smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

That distinguished actor, Mr.. Edwin
Booth, has, like other great men, some in
discreet friends who are not content with
simple panegyric and gush when they write
about him, but launch out into fiery exhor-
tation and denunciation if pen is pointed
at single blenish in their favorite. We
deprecate this because it often leads the
self-electcd champion from the dignity Of
the chevalier into the swagger of the bravo.
Happily in the present instance we are not
called on to discuss any fine matters of taste
in Mr. Booths acting but simple fact
in his management 1t has long been
observed that the companies supporting Mr.


Booth have been composed for the most part
of poor ''sticks." Exceptions are appealed
to in the past when such and such a one
supported our favorite tragedian at his own
theatre in New York. We well remember
these things and recall distinctly our
pleasure at his having broken through
what seemed his bad rule. But it
was only for while. Ever since
when lie played Hamlet he has
had not one poor ghost but whole COM
pany Of them. 1t is not to the point to say
that the bad actors seen during Mr.. Booths
present engagement were not employed by
him, nor that he makes them seem worse
than they really are. Those who want to
see the full force OF the criticism must
catch Mr.. Booth when he plays at Detroit,
say, or Milwaukee, with his own travelling
company. Then, indeed. the bad actors
whom we see habitually denounced in the
New York press would seem histrionic
giants by the side Of the scarecrows whom


he takes son the road" We do not be-
lieve for a moment that Mr.. Booth fears or
need fear diminution of his renown from
showing his splendid talents beside other
actors of merit in their respective lines.
We do not believe that it would be very
hard to find such actors How, then, is it
to be explained that Mr.. Booth is to be
found in such queer companies? We
are driven back upon two reasons.
Either Mr.. Booth believes that the ex-
hibition Of his transcendent abilities
is enough for any audience, or else his busi-
ness manager has convinced him that
good company would not bring any more
money to the theatres along the route than
poor one. When artistic egotism and
bread and butter lead to the same conclu-
sion art pure and simple has not much
chance, except SO far as the 'sstar" repre-
sents it. But no one shall take away from
US the privilege Of regretting that any cause
should lead to such result. With Mr.


Oliver Doud Byron or the wondrous Miss
Wilhelmina Skeggs in view we would not SO
complain. The worse they are supported
the more the fun. But with men Of Mr..
Booths stage rank, or approaching it even,
this course, pursued By many Of them, is
''the sure way to destroy the best effects Of
their best acting as we have seen them
destroyed. What use then, for Mr.. Booths
admirers at all hazards to make far
fetched comparisons with painter like
Meissonier hiring somebody to jog his
elbow at critical moments in the use of the
brush? When did Messonier paint in one
exquisite figure and let botches daub in the
rest? When did he paint spot boilers?"
Year: 1878

WHAT KIND of civil service reform is it under
which nearly score Of useless officers were re-
tanned on the Custom House payrolls lest their
discharge might hurt some republican candidate
in the late election
Year: 1878

ANOTHER DECISION adverse to Mr.. Tilden
was given yesterday in his celebrated income
tax suit. His lawyers say there is nothing in it
but, then. why did they make bitter and
earnest an oppostioni
Year: 1878

Detective Frost, of the Brooklyn Central
Office Squad yesterday received large envelope which
was found TO contain a 81 900 Sew-Jorsey Central
Railroad coupon bOnd, numbered 1921. The
bond is registered in the name Of John
Watson. Two OF the coupons have been used-
superlnteDdent Campbell has taken measures to trace
the ownership Of the bond In the envelope was the
following letter. signed "Yeritas," and dated New
York, December 26.


SIR: having heard that you were looking for some
Bonds thought would let you have one that pal I"
OF mine got away with time ago. he got away with
more thRu this one but hes got the other planted AMI
don't know where he got the collar out west some me
ago and il doing time Joliet Ill the only reason return
this Bond is because can't dispose OF IL without run
ming chances and thought by returning IL 10 You and
IL should the cellar over ON your SIDE you would do
much Tor me yOu know me well you got me settled
about q years ago but 1t wasn't Your fault If o
tell YOU my name you would know well III haste
main YOurs truly.
Year: 1878

To the EditOr Of The TrtbuHs.


