smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1874

II the statistics Of the loss Of life
caused by the explosion of lamps filled
with what is supposed to be coal oil
could be collected. they would present
a fearful array. In consequence of the
frequent occurrence of 'such accidents
IN Baltimore, Professor Erich was led
to investigate the whole matter, and it
is his opinion that nine ont Of every
ten Of the accidents reported as coal
oil explosions should be called benzine
explosions, as he holds those liquids
sold under the name of gasoline, ocean
oil, non-explosive oil, etc, are but lit
tie else than slightly modified benzine.
The standard coal oil VIII not only not
ignite upon contact with a lighted
match or burning piece of paper, but
will actually extinguish the fame ike
so much water. 1t is, at ordinary tenn
peratures. almost as harmless as lard
or fish oil, and cannot be made to burn
without wick. If this oil should ac-
cidently be spilled, as IN breaking a
lamp while filling, it would not be scat
tered about in the shape of liquid fire,
carrying death and destruction wher


ever it flows, as all the lighter oils
would. The worst it could do would
be to render calico dresses, etc, more
infammable. These are useful hints
and should be borne in mind by those
who use lamps for Illuminating pur-
poses. Great care should be exercised
in purchasing only oil that is pure.
Year: 1874




Messrs. D. S. Perkins, Joseph Straloy and
john F Stienrack, a party of Chicago tour
lists, We're cncamped in Elk Head Mountains,
in the North Park, when they met with q
misfortune which cost one Of the party his
life. The party arrived in camp late one
night after days hunt and ramble over the
hills. After a hearty supper she party lay
down VI their blankets around the hre,
which had been built in the cleft of some
large quar- rocks, and all were soon fast
asleep. Mr.. StrIley was awakened in the
night by a heavy weight upon hi, chest. At
first he supposed it was his brothors hand
but as it did not move and becoming nervous
and alarmed, he raised his head and was
Mortified to find large mountain rattlesnake
coiled upon his chest, with his heal nestled
down in the center of the coil. 1t was nearly
daylight, but Mr.. Str,ley was SO paralyized
with fear that he could not make noise
and dared not move. He recovered his
presence of mind so faraS to be able to draw
the blankets over his face. This movement





from him to his brother, who was sleeping
with him The snake passed from his breast
to his brothers face, when in IL fatal mo-
mcnt Henry Straley raised his hand to tear
it away. There was q fierce rattle and a
loud cry from the lalfawakcned boy and the
monster buried its G,ngs in his right hand
and second time in his cheek. There was
horrible scream from Hen y Straley as
the poor boy jumped to his feet, while the
snake glided from the blankets to II large fiat
rock near the emberS of the fire. Mr.. Jenk-
ins fired his revolver at the horrible crea
ture, and at the second shot brought it down.


Poor young Stralcy was soon suffering the
most intense agony. His brother, at his re-
quest, cut ont Il large portion Of the check,
in hopes that the poison had not penetrated
very deep, and tight ligature was bound
around the wrist of the bitten hand, which
wa~ bathcd in cold water But nothing the
Mortified man could do availcd to save the
poor boy lie died in less than two hours
in the most terrible agony. Had the party
been supplied with plentiful supply OF
whi<kcy his life might have been saved, but
they had none with them The body chang
ed color within three hours after the acci-
dent. The young men conveyed the corpse
to Fort Steele. whence it was shipped home
to Chicago for intcrment. The snake me.o-
urcd four feet in length and had nine rattles,
which were taken off, and which were shown
to our reporter at the corral last evening.
This is certainly one Of the saddest episodes
Of mountain life which ha, been brought to
notice this season.
Year: 1874

\ GENTLEMAN of mechanical turn OF
mind took o. lie gas meter to repair it l'im-
self, and put it up again upside down. At
the end Of the quarter it was proved with
mathematical correcnc-, that the gas com.
pany owed him IS ID.
Year: 1874

