smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

The following is the deliberate iudg-
ment of Admiral Porter, our highest
naval authority, concerning the present
state of our navy, and occurs in COM
munication addressed to the late secre-
tary of the navy and by him transmitted
to Congress


In case of a war between this nation
and England, the English navy could
batter its way into any of our harbors
and destroy them; and any ordinary
ship in the British navy could blockade
any of cur harbors, could keep in every
ship that was there, and keep out every
ship that was on the outside. One sin
gle vessel of the English navy could
whip every thing we have got. It is no
exaggeration to say that the Infexible,
for instance, could go through our whole
navy. Our ships might fire at her all
day, and not hurt her. Her people
would go down to their dinner quietly
while we were firing at her. And our
ships could not run away from. her, be-
cause she makes her fourteen knots an
hour on measured mile, and the fastest
of our monitors only makes eight miles.
Year: 1877

proudly; emo such thing is known in
the English army. We never retreat. {"


Good" exclaimed the emperor.
"You are brave lad, and may reioin
your own army"


Then turning to those near him,
Napoleon gave directions that the drum
mer should be conducted back in safety
to the English lines. Fortune is, how.
ever. O tickle jade, for at the battle Of
Waterloo this humble hero met with a
sad death. He had been out with a
body of skirmishers, who were suddenly
attacked by cavalry, and driven back on
their supports. The latter formed
square, and the earth shook beneath the
feet of the advancing cuirassiers as they
rode right up to the points of the
bayonets. Beneath that rampant of steel
lay the drummer, who had been too late
to seek the shelter of the square. Hewas
safe, however, and when the horsemen
were driven back, he jumped merrily
upon his legs, and shouted "Hollo,
comrades! here I am, safe enough ~
These were the last words he ever
uttered for at that moment round
shot carried his head off his shoulders,
and bespattered his comrades with his
brains. Such is the fortune of war.


In the Crimea, on the evening OF the
day on which an unsuccessful attack had
been made upon the Redan, drummer
was observed to leave the shelter of the
trenches with his can of tea in his hand,
and in the midst of a fearful shower of
shot and shell from the Russian batter
les, he threaded his way among the
wounded, giving a drink here and a
drink there until his can was emptied.
Then finging the empty can toward the
enemy with gesture of defiance, he
walked cooly back to hispost. BY the
means of this timely assistance some of
the wounded were able to bear their suf-
ferings until darkness enabled them to
be rescued from death. The drummer
boy who did this brave deed received
the Victoria Cross from her maiesty's
own hand.
Year: 1877

Not the least interesting of the public
buildings of New York is Ludlow street
Jail, the place where VIM. NJ. Tweed was
confined previous to his escape. 10 the
student of human nature it is well worth
visit. The visitor on entering is shown
into the warden's Office and reception
room. This is dingy sort OF place, but
withal comfortable. In one corner Is an
office where the books are kept, and
around the room are chairs and benches
for visitors. Then he is shown up a mar
row, winding staircase into the main cor
ridor, and to the right is the dining
room-large and airy. Here those pris-
oners who cannot afford to buy their own
meals are supplied with food at,the ex-
pense of the city or general government.
Others, called boarders, pay stipulated
price per week for their meals and re-
ceive their lodgings free. Returning
from the dining room, the visitor enters
the corridor. This is the prisoners gen.
eral room, and is their only promenade
except when the state of their health rem
ders fresh air necessary. Here they are
seen lounging about, and one would
scarcely conclude from the air of con-
tentment that prevails that they are pris-
oners. Among them are counterfeiters,
forgers, and fraudulent voters. They
are always glad to see stranger who
will talk with them, and are always ready
for conversation. 1t seems strange, but
it is a fact that they are all hopeful of
speedy release. They are watched over
by keeper who, though small in stature,
seems to have perfect awe over them.
A word from him is sufficient to quiet the
most noisy: At the further end of the
corridor is the chaplain's library, small
room with marble floor and embellished
by few decorations in the shape of flow
ers, woodcuts and chromos. The books
are plainly bound and are loaned to the
prisoners whenever they want them. In
this room are also chess, checker, and
backgammon boards, which serve to
while away the tedious hours. The
celebrities of the place are wont to con-
gregate in this apartment, and while the
writer was present the amount of "chaff"
which was passed there was sufficient to
make the most despairing prisoner
merry. The cells are apparently very
comfortable. They are about twelve by
fourteen feet, and contain two beds each.
The walls and ceilings are whitewashed,
and the only thing of which complaint
might be made is the darkness. The
windows are large enough to light the
room fully were they not covered with
some stuff which excludes the light in
great measure. For the invalids or
those who have influential friends there
is a yard with walks around it, ana here
they can take fresh air and exercise them
selves.


