smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

the entire time she was under yorr in-
fdence. She said sh, Was not uncon
scious Tor an instant but was poweIless
to speak. Everybody knows that we are
affected in different ways by the society
of different people. This Is only another
leaf out o. the same book which we are
discussing, but nobody sees anything
supernatural in it. 1t Is my bell, that,
AS this mind-sbsorbing power Is much
more common than We once believed,
and is largely matter Of temperament
and sensibll ty, existing to as great q
degree among those who do not practice
it Tor gain, and who utterly repudiate
all the ry OF spirituslism In connection
with 1t as among acknowledged spiritual
ists, sooner or later we hall come to such
an understanding OF these mental phe.
nomeus ss will make it possible to know
the general principles which govern such
action, II not ~ comprehend 1t In its
fullest extent. And 1t seems to me that
the wisest way to combat the effects
an ignorant belief in spirits effects
pernicious 10 the holders OF such belief
and alarmingly hurtiul to general
society-woud be to experiment with a
few thorough skeptics who posses this
gift, for there are many such. Many
shrink from this, lest like others a. wise
and sensible, they should be led into
adopt n of the Jolly. But II spiritual
ism is merely peculiar mental action,
investigation will only lead to good
results"


How do you account for materialized
spiritsY"


IL have never seen any, and have
never known any one who has. / claim
that the faces which some honest ones
purport to see are brought before them
solely by the power Of Imagination, and
that such hallucination is nothing more
strange than any other vagary during .
diseased condition of the brain. Stimu.
lants bring strange visions in their wake |;
why may not an imagination, highly
wrought upon, see ghosts and Aowe RS,
after having gone through q course OF
training to that very endY In both in
stances, the mind Is in an unnatural
unhealthy sta.e. This is my theory, SIR"


We can not convert each other, l
see."


Here our talk ended. ! take pleasure
in adding that the lady mentioned came
over TO my side of the argument and
warmly thanked me for my efforts in her
behalf and my success in leading her
back to agreeable skepticism


As | believed then, l believe now,
bssing that opinion upon long observa-
ton and study Of what hold to be a
very pleasant and agreeable subject,
when detached from the gross trickery
OF professionals who make capital out OF
a widespread credulity. With regard 10
NJ IS Fancher's ability to live without
eating, l have nothing TO say. 1t is
easily tested. Concerning the keenness
OF her mental perceptions and the sub
tlety OF her grasp upon objects invisible
to AID remote from her. | hold that she
simply possesses TO q remarkable degree
the same power which belongs, to a less
extent, tn five out OF every ten whom we
meet daily, but who are too absorbed in
the busy whirl OF lite to + ay much heed
to impressions and premonitions.
Year: 1879

DO 'possums play 'possum is the
question asked by scientific journal. Il
then goes on to show that they do net.
Thus do the cherished delusions OF our
childhood days vanish before the sesrch-
log light of investigation. 1t has been
generally believed that to serve its pur
pose an opossum would feign death
only TO escape when fitting opportu
nifty offered. The opossum got great
deal OF praise and admiration for this
cunning dev CO, and now it seems that
the willy animal has been taking all this
in on false pretenses, by not being a;
willy as it pretended. An Investigator
gives 1t as his opinion that the 'possu m
really faints instead Of ieints, It.seem'
that the little animal is 50 timid that it
is easily frightened into temporary
death, and, Of course, when it wakes up
it makes off as quickly as possible.
Year: 1879

To-dayis the anniversary of the bat
tie Of New Orleans and ought to be
made holiday by act of Congress.
l trust Senator Thurman or some 9th.
or patriotic Democrat will at once in
troduce the necessary bill for that pur-
pose. 1t ought to be done to-day.
Senator Thurman, by the way, was un-
able to go to Ohio to speak to the
Democrats of that State on jackson
Democracy" His refusal to run as
the Democratic candidate for Govern.
or of Ohio must, 1 fear, be accepted as
final.