WHAT Is LIFE ?-Life is but death
vestibule, and our pilgrimage on earth
is but a journey to the grave the pulse
that preserves our being. beats our dead
march, and the blood which circulates
our life is floating it onward to the depth
of death To-day We see our friends in
health tomorrow We hear Of their de-
cease. We elasped the hand of the
strong man but yesterday, and to-day
we closed his eyes. We rode IL char
lot of comfort but an hour ago. and in a
few more hours the last black chariot
must convey US to the home Of all the
living. Stars die mayhaps; it is said
that confagrations have been seen afar
of in the ether, and astronomers have
marked the funerals Of other worlds
the decay Of those mighty orbs that we
have imagined set forever In sockets of
/ silver to glisten as the lamps of eternity.
Blessed be God, there is no place where
death is not life's brother, where life
reigns alone, and ..to live" is not the
first syllable which is to be followed by
ssto-die." There is land where death
knells are never tolled, where winding
sheets are never woven, where graves
are never dug. Blest land beyond the
skies. To reach il we must die.
Year: 1874

We do believe that the great change
for which the secret righteousness of this
age pines, and which it is sOrely strait
ened till it can accomplish. is the dehh-
crate adoption into heavenly places"
of this world, its faculties and affairs,
just as God has made them. and mans
unfaithfulness has not yet spoiled them.
1t is not only the home of each mans
personal affections, but the native coun-
try Of his very soul where first he found
in what life he lives, and to what
heaven he tends; where he has met the
touch of spirits higher than his own, and
of Him that is highest Of all. 1t is the
abode Of every ennobling relation, the
scene of every worthy toll the altar
of his VOWS, the observatory of his
knowledge, the temple of his worship.
Whatever succeeds to it will be its Sc
quel, not its opposite will resume the
tale wherever silence overtakes it, and
be blended into one life BY sameness of
persons and continuity of plan. He is
set here to live, not as an alien, passing
in disguise through an enemy's camp.
where no allegiance is due, and no wor-
thy love is possible, but as citizen fix
ed on an historic soil, pledged by hon.
orable memories to nurse yet nobler
hopes. Here is the spot, now is the
time, for the most devoted service of
God. No strains of heaven viii wake
him into prayer, if the common music
of humanity stirs him not The sanity
company Of spirits viii throng around
him in vain, if he finds no angels Of du-
ty and affection In his children, neigh
bors and friends. If no heavenly voices
wander around HIM in the present. the
future will be but the dumb change of
the shadow on the dial-Aartinedu.
Year: 1874

A most remarkable suicide recently
occurred in Philadelphia. The victim
Of the awful act was Henry Hirt. a man
thirty-eight years of age, for long time
proprietor of newspaper and periodi-
cal store His mind seemed TO have
been affected By the failure ofJay Cooke
& Co, and other financial disasters. af-
fecting. as he thought, the industrial
interests of the country. and he had
stated to a friend that there was nothing
left for him but suicide


Don't think l am fool he said !;
don't think that I would gain over
ny own death the pity and sympathy
of cold and heartless world. No, in
deed; when am dead my body viii be
so disfgured that no one viii discover
It's identity or be willing to admit that
the crisp and mangled corpse they see
before them IS the body Of Henry Hirt- -


On Monday evening, few days after
the above remarks were delivered, he
came into the kitchen of the boarding
house where he was staying. and ap-
preaching the CRATE, threw package of
letters. along with Q roll of bank bills,
into the fire. Of course he was remon-
strated with. bat all the reply made at
the time was:


Never mind, have as much left as
ever l win need


Turning, after this expression, to his
landlady, he said:


Here, Mrs. Bender, are the keys to
my bureau and trunks am going
away, and I'll that you find in them you
are at liberty to regard as your own


Leaving the house he took Third
street horse car, and while on the route
for his destination procured large bot
tie Of kerosene oil and several boxes of
matches. Arriving at Maiden Lane he
proceeded into little grove and poured
upon his clothing and his person several
quarts of coal oil. After thoroughly
saturating himself he struck a match,
and in the next moment was wrapped
in furious blaze.


His object was to disfgure himself SC
that he would be unrecognized by any
of his friends. and be buried as an IN.
known man. The intensity of the fame
and the terrific pain to which his person
was submitted caused him inEoluntarily
to cry aloud. A man approached. wher
the suicide leaped into a stream near BY
and swan to the opposite bank. Ht
was there met by other parties and tax
en- to hospital, but his wounds wert
of such a severe nature that he died the
next morning.
Year: 1874

distance from the surface cavity was
discovered, in which were niue little
chicks. The hen had managed to make
her nest IN cavity in the heap. and
after laying eleven eggs. the opening
had been closed by the stable man piling
on more of the cleaning from the stable.
The warmth generated in the heap had
incubated the eggs, and nine Of the
eleven hatched out This may be dis
covery which some one may turn to ae-
eount
Year: 1874

and | win go up stairs If you take the
wallet it viii be stealing. and you viii
be sent 10 the reform school" The wal
let was left. the men went up stairs for
q moment. and when they came down
the lad was nowhere in sight, neither
was the wallet containing 500. and to
be brief about it, lad and money are
still missing.
Year: 1874

