smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1878

1t is queer that such merry, light-hearted
race should possess so many gloomy super
stitions. If forest bird flies into dwelling
house they think some member of the family
is dying. If whip-poor-will cries three
nights under the same window, or screech
owl ("squinch owl" they call it) death is near
at hand. The same idea is attached to the
breaking of looking.glass. If you drop
any salt, make the sign of the cross over it
Immediately, to avert misfortune. You must
never look behind you after starting on a
journey, else ill-luck will betide you. l sup
pose this superstition took its rise in the ex'
treme anxiety of some clever African to pre-
vent any guests from returning on his hands
after bidding them adieu. If drought is
drying up vegetation in the fierce heat of q
Southern sun, negro hunts for black
snake, kills it and then hangs it up to bring
rain. Any one who throws doubt on this is
regarded as a scoffer of the darkest dye.


Some of their remedies are quite remarks
BILE. knew of woman with pneumonia
being treated by negro doctor entirely with
corn bread crusts soaked in sugar and water.
Greatly to the surprise of her family she died
uuuCF LulS IIedLueuI. "a loNoAA1O SuAo AoA
chills in this country is to wrap the lining of
a pulet's egg around your little finger and
walk three times around persimmon tree.


All this must appear singular to people who
are in what Artemus Ward calls "the haunts,
the busy haunts of men," but in this section
of Virginia, where there are neither rail-
roads, steamboats,, patent medicines or ad.
vanced thinkers, all the primitive ways of
thought, action and dress seem very natural


An old negro was asked one day how large
he thought the world was, and he promptly
replied 1T began at Richmond, and went a
mile or two beyond masters plantation. The
big mountain across the river was where it
stopped on one side, and he had hearn folks
say it ran below the Court House, but he did
not know about that himself.


All negroes have great fervor about relig-
ion, delight in going to church and to revi.
walls. Whether these last do permanent good
do not know. An obdurate sister observed
to colored preacher who had gotten up one
by holding forth on "the tidings of damna.
tion," "You done been come and made 'em
get religion, just like putin fire upon tar
rapin's back, what made him walk. You 60
away, an de fire fall off his back, an he stan
still"
Year: 1878

Elephants have so much sympathy with
depraved human nature as to think with By
ron, "Sweet is revenge" An anecdote of an
elephants revenge, translated from the
French, is as follows: Upon one of the plan
tations was an English overseer named Ben.
nett, an exceedingly cross and disagreeable
man, who was employed by the master be-
cause of his great capability in directing af-
fairs. Upon the plantation was an elephant
named Dourga, that Bennett greatly disliked,
and upon whom he often played mean tricks.
His employer, after reproving him several
times for bis unkindness to the animal, warn
ed him that if be carried his tricks too far,
Dourga would pay him back with interest.
Finally the time came when Dourgas pa.
tience was tried beyond endurance. He was
in the habit of receiving every morning
from his driver, huge corn.cake covered
with molasses of which he was very fond.
One morning, as this cake was being carried
to MIN on 8 Dnmpoo- nurtiir,- Don.otsy vino
was passing, with pot full of red pimento,
threw it upon the cake, and then stopped to
watch and mimic the grimances made by
the elephant when he swallowed it. The
result was easy to see. The poor animal, his
mouth on fire, passed the day in marsh try
ing to calm the thirst that was devouring
him, and to appease the Inflammation pro.
duced by the fiery dose he had swallowed.
When evening came, the hour when Bennett
brought the coolies from work, the elephant
pounced upon him, picked him up with his
trunk and pitched him headlong in large
reservoir or pond of water, which was thirty
or forty foot doom Rennett who knew how
to swim, quickly swan to the edge Dour-
ga allowed him to climb up the bank, when
he picked him up again as if he had been a
wsp of straw and threw him back in the wa
ter. This was repeated as many times az Ben.
nett attempted to escape, until he was COM
pelled to remain in the water, keeping his
head up as we'll as he could. The affair
would have ended with sure drowning for
Bennett, if one of the coolies had not come to
his rescue and forced Dourga away.


