smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

The terrible calamity at Pittsburgh,
by which one hundred and fifty souls
were suddenly ushered into eternity,
and millions Of property were swept out
of existence, has scarcely created rip
pie upon the great ocean Of human feel
ing. Never before has disaster of any,
where's near equal magnitude fallen so
dead upon the public ear. The awful
floods in Louisiana, the Mill River ca.
lamity in Massachusetts, and the de.
struction Of crops by the grasshoppers
in Minnesota, have all created thrill
of feeling and sympathy throughout the
length and breadth Of the country.


But. here is disaster as appalling, as
terrible in it's loss of human life and
property as either of those, that scarce
ly attracts the attention of the news
paper reader. And why is this? Why
this stolidity in the face Of death, de-
structlon, and vide spread misery.


There can be but one answer to this
question. The public mind is so wholly
absorbed with the great Beecher-Tilto
scandal, is so appalled, at the revela-
tions that have been made, is waiting
With such breathless anxiety for what
is yet to come, that the most terrific
disasters occur in our midst. and
scarcely excite passing word of COM
ment.


Nor are we disposed wholly to con-
demn this state of affairs. When the
foremost champion of the cause Of
Christianity and morality that the
present age has produced, stands
Year: 1874

WONDER if the complaining old granny
of the Farmers Union is still whining
around the farmers begging them to
subscribe in order to help him to lift
the mortgage from the ''played out Or
gam
Year: 1874

| PREFERMENT.


The Kansas Farmer opposes the
nomination of NJ. E. Hudson, Master of
the Kansas State Grange. as candidate
for Governor of that State.
We know nothing Of the circum-
stances Of the case or Of the fitness or
unftness of the gentleman named for
that position, but we should say upon
general principles that the Kan sas
Farmer is right. Official position in
the Grange should not be made STEP
ping stone to political preferment, and
SO far as possible we should avoid the
very appearance Of evil in this direc-
ton. We do not mean to say that
there may not be circumstances under
which it would be perfectly proper to
call upon State Master to resign that
position for the purpose of accepting
the gubernatorial Office, or any other
Office, but such occasions must be verv
rare indeed.


If the Master Of the State
Grange is we'll fitted for
the duties Of that high Office,
and is wholly acceptable to the subor-
dinate Oranges, he should retain that
position, and be satisfied with the honor
pertaining thereto. If the contrary be
true, a better man for Governor can be
found very easily.


lfthe Grange has one mission grander,
higher and nobler than another, it is
to stop this abominable scrambling for
office, from which arises q very large
portion of the corruption Of the age.
Men who have spent thousands of dol
lars in securing nomination and an
election are bound to reimburse them
selves when they get the Office, and
having once got their hand in, they are
not over particular about taking out
just the amount and no more; and,
besides, it comes easier to get it in the
next time. Many a man whose every
political act has been purchased, COM
menced this kind of business with a
view simply to get back his elec-
tioneering expenses; and were it
not for this, would never have
fallen from honest poverty to dishonest
wealth as accursed as that that pur.
chased the Potter's Field.


For heavens sake, let US keep our
skirts clear in the matter, and see to it
that we bring no disgrace upon our own
cause and professions. The State Mas
ter who enters the dirty arena to
scramble for official preferment dis
graces his high position and brings re-
proach upon cur order.


If the people of Kansas. or very
large majority of them, call upon Wor-
thy Master Hudson to take the helm
OF State, he is not only justified but
bound to respond to the call, but as to
entering upon a political contest for the
same, we feel sure he will do no such
thing.


See what the Worthy Master of the
National Grange says about this matter.
Here is his letter in response to sugges-
tions that he be made candidate for
Congress:


"WAUKox, Ia., June s, 1874.


FRIEND METcALF Various papers in this
district have mentioned my name in oonnec-
ton with Congressional honors this fall.
Please say to the public that this has been
done without my consent, as my time is
fully occupied in a work more agreeable, and
hope more useful, than political canvass
OF the Third Congressional District


Respectfully yours,


DUDLEY W. ADAMS"


The Lawrence STANDARD has the fol-
lowing suggestive paragraph:
Year: 1874

Money to-day lent at and per cent for call,
prime discounts selling at and g. There is nothing
new in regard to banking affairs, the banks being
generally engaged in making the changes incidental
to tho new law.


