smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1879

They were washed and dressed and
provided with good supper and beds.
The next morning they went into the
school-room with the children. Mary
was the name of the little girl whose
chances for better things the Judge
thought small. During the forenoon
the teacher said to Mr.. T., in REFER
ence to her, " never saw child like
that. 1 have tried for an hour TO get
smile and have failed.'


Mr.. T-said afterwards, himself, that
her face was the saddest that he had
ever seen-sorrowful beyond expression,
yet she was very little girl, only five
or six years old.


After school he called her into bis Office
and said pleasantly, Mary, I've lost
my little pet. 1 used TO have little
girl here that would wait on me, and sit
on my knee, and loved her very much.
A kind lady and gentleman have adopt
ed her; and / should like for you to
take her place, and be my pet now.
Will you?"


A gleam of light fitted over the poor
child's face, as she began to understand
him. He gave her ten cents, and told
her she might go to store near by and
get some candy. While she was out he
took two or three newspapers, tore them
into pieces, and scattered them about the
room. When she returned in few
minutes he said to her: Mary, will
you clear up my office a little for me
and pick up those papers, and make it
look nice ~


She went to work with will. A little
more of this kind of management-in in
fact, treating her as a kind father
would-wrought the desired result. She
went into the school-room after dinner
with so changed a look and bearing that
the teacher was astonished. The child's
face was absolutely radiant. She went
to her and said


Mary, what is it? What makes you
look SO happy ?"


"Oh, I've got some one to love me !"
the child answered earnestly, as if it
were heaven come down to earth.


That was all the secret. For want of
love that little ones life had been so
cold and desolate that she had lost child
hoods beautiful faith and hope. She
could not at first believe in the reality
of kindness or joy for her. 1t was the
certainty that some one had loved her
and desired her affection that lighted
the child's soul and glorified her face.
Mary has since been adopted by wealthy
people, and lives in a beautiful bone
but more than all its beauty and comfort
running like golden thread through it
all, she still finds the love of Der adopted
father and mother.
Year: 1879

NO Grec1an In their celeDraIeu games
exerted himself more than / did. l
found one of the three was near match
for me. When came to the sentinel,
he was not more than six rods behind
me. / gave the countersign without
much ceremony and the man turned
ON his heels and fled. l went to the
Generals quarters, and on presenting
his letter said:


Here is the letter you gave me-"
and then related the above story to
him.


He told me might retire, and need
not call on him again, till he should
give me notice. He strictly charged
me, when in company or in camp, to
make myself a stranger to the move
ments of friend or foe, never to enter
any dispute about the war or the army,
but always be an inquirer.


In about week the General sent for
me and repaired to his quarters at the
usual hour. He inquired if 1 was ever
down on what was then called Cam
bridge Neck. told him L had been
there twice. He then handed me
letter, as usual, and said;


eco to the lower house, and enter the
front door, and when you enter the
room, If there be more than one person
present, sit down and make yourself
stranger. When all have gone out of
the room but one, then get up, and
walk across the room repeatedly, after
you have passed and repassed, he will
take letter out of his pocket and
present it to you, and as he is doing this,
you must take this letter out of your
pocket and present it to him. 1 charge
you not to speak to him on the peril of
your life. 1t is important that you
observe this"


/ went to the house, and on entering
the room / found but one man in it,
and he was at the corner of the room.
He rose on my entering. L Immediately
commenced my travel across the room,
and at the same time, cycling him atten-
lively. The third time passed, he put
his hand into his pocket, took letter
out, and extended it to wards me-
With his other hand he took hold of
my letter, and i did the same with his.
then retired with bow, and returned
to the General. We two could well
recognize each other, though we were
not allowed to speak.


This mode of communication contin-
ued for some time.


One evening as this man was present
ing his letter, he whispers to me, tell
General Washington the British are
coming out on the Neck tomorrow at
two o'clock.


The General started and inquired,
"was it the same person you received
the letters from before ?"


Yes, SIR"


Then saying, " stop here until re-
turn" he took his hat and cane, and
locked the door after him. He was
gone nearly an hour and half.


