spun right
across tho path. The first hasty
thought was that this spider had found
piece. Of cheese below, and, taking u
fancy to 1t, was then drawing it up into
its web to eat 1t. Further examination
however, showed that the substance
was not cheese, but small pebble
much resembling that edible, evidently
taken from the gravel walk beneath.
There was nothing for the spider to at
tach his web to on the walk, so he had
selected suitable stone to balance
his web being attached to trees on eth
CT side Of the walk, and weighted be-
low by the stone, so as to be IN nearly
Year: 1879

Il perpendicular position. The stone
was connected with the web by three
fold cord, the strands Of which were at
tached to different parts of the stone.
| visited the web two or three hours af-


ter the spider had finished it, and
found that his ingenuity had been re-
wardcd, as the web contained, besides
II large fly, of which he was dining,
more small flies than | have ever be-
fore seen in Il web. Neither myself,
nor those Of my friends to whom j
showed the web, have ever seen any
thing of the kind before. Perhaps
your readers will be Interested in such
an example of high instinct in Il spider
and those who are more verscd In nat
ural history than myself may be able
to remember other examples Of the
same kind. That the stability of the
web depended upon the weight Of the
stone was shown when | put my hand
under the latter. The result was that
as | raised my hand the lower part Of
the web gradually collapsed, but when
tile stone was again suffered to fall
gently the web resumed its proper
shape. The web was about five feet
from the ground. Spider engineering
Is most interesting subject, and one
that l lave spent hours in studying. |
have worked out most Of the problems
In connection with it, but the weight
dodge have not as yet been able to ex-
plain. Some spiders will use ties; but
others, Of exactly the same species,
will use weight, although the cir
cumstances under which both built are
apparently similar. But how does the
spider raise the weight? This | could
never explain to my satisfaction, as
some of the weights are 80 large that
1t Is scercely possible they could lift
them by a dead lift Besides, they
will put on one, two or more weights
in few hours before wind, to fix their
structures. The industry and ingenui-
ty of the spider passes belief to all
those who have seen them at work, but
no more profitable day can be spent by
young engineer than day after a
storm In path through the gorse
watching spider rcconstrucling it's
web. This is the legitimate way Of see
ing The work done, but there are other
dodges, such as breaking down the
webs, and Watching the poor devils re-
construct them
Year: 1879

and into the cistcrn. 1t was getting ga
noon and still lie had 10 butter, so lie con
cludcd to cook some mush, for which 5lles
hung pot filled with water Oh the fires
When that was donc he thought that pers&
haps the COW might full down from the roofJ
and break her legs or her neck, 30 hesS Fstl)J
up on the roof to tic her. One enc :S
rope he tied round the neck Of tI
letting the other end down Ter An
chimney fastened II round his on ho
the water began to boil in the pot an ig \
hnd to stir the m,lsh. While hc was doing Il
this the COW fell off tho roof and pulled lliln
up in the chimney; there hc stuck fast, amsls


tho cow danglcd outside between heavenS
and earth, also unable to get loose. Hiss
wife had waited and waited tor her husband
to come and call to dinner, but nothing was {,
heard from him. At last she found the
time too long to wait, and started to the Y
house. When she found the COW hanging
in such dangerous position she cut tic 4,
rope with the scythe; when of course her,
husband fell down through the chimney,


and when she entered the door he was
standing on his head in tho mush pot. 4
Year: 1879

MUST VOTE IN THEIR OWN TIME.-In giving
employees permission to go home to vote, Seere-
tary Schurz follows in his department that plan
adopted when he first took charge of it; that is,
the time the employe is absent is deducted from
lis annual leave of thirty days.
Year: 1879

William I. Conners, laborer who
lived at No. 210 East Front street, was
found dead in chair at half past o'clock
this morning Conners was married
man, leaving behind him wife and two
grown children.


About clock the deceased proceeded
to shave himself, and for that purpose sat
down before looking-glass, and had only
one half of his face shaved, when death
overlook him in his chair.


Coroner Carrick, who some time ago
treated the man for his ailment, was notI
fed.


The deceased was seventy years old. An
inquest was held this evening and verdict
returned Of death from paralysis OF the
heart.n
Year: 1879

1t will be coming style to have two
fabrics enter into one bonnet-as, for in
stance, the crown will be smooth felt,
while the brim is silk plush or the rough
faced fur beaver; or else the crown will
be smooth plush and the brim of rough
plush showing very deep pile.
Year: 1879

The Monroe IN. C.) Enquirer says
that as Mrs. Browns child was lying
asleep on the grass an adder glided near
it. The mother saw it just as it was
about to strike. She seized the snake in
her hand and threw it, thus rescuing her
babe from fatal wound and horrible
death.
Year: 1879

PLANS OF THE STAND-OWNERS.


