smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

ture.


"Can the watermelon be successfully
cultivated on sandy soil, in a rural town
of four thousand inhabitants, and the
illogical institute located near by, con-
tanning one hundred and twenty stu
dents studying for the mipistry?" This
question excited considerable comment
and loud discussion among the agricul-
turists present Cat the meeting of the
"Hayseeds" in Cleveland), and nearly
an hour and a half was spent in discuss
ing the same. An old green grocer
who had raised early and late vegetables
for the market for twenty years of his
earlier life, said he could raise melons
on top of barn, or on billiard table,
even, let him pick the locality and his
neighbors. It was not so much the soil,
nor the season, that the melon depended
upon for its perfection, as it was the
peculiarities of the inhabitants of the
country roundabout. Where there was
an excess of colored citizens it was al
most as impossible to raise a paying
crop Of melons as it was to keep spring
chickens, unless they roasted at night
in Herring safe. Then, again-col-
leges have bad effect upon the melon
crop, and even a minister's family of
seven bows has been known to blight q
large patch in single night. In sec
tions of country where thesa drawbacks
exist, the speaker had learned that the
only method to insure a full crop of
melons was to station a man by each
melon from the time it was the size of a
hens egg until it ripened. This was
expensive but the result was always
gratifying. AS the fruit grew in size,
and approached ripeness, the speaker
had sometimes found it necessary to
station two guards over each large mel
on, and even then, in communities
wherea great fondRess for these luscious
products existed, he had known of the
insides of a large watermelon being
stolen and devoured while two men
with clubs and pistols were seated on
the shell, or rind, engaged in friendly
converse. -DGnbatTy NetOs.
Year: 1874

" No-I-I am afraid you cannot"


Then do not waste your time with
me-help those that can get well.


"But-''


"Help those that can get well 1t is
not for me to be a girl. I carry the
blood of eleven generations of soldiers
in my veins !''


The hysician-himself a man who
had seen service in the navy in his time
touched his hat to this little hero, and
passed on.


The head engineer of the Amaranth,
a grand specimen of physical manhood,
struggled to his feet CHASTITY spectacle,
and strobe toward his brother, the sec
ond engineer, who was unhurt. He said


"You were on watch. You were boss.
You would not listen to me when beg
ged you to reduce your steam. Take
that take it to my wife and tell her it
comes from me by the hand of my muir
derer Take it!-and take my curse
with it to blister your heart hundred
years-and may you live so long %


And he tore ring from his finger,
stripping flesh and skin with it threw
it down and fell dead


But these things must not be ..dwelt
upon. The Boreas landed her dreadful
cargo at the next large town, and deliv-
cred it over to a multitude of eager
hands and warm southern hearts-a
cargo amounting by this time to 80
wounded persons and % dead bodies.
And with these she delivered list of
SO missing persons that had drowned
or otherwise perished at the scene of the
disaster.


A jury of inquest was inpanneled,
and after due deliberation and inquiry,
they returned the invitable American
verdict, which has been so familiar to
our ears all the days OF our lives-"No-
body to blame"
Year: 1874

The pencil marks you see around this
paragraph (thus) mean that your SUBJ
scriptiop is out or unpaid, and that
You are requested to pay up at once.
We would take great pleasure in extend.
ing credit to our friends and patrons.
but cash alone viii pay expenses, and
we are forced to adhere to strict cash
rule. We hope you will comprehend
and appreciate the necessity of such A
course, and renew your subscription
without delay. We solicit your favor.


q We enter no new names on our
books without the money IN adv1, ce-
Year: 1874

GOLD


has lost interest almost entirely, the same innu-
that operate to revive general trade retard-
ing any advance in the premium. This market
appears to be in that state that 1t has touched
bottom in the present figure OF 100 and q traction
in the presence OF a financial system resting upon
irredeemable paper tokens, while any considerable
advance from that figure is prevented by the gen.
eral prosperity OF the country. which makes the
eventual redemption Of these tokens seem in the
near future. The subjoined table gives the range
nf fha INN durtp fho
Year: 1874

