smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

The North German brig Calsow
Stesow, small vessel, not 300 tons, left
New York for Constantinople last Au-
gust, and on the oath of that month
hurricane struck her. She was taken
unawares, and went over on her beam
ends, where she lay for an hour and a
half, the crew lashed on to her port
bulwarks, unable, apparently, to cut
away the shrouds and stays. After the
time named she relieved herself of every
thing but the lower masts, and righted;
but she lay so low in the water with the
waves which she had taken on board
that the crew had to climb to the head
of the foremast in order to avoid being
drowned by the "green seas" Laden
with buoyant cargo, the brig did not
founder, but she wallowed 20 and fro in
the trough of the sea, constantly washed
by the pillows, so that night and day
the five hands surviving, withfthe Cap
tain and mate, had to cling for life to
that fore-top. Six nights and four days
the poor fellows were Kept III their hard
plight, without morsel to eat or q
drop of water to drink, the sea per-
petually sweeping over their deck, and
roaring certain death at them if they
tried to come down to find scrap of
nourishment. On the sixth evening,
like tiger that has howled itself to
exhaustion at the foot of o tree, the
fierce billows quieted, and the weak,
cramped wretches, six days starved, crept
down and 'rummaged , for food. They
found a case of preserved meat, some
wine, lime-iuice, and beer, and it
helped them to live. In spite of this,
and little more which they afterward
extracted from the soaked cabins, they
had still dreadful time to pass. There
was no shelter, and nothing to be had
to support life but an odd tin or two of
provisions and first the boy died, then
the boatswain, and afterward a sailor.
For six days they had tasted nothing,
and during ten days more the survivors
had lived on the scantiest scraps, when
a Spanish vessel, the Amable Asuncion,
came in sight. She boarded the water
logged, mastless brig, and found upon
her deck four living men, too weak to
heaye the dead ones into the sea-gaunt,
speechless, famished creatures-too far
gone even to wave flag or handker-
chief, though they saw the Spaniard and
his signal. The Dons were kind and
clever, and fed the poor creatures so
carefully on board their bark that the
futtering spark of life burned up again,
and Captain, mate, carpenter, and a
seaman were saved and brought in fair
condition to Vigo. But what bitter
ness is there in death which these poor
souls had not tasted, aloft six days, might
and day, in gnawing hunger above that
bowling, tiger-like sea and, after the
storm, starving more or less on the
shelterless deck for another ten days,
with the dead, who must have seemed
so much more fortunate, lying among
them
Year: 1874

I dread nothing more than to hear
young men saying, 81 am going to the
city," If they ask me, as they often do,
when I am travelling about the country,
what chances there are for lawyer in
the city, L say, "Just the chance fly
has on a spiders web; go down and be
eaten up p If they ask me what chan
ces there are for mechanic in the city,
1 say, "Good !! good there Death car
ries on wholesale and retail business =!
The mechanic art fourishes finely!
Cofin-making is admirable Men are
dying ten times as fast as anywhere
else I" If O mans bones are made OF
flint, if his muscles are made of lea
ther if he can work sixteen or eight
cen hours a day, and not wink, and
then sleep, scarcely winking; if, in
other words, he is built for mere tough
ness, then he can go into the city, and
go through the ordeal which business
men and professional men are obliged
to go through who succeed. The con-
ditions of city life may be made healthy
so fan as the physical constitution is
concerned; but there is connected with
the business of the city so much COM
petition, so much rivalry, so mucn ne
cessity for industry, that I think there
is perpetual, chronic, wholesale viola
tion of natural law. There are ten men
that can succeed in the country, where
there is one that can succeed in the
city, ,-E,Cchanqe.
Year: 1874

