smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

by colt or -broken-down mule is, as a
general thing, the only reward for all the
time and labor. Settlers on the frontier
would hail their speedy extinction as a
blessing, for when domestic animals get
with them their recovery is simply out of
the question"


"A MARRIAGE was recently sOlemniZed
by telegraph, and now the news of a
wedding ceremony performed in barn
yard comes from New Hampshire. A
young lady living at Flatbrookville, in
that State, fell in love with one of her
nelgaoors, young man, and he recipro-
Gated the passion. Desiring to get mar
ried, they notified the Squire, and he con.
sented to "splice" them. Shortly after
ne arrival of the Squire the mother of
tne expectant bride, who had been absent
rom nome, returned and discovered the
situation. She objected with piece of
board, and proceeded to belabor the
parties concerned. The groom went one
way, the Squire escaped in another di.
rection, and the blushing bride fled to the
garret. Later in the day the lovers were
seen together, and the result of the stolen
Interview was that early the next morning
they presented themselves before the
Squire in his barn-yard. He asked them
to go to the house, but they declined, stat
ing that the BRIDES mother was on the
war-path and in hot pursuit of the flying
pair. Without further delay the twain
were made one, the only witnesses to the
ceremony being the wondering cattle that
surrounded them, silently chewing their
cuds.
Year: 1874

THE following illustration of the power
possessed by insects to communicate
their experiences to one another is given
by lady correspondent of the London
Spectator " was staying in the house of
a gentleman who was fond Of trying cx-
periments and who was a bce-kccpcr.
Having read in some book on bees that
the best and most humane way of taking
the honey without destroying the bees
was to immerse the hive for a few min
utes in a tub Of cold water, when the bees,
half drowned, could not sting, while the
honey was uninjured, since the water
could not penetrate the closely-waxed
cells, he resolved on trying the plan.
saw the experiment tried. The bees, &C.
cordlng to the recipe, were fishcd out of
the water after the hive had been i'm
mersed few minutes, and, with those
remaining in the hive, laid on sieve in
the sun to dry; but as, by bad manage
ment, the experiment had been tried too
late in the day, as the sun was going
down, they were removed into the kitchen,
to the great indignation of the cook, on
whom they revenged their sufferings as
soon as the warm rays of the fire before
which they were placed had revived
them. AS she insisted on their being
taken away, they were put back into
their old hive, which had been dried, to-
gether with a portion of their honey, and
placed on one Of the shelves of the apiary,
in which were five or six other strong
hives full Of bees, and left for the night.
Early the next morning my frieAnwent
to look at the hive on which he expert
mented the night before, but to his amaze
ment not only the bees from that hive
were gone but the other hives were all
descrted-not bee remained in any of
them. The half drowned bees must,
therefore, in some way or other have
made the other bees understand the fate
which awaited them"
Year: 1874

YOU had better take better care of that
young one" This was the modest remark
OF Engineer Jack Evans, Of the Chicago,
Burlington & Quincy Railway, as he
handed the child he had saved back to its
mother and mounted his engine to move
ahead. Our readers must not forget the
circumstance. Jack saw the child tod
ding along on the track, just ahead of his
train, and comprehended instantly that it
was too late to stop the engine before he
reached it. So he did as manly and as
brave an act as was ever performed by
any hero. He reversed his engine, ran
out on the guard as nimbly as a cat, and
when close to the child jumped, caught
it in his arms and threw himself side
ways from the track. The pilot struck
him and whirled him twelve or fifteen
feet down the bank, bruising him consid-
erably, but he saved the baby's life and
handed it back to its mother with the
remark at the head of this article. It is
strange of what stuff heroes are made,
after all. Here's quiet, humble man,
going about his daily work without
thought of being made of different metal
from his fellows. He is not an orator, a
poet, nor a professor. He never was tried
for hcresy, or accused of writing book.
He probably hasn't got any theology, and
when 1t comes to treatises on man or
essays on political economy, Jack will
tell you at once that he knows nothing
about them. We dare say he is totally un-
acquainted with Homer, absolutely unin-
formed about Hume, and probably
never heard Of Richard Grant White or
David Frederick Strauss. And yet who
shall deny that Jack is braver man and
a greater than any of them? He never
dreamt it; his friends never thought of
such thing; to himself and all about
him he was very ordinary man, getting
through the world as comfortably as
hard work and small pay would permit,
but satisfied with very low seat in the
human tabernacle; and vet the occasion
comes, and Jack freely and without mo.
ment's hesitation walks bravely out and
risks his life to save very small speci-
men OF humanity, who by no possible
contingency can ever repay the debt
There are no huzzas. no salvos of artillery,
no grand anthems over this act of deve-
ton. Nothing is heard but the sobs of
the frightened and grateful mother and
the curt remark of Jack, "You'd better
take better care Of that Young one" Then
he goes on and never knows how great an
act he has performed till the telegraph
takes up the story and the newspapers
give it to the world.