Having suffered some for closet room
at one time and another, or for places to
stow away things, have had considerable
sympathy with that man who said that when
he built house he should begin with big
closet and make additions to that When
| speak Of closets my husband understands
me, but Immediately begins to talk about
modes Of ventilating closets, and | have
only gradually grown to understand his
strong sense Of the necessity for closet yen-
tilation. Having for several years hung
the clothing of the family in rooms where
there was a free circulation of air, | am sur
prised when | 90 into the wel-fnished
elothes-rooms (let US call them close rooms)
in some fne houses to find how dead and
unwholesome not to say foul--the air is
The soiled garments, hung in tight and
dark room, contaminate the whole apart
ment, and such contamination is very per-
ceptble to a well-trained nose or to olfac-
tories accustomed to the refinement of habi-
tual pure air. Old boots and shoes cause
bad smell in a close room.


To pursue an unpleasant subject little
farther-why icU people keep the dirty
clothes designed for the weekly wash in a
close closet2 That which has come from
the skins of unclean or unhealthy persons
(the latter adjective describes nine.tenths
of the human family grows constantly
more impure shut away from light and air,
and everything kept in the same room is
contaminated by the efiiuyia. Cannot soiled
garments be kept, while waiting for the
wash, in some bag or covered basket in the
wood-shed, or some such place There are
baskets on purpose for soiled clothing, open
enough for ventilation but too fine to ad.
NIT mice.


Unless a closet is ventilated so that there
is some circulation Of air through it, it is
no place to hang away night-gowns, unless
they have previously been aired, so that the
perspiration accumulated in the previous
night---only insensible perspiration, perhaps
has been dried and summed away.


| have no means Of ascertaining this
morning how far science has attended to this
subject Of closet ventilation but am very
sure that it is an important matter, and
should be well looked into. OF course
there can be closets with windows in them,
and this should generally be the case.
They can be kept dark, as a general rule,
if desired, but it ought to be possible to ad'
nit flood of light


Closets built under stairways might be
ventilated by crate closed by sliding
shutter under one Of the stairs. 1t would
be well to have the crate capable Of being
shut to keep out dust when the stairs are
swept | do not know whether this has
been tried, but the idea has occurred to me
as practicable. A sliding window in the
closet door is also possible. The small
sliding window in the door, and the CRATE
in the elevation of one Of the stairs, ought
to give a sufficient circulation Of air to q
small stairway closet.


1t is idle to suppose that closet (or any
other room) is provided with ventilation
because 1t is built large and high. There
must be some circulation of air, or atmos
phere becomes dead.-COr American Ag
: riculturiSt.
Year: 1874

Take goodness with the average intellect
of power and compare it with mere great
ness of intellect and social standing, and it
is far the nobler quality and if God
should offer me one Of them, | would not
hesitate which to choose. No, the great
est intellect which God ever bestowed |
would not touch, if were bid to chose be.
tween that and the goodness Of an average
woman; would scorn it, and say give il
Lucifer, give me the better gift. When |
say goodness is greater than greatness,
mean to say, it gives deeper and serener
JOY in the private heart, joins men more
tenderly to one another, and more earnestly
to God. honor intellect, reason and un-
derstanding; | wish we took ten times
more pains to cultivate them than we do
| honor greatness of mind-great reason,
which intuitively sees truths, great laws
and the like great understanding-which
learns special laws, and works in details
the understanding that masters things for
use and beauty, that can marshal millions
Of men into an organization that shall last
for centuries. once coveted such power
and am not wholly free from the madness
of it yet | see its use. | hope am no,
ignorant of the joys of science and letters


| am not of the pursuit of these. bow
reyerently before the men of genius, and
sit gladly at their feet. But the man who
sees justice and does it, who knows love
and lives it, who has great faith, ant
trusts in God,--let him have mind quite
inferior, and culture quite a little,-l
must yet honor and reverence that man fal
more than he who has the greatest power
of intellect. / know that knowledge il
power, and reverence iti but justice is I
higher power, and love is q manlier power
and religion is q diviner power; eaci
greater than the mightiest mind.
Year: 1874




Keep your eye on your neighbors. Take
care Of them. Do not let them stir with
out watching. They may do something
wrong, if you do. To be sure, you never
knew them to do anything very bad, but il
may be on your account they have not
Perhaps if it had not been for your kind
care, they might have disgraced themselve,
long time ago. Therefore, do not relax
any effort to keep them where they ought to
be. Never mind your own business-th
will take care of itself There is mar
passing along-he is looking over the fence
be suspicious of him perhaps he con
templates stealing, some Of these dark
nights; there is no knowing what queer
fancies may have got into his head.


