smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

We know that men naturally shrink
from the attempt to obtain companions
who are their superiors; but they will
find that really intelligent women, who
possess most desirable qualities, are uni
ft rmly modest, and hold their charms in
modest estimation. What such women
admire in men is gallantry; not the gal
lantry of courts or fops, but boldness,
courage devotion, and refined civility
A mans bearing wins ten superior wo-
men where his boots and brains win one.


If man stand before woman with
respect for himself and fearlessness of
her, his suit is half won. The rest may
safely be left to the parties most interest
ed. Therefore, never be afraid of wo-
man. Women are the most harmless
and agreeable creatures in the world to
a man who shows that he has got a
mans soul in him. If you have not
got the spirit to come up to the test like
this, you have not got that in you which
most pleases a high-souled woman, and
you will be obliged to content yourself
with the simple girl who, in quiet way,
is endeavoring to attract and fasten you.
But don't be in hurry about the mat
ter. 1t isn't creditable to you. Espec-
tally don't imagine that any disappoint-
ment in love which takes place before
you are twenty-one years old, will be of
any material consequence to you.


The truth is, that before a man is
twenty-five years old, he does not know
what he wants himself. So don't be in
hurry. The more of man you be-
come, and the more manliness you be-
come capable of exhibiting in your as
sociations with women, the better wife
you will be able to obtain; and one years
possession of the heart and hand of a
really noble specimen of her sex, is
worth nine hundred and ninety-nine
years possession of sweet creature
with two ideas in her head and nothing
new to say about either of them.-So
don't be in hurry, we say again. You
don't want a wife now, and you have no
idea the kind of wife you will want
by and by. Go into female society, if
you can find that which will improve
you, but not otherwise
Year: 1874

Sea-lions, which congregate by thou
sands upon the cliffs, and bark and howl
and shrek and roar in the caves and up
on steep sunny slopes, are but little dis
turbed, and one can usually approach
them within twenty or thirty yards. 1t
is an extraordinarily interesting sight to
see those marine monsters, many ofthem
bigger than an OK, at play in the surf,
and to watch the superb skill with which
they know how to control their own mo-
tions when huge wave seizes them, and
seems likely to dash them to pieces a.
gainst the rocks. They love to lie in the
sun upon the bare warm rocks; and here
they sleep, crowded together, and lying
upon each other in inextricable confus-
ion. The bigger the animal, the greater
his ambition appears TO be to climb 10
the highest summit, and when huge,
Shiny beast has with infinite squirming
attained solitary peak, he dose not tire
of raising his sharp-pointed, maggotlike
and head, and complacently looking a.
round him. They are a rough set Of
brutes-rank bullies, should say; for
have watched them repeatedly, as a big
fellow shouldered his way. among his fel-
lows, reared his hinge front to intimidate
some lesser seal which had secured some
fayorite spot, and first with howls, and if
this did not suffice, with teeth and main
force, expel the weaker from his lodg-
ment. The smaller sea-lions, at least
those which have left their mothers, ap-
pear to have no rights which any one is
boundNto respect. They get out of the
way with an abiect promptness which
proves that they live in terror of the
stronger members of the community; but
they do not give up their places without
harsh complaints and piteous groans.
Plastered against the rocks, and with
1.-THE and apparently boneless shapes con-
formed to the rude and sharp angles,
they are wonerful but not graceful
or pleasing sight. At little distance
they look like huge maggots, and their
slow, ungainly motions upon the land
does not lessen this resemblance. Swim
ming in the ocean, at distance from the
land, they are inconspicuous objects, as
nothing but the head shows above water,
and that only at intervals. But when
the vast surf, which breaks in mountain
waves against the weather side of the
Farallones with force which would in
a single sweep dash to pieces the biggest
Indiaman-when such a surf vehement
ly and with apparently irresistible might,
lifts its tall white head and with dead
ly roar lashes the rocks half way to their
summit-then it is a magnificent sight
to see dozen or half a hunred great sea
lions at play in the very midst and fierc-
est part of the boiling surge, so complete
~ masters of the situation that they al
low themselves to be carried within a
foot or two of the rocks, and at the last
and imminent moment, with an adrOit
twist of their bodies, avoid the shock, and
diving, reappear beyond the breaker
Charles Nordhof, an Harper's Monthly.
Year: 1874