Government bonds have been quiet and in the
Year: 1874

Take Of coffee what may Le desira-
be for a drawing, place the same in
the usual vessel for steamlng it, after
which pour scalding hot water and
then close up the coffee pot as tight
as possible. so that, if possible no
steam shall escape from the vessel
containing the coffee with the hot
water, and then set the pot aside al
lowing the same to soak for ten or
twelve hours, after which place the
vessel or pot upon q hot stove, and al
low the same to remain there until
thoroughly hot, but not long enough
TO boil or steam the aroma from the
eoffee-pot. By this process of max
ing coffee the whole strength is OBJ
tanned from Il, and no part of the
aroma is lost by steamiBg off from the
coffee-pOt. this most desirable sub
stance of the eoffse,ss il is this which,
it is considered, gives its value TO the
coffee, and on the account OF which
the coffee is drank for the grstifica-
tion Of the palate.


COFFEE may be prepared in the same
manner from the kernel when il is
Drowned, but it will require double
the time for soaking to extract all the
strength there may be in the coffee.
It is thought that by the various
modes existing by which the strength
of the coffee is secured, that nearly, II
not quite half of the aroma of the cof-
fee is lost by the defective manner i'm
which the coffee is made 10 secure
this most valuable aud desirable sub
stance Of the coffee.
Year: 1874

a new flooring cloth has been in
vented in England which is not IN
like some already in the market, but
II is a novelty on account OF the ma
terials used in its manufacture. 1t IS
composed Of pure vegetable oil pre-
pared by patent process, mixed with
ground cork and rolled on q strong
backing OF waterproof canvas. 1t il
claimed that the new cloth will be
warm, soft, damp-proOf and elastic.
A flooring cloth made Of cork, which
was invented some years ago, Was OBJ
jeetiODable on account OF its want Of
elasticity, and the fact that the COM
position Of which 1t was made never
dried thorOughlY.
Year: 1874




1t can scarcely be known in Eng
/ land that in the English settlements
on the Gold Coast slavery exists in a
most hideous and most revolving
form, and is not only tolerated but
formally recognized and sanctioned
by law. 1t is generally belieYed that
where English rule prevails slavery
cannot exist. Yet all the force and
authority of English.law is eXerted to
assist the slave owner in his claim to
his human chattels. The slavery that
exists here is termed domestic sla-
very" The real meaning Of this
term simply is that the slave owner
cannot export his slaves. This is one
practical limitation placed upon his
lower. a slave can be bought and
sold within the limits OF this settle
ment almost as freely IS sheep or an
OK. Even the deck of an English
vessel does not afford protection Of
safely 10 the fugitive slave. Else
where an English vessel is regarded
as an inviOlable asylum for the op-
pressed. Slaves are constantly drag
ged from English vessels under the
warrant ofan English judge, to be con-
signed TO hopeless slavery. On the
first of this month a wretched female
slave was carried through the streets
of Cape Coast, bound hand and foot.
Her piteous shrieks and cries attract
ed the attention of high military Of
fetal, who interfered to ascertain
what ofense the woman had commit
ted, and why she received such treat
ment. He found that there was no
charge against her save that she en-
deavOred to escape from slavery, and
that she was then being, under due
legal process, carried back to her mas
ter. He had to stand back out of re.
spect to the law, and group of Eng
lish officers who were near had TO
look on in silent shame while the un-
happy woman was carried off, vainly
entreating their assistance. 1t is diff
! fieult to understand why such stats
OF things should be tolerated. Sla-
very has been abolished IN Sierra Le-
one, Lagos, and the Gambia, and no
good reason can be assigned for diff
ferent rule prevailing in other places.
The Fantees are about the most de-
based and cowsrdly race on the coast.
Why, for such people, should the very
fundamental principles and doctrines
of English law be set at nought :?
1t should not be tolerated that such a
people should dictate to us. II we are
to retain our possessions on the Gold
Coast we ought at least to insist that
English law shall prevail there, and
none other. 1t is TO be hoped that
Sir Garret Wolsey, during his admin
istration, will add to his laursls by
putting an end to slavery in the last
spot where it has found refuge under
English Rule. It will be well worthy
of his high reputation that he should
give practical effect to the sentiment
which is proclaimed in the memora-
bic words, 'Liberty is commensura-
BILE and insepsrable from English
rule
Year: 1874

