smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

A MILE IN THIRTY ONE SECONDS The fol.
lowing story Of the achievement 10 respect OF
speed in an ice-boat on the Hudson, 10 the Vi
clnity of Staalsburg last week, is told by the
Poughkeepsie Eagle:


"On Thursday last the wind blew very fresh
from the south, and the owoer OF the pew Ice
boat Cyclone determined to take advantage OF
the favorable opportunity for timing his yacht
The Hudson at this point is very wide, and at
the course selected its breadth is one mile
Having made every preparation for the feat to
be accom- mplished, the reef points were shaken
out of the sails, aud every stitch OF canvas
spread to the gale With two men on the
wndward runner to keep the boat down to the
ice, the helm was turued, the sails filled, and
in moment with every inch of canvass draw
ing, she was under full Roadway. Like an ar
row from the bow she darted away on the
coarse, clouds Of pulvcrizrd ice following in the
track OF her runners as they hummed over the
surface Of the river, and lu what seemed but an
instant, the river had been crossed and the milo
accomplished in the almost Incredible tne OF
thirty-oue seconds, being at the rate OF TWO
miles 10 a minute and two seconds: Persons
on shore compared the speed of the flying racer
to that of meteor flashing through the sky,
and watched her movements With eager inter
est. The owner afterwards put the boat
through some mort mvnts on the ice, and as
touish,d as well as paraly zed the lookers-on by
sailing all the way across the river on one run
nrr the force Of the wind throwing her over on
her beam euds and raising the wudward run
uer from ten to twelve feet above the ice. Al
though but few were found willing to par'ake
of the amusement, all seemed disposed to coin
eide 10 the opinion that ice yachting Is the
most exhillaratiug of sports and the evolutions
of which one of these yachts is capable, the
most graceful OF anything they had ever wit
ueSSed."
Year: 1874

The Lolillard Steamship Line
between New York and Norfolk
has been discontinued. This new
line went to work only a few months
ago, and proclaimed that Virgin
ians were being ruined by the mo-
nopolY of the old line. known as
the Old Dominion Steamship Line.
Now Mr.. Lorillard says he retires
for want OF patronage, ard that our
people do not seem to appreciate
the relief rendered. We presume
the relief aforesaid was no relief at
all, for Southern people are eager
enough to grasp at anything that
betters their purses.


This company sent to this paper
a long article for dead head il SER
ton, and it contained not one word
but gloritication of this lire. AS
we were not running a relief news
paper we could not see that it
should not be paid for as an adver-
tisement. In other words, we could
not appreciate that style Of relief.


So passes another groundless
howl about monopoly. The Lori
lards are gone. One line of yes,
sells, and one only, can be sustained
by the business, and it should be
concentrated on that one as long as
it does not extort from an impover-
ished people.
Year: 1874

Like Whitehead we had hoped
this cruel war was over, but Ex-
Gov. Foote seems anxious to resur-
rect all of our most painful memo
rie6. lie may may have served a
good purpose in the past, but lie
seems to have outlived the age for
which he was fitted and is NOW a
national nuisance.
Year: 1874

Now that the Legislature refuses
to allow Washington county to
have the benefit of reassessment
granted other counties, we hope
our Senators and delegates will ask
that body to view the empty map
of the Southwest, from the Ale
ghanies to Kentucky, and say if
they have it in their hearts to de-
clare that in that vast and heavily
taxed portion Of the State there
shall be nothing returned from Tic
Commonwealth. Is there to be
nothing given west of the Allegha-
nies! Washington county has not
even the great McAdam road.
Year: 1874

Alex. Stephens in his Civil Rights
speech said that the colored people Of
Georgia did not wish that bill TO pass,
but the coldred people of Georgia say
the said Stephens statement is untrue
Year: 1874

that the'two persons who, in the MarsRal's
opinion, have deserved best of their coun-
try in the hour Of her humiliation are the
Ex-President and the Ex-Empress' The
Empress because at time when she MIGHT
have saved her dynasty by a timely appli-
cation of the lead and steel at Paliko's
command to a few hundreds of the Paris
mob, the very men who afterward set up
the orgies of the Commune, refused to do
1t be 'auseshe deemed every drop of French
blood precious to the national defence. NJ
Theirs because Of his patriotic and sue
cesstul efforts to repair the misfortunes of a
war against which he protested, but was
powerless to prevent.
Year: 1874