1t is generally supposed that Ludlow
street Jail is terrible place of confne-
ment, but it is much more comfortable
than the Tombs, and though confne-
ment is irksome, there are many free
men in New York to-day who would be
glad to change places with the poorest of
the prisoners there.
Year: 1877

A traveller in Persia thus describes the
dress and appearance of the ladies OF
that country:


A few women are seen. We met one
sitting astride Oh horseback, as all East
ern women ride. We believe them to be
women because of their costume and
size, but we can see no part OF them, not
even a hand or an eye. They are
shrouded from the head to the knees in
cotton or silk sheet of dark blue or black
the chudder, it is called, which passes
over the head and is held with the hands
around and about the body. Over the
chudder is tied around the head yard
long veil of white cotton or linen, in
which before the eyes is piece of open
work about the size of finger, which is
their only lookout or ventilator. The
veil passes into the chudder at the chin.
Every woman before going out of doors
puts on a pair of trousers, generally OF
the same stuff and color of the chudder,
and thus her outdoor seclusion and dis
guise are complete. Her husband could
not recognize her in the street. In this
costume Mohammedan women grope
their way about the towns of Persia.
Their trousers are tightly bound
about the ankles above their col
ored silk stockings, which are invariably
of home manufacture; the slippers, with
no covering for the heel, complete this
unsightly, unwholesome apparel OF these
uncomfortable victims of the Persian
readers of the Koran. The indoor cos
tune of Persian women Of the higher
class appears indelicate to Europeans.
Tile chudder and trousers are the inya-
riable walking costume. Indoors the
dress of Persian lady is more like that
of ballet girl. In the ante-rooms OF
Persian royalty my wife was received by
the princesses thus attired, or rather un-
attired,
Year: 1877

The influence of q good wife cannot
be too highly priced. Many husband
has. been rescued from destruction by a
true and prayerful wife. The effect of
the contrary was lately narrated thus
The man was out of work, and could OBJ
tain none. He with his wife was sup
ported by her relatives; this 80 exasper-
ated her that she loaded him with re-
proaches ard declared that she would not
live with him unless he was enabled to
support her by his own exertions. The
consequence was he gave himself up to
drink, and in one of his fits murdered
his wife and then killed himself In her
tongue was not the law of kindness. In
stead of up'.raiding she should have ell
couraged him to bear up aud persevere,


and help would come at last. Drunkards
have been reclaimed by the exercise Of
this law. The writer knew an instance
of young man Of high prospects and
excellent business capacity. He became
intemperate in his habits, lost his posi-
ton and was deserted by his friends,


who gave him up as hopeless case, an
inebriate asylum failed to restore. He
became so shabby in his dress that he
could scarcely be recognized. But q
friend, not related. actuated by the gen.
erous impulses of his nature, expostu-
lated with him, reasoned with him in
many conversations, treating him with


delicacy and kindness, bought him new
suit of clothes, and by constant efforts
brought him to sense OF his condition,


and he is now considered fully reclaimed
and has been reinstated in his former
lucrative position. "Oh, he is going to
destruction; he has brought it on him
self, and no one else is to blame" Such
is the general cry. Not so the good Sa'
maritan, whose deeds are registered on
Year: 1877