4 World WITHOUT SuNpAY.-Think
how the abstraction Of the Sabbath
would hOpelessly bind the working class.
es. with whom We are identified. Think
of labor thus going on in one monoto-
nous and eternal cycle, limbs forever on
the rack, fingers forever straining, the
brow forever throbbing, the shoulders
forever dropping, the restless mind for
ever scheming. Think Of the beauty it
would effaoe, the merry-heartedness it
would extinguish, of the giant strength
it would tame, Of the resources Of nature
it would crush. of the sickness it would
bring. of the projects it would extort. of
the lives it would immediate. and Of the
cherries graves it would prematurely
dig See them tOiling and fretting.
grinding and hewing, weaving and spin
ming, sewing and gathering. moving and
repairing, raising and building. digging
and planting, striving and struggling:
in the garden and in the field. in the
granary and in the barn, in the factory
and in the mill, in the warehouse and
IN the shop, in the mountain and in the
ditch, on the roadside and in the wood,
in the city and in the country. out at
sea and on the shore in the day of bright
ness and of gloom. What picture this
world would present, if we had no Sab
bath.
Year: 1874

| met woman this morning, evident
ly down-east school-ma am. (which
IS the way, sir, if you please, to Prospect
Park % blight along that plank; you
can't miss it, /" and I raised my hat to
pass along. Would you be good enough
sir, to 20 down vita me | am almost
afraid to go alone" Upon ny word.
the poor woman was as white as this
paper, and her teeth chartered Like q
frozen newsboy. and Isuppose her knees
shook together like drumsticks- So l
vent down with her and fairly dragged
her to the parapet. where she could
overlook the Falls. l pulled her hands
of her eyes and babe her look She
slowly cbeyed. and such look Of dis
gust never saw: What, is this Mag
ara that mighty cataract that | have
seen in the geography and heard % much
about2 And | have spent all M money
TO see this thing" Well, / reasoned
with that poor sehooI-marm for half an
hour, but do my best she was bound 70
be disgusted. and CT home she vent In
the next train It Is just 50 with every
body.-8iagara Correspondence.
Year: 1874

The Detroit Free Pre- tells of man
who sat down to one of the eating stands
in the market and called for seventy
FIVE cents worth of ''the best in the
house" 1t was handed to him. and it
made peoples eyes hang out to see him
eat. He was about half an hour at it,
and when he got up remarked that he
had forgotten his pocket-book The wo-
man grabbed a butcher knife and start
ed for him. but instead of running away
he laid his hand on her shoulder and
whispered; "Be calm, and above all
don't excite me. Ny fit comes on regu-
larly every day at this hour. and then
l get wild, kick, bite, yell. and tip over
things. l feel it coming now. Ifthere's
a policeman in the market 60 and get
him, and let him take me to the station
right away before | kill some one! !" She
ran to get an officer, and the man ran
the other way.
Year: 1874

The Republican in contrasting the
tax rate of Wilmington with that OF
Philadelphia, omits to mention the
enormous head tax to which our people
are subject, sometimes amounting to
as much as that upon quite fine house
in Philadelphia. There is no mistak-
ing the fact that our people pay too
much money in taxation that is wasted
in political jobbery Only think of
the City Treasurer's Office costing
about $4,000 per year, and badly served
at that
Year: 1874

The Philadelphia Ledger of yesterday says:


On Sunday some of the larger steamboats,
plying up and down the river were crowded
with passengers, large proportions of them
being composed of family parties-father,
mother and children. This was probably the
case with all the steamers, but we speak of
those only that came under our immediate OBJ
servation. They are we'll patronized during
the week also, but of course not to the extent
they are on Sunday, for there are but few
comparatively who can spare the time tor the
holiday on any other day than Sunday.
These opportunities for excursions at cheap
rate of fare on the Delaware river boats are
among the best means for getting " fresh air,
"change of scene" and agreeable diversion
within the reach of the hundreds of thousands
who do not or cannot go to the seashore, the
mountains, the springs, the country" or
other places of summer resort. They range
from Trenton and Burlington up the river to
Bombay Hook and Collins Beach down the
bay embracing large numbers of intermediate
places, SO that the excursion can be made long
or short at pleasure They embrace also great
varieties of scene and all the advantages of ex
cursions by water, including the great novelty
to most people, the breezes from the salt water
and dip into the sea.