THEY DESIRE TO LEASE THE GROUND-A HANDSOME


STRUCTURE TO BE ERECrgD-THE PRESENT


nrrrDIyG CONDEMNED BY THE HEALTH AND


BUISDING DEPARTMENTS.


Fulton Market is unhealthy and unsafe in
the opinion OF the markctmen and they desire 20 build


new structure on iCs site For fy years the present
uueighIy building has been growing without plan on
the block bounded by Front Beekman. Fulton and
south-sts till now IN It's old age it tresemDles modiDyal
barrack in its irregularty-and smells. committee
consisting OF Amos Robbins, Eugene Blackford and VIII
inn Ottmau ciled upon the Mayor Controller ana
Commissioner of PuDlic Works recently All these OIL
cials said that the city mad money with which to
hud new market; and the Controller also said that
he was not u favor Of such an eKp6n-
diture The marEetmen then determined to form
a corporation ana build market with their
own money IL the city would lease them
IN, ground al a reasonable rate. petition Tor such
lease was signed by most VI the sand-owners and pre-
sentad 20 the Sinking Fund Commissioners who have
charge OF the citYs property The Health Department
and Building Department were then asked to report
the buldng Three building inspectors report they
aud number Of tie piers snd columns supporting the
roof out OF plumb and particularly the columns on the
northern side Tne general condition or the building
they gay very poor and the entire structure shows
evidences Of decay. In their opinion IL would be I'm
practicable to underase repair and make It fit ami
safe for market purposes The entire building should
be taken down and rebuilt.


Dr. James Assistant Sanitary superintendent, in his
report says:


AT the lower or basement floor OF the side fronting
ON Beekman-st. found that the h0Or, which in
many places loose aud decaying resting upon the
wet ground so that pressure Of the foot upon the
floor forced up the underlying semiliqud matter be-
tween the boards showing tho and filthy condition
OF the ground underneath. The wasteppes from the
basement sinks discharge the ground underneath the
floor constantly contributing 20 ~ camp aud hihy
cundifOn. The only means OF drainage which found
was on the st Side the corner OF beekan,
where email well had been made 10 receive the Leak
age from the door and leakage from the ground and
from which this filthy water II daily pumped and
made 10 now the sidewalk 10 the streetgutter.
so far AS 1 could Learn there were better
facilities drainage IN other portions OF the basement,
the being discharge all waste upon the ground
underneath the floor Besides the want or
proper drainage many Of the basement room. de
ncent in light snd ventilation. Leaving the basement
proceeded the main door. The middle portion Is
drained by drains extending along the hoor a. the
Southst side. where they the sidewalk and dis
charge into the street gutter where a the nth and
Year: 1879

THE STORY FALSE THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS DE-


CIDqD NOT TO APPROVE THE FINDINGS.


iGESERAL PRESS UIsPATCH.I


WASHINGTON. May 2s-The statement has
several times been printed that the President has
decided not 10 approve the findings Of the Court Of
Inquiry IN the Fiiz John Porter ease, and that he
will refer them for examination and revision to the
Judge Advocate General of the Army The an
Douncement is authorized that no such decision
has been made. There are several reasons, grow
ing ont of the Judge Advocate Generals previous
service on General Popes staff, which render the
reference of the subject to him in any event
very improbable. The record of the proceed
ingS of the court has only just been received.
IN covers 800 closely printed pages. Until the
President shall have had time to examine this
no decision will be made or action taken.
Year: 1879

LOUISVILLE, July 21.-Probably no epidemic or
consequence Of war ever produced greater ex-
citement for the number Of people concerned,
or witnessed y more outrageous scene than that
at the depot at Memphis Sunday morning, when
the train left there at clock that morning


and which only reached here yesterday between


II NJ. and y. NJ.


