smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

The long evenings, which follow the short days, are made, in some families, the happiest of all happy times. The cares of the day arc ended; the mothers restingtime has come; the father has dropped all sorts of business worries and per plexities, and the whole family throw themselves with zest into the innocent pleasures of the home circle.

 Solomon tells us that there is time for all things: time to weep, and time to laugh, to play, and to dance. Surely the time to laugh, to play, and to dance comes most appropri- ately in the long pleasant evening hours, when

 The cares that infest the day

 Fold up their tents like Arabs,

 And silently steal away.

 It is we'll for the women of the household to remember that the pleasant evenings at home are strong antidotes to the practice of looking for enjoyment abroad, and seeking for pleasure in by and forbidden places; for relaxation and recreation will be indulged in somehow by most men, and happy are they who find in the home circle the diversion they need. A lively game, an in tercsting book read aloud, or, in mn sical families, new song to be prac ticed, will furnish pastime that will make an evening pass pleasantly.

 A little forethought during the day, little pulling of wires that need not appear, will make the whole thing easy, and different ways and means may be provided for making the evening hours pass pleasantly, and time to be looked forward to with pleasant anticipations. We visited once in large family where 1t was the duty of each sister, in turn, to provide the evenings occu- patton, and there was pleasant rivalry between them as to whose evening should be the most enjoya- ble. The brothers entered fully into the spirit of the simple home entertainments, and were as 10th to be obliged to spend an evening away from home as their sisters were sorry to have them absent. Every one spoke of this family as an uncommonly united one, for each and every member showed such strong attachment for the home to which each oue contributed so much pleasure.
Year: 1877

Is there any joy greater than that which is experienced by one person when he helps another person There are some men so low dowi- that it is sad they cannot bear tc have the smell of their clover go into the highway for fear that othe; folks will get something that belongs to them without paylng for it; there are some men who are said to be. grudge bees the honey which they take from their flowers without leav- ing anything behind; but that is doubtless imaginary. A man whose heart does not respond to an act of doing good or giving happiness is no longer a man. He has passed the line of manhood, and should be ranked among beasts.
Year: 1877

The following recipe, which is frequently inquired after, is given for the famous whitewash with which the Presidential mansion is adorned:

 Take one-half bushcl of unslaeked lime, slack it with boiling water: cover it during the process to keep in the steam. Strain the hquid through fine sieve or strainer and add to it peck of salt, previously dissolved in warm water; three pounds of ground rice boiled to a then paste; one-half pound of Span ish whiting, and one pound of clean glue which has been previously dis solved by soaking it well, and then

 hang it over a slow fire in a small kettle within larger one filled with water. Add five gallons of hot water to the mixture, stir it well, and let it stand few days covered from dust. It should be put on hot and for this purpose it can be kept in kettle or portable furnace. About pint of this mixture will cover yard upon the outside of a house, if properly applied, Fine or coarse brushes may be used accord

 ing to the neatness of the job re- quired. It answers as we'll as oil paint for wood, brick or stone, and is cheaper. It retains it's brilliancy for many years. There is nothing of the kind that will compare with it, either for inside or outside work. Coloring matter may be added of any shade desirable except green, for which there is no material that can be used with lime. Spanish brown will make reddish pink when stirred in, more or less deep accord ing to quantity. A delicate tinge of this is very pretty for inside walls. Finely pulverized common clay, we'll mixed with Spanish brown, makes reddish stone color; yellow ochre stirred in makes a yellowish wash, but ochre goes further, and makes a color generally esteemed prettier. It IS best to try expert ments on shinglc and let it dry.
Year: 1877

THE CROPS THIS SEASON-THE GENER-

 AL CAPABILITIES OF THE COUNTRY

 sTscK-RAIsING, FARM PRODUCTS,

 FRUITS, ETC.

 DOVER, July p, 1877.