An additional excuse is being of
fered for lovers to sit up late o'nights.
The new comet, lately discovered by
Prof. Swift, is making directly for
earth with immense velocity. It is
now situated. about one o'clock in
the morning, directly beneath the
polar star, and is clearly visible
through an opera glass. 1t will be
nearest the earth about the first of
August, when it will be a conspicu-
Gus and beautiful object, and there
will be some object in sitting up to
see it if the parents don't object.
Swift, by the way, was not the first
to discover this comet. 1t was first
seen at Marseilles, France, on the
18th of April. So the comet, like
the race is not to the Swift alone.
In the midst of this eternal fuss
about the financial question, and the
discussion of such sordid topics as
greenbaeks VS.. hard money, it is
good thing to have our attention
drawn away from earth occasionally,
and this comet will do it.-Saturdlay
Night.
Year: 1874

From the San francisco Bunetin.l


A Chinese fish-peddler was trav-
cling his round on Brannon street,
anticipating nothing more than the
customary pelting with stones from
the sportive urchins Of that vicinity.
when some jocular person, just
emerged from a corner grocery, brim-
full of glee, thought to vary the mon
otony of the everyday diversions by
setting vicious bulldog upon the
Mongol. The brute readily took its
prey, and the fist intimation that the
Chinaman had of an an attack was
the closing of pair of savage jaws
upon one of his wrists. 4 rattling
combat ensued, and for moment it
was doubtful which would gain the
mastery, until presently the blade Of
an eighteen-inch knife cleaned for
an instant, and then was buried in
the body Of the dog. producing
breach that permitted the canine vi
tality to subside as with q breath.
At the very moment of this sanouin-
airy work another huge brute, of The
Newfoundland breed, came dashing
up, and made spring at the China
mans throat. The gladiator stood
ready fsr the attack. and caught the
second foe by the throat. In a mo-
ment more the Newfoundland had
received its death.wound. The vic
torious Chinaman, reel1ing with blood
and painting with the exertion of
mortal combat, then shouldered his
baskets and shambled away without
any more patronage in that
To the credit of the
spectators be it said that after van
the dogs, he was nobly
granted the boon of life, and depart
ed without molestation.
Year: 1874

tend to prevent the increase OF wealth by nnuIti-


plying the distance to market, and decrease the
home value Of products by increased cost of


transportation.


Where property is exempt from road tax, all that


the militia" have ever been able to do is to lay
out highways, without building roads or bridges.
Hence such ''wretched" roads promote aEd per-


petuate poverty.


The suggestion of the possibility
of running a furrow or two on one
or both sides of the road bed of a
nearly opened highway in such a
country as East Tennessee was


when first settled, is secuted by j.
III. c., Jr., with a contemptuous
"pshaw !'' and fling at my want
of ability as a " civil engineer


What l know of road-making in a
backwoods country may be inferred
from a brief statement of my first
lesson. When a boy, 1 assisted my
father in building a portion of a
road through the wild on the
summit of the Green Mountain
range,-tLe township of my birth
including a portion of the watershed
of these mountains. The job was
taken to save paying the money as
sessed for an extra road tax on pro-
perty. The road to be built was
through an unbroken wilderness, and
our portion of it was partly swale
and partly dry land, with not a few
"jutting" rocks. East Tennessee
may have presented to the view of
the first settlers more savage and
solemn scene )" but as we followed
marked trees to the stake that in
dicated the beginning of our job.
thought this was sufficiently rough
and forbidding, though not to bush
whackers impenetrable."


The first process was to chop
down the trees. Their trunks were
used to corduroy the wet places,
their branches were thrown upon the
logs. which. in turn, were finally
covered with earth. Stumps and
loose rocks were next removed, and
Notwithstanding the soil was filed
with roots and other impediments
* a furrow or two or half a dozen,
were run on one or both sides of the
road, water courses were cleaned
out, the middle of the bed for travel
raised little. culverts of logs and
poles were made where needed, and
on declivities, "bars'' were con-
structed across the road bed to turn
the water from the centre of the
road to the side bitches.


