smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

Counterfeiters generally content them
selves with the cheap and quiet process
of casting from molds, though some
times they strike the pieces from dies.
The mold is made from the genuine
coin and yields facsimile. They use
type-metal, somewhat hard and sonor-
Gus by the addition of copper, and the
whole being slightly silvered over in a
battery, and the gate neatly ribbed out
on the age. Such a piece may pass
while fresh and new. They are, how
ever, rather too white and too thick, or
if of the right thickness, too light.


There is something about the genuine
coin that ordinarily puts it above sus-
picion, particularly after the new white
surface has given place to the inimita-
BILE and permanent nine-tenths tint. 1t
may be abused by heating or staining,
or by contact with gum elastic bands.
1t has been disfgured with tinfoil, for
the small purpose of provoking a bet.
In rare cases it may have a flaw at the
edge, or shut in, which destroys the
ring. But generally it speaks well for
itself as to color and sorority.


The genuineness of half-dolIar is
something worth looking after to any OF
us, and especially to storekeepers taking
them often through the day. 1t is,
therefore, worth the trouble to have on
the counter one or two witnesses easy to
be had.


1. A balance, which need be no more
than thin strip of wood eight or ten
inches long, neatly poised. Place good
piece on one end and the suspected one
on the other, and have a weight of three
grains at hand. If the difference is No ore
than that decline taking the piece.


2. A liquid test, composed as follows
Twenty-four grains of nitrate of silver
in crystals; one gramme (say fifteen
grains) of nitric acid and one ounce of
water. Any druggist can put this up,
in small bottle with a pointed glass
stopper, made for lifting drops, taking
care to use pure ingredients. Remove a
little of the surface of the coin by a
knife, and then touch the place with a
drop from the stopper. If good, there
will be no action; if bad, it blackens at
once.


1t should be observed that this is not
the compound we use for examining
gold counterfeits and jewelry. And,
further, some persons use nitric acid
alone, which will discolor coed coin as
well as bad one.


As for the pieces struck from dies they
are generally such poor limitations that
the taker almost deserves to lose by
them. Such piece, dated 1876, is now
before me; good color, feeble and faulty
devices, right weight, but quite too
thick 1t would be caught by the gauge
already mentioned. 1t is a whitish brass,
with silver-plating, more substantial
than the electro-silvering.


The writer has chosen to speak mainly
of the halfdollar, because these are
chiefly complained of, and the lesser
pieces are less likely to be initiated.
Still some men seem to take a pride in
this despicable work, even if it yields
small profit. In the long run, counter
feiters are never enriched, and their
sequel is generally within prison walls


w. E. DUBOIS,


Assayer, United States Mint,


PHILADELPHIA,
Year: 1877

WHEN a young man encircles his
partners waist for II dance, he will do
wisely to keep his fingers still. Nothing
aggravates young lady more than to
imagine you are trying to count the
whalebones in her dress.
Year: 1877

A SIMPLE way to make long dress
short for wear in the streets is to place
small brass rings on the back breadths in
q manner to slope like the train and then
raise it by means of linen tape or cord
which is run through them.
Year: 1877

keep them in the old. old box


That Willie gave me years ago,
The time we parted on the rocks;


His ship lay swinging to and fro,
At waiting In the lover bay;
thought my heart would break that day
The picture with the pensive eyes


Is willie7 No, dear, that's young Blake,
Who took the West Point highest prize
He went half crazy for my sake.
Here are lot Of rhymes he wrote,
And here's a button of his coat.
Is this his ring Ny dearest May,


never took a ring from him
This was gilt from Howard Clay;


Just see, the pearls are getting dim.
They say that pearls are tears-wbat stuff!
The setting looks n little rough.
He was as handsome As a prince


And jealous But he vent 10 Rome
Last fall. He's never written since.


used TO visit at his home
A lovely place beyond Fort Lee;
His mother thought the world Of me!
Oh, no sent his letters back.