So much by way of general remark appi-
cable to all the steamboats, employed in this





make special mention of particular boat, d
distinction which it IL unusual for this paper
to make. The steamboat Ariel which for a
time was making tr-weekly trips down the
bay, has more recently been making runs
daily down and up. The excursion trips
thus afforded have been very largely availed
of by ladies and children, and this result is
mainly attributable to the fact that, while
ample provision has been made for other re-
freshments, no Liquors have been sold on
board the boat. There have been no attrac-
tions on the Ariel for the sort of men and
big boys who go on excursions to drink and
"carouse," and such persons and parties
consequently keep away. What satisfaction
and comfort are expressed in this one simple
fact to the we'll behaved people who delight in
these river trips as the means of wholesome
enjoyment, can be easily understood by hun
dreds of excursloniSts who have on some occa
sions seen every decent passenger aboard a
steamboat deprived of all enjoyment 10y the
noisy behavior and prOfane talk Of a few half
drunken men, or thrown into a state of alarm
by an uprO iriOuS row among parties out for
car0use. Of course We do not mean to be
understood that these unpleasant scenes occur
always on steamers where liquors " art
sold, for we know thar such is not the case
But they do sometimes occur, and it is for tina
reason that for the information of ladies anC
their children, we make special mention of a
least one boat whore they are not likely t
occur, and to which such characters are no
likely to be attracted
Year: 1874

A stranger fell from the upper deck of the
steamer Sue on Saturday afternoon on b +
down trip, when ten miles above Cape May.
A lady gave the alarm and they backed the
steamer and lowered boat and caught him,
but life was extinct and could not be restored.
As froth was at his lips, he must have had
cOnvulsions. He was fine looking, very well
dressed, and weighed about two hundred
pounds. Nothing was found on his person to
identify him. He held ticket to Lewes, Cape
HenlOpen, where the boat was bound after Ian
ding at Cape May. He was entiry unknown
on board.
Year: 1874

When you see young fellow strike match
to light his cigar and then restore the uncon-
sumed fragment to his vest pocket, accept it
as sign that he has been reading some good
book on the necessity of economy for young
men about to marry.
Year: 1874

There was to be marriage in French village
and all the guests where punctual, but the bride
groom could not be found. He was discovered at
last up tree, but would not DOWN till the
future falher-in.law conveyed to him farm that
had been promised. Much protestation and many
tears, but he was firm. Finally the papers were
signed aud down he came.
Year: 1874

A GENTLEMAN AND WIFE WANT A SECOND OR
"A Third Floor or Room and Bedroom and servants
Room unturnished southern exposure with privilege
use OF kitchen. from May private family preferred
references given and required. Address PERMANENT,
box ZIG Herald office.
Year: 1874

beyond the boundaries Of tho statc, and to DO
carried acloaa or through tho state-thc power
Of the rallrond companion with respect to TINT
freight ia to romain as before. Tho law goes
into operation At once.
Year: 1874

Is IT CONSISTENCY ?-The third resolution
of the Pennsylvania republican platform de-
clares that ''the movement for the formation
of the new constitution was made and carried
to completion under its auspices" 'Its"
refers to no noun, but no doubt the repub-
lcan party is meant But did the Convention
forget how the republicans in Philadelphia
tried to defeat the constitution and how the
Mayor declined to be 'put in a hole, when
the attempt to ''count it out" was made by
sundry unknown persons2 The boast is
hardly consistent With this record
Year: 1874

