smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

willingly to believe that he has refused to ac-
cept Tweed as a witness, not because no would
tell too little, but because he would tell too
much. but the public is Interested in knowing
why this action has been taken and whether
the men whom Tweed can expose are TO re-
main unexposed and unpunished Ii is to be
hoped that Mr.. Fairchild will satisfy the gen.
eral curiosity on tins point. Meantime every
body will be glad to know that the confession
is to be published. Tweed has it in his own
power, at least to make bis former cOnfeder-
ates odious
Year: 1877

After the financial utterances of the President
have porcolated through three or four layers of
economists of various schools they probably reach
the public in rather discolored state II he any
where correctly quoted "a advising reference
TO the silver coin question full return to the con-
dtion of things previous to tho legislation of 1873"
he must be understood to advocate putting sill
yer in the silver dollar less gold in the gold dollar


for there is other way Of returning to that condi-
Year: 1877


body will be glad to know that the confession
is to be published. Tweed has it in his own
power at least to make bis former cOnfeder-
ates odi0us.


In France, the dissolution of the Chamber
seems inevitable. The Republicans are salts
fed with the majority which they won last
year. and are unwilling TO plunge the country
again into the turmoil and excitement OF q
general election. But President MacMahon
is convinced that the people voted the
Republican ticket last time under grave
mistake, and are now ready to follow his
leadership. A majority of the Senate are DIS
posed to humor him, so far as to vote for dis-
solution, the Legitimists being cOwed by his
threat to resgn--an act which they lear WOuiu
lead to the accession Of Theirs or some other
honest Republican. The Republicans of course,
cannot decline the royalist challenge
to consult the popular will. Their Sena-
tors will, however, hold aloof when the
question of dissolution arises, so that the roy
alists may bear the full burden of the injury
new election will infict on the cOuntry.-Ihe
contest promises to be of the gravest import
auce. 1t will go far to determine whether
france Sllau tStdDlISD pcdCtdbiy 81 INpu''i| vi
whether she shall wade through revolution and
civil strife to constitutional freedom.





Coroner Croker has not had his fill of noto-
Iiety, it seems. On certain occasion which
the public has hardly time to forget. 1t
was supposed that he would be glad of the
chance to retire permanently from public
view, so long as the retirement was not
effected by the aid of the sheriff. But having
secured a nolie pros. and an Endorsement
from Tanmany Hall, which doesn't always
imply nolle pros, Mr.. Croker is am
bilious of further distinction. He now
obtrudes himself as the next friend OF Officer
Doyle, who caused the death of Williams by
brutal treatment. Mr.. Croker acts, III this III
quest both as Judge and attorney for the de-
fcnse bullies the ignorant and helpless widow
of the dead man, and insnuates that she Is
lying; bullies the jury as well, making an eX-
traordinary charge and rewriting their verdict
so as to spare the delicate susceptibities
of the officer in almost every particular; /;
and caps the climax by releasing him on trii.lng
bail. 1t is an unfortunate time for perform
ance of this kind. Police brutality has been
too common in the last few days to make 1t
safe for any official to play the attorney when
he should act the Judge. Perhaps it ought to
be said too that there is a question OF pro-
priety involved. Coroner Croker might have
been restrained in his zeal for the prisoner by
the reflection that he had been himself on tl1al
for taking human life.
Year: 1877

A visitation of lOcustS in Tripol ard the
Barbary States must prove very serious
matter to the inhabitants, since the commerce
of those regions is small and their total prod
nee is not under the most favorable circum-
stances much beyond their own needs. II
England wishes to show sympathy for the
subjects of the Porte, famine in the North
African States may afford an opportunity to
give practical aid which will not be open to
question on the score of interested motives.


.Judge Westbrook only makes the matter
worse. 1t was universally supposed that the
exoneration of Sweeny was part of the agree
ment by which the case was compromised and
that the Judge had little choice in the matter.
CORPORATION Counsel Whitney's protest shook
this belief a little, but now the Judge admits
that he did it solely at the instance OF one OF
Sweeny's counsel, and with some reluctance !!
Judge WestbroOk has made mess OF 1t, hrst
with the case, and now with the explanations


Some interesting chapters of Ring history
are given elsewhere to-day. We learn with
some defniteness the outline OF Tweed's con-
fession which Mr.. Fairchild refuses to allow
him to make and find out more than was ever
known before of the manner of Genet's life
after his escape. The story OF the return OF
Tweed's confession, with the annotauons made
upon it and Mr.. Tweed's declaration that Mr..
Faircbild had promised to accept nm as
witness, will stimulate public curiosity as to
the reason of this refusal. Mr. Fairchild has
borne too high a character to allow any one
Year: 1877

small trees aRd grass are on the marsh will
have to be pulled up aud the vines set. Ihs
cranberry vine is but little larger than a
common knitting needle, and nearly red or q
dark red in color; it is running vine often
growing ten or fifteen feet long. Every few
inches root will sprout out and run into the
ground one, two or three inches, according
TO the depth of the water from the surface.
An upright four or five inches high grows
from this root and on this upright from three
to FIVE stems an inch long and about as big
around as pin grow out, and on these DO
the berries grow. A vine can be cut into
pieces an inch long and scattered broadcast
and each piece will take root and grow. but
the usual mode is to cut them about three
inches long and with bent prong or a split
stick, jam each piece al inch or two into the
mire, four or five feet apart, ard these run
ming in every direction will, in few years,
have Il thick mat Of vines over the whole
surface. Tie whole surface must, during the
A0i, ~ SO'CiSu siA VI tie1ht i4lclieS Win Wa
ter, which protects the roots from frost and
also kills out any grass which may be on the
march About May 18th the water is drawn
down even with the surface aud kept there
until picking time, when it is drawn little
lower and held there until the entire eTop
has been picked, and when the marsh is
again flooded for the winter


As soon as the water is drawn OF in Nav
the formation af the bud is begun. About
June 90 they begin to blossom, and by July
4 all the berries are formed, and picking com
mences from the 1st till the Sth Of Septem-
Der, and the entire crop is secured in from
three to four weeks. From the fact that the
crop must be secured in such short space OF
tine the crowd Of pckers employed in Wood
county IS enormous and a scene of indescrib-
able activity is witnessed on each marsh.
Children pick nearly as many as grown peo-
pie, and all-men, women, and children
make practice of going on the marshes
for few weeks every fall and earning some
money. The quantities of the provisions
sold by the merchants is something enor-
nous, and therefore the cranberry is popular
with all, and is growing interest which
promises to outriyal numbering. It takes
but two or three days for the berries to dry,
when they ere winnowed and packed il bar,
rels for shipment.


Below is an estimated yield of most Of the
large marshes ia the county. The estimates
in most cases are from and made by the own.
ers; in the Others they are from those ia.
miliar with the marshes and know the yield
of last year. The yield is given in barrels,
each barrel containing three bushels.
Year: 1877

A RECENT decision of the supreme
court Of Pennsylvania is of interest
TO the business community. Suit
was brought upon q note and the
defense was that, although there
had been waiver Of protest before
the maturity Of the paper, there lad
been no waiver Of demand and no.
tice encouragement, which iatterre-
quiraments the plaintiff had failed to
comply with. Upon the question,
therefore, Of the acGeal moaning Of
"waiver of protest, the case came
before the supreme court. That
tribunal, in brief opinion of the
full bench, holds that a waiver of
protest before maturity is q waiver
OF all the steps leading to it, and in
cludes demand and notice Of non
payment. This is the general un-
derstanding in the business world.
The decision goes on to say: "The
very purpose of the waiver is to
supersedo the ordinary steps and
avoid both trouble and expense,
and hence to waive the mere act of
the notary and yet to suffer the duty
OF making demand and giving no
tice OF its result to remain, would
scarcely be thought Of by business
men,"
Year: 1877

A STRANGE story comes from the
Indian Territory. It is nothing
more or less than the reputed dis
coyery that the language of the
Cheyenne Indians is precisely the
same as that Of the Swiss in Europe.
Year: 1877

Here is little story Sol Smith tells.
He was in Cincinnati, and the play
"Othello." There was crowded house,
and among them girl whom Sol calls
Peggy.


Peggy had never before seen tho in
side Of a theater. She entered at the
time Othello was making his defense
before the duke and senators. The
audience were unusually attentive to
the play, and Peggy was permitted to
walk in the lobby until she arrived at
the door of the stage box, when gen.
tleman handed her in, and her beau, a
country boy, was obliged to wait in
the lobby. Miss Peggy stared about
her for a moment, as If doubling
whether she was in her proper place,
till, casting her eyes on the stage she
observed several chairs unoceupied.


1t is probable this circumstance
alone would not have induced her to
take the step she did, but she observed
the people on the stage appeared more
at their case than those among whom
she was standing, and as fate would
have it, lust at the moment, OthellO
looking nearly toward the place where
she was situated, exclaimed


"Here comes the lady !!


The senators half rose in the expec-


tation of seeing the gentle Desdemona,
when 10 the maiden from the country
stepped from the box plump on the
stage, and advanced toward the ex.
pectant Moor. The audience clappeI
and cheered-the dukes and Senators
: forgot their diguity-the girl was ready
!, to sink with CONSERVATION, even Cooper
! himself could not help joining in th'
4 general mirth.


1t was agreed by all present that
lady never made her debut on the stag
i, with moro eeIat than Miss Peggy.
Year: 1877

The Mark Lane Express copies the
following receipt for sharpening edged
tools from a German scientific journal
for the benefit of farmers, mechanics
and laborers


at has long been known that the
simplest method of sharpening razor
is to put it for an hour iulO water to
which has been added ons-twentieth Of
its weight in muriatic or sulphuric
acid, then lightly wipe it of, and after
A few hours set il ON hone. The acid
here supplies the place of a Whetstono
by corroding the whole surface evenly
SO that nothing further than a smooth
polish is necessary. The process never
iniures good blades, while badly hard
ened ones are generally improved by
it, although the cause of Improvement
remains unexplained.


"At length this process has been ap-
piled to many other cutting imPle-
ments. The workman at the beginning
of his noon spell, or when he leaves In
the evening, moistens the blades OF his
tools with water acidulated as above,
the cost of which is almost nothing,
This saves the consumption Of time and


labor in whetting.


, A Philadelphia dancing master q
a about introducing a new dance expire
0 ly for fat people. All the PeriofH
r have to do is to sit on the hoor aA
Year: 1877

Pittsburg Gazette.


There was a sudden sensa-
ton in an Oakland church, on a
late Sunday. 1t appears that a
young lady member Of the choir
became so anxious to examine a
certain exasperatingly pretty
bonnet in a pew back under the
organ loft, that she lost her bal
ance, and turned a somersault
down upon the unsuspecting
congregation. The minister
had only reached "tenthly,|
whcE he was shocked by a dis
solving view Of striped stock
ings; and The millionaire under
meath had just selected his
coin for the heather,
when a pair Of two-iEch heels
took him in the back Of the
neck like the fast dying lick Of
a pile-drivcr. When the dust
cleared away the church was
found to lie empty, and since
then the flock have mcekly, but
informed the vestry that
unless the choir is fenced in, or
q net stretched over the heads
of the congregation, as required
by law, they will stayaway from
the sanctuary.
Year: 1877

pulled out to pass anything


but then he couldn't hold hel


any more than he could the


steamer Vanderbilt. He pooh.


poohed this notion, and we took


the road, | driving a gray mare


Of my own. We were going


along quite fast, side by side,


when we caught up with an


omnibus, and | pulled to the


left and the Commodore to the


right. AS we did so 1 saw En-


press dart forward, and caught a


glimpse of a team coming in


the opposite direction; in an


other instant / heard a tremen-


dous crash, and then Il wouldn't
have believed it unless I had
seen it myself, and you needn't
Il saw the form Of the venera-


BILE Commodore and the wreck
of his buggy appear over the
top of the omnibus, and then
sink from sight. Stocks were
high that day. 1t happened
that the spot was very near
where the "Butter" Smith acci-
dent had occurred, and as soon
as / ascertained that there was
no serious injury done to my
friend, l began pacing off at a
distance. "What are you a.
bout?" cried the Commodore.
"Oh!" said I, ''I'm finding out
how far it is from where one
fool fell to where the other
fool fell" This counter ex-
preston of sympathy on my
part was met with grim smile,


The Commodore was then o.
yer sixty-fve years old. Often
his brother Jake, who was a
good driver, would come over
from Staten Island, and then
they always had a turn togeth-
er on the road. Once, in win
ter, his brother had crowded
him in brush, and got a little
the best Of him. He said moth
ing TO him, but he remarked to
me, "Jake crowded me to-day,
and I'll fix him the next time"
Shortly after they were spin
ming along at a merry rate; the
Commodore Tapped on Jake,
when he watched his opportuni-
ty, and deliberately running in
to him, grabbed his cutter
the thills, slowed the
cutter around, and left Jake
sitting in the middle of the road,
with his back to the disappear
ing tail of his horse. About
three years ago | met the Com
modore tearing down the road
with his horse in a keen run, and
saw his brother coming on at a
similar gait far behind. AS he
pulled up, / asked him why he
was letting his horse go in that
manner. He exclaimed, "Jake
wouldn't trot, but kept running
his horse, and l thought I'd beat
him at his game. I'll show the


- cuss he can't come over
lere from Staten Island and beat |
me trotting or running either
Year: 1877

Our New York Letter.


Both Sides of the Hard Time
| Question-OId Times Again


Low Renfs-Girls' Wages-AI


Eccentric Cherry Stone-Ban 0


the Heavy Weights-A Knicker


booker Wedding.


To the Editor of the Observer


New York, Feb. 9, 1877.


Thepresent financial and com


mercial condition of thecountry
as reflected in the mirror of thC
metropolis, is either good or bad
as nepleasesto regard it. Trade
is quiet, dull in fact, in spite
of the most vigorous efforts Of
the press to galyanize it into
brisk activity. People won't
buy if they can help it, and the
merchants who have been
watching, these three weary
years and more, for a rebound
into the driving times of before
the panic, are still looking blank
as they see the season for the
Spring trade Of 1877, from
which such great things were
hoped, slipping quietly by with
out much, if any, change for
the better from last year. That
is the dark side. On the other
hand, the "good old ante-war
times" when ga dollar 2cas a
dollar" and when prices were
down to point which seemed
almost incredible ten years af-
terward, are substantially back
again. All this time, while we
have been fretting and complain
ing about the hard times the
days of hard pan in currency
and prices have been stealing
upon us like a thief in the night.
Goid has been quietly sliding
down the scale, until here a
week or so ago the little yellow
dollar fairly trcmbled in the
balance with the big green dol
lar. No wonder the specie
payment question has been
briskiy agitated of late, for it
looks very much as though the
government would have to hur-
ry up with its legislation if it
wants TO claim any Of the cred
it of resumption. If things are
left to themselves we shall have
the Secretary Of the Treasury,
on January 1st, 1879, hunting
round with his lantern TO find
that deprecated currency which
the law directs him to redeem
on that date.


And with a practically gold
basis, the cost Of living and do
ing business have shrunk, as
well as the profits, so that there
is really not SO much TO COM
plain about after ali. The large
and significant items of store and
house rents are a good indlca-
tiOn of the general tendency.
These rents have not been so
low in New York before in fiE-
teen years and interviews with
the leading brokers show that
they are going to drop still low
er this Spring. Labor has rare
ly been lower, clothing never,
and the whole list Of neccssa-
ries of life are arranged on a
very moderate scale Of prices. |
All of which goes to show that
we are not so badly off after all /
which is some comfort.


If any one doubts my asser-
tion that wages are low, | refer
him TO the record Of the Dis
trict Court for this-week, where /
it is shown that several young
girls employed in large book
bindery of this city, are suing
their employer for wages due
them at the rate Of from three .
to six dollars a month. It is a
satisfaction to add that they OBJ
tain prompt judgment in their
favor, and that their liberal en-
ployer was with equal m2t-
ness put in Jail for nOn-ply-
ment.
Year: 1877

ling the reins, he was the most


desperate driver | ever saw. He


would dart through places at a


2:30 gait that any other man


would consider unsafe at a walk.


He had become so familiar with


the dangers of the road, and so


often triumphed over them,
that they were nothing to him.
In road race he was like sol
dier in battle, ready to risk his
life for victory, but was always
cool-headcd, and more frequent
ly brought disaster on others
than suffered it himself. One
time | remers Der, about fifteen
years ago, when they were
building Central Park, being
witness to such an incident.
About 110th street there was a
stream called Lizard creek,
which crossed the road, and over
it was temporary bridge only
wide enough for one TO cross.
The Commodore was driving
Noe, and having a squirt with
Noe himself,th man from whom
he bought the mare, who was
behind a fast stopper called
Atalanta. AS they neared this
Lizard creek bridge it was nip
and tuck between them, but
Atalanta was about a half
a length ahead, and neither
slackened to give the other pre-
cedence. | was in position to
sec the whole affair, and said to
myself: "Somebody will get a
ducking, and [ don't believe it
will be Vanderbilt" AS they
reached the bridge Atalanta
was still ahead and entitled to
the road, but the Commodore
never took his horse back, but
swerved into the other vehicle
atfull tilt, and plunged horse,
wagon and man into the creek.
He swept them from his track
as he would a business rival.