When he returned, he said, " / do not
know that 1 shall need your services
any more, you will continue about the
encampment; and will allow you the
same pay you have now"


Having nothing to do, L had the curl
osity to ramble about the army and
vicinity, to find the man who whispered
to me, but never saw him. Whether
that whisper was fatal to him 1 know
not. The injunction OH me was par
amount to it, in case of disobedience.
I continued with the army till they left
Cambridge, and then was discharged.
Year: 1879

dispatched to Washington to day, will
censure Reno on oil the essential points
OF the trial. Not one Of til. officers Of
the court considers him 4 coward in the
true sense of the term, but they oil agree
that his conduct during the battle in
question was not such as to commend it.
self to his superiors.


While the members of the commission
are not sworn t" secrecy, they nevertheless
regard themselves as in honor bound not
to divulge their proceedings, and among
military men honor is regarded as more
sacred than is an oath by the common run
Of civilians Col King left for Omaha
barracks last evening. Col. Royal will
leave to day, and Recorder Lee will follow
as soon as he can close up his work. Mr..
Gilbert's eulogy upon Maj. Reno aud the
other survivors of the Seventh cavalry had
the effect to assure all merely casual fol.
lowers of the testimony that Maj. Reno
would be fully exoDerated; but the caro-
full and modest summing up of the points
against Reno, deduced from the testimo.
ny, by Recorder Lee, and also the length
of time required by the commission to
make up their verdict, undoubtedly Great.
ed revulsion of sentiment.


Maj Reno and his counsel, Mr.. Gilbert,
declared last evening that they were not
able to get even an inkling Us to the re.
suit, and they were to all appearance quite
anxious. The paper will be forwarded to
Washington this afternoon.


A gentleman whose judgment was as
sisted by large knowledge Of military
affairs amt practical experience in the
handling Of troops, ventured the following
guess upon the decision the board would
render: '' If I were going to guess l
would say that the decision will contain
these salient points: That Reno's retreat
from the timber to the hill was not COW.
ardly, but unwlse that, whether at his
order or not, the command did make q
reasonable effort to reach Custer; that,
having acted, in the first place, upon an
order embracing the p'omise Of support
and being hotly engaged by the enemy
himself, it was notsheno's duty to 90 to
the aid of Custer, supposing him to be
advised as to the latter's whereabouts,
except upon On official call for aid"
Year: 1879

-"You ought to husband your coal
more," said the charity woman. II al
ways does. l make him sift ashes and
pick the c:nders."


-"Hannab," said landlady to her new
servant" when there is any bad news al
ways let the boarders know of it before
dinner; such little things make great
difference in the eating in course Of q
year."-Ex


-"See here" said an eccentric old man
to an Office boy who had brought doc
tors bill to him. "See here, tell. your
master that I'll pay him for the items of
medicine charged IN the bill, but as for
the visits why-rll return them.'


There's one thing that the eye OF NOR
tai has never beheld, and that is the
skater who fell down because he could
not stand up. He always looks around
with an air of Importance, then fixes his
skate straps and does not rub the place
that hurts the most until he is sure no one
is looking.


"A little more than a year 60 the
State of New Hampshire was overrun with
tramps, so that it was not safe for
woman to 60 alone anywhere in the woods
or fields. A short and summary law passed
last winter effected change in all this.
1t is IN substance this: Any tramp who
begs is arrested if he is not native of
the State he is sent to the state prison
for three years; if he is resident of the
State he is sent to town where he belongs;
reward Of $50 is given for the arrest and
conviction of a tramp. This has done the
business. Tramping, as profession, has
ceased in New Hampshire. 1t is an equal
and just law. 1t enacted IN every State
tramping would be at an end. Every town
would then be obliged to look after its
own poor and It's own scoundrels, as it
should do.-Ex. ...a
Year: 1879