Such man asks no reward, but he
should have it, nevertheless, and we hope
the company which employs him and
the public which appreciates and adj
mires a brave deed will take measures to
show their admiration. Meantime, here
is another chance for a poem, and we
wait, as in the case of the Mill Creek dis
aster, for some one to put the incident
into readable verse.-Chicaqo Inter. Ocean.
Year: 1874

The New York Times has an article on
household pets, in which it playfully and
somewhat sarcastically suggests pet alli-
gators as variety for the house.


Now, absurd as the alligator may seem
for pet, it so happens that we once had
some of them, and very pleasant little
pets they proved to be-. It was during a
residence, some years ago, in Southern
city, not far from the hayous, where alli-
gators, great and small, are to be had by
the hundred thousand. Instead of going
in person to catch the little fellows, we
secured the services Of an aged American
citizen of African descent, who knew
more than we did about keeping out of
the way of the parent alligators. He
scooped up dozen or two baby gators
and brought them in, his face ornamented
with broad grin Of delight in anticipa-
tion Of the dollar he had been promised
for catching them. ..


For several months a number of these
lively little fellows occupied neat aqua
rum tank in the library window, where
the sun shone on them. They were as
lively as little cats, and quite as playful.
Equally happy in the water and out of it,
hey would frisk about like so MANY
monkeys when they felt so disposed, and
when they felt lazy (for alligators, like
other folks, are subject to attacks OF lazi-
messy they would stretch themselves out,
or lie in heap, one on the other, and
bask in the sunshine. They had a habit
of eating almost any eatable thing that
was given to them, their principal luxury
being live flies. In catching these insects
they exhibited great dexterity Large
beetle cockroaches also afforded them
much pleasure. There was an abundance
of these in the house and the alligators
considerably reduced the stock. These
alligators were in their first summer, and
were only a few inches long. They would
run over peoples hands and clothes, and
climb upon shoulders with great liveli-
ness. We gave some of them away, and
the rest, probably pampered by petting
and overlooking, died.


We once owned an alligator which
was six feet long. But he frightened an
old lady out Of her wits, and so we gave
him away. He was too large for pet
But in their first or second year gators
are pleasant pets and no more dangerous
than kittens-ChristSan at Work.
Year: 1874

A FUNNY mistake occurred the other
day through the forgctfulness of distin-
guished Clergyman of this city. The
cards were out for wedding to take
place at his church. The day, the hour,
the bridal party arrived; the church was
filled with invited guests, but the officiat-
ing clergyman was nowhere to be seen.
The impatient bride and groom waited
for half an hour; the bride began to feel a
superstitious dread of she knew not
what; the groom, strong ng-minded, only
felt annoyance. What was to be done?
Patience had ceased to be a virtue. At
last a clergyman of another denomina-
tion, who was sitting among the guests,
was observed. He was sent for, and
kindly consented to perform the cere-
mony. The knot was tied to the satisfac-
ton of all parties, and the fee handed
over to the minister who had proved such
benefactor. The money: however, he
sent to the clergyman who was to have
performed the ceremony, with note:


This is an egg found in your nest. As
Ididn't cackle-ate upon it, I send it back
to YOU" The reason of the absence OF
the engaged clergyman was very sim
pie one-he had forgotten all about the
appointment.-Nsso York Letter.
Year: 1874

