smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

The following vivid description, is given by Father Burke in dealing with the evils of intemperance. He says :-

 If the greatest drunkard and the great est sot and slave to the vice of intemper- ance that ever lived, were only to have heard what I have heard, and seen what I have seen, that man would never taste the accursed drink again, even if it were to save his life for thousand years. I remember being called to Q man who was dying from excess of drink. Four men were holding him down in the bed. The idea ho had in his delirious mind was that by holding him down in the bed they were sinking him inch by inch into hell. With a terror-stricken voice, he cried "I am on bed of fire Oh, God I am burning Away, away, ye devils ! Let me rise from this bed of torn enting flames Don't keep me down p While. his great chest was heav- ing, and he was raving like one pos sessed of thousand devils, he cried again, "Go away, go away, you ac- cursed see the devils around me p Then, sinking in abiect terror, he clung to the men and cried, "They are coming for me Save me, save me! There are the black demons, seven in number Oh, God, where shall fyl All hell is around me here p And thus was he ray ing when I entered the room: Shrieks, terrible to hear, were ringing upon the air the despair of hell was impressed upon his face. I laid my hand on his face to see whether there was any mes merism to let that influence of peace pass into him. For moment his eyes grew calm-He knew me. "Ah, Father Tom, is it you ? Tell me, have you the bless ed sacrament ?

 "Yes," said l.. .-...

 All at once his look changed, and, ca1mness gone, he exclaimed "Begone begone 7! begone thou and thy God Begone! Iknow He is your God, but will not have him here There are those devils around me. Take your God away from me forever. Begone, say Be. gone God and devil cannot dwell under one roof! Begone begone Oh, God, I will not have Thee Begone l" Then, heaving one mighty sigh, his heart broke from the excess of his terrible delirium he fell back corpse, wit these words of blasphemy upon his lips
Year: 1879

An incident occurred in the battle of Franklin which I have never seen in print. That sanguiRary battle was at its height, and now and then there was a soldier who would not face the music, and, holding to the idea that "distance lends enchantment, on all such occa- sions would exhibit his faith in the idea by taking "leg-bail" for the rear. These cases were getting too numerous toward the close of the battle, and Col. B., A.. A. G. of our brigade, was sent back to the rear to intercept those seeking for safety and return them to their respective posts of duty.

 Col. B. said he hailed one fellow who was making tracks for some place of safety with all the energy of despair.

 "Halt Isay, and return toyour com- mand r

 The flying son of Mars took no notice of the command.

 Halt I say, and go back to your post P

 The soldier paid no attention to him.

 The Colonel now became exasperated, and yelled out:

 elf you don't turn and go back to your command I will shoot you, sir !"

 Without pausing in his flight the sol dier yelled back at him:

 "Shoot and be hanged Whats one bullet to basketful P

 Col. B. let him go, and after the battle told the incident as good joke.
Year: 1879

MT. and Mrs. Gill had worked very hard for year at @ ranch Tn Nevada, saving every cent that they could, and at the end of that time started to return to Virginia City, where they intended to buy little home. They decided to make the journey afoot in order to avoid expense, but they bought a bottle of whisky to drink on the way. "Come on, my darling" said Gill, as they set out together, "weIl be happy now. " Their first effort to be happy was to drink the liquor. It was exceedingly cold, and late that night Gill staggered into tavern thoroughly intoxicated. He said that his wife had frozen to death back on the road. She was found dead, indeed, but Gill had murdered her in g drunken quarrel.
Year: 1879

The story of this discovery has been told by MT. Holden himself in the House of Commons, before a select committee to inquire into the Patent laws. We cannot do better, therefore, than give it in his own words "I be- gan as an inventor on very small scale," said MT. Holden, in the course of his evidence. t" For what I know, I was the first inventor of lucifer matches; but it was the result of happy thought. In the morning used to get up at four o'clock to pursue my studies, and I used at that time the flint and steel, in the use of which I found very great in convenience. gave lectures in chem istry at the time to a very large acad- emy. Of course I knew, as other chem ists did, the explosive material that was necessary to produce instantaneous light; but it was very difficult to obtain Q light on wood by that explosive ma terial, and the idea occurred to me to put under the explosive material sul- phur. I did that, and published it in my next lecture and showed it. There was a young man in the room whose father was chemist in London, and he immediately wrote to his father about it, and shortly afterward lucifer matches were issued to the world. I believe that was the first occasion that we had the present lucifer match, and it was one oi those inventions that people think ought not to be protected by patent. l think that if all inventions were like that, or if we could distinguish one from the other, the principle might hold good. If all inventions were ascer- tained and carried into practice with as much facility as in this case, no one would perhaps think of taking out g patent. was urged to go and take out "a patent immediately but I thought il was so small matter, and it cost me SC little labor, that I did not think il proper to go and get out g patent, other wise I have no doubt it would have been very profitable.
Year: 1879

