smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

Now that the rigors of winter are
somewhat relaxed and the earth has
cast off her white mantle, hens are
very busy peeping into every nook
and corner, prating, with joyful antlc'
ipations, of coming events and while
warming up the enthusiasm OF their
keeper, they seem to be asking for
special care and attention. During
the interesting season their iege lords
paw very strict obedience to all their
wants and whims, and strut around
them with consequential airs that are
not little amusing to the observer.


The true method of managing all
kinds Of stock is to take advantage OF
their nature and assist in the advance
ment of their keepers interests. 10
induce a hen to lay, let the nest be
partly shaded. When she wants to set,
if you wish to remove her do 1t at
night and make her surroundings as
nearly as possible like those OF the nest
she laid in. On a farm where there are
many hooks and corners, and where
the farmer has some one to attend to
his fowls, boxes may be put up in a
number of places, and the fowls will
select and lay, each in her favorlte
nest, and when the time for setting
has come, each will go to her accus-
toned nest without much changing or
confusion; but where the accommodate
tions are more limited, more attention
must be given to the nests.


If several varieties are kept and 1t
is intended to maintain pure breeds,


each variety must be kept strictly


separate. Should any hens have begun


to lay before such separation, then the


first ten eggs laid afterwards should


not be set +: but when the fowls have


been separated three weeks without
laying, it is safe to save all subse
quent eggs for their purity.


If fowls have liberty, they need not
have warm, soft food. When The
snow is disappeared, they


will find gravel, seed, a little greer
food. ETC.; but should they be confined


the winters care must. of course, b.
.. continued. A lot of oyster-shells
;, thrown down on road or yard owe
, which horses travel, is very good TO


poultry on farm. Pure water is es
sential, and should there be any stag
: nant pools OF dirty water about tn
barn-yard, fill them up Immediately
= Drinking impure water is a source 0
= disease that should never be tolerated
Animal food should be given unit
: earth. worms make their appearance
: Feed literally with grain and you
Il hens will generously reward you
o liberality.
Year: 1877

covered three or four inches deep with
sand or ashes to retain the heat. Wood
en- boxes six inches deep, made OF very
thin boards, about two feet long, and
one foot wide, would be better than
pans and pots for some kinds OF plants.
The bottoms might be Of zinc, or gal
vanized sheet-iron, perforated with
small holes to allow water to pass
through them, if the watering should
be too copious. Such boxes could be
packed in without any waste OF room;
and they could be easily removed to
fork up the bed anew to increase the
heat,or to allow a new bed to be mace
when the heat of the old one is too
much exhausted.
Year: 1877

A good hot-bed may be made upon
the surface of the ground, piling up
the manure from two feet six inches
to three feet high, and at least six
inches wider all around than the frame.
This extra width tends to preserve the
heat within the frame; and ifait be q
foot wider than the frame it would be
better than six inches. The situation
should be where the soil is dry; and
the bed should front to the south, or
as nearly south as the location will
permit. The sashes should either be
procured before the bed is made. or
their exact size should be known when
the frame is made; and the frame may
be made to hook closely together
so as to be removed, and easily stored
away when not in use. Fresh horse
dung is the best manure to produce
heat. 1t should be thrown into hear
and wet slightly about week before
it is placed on the bed. and turned
over once or twice before using it tt
increase the heat. When put on tn,
bed, tread it down firmly, and cover i
about six inches deep with light. ricl
soil. and ascertain the degree of hea
when you desire to SOW your seeds, b,
plunging a thermometer into the soil
and if too warm, wait a day or tw,
for the bed to cool.


Seed will stand a heat of 90 degre
yerv we'll. Sometimes seeds are sow
in pots and pans, which are plunge
into the manure without any coverin
of soil; but in such case, it should b
Year: 1877

In t.le first place you cannot begin
too soon. When they are week Old,
begin to handle them gently, to gain
their confidence. And as you handle
them, if there be a heart of man or
boy in you, that heart will begin TO
warm as the .animal yields his conf
dence, and INDUCES in his playful ma
ture. But never allow them to be
tricked or plagued, as they can easily
be taught to be cross and spunky. as
we'll as kind and tractable. Next, put
cords on their necks ard noses and
lead them gently about. Halters and
brides come next-exercising the ut
most kindness and patience. Colts are
not naturally balky or sullen, unless
they are taught it by bad management.
1t is much easier to handle and teach
colt three months old than one three
years old. The lesson has to be taught
and always recollected. When by pa
tience and kindness the colt has been
taught the use of the halter and brl-
die, then begin with the harness. 1t
is not important it should fit. The
collar first; press it against the shoul-
der. See. that nothing is done in a
hurry or carelessly to frighten. Let
them smell of it, and satisfy them.
selves that it will not hurt them.
Sometimes these operations tickle
their tender skin. See that they are
not fretted thereby. When they are
used to the collar. put on gently more
of the harness. Press the collar against
the shoulder. When they get used to
this, take hold of the tugs and pull
back gently while they are induced to
step forward. In all this operation
never get excited, and, above all,
never strike colt. All they need is
confidence, and to know what you de.
sire them to do. Naturally, they know
all they ought to. With their power


did they know more, they would not


be such faithful and obedient slaves


A colt or horse, spoiled by bad man


agement or bad treatment, is ten times


as hard to make tractable and usefu


as to subdue and make useful a wile


horse from the pampas of the south


Whenever you see a tricky or balk.