 EDITOR DEMOCRAT: !Threshing has progressed to such a degree as to afford approximately reliable data concerning the yield of grass and small grain. The farmers have mostly thrcshed their wheat, and it affords me pleasure to say that the yield of that cereal will compare most favorably with the product of any previous year. The wheat yield this year goes far towards establish ing conclusively the wheat produc- ing capability of this portion of Ar kansas. Indeed the fact is now patent to any intelligent observer that northwest Arkansas is one of the best wheat producing sections in the United States. The soil is well adapted to the production of that grain, and the frequent refresh ing showers with which the country is favored during the spring months go far towards insuring plentiful crop every year. A fortnight or more ago the owners of threshers and separators fitted up their ma chimes for the rich harvest before them. The owners and workers of these machines are of course best informed as the yield of the present crop, and Of the amount of old wheat on hand, and from these well-inform- ed parties l learn that this year. crop of wheat will be largely in cx- cess of the demand for home con sumption, and many farmers have quantities of old wheat yet on hand, leaving the country amply able to provide bread the coming year not only for those now here, but for any influx of immigrants that may ar rive within the next twelve months.

 The grasses and oats never yield ed more abundantly than they have this year. These crops being plen- tiful and affording ample sustenance for stock, tend to lessen the demand for corn and thus to cheapen the price of breadstuffs.

 The corn crop promises yield above the average, as it was planted early as general thing, and has been cultivated with diligence and care. Most of the crops arc laid by, and few more rams at the proper time will make the yield in this
Year: 1877

If you have something to attend to, go about it coolly and thought fully, and do it just as well as you can. Do it as though it were the only thing you had ever to do in your life, and as if everything depended upon it. Then your work will be we'll. done, and it will afford you genuine satisfaction. Often much more does depends upon the manner in which things, seemingly trivial, are performed than one would sup pose, or than it is possible to fore sec. Do everything well, and you will find it conducive to your happi- ness, and that of those with whom you come in contact.
Year: 1877

EDITOR DEMOCRAT: That the an clients were right in their theory, that, "Both in morals and intellect, we give the final shape to our char acters, and thus become, emphatical- ly, the architects of our own fortune" 1" is sclf-evident fact. The educa. tion of every man depends solely, upon his own exertions, for, be as snred that there is no excellence without great labor; there can be no accomplishments without efforts. Every man is precisely what he makes himself, If he be an accom- plished statesman, he has made himself such: if he be an eminent lawyer or physician, it is only the result of his own excrtions; if he be an habitual lnebriate, wallowing in the slough of extreme degradation, it is because he would not be any thing else. An indolent tippler, though reared in the lap of affluence, will never rise to any great degree of emincnce, while his neighbor, whom we will call Diligent Perse- verancc, will outstride him, and take his stand among the foremost ranks of the nations great men, though he may have been rocked in the cradle of penury, ard though it required great efforts, and an un- daunted energy to remove the obsta- cles that continually arose in his way to impede his progress.

 We are fully aware of the fact that there is what might be termed q natural difference between men that is, some men naturally have more talent, greater tact and a more comprehensive mind than others, but however much talent man may have, or however great genius he may possess, that talent, or that genius, if allowed to lie dormant and unexercised or unexerted Sis like the poor moth that futters around the candle until it scorches itself to death.' Every man occupies exact ly that position ir life that he has gained for himself by his own ac- tions. By frugal industry and per severing energy, any man of ordi- nary talent may gain for himself an enviable position in life. We are accustomed to hear it said of those men who have, by their own extra ordinary efforts, written their names indelibly in golden letters high upon the pages of fame, "they are self made menr' An, self-made man! Where is'the man that IS not self made2 l want to see that man who has not made himself precisely what he is, whether he be the occupant of the Presidential chair, or whether he manages the Gubernatorial affairs of his State, or whether he holds an audience spell bound by his eloquent flow of oratory in the Congressional or Legislative halls of our country, or whether he be one of the honest yeomanry of our country, or whether he be an indigent tippler! Every man deserves credit for just what progress he has made by his own energetic efforts, and in the appor- tionment of "honors" among "self- made men," their circumstances, and opportunities should be taken into consideration; there are those in whom, considering their afiluent cir cumstances, and most favorable op- portunitics, it would be most unpar- donable did they not arise to some
Year: 1877