These came from Washington.
But look, what a tremendous pack


lie always wrote me three for one.
I know used TO treat him ILL
Poor Jack The fell at Charlottesville.
The vignettes-all that lot-are scalps


took in London, Naples, Nice,
At Paris and among the Alps;


Those foreign lovers act like geese;
But, dear, they are such handsome men,
We go 10 France next year again.
This Is the octor's signet-ring,


These faded iowers7 Oh, let me see;
Why, what very curious thing


Who could have sent these flowers to me7
Al now have it-Count de Twirl;
lie married that fat Crosbis girl
His hair was red. You need not look


80 sadly at that raven tress.
You know the head that lock forsook


You know-but you could never guess
Nor would tell you for the world
About whose brow that ringIet curled.
Why won't tell ? Well, partly, child,


Because you like the man yourself;
But most because-don't get so wild =


have not laid him on the shelf
He's not bygone. In year
I'll tell you all about him. dear.
Year: 1877

PLEASURE is necessary reciprocal
no one feels who does not at the same
time give it. To be pleased, one must
please. What pleases you in others will,
in general, please them in you.-Chestr-
field
Year: 1877

The body of still-born male child.
wrapped in linen cloth and deposited in a
cigar box, was found last night, about 70
o'clock in an alley on shipley street, be"
tween Front and Second, by officers Brickle
and Gibbons. The appearance of the body
indicates that the mother must have either
received some injury to cause premature
birth, or that an abortion was performed
to hide her disgrace. Whatever may have
been the cause, it is to be hoped there will
be thorough investigation and the facts
made known. There will be an inquest
held to-day.
Year: 1877

A Coon MoyE.--The proposition offer
ed by Mr.. Holcomb in the State House OF
Representatives to issue $500,0O0 State
bonds to run ten years at five per cent. TO
take up the present six per cent. bonds is
good move. When six per cent. call
bonds sell at a premium, we can see no
reason why stable period per cent.
bond weuld not be taken readily, and we
believe it would find ready sale. Should
this proposition prove successful it would
result in considerable saving above the
cost of negotiating the bonds and it is
needful that every advantage should be
seized to reduce the State debt. After
The money in the Treasury is applied to
the purchase and extinction Of eighty or
ninety thousand dollars worth of bonds,
there win still remain out nearly a mill
lion dollars worth, and if the proposed
issue was made $500, 900 instead Of $780,
600, il would be still better; as the
yearly surplus, if any that remained in
the Treasury could be applied to the re-
demption of such bonds as could be
bought at slight premium
Year: 1877

The President is preparing TO vacate
the White House, which he declares he
win leave with such joyful feelings that
NO temptation could induce him to return
to 1t. Well, as nobody proposes inviting
him, and he is SO perfectly delighted a
leaving, we beg TO assure him that tn,
10y is mutual.
Year: 1877

The Prescott Miner is pleased to remark that Court Commissioner Carpenter know, no more law than their black cow" and also that writ of mandate should be oh. tained from Judge Tweed, compelling the Secretary tu movo the capital, or in other words to ha>ton the contamination of the Prescott fraud Now this seems to Shoy, that if the Miner man or men have Dosscs sion of any legal knowledge, it must be cor fined to their black cow" for any scbool boy knows that Judge Tweed has no iur,s- diction outside of his district. The Minor men had better call on their "black COW" before touching law questions again. Tue son Citizen

 Our black COW has been consulted. and she declares we were right We arc of the same opinion now that we were some days since-that at the regular term of the Dis trict Court for this district. Judge Tweed has all the right necessary in causing a writ ot mandate to he issued for the deliverance of property that rightfully belongs to this particular place and within this district. should VIC all live until the first of June we will see whether Judge Tweed has any jurisdiction.

 Better talk of Prescott fraud vhcn ve arc as iree ot that as an unborn babe. Talk of fraud, you who are manipulating the Indi- an ring and want to hc al :hc head of every. 'hihS vile, low and corruptible. Go il with your ill-gottcn gains, and sec if there is no hereafter,
Year: 1877

l.-All officers shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting on the second Tuesday in April.

 An officers at the expiration of their term of office shall deliver the property be- longing to the Institute in their charge to their successors in office.

 S.-The Treasurer shall give receipt to his predecessor for all moneys or other pro perty received bv him, Keeping repord of the same,
Year: 1877

SEATTLE, Nov. %, 1877.


