smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

believe there has been no more perni-
formation which the piano-forte has under
gone since Beetheven's time, and its diffu-
sion over all the world | do not refer to
the cruelties which it is daily the means of
inflictipg upon inohensive families and true
lovers of music, but to the effect that it has
had upon composition and upon perform
ance. The former it has helped to he at
once fashy, dull, intricate and shallow !;
the latter it has led to be astonishing. Bril-
liancy, crowd of notes, sonerity, all, with
out beauty of form or emotional suggestive
ness--this is the music which the modern
grand piano-for;e has brought upon us. Not
only piano-iorte music, but in a measure all
music, has become a brilliant fantasia by
Signor Rumblestominsk. We do not sit in
a passive silence to listen to it we talk, or
are tempted to talk against it and the
praise we give it is not look of serene Joy,
with that tinge of sadness which Shake
speare had in mind when he made Jessca
say, "Pm never merry when l hear sweet
music" but a clapping of the hands and
| congratulatiou upon a brilliant triumph
And then we turn aside and go on with oul
society gabble. Orchestral leaders and per
| formers are not content unless they have g
score to interpret" They must have big
brilliant noise. The pitch has been raised
until singers shrek, in order that the tone
of the instrument may be brilliant. Oul
ears must be shot through and through with
piercing shafts of sound. The time is quick


ened until allegro has become presto, anc
presto maddened indistingushable rush


Even Theodore Thomas loses some of tn,


majesty of the final movement of the "Fiftl


symphony" by too quick a movement ant


in the Trio of the Scherzo he drives tn


BASES into a headlong scramble up an,


down the scale. When the clear succession


of notes becomes indistinguishable, musica


form, and with it musical beauty is lost AN


the performance becomes a mere victor


over musical difficulties. And this quicken


ing of time is exactly what should not hav


taken place. Our orchestras have increase


in size and in volume of sound since the day
of Mozart and Beethoven. As larger bodie:
therefore, their movement should be a littl
slower to produce the effect which the grea
5 composers had in mind. But in our rag
l for brilliancy we have hastened the move
ment ; as if we should make an elephar
r gallop like horse. Moreover we have ia
len into the fatal error of making the finisl
t if not the difficulty of execution, superi'
r to the presentation of beauty in form IN
u in expression.-Richard Grant White IN
i Gd[dry for June,
Year: 1877

The evils arising from compression of the
chest and body in early life are not exclu.
sively restricted to the female sex. School
boys and youths constantly practice the
habit of binding up their clothes around
their bodies by means of belt tightened
firmly above the hips, instead of wearing
the braces over the shoulder. Some boys
and youths are also taught the plan of put
ting on an extra belt for "holding in the
BREATH" before they run or leap. In the
pursuit OF certain active businesses in which
weights have to be carried, this same sys-
tenn OF wearing tight belt is adopted and
practiced by workingmen, until the artih-
cial and ingenious support, as it is assumed
to be, becomes, like the corset of woman,
veritable necessity. To the belt the
same objection applies as to the tight
band and corset. 1t impedes the free action
of the abdominal organs it impedes the
freedom of the respiration; it interferes
with the circulation in the young athletes
who wear it while they are running, rowing
climbing or wrestling, it tends to bring on


hernia-rupture.-- Diseases Of Modern Life.
Year: 1877

The following words of Thomas Jefferson
are quite opposite just now, and the fraudu-
lent President should reflect upon them /:
II confess that l am not reconcied to the
idea of Chief Magistrate parading him
self through the several States as an object
OF public gaze, and in quest of an applause,
which, to be valuable, should be purely vol
untary. had rather acquire silent good.
will by faithful discharge of my duties
than owe expressions oft to my putting my
self in the way of receiving them"
Year: 1877

A new edition of etiquette says that it is
no longer fashionable for young men to call
on their girls on Saturday evening. This
willgive the girls chance to put their hair
up in bits Of paper before one O'Clock on
Sunday morning,
Year: 1877

Col, Noyes spent his youth in active
work on his fathers farm, attending the
village school during the winter months,
until he was competent to assume the posi-
ton that in the good old days of the Repub-
lie was the highest ambition of the boys of
the country and village, that of teacher OF
the district school. In this manner Of liv.
ing he attained mans estate, when, in part
nership with his father, he engaged in lum-
bering on the Connecticut river. The success:
of this enterprise led him to seek in his ear
ly ambition, wider field of operation.
Year: 1877

WorkiDgmen of Pennsylvania you have
a candidate for Treasurer on the Democratic
ticket who is one of yourselves, familiar with
all the toll, disappointments and trials that
fall to the lot of those born to earn their
living and place among the men of the ma
tion by the sweat of their brows-a whole
souled, big-hearted gentleman fine type
of American manhood, who is all and more
than he assumes all that honest meu want
in public officer, and whose life and ener'
gies thus far have been spent in doing good
to others as well as to himself.