We never hear of an instance of
presence of mind without thinking of
story once heard. Two gentlemen,
neither of whom could swim, went on a
fishing expedition together; on the boat
we're, beside themselves, two essential
things: box of cigars and case of
brandy. Time passed away in a very
harmless manner to the little fishes
but at last something occurred owing
to the influence of the-well, probably
cigarS-one gentleman lost his balance
and attempted to fall overheard; where
upon the other Justify shouted, GA
shark q shark |" The intelligence was
so unexpected to the terrified listener,
that by a superhuman effort of strength
he fell inside the craft instead of out
side. Instantly realizing the situation,
and not being devoid of wit, he said,
gravely, "Well done, Jones; your
presence of mind saved my absence of
body" That's very good-isn't it, for
a story? However, there is no doubt
that many people are peculiarly gifted
with this invaluable quality which is
called presence of mind-a quality
which should be assiduously cultivated
by all. Were parents and teachers ac-
customed to show their young ones how
self-command in some unexpected
emergency, as in an outbreak of fire at
midnight, would not only save them
selves, but rescue a whole company of
friends or fellow pupils, were the various
means of escape shown, and the neces-
sity of instant decision enforced, many
valuable life Ito say nothing of prop
erty) would be saved So intelligent
community as ours ought not, in this
advanced period of thought, to be so
easily overwhelmed by calamity, when
one woman's prompt and resolute aid
would stop the stream at its fountain
head. By constant training the nerves
may be brought under perfect control,
and self-command under dangerous cir
cumstances be more readily retained
than lost; and surely such result is
worth striving for. Maria Edgeworh
tells story bearing on this subject {:
In the house of her great grandmother,
powder was stored in the upper rooms
of the mansion, according to the then
prevalent custom. One day stupid
servant-girl was sent to procure some
thing in the garret : when the maid
came back and was asked for her candle,
which she had carried without any
candlestick, she answered cit was
sticking in the cask of black dirt up
there" Not moment was to be lost


Mrs. Edgeworth flew upstairs, dashed
the candle upon the floor, and fell her.
self, overcome by nervous excitement
She had saved the house and all within
it's walls. Remarkable courage of this
kind was displayed by Eli Breem. A
railroad bridge had just been destroyed
by fire. An express train was approach
ing. Eli was determined to hazard his
life to save others. He ran to meet the
advancing engine, spread his little arms
as widely as possible, and succeeded in
gaining the engineers attention-who
stopped the train just in time to prevent
terrible disaster.
Year: 1874

The sting of a reproach is the truth
of il. '


II is higher exhibition of Christian
manliness to be able to bear trouble
than to get rid of it. -..-.- r., ,--,..l


Gods blessing is on work. And ac-
tivity, systematic and faithful, is the
ordained law of health, of growth, and
of this worlds advancement. ... ... 4.


Generosity during life is a very diff
ferent thing from generosity in the hour
of death; the one proceeds from lib
erality and benevolence, the other from
pride or fear. a..


Those things that are not practicable
are not desirable. There is nothing in
the world really beneficial that does not
lie within the reach of an informed un-
derstanding and well directed pur-
suit. . ,..i


What are crosses to thy comforts, thy
miseries to thy mercies, thy days of
sickness to thy days of health, thy days
of weakness to thy days of strength,
thy days of scarcity to thy days %
plenty?


He that, by giving q draught of water
to thirsty person should expect to be
paid with a good plantation, would be
modest in his demands compared with
those who think they deserve heaven
for the little good they do on earth.-
Franklin.


How watchful we must be to keep the
crystal well clear, that it be not made
turbid by our contact with the world,
so that it will not reflect objects, If L
would preserve my relation to Nature,
I must make my life more moral, moro
pure and innocent. The problem is as
precise and simple as a mathematical
one. 1 must not live loosely, but more
and more consistently. How can we
expect harvest of thought who have
not had seed time of character P
IrnrcnL
Year: 1874

Children catch cross tones quicker
than parrots, and they often become
permanent habits in them. When


mother sets the example, you will
scarcely hear a pleasant word among the
children in their plays with each other.


