smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1877

i Sitting Bull has been talking with cor


respondent, and telling the story of the


custer massacre. He says the fight was


nell with a thousand devils; the squaws


were like flyiag birds, the bullets like hum


ming bees. We thought we were whipped,


not at first, but by and by. Afterwards


your people were killey. tell no lies
about dead men. Those men who came


with the long hair were as good men as
ever fought. When they rode up their
horses were tired, and they were tired


when they got off their horses. They could
not stand firmly on their feet; they swayed
to and fro, SO my young men told me, like
limbs of cypress in great wind. Some of
them staggered under the weight of their
guns, but they began to fight at once. By
this time our camps were aroused and there
were plenty of warriors to meet them.
| They fired with needle guns; and we
replied with magazine guns and repeating
| rifles. Sitting Bull initiated by patting his
| hands together with the rapidlty of fusil-
| ade. Our young men rained lead across
| the river aud drove the white braves back,
and then they rushed across themselves,
| and they found that they had good deal
to do. The trouble was with the soldiers
they were so exhausted, and their horses
bothered them so much that they could not
take good aim. Some of their horses broke
away from them and left them to stand and
drop and die. All the men fell back fight
ing and dropping. They could not fire
fast enough: though they kept in pretty
good order. They would fall back across a
coulie and make fresh stand beyond on
higher ground. There were great many
brave men in that fight, and from time to
time while it was going on they were shot
down like dogs. They could not help them
selves. One of the officers fell where the
last fight took place, where the last stand
was made. The long hair stood like sheaf
of corn, with all the ears falling around
him, not wounded, but dead.


How many stood by him? A few.


When did he fall He killed a man.
When he fell, he laughed.


You mean he cried out? No, he laughed.
He had fred his last shot from carbne,
not pistol.


Did he stand up after he first fell :? He
rose up on his hands and fired another shot
but his pistol would not go off


Was any one else standing up when
he fell down? One man was kneeling
that was all. but he died before the long
hair.


Sitting Bull says there were only squaws,
old men and little children in front of Reno
keeping him in his strong position ON the |
bluff and preventing him from giving aid
to Custer.
Year: 1877

When the seals have reached the kill
ing ground they are allowed a certain
time to rest and cool, after which about
one hundred are driven together into an
inclOsure, and the tittest are selected for
slaughter. The others are then allowed


to go down to the nearest water, whence


they make their way back to the sea.
The instrument of destruction is long
club of hard weod, with which they are
struck violent blow on the head. One


is usually sufficient. A long, sharp knife
is then thrust into the vitals, and the


carcass laid aside and so till about one
thousand have been slain, when the wor X
of skinning commences. When taken off,
the skins are salted and sent home in
that condition. On their arrival here
they are properly cured, and then comes
the preparation needed for their conver-


sion into what is popularity called the


"seal skin" 1t is difficult to conceive
how that beautiful article of dress can


ever be manufactured out of the unat-
tractive object the skin presents at this
juncture. 1t is hard and unyieiding as
a board, and stiff, coarse hairs cover the


fur so completely that its very existence


might not be suspected. The problem to
be solved is how to separate the hair
from thu under fir. For many years


each individual hair was plucked out


severally at, of course, a great expendi-
ture of time and money, until lucky
| accident revealed to the dressers the fact
that the roots of the hair were more deeply
seated than the roots Of the fur. Now
therefore, after preliminary preparations
the skins are laid, hair downward, upon


wooden block with a curved surface


and pared down with knife until the


roots of the hairs have been cut through
and the skin is very little thicker than a


kid glove. All the coarser hair can then


be bruised off with the hand, leaving the
fur, which is then seen to be arranged


in small curls of light brown color, va


rying slightly in shade in the parts. In
consequence nearly all seal skim is
dyed before it is sold, and in the process


of dying the curls untwist themselves


and the fur becomes smooth and ready
for use. The government of the United
States imposes revenue tax OF 81 9
skin, to which must be added to the cost OF