THEN BE TRUE TO YOURSELVES.


be true to your order, and true to your State
let not demagogues interested only in thei
own advancement lead you from the path o
duty, and you will in the election of Col
Amos @. Noyes, Of Clinton, secure to tn
old Commonwealth Treasurer who will b
firm in the honest discharge of the duties {
his Office and add new lustre to the recon
of the sons of toll.
Year: 1877

district two years, yet he had served but one
year in the district as now composed, and he
was again re-elected-a remarkable testimo-
ny of his character for integrity in the dis
charge of the duties of a Legislator in dis
trict where candidates of known ability,
anxious to serve the people in that capacity
are able to be found in most any township.
Year: 1877

A Missourian who had been in Den
yer long enough to get hold of the ropes,
went into drug store the other day,
and speaking in a familiar way to the
clerk, asked ifhe had any muriatic acid.
The clerk said yes, he took down a jar
labeled "muriatic acid" and set the jar
and a graduate measure down by the
Missourian, who proceeded to pour out
about "four fingers" of the contents into
the measure and swallow it. A num-
Der of persons present who saw the per-
formance, noticed the man smack his
lips with event satisfaction and 60 oui
feeling good, whereupon they asked the
clerk if he was in the habit of doing
such things, and others wanted to know
if he wasn't the fire king that belonged
to the side show. The clerk informed
them that the object of their solitude
was private gentleman who performed
that feat once or twice day for pleas
ure, but he didn't tell them that the jal
labeled muriatic acid contained old Ken
lucky sour mash whiskey, distilled il
1890
Year: 1877

It isn't boys play, reader, to make a
newspaper. Everybody can't do it, al
though most people think they can.
More excellent qualities of head and
beart are required in an editor than in
any other calling or profession in the
world. He talks TO more people than
the pulpit does, and talks to people of
all grades of life and of all shades of be-
lief. II conscientious, and no man who
is not has any business in the editorial
chair, he feels the responsibility of his
position as if it were mountain on his
soul. He knows that the welfare, m oral
growth and peace of the community de-
pend largely upon his daily or weekly
utterances. Many times does he draw
his pen through lines which express his
sentiments, but which he fears may be
misunderstood, and do harm to some OF
those whom he desires to make better
and not worse. 1t is not an easy position
it is scarcely desirable one; and yet, il
he happens to express sentiment which
does not suit the reader. the latter is
uncharitable enough to lose no time in
censuring him. The editor does not al.
ways think as the reader does; he can't
If he did, if he never expressed senti
ment except such as the reader cherish
ed, what would be the object of taking
his paper? 1t is certainly foolish to pay
for a journal which simply contains 8
rehash of what we have long before
thought of ourselves. But, reader
when you are induced to find fault with
the editor because he says something
that doesn't suit you, remember tina
you can't get paper under the sun, if i
amounts to anything, that will not some
times say things that you can't agre
with.
Year: 1877

FoREIGN.-Gladstone, in speech at
Taunton, Saturday, said: "We ought to
mind our own business, and why we
should mind the Eastern question is be-
cause We have chosen to make it our
own question. 1t was made our business
under circumstances which no true.
hearted Englishman will disown. ]
have had within few days the honor OF
a letter from Mr.. Schuyler, United
States Secretary of the Legation and
Consul General at Consta1 tinople, in
which he says he is about to make q
further report on the trials and execu.
tions and on the state of Bulgaria. q
think you will find it, he writes
abundant confirmation, of the remark
at which Selim Effendi took offense.' ]
quote this because those who wish Il
lull the people of England into ignobl,
slumber are fond of saying there ha
been no exaggeration OF this subject
There has been no exaggeration excep
the exaggeration that the Turks had il
them the capacity and desire of reform
Do not listen to that for a moment. Blu
as to to the black deeds done in Bulgari
the whole vocabulary of the human
language is insufficient to paint them a
they deserve"
Year: 1877