The elephant never forgot the injury done
him, and rarely allowed an opportunity to
escape to still further revenge himself upon
the overseer. Sometimes he would throw
paw full of sand slap in Benefits face /;
again it would be spout of water thrown
over him at another time he would be pitch.
ed into cactus bush, from which he would
get out scarcely alive, so horribly scratched
would he be. 1t was impossible to correct
Dourga, and make him behave. The upshot
of the whole affair was that Bennett was
obliged to leave the plantation, which was
not large enough for him and Dourga togeth-
er, and his employer valued the elephant
more than he did the overseer.
Year: 1878

MAN AND WoMAN-Mrs Roberts, in the
Washington Capital, very truthfully remarks:
Marrying a man to reform him is like being
measured for an umbrella. 1t may or may
not be satisfactory; but you might as we'll try
to make a politician honest as to talk to a
woman who loves a man. No matter how
worthless he may be, she will brave every
thing, risk everything, sacrifice everything,
for him; and would not give snap for her
if she didn't. Not long since, on the avenue,
I saw man, respectable looking, in help
less state of intoxication, a policeman on each
side of him taking him to the station:house !;
behind him was his wife, young, nice looking
and we'll dressed woman. She paid no atten.
ton to the rabble following or the wondering
looks of the passers-by, but stuck by him,
trying to pacify and quiet him. I could not
help thinking how little man would stand
by a woman Man is of the nobler sex and
superior being; but he will get woman in
trouble, and then leave her to get out of it
the best she can.
Year: 1878

BEER DRINKING.-Beer is drank pretty
freely in all parts of Germany, but in Mu-
mich it literally supersedes water, which is
only used for boiling potatoes, washing dish
es and making beer. AS much beer as a
person can drink can be had for ten pennings,
or about % cents, cold and sparkling, and it
is not to be wondered at that everybody re.
lies upon it, when good drinking water is so
scarce, and if you put lump of ice in it will
cost as much money. A visit to the breweries
and beer gardens and tap.rooms of Munich
would astonish the most nveterate beer-drink-
ers of Baltimore 1t is sold at the breweries
in mugs holding about as much as four ordi
nary glasses and so great is the demand that
of an evening when the spigot of a fresh bar.
rel is turned, it is never stopped until the bar
rel is empty. We have seen five barrels thus
running at one time in a large establishment
the mugs being filled with remarkable dexteri.
ty. 1t is used in every family as part of the
daily food, young and old partaking of it
with all the freedom that we use water
Thev contend that it is healthy and much
less injurious than coffee, and that as few
persons iniure themselves by drinking it tc
excess, as others do by drinking too much
coffee.-BaH Cor.


BAsHFuL.-A bashful young man went
three times to ask beautiful young lady il
he might be the partner of her joys and sor
rows, and other household furniture, but each
time his heart failed him, and he took the
question away unpopped. She saw the an
guish of his soul, and had compassion on him
| G. tho pavt time he came she asked him if he
thought to bring screwdriver with him
He blushed, and wanted to know what for
And she, in the fulluess of her heart, said she
didn't know but what he'd want to screw uE
his courage before he left. He took the hint
Year: 1878

How TO HANDLE GuNs.-Guns should al
ways be carried at the halfcock, as then
neither blow on the striker nor a pull at
the trigger will bring the former into action.
There is no necessity whatever for gun to
be otherwise than at the halfcock unless
game is Immediately in front and, further,
it may not be out Of place to add that it is
dangerous when shooting in company for
the gun to be swung round in taking aim
with the finger on the trigger. The eye
should follow the line of flight and the gun
be raised at the proper moment. Accidents
from guns bursting are rare but caution is
very necessary in getting over fences to see
that no earth gets in the muzzle, or in Win.
ter time, that the latter does not get blocked
by snow dropping from bushes or other.
wise. Those obstacles, although they may
be easily removed, are quite sufficient, if they
remain, to burst the strongest barrels when
the piece is discharged. This is caused by
the wonderful velocity of the expanding gas
es. This expansion, which is said to be at
about the rate of seven thousand feet per Sec
ond, is the same in all directions, and the
least check at the muzzle Of the gun causes
such sudden increased pressure in its sides,
that the latter are unable to resist its effects,
and are burst open. None is more cautious
or scrupulously careful in the use of bis gun
than an old sportsman, and no one more read
lily than he detects and condemns carelessness
in the manipulation of their guns in others.