SIR Permit me to express my high appre-
claion Of the great work THE TRIBUNE is accom-
pshng for the country Tor free government, and for
humanity. Ana In accomplishing this u Is leading the
Republican party to duty and to victory with boness
and ability that have been surpassed At the
time IL Is uneoyerng the shameless hypocrisy Of the
Year: 1878

E0stor hlori2t AqYicu1t,Ttst:


Is there anything said nowadays
about scale insect" Has every
other man theory for cxterminat-
ing the abomination What does it
now, conclusion or kerosene or lin
seed oil or tar or SCOT or sulphur or
tobacco or pepper or whale oil or
soda or salt petre or achM? Well, T
have & mite to offer. {" In multi
tude Of council there is wisdom
you know, though it seems rs if in
the scale insect it is confusion. Some
months since l read in some p aper
an account of the plan pursued by a
gentleman in Louisiana with his fruit
trees, whether orange or other kinds
I do not remember. He suspende d
in the tops of his trees or affixed to
the branches pieces Of bar soap, and
always had thrifty trees Well, said
[ to myself, that's Just as easy as the
boy knew his 1ather-no mixing in
gradients, getting besmeared with
nasty smelling swashes; no getting
theEtop OF yourlhead full of thom
points as You scrub away at the trunk
of the tree kneeling under the branch
es thereof; no swelled and useless
hands for days after the Job; no neigh


bors standing leaning over the fence
;s...sssss4l,sy IL !s-y ,,srrrdssSSSs
after the work is all done-Oh mo
We have it now. A cent apiece to
the tree, md piece Of soap an d
Avast ye Scale l jumped in ecst asy.
Couldn't sleep that night. Dreamed
of whole armies ..of' scale strikin g
camp and marching away with all
their impediments from my possession
to fresh fields and orange trees green.
l selected, next day. tree that was
one huge scale, the worst case of
scale in my grove, rising and grad
uated scale from bottom TO top, which
latter was about eight feet from the
ground l tied two small pieces Of
soap in the top on limbs where the
rains would wash the suds down the
trunk. That was fourfmonths ago.
That tree to-day is as clean ana free
from insects and as thrifty as anyone
could wish. A solitary instance L
admit, but entirely successful. No th
ing else was done or had been done
to the tree I shall try further and
am trying now hear of others
trying it also. If reliable it is. s.certainly
the easiest and cheapest way of get
TING rid Of the pest yet introduced.


Yours truly S
Year: 1878

Editor Flortaa ATtcuhurist


In the Garden of Eden were
neither thistlesS pusley," nor crab
grass previous to being raided by
that Father of Lies and tramps
whose sole business is to wander
to and fro in the earth seeking
whom he might "blte somebody"
Having no BUSINESS Of his own, he
had nothing to prevent him from
attending to that Of other people,
and that is how he came to stray
into our venerable ancestors clear
ing, whereby such ridiculous mess
generally was made of human affairs.
Our respected progenitor had a soft
thing of it in that garden, but this
he didn't understand then as we'll as
afterward, when sweating over his
potato patch and vainly trying to
get even with the Canada thistles


and crab grass. His homestead
entry was cleared, fenced and
planted with all manner of fruits by
the government and a span of mules
thrown in, putting him in a top
shelf condition for enjoying life and
making his wife the envy Of all the
neighbors. His hammock was rich and
bran new-no weeds, no cut worms,
no mosquitoes, red bugs and flies or
fleas, and life, even as a farmer, must
have been worth living. He found
the conditions changed when he
came to clear hissown hammock, (the
immense advantage Of "piney
woods land NOT having then been
discovered) contend with the newly


ss,sss;s; 5; sgss es-sssssv


crop Of weeds, etc, at the same time


fight the battle of life surrounded by
a swarm of pestiferous insects. Of
the latter conditions / have had
sufficient experience to enable me to
speak with authority, and give me a
strong desire to escape it during the
rest of my natural life. My pity I
give to Father Adam for he needed
it. He had seen better times, and
could not but suffer from the con-
trast Besides, he couldn't Get
away


He must also have felt always that
the weeds and the insects were the
result of his own disobedience,
whereas Florida was blessed with all
these things before ever / came near
it, so that to my discomfort, bad as
it may be, are not added the pangs
of remorse. IF l had had chance
to talk the matter over with him a
little, | think l should have set his
heart at rest as to has special respon-
sibility for these nuisances-for they
unquestionably existed outside of the
garden long before he made their
though if he had staid
there he would have been none the
worse for them