The Boston Herald is responsible for
the following account of an exciting
and truly dramatic event." which, it al
leges, occurred at the residence of a gen.
tleman in that city, on Friday morning
of last week: "The master of the house,
who is widower with several children,
had gone out of the city on business,
leaving In the house lady housekeeper,
a female domestic, and his children.
During the night one of the children
was taken suddenly i'll, and the house
keeper, remembering a prescription
which had been prepared by the family
rang bell to summon the domestic be-
fore mentioned. The girl, on coming up
to the landing on which the lady's door
opened, confronted her astonished mis-
tress with pale and terrified counte-
nance. In broken accents she announced
that burglar was hidden in closet in
the basement. Not the least bit fright
ened, the housekeeper, with a GOODNESS
which infused some little courage into
the girl, commanded the latter to follow
her, and the two women descended to
the basement. They lighted the gas,
and then opened the door of the closet
in which was supposed to be concealed
that bugbear of the feminine mind, "a
man in the house, But nothing ami
nar11 ha FTI.o 1a1t-
said: If there is any one in this closet
let him come out.' To the horror of
the two defenseless women huge negro,
with an evil, sinister face, emerged from
behind projection and walked out.
The housekeeper, with a readiness of
wit and a sang froid beyond that of one
man in ten thousand, bethought herself
of the prescription which she still held
in her hand. Take this she said to the
amazed negro, ito the nearest apothecary
and get it filled. There is a child sick
in the housep The astounded negro
took the paper from the lady's hand, and
without saying word left the house by
a door which was opened for him. When
the echo of his footsteps on the pay


ment grew faint in the distance the wo-
men, who began to experience reaction
of fright, summond a gentleman living
in the next house, and with his aid
made doubly secure all the doors and
windows. The sick child was then
thought of again, and the gentleman
was about to leave for the apothecary's
when the door-bell rang and night
clerk appeared with the desired medi-
cine, stating that negro had brought
the prescription to the store few minu-
tes before. In the most sensational tale
such an incident as this here narrated
would throw discredit on the whole story,
but tits always that "truth is stranger
than fiction The only reason for omit
ting the name of the heroine of this lit
tie drama is her pardonable modesty."
Year: 1874

The "Fat Contributor" furnished the
Utica Observer the following strange
story of ''twin:"


There was a woman out West who
gave birth to one twin-just one, that is
all there was of him. She never bad an
other solitary twin so long as she lived.
He was a melancholy child from the first,
and wore sucn a lonesome look. He al
ways seemed to be watching and listening
for somebody who never came. He ap-
peared to realize that he wasn't all to-
gether-that he was a kind of human
parenthesis with one bracket gone-ani-
mated dumb bells, and one dumb-bell
missing-a pair that couldn't beat deu-
ces and hardly worth drawing to. He
used to moan in is sleep and paw around
on his pillow for the missing brother.
When that boy grew up he was different
from auy boy 1 ever knew-that is TO
say, any one boy, He seemed more like
two boys-at least he was altogether two
boys-terous for one. Ifhe had fight it
was with boy twice as big as he was,
for he seemed to feel, somehow, as
though there were two of him, or ought
to be. He always managed to get two
pieces of pie at the table, just as if one
was for the other of him who wasn't
there and there was a thin pretense of
taking care of it for him, but he always
took care to eat it, noticed. He only
half-learned his lessons, and double-en-
try bookkeeping nigh about set him era
zy, because, as / told you, there wasn't
but half of him there, and he couldn't
doubtele-entry. He wouldn't sleep with
any other boy because, he said, it crowd
ed 'em. He grew up, but he never got
married. Once or twice he attempted to
court a girl, but left her when it was
half done, as though that other twin of
his would be along and court the other
half l don't know what became of him
heard that he died from sheer loneli-
ness, but only believe half heat about
that boy, anyhow. If he be dead, you
can bet he is only half dead"
Year: 1874