The ORIGIN OF FSExEs-Aristophanes, the
funny man of classic Greece, gives the follow
ing myth: Once upon a time man had three
sexes and double nature; besides this. he
was perfectly round, and had four hands and
four feet, one head with two faces looking op-
posite ways, set on single neck. When
these creatures pleased, they could walk as we
do now, but if they wanted to 60 faster they
would roll over with all their four legs in the
air, like tumbler turning somersaults; and
their pride and strength we're such that they
made war upon the gods. Jupiter resented
their insolence, but hardly liked to kill them
with thunderbolts, as the gods would then
lose their sacrifices. At last he hit upon
plan. ~ will cut them in two," he said, $50
that they will walk on two legs instead of
four. They will then be only half so insolent
but twice as numerous, and we shall get twice
as many sacrifices" This was done and the
halves are continually going about looking
for one another; if we mortals (says Aristo-
phanes, with comic air Of apprehension are
not obedient to the gods, there is danger
that we shall be split up again, and shall have
to 90 about in basso-relievo, like those figures
with only half a nose, which you may see
sculptured on our columns
Year: 1878

WASHINGTON, Dec. 28.-The Teller com
mittee met this afternoon In anticipation
OF favorable decision of acting attorney
general Phillips regarding the senate ap
preparation. but decision not being re-
ceived the committee adjourned to Mon
day next. The chairman informed the
committee that he has not yet received
from Senator Thurman an answer to the
call for specifications. and presented the
reply of Blaine to the same call.


Acting attorney general Phillips has
sent his opinion to the secretary of the
treasury. He holds that the committee has
right to us the $4,000 appropriated for
Investigations by the senate.


The hearing in the Kansas Pacific rail-
way case was continued to-day. The first
question considered was the traffic con-
tract on running arrangement between the
Kansas Pacific railway and the Colorado
Central or one side, and the Kansas Pa
cifc railway and its receiver on the other
This is the pooling contract entered into
last summer and which placed the Kansas
Pacific road under the management of
the Union Pacific company. The court
ordered the parties to take further testi-
mony before the first of February; that
the matter be fully set forth and disposed
of at the March term Of tne United States
circuit court in Kansas Counsel for B.
w, Lewis, trustee Of the income mortgage.
moved to dissolve the injunction restoring
the prosecution of the suit instituted by
Lewis against the Kansas Pacific railway
company 10 the state court of Kansas to
foreciose that mortgage. At the conclu
sion of his argument the court declined To
hear counsel on the other side and refused
to dissolve the injunction


The court reserved its decision in the
petitition of Henry G. Holmes to be ad
mi;ted as a defendant in the suit OF Lewis
and Burnhanl against the Kansas Pacific
railroad TO foreclose mortgage.


About 140 railway postofice clerks,
route AGENTS and local agents will be dis
charged, and the pay of those remaining
will be reduced to bring the expenditures
within the appropriation.
Year: 1878

House Terrace, with large party, among whom were
Mr.. aud Mrs. Gladstone. She died in the house, and


CHASTITY death-bed t was, with the Duchess herself,
the MarchOness of Lorne. and other relatives and
friends who were present OF were hastily summoned
from other dnnertables in all the splendor Of even
ing dress. friend told yesterday how clearly he
remembered seeing her arrive as bride at the Dukes
castle Inverary, more than thirty years ago.
Never was a more charming young creature, he
said, and boisterOus the welcome of her hus-
bands future tenantry The was not yet Duke that
she fed half in dismay, into the castle Certainly
SIZE was one Of the best of the duchesses BY birth
lshe daughter of the last Duke Of Sutherlandl
and by marriage she might rank with the very
greatest ladies of English nobility. And we read in
the court circular that the Queen received with deep
regret the sad news of the sudden death Of
the Duchess of Argyll, "mother TO Her Majestys
son-in-law. the Marquis of Lornep That, then, in
remembrance and to distinction; her son married
daughter of the Queen. This is no cOurt-newsman's
homage to a royal mistress; every line Of these cir
culars is seen and approved by the Queen before it
goes out to the public. Did ever tell you what
once heard a great authority say-that in the mind
Of the QueoR the distance between herself and the
Duchess of Sutherland is immensely greater than
the interval between the Duchess and her cook
Or perhaps this is only more illustration Oh the
enormous egotsm which is said to be attribute of
royalty in general and which Her Gracious Majesty
Queen Victoria is too regal parsonage not to share
in common with other queens and kings. G. W. S.
Year: 1878