We are told that whatever is, is
right" and there are people who pre-
tend to believe that all these discom-
forting ngaccompaniments of our earthly
are necessary parts of
the "Divine Economy whatever
that may be supposed to be. AS far
as the weeds are concerned, l think
get occasional glinpses of the
economy, but my faith in a benefi-
cent over-ruling Providence is too
strong to permit me to accept the
insects. There was once a pious,
conscientious New England woman
who in her strong desire to reconcile
the command to keep holy the Sab
bath day, with certain necessary
household duties, effected a compro-
Year: 1878

mise by making up her bed without
turning back the sheet at the head,
as she always did on week days.
She said she felt that she must draw
the line somewhere. l draw it at
pestiferous insects that devour me
and my crops, and no one need
attempt to convince me that they
ever had a place in the Divine or any
other economy or Were ever created
(if they ever aoere created) for any
purpose other than as an annoyance
and vexation of spirit. My private
opinion is that they were never dig
nifed by any act Of creation, but
that like Topsy they just growed." i"
For weeds, on the contrary, l have
come to having great respect since
living in Florida. When Nature
finds spot Of bare ground, she pro-
ceeds at once to cover it from the
burning rays of the tropical sun,
which otherwise would decarbonize
and destroy it for supporting vegeta-
ton. The folly of man has made
many r" CALLED places upon the sur
face of this our Mother Earth, in
spite of the counteracting efforts of
nature What, then, would become
of it if he were not opposed by all
the forces that nature can bring to
defeat his devices for destruction?
The foundation principal in Florida
horticulture should be shade the
ground" I announce no new doc
trine when l state that ground well
and properly mulched will grow
richer all the time, even though


bearing crop at the same time
! s.sszl , - 49, s s N sssgsls;


part of our soil, which means nearly
all the arrable land in the State, by
Decentralization, is incalculable.
Take notice, too, how the vegetable


matter in the soil will blow away


where it is bare and dry. The color


of the surface fades out like the


cloth on a bleaching ground. It is


unnecessary, however, to use argu-


ment or illustration to prove the


advantage of this practice, for no


one doubts it. The trouble is that


people forget it. The most satisfac-
tory material that | have found for
the purpose, is bullrush grass. That
least so is moss. Leaves from the
hammock come next TO the grass.
Pine leaves are next to moss, for OPP
posite reasons. Moss is too com
pact, preventing the rain and air
from reaching the roots, besides, har-
boring injurious insects while pine
leaves are too light and too loose.
Good mulching keeps the soil as
porous and light as a plow, and at
no cost of labor The lighter and
poorer the soil the more necessity
for covering it. Good mulching is
equivalent to q dressing of manure.
Fires in the woods are decarbonizing
and destroying the fertility of our
soil too fast to need any help from
iniudicious farming. Between the
cattle owners and hunters and the
carelessness and "pure cussedness
of many others, we are in danger--of
becoming another Arabia Or Sahara,
which. there is no doubt, reached
their present condition by pursuing
| precisely the same course that we
have started upon. The time may


come when something can be done
to check this wholesale destruction
but in the present condition OF affairs
if is useless to try. The most that
can be done is for those who see the


danger, to do what they can, individ-
ually, to guard against it. At least
let each man sec that in his fields,
Year: 1878

ces are required. II a new country
has, in such short period of time,
developed so rapidly, what must be
the changes that have taken place in
the older portions of the State ?
They are certainly an earnest of what
the future must be, when our re
courses are fully developed and sus-
tanning population commensurate
with that development


a comparison of the present with
the past is not sufficient to convey
an adequate idea Of what the status
OF the State must be after the lapse
Of few years. For a better under
standing of this subject, it may be
well to direct attention to some of
the elements of our States future
greatness. Who that have carefully
read Capt. Eadd's report upon deep
ening the channel upon the bar of
the St. Johns river, and the evident
feasibility Of opening and keeping
open a channel with a depth of 90 to
"a feet, but have been impressed
with the magnitude of the benefits
that must accrue to East and South
Florida in particular, and through
their prosperity, to the whole State ?
Large steamers, plying to Northern
cities, will be able to come to Jack
sonville and make it the great COM
mercial metropolis of the State.
That this Improvement will become
necessity, will be readily seen when
we make calculation of the amount
of transportation facilities needed to
move even one OF our products, the
orange We require rapid and cheap
transportation for our vegetables,
stlss.sossA, &c. Z .4:o lfi.sdetfy Is lU0m-
ing up largely as a great business of
the future, and when the enterprises
for developing our vast amount of
sugar lands, shall have been put into
successful operation, this great and
remunerative crop will add largely
to the freight list as we'll as monied
interest of the State. This impor-
tant crop plant finds a congenial
home in large portion of the
peninsular, and in this county often
tassels. 1t is not mcomon to obtain
fair crop from the sixth years
rattoons


