smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

Well, Tom, my boy, must say good-by,
I've had a wonderful visit here;
Enjoyed it, too, as well as | could


Away from all that my heart holds dear.
Maybe I've been trife rough


A little awkward, your wife would say
And very likely I've missed the hint


Of your city polish day by day.
But somehow, Tom, though the same old roof
Sheltered us both when were boys,
And the same dear mother love watched us both,
Sharing our childish griefs and joys,
Yet you are almost stranger now;


Your ways and mine are as far apart
As though we never had thrown an arm
About each other with loving heart
Your city home is palace, Tom;


Your wife and children are fair to see;
You couldn't breathe in the little cot,
The little home, that belongs to me.
And am lost in your grand large house,
And dazed with the wealth on every side,
And hardly know my brother, Tom,


In the midst of so much stately pride.
Yes, the concert was grand last night,
The singing splendid; but, do you know, y
My heart kept longing, the evening through,
For another concert, sweet and low
That maybe it wouldn't please the ear


OF one so cultured and grand as you;
But to its music-augh if you will


My heart and thoughts must ever be true.
1 shut my eyes in the hall last night


(FOr the clash of the music wearied me,)
And close to my heart this vision came
The same sweet picture always see:
In the vine clad porch of cottage home,
Half in shadow and half in sun,
A mother chanting her lullaby,


Rocking to rest her little one.
And soft and sweet as the music fell


From the mothers lips, heard the coo
Of my baby girl, as with drowsy tongue
She echoed the song with "Goo-a-goo."
Together they sang, the mother and babe,
My wife and child, by the cottage door.
ALI that is the concert, brother Tom,
My ears are aching to hear once more
So now good-by. And 1 wish you well,
And many year of wealth and gain.
You were born to be rich and gay;


/ am content to be poor and plain.
And | go back to my country home


With love that absence has strengthened too
Back to the concert all my own


Mothers singing and baby's coo.


-Harpers Magazine.
Year: 1878

them on our behalf to an idol quite close
by, whose mission it is to counteract the
effect of looking down the well at wrong
time. He was avery ferce-looking per-
son, quite fitted in his general "get up"
to preside over so gloomy spot.


The streets of Benares are never
failing subject of amusement. Too mar
row to drive through in many places,
you walk, and are soon lost in perfect
labyrinth ofalleys and byways. They are
swarming with people, dogs, and sacred
COWS. The people get out of your
way; youhave to give way for the COWS,
or the COWS know the reason why.
There is rather a good story told of an
Englishman who killed one of these sa-
cred animals. There was as once a
great row among the priests. They
wanted summary vengeance on the of
fender. He had to be protected by the
police. Thereupon they applied to the
magistrates for redress. He said he was
quite ready to give it to the owner of
the COWS. The priests went off, consul
ted, came back and said the COW be-
longed to the deity. "In that case,
said the officer, "either the deity must
appear as plaintiff, or some one with
a power of attorney from his holiness. "
This ''stumped" the priests, and as they
could by no means accomplish the mir
acle the matter dropped. But the Hin
doc still believes in miracles; he sees
their accomplishment in various in
stances. Many are miracles of the priest,
such as water being drunk by certain
god when it is poured into particular
stone vessel. The water certainly does
disappear from the basin, but on in
vestigation it turns out there isa syringe
manipulated by a hidden priest, and
the god goes thirsty. These supposed
miracles have had much to do with keep
ing the Hindoos faithful to their creed,
during the various Mohammedan, Eng
lish, and French conquests. They set
Christians an uncommonly good exam
Pile of faith and fortitude under suffering.


We saw marriage feast at BenareS,
WHERE lne guests WCIClCSdlCu Will DCtCI
nut, and music and dancing by very
old nautch girl, who swayed her stout
body in front of the bridegroom, ahand
some young man, who was seated on a
platform covered with redcloth, looking
very much ashamed of himself, hanging
his head-the picture of woe. A mis-
cellaneous crowd of friends, relatives,
and the public assembled in a tent, and
presided over by man with silver
tipped staff, made up the last scene of
the marriage. Wishing the groom every
happiness, the bride too, though as
usual she was not visible, we said good-by
to Benares and turned out steps to the
east
Year: 1878

Why is it that people generally have
such strong aversion to making a will?