How WOMEN ARE TREATED IN ILL
No1s PoIrTcs. Ann West, Of
Galesburg Gil. who was chosen School
Superintendent for Knox County at the
recent election, thus describes her ex-
perience in the canvas:


1 was elected for Knox against my
wishes, but in such a way that could
not help feeling fattered thereby.
know that for the honor of mankind, !,
you will be pleased to know that
throughout the entire campaign-and
it was one of the most hotly contested
ones our country has known for years
there was not one thing said to wound
me; from the first to the last the gen.
tlemen did everything possible to make
it pleasant for me. The gentleman
candidate received the usual amount Of
abuse; but not O shadow of it vas
shown me, even by the bitterest oppo-
sition papers. Since the election have
been serenaded and congratulated al
most to death. My bonds-S3O, ,000-
were signed by leading men of the
county, who came all unasked, and
told me they should be glad to sign
them; and SO with everything. So fur
as know, the same is true in other
counties. The gentlemen show that
wherever they think lady has shown
her fitness for place they have been
ready and anxious to yield it to her.
Year: 1874

From the Popular Science Monthly
we clip the following:


We read that the curse pronounced
upon the serpent was, upon thy belly
thou shalt so" and the inference seems
to be that, previous to that time, its
mode of progression was not upon its
belly. This would imply o great ano-
tomical change in the structure of the
creature at the time in question, O
change which, SO far as we are aware,
is not proved by archaeological re-
search, and the expression is probably
a figurative one, as observed by DR..
Buckland. Serpents progress by the
" foldings and windings they make on
the ground" and the stiff, movable
scales which cross the under portion of
the body; but the windings are sideways,
not vertical. The structure of the ver-
tebre is such that upward and down.
ward undulations are greatly restricted,
and many illustrations, showing sharp
vertical curves of the body, are exag-
serations. Most persons have seen
snakes glide slowly and silently, with
out any contortion. They seem to pro-
gress by some invisible power; but, if
PERMITTED to move over the bare hand,
an experiment easily tried, o motion of
the scales will be perceived. These are
elevated and depressed, and act as le-
vers by which the animal is carried for
ward. Nor can serpent progress with
facility on the ground without the re-
sistance afforded by the scales. 1t is
stated that it cannot pass over plate
of glass or other entirely smooth sur
face. We saw the experiment tried, by
placing n small pane of glass in a box,
in which was common black snake.
He was made to pass over it repeatedly,
but evidently found that he had no foot
hold on it.; and the third time, as he
approached it, elevated the fore part of
his body slightly, and brought his head
down beyond the glass, and on passing,
his body seemed scarcely to touch it.
This gave an opportunity to witness
the wave-like movement of the scales,
that is, Of their elevation, which runs
from head to tail, enabling the animal
to move continuously, instead of by
series of minute pushes, as would occur
if all the scales be lifted and depressed
at once.
Year: 1874

A Coon LAuaH.-We believe in q
good hearty laugh. Show us a man
who laughs well, and you may be sure,
bad as he may appear, there is some
thing within that may be turned up to
any great or good enterprise. The
good laughers are worth all the POM
pous, long faced sneerers the world
ever produced. A pleasant smile, a
cheerful face, kindly word, does
more good in itself than all the gifts
Of the morose, ill-conditioned dyspep-
tics, while the absolute gifts Of the
laugher always exceed tenfold that Of
the others.


Put the cheerful face in sick room,
and without word, it will irradiate
that room, while vinegar face will
cause even board of trustees for q
hospital to look blank and turn sour.
Year: 1874

\ HEAVY MAN WITH FIGrREs.-M his
autobiography in TEN Minute Talks"
Elihu Burctt tells how he studied ma
thematics. He couldn't afford time to
attend school, so lie uscd to do certain
problems in his head while hammering
away at his anvil. Hercis one of them:
" How many yards of cloth, three feet
in width, cut into strips an inch wide,
and allowing half an inch at each end
for the lap, would it require to reach
from the center OF the sun to the center
Of the earth, and how much would it
cost at shilling yard:" He would
not allow himself to make single
figure with chalk or charcoal in work
ing out this problem, and he would
carry home TO his brother all the multi
plications in his head.
Year: 1874