The starch producing plants, es-
pecially the cassaya and arrow root
are well adapted to our soils and
yield heavy crops. When starch
manufacturers introduce their i'm
proved modes of extracting the
tarina these plants and others of the
same class will prove highly relnu-
nerative. The experiments already
made in iute cnlture have proved
very satisfactory, and when our citi-
zens realize how great is the demand
for the FIBER they will turn their
attention to its culture. There is a
section of the State, especially in
the southern portion. that cannot be
utilized except for the purpose of
grazing cattle. This industry will
continue to be fostered and add to
our wealth. The lumber business
already amounts to the annual sum
of $4,000, 900 and must continue to
increase for many years, as facilities
are provided to transport the timber
to water. The timber lands are ex.
tensive and produce great variety
of trees, many of them well suited to
the cabinet makers use, Many other
products as cotton, tobacco, ETC.,
might be mentioned, but attention
has been directed to enough to show
that the future Of the State is bright
with promise Y. II. MASON, M. D.


Apopka, Orange County, Fla.
Year: 1878

were found Saturday by their pursuers in
Decsrur county, in The Prairie Dog region
This was evidently the work of the last
pand that crossed the road on Tuesday last.
No one has been able to learn the names Of
any of Saturdays dead. The northwestern
portion of the StsJe has been IN terrible
storm Of excitement for the past two weeks,
but this country being very thinly settled
no body OF men sufficient TO cop with the
red devils could be got together.
Year: 1878

You deserve to suffer, and if you lead a
miserable, unsatisfactory life in this beau
tiful world, 1t is entirely your own fault,
and there is only one excuse for you-your
unreasonable prejudice and skepticism,
which has killed thousands. Personal
knowledge and common sense reasoning
will soon show you that Green's August
Flower will cure you of Liver Complaint,
or Dyspepsia, with all its miserable effects,
such as sick headache, palpitation of the
heart, sour stomach, habitual costiveness
dizziness of the head, nervous prostration
low spirits,&c. Its sales now reach every
town on the Western Continent, and not .
druggist but will tell you Of its wonderful
cures. You can buy . sample bottle for
ten cents. Three doses will relieve you.


iy6eodAw
Year: 1878

IF you have an enemy act kindly
to him and make him your friend.
You may not win HIM over at once,
but try again. Let one kindness be
followed by another, till you have
comprised your end. By little and
little, great things are completed ,
and SO repeated Kindness will soften
the heart Of atone,
Year: 1878

Of any dimensions; bring correct measure OF your
room and H'e guarantee suit you.
Please ca | and see US. whether you wish to buy
or not, as it il no trouble to show go ds.


ReepectfullSi
Year: 1878

A calf with the thoughtlessness of
vealy yonth. could net abstain from in
sulting an honest h.rdworking OK
that was toiling a. the plow. 'Oxcuse
me- said the calf; what fool you are
TO wear that heavy yoke on your neck,
ard go all day long drawing a plow
at your b. els to turn up the ground
for your master. Why don't you ex-
change your yoke for paper collar
and have some style about you? See
what a jolly time have of it; nothing
to 10 but 81 joy life Knock off your
work, old fellow. and let's have some
fun But the OK kept right along
about his business. saying to himself.
When that young chap gets "a furrow.


long in life as have he will know
more and won't talk half as much as he
does now That evening, while the
OK. whose days work was over. was at
his repast. he saw butchers cart driv
ing by containing the .insolent calf.
who was destined to be reduced TO
Gu lets. calveshead jrlly and material
Tor sewed boots before morning. 'Ah.
my fine fellow, said the OK. you won't
have an opportunity to insult honest
labor for one while. yoke can bet Your
life Moral-Never despise an OK be.
cause hs wears q heavy yoke
Year: 1878