Mr.. Breck's father was rich merchant
in Boston, who was agent for the French
government, and brought into close con-
nection thus with the French officers
attached to the squadron which for
time was anchored in Boston harbor.
His house was the resort of the foreign
ers, who were looked upon with un-
bounded curiosity by the Boston people,
brought for the first time into acquaint-
ance with nation uniformly traduced by
the British. It was incredible to them
Year: 1877

Only.
Only seed-but it chaneed to fall
In little cleft Of city wall,
And taking root grew bravely up,
TIL tiny blossom crowned its top.
Only fower-but it CHANGED that day
That burdened heart passed by that way;
And the message that through the flower was


sent,
Brought the weary soul a sweet content
For il spake Of the lilies so wondroua)y clad;
And the heart that was tired grew strangely


glad


At the thought Of tender care over all.
That noted even q sparrows fall.
Only thought-but the work it wrought
Could never by tongue or pen be taught;
For it ran through life, like . thread of gold
And the life bore fruit-a hundred fold.
Only q word-but twas spoken in love,
With whispered prayer to the Lord above;
And the angels in heaven rejoiced once more;
For new born soul entered in by the door,"


Jessie Gordon.
Year: 1877

A learned German says: "In sleep
any position except north and south is
disagreeable, but from east to west al
most intolerable, at least in our hemis-
phere it is otherwise. The cause of this
phenomenon can obviously be found
only in that great magnet which is
formed by the earth with its atmosphere
that is, terrestrial magnetism. The
terrestrial magnetism exerts on certain
persons, both hearty and otherwise, who
are sensitive, a peculiar influence won
derful enough to disturb their rest, and
in the case of diseased persons disturb
ing the circulation, the nervous func-
tions and the equilibrium of the mental
powers. There are persons whom l
know, the head of whose bed ID to the
North, and who, in order to wake early.
will reverse their usual position in bed,
but without knowing the reason why.
beyond that they could always wake
earlier, the sleep being more broken
1 have had it related to me that, at
military hospital in Russia, there was
some sick patients of highly sensitive
natures, and who were rapidly recover.
ing. When necessity compelled them
to be removed to another wing OF the
building they did not get on so we'll in
fact, prostration seemed to be setting in;
and it was found advisable to get them
back to their former wards as quickly o.
possible, where the heads Of the beds
were to the north. I have heard OF
horses going blind through changing
their position from north to south to
that of west to east"
Year: 1877

Passengers on the deck of q large


pleasure steamboat, running through


the narrows of New York harbor, several


years ago, were amazed and greatly
alarmed by seeing large cannon ball
pass over the boat. The ball was from
cannon in Fort Hamilton, which the
gunners had supposed was aimed at q
target nowhere near the boat. The
residents of the quiet village Of Minton,
IN England, have also had an experience
of bombardment in time of peace. At
midday a sixteen-pound shell fell in the
middle of the main street. and ploughed
up the turf long distance. Another
shell soon fell into a garden near by,
and third entering the roof Of q barn,
utterly demolished the building. The
frightened villagers fed from their
homes to the open country. It was
soon ascrtained that the Royal Horse
Artillery we're practicing gunnery upon
q lofty eminence some two miles distant,
and that the gunners had put their tar
gets in line with the village. A mount
ID messenger informed the officer in
of the village catastrophe, and
he firing ceased.
Year: 1877

In reference to feeding children, DR..
e. Smith, an eminent English physician,
says that at two years Of age the food
should be supplied at intervals Of about
three hours during the day, and once
during the night, or at an early hour in
the morning. If the child be sent to
bed at six or seven P. n, the interval
between that and the breakfast hour on
the following morning is much too pro-
longed for proper nutrition, and will
lead to defective growth. Hence at the
period in question food should be sup
piled at six o'clock, or as soon after as
possible in the morning. A child should
never be sent to bed with an empty
stomach. A drink of milk and water
and a slice Of bread and butter is the
best Of suppers for child up to four or
five years of age, and it is of the great
est consequence that the food be given
as early in the morning as the children
rise. This may be of bread and butter
only, or with milk, whether hot or cold,
as may be convenient.
Year: 1877