Passengers on the "Valley Railroad"
are attracted daily by the conduct of a
large and intelligent dog waiting by the
roadside for the daily newspaper, which
was formerly thrown to him from the
baggage-car for his master, who lived
half mile from the rails. The mas
ter has been dead many months, but the
faithful dog has not missed the mail.
train day since. There is no paper
for that master now, but sometimes the
baggage-man, in pity for the dog, tosses
a paper to him as the train rushes by
which he eagerly seizes and starts joy
fully over the hills for his home. When
the train has gone by and no paper is
thrown he rushes wildly up and down
the track, gazing after the cars with ar
almost human look of disappointment
and jogs dejectedly homeward Il New
Haven Comm Register.
Year: 1877

Talking about the solution of the
problem of fence or no fence, let me tell
you that the matter has been settled in
certain townships in this county, and no
fence has become the order of the day.
Driving north from Champaign City,
ILL.,, by the time you have gone two
miles fences hSve disappeared, notwith-
standing hundreds OF town cows wander
ing on the streets not two miles of. And
this has been going on for three or four
years, without any reasonable chance
for return to the old fencing fashion.
Town people have learned to care for
their cows or take the consequences, and
slip shod farmers TO herd their vaga.
bonding stock, or il goes to the pound
IL Prairie Farmer.
Year: 1877

A grave robber has just been tried in
St. Louis. The legal accusation was
grand larceny, and that is the crime of
which he was convicted, the coffin Sesag-
the article mentioned in the indictment
as stolen. The body had no value in
law. and in Missouri the statute against
"body snatching" inficts only an insig-
ni6cant penalty. The defence was that
a coffin after being put in a grave is
abandoned, has no owner, and therefore
cannot be stolen, but that point was
oyerruled.
Year: 1877

Susan Shrock had the reputation in
Princeton, KY, Of being wonderfully
trustworthy fortune teller. She was not
an old hag, according to custom, but
rather young and pretty. She predicted
that G. Lewis Hollingsworth would meet
death at the hands of unknown men on
the highway, and that his horse would
return home alone, and that his body
would never be found. A few days
ago he started on horse back journey,
and soon the horse came back riderless.
His wife was grief stricken until she
learned that Susan had also disappeared
and that her husband had taken his
best clothes and all the. money he could
accumulate. Now she is searching 70,
his body, but she expects to find it alive
near by Susan.
Year: 1877

The romance of travel is fading away.
Asia is to have the iron horse instead of
Arab steeds, and the stern facts instead
of poetry. Jaffa will be made first
class harbor, and a railroad will be con-
structed from the seaboard to the land
of Moab. People will soon be able to
take Pullman car instead of a camels
hump, and run through the land
at the rate of forty miles an hour. First
class hotels are to be erected at Jerusa-
lem, and summer resorts on the Sea of
Galilee and on the edge of Mount Leb-
anon --
Year: 1877

A gentleman, who was curious enough
to investigate, tells me that where a
thousand people used to come from
Brooklyn to places of amusement in
New York, before the great disaster,
scarcely a score night have crossed the
river since. This statement is confirm
ed both by the ferrymen and the pro-
prietors of down town restaurants. One
of the latter says that above a hundred
persons were accustomed to step in his
place for lunch before going home, after
the ride down from the uptown thea
ters, whereas be now regards himself
fortunate if half dozen of this class OF
patrons present themselves. In thi.
way the effects of the fire extend beyond
theatrical interests to the hackmen, horse
car companies and res.aurateurs, and in
turn to the many dependent on these
New York Correspondence Chicago
Tribune.
Year: 1877

A Topeka Woman had prepared to
elope, but her husband hearing of her
intention came forward with his check
book and offered her money for her ex.
penses, while his face was illuminated
with unbounded joy. She reconsidered
the matter and concluded not to go. Il
! took all the romance away.
Year: 1877

LABOR AND WAIT-Honest, upright
and fearless conduct must needs have
admires, though many people are una
BILE to perceive actual merit, because
they live and move in a misty atmos-
phere of prejudice. No young man
ought to be cast down because one or
more of his acquaintances are inclined
to reject him and underrate his merits.
The time is sure to come when modest
worth Will meet the reward which is its
due, and when long continued and pa
tient aspirations will be gratifed. If a
young man is disliked and neglected by
those from whom he ought to expect the
best of treatment, let him remark that
they are but one, or two, or three out of
the millions of humanity. While there
is life there is hope; and those who
habitually ill-treat others may be forced
to solicte favors from the hands of those
upon whom they have spent their super
o;liopopocu
Year: 1877