1t is a little singular, that even among
most of our successful farmers, a certain
class of work is regarded as of an option
al nature, and Its performance az a mas
culine Writ ure. 1t is taken up between
showers" wheri it is too wet for the spring
plowing, pieced half reluctantly to the
closing portion of a broken day; or in the
event of such Interruptions failing to
turn the channels of industry in that di-
recton, it is delegated to the women folk"
This state of things will explain to those
who are not familiar with farm life, how
it comes, that frequently in travelling
through the country, one may find we'll
titled, clean fields surrounding a house
whose grounds are in a condition almost
akin to a graveyard of the last century.
1t would certainly seem that this field
(or rather this lott is one subject to i'm
provement; that it really affords grounds
for one of the minor reforms that are
sweeping over the agricultural districts.
The duty ofevery mana duty preached
continually by its advocates, is to make
home attractive, and nothing exerts n
more marked influence on home than
its surroundings. Do not count that day
lost which leaves no other. token of its
presence than the smooth, tidy, freshrak-
ed lawn, and well-trimmed shrubbery,
and the shapely fower-beds, newly filled
with fragrant earth. And if at the end
of the season, the day thus spent does not
pay for itself many times over, we will
resign henceforth our Office as a prophet.
But there is no hope that this reform can
be successfully inaugurated Tor indeed
any other reform), unless the ladies shall
join in it and extend to it their influence
"Clcanliness is next to godliness," and
we suggest that. our farmers wives seize
the first favorable opportunity to read
this article to their husbands, and to con-
vert and commit them unqualifedly to
the platform herein laid down. Amer
lean Farm Journal.
Year: 1874

There are many curious facts about
vegetable life. We can, for example,
graft the apricot on the plum, and the
peach on the apricot, and the almond ON
the peach, and thus We may produce a
tree with plum roots and almond leaves.
The wood Of them, however, will con-
sist Of four distinct varieties, though
formed from one continuous layer. Be-
low the almond wood and bark we shall
have perfect peach wood and bark, then
perfect apricot wood and bark, and at
the bottom perfect plum wood aud bark.
In this curious instance we see the inti-
mate correspondence between the bark
and the leaf, for If We should remove
the almond branches we might cause the
several sorts of wood to develop buds
and leafy twigs each of its own kind.
Each section Of the compound stem has
its seat of life in eambium layer, and the
cambium Of each reproduces cells Of its
own species out of n common nutrient
auid.- Massachusetts HoH0hmon
Year: 1874

A church in Prussia was used as mag
azine for provisions for soldiers, but
great care was taken of the high alter
on account of the beauty of its construc-
tion. A rumor spread abroad that the
alter was mysteriously illuminated every
night, and thronge of people gathered
about the church. The commandant
ordered the key and with lantern ex-
plored the church, but nothing was
found to clear up the mystery, but as
soon as the church was empty the alter
and whole church were again illumina-
ted. The commandant issued a procla-
nation offering a reward to any one who
could unravel the mystery. For two
days no one claimed the reward, but on
the third q common soldier belonging TO
the fortress requested private audience
with the commandent, and explained to
him that he was occasionally employed
to put frames to mirrors and burning
glasses, and one evening when at work
at large concave glass it happened to
be so placed as to throw light into the
church, when finding public curiosity
excited he often threw the light from
the attic to the alter. The commandant
explained to the public and gave the
promised reward to the joker.
Year: 1874

In one of the counties of Georgia,
bordering the Tennessee line, is noun
tain called the Enchanted Mountain" /"
The mountain is not large, neither is it
remarkable in appearance. But on the
solid rocks on the top are the impress
sions of human feet. How these almost
perfect human tracks came to be impress
ed on the rocks OF this mountain is one
of the many mysteries of our lands.
There were a great many traditions
among the Indians as to the matter, but
none of them are exactly satisfactory.
One of these traditions is curious, for it
shows that the red men had a vague
idea of Noah and the food even before
they could have learned it from the
whites. The story among them was
that this mountain was the landing
place of the "great canoe" after the
deluge, and the tracks were made by the
people in the canoe as they stepped out
upon the rocks which had been made
soft by the long inundation. One Of the
tracks, and the largest one, is seventeen
and a half inches long, and seven and
three-fourths inches wide. Unlike the
others, it has six toes. This must have
been Noah's track, although the Mosaic
account is silent as to the number of
toes Noah carried about on his feet.