A London professor proposes to
freeze out" yellow fever. BY his
process he claims that in few
minutes he can reduce the
temperature Of dwelling or vessel to
zero, thus destroying any possible
germs of the pestilence. The professor
has received great encouragement here
both officially and among the citizens
generally. A suitable vessel will be
placed at his service by the Navy De-
partment with which to experiment at
New Orleans or other Southern ports.
Aid will be asked of Congress to a
limited amount, and Professor Gam
gee aud his system are SO highly COM
mended by all scientific men, whatever
their theory as to the origin and treat
ment of the feyer, that whatever reas-
enable sum is asked will probably be
granted. In order that the system
may be thoroughly enforced it is nec-
essary to construct vessel especially
adapted to this service. Many who
have investigated the subject declare
that this will not only provide certain
protection from the recurrence of the
fever, but will iI the end provide a
system that will entirely do away with
our cumbersome and inefficient quar-
antine system.


The first week of resumption has
failed to produce single jar in fnan-
cial matters. Gold flows into the
Government vaults faster thanit flows
out


We have this week the annual gath
ering of the Woman Sufngists. The
old beg pardoB-the experienced
leaders are all TO be here. They will
button hole Congressmen, make
speecbe. and adjourn, leaving the ques-
tion Of woman. suffrage about where
it has been the last dozen years. Bat
there are few who will not extend
their sympathy in their warfare on
pOlygany. REX.
Year: 1879

A French physician is out 10 long die.
sertation on the advantages of groanlng and
crying in general, and especially during
surgical operations. He contends that
groaning and crying are two grand opera
tions by which nature allays anguish that
these patients who give way to their natu-
raj feelings more speedily recover from
accidents and operations than those who
suppose it unworthy a mau to betray such
SYM ptoms of cowardice as either to groan
or cry.


He tells of man who reduced his pulse
from 1876 to 60 in the couree of few hours
by giving full vent to his emotions. 1t
people are at all unhappy about anything,
let them go into their rooms and comfort
themselves with loud boo hoo, and they
will feel 100 per cent better sfterward.


In accordance with the above, the crying
of children should not be too greatly dis
coursged. If it is systematically repressed
the result may be St. Vitus' DANCE, epilep
tenn. What is natural is nearly always
useful, and nothing can be more natural
than the crying of children when anything
occurs to give either physical or mental
pain.
Year: 1879

provement. Any work giving a promise
to bring about such results should meet


with the hearty support eff all who have
the good of their fellowmen at heart, and
general adoption of the congregations al
singing would exert a powerful Influence
on such a movement. The Church is rich
in that pure and true music with which it
ia necessary TO famiiiarize the people.
The most gifted composers the world has
ever seen have lowered her with the rarest
conceptions of their genius, and the store
is so vast as to be practically uuending
Already, as have said, come congregations
have tasted from these stores, and it re-
mains to be seen if others will follow their
example. If they throw energy into the
work, it's success can hardly be gainsaid,
otherwise it's progress will be bat slow.
Year: 1879

ICGcLEs ON ORANGE TREEs-The IN
usual spectacle of budding orange trees
coated with icic|es was recently noticed a
San Gabriel, Southern California. A mar
left his revolving sprinkler playing upor
his nursery of orange trees over night, AM
in the morning was amazed to see them en-
cased in glittering mail, some of the iccle
upon them being twenty two inches long
and an inch in diameter at the base. Calli
lilies and roses that stood near by were
not touched by frost, and the lowest pon
reached by the thermometer during th'
night was only 80, or above the freezinl
point. The cause Of the phenomenon i
probably this The air was cool and dry
and as the water was thrown off in fin,
spray, inducing rapid evaporation, tn
atm osphere about the trees was made muc
colder and thus allowed ice to FORM
San Francisco Chronicle.
Year: 1879

Cousin Kate was a sweet, wides
awake beauty ofabout seventeen, and
she took it into her head to go down
on Long Island to see some relations
of hers who had the misfortune to
live there. Among those relations
there chanced to be a young swain,
who had seen Kate on previous oc-
cassion, and, seeing, fell deeply in
love with her. He called at the
house on the evening of her arrival,
and she met him on The piazza,
where she was enjoying the evening
air IN company with two or three Of
her friends. The poor fellow was SO
bashful that be could not find his
tongue for some time. AT length he
stammered out: "How's your moth
err" "Quite well, thank you" An
other silence on the part of Josh,
during which Kate and her friends
did the best they could to relieve the
monotony After waiting about if
teen minutes for him to commence
to make himself agreeable, he again
broke the spell by; "How's your faith
err" which was answered much in
the same manner as the first one, and
then followed another silence like
the other, "How's your father and
mother2" again put in the bashful
lover. "Quite well, both Of them"
This was followed by change of
glances and a suppressed smile
This lasted some ten minutes more,
during which Josh was fidgeting in
his seat, stroking his Sunday hat
But at length another question came;
"Hows your parents?" This pro-
duced an explosion that made the
woods ring.
Year: 1879