The OLDEST TIMBER IN THE World.
Probably the oldest timber in the
world, which has been subjected to the
use of man, is that which is found in
the ancient temples of Egypt. It is
found in connection with stone-work
which is known to be at least four
thousand years old. This wood, and
the only wood used in the construction
of the temple, is in the form of ties,
holding the end of one stone to another
in its upper surface. When two blocks
were laid in place, then it appears that
an excavation about an inch deep was
made in each block, into which an
hour-glass shaped tie was driven. 1t
is therefore very difficult to force any
stone from its position. The ties ap-
pear to have been the tamarisk, or shit
tim wood, of which the ark was con-
structed, a sacred tree in encient Egypt,
and now very rarely found in the valley
of the Nile. These dovetailed ties are
just as sound now as on the day of their
insertion. Although fuel is extremely
scarce in that country, these bits of
wood are not large enough to make it
an object with Arabs to heave off layer
after layer of heavy stone for so small a
prize. Had they been of bronze, half
the old temples would have been de-
stroyed ages ago, so precious would
they have been for various purposes.
Year: 1874

Common lye OF wood ashes will soften
hard putty in few minutes.


The fumes of birthstone match will
remove berry stains from book or pa
per engraving.


Dry paint is removed by rubbing
with swab dipped in strong solution
OF oxalic acid. 1t softens at once.


If you want new shoe to fit as easily
as an old one, put on two pairs of stock
ings before your measure is taken.


If there is rust OH your fiat iron or
other roughness, put some fine salt on
a board, rub it rapidly while warm, un-
til it moves smoothly.


A single drop of the sequiped chlo-
ride OF iron, put on a corn between the
toes once day with camel's hair
brush, will effect marvellous cure.


If you wish to make nail drive we'll
and last long without rusting, dip it
i'll melted grease first This is excellent
for fencing and other exposed work.


Ten grains of oxalic acid in half a
pint of water will remove all ink and
fruit stains. Wet the article in hot
water, and apply. it to the top of the
bottle, SO that the liquid will reach it,
then rinse it we'll.


If rats are about, scatter powdered
glass about their holes, or powered cop
peras, or fill up the crevices with hard
soap, or dip the rat in cup of tar
and let it go, and it will tar-plaster ev-
cry hole in the house.


Borax, half a teaspoonful in q teacup
Of water, makes the mildest and most
efficient hair and scalp cleaner in the
world. Rub it into the hair and scalp
with the balls of the fingers, head held
over water basin, eyes shut until the
entire scalp is in foam, then rinse'with
warm water.


If glass stopper won't move, hold
the neck of the bottle before flame or
warm it by taking two turns of a string
and see-saw; the heat engendered ex-
pands the neck of the bottle before a
corresponding expansion reaches the
stopper.
Year: 1874

a- We read of young woman in
Missouri who, when certain good time
comes, will probably be member of
Congress. Before eloping with the
darling of her heart, she had an inter
view with her fathers bureau drawer
and voted herself an increase of ba ok
pay to the extent of 81 900.
Year: 1874

az That is good story of little
boy, who, going into book store, with
his mother, crept up to the proprietor
OF the establishment with sly query,
Say, have you got any books for
boys that amt got religion in en-"
Year: 1874

there, but elongated. Peyton had also
very curious scar OH one OF his fingers.
which were disfgured by crushing in
cog wheel. A critical examination of
this finger by the doctor, who dressed
the fresh wound compels the physician
to say that it is the finger of Willis
Peyton.


While this examination was making,
the claimant said: doctor do you re-
collect how sick I was made by the
sight of that finger, while you and mo-
ther were dressing it one day? And
do you recollect how came to you one
day to know what would take the in
fammation out of my arm where 1 was
tattooed by Jim Payne, the sailory
The old doctor remembered too well
how sore Willis Peyton's arm was, and
the circumstance of his fainting once
from the dressing of the sore finger
Another evidence that the plaintiff is
the simon-pure Willis Peyton is that he
singles out men that do not know him
calling them by name, and reminding
them of incidents of former acquain-
tance that leave no doubt in their
minds as to his indentity.