Every one has something to dispose
of to some particular individual, or pur-
pose, when this mortal coal shall be
shuffied off and why not attend to it
while the faculties are unimpaired and
the judgment sound?


Somebody says that it seems so much
like dying. Did you ever know any,
body die any sooner because of making
a will? How do you know but that your
rich uncle who willed you his property
twenty years ago, and is still living, hale
and hearty, might have died dozen
years ago if he had let alone making that
will !?


We believe that it is a generally un-
derstood fact that rich relations always
live to good old age after they have
willed you something at their death.


There was time when a mans will
his ''Last Will and Testament was
considered binding upon his friends
they never thought of disputing it, or
interfering with its provisions. The
purposes of the testator thus expressed
were carefully carried out, and if any,
body complained, it was done private
ly, because it was regarded as mean to
fight against the will of the dead.


Now we have changed all that.


If man who has made will dies
his heirs gather together and ascertain
its terms, and talk it over, and have
several quarrels about it, and if 1t does
not suit them (and wills seldom suit any
one but the maker) they conclude to
break it, and then the strife sets in.


The dead will maker is called every
thing but sensible man. He was sell
fish, he was bigoted, he was prejudiced;
somebody influenced him, his mind was
wrong, he had disorder of the brain, he
hadn't been himself for a good many
yearS-and so on, and so forth.


1t is wonderful to notice how very
many difficulties there were which the
poor man had to contend with. Con-
sidering how badly off he was when that
will was made, it becomes wonder to
us that he ever lived to grow up.


Each and every relative considers
himself aggrieved. If justice could be
done, he says, with severe and right
eous emphasis on justice, some folks
wouldn't be any better off than some 9TH
er folks.


And now we come to the question
if wills can be 'broken" or set aside
on the complaints of heirs or other par
ties, of what use is it to make a will If
there is no law to protect such docu-
ment, there should be no law to authorize
its production. If man has not right
to give away his own property to whom
soever he chooses, what right has he to
anything? If he wants to disinherit
anybody, has he right to do SO or
hasn't he? Whose business is it?


If we will ten dollars to A and TWEEN
ly dollars to B, has A any right to have
our will set aside on the ground of injus-
tice?


Taking the present state of things in
to consideration, we do not think any
body need to be fraid of making awill
on account of its liability to shorten life,
for, ten to one, you will live to alter it
half dozen times, and after you are
dead your heirs will alter it once more,
and divide your assets according to their
own ideas of the eternal fitness Of things.
Kate TAo1N, in ". y WeekS.
Year: 1878

Prof. Beal of the Michigan Agricul-
tural Farm, says.


1t is natural for parents to prefer that
their children should follow the same
business or profession that they them
selves follow. This is likely to be true of
shoemakers, merchants, millers, carpen-
tiers, etc. Farmers are not exceptions
to this rule.


Farming, when well conducted, is a
good and pleasant business. If our sons
and daughters donot like it, there is al
most always some good reason for their
dislike. | have often taken an interest
in tracing out the reasons. They are
likely to dislike farming because they
are not pleased with the way in which
their parents have managed it. In some
cases the young person has a very de-
cided inclination to some other busi
ness.


If you want to make your son like his
business place him in responsible places,
trust him, consult him about the work
he is to do. Let him do part of the
thinking. Give him nearly the sole care
or responsibility of something on the
farm, the fowls, the pigs, some of the
stock, some of the crops, or the garden,
or part of it.. Suppose he does not do
everything just as you would advise
him. 1t is much better that he should
fail while he is yet young and has time
to learn under your training, than to not
try until he goes into business for him.
SELF By treating children in this way
they will take more interest in their
work, and be much more likely to sue
ceed when they start for themselves.
Do not make slaves of your children.


Too many of our most prominent farm
ers-farmers who are called the most
successful-send their children to work
every day as they would send an igno-
ramus, without any ''ifs'' or "ands, or
reasons for SO doing.