ARE we nation of pawnbrokers or
jewelers.? We must be one or the other,
or wherefore the quantity Of diamonds
that are worn by women and children? l
have no fault to find with the middle-aged
lady who adorns herself with the family
jewels on full-dress occasions; but good
taste is outraged at the sight of girl of
fifteen wearing as many diamonds as
would ransom a King. Not long ago I
met little child who could not have been
over five years old, out walking with her
nurse, and from her ears hung immense
solitaire diamonds. 1t is no uncommon
thing to see schoolgirls from the ages of
ten to eighteen wearing diamonds on their
fingers and in their ears. A young girl
does not think her toilet complete with
out diamond earrings and at least dia~
mond ring. Then, as she gets richer,
come hair ornaments and crosses and
lockets made of the precious stones.
Necklaces of diamonds are rare in this
country, and are not often seen off the
stage The Countess of Caithness, who
visited this country some time ago, was
the wonder and admiration of all New
York when she appeared in her box at the
opera flashing in $800,000 worth of dia-
monds. But then her diamonds had been
handed down from generation to genera
tion of very rich ancestors, and were only
second to those of royalty. In European
countries it is not until woman has at
tanned to years of maturity that she wears
diamonds, and even then not unless she
is very rich. In this country not one is
too young to wear them, and, was going
to say, no one too poor, for have often
seen women who live in small houses, up
back streets, appear at church or the
opera glittering in diamonds. A lady of
my acquaintance, when she gets up in the
morning, puts on a calico wrapper, but
that does not prevent her arraying herself
in diamond earrings, breastpin and finger
rings, with which adornment she per
forms her household task.-New York
Letter IN Boston Gazette.
Year: 1874

IT is strange what risks come men will
incur just for the sake of little amuse-
ment A case in point is that of Mr.
Bangs, who thought to have little pri-
vate fun at the expense of his wife the
other evening. He has not fully recov-
cred from the effects of that fun yet. He
was aware that Mrs. 3. never used a light
when she went down cellar after dark,
and he determined to take advantage of
her oversight to carry out his own plans


Accordingly he arranged himself in
sheet and a tall hat, went down cellar
and took his position in the darkest cor
ner. He had scarcely completed these
arrangements when Mrs. 3. appeared,
carrying broom, as Bangs soon after
ward learned.


She halted Immediately in front of
Bangs, and appeared to be regarding him
with some interest, when Bangs, think
ing this as favorable an opportunity as he
would get, slowly raised himself on end
and uttered what he considered a very
unearthly groan. Mrs. B. didn't faint,
nor shrek, nor go into Mysteries, as he
had confidently expected. On the con-
! trary she merely poised her broom for a
moment in mid air, then let it descend on
Bangs head with force that nearly cap
sized him. At first Bangs thought that
he had suddenly died ana been landed
among the stars, from the immense number
of them he saw shooting about through
space but few more well-directed blows
| from Mrs. BPS broom soon recalled him
from the contemplation ofthts lofty theme
to things of a more earthly nature. He
Immediately gave up all idea of making
any further attempts to frighten the wife
of his bosom, and set about demonstrat-
ing the utter impossibility of lodging a
broom-stick in the hands of an earnest
and excited woman.


When the family next door got there
Bangs was performing circles around the
house at the rate of mile minute, and
endeavoring to allay the irritation in his
head by friction with his hands. This
was about the time that Bangs had ex-
pected to be splitting his sides with
laughter, but he found it impossible to
even smile now under the circumstances
Mrs. B. emerged from the cellar triumph
antly waving about half foot of the bald
end of a broom handle, and weeping be-
cause there were no more Bangs to
broom.


It took two new dresses and twenty
yards of ribbon to convince her that
Bangs didn't mean to frighten her; but
he has failed 50 far to explain the pres
ence of the sheet and tall hat to her entire
satisfaction. Bangs has employed the ser.
vices Of his physician by the month to
put the necessary repairs on his face and
head.-John OlSuer, IN Danbury News.
Year: 1874

A FORT DODGE Qowa) man lived in
this world of sin and deceit sixty long
years before he found out that q stranger
on a railway train, borrowing on the Sc
curity of bogus check for an immense
amount, is a snare, a delusion, a fraud.
He will never see his $50 or the gentle
man he loaned it to again.
Year: 1874