Yet the discipline of such family is
always weak and irregular. The chill
dren expect just 50 much scolding be-


fore they. do anything they are bid,


while in many home where the low,
firm tone of mother, or the decided
look of her steady eye, is law, they al
ways think of obedience, either in or
out of sight. Oh, mother it is worth
great deal to cultivate that excellent
thing in woman, low, sweet voice. If
you are ever so much tried by the mis-
chievous or willful pranks of the little
one, speak low. 1t will be great help
to you to even try to be patient and
cheerful, if you cannot succeed. Anger
makes you wretched, and your children
also. Impatient, angry tones never did
the heart good, but plenty of evil. You
cannot have the excuse for them that
they tighten your burdens at all they
make them only ten times heavier.
For your own, as well as your children's
sake, learn to speak low. They will re-
member that tone when your head is
under the turf. So, too, will they re-
member harsh and angry tone. Which
legacy will you leave to your children
Year: 1874

A wealthy widow, of Paris or vicinity,
had wild and dissipated son, who dis
appeared in 1870, and was supposed for
two years to be dead. At the end of
that time his mother received q letter
from an army officer, stating that a SOL
dier, severely wounded in the Franco
Prussian war, had been taken prisoner
to Prussia, and had papers on his per-
son that indicated him to be her son.
He had been wounded in the head,
which produced insanity, but he was
slowly recovering. She had no doubt
that the man was her son, but when he
was brought into her presence with his
face disfgured by frightful scars, she
could not accept him as the son she had
lost, and believing that the papers
which he carried had been obtained in
some lawless manner, had him arrested
as an adventurer, her nephews, who ex-
pected to be her heirs, encouraging this
step. AS his mind and body were both
unsound, he was removed to an insane
asylum, where health and reason came
back to him. He then wrote letter to
his mother touching so minutely upon
matters known only to themselves, that
she was convinced, and acknowledged
him as her child. Still the suit against
him is being conducted by his cousins,
who will not allow the lady to reclaim
her son if they can prove break in the
chain of identity, and the case promises
to have many interesting as we'll as
wearisome features before it is con-
cluded. In comment upon this case
comes the remark, ga successful vii
lain is by no means to be despised ; the
knave has material in him which is
worth having" A, fallacy Wicked,
ness is O weed early cultivated, and by
its very luxuriance finally destroys it.
self, thus making room for more useful
growths.
Year: 1874

The manufacture of thimbles is very
simple, but singularly interesting. Coin
silver is mostly used and is obtained by
purchasing coin dollars Hence it hap
pens that the profit of the businessiis
affected instantaneously by all the varia-
tions in the nations greenback promises
to pay. The first operation strikes the
novice as almost wicked, for it is nothing
else than putting lot of bright silver
dollars, fresh from the mint, into dirty
crucibles, and melting them up into solid
ingots. These are rolled out to the re-
quired thickness, and cut up by stamp
into circular pieces of any required size.
A solid mettle bar of the size of the Sin
side of the intended thimble, moved by
powerful machinery up and down in
bottomless mould of the outside of the
same thimble, bends the circular disks in
to the thimble- shape, as fast as they can
be placed under the descending bar
Once in shape, tie work of frightening,
polishing and decorating is done upon
lathe First, the blank form is fitted
with rapidly revolving rod. A single
touch of sharp chisel takes thin shay
ing from the end, another does the same
on the side, and third rounds off the
rim. A round steel rod, dipped in OH
and pressed uron the surface, gives it a
lustrous polish Then little revolving
wheel whose edge is raised ornament,
held against the revolving blank. prints
that ornament just ouside the rim. A
second wheel prints different ornament
around the centre, while third wheel
with sharp points makes the indentations
on the lower half and end of the thimble.
The inside is frightened and polished in
a similar way, the thimble being held in
a revolving mould. All that remains to
be done with the completed thimbles is
to boil them in soapsuds, to remove the
oil, brush them up, and pack them for
the trade-Eachange
Year: 1874

This season, two or more reaping ma
chimes with automatic sheaf binding at
tachment, have been tried on the harvest
fields. The most successful one is the
invention of Mr.. n. B. Fassett, of this
city. We are informed that the machine
alluded to in the following extracts, taken
from the Davenport Iowa) Democrat,
will be on exhibition at the coming st.
Louis fair:


A public test of the merits Of the new
self reaper and binder took place at the
farm of Mr. James Dyer, in Pleasant Val
ley, Scott county, seven miles northwest
of Davenport, which was witnessed by a
large number of farmers of this county,
who all joined in admitting that the ma
chine does its work more thoroughly and
better than any machine yet brought to
their notice