maintenance of an establishment in sc
remote spot; but even allowances hav.
ing been made for this and other ex
penses, in Europe the price demanded


for a jacket must still be regarded as ex
trRvagant.
Year: 1877

D"t


The story is told of married lady,
frequenter of auctions, who had set heI
heart on certain costly japanese vase
offered at recent sale. She had spoken
TO her husband about it, but he had dis
couraged her thinking of it, saying it
would be too high. But she went to the
auction unknown to him; and he, un-
known to her, dropped during the morn
ing, thinking that he would strain a
point, and buy it, if possible, to please
her. The vase was put up, and the bid
ding was lively for time. AT last there
were but two bidders, and both were in
dead earnest. The excitement ran high :;
the figure reached was far above the real
value, but both persisted. At last one
of the two gave out, and she went home
to tell her husband of her chagrin, only
TO learn that she had been bidding against
him, and that the vase was hers at a ruin
Gus price.
Year: 1877

OAK wood which has remained long
time in water finally acquires the aP-
pearance and hardness of ebony. Upon
demolishing the old sluice dam in the
Rhine, oak which had fain for 146 years
was found to have become possessed of
the characteristics of ebony. The modif-
cation is due TO the peroxide Of iron.
Year: 1877

David Loeb. . German, twenty four years old, by
occupation a pockctbook maker, shot himself
In the left breast yesterday afternoon. at
No. 1853 East tenth street, and inflicted so
dangerous wound that his life Is despaired
Of. What the cause that led to his attempted
suicide IS nt present unknown, but II is thought his
inability to procure employment was the motive.


Information was received at the Seventeenth pre-
cnct station yesterday that attempted to take
his lie ut No. IS Third street On the receipt Of
this intelligence Captain Mccullough sent an
officer to Investigate tho case. Tho policeman went
the house and found Jacob Lndcr. thirty
Ave years OF age lying on tho floor surrounded by q
pool oi blood. From "a terrible cash in Els
left arm, his HES blood was quickly flowing The
policeman, with a towel, tied up the wound,
and then took him TO tho station house,
whom an ambulance telcgraphcd for ana
he was removed TO Bellevue Hospital IL was stated
by room mate OF tho unfortunate man that he had
been buying bonds on which he had lost heavily
and this with quarrel which he had had .
few days ago with his brother made him desperate.
He became melancholy. When he examined by
the surgeons ~ Bellevue u was found that several
arteries IN his had been severed


Max Warmth, OF No. LOO Second avenue,
attempted TO kill himself yesterday by
shooting himself In the head The ball
only entered the neshy part OF tho scalp, and
striking tho SIX ull glanced OIL
Year: 1877

| From the Coal-Trade Journal.


Great was the amazement of all
England when, at the close of the
last century, William Murdoch dis
covered the use of combustible air,
or gas. So little was the invention
understood and believed in by those
who had not seen it in use that even
great and wise men laughed at the
idea. "How could there be light
without wick?'' said a member of
Parliament when the subject was
brought before the House. Even
Sir Humphrey Davy ridiculed the
idea of lighting towns by gas, and
asked one of the proprietors if they
meant to take the dome of st.
Paul's for a gas meter. Sir Walter
Scott, too, made himself merry over
the idea of Illuminating London by
smoke, though he was glad enough,
not so long after, to make his own
house at Abbotsford light and cheer
full on Winter nights by the use of
that very smoke. When the House
OF Commons was lighted by gas the
architect imagined that the gas ran
on fire through the pipes, and he
therefore insisted on their being
placed several inches from the wall,
for fear of the building taking fire;
and members might be observed
carefully touching the pipes with
their gloved hands, and wondering
they did not feel warm. The first
shop lighted in London by the new
method was Mr.. Ackermann's, in
the Strand, in 1910; and one lady of
rank was SO delighted with the
brilliancy of the gas lamp on the
counter that she asked to be allowed
to take it home in her carriage. Mr..
Murdoch was, however, too busy
with other persuits to continue to
study the use of gas, and though he
was undoubtedly the first to apply
it to practical purposes, many others
laid claim to the honor, and other
people quickly reaped the benefit of
his cleverness and ingenuity. In
this he shared the general fate of in
veptors.
Year: 1877