Some surprise was manifested that
Senator Spencer did not carry out his
idea of objecting to the vote of Alabama.
1t now appears that after consultation the
Republican leaders in the Senate decided
that it was best not to make any objec-
tion to the electoral vote OF Alabama.
This course was decided upon the ground
that the entering of an objection to the
vote of an uncontested State by the Sen
ate would be equivalent to an admission
on the part of the Republicans that Con-
gress has right to go back of the re-
turns and see whether fair election has
been held. In order not to set a pre-
cedent which might be used to the great
disadvantage of the Republican party in
the case of Louisiana and Florida, the
leaders decided not to make objections to
any State where there are not two sets of
returns, unless the Commission should
decide in the case of Florida that its votes
shall be counted for Tilden. Had this
decision been given the Republicans
would have objected to the vote of Mis-
sissippi.
Year: 1877

That which most interests tho New Eng.
land farmer of the present day is, to know
how he shall keep even with the world. Not
how he shall pay his bills at the close of the
year, and start again from that point from
which he started twelve months before, and
fair chance to start twelve months hence,
but how. as the world moves he shall move
with it how he shall be, in all respects, as
much better off at the end of the year, as the
merchant, the mechanic or the professional
man is f; by what means life is to be made
easier, more civilized and more human with
him, as it is with men of other occupations.


Now one thing he may understand at the
outset what is called "the good old way"
will not help him, for we see by its results
that in some respects it is very bad way,
and it is only when tho farmer leaves the
beaten track, and is willing to risk some
thing, that he has a chance of being anything
but sort Of human OK, working in his
daily yoke. The earth gives forth its best
products only to human intelligence and the
forces which that intelligence CONTROLS and
this being the case, the farmer needs brains
as well as muscle the former should be exer-
cised as well as the latter. This is an age
of improvement and it is not necessary
that we should commence where our fathers
did, but let us commence as near as possible
where they left of, that is, if they have kept
up with the times.


Knowledge is one Of the most important
things in regard to any kind of business, and
is Of no less Importance to the farmer thar
any other man Of business. A great deal o
very valuable information might be obtained
by the farmer from agricultural books anC
papers. From such sources he can learI
many things that would be of great valuC
to him in his spare moments he might ao
quire knowledge that would save him many
years of hard labor to acquire otherwise.


Now it is important that tho farmer a
well as all other men should have a 6xe
aim in life, something to work for, something
which, if obtained, will be worth what
has cost What shall this aim be2 Sbal
it be mere worldly prosperity, as tn
ownership Of land, herds, stock or bonds
All these in themselves will not make a ma


happy, or in the highest degree respectable
, but, while they are the main object Of lifi
Year: 1877

they are actual clogs to their possessor on
the other hand, if rightly managed, vast
good may grow from them as money is one
Of the best aids to advancement The work
by which our progress is made is stimulated
by desire of profit or wealth. 1t is this
desire that makes us work, that makes us
what we are, or may be, small or great. 1t
is work, real hard work with our head, hands,
and heart, this is the way to all true success.
Not only must we work with all our minds
and strength, but we should work as only the
love of money can make us work, and the
getting Of money should be the first aim of
our work, and it should be done in our farm
ing, as we would do in other kinds of busi-
ness. If We acquire money it should not be
put in the bank or out at interest, but should
be used for the Improvement of our farm.
An old saying is, "rake care of the farm
aud the farm will take care of you" and
there is much more truth iu it than many
might imagine.