There is legend in Japan Of the


EXTREMIST antiquity. It is that, for a


long time in the world, there was no


weapon that was not made Of flint or


stone. At last o sword was made of


iron, and it was tho maiden sword of


this world. It fell into the hands Of q


young prince. This prince, feeling the


greatness OF such treasure as the first


sword, went forth to see what wrong he
could right, what good he could do
went forth q sort of primitive Quixote,


but in more serious mood. He saw q
cut stick on the river, and he Travelled
up the river and there he found an old
man and an old woman with beautiful
maiden sitting between them, and all
three were weeping. The prince asked
why they wept, and they said they had
eight children, and there was in the
terrific monster with
eight heads and eight tails. This mon
ster would devastate the whole country
unless every year one of their children
was given him to devour. They had
given seven daughters, and now they
had brought the last. The monster WAS
expected momentarily. The prince
looked at his sword, but did not feel that
It was equal to deal with eight heads.
So he hit upon the device of preparing
hogsheads of wine. He had park with
eight gates, and in each of these gates
be placed hogshead Of wine, and when
The monster came eight heads appeared,
and eight heads went into these barrels
of wine. And they slipped the wine, and
leeper and deeper they went down, until
he eyes were not over the barrel, and
n fact they became intoxicated, the re-
,ult was that where their necks met in
,ne, and in the body, the prince cut off
Ill the heads at one blow, and saved the
voung lady.
Year: 1877

I spent (says well-known author) an


evening lately with Captain Strout, Of


the Messenger, and among other Incl.


dents of his experience he related the


following: II once had man," he


said, "who sailed with me many voy.


ages, and who, though thorough sea-


man, and ordinarily quiet and orderly,


yet gave me great deal of trouble. In


those days we used more rum than we


do now, and this man often contrived to


get tipsy, and when in that condition he


would invariably try to drown himself.


I had borne with him long time, when


as was one day in my cabin, busy with


my reckoning, I heard an unusual hustle


on deck, and upon running up to learn


the cause, I found that it came from


this follows trying to jump overheard,
and his shipmates trying to prevent him
from doing so. The man was quite
tipsy, and thought would not only
sober him, but give him lesson which
might make an impression. Accord
ingly I dispatched one of the hands for
deep-sea line. This I secured firmly
around the culprit's body, contriving
that the lead weighing about fifty
pounds should dangle under his arm.
Having made all ready, pitched the
fellow overheard, and let him sink few
fathoms. He was soon drawn to the
surface, and allowed to spurt out the
salt water and to breathe, and then I
dumped him again. As we drew him up
the second time he struggled and shouted
for dear life. For mercy's sake, don't
drown met he cried. ITO be sure
will, said I. Wont it save you from
the sin of suicide? You'd better go to
the next world by my hands than your
own And then I dropped him again,
this time letting him 60 by the run at
least five fathoms down. He was finally
taken on deck, completely exhausted,
and entirely sober. He sailed with me
four years after that, the best hand
had and as for drowning himself, he
never threatened or attempted it again."
Year: 1877

Paying for q Dinner by the Pound.