Year after year warnings are pub.
lished in the newspapers against the
practice, in which some house servants
and fewer housewives indulge, of k nd
ling fires with coal oil. s metimes the
warning is simple account of fatal
accident, sometimes it is in comments
thereon. The warnings, however, do
not seem to be needed, and now comes
the story of a woman who used blasting
powder with which to kindle fire, and
caused an explosion fatally injuring
herself and two children. The use of
powder for kindling fires was not un-
usual in the army during the war, but
the fires were in the open air, and the
powder was used by men familiar with
its properties. They were, indeed, SO
we'll acquainted with the danger attend
ing its use, that they never tried the ex-
pertinent until all other means failed to
quicken fire, and then with extreme
caution. 1t is scarcely necessary to say
that all explosive compounds and all
burning fluids should be keptaway from
the stove, and that under no circum-
stances should an attempt be made to
add powder or oil to fire. It is bad
enough to saturate wood with oil before
lighting it, which is practice very apt
to lead to carelessness and dan ,er, but
the attempted pouring of oil on flame
is an act of suicide.
Year: 1879

A Eureka teamster is noted for Tie
affection that he betays for one of the
mules in his outfit, the most obstinate
and mangy-looking animal in the string.
and his fondness for Nancy" as he calls
her, has passed into a proverb. Upon
being rallied upon this peculiarity by a
ehuIn. he discoursed as follows: IL used
TO have sweetheart back in Injany, that
/ was awful gone on, and this yer cussed
mule has so many pints in common that
my heart just yearns over her. She was
as likely gal as ever run barefooted
IN a cornfield, but she was too cussed
obstinate 10 enjoy good health. You
never knew just how 10 take her. She'd
look YOU right smiling in the eye, and
you'd think thar were moro sugar i'm her
nor in New Orleans molasses hogs
head, but If you laid your hand on her
unexpected like, she'd kick the breech-
ing all 10 hi in less than a minute.
That's just the way with that mule. 1
reckon she's cost me nigh onto $500 for
harness, 20 say nothing about doctors
bill for broken leg; but you get into "A
place whar the mud's deep, and the rest
of the team kerfummuxed, and call ON
her for assistance, and blast my eyes IL
she won't pull herself clear out Of her
hide 10 help you out Of your trouble.
That was the way with Nancy. The
summer emigrated were mighty with
the ague, and got the milk fever on top
of that, and were pretty nearly ready
20 cross over Jordan, but She nussed me-,
helped her ole dad all day, and set up
with me nights until she were q shadder,
but she pulled me through, and then
she advised me TO emigrate % Californy.
] hated 10 60 away; II were like persuad-
ing hungry horse 10 leave pail of oats
but there was no use, she were bound To
hev her way, and ! came. That war ID
years ago, aud / hadn't been in tho
country q month fore got news OF hen
dying. Poor gal! She oyerione herse'
takin' care Of my worthless carcass, and
never seen no woman since that time
that We're worth shucks compared To
her"


His eyes were moist as he closed his
affecting reminiscence, and If any Of our
readers notice mouse-colored lead
mule that can kick fly off her COM
panion's ear with unfailing accuracy, or
out-pull any pair In the team, they will
know that the drivers life is centered
in that animal, and respect the tender
memories that causes him 10 bestow
upon her the affections that was oncs
the sole property Of the departed
Nancy"
Year: 1879

A love for the fine arts is daily grow
ing in this country, and ability 10 dis
tinguish and appreciate true artistic
merft is rapidly extending among tboee
who but comparatively a short time ago
never gave more than a passing thought
TO such matters. Our people are begin
ming TO realize that there is more in life
than money-making and material pleas
ures. and are cultiyating the aesthetics.
With the quick apprehension Of Ameri-
cans 1t will not be long before they viii
be as competent judges Of excellence in
art rs any people living. a powerful
aid in iurthering these tastes the public
sales of valuable pictures, etc, have
proven 10 he, which sales are becoming
more and more frequent. They give
the public an opportunity 10 examine
productions OF the pencil and the brush
OF real merit, and, by making familiar
To the public gaze masterpieces of art,
train the eve 10 discover the defects OK
inferior efforts
Year: 1879

An amusing mistake occurred the
other night at a Mount Pleasant, Iowa,
temperance meeting. An old soldier
had signed the pledge, and was telling
his experience. lie said at one time
during the late war he got possession Of
two kegs Of whisky, took them 10 camp,
put faucet in one of the kegs, and
passed the whisky around among the
boys until they got pretty full. About
the time the first keg was empty, ho
said, his conscience told him he was
doing wrong, but il was only moment.