The season has now arrived when the
cold Of winter has to be eombatted in our
houses by artificial heat, and few remarks
on this subject may be Of interest. One
of two methods is generally adopted. The
first, that Of the open fireplace 10 which
coal or wood is burned, is by far the pleas
ATTEST and most wholesome, especially
where the chimneys draw well, but it has
the Inconvenience Of being more expensive
than the other. The latter Is tho mode
principally used onthe Continent Of warm
ing by stove. Il is true that those in
use differ much in their construction, for
chemists have found in the air heated by
some Of them appreciable traces of oxide
of carbon, deadly poison, Consequently
most hygienists consider the use Of stoves
whether 10 east or wrought iron, as dau-
gerous, unless they are lined with FIRE
brick or clay, so as to prevent them from
attaining red heat.


An almost universal practice is to place
on the stove pan Of water, with a view
to purify the air by absorbing the carbonic
hulu COubaiuSu III H. III. Oiii, VI Milau
who has long beon engaged in iuvestiga.
tons on this subject, Is wholly opposed to
this system. According to him the water
does not absorb carbonic acid, but, on the
contrary, adds to it by the decomposition
Of the carbonate Of lime contained in all
drinkable water in greater or less proper
tons. The white incrustations found on
the sides Of the vessels are, in fact, formed
by the deposit Of sub-carbonates and sui
pilates Of lime produced by the cvapora-
ton of the water, the principal part Of the
carbonic acid having been given off to the
surrounding atmosphere. NJ Polli pro
poses instead to place on the stove pans
containing quick lime, which after few
days, augments in volume and is trans
formed into carbonate Of limo by absorb.
ing the carbonic acid in the air BY this
means the atmosphere Is constantly puri
fed, but at the same time is rendered very
dry. To obviatc this inconvenience, yes
sells containing water may be placed abcul
the room in positions where they are moi
subject to the immediate action Of the FIRE
and they will give off by their evaporation
sufficient humidity to render the air agree
able without adding to the quantity o.
carbonic acid already present London
Times.
Year: 1879

Sweeping is good exercise if you can
avoid raising dust. But if you are in
need Of vigorous exercise Of that kind, get
hoe aud betake yourself into corn.feld.
Sweep carpets gently. Even rag carpet
should be treated with consideration. A
severe digging with stiff broom wears
the warp and scTapes out the lint of the
rags quite needlessiy. Not long ago |
heard woman say that very stiff broom
was needed for sweeping Brussels carpet.
l thought to myself ga stiff broom will
never sweep my BRUSSELS carpet" (good
reason why } as imagined the tearing
out Of the soft tufting of the carpet by the
coarse, sharp broom splints. A carpet
sweeper Is the best thing for this purpose,
It does the work easily aud well, and saves
dust A brush Of hair and dust pan are
good to use for the incest carpets, but their
use is too laborious for recommendation to
busy house. keeper If common corn
broom must be used for Brussels, il
should be fine, soft, light and clean. To
swecep up threads, ravelings and other
fine litter, many persons wet the broom in
clean tspld water, shaking out the water
before sweeping with 1t, Just keeping the
broom moist enough TO wipe up the
fine dust and threads, rinsing in clear
water aud shaking il frequently as the
work progresses, Brussels carpets are not
suitable for rooms where sewing and baby
culture are going forward. In providing
carpets for any room, reason would dictate
that they be such ms may easily be kept
clean; not so dark as to show every dust
and thread, nor so light as to be very
easily soiled--something which will other
let the dust sift through or retain Il on
the surface, rather than In the carpet L.
self, when to be used in rooms whore dust
Is made.
Year: 1879