Vidette," writing from Montreal to
the Boston Journal says: "The other
day asked a singularly ministerial.
looking friend where I could find good
place for lunch. He looked at me
with grave solicitude, and answered: II
will show you o restaurant where they
weigh their customers when they 20 in
and when they come out, and then charge
them 30 much an ounce for what they
have eaten" Not muscle of his intel
igent face changed, o. he checked an
exclamation of incredulity by adding:
IL went there one day myself with q
couple of bricks in my pockets, which
quietly slipped under the table, and
when I tipped the scales on coming out
they had actually to pay me seventy-fve
cents. And with deprecatory ges-
ture-"I had fairly gorged myself With
all the most toothsome delicacies of the
season."
Year: 1877

Mrs. Sawin, of Kansas, is plucky


woman who has q farm of $50 acres Of
prairie land. This spring she harvested
ten acres of wheat of her own plowing
and sowing, and put down twenty acres
more, besides some sorghum and broom
corn. She is not strong-bodied woman:
on the contrary, when she began her
plowing she was 30 feeble that she had
An easy chair at the end Of her furrow
and was obliged at every second row to
stop and rest. She chose this life be-
cause she had more fitness for it than
for anything else that gave promise of a
future for two little sons whom she de.
sires to educate to usefulness. Her
health improves, and a sheep-raiser in
the neighborhood has engaged her to
plow ten acres of land for him and take
her pay in sheep.
Year: 1877

A recent issue Of the Boston PosI


contains the following: Among the


persons who applied for lodgings Sun.


day evening at the Ninth street police


station was one Charles Williams, form.


erly lieutenant in the navy and at.


tached to the South Atlantic squadron


under the command Of Admiral Dahlgreh.


Mr.. Williams, previous to the late civil


war, was in the merchant service, and


for six years was the commander of tho
Lookout, one Of the finest clipper ships


which sailed out of New York harbor.


Upon the breaking out Of tho war he en-
tered the navy as common sailor, and
was very soon after made lieutenant.


During the bombardment of Fort Mo


Allister, while attached TO the Sonoma,
Of the South Atlantic squadron, he was
severely injured by the explosion of
cannon, the powder burning his face
andhands in shocking manner. From
the effect Of this accident he lost his eye.
sight, but was still retained in the SER
vice until 1865, when he was discharged.
During his service rs merchantmen and
in the navy he had managed to save
considerable sum OF money, which he
proceeded to expend at some Of the best
eye inarmaries in the country, hoping
thereby to regain his eyesight, but fin
ally gave up in despair until 1870, when
he made the acquaintance of an eminent
German physician, then on q visit to
New York. He succeeded in restoring the
lost eyesight, although in an impaired
state, and in order to strengthen the eyes
two minute glass plates be.
meath the lids, which Williams retains
up to the present time. Having been
unable to procure work in his own place
bridgeport, Conn. }, and having wife
and three children to support, Mr.. Will
liams came to this city few days since
with what money he could raise, with
the hope of procuring work at his trade,
which is sail making but being unsuc-
'essful and having used up his last cent,
le was compelled for the first time to
'sk lodgings at the city's expense.
Year: 1877

A wild rose. by the wayside hung
Dsw-glittering, on the morning air
pure, scarce conscious, perfume flung
looked, and found the eowret fair
80 fair, sought, with sudden xest
To wear IT, beauty on my breast.
Tho trembling petals st my touch
A sweetsr, subtler fragrance shed
lis strange loved that flower 20 much,


And-it was dead.
In that high mood when thonght hath wings
And finds alone It's speech In song,
struck IN old harr's Numbering strings,
And drew an idle hand along;
Nor deemed the careless chords had caught
The life-note that my spirit sought,
Till sudden on my startled ear
Its dream.created accents woke,
Alack bought the rapture dear


TIE string had broke.
heard wild bird on the shore,
Singing wild song 10 the sea
And bold the burden that II bore,
And sweater than all else to mo
so sweet Gagged the bird to hear
His magic minstrelsy more near.
Untamed, the captive's swelling throat
In one sad song his whole soul cast;
Too well knew his loveliest note


Had been his last.
And yet while memory hath power
To count the hours too vainly spent,
The fragrance o: that faded flower,
That harp's last dying music, blent
With the wild birds weird death-song, will
Haunt every waking moment still,
Teaching my heart the bitter cost
Of all the eye Of hope hath seen,
or all that life hath won and lost


That might have been.