Has the fair-minded citizen of ei


ther party considered the inevitabl,


result of such wrong as that wbicl


has been perpetrated in Louisiana


If it is finally consummated by Con


gress? Suppose that the Democrats


having appealed in vain to the sens,


OF honor of their opponents, having


exhausted every peaceful method OF


redress without success, having no.


ceded step by step, under protest, q,


their opponents, growing bolder in


fraud advanced, should finally give
way; should declare that they valued


the peace and prosperity Of the


country too highly to endanger Il


longer by continuing q contest, in


which all the power was on one side,


and all the right on the other. What


then? They would take their appeal


to the ballot boxes. Four years from


now the parties would gather up
their strength for a great struggle,
and the contest would bc far moro


bitter even than the last. The Re-
publicans would probably be beaten,
as they were this year, but by more
decisive majorities. What Of il ?
This year it was easy, with no previ-
GUS preparation, for the West to turn
the electoral vote of two States by
means of the manipulation of the Re-
turning Boards. They voted for Til
den, they were counted for Hayes.


What is there to prevent three or
FOUR, or, if necessary, half q dozen
States being turned at the next elec-
ton, if necessary, to keep power in
the hands of the Republican party ?
The same men who have carried out
this Infamous conspiracy would still
be at the head of the Government,
and would probably have been pre-
pairing for such an emergency during
all the next four years. The army
of offce-hOlders would have increased
by thousands-it grew under Grant
fully 10000; the army and navy
would be still more completely under
Republican control; and all the vast
powers of the Administration could
be swayed for one purpose. How
does the fair-minded citizen like the
prospect? Would this be anything
but corrupt despotism under the
name OF Republic? Why would II
not be best for all honest citizens 10
say no,c that this wrong must not
be carried through, when Republi-
can Government can be saved by
peaceful means rather than wait un-
til the crime has been repeated, and
will be our only hope |
Let the honest Republicans speak
put now.
Year: 1877

The Grand Jury in New Orleans have


indicted Wells and Anderson and Ken


ner and Casenave Of the Louisiana Re-


turning Board for fraudulent alterations


Of the returns from one OF the parishes


at the late presidential election, and 1t


Is said that the trial will produce many


and painful disclosures about the con-


nection Of thege men with the Repub-.


lican managers OF the late canvass. It


Is objected, however, that to allow the


case to go to trial will be violation of


Coy. Nichols promise or agreement to


let bygones be bygones, and pursue no.


during the late presidential struggle,
and generally injudicious as likely
to revive angry feelings. We can,


however, conceive OF no reason for
stopping the prosecution that will


hold water for one moment except
defects in the proof and consequent


likelihood Of an acquittaI. IL the proof
is good, Wells and his oonfederates are
no more entitled to impunity, under an
agreement to overlook political Of
fences" than any Democrat who, dur
ing the canvass, whipped. or murdered
negro voters. Their offense is only
(" political" because IL had serious politf-
cal consequences, just as a murder or
arson might have had. In reality, IL
guilty Of anything they were guilty of
forgery and fraud Of the most shocking
kind, and with Wells, at least, the OBJ
ject was not wholly or principally the
election Of anybody in particular as
President, but the receipt of a good
round sum for the election Of somebody.
The evidence before the House Commit
tee pointed strongly to this, IL 1t did not
convict him Of It. The only possible
in favor Of the political" view
Of his offenses Is the connivance or
countenance which they met with from
Northern politicians and even from men
who do not call themselves politicians,
but moralists. Gov. Nichols owes 10 as
a duty to the whole country to see to it
that II the proof against these men Is
good they are pursued to the utmost
limits Of the law, so that their offense
may remain in American history, not as
q precedent for other scoundrels to fol-
low or be put up to, but as a warming
and example which will make not only
common rascals avoid 1t, but political
managers frown on it as an expedient
not to be thought OF, and pious politi-
clans as something by which there is no
innocent way Of profiting.
Year: 1877