The full dress consisted of helmet
shaped head-d Of some stiff white stuff,
with golden tiara around the front Of it,
aud large lace veil over all; black cloth
jacket, partly open in front, trimmed with
velvet aud gold embroidery; black cloth
skirt of moderate length, and pretty full,
embroidered with yellow silk, The belt
was very handsome, being covered with
gold ornaments. For outof-doors there
was long, round, black velvet cloak,
trimmed with white fur, and lined with
green cloth, Tho shoes are generally like
those worn 10 the Farce Islands. The
everyday dress is black cloth Jacket
trimmed with velvet, but not embroidered;
dark skirt, and large apron of some
bright color. A silk necktie Is also worn,
the color Of which ought to match that Of
the apron. Diversity Of taste, however,
Is exhibited both 10 the color Of these
parts Of the dress and in the fueness Of
the work on the chemisetto and cuffs,
The head-dress is a small black worsled
cap, with q long black silk tassel, and Il is
worn by all classes, the only difference be-
ing in the gold, silver, or tinsel ornament
on the tassel, aud the slightly larger slae
Of the caps worn by the old women
Good WOrks
Year: 1879

A young man, not more than 22 years
of age, son Of one of our best families,
came into this Office yesterday and offered
us So to print paragraph stating that
young girl had been fatally poisoned, dying
in indescribable agony, from eating oysters
at church sociable. We have enough
mercy on the young man to refrain from
publishing his name, but the next time
any man tries to save s75 by SO para
graph, in goes his whole pedigree.-Harck.
eUe
Year: 1879

When Mr.. Green called upon Mr..
Stoddard with his polite invitation to
walk out and be shot, be found him in
the law Office, where he was engaged
with his books; for, since the receipt Of
Eunor's letter, he bad been daily doing
his best to equal her in mental labor, at
least. He looked up with scorn plainly
visible on his handsome face, and coldly
replied 10 the visitors greeting, without
trying to hide the contempt vibrating
in his deep-toned voice.


Mr.. Green secretly admired him for
the manner in which be had treated
Captain Talbot the previous day, and so
did not resent the manner Of his recep-
ton, as he might otherwise have done.


az have the honor to be the bearer Of
a message from my friend, Captain Tai
bot,u said he, in an easy, indifferent
tone, as though the matter were one of
everyday occurrence. "He requests me
TO say that he must receive an ample
apology for the offensive language used
by you yesterday; and, failing In that,
he demands the satisfaction accorded by
one gentleman to another in such cases.
He has requested me to act for him in
the matter, and will receive any COM
munication you may wish TO make 10
him, or will confer with any friend Of
yours you may designate"


Frank Stoddard was not entirely IN
prepared for this result Of his action,
and there was no hesitation in bis
voice or manner as he replied firmly:


"Sir, you can tell Captain Talbot that
I have no apology to make to him, un-
less it is that I am sorry l did not pun
ish him as he deserved. Tell him, il
you please, that even il were willing
to violate the law by fighting a gentle
man, would not fight him. He has
forfeited all right to that title, and I can
only consider him henceforth as a cow
ardly villain, to be dealt with like any
other scOundrel.n


I The young mans voice was so full Ol
suppressed passion that Mr.. Green
shrank back uneonsciously, and did mol
try to meet the lightning flashes Of the
piercing eyes that seemed TO read the
thoughts Of his guilty soul. Recovering
himself presently, however, he said, in
amaZement:


"But, Mr.. Stoddard, you surely forge


how your singular action will be inter
Year: 1879

Poisonous ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS. -
A new danger from poisonous dyes is in
the beautiful vermilion red so much
D Ia mode this year in the flowers Of
ladies' bOnuets. This color is derived
from erythrosine, one Of the latest and
most curious extracts from coal-tar
Erythrosine is inoffensive by itself, but
the artificial flower makers do not use
il i'm state Of purity. They find it far
more convenient to dip the leaves of
their flowers in a semi-fluid paste they
purchase ready prepared, but the com
position of which is kept secret. When
the leaves have dried they give of dur
ing the subsequent manipulation cloud
of very light red dust, which produces
on the persons engaged in the operation
painful symptoms resembling those at
tendant on lead poisoning. NJ. Labaigne,
after an exhaustive examination, found
that the substance is nothing less than
a salt of lead in which erythrosine plays
the part Of an acid, a condition Of things
fully explaining the deleteriOus effect
mentioned above. These flowers are as
dangerous for the ladies who wear them
in their bonnets as for those who make
them.-Art Interchange.
Year: 1879