The machine was first set up on the
farm of b. Brichard, in field of barley
which was crimpled and very badly down,
the ground very hilly Very few of the
selfrake reapers could have gone through
the fiel! and raked off the grain SO that it
couli be decently bound by hand, and few
would think of putting self-rake reaper
into such field, bat would cut it with
moving machine This was the binders
first field, and when a span of horses was
hitched on, and everything got in readi-
ness, the team walked right along up hill
and down, the reaper cutting, the rake
raking and the binder binding, and drop
ing off each sheaf in manner truly Won
derful, convincing at once those who had
always thought that self binder was an
impossibility The machine was driven
several times around the field, consisting
of about six acres, and when the sheaves
were shocked UP, the ground was left
much cleaner than would have been done
had it been done by hand. As the rake
had not been used before in such badly
crimpled straw, there was at first little
trouble with it, but in little time it was
adjusted to meet the requirements-its
performances exceeded the most sanguine
expectations 1t was next taken to field
of wheat on the farm of s. p. Stacy, con-
sisting of three acres The ground was
steep knoll, and it went around the field
and up and down and siding, thus sub
jecting the machine to all the various
positions and it performed its work to
the satisfaction of all present 1t also
made eight rounds on field of bearded
wheat of six acres, and the time having
arrived, the machine was removed to the
farm of James Dyer where public test
had been announced 1t was first put to
work in field of oats, starting where the
oats were very green, weedy and badly
lodged At the request of Mr.. Dyer, the
machine was allowed to work without bin
ding. The oats were raked off equal to
the best self-rake. The twine was put in.
and the oats bound to our entire satisfac-
ton, many carrying sheaves home with
them to show to their friends.


Seventeen of the best farmers in the
neighborhood who witnessed the working
OF the binder, signed the report, from
which the foregoing statement is taken.
Year: 1874

The following from gentleman of high
standing, in Mahaska county, meets our
tcordialapprobation; andwill we think,
if carried into practice, prove of great
value to our farmer friends; as questions
of interest to them alone, are contempla-
ted. We hope this new feature of the
Agricultural Department of the HERALD
will prove to be the best part, and in or
der to make it so our farmer friends
must pitch in and write questions and
answers We will leave it with the farm
ersto answer the questions propounded in
the following, believing it to be to their
interest that we should do so; but if they
should fail to some to the front in rea-
sonable length of time, we will try our
hand. We know there are many farm
ers in the county who can answer these
and similar questions, and we will expect
them to do so.


MAUCT CHUNK, MAHAsKA Co., Iowa.


ED. UERALD.-As numerous papers are
devoting a department to questions and
answers, and as such a department in our
agricultural papers are very valuable,
would YOU not be willing to devote part
of your space to such department Hav-
ing been reader of the HERALD for ten
years, and so far as / now can see, shall
continue to be, should be pleased with
this addition to your department of the
paper. Should this meet your views, l
would suggest, as rule, that the questions
should be confined to those subjects that
Immediately interest the farmers of Ma
haska. Please answer the following:


AS the wheat crop is a full average in
all the States, and largely in excess in
some, for example, Ohio, she having the
largest crop produced for fifteen years (;
ald as she is some seven hundred miles
nearer the eastern and foreign markets, sup
piled from the Atlantic sea board, why is
wheat commanding 81 so there, while it is
worth IS to SO cents per bushel here in Iowa?
Would it be profitable to convert the sur
plus wheat of Mahaska, from breadstuff
to meat that is, feed to stock? Would
you advise the sowing of the usual breadth
of wheat next spring . if not, what would
you recommend instead.


ENOUIRER
Year: 1874

While the yard master of the X. & D.
NJ, was making up train few days
ago, he thought it necessary to indulge in
language more forcible than elegant, and
a long faced minister who happened to be
passing at the time heard him. He stop
ped and commenced reproving the young
man, when he asked the preacher, "Who
in the h-ll are you?' To which the di-
vine replied: u profess to be follower
of the Lord Jesus Christ" The "total
wreck" Strengthened himself up and said
"Well, old man, you had better pass on
for that individual passed here eighteen
hundred years ago, and you are devil OF
a ways behind The preacher gave the
man up as lost and departed.
Year: 1874

covered with half pint of boiling water.
Drink just before going to bed, and do
not expose yourself on the following day.
This remedy will ward off an attack Of
the chills and fever if used promptly.