The police have ascertain0d that Vito Ippo-
Ito the Italian who found dead In the yard Of No.
10 Jersey-st early yesterday morning. killed BY
falling from the roof OF the house He had been only
four days this country. and while visiting friend
living in the house sleep the roof He fell
over during the night and probably instantly killed
Tie was found daybreak with his sku crushed ia and
one arm broken m two places.
Year: 1878

anywhere n man to whom fraudulent corpora
tions turn by instinct for aid when they scheme
to plunder the public; II there be anywhere q
man who knows how to contrve laws by which
he can bleed the sailors and soldiers and their
widows and orphans, be assured that this man
will find advantage in the general suffering,
and increase his already blOatcd wealth amid
the general poverty.


These dark and dnmning lines, while
they 10 not contain BUTLEE's name, clearly
reflect his political and personal likeness Of
habit and chnracter But lest some Of his
hearers might - to identify the picture
and make propNIppl.cation of 1t, the Sen
ator called attention TO BUTLER by name,
referred to his speech at Charleston on the
18th Of October, l-57, and criticised with
Caustic touch his uttcrances th"n as COM
pared with his present political teaching
and attitude. But we have not the space
to devote to further extracts from q speech
of five columns every sentence of which is
full of point--the truth fifty spoken-nnd
which would repay the careful reading oil
every sparkling thought and argument con-
tanned therein.
Year: 1878

for President as against General GRANT
This is very natural. If he will look back
over his files from lsGl to 1855 he will no
doubt find enough there about spoons
to afford good reason for eSpoustng But
LEE's case. II he ever had the aforesaid
spoons he no doubt has them now, and
WATrERsOY may hope for n dividend in
that useful article.
Year: 1878

1T is suggested that the fines imposed
upon the District Commissioners by Judge
Humphreys yesterday he paid out OF the
increase in Attorney RIDDLES salary, as it
is evident that it WAS partly through his
advice that they got into the trouble.
Year: 1878

THE black man has no right under the
"sun to vote" shouts the Gknlona Miss
.S,dt,s. "He has never had the right" it
goes on to say, for the ballot came into his
possession by illegal means, and it must he
taken from him" This is the under
lying sentiment of the true, because 1t
is the Bourbon, Democratic policy of this
country to-day. The North is engaged just
now in war over the financial question,
and while its attention is absorbed in that
great topic, the Southern Dourbons, who
control the Democratic party, are making
rapid hcadway in the direction of rcassert-
ing the datc J,Ium condition of affairs,
There is no bloody shirt s"nsationNlism
about this assertion Democratic supremacy
in the Government would he followed by
legislative and judicial policies which would
soon realize these hopes Of the unrepentant
and still rebcllious Bourbons
Year: 1878

Timothy Kenny, the keeper OF low lodging house
at No go Cherry street, was placed ON trial at the
Court special Sessions yesterday the charge Of
selling liquor without license. He was arrested few
days ago, and Dong unable TO turnsh the necessary
SIOO bail Tor trial at the General Sessions he
waived the trai bv jury, desiring to have his
speedily disposed OF by the three magistrates
comprising the Court OF Special Sessions The CON-
planants were Henry Quue ana Patrick O'Conner, two
veritabo tramps, who admitted that tnoy had made
the complaint because Kenny had told them they
were nuisancos and that their presence In his oug-
ing house was undesirable. They swore that ne s0id
them Tor Ave cents glass Of whiskey between them.
In answer to questions they stated that they lived
around town in winter and picked up living
in tho country during the summer In his
own defence, the prisoner denied having sold them
the liquor lie sad he kept no bar. He admitted


however. that he sometimes gave whiskey To his
lodgers. On the occasion spoken OF by the complain


he loaned them CENTS and then took hvo OF It
back in exchange tor the whiskey. This proceeding
he did not think camo within the letter oil the law
The prisoner sentenced to one month in the Pen-
tcnuary This Is the first case OF violation Of the
Excise law tried by the Court OF Special Sessions
since the beginning of the liquor raids.
Year: 1878