There are one hundred and thirty-six
impressions of feet and hands visible on
the face of the rock. The smallest
foot-track is four inches in length, and
of perfect shape. How came they
here? Alas, that the learning of the
world, when put to the test, amounts to
so little, for no man can tell.-LouisriIe
Year: 1874

When Napoleon the Great died at St.
Helena, an English physician took
charge of his heart, depositing it in a
silver basin filed with water. Two ta-
pers burned near it, but the custodian
felt nervously anxious while watching
it through the night, and did not sleep.
In the silence of midnight he heard a
rusting sound, then plunge into the
water, and q rebound on the hoor-all
occurring with the quickness of thought,
He sprang from his bed to see an enor-
nous rat dragging the precious relic to
his hole! A moment more and the
heart which had been too vast in its am
bition to be satisfied with the sovereign
ty of continental Europe would have
been more degraded than the dust OF
Imperial Cesar.
Year: 1874

GOLD RUN.-We paid visit to this town Of
brave men and noble women, early in the week
and were pleased to notice an expression on the
outward countenance of the place which denoted
general contentment, and pretty good times
We are under obligations to numerous citizens of
that place for various kindnesses during our stay.
which without mentioning names, for fear we
should omit some deserving one, we take pleasure
in acknowledging. We left feeling good towards
everybody, and inclined to the opinion, egotisti-
cal as it may seem. that everybody feels kindly
toward us, and the good cause we are engaged in,
Judging from the number of new subscribers we,
almost without solicitation, added to our last.
We had something to say of what was going on,
in and about that town, in the way Of amuse-
ments, and improvements; but as we have Just
received a letter from our friend 90 Bo S" of that
place, who touches up local matters SO well, we
give it below instead. We would say to Boss
that the following is good letter, newsy and
to the point, and we would like to hear from him
us kindly, " Boss" says: The weather in this
part of the country still continues very cool with
every prospect of a continuance of the same.
Money is getting more plentiful every day. Our
town is also being improved by the addition OF
some half dozen splendid new buildings, being
put up by the iDveterate old war horse, Colonel
Moody, who always has an eye to business. The
claims are all running up to their full capacity,
day and night Sundays included a sad acci-
dent occurred here last Friday in one of the
claims whereby man by the name of Watson
Chamberlain had his leg broken above the knee,
caused by the ewing of bank. He was at
tended by Doctors Schnabel and Martin, and is
now doing WELL We have been Strawberry Fes-
livaled, and expect to be Local Optoned shortly
One of the principal saloon keepers of this place
sold out, and left town cause: too much water
in the ditches.'
Year: 1874

If i'll this liberal age there are persons to be
found who are so blinded by prejudice as not to
believe that a medcated stimulent is an item of
immense importance in the catalogue of human
remedies, we should like them to witness the
wonderful effects which Hostetters Stomach
Bitters now producing all over the country in


Intermittent fever, rheumatism, bilious disorders,
dyspepsia, nervous complaints, constitutional
debility mental depression and premature decay
To be sure these effects are nothing new. The
great vegetable invigorant and Its cures have
been before the people for more than twenty-fi
years. and in every year of the twenty five its
popularity has increased and its sale has become
larger Yet there no doubt many thousands
of intelligent citizens who have never had an OPP
portunity Of observing for themselves the
prsing changes which this unequalled tonic and
Alternative produces in systems which seem to be
hopelessly broken, and in cases of disease which
are not anienable to ordinary remedies. Proba-
bly, many of these regard the statements made in
relation to the sanitary properties of the Bitters
with some degree Of credulity, Would that all
such skeptics could see with their own eyes what
the medicine is doing for the sick and feeble
everywhere, what a staff of life it is proving to
the aged and inirm, what help in time of
trouble to feeble women suffering from the com
plants and disabilities peculiar to the sex, what
a protection to health and life in malarious dis
drcts, what panacea for languor and depres-
sion, what specific for all diseases in which the
system requires to be vitalized and sustained.
OF all stimuants it is The sures and safest of all
tonics the most genial, effective and agreeable,
of all the alternatives the least violent and the
most certain in its beneficial results.
Year: 1874

