smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

The New York Commercial Advertiser
saws that it is under the above heading
that all the British papers regularly re-
port the statistics in regard to the con-
tribution made by the United States
towards the feeding of Great Britain.
1t was, therefore, no novelty to read in
yesterdays cable dispatches of the
splendid voyage made by the steamer
Brazilian from Boston to England,
with a cargo of live stock, which was
landed in good condition, and without a
single head of cattle or of sheep being
lost during the trip across the Atlantic
in this wintry season. 1t was already
known that similar shipments were made
from Norfolk of Texas and of Western
Virginia cattle; and we had commented
on the advantage of shipping live stock
from the American ports nearest to the
breeding farms. Nevertheless, the lar
gestshipments are made from New York,
and in single week of November our
steamers landed at Liverpool alone
eight hundred and twenty-five head of
cattle and four thousand two hundred
and seventy-ive sheep, together with
four thousand two hundred and ninety
two quarters of beef, one thousand and
thirty-five carcasses of mutton, and
ninety-four pigs.
Year: 1879

A DILAPIDATED and unwashed speci-
men of humanity was caught in the
kitchen of a downtown residence yes
terday. He was standing on chair
searching the upper shelves of the
dresser. When interrogated he replied
that he was New York detective, and
was " looking for Stewards body" The
excuse availed him not. He showed al
together too much enterprise for New
York detective. e.-Norristopn Herald
Year: 1879

The tear-producing power of the late Rev.
James Sherman was so great that he was
sometimes called Magister iacrymarum. His
pathos was certainly unrivaled. Frequently
in the midst of a discourse he and his audi
ence would be so moved to weeping that he
had to pause for little while. On one oc-
casion he had Just related one of his moving
anecdotes when he said, al see the effect
this story has produced; we will pause a
moment for silent prayer" He then sat
down. In about two minutes he rose and
continued his discourse. 1t was very effect
i've. An excellent brother minister from the
country who was present was greatly pleased,
and determined to try the effect on his own
congregation. On the following Sunday
evening in the midst of his discourse he re-
called the anecdote. He was rather sur.
prised not to see tears flow as freely as
he could have wished, but he said, al
see the effect this story has produced, and
will pause few moments for silent prayer


lie then sat down. His worthy chief dea-
con, who for the past septennial had regu.
larly given out the hymns and slept through
the sermon, believing that reading the hymn
verse by verse was service enough and would
atone for nap during the discourse, woke
up at the silence. 1t was the signal he was
accustomed to look for. Rapidly he jumped
up, and the worthy preachers little effect
was dissipated by the well-known voice an


nouncing, "Let us sing the twenty-fftt
| hymn second book, common metre, My
drowsy powers, why sleep ye so2 Awake
my sluggish SOUL" Then, after the ser
vice, like good-hearted friend as he was
when he went into the vestry he Offered
some words of sympathy, supposing tina


his minister had broken down." The rev
erend gentleman said nothing, bore his vex
ton with what grace he had, went home
and read with profit how David of old re
fused the armor of Saul.-7he Freeman.
Year: 1879

The Lords Day may be propped up by
the laws but it takes but a small blow of
any irreligious Legislature to knock out
legal prop. Congress makes way with the
law of the land protecting the Sabbath,
with one blow of its ruthless hatchet. The
Sabbath may be braced up by as many
"shores" as there are Christian churches
of different denominations in the country,
but these are only oblique braces, fitted to
support an institution for short time.
Public sentiment may surge up about the
church, and sweep away shores" if peo-
pie think their interests demand it, But
If the church is "buttressed by her homes
on the Sabbath-keeping question, she is
strengthened as tower which has great
stone supports built up with it and abutting
against it; built in permanently as part Of
the temple; fitting in at every weak part,
supplying all that lacked to fill out the
moral and spiritual proportions of the tower
of the Lords Day in perfect accord with the
design of God. We must buttress up the
divine institution of the Sabbath with the
divine institution of the home, if we would
maintain our great American tower of
strength. 1t must " be the Sabbath of the
Lord in all your dwellings" One of the
Hare brothers said of the home, "To Adam
paradise was home To the good among his
descendants home is paradise" that is, il
they understand how to keep the Sabbath
Religious Herald.
Year: 1879