4 Young lady being addressed by a
,..,,,i.man much older than herself, Oh
served that the only objection she had
ia tnion with him WAS the probability
of his dying before her and leaving her
IN tbe s0rrows Of widOwhood. To which
he made the apt and complimentary re-
ply: blessed is the man who hath a
virtuous wife, for the number of his
days shall be doubled.n
Year: 1878

The kalamazoo Gazette speaks right out on
the action Of the irredeemables in the demo-
cratic convention, who tried to get plank in
the platform for the repeal OF the resumption
act. 1t says: For party to declare against
resumption after the country has passed
through all the evils consequent upon pre-
paration to resume, and just as the people are
about to derive the benefits of returning to a
sound currency, is a piece of lunacy that will
ultimately damn any party that promulgates
such ideas
Year: 1878

Many Of the better-sort of thinking men in
the South are heartily opposed to the Bourbon
ring rule which has been established under the
shot gun principle. A majority Of the Southern
people are in full sympathy with this better
sentiment. Bat they are without leaders. II
some Of the far minded and able men OF the
South, OF progressive tendencies, would strike
out for better government, they would at once
gather following that would suppress Bour-
bonism, and bring their States and people into
harmony with modern progreee.
Year: 1878

1t is now thoroughly understood
that the line Though lost to
sight ta memory dear was in one 0i
the earliest pieces of poetry ever
composed. said to have been written
by Noah soAn afser his embarkation,
as appears by the following transla-
tion from an ancient manuscript


'tAfiaat. aaOaf. the night is dark,


Yet safe We sail within the ark,


The elephant, the wicked flea


And two of all tho beasts that DO.


All earth is overwhelmed with rain,


When shall We see its face again


Thongk lost to sight to memGry deIr,


It is so far, and yet SO near
Year: 1878

Thou whose smile is dearer far
To my heart than spring to flowers.
brighter than the crystal star
PENDING on the evening bowers,
SHiie upon me--smile and be


Life and joy and peace to me!


Smile upon me.
hou whose smile can drive away
Mists Of sorrow hev'ring DER me
Cheering with its joyous ray,
Hiding all the clouds before me.
Smile upon me-smile and be
life and joy and peace to me!


Smile upon me
When at last, with dying breath,
TO my last sleep l am falling,
viii happy smile on death,
Thy dear, loving smiie recalling.
smile upon me-smile and be
Life and JOY aid peace to me!


Smile upon me
Year: 1878

The Democracy in several localities have
disappeared in the Greenback party; and
the GIeenback party want d flood of green
backs to issue that will spread desolation
and disaster throughout the land. 1t is to
prevent this that the Republican party is SC
anxious to keep the hegreenback on its present
coin basis, so that the coin and the green
back may circulate side by side, together
with the national bank note, for the green-
back. 1t simply means that the present vol
ume of greenbacks shall not be diminished,
but kept in circulation with the coin. With
the avowed intention of the Democratic.
Greenback party-the fiat money gentry
to flood the country with paper money,
without reference to it's redemption, an ap-
palling danger hangs over the nation, which
will be more ruinous in it's effects than an
other rebellion, should the Democracy sue
ceed. Republicans who feel the responsi.
bility of the present election as settling the
question of public integrity and opening
the way by resumption to great national
prosperity will labor diligently for the sue
cess of the Republican party. Never was
the work of the Republican party more
needed than now. Let there be a grand
old-fashioned Republican triumph, which
shall spread joy and gladness among the
people who are waiting for something bet
ter than the success of the Democratic enc
mics of the Union and the friends of the re-
bellion, which would throw back the coun-
try for century.