Rude and cheap, to be sure, was
this road, but it was far better than
the undisturbed surface ofthe wilder
ness after the trees were removed.
| dare not trust my memory as to
the amount per rod we we're allowed
for our work, but I am sure that if
l were able to make the statement
it would be so low that j. II. c., Jr.
would exclaim. 20 Solomon f., Solo,
mon F." The people of the town.
ship were then poor money was very
scarce, and property owners were
willing to work cheap. very cheap.
rather than to pay their assessment
in money In those days there was
in that section very little Goldfish or
other aristocracy, and none that
Year: 1874

Persons receiving the GAZETTE with a RED X
MARK on it, notified that their subscription is
due for the current volume, and they are respect
fully requested at once to remit the subscription
price.
Year: 1874

tend to promote the increase of wealth. They
shorten the distance to market, and advance the
home value of products by Iessening the cost of
transportation.


Where property and poll taxed for building
and repairing roads, comparatively good ones are
the result, even in new settlement.
Hence gradual increase Of wealth for their i'm
provement is the result.
Year: 1874

\ discharged employee became editor of a
Western paper on the strength of Greeley re-
commeudatioo, said recommendation being
really letter of dismissal; but as no one could
decipher anything but the signature, it was ac-
Copied as what its owner declared it to be. lis
even said that the Sage of Chappaqua popped
the question uuwittiug!y. he wrote to lady
eutreatiug her to abstain from sending poetical
contributions to The Tribune. The lady sub
mlited the letter to family council, and,
after much debate, the mysterious missive was
Pronounced to be proposal Of marriage, which
Vas accepted forthwith.
Year: 1874

have known a country society
which withered away all to moth
ing under the dry rot of gossip
only. Friendships once as firm as
granite desolved to jelly, and then
away to water only because Of this;
love that promised future as en-
during as heaven, and truth, e7ap-
GRATED into q morning mist that
turned to a days long tears be-
cause of this.


A father and a son were set foot
to foot with the fiery breath Of
anger that would never cool again
between them, only because Of
this; and husband and his young
wife, each straining at the hated
leash, which in the beginning had
been the golden bondage OF 4 Uoo
blessed love, sat mournfully by the
grave where all their love and joy
lay buried, and because of this.


| have seen faith transformed ed to
mean doubt, hope give place to
grim despair, and charity take on
itself the features of black malevo-
lence, all because of the fell words
of scandal, and the magic mutter-
ings of gossip.


Great crimes work great wrongs,
and the deeper tragedies of life
spring from its larger passions !:
but wocful and melancholy are the
uncatalogued tragedies that issue
from gossip and dctractiou most
mournful the ship wreck often
made Of noble natures and lovely
lives BY the bitter winds and dead
salt-waters Of s!ander. So easy to
say, yet so hard to rcfate-t throw
ing blame on the innocent, and
furnishing them as guilty, if una
bic to pluck out the stings they
never see, and to silence words
they never heard. Gossip and
slander are the dcadliest and cruel
lest weapons man has for his bro
theirs hurt.
Year: 1874

rule. The plow was left in the fur
row: tie farmS were abandoned. No
man was safe. I remember meeting
at railway station two young men
who sat at the table with me, and I
asked them in regard to the condi.-
ton of the country. They told me
it was because of the declaration of
martial law; that no man. howey-
er aged, however respectable, was
safe if the basest negro simply
pointed his finger at him and asked
for his military arrest. It was a
reign Of terror. Men were arrested
by hundreds, dragged from their
fanliies. incarcerated without writ,
discharged sometimes without ques-
ton and without any explanation.
and without any charge being
brought against them. Such was
the condition Of things there SO
long as there was no writ of haJeds
corpus with Major Merrill in COM
mand, and no court open for relief.
That was martial law in America
the suspension Of the writ Of haJeas
corpus by the President in a time
of profound peace, with all the courts
open, where every Judge WAS Of his
own party, every juror Of his own
party, every prosecuting officer OF
his own party, the whole machinery
for the arrest, trial, and conviction
of men confined to men Of his own
choice, because by the test oaths,
which still prevail in the South, men
are disabled from serving on a jury
whoever performed the most natu-
raj dictates of humanity, the slight
est act of friendship, of assistance,
toward their own kindred and
friends during the entire period OF
the war. The senator may sneerat
the affected solicitude Of the people
of South Carolina for the honor
ofthe Federal army. Itis for him
to consider whether it is just to
them and whether it is just to
himself to do so. But the people


of South Carolina did not. cause
| this resolution. make no especial


profession of solicitude for tho


honor of the American army.