To THE EDITOR o. TaH D1sPArcu:


I wish to say q few words through
the medium Of your valuable paper
concerning our county prisoners.
There are men confined in our Jail
at present serving out the following
enormous fines: One for 81, ,O44 IS,
and another $40, and one for $500.
Some of these men were confined
four months in Jail previous to
their trial, at the expense of the
county; and it appears there are no
means of working these men to ad-
vantage, or in fact of working them
at all. An act passed by our last
Legislature authorizes the County
Commissioners to pay no money for
the support of a deputy sheriff or
overseer to look after these men
while at work, or something to that
effect. Now, we cannot expect Mr..
Wyckoff, our Sheriff, to hire man
exclusively to guard county prison
ers doing county work. In regard
to the unreasonable fines against
some of these men, for simple mis-
demeanor or keeping disorderly
houses, would it not be much better
for us to pattern little more after
the system of other cities, and if a
man keeps disorderly house. one
that is an annoyance to the public,
have him brought before a justice
of peace and fined in such sum as
he can pay, and if he repeats the Of
fence and should be indicted by a
grand jury, then have his license
revoked and the house shut up, and
have him fined in some reasonable
amount for the offence. Financial
ly our present system is failure;
instead of the criminal paying his
fine, the people are paying it for
him. He is simply shut up in COM
Portable quarters for the winter,
where he can lay back, smoke his ci-
gar and read the evening journals.
1t would be much greater punish
ment for those men now to be eturned
out and compelled to "rustle for
hash" through the hard winter; be-
sides, it would lessen the expense on
the county some $500 or $1,000.
This practice of levying such exor-
bitant fines on bankrupt men, and
practically making taxpayers foot
the bill. is done in no other Terri
tory or State in the Union. This
fning men 81 900 on first offence, for
simply a disorderly house, smacks a
little of "Sinbad the Sailor or the
Salem witchcraft. Now I do not at
tempt to exonerate these parties;
they no doubt committed the offences
they are charged with, and should
pay a just fine for their misdemean-
ors; but as citizens they have rights
that ought to be respected, and
should have their fines placed with
in their reach, as a private citizen
would have, without prejudice from
the Courts. TAXPAYER.
Year: 1877

We would again call the attention OF our
citizens, who are water renters, or liable, to
the payment Of protection tax, to the fact,
that this is the last day, in which, they can
pay the face ofthe bill. See advertisements
in another column.
Year: 1877




st. Louis Republican.


Our little war cloud, the meTest speek
upon our peaceful skies, is visibly
daFkening, and tehre is every reason
10 view the prospect with serious ap-
prehensiOn, II not with anxiety. That
the gteat mass of the people Of
the United States do not wish
q war with Mexico, is matter
that is beyond all doubt, and ii is we'll
known that almost the whole people
would regurd anything that would in
duce hostilities between the two c0un-
tries as . grave calamity. No one can
question what the result Of conflict
between the United States and Mexico
would be, and there is, therefore, no
fear OF humiliation or defeat to disturb
US, so that the opposition to war with
Mexico comes solely from the fact that
the people OF the Uuiled States have
no desire for territorial aggrSndize-
ment, and especially none for the
annexation Of such o population as
would come with any portion Of Me1i-
co. II It were otherwise we might view
with complacency, If not with pleasure,
any event which would give the
shadow Of justice to war. As It stands,
however, there is 40 one who regards
the prosperity of this Republic who
cannot foresee that naught but evil
would come of any effort by which the
government and people Of the United
States should become involved In the
constant broiLs which make Mexico tbs
seat of perpetual war The evils which
followed the rule of the carpet-baggel
In our Southern States have been in
tensifed tenfold In the unfortunate Re
public across the Rie Grande, and nj
greater height OF folly is conceivable
than would be our voluntary renewa
Of that condition Of affairs by the an
nexation Of Mexico.
Year: 1877

g-The public is respectfully notified
that In consequence Of the precedent es.
tabllshed by the former Company, and not
wishing to make q scaled or fractional
Drawing, the management have made
short postpOnement Of sixty days. While
regretting n ask the indulgence Of their
patrons even for this short period, Il ls on
their account that this pOstpOnemont is
made. as many have expressed their wishes
that this Drawing should be a full one. e


The Company is pleased to announce
that the Courts Of Kentucky have decided.
that the charter under which their dlstriI
buttons take place 10


Legal BeyOnd Question.