TEST FOR BUTTER. A writer in
the HannOUershc MOndtSschrift is
even more sanguine than Myths,
who first proposed the examination
Of butter by polarized light, Of the value
Of his method of testing the purity Of
butter. Under such light the peculiar
crystals come out very distinctly. He
has discovered that different fats, like
the minerals, produce characteristic
marks whereby they can be determined
in the polarization colOrs, and he in
tends soon to publish plates showing the
peculiar forms and colOrs each fat,
whether raw or melted, or crystal from
glycerine. Mutton tallow gives blue
tone; OK fat, green and white; hogs lard,
red and blue, with other colOrs not so
intense; cocoa butter, a play of color
from the deepest red to the brightest
green. Besides being useful as tests Of
the genuine nature OF butter, these Opti-
cal reactions are said to be available for
the detection of foreign fats that may
be fraudulently added to chocolate or
cocoa.
Year: 1879

A thoughtless fashion writer says
striped parasOls are fast taking the place
of striped stockings. This hardly seems
possible or comfortable, but the freaks
Of fashion are very strange, and those
who have been wearing striped stock
ings will be watched with great interest.
Year: 1879

1t Is said that the painful sore finger
known as the felon may be efectnally
cured in three hours with poultiee OF
the size Of small bean, make OF quick
lime slaked with soap, bound on the
spot, and renewed every half hour.
Year: 1879

The late wet and hot weather has
brought out a new hatch of hoppers
and they are doing some damage. Tho
deposits of eggs were mainly on new
breaking, and where the ground was
not backset the wheat is nearly all eat
EN- up by them. Unlike the first hatch
they seem to stay with us this time.


The truth of the old adage ''every
man for himself and the ID for us all"
has been exemplitied lately with us; by
one of our townsmen trying to stop the
surveyors from laying out road on the
section line along by his place. lie had
hedged up the section line with trees on
both corners and thought he must have
damage for road to pass there: He
did not get it, however, from the Board
of Supervisors who laid the road out all
the same as though they had not been
there and there stands his trees rs a
monument of his regard for the public
good. If all had done the same all over
these prairies what state would our
roads haye been in now? INDEX.
Year: 1879

If this was contest merely between
territory or business, it would be of
very little interest to our readers. But
it is much more than this. 1t is con-
test for the commercial existence of St.
Paul and Minneapolis. On the one side
the Milwaukee Il st. Paul company is
trying to cut off st. Paul and Minneap-
oils from any share in the trade of
southern Dakota, while on the other
hand the St. Paul 4 Sioux City is fight
ing single handed and alone against all
the tremendous wealth and power Of
the Milwaukee corporation to prevent
this dire catastrophe to our commercial
future. 1t is not necessary to say
where i'll such contest as this the SYM
patl'ies of the people Of these two cities
will be found.-Pioneer Press.


The above is the conclusion of the
Pioneer Press article on the new branch
from Heron Lake. We can assure the
St. Paul. and Minneapolis people that
we have as keen an appreciation of the
merits of this railroad race as they have
and much keener. They have had the
benefits of having our trade turned in.
to their laps, while wellave suffered the
disadvantages of being dependent upon
them to large extent. We have paid
more for our goods, have received less
for our products and have paid much
higher freights than if we had had a
Chicago or Milwaukee road through,
this part of the State. We have been
the tip end to the tail of their kite, and
! all their efforts have been to turn i'm.
migration up the St. Paul & Pacific and
the roads more Immediately tributary
to their cities. But a change is com


ing, and our people naturally enough
are glad to hail the advent Of the Mil


watskee & st. Paul among us.
Year: 1879

Crops look well. Weather fine. Hop.
pers well and hearty. Can't drown
them. One of our farmers the other
day took two hoppers and put them in
a bottle of water and corked it up tiQht.
After being in about two minutes they
sank as though dead. Then he left
them in thirty minutes by tbs clock
then took them out and placed them in
the oven that was warm. In five min.
ntes they came to life and hoped away
as we'll as ever. 4. F.
Year: 1879

will give you a sketch of my experience
with the use Of salt in the orchard and gar
den. Young fruit trees can be made to
/ grow and do well in places where old trees
have died, by sowing pint of salt on the
earth where they are to stand. After trees
are set l continue to SOW a pint of salt
around each every year. | set twenty five
/ trees in sandy soil for each one Of seven
years and only succeeded in getting one to
live. and that only produced twigs few
inches long IN nine years.