And the "widow Peyton" sits i'll the
court room, by turns looking at the
clmant to her bed and board, and
crving as witnesses avow their belief
that the strange man was Willis Pcyton.
She has told friends that if he is really
Peyton he may have the farm, stock,
and everything but herself. Sometimes
during the trial he implorcd her to
look again and see if she cannot recog-
nize one feature and acknowledge him
as her husband, but she refuses. and
his earnest, appealing face suddenly
becomes clouded by despair. He says
if the suit terminates in his favor he
will only ask a living off the farm, and
will never intiude upon his wife and
children unless they voluntarily recoS-
nize him.-I. LOuis HelUbiicc;p.
Year: 1874

no jury would ever give verdict, un-
less by special direction OF the court,
and if they looked to their own interest
they had better accept com promise.
Judge Davis said that Bliss, on the
morning OF December Both, had private
ly taken the oath of office, which fact
was wholly unknown to him.
The custom had been for retir-
ing attorneys to appear in court to
present the commission OF his successor
and to move that be be sworn in. A
few days after Judge Davis had retired
from the office of District Attorney
Dodge called at his house to have some
conversation about the case. Judge
Davis could not cay anything as couu-
sci or attorney, but he would say TO
him as be would to his own brother,
that they ought to contest the case and
fight it to the end.


Judge Davis proceeded, making sug-
gestions as to the changes in the law
and as to the proper mode Of ascer-
tanning the sctual intention to defraud,
10 be determined by jury, and where
actual fraud was found by the jury the
Secretary of the Treasury should have
no power of revision.


After the recess the committee exo
amined VIM. Balloutgue. to ascertain
under what authority he provided
furniture for the district schools. He
testified that he made bargain and
completed furniture under verbal
order OF the school trustees of the old
corporation OF Washington, such hav-
ing been the practice at that
time, but subsequently,, and before
the furniture was delivered, the new
District government having been estab-
lished, he procured from Governor
Cooke a written order to make himself
entirely secure under the verbal order
of the old authorities. for whom he had
nearly fulfilled bis contract


News Items.


The President has nominated A. c.
Sweet TO be pensioa agent at Chicago


Senator Morton was in thu Senate 20
day in his usual health.


A counterfeit fifty cent note has been
received at the Treasury Department,
1t is poor imitation.


Female PersIon Ag;ni.


The Senate confirmed the nomination
OF Ada c Sweet as Pension Agent,
Chicago.
Year: 1874

PlrraBURGH, March l9.-The meet
ing OF the Women's Temperance Union
this afternoon was one OF the largest
of the campaign. The interest in the
movement is still increasing and large
macs meeting will be held tomorrow
evening.
Year: 1874

ESPECIALLY ASSORTED FOR SCRAP
BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS AND DRAW


ING CLASS COPIES,


A large collection of pictures of different
lies and on almost every conceivable sub
ject have been put up in an attractive envel
ope and are now offered at price intended to
make them popular in every sense.


Envelope No. l (containing so beautiful en-
gravngs) is now ready, and will be sent, post
age paid, to any address for ONE DOLLAR.
A liberal discount to agents and teachers
Year: 1874




Reproducing the best full-page illustra-


tions from the earlier volumes


of THE ALDINE.


Each monthly part will contain six superb
plates with companying descriptive matter,
and whether for binding or framing, will be
entirely beyond competition in price or artis-
tic character. Every impression will be most
carefully taken on the finest toned paper and
no pains will be spared to make this the
richest production of press which has won
in a marvelously short time, a worldwide
reputation.
Year: 1874

The Fish of Paradise is one Of the
most peculiar of Chinese fresh water
fish. 1t is small in size, pale grey IN
color, and at first sight having little
about it to attract attention. As soon as
the animal becomes excited, however, the
long fins on the back and belly straight
en- out and assume a rich purple hue
tinted with green; the long and fork
and the stripes upon the sides Of the
fish become yellow, red and blue, con-
stantly changing in color. The scales
seem 10 become opalescent, and reflect
the light with the greatest brilliancy,
while the eyes appear illuminated with
a blush-green fire. The habits of the
animal as odd as its appearance. The
males take charge Of the young ard
build the nest. The latter is simply
clot of foam floating upon the water,
and is made by the fish rising to the sur
face and alternately absorbing and ex-
pelling air, until a little cluster OF fine
bubbles, hardly three-tenths of an inch
square, if formed. The female then de-
posts her eggs, which are at once seized
upon by the male, who carries them in
mouth to the nest. Then he watches
their incubation, carefully guarding and
distributing them with wonderful sagac-
ity throughout the mass of foam. When
they clot together, he pushes them apart
with his nose, and, besides, keeps up a
confined manufacture of bubbles until
the eggs are lifted up above the water
and rest only upon their soft couch. AS
soon as the embryoes appear, his care is
doubled. He watches that none escape,
and in case some become. separated, he
chases them, catches them in his mouth,
and replaces them carefully in the nest.
If one becomes injured, he removes it
from the others, and gives it separate
bubble by itself, and apparently nurses
until it regains strength.
Year: 1874