Hence, sustained by law, and the receipts
being most encouraging, the management
emphatically state that this Drawing will
positively take place on August 30th, 0E
MONEY WILL De REFUNDRDIN FULL.
Year: 1877

Says Burleigh" writing to the Bos-
ton Journal: 1 talked yesterday with one
of your leading hotel men. l asked him
how 1t was that so many hotel keepers
in New York failed. About five in one
hundred has escaped financial ruin. He
replied: Two things destroy hotel men
our leases and outside operations. 1t
is either feast or famine with us. Our
expenses are the same whether it blows
high or blows low. We must lease our
premises, or we will be turned out in
the cold. Rents run on whether the sea-
son be good or bad. have one hun
and fifty guests in my house and can ac-
commodate comfortably from three to
five hundred. My house has to be as
fully manned when half full as when
crowded. My rent, fuel, servants, are the
same. My profit comes in from the COM
pany that is over certain point. The
leases that destroy us destroy the great
mercantile houses. Those enormous
rents that do not come down when busi-
ness is dull. There is constant pres
sure from hotel men from without. If
they have balance in the bank from
twenty to thirty thousand dollars it is
soon known. Every device is laid and
pressure brought to bear to induce them
toinvest. There is strong temptation
to lease and run outside hotels, and to
control this or that watering place. Few
men have the capacity to run more than
one hotel at a time.
Year: 1877

An English mechanic has contrived TO
make steam engine do its own stocking.
A large sheet-iron hopper is set above
the mouth of the furnace and in front
of the boiler. This is the receptacle for
Goals. Below the hopper steel crusher
is made 10 run somewhat rapidly, and
as the Goals fall by reason of their own
gravity upon this grinding apparatus,
they are reduced to the uniform size OF
cob nuts by the action of the crusher.
Thence the equalized fuel drops upon
pair of iron disks, or fans, inclosed in
box, and running in opposite directions
at high velocity. The fans are, in fact,
the furnace-feeders, for, as the box has
but one opening, and that leads to the
fire, they literally blow the Goals into
the latter and distribute them equally
over the whole surface of the fire-bars,
The feed is regulated in quantity, ac-
cording to the heavy or light work the
engine may be doing, by means of
single adjusting set-screw. This is the
automaton stoker. The furnace fires are
fed and steam is kept up in the boiler
without the turning of shovel.
Year: 1877

Texas Jack has returned from hunt
in the Sweetwater country with a party
of Englishmen, and has had talk about
it with a writer for the Spirit of the
Times. The game consisted chiefly of
elk, black tailed deer, antelope, and
mountain-sheep. No hostile Indians
were encountered. The only dangerous
brute in the West to hunt, Jack says, is
the bear. He is cunning, swift, and
always ready for a fight. He thinks
that the best place to hunt bears is
where there are not many to be found,
and of the grizzly he says: "He will
stand in the middle of the road, growl-
ing and getting his mad up, when there


isn't live creature within forty miles
of him. If you meet one, and turn out
for him, he will probably leave you alone,
but if you say word, look out for him.
Many time 1 have made some such re-
mark to bear as, Where are you 60
ing, Tommy? when in an instant his
arms would be up, and ready to tear me
to pieces. No, sir, we don't go bear
hunting very much. You see, they can
run as fast as horse, and you have to put
a bullet into just such place to kill
them, and until they are dead they are
dangerous" Jack, in conclusion, tells
this story 81 was out once with party
in Texas, and we came across big Gin
namon bear. A fellow proposed to cap
ture him with lasso. He made good
throw, and got the loop around the
bears neck. When old cinnamon felt it
get tight, what do you think he did? He
just sat up on his launches, felt of the
rope with one paw, and then began pull
ing it in hand over hand. There was a
horse and man fast to the other end of
the rope, but they had to come, both of
them. As for the hunter, he jumped off
and got away, but the bear drew the
nonv ripht I'D to him and killed him."
Year: 1877