You all know the name of that great
Welsh Baptist minister, Christmas Evans,
and how gloriously he preached. He was
accustomed to spend much of his time in
making evangelistic journeys from town to
town with his little pony and chaise; aud
so, when he came to die, they gathered
around the old man to listen TO his last
words, and after he had said some precious
things about his Master he began 10 dream,
aud the very last thing he said was, Drive
on, drive on" And somehow | thought it
was a very good word to address to you, my
brethren OF the Baptist Union, and to you,
my brethren of all Christian denominations,
Drive on Drive on There is such ten
dency to pull up TO refresh-such tendency
to get out of the gig and say, What won.
derful horse Never saw a horse 60 over
hill and down dale like this horse-the best
horse that ever was real sound Methodist
or Baptist horse" Now, brother, admire
your horse as ever you like, but drive on, !
have known some who have often felt sort
of disposition to go back they have been
Year: 1879

1t is related, that when the collectors upon
certain occasion were going around to So
licit contributions to build a hospital, they
came to small house, the door of which
being partly open, they overheard the mas
ter an old man, reproving his female SER
want, for having thrown away match with
out using it. After diverting themselves
awhile with the dispute, they presented
themselves to the old gentleman, and made
known the object of their visit, though,
from what they had just heard, they enter
tanned very little hope of success. The sup
posed miser, however, no sooner understood
their business, than he stepped into closet,
and returned with a bag, from which he
counted out, and presented to them, four
hundred guineas sum equal to about
$4,000. No astonishment could exceed that
of the collectors, at this unexpected liber-
ality. They expressed their surprise, and
told the old gentleman that they had over
heard his quarrel with his servant. "Gen-
tlemen," said he, "your surprise is occa-
stoned by thing of very little consequence.
l keep house and save money in my own
way the first furnishes me with the means
of doing the second. And with regard to
benevolent donations" continued he, "you
may always expect most from prudent per
sons, who keep their own accounts" The
old gentleman was right Many dollar
should we all have, TO devote TO some useful
purpose, if we were as careful as he, of
things which are esteemed of little value
,SelsrIe1
Year: 1879

afraid. Philosophers tell us the road is
up; we can not go that way," but | say,
drive on, over the philosophers and all. You
will find, when you get to that desperately
bad piece of road that they are always
telling us Of, that, after all, it has been i'm
proved by being broken up little and be-
ing rolled down again--at any rate, drive
on oh, If there are any of you that have
got to sitting still in your gig, admiring the
scenery and counting over all the souls that
you have already brought in, do drive on,
brethren, do drive on. Your Lord and Mas.
ter tells you to "Go into all the world and
preach the gospel to every creature;" and
you feel perfectly certain that you have
obeyed that command because you have
opened little room three and half miles
from where you are. Now drive on, do
drive on. There is more to be done, great
deal, than you have attempted, and much
more than, if you have attempted it, you
will be likely to accomplish-drive on.-
SDurdeOn,
Year: 1879

Pains should be taken that nothing pre-
vent your making pastoral visits. 1t is very
necessary for you to know the people in their
homes, and for the people to know you.
The little children and the young people
should know you. The men should know
you. 1t is only in this way that you can get
distinct idea of the wants of your people,
and so be enabled to adapt your preaching
to them. Do not begrudge the time thus
spent. In freely conversing with humble
people you will get side-lights, or particular
testimony that will make you stronger
to come. Let this visitation be done impair
TALLY. 1t is not always wise to lead in
prayer, but often it will be expected, and il
will sometimes be bright spot in drea.y
day.-Dr. John Hall, at Yale.
Year: 1879

j. G. EMERY is now ready
with his Spring stock of new
CARPETS very extensive
in amount, and of unsurpassed
excellence in quality, beauty
of design and coloring-mak-
ing it altogether one of the
most desirable assortments
ever offered in this market.
And the prices are not the
least attractive feature, being
lower than ever before. La
dies and gentlemen are in
vited to an examination of it,
as the goods will be cheer
fully shown.
Year: 1879