For want of proper training in this
respect, many young man has grown
up without mental discipline. He has
been able, without much help, in an in
credibly short space of time, to run
through all that his strongminded father
left him: Twenty years ago knew such
a man. His farm was called and known
as perfection for long distance around.
He had son, who is to-day living in
sight of this olcl~farm. He owns only
poor span of horses, and is living from
hand to mouth and very poor living
he gets at that The fine estate slipped
easily and rapidly from the hands of the
man who had no skill to manage it. be-
cause he had never been placed in re-
sponsible position while he was boy,
So too often one generation makes mon
ey for the next to squander. In laying
up comfortable fortunes for our children
to waste we are doing them great in
Jury, Better by far to spend more of
our time in giving them proper disci-
pline to manage we'll. Then, if they
are healthy, in most cases, they need
only little start to make them well off
in the goods of this world.


Let farming be conducted on thorough
business principles as manufacturing and
commerce are and ever have been, and
it will become more attractive, both to
bows and men.
Year: 1878

B9r"At the end of the first year
comes the cotton wedding" explains
an exchange. And this is not the only
thing that comes at the end of the first
year. Sometimes poverty comes, some
times the mother-in-law and sometimes
twins.
Year: 1878

bad luck is simply man with his;
hands in his pockets, and pipe in his
mouth, looking on to see how it is COM
ing out. Good luck is a man of pluck.
with his sleeves rolled up, and working
to make it come out right.
Year: 1878

The German method of manag
ing the pleasant play of philopeni
is as follows:


When q couple meet after eating
philopena together, no advantage
is taken of the other until one OF
them pronounces the word philo-
pena. This is the warning-now
the sport is to begin.


Let us suppose that gentleman
calls upon lady. She invites him
to walk in, and at the same time
speaks the talismanic word. If he
accepts the offer to walk in he is
lost, unless she removes the ban by
telling him to go away.


If she asks him to take off his
hat, he must resolutely keep it on !;
if to he seated, he must stand or
if at the table she should hand him
any article which he accepts, she
wins the forfeit.


During all this time he endeavors
to take her by surprise, for the ac-
ceptance of any offer from the
other wins the game. Both are
constantly exercising their wits to
prevent being caught, and the
sport goes on all the evening.


Perhaps the gentleman brings a
little present, and says: "Know-
ing / shall lose my philopena, ]
have brought it along-here it is"
If she is caught off her guard by
the smooth speech, she loses, for
he Immediately claims the forfeit.


If neither wins at the first meet
ing the sport is continued to the
second, and it may happen that
half dozen parties meet at the
same time, all anxious to win their
philopena partners, so that the
scene often becomes ludicrously
amusing. 1t is diamond cut dia-
monds in very truth.
Year: 1878

A thunderstorm is seldom well
coined. 1t usually drives men
away from their work, and the
crops gain little good from the
wash of the violent rain. The
gentle mist and shower, steady and
long, and the CHEEKY sunshine that
follows, these bless the fields and
fill them with waving grain. The
political and social and religious
theories which are noted as possess
ing leaders of high vitupertive pow
ers are not those which are destined
for long life. Passion is weakness.
Truth is calm. And when passion
has blown its fiercest gust, it falls
back before the quiet, steady on
set of truth which moves With God
on its side.
Year: 1878

Among other curiosities on ex-
hibition at the American depart
ment of the Paris exposition, was
a spring chicken from an Amer
lean boarding house. The chicken
was taken TO the guillotine one
morning, but when the heavy knife
fell on its neck, the fowl gave a
frightened squawk, and after one or
two tremendous pulls jerked its
head away from under the knife
and made its way back to its coop
in the exposition. The knife was
sent to the foundry for repairs
Burlington Hawkeye.
Year: 1878

Cold.-Fitz Hugh Ludlow, in
bis narrative of travel IN "The
Heart Of the Continent" tells OF
an eccentric genious who improved
on the old yarn to the effect that
"the weather would have been cold
er IL the thermometer had been
longer" by saying that he had
been where ''it was so cold that
the thermometer got down of the
nail"
Year: 1878