Il ..s. =. ! j <
and now Ill setait right here BY your.
feet, Tra-la auntie.",


The old woman knew the boy was,
making a mistake in leaving a bon
net with her, but after the firstwords
ofsurprise, she made no sign. She
reasoned that it wasn't her business
to correct mistakes, and as soon the
boy had retired, she picked up the
lines and drove up Randolph street,
every moment hurryihg the old nag
as fast as he could go. After reach
ing the corner Of Gatiot avenue and
Bush street, she felt that the boy
could not oyertake her, and it was
only natural that she should have
lively curiosity to know what kind
of bonnet it was. If plain black,
it would suit her to dot. If gor-
geous, it would do for her daughter.
The horse was reined up to the curb
and the driver carefully united the
string fastening the box and lifted
the cover, A "yaller" cat Of mon.
strous size, feeling that he had been
abused and insulted, and his eyes
glaridg with hate and contempt,
came out of the box like a bullet.


People who happened to be in that
neighborhood were treated to q cur.
ious spectacle With one wild, un.
earthly yell, an old woman was seen
to pitch backwards over the seat and
then sail for the ground by theshort-
estroute. While she was clawingI
about with her head in a snow bank,
the cat, seeing her out Of the. way
made spring for the horses buck
and began a series Of performances
never known or dreamed of by that
old equine, and the way that old
horse gathered his legs under him
and scattered the old wagon for half
a block was wicked to see. The wo-
man, dug out of the snow by a con-
Siderate by-stander, stood on the
walk and endeavored to explain
A man in the crowd picked up a
wagon wheel and endeavored TO ex.
plain that the whole outfit was not
worth scraping together, and some
one in the crowd solemnly observed:


"lf honesty amt the best policy
then don't want a cent?"
Year: 1879

A young man who eats the bread
of idleness, no matter how much
money he has, is disgraced. Young
men starting in life ought to aim
first Of all to find place where they
can earn their bread and butter with
a hoe, axe, spade, wheelbarrow, cur
ry-comb, backing brush-no matter
what.
Year: 1879

PHYSICIAN AND SURGEON, offers his services


to the public. Hopes by strict attention to business
to merit continuance Of the liberal patronage he has
already received He may be found at his office at all
times, when not professionally engaged. Inov. s. Is.
Year: 1879

A Brooklyn parent gave his daughter a
handsome watch on her eighteenth birthday.
One light the girl forgot to wind il and in the
morning the hands and wheels were motionless.
She took IL for granted that she had used the
watch carelessly and that something was
broken inside She did not like to say any.
thing to her father about it, but going to a
Fulton-street jeweler the next day asked him
to look at the watch and see what was the
matter with it. The jeweler took it, put "a
magnifying glass before his eye opened the
case, touched the wheels with pick, and re-
marked that il needed cleaning, rs IL was very
dirty. On iuquiring the cost OF such an opera
ton she was told it would be $3.50. The
young lady was amazed, for she had had the
watch only three days and was reluctant to
believe that it required SO extensive a renova.
ton. She passed to the best known jew.
eler's store in Brooklyn, and handing her
watch TO the man at the counter, preferred
the same request as before. He went through
the same process of inspection, and said the
hair-spring was broken and the watch needed
cleaning. Inquiring the cost again, she was told
it would be 81 She said she would see her father
aboutit, and at night when he came home she
told him of her days doings, and said hi'
| friend must have cheated him. Her father
took the watch to New York in the morning
aud in the course of the day stepped into his
| friends store where he bought il and asked
| him to look at the watch aud see why it haC
stopped. His friend after looking at it
moment took up key, and winding 1t up