Last spring sowed pint of lit round it,
and limbs grew from three to three and a
half feet long. In the spring of 1871 set
out twenty five trees. putting pint of salt
in the dirt used for filing and then sowed
pint more GU the surface, after each tree
was set. All grew as if they had never
been taken from the nursery. Last spring
| set thirty mcra, treating them in the
same way, and they have grown very finely.
The salt keeps away the insects that injure
the roots, and renders the soil more capa-
bic of sustaining plant growth.


In 1871 my wife had garden forty feet
square. II was necessary to water il nearly
every day, and still the plants and flowers
we're very inferior in all respects. In 1873
put half barrel OF brine and half BUSH
el of salt on the ground, and turned them
under. The consequence was that the
plants were Of extraordinary large size aud
the flowers of great beauty. Il was not
necessary 10 water the garden, which was
greatly admired by all who saw it. The
flowers we're 80 large that they appeared to
be Of different varieties from those grown
on land that was not salted.


had some potatoes growing frUm seed,
that wilted down as soon a. the weather be-
cane very hot. ! applied salt TO the surface
Of the soil till il was white Tue vines
took vigorous start, grew 10 the length Of
three feet blossOnled and produced tubers
from the size Of hens eggs to that Of gooss
eggs. Ny soil il chiefly sand, but I bslisve
that salt Is highly beneficial 10 clay ss 20
common prairie land -. d, in Chicago
Times.
Year: 1879

above, leaving path of two feet wide


little below the level Of the beds


eight inches from every third row.


Water the plants daily until well root


ed-old brine is very good. AS soon


as the plants begin to turn yellow in


the fall cut them down close to the


ground, but be careful not to do this


too early, or they will throw up new


shoots and be much weakened. Re


move the stalks and weeds, cover the


beds with three or four inches of good


stable manure, and let it remain until


time for spring dressing" 1--WE dis


agree with Mr.. White here, as it has


been found out that manure is Of lit


tie service to plants in the dormant
state; hence manure in the spring will
be more serviceable.--ED. "When
the weather grows warm, and spring
has fairly opened, and the ground is
sufficiently dry, before growth COM
mences, with an Asparagus fork dig
in the manure placed on the beds in
the fall, and loosen the earth four
inches deep, taking care not to wound
the crown of the plants give the beds
a top-dressing of salt, two pounds to
the square yard, before growth COM
mences, and water freely in dry
weather. A liquid manure of guano
and salt is also good; guano and char
coal is also excellent. After the plants
are one year old it may be sparingly
gathered; it will yield full crop in
two years. Asparagus should be cut
before the heads lose their compact
form, when only four or five inches
above the ground. Remove the earth
to the bottom of the stalk and cut it
off sloping with pointed knife, tax
ing care not to wound any other shoots
near it,"


There is no vegetable more profitable
than Asparagus. Henderson's Gar
dening for Profit says: "Some grow
ers claim that it pays an annual profit
of $1,000 per acre, while others say it
does not pay them over $500. During
a period of ten years, counting from
the time bed is planted, it is safe to
say that, in this country, the average
profits per acre will be S400, and is Il
crop that never fails to sell, and is al
ways productive if properly treated,
and having a great value for its weight
"a ton often being worth from $500 to
300. 1t is in all respects a valuable
,rop for the market gardener"


Hereafter we may say something
Else about this vegetable, but have no
more space now. The Colossus is the
Dest variety.
Year: 1879

Now, look abroad upon this country,
and see comprising in its vast bounds
almost the tenth of the world, with an
agricultural interest excelling all other
lands, and running into dozens of
specialities, from the bounds Of the
tOrrid TO the feet Of the frigid zone,
and it must be agreed that the nation
al principle of the Grange, as carried
out i'm practice was a defect, if there
had been no other defect i'm the organ
ization, which would have hastened
its decay. 1t Overgrew its idea it
comprised too many occupations it
to spread its teaching over
too broad a field to be Of great benefit
to any particular industry and hence
he who was not particularly encour-
aged lost his interest, and disintegra-
tiOn commenced.