A clergyman who was recently
called up to hold services in the
State prison at Sing Sing prefaced
his remarks TO tho prisoners by
saying that he was "glad to see so
large number present"
Year: 1878

THE Southern Democratic newspapers
begin to talk of Massachusetts as n Demo
cratic State after the next fall election.
They imagine that General len BUTLER
will carry it for the Democrats by running
a mongrcl Grcenback- k-National-Labor-Co Com
mune candidate for Governor. These
Southern Democrats are always anxious
for Democratic success in New England,
simply because the average Yankee oppO-
nent to the Republican party, as well as
some who are not opposed to it, is q syco-
phantic mudsill and ready tool OF the
Chivalry. Much as they hate BUTLER,
they would willingly take him to their
closest embrace, il by so doing they could
encourage him to aid in procuring the sue
cess of their trucking New England adj
mrers
Year: 1878

THE yirtuous Democratic organ would not
mention the scandal with which Represen-
tatiye ACKLENs name has been so unpleas-
antly connected for fear of shocking its
readers, but it now has two libel suits on
its hands, both growing out of one and the
same article, in which an elderly maiden
lady oi undoubted chastity and respected
church member were held up to public scorn
as guilty Of criminal immortality. An edi-
torial in its issue yesterday, evidently writ
ten for the purpose of frightening the lady
from her intention of vindicnting her repu-
tation by sueing the organ aforesaid threat
ems that she will be obliged to submit to
great deal of unpleasant notoriety before
she gathers in the coveted shckels." 1t
is hardly probable that she would ever
gather in the coveted shekels," even If
she obtains q Judgment in her favor, as
there is a strong suspicion that there are
very few shekels TO be gathered in that
vicinity; but the lady by legal proceedings
will obtain complete and public vindica-
tion Of her injured reputation. The editor
also says that no decent newspaper ever
wantonly slandercd or traduced the char
acter Of private citizen, male or female"
This seems to be n startling fact which
the editor has just discovered. The wanton
libel, out of which the pending suits have
grown, indicates exactly the character of
the journal that printed it. In the desire
to pander to low taste, the editor publishes
u story seriously iniuring the reputation OF
two worthy people, which, even a SUI
pertic!al investigation wonld have proven
to be utterly without foundation, and this
sort of journalism, this wild, wild Western
| editor terms enterpIise
Year: 1878

We do not think that any Of the Toledo
statesmen or the jerrymander organs need to
give themselves much trouble about where
the Hon. CHARLES FOSTER will run for
Congress this fall. The Sandusky Register
says "he will be q candidate In the district
to which he was assigned by the OCOSNER
Legislature, and will not initiate Ben But
"LER by carpet-bagging into the Toledo
" district" And what is more, the chances
are growing more and more in favor of his
election--even with the gerrynandered
5000 against him. lie means business this
fall
Year: 1878




WASHISGTON, Dec, 5-Senator Edmund3
gave notice to-day that next Monday he will
ask the Senate to attend to one Of the most
important pieces OF unfinished business be-
fore the cOuntry-namely the question Of
providing a way for the election Of President,
which shall avoid the dangers and excite
ments consequent on the election Of 1876 II
Mr.. Edmund3 undertakes in earnest to bring
this question up for discussion there Is reason
to hope that bill will at least get
through the Senate Mr.. Elmunds
bill, which was reported last May
from the select committee to whom
the subject was referred, provides that the
presidential election shall be held on the first
Tuesday In October, and that the electors
shall meet in the different States on the sec
ond Monday in January following This
gives more than three months to decide ques-
tions Of disputed elections In the States, and
the bill provides that each State shall regulate
for itself the manner in which such disputes
shall be determined and that the determina-
ton made according to such regulations in
each State shall be final and conclusive Con-
greSS Is TO meet on the second Monday Of Feb
ruary to open the electoral votes and count
them, and the bill provides that where there
is but one return from State it shall not be
rejected without the concurrent vote Of both
houses, while where there are two or more re-
turns only that one shall be counted which is
received by the concurrent vote Of both
Houses. That is to say, both Houses concur
Year: 1878