handed il back with the remark mo watcl
| W i'll run unless il is kept wound up"
Year: 1879

the almost irrelevant nature of his boyhood to
his fame. He lived in a little muddy town
where whisky was the regular tipple with
almost all, aud but for his appointment TO
West Point he could hardly have become
more than a stout farmer or horse-trader or
a tradesman. The Federal Government,
reaching down into that dull district off the
thoroughfare Of travel, raised Grant to an op-
portunity. But the avocations he had been
put to were really a part of his military edu.
cation. He had been an embryo quarter
master all through those boyish years, and II
cavalrymau by exercise with horses. He had
learned not to fear long before lie went TO
West Point, aud how to suffer without COM
plaint His feet had been frozen; he had
been thrown many time from horse; he
knew that his father was pretty hard man,
and that II he failed at West Point he would
have to come down 10 very common avocations.
To his mother Grant owes those winning per.
sonal qualities, of which modesty is the most
conspicuous, that so well bcft the hero.
Grants mother is from Montgomery county,
Pa. She is now living in Jersey City, over.
looking the Hudson river with her sOn-n.
law, Mr. Abel r. Corbiu, who has given her a
home ever since the death of her husband,
seven wears ago
Year: 1879

There are those who contend that the
whole system of public charity is false in


principle, and calculated to promote and


increase pauperism. Such persons will find


strong confirmation of their. theory in the


condition Of things exposed by Col. Brown


as actually existing in Lamont, one of the


Cook County towns. This town is owned


mainly. by Col. Brown and EDw1N WALLER.


the latter being the Courthouse contractor
and tho worker Of the stone-quarries which
furnish the chief employment for laboring-
men. The town may bo fairly said to be
supported by tie county, for, when the
laborers are at work in the quarries, it is to
county funds, throug gh the contractor VALE
ER' that they look for their pay, and when
WORK Is suspended in the quarries the men
fall bnck on the Supervisor who is the dis
penser OF county charity, or so-called out
door relief. The Supervisor, it appears, is a
saloon-keeper as well as Town Supervisor.
In the former capacitythe is one of four or
nVe IN the town who absorb the wages of the
stone-nen IN exchange for poor whisky, with
the virtual assurance that lle will see that the
county shall provide for them whenever work
shall be suspended. Besides this crowd of
occasional paupers who have dissipated their
Year: 1879

Some weeks ago we called the attention o1
the city authorities to an unfortunate defect
III the existing law regulating the condemna-
ton Of private property for public purposes,


as in the case of street-openings and the


assessments Of benefits and damages. The


trouble is, that the business, instead of being


regulated entirely BY one proceeding, is di-


vlded into, two. The first proceeding is to


appraise the value and the damages of the


property taken. On this point all the ovi-


dence taken is to establish the greatest posi-


bic sum to be paid to those who are to SUI


render small portion of their property to
have the value Of the rest increased. The
result is, there is an enormous roll Of dam
ages. But when, six months or year later,
there is another proceeding and another jury
to apportion the cost among those to be
benefited by the improvement, then the
whole tide Of evidence is to show that the
improvement is Of no value to any of tho
property. The result is, the benefits fall far
short Of the damages. Now, what is wanted
is that these proceedings be consolidated,
md that the same jury which apportions the
damages shall, ut the same time aud on the
same evidence, apportion the benefits, and
unless the one can pay the other then the
Improvement should not be- nade. II the
improvement is not worth the'cost, then stop
1t at once. BY dividing this business into
two jobs, there can never be satisfactory
agreement. On this subject We print letter
from Mr. JoHs B1GE1ow, who has had some
experience as to the working Of the present
1nSc
Year: 1879

sued when collected. The decision Of the


lower Courts refusing to grant an injunction


against the issue Of the scrip Of 1873
is sustained, and the issue thereby held to
be legal The certificates Of 1877 have been
cleared up with the exception of about
$1,000. Of those Of 1875 and prior years
there remain due but $500, 1000, the taxes to
meet which will, in part at least, soon be
collected. So that the honor Of the
city runs no risk Of incurring 6
stain. This decision of the Supreme Court
in regard to the scrip issues comes just in
time to relieve the nervousness of capitalists
on the subject, and to mako it certain that
the issues Of 1879 will be disposed of on
terms as good as if not better than those
offered by the Syndicate last year"
Year: 1879