A VERY old lady on her death-bed, in
penitential mood, said al have been a
great sinner more than eighty years and
didn't know it," An old colored woman
who had lived with her long time ex-
claimed "Lors knowed it all the time"
Year: 1879

The evening service at Plymouth church
was not so we'll attended as on Sunday, but
the large and handsome editice was fairly
filled by we'll dressed people-people who
seemed we'll at home in a church. There
was no difference in the services from those
of the first day, prayer and singing prepar-
ing the way for the DOCTORS DISCOURSE, the
subject of which was 'Fools,' and the speak
er was not long in showing who came under
that category according to the scripture
estimation of humanity. OF course all
careless of their SOULS welfare-all unre-
generated persons-were fools, and the
speaker in stirring earnestness pleaded
with those who had not considered the ALL
important duty of saving their own souls.
Announcements for to-day. singing and
prayer brought the meeting to a close.
Doubtless the weather had something to do
with the comparative smallness of the at
tendace.
Year: 1879

ued at S., plead guilty, and ex-
hibited stolid Indifference as to the
question of her being sent to the reform
school. The court suspended sentence, and
as the girl has no mother, and her father
says he is unable to control her, efforts will
be made to find her home in some good
family.


Thomas Shaw, the gentleman of color who
was so badly handled at Minnehaha, was
brought up yesterday morning, charged with
assault on Thomas Darn. The case was
continued to May 1st, to allow Shaw to pro
cure witnesses.
Year: 1879

The relationship Of man and woman
Is easily discovered in rainy weather. 49,
II they are lovers the woman has all
the umbrella and the man don't care
how wet he gets. But it they arc mar
ricd it is just the opposite.
Year: 1879

ALI FOR Snow. The world is crazy
for show. There is not one, pcrhaps,i in
thousand who darcs fall back on his
real, simple self for power to get through
the world and extract enjoyment as he
goes along. There is no end to the ape
ing, the mimicry, the false air and the
superficial airs. Itrcquircs rare conr-
age, We admit, to live up to ones en-
lightcncd convictions in these days. I'm
less you can conseet tojoin in the gen
eral cheat, there is no room for Won in
the great mob Of prctendcrs. TIA man
desires to live within his means and i
rosoutc in his purpose not to appear
more than he really is, let him be an
plaudcd There is something fresh and
invigorating in such an example, and we
should honor and uphold such n plan
with all the energy in our power. A
true man or true woman is not afraid 10
wear faded garment or questionable
hat; it is true moral courage.
Year: 1879

In an Oxford museum may be seen a
strange stone. 1t is composed of car
Donate OF lime, and was taken from 4
pipe which carries off drain water in a
cOlllcry. The stone consists Of alterna-
tive layers OF black and white so that
it has a striped appearance. This was
caused i'll the following way: When
the miners were at work the water
which ran through the pipe contained
a, good deal Of coal dust, and so le it a
black deposit in the pipe. But when no
work was going on-as for instance in
the night-the water was clean, and so
white layer was formed.


In time these deposits quite filled the
pipe, and it was, therefore. taken IN.
Then it was found that the black and
white layers formed quite a calendar.
Small streaks, alternately black and
white, showed a week, and then came
q white streak of TWICE the usual size,
This was Sabbath, during which there
was Of course, no work for twenty-four
hours. But in the middle of one week
there came white streak of twice the
usual size. On inquiry, it was found
that on that day a large fair had been
held i'll the neighborhood, and no work
had been done at the collery. Every
change. il the 9rdinaly course Of work
had left its mark on this strange stone,
to which has been given the title of
The Sunday Stone.
Year: 1879

Two farmers sat each on his respective
porch. One looked out ON his fife, fer
tile acres, and reasoned thus: eff
should plow this ground and SOW my
seed, 1t may be wet season or a dry
one, and the crop failure. Then
should lose my seed, and my labor and
pains would be spent in vain. I should
be fool to risk so much Oh such uncer-
tainties. | will make no outlay of labor
OF money till am sure of a crop"


The other as he looks over his broad
fields, says to himself: II must rise and
cultivate. True, crops sometimes fail
OF are deficient, but will arise, plow
and SOW, feed and dress my lands, and
expect rich harvest" This man ID
blessed with full barns and abundant
household supplies as reward for his
trust and toll, and his heart is made
glad.