If two brids foraging come together,
they usually fight; one drives the other
away, and then goes on feeding as if
nothing had happened, Mr.. Goose says.
"If two vervain humming-birds are
about the moringa-tree, one will fly off
and suspend himself in the air a few
yards distant; the other presently shoots
off to him; and then, without touching
each other, they mount upward with
strong, rushing wings, perhaps for 500
feet. They then separate, and each shoots
diagonally toward the ground, like a
ball from a rife, and, wheeling around,
comes up to the blossoms again, and
sucks as if it had not moved away at all


The figure Of the smaller humning- birds
on the wing, their rapidity, their arrowy
course, and their whole manner of fight
are entirely those of an insect; and one
who has watched the fight of a large bee
tie, Or bee, Will have a very good idea of
one Of these tropic gems, painted against
the sky" Again he says. "I once wit
messed a combat between two mango
humming- birds, which was prosecuted
with much pertinacity, and protractsd to
an unusual length. They chased each
other through the labyrinth of twigs and
flowers till, an opportunity occurring,
the one would dart with fury upon the
other, and then with loud rustling Of
their wings they would twirl together
round and round, until they nearly
came to earth. At length an encounter
took place pretty close to me, and ] per-
ceiyed that the beak of the one grasped
the beak of the other, and, thus fastened
both whirled round and round in their
perpendicular descent till when very
near the ground they separated; and the
one chased the other for about hmm
dred yards; and then returned in triumph
to the tree. Sometimes they would Sis
pend hostilities to suck few blossoms,
but mutual proximity was sure to bring
them on again, with the same result In
their tortuous and rapid evolutions the
light from their ruby necks would now
and flash in the sun with gemlike radi-
ance The war lasted fully an hour and
then was called away from the post OF
observation."- Popular Science Monthly
Year: 1874

Married people should treat each other
like lovers all their Hves-then they
would be happy. Bickering and quar-
reiing would soon break off love affairs
consequently lovers indulge in such only
to very limited extent. But some peo-
ple--men and women both-when they
have once got married think they may
do just as they please, and it will make
no difference. They make great mis-
take. 1t causes all the difference in the
world. Women should grow more de-
voted and men more fond after marri-
age, if they have the slightest idea Of be-
ing happy as wives and husbands. 1t is
losing sight Of this fundamental truth
which leads to hundreds of divorces
Yet, many a man will scold his wife
who would never think of breathing a
harsh word to his sweetheart; and many
a wife will be glum and morose on her
husbands return who had only smiles
and words of cheer for him when he was
her suitor. How can such people expect
to be happy2
Year: 1874

John Johnston says that he has no
ticed that those farmers who have most
difficulty to make both ends meet always
plow most and keep most stock. Now,
these men take the true plan to keep
themselves always poor, because their
stock and crops are always poor and
bring little. 1t is a good profit to raise
three hundred bushels of wheat from
ten acres; but when it takes thirty acres
to raise that amount it is raised at loss
So it is with cattle and sheep. You will
see the thinking farmer making four
year old steers worth from sixty to eighty
dollars each, and his neighbor's, at the
same age, not worth over twenty-five to
forty dollars. II his land is exhausted
and great many farms are-then he
should plow no more than he can
thoroughly manure. Seed with clover
and grass, and let it rest for even two
years, and that field will not only ray
we'll for tillage, but it will furnish ma
nure (if rightly managed) to make an
other field of the same size rich also. 1t
is bad policy, when a field is once high
ly manured, to continue cropping it
with grain until the manure is used up.
The latter end of that land will be
worse than the first. But let that land
lay in clover, even one year-but two is
better-afer it is manured, and then it
viii stand perhaps six good crops before
it requires manuring; if clay subsoil, it
| certainly will