In nearly all our papers and books on ag.
ricuture we often see this question asked
"Does farming pay2" and we fud it, an.
swered in great variety of ways; some
say that it does, aud some say that it does
not pay. Farming, like all other business,
depends greatly on the way it is carried on
whether it is paying business or not, but l
claim that farming as a business or occupa-
tion must be paying one if properly con-
Quoted, as agriculture was the primeval and
most important pursuit Of man, and will al
ways be so, as the necessities of the hui
man race require it, In the rise and fall OF
the nations agriculture is the therm ometer, as
we may call it. When agriculture is in a
thriving condition then, as general thing,
the nation prospers; but when it begins tc
decline, everything declines with it. The
history of our race shows that the tillage oi
the soil is the best advancement of civilization
The wants Of society require education, but
the wealth Of the universe depends mainly on
the products of the soil. Now the question
comes, how can we make farming a paying
business, and as economy seems to be the
word nowadays, "Ilow can we economic
in farming2"


TAet5o,d. G. &c.
Year: 1877

A great many churches are in danger of
dying because of learned pulpits. They are
carrying too much theology, and too little
active piety, to live. They are in the con-
dition of the patient who was told by his
physician, that, in order to live, he must
have his head cut off, The Christian world
owes great debt Of gratitude to the Meth
odist church, because it has done so much
to bring out and set to work the lay-element.
II has Reproduced the apostolic economy Of
moral forces. 1t has re-affirmed the right
of women to a religious character, and to all
those exercises of mind aud soul which make
such character possible. But the lay
element, as converting force, is not yet
fully developed, even in the Methodist
church and, if not in it, far less is it in
the churches Of other denominations. We
have approached so far toward liberty as to
doubt the divinity of our slavery. That, at
least, is sure, though there are some Of the
clergy loft who mourn because MIR. Moody
is not ordained. The time was, in this
country, when none but the minister could
conduct prayer-meotings, aud none save the
deacons were good enough to pray and cxhort
III VuOh hot SNOu buoyi uhleSS speCldlJ
by the invitation Of the pastor. The time
was when the sex would have been scan
dalized if christian mother should have
dared to lead in prayer at the family-altar,
or invoke the divine blessing at the table.
We have got some ways beyond that.


If any one desires to know where the
movement, begun in Westley, and which
has lifted and propelled the church as the
incoming wave lifts and heaves ship for
ward, will stop, he can easily ascertain. Its
logical conclusion, and to which the next
generation will come, is this,-that every
converted person, white or black, male or
female, has the iualienabe right to serve
God and man in whatever way the Author
of being, and the God of all grace, has
made possible. Voice and hand and heart
shall speak and labor and beat as the spirit
shall quicken them, unhindered by any.
That is what we are coming to that is the
shore toward which the current sets. On it,
when reached, the church will stand in that
wide liberty to love and work which she en-
joyed in her early prime. Swift be the COM
ing of that blessed day Golden Rule.
Year: 1877

| want to say word upon this subject be.
cause Of the frequency with which | hear
this expression, ellis education is good
enough for farmer" For a high-spiritcd
farmer boy, nothing is so dispiritiug as to hear
this exclamation. 1t seems to indicate that
il docs not take much of man to make
q farmer. Nothing is farther from the truth
Men of sound sense, and having the best cd.
ucation, belong to the hardy tillers of the
soil, aud they are the ones who are looked up
to and respected in community Of farmers
Give our country boys as good n chance as
the boys in the city, who have the advantages
in their longer school sessions, the handiness
of Libraries, and their more systematic course
of education. If they wish to go to school
till they are eighteen or twenty years old
let them go. They will never begrudge
few hundred dollars less in their legacies,
and it will make them many.fold more
thankful than if you had kept them to work
on the farm for the sake of saving few dol.
lars, which would have been doubly repaid
by them in the end.