STRANGE SCENE IN \ CEMETERY The New
York World describes 4 strange scene that
was recently witnessed over an open grave
in Greenwood Cemetery. Nathaniel Bishop,
one of the parties to the famous Bishop d.
vorce suit that has figured before courts
and juries for many years, died few day
since. Before dying Mr.. Bishop had ex-
pressed wish that his wife should not he
permitted to look ut his remains or 10 par
ticipate in the funeral ceremonies. After
his death, however, Mrs. Bishop dctermin-
ed to exercise exclusive control over the
arrangements, and despite the opposition
of the other relatives OF the deceased MIR
Bishop managed, alter encuuntering much
opposition, 10 have the funeral held at the
time and place directed by her " hen the
funeral brought up at Greenwood the
wife ordered that the body he depo@
tied in the reeeiying-vault- Bat Mr..
Bishop owned a family plot in which his
first wife was buried, and the grave had
been already dug for the reception of tae
remains. But Mrs. Bishop WAS obstinate,
and positively refused to have the under
taker bury it. And when at last the under
taker tried 10 force n burial Mrs. Bishop
declared that she would jump into the
grave and oblige them to put Mr.. Bishops
body on top of her. The spectators were
terrified at her yehemence, but were not
prepared to see her suit the action To the
word Nevertheless she jumped into the
grave forthwith. Meanwhile the son had
been endeavorins to persuade the Superin-
tendent To grant him day : time to obtain
funds by which the fee for receiving vault
could be obtained The scene at the grave
of Mr.. Bishop brought the Superinte ndent
to reluctant consent to the agreement,
and the body was placed in the receiving
vault, much to the relief Of the spectators
1t was only then that the lady jumped oat
of the grave
Year: 1874

The fullest reports of an editorial convention
ever published in Indiana Were contained in
the indianapolis Sentinel OF Friday and Satur-
day last. On the first named day the Sentinel
found room, after giving the average amount Of
space to the general news of the day, TO devote
sociation.
Year: 1874

Gerrit Smith is out in a characteristic letter
IN the Uticd Herald in which he declares for a
Third Term if necessary to defeat the domo-
cracy. He thinks even the immortal Washing
ton would not have declined a third term II
there had been prospect in his time of the
sscendency of "such a devillsh democracy" as
the PRESENT. Gerrit proceeds 70 say:


"MoTeover would the people in that case have
consented to his declining it? The question
whether in 1875 General Grant shall be the
candidate may, in the situation of our country
at that time, rise heaven high above all personal
considerations. It may involve the life or death
OF the country. 1t is in this light that denv
the moral right of any one to say that he will not
ycte tor General Grant in 1919. 1t is in this
Eght that deny the Generals moral right to
say that he will not consent to be a Candidate
in 1876. We are all to keep step with PrOyi-
qence, and none are to go ahead OF it. Let the
ClstSnt lcI6 take care OF ITSELF"


Further, q. s. expresses the belief that
neither New York, nor Pennsylvania, nor anv
Eastern States VIII lie guilty of the folly and
fraud OF voting az OLio aud Indiana have IN
happily done, to increase the irredeemabls
paper currency and TO cheat the nations credi-
tors.
Year: 1874

THE Boston Board Of Trade has appointed p
committee to tender tue cOur5esies OF the ex-
change to the Secretary OF the Treasury and
Postmaster General, who are expected to visit
Boston shortly.
Year: 1874

Supreme Court yesterday declded the case Of
the city OF New Orleans against the New York
steamship company, No. >, to sustain the de-
cree below. which held that the lease given by
the military governor of the city after its esp
ture was valid for the term of years named
therein, although extending beyond the termi-
nation hOstiIiriPz
Year: 1874