example To persist, therefore, would compel
the republican party to antagonize him in a
way which it has hitherto avoided. Nor is this
all. Even the silence which he has main
tanned SO long upon the question of third
term cannot now be continued without excit-
ing still more the suspicious of his party. He
cannot, with safety to himself, permit Mosby,
Kemper, Gordon, and postmasters generally,
to parade him before the country as candi-
date, and we think he is too prudent to allow
any one to place him in such an unpleasant
position as he held at Harrisburg. He surely
cannot wish any more resolutions indorsing
him in the event of third term nomination
to be ''voted down with loud shouts of disap-
provaL" Silence is his worst possible policy,
and it was the cause of the rebuke Just ad-
ministered to him. Now Pennsylvania has
given him good opportunity to
speak Long ago he should have acted upon
the advice of the HERALD and have declared
that he would not be q candidate for the
Presidency in 1876; but it is not too late.
An announcement from General Grant to this
effect would make the closing years of his
administration peaceful and prosperous; it
would give him an iuustrious place in Ameri-
can history; it would free the republican
party from its present condition Of restraint,
and, finally, it would bid the approaching
ghost Of Caesar to gather around him his
spectral robes and fade again into the dark
ness from which he rose. But if the President
refuses to speak these noble words for his
own honor and his countrys good he will be-
come inevitably banished man. A new
Coriolanus, he will go forth from his repub-
lican Rome to lead against his old friends the
democratic Volsces of the West and South. If
in such a conflict he should fail the loss would
be irreparable. while if he should win his ruin
would be complete.


Thou know'st, great son,


The end Of wars uncertain but THIS Is certain,
That If tnou conquer Rome, the benent


Which thou shalt thereby reap Is such name


Whose repetition VIII be dOgg'd with curses,


Whose chronicle thus writ:-''rhe man was noble,
But with his last attempt ne wiped IL out,


Destroyed his country, and his name remains


To the ensuing age abhorred."
Year: 1874

CHINA AND JApAN.-Is it possible that the
change in the Chinese policy with regard to
Formosa is due to intrigues among the foreign
embassies? Russia wants an island in the
East just as Germany desires one in the West.
The Gar might become an excellent mediator
for China and Japan, especially in his own
behalf Still everything ought to continue all
right so long as Minister Bingham remains at
his post lie is great and good man who
never hacked cherry tree, told a lie or took
stock in the Credit Mobilier.
Year: 1874

usually brilliant. Only short time ago Gray
Planet made the best time on record for a
single mile and now Fellowcraft has run four
miles in seven minutes nineteen and half
seconds, surprising in speed for that dis
tance anything previously known, even Lex
ington great time.
Year: 1874

ANY ONE in this free country can write for
The newspapers over his own name, bEt in
Great Britain this is not universal privilege,
as the government has reminded the journals
in an official note. Such restriction here
would be hard on the innumerable Beecher
correspondents.
Year: 1874

The ANNUAL REGATTA at Cowes supplies the
information for an interesting letter from one
Of our English correspondents to-day. The
American yacht Enchantress has been again
unfortunate, having been disabled in the race
for the Prince Of Wales Challenge Cup, and
obliged to retire from the contest
Year: 1874

MARSHAL BAzAINE in letter to the French
government exonerates the officers and pris-
soners of his former jail from completely in
his escape and takes all the credit to himself.
He justities his action on the ground that his
sentence was Illegal
Year: 1874

The BATTLE OF EsrELLA The most i'm
portant battle yet fought between the Carlists
and the republicans was undoubtedly that
of Estella, at which General Concha was
killed, and the full and picturesque
letter which we publish to-day will be
read with unusual interest. While we
think our correspondent has exaggerated
the significance of this victory to the Carlists,
there is no question about the value of his
analysis OF the situation and his explanation
of the reasons upon which Don Carlos bases
his faith in ultimate success. At the time he
wrote the intention of Germany and the other
great Powers to recognize the Republic was
unknown, but their action has changed the
entire aspect of Spanish affairs. Its effect is
not yet seen in the field, but soon will be.
The government Europe recognizes she will
undoubtedly protect.
Year: 1874

The ENGLISH TURF. The full details of the
races at Brighton and Lewes are given by our
London correspondent to-day. In the race for
the Brighton Cup there was some rather sharp
practice. But three horses ran two Of whom
belonged to the same owner, while the third
was cripple. The public naturally bet heav-
lily on the faster of the two horses; but Mr.
Savile, the owner just before starting, an
nounced officially his intention to win with
the slow one. OF course he had accepted the
odds laid against her. Our correspondent
naively observes that this was justifiable, as
the mare might have broken her leg or
blood vessel" in which case Mr. Savile would
have lost; but on any theory the clever trick
should be warning to those who have not
read in the Bible that 'the race is not always
to the swift"