only say that have, in every way


that man can obtain it, right tc


be solicitous; tits my right to be


solicitous; and if there were nc


other moving cause than my


sympathy and friendship for a dis


tressed and down-trodGen people


of my own race, and desire to save


the poor remnant Of their proper


ty from further robbery if there


were no other reason than my feel


ing of respect for the army of the
United States, that is sufficient tc
justify me, as it has prompted me


in offering this resolution.
Year: 1874

A STORY FOR BoYs.-It is rela-
ted of a Persian mother, that on
giving her son forty pieces of sill
yer for his portion, She made him
swear never to tell a lie, and said:


"Go, my son-I consign thee to
God, and we shall not meet again
till the day Of Judgment"


The youth went away, and the
party that be travelled with were
assaulted by robbers. One fellow
asked the boy what he had, and
he answered:


"Forty dinars are sewed up in
my garments


The robbers laughed, thinking
that the boy jested. Another ask
ed the same question and received
the same answer. At last the chief
called him, and asked what he
had.


The boy replied:
II have told two of your people
that I had forty dinars scwcd up
in my garments"
The chief ordered the garments
to be ripped open, and the money
was found.


"And how come you to tell
this?"


"Because," replied the boy, Il
would not be false to my mother,
to whom l had promised never
to tell lie."


"Child," said the robber, cart
thou so mindful of thy duty to thy
mother at thy years, and I am in
sensible at my age OF the duty that
love to God? Give me thy hand
that l may swear repentance on
it,"


He did so, and his fellows were
struck with the scene.


"You have been our leader in
guilt" said they to the chief: "be
the same in the path Of virtue"
and taking the boys hand they
took the oath of repentance on it.
Year: 1874

A preacher took up collection
on Sunday and found, when his hat
was returned, that there wasn't a
penny in it. Il thank 10y God"
said he, turning the hat upside
down, and tapping the crown OF it
with his hands, ''that I've got my
hat back from this congregation"
Year: 1874

I passed through the State Of
South Carolina. I passed through


those counties in which martial law


had been proclaimed, and where


Maj. MerrilIs will was the sole law
of the land. I remember we'll cast
ing my eyes to the right and to the
left from the time We entered the
borders of these counties until we


emerged from them, and it was a


scene of desolation. No white man
could be seen. He depopulated the
country. The people fed from his
Year: 1874

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-


There appears to me to be more feeling than
SOUND sense in the remarks OF your correspond
ents on the subject OF position In rine shooting.
The only question, think should be utility.
What is the object OF the Ride AssociationP Is it
for the display OF acrobatc feats, or is 1t for the
development OF military arm toward perfection
in wariareS Iapprehend 1t needs no argument to
demonstrate tnat lying on your back to shoot Is
utterly impractcable in modern warfare. That
particular department. OF rife shooting called
sharpshootingis Is confined generally TO firing from
cover, either from bushes, behind or up trees and
In holes called rine pits. Gould gentleman on his
back do service under either Of these circum-
stances9 should take 1t that one man In the nor.
NAL attitude would, In those cases be worth
dozen gentlemen Oh their backs, to say nothing OF
abouts OF the object to be shot at.


recolect In my young days that the idea was
Ieas6erstocKing s storiesI that It was no Unusual nal
ieat for rineman to take birds on the wing and
make the head Of the bird the special objective
are those tales myth that we sing p@ans 'Si Of
delight at successfully competing for the hitting of
q bulls-eye two feet wide, and gaining that only
by the mistaken aim of . gymnast on mis- back, who


Shot at pigeon and killed a crown


Can we not have real rine shooting matches
from the shoulder, rest allowed over 500 yards,
and time taken into consideration Some OF our
gentlemen take long enough TO aim for an Indian
to reach their scalp before they are ready to fire.
i thank General DaKin Tor the manly step he has
taken IN this direction, and hope he will follow 1t
up with many more.


/ MAINTAIN that In modern warfare instances are
very rare ana extraordinary where time and
space would suffice Tor rinemen atuitudiniztnQ on
their back or attitudinizing on their belly.


In simple good faith I make these desultory
remarks in the hope OF developing a right Ieeling
on the subject. OLD SMALL BORE.