horse, there has been bad management


There is difference in the temper AM
disposition of colts, but it is the dut.


of the one training to study that TEN
per and disposition, and proceed il
his operations accordingly. Acolt ca
be so thoroughly trained by the tim
he is three or six months old, that ther
will never after be any trouble in hay
r ing him one of the kindest and mos
: tractable horses. But patience ant
kindness are the means of teaching
directing and managing colts.
Year: 1877




From the Rural New Yorker.


How often do we hear the remark,
"What dull life farming must be!'
or. ssWho would live in the country
where there is no opportunity Tor nav
ing any fun 20 which is but a shorter
name for pleasure. 1t is certainly
true that many do find country lie
very dull if not almost unbearable !;
but we are free to say that the cause
of this is less in surroundings OF such
persons than in themselves. The Brl-
tish Museum or the Geological Gardens,
would no doubt be dull and uninterest-
ing places to great many persons
still this would not prove that they
were really unattractive to those who
have eyes to see and ears to hear'
with minds trained to enjoy such ex-
hibitions.


The same principle holds good IN re-
gard to the pleasures which the resi-
dents of city or country respectively
enjoy. Wealtbehas really but little to
do with happiness, or what we may
term pleasure or the ''fun OF living,
and it would be difficult to fix ''pov-
erty point" below which a human be.
ing may not live and be happy. In
deed it could be easily demonstrated
that there are proportionately as many
happy families who subsist on ten dol
lars a week or less, as on one hundred
and upwards. We must, therefore,
conclude that after a mans actual ne
cessities are supplied, the matter or
pleasure depends mainly upon his dls-
position, previous training, or capacity
for enjoying the things which come
within his reach. Now if the farm is
such dull place as many would make
lis believe, why is it and who is to
blame! There is certainly no lack OF
materials or opportunities for enjoy
ment of the most rational and lnnO-
Gently hilarious kind. What could be
more ENJOYABLE than trained animals
of all kinds, from mouse up to an OK
or horse and then what field there
is for study, as instinct improved be-
comes yeritable reason Let each
child have his pet animal to work
upon. thereby creating a friendly
strife which will make life all the
more pleasant.


Perhaps their taste may not be foI
animals. but for minerals, shells, plants
or some other of the thousand and one
objects of natural history to be founo
onevery farm all of which may be gath
cred and studied in leisure moments
without wasting the time required To-
labor in the field. The boy if tol(
he may go fishing after his task
done, usually finds a way to ge
through with it in time to spend hap
NV hour where the 'sfun comes in, AM
this might often be done III hunting
for plants to put in his herbarlum, o
for insects, shells. minerals, or othe
objects of natural history to enrich hi
cabinet.


OF course the parents should secon
all these deviations from the far to
general routine on the farm, Whlc
often amounts to little more tha
working eating and sleeping-a fat
that accounts, in great measure, te
the widespread complaint, that boy
and girls leave the farm whenever a
opportunity presents itself. And WI
will blame them, if the farm can otft
no inducements for remaining! Thel
is world of amusement on every acl
of land occupied by plants and livir
creatures, and it is only those who al
blind through ignorance who fail
find it.
Year: 1877

forced to work very hard. Does not
YOUR wife work harder than you do
Let us ask you that question. And are
her nights broken by care Of a nurs'
ing baby, or by looking after little
children! If so, unless you desire to
shorten her days, think upon these
things, and apply the lesson to your
own case.
Year: 1877

A CURIOUS story comes from India. The
viceroy had received some offsnse from Scin-
dia, and could not avenge it openly. where
upon he meditated and took the following
deeply delberated method of retaliation:
When large number of native princes came
up before him to make their obeisance, no
sooner did the offending Scindia enter than
the sviceroy sprang forward with unwonted
effusiveness and kissed him on both cheeks
Such contact from an alien and Christian is
the EXTREMIST taint native can receive.
Scindia's own wives would not come near
him; in one moment he sank in the eyes of
all India from prince to pariah, and ever
since the poor man has been undergoing pu-
rifying ceremonials, costing large part OF his
fortune, to cleanse him from the vice-regal
kiss by which he was betrayed.
Year: 1877