The majority of the frightened humanity on
that train were woman and children, many of
whom had no protectors to guard and care for
them-women with young babes at the breasts,
others whose great age made it seem q mockery
to flee from death yet they were there, and
were so unfortunate as to be herded (for no other
word expresses the meaning so welD with set
or male dogs in human guisc, who drank vile
liquors, smoked mean cigars and putfed the
smoke in the faces Of delicate ladies and, not
content with that, drew from the spacious pock-
OTIS of their busters those emblems Of hell and
low life, playing cards, formed games for money,
and, MS natural consequence, began cursng
and blaspheming in q manner that would shock
the most foully raised yagabond. No word was
too vulgar to be checked upon the lips of those
foul-mouthed rutians. will add that even this
was bearable compared with the brutal conduct
of some of these-things, for they could not ap-
Propriatey be called men-in occupying n
double share of room while poor, weak ladies.
for such they arc, were forced to stand in those
jolting cars as best they could, many of them
with little ones in their arms, until the train
reached Milan. Many of these ladies' weak and
exhausted, sank to the floor amid all the filth and
dirt thatit is possible to imagine. Added to this,
there was no water and no one in authority seemed
to make any attempt to provide it. Very few
had anything to eat, nor could they get i. for
any price until they reached this city, having
then been more than twenty eight hours in this
suspense and misery. Ladies who at home have
carriages and aR that wealth can command were
glad to find n seat on the step. Of the car plat
form, and many were for hours forced to remain
in such fearful danger. A Southern man should
blush to know that, even to save his own life,
he should be guilty Of such inhumanity to a wo-
man. l take great pride in saying that there
were few men on that train composed Of the
true elements of gentilty, who did all in thier
power to alleviate the sufferings of the women
and children. One young man in particular,
whose name regret did not learn, observed
brute disposscss some little children of seat
they had from the first occupied. lie stepped
forward, and, by a we'll directed blow, hurled
the scoundrel out of the place he had usurped
and restored the little ones, Probably the rail
road officers in charge of the train did all they
could, but that is questionable. Not half the
passengers secured checks for baggage. Many
who did did so by paying the baggageman heav-
ily,-Cor. louisville Cougier-J Journal.
Year: 1879

An ADMINISTRATION PLAN FOR CARRYING
SOuTH CARoLINA.-Therc is to be q sweeping
change i'll the Federal officers in South Carolina
This change will soon DC announced. Certain
South Carolina Republicans have been in this
city within the last few days, representing that
South Carolina could be carried for the Repub-
licans in 1880 in case the right kind of Federal
ottceholders are placed in authority. Those
now in place are men who are timid and luke
warm in their Repubicanism, and have not the
requisite backbone to stand up against the tissue
ballot frauds and intimidatinG processes Of the
chivalry. What is needed these Republicans
say, is class of men brave enough to enforce the
national election i'll the face Of death, intimida-
ton and personal insult. 1t is claimed that the
present Federal oticeholders in that State are
either ovcrawed by the Democrats who arc now
in power, or else have formed affiliations with
them that destroyed their party usefulness.


Although this is q strictly civil service Ad-
ministration, John Sherman has succeeded in
so representing matters to Hayes that there is
high authority for the statement that sweep
ing change will be made throughout the count
ry. Where close contests are probable, the Fed
cral marshalships are to be made as strong us
possible. Upon the rigid enforcement of the
National election law in 1880 depends tho sue
cess Of the Republicans. AT least this is the
view taken by the National Committee.-N. Y.
San.
Year: 1879

BEWARE OF CHUFAS.-Last year
planted ! acres in Chutas and was we'll
pleased with the result, but this spring
have not been able to get any stand of corn
where the chufas was planted on account
of peculiar bug, specimen of which
herewith enclose. have planted this
ground three times. and had corn up beau
tifully each time, and now there is not one
blade to be found within fifty yards of
where the chufas grew, the ground is full
of these bugs, and have finally abandoned
the idea Of corn and planted it in peas
The bug thrusts his bill into the stalk of
the young corn and sucks the life out of it,
Several of my neiShbors say their expert
ence is the same as mine, they having been
entirely unable to get corn to stand on the
same ground where chufas grew last year.
One OF my neighbors planted chufas again
In the same place, aud reports that this
same bug has killed all the chufas. This
is the experience of every one so far as |
have heard who planted on stiff land, some
who planted on light sandy land do not
complain. This bug is not new conner,
but has been here for years but it is GER
tainly raised and encouraged in some way
by the chufas, to an extent never known
before.


l write this to put my brother farmers
on their guard, aud would advise those who
have not tried chufas to wait awhile and
see what people say enc year from Eow, for
fear that in this instance all is not gold
that glitters. lfmy experience next spring
is the same as this shall have no more
chufas about me. [ got splendid stand
of corn on all my land except this one piece,
and have the best crop in 5 years SO far.


Crops are good generally, and farmers
arc beginning to clay by" corn.


The bugs sent are female beetles Of the
group Brcnthidm. They live under bark,
and in trunks of old trees. IIsnris' Trea-
tics on insects says little has been printed
about them, though common in Middle
and Southern Statcs.-Ftrme ana Me-
chanic.
Year: 1879

The following interesting comm nication
has been sent us, says the New Y, World,
by gentleman who says he picked it up
on Park row few doors east of our office.


We are without any clue as to its author
ship, but we infer from the Internal cvi.
dcncc that it mpst be memorandum ad.
dressed by some journalist to the editor of
some neMsnaner