Honey and beeswax are among the
important products Of this country. At
least twenty million pounds annually is
the production, and increasing, worth in
money at least six millions of dollars.
OF this about seven hundred thousand
dollars worth of honey also goes abroad.
The total product of honey and wax is
worth at present in the United States
nearly $15 100000.
Year: 1877

How softly ebb the tides of will


How felds, once lost or won,
Now lie behind me green and still


Beneath a level sun
How hushed the hiss of party hate,
The clamor of the throng
How old harsh voices OF debate


Flow into rhythmic song
Methinks the spirits temper grows
Too son In this still mir,
Somewhat the restful heart l0TegOes
or needed watch and prayer.
The bark by tempest valnly tossed
May founder in the calm,
And he who brayed the polar frost
Faints by the isles of balm.
Better than selfindulgcnt years
The outilung heart of youth,
Than pleasarA songs in idle ears
The tumult OF the truth.
Rest for the weary hands is good,
And love for hearts that pine,
But let the manly habitudc


OF upright souls be mine.
Let winds that blow from heaven refresh,
Dear Lord, the languid air;
And let the weakness OF the flesh
Thy strength of spirit share.
And if the eye must fail of light,
The ear forget TO hear,
Make clearer still the pirts sight,
More fine the inward ear.
BE near me in mine hours of need
To sOothe. or cheer, or warm,
And down these slopes OF sunset lead,
As up the hill Of morn
Year: 1877

THIS is the age Of cant and Pharisaical
reformation. We have had reformed
druukards, thieves, burglars, bagnio keep.
ers, who have become shining lights in the
sanctuary, far eclipsing men and women
in the blaze of devotion; hence there is
hope for us in the political order. The
wearer Of stolen sceptre may desire to
strengthen his usurpation by justice. Give
him a trial.
Year: 1877

BY an act of the grossest carelessness
on the part of the bridgekeeper in ne
glectiBg to lock the draw of the bridge
over Shrewsbury river at Oceanport, on
the line of the New Jersey Central rail
road, last Thursday morning, the train
was thrown from the track and pitched
into the river OF the four hundred
passengers on board one hundred were
more or less seriously injured and one
killed outright.
Year: 1877

CUTTING OUT A NERVE TO CURE NEURAL
GIA.-For several years Judge Bay, Of St.
Louis, has been great sufferer from facial
neuralgia, and to avail himself of any
benefit that might possibly result from
change of climate spent most of 1873 in
California and the last part Of 1874 in Colo
RADIO without any material benefit, and on
his return from Colorado DIR. IIOdgen cut
out little over One-half inch of the fifth
facial nerve, and for seven or eight months
the Judge experienced entire relief from
the disease, but at the expiration OF that
time it gradually returned upon him with
increased severity, until life was almost I'M
bearable. DR.. Hodgen became satisfied
that the separate parts Of the nerve had
united, and he determined to perform Il
second operation. and on the 18th inst. cut
out two inches of the nerve and removed
several collateral branches. The operation
lasted fifteen minutes, was exceedingly
painful, and though the judge declined to
take chloroform or any Opiate he stood the
knife without flnching. The judge has
had no return of the neuralgia pains, and
all the indications are that the operation
will prove eminently successful.
Year: 1877

CLERKS IN THE MAIL SERVICE TO BE UNI
FoRMED.-On recommendation Of Mr. Vail,
Superintendent of the Railway Mail service,
the Postmaster General has issued an order
requiring each and every employee of that
service, (including local agents and mes
sengers as we'll as route agents and postal
clerks to provide himself during the next
sixty days with a uniform to be worn whom
ever on duty. The uniform will be of plain
blue material, and is expected to cost
something less than $2S per suit. The
purpose of the order is to guard more
effectually against robberies of the mails,
and especially to prevent the handling Of
mail bags between the wagons and the
offices, or cars. by persons who boldly take
advantage of the natural presumption that
they have a right to be carrying the mail
pouches, &c, which may be seen in their
hands.
Year: 1877

ST. LOUIS, Nov. 13.