All bulbs that bloom in the spring
snowdrops, crocus narcissus, hyacinth,
etc:,-must be planted in September.


Hanging broom in the cellar-way will
keep it from becoming stiff and hard
Replacing furniture as we sweep saves
much disorder and confusion.


Ii there is rust on your fat-iron. or
other roughness, put some fine salt on a
board, rub it rapidly while warm until it
moves smoothly.


The fumes of birthstone match will
remove berry stains from a book paper
or engraving.


If you wish to make nail drive easily
and last long without rusting, dip it into
melted grease first. This is excellent for
fencing and other exposed work
Year: 1874

Wheat is improving, hogs are higher
there is plenty of money to buy, and with
in the next sixty days over one hundred
million dollars in good crisp ereenbacks
and national bank notes will be distributed
among western farmers OF this over
twenty million Of dollars has come or will
come in Iowa This ought to loosen up
things in Iowa, and it will When farm.
ers pay their bills, and set the money in
motion, it will not stop till the whole body
of trade is quickened.-Register.
Year: 1874

course, to the neglect of the great indus
trial interests. The fact cannot and
should not be concealed that the agricul-
tural fairs are educating all our sons for
taste for the race course as Injurious to
morals and industry as the card table"
Year: 1874

Republican papers are saying that their
party is licked but so was Lazarus The
parallel doesn't end here That party is
just as rotten with corruption as was La
zarus with Bloomfield Democrat.


Carry the simile little further neigh
Dor; tell what licked Centerville
Citizen.
Year: 1874

Among the Congressman elected from
South Carolina is Robert Smalls, the col
ored steamboat pilot, who became famous
during the war for running away with the
boat of which he was in charge, and tax
ing her to the Union fleet off Charleston
harbor
Year: 1874

The New York Tribune of Nov. 1lth
1867, has the following:


The great Gorilla of the Democracy is
filling the air with his demoniacal bowling,
and beating his breast like tremendous
drum, to express his savage JOY over the
first full meal he has had after years of
enforced abstinence. Eat your fill now,
gorilla, for you will never have another
chance.


How strange that sounds beside of its
present growing over Democratic victories
Year: 1874

confidently predict that it can not stand.
One of them, generally considered intel
ligent, and to certain extent, even
educated, answered his employer when
asked what he thought of it, Sahib, it
is very strong, but the people say it can
not stand, because it worries their god
(Ganga)-he is not able to go through the
arches" OF course there is no dealing
with such absurdly superstitious people
as those Hindoos. 1t is stated, as a
known end well-attested fact, that when
one OF the South-corntry Indian rail
ways was newly opened holy BrahmiD
came out and bade the train TO stop, and
that it did not stop, but taught the poor
old man the lesson that he was not as
holy as he had thought himselfl he
turned about and told that truth to his
disciples. He thought his faith was
strong enough to remove mountains.
He could not even stop an infdel rail.
way train. Evidently, civilization has
not yet made any considerable progress
in British India.
Year: 1874

She Is neither beauty nor genius;
And no one could call her wise;
In a crowd Of other women


She would draw no strangers eyes;
Even we whe love her are puzzled
To say where her preciousness lies,
She is Just an everyday darling,
In that her preciousness lies.
She is sorry when others are sorry.
So sweetly. one likes TO be sad
And If people around her are merry,
She is almost gladder than glad.
Her sympathy is the swiftest,


The truest q heart ever had.
She is Just an everyday darling.
The dearest that hearts ever had.
Her hands are so white and little.
1t seems as if it were wrong.
They should ever work for moment.
And yet they are quick and strong
II any dear one needs helping,


She will work the whole day long;
The precious everyday darling.


Every day and all day long.
She is loyal as knights were loyal,
In the days when no knights lied,
And for sake Of love or Of honor,
If need be. true knight died;
But she dreams not she is Drawer
Than the woman by h0r side.
This precious everyday darling.


Who makes sunshine at our side.
All, envy her. Beauty and Genius,
And women the world calls wise;
The utmost of all your triumphs


Would be empty in her eyes,
To leYe and be loved in her kingdom;
In this her happiness lies.
God bless Aer, the every day darling
In this her preciousness lies.