Against solid South there is soon to
be 8 solid North not so perfectly united
as the South, perhaps; that is not neces-
sary; but solid enough and firm enough
to possess the Government. It will be
stronger than In 1861; stronger for the
prestige of past success, the enlarged
experience Of added years, increased
confidence in it's own resources, and the
consciousness of having earned power
honestly and used it worthily. The
small margin by which the Democrats
carried two or three Northern States In
1876 will crumble away the instant
such sectional issue is presented as
that which the South seems anxious to
invite
Year: 1877


No reform" of the civil service is possible
which is not based upon the idea that office
holders are primarily the peers OF their fell
llow-citizens, and entitled to the same po-
htical privileges
Year: 1877

The widow of President Polk was visi-
ted at Nashville by the members of the
Scientific Congress, when President
Newcomb made the following speech:
"We appear before you as students of
Nature in all her Kingdoms, the humble
disciples Of school of teachers whose
instructions have revolutionized society
and whose discoveries have enriched the


world. We come as pilgrims of ancient
Greece came to the temple of Diana, to
do homage at your shrine. If the GUS
toms of the world had not changed our
fatIed lamb would be sacrificed on your
altar,a and The smoke of our incense would
perfume the air of your dwelling. BY an
expression of our sentiments more mod
ern in its character, we assure you of our
respectful regard for the consort of one
who has filled the highest position in our
land, and who by the elevation of her
character. commands the esteem of every
citizen of her country. We pray, homer
ed madam,that Providence may preserve
your life and health through years to
come; that you may long rejoice in the
place you hold in the hearts of your
countrymen. l ..- ,.... D..
Year: 1877

The prints abound now with pen
sketches of Theirs. A writer in Apple
toms Journal says of him To us he
appeared a short, thick-set, square
headed, bristling- haired, pugnacious lit
tie man, with good deal of sparkle and
good deal of obstinacy, brimming with
irony aid eight" nervous, petulent,
uneasy, and charged throughout his
diminutive body with seemingly mex
haustible vitality and force-a physical
trait well fitted to his strong, determined,
and bellicose character. Rather German
than French in physiognomy, he was all
Gallo and Marseillaise in his impetuous
v,vacity and demonstrative manner.
Most engaging, no doubt, in converse
tion. and when talking in the social cir
Gle showing at once his brightest and his
most amiable side, it was evident that he
best enjoyed political life, especially
when that life was freely checkered by a
pandemonium of strifes of the forum.
To see him in the tribune, with his cup
of coffee or his glass of claret by his side,
his handkerchief in his hand, and his
coal-black eyes glaring out from beneath
the big, square spectacles which he al
ways affected, was to see him when his
fullest force and genius were in play.
He was q good hater, and probably never
an orator lived who felt more keenly the
luxury Of forensic combat than Theirs
did in his old-time contests with the prlm
and austere Guizot.
Year: 1877