There is thriftless negligence in this
country, in failing to provide abun-
dainty an article 90 necessary as sugar,
and in leaving the demand for it un-
supplied to the extent of one million
dollars annually, which has to be sent
out of the country to procure the deficit
in production to meet home consump-
tion. All our applied resources with in
considerable exceptions, are from the
cane and maple.producing districts,
south and north. Still an enormous de-
fciency exists, which can be met with
out risk and with certain proof, by
means that have been thoroughly tested
and proven to be effectual. We refer to
the beet culture and manufacture, which
is thoroughly understood in Europe, and
known 10 be a reliable resource for sugar.
All the processes have become as familiar
and certain as in any other industrial
department, so that as new business in
this country, it is matter of plain and
sure calculation to be entered upon with
the usual prudence.


Ameeting of Californian and Northern
men who propose to move in the matter
was held in Philadelphia recently, and
the testimony of leading foreign agri-
culturists collected, which sets the under
taking in a most favorable light. Ac-
cording to Mr.. George NJ. Powell, from
ten to twenty tons of beets can be raised
to the acre, which, at six dollars per ton,
would pay the farmer twice as well as
wheat. He also stated that the refuse
from the factory using five hundred
acres of beets would be equal for stock
feeding to five hundred acres of hay.
Such a factory should produce about
eight hundred and twenty tons of sugar
and one hundred tons of syrup. Capital
invested in this way should pay about
25 per cent,
Year: 1877

As one who cons at evening Ger an album all alone,
And muses. on the faces of the friends that he has
known,
So turn the leaves Of Fancy, till in shadowy de-


sign
find the smiling features of an old sweetheart of


mine.


prise,
As turn it low to rest me of the dszze in my eyes,
And light my pipe in silence sigh that seems


to yoke
Its fate with my tobacco, and to vanish in the


smoke.
Ts fragrant retrospection for the loving thoughts


that start
Into being like perfumes from the blossom of the


heart;
And to dream the old dreams over is a luxury d.


vine,
When my truant fancies wander with that old


sweetheart of mine.
Tho hear beneath my study, like huttering of
The voices of my children and the mother as she
I feel no twinge of conscience to deny me any


theme
When care has cast her anchor in the harbor of a


dreamI
In fact, to speak in Garnet, 1 believe it adds
To spice the good tribe with little dust Of


harm
For find an extra favor in Memory's mellow


wine
That makes me drink the deeper to that old sweet


heart of mine.
A face of lily beauty and form of airy grace
Floats out of my tobacco as the gen from the vase
And thrill beneath the glances Of a pair of azure


eyes
As glowing the summer and gentle as the skies
She wore the time kissed her, when she answered


the caress-
And her written declaration that, I" as surely as
the vine
Grew round the stump" she loved me-that old


sweetheart of mine.
As we used to talk together of the future we had


planned;
When should be poet, and with nothing else
But write the tender verses that she set the music


to;
When we shall live together in cozy little cot,
hlo IN nest OF roses, Win Ialry garuen-spOti
Where the vines were ever fruitful and the weather


ever fine,
And the birds singing for that old sweet


heart of mine;
And should be her lover forever and day,
And she my loving sweetheart till the golden hair


was gray;
And we should be so happy that when either's lips


were dumb,
They wouldn't smile in heaven till the others kiss


had come.
All, well my dream is broken by step upon the


stair,
And the door is softly opened and my wife is stand


ing there;
Yetwith eagerness and rapture all my visions re-


sign
To greet the living presence of that old sweetheart


of mine.


Indianapolis Journal
Year: 1877

There was curious comedy of errors
that came near being tragedy. at San
Francisco, recently. A sailor returned
from sea and found his young wife
fondling a baby. Without giving her
time to say that the child was neigh
boris, he knocked her down and then
tried to throw her from the window.
A crowd gathered below and the man
stabbed his wife in the back, jumped
from the window and escaped unhurt.
But some of the crowd had entered the
house, and, going to the wrong room,
awoke a sleeper, who emptied his revol-
yer on them, but was dragged to the
street, and was just being hanged to a
lamp post, when the mistake was ascer-
tained, but not before rib or two was
broken by the mob. The woman was
not much hurt and is anxious to have
her husband find out his mistake and
return.