they will subject their business to such regu-
lations as the safety Of the public demands.
| These viaducts are essentially for the IN
terest, convenience, and profit Of the railway
companies. Wherever their tracks are laid
and their cars are moved by steam-power,
they have monopoly Of thestreet; in return
for that exclusive privilege, the condition
TINT they shall build bridges over the streets
is very small consideration. Where the
railroad company will not build bridges,
then the general public have the right to use
the streets, and cannot be lawfully deprived
of that right by the Intrusion of any railway
company.


The express terms on which several Of
! these railways have obtained the right Of ad-
mission to the city, and the right to move
their trains by steam-power, included the
building Of certain number Of viaducts each
year, as they may be required by the city
authorities. The only cost to the city to
result from the erection Of these viaducts
was the expense Of raising the build
ings to the changed grade Of the
approaches to the viaducts. We cannot





now running trains into and out of the city
upon the express condition Of building these
viaducts whom required by the Board of Pub
lie Works, aud without cost to the city but
even in the cases where there is no express
contract to that cffeot the City Council can
compel a compliance with the same regula-
tion, which regulation is of all others the
cheapest and most seryiceable to tie rail-
roads.
Before the City Council, therefore, vote
away any heavy sums for viaducts, let them
look up the existing law on this subject, and !
wherever it is considered advisable let them
direct the Department of Public Works to !
require the construction of these viaducts. |
Let them further give general notice to all
the railways that the construction OF via
ducts too long delayed shall hereafter be en-
forced on every street where public safety |
demands it.
Year: 1879

Tie Senate Yesterday agreed to take up
the Telegraph bill, allowing the railroad
companies to compete with the telegraph
companies, at noon tomorrow, and vote
upon the same promptly at o'clock.
Year: 1879

The National Museum OF Arts in New York
is to be moved to new buildings specially erected
for it in Central Park, and 1t Is hoped the
Directors will in the future be able to encourage
home artists more fully and impartiallY than In
the past. The ill-feeling between New York and
Boston artists and art institutions is unworthy
Of both cities; but it only represents on small
scale the jealousy and hostility OF oil the cities
in the Union toward each other in art matters.
Until there is some harmony among American
artists there can be no American art worthy of
the name. 1t should be the endeavor of the
New York Museum to make itself rallying-
point for national school.
Year: 1879

we PRINT this morning = letter on the sub


ject Of fees demanded for transcripts in the


Appellate Court. When an appeal is taken


from the Circuit Court to the Appellate


Court, the fee paid for transcript of the


record is ten cents per 100 words. When an


appeal is taken from the Appellate Court to


the Supreme Court the fee for copy of the
record is fifteen cents per 100 words This


remarkable case of extortion suggests two
questions: I) Why should another cory Of
the record be made in the Appellate Court,


when the Supreme Court has to act on the


original record Of the Circuit Court? Why
not send up the Transcript from the Circuit


Court? (2) Why should any person be com
PEELED to appeal from the Circuit Court to
the Appellate Court, when the decision of
the 1atter is not final, and when to get final
hearing the case must be taken to tho
Supreme Court? In such cases the Ap
pellate Court is 3 mere chamber through
which one has to purchase his way to the
Supreme Court. It is tou-gate erected on
the high-road to the courts of Justice. Is
this requirement to appeal through the Ap-
pellate Court mere provision for pension
ing the Clerk Of the Appellate Court, the
taking care of another official paupar? Are
the courts OF justice in this State created
merely to authorize four clerks of as MANY
courts to levy tolls on litigants? The price
paid for transcribing records in this city
does not exceed three cents per 100 words.
Why should litlgants be compelled to have
useless duplicates Of the record at all? And
why, if this must be done, should they be
plundered at the rate Of fifteen cents per 100
wor1l92
Year: 1879

Senator: WINDOW some days ago professed
his perfest resignation In view of the failure OF
certain appropriation bills, rather than have
them rushed through without proper consider
alton; but he seems not to have been resigned
at all to the failure Of the Brazilian subsidy,
with or without consideration.