AT midnight tonight fire broke out
in the engine room of five story
building on Fourth street between Pine
and Chestnut, opposite the Planters
House. The flames Immediately as
cended the elevator. and all the rooms
in the rear of the building. from the
basement to the roof, are now in flames,
John Bonnell's restaurant in the rear of
the building is destroyed, and the fire
has extended through to Fourth street.
The front of the magnificent Chamber
of Commerce building is only spared
from the burning structure by 30
foot area, bat as the wind is from the
southeast and the flames are driven
northwest. the prospects now are that
the building will not be injured beyond
the possible breaking of the plate glass
windows of the Merchants Exchange
Hall, which occupies the whole of the
western side of the Chamber of Com.
meroe building. The whole fire de
partment are on duty.
Year: 1877

A YOUNG man Of Paterson, New Jer-
sey, went courtiug. lie was one of the
sentimental kind, and during sweet in
terview with his lady-love be picked up
handkerchief which he supposed to be
hers and slipped it into his pocket. 1t
happened to be the lady's mothers hand
kerchief, with her loose change tied up
in one corner. After the visit to the girl
the young man went on spree and for
got all about the handkerchief. The Old


lady missed her property and lad the
lover arrested as a thief. When brought
up standing in the Police Court, and
hearing Of what he was charged, he pro-
duced the handkerchief and cash un-
touched. lie explained-was discharged
and left tho Court with all the sentimen-
talism crushed out Of him.
Year: 1877

A CuURcH HORROR Last Sunday
the Sexton Of Grace Episcopal Church
San francisco, attempted suicide in the
chancel Of that building, and the wor-
shippers who had arrived and found the
Church closed, found him with his throat
cut, on forcing open the doors. Not hav-
ing cut in the right place saved his life
and he viii probably recover. lie had an
invalid wife and child depending on his
wages for support and having been noti-
fed that he would not be retained as SEX
ton after the end Of this month is thought
to have unsettled bis mind aud led him
to attempt self destruction.
Year: 1877

SAFES to be Of any use in Arizona must
be manufactured for the climate. The
Yuma Sentinel says that the Halls safe
in the Recorders Office has warped and
swelled so that the inner doors can not be
closed at all. The great Tilton & McFar-
land safe belonging to the Southern Pa
cifc Railroad Company at Colorado Sta
ton every now and again swells SO that
the agent has to get two or three men to
help him open it.
Year: 1877

THE FoRGIvING " BUSINESS. Tho
Molly Maguires all died folgiying :"
everybody. This is pleasant to think of.
If they had exercised the quality Of for
giyeness in life their victims would have
been living and they also. But the Mollys
are not alone in the possession of the di-
vine attribute of forgiveness, Every con
demned murderer gets reduced to that
happy frame Of mind by the time that he
reaches the scaffold that he is ready to die
Mt pence with God and all the world.
Year: 1877

A SENSIBLE AcT.-During seven years
Charles Eichorm, of Cincinnati, was sup
ported by his wife, who worked hard to
do it. Recently she tod him that she
was tired Of that kind Of thing, and that
he must earn his own living. He was in
excellent health, and had trade but he
had been SO long used to idlencss that
Mrs. Eichorm's resolution was II great
shock to him. The poor fellows feelings
we're hurt, too and he went into the yard
and hanged himself.
Year: 1877

SOME kind hearted women in Scott
county, Ky, thought agreeably to sur
prise a poor neighbor by setting her house
to rights during her temporary absence,
and among other operations took up a
carpet, put the straw in the fireplace and
set it on FIRE. They then went on with


then cleaning until men rushed in and
told them that the upper part Of the house
was in full blaze. The house was soon
destroyed, with nearly all the furniture.
Year: 1877

STILL BITING.-Notwthstanding the
many times the people have been bitten
BY the stock sharps of San Francisco
they appear to be always ready to bite
again when new deal opens. Stocks are
now coming I'D again, and the report is
that " small depostors are Withdrawing
for the purpose Of investing in stocks.
And so it will continue al tnftnttum.-
People like to gamble.
Year: 1877

THE City Of New York will probably
recover, by compromise from the Ring
plunderers something more than it has
cost to prosecute them. Meanwhile they
will have paid to their own attorneys for
defending them, many times more than
the city will recover from them. Tweed
IS presumed to have paid his attorneys a
million or two, Of which amount David
Dudley Field has had the lions share.