One great leak on the farm is found
in the way stock is kept. Some try to
stop thu leak by seeing how small a
quantity of food will satisfy life. and
succeed by having their stock almost
entirely leak away; whilst their neigh
Dor who feeds bounteously does not
have this leak to contend with, but
generally has a profit to apply to the
81 Cpl age Of other leaks
Year: 1878

to shine with soft and slightly diff
fused white light. The sky in the W
cinity OF the sun has changed from
blue, to peculiar milky me, in the
zenith to purplish tinge and more
gloomy aspect, while the east is
lighted up with a lurid glare similar
to that which sometimes attends an
autumn sunset. The darkness is
now so great that the sight presented
to the unaided eye is superior to that
of the telescope. Momentarily the
shadow is increasing, the foliage OF
the trees is no longer visible, the
moment OF


TOTAL oBsCURATIoN
has arrived. Naught is to be seen
above but the stars and a circle OF
light around the moon, the clouds
becoming arrayed in all the colors OF
the rainbow.


"Night, sable goddess from her ebon throne





scepter. "


1t is "dead midnight" at 3:42:15 p.
M. local time. The moon has occu-
pied about one hour, or accurately,
one hour and four minutes in reach
ing this position.


The duration OF total observation
is but little more than two minutes,
but


THE SUSPENSE IS FEARFUL.
We are In the pail OF darkness re-
lieved only by cheering rays Of prom
ise from the planets and fixed stars,
which increase the awful sublimity OF
the passing moments. Only the bril-
liant rosy jets, caused by the refrac-
tion OF light, are visible to mark the
sun in the heavens. And now the
bright rim slowly emerges and as the
glorious sunlight reappears. a shout
OF Joy and exultation goes up from
the whole assembly.
HC Cnon6C oCOnlo iuOlO topio INV
As the eclipse came on the daylight
seemed gradually to diminish as the
phenomenon approached the total
phase, but the instant the sun began
to reappear the full brightness Of day
light seemed to have returned. In
like manner we notice the gradual
lessening the daylight before sunrise.
The gloomy aspect Of the mountains
was soon relieved, the chilliness of
the atmosphere moderated, the PLAN
cts became invisible. the clouds lost
their bright peculiar tints, and at the
hour Of 4:47 the final contact was an
nounced.


General Meyer asserts that it was


THE GRANDEsT SPECTACLE
he ever beheld. The photographers
are jubilant at the success, but OF
course it is too soon to announce the
result.
Year: 1878

There was q good deal of noise and
confusion this morning, and short and
sharp discussion in regard to the order Of
business.


Mr.. Atkins asked whether it would
be in order to suspend the rules and dis
charge the Committee of the Whole
from further consideration of the sundry
civil bill. and put the bill on its passage.


The Speaker answered that it would.


MIR. Cox, of New York, said that he
would flhbuster against that motion to
the end of the term.


Finally the House went into Com
mittee o; the Whole, Mr. Carlisle in tie
Chair, on the sundry civil appropriation
bill.


Pending discussion the committee rose,
and the House took recess.


The evening session is to be for the
consideration of reports from the Com
mittee on Naval Affairs.
Year: 1878

WARRINGTON, June ll.-Alexander
Il. Stephens has written letter to the
Chairman OF the Democratic Executive
Committee of the Eighth Copgresslons!
District of Georgia, in which he says that
he shall neither seek nor decline the
nomination at the hands Of the ConYen.
ton, soon to meet. But he says that II
the Convention shall repudiste me as as
unfit representative of Democratic
principles, and shall attempt to rule
me out of the Democratic party
because of anything connected with my
recent public acts or sentiments, then l
say to you and them, plainly and dis
tinctly, that l regard their edict as but
q fllmen issued by al irresponsible fac
tion of tricksters. The question whether l
or they are sound in the faith OF the faith
ers shall be left for the true Democrats
cf the District to settle at the polls.
Year: 1878

When shall find you sweetheart,
That shall he and must be mine
speak though the world divides US,
And | send you the secret sign.
There's blood in the veins Of morning,
So fresh that it may well deceive,
When man goeth forth as Adam,


And woman awaits him as Eve.
There's an elvish spell in twilight


When the bats of Fancy fy.
And sense Is bound by a question,


And Fate by the quick reply.
And the moon is an old enchsntress,


With her snares of glimmer and shade,
That have ever been false and fatal


To the dreams of man and maid.
But III meet you at MONDAY, sweetheart,
In the b,lowy fields of grain,
When the sun is hot for harvest


And the roses athirst for rain.
With the daylight's truth on your forehead.
And the daylight's love in your eye,
I'll kiss you without question,


And you'll kiss me without reply


-Bdyard Taylor in Harperi Weekly.