An evening cotemporary which has
the reputation of being influenced by
some of the special franchise owners
of the city, attempts to make point
against Mr.. BEAUDRY through his op-
position to the enforcement of the
rigid measures proposed by the Health
Officer. There are but few people in
this city who will not read the report
of the Council proceedings and those
who do, need not he told that Mr..
BEAUDRY did not oppose a reasonable
degree of energy in the way of abating
the many nuisances that exist in the
city. His position was that we are
not in q condition to enforce the rigid
decipline that is necessity in large
cities. There have been no rules of
this nature obeyed in Los Angeles
heretofore, and Mr.. BEAUDRY believes
that the sudden enforcement of the ex.
treme measures proposed by the late
Health Officer would work inconve-
nience If not serious loss to many citi-
zens. He is, no doubt, as much in
favor of keeping the city cleansed as
any one, but he does not believe in
the passage of resolutions and ordi-
nances so extremely unreasonable in
their demands that people cannot
comply with them. The Health Of
ficer reports that he found three hun
dred and sixty single and separate
cases which he calls nuisances, and
they mostly on the premises of rich
people. This is not complimentary to
that class of our community,a and tends
to create an impression in the minds
of unprejudiced individuals that a
small affair say, for instance, an added
egg is sufficient to constitute q nui-
sance in the estimation of our very
rigid and somewhat exacting, not to
say slightly tyrannical Health Officer.
Year: 1874

The forthcoming concerts promise
rare treat. A new feature will be In
troduced in these concerts-four first
class pianists will play a couple of
quartettes on two grand pianos each
evening. Mendelsshon's Wedding
March will be performed the first
evening and brilliant gallop. Prof.
Schad, the eminent pianist, who late
ly came here from San Francisco has
quite recovered his health and will be
one of the pianists. Miss Marston will
be ably assisted and a capital pro-
gramme will be offered the first night,
and if the programe each evening
(and we are Informed it will be- is as
good as the first night a series of most
excellent performances will be given,
probably more enjoyable than ever
before offered here. Those who have
not secured their season tickets should
do so Immediately.
Year: 1874

AN article in this mornings HER
AID relative to settlers and timber
cutting will be found of interest to
both those who locate on Government
land and officials. The document is
official
Year: 1874

From the Pail Mall Gazette.l


These unappeasably exact folk VINO
must have their pound of social flesh,
and will not be put off with less than
their precise due, are, for the most part,
difficult people to keep in good humor.
They know nothing Of that easy going,
slip shod good nature which gives and
takes, and never keeps any debtor or
creditor account at all; which sends out
two Invitations to their neighbor's one,
or forgets to return his call within the
prescribed limits, and then meets him
with a beaming smile and a jocund man
ner, as if he were not sinner and a
breaker of the law. That kind of thing
is abhOrrent to them-as bad as cob
webs on the ceiling or material slippers
down at heel. What the sticklers for
etiquette like is everything to be done
with the incest precision-invitation for
invitation, and the complimentary card
left on the exact date on which it should
be left; call returned for call within
the term prescribed according to the
degree of intimacy; and the whole OF
the social life mapped out as you would
map out the plan of an estate, with so
many acres, rods and perches assigned
to A. and so many rods of forestgrowth
told off to B. Sometimes, however,
these sticklers for etiquette are kind
people in their way-people who will
lend but not borrow, give but not ask.
They are generous in bestowing, but not
generous to accept. They will load their
neghbors with benefits, but they will not
carry away so much as flower in free
gift. Their house is open to you, and you
might, if you would, use it in their ab-
sence, and make yourself at home with
a cup of afternoon tea and lounge on
the comfortable sofa; but they would die
of fatigue and inanition before they
would do the same by you; and you may
talk forever, but you cannot beat 1t into
their heads that there is no difference
between you, and what they allow from
you they may also commit for their own
parts. Not bit of it. To the end they
remain generous, hospitsble, free handed
in what they grant; and to the end, also,
precise, stiff sticklers for etiquette, and
tiresomely punctillious in what they ac-
cept. Sometimes they are just the con-
trary TO this, and, while they accept un-
conventional kindness frankly enough,
will not allow the smallest infraction Of
rhadamanthine rule of strictest etl-
ouette to themselves. They would hold
il as an objectionable liberty if their
dearest friend should enter their house
in their absence, though be or she had
come twenty miles and more to see
them. A servant who should offer a cup
of tea of her own accord, even to their
sister. would receive her dismissal be-
fore the night had come; and lifelong
intimacy has been broken for all time
for no greater ofense than that of pick
ing nubidden bit OF mignonnette out
of bed which was choked with its ewn
luxuriance. And some again are at
least just and logical, and neither give
nor take, but demand the pound Of flesh
with the most scrupulous exaetness, and
pay If just as methodically.