The other poor soul must beg in har-
vest and have nothing, and go sorrow
ing for his folly.
Year: 1879

: WHAT SMOKING DOES FOR Boys.-A
certain doctor, with the large number of
boys after the age of fifteen whom he
observed smoking, was led to inquire
into the, effect the habit had upon the
general health. He took for his purpose
irty-eight boys, aged from nine to fif-
teen years, and carefully examined them.
In tWenty-seven of them he discovered
injurious traces OF the habit. In twenty
two there were various disorders of tie
circulation and digestion; palpitation
OF the heart and more or less marked
taste for strong drink. In twelve was
frequent bleeding at the nose; ten had
disturbed sleep, and twelve had slight
liberation of the mucous membrane of
the mouth, which disappeared on ceas-
ing from the use of tobacco for some
days. The doctor treated them all for
weakness, with little effect until the
smoking was discontinued, when health
and strength was restored. Now, this
is no "old wife's tale" as these facts are
given on the authority of the British
Medical journal.
Year: 1879

In order to walk with pleasure and
profit to ourselves, we Eiust begin when
young, walk set distance. daily, and at
IL given uniform pace. The distance
must be short at first, and gradually in
creased; the pace, likewise slow at first,
must quicken day by day, until the
desired proficiency is attained. If
mothers were careful to have the pedes-
trian training of their girls begun about
the age OF twelve, then our eyes would
be gladden. by the sight of women mov-
ing with grace, dignity and sWiftness
along our streets; and, moreover. We
should have another employment added
to our lists Of social pleasures, for wives
and sisters could accompany husbands
and brothers OH delightful walking eX-
peditions, and parties for the same pur-
pose could be organized, as we see par
ties uniting for tour by rail OF steamer.
Picture to yourselves how charming
would be honeymoon passed in walk
ing through beautiful scenery, under
the free sky, in crisp Autumn, or sweet
Spring Misunderstanding the journey
into just so many miles per diem, as
would give time for turning aside to
examine some "bosky dell" or halt by
some rlppling river, picture the swift,
bracing march over mile or SO of
moorland, then the arriving at the rest
ing-place i'll the cool, fresh cleaning,
the welcome supper and comfortable
chair. Would it not put expensive and
inconvenient Continental wedding trips
out of fashl0n-as, indeed, they arc
growing already to be!
Year: 1879

This timely extract from the post


humorous works of d Limerick editor


will amuse if it doesn't convince. "At


a moment like the present, when the


threatening thunders OF the political


armament are rumbling before, and a


deficiency iu the national finances is


staring us in the face behind when agi-


tation seems settled thing and progress


is going backward every day, when


looking in a straight line difficulties
meet US at every tuyn, it is high time
we took up the pen of pursuasion and
prophecy TO assert that words are ut
terly in vain to meet the retreatins pros
perity of this almost ruined land. 70
begin at once at4tlle commencement, let
us inquire; To what end is all this .
II we are to go on much longer without
moving and roman as we are, we shall
presently be in a very different position
from that in which we now unenyiably
abide, though, happily, we are in such
a servile state that it we come to the
worst, it will be the best for ua all. We
therefore TRANQUILITY await she inevita-
BILE result witt; much misgiring as to its
sequel, and, while rejecting on the
future, we hopefully look forward to n
repetition of the past, ond
,almly fear that hereafter We shall be
solicitious for the present.
Year: 1879




The country scribe who periodically
writes his crusher on Legitimate Jour
nalismn falls into the too prevalent er-
ror of confounding dullness with res
pectability. Stupid people. are apt to
regard all livelincss and humor as dis
reputable. The newspaper which is
invariably solemn and heavy is always
by these critics voted respectable, while
any journal which brightens it's columns
by Il vigorous statement of its ideas,
which has the nerve to criticisc men
and things boldly, or which demands Of
it's writer's Il style that has some sparkle
in it, never fails to bring down upon
itself the disapproval of the dullards,
who dub it sensational"


Let paper suppress all news that
may hurt men of wealth or position in
the community in which it is published
however much they deserve to be hurt !;
let it sacrifice the public interest by
keeping a trucking silence upon the
misdeeds of rich men and corporations;
let it grovel at the feet of corrupt pow
er, and I'LL these things will be forgiven
it it it only preserves its respectable
solemnity.