Allow them to study chemistry botany,
natural history, natural philosophy, and even
geology, for all these they can observe in
glorious nature everywhere about them, in
the earth, in the air, in the woods and fields,
and in their own forms, which are the most
perfect OF natures creatures. This will give
him an added interest in his farm labors, and
will urge him to look into the reason Of things
which arc transpiring in all nature around
him. Bring up your children so that you
can trust them on the farm, aud there is no
danger in letting them finish their education
in few terms of study at college or semi
nary in city. shall always remember
the chance my father is giving me to obtain
complete education, and the best of educa.
ton need not rust on farm.


You will keep many more Of your boys at
home if you would give them good start in
telectually, and let them know there is a
world outside your boundary fence. Bring
the library or reading.room to your home by
taking some good papers, and by buying
some good books, for money thus spent is
is well invested.


10 this republican country everybody
should have 6rst.class education to enable
him to understand all questions of public in-
terest which arise in a country like ours.
Such men will make their mark in n commu-
nifty, and will not have lived in vain. My
father is farmer, and | write this in the
hope that it will reach the ears of other
| farmers.-Obi0 Farmer.
Year: 1877

HENNERY.-We advise every man to
build hennery on the same principle that
a farmer would build barn; first for COM
fort second for convenience, and then add
as much for elegance and style as he is will
ling to pay for. But such an expense should
not be carried to the business account, to be
settled out of the profits of the stock, but
rather to the account of ornament, to be
paid for in the owners satisfaction at fine
appearances. The plan we would adopt for
poultry house, is this: Build on a south
erly slope, if you can. Dig out for back
wall, to be cemented up; then lay upon it
a shed roof the front principally of glass,
the roof and sides shinglcd, with tarred pa
per between the boards and shingles. 1t
should be ten feet high in front, and five in
the rear On the inside have walk three
feet wide, running the whole length, high
enough from the ground to let the fowls un-
der, to scratch and go out into the yard.
Lay a floor over the rest, with the roosts on
the back part, with shelves under them to
catch the droppings, so arranged as to be
removed and cleaned once week. The
nests for large hens should be about foot
high for small ones, three feet high, and
small at the entrance, running back two
feet With such nests hens seldom learn
to eat eggs. Fasten the nests on tho
partition which separates the walk from
the coop.


A building thirty feet long and fifteen
feet wide, may be separated into three
rooms, large enough for twenty-five fowls
to room. Such a building can be put
up for fifty dollars, and is worth as much
for all practical purposes as the most ele-
CANT building, while every body that can
afford to keep good fowls can afford such
bcnnery.-Golden Rule.
Year: 1877

The ADMITTED fact that American manu-
facturers are competing successfully with
those of Sheffield in European markets is an
honorable tribute to American skill and en-
terprise. A few weeks since it was shown
that American watchers we're also gaining
largely upon the Swiss trade. 1t only needs
an open field and fair competition to give
American products of all kinds the vantage
ground. We can furnish bread and beef,
too, in superabundance for foreign markets.
The opening Of the new century is as hope
ful in all aspects as could be desired. Our
unexpected political complications and the
condition of our currency are the main draw
backs to unexampled prosperity. The former
are happily in the way of speedy solution.
The restoration of sound aud conditional
currency is a question of time, and that not
very remote,-BoSton Post.
Year: 1877

FARM INTEREsTs.-Among the signs Of
the growing importance Of the Agricultural
interest, the attention paid to farming af-
fairs by the general press of the country is
not without Significance. A few years back


notices and suggestions that might be of ben
eft to the farmer, seldom found their way
into the columns of political Journals, where
as to-day, the best and most eaterprisng
of these either publish special editions in-
tended mainly for circulation among the ru-
raj population, or embrace in each issue an
agricultural department. The ireer the dis
semination of practical aud scientific instruc-
tion among our agricultural population, the
greater will be their desire for fuller details
to be found only in papers specially devoted
to that subject. The passion for knowledge,
like that for riches, increases with the amount
of our acquisitions; and ignorance alone is
listless in seeking fresh information. We
welcome, therefore, every attempt to increase
knowledge, aud consequently the chances OF
prosperity, among those whose interests are
Identical with our own.-RuraL Neio Yorker.