If you find any symptoms Of any one
passing out Of the path Of duty, tell every
one else what you see, and be particular tc
see great many. 1t is good way to cir
culate such things, though it may not benefit
yourself or any one else particularly. Do
keep something going is dreadful
thing though II was said that there was
silence in heaven for the space Of half al
hour, do not let any such thing occur OF
earth; it would be too much for thi'
mundane sphere.


If, after all your watchful care, you can
not see anything out of the way in any one
you may be sure it is not because they have
not done anything bad perhaps, 10 an un
guarded moment, you lost sight Of them
throw out hints that they are no bette
than they should be-that you should no
wonder If people found out what they wer'
after little while, then they may not holc
their heads 80 high. Keep il going, au'
some one else may take the hint, and hell
you along after while--then there viii
be music and everything will work with
charm.
Year: 1874

constant sympathy with theirs, and | hnd
the intellectual intimacy between us as
profitable 10 me rs am sure IL is to them"


"I suppose your children never have
quarrels or jars" said l.


Mrs. Perry smiled as she replied, This
morning | chose for the Scripture lesson
the first ten or eleven verses Of the fifth
chapter Of Matthew, and made running
commentary on the place and manner in
which the Sermon on the Mount was ut
tered. These, said |, are the various
blossednesses. Some Of us would say blessed
are the rich, the famous the powerful I; but
Christ says, Blessed are the poor in spirit,
and, continuing my comments up to the
ninth verse, | remarked, now comes the
highest blessedncss Of all, since the days Of
persecution are passed. Blessed are the
peace makers, for they shall be called the
children of Cod Here both the older
boys laughed outright. Well, | knew why.
1t is so natural for might to take the place
Of right, that | often have TO interposo be.
tween the older and the younger, to adjust
interests that seem to clash. and harmonic
discordant elements, and | find the mildcst
means generally most effective. When my
Oldest son, who has quick, irritable tenn
per, speaks out sharply | only go and
stand beside him. and look for a moment
into his face, and he'll laugh in minute.


And you always controlled them in
that way ?" | inquired.


Yes since they were old enough to
reason have appealed to their reason, to
their pride, to their sense of honor, to their
love for me, in fact to every motive that in
passing from boyhood to manhood they
could not outgrow, so that now my influence
over them is more total, more commanding
than ever. | have tried to Danish all
austerity, and gloom, and frigidity from the
image Of virtue, and endeayored to present
it to my children as altogether lovely and
infinitely to be desired. When they were
too young to enjoy sermons | did not insist
on their going to church, but always sent
them to the Sunday-school and was careful
to have abundance Of interesting reading
matter in the house. Now they 90 Of their
own accord, and profit by what they hear.
We have a house organ, and in singing
sacred music we pass a delightful interval
every Sabbath"


We will talk again of this" said /,
when we meet, and you will tell me how
you have trained your girls
Year: 1874

THE Kern County Courier is not
satisfied with the management of the
Los Angeles Postoffice, and it is not
at all backward in expressing its dis
satisfaction. We have no disposition
to take up the cudgel in defense of our
Postoffice, nor will we do so, beyond
saying that from the Courier comes
the only complaint we have heard,
while the people generally speak in
terms of commentator of Postmaster
BENT and of the efficiency of his depu-
ties.
Year: 1874

On the Fourth of July the people OF
Visalia broke ground on seven-mile
railroad. Actual work was not COM
menced until the 10th of that month,
and on the 14th of August, one month
and four days later, the locomotive
ran over the entire track. The road
connects the town of Visalia with the
valley road, and belongs to the people
of the town. There is more energy
and enterprise in Visalia than in some
larger towns we have heard of.
Year: 1874