Dullncss and gravity are esteemed
the world over. Though gravity may
be born of stupidity it will be respected,
Just as taciturnty brings reputation
for wisdom, although the taciturnity
may result from the absence of thought.


We have very little patience with the
country paper which is forever preach
ing about Legitimate journalism" As
a rule the papers which arc given to
this bad habit are the very poorest and
emptiest published. 1t is legitimate
journalism to publish the news, aud it
is very illegitimate journalism to sup
press the news-a fault painfully prcva-
lent among country and other news
papers whose chief glory is their tres
nacto hilitu" "
Year: 1879

We find in the Helena (Montana,
Herald an account of Il remarkable
discovery of German Savant who
has been devoting Ills life to the study
of Paleontology. Fossil remains were
his passion, and every thing which bore
remotely even upon that branch OF
science was mastered in all its details
by him.


lie came to America to pursue bis
Investigations, and about last August, a
traveller, Mr.. a. j. Elderly, came upon
him in the Yellowstone country, and
heard from his own lips u full account
of his success in petrifying any dead
body, and imparting to it the same
coloring it had in it's natural state.


The part of the country where the
German had taken up his abode, (llis
name is withheld,) was full of petrifac-
tions of a remarkable kind. Fossilzed
trunks of trees were strcwn over the
ground, some shining, some pure white,
others of Il rose color. Leaves and
flowers, had turned to stone, and crystal
in various and vivid tints.


It was a part of the country which
had been hitherto unexplorcd, and the
German and his servant were its sole
inhabitants. The old theory that petres-
ccnce requires long period of time for
its process has been summarily dis
posed of by the Berlin Prof. All Or
ganic bodies properly prepared can be
petEiiled in short time. Now whether
this is q true story or not, we leave Mr..
Elderly to explain. We know from
our own observation among fossils that
speedy petritication is possible.


The writer of this account seems to
ttFhk that this discovery will upset the
old burial customs, and people will
keep kind of statue gallery of their
dead. In fact in one instance that has
already been done in Northwestern
Texas, where a gentleman has the petri-
fled body OF his wife in room which
lie has dedicated to her, and which is
only entered by himself and Il few
intimate friends.


From what we have heard of this
strange case the petrifaction must he of
the purest silica, and the transforma-
ton must have taken place short time
after death. We are not disposed to
think, however, that even it the Ger
mans experiment should be successful
that it would be universally adopted.
1t will be tried first in Germany, whittier
the discoverer is about to proceed.


Death is always ghastly, but it would
he siiastlier still, il we had constantly
before us the features and form of the
loved and lost, whence spirit had fled.
lnconvenient rather too, for a widower
who had married his fourth wife, to
Introduce her the gallery of the dear
departed and hear her remarks on his
want of taste in his previous matri
monial ventures. Not pleasant for No.
4, either to have those stone eyes fol-
lowing her in her domestic avocations
and keeping foothold and a heavy
one at that in her m6nage.
So whether the German Prof. carries
out his experiment or not we do not think
1T will bc popularity adopted.
Year: 1879

an old lady in Boston heard her SOD
reading about a congressman at large,
and at once took warning, "Go right
out, John, and take In the clothes and
set a shot gun in the back yard, for If
there is congressman at large we must
be careful" ''' N'''O
Year: 1879

The Constitutional Convention in
framing the new constitution which is
soon to be submitted to the voters of
the State, ordained that District Judges
for the country districts should be cleo
ted by the people. The Pioneer of AS
sumption puts in mild protest against
this inevitable, wise, popular and eauit-
able feature OF the new constitution.


lThibodeaus Sentinel,