He picked up an AK and knocked the
head Of the other keg in and-here he
WAS interrupted by the dcacons starting
the cry Of Amen "Glory be TO God"
Thank God" After the house became
quiet he continued: IL knocked in the
head of that keg, gave the boys a tin
cup and told them TO help themselves"
The conclusion Of the story was 30 much
different from what was expected, that
il brought down the house with laughter.
Year: 1879

backs would be log-rolled and run in
parallel lines with the river and harbor
bills, gathering, as they went, every
scheme Of folly and wickedness until
the Government would topple and
crumble in ruins. His prayer 10 Con-
gress was to let the currency alone aud
to give 10 the people peace, rest and
liberty TO prosper Applause.
Year: 1879

PArER BARREs.-Beside car wheels
and minor articles, barrels are now be-
ING made of paper They are manufac.
nred Of straw pulp, run into q mold
made in the shape Of one half Of ban.
rel. cut vertically. The pulp is reduced
to the thickness Of threc-eighths of an
inch. being subjected to powerful
hydraulic pressure, and is then put into
a steam dryer, the sides trimmed evenly.
and thoroughly dried. The ends are
also made OF paper, but are protected
by wood. The advantage Of these bar
rels over wooden ones are lightness,
cheapness. and the prevention Of Hour
sitting out while in transit They do not
cost more than one-third the price Of
wooden barrels.
Year: 1879

In the public gardens Of Vienna pear
underwent an operation for cataract.
he Was blind in both eyes. A strong
leather collar was firmly buekled around
his neck, and the attached chain passed
roand a bar Of the cage. Two powerful
men pulled him up, 10 that sponge con
tanning chloroform might NJ applied 70
ton Of the cbloroform was Q diminution
in his struggles; one paw dropped and
then the other. The door OF the den
was opened, and his head laid on plank
outside. The cataracts were removed
and the bear was drawn back into his
cage. Next morning he came out of his
den staring about him, caring nothing
for the light, licking hts paws, and cvi.
IDENTITY glorying in the recovery ofs'ght.
Year: 1879

Cleveland Heaald.


Bayard Taylor wrote a beautiful hand
He detested blind and slovenlv writing.
and used to say that any man could write
plainly who would make an effort. His
manuscript was the delight of printers.
Mr.. Taylor wrote quietly and steadily,
and produced great deal more sscopy''
in given time than any one would sup
pose him capable of who observed his
apparent ease and absence of hurry. He
was rather careless in his dress, but not
like Horace Greedy, enough so to be con-
spicuous. He liked a stout, plain suit of
clothes that could be worn long time. a
loose fitting gray overcoat, and q broad
brimmed slouch hat. He was hearty
eater, and was fond of the German ma
tional beverage, which he habitually
drank at dinner. In religion he might
have been classed as Unitarian or a
Deist, though he had great reverence for
the faith Of his Quaker ancestors. In his
later years the desire for travel wore off.
and he used to set out on journey with
much reluctance. After seeing and
knowing we'll all the great cities of the
world his preference was New York He
often said he had rather live there than
in any European Capital. Taylor's wife
was daughter of the celebrated German
astronomer, Professor Hansen. Sh. Is a
lady of fine culture and considerable lit
erary talent. A school history of Germany
written by her husband for use in Ameri.
can schools, was recently translated by
Year: 1879

some dark dreary room and imagine
from that time on you are one of the
white Fingered sort and ought to have a
supplement to your name, but examine
yourself and see if you havo not brain
that will guide your hands to something
besides holding the plow- handle. There
is no reason why the brown hands, guild
ed by the strong brain that can grow in a
body developed in Gods pure air and
sunshine, shall not be the hands to hold
the good things of this earth. There is
little need of the cry, "nothing to do;''
the earth is full of work and ready to re-
ward the workers.