A GREAT many patriots whose nocturnal
pillows have been unvisited by the balmy re-
pose of sleep ever since Tweed's confession
leaked out, will now slumber serenely. the
Attorney General of the State of New York
having declined to consent to Tweed's re-
lease, and having returned him all his papers.
The Attorney General evidently thinks it bet
ter that one guilty man should suffer and
that ninety-nine other guilty men should es-
cape. Tweed is a bad man, and his attempt
to ruin the Democratic party by pretending
that he had accomplices, deserves TO be de.
fnatnd
Year: 1877

The above POOR fellow
has for the past year been
travelling in Europe for
his health, AID finally at
the URGENT REQUEST
of his most INTIMATE
FRIENDS was induced to
return to the bosom of his
(pOliticaI) family. For q
number of years he has
worn to his disgust a S.
100000 SUIT which he
now intends to dispose of
to the State Attorney in cx-
change for liberty.
Year: 1877

"THE war will not last long," says the
Hon. George 81. Boxer to reporter of the
Philadelphia Press. sRussia will carry ev-
erything before her, providing Turkey does
not find an ally or allies" A distinguished
officer in the service of the Porte has assured
him that the Turkish forces are in no condi-
tion to resist the advance of an army directed
in accordance with the scientific principles of
modern warfare, and that the Russian army
will be in Constantinople within six weeks, if
Turkey be unassisted by any other nation.
He thinks that a mutual understanding has
been arrived at between Russia and Germany.
The German Chancellor has never given up
the idea of crushing France. The wonderful
recuperation of The French nation after the
peace of Versailles, the rapid reorganization
of the army and the certainty that the strug-
gle would be renewed at some future day
all these have been taken into consideration
at Berlin. Germany to-day is one vast camp;
it is stronger than ever before aud better fit
ted for war; but this has been accomplished
at the cost of prosperity. While France is
growing rich, Germany is becoming poor by
reason of the vast armies, the expense of
which is draining the wealth of the nation to
its dregs. Germany has been unable to
crush France simply because the Gear would
not listen to it. Hence, in order to dispose Of
Russia, Germany was obliged to wait until
that power became involved with Turkey,
and to effect this the German Embassador
spared no pains in urging upon the Russians
the fact that Germany would not interfere
with any programme the Gear would under
take to carry out. But SO thoroughly was the
reason for this understood at the Russian
Court, that when on one occasion the Ger
man ambassador was speaking to the Emper-
or on the subject his Imperial Majesty turned
his back and refused to hear any more. Mr..
Boxer does not think that Great Britain can
long remain an impassive spectator when
Russia threatens communication with India.
If the war can be confined to Russia and Tur-
key the danger will be over--for the present.
But once let Germany give the signal for an
other march on Paris, and all Europe will be
ablaze With conflict SO mighty that empires
must be obliterated before peace shall reign
again.
Year: 1877

We do not read anonymous letters and communi-
cations. The name and address of the writer are in
all cases Indispensable not necessarily for publication
but as guaranty of good faith.


We cannot undertake to return or reserve commu-
nications that are not used
Year: 1877

man who had been ordered to arrest certain
person in his room, meeting with resistance,
rushed down stairs with the person after him.
The cries OF both policeman and the cxciteu per
son whom he would arrest were hastily sup
posed bY the officers in charge Of the soldiers to
proceed from revolutionists, and orders were
issued to fire upon the crowd. Fortunately,
although repeated, these orders were not
obeyed.
Year: 1877

A Mexican correspondent of the San
Francisco Commercial writes: All through
the night / heard a short swapping
sound coming from the twigs of the
bushes, but in the darkness was unable
to ascertain the cause. 1t was not con-
fined to any one bush, but extended the
whole distance. There was no regularity
about it, but it fell upon the ear at in
tervals, like the pattering of the first
large rain-drops that precede a heavy
shower; but no rain-drops ever made so
loud a noise, even when falling upon
the shingle roof of country barn. l
fell asleep trying to make out the cause,
and was awakened by the continued
snap, snap, snap, which disturbed my
slumbers. 1 knew it couldn't be the
day breaking, because it was not near
the morning hour. But when morning
did come, and the sound had not ceased,
/ discovered it arose from the oysters
that were actually growing ON the
bushes, every twig of which held along
its length cluster of from ten to twenty
oysters about two inches long by an
inch and half wide. thought it
was strange country where the
bushes bore such fruit as that. The
branches of the bushes were submerged
at high water, and the young oysters
grew upon them until their weight broke
off the branches and they fell into the
soft, muddy bottom. 1t was the sudden
closing of thin shells which produced
the sound. Some naturalists have said
the oyster can be educated; but this was
the first time 1 was ever an auditor Of an
! oyster concert,
Year: 1877