The women on holidays turn out in
the old Morse costume. the chief feature
of which is the bodice, which is often
made Of some bright -colored velvet,
turned down in front with white silk, and
laced before and behind, according to
our author, "with several yards of fine
silver chain, each chain ending in silver
bodkin, in order that they may De the
better threaded through double rows Of
eyes Gin themselves strikingly pretty
articles of silver, that run In four lines
ND the back and front of this snowy
piece. of Scandinavian haberdashery."
Both men and women are very fond of
large bright buttons and Of silver or
plated ornaments. A Morse wedding is
always preceded by series of presents
from the bridegroom to the bride.
First, there are about two dozen meal
tubs of various sizes, elaborately painted ;
and last and crowning glory of the trous-
seau, there is wonderful clothes-press.
Inside, as far as regards drawers large
and small, and brass pegs and racks for
crockery, it is a marvel of ingenuity ;
while outside it is perfect triumph Of
art The ground tint is warm bright
vermilion, painted all over with green
and yellow scrolls, enlivened with wreaths
of gorgeous flowers, and piles of bril-.
liantly hued fruit, pleasingly interspersed
with quaint lovers knots and bleeding
hearts transfxed upon Cupid's darts, in
the midst of which are the names and
birth-dates of the liberal donor and
blissful recipient of this magnificent
wedding-gif A Norwegian maiden,
who is generally as sober as linnet in
her ordinary attire, appears on her bridal
day glittering in all the oolors of the
rainbow. On her long fair hair is set an
antique crown of silver gilt; and her
bodice, stiff as a cuirass, is thickly
studded with beads, silver-gilt brooches,
and small mirrors. This bridal adorn-
ment is too valuable to be the individual
property of any Morse belle, but belongs
to the district, and is hired out for the
day.
Year: 1877

The war correspondent of the London
Times relates this incident of the battle
of Rasgrad: As the Russians began to
waver and their fire to slacken as the
Turks were pressing forward with in
creased vigor, O young Russian officer
was seen standing just behind one OF
their batteries waving his sword and
boldly encouraging his men to stand
their ground. Over and over again he
rallied the troops who were pouring out
of the trench, but it was of no use ; it
was not in his power alone to. stem the
tide of victory. His men, animated by
his example, turned and held their own
for few minutes, but the fire was too
heavy for any human thing to stay and
live. They could not bear it. They fell
on their knees and entreated him to fly,
but not an inch would he stir, and at
last he stood for more than minute ab-
solutely alone, save for the dying and
the dead piled in heaps around him.


It could only end one way amid the
storm of bullets which were raining
around him thick as hail ; one at last
found it's way to that noble heart, and he
fell dead. As the Turks swept over the
parapet and dashed past the spot where
he lay, the colonel, struck by the boys
extraordinary courage and devotion, gave
orders that he should be decently buried.
In the evening he reported to the com.
mander-in-chief that the body was that
of girl. I give this most astounding
declaration of the colonel upon the au-
thority of one of the English officers OF
the serdar's staff. who tells me that he
was really present when it was made. 1t
seems almost Incredible; but, true or
false, no brayer heart everbe than now
sleeps in that little grave on the sunny
slope of Kacelyevo.
Year: 1877

Still another development OF the pow
ers of the telephone has been made. An
experiment in New York demonstrated
that the current OF one telephone would
divide itself into numerous smaller cur
rents, sufficiently strong for at least six
telephones, discovery unparalleled in
the science of telegraphy. Connections
we're made between the central office and
six other places in the city, and eornet
played in the central Office was distinctly
heard in the other six offices.


A rather embarrassing discovery was
made the other day. Whilst putting up
q new line, the person engaged in the
work accidentally dropped the wire OF q
line between business establishments
and the residence of one of the proprie'
tors, and overheard conversation be-
tween an employee, at the place OF busi.
ness, and the wife of the proprietor, at
home. Fortunately no dangerous secrets
were betrayed.
Year: 1877

How brightly through the mist Of years
Ny quiet country home appears
My father, busy all the day
In plowing corn, or raking hay
My mother, moving with delight
Among her milk-pans, silver bright
We children just from school set free,
Filling the garden with our glee!
The blood of life was flowing warm
When I was living or farm.
1 heard the sweet church-geing bell
As DER the fields its music fell.
see the country neighbors round
Gathering meath the pleasant sound;
They stop awhile beside the door,
To talk the homely matters Ger
The springing corn, the ripening grain
And show we need little rain"
ga little sun would do no harm,
We want good weather for the farm.
When autumn came, what JOY to see
The gathering OF the husking bee,
To hear the voices keeping tune,
OF girls and boys beneath the moon,
To make the golden corn-ears bright,
More golden in the yellow light!
Since have learned the ways Of men,
often turn to these again,


And feel life wore its highest charm,
When was living on farm.