And 90 to our homes How many of
our greatest and best men and women
can remember mother with brown
handss Is the memory of that mother
less sacred because her hands were brown?
Was the touch of that well-remember-
ed, loved hand less tender because 1t was
browne Oh, no. 1t grew brown caring
for the little ones God had given, and al
ways, in its struggle for life, had time to
caress and tenderly lead them through
the first years of existence, and in ma
turer years had strength to point with
unerring certainty to the path that led to
future usefulness and honor.
Year: 1879

From Frank Leslies Lady's Journal


The materials for bridal robes this season
are remarkably elegant. Extremists in fash
ion select brocades-satin brocade for brides
over ~ years of age, and silk brocade for
younger brides-though plain satin, by con-
ventional consent the one material always in
vogue for the bridal robe-is clamored for
by some; while plain gros grain silk has it's
Yotarles, and India null, swiss null, and
French organdy muslin dresses are sent out
for youthful rustic brides, who do not feel
willing to afford the expense of dress more
costly.


The silks and gauzes which are shown for
bridal robes are in several distinct tints of
white, and several distinct shades of these
tlnts. In cream white, for instance, there is
the dark rich, Yellowlsh shade of the Alderney
cream, twenty-fours old; and according to
the age OF the cream, paler shades, till the
faintest ''off color is visible In pearl white
we are shown tint that almost approaches
the smoke pearl in shade; another, that has
suspicion Of rose in tint; another, with the
fantest suspicion of liacs-this being quite
perceptlble on the wrong side of plain satin
or satin brocade; and from these scarcely
perceptible hints of color in the silk fabrics
displayed there are fainter and fainter shades.
till the existence of colored ray is distin-
guishable only when laid beside a piece of
snew-white silk. Cream white of the medium
shade is that in the most cided favor for the
bridal robe; and of the whites is that which is
regarded as the msst becoming or the least
trying to the complexion.
Year: 1879

From the New York Sun.


An alr-car. or pneumatic dummy,
made by the Pneumatic Tramway En-
CINE Company, is running regularly on
the Second avenue railroad track between
Ninety, sixth and One Hundred and
Twenty ninth streets. The motive is
compressed air. An engine at One Hun
dred and Twenty-sixth street pumps the
air car full as often as required. The
vehicle is capable of carrying one hun
dred persons. Nothing Of the apparatus
that runs the car is visible. Six rolled
steel cylinders are situated beneath, two
under the seats and four in an inclosed
place under the body OF the car. By the
engine at One Hundred and Twenty sixth
street air is condensed into them until it
reaches pressure of $50 pounds to the
square inch. The six cylinders together
hold 100 cubic feet of air. The driver OF
the Car stands il front and manipulates a
pair of levers similar to those employed
in steam locomotive. He is not neces.
sarilv an engineer; any one may learn
the whole manipulations readily. The
air compressed in the cylinders iscapab e
of propelling the car for six miles, and
the speed may be regulated up to thirty
miles an hour. The car can be stopped
almost instantaneously. By the multi
plication of cylinders it is feasible to
make trips of any distance. The time
required for charging the cylinders de-
pends wholly upon the power of the en-
gine employed. The car that is running
is charged in about six minutes. No
smoke, of course, and no noise greater
than that made by the ordinary horse
car, attends its progress. The Second.
avenue Company intend to have ready
six cars of this sort to do all their carry
ing between Ninety sixth street and Har-
lem River by the 1st of March next.
Year: 1879

A-What is the good and what is the bad?
Where is the perfectly true?
What is the end you live for, my lad?
And what, may ask, are you?
Unproven, fear, is your heaven above,
Life is but labor and sorrow,
Then why should we hope and why should we


love,


And why should we care for the morrow?
B-There may be fight worth fighting, my


friend,


Though victory there be none;
And though no heaven be ours at the end,
Still we may steer straight on.
And though nothing be good and nothing be


bad,


And nothing be true to the letter,
Yet good many things are worse, my lad,
And one are two things are better.
Year: 1879

broke to bring her no respite from the
sad burden her bleeding heart bore. The
slightest unusual noise about the house
thrilled her with evil forebodings, and
the weary hours dragged on until the
foreshadowed end came in the accident
as above related,
Year: 1879

The story that Mr.. Tilden proposes to start
an organ at Washington Is preposterous.
Uncle Sammy is not such q fool as that. He
does not care button what the Congressman
think, and he wouldn't give nickel q dozen
for the pick OF them, He Is o peoples, not 81
politicians man. and the people are not to be
reached by wasting money kpOn newspaper
enterprises in the national capital.