THE aspect of the conflict in the
South has somewhat changed. In
South Carolina the negroes are fight
ing among themselves and already a
number have been killed. Scenes of
bloodshed and violence are to be re-
GREETED; but as those negroes seem de-
termined on leading q turbulent,
reckless life, 1t is to be hoped that
their little family row will continue
until there is nothing more left of the
whole negro tribe than there was of
the Kilkenny cats.
Year: 1874

sity escaped Mr.. LIcK's memory.
Whatever sums have been absorbed
in the University, either in building
or conducting, have come from the
people. The tide-land product and
the 100000 State endowment were
the money of the people. Rich men
have given the University the go-by
when in the donation humor, and
there is no reason why it should be
run in their interests, and that of a
few kid-gloved professors. The peo-
pie will remedy the mistakes now so
apparent at the next Legislature
Year: 1874

Last night, just little after dark there


were hurried dancings to and fro of lights
upon our streets, that glared like brilliant
meteors upon the Egyptian darkness that
enveloped old mother earth in its som
bre robes, as carriages bore " lovely
girls enmasked, and robed in garments
grave and tay," to the hall where pleas
ure was to reign supreme, and happy
feet were to fall with stately step to the
dreamy music of the dance" At an early
hour, spite Of the rain and the darkness,
the strangest, and quaintest looking
group Of ladies and gentlemen had as
sembled at Granger hall to mingle in the
betwitching pleasures of the dance. To
the gazer on, the scene was beautiful
one. The bright lights looked smilingly
down upon the sea of grotesquely array
ed forms that gracefully swayed to and
fro in the graceful evolutions Of the
quadrile beneath All the prismatic col
ors met the eye, as lad and lassie wen.
gliding by in the dizzy whirl of the pol
ka and waltz Hero and heroine, clown
and exquisite, Irish, English, Yankee,
and Indian, mingled together. Poetry
was side by side with the fool, and the
sage wandered arm in arm with the untu-
tored countrywoman. Each person was
+" made up" for different character, and
the whole constituted beautiful picture.
Nearly every one that attended was
masked, and the mistakes that were some
times made in the attempt to identify,
were highly amusing. The lateness Of
the hour, and our lack Of space, prevent
our giving any description of the cos
tunes worn and the characters represent
ed. Suffice it to say that the the ball
was one Of the best, if not the best ever
given in Van Buren,, and confers much
credit upon those who were engaged in
its management.


Our friend Capt. Brodie did himself
great credit in the excellent supper which
he provided at his hotel, and the ball ers
proved their appreciation OF his efforts
by the rapidity with which they dispo-
sed Of the viands with which the table
was so bountifully spread.


"They danced all night till broad day
light and went home with the girls in the
morning and all were highly delighted
with their MASQUERADE BALL.
Year: 1874

Collector Winfry will on the l4th start
out to meet the taxpayers Of the County,
in the various precincts SO far as pos
sible all that can should meet him at the
times set aud save any cost Tor not do
ing so. See his notice in our paper and
act accordingly.
Year: 1874

Before another issue Of our paper, the
requiem OF the old year will have beer
sung, and peans Of Joy have welcomed
the dawn of the new, AS, in retrospcc
ton. we cast our eyes adown the long
dark corridors OF the past, and view the
sea OF troubles through which our state
and people have struggled, we are thank
ful that VIC have been so safely brought
through them all, and that the new year
finds our state more prosperous and
peaceful than at any time since the war.


There is a rift in the dark mass OF
clouds that so long, like huge funeral
pail, have stretched across our political
armament. There is light beyond; eve
~ now and then we catch CLEAN. and
then, once more all is dark. But light will
come. just so sure as the sun sets and
with his gorgeous gold.tints kisses the
western horizon, So will he feck the
east with the splendor Of his rising rays.
We know the night is dark. but light
will come with the dawning day. Our
state is now under a cloud, but when the
light skall come, and all these overshad
owing troubles shall have melted away
as does the mist before the rising sun we
thall be happier for the gloom The rift
Is growing larger, and with a new con
stitution, aud government sanctioned
by the people We have every reason to
hope that 1876 will find our state occupy.
ing . proud place among her sisters in
the union.


When we look around we miss famil-
iar faces, and voices that were accustom.
10 mingle with us in the merrimcnt OF
each recurring New Years, are hushed
in their last, long sleep. We remember
them, and wonder il We shall see another
New Years.