CoLFAx. - Some predicted when Colfax was
burnt down, short time ago. that she would
never be able to rise from her ashes. Those who
thought so then should see her now In spite
of her misfortunes. she is to-day full of life and
hustle. The sound of saw and hammer is heard
on every side; new and substantial buildings are
fast rising up, bespeaking the energy of her cit-
zens. Several brick buildings will be constructed d
as soon as the bricks can be burnt, and at the
present rate of improvements, it is thought that
in less than one year from date of the fire, Colfax
will be larger town of better buildings than it
ever was. The survey of the narrow guage rail
road, from Cofax to Nevada city, is now in pro
gress, and work on the road will doubtless, soon
be commenced which will afford another stimu-
lus to the town which will be as lasting as the
road itself. Taking into consideration the ex-
tensive wood business; the agricultural interest;
the mining interest besides the staging and
transportation business, which is, and will be
carried on at Colfax for long years yet to come
the outlook of the town is, in every way, en-
couraging,
Year: 1874

Dutch FLAT-This is next to Auburn the
of the year. times are quite lively, and the peo-
pie, almost without exception, are in good spirits
On first sight it impresses the stranger favoraby


from the good condition of its structures. The
buildings, whether dwelling house or place Of
business, haze rather new and fresh appearance
though they had just been repaired and
painted, and the gardens trimmed up, the door
yards cleaned out, and the porches scrubbed off,
for centennial celebration, all of which is an
unmistakable indication of thrift. OF course
and not the rule, as in some places we have been
in, in our day l. very business house seems to
be doing a good business and every dwelling
house is occupied, which is indication
that the town is not too big for its business
Indeed it seems not big enough, as we noticed
new buildings are being erected and old ones
are being repaired and enlarged When we stol
to consider the backing which this town has, we
are not surprised at its thrift Besides its very
extensive mines mentioned in another place, il
amounts TO millions of feet annually. Then
again, there are numerous rich mining camps in
that vicinity, among which are Red Dog Little
York, and You Bet, which draw their supplies
mainly from, or by way of, Dutch Flat. In fact
the town is one of the livelest in this county
and everything surrounding it goes to show that
it will continue so for many years to come.
Year: 1874

GooD TEMPLARs WINE.-The Stockton Iadc-
pended tells of new kind of wine made by
James Smyth, who resides few miles from that
city. 1t is described as n simple and very sue
cesstul process of making light quality OF
sweet, unintoxicating wine The juice is
pressed from the fruit in the ordinary way, and
then placed in a huge vat or tank, carefully
boiled and the impurities skinned off as they
rise to the surface. After the juice thus treated
becomes cool, it is placed in bottles or barrels,
as may be desired and then slowed away for
use. He has tried this process during the last
two years, and he finds that there is no trouble
whatever i'll keeping the wine thus made. SO
veil pleased is he with the process that he pro-
poses to make all his wine hereafter in the same
manner. By the boiling process it does not be-
come necessary to rack off the wine, rs it is per-
fectly clear and free from all impurities as soon
as the operation is completed. The wine thus
made, he says, is wholly free from Intoxicating
qualities, and is a beverage to the use of which
on the table the most rigid temperance advocate
could not reasonably object.
Year: 1874

FEMALE PEDESTRIAN. Quite number Of our
citizens went up to the depot, last Monday, to
see the woman, as she passed through. who
had walked all the way from Kansas city in
search of q truant husband. 1t is said she goes
along with head up and eyes bent ahead, at a
rate that would do justice to a red man of the
forest She was repeatedly offered ride by
railroad conductors but refused on account of
the insecurity of railroad travelling 1t would
seem she must have soft spot somewhere in
her head, and though she deserves a husband
for her pains, that husband will be the biggest
fool of the two if he ever lets her catch him.
Year: 1874

IHE wood along the line of the railroad be-
tween here and Truckee, is fast disappearing,
and when we consider that the railroad itself
consumes, besides what is shipped below. 43 900
cords year, or $500 cords month, which is at
the rate Of 12o cords per day, we cannot wonder
OF 1t. In consideration of this fact it would seem
that the discovery of coal near Lincoln, Just at
this time is fortunate indeed, and that it must ere
long, be used to run the locomotives on this di
vision seems an inevitable fact