WHEELING, w. Va, Dec. 9.-Informatlon
has Just reached this city relative to the death
Of w. Q. Barber, caused by freezing In d snow
storm in the mountains Of the southeastern
part Of this State. Barber in company with
five other gentlemen who composed a hunt
ing party travelling through Greenbrier
county, were passing Cold Knob with wagon
and team, when the party noticed bear trail
In the snow Barber dismounted from the
wagon and started in pursuit Of the bear with
two faithful dogs. The trail was followed all
day Tuesday and Wednesday. Barber's com
panions, who remained behind, became some
what alarmed at his prolonged absence and
started in search of him The day was spent
in following the zigzag the bear and man had
gone. The pursuers continued in their search,
but did not find Barber until late Thursday
evening. When found the body was frozen
stif, life having apparently passed away
without a struggle A faithful dog was be-
side the body
Year: 1878

ring may reject the vote Of n State. If objec-
t,on IS made for cause to It's reception where
there Is only ono return, but if there are two
none chn be received without the concurrence
OF both Houses


II the bill once gets fairly before the Senate
~ is likely to be debated at considerable
iehgth, as the same question has been before
" Is curious fact that several years ago
senator Morton got n bill somewhat like this
time ready 10 pass It. 1t would have beeome
a law had not Senator Thurman, after the
passage OF the bill in the Senate, moved It's
reconslderatlon. His motion was carried. and
IN the subsequent hurry Of business, the bill
was never again taken up. Had it passed
then, as IT would have done but for Mr. Thur.
nuns act. its provisions would have made
Mr lilden President on the count Of tho vote
by the two houses In 1877
Year: 1878

Before Mr.. Hayes message ''came out" We
confessed to mild degree Of curiosity as t
anything about civil service reform. Now
that he hasn't we hasten to do him Justice
To pirate about civil service two weeks after
Gorham had walked through the departments
with subscription book In one hand and a
shot gun in another was too large draft for
even Mr. Hayes bank OF assurance.
Year: 1878

The verdict has been pronounced md re-
corded and the law makers mustl3hnpe their
action In accordanee with its terms The
people OF Claiborne, for greater certainty,
have declared in mass meeting that their rep
reseutatives should urge at once this measure.
But even II such instructions had not been
given the gentlemen we have elected the
majority against the amendments in the
whole state stands In the place Of such posi-
tive Instructions, aud they cannot possibly
err In the adoption Of their line Of policy.


The Gnnrdinn, in the general discussion Of
the question last winter and spring. was nun
bered among those journals which opposed q
convention. Our reasons were those which
seemed to us good, after mature thought upon
all the points involved. The chief reason
with rs was that we did not believe the time
suggested was an opportune one The result
Of the election in November does away with
this objection. and now we are earnestly in
favor Of immediate action.
Year: 1878

LONDON, Dec. t0.-Debates took place in the
House Of Lords and Commons last evening on
a vote to censure the government on its
Afghanistan policy but an adjournment was
had before it was taken
Year: 1878

thoroughly known, but it is reported that the
action of the Russian gendarmes in forcing
open tho doors Of the British consulate and
arresting British subject was due altogether
TO the Superserylceable zeal Of the police, and
that the Russian government will promptly
apologize and mako reparation for tho olfense
Year: 1878

The Republican still flies the bloody
shirt. Its abuse of the Democracy is
bad enough to offend any sensible body
who had not become accustomed to Radi-
cal political romances of the Eliza Pink
ston style. But it is too bad the Re
pn6ttcdl has become too absurd, and the
wonder is that any decent Democrat al
lows 1t to come into his family. Why
does 1t not invite the infidel Bob Inger-
soil here to help it delineate the bold and
ridiculous stories it yamps up daily of
horrld deeds perpetrated upon the South
ern black Republicans. Bob would please
the League, at least.
Year: 1878

A CARD.-The Reform Club, by
an unanimous vote at their meeting
last week, rendered their thanks to
the Thespian Club for their valuable
and magnificent gift of the Musical
Cabinet, which adds so much to the
attractiveness of the Reading Room,
aud to the pleasure of the meetings
Of the Reform Club. The industry
and ability of the members of the
dramatic society is thought worthy
Of special commendation.


SEC. r c.