The New Year comes to the young
overloaded with blessings. To them
II brings no unhappy memories. Their
little hearts know it only IS a day of una
dulterated merriment. 1t commences a
new era in their existence, and why
should they not be happy


The prospects Of our town for the en-
suing year, are promising. Before the
closing Of the one upon which we are
now entering, the Fort Smith railroad
will be running by our doors, our emp
ty stores will be occupied, and the busy
hum Of industry be heard on our streets
A change will come over the nature OF
our people; thriit will take the place OF
lethargy, and energy the place Of slotl
while new population will throng oul
marts Of trade, and our beautiful little
town become the lively place it was be-
fore the war. Let's cheer up, and hope
for better times, feeling well assured tha,
in the future we shall have brighter days
In every portion of our state.


We arr soon to enter upon the new
year, and as we are about to lay the old
one to rest with the centuries that have
gone before it, We reflect upon the min
gled good and evil with which it has be.
sprinkled our pathways, and look for
ward with happy anticipations. When
the new year, approaching, shall near its
close, may II 6nd our people happy and
prosperous, and may We be permitted to
wish our people. without the loss Of a
single one, that which we are permitted
TO do now, q =" HAPPY New YEAR"
Year: 1874

At small town of Kuug Lung, in the
province o. Hupeh, in China, the wife of
man in sffluent circumstances lately
gave birth to a son. The midwife EN-
ployed on tire occasion stole a hundred
taelf from her employers, and being &C.
cused of the theft by her mistress, denied
it, and was required to attest her inno-
cence by an oath. "If / stole your
silver, may | die by thunder in few
days" was the security given by the wo.
man, who in her turn required an oath
from the mother, and this latter prayed
that if she had falsely accused the mid.
wife, might Heaven slay her son within
three days. Now upon the midwife de-
voled the duty OF washing the child, and
with a view OF helping Heaven, she ran
a long needle into the stomach Of the
nursling which shortly after died. But
while bringing the child to its mother,
and claiming its death as proof of her
innocence and the justice of Heaven,
the midwife was suddenly struck dead by
clap of thunder, and on being taken
up two shoes of sycee were found in her
hands. At the same time the needle
shot forth from the child's stomach and
he lived again.
Year: 1874

A Spanish correspondent of the Lon
don Times writes: Anything more
harmless, anything more proper or
stupid than the basque dance, as it is
performed by the boys and girls of Hen
subunary world. A toothless old man
with fife and tambourine constitutes the
whole orchestra. His music is limited
to the two.in one traditional notes of the
old Morisco tum:tum. In come and up
step the dancers, not in couples and not
by invitation but one by one, motu pro
prio, the women with handkerchiels tied
turbanwise around their heads, the men
with their jackets loose. thrown over
their shoulders and some Of them bare
footed and brandishing a stick. They
go out as they come in, one by one,
without order or consent, no attempt at
combination or figure, no visible recog
milton or appointments with partners, but
ell joining in the melee at odd times, and
fighting like Cow Chrom for his or her
own hand everybody as sober as Judge;
no crowding or chirruping or jumping
into the air; none of the voluptuous
ogling aud leering of the Andalusian;
none of the monkey like grimacing Of
the French; none of the hearty clasping
of the German; none Of the mad caper-
ing AMI gamboling Of the negro; nothing
Of the joyousness, the sweet sadness, the
consciousness, the boldness, the bashful-
ness, the coquetry which gives dancing
its sweetness and bitterness all over the
world Every one here takes his or her
I II
and all go back as cold and dull and un-
sympathizing as they came. You would
believe the. people-all those uncouth,
heavy men; all of those plain and many
of them not young women--are perform
ing some religious penance; and the
priest who looks on all the time seems
to be there to see that the sentence he
has passed in the morning at confessional
is carried into execution and enforced
TO the utmost extent of its severity.
Year: 1874

filled the little cellar with gayly-dres.
sed crowd never seen within its walls
before. How they enjoyed the perform
ance of the boys was told by their re-
peated and enthusiastic applause Of
every hit on the bill. 1t was grand
day for the boys, and has proved a
strong incentive for them to improve
their theater and their acting.


The Earl of Rochdale, when be was in
this country last year, came to this thea
ter with police detective. and while
there was so much taken with the sweet
ways of one bright eyed, round headed
little boy, that he had him brought to his
rooms at the Brevoort House the next
day. There he was still further pleased
with the boy. in fact so well pleased was
he with him that he took him under his
charge, and he is now being educated at
the Earps expense.