Our relations with the Republicans of
Central and South America, and with the
Empire of Brazil, have continued without
serious change further than the temporary
interruption of the diplomatic course with
Year: 1877

Representative Steele, of the Antrim
district. has introduced bill into the
Legislature to detach certain territory
from the township of Burt, in this
county, to be organized into a township
to be known as Pennington. The ne
cessities OF having division of the town
of Burt must be apparent to all who
have given the matter any consideration.
When the present township was organ
lied the principal, and we might say the
only settlement was in that portion of it
in tie region of Indian Village, but since
that time Otherportlons of the town have
been settled to a considerable extent.
and each season increases the number Of
settlers, this, with the vast extent of ter
ritOry comprised in the town. makes it
rletes sary to have division for the beEe


fit OF those who are remote from the
older settled portion Of that township.
This necessity was plainly shown at
the general election last fall, in, the fact
that, owing to the distance and inacces-
sibllity to the polls, the Numerous settlers
on the west side of Burt lake were vir-
tually DISTINGUISHED, being unable to
reach the polling place by reason OF the
great distance and the fact that Burt
lake, which they were obliged to cross it
they got to the polls, was very rough on
that day. 1t is also utterly impossible
tor the officials of the town to look and
care for, Us they should be, the interests
of the different settlements, situated, as
they are, so far from each other. Again,
there isiikely to arise feeling OF dissat-
istaction among the settlers of the differ
enU sections Of the town on the. GROUND
that their portion of the town is being
neglected, and their section not receiving
the due proportion in the way of i'm
proving the highways and making other
improvements. All this feeling can be OBJ
Waited by Il division of the town as the
number of settlers i'm any one portion
may be sufficient to demand such di-
vision. We do not believe In making
divisions unless the population is suf-
ficient 10 warrant it and the interests of
the settlements demand it, but we think
that in this case it is required and that
it will be benefit to all sections of that
township, and we hope that the bill may
become law and the division be made.
There is territory enough in Burt to
make several good sized townships,
and as fast as the necessities
demand it. the divisions should be.made.
The same is true of some or the other
towns in this county.
Year: 1877

While Cheboygsn has been enjoying
all unusually pleasant winter, other por
tions of the country, situated much
farther South, have experienced All un
usual quantity Of severe cold weather
Even so far south rs the state of Ken.
tucky the Thermometer has indicated
some twenty degrees below zero, aud the
"oldest inhabitants" say they never ex.
perlenced such weather; and the same
has been the case in Southern Ohio and
Indiana, and yet the citizens of that sec
tion think that this is a sort of polar re-
giOn, where the mercury freezes every
day during the winter. and commiserate
the inhabitants of this section i'm having
20 reside in such Greenlandish portion
OF the country. Their ideas in regard to
our climate arc as fully erroneous as were
their impressions of this section i'm refer
ence to Its adaptability for agricultural
pursuits but upon this latter subject
thanks to the press of the village-a
knowledge of the advantages of this Sec
ton TOR purposes of agriculture has been
disseminated and the false impressions
in this regard are being eradicatcd, and
the effect is manifested i'm the numerous
settlements splinging up i'm different por-
tions oflour county, and, we think, it will
not be long until a more correct knowl-
edge of the actual condition of our cli-
mate will become generally known. and
the citizens be at least saved from the
cOmmisserations of those who now are
ignorant in regard to the temperature of
this latitude. tt


We have heard nothing but expires
siOns OF delight from those who are
spending the winter in our county for
the first time. The great advantage Of
this climate is the fact that it is not SUBJ
.ieccs to severe changes. While our ex-
treme cold weather does not exceed that
of more southern localities, the tenpera-
tufe is more equal, and the consequence
is that we do not feel the effects OF even
the extreme cold rs they do in those eli
mates where one day it may be as warm
rs spring, and perhaps within twenty
four hours the thermometer indicates
zero and below. Again. the tempera-
ture being so uniform, we enjoy the ben
eft OF IIice clean roads with good sleigh
ing during the whole winter, and hot a
succession ofinutl, slush. and then freez-
ing up leave roads with frozen knobs hub
high for vehicles to jolt over. The snow
falling i'll the early part of the season,
before the frost enters the soil, and re-
naming on the ground during the win
ter, prevents the ground from freezing to
any great depth, so that when the snow
goes OFT in the spring the soil is ready
for cultivation. er.
Year: 1877

Governor Nichols, being asked by q Chicago
interviewer his views on the political situa-
tiOn, is reported to have replied "that the cot
ton and sugar crops were good; that in Louis
lana there is less crime than there has been for
twenty years past I; that party lines have been
broken down aud politics are forgotten in
determination and business, and that it would
be premature for him to say what he would do
about PardOning the members of the Returning
Board till they have been tried and convicted n