The Commodore had invited
me to drive bis mare Empress,
while he was behind another
horse, and we went out. EN-
press was lame, and l was in
clined to favor her, but her own
er said, "Let her go, it won't
hurt her" However, / was
to como along behind,
while the Commodore had q
fierce race with a roadite known,
from his business, as "Butter"
Smith. AS they flew down the,
road, the Commodore cornered
the butter market, SO that hub
Of Smiths wagon struck lamp
post, and the driver went diving
over his horses head a distance
Of full sixty feet through the air
before he lit. The Commodore
said the distance was eighty |
feet, and am sure it was sixty.
1t was the most tremendous
aerial fight, without artificial
aid, l ever saw performed by
man, but the 3ronaut' came
down on his hands and knees,
and was not hurt. The acci-
dent caused a jam in the road
and as l came down
with Empress, at a pretty good
jog, and reached the crowd, l
pulled out to go by. The mare
took this as signal for race,
and shot out like a catapult.
No man could hold her, and in
an instant we came into collis-
ion with another team. / was
thrown out, and got a bad black
eye. The Commodore expressed
his sympathy with my misfor-
tune in the remark, "Y on
fool, you can't drive the mare"
went home and nursed my
black eye, and in a few days
the Commodore wished to take
another ride. He said he would



drive Empress, and show me
how he could handle her. 1
told him that she was easy e.
nouoh TO drive until she was
Year: 1877

ghost stirring as would make the candles
burn blue. He and Ingram sat up till
near morning, and then lay down alter
nately for an hour or two-but all was
still. Not mouse stirring" They had
their labor for their pains that night.
Still they were not discouraged in their
campaign against the powers of darkness
by this withdrawal of the enemy. They
still believed that they would have q
brush with him yet. In this faith they
renewed their arrangements for the next
day, carefully managing them 80 eau
tiously that there should be no ground
of suspicion given to the world around
that there was anything extraordinary
going on.


The allies met after breakfast to talk
over the matter, and decide whose turn
should be the next to face the enemy.
Major Ferguson, in right of seniority
of rank, received the privilege. The
men who were on guard during the
night were examined, but they main
tanned that there was nothing that could
be constructed into a suspicious circum-
stance that had fallen under their obser-
walton. Renewed charges of secrecy
were given and exchanged, not only for
fear of the ghosts getting wind of the
conspiracy against him, but lest the
laugh at the mess-table might be turned
against them. Lord Percy was curious
to hear the result of the nights cam
paign, when the adjutant waited upon
him for orders, and gave his approval of
the steps taken, and encouraged them to
proceed.-Concluded next week.
Year: 1877

Nature is industrious in adorning her
dominions; and man, to whom this
beauty is addressed, should feel and obey
the lesson. Let him, too, be industrious
in adorning his domain, in making his
home not only convenient and comfort
able, but pleasant. Let him be indus
trious in surrounding it with pleasant
objects-in decorating it within and
without, with things that tend to make
1t agreeable and attractive. Let indus
try make home the abode of neatness
and order. Ye parents who would have
your children happy, be industrious to
bring them up in the midst of a pleas
ant, cheerful and happy home
Year: 1877

THE New York Herald, in speaking of the silver bill, says: It is impossi- ble that President Hayes should sign such bill. The grand fiscal success to which hIs administration aspires is the refunding Of the pubic debt at a low rate of interest. This implies the selling of new bonds to the amount of nearly thousand million dollars. No European capitalist will touch bond of the United States payable in silver .. We shall continue to be burdened with the heavy rate of six per cent interest on nearly one-half of the national debt if this dishonest, repudiating silver bill should become law. We are con. fdent that President Hayes will stand between the national credit and such a prostrating blow. If, which we do not believe, this swindling bill should pass the Senate, it will be by slender ma joriiy. Certain it IS that it could not be repassed over the Presidents veto The country may therefore rely upon him as the efficient bulwark of the public credit.