smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

The time has now arrived when the
voice of the shivering husband is heard
at daybreak murmuring, " Hammer,
wherein the old scratch are my bootsw


Nitric acid and arsenic have lately
risen twenty per cent, and we don't see
how poor folks are going to get along
this winter without suffering.


Dio Lewis has been heard from again.
He says that Goldfish gravy is the best
food for respondent persons, as it i'm
parts cheerfulness. Pass the Goldfish
gravy.


Kerosene is retailing at ten cents per
gallon i'm some of the Eastern cities. If
rightly used it would lay out twenty
one hired girls, which is less than half a
cent girl.


A Vermont woman owns shingle
mill, and being the mother of eleven
boys, she is tarning out shingles which,
for family use, discount the bOot,jack by
four.


A man had better have a milestone
tied to his neck and be cast into the sea
than to promise to marry Texas girl
and then refuse. The whole country
turns out to hunt him, and he is gener-
ally left to grow up with tree.


No, bub, we've always made it rule
never to buy barrel of -four unless
there are four red KS on each head,
with thirty-one stars in circle, and a
chrome picture in the center, and our
cook always has good luck with biscuit.


Virginia hung Mr.. Gibbs twelve years
ago for murder, and now it has come to
light that he was innocent. Why will
folks fool with mans neck that way
until they are certain of his guiltY


Dying the other day, Georgia man
took his wife's hand and said "Susan,
you've been a good wife! We've lived
together thirty-two years, and I've never
found button off my shirt! I'll speak
. good word for you as soon as 1 git up
tharl"


A Nevada silver miner changed his
clothes the other day, for the first time
in twenty-five months, and then only
because he was sick, and the doctor or
dered it.


Now comes the smallpox scare Ia
make man grow pale clear behind the
ears. It's one thing, and another thing
and some more things, until one feels
that he might as well remove to New
Jersey, and let everything go to
blazes.
Year: 1874

THIS Cushman farewell movement on
the part of the clubs reminds me of an
old man up in Connecticut who had
poor, cranky bit of wife, who, regular
fy once a week got up in the night and
invited the family to see her die. She
gave away her things, spoke her last
words, made her peace with heaven and
then about eight O'clock she got up in
the usual way, and disappointed every
body by going at her household duties
as if nothing had happened. The old
man got sick of it finally, and went out
and got a coffin, real nice. cashmere
shroud, wreath of immortelles with


Farewell Mary Ann" worked in, and
handful of silver plated screws: Lay
ing the screw-driver beside the collection,
he invited her to just hollor die once
more. "Do it," said he, and in you
90. and this farewell business is over"
Mary Ann is at this moment baking
buckwheat cakes for large and admir-
ing family, while they dry apples in the
coffin up in the garret. Did the Lotus
and Areadian clubs ever hear of this
case of Mary AIMS, wonder ?--.New


York correspondent 50. Louis Republican.
Year: 1874

Many people imagine that ocean water
is naturally salt, and will be surprised to
know that the salt comes from rocks, and
is washed into the sea.


The sea depends on the disintegration
of rocks on land for its saltiness. 1t does
not originate in oceans and seas. Rains
wash it and hold it in solution as particles
are liberated by violence, decomposition
and gradual action of many natural
forces. All streamlets and rivers, there
fore, are constantly transporting salt to
the sea. If there is more than can be
held in solution, then it accumulates in
masses at very deep points, which, in the
revolution to which matter is subject,
may again be stratum of salt somewhere
remote from where the mass was formed.
Thus the salt mines of Portland, and the
vast horizontal bed ofpure salt in Texas,
as well as that mountain of rock salt in
st. Domingo, were collected at the bot
tom of ancient seas, which are now dry
land, remote from water.


There are places in Africa where the
process of disintegration of salt from
rocks is regularly going on, but there is
not water power enough to force it on
ward to the sea. Hence the particles are
spread abroad and mixed with the soil.
The negroes of Kalliul, in northern
Africa, having distribution where there
is no water to dissolve it in the ground,
leach it. In that way they separate the
salt. BY evaporating the water holding
it in solution, an excellent article for
domestic purposes is produced. Salt
Il Il al. -. n.
grasses and most vegetable products on
which animals feed. In that way they
derive enough in most countries to meet
the demand of their natures. They
require as much as civilized humanity.
With them salt is necessary, as with our
selves, for keeping the organs of vision in
good condition. Stop the supply, and
blindness would be universal.
Year: 1874

The Arkansas gubernatorial
quarrel is truly queer affair: 1t
seems that Brooks was run as can>
didate for Governor on the Demo-
cratic ticket; defeated no doubt by
fraud, and then to get even and
secure the administrations support,
deserted the party which put him
in nomination. Baxter was elected
as Radical, no doubt by fraud,
and lost the sympathy of the Grant
administration by betraying that
party also. The whole matter is a
mixed up kittle offsh, and deserves
contempt throughout. There is,
however one lesson that we might
learn from this affair, i. e. to stop
running for Office men of such
doubtful political honesty as this
man Brooks seems to be. This
practice has prevailed in the South
since the war and has doubtless
done great injury to the party.
A man should be known and
thoroughly tried before he is put in
SO high:a position as the Governor s
chair.
Year: 1874

A bill is now under considera>
tion in Virginia Legislature, which
authorizes the Danville road to
alter its gauge in any way that the
company may deem necessary. The
object of this is s.doubtless to make
les gauge the same as that of the
N. c., Road. There is much divis'
ion in public circles in Virginia
as to the expediency of the bill
and we may expect a warm
time when it comes up for discus
sion,
Year: 1874

Official kilograms from New Or
leans state that the whole country
from Monroe to the mouth of the
Red river is almost under water, and
ten Thousand people in that district
will soon be on the verge Of starva-
ton. Large numbers of colored
people from the overfowed district
are focking to New Orleans. Gov
ernor Kellogg has issued proclama-
ton to tbs officials and citizens of the
overfowed district, assuring them
that the State government has done
and is doing all its resources allow to
alleviate the suffering Information
received from Yazoo, Miss, says the
water is SO high that no planting can
be done in the Valley of the Yazoo.
The weather is clear and the river is
falling perceptibly. If the fall con-
tinues moderate crop will be made.
The crop in the hills has also been
greatly retarded by the continuous
rains, but if the present weather con-
tinnes an average crop will be made.
-Ex.
Year: 1874

Yesterday, In the United States Circuit Court.
Judge woodruff rendered decision in the case Of
the United States vs. Four Packages OF Human
Hair, seized BY Custom House ofncers. He says
The question whether the Information herein suf-
ncienuy AYERS seizure within the southern dis
xnct OF New York was not raised In the district
Court, either by demurrer by motion in arrest OF
judgment, and 1t cannot therefore, be made ques-
zion in this Court. As there was plea as TO the
jurisdiction OF the Court and. issue was made
mp for trial upon the question wnere the seizure
was made, there was no issue on that point to
be tried. and the point taken by the claimants
that the plaintiff had not proved seizure within
this district was properly denied. Adverting 70
goods brought INTO port IN the baggage OF passen-
gers the Judge says:-'If the claimants, by con.
ceallng the contents OF the boxes from the oficers
OF the ship ano by omitttng TO furnish an account
Of such contents, 30 that they might be entered on
the manifest, expose the goods to the hazard OF
being landed without lawful permit, they have no
recourse to the onicers OF the ship for illegally
landing the goods; but when the Officers OF the
customs found the goods thus landed, and the
claimants themselves on the dock claiming the
BOXES, they did their duty, think and find no
sufncient ground for saying that they should have
treated she property as baggage. Judgment OF
the District Court af1rmed with COSTS"
Year: 1874

keep rid Of these agents that are running
through the country seeking whom they
may devour. So says your humble servant.
Then he said the man that simply paid in
his five dollars to become = member and
thought that was all he had to do to get
rich was awfully fooled, but must work,
brothers work, brothers! The whole
meeting was impressive of the duties de-
volving on the members Of the Order to
receive the benefits for which the Order
was brought into existence.


POTATO BUG.


The writer Of the foregoing letter has
not furnished the editors with his name.
We want it distinctly understood that we
will not publish any more correspondence
unless accompanied by the name of the
writer. OF course we will not publish the
name unless the writer desires it.-ED.
Year: 1874

From my youth [ have been fond of
reading the Bible, for all my life [ was
fond of it. There are such beautiful
parallels and enigmas in it, and ones
heart afteTward becomes so fresh and
full of courage. But most Of all do
love to read St. John. There is some
thing so altogether wonderful in him
twilight and night, and through these
the quick darting lightning! A soft
evening cloud, and behind it the large
full moon There is something so
sweetly sad and full of presentiment,
that one cannot get enough Of it.
Whenever | read st. John it is to me
as if | saw him lying before me at the
last supper on the bosom Of his Master


and as if his angel were holding the
candle for me, and were ready at GER
tain passages to fall upon my neck and


tell me something into nay ear. I do
not understand near all | read, but yet
| often feel as if it were floating at
distance before me what St John
meant, and also in those places where
| look as into dark deep, | have still
a presentiment of some great and glo-
rious sense, which | shall some day un-
dcrstand, and hence it is that [ always
seize upon every new commentary upon
St. John. True many only pick at
the fringes Of the evening cloud, and
the moon behind 1t rests undisturbed.
Year: 1874

\ little girl who loved the Bible
dearly became blind, and when she
could no longer see to read it she only
loved 1t more A kind friend gave
her New Testament printed for tbs
use OF the blind, in raised letters,
which she could feel with her fingers,
and so make out. Never was child
more delighted than she. Itawas a
touching thing to see her. every mo-
ment she could spare, passing her fn-
gers slowly over the page, as her lips
silently uttered the precious words,
But her touch was not quick enough
for her; her finger-ends, poor child !!
were rough, and sometimes she had to
stop long time over word. SO one
day she took a penknife and lightly
pared away the skin from just the tips
ofs her fingers, hoping that SO her feel
ing would be more tender. and she
could get on faster. What was her
distress in finding, after few days,
that her skin had grown again, but so
hard that she could not feel the shape
of a single letter she tried and tncd,
but all.in vain j; then, bursting into an
agony of tears. she pressed the much
loved pages to her lips, to bid them, as
she thought, a last farewell. But as
she did so, she suddenly found out
that her lips had the feeling which her
fingers had lost The letters, the
words, We're quite plain , 1 cannot
tell you her JOY that she still could
read. And hundreds Of times since
the blessed book has been held to her
lips, net in sorrow for farewell kiss,
but in thankfulness and JOY. that even
she can read the words Of everlasting
life.-The Shtning Light.
Year: 1874

Would you keep your rosy COM
plexion, wear thiek-soled shoes.


Would you enjoy quiet content, do
away with airs and pretenses.


Would you have others respect YOUR
opinions, hold and never disoWn them
yourself.


Would you marry and be happy, to
every ounce of love add at least a Grain
of good sense and judgment in choos-
ing companion.


Would you have good health, 90 out
in the Sunshine. Sickness is worse
than freckles.


Would you respect yourself, keep
your heart and body clean.


Would you retain the love ola friend,
do not be selishly exacting.


Wouid you gain the confidence Of
business men, do not try to sport the
style Of your employer,


Would you never dread to look any
one in the feee, pay your debts,


Would y9u never be told iie' do
not ask personal questions.


Would you sleep well and have .
Good annette, attend to your own bus
iness.


Would you have the respect OF men,
never permit yourself to indulge in vul-
gar Jokes or conversation.
Year: 1874

-"Men carry their conscience like
drawn sword, cutting this way and
that in the world, but smother it, and
keep it very soft and quiet, when it is
turned within, thinking that a sword
should not be allowed to cut its own
scabbard.
Year: 1874

their days and nights are to bepassed amid
the romances OF affection. 1t is delight
full to enjoy such dreams, but it is also
well to understand the necessary expert
ences of human nature in this poor old
world of ours. When those who have in
dulged in roseate dreams find, in the
course of the journey, that all their life is
not always made up of them. even after
matrimony, they are apt at first to feel
something like disappointment with the
conjugal state and to suppose that they
have somehow been defrauded out of the
happiness which they had anticipated.
But it was their dreams that were at fault,
and If they have clear heads they will very
soon find this out. They will a.2Y find
that marriage is calculated to bring them
more solid enjoyments and more real sat-
lstacton than they had conceived of. If
they are disappointed in these it is surely
because the parties to it lack that sound
sense, those affectionate hearts, and that
mutual desire for each others welfare
which are essential to genuine and benifi-
cent marriage.
Year: 1874

There is good deal of misunderstood
ing about unhappy marriages" from the
lack Of intelligent comprehension of the
kind OF happiness that IS naturally to be
expected, ''as rule" in the married state


Before marriage many inexperienced peo-
pie, indulge in extravagant visions of the
indescribable and perpetual bliss that will
be the result of wedlock. Their lives are
to be sunshine; their pathway is to be
strewn with flowers in all seasons and all
Year: 1874

There is bird in New Guinea called
the Megapodius, which in the size of its
eggs and its manner of Matching them,
must be considered extraordinary. 1t
is not larger than one of our ordinary
fowls, but its eggs are three inches long
bv two and half In diameter. It does
not attempt TO sit on them, 4 colony
of birds lay their eggs together in a
large mound, in the hottest part of the
year, from September 10 March, and
leave them to be Matched by the sun.
The mound is made of sand, loose earth
and sticks aud leaves, which latter by
their decay increase the heat. The
mounds are wonderfully large, being
ten feet high and about sixty feet IN
circumference at the base. The young
birds come ont at a hole in the top.
The mother birds wait on the trees
around till their chicks are Matched,
and then each leads off her own brood.
How each knows its own is a mystery.
The eggs are much relished by the ma
tives, but not at all by Europeans. A
native of Cape York ventured one day
into nest of eggs, and while he was
exploring the hidden riches of the
large mound the upper part fell IN and
he was smothered. He was afterward
found IN the very act of digging
alive in a birds nest,
Year: 1874

Ifa pail Of water be placed within six
inches of either size of the stem of a
pumpkin or vegetable marrow, it viii In
the course Of the night approach l., and
be found IN the morning with one of the
leaves on the water. If a prop be placed
within six inches of 8 convolvulus, or
scarlet runner, it viii find it, although
the prop may be shifted daily. If, after
it has twined some distance up the prop,
it be unwound and twisted IN the OppO-
site direction, it will return TO its orig
inal position or die in the attempt; yet,
Notwithstanding, If two OF the plants
grow near TO each other, and have no
stake around which they can eDtwine,
one of them viii alter the direction Of
the spiral, and they viii twine around
each other.
Year: 1874

In the year 1909, Galileo relates, ne
first heard from a friend in Flanders
that an instrument had been invented
by which distant objects were brought
near and the powers of vision extended.
He resolved at once to initiate and sur
pass it. By his singular mechanical
dexterity, his knowledge Of optics, and
his highly polished glasses, he was soon
able to produce q telescope before which
the Dutch instrument sank into neglect,
and was forgotten. It was never more
heard of but thrill Of wonder passed
over Italy and Europe when it was
known that the famous Paduan profess
or had prepared an optic glass that en-


larged the bounds of vision and endowed
mankind with new powers. The charm
of surprising novelty covered the won
deTfUl invention with an unprecedented
renown. The great and the learned
contended for the possession Of the new
instrument. Calico carried his tele-
scope to Venice, and from the tallest
bell towers senators and mobiles saw
through the magic glass great srgOsies
sailing far ont at sea, and the distant
shores brought near and made visible.
All the value OF the new instrument
broke at once upon their minds it
must change the principles of military
strategy, and diminish the perils of nav
cation. Magistrates, senators and citi-
zens covered the fortunate inventor with
applause. With discreet courtesy Cali
leo presented his telescope to the Doge
at a friendly audience. and the Vene-
tians at once raised his salary to a thou
sand forms. Covered with honors and
emoluments, he returned to Padua,
little conscious of the surprising dis
coveries that yet awaited him IN the
silent heavens, or of the pains and woes
he was destined to bear Ia his later
years from the heretical revelations of
his too truthful and fatal telescope.
Year: 1874

The plague of locusts IN Egypt, IS
depicted in the book of Exodus, Is said
by eye Witnesses of the rRvages of
western grasshoppers to be q correct
picture of the modern plague In some
sections of the country Z" For they
covered the face Of the whole earth, so
that the land was darkened and they
did eat every herb of the land, and all
the frnit of the trees which the hail had
left and there remained not any green
thing in the trees, or in the herds Of the
field, through all the land of Egypt. :"
Most melancholy details come from all
pats of the west. In Kansas a long
drought dwarfed and withersd grass
and grain then myriads of gTasshop-
pers dsIkened the atmosphere, and
swarmed down upon plain and valley,
literally stripping the fields of every
green thing. This ravaging insect army
travelled at the rate of twenty or thirty
miles a day the air was alive. They
worked in concert. swOopin2 down upon
town with fierce rapidity, beating
against the houses, sWarming in at the
windows, covering passing ralI road
trains, and leaving destruction IN their
path. Farmers and their families at
tempted to fight the invaders with fire.
PiIing brush and hay about their fielis,
they applied the torch, and the sulfO-
eating smoke filed the air for miles
around. In some sections this device
drove back the incoming grasshoppers.
But this calamity has destroyed the
hopes of many a farmer, who, as a new
settler, had risked his all in the hope Of
an enriching crop. Some, disheartened,
only desire to raise money enough to
seek some less stricken locality; but
the majority are energetically working
to guard against the disastrous cOnse-
quenees which naturally follow such a
scourge. But next winter IL viii be
very different in Kansas from what 1t
was three or four years ago, when corn
could scarcely find a sale at fifteen cents
a bushel, and was even used as fuel IN
some parts of the state, being cheaper
than coal
Year: 1874

fully astonished on going home at four
O'Clock IN the morning to fnd his wife
sitting up waiting for him. She gave
him a rousing reception, and he looks
like the last rise of summer. The wide
world may wag as it will, but It is doubt
full If he ever smiles again. The wives
are coming home unexpectedly every
day, and husbands had better look out
a little IN order that they may save
some trouble "
Year: 1874

The Paterson Guardian says: ga
recent paragraph calling attention TO
the fact that the summer widOWers were
having the iolliest times imaginable IN
the absence of their voluble halves has
had a most remarkable effect. The
wives come trotting homo to see about
this thing. One gentleman who was
having an unusually good time, and
whose wife had gone away to stay till
the middle of September, was wonder
Year: 1874

HIRE is a description of a mean
which has q moral In It: AZ
ter the old pastor died the deacons went
about for q two-hundred-snd-ff
and you can get about as
much minister foFsthat price as you can
get psalm tunes ont of a file"
Year: 1874

Don't tell the little one, who may be
slightly willful, that "the black man
will come out of the dark cellar and
carry it off ifit does not mind" Don't
create needless fear to go with the
child through all the stages of its ex-
istence. N.f


Don't tell the little five year old jim
my "the school ma am will cut off his
ears" pull out his teeth'-"tie him
up"-or any of the horrible stories that
are commonly presented to the childish
imagination. Think you the little one
will believe anything you tell him after
he becomes acquainted with the gentle
teacher who has not the least idea of
putting those terrible threats into exc,
cution.


Don't tell the children they must not
drink tea because it will make them
black, while you continue the use Of it
daily. Your example is more to them
than precept; and while your face is as
fair as June morning they will scarce
ly credit the oft-told tale. Either give
up drinking the pleasant beverage or
give your children better reason for
its non-use.


Don't tell them they must not eat
sugar or sweetmeats, because it will rot
their teeth. Pure sugar does not cause
the teeth to decay; and sugar with fruit
is nutritious and healthy, notwithstand-
| ding the "Old 50 W" to the contrary.
The case of city children is often cited
as If the cause of their pale faces and
slight constitution were an over amount
Of sweetmeats with their diet, when the
actual cause is want of pure air and
proper exercise.


Don't tell the sick one that the medicine
is not bad to take, when you can hard
ly keep your own stomach from turning
"inside out'at the smell of it. Better
by far to tell him the simple truth, that
if is disagreeable, but necessary for his
health, and you desire him to take it at
once. Ten to one he will swallow 1t
with half the trouble of coaxing and
worry of words. and love you better for
your firm, decided manner.


Don't teach the children by example
to tell white lies to each other and to
their neighbors. Guard your lips and bri-
dleyour tongue II you desire to have the
coming generation truthful. Truthful
ness is one Of the foundation stones Of
heaven. Remember the old, old Book
says, "no liar" shall enter within the
gates of the beautiful city. There is no
distinction between white lies and those
of darker hue. The falsehood is an
untruth, whether the matter